Ukraine claims that 28 Russian vessels were hit by aerial drones in the Sea of Azov on Saturday. The strikes are the latest in a campaign that Ukrainian authorities assert has resulted in nearly 80 Russian vessels, mostly so-called shadow fleet oil tankers, being attacked in that body of water on a daily basis since July 6. 

As a result of these attacks, “Russia temporarily stopped shipping through the Don-Azov Channel, a navigable waterway linking the Don ​River with the Sea of Azov,” Reuters reported, citing three grain export industry sources.

The move came after 13 Russian vessels, including 10 tankers, were attacked in this body of water on Friday. Market analysts noted to Reuters that about 25% of wheat exports from Russia, the world’s largest exporter ​of the grain, pass through the Sea of Azov.

The Sea of Azov campaign is part of much wider Ukrainian efforts to isolate the Crimean peninsula as well as strike at Russia’s energy infrastructure to damage its economy and reduce its ability to wage war. As we have previously reported, these attacks are inflicting pain on Russian forces in Crimea. Also often striking very deep into Russia, they are also having a devastating effect on fuel supplies across the country. In addition, the attacks are helping to halt Moscow’s gains and pave the way for Ukrainian advances.

“Overnight on 11 July, the Birds of the Unmanned Systems Forces hit 21 tankers, 4 tugs, 2 cargo vessels, and 1 special-purpose vessel in the Sea of Azov,” Ukraine’s 414th Separate Unmanned Strike Aviation System Brigade, known as “Magyar’s Birds,” stated on X. The cutting-edge unit is named for Ukraine’s drone force commander Robert Brovdi, also known as Magyar. 

In addition to striking the ships, Magyar’s Birds claimed to also have hit “53 legitimate military targets were engaged deep inside the enemy’s rear in Crimea and the southern part of the temporarily occupied territories, including fleet assets and energy infrastructure. Operation ‘Crimean Switch Off’ has no end date.”

The shadow tanker fleet was engaged by drone pilots from a wide array of units, the brigade added. 

“The technological humiliation of the empire continues,” Magyar’s Birds proclaimed. “It will fall because of Crimea.”

TWZ cannot independently verify the claims; however, many videos have emerged on social media purporting to show the results of these attacks. Magyar’s Birds has released six compilations of them. 

The brigade began releasing videos of these strikes on July 6. This first one shows two ships being hit in a compilation of videos showing strikes on targets mostly on Crimea. The targets included S-400 air defense systems, radars and an oil depot.

The next day, July 7, Magyar’s Birds released a video that opened with a wide view of almost two dozen tankers lined up in the Sea of Azov. The video then cuts to show several of those vessels being struck and burning. The unit claimed eight tankers, a cargo ship and a ferry were hit.

On July 8, Magyar’s Birds claimed nine more Russian tankers were attacked.

Magyar’s Birds released another video on July 9 claiming 14 Russian ships were hit overnight.

Friday, July 10, Magyar’s Birds claimed strikes on 10 tankers, a cargo vessel, a ferry and a sea tug.

In addition to the videos released by the unit, others emerged on social media showing the aftermath of these attacks.

❗️Consequences of the 🇺🇦Ukrainian drone strike on the 🇷🇺Russian dry cargo ship FAVORI (Volgo-Don type, Project 1565A) in the Sea of Azov pic.twitter.com/MCfwC5fmPa

— 🪖MilitaryNewsUA🇺🇦 (@front_ukrainian) July 10, 2026

Footage shows Ukrainian Armed Forces drones attacking tankers belonging to the Russian shadow fleet in the Sea of ​​Azov.
In the last four days alone, the Ukrainians have damaged or destroyed 49 Russian vessels. pic.twitter.com/Ejv7aPv9JS

— Jürgen Nauditt 🇩🇪🇺🇦 (@jurgen_nauditt) July 10, 2026

Magyar’s Birds doesn’t name the types of drones being used, but the video displays show they are from Fire Point, which makes several kamikaze drones as well as the FP-5 Flamingo cruise missile.

Roy Gardiner, a former Canadian military officer who is part of the Defense Tech For Ukraine collective and is an expert on Ukrainian drone warfare, surmised that the attacks are by the FP-2 drone.

FP-1 and FP-2 – Drones that inflict pain on the Russian rear! | Weapons with @StarskyUA

“It’s the only UAV available in large numbers and with the range to carry that much explosive, other than the long-range AN-196 Liutyi, which is a lot more expensive and illogical to use for this mission,” Gardiner, who uses the @GrandpaRoy2 handle on X, told us.

Ukrainian UAVs have struck about 175,000 tons of shipping in the Sea of Azov over the last few days — these are World War II numbers. https://t.co/P4IEJb77M0

— Roy🇨🇦 (@GrandpaRoy2) July 10, 2026

Fire Point co-owner Denis Shtilerman recently told the TSN media outlet that the company has increased the warhead of its FP-2 strike drones to 200 kilograms. A change in the wing design enabled the drone to achieve a flight range of up to 370 kilometers with those warheads, he claimed.

УКРАЇНСЬКІ ДРОНИ СТАЛИ НОСІЯМИ РАКЕТ! Деталі від українських розробників / ТСН.Тиждень

That range gives Ukrainian forces fire control over virtually all of the Sea of Azov, a body of water north of the Black Sea. The videos indicate this is made possible by high-speed satellite data links allowing for man-in-the-loop operations at great distances. This has enabled Ukraine’s sea drones since their arrival but the miniaturization of the technology has now allowed for large-scale use on one-way attack munitions. 

In addition to the aerial drones striking these tankers, Ukraine’s SBU state security bureau used Sea Baby sea drones to attack a Russian tanker in the Black Sea on June 8. As we have frequently reported, Ukraine’s naval campaign has focused overwhelmingly on the Russian Black Sea Fleet. Many successful attacks have been recorded against Black Sea Fleet vessels and facilities, forcing the general evacuation of Russian naval assets from occupied Crimea and to bases in Russia proper.

The Sea of Azov campaign has some Russian milbloggers chiding Moscow for not doing enough to protect these tankers.

“The ‘Military Informant’ Telegram channel complained that the defenseless manner in which the tankers had travelled had become in effect a shooting gallery for Ukrainian drone operators, with no cover from a Black Sea Fleet, which could nowadays barely defend itself,” the BBC recently noted.

The Kremlin is certainly paying attention to Ukraine’s targeting of refineries, oil depots, ports, ships and other energy infrastructure.

Russian nationalist and Z-blogger Vitaly Voronov is disgusted that Ukrainian drones have reached Omsk, well to the east of the Urals in Siberia.

