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‘A huge spectrum of people coming together’: how parkrun made it to its millionth event
Growing risk that thousands buried in Gaza’s rubble may never be identified, says Red Cross
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World Cup 2026: Scotland react to first victory in 36 years as Australia beat Turkey – live
News, build-up and reaction from North America Player guide | Bracketology | Wallchart | Mail us here As always, feel free to leave a comment below the line with any reaction from the latest games. You can also throw in some predictions for today’s fixtures. Or, you can email in at matchday.live@theguardian.com Continue reading...
UK forces board sanctioned Russian oil tanker in English Channel for the first time, says Keir Starmer - UK politics live
Prime minister says British armed forces intercepted a Russian shadow fleet vessel in the early hours of Sunday morning In an interview with the Sunday Telegraph, Dan Jarvis said he had a “big responsibility” towards soldiers who risk their lives for the country. Jarvis, himself a former soldier, said he was still working through the detail of the defence investment plan, which will lay out how much military equipment and infrastructure will be paid for over the next decade. The new defence secretary told the Sunday Telegraph: The defence of our nation is a shared endeavour… I have a big responsibility in that regard now, but so do all of those people who expose themselves to risk tonight, tomorrow, next week, and we owe them a debt of gratitude. I have a responsibility now to them to make sure that they get what they need, and people should be very clear about my determination to fulfil those duties, to make sure that they do (get) precisely what they need. Continue reading...
Wedding parties, the Hand of God and Lineker – The Big One invades summer like nothing else | Matthew Engel
Forget the Olympic and the rest. People across the planet remember where they were for their biggest World Cup matches The connection between King Lear and the 1966 World Cup is little known, mainly because it affected very few people at a now defunct boarding school. I had been a surprise selection to act in the school’s production of Lear (yes, I played the Fool; yes, I was typecast). The day before one of the performances I fell and twisted something and was a doubtful starter for a part that required a lot of dashing about. Matron prescribed sleeping pills. That night England were playing Mexico in that now-sanctified tournament – almost a must-win after a goalless start against Uruguay. I went to bed early, tucked my transistor under the pillow to hear the commentary, went spark out and only heard the result next morning: England 2 Mexico 0. The rest is national history. Continue reading...
‘He is him’: indomitable Jalen Brunson quiets doubters as Knicks end 53-year wait
The Knicks ended a decades-long title drought behind a 45-point explosion from Brunson, whose teammates say his influence extends far beyond the box score The New York Knicks spent decades searching for the player who could carry them back to the top of the NBA. On Saturday night, Jalen Brunson removed any remaining doubt that they had found him. With Karl-Anthony Towns limited to two points and New York struggling offensively for much of the evening, the Knicks’ 6ft 2in floor general erupted for 45 points in a 94-90 victory over the Spurs that delivered the team’s first championship in 53 years and earned him Most Valuable Player honors. Continue reading...
Brazil find that everything good flows through Viní of New Jersey
The Real Madrid star was his country’s best player in their World Cup opener on Saturday. They’ll need more of the same if they are to make a deep run Vinícius Júnior is not wearing the famous Brazil No 10 at this World Cup. For now, the hallowed shirt of Pelé, Zico, Rivellino, Rivaldo, Ronaldinho and all the rest belongs to Neymar. Or at least it belongs to a man faintly resembling Neymar. Now 34, he showed just enough at Santos to make Carlo Ancelotti’s squad after two lucrative but mostly wasted years in Saudi Arabia. Ancelotti could have chosen João Pedro or Richarlison or Savinho or Gabriel Jesus or Igor Jesus or, hell, even Antony, but he took Neymar. Who is injured again – a calf problem this time – and whose fitness will loom over the Brazilian campaign, just as it has at some point during every one of his four World Cups. Continue reading...
