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• The 2026 FIFA World Cup has officially commenced in Mexico, marking the start of the largest tournament in the competition's history. • This edition introduces several technological upgrades, including a sensor-fitted smart match ball and enhanced semiautomated offside technology to assist VAR. • New gameplay regulations have been implemented to reduce time-wasting, featuring visible five-second countdowns for goal kicks and throw-ins, alongside stricter substitution rules.

• A trailer has been released for *The Social Reckoning*, a "sort-of sequel" to Aaron Sorkin's 2010 hit *The Social Network*. • The film features a high-profile cast including Jeremy Strong, Mikey Madison, and Jeremy Allen White, with Strong notably sporting red hair in the footage. • The project marks a return to the thematic world of Sorkin's previous blockbuster, though the trailer has sparked discussion over its "baffling" dialogue.

• Yahoo Sports has launched a "Soccer Pick 'Em with Fox One" contest allowing users to predict the winners of the 12 group stages for the 2026 World Cup. • Current data shows a strong consensus among participants, with at least 70% of users agreeing on the favorite in 11 of the 12 groups. • This engagement highlights the anticipation surrounding the tournament's opening match, which is scheduled for a Thursday.

• South Korean defender Kim Taehyun (Kashiwa Reysol) has been sidelined due to a sudden ankle injury ahead of the national team's match against the Czech Republic. • Coach Hong Myung-bo may now start Lee Ki-hyuk (Kangwon FC), a surprise selection who had not been called up to the national team since the 2022 East Asian Cup. • Lee's inclusion is based on his standout domestic performances this season, offering a potential solution to the team's defensive crisis.

One-off programme to begin in July after recent MenB outbreaks in Kent, Dorset and Berkshire killed three peopleTeenagers in their final school year and young people starting university will be offered two doses of a vaccine to protect them against meningitis B, the government has announced.The one-off vaccination programme, which will begin in late July, comes after an unprecedented outbreak of meningitis B in Kent earlier this year along with clusters of cases in Dorset and Berkshire that, together, led to the deaths of three young people. Continue reading...

• The Atlantic Council explores how the U.S. Congress can utilize Europe's regulatory approach to binary options as a template for shaping new prediction market rules. • Most EU and European Economic Area nations have banned retail binary options following a temporary determination by the European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA). • Switzerland remains the only OECD nation in Europe that still allows retail binary options trading, though its financial authority warns against platforms promising quick profits.

• NPR highlighted five winning images from the "Scientists at Work" photo contest, showcasing the visual beauty of scientific research and discovery. • One featured image captures vector biologist Lee Haines from the University of Notre Dame using a microscope to examine a mosquito. • The contest aims to bridge the gap between complex research and the public by illustrating the "everyday mysteries" scientists investigate.

Former xAI engineer Devin Kim alleges he was illegally fired for trying to implement safety mechanisms for the chatbotA former engineer at Elon Musk’s xAI who now heads a thinktank focused on AI safety filed a lawsuit claiming he was fired from the SpaceX subsidiary for raising concerns about the risks artificial intelligence poses to humanity.Devin Kim claims in the lawsuit filed in California state court on Tuesday that his efforts to place guardrails on the development of the chatbot Grok made him a target for company leadership. Continue reading...

• Shoptalk Europe unveiled five major predictions for the future of European retail during its 2026 event in Barcelona. • The forecast identifies AI shopping agents, the rise of weight-loss drugs, a "recommerce boom," personalized physical stores, and revamped supply chain planning as primary drivers of change. • These trends are expected to fundamentally reshape the retail industry over the next decade, impacting how consumers shop and how businesses operate.

‘If you are targeting people on the basis of the colour of their skin how else can you describe them?’ said Hilary BennFull report: Police use water cannon against rioters in Northern IrelandGavin Robinson MP, DUP leader, has said borders into the UK need “protecting” more. Speaking on BBC’s Good Morning Ulster, he also said that he believed that there was “less” violence last night than on Monday.Of the violence, he said: “You cannot raise your concerns about damage to British values and then behave in such an unBritish way, Continue reading...

• BBC Sport football expert Chris Sutton has released his score predictions for the opening round of group games at the 2026 World Cup. • Sutton predicts a 0-0 draw between Ecuador and Ivory Coast, citing both teams' strong defensive records during their respective qualifying campaigns. • In his overall tournament forecast, Sutton has picked Japan as the eventual winners and the Netherlands as the runners-up.

• Astronomers using the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) have discovered evidence that the mysterious "little red dots" observed in the early universe may be black hole stars. • While many such objects have been spotted, researchers found a specific instance where all necessary pieces of evidence aligned to support this classification. • This discovery is significant as it helps scientists understand the nature of these enigmatic objects and the evolution of the early cosmos.

• BBC Sport football expert Chris Sutton has released his score predictions for the opening round of group games at the 2026 World Cup. • Sutton predicts a 0-0 draw between Ecuador and Ivory Coast, citing both teams' strong defensive records during their respective qualifying campaigns. • In his overall tournament forecast, Sutton has picked Japan as the eventual winners and the Netherlands as the runners-up.

Chemical tank overheated in May and forced evacuation of 50,000 nearby residents due to danger of explosionThe FBI is searching a southern California aerospace facility where an overheated chemical tank forced 50,000 residents to evacuate last month, after federal authorities served a search warrant there on Wednesday.Signed by a federal judge last week, the warrant approved the seizure of records related to the “storage, use or disposal” of methyl methacrylate, the chemical stored inside the tank that authorities feared could explode. Continue reading...