“Well, after Ukrainian drones started reaching Siberia and striking the Omsk oil refinery, I believe in Vladimir Putin even more.
1/ https://t.co/sFA9sLevl9 pic.twitter.com/WvbccZppt9

— Roy🇨🇦 (@GrandpaRoy2) July 8, 2026

Russian President Vladimir Putin “is concerned enough to address the fuel shortage publicly on state TV, insisting the Ukrainian attacks are ‘obviously creating problems’ but insisting ‘it’s not critical,’” BBC explained.

There’s good reason for Putin to be concerned.

“Russian gasoline output fell to a level equivalent to only around 65% of the ​seasonal average consumption after Ukrainian drone attacks led to stoppages at large oil refineries,” Reuters reported on Friday, citing “two industry sources ‌and Reuters calculations.”

As a result of the Ukrainian attacks, Russia – long a major oil exporter – is now turning to imports to cover the gap and meet the demands.

“Supplies of gasoline and diesel from Belarus to Russia hit a monthly record in June, while industry sources said last week that Russia had ‌started ⁠seaborne from India,” Reuters added. “Traders said that up to 6,000 tons of gasoline per day are delivered from neighboring Belarus to Russia. Stockpiles are also being tapped.”

Russia is also taking the drastic step of considering bans on exports of diesel, gasoline and jet fuel.

All this comes as both Ukraine and Russia are jockeying for territory and influence amid a slow-churning, on-again, off-again effort by President Donald Trump to end the conflict.

Ukraine’s success in targeting Russia’s energy infrastructure and isolating Crimea has likely had an effect on Trump, who has repeatedly changed his stance on which side he favors.

As we recently reported, Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky had a remarkably warm bilateral meeting at the NATO Summit in Ankara, Turkey, earlier this week. So much so that the American leader promised his counterpart licenses to manufacture Patriot air defense system interceptors, something Zelensky has sought for years without success.

Ukraine continues to struggle badly to fend off Russian ballistic missile barrages and remains overmatched in terms of troops and equipment on the battlefield, where fighting has ground to a virtual standstill. Despite that, Kyiv is proving that asymmetric efforts like the Sea of Azov campaign are helping to offset Moscow’s advantages.

Contact the author: howard@twz.com

HILARY Duff’s Los Angeles concert took an unexpected turn when two fans were caught on camera launching into a shocking fight in the middle of the crowd.

The dramatic altercation unfolded as the actress and singer performed on stage, leaving fellow concertgoers stunned as the footage quickly spread across social media.

The viral video showed the two fans shoving and throwing punches at each other as the band carried on performing behind them.

One fan, dressed in a shining, shimmering crop top, appeared to have their hair yanked by another concertgoer dressed in black as security rushed in and attempted to pull the pair apart.

Other concertgoers looked on in shock, with many pulling out their phones to capture the dramatic moment.

Dressed head-to-toe in sparkling sequins, the pair appeared to be devoted Hilary Duff fans before the shocking altercation unfolded.

BUFF DUFF

Hilary Duff, 38, flashes rock-hard abs and perky bum for sweaty new gym photos

It’s unclear exactly when the altercation broke out, as Hilary Duff is not visible in the footage.

However, members of her band can be seen on stage, suggesting the fight erupted during a transition between songs.

Hilary recently wrapped up two sold-out shows at The Forum on Wednesday and Thursday, with a host of famous faces spotted in the crowd.

Among those in attendance were Mandy Moore, Meghan Trainor and Demi Lovato, who all turned out to support the singer’s long-awaited return to the stage.

The singer is currently on the road for her first tour in nearly two decades, and fans couldn’t be happier to see her back on stage.

Hilary began her career playing the titular character on the Disney Channel series Lizzie McGuire before transitioning into music.

She took an extended break from singing to focus on acting, writing, and raising her family.

Hilary sang both her older classics and new tracks from her sixth studio album, luck… or something, released in February.

At the beginning of her concert, the passionately packed crowd sang along to her hit tracks, including Wake Up and So Yesterday, from her debut album Metamorphosis, which she released in August 2003.

She also belted out the slightly raunchier lyrics to her new single, Roommates, while rolling around on the stage.

The singer put on an impressive showing at the famed Los Angeles venue, stopping the show at several times to express her gratitude to the 20,000 screaming fans.

At one point, the former child star even teared up when discussing how much it meant to her to have people in the crowd who have followed her life for decades.

Also in the crowd was her family, including husband Matthew Koma – whom she created her latest album with.

Hilary has spoken about the lyrics of her newer songs reflecting her vulnerability and personal challenges during her 18-year hiatus from singing.

Jude Bellingham was England’s hero once more by scoring twice as the Three Lions came from behind to end Norway’s historic run and reach the World Cup semifinals with a 2-1 win after extra-time.

In their first ever quarterfinal, Andreas Schjelderup fired Norway into a shock lead in the searing Miami heat on Saturday.

But Bellingham, who also netted a double in a memorable 3-2 over Mexico in the last 16, produced a moment of magic to equalise just before half-time.

Norway had a second goal controversially disallowed after a VAR review in the second half for a foul by Erling Haaland as both sets of players were pushed to their physical limits by going to extra-time.

Bellingham came up with another big moment for the winner as he pounced on an error by Orjan Nyland to sweep in his sixth goal of the tournament.

England will face Argentina or Switzerland on Wednesday for the chance to reach a first World Cup final in 60 years.

Haaland’s spectacular run of scoring in his last 14 competitive matches for Norway came to an end against the land of his birth with Norway’s exhausted talisman replaced at half-time of extra-time.

Having failed to win a World Cup knockout game after conceding first since the final of 1966 before this tournament, England have now done so twice in three matches.

Energy-sapping heat

Harry Kane’s heroics prevented an embarrassing early exit to the Democratic Republic of the Congo in the last 32.

But it is Bellingham who has stood up in the past two matches to keep England in the hunt to end their long wait for major tournament glory despite far from flawless performances.

The 5pm local time (21:00 GMT) kickoff in Florida meant that temperatures remained above 30 degrees Celsius (86 Fahrenheit) throughout, with intense humidity making for draining conditions for the players.

The heat looked as if it would spoil the spectacle in the first half.

Thomas Tuchel’s men were rattled as England goalkeeper Jordan Pickford saved low from Martin Odegaard before Alexander Sorloth wasted a glorious chance when he failed to feed Haaland and instead went for goal himself.

Almost immediately Bellingham pulled his team out of the mire once more.

Bellingham had been well marshalled until he collected Anthony Gordon’s pass, burst into the box at speed and then slotted home on his weaker left foot.

Momentum was suddenly in England’s favour and they nearly went into the break ahead.

Bellingham was this time the creator for Kane, who dinked the ball coolly over Nyland, but had just drifted offside.