‘Suggestive toothpaste tubes shooting into mouths’: David Hockney’s winking celebration of queer life
He challenged homophobia not through sexualised imagery but by reshaping ideas of beauty, intimacy and desire. The result? From posters to cushion covers, A Bigger Splash has become an essential presence in countless gay households ‘He changed the world just by looking at it’ David Hockney, revolutionary British artist, dies aged 88 Six decades after David Hockney painted A Bigger Splash, his most famous painting, reproductions have become a visual motif in gay domestic life. I’ve seen framed posters, prints and postcards of the work – which captures the moment after a person jumps off a diving board into an otherwise still cyan blue swimming pool – in countless gay households. In my flat, it appears on a cushion cover that I bought after seeing the real thing at Hockney’s 2017 Tate Britain retrospective. It’s fitting that A Bigger Splash is now emblematic of this pioneer. As an out gay artist who depicted same-sex desire in his work long before male homosexuality was partly decriminalised in England and Wales, Hockney and his paintings challenged the homophobia within the artistic establishment and beyond. And he did so not through the use of highly sexualised imagery, like the photographer Robert Mapplethorpe, or with the activist themes of painter Keith Haring, but by reshaping our ideas of beauty, intimacy and desire. That’s how he made the biggest splash. Continue reading...
Russia is losing the war in Ukraine, and Putin is desperate. But that’s when he’s at his most dangerous | Simon Tisdall
Don’t expect the Russian president to pursue peace. Instead, he could continue to expand the war beyond Ukraine’s borders – with dire risks for us all Just about everyone reckons Vladimir Putin is in deep trouble in Ukraine. Everyone – meaning Volodymyr Zelenskyy, his European backers and western military analysts and commentators – seems to believe Russia’s dictator is heading for humiliation. They could all be wrong, of course. But what if they’re right? How might a desperate, cornered Putin, fearful for his policy and person, react to the prospect of defeat? On past form, he will escalate, not capitulate. His options range from trolling YouTube to waging nuclear war. For Ukraine, the latest news is mostly good. Using sophisticated Ukrainian-made drones and missiles, it has forced the invaders on to the back foot. Russia’s tally of dead and wounded is said to be running to 30,000 each month. Its advance has stalled – and in some places has been reversed. Ukrainian airstrikes deep into Russian territory are bringing the war home to a misled, disillusioned public. St Petersburg burns. Fuel shortages cause panic buying. Prices and taxes are rising. Putin’s 2022 “special military operation”, which was supposed to bring swift victory, has now lasted longer than the first world war. Simon Tisdall is a Guardian foreign affairs commentator Continue reading...
NHS staff battling wave of food supplement disinformation
Exclusive: Cancer charity says dispelling falsehoods gleaned from social media is now routine task for clinicians Social media misinformation about the use of dietary supplements such as turmeric, St John’s wort and magnesium is now so common that dispelling online claims has become a routine part of NHS clinicians work. Two out of five frontline health workers say they encounter patients who raise inaccurate or misleading information about supplements at least once a week. Continue reading...
British armed forces intercept Russian shadow fleet vessel in Channel
Keir Starmer said operation involving UK armed forces operation delivers ‘yet another blow’ to Russia and Putin The British armed forces intercepted a Russian shadow fleet vessel in the Channel in the early hours of Sunday, Keir Starmer has confirmed. The Ministry of Defence said Royal Marine commandos and specially trained law enforcement officers from the National Crime Agency boarded a sanctioned oil tanker during a six-hour operation – the first UK-led operation of its kind. Continue reading...
Make platforms that promote violent content pay towards riot costs, Streeting says
Exclusive: Former minister calls for urgent action against companies such as X that allow incitement to violence Wes Streeting has called for Keir Starmer to take urgent action against X and other online platforms that have helped whip up social tensions, suggesting they should be forced to contribute to rebuilding costs after the riots in Belfast. The intervention by the former health secretary, who is seen as a likely challenger to Keir Starmer in any leadership contest, comes after Downing Street said any response would be left to Ofcom, the media regulator, meaning no action is likely for at least two months. Continue reading...
Trial of 12mph bike lane speed limit grinds gears of Dutch cyclists
Increase in road deaths amid rise of e-bikes prompts Houten to test willingness of freedom-loving cyclists to slow down As road deaths increase and cycle lanes overflow with e-bikes, the Netherlands is considering a cycling speed limit of 12mph (20km/h). The government has started a two-week trial in Houten, near Utrecht, to gauge whether freedom-loving Dutch cyclists are willing to slow down – and whether they have any idea how fast they are going in the first place. Continue reading...
