36 h. ago Australia set West Indies 301 to win after middle order digs in

Australia dismissed for 310 on third day in BridgetownHead, Webster and Carey all made half-centuriesTravis Head has given Australia a fresh scent of victory in the first Test after delivering his second half-century against West Indies in Bridgetown.It helped Australia reach lunch on the third day in an improving position. Having resumed on 4-92, the tourists shored up their position by reaching 5-181, growing their lead from 82 to 171. Continue reading...

Events

41 h. ago ‘Orchestrated grovel’: critics react to Europe’s attempts to tame Donald Trump

Nato chief Mark Rutte derided for calling US president ‘daddy’ and showering him with praise over IranHistory may record this week as the one in which Donald Trump came to Europe to discuss defence spending.Diplomats may remember it as the week in which the art of obsequiousness reached new highs and the sycophants plunged new lows. Continue reading...

Politics

3 d. ago China breaks more records with surge in solar and wind power

Between January and May, China added 198 GW of solar and 46 GW of wind, enough to generate as much electricity as Indonesia or TurkeyChina’s installations of wind and solar in May are enough to generate as much electricity as Poland, as the world’s second-biggest economy breaks further records with its rapid buildup of renewable energy infrastructure.China installed 93 GW of solar capacity last month – almost 100 solar panels every second, according to an analysis by Lauri Myllyvirta, a senior fellow at the Asia Society Policy Institute. Wind power installations reached 26 GW, the equivalent of about 5,300 turbines. Continue reading...

Politics

3 d. ago ‘It’s like being walled in’: young Iranians try to break through internet blackout

Desperate for news on war with Israel, people search for proxy links to route messages through servers outside Iran• Middle East crisis – live updatesAmir* hasn’t slept much in days. From his apartment in northern Tehran, the 23-year-old spends his nights searching for proxy links, fragile digital lifelines that briefly break through the internet blackout.Iran remains under a near-total internet shutdown, severely limiting access to information. A group of young Iranians are, however, working non-stop to ensure their voices reach the outside world. Continue reading...

Politics

4 d. ago UK weather maps show exact dates when Brits to be blasted with 30C or higher

Weather maps show that the UK is set for scorching conditions ahead where temperatures could be 30C or above for five days and reach 34C as hot air sweeps in from the continent

Politics

8 d. ago Flamengo stun Chelsea with comeback victory at Club World Cup as Jackson sees red

Group D: Flamengo 3-1 ChelseaBruno Henrique 62, Danilo 65, Wallace Yan 83; Neto 13After all the hype about Cole Palmer taking the No 10 shirt, it was hard to understand why Enzo Maresca seemed so determined to shackle his best player as Chelsea’s hopes of reaching the knockout phase of the Club World Cup as winners of Group D were dented by a second-half implosion in which Nicolas Jackson picked up a rash red card for the second time in his past four appearances.How Flamengo made light of the financial gap. The leaders of the Brazilian league were better and more motivated than their English opponents. Chelsea were dire, with Maresca’s tactics weirdly reactive. The Italian compromised Palmer by moving him to the right and defeat leaves Chelsea, who collapsed after taking an early lead, at risk of facing Bayern Munich if they reach the last 16. Continue reading...

Politics

8 d. ago French plans to stop small boats will lead to more deaths, says charity

French charity to challenge new Channel migrant interception plans in European courtsPlans by French police to enter the sea to stop small boats carrying UK-bound asylum seekers willcause more deaths and will be challenged in the European courts, a French charity has said.Arthur Dos Santos, the coordinator of the refugee charity Utopia 56, said there would be an increase in the number of people who would take “desperate” measures to reach the UK. Continue reading...

Events

1 week ago Jack Draper digs deep to beat Alexei Popyrin and reach Queen’s Club quarter

British No 1 recovers to win 3-6, 6-2, 7-6 (5)Draper battles through but admits ‘I wasn’t my best’In the final throes of a tense, uneasy tussle with one of the bigger servers in his sport, Jack Draper was fading. The British No 1, and second seed, had started poorly: he had struggled to find his range on his groundstrokes for much of the occasion and then two match points passed him by. Deep in the third-set tie break, he trailed 2-4.Over the past year, though, a period during which he has established himself as one of the best players in the world, Draper has continually shown his ability to find a path to victory no matter what. In the first week of his grass-court homecoming, the 23-year-old offered a forceful demonstration of his supreme competitive spirit as he recovered to defeat Australia’s Alexei Popyrin, the world No 21, 3-6, 6-2, 7-6 (5) to reach the quarter-finals at Queen’s Club. Continue reading...

Politics

1 week ago Jack Draper shakes off errors to thwart Popyrin and keep Queen’s Club quest alive

British No 1 recovers to win 3-6, 6-2, 7-6 (5)Draper battles through but admits ‘I wasn’t my best’In the final throes of a tense, uneasy tussle with one of the bigger servers in his sport, Jack Draper was fading. The British No 1, and second seed, had started poorly: he had struggled to find his range on his groundstrokes for much of the occasion and then two match points passed him by. Deep in the third-set tie break, he trailed 2-4.Over the past year, though, a period during which he has established himself as one of the best players in the world, Draper has continually shown his ability to find a path to victory no matter what. In the first week of his grass-court homecoming, the 23-year-old offered a forceful demonstration of his supreme competitive spirit as he recovered to defeat Australia’s Alexei Popyrin, the world No 21, 3-6, 6-2, 7-6 (5) to reach the quarter-finals at Queen’s Club. Continue reading...