Tuchel introduced Bukayo Saka and Eberechi Eze at the break for the ineffective Noni Madueke and Declan Rice – the Arsenal midfielder had been suffering with illness earlier in the week.

But those changes left England light in midfield and they were left hanging on at spells in the second half.

Torbjorn Heggem made the most of some sloppy defending to turn in at the back post, but Haaland was penalised for a push on new Manchester City teammate Elliott Anderson before the corner had been taken, and the goal was disallowed.

Norway were inches away from a winner again when Kristoffer Ajer hit the bar after England fail to deal with another dangerous corner.

Both sides visibly wilted in the energy-sapping conditions late on but were forced to endure an extra 30 minutes.

Nyland had been Norway’s supporting act in the last 16 win over Brazil with a series of saves before Haaland struck twice late on for a landmark victory.

This time the Sevilla goalkeeper was the villain as he spilled substitute Morgan Rogers’ shot from distance and Bellingham pounced and scored.

England were awarded a penalty moments later, but this time VAR intervened in Norway’s favour to deem Djed Spence had initiated contact inside the box.

Yet, Norway’s spirit was already crushed, epitomised by a slouched Haaland watching on from the bench with nothing more to give.

Tuchel said his side was “lucky” to emerge with the win.

“We made life very, very difficult for ourselves today. The result is fantastic. We are in the last four. It’s amazing but not happy with the performance,” he told ITV.

“The commitment is there but we made life difficult for ourselves in the way we played – sloppy, a lot of technical mistakes, not fast enough, not repetitive enough. We were lucky today.

“It’s about the quality – we need to play better. We will get better [in the semifinal]. We need to.”

Pieces from the turf used at the stadium will go on sale as memorabilia and will be priced from $450 to $1,200.

FIFA is hoping to make money off the World Cup final even after the match is finished and the tournament is wrapped up.

Segments of the pitch for the World Cup final will be up for sale starting at $450 per piece, football’s governing body announced on Saturday.

Players and coaches have criticised the quality of the field at New Jersey’s MetLife, which usually uses an artificial surface for NFL games of the New York Giants and Jets. FIFA renamed the venue to New Jersey New York Stadium for the World Cup.

FIFA, accused of charging high prices for this year’s tournament in the United States, will earn more than $11m from the sale, according to a report in The Athletic.

“Own a genuine piece of football history with an authentic 2026 FIFA World Cup Piece of the pitch, permanently preserved in a premium acrylic with a USB keepsake,” the website says. “Each piece contains an original fragment of the iconic Final playing surface, making it a unique collectable that celebrates one of the world’s greatest sporting events.”

The official store says each segment of turf is 17.5 by 17.5 by 17.5, although it doesn’t specify whether that figure is inches, centimetres or millimetres.

FIFA said “the acrylic USB features an authenticity film, while offering a sleek, contemporary display piece. Presented in a premium hinged shoulder box with striking spot UV detailing, this exclusive item is designed for collectors, fans, and football enthusiasts alike”.

FIFA is making the turf available to send only to addresses in the United States and Europe.

“Orders will not be shipped until after the FIFA World Cup 2026 Final,” the governing body said.

In addition to the high-priced tickets and memorabilia for the tournament, it will ‌cost $3,000 for the highest-priced tier of souvenir turf. The three-by-three-inch (7.6-by-7.6-centimetre) piece of grass comes with a gold-etched replica ticket, a miniature replica World Cup ball and a crystal-cut World Cup trophy.

The three other tiers of souvenir turf will sell for $450, $900 and $1,200.

There will ⁠be no more than 2,026 pieces ⁠available in any one tier.

FIFA is selling regular tickets for the final at up to $32,970 for the final and is asking $34,500 and $32,500 for hospitality tickets that include food and drinks.

The report indicated that the turf which will be used for the World Cup final was grown at a turf ⁠farm in North Carolina.

For consistency, new turf fields were installed at all World ⁠Cup venues, including those that typically have ⁠artificial surfaces like the stadiums in Seattle, Washington; Atlanta, Georgia; East Rutherford, New Jersey; Vancouver, Canada; Arlington, Texas; and Inglewood, California.

There is no indication of what will happen to ‌the turf fields that are not being used for the final.

Sherlock’s co-creator and co-writer has hinted at a potential fifth series of the BBC drama

With hit detective drama Sherlock now nearing a decade-long hiatus, bosses have offered an update.

Co-creator and co-writer Steven Moffat has teased the possibility of a fifth series of the immensely popular BBC programme.

The modern-day adaptation of Arthur Conan Doyle’s iconic literary works starred Benedict Cumberbatch as the legendary detective, with Martin Freeman as his faithful sidekick Dr John Watson.

After four three-episode series, plus a one-off special – The Abominable Bride – in 2016, the show entered a break in 2017 following the transmission of The Final Problem, leaving its fate up in the air.

Steven, who co-created and co-wrote the show with Mark Gatiss, has expressed hope about bringing the team back together, and has a definite plan should that wish materialise.

“If I can persuade everybody else, of course I’d revisit it,” he disclosed during an appearance on the Half the Picture podcast, reports Digital Spy. “Can you ever say that you’ve run out of Sherlock Holmes stories? There are 60 originals. We’ve done, what is it, 13 or 14?”.

“There’s loads more you could do with Sherlock. I’d quite like to revisit it simply because they would now – our two leads – be the normal age for Sherlock Holmes and Dr Watson,” he explained.

“We were conscious that we were doing the beginning of the story… So I’d quite like to see them as their more middle-aged, settled versions.. I don’t think it’s used up,” the writer remarked, who also co-created and co-wrote the BBC’s Dracula alongside Gatiss, reports the Express.

Steven also cast his mind back over his “extraordinary” stint with the beloved detective drama, which overlapped with his time as showrunner on the BBC’s iconic science fiction series Doctor Who.

He described it as a “manic time”, admitting he never “stopped working”.

“I loved that show. I look at it now and I watch it, and I think all of it is excellent,” he said of Sherlock. “I just think it’s really well made, beautifully acted, and dare I say it, [a] beautifully written show. I think it’s cracking. And I’m massively proud of it. And I miss it.”

While Moffat is clearly eager to return to the world of 221B Baker Street, a comeback looks unlikely any time soon, as Gatiss confirmed in June 2025 that Cumberbatch and Freeman “didn’t want to do any more” episodes (via RadioTimes).

Sherlock aired on BBC One and streams on BBC iPlayer.

It is impossible to gauge exactly who has only come on for a penalty shootout.

But if we take outfield players who come on for the final five minutes of stoppage time, there are only seven (five of which came since 2022) – and only three of those scored.

This summer two penalty takers have come on in stoppage time at the end of extra time and not had a touch before the final whistle.

