The Guardian

Is the pope a Real Madrid fan? Leo’s admission upsets Barcelona faithful

Pontiff appeals in Catalan for harmony on Barcelona leg of Spain tour after making football foes in cityTo the delight of many, Pope Leo XIV kicked off the Barcelona leg of his week-long visit to Spain with a few words in Catalan, calling on the faithful who had gathered in the city’s cathedral on Tuesday “to build harmony and communion beyond all polarisation”.The pontiff’s familiar and commendable plea for people to set aside their differences may, however, have come a little late. Three days

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The Guardian

UK’s top retailers urge government to do more for jobless young people

Bosses of M&S, Sainsbury’s and Tesco among those writing to Starmer calling for action on youth unemployment crisisWe would like to hear from young people in the UK about their job-hunting experiencesSome of the UK’s biggest retailers are planning to write to the prime minister urging him to tackle the youth unemployment crisis, with signatories expected to include the bosses of Marks & Spencer, Sainsbury’s and Tesco.Lobby group the British Retail Consortium said it had drafted a letter

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NY Times World

Iran’s Soccer Federation Says Its World Cup Tickets Have Been Revoked

It did not say who had interfered but blamed the United States, one of the tournament’s hosts, after months of war.

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BBC World

Israeli air strikes hit Lebanese city of Tyre despite Iranian warning to stop attacks

Iran warned Israel on Monday that it could resume hostilities if attacks on its Lebanese ally Hezbollah do not stop.

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The Guardian

Palantir to sue Sadiq Khan over blocked £50m Met police contract

US spy-tech company to challenge London mayor’s intervention after he raised concerns over breach of procurement rulesPalantir intends to sue the London mayor, Sadiq Khan, after he blocked a contract between the US spy-tech firm and the Metropolitan police.The Met had planned to use Palantir’s software to automate intelligence analysis in criminal investigations, until Khan intervened in late May, sparking a row between the UK’s largest police force and the mayor’s office. Continue reading...

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The Guardian

EU plans to ban Russian soldiers from bloc in fresh sanctions on Moscow

Banks, crypto firms and Kremlin oil reserves also targeted in 21st set of measures since full-scale invasion of UkraineThe EU hopes to ban Russian soldiers from entering its territory as part of further sanctions against Moscow that also target banks, crypto firms and the Kremlin’s oil revenues.Announcing the proposals on Tuesday, the European Commission president, Ursula von der Leyen, said: “We propose for the first time to ban from entry into the European Union anyone who has served in the Ru

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BBC World

Who is the Somali referee barred from entering the US for the World Cup?

Omar Artan was set to become the first Somali to referee a game at the World Cup finals, but his place in history has been denied by US immigration authorities.

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The Guardian

Trump claims US fuel prices ‘not very high’ as costs surge amid Iran war

National average gas price stands at about $4.16 per gallon as Americans grapple with price hikes sparked by the warDonald Trump has claimed US fuel prices are “not very high, relatively speaking” as his administration grapples with affordability concerns after the surge in costs sparked by his war on Iran.The national average gas price stood at about $4.16 per gallon on Tuesday, according to AAA – $0.37 lower than a month ago, but still about $1 more expensive than the same time last year. Cont

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The Guardian

Rich countries do better in women’s football but understanding why matters, not just for the Matildas

‘Gender norms explain some of it, but not all of it’ says Tiya Banerjee, an economist at the e61 InstituteGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastIn about a week’s time, the Socceroos will step up against Turkey, their first opponents in this year’s World Cup.Winning their first match will be a big ask; progressing beyond the first round will be a bigger one. Continue reading...

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The Guardian

Documents reveal concerns over US company’s proposed gas fracking in WA’s Kimberley region

Federal environment department says Black Mountain Energy has provided insufficient data as it seeks to drill 20 gas wells in part of world’s largest tropical savannaGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastThe federal government has repeatedly raised concerns about an American company’s bid to frack for gas in Western Australia’s Kimberley region, part of the world’s largest and most intact tropical savanna.Texas-based Black Mountain Energy, through its subsidiary Bennett Reso

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The Guardian

‘Osprey cam’ streams life of nesting seabirds perched at tip of 55 metre-long Queensland rainforest canopy crane

Researchers believe the same pair of birds have been mating and nesting in the unusual spot in the Daintree Rainforest for 15 consecutive yearsGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastIt started by chance – but it should have come as no surprise that two ospreys would pick a hi-tech research facility to make their home.James Cook University’s 47-metre tall crane towers over the far-north Queensland rainforest canopy, making it the perfect nesting place for the seabird. Continue

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BBC World

Scrapping of Franco-German fighter jet leaves allies at odds on defence future

The flagship partnership project became a glaring example of discord between the two nations.

