Enzo Maresca says Neto will make decision if he is ready Portuguese teammates won Uefa Nations League last month Enzo Maresca said that he will let Pedro Neto decide if he is ready to face Palmeiras after Chelsea excused the winger from training following the death of his friend and international teammate Diogo Jota. Neto played with Jota at Wolverhampton Wanderers and won the Uefa Nations League alongside the Liverpool and Portugal forward last month. Continue reading...

Russia launches drone attack on Kyiv hours after presidents’ phone call; US company Techmet to bid in first pilot project of US-Ukraine minerals fund. What we know on day 1,227 Read all our Ukraine war coverage Continue reading...

The team battled a notoriously strong current and used the stars as their guide to reach an island in an unstable vessel made of Japanese cedar Dr Yousuke Kaifu was working at an archaeological site on the Japanese islands of Okinawa when a question started to bubble in his mind. The pieces unearthed in the excavation, laid out before him, revealed evidence of humans living there 30,000 years ago, arriving from the north and the south. But how did they get there? “There are stone tools and archaeological remains at the site but they don’t answer those questions,” Kaifu, an evolutionary anthropologist at the University of Tokyo, says. Continue reading...

Number looking to move to urban centres up 16% in first five months of 2025 compared with same period in 2015 With the rise of home working and surging house prices in many urban areas, one might have assumed that British cities had lost some of their appeal to homebuyers over the past decade, but it turns out the opposite is the case. An analysis of the first five months of this year shows the number of would-be first-time buyers in Great Britain looking to move to cities is up by 16% on average compared with the same period in 2015. Continue reading...

Emerald theatre, London A regal Von Teese oversees this uninspiring mix of chandelier-swinging cabaret, circus and dance featuring the Steps singer as a saloon owner with a string of exes Somewhere in the noughties, Dita Von Teese was just about the most glamorous woman on earth, curled up in a giant martini glass, trailing feathers and jewels, a throwback to 40s and 50s glamour; Bettie Page with a great sense of spectacle and a knowing wink. Her latest show, Diamonds and Dust, feels like it could have been made back then, in that this wild west-themed floor show comes without much of the innovation, subversion, irony and identity politics that have happened on the burlesque scene in between, including in Von Teese’s own work. The show is actually led by Faye Tozer from Steps. She’s a likable front woman, playing saloon owner Kitty LeRoy, her story of hardscrabble life and multiple husbands interspersed with acts combining burlesque, circus and dance. It’s gorgeous girls draped in pearls and lacy layers (teasingly removed), with a bit of lasso brandishing, a cowboy swinging from a chandelier (Magic Mike vibes) and Tosca Rivola proving herself talented on the cyr wheel. But the overall effect? I think the word is basic. Pretty young women taking off their clothes in not-that-interesting ways. Continue reading...

Islamic leaders, in power since 2021, announce development after talks with Russian ambassador in Kabul Afghanistan’s government has said that Russia had become the first country to officially recognise its rule, calling it a “brave decision”. The Taliban swept back to power in 2021 after ousting the foreign-backed government and have imposed an austere version of Islamic law. Continue reading...

Costa Rica-based inter-American court of human rights says states have obligation to respond to climate change There is a human right to a stable climate and states have a duty to protect it, a top court has ruled. Announcing the publication of a landmark advisory opinion on climate change on Thursday, Nancy Hernández López, president of the inter-American court of human rights (IACHR), said climate change carries “extraordinary risks” that are felt particularly keenly by people who are already vulnerable. Continue reading...