Fabian Balbuena saw his penalty saved by Germany’s Manuel Neuer, although his Paraguay won the last-32 shootout.

Mahmoud Saber scored Egypt’s first penalty in the last-32 win over Australia – against a keeper who also had not touched the ball (more on him shortly).

Paulo Dybala came on past the 120-minute mark at the end of the 2022 final and scored in Argentina’s shootout win over France.

In Morocco’s last-16 win over Spain that year, both sides brought on players in the final two minutes – Badr Benoun and Pablo Sarabia – and both missed.

England’s Jamie Carragher came on with two minutes to go against Portugal in the 2006 quarter-final and had his kick saved by Ricardo, having initially netted but been ordered to retake because the whistle had not been blown.

The first player to come on in the final five minutes of extra time and score in a shootout was West Germany’s Pierre Littbarski, who netted in a quarter-final win over Mexico in 1986.

Two keepers have come on in the closing stages of a World Cup game with penalties in mind.

The Netherlands’ Tim Krul came on in the 121st minute against Costa Rica in the 2014 quarter-finals – and saved two penalties in their win.

He remained an unused substitute in the next round – when it again went to penalties – and the Netherlands went out, with Jasper Cillessen not saving any.

This summer it was Mat Ryan’s turn for Australia – but it did not work as Egypt scored all four penalties.

While Krul knew about the plan in advance, Ryan was told with a few minutes remaining that he would be coming on if the game went to a shootout.

July 11 (UPI) — Deforestation of Brazil’s Amazon rainforest has fallen to its lowest levels in more than a decade, officials said this week.

Satellite surveys show a 37% decrease in the number of trees felled in the world’s largest rainforest in the past year compared to the previous one, according to the National Space Research Institute (INPE).

This is the lowest level of Amazon deforestation since 2014, data published on Friday shows.

“It’s a solid result, stemming from government actions to protect the forest and combat environmental crime,” said executive secretary Márcio Astrini, of the Brazilian environmental collective Observatório do Clima.

“The figures are excellent and deserve to be celebrated,” Astrini told G1.

The Amazon rainforest is one of the world’s most important climate regulators, scientists and experts have said.

Deforestation of the Amazon in Brazil reached a 15-year high in 2021 under former President Jair Bolsonaro, whose government cut environmental protections and enforcement of conservation laws.

Brazil’s current president, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, has vowed to eradicate illegal deforestation by 2030.

“It is a commitment — otherwise, I will have failed,” Lula told reporters during an event in Belém do Pará, a city known as the metropolis of the Amazon.

JUMP into river swimming, bear-watching and space simulators on a family road trip to Belgium, says Acting Senior Designer Sasha Cunningham.

Sunlight bursts through the tree canopy as enormous furry paws pad silently across the forest floor.

Elevated safely on a viewing platform, my family and I quietly watch as two Eurasian brown bears climb trees, paddle in the stream and stalk through the lush landscape.

We’re at Forestia in Theux, Belgium, which has 44 hectares dedicated to the conservation of animals originally found wild in the area.

Later the kids get to hand-feed deer, too.

Tickets cost from £22 for adults, and £16 for children (Forestia.be).

WAIL OF A TIME

I drove Irish Route 66 with deserted golden beaches and pirate-like islands

TEMPTED?

Tiny ‘Bali of Europe’ town with stunning beaches, €3 cocktails and £20 flights

Lush Lodgings

This is just one of the highlights we find in our week spent in the wilds of Belgium’s Ardennes region.

We’re staying about four hours from Calais – a drive that takes us along winding roads and through luscious pine forests – kipping in a stylish six-person self-catering lodge at Landal Hillview Resort Grandvoir, near the town of Neufchâteau.

Nestled among wildflower meadows teaming with butterflies, our lodge feels super-private, with just the sound of the birds and the occasional cricket for company.

It’s decked out with hygge decor in earthy shades, plus has its own cosy infrared sauna.

My sons Oscar, eight, and Ben, five, splash around in the ankle-deep stream running alongside our pad, and there’s plenty of wildlife to spot.

Wild boar, deer, raccoons and beavers all frequent the site, and I’m excited to spy a badger scampering across the field as husband Grant and I settle down on our large deck for a sundowner.

Later, we try a game of boules by the resort’s Bois Des Bois restaurant, which serves up regional dishes for dinner and a buffet of delicious pastries, yoghurts, eggs, meats and cheeses if you’re feeling lazy one morning.

Breakfast costs £19 for adults, £16.50 for children.

There’s also a playground, on-site shop and bike hire, plus a boutique hotel if you want to splash out.

Water Find

Just 25 minutes’ drive away is L’Antrogne, a wild swimming spot popular with locals.

The river La Semois glistens in the sun, and after a pebble-skimming contest we paddle in the crystal-clear shallows, baby trout weaving around our legs.

The boys also delight in floating down the gentle rapids as dragonflies hover around them.

Another day, we hire top-of-the-range Bosch ebikes, £32 each per day, plus £13 for a kids’ trailer, to tackle the hilly terrain to Lake Neufchâteau.

Whizzing through the quaint village of Grandvoir and beautiful tree-lined tunnels is great fun, and we make it to the man-made reservoir in 40 minutes to find both a lido and sandy beach.

We jump into the water to cool off, as the boys eye up kayaks and pedal boats, from £7 for 30 minutes’ hire, before we picnic on cheese-filled croissants by the water’s edge.

Meanwhile, a worthy detour on our way back from bear-watching at Forestia proves to be Cascades de Coo, the highest natural waterfall in Belgium.

With a 15-metre drop down to the Amblève River, the thundering rapids are a must-see – but without doubt the kids’ favourite bit is Brasserie Au Vieux Moulin’s chocolate crêpes served with Nutella and fresh cream, £8.25, which we devour with a glorious view of the falls from the terrace (@Brasserieauvieuxmoulin).

Blast off

On our last day, a 25-minute drive transports us from our tranquil forest camp to the surface of Mars and the fascinating astronaut training camp at Euro Space Center.

We don orange spacesuits and test our minds and agility to see if we have what it takes to be astronauts.

As we are taken through computer logic tests, physical balance trials and even try on space pants to check whether we’d be able to correctly use a spaceship toilet, our family competitiveness is properly revealed.

Tickets cost from £30 for adults, £26 for children (Eurospacecenter.be).

We also get to wander through the Mars village to operate our very own rover, but the best bit is finding out what it feels like to walk on the moon and experiencing take-off in the space shuttle simulator.

The G force of the space rotor leaves our legs feeling pretty wobbly and, if I’m honest, I’m not sure any of us would cut it as real astronauts.

Still, the kids certainly think our trip across the channel was an out-of-this-world adventure.

