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College freshman's mother identified his body after he was reported missing following 4 July boat trip with friendsOn 4 July, Nolan Xavier Wells, an 18-year-old from Ocean Springs, Mississippi, and a group of friends went on a boat trip to Horn Island, a barrier island about 10 miles off the Mississippi Gulf coast. Wells's friends all returned back home that evening, but Wells did not, prompting his mother to report him missing and ask for help on social media, triggering a two-day search that caught national attention. That search came to an end on Monday, when a body was found on the island. On Tuesday, Wells's mother, Christine Wonsley, identified the body as belonging to Wells.His father, our family, friends and I are absolutely devastated," Wonsley wrote in a Facebook post. My heart is broken for my sweet son who was always willing to cheer and uplift others. Nolan was a special soul, God took his time creating our son." Continue reading...

French far-right leader announces decision after court orders her to wear ankle tag over embezzlementThe French far-right leader Marine Le Pen has announced she will run for the presidency in 2027 and will lodge an appeal to France's highest court over her sentence to wear an electronic ankle tag for the embezzlement of European parliament funds.Tonight, I am a candidate in the presidential election," Le Pen, 57, told TF1 television on Tuesday night. Continue reading...

Experts say the critical reservoir system is careening toward a breaking point as the US west's climate warms and driesLake Powell, the US's second-largest reservoir, threatens to plunge to unprecedentedly low levels this year after a historically bleak snowpack failed to raise its water level, scientists and water experts have said, adding renewed urgency to stalled talks over how to conserve a water source depended on by tens of millions of people in the US south-west.The 185-mile Colorado River reservoir currently stands at about 22% of its capacity, or roughly 5.6m acre-feet. Lake Powell fell below that level for a few months three years ago. But those 2023 levels were recorded in the winter, when the reservoir, which straddles the Utah-Arizona border, hits its lowest ebb. Spring runoff carried the level back up to 9.6m acre-feet by June, according to data from the US Bureau of Reclamation. Continue reading...

Far-right leader gives TV interview saying that she will appeal against part of today's ruling which cast doubt on a presidential runThe opening speeches are now under way in Ankara, and you can watch them below.This is the Day 1 industry event, not the leaders' summit, mind you. Continue reading...

A look at the the case, the appeal court decision, and how it could affect the race to succeed Emmanuel MacronMarine Le Pen has said she will be a candidate in France's presidential race next year, after a court ruling on her appeal against a conviction for embezzlement of public funds allowed her to run.However, the path ahead is far from straightforward. Continue reading...

Exclusive: Latest Guardian revelation about gift from cryptocurrency tycoon comes as Reform UK leader forces byelectionThe 5m gift to Nigel Farage by a cryptocurrency billionaire was reported to the National Crime Agency by bankers who were concerned it may have been laundered money, the Guardian can reveal.The disclosure will put further pressure on the Reform UK leader, who is awaiting a decision by the standards commissioner over whether his failure to declare the money breached parliamentary rules. Continue reading...

Duke of Sussex and other prominent figures lost their case over claims the newspaper used unlawful methods to source stories about themPrince Harry and six other prominent figures are facing a legal bill of up to 50m after losing their case against the publisher of the Daily Mail over claims it used unlawful methods to source stories.In an emphatic ruling that is likely to signal an end to new litigation relating to the phone-hacking scandal era, the high court dismissed all the group's claims, stating that the claimants had not proved that any information had been obtained unlawfully. Continue reading...

Three vessels, including a Qatari LNG carrier, struck within hours close to OmanQatar has warned Iran it will bear full legal responsibility after three tankers, including a Qatari LNG vessel, were struck within hours in the strait of Hormuz.All three vessels were struck close to Oman which had suggested a new shipping corridor close to its coastline - a proposal opposed by Iran, which wants to charge ships using the waterway. Continue reading...

Desks offering gift wrapping and bureau de change stations will be closed at dozens of stores nationwideJohn Lewis has put 200 jobs at risk as it plans to shut down desks operating gift wrapping and foreign exchange services.The 36-strong department store chain said it had begun a consultation on redundancies as it plans to close the desks that operate bureau de change services in 30 stores, and specialist gift wrapping in 25 stores. Continue reading...

