June 26 (Asia Today) — South Korea plans to create an investment and procurement system aimed at producing homegrown security technology companies comparable to U.S. data analytics company Palantir Technologies, the government said Friday.

The Ministry of SMEs and Startups announced the strategy with the Defense Ministry and Korea AeroSpace Administration during a meeting on future security innovation companies at the Blue House.

The plan seeks to accelerate the transfer of advanced civilian technology into national defense and security.

The government aims to develop five security technology companies valued at more than 1 trillion won ($651 million) and 50 companies with annual sales exceeding 100 billion won ($65.1 million) by 2030.

It will designate five strategic sectors covering drones and robotics, defense artificial intelligence and semiconductors, advanced sensors and materials, aerospace technology and cybersecurity and quantum communications.

Officials described the initiative as an effort to cultivate a “Korean Palantir,” referring to the U.S. company known for software that integrates and analyzes large volumes of defense and intelligence data.

The phrase is a policy description rather than the name of a company the government plans to establish.

Investment vehicle modeled on In-Q-Tel

The ministry plans to establish a government-backed investment organization modeled on In-Q-Tel, the nonprofit strategic investor created to support technologies relevant to U.S. intelligence agencies.

The proposed organization would make direct investments in early-stage security technology companies to address funding shortages.

The government also plans to support the establishment of a technology-focused asset management company tentatively called Korea Strategic Technology Partners.

Through government and private investment vehicles, officials aim to create as much as 10 trillion won ($6.5 billion) in strategic technology financing over the next five years.

The money would provide growth capital to startups and smaller companies developing technologies with potential defense, intelligence, aerospace or cybersecurity applications.

Faster research and procurement

South Korea also plans to introduce a special research and development program modeled on the U.S. Other Transaction Authority system.

The system would connect research, testing and government purchasing under a faster contracting process intended for rapidly changing technologies.

Selected companies could receive as much as 10 billion won ($6.5 million) each over five years.

The Defense Ministry and Korea AeroSpace Administration plan to create procurement systems capable of placing some advanced weapons or technologies into initial service within one year.

The government also plans to expand access to defense data through a catalog showing what information may be available to approved companies.

Aerospace authorities will support the development of core technology for a national space data center and platforms that allow businesses to use satellite information.

The strategy reflects the government’s view that traditional defense procurement moves too slowly for technologies such as artificial intelligence, drones, robotics and cybersecurity software.

Support for smaller technology companies

Minister of SMEs and Startups Han Seongsook said the global security industry is shifting rapidly from traditional hardware toward software, data and artificial intelligence.

“The government will provide bold and rapid support so startups and small venture companies with flexible and creative technologies can become leaders in security innovation,” Han said.

The government also plans to protect companies’ intellectual property rights and allow technologies developed through public programs to be adapted for civilian markets.

Officials said the strategy would help smaller companies enter a defense industry that has traditionally been dominated by large manufacturers and hardware-centered weapons programs.

The ministries plan to form an interagency committee, pursue special legislation and revise contracting rules to support the initiative.

— Reported by Asia Today; translated by UPI

© Asia Today. Unauthorized reproduction or redistribution prohibited.

Original Korean report: https://www.asiatoday.co.kr/kn/view.php?key=20260626010009467

U.S. Central Command said it struck Iranian targets today in response to an Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) attack on a cargo vessel exiting the Strait of Hormuz on Thursday. This marks the first U.S. kinetic response against Iran since Washington and Tehran signed a Memorandum of Understanding about a peace deal last Friday.

CENTCOM said the strikes were “a powerful response to yesterday’s attack on a commercial ship that was transiting the Strait of Hormuz.” The command added that “U.S. aircraft struck Iranian missile and drone storage locations and coastal radar sites after Iran hit M/V Ever Lovely on June 25 with a one-way attack drone. The Singapore-flagged cargo ship was exiting the Strait of Hormuz along the Omani coast at the time of Iran’s attack.”

That incident “clearly violated the ceasefire,” the command proclaimed. “Furthermore, Iran’s dangerous behavior undermined freedom of navigation as commerce increasingly flows through the vital international trade corridor.”

As we noted yesterday, the attack on the Ever Lovely prompted the U.N. International Maritime Organization (IMO) to pause its plan to evacuate hundreds of ships stuck in the Persian Gulf which has been largely closed since Iran was attacked by the U.S. and Israel.

Earlier on Friday, President Donald Trump told reporters “We’ll find out,” when asked if Iran faced any consequences for the ship attack.

Asked if he considered the ceasefire to still be in place, the president said: “I don’t like the fact that they took a shot yesterday. Actually, four, we knocked down three at a ship, not an allied ship, but a ship, a very expensive ship, and it was fine, but it took a little beating. They shouldn’t be doing that. You’ll find out.”

There was no immediate military response from Iran, a U.S. official told us. However, as we have reported in the past, these kinds of attacks have resulted in tit-for-tat kinetic actions between the two nations. We also do not know the level of command and control the Iranian government has over hardline IRGC elements and if these kinds of attacks are occurring independent of the government leadership’s wishes.