Veurne rules

The medieval town of Veurne makes for an excellent pit stop when driving back to the UK, with its Flemish language and Dutch-style architecture reminiscent of Amsterdam.

Nestled between St Walburga and St Nicholas churches is De Soetasse Brasserie, where you can tuck into rich croque monsieurs, £8, and croûte aux champignons with a curry twist, £10.50 (@Desoetasse).

Theo Burrell’s husband Alex confirmed the tragic news in an Instagram post saying that her death came much quicker than anticipated following a cancer diagnosis

An Antiques Roadshow star has tragically died as her heartbroken husband paid tribute calling her an “incredible person”.

Theo Burrell’s husband Alex confirmed the tragic news in an Instagram post, saying that her death came much quicker than anticipated following a cancer diagnosis.

He shared a snap of the 39-year-old cuddling a dog as he wrote: “It is with great sadness that I share the news that Theo passed away peacefully surrounded by her family on Wednesday afternoon.

“Neither she nor her medical team foresaw this happening quite so quickly. She was an incredible person who fought hard for her family, friends and raising awareness of this cruel disease.”

He went on: “She saw life events like her son’s first day at school and her wedding that a little over 4 years ago we thought she’d never see.

“The cancer community provided so much comfort and strength to her in her darkest moments. But most of all it provided hope and I think what she would want most of all is for other people to find hope in her story. Hope that the statistics aren’t gospel and that one day they’ll be very different.”

Back in June, Theo shared that it had marked four years since she was diagnosed with glioblastoma – a malignant brain tumour, reported the Express.

At the time, the BBC star shared that she had surpassed the prognosis handed to her by doctors at diagnosis, when she was given 12-18 months to live.

She wrote: “On 7th June this year, I marked 4 years since my glioblastoma diagnosis. Like other GBM patients I was expected to live for 12-18 months.

“In the wake of that news I had many dark thoughts including that I wouldn’t see my son’s 2nd birthday let alone him starting school, but I’m lucky enough to say I did! And no one can take that away from me.

“Life since second surgery in Jan this year has definitely been a bit up and down. My peripheral vision on the left has gone and I’m having to take it slowly wherever I go. My coordination is not what it was.

“However this week Alex and I got the help of my parents (thank you so much GM & GI) and we’ve made it to the Lakes for 4 nights of chilling out. Having such warm weather has therefore been a bit of an extra bonus.

“Of course the next scan looms but I’ve dug deep and found a new bit of determination (which does not always come easy) to say to the GBM ‘I will not give up. Whatever the results, I’ll take stock, trust my oncologist and go from there.’

“So if you’re in the brain cancer world along with me – you’re not alone and we’ve just got to take it slowly but surely – every day we make is a bit of a win for us and a ‘GET LOST!’ to the illness!”

Theo became a Brain Tumour Research Patron in 2023 and tirelessly campaigned in Holyrood and Westminster to make the voices of brain tumour patients heard.

She played a pivotal role in helping the Charity launch the Scottish Brain Tumour Research Centre of Excellence where research is focused on moving new treatments for glioblastoma into clinical trials.

Dan Knowles, Brain Tumour Research CEO, said: “We are heartbroken that we have lost the phenomenal, determined and truly inspiring Theo Burrell to this devastating disease. She was always very open about her prognosis and knew from the outset her cancer was terminal, but she was absolutely determined to make a difference for others.

“She constantly inspired us with how big her heart was and we will continue on our mission, driven by everything she taught us. Our thoughts are with her family, her friends and with all those who had the privilege of knowing her.”

The Trump administration finalized a rollback of the Endangered Species Act on Friday, paving the way for drilling, mining and other human development across protected wildlife habitats.

The move redefines “harm” under the Endangered Species Act, the landmark conservation law that protects threatened and endangered plants and animals. For years, “harm” meant actions that injure or kill wildlife, as well as actions that destroy protected habitats.

Under the new rule, destroying those habitats is no longer illegal.

The decision aligns with the Trump administration’s ongoing effort to slash regulations in the name of economic growth. Interior Secretary Doug Burgum, whose department finalized the move, said the prior definition of harm “interfered with private property rights” and “turned routine activity into a regulatory trap.”

Environmental groups called the decision a disaster, saying it puts protected species on a path to extinction.

The move seems especially poised to hit California, the most biodiverse state in the country, where more than 6,700 species are spread across mountains, forests, deserts and oceans. Of the roughly 2,300 species protected by the Endangered Species Act, nearly 300 are found in California.

These species include amphibians such as tiger salamanders and Yosemite toads; birds such as California condors and northern spotted owls; fish such as Little Kern golden trout and Santa Ana suckers; insects such as Franklin’s bumble bees and Mission blue butterflies; mammals such as gray wolves and Santa Catalina Island foxes; and reptiles such as desert tortoises and green sea turtles.

The Endangered Species Act is widely credited with saving the California condor, which almost went extinct in the 1980s due to several factors, including habitat destruction. Thanks to a recovery program under the act, the condor population has since soared to several hundred. But under the new law, the logging and human development that led to their near demise is now allowed.

A handful of California species recoveries have been championed as success stories under the Endangered Species Act, including southern sea otters, peregrine falcons, humpback whales, bald eagles and green sea turtles.

According to a report from the Center for Biological Diversity, the El Segundo blue butterfly lost 90% of its oceanside habitat due to the construction of LAX and beachfront housing developments. The population dwindled to about 1,000 butterflies in the 1970s, when it was named an endangered species. Now, the population has climbed above 120,000.

In California, the rollback could pave the way for more farming, mining, logging and drilling in areas that were once forbidden due to the potential for wildlife habitat destruction. A report from Earthjustice estimates that expanded oil drilling in California could threaten five marine species including humpback whales, sea otters, leatherback sea turtles, marbled murrelets and wild salmon.

Several environmental groups are planning legal challenges to the ruling.

“For the first time ever, a presidential administration now claims that species protected by the Endangered Species Act shouldn’t be safe from habitat modification that destroys where they live, raise their young, or search for food,” Kristen Boyles, attorney for the environmental nonprofit Earthjustice, said in a statement. “Let’s be clear: there is no support for the Trump administration’s rule — no scientific support, no legal support, no public support. We will see the Trump administration in court.”

Ben Greuel, wildlife campaign manager at the Sierra Club, called the decision “an unlawful attempt to open the door for corporate polluters to degrade vitally important habitats.”

“For more than four decades, the definition of ‘harm’ recognized a simple truth: if you destroy the places wildlife need to survive, you are putting species on a path to extinction,” Greuel said in a statement.

It’s not the first time Trump has taken aim at California environmental regulation.