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The Guardian

UK watchdog to look at Paramount’s $110bn takeover of Warner Bros Discovery

Deal to create a streaming and sports powerhouse will be scrutinised by Competition and Markets AuthorityThe UK competition watchdog has opened an investigation into Paramount Skydance’s $110bn (£82bn) takeover of Warner Bros Discovery (WBD).The deal will create a media powerhouse controlling assets including the Paramount and HBO Max streaming services, Channel 5 and TNT Sports, which broadcasts Champions League, Premier League and the Olympics, the Hollywood studios behind franchises including

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The Guardian

Man shot during protest against proposed US Ebola quarantine facility in Kenya

Police used teargas to disperse demonstrators in Nanyuki, 120 miles from Nairobi, amid rising anger at US plansA man has been shot in the head during a protest in a town in central Kenya against a proposed US Ebola quarantine facility for its citizens.Photographs from the scene appeared to show a person lying motionless on the ground. Continue reading...

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BBC World

Murder of Lyhanna, 11, enrages France and turns up heat on government

Protesters are angry that the suspect had already been reported to police last August in a separate case.

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The Guardian

Tempest in the stalls as baby disrupts Kenneth Branagh RSC performance

Audience members said baby’s cooing and gurgling ruined Branagh’s return to the RSC after 30 years, with some seeking refundsBoatswain! The opening scene of Shakespeare’s seminal play The Tempest, in which Prospero conjures up a violent storm to shipwreck his treacherous brother, is enough to wake up anyone – let alone a baby.Audience members at a matinee performance of the Royal Shakespeare Company’s production, starring Kenneth Branagh as Prospero, complained after a baby gurgled and cooed its

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The Guardian

Family pay tribute to ‘altruistic’ London woman as her killer is jailed for life

Father and mother of Annabel Rook praised her dedication to helping others and want to focus on her legacy A retired Old Bailey judge has paid tribute to his daughter after her killer was jailed for life.Today at Snaresbrook crown court, Clifton George, 45, was sentenced to life imprisonment after being found guilty of the murder of Annabel Rook, 46, whom he stabbed in the living room of her own home in Stoke Newington, north London. Continue reading...

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The Guardian

Badenoch criticises Macpherson report and calls for more stop and search

Tory leader takes aim at police guidance and says more black boys searched means more black lives savedKemi Badenoch has argued that Britain took a wrong turn after the landmark Macpherson report into the racist killing of Stephen Lawrence, and said that it didn’t matter how many young black boys were stopped and searched by police.The Conservative leader made the comments as she announced plans to scrap the obligation on public bodies to consider how they can promote equality as she seeks to he

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The Guardian

Nigel Farage to headline Liz Truss’s UK CPAC conference after apparent snub

Reform had previously suggested Farage would be ‘steering clear’ of event, modelled on US conservative gatheringUK politics live – latest updatesNigel Farage will be headlining at an American conservative summit brought to the UK by Liz Truss next month alongside a raft of hard-right speakers, despite his party previously suggesting he would be “steering clear”.The Reform UK leader has announced he will speak in July at the Conservative Political Action Committee (CPAC), which claims it wants to

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The Guardian

XL bully owners face ban on leaving children under 12 alone with their dogs

New dangerous dogs law after spate of attacks in England and Wales could fine people or have their pet seized A new crackdown on XL bullies and other dangerous dogs will make it illegal to leave children under 12 alone with them in England and Wales.There has been a spate of attacks on children by dogs from certain dangerous breeds, including one on a 10-year-old girl who died last year after being attacked by the family pet, an XL bully. A nine-month-old baby was also mauled to death last year

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