Ceremony takes place at actor’s former home in Pimlico, central London, where he lived from the age of five to 12Laurence Olivier has joined David Garrick, Henry Irving, Oscar Wilde and Noël Coward in having an English Heritage blue plaque outside his former London home.Ian McKellen unveiled the plaque at 22 Lupus Street in Pimlico, where Olivier lived from the age of five to 12 and discovered a talent for acting under the watchful eye of his father, a curate at St Saviour’s church across the road. Continue reading...

• A model has accused rapper Kanye West of choking her during a music video shoot, stating she felt "suffocated and scared" during the incident. • West has denied any wrongdoing, claiming the encounter was intended as a "provocative theatrical performance" rather than an act of violence. • The allegations highlight ongoing concerns regarding safety and consent on professional sets, particularly during high-concept artistic productions.

A cycle of threat, detente and deadlock repeats itself wearisomely as the president’s war in Iran drags onUS politics live – latest updatesAs the story of the US-Iran war is written direct to social media, Donald Trump may be the genre’s premier unreliable narrator.Since the war began, Trump has again and again threatened Iran with fearsome consequences if Tehran doesn’t come to the table and sign a peace deal that the US president said was imminent weeks ago. And he has also repeatedly claimed that an Iran deal is “close” – without any result. (A CNN tally put the number of times he’s claimed it at 38.) Continue reading...

Exclusive: Financial returns, obtained by the Guardian, are ‘very poor and unprofessional’ and call into question party’s fitness to govern, expert says• Get our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastPauline Hanson’s One Nation party reported more than $1m in missing and worthless assets in more than six years of filed financial reports, Guardian Australia can reveal.The financial returns lodged by One Nation with the Office of Fair Trading in Queensland from 2016 to 2022 have been criticised by a leading expert in financial accounting as “sloppy and unprofessional”. Continue reading...

Nancy Lacore, ousted by Pete Hegseth last year, heads to a run-off in race for Nancy Mace’s seatUS politics live – latest updatesA three-star navy rear-admiral fired by Pete Hegseth last year in the defense secretary’s purge of senior US military officials advanced to a Democratic run-off in a closely-watched congressional race in South Carolina.Nancy Lacore, who served 35 years in the navy, was chief of the navy reserve when she was ousted by Hegseth in August. Continue reading...

• The 2026 FIFA World Cup will feature a record 48 national teams competing in 104 matches, including debutants Cape Verde, Curaçao, Jordan, and Uzbekistan. • The final will take place at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey and will introduce a Super Bowl-style halftime show featuring headliners Shakira, Madonna, and BTS. • A new disciplinary rule will be implemented, where players who cover their mouths during confrontations with opponents risk receiving a red card and immediate dismissal.

• On June 9, major US stock indices weakened during the early trading session, with the Nasdaq Composite dropping 0.79% to 25,724.55 and the S&P 500 falling 0.32% to 7,382.36. • The Dow Jones Industrial Average showed slight resilience, edging up 0.08% to 50,828.49, while other indices reversed their earlier gains. • This volatility follows a consensus warning from four major investment banks highlighting significant risks currently facing the stock market.

The 700 projects include wind and solar farms, battery storage, gas and hydro plansMore than half the renewable energy projects needed to meet the government’s clean power targets by 2030 are now able to plug into the electricity grid after years of delay, according to the system operator.The National Energy System Operator (Neso) has offered more than 700 clean energy projects in Great Britain a grid connection date since the start of the year, after a two-year process to unblock a bottleneck that threatened to delay projects into the 2030s. Continue reading...

• The FDA has officially approved the use of bemotrizinol, a highly effective sunscreen ingredient that has been widely utilized in European and Asian markets for years. • The decision follows long-term pressure from skincare advocates and sunscreen enthusiasts who pushed for the U.S. to adopt the ingredient to improve sun protection standards. • This move matters because bemotrizinol is known for its superior photostability and broad-spectrum coverage, offering better protection against UV rays than many current FDA-approved filters.

• Singer-songwriter P!nk hosted The 79th Tony Awards on Sunday at Radio City Music Hall in New York. • The event celebrated excellence in live Broadway theater, featuring a mix of awards and performances. • This annual ceremony serves as a critical industry benchmark for recognizing the best in theatrical production and performance.

• MPs will be warned tomorrow that the UK government must stop "rolling out the red carpet" for Big Tech companies building AI and data centers. • Campaigners argue that the rapid expansion of energy-hungry infrastructure threatens the UK's climate targets and could drive up energy bills for citizens. • The proposal urges ministers to halt the growth of these centers until companies can prove their operations will not cause environmental damage.

Political row emerges over state’s failure to tackle sexual violence against children as people protest across FranceA lawyer for the family of an 11-year-old girl whose disappearance and murder sparked protests across France has called for more funding for the struggling justice system, amid a political row over the French state’s failure to tackle sexual violence against children.“Frankly, if the justice system had more resources, this tragedy and all the others wouldn’t have happened,” said the family’s lawyer, François Roujou de Boubée, on Tuesday. “The victim’s family and I trust in the justice system. So enough is enough.” Continue reading...