In its post on X, CENTCOM said its forces CENTCOM forces “continue to provide safe passage coordination and support to commercial vessels transiting the strait. The U.S. military remains present and vigilant to ensure all aspects of the agreement with Iran are adhered to, obeyed, and in full force and effect.”

The U.S. and Iran continue to negotiate over a future peace deal, but many sticking points remain, including how the country’s nuclear material will be dealt with and future nuclear operations monitored.

This is a developing story.

UPDATE: 5:56 PM EDT –

After the U.S. airstrikes, Iran reiterated that it will continue to hold at risk shipping in the Strait that does not follow its rules for transit.

“Iran has repeatedly stated that the situation in the Strait of Hormuz will not return to what it was before the U.S. attack on Iran,” the official Iranian IRIB media outlet stated on X. “Any transit through the Strait must follow the routes announced by Iran; otherwise, the security of vessels cannot be guaranteed.”

UPDATE: 8:05 PM EDT-

The IRGC Navy claims it “struck American military targets in the region in retaliation for earlier aggression against Iranian coastal areas,” the official Iranian Press TV media outlet reported.

“The force made the remarks in a statement issued on Friday, saying its reprisal ‘targeted the deployment sites of the US terrorist military in the region,’” the outlet added.

However, there was no visual proof provided of any attack.

CENTCOM declined comment.

A BRIT music legend, 70, has been ‘admitted to hospital’ with a mystery illness as he reschedules gigs last-minute.

Bruce Foxton – the bassist and backing vocalist of The Jam – was set to play a gig in Kidderminster on Friday evening.

But in a post on social media, it was revealed Bruce had fallen ill and would have to reschedule the performance.

The post by AGMP Concerts read: “Due to illness, the Bruce Foxton concerts this weekend are being rearranged.

“Tonight’s concert in Kidderminster has now been cancelled. Tomorrow’s Lincoln show (Saturday 27th June) has moved to Friday 15th January 2027.

“Thanks for your understanding. We look forward to seeing you in the new year.”

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Meanwhile another post on X from a fan claimed: “Bruce’s show in Kidderminster tonight has been cancelled and not rescheduled due to the fact he has been admitted into hospital.

“Let’s hope it’s not too serious for this absolute legend.”

Bruce’s fans were quick to comment, with one writing: “Get well soon Bruce. Take a break sir, we’d prefer a happy healthy retired Bruce than a pushing himself to the limit to the detriment of his health Bruce.”

Another added: “Sending u my love Legend…TIME2RELAX NOW U WORKED YOUR A*** OFF….We have memories Bruce..enjoy your life now..we all love u and now time to enjoy your memories xx.”

A third commented: “Get well quickly Bruce. Such a great bass player, seen him in The Jam, Stiff Little Fingers and of course From The Jam.”

Bruce first came to prominence in the 1970s in The Jam before pursuing a solo career when the band broke up.

In 1990 he joined Stiff Little Fingers and was with the band until 2007, before he joined Rick Buckler and members of his tribute band, the Gift, to tour under the name From the Jam.

The Sun Online has reached out to a representative for Bruce for comment.

The Angels have fired general manager Perry Minasian midway through their sixth consecutive disappointing season under his leadership.

The last-place Angels appointed former Cardinals GM John Mozeliak to be their interim general manager and baseball operations consultant on Friday. Mozeliak will oversee day-to-day baseball operations while assisting the search for the next GM, team president Molly Jolly said in a news release.

“Perry has been a valued leader who worked tirelessly over the last six years to strengthen our baseball operations department,” Jolly said. “I am grateful for his dedication, insight and many contributions to our organization.”

Minasian took over the Angels’ front office in November 2020, but the long-struggling franchise has made no discernible progress during his tenure under mercurial owner Arte Moreno.

The Angels’ streaks of 10 straight losing seasons and 11 straight non-playoff seasons are both the longest in the majors, and its farm system is still considered to be among the majors’ worst, just as it was when Minasian arrived.

The biggest transaction of his tenure occurred when Shohei Ohtani left the Angels after six seasons for the Dodgers in late 2023, the Angels failing to trade Ohtani for prospects before Ohtani became a free agent.

Minasian’s flurry of moves before and after the 2023 trade deadline seemed chaotic. The Angels kept Ohtani — a decision Moreno had a big hand in — and dealt away several prospects in an attempt to push for the playoffs.

But the Angels went 8-19 that August and fell so far out of contention that they placed several players on waivers in order to bring their payroll under the luxury tax threshold.

After holding the majors’ worst record for much of the current season, the Angels are tied for last in the AL standings at 34-48 heading into their game against the Athletics on Friday night at Angel Stadium. Los Angeles lost a franchise-record 99 games in 2024, its first season after losing two-time AL MVP Ohtani.

The Angels never won more than 77 games or finished higher than third in the AL West during Minasian’s tenure.