Earlier this year, Gov. Gavin Newsom, along with the governors of Washington and Oregon, submitted a formal opposition to the Trump administration’s plans to expand drilling off the Pacific Coast, with Newsom saying it leads to “dead wildlife.” In June, the Trump administration ordered a review of the California Coastal Commission, claiming the state’s “environmental extremism” obstructs spaceport development and offshore oil production.

A day before the Endangered Species Act decision, the Trump administration signed off on a controversial plan to use an old oil pipeline to pump water from the Mojave Desert into cities. Environmental groups said the plan threatens springs and local wildlife, since six pumps would need to be built in desert tortoise habitats.

Catalans Dragons head coach John Cartwright told Sky Sports:

“Intent-wise and physicality, it was a massive improvement on last week. To compete with them, we had to do that.

“Up until 16-0 down we were still in the game. We were unlucky because we should have scored a try and had to take our chances against a side like that, and we didn’t.

“There were a lot of things we had to get right to be in the game against them, and we didn’t quite do it. But physically, I just loved the way they had each other’s back in that second half.”

Leeds coach Brad Arthur told Sky Sports:

“We were pretty professional and thought we were quite tough as well. We wanted to dominate possession, and I thought we did that really well.

“Obviously there were some tactics after they came out after half-time, trying to rattle us, and we go back to round five and it worked for them. It was good that we learned our lesson.

“There are a couple of things we got wrong, but we were able to compose ourselves and just get back to our job.”

Catalans Dragons: Staines, Cotric, Laguerre, Faataape, Darrelatour, Sexton, Dodd, Allen, Leeming, Maria, Rogers-Smith, Lipowicz, Bousquet.

Interchanges: Condon, Navarrete, Wilson, Tison, Martin.

Leeds Rhinos: Miller, Sivo, Handley, Newman, Lumb, Croft, Connor, Oledzki, Levi, Jenkins, Hankinson, McDonnell, Watkins.

Interchanges: Holroyd, O’Connor, C. Smith, Cassell, Nicholson-Watton.

Referee: Liam Moore.

A United States federal court has dismissed the seditious conspiracy cases against four members of the Proud Boys, the far-right group involved in the attack on the US Capitol on January 6, 2021.

On Friday, Judge Timothy J Kelly, an appointee of President Donald Trump, granted the government’s motion to dismiss the case with prejudice, meaning it cannot be revived in future.

But Kelly made it clear that the defendants — Ethan Nordean, Joseph Biggs, Zachary Rehl and Dominic Pezzola — had been “convicted of serious offences”.

He wrote in his seven-page ruling that his decision was ultimately rooted in the separation of government powers, not in the merits of the case.

“As the Court has said many times, the attack on the Capitol on January 6, 2021 was a perilous event. It was an attack on people, including police officers, many of whom were injured,” Kelly wrote.

“It was an attack on the Constitution’s mechanism to facilitate the peaceful transfer of power from one president to the next,” he added.

Inside the January 6 riot

Friday’s ruling was yet another milestone in Trump’s efforts to end the prosecution of January 6 rioters.

The attack on the Capitol came shortly after Trump lost his bid for re-election in 2020 to Democrat Joe Biden. But in the aftermath of his loss, Trump spread false claims that the election had been rigged.

January 6, 2021, was the day Congress was scheduled to certify the Electoral College votes, confirming Trump’s defeat.

His vice president at the time, Mike Pence, held a ceremonial role overseeing the certification that day. But behind the scenes, Trump reportedly pressured Pence to reject the results of the election.

At midday, Trump held a “Save America” rally in front of the White House, repeating to his supporters that he had won “by a landslide”.

“If Mike Pence does the right thing, we win the election,” Trump said at one point. At another, he said, “If you don’t fight like hell, you’re not going to have a country anymore.”

Afterwards, some of his supporters marched to the Capitol and broke into the building, attacking police officers and causing millions of dollars worth of damage. Participants signalled their aim was to stop the vote certification, with some chanting, “Hang Mike Pence.”

The attack proved to be deadly. One rioter was shot by police as she climbed through a broken window to enter the House Speaker’s Lobby. An officer died from a stroke the following day after being beaten. Others died by suicide after the attack. Members of Congress had to be led to safety.

Under the Biden administration, the Department of Justice opened criminal cases against nearly 1,600 people involved.

But Trump has long defended the rioters and called their prosecution a “national injustice”.

Trump himself faced two criminal indictments — one at state level, the other federal — over his alleged attempts to subvert the election results, though the charges were dropped upon his re-election in 2024.

Unravelling the prosecutions

Calling the January 6 prosecutions an example of government “weaponisation”, Trump had campaigned during the 2024 race on a promise to pardon the rioters.

He followed through with that pledge on the first day of his second term. On January 20, 2025, Trump signed an executive order granting “a full, complete and unconditional pardon” to most of the defendants involved in the Capitol attack.

Trump also commuted the sentences of 14 people, including Nordean, Biggs, Rehl and Pezzola. Under his authority, the Department of Justice also proceeded to seek the dismissal of ongoing January 6 cases.

Judge Kelly cited that series of events in Friday’s ruling, though he appeared to express a measure of scepticism.

“No one should mistake the Court’s granting of the Government’s motion for its agreement with those decisions,” Kelly wrote.

In May 2023, a jury in Washington, DC, found Nordean, Biggs and Rehl guilty of charges including seditious conspiracy, alongside Proud Boys leader Enrique Tarrio.

Pezzola, meanwhile, was found not guilty of seditious conspiracy, but he was convicted of several felonies, including assaulting a police officer. At sentencing, the four men received prison terms ranging from 10 to 18 years, with Pezzola receiving the lightest sentence of the group.

But in weighing the future of the case against the four men, Judge Kelly explained that it was “hard to see” any other course forward other than dismissal.

The court system, Kelly explained, cannot “compel” the executive branch to pursue prosecutions. Trump’s executive order had also required the Department of Justice to seek the case’s dismissal.

“The Court will grant the motion because there are no grounds for it to withhold leave for the Government to dismiss the case with prejudice,” Kelly concluded.

But he ended his decision with a word of warning about protecting the future of American democracy from further attacks.

“Moving forward, if this Nation’s experiment in self-government is to last another 250 years, the American people — no matter their partisan preferences — will have to act together to preserve, protect and defend that miracle through our constitutional framework,” Kelly wrote.

Politician Ann Widdecombe was found dead at her home with serious injuries, with police confirming a murder investigation is underway.

Politicians from across the political spectrum have paid tribute to the former Conservative MP turned Reform UK spokesperson, expressing shock and sadness over her death.

The actor and musician Jason Schwartzman pulled a cassette tape from his pocket on stage at the L.A. Phil’s tribute to Wes Anderson. Schwartzman was just a teenager when he was cast as the obliviously ambitious Max Fischer in Anderson’s 1998 film “Rushmore,” and on Friday, he recalled the night Anderson played him the film’s entire soundtrack in his car.