The return of this twisted tale of two troubled sisters and their mum is yet more scary, lairy and perfectly portioned comedy. It is knockout TV There’s a scene early on in the first series of Such Brave Girls that sums the whole thing up nicely. Josie – a millennial not long out of a mental health crisis, now just in a general, all-encompassing life crisis – has helped her sister to bleach her hair. Unfortunately, she has neglected to tell Billie that the plastic bag she put over her head has left a massive, Shrek-green Asda logo on the dye job. Billie – who alternates between sweetly naive and absolutely petrifying, with little warning – lunges at Josie and smothers her new dress in ketchup, before threatening to kill herself. The girls’ mother will later attempt to return said dress to the shop – stains and all – feigning tears as she tells the shop assistant how much debt she’s in. Suffice to say, Such Brave Girls isn’t a wholesome coming-of-age affair. It is, however, a brilliant, startlingly feral comedy, one which scooped the scripted comedy Bafta last year (previous winners include Derry Girls, This Country and Peep Show). The subject matter – suicide, abortion, financial ruin, deep-seated abandonment issues – sounds like the stuff of sadcoms. But what makes it stand out in a post-Waller-Bridge world is that it is an unashamed sitcom, with a regular cast and recurring gags. Think The Inbetweeners, if it had it been written by Julia Davis. Continue reading...

An initial £45m bid was rejected by Forest last week Newcastle look to bolster squad for Champions League Newcastle United are optimistic of striking a deal to sign the Nottingham Forest forward Anthony Elanga after submitting an improved offer worth about £55m. Last week Newcastle had a £45m bid rejected but have returned with an increased offer. Newcastle and Eddie Howe are long-term admirers of Elanga, who featured for Forest in every Premier League match last season, scoring six goals and providing 11 assists as Nuno Espírito Santo’s side qualified for the Europa Conference League, returning to European competition for the first time since 1995-96. Newcastle qualified for the Champions League after finishing fifth. Continue reading...

The minute’s silence was immaculate, poignant, loaded, and ultimately broke into applause. “Rest in piece Diogo Jota,” spelled a series of cards held up behind Inês Pereira’s goal; the air was thick with emotion in those moments and one of the first things to say is that Portugal’s players deserve the highest admiration for turning out to compete. They may not have shared a dressing room with Jota or his equally mourned brother, André Silva, but that cannot minimise the fact two members of their nation’s close-knit footballing family had been taken away in devastating circumstances. It took guts and no little honour to show up and keep running, scrapping, hunting for moments to take pride in while Spain set about reaffirming their status as runaway favourites for this competition. Spain themselves deserve credit for resisting any temptation to go easy, starting at a rattling pace and completing a thoroughly professional job. In their case that often means administering a sound beating and there is no escaping that they delivered one here. Continue reading...

Lobbying effort by independent delegation follows Jamaica’s move to ask King Charles to request legal advice Global campaigning for slavery reparations gathered pace this week with lobbying in Westminster and Brussels, days after the Jamaican government revealed it will ask King Charles to request legal advice on the issue. On Tuesday, the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Afrikan Reparations, a group of UK MPs and peers calling for an apology and reparative justice for the historical and ongoing impact of slavery and colonialism, hosted an independent delegation of Caribbean researchers and activists who are lobbying for reparations. Continue reading...

Labour won hundreds of new MPs in the 2024 general election. One year later, how do they think the government is doing? Labour’s first year back in power has been marked by high stakes and harsh realities. Despite ambitious promises, the party has struggled to maintain the support of voters – reflected in low poll numbers and a near defeat on its big welfare legislation. Continue reading...

Health secretary banks on resulting efficiencies to reduce number of frontline workers in 10-year health plan Wes Streeting has staked the future of the NHS on a digital overhaul in which a beefed-up NHS app and new hospital league tables are promised to give patients unprecedented control over their care. A dramatic expansion of the role of the NHS app will result in fewer staff than expected by 2035, with Streeting banking on digital efficiencies to reduce the number of frontline workers, a move described as a “large bet” by industry experts. Continue reading...