Minasian clashed with respected manager Joe Maddon early in his tenure, eventually leading to Maddon’s firing amid an epic losing streak in the 2022 season. After Phil Nevin and Ron Washington also failed to hold the managerial job for more than two seasons, Minasian hired first-time manager Kurt Suzuki from his own front-office staff last fall, giving him a one-year deal with the acknowledgment that their fates were tied.

Ray Montgomery served as interim manager in 2025.

A reduction in payroll forced Minasian to supplement this year’s team with low-cost players — several returning from major injuries — such as pitchers Alek Manoah, Jordan Romano, Drew Pomeranz, Kirby Yates and Brent Suter, outfielder Josh Lowe and infielders Yoan Moncada and Adam Frazier.

Most of the moves didn’t pan out, as Romano and Pomeranz were released, and Manoah, Lowe and Moncada have been busts.

The largest free-agent deal signed by Minasian was a three-year, $63 million contract for left-hander Yusei Kikuchi before 2025. Kikuchi was an All-Star last season but has been sidelined since late April because of a shoulder injury.

Minasian also signed reliever Robert Stephenson to a three-year, $33 million deal before 2024, but the right-hander is out for this season because of another elbow injury.

Jolly and Mozeliak are scheduled to speak at a news conference on Saturday.

Minasian is a former Rangers clubhouse attendant who rose to positions in the front offices of the Atlanta Braves and the Toronto Blue Jays as a protege of Alex Anthopoulos.

Minasian had never interviewed for a GM job before he was chosen to replace Billy Eppler by Moreno, who has repeatedly hired GMs with little to no prior experience in the job during his two decades of ownership.

Mozeliak left the Cardinals last fall after three decades with St. Louis, including the past 18 in charge of baseball operations.

June 26 (UPI) — The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Friday increased its response level to the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Uganda.

In an update to reporters, Satish Pillai, the Ebola response incidence manager at the CDC, said public health officials were concerned about the rapid increase in and geographic spread of cases of the deadly virus. She said the CDC has upgraded its response to Level 1, making it a top priority.

“Elevating the response level reflects the urgency, scale and complexity of the outbreak, and allows [the] CDC to bring additional resources to support the coordination and operational needs of our response,” Pillai said.

The World Health Organization has confirmed more than 1,000 cases of Ebola and more than 260 deaths from the disease since the outbreak, which began in May. Most of the cases have been reported in eastern DRC, with a smaller number of cases spreading across the border into Uganda.

This Ebola outbreak has been linked to the Bundibugyo virus, making it particularly challenging to treat. Unlike the Ebola-zaire strains of the virus, there are no approved approved therapeutics or vaccines for the Bundibugyo strain, the WHO said.

Ebola was first identified in central Africa in 1976. The virus, which has a two- to 21-day incubation period, causes fever, fatigue, muscle pain, headache, sore throat, vomiting, diarrhea, rash, and, in some cases, internal and external bleeding. It can be transmitted from animals to humans and in human-to-human contact, including sexual intercourse.

While there’s no proven treatment specifically for the virus, people can survive through treatment of the symptoms, including oral and intravenous fluids, and immune and drug therapies.

Rescue workers in one Caracas neighbourhood say no help has arrived, two days after twin quakes tore through the city. Al Jazeera’s Noris Soto says aftershocks are making the search for survivors harder and rescue efforts are turning to the recovery of bodies.

NEW YORK — David Clayton-Thomas, the lead singer of Blood, Sweat & Tears, whose husky, high-strung tenor on “Spinning Wheel,” “And When I Die” and other hits helped make the so-called brass rock band among the most popular acts of the late 1960s, has died at age 84.

Spokesperson Eric Alper said that Clayton-Thomas died peacefully Wednesday at St. Michael’s Hospital in Toronto. Alper did not cite a specific cause of death.

Clayton-Thomas was a onetime street fighter and petty thief from Canada who briefly became a rock superstar, the front man of a nine-member group that sold millions of records and won two Grammys for “Blood, Sweat & Tears,” which beat out the Beatles’ “Abbey Road” for best album of 1969. Calling out amid a jazzy parade of horns, keyboards and percussion, Clayton-Thomas’ urgent shout was a signature voice of the era, preaching love on the Motown cover “You’ve Made Me So Very Happy,” a lasting legacy on Laura Nyro’s “And When I Die” and a cool head on his own “Spinning Wheel.” Meanwhile, Blood, Sweat & Tears helped inspire a wave of horn-led bands, among them Chicago, the Electric Flag and Ten Wheel Drive.

“A lot of the guys [in Blood, Sweat & Tears] would play a Broadway show matinee, then go up to Harlem and play Latin music or R&B and funk at night, or come down to the Village and play pure jazz the next night,” Clayton-Thomas told Bestclassicbands.com in 2023. “I was just a blues player: Give me three chords and I’ve got a song.”

At its peak, Blood, Sweat & Tears’ appeal was so broad it helped lead to the band’s downfall.