Events

1 week ago Nasa data reveals dramatic rise in intensity of weather events

Extreme events such as floods and droughts are becoming more frequent, longer-lasting and more severe, study saysNew data from Nasa has revealed a dramatic rise in the intensity of weather events such as droughts and floods over the past five years.The study shows that such extreme events are becoming more frequent, longer-lasting and more severe, with last year’s figures reaching twice that of the 2003-2020 average. Continue reading...

Events

1 week ago Send in armed UN troops to protect aid convoys or risk ‘dystopia’, says expert

UN rapporteur calls for move as food deliveries are attacked and starvation becomes a weapon of war in Gaza and SudanUN peacekeepers should be routinely deployed to protect aid convoys from attack in places such as Gaza and Sudan, a senior United Nations expert has proposed.With starvation increasingly used as a weapon of war, Michael Fakhri said armed UN troops were now required to ensure that food reached vulnerable populations. Continue reading...

Events

2 w. ago Nato secretary general says Europe needs to ‘ramp up defence spending’ as foreign ministers meet in Rome – Europe live

Mark Rutte says ‘we have to spend more’ as ministers discuss Weimar+ model ahead of Nato summit later this monthEuropean foreign ministers are now arriving in Rome for their Weimar+ meeting on security and Ukraine.Italy’s foreign minister Antonio Tajani said his country needs “at least 10 years” to raise defence spending and comply with new targets to be agreed by Nato, adding that a deal on them could soon be reached, Reuters reported. Continue reading...

Politics

2 w. ago Putin mocking Trump with attacks on Ukraine, Poland says, as European foreign ministers meet for defence talks – Europe live

Ministers to discuss Weimar+ model joined by Nato secretary general and EU foreign policy chief ahead of Nato summit later this monthEuropean foreign ministers are now arriving in Rome for their Weimar+ meeting on security and Ukraine.Italy’s foreign minister Antonio Tajani said his country needs “at least 10 years” to raise defence spending and comply with new targets to be agreed by Nato, adding that a deal on them could soon be reached, Reuters reported. Continue reading...

Politics

2 w. ago Rachel Reeves in standoff over policing and council budgets days before spending review

Chancellor still at negotiating table on Sunday as Home Office demands more cash Rachel Reeves has been locked in a standoff over the policing and council budgets just days before this week’s spending review, which is set to give billions to the NHS, defence and technology.Yvette Cooper’s Home Office and Angela Rayner’s housing and local government ministry were the two departments still at the negotiating table on Sunday fighting for more cash, after weeks of trying to reach a settlement. Continue reading...

Economics

3 w. ago Carlos Alcaraz returns to French Open final after Lorenzo Musetti retires hurt

Musetti took first set but fell 4-6, 7-6 (3), 6-0, 2-0 behindAlcaraz reaches second consecutive Roland Garros finalCarlos Alcaraz continued his imperious march through the clay-court season as he reached his second consecutive French Open final by defeating Lorenzo Musetti, the eighth seed, who was forced to retire with a left thigh injury while Alcaraz led 4-6, 7-6 (3), 6-0, 2-0.After a difficult start to the year, the 22-year-old has found his way in a clay-court season that has yielded Masters 1000 titles in Monte Carlo and Rome. He will now attempt to become the third man this century, after Gustavo Kuerten and Rafael Nadal, to retain the French Open. Alcaraz, the second seed in Paris, is also the fifth-youngest man in the open era to reach five grand slam finals and he will attempt to extend his record to winning all of them. He has won 21 matches and lost once on clay this year. Continue reading...

Politics

3 w. ago Canada wildfires: How to keep yourself safe as smoke from deadly inferno reaches Europe

‘Very unhealthy’ air quality has been reported in many areas

Events

3 w. ago Wildcard Boisson drinks in French Open fairytale run after reaching semis

Home player delights crowd with 7-6 (6), 6-3 victoryAndreeva punished for striking ball into the standsIt took less than a minute for the shenanigans on a crammed Court Philippe-Chatrier to begin. While Loïs Boisson and Mirra Andreeva feathered their first forehands of the pre-match warmup, the French crowd cleared their throats with a forceful rendition of La Marseillaise. The message was clear: no matter how the match unfolded, they would be there with her until the end.All 15,000 of them were there to witness and encourage the extension of one of the most unexpected breakthrough runs in the history of tennis. Boisson, a French wildcard ranked No 361 and competing in her first French Open, continued her incredible journey through the draw by toppling the sixth seed Andreeva 7-6 (6), 6-3 to reach the semi-finals. Continue reading...

Politics

3 w. ago Europe could see skies turn red as Canada wildfire smoke reaches continent

High-altitude plumes of smoke have already reached Greece

Events

3 w. ago Jamie Smith’s rapid response to West Indies fireworks sets up ODI sweep for England

England 246/3 bt West Indies 251/9 by seven wickets (DLS)Batter hits quickfire 64 to drive run chaseA day that started for England with walks and bike rides ended with runs, and plenty of them. A barrage of boundaries from Jamie Smith and Ben Duckett saw the home side take control of a match that was delayed after the players got stuck in traffic and then abbreviated by rain, before an explosive cameo from Jos Buttler saw them speed to victory by seven wickets, with 62 balls to spare.The series thus ended as it started, with a one-sided victory. The match in between was much more competitive but this was a very different display from England, whose fielding was as sharp as it had been sloppy on Sunday, and in particular from their openers, who in Cardiff had scored a combined total of nothing but here each reached rapid half-centuries. Continue reading...

Events

3 w. ago 6 Emmerdale spoilers as Tracy lies to police and Cain Dingle faces backlash over Nate's death

Things are reaching boiling point in the Dales as secrets and lies continue to grow

Events