Supporters hope to stop 17th-century Villa Europa passing into private hands after Wolfgang Porsche unexpectedly put it on marketAustrian cultural figures have launched a campaign to buy a villa once home to the writer Stefan Zweig after its owner, the automotive magnate Wolfgang Porsche, unexpectedly put it on the market following a row over his plans to build a private tunnel for his car collection.Zweig, the Austrian Jewish writer whose novels inspired the Wes Anderson film The Grand Budapest Hotel, lived in the 17th-century property until 1934 when he was driven out of Salzburg by the Austro-fascist regime and his family was forced to sell it at a rock-bottom price. Continue reading...

Varenna's authorities say wandering around the village shirtless or in swimwear is now bannedA fishing village by Lake Como has imposed fines of up to 200 (171) for those who wander around with bare chests or in swimwear, in the latest attempt by an Italian holiday destination to crack down on uncouth tourists.Varenna has been feeling the strain from an increasing number of visitors and so authorities were moved to introduce a raft of new rules aimed at preserving the village's appearance and guaranteeing a smidgen of peace and quiet for its year-round population of roughly 650. Continue reading...

Forecaster says curtailing rising costs such as health and pensions are today's challenge, not just tomorrow's'

Audience of 9.1 million watch live and on iPlayer despite kick-off time, with 48m requests for digital content on MondayEngland's triumph over Mexico in the World Cup attracted a peak live audience of 9.1 million on BBC One and BBC iPlayer despite kicking off at 2am BST - the biggest television audience ever for a live UK broadcast at that hour.The dramatic 3-2 win drove the biggest day ever recorded for BBC iPlayer, the BBC Sport website and app and for BBC Sport's social video views, the broadcaster said. Continue reading...

Officials admit new post-Brexit EES system is not perfect', as airports and airlines voice fears over delaysThe EU has rejected calls by airports and airlines to suspend the implementation of new fingerprinting and facial recognition border controls even though it admits there are 20 difficult spots" with queue chaos.With just a week to go before the peak summer holiday season starts, EU officials admit the new entry/exit System (EES) is not perfect" but will tell travel industry representatives that full suspension is not needed" and not possible". Continue reading...

Anastasiia Berezovska was being sought by police over attack that seriously injured a Ukraine-born businessmanA woman suspected of carrying out last week's bomb attack in Monaco that seriously injured a Ukraine-born business tycoon has been found shot dead near Kyiv, in the latest twist in a case that has shaken the wealthy Mediterranean principality.Ukrainian prosecutors said on Tuesday the woman had been found with a gunshot wound to the head and that two men had been arrested in connection with the case, including an officer with Ukraine's military intelligence agency (HUR) and a former law enforcement officer. Continue reading...

Sally Dowling admits her office pitched the story but says it was not authorised by her, while her colleagues call her a person of integrity'

Reform UK leader confronts journalist after question about gifts from friend and convicted fraudster

Couple devastated' after DNA tests for children's British citizenship showed no biological connection to themA British-based couple who had twins through an overseas surrogacy agency later discovered they had no biological connection to the children after the agency mistakenly used donor sperm.The couple, referred to as PP and QQ in court documents, were devastated" after making the discovery via DNA tests while applying for British citizenship for the children. Continue reading...

A minute's silence will also be held before Richmond Tigers and Melbourne Demons match to mourn 27-year-old Nathan Fitzgerald

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Typical property cost 299,330 in June, 0.2% more than the month before, says Lloyds

Chinese leader Xi Jinping calls for all out' rescue effort as death toll rises and 16 people remain buried after a landslide in the country's westThe death toll from devastating storms in parts of China rose to 15 on Tuesday, with hundreds more injured and tens of thousands evacuated, state media reported, as the country's leader, Xi Jinping, urged all out" efforts to rescue people affected by the weather.Thunderstorms and gale-force winds killed at least 11 people and injured 331 in the central province of Hubei, where severe convective weather" hit cities, while tornadoes were reported elsewhere late Monday, state news agency Xinhua said. Continue reading...

Hannes Marschalek, who allegedly exposed his penis to four other women in Cambridgeshire, tried via US court martialA US airman who allegedly exposed himself to a 16-year-old girl and four young women in England was able to avoid the British justice system after the US military was permitted to take control of the case, the Guardian can reveal.Cambridgeshire police received complaints that the airman, Hannes Marschalek, had indecently exposed himself to the women as they walked past his home in Littleport, a small town in Cambridgeshire, in 2022. Continue reading...