Hip enough to perform at the 1969 Woodstock festival, where they were among the highest paid acts, they also were known enough to the establishment to tour Eastern Europe the following year on behalf of the State Department. When Clayton-Thomas and other band members denounced the Communist regimes on the other side of the Cold War, Rolling Stone’s David Felton wrote that “the State Department got its money worth.” Counterculture Yippies would turn up at a 1970 Blood, Sweat & Tears show at Madison Square Garden, carrying obscene banners outside and dumping manure by the front gate.

The band had practical reasons for going along with the government: Clayton-Thomas, who had allegedly wielded a gun at his girlfriend, had been denied a green card and faced deportation. But after topping the charts in 1970 with the album “Blood, Sweat & Tears 3,” their appeal soon faded. A burned-out Clayton-Thomas left the group in 1972, and neither he nor the remaining musicians ever regained their old stature. Blood, Sweat & Tears would continue recording over the next few years, and even briefly reunited with Clayton-Thomas, who went on to release more than a dozen solo albums and tour on his own for decades.

Beginning under a licensing agreement reached in 1984, Clayton-Thomas toured as “Blood, Sweat Tears” for 20 years with a revolving roster of bandmates. A 1994 Times review of a show at the Coach House in San Juan Capistrano reported that “BS&T’s formula has legs, that its music has withstood the test of time. Indeed, in a world full of today’s pop harmonic minimalism, the sound of trumpets, trombones, guitar and sax backing a singer somehow seems fresh, even if it has been around for so long,” and Clayton-Thomas “still has all the enthusiasm and buzz-saw roughness that gave his voice its distinctive quality way back when.”

In 2005, BS&T re-formed (without Clayton-Thomas, who continued his solo career) and has toured since with various lead singers.

Clayton-Thomas was inducted into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame in 1996. “Spinning Wheel,” covered by everyone from James Brown to TV star Barbara Eden, was voted into the Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame a decade later.

Born David Henry Thomsett on Sept. 13, 1941, in Kingston upon Thames, near London, and raised near Toronto and Ottawa, he was the son of a Canadian World War II veteran and of a pianist-entertainer who helped inspire her son’s interest in music. Thomsett was lucky to have the chance. He fought violently with his father, was living in the streets by his mid-teens and by age 20 was serving time in a reformatory for vagrancy, assault and other crimes.

An old guitar, left behind by a fellow inmate, changed his life. He taught himself to play and began spending extensive time in the early 1960s around Toronto’s Yonge Street music “strip,” where peers included the American rockabilly star Ronnie Hawkins, a mentor to Robbie Robertson and other future members of the Band and a guide for Thomsett early in his career.

Eager to reinvent himself, he changed his last name to Clayton-Thomas while leading his own groups. In the mid-’60s, he released such albums as “Sings Like It Is” and had a hit single with the antiwar rocker “Brainwashed.” He would also befriend a rising star, Joni Mitchell, whose childlike “Circle Game” helped inspire “Spinning Wheel,” and the venerable John Lee Hooker, who would indirectly contribute to Clayton-Thomas’ breakthrough in the U.S.

The band Blood, Sweat & Tears, including David Clayton-Thomas, far right, from the documentary “What the Hell Happened to Blood, Sweat & Tears?”

(Sony Music Archives)

Hooker had encouraged Clayton-Thomas to move to New York, where the American bluesman had an engagement at the Cafe Au Go Go in Greenwich Village. When Hooker unexpectedly departed for a tour of Europe, club owner Howard Solomon needed a replacement and recruited Clayton-Thomas.

“So I played him a couple songs on the guitar,” Clayton-Thomas told Bestclassicbands.com. “He said, ‘Do you have a band?’ I said, ‘Sure,’ and went out into Greenwich Village looking for anybody carrying a guitar case or even looking like a musician, and we put together a little band and we opened there that night. We ended up staying there for several months.”

Around the same time, session man-producer Al Kooper was looking to form a jazz-rock group and was joined by such musicians as guitarist Steve Katz, drummer Bobby Colomby and horn players Randy Brecker and Jerry Weiss. They called themselves Blood, Sweat & Tears, releasing the debut album “Child Is Father to the Man” early in 1968. Although praised by Rolling Stone publisher Jann Wenner as “a fine, exemplary group,” members were torn between those allied with Kooper and those who thought his vocals too weak to attract a substantial audience.

By the end of the year, Kooper and others had departed, and the band was seeking a new singer. After Judy Collins saw Clayton-Thomas perform, she recommended him to Colomby.

“I got home and just a couple of days later, Bobby Colomby called me up and said, ‘Hey, Kooper’s gone. We got four guys left out of the nine. And we still got a record contract with Columbia. Do you want to come down and try out for the band?’ ” Clayton-Thomas told Bestclassicbands.com. ”I said, ‘You’re damn right.’ I knew [bassist] Jim Fielder real well and I knew they were superb musicians. So I was on the next plane. We had a rehearsal that afternoon, an audition, and it was instant magic. We just knew right off the bat.”

Clayton-Thomas is survived by his daughters, Ashleigh Clayton-Thomas and Christine Graham.

Italie writes for the Associated Press.