“He said, ‘This is the soundtrack to the movie, this is the order it’s going to be in, and he walked me through the entire film narrating it,” Schwartzman said, still agog at the completeness of Anderson’s vision before a frame was shot.

More recently, Schwartzman said, “I was at my mom’s house tying my shoe, and I see a cassette tape on the ground titled ‘Rushmore songs’.” He then chucked the tape into the audience, a piece of film history that hopefully someone caught unscathed.

Anderson’s use of far-flung needle drops and lovely original score work is, like everything in his film universe, planned down to exacting detail. But this opener of a three-night stand — sporting an all-star roster of guest vocalists, an exceptional backing band, and a light touch from the Phil — was more in the spirit of how fans revisit Anderson’s films. As old friends that pop back into your life, affection only deepened with time, right when you need them.

Guided by the genial riffing of the night’s MC, Bill Murray (an Anderson regular from “Rushmore” onwards), the program made its case that Anderson’s savvy with soundtrack curation and delicate, evocative scores are the heart of his films, right along with his meticulous visual style and arch, melancholy tone.

The director, recently freed from a malfunctioning elevator in a pithily Andersonian incident, made a brief appearance onstage with Murray in his regal white suit. But the focus was the music itself on Friday, and the ragtag roster of artists that fully conjured it.

To start, huge credit due to the show’s musical director Justin Meldal-Johnsen and the session-killer band of Roger Joseph Manning Jr., Jason Falkner, Joey Waronker and Gus Seyffert. The sheer amount of music to arrange and assemble for this was vast and demanding, and they got to all of it from 1996’s “Bottle Rocket” to the present.

The Phil took a more modest role, performing poignant, rigorous slivers of scores from Anderson’s go-to composers Alexandre Desplat (“Canto at Gabelmeister’s Peak” from ‘The Grand Budapest Hotel” and “Mr. Fox in The Fields,” from “The Fantastic Mr. Fox”) or his frequent collaborator, Devo’s Mark Mothersbaugh (the propulsive “Ping Island” from “The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou.”)

Pianist Jean-Yves Thibaudet took a lively solo crack at “Moses Rosenthaler” off “The French Dispatch;” Rajib Karmakar and Aakash Pujara played aching sitar and flute drones from “The Darjeeling Limited,” and taiko drummer Kaoru Watanabe nearly blew out the Bowl’s speakers on “Shinto Shrine” from “Isle of Dogs.”

The surprises came from the rock acts brought in to re-imagine the most evocative needle drops from Anderson’s ouvre.

Jackson Browne, in an unbelievable career first, finally got around to performing “Fairest of the Seasons” and “These Days,” tracks he wrote as a teenager eventually covered by German art-rock chanteuse Nico, mournfully used on “The Royal Tenenbaums.”

Beck took a pass at the late Elliott Smith’s ghostly “Needle in The Hay,” used to harrowing effect in the same film, and later Love’s “Alone Again, Or”. Karen Elson beautifully covered Françoise Hardy’s “Les Temps De L’amour” from “Moonrise Kingdom” while the Yeah Yeah Yeahs’ Karen O simmered through the Rolling Stones’ “Play With Fire” off “Darjeeling.”

Yet the delighted gang’s-all-here element that ties Anderson’s regular cast together was embodied by an endearingly shaggy run through “Zorro Is Back” with Jenny Lewis and Rogê. Towards the end of the night, just before a closer with the Faces’ “Ooh La La,” Murray brought out a one-of-a-kind instrument for a big flourish. A nine-dollar desk bell, seemingly purchased at Staples hours before showtime, requested specifically by Anderson.

“Front of house, make sure Bill’s bell is ripping,” Beck implored the sound techs at the Bowl. Indeed, as the band, including Jim James of My Morning Jacket, Lewis and Schwartzman, performed the Bobby Fuller Four’s single “Let Her Dance,” Murray indeed whacked the hell out of that thing.

The builder got up every morning long before dawn, left home to pick up his construction crew and then headed out to work on yet another house somewhere across the sprawl of Houston.

Fourteen hours later, Lorenzo Salgado Araujo would return to the wife he’d met as a teenager in Mexico and the modest house he’d built for his family on the city’s east side.

It’s what he’d done for decades, according to Ronaldo Salgado, his oldest son. He said his father built hundreds of houses over 35 years, creating a life for his family and watching as his three sons headed off to college.

On Tuesday, a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer fatally shot Salgado Araujo, 52, after he was pursued by federal agents driving unmarked vehicles while he was taking his crew to their latest job site. The shooting has outraged Houston leaders and renewed public scrutiny over ICE and Trump’s immigration crackdown.

Four Democratic members of Congress who represent the Houston area said at a vigil Saturday that they would push for an independent investigation into the shooting.

“We are never going to forget that his blood is on Donald Trump’s hands,” Rep. Christian Menefee said. “We are not at war. Lorenzo Salgado Araujo was not a casualty. He was a human being who was murdered by our government.”

ICE was looking for someone else

Federal agents were looking for someone else when they tried to stop Salgado Araujo’s white van, Garcia said, citing a briefing she received from ICE’s acting director. The Department of Homeland Security has said an ICE officer fired at the van in self-defense after Salgado Araujo, whom officials described as an “illegal alien,” rammed an ICE vehicle. They have provided no evidence.

After some previous shootings by federal immigration agents, Homeland Security authorities have given accounts that were contradicted by video evidence. No video showing the moment of the shooting this time has emerged, and the agents at the scene were not wearing body cameras.

The three men that Salgado Araujo was driving said he was shot through a passenger window and that the ICE officer who fired was not in front of the van or even in danger, a lawyer who has spoken with them said Friday.

His family has also disputed the account from ICE. They said lawyers, who were helping him apply for a work permit, had explained how he should behave if immigration agents stopped him. Salgado Araujo was close to obtaining legal status when he was killed, they said.

“He knew what to do,” Ronaldo Salgado told reporters this week. “He knew not to sign anything. He knew that the first phone call he should make should be either to myself or to my mom. So that way we can get the process started of getting him out.”

He believes his father may have been scared that he was being followed by unmarked vehicles, worried someone was planning to steal his van or his tools.

The shooting in the largely Latino neighborhood is at least the eighth death connected to the Trump administration’s immigration enforcement campaign.

A kind, present husband and father

Salgado Araujo entered the U.S. more than 30 years ago, settling in Houston with his wife where they raised their three children.

Education was a constant focus in the house, said Ronaldo Salgado, who is now a teacher. One of his brothers is an engineer. The other is in college studying engineering.

Several childhood friends of Salgado recalled that his father was kind and soft-spoken, always inquiring after a long workday about his wife’s day and how his sons’ friends were doing.