Exclusive: Record temperatures fuelled by climate crisis left 86% of homes too hot' and many people feeling unwellWith parts of England once again in the grip of a heatwave, an opinion poll shows the one at the end of June led to mass sleep deprivation", with two in three people struggling to sleep during the sweltering nights.Almost half of people said they had lost at least three hours of sleep each night. The results are consistent with scientific research showing that global heating is damaging sleep across the world. Continue reading...

Solomon Islands prime minister says he doesn't want to see more countries testing ICBMs in Pacific, adding be our friend but don't threaten us'Australian prime minister Anthony Albanese has said China's weapons test in the Pacific risks fuelling dangerous nuclear proliferation, with the intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) fired on Monday capable of causing considerable damage" if weaponised.International condemnation has grown overnight after China's state news agency Xinhua reported on Monday that a strategic missile carrying a dummy warhead" had been launched from a strategic nuclear submarine of the navy". Continue reading...

Saliva and gut sensor-based tests hailed as gamechanger' for millions of women who can wait years for diagnosisTwo tests that can dramatically speed up diagnosis of endometriosis are to be made available on the NHS in England and Wales, in a move hailed as a gamechanger" for millions of women.One in 10 women of reproductive age are affected by the condition, where tissue similar to that found in the womb lining grows elsewhere, such as the ovaries and fallopian tubes. Symptoms include painful periods, painful bowel movements, pain when urinating and pain during or after sex. Continue reading...

Treasury select committee also says ministers have moral obligation to reverse last year's repayment threshold freezeSlideshows that compared student loan repayments with the cost of a mobile phone contract, and YouTube videos that did not mention the fact that loan terms could change amounted to mis-selling by the government, MPs have said.The chancellor, Rachel Reeves, caused a furore last year when she announced that the repayment threshold on plan 2 student loans would be frozen at 29,385 for three years from April 2027. Continue reading...

Meeting of 32 member states comes at crucial time for alliance after tensions with US over Iran and GreenlandNato leaders will gather in Ankara on Tuesday after a turbulent six months. And as the US continues to pressure its allies to increase defence spending, the other 31 members of the alliance will be hoping to mollify an unpredictable Donald Trump.On Monday, Mark Rutte, Nato's secretary general, called for the allies to present clear, concrete and credible plans" to reach the organisation's spending targets. President Trump fully expects that all allies will step up immediately and get on the path to 5% and do it with urgency," he said. Continue reading...

Wars in Iran and Ukraine have expended stockpiles of sought-after missiles, leaving gap in military resourcesThere are growing concerns in Europe that the US defence industrial base is no longer providing the weapons pledged to Nato allies with US stockpiles depleted owing to the conflicts in Ukraine and Iran, leaving allies to consider new avenues to arm and defend themselves.As Nato leaders including the US president, Donald Trump, convene in Ankara, Turkey, the US plans to address European defence spending and concerns over the Trump administration's future commitment to the military alliance. Continue reading...

Thousands of women are killed in dowry disputes each year, despite the practice being banned in 1961Dowry deaths in India no longer provoke the public anger they once did, despite thousands of women's lives still being lost every year, according to new research.The killings - women who are murdered or driven to suicide following dowry disputes between families - have also faded from political debate, despite an increase in cases. Continue reading...

Leader of France's far-right National Rally and a contender for the presidency set to hear appeal decision on TuesdayMarine Le Pen, France's far-right figurehead and a leading contender for its presidency, will learn on Tuesday whether she can run in next year's election when a Paris appeals court rules on her attempt to overturn a ban on holding elected office.The ruling will determine whether the far-right National Rally (RN) will be led by Le Pen, 57, or her young protege, Jordan Bardella, 30 in next year's general elections. Continue reading...

Victims with cuts and gunshot injuries rushed to hospital after fighting between prisoners from two drug gangsClashes at a Sri Lankan jail have killed 26 people, including seven guards, and wounded more than 100 in the country's deadliest prison riot in years, officials said.Victims with cuts and gunshot injuries were rushed to Negombo hospital, north of the capital Colombo after overnight fighting between prisoners from two drug gangs, police said on Monday. Continue reading...

Report by HM inspector of prisons for England and Wales comes as spending on frontline education falls by up to 50%Brutal" cuts to prison education and training by Labour ministers are leading to an increase in drug use, self-harm and violence, a watchdog's withering final annual report has said.Charlie Taylor, who steps down as HM inspector of prisons for England and Wales in the autumn after six years, has also warned the authorities must keep a close eye" on the impending release of thousands of prisoners later this year. Continue reading...

