Why Iran is risking so much over the Strait of Hormuz
None of the choices facing Iran’s leaders offer a clear path to victory, as the conflict with the US continues.
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Why France's D-Day landing beaches could join Unesco's heritage site list
Normandy's D-Day landing beaches could soon be listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site -- marking the culmination of a project launched nearly 20 years ago. The designation would recognise "outstanding universal value" and raise the international profile of the beaches -- including one where Allied forces built an artificial harbour. The UN's cultural agency is set to announce its decision between ...
US identifies soldier killed destroying downed Iranian drone in Iraq
Sgt Michael Emmanuel Swinton died during a controlled detonation at Erbil airbase as US-Iran war toll reaches 17The US military has identified an army soldier killed recently during a “controlled detonation” of a downed Iranian drone in Iraq as Sgt Michael Emmanuel Swinton, of Fayetteville, North Carolina.According to a press release from the US defense department on Tuesday morning, the 30-year-o...
‘I hear you’: Burnham’s pledge to ‘knock money off bills immediately’ signals politics of deliverism
Stuart Norval is pleased to welcome Matthew Talbot, former Labour Party advisor and political commentator. Talbot sees Andy Burnham’s first days in office as an exercise in political signalling as much as policymaking. With only weeks to prepare what is expected to become a long-term programme for government, Burnham appears to be prioritising measures that demonstrate immediate responsiveness to ...
Another ‘DeepSeek moment’? What China’s Kimi K3 means for the global AI industry
The launch of Moonshot AI’s Kimi K3 has revived an intense debate that has raged in Silicon Valley ever since DeepSeek’s shock breakthrough last year: whether China can overcome its limited access to advanced chips to match the performance of the United States’ frontier artificial intelligence models. Trillions of US dollars might rest on the answer, as some see Chinese developers’ success in incr...
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Wildfire spreads in southeastern France as firefighters battle blaze
Firefighting aircrafts battled a fast-moving wildfire in southeastern France as the blaze spread across hundreds of hectares, prompting evacuations and threatening nearby communities.
Messi's strange pre-final video puzzles World Cup fans
Messi’s team talk before the 2026 World Cup final sparked theories online. Journalist Eduardo Feinmann relayed claims that Messi’s call to 'forget everything' was linked to rumours circulating before the match, although this has not been confirmed.
Why Spain's World Cup win will not thrill Donald Trump
Spain’s World Cup triumph on American soil became awkward for Trump because the winners came from a country that has clashed with him over Palestine, Iran, NATO and the meaning of national greatness.
Searching for closure: Venezuela families refuse to give up after quakes
Weeks after earthquakes, relatives are still searching for bodies of loved ones who disappeared beneath the rubble.
Oil price rises above $90 as US and Iran exchange fire and Houthis threaten naval blockade in Saudi Arabia - as it happened
Rolling coverage of the latest economic and financial newsMore on the cost of living: new figures show that UK grocery inflation eased in the four weeks to 12th July to 2.6%, its lowest rate since December 2024.It marks the fifth consecutive month of slowing price rises, Worldpanel by Numerator found.Easing price rises will come as welcome news to shoppers, but the annual bill tells a fuller story...
Japan’s AI gamble: Can technology offset the cost of an ageing society?
From underground networks to emerging AI start-ups, Japan is testing whether its greatest issue can be an opportunity.
Thames Water joins hosepipe ban as England and Wales approach drought status
About 23 million people across country affected by water-saving measures with ‘prolonged dry weather’ in eight areasHow can I water my garden in a hosepipe ban and will there be drought this summer?Thames Water investors offer ‘golden share’ in bid to head off nationalisationTwenty three million people will be banned from using hosepipes by this weekend, as England and Wales moves closer to drough...
‘Sit down!’: Australian MP yells at dog then snaps at presenter in live interview
Barnaby Joyce had been defending One Nation leader Pauline Hanson’s ‘working holiday’ on ABC current affairs showThe Australian politician Pauline Hanson – a populist, hard-right figure in the Nigel Farage mould – probably expected her European tour to generate headlines.But the One Nation party leader, who is riding high in the polls, could not have anticipated that coverage would become dominate...