“We didn’t really see him until the end of the day when he came home to have dinner, but that just shows how much of a hard worker he was,” said neighbor Jessica Alanis Magdaleno. “Everything they have now is thanks to the dedication to that.”

Josué Flores, a friend of Ronaldo Salgado since their freshman year of high school, said he first saw Lorenzo Salgado Araujo at his son’s football game.

“I think it speaks volumes of the kind of person that he was,” Flores said, recalling how Salgado Araujo showed up for his son even after an arduous day of work.

Salgado Araujo’s wife, a relative said, is “inconsolable.”

“She is very upset … angry, sad, disoriented,” Jose Torres Ramon, a nephew who lives in Mexico, told the Associated Press in a Facebook message.

Ronald Salgado, his oldest son, said at the Saturday vigil that he hoped he was making his father proud.

“I’ll keep fighting for him,” he said.

His brother Lorenzo Salgado Jr. said the shooting of his father was “a hard moment to be an American.”

“Even though my government, my federal government took away my father, we the people will bring justice,” he said. “We the people are America.”

After coming home in the evening, Salgado Araujo liked to listen to music on the porch and pet the family dog. His family has described him as a simple man of routine.

“He did not deserve to die,” Ronaldo Salgado said. “He dedicated his life in the United States to giving his family the American dream.”

Sullivan writes for the Associated Press. AP reporters Jack Brook in New Orleans, Valerie Gonzalez in McAllen, Texas, and Scott Bauer in Madison, Wis., contributed to this report.

With the passing of another government deadline for undocumented Afghans to leave, Pakistan has launched a new crackdown on thousands still living in the country.

In response to criticism, authorities say they are enforcing immigration laws and cite national security concerns.

Hundreds of thousands of Afghans have returned to a country they fled. The UN says they include undocumented migrants, refugees and Afghan citizen card holders.

The campaign has coincided with rising political tensions between Islamabad and Kabul.

But is politics involved in the rising tension between the neighbours? And how is Kabul dealing with the influx of returnees?

Presenter: Scott McLean

Guests:

Obaidullah Baheer – Adjunct lecturer at the American University of Afghanistan

Kamran Bokhari – Senior fellow with the Middle East Policy Council in Washington, DC

Zahid Mahmood – Pakistani defence analyst and former senior officer of the Pakistan Army

Joe Joyce’s comeback fight ended in bizarre fashion as the veteran British heavyweight lost to Artem Suslenkov in Moscow.

The 40-year-old was facing undefeated Russian Suslenkov in his first fight since losing to Filip Hrgovic in April 2025.

But after looking lethargic and lacking power throughout, Joyce appeared to signal that he no longer wanted to fight in the 11th round and stepped backwards.

Joyce offered little defence as Suslenkov, 30, landed a few more blows before the referee stepped in to stop the fight.

Joyce, a silver medallist at the 2016 Olympics, now has a professional record of 16 wins and five losses, with all of those defeats coming in his last six fights.

The highlight of Joyce’s professional career came in 2022, when he beat Joseph Parker to win the vacant WBO interim heavyweight title.

Joyce then faced Zhilei Zhang twice in 2023, but lost his unbeaten record in the first meeting and was stopped in the rematch.

After losing to Hrgovic, Joyce’s promoter Frank Warren said his man needed to have a “real serious think about the future”.

Despite Joyce having said he spent 12 months preparing to fight again and that he was “excited for the opportunity” to face Suslenkov, who improved his record to 15-0, some now fear this could be the end of his boxing career.

Anthony Fowler, a Great Britain team-mate at Rio 2016, said on X: “What a sad end to Joe’s career. It’s a shame to see him go out like that.”

Joyce’s fight was on the undercard of Russian Murat Gassiev’s first defence of the WBA heavyweight title.

Gassiev, who was elevated to WBA champion after Oleksandr Usyk vacated his three heavyweight belts last month, was scheduled to face Tony Yoka.

Joyce was touted as a possible stand-in after the Frenchman pulled out with injury, but Peter Kadiru was confirmed last week and Gassiev stopped the German in the sixth round to improve to 34 wins and two losses.

Ten newly identified victims were buried as the more than 8,000 slain Bosnian Muslim men and boys were remembered.

Thousands have gathered in Bosnia and Herzegovina to mark 31 years since the Srebrenica genocide, as leaders and activists worldwide use the anniversary to call on people to fight dehumanisation.

On Saturday, mourners, survivors, foreign dignitaries and religious leaders gathered at the Srebrenica-Potocari Memorial Center to commemorate those who were killed in 1995. People took part in the annual peace march before 10 newly identified victims were buried.

Bosnian Serb forces overran the eastern Bosnian town of Srebrenica on July 11, 1995, killing more than 8,000 Bosnian Muslim men and boys over several days. Srebrenica had been declared a protected “safe area” by the United Nations Security Council two years earlier.

Denis Becirovic, Chairman of the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina, said honouring those who were killed was crucial to maintaining stability.

“If we fail to preserve the truth about our past, we will have neither a present nor a future,” he said.

The Dutch ambassador to Bosnia and Herzegovina, Henk van den Dool, said education was key to preventing a repeat of similar atrocities.

“One of the common goals we share with the Srebrenica Memorial Center, with the mothers, and with the survivors is to translate this enduring warning into meaningful action. One of the most meaningful and effective ways to do that is through education,” he said.

Pursuit of justice

Every year on July 11 , newly identified victims are buried at the Srebrenica-Potocari Memorial Center, as investigators continue to search for the remains of people buried in mass graves in surrounding areas.

More than a thousand victims remain missing following the genocide, which is widely recognised as the worst atrocity committed in Europe since the Holocaust during the Second World War.

Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif called the massacre “a crime against humanity”, while the Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, posted on X that he was “deeply moved” during his trip to Srebrenica last week.

“Today, as we stop to remember the victims and families who mourn them, we must also commit ourselves to fighting violence and dehumanisation wherever we encounter it and stopping hatred from taking hold,” Khan said.

More than 100,000 people were killed during the Bosnian War between 1992 and 1995. The conflict followed the dissolution of Yugoslavia, triggering a series of ethnic conflicts and wars of independence among the Balkan states that had previously formed a single country.

In recent days, campaigners have drawn comparisons between the Srebrenica genocide and Israel’s genocidal war on Gaza. Kenneth Roth, former executive director of Human Rights Watch, decried that senior Israeli officials are yet to be held legally accountable for their crimes.

“The United Nations this week remembered the genocide in Bosnia – the 8,000+ Muslim men and boys killed in Srebrenica in July 1995. The leaders of the genocide were convicted. The perpetrators of Israel’s genocide in Gaza remain at large,” Roth said on X.