SACRAMENTO — Gov. Gavin Newsom reached an agreement Friday with legislative leaders on a $351.7-billion state budget in his final year as governor, a spending plan that uses a tax windfall to avoid major cuts and lessen California’s chronic deficit in the years ahead.

The deal provides nearly $2 billion in state revenue next year through tax hikes on corporations, new levies on software sales and a revamped tax on managed healthcare organizations. Lawmakers and the governor continue major investments in education, healthcare and agreed to increase spending on subsidized childcare and affordable housing.

“We want to leave the next governor not only a balanced budget, but a budget that is substantially structurally sound, and we’re going to accomplish that,” Newsom said in an interview Friday. “We were very cautious in terms of new spending,”

The agreement ends weeks of lobbying by outside interests and negotiations among lawmakers and the governor at the state Capitol about how to handle a surge of income tax collected on stock market gains related to artificial intelligence.

Early forecasts last June projected a $12.6-billion deficit in 2026-27, according to the California Department of Finance. Updated predictions now suggest the state will end the year with a surplus of $4.5 billion.

Democrats, following Newsom’s lead, are tucking away $6.4 billion for future years, which allows the governor to knock down a deficit previously projected through 2027-28 and assuage criticism about his spending habits.

But economists say the fix and revenue increase is likely only temporary.

Spending in California has generally exceeded revenue growth during Newsom’s tenure in the governor’s office, creating a chronic shortfall. Despite the extra funding, the budget continues a trend of relying on reserves, shifting funds, borrowing and suspending debt payments to balance state spending.

The Legislative Analyst’s Office, the nonpartisan fiscal advisor for lawmakers, has warned of a roughly $10-billion gap between the amount of money the state brings in and spends, which could grow dramatically worse if the stock market turns downward. The LAO has said the existence of any operating deficit during a revenue boom is a red flag and that the state is “ill-prepared” for even a modest decline.

Christopher Thornberg, an economist and founder of the consulting firm Beacon Economics, said it’s business as usual in Sacramento.

“They love increasing spending. But it seems politically impossible to go the other way,” Thornberg said. “We’ve seen this play out over and over again.”

Lawmakers and the governor offered a different take and asserted that their decision to put the $6.4 billion into a short-term reserve, called the Projected Surplus Temporary Holding Account, and ask voters to allow them to store more money in the rainy day fund are examples of prudent budgeting.

“You see us save more and you see try to address the immediate needs of our community, but also the structural budget that potentially awaits us,” said Senate President Pro Tem Monique Limón (D-Goleta) in an interview. “We are forecasting a moment where we will need to address these issues and we want to start now to think about the future as well.”

Under a progressive tax structure, the state budget is dependent on income taxes paid by the ultra-rich on earnings largely from capital gains. The set up leaves California vulnerable to the unpredictable nature of the stock market, dramatic swings in revenue and, in recent years, reliant on poor projections.

Negotiations at the state Capitol included an agreement on a constitutional amendment that seeks to offset the revenue highs and lows.

If approved by voters on the statewide ballot in November, the amendment would raise a cap on mandatory deposits into the rainy day fund from 10% to 20% of general fund revenue. The measure would also allow lawmakers to exempt money they put into the rainy day fund and the temporary holding account from state spending limits.

Under an existing state appropriations restraint, also known as the Gann Limit, lawmakers cannot spend more than an amount determined by a formula that takes annual tax proceeds, changes to the population and cost of living into consideration. Tax revenue above the limit must be divided between schools and refunds to taxpayers.

With few exceptions, the limit applies to most appropriations of tax revenue, including when lawmakers put money away in the rainy day fund and other reserves.

Newsom said the change will leave the state in a much better position to weather the volatility. Though calls for tax reform remain in California, the governor said being able to place more money into the reserves could ultimately solve the state’s budget challenges.

“The one thing missing is the one thing that I think we finally landed, which is the change in the reserves,” Newsom said. “It changes the political dynamic, where now you’re not exchanging general fund priorities.”

Republicans criticized the proposed constitutional amendment, which passed in a budget trailer bill this week, for failing to require that excess revenue pays down the state’s $22 billion in unemployment insurance debt.

State Sen. Tony Strickland (R-Huntington Beach) called it a missed opportunity.

“It does not require debt payment to go to the UI debt,” Strickland said. “It facilitates more spending, exempting reserve deposits from the state spending limit.”

As part of the negotiations, lawmakers agreed to delay some healthcare cuts that would have required monthly premiums for immigrants and eliminated dental care. The deal adopts a Medi-Cal asset test of $21,000 on July 1, 2027, instead of a $2,000.

The budget agreement includes a provision requiring California’s next governor to develop options to reduce taxpayer subsidies for corporations whose employees receive state-sponsored healthcare through Medi-Cal instead of the company’s health plan. The plan is aimed at raising revenue to offset federal cuts that are expected to leave millions of Californians without access to healthcare.

The California Department of Finance said state reserves are expected to total $28.8 billion under the 2026-27 budget.

It was billed as a World Cup Golden Boot showdown between France superstar Kylian Mbappe and Norway goal machine Erling Haaland.