Brussels prepares first digital rulebook fine against Google, risking Trump's ire: media reports
German media reports say the EU executive is set to announce the fine against the tech titan on Thursday in a move that could escalate tensions with the Trump administration over digital services.
UK to remove 5% tax on electricity bills as Burnham holds first cabinet meeting
The UK's new prime minister, Andy Burnham, has held his first cabinet meeting, telling ministers he will set out his plans "over the coming days" and promised to reveal how his government will pay for any reductions in tax.
Andy Burnham shakes up Whitehall with new government department
Office of Prime Minister and Cabinet, led by Louise Haigh, will oversee both No 10 in London and northern equivalent• Andy Burnham’s first Labour cabinet: who’s in and who’s out?Andy Burnham has created a powerful new department taking in parts of the Cabinet Office, Treasury and housing ministry to become the “dominant driver of the UK’s economy”.In one of his first acts, Burnham has created the ...
Black lands, Mexican bands: how a southern rural family built a Latino cultural hub
As the Latino population of North Carolina booms, opportunities abound – and Donal Gooch is capitalizing on changing nature of his home regionDonal Gooch is not pleased about the trash on his arena floor.“Shit, it’s pitiful,” he says. Continue reading...
Trump’s HIV funding cuts having ‘severe and devastating’ impact around the world
The President’s Emergency Plan for Aids Relief has saved 26m lives globally, but slashing of funds and dismantling of USAID have forced clinics to shut in dozens of countriesNo part of the United States’ anti-HIV programme has escaped unscathed from Donald Trump’s funding cuts, despite pledges from the administration to protect care that saved lives around the world, a new report has found.Funding...
The US mounts pressure across 3 maritime flashpoints. How should China respond?
Chinese researchers have called for more coordination among the country’s maritime authorities to counter an American strategy that has put pressure on Beijing across three critical waterways in the first island chain. By synchronising operations across flashpoints in the East China Sea, the Taiwan Strait and the South China Sea, Washington’s “three seas linkage” strategy aimed to force Beijing in...
Canada set to join European fighter jet program as an observer
Defence Minister David McGuinty, who is in the U.K. for a major international air show, has said the government is interested in learning more about the Global Combat Air Program.
'France wants to lead the way' with under-15s social media ban
French lawmakers are expected to pass a bill on July 21st banning social media access to children under 15. If approved, France would follow Australia's lead, where the world's first ban for under-16s on platforms including Facebook, Snapchat, TikTok and YouTube came into force in December, as concerns grow over the impact social media has on the health and safety of minors.
Fourth person dies in New York City legionnaires’ disease outbreak
US health officials say source of Upper East Side cluster has likely been eliminated after 76 people fell illAn outbreak of legionnaires’ disease in New York City has claimed a fourth life, officials have said, as they again expressed confidence the source of the exposure had been eliminated.A statement from the city’s health department on Monday said the outbreak, which was traced to cooling towe...
Luke Skywalker's 'The Empire Strikes Back' lightsaber breaks Star Wars record at auction
The lightsaber used by actor Mark Hamill in 'The Empire Strikes Back' (1980) has broken a record at auction for the sale of screen-used props. It sold for $3.75 million.
Stand still, make eye contact: Denmark tells tourists how to behave in a wolf encounter
Government urges visitors not to approach or feed wolves as it manages safety amid growing populationDanish authorities have advised tourists to stand still, make eye contact and put up “maximum resistance” in the event of attack if they encounter a wolf while on holiday.After a 200-year absence, wolves started returning to Denmark in 2012. There are now estimated to be 49 wolves on the Danish pen...
ASEAN diplomats voice ‘serious concern’ over Iran war and energy crisis
Southeast Asian countries are highly affected by oil supply shortages caused by Iran war and Strait of Hormuz closure.
What does a heatwave cost?
What does a heatwave cost?