‘I should know better’: tech expert lost £70,000 in one simple phone call
After falling for a scam call, ‘The Tech Chap’ host Tom Honeyands realised he’d given away vital details in social media posts When Tom Honeyands realised he had been defrauded out of £70,000 he was furious and embarrassed – and left wondering if he had given away too many details on his social media vidoes. Honeyands was on a work trip to Tokyo when he got a call from someone claiming to be from Lloyds bank. The caller asked if he had made a recent transaction in Singapore and when he said no, the scammer said his account had been compromised and that security details needed to be reset. Continue reading...
Illegal dump becomes ‘symbol of north-south divide’ at heart of Makerfield byelection
Failure to clear up rotting, rat-infested site is a key issue for local people as they weigh up politicians’ promises A mountain of rubbish sits behind a metal fence in the village of Bickershaw, where it has remained for more than 20 months. For many residents, it is a physical manifestation of the north-south divide as well as a rotting, rat-infested symbol of a broken system in which organised criminal gangs make millions while communities endure the toxic impact of their trade. The 25,000 tonnes of household and trade rubbish is one of the largest toxic waste dumps in the country. Unlike many illegal dumps that appear in woodlands, by rivers and on farmland, this one is in the heart of a residential street, right next to a primary school. Continue reading...
Minister defends changes to UK workers’ rights against costs backlash
Kate Dearden says reforms such as enhanced sick pay simply bring UK into line with other big economies Labour’s radical workers’ rights reforms have simply put the UK on a “level playing field” with other big economies, the employment minister, Kate Dearden, has said. The government’s Employment Rights Act became law last year, with specific provisions being implemented this year and next. Continue reading...
From Sussex to Scotland, my road trip through four centuries of British holidays
A 1,600-mile journey to the wild peaks of Scotland, via Llandudno’s Victorian promenade and the bright lights of Blackpool proved an eye-opener in more ways than one One of my favourite recent photographs is of me (unusually), perched on the bonnet of our car, about to set off on a solo, two-week road trip from our Sussex home to the wilds of Scotland, taking in Eryri (Snowdonia), Lancashire, the Lake District and Yorkshire. I had no idea that the research trip I was about to embark on – for my book, which traces the story of British holidays over 400 years – was going to reveal my homeland as somewhere I barely knew. As a southerner, it was the northern half of Britain that I needed to discover. I’d stitched together my route with visits to museums, archives and classic seaside resorts that had once blazed so brightly. I’d visited Cumbria before, but the Conwy coast, the Lancashire countryside, Blackpool, Morecambe, Scarborough? All these were unknowns. Continue reading...
Socceroos stun Turkey as Australian youngsters shine in opening World Cup win
The Socceroos’ future has arrived early, after Australia’s next generation delivered one of their best World Cup victories, upsetting highly-fancied Turkey 2-0 in Vancouver to start their 2026 campaign in style. They can thank a trio of young stars, all of whom were in doubt to start the match. Nestory Irankunda finished a brilliant end-to-end attack with a goal in the 27th minute, assisted by midfielder Paul Okon-Engstler. Young goalkeeper Patrick Beach – thrust into the starting side in a pre-match selection shock – pulled off a series of dazzling parries, including one in the first half that will be a contender for save of the tournament. Continue reading...
TV tonight: a brilliant series about Nelson Mandela’s fight for freedom
Those who knew him tell the remarkable story in a three-parter. Plus: a juicy drama about the scandalous Mitford sisters. Here’s what to watch this evening 9pm, Channel 4 Continue reading...
‘A point of resistance’: the Normandy village that said ‘non’ to Pete Hegseth
US defence secretary cancelled appearance at D-day event in Legrune-sur-Mer after protest by residents When news came that the US defence secretary, Pete Hegseth, would be travelling to Normandy to mark D-day, some in the seaside village of Langrune-sur-Mer – where the afternoon ceremony was slated to be held – felt they had to speak up. “We found it unbelievable that they could send someone who held views and values contrary to democracy, human rights, peace and Europe,” said resident Chantal Richard. To her, the incongruence felt deeply personal. “We grew up going to D-day ceremonies, some of us had grandparents or parents whose lives were affected by this war.” Continue reading...