Jake Richards announces measures to prevent abuse like that at Medomsley detention centre in County DurhamOne of the UK's most horrific and shocking child custody scandals was collectively ignored for decades because the victims were working-class boys from the north of England, a government minister has said.The sentencing and youth justice minister, Jake Richards, has announced he is implementing a number of recommendations to prevent abuse such as that which took place between 1961 and 1987 at Medomsley detention centre in County Durham from ever happening again. Continue reading...

Friends of Yeshivat Shavei Hevron sent nearly 200,000 to school in Hebron - where Israel has been accused of imposing apartheid - between 2019 and 2024A British charity is funding a religious school at the heart of expansion plans for the illegal Israeli settlement in the Palestinian city of Hebron.Friends of Yeshivat Shavei Hevron sent nearly 200,000 to the school between 2019 and 2024, the last year for which accounts are publicly available on the website of the Charity Commission, the charity regulator for England and Wales. Continue reading...

Outgoing PM will stress British commitment to defence spending at meeting in Ankara to counter Trump rebukesKeir Starmer will seek to work with European allies to shore up support for Nato at its summit in Ankara on Tuesday amid concerns that Donald Trump could further destabilise the military alliance with threats over defence spending.Downing Street said the prime minister and other international leaders would be focused on building a stronger and more European Nato" as they attempt to address the US president's concerns in the Turkish capital. Continue reading...

Impoverished island was already struggling to keep the lights on before the US imposed a blockade in JanuaryCuba on Monday suffered its third nationwide power outage since the start of the year, the state electricity company said.The impoverished island was already struggling to keep the lights on before the US president, Donald Trump, imposed an oil blockade in January, which has depleted the already dwindling supply of fuel for Cuba's power plants. Continue reading...

British-born vocalist competed on The X-Factor before joining the girl groups Paradiso Girls and G.R.L.Lauren Bennett, member of the girl group G.R.L. and featured artist on LMFAO's global smash hit Party Rock Anthem, has died at the age of 37.It is with great sadness that we share the passing of our beloved Lauren," the group wrote on their Instagram page. Our hearts are broken, and we cannot begin to express how much she meant to us." A cause of death was not specified. Continue reading...

Tropical storm causes extreme flooding in south of the country with heavy rainfall expected in coming daysA tropical storm has killed two people, caused dam breaches and forced tens of thousands to evacuate in southern China.Typhoon Maysak killed two people in Nanning, in China's southern Guangxi province. Maysak, which lashed Vietnam and China's southern island province of Hainan over the weekend, will dump the water it sucked up on its way across the South China Sea as it weakens and heads inland, meteorologists say. Continue reading...

Crowds swelled through Tehran as mourners dressed in black carried flags proclaiming: We will rise'A crowd of millions" assembled on Monday for the funeral procession of Iran's assassinated supreme leader, Ali Khamenei.The scale and depth of the march, however engineered, represents an extraordinary turnaround for a country that only seven months ago was gripped by street protests at which thousands of people were killed by government security forces. Continue reading...

PM stepped in over proposal to shift World Cup match to an earlier time, amid concerns it would benefit MexicoKeir Starmer intervened through diplomatic channels to oppose Fifa's plan to bring forward England's World Cup game against Mexico, amid concerns the change would hand the hosts an unfair advantage, it is understood.The prime minister instructed officials to argue against proposals to move the kick-off from 1am UK time (6pm local time) to earlier after being alerted by the Football Association that it would reduce England's time to acclimatise to the high altitude in Mexico City. Continue reading...

The Nigerian-American writer says she will not watch' Gina Prince-Bythewood's adaptation of her fantasy bestsellerTomi Adeyemi, the author of the popular YA fantasy Children of Blood and Bone, has distanced herself from the forthcoming film adaptation of her book.There is a reason I will not post anything about the adaptation of my work," the Nigerian-American author said in group chat messages shared to TikTok. Continue reading...

Media scrutiny of party leader's finances has undermined his claim to be a politician in tune with typical votersWith his personal funding once again under media scrutiny, Nigel Farage, the leader of the rightwing Reform UK party, is adamant he is the victim of an establishment plot" trying to stop him from reaching Downing Street.This time, Farage is facing questions about support for his lifestyle from the convicted criminal George Cottrell, just months after it was revealed by the Guardian that he also took 5m from the cryptocurrency billionaire Christopher Harborne as a personal gift. Continue reading...