In the end Haaland started on the bench and it quickly turned into the Ousmane Dembele show after the Ballon d’Or winner hit a stunning 25-minute first-half hat-trick as Les Bleus coasted to a 4-1 win at Boston Stadium.

While France went with an array of attacking talent they hope will fire them to World Cup glory in New Jersey on 19 July, Norway decided this final group game was the right time to exclude Manchester City forward Haaland from the starting XI for the first time since 2024.

It wasn’t just Haaland though as Norway boss Stale Solbakken, with his side already through to the knockout stages, opted to make a whopping 10 changes.

“A no-brainer,” he said when asked why he decided to rest so many.

“Both my part and from the physio, health and medical department, and from some of the players themselves.

“The only consideration was for the Norway fans. They would have wanted to see Erling and Martin [Odegaard] play.

“We did a summary after the Senegal game and five or six players [were] very affected after 80 minutes. The entire defensive line and one or two midfielders.”

As a result of the changes, Dembele filled his boots after Mbappe struck the underside of the crossbar inside the opening minute.

“If Erling Haaland needs a rest for the latter stages of the tournament he will take that,” former England striker Ian Wright told ITV Sport before the game.

With Haaland, who had scored four goals in the previous two group games, sat on the bench, his deputy Jorgen Strand Larsen missed a penalty that would have made it 3-2 after half-time.

Haaland had already made his feelings clear about facing France after scoring two in a 3-2 win over Senegal on Tuesday.

“I couldn’t care too much about that game now,” he said after Norway qualified for the knockout stages.

“They’re probably going to win against us. They’re probably going to win the whole tournament.”

So was it a shrewd move by Norway to make so many changes – or the wrong decision?

June 26 (UPI) — The National Weather Service on Friday evening issued its first Dangerous Situation Red Flag Warning in the history of Salt Lake City, Utah, based on concerns about rapid growth of wildfires in the state.

NWS issued warnings for an area in southwest Utah that it considers to be in significant danger based on ongoing wildfires and weather conditions, the agency said in a series of posts on X.

NWS has predicted low humidity levels — less than 10% — and wind gusts of at least 50 miles per hour, which could help to grow the Cottonwood Fire, which has already burned nearly 72,000 acres, KSL-TV reported.

The fire started Monday near Beaver, Utah, before spreading to cover more than 70,000 acres as gusty winds and dry conditions helped the flames to spread, NBC News reported.

“This is the first formal PDS Red Flag Warning we’ve issued since it was formalized by NWS,” the agency said in a post on X.

“This is the first time we’ve reached the Weather Risk Outlook level of ‘Extreme,'” NWS said of the language it has not used in a notification since 2021. “In short, this combinaton of high winds, low humidity, very dry fuels and a large fire is a rare and dangerous situation!”

Utah this year experienced its lowest-ever snowpack and a heatwave that started in March prompted Utah Gov. Spencer Cox to sign an executive order limiting fireworks celebrations throughout the state through July 5.

Utah meteorologist Jason Stroud told The Washington Post that the warning, which has been in place for the last few days, that the danger from fires in the area could be devastating and potentially life-threatening.

“This shows that the combination of weather effects that are coming in the next 48 hours are extremely concerning,” Stroud said, reiterating that the fact that Salt Lake City’s NWS office has never issued the type of warning that is currently in effect.

Only competitions involving professional athletes will be held, with all other activities cancelled.

This weekend’s Diamond League track and field meeting in Paris will go ahead as planned despite the historic heatwave gripping the country and stretching emergency services, organisers said.

Hours after Paris police authorities said they wanted the event cancelled, the French Athletics Federation (FFA) confirmed on Friday that it would take place on Sunday at Charlety Stadium, in agreement with the police prefecture.

Citing the exceptional heat that has affected Paris since June 21, the police prefecture had asked organisers of the meet, and other events scheduled this weekend, including a music festival and a Pride march, to cancel.

The prefecture said it would be forced to comply with the order if they didn’t agree voluntarily, as emergency services needed to concentrate their efforts on protecting the most vulnerable people.

Noah Lyles, Femke Bol and Mondo Duplantis are among the athletes expected to compete in Paris.

The FFA, which organises the meet, said it would be staged in “an adapted format designed to ensure the safety of all participants”.

Only competitions involving professional athletes will be held, with all other activities cancelled.

“Since the beginning of this extreme weather event, the French Athletics Federation has been closely monitoring the situation in constant coordination with government authorities. The safety of athletes, coaches, volunteers, officials, spectators and all staff involved remains our highest priority,” the FFA said.

Among the measures put in place to mitigate the effects of the heat, the FFA cited delaying the opening of the stadium gates to the public, reinforcing medical and emergency services, and providing additional drinking water stations and shaded areas.

The average temperature recorded at 30 weather stations by the Meteo France weather agency on Thursday reached 30 degrees Celsius (86 degrees Fahrenheit) again, matching the record for the hottest day nationwide set the previous day.

More than three-quarters of France has been placed under a red weather alert for the first time.