An unforgiving pitch and some uninspiring bowling gave Shubman Gill’s tourists an inch … and they took a mile The sun shone, the wind blew, the grass grew, and India batted. And batted. And batted. They batted on so long that summer’s roses had budded, bloomed and withered again before they were finished. Excited little kids who had taken seats in the family stand first thing in the morning left it as jaded pensioners in the evening. It was even rumoured that a man who had come up from London to catch the end of the innings was able to use the newly finished HS2. Among all their other achievements India’s batsmen even silenced the Barmy Army, so that by the very end the volume in the Hollies Stand was reduced to the sort of somnolent hum usually heard at Lord’s. Continue reading...

Britain’s mens No 1 Draper beaten 4-6, 3-6, 6-1, 4-6 Cilic previously reached Wimbledon finals, losing in 2017 Questions over how next to rename The Hill can wait another year. Jack Draper, the new hope of British men’s tennis, was taught a grand slam lesson by the veteran Marin Cilic on Court One on Thursday and exits Wimbledon with fresh learnings to take on board in his burgeoning career. There has been distinct excitement at Draper’s prospects in SW19 this summer after his heady ascent up the ATP rankings and victory at Indian Wells in the spring. That this was only his fourth Wimbledon appearance and that none of his previous outings had gone beyond the second round was not given much credence. But perhaps a lack of experience told here, at least in how Draper managed the match, while the 36-year-old Cilic, a Wimbledon finalist in 2017, revelled in his own on-court Indian summer. Continue reading...

Brazilian president meets Cristina Fernández de Kirchner at her flat in Buenos Aires before regional summit Brazil’s president, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, has eschewed a one-on-one meeting with the Argentinian president, Javier Milei, during a trip to Buenos Aires, instead opting to visit Milei’s political rival, former president Cristina Fernández de Kirchner, who is under house arrest. Lula was in the Argentinian capital on Thursday to attend the Mercosur summit. Continue reading...

Updates from the Group B match; kick-off 8pm BST Mail Barry | Player interactive | Euro 2025 team guides Diogo Jota and Andre Silva: England defender Lucy Bronze expressed her shock at the death of Liverpool forward Diogo Jota and his brother Andre Silva and said the Lionesses would be “thinking of them” along with the rest of the footballing and non-footballing world, writes Suzanne Wrack from Switzerland. “It definitely shocked all the squad when we woke up this morning and the news started to spread, said Bronze. “Obviously we have a lot of Liverpool fans in our team, and football fans, but for people in general, everyone is just thinking of them – him and his brother. They were so young as well. We have seen all the messages on social media and stuff so you can tell what a great guy he has been. It’s just really sad and we were shocked by the news, really.” Speaking on the day that Portugal play Spain in their opening game of Euro 2025, Bronze, who is half Portuguese, said: “We’ll be watching the games tonight, Portugal play their first game against Spain and I know there will be a minute’s silence held before that game. Continue reading...

Early-morning negotiations proved enough to persuade hardline House conservatives to back bill US politics live – latest updates The US House of Representatives passed Donald Trump’s massive tax and spending bill on Thursday, handing the president the first major legislative victory of his second term and sending to his desk wide-ranging legislation expected to supercharge immigration enforcement and slash federal safety net programs. The 218-214 vote came after weeks of wrangling over the measure that Trump demanded be ready for his signature by Friday, the Independence Day holiday. Written by his Republican allies in Congress and unanimously rejected by Democrats, the bill traveled an uncertain road to passage that saw multiple all-night votes in the House and Senate and negotiations that lasted until the final hours before passage. Ultimately, Republicans who had objected to its cost and contents folded, and the bill passed with just two GOP defections: Thomas Massie, a rightwing Kentucky lawmaker, and Brian Fitzpatrick, who represents a Pennsylvania district that voted for Kamala Harris in last year’s election. Continue reading...

Fears raised that those without immigration details on computer systems could become undocumented as Home Office digitises records Up to 200,000 people who have lived in the UK legally for decades are at risk of being caught up in a Windrush-style scandal because the Home Office does not know their whereabouts or have their details on government computer systems. There are fears that some in this group will face a serious risk of being left undocumented as the Home Office converts immigration records from paper to digital. Continue reading...