Airline's board to recommend offer of 6.90 a share in deal analysts say shows UK firms are being bought on the cheapShares in easyJet surged nearly 10% after the airline agreed to a 5.5bn takeover at the fifth attempt, but analysts said that it showed UK firms were being bought on the cheap.The low-cost carrier's board will recommend shareholders accept an offer price of 6.90 a share from Castlelake, a US private equity firm, after rejecting four previous bids of as little as 5.60 per share. EasyJet shares closed at 610p on Monday. Continue reading...

Reform UK leader claims he is victim of hit job' as parliamentary standards commissioner investigates 5m donationOn the subject of Andy Burnham, the Financial Times is running a story today saying the access talks his team is holding with senior civil servants, intended to help Whitehall departments get ready to implement the new PM's policy agenda, are being hindered by the fact that Burnham has not decided who will do the top cabinet jobs.In the story, Lucy Fisher, George Parker and Anna Gross say:Talks have not yet formally started with the Treasury and Burnham's refusal to nominate a chancellor has complicated transition planning.One Labour figure complained Burnham's operation was skeletal", adding: Access talks require a shadow cabinet. Burnham needs to nominate key people in advance or he cannot have meaningful talks" ....Yes. And look - I'm not going to go into what we discussed privately, but everything I've seen from Andy publicly suggests that he knows that welfare reform is absolutely necessary ... [because] it's fundamentally about the life chances of a whole generation of young people.And if we think the best option and best opportunity that we can gift as a country to a generation of young people is a life on benefits - are we serious?My sense is that the appetite, both within the parliamentary Labour party and the new administration, will be absolutely up for doing this.One of those is how we support young people. I will not defend an education system that is overly focused on the university route and does not lay out paths to technical qualifications for our young people. Too many young people get to year 10 at school, and they can't see where school is taking them, because the system isn't focusing on those young people.And then, at 16, I believe we need the guarantee of a work placement for 16 to 18-year-olds, apprenticeships for every 16 to 18-year-old who wants one, and what I've done in Great Manchester is something that might be looked at more broadly, free bus travel for 16 to 18-year-olds, so that they can access those opportunities. Continue reading...

Zelenskyy calls for strong decisions' at talks after attack on Kyiv and surrounding region exposes air defence gapsA wave of Russian missiles and drones has struck across Ukraine, killing 21 people, and heavily damaging apartment blocks and other buildings, in an attack on the eve of a Nato summit in Turkey that has exposed widening gaps in Ukraine's air defences.Fifteen people were killed in Kyiv, Russia's main target, and 56 others were injured in the attacks early on Monday, according to the city's administrative head, Tymur Tkachenko. Continue reading...

Ukraine's president makes plea ahead of summit this week in Ankara where he is due to meet Trump on the sidelinesMeanwhile, the UK has just sanctioned Russian actors involved in researching, developing and producing the novichok nerve agent and the lethal toxic Epibatidine, used in the Salisbury attack and the poisoning of Alexei Navalny.Among those sanctions are SC Signal, a Russian state scientific research institute, as well as three individuals researching novichok and Epibatidine.Russia's repeated use of chemical weapons is a sickening violation of international law and a direct threat to global security.From the use of novichok nerve agents in Salisbury to Epibatidine in Siberia, poisoning Dawn Sturgess and Alexei Navalny, Russia continues to use barbaric tools to inflict death and suffering on innocent civilians, including in Ukraine. Continue reading...

Arrival of endangered cats, including rare white cub, revitalises team straining under fuel and medicine shortagesFor the Cuban zookeeper Angel Cordero, the sight of four Bengal tiger cubs playing in a cage at the Cuban national zoo is a small miracle on an island stifled by shortages of fuel, medicine and days-long power outages.The birth of these endangered big cats - including an exceedingly rare white tiger - has revitalised a team of zoo workers, he said. Continue reading...

Millions join funeral procession in capital of Tehran to mourn Khamenei who was kiled in US-Israel airstrikes in FebruaryLebanese state media said an Israeli strike on a car in the country's south on Monday killed four people, including three women, despite a fragile ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah.Lebanon's official National News Agency (NNA) said a school principal, her mother, a foreign female domestic worker and a male Syrian worker were killed when an Israeli drone targeted the car" they were travelling in as they returned from inspecting their family home in Nabatieh al-Fawqa. Continue reading...