Celebrity Gogglebox returned to screens on Friday night, with a host of new stars

Viewers of Celebrity Gogglebox settled in to watch a host of famous faces participate in a landmark episode.

The Channel 4 spin-off programme returned to screens on Friday (June 26) for a new episode, which was filmed over the previous seven days, covering the week’s TV and news highlights.

In each celebrity household, Gogglebox captures their instant reactions, love/hate relationships and fierce debates on the best and worst television shows of the past week – all from the comfort of their sofas.

From the Saturday night juggernauts and the week’s big soaps, to documentaries and gritty drama, the famous households offer witty, insightful, feisty and sometimes emotional critiques of the week’s popular and topical TV shows.

The latest instalment of the hit series welcomed back firm favourites, such as Martin and Roman Kemp, James and Clair Buckley, Nick and Liv Grimshaw, Bez and Shaun Ryder, and Joe Marler and Maisie Adam.

There were several new additions too, including Strictly Come Dancing stars Amy Dowden and Carlos Gu, actor Michael Sheen and his partner Anna Lundberg, friends Georgia Tennant and Fearne Cotton, and Chris Packham and step-daughter Megan McCubbin.

Channel 4 viewers were quick to say the same thing during the landmark 50th episode of Celebrity Gogglebox.

Fans shared how much they enjoyed the show, with one person writing on X (formerly Twitter): “Who doesn’t just love a bit of @C4Gogglebox. Always such an entertaining way to spend the time. The perfect switch your brain of TV any time of day needs.”

Another added: “Watching the always delightful Celebrity @C4Gogglebox. It’s still so fascinating how watching a show about people simply watching TV can be so strangely addictive. Watching as a host of celebs give their views on what’s on the small screen.”

A third said: “I love Celeb Gogglebox.”

Someone else shared: “All hail Celebrity @C4Gogglebox. How is it therapeutic watching people watch TV? Always the much needed relief a s****y day always requires. Love the celebrity version.”

During the instalment, the celebrities tuned into new episodes of I Kissed A Girl, The 1% Club, and First Dates, as well as watching Jennifer Lopez’s Netflix film, Office Romance.

The future of the UK’s leadership also came under scrutiny in this week’s episode. The famous faces reacted to Sir Keir Starmer’s resignation as Prime Minister, and gave their opinions on the man tipped to replace him, Andy Burnham.

Reacting to Starmer’s emotional speech outside 10 Downing Street, Michael Sheen commented: “That’s got to be tough”.

Joe Marler added: “He’s finally shown us the human side to him, that would have connected more with the world.”

Celebrity Gogglebox is available to stream on Channel 4

England manager Thomas Tuchel has defended his full-back selection policy after confirming Reece James will miss Saturday’s World Cup match against Panama.

As revealed by BBC Sport this week, James was assessed by England medics following Tuesday’s goalless draw against Ghana after complaining of a hamstring issue.

Tuchel has since confirmed that the Chelsea right-back has not travelled to New Jersey from their Kansas City base for their final Group L game against Panama on Saturday (22:00 BST). But he insists James has a chance of playing in England’s possible last-32 match next week.

However, BBC Sport understands that James is a significant doubt for the start of the knockout stages, should England qualify.

James’ injury – and the calf issue that caused Tino Livramento to return home from the United States – has thrown into question Tuchel’s decision to bring just three recognised full-backs to the World Cup.

Djed Spence, James and Livramento were the only genuine full-backs selected.

Nico O’Reilly, who played at left-back for Manchester City last season, is also in the squad – but he came through the ranks at Etihad Stadium as a midfielder. Dan Burn has also played at left-back but is recognised as a centre-back.

Spence and central defenders Jarell Quansah and Ezri Konsa are Tuchel’s alternative options at right-back.

Nevertheless, Tuchel said: “Yes, I am [happy with my options at right-back]. I selected the team, so I’m very happy with everything with the characteristic of the players and strengths that they give us.

“We would love to have every single key player, we would love to have them available, it’s not available – we find solutions, it’s what we do. It’s a tournament, we move on.”

James and Livramento, in particular, have a chequered injury history and Tuchel’s decision to take both to the World Cup is likely to be called into question.

Tuchel, though, is confident James will play again in the World Cup should England progress.

“It’s a minor hamstring issue, he’s not been able to train the last two days,” confirmed Tuchel.

“He’s now on an accelerated rehabilitation program and we take it game by game, but we strongly believe that he will be available [during the tournament].”

There was better news with regards to the availability of Bukayo Saka, Declan Rice and Elliot Anderson, who Tuchel said would all be available to face Panama.

Rice (calf) and Anderson (glute) missed training on Thursday – but returned on Friday.

Tuchel confirmed Saka is ready to start after coming off the bench in the opening two matches because of a long-term Achilles tendinitis complaint.

Iran’s IRGC says it targeted US military in region after Trump administration launched attack on the country.

The US has struck Iranian missile and drone storage sites in retaliation for what it says was an Iranian attack on a commercial ship in the Strait of Hormuz. The tit-for-tat has raised doubts about the stability of the US-Iran agreement, as Kimberly Halkett reports.