Italy kicked off their Euro 2025 challenge with a controlled victory in their Group B opener in Sion. Arianna Caruso’s spectacular first-half goal proved the difference in a close encounter against a well-organised Belgium. With the game evenly matched, it was one that required just a moment of quality. Caruso is Italy’s puppet-master, pulling the strings with ease from the heart of the midfield. Her goal was an example of what Italy can do when they are at their best. Continue reading...

Martyn Oliver says he knows of property values shooting up by £15,000 after schools were graded as outstanding House prices in England could be put in turmoil by the government’s scrapping of headline school grades such as outstanding or inadequate, according to Ofsted’s chief inspector. Speaking at an education conference, Martyn Oliver said parents and schools had become familiar with headline grades after 30 years of use, saying he knew of house prices shooting up by £15,000 after nearby schools were graded as outstanding. Continue reading...

Local clinics and technology could drive improvement if reorganisation doesn’t slow things down The NHS is a totemic institution in Labour’s history and that of the country, and voters care more about it than most things the government does. So the publication of Labour’s 10-year plan for health in England was a crucial opportunity for ministers to show that they are in tune with the public. Given that satisfaction with the health service has hit a record low of 21%, and doctors are again threatening to go on strike, the announcement was also a moment of peril – even before the damage suffered by the prime minister and chancellor earlier this week, when rebels forced a U-turn on planned cuts to welfare. The overarching principles of Labour’s reforms were set out last year: more prevention, more technology, more care delivered in the community (as opposed to in hospital). So the challenge was to find something fresh, original and hopeful to say. The promise of science and the potential of localism are what Wes Streeting’s team has come up with. The strand of DNA pictured on the document’s cover points to high expectations of genomic medicine and other cutting-edge technology. Neighbourhood clinics, by contrast, represent a prosaic recognition of demand for more ordinary services and treatments, from an ageing and increasingly unhealthy population. The aim is to deliver most outpatient care away from hospitals by 2035. Continue reading...

A ban on the direct action group – backed by MPs on Wednesday – looks like disturbing overreach by the state When the Labour government introduced anti-terrorism legislation 25 years ago, it stressed that it was targeting extreme crimes. “Terrorism involves the threat or use of serious violence for political, religious or ideological ends. It … aims to create a climate of extreme fear,” said Jack Straw, the then home secretary. Some MPs still feared that a group like Greenpeace, which had destroyed genetically modified crops and temporarily halted nuclear weapons production at Aldermaston, might be proscribed. Mr Straw reassured them that such bans would be used only when absolutely necessary; he knew of “no evidence whatever” that the actions of the environmental group “would fall remotely under [its] scope”. Continue reading...

No 10 wrongly assumed the 2024 intake would do as they were told, now it fears they have gained a taste for rebellion As Labour officials sounded warnings to Downing Street last month about the scale of the rebellion against the government’s welfare bill, one concern was particularly stark: many of the supposedly-loyal 2024 intake were among the rebels. Officials were told not to worry, however, sources have told the Guardian. Many of those MPs had been personally selected at the general election by Morgan McSweeney and other senior advisers to Keir Starmer. Continue reading...

India 587; England 77-3 Akash Deep removes both Duckett and Pope for ducks The last time a visiting skipper in England notched up a double century was Graeme Smith in 2003 and it prompted Nasser Hussain to fall on his sword mid-series. Smith – or “what’s-his-name” as Hussain called him beforehand – was a captain killer on these shores, his South Africa team accounting for Michael Vaughan five years later. Ben Stokes at least knew Shubman Gill’s name before this series and, in fairness, the England captaincy is unlikely to change hands in the next week. Nevertheless, Gill inflicted one of the toughest days of Stokes’ three years in charge as his chanceless and downright merciless 269 from 387 balls drove India to a position of dominance. Continue reading...