How Brexit has made Britain poorer – in charts
Forecasters were wrong about an immediate recession but right that we would be worse off outside the EU As the 10th anniversary of the Brexit vote approaches, the verdict on Britain’s economic performance is clear: voting to leave has resulted in severe costs for households and businesses. The immediate recession predicted in the Treasury forecasts ordered by George Osborne – dubbed “project fear” by the Leave campaign – did not happen. The impact from the Covid pandemic, wars in Ukraine and Iran, and Donald Trump’s trade battles also cloud the picture. Continue reading...
Let him eat cake! Birthday greetings for President Trump as he turns 80 – from Greta Thunberg, Piers Morgan and more
The 47th has his 80th this weekend – a milestone that surely shouldn’t go unmarked. Artists, activists, writers and thinkers send their messages to the man of the hour (even if they’re unlikely to get a party invite) Cory Doctorow Dear Comrade Trump: On this, the occasion of your 80th birthday, I write to extend my sincere thanks for all the work you have done. After decades of deadlock, you have inspired the world to action! You have done more to de-dollarise the world than any American leader in history. Without you, there would be no way that Ethiopia would be revaluing its national debt in yuan. You have done more to end the global dependence on oil than any leader (except, perhaps, for Comrade Putin). Without you, there would be no way that India would be chucking out its gas hobs and replacing them with induction tops. And, of course, you have done more than any president in history to end American dominance over the internet. Without you, there would be no way the EU would be racing forward with projects such as Eurostack and European Digital Infrastructure Consortium, with whole nations ditching American tech exports like Microsoft Office 365 in favour of free, open, auditable, transparent alternatives running on servers within the EU’s borders. Comrade Trump, you are, at long last, ushering in the post-American world, and a grateful planet salutes you! Continue reading...
Oudh 1722, London SE1: ‘Finickety food, yes, but still a blowout feast’ – restaurant review | Grace Dent on restaurants
It may be obviously Michelin-chasing, but it’s also resolutely midriff-expanding Oudh 1722 is chef Aktar Islam’s first foray into London, following his barnstorming ascent in Birmingham with the likes of Opheem. Brum’s love for Islam is resolutely misty-eyed, while Opheem’s 10-course tasting menu has garnered two Michelin stars. It is the ultimate special-occasion spot within a 100-mile radius, more akin to L’Enclume in vibe than its fellow two Michelin-starred Indian Gymkhana in Mayfair. Islam, however, is not taking this snoozily. Instead, he has taken on a listed Victorian townhouse near Borough Market in south-east London and opened a restaurant that’s pretty solemn in its approach to Awadhi cooking. A laughably brief catch-up on the tradition: the Nawabi era began in 1722, thus the restaurant’s name. The cuisine was luxurious, and defined by slow, thoughtful cooking, sealed pots, aromatic spice blends and subtle notes. Dead posh, basically. The polar opposite of fast, very spicy, grab-and-go food. 1722’s à la carte menu opens with a lamb shorba, a traditional welcome broth poured over finely chopped lamb tartare. Then spherical servings of gol guppa (you might know them by another moniker, pani puri), filled with sprouting moong shoots and tiny edible flowers, and flooded with jaljeera-spiced cumin water. It feels unregal to shove the entire thing in your mouth, but needs must. Continue reading...
As Donald Trump turns 80, he faces a foe he can never defeat: Father Time. That’s a problem for us all
Alarm over the judgment and behaviour of the world’s most powerful man, and the consequent risks to the world, can only get worse The main Nuremberg trial ended, Winston Churchill warned of an iron curtain descending across Europe, It’s a Wonderful Life received its premiere and, at Jamaica hospital in the borough of Queens, New York, Donald John Trump was born. It was 1946, also the birth year of George W Bush and Bill Clinton, but on Sunday the current US president celebrates his 80th birthday in a style uniquely his own. Trump will stage a night of cage fighting on the once-pristine White House south lawn as part of events marking the 250th anniversary of US independence. Continue reading...