Fans have branded the series the ‘best thing since toast’ and it’ll now be available to UK viewers.

Fans of BBC’s ‘masterpiece’ series Ghosts are about to get a new series to sink their teeth into.

The beloved sitcom starring Charlotte Ritchie and Kiell Smith-Bynoe ran from 2019 to 2023, leaving fans devastated at its axe.

But now, three years later, the Australian version will be landing on the BBC. The broadcaster has announced it has acquired the rights to the comedy series, which premiered last year.

The synopsis for the adaptation teases: “Young couple Kate and Sean inherit Ramshead Manor after the timely death of Kate’s great-uncle.

“Heading out to the country to inspect the dilapidated property, they debate whether to uproot their city lives and turn Ramshead into a boutique hotel. Unbeknownst to them, the manor is also home to an eclectic group of Ghosts…”

The cast includes Tamala as Kate and Rowan Witt as Sean, alongside Mandy McElhinney, Brent Hill, Ines English, Michelle Brasier, George Zhao and Jackson Tozer.

The eight-part series will land on BBC iPlayer and BBC Three soon, with Nick Lee, Head of BBC Programme Acquisition, saying: “It’s a fresh and very fun spin of the wheel for this beloved BBC format. Fans will really enjoy the world this new ghoulish gang create.”

Ghosts: Australia has already been hailed “excellent” by fans, with one calling it “the best thing since toast”. They went on: “With just enough familiarity to make one feel at home, but sprinkled with unique elements and spirit unlike any series seen before, Ghosts Australia is a must-watch.”

Another called the characters “magnificent”, while someone else wrote: “I’m so impressed with this adaptation! I binged the entire series in one night. The performances are outstanding, the production is stellar, and the writing is sharp, clever, and full of heart.”

Someone else said: “Call me biased because I’m Australian, but this feels like peak cinema chaotic, unforgettable masterpiece that somehow changes your life, steals your milk, borrows your sanity, and still leaves you grinning like it did you a favour in the end. Honestly, nothing else even comes close to this madness.”

The original UK sitcom Ghosts came to an end after five seasons, leaving fans heartbroken.

In a statement shared at the time, the Ghosts team said: “After five incredible years haunting the halls of Button House, we have decided that the time is right to let our beloved sitcom Ghosts rest in peace.

“We have just wrapped filming on our fifth and final series and we can’t wait to share it with you all later this year.

“We could never have imagined the reception the show has enjoyed, or the fun we have had making it, and we would like to thank our amazing cast and crew as well as everyone at BBC Comedy, BBC1 and Monumental Television for their tireless support.”

A highly-demanded feature film is now set to air, The Possession of Button House, with the cast and actors set to return.

“We never planned to come back,” the show’s creators said.

“But when we had the idea for this story, we all got so excited that we couldn’t resist returning to our haunted home for one more adventure.

“We can’t wait to be together and to welcome some brilliant new faces, to tell this soul-stirring tale of life and death.”

Ghosts is available to watch on BBC iPlayer.

This text explores the historical origins and modern significance of Armed Forces Day in Azerbaijan, a public holiday observed annually on June 26th. The narrative traces the military’s beginnings back to 1918, when the newly independent Azerbaijan Democratic Republic first organized its national defense forces before being absorbed by the Soviet Union. Following the restoration of national sovereignty in 1991, the government officially reinstated the military and later designated this date as a formal day of celebration under a presidential decree. Today, the commemoration honors the various branches of the military, including the land, air, and naval forces, along with associated security services. Ultimately, the source highlights how the holiday serves as a s … 

BUFFALO, N.Y. — With most of Yukon watching and a loud presence of Maple Leafs fans in the stands, Toronto selected Penn State forward Gavin McKenna with the first pick in the NHL draft on Friday night.

The 18-year-old McKenna is from Yukon’s capital of Whitehorse and has been a prolific scorer on both sides of the border, with his selection validating the projections of the left winger being his age group’s top prospect more than two years ago.

McKenna’s selection was announced by longtime Leafs fan and Canadian-born international pop icon Justin Bieber.

“I got no words right now,” McKenna said. “This is nuts. Obviously I want to start by thanking my family. I love you guys. I wouldn’t be here without you guys.”

As in 2016, there was a large contingent of blue and white jersey-wearing Leafs fans, with a “Go Leafs, go!” chant erupting once Toronto was placed on the clock. Saying “the child in me is ecstatic,” Bieber joined NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman on stage and, after a short pause, looked over to McKenna and declared him being a member of the Maple Leafs.

Bieber teed up a video welcome message from Leafs captain Auston Matthews, who was their No. 1 pick a decade ago, when the draft was also in Buffalo.

“I know how exciting this is for you and your family and what an incredible honor it is,” Matthews said. “We’re just as excited to have you join the Maple Leafs and cannot wait to get started. You’re coming to a franchise with an amazing history and base, and we’re all working to write the next great chapter together. And you’re going to be a very important part of that.”

The draft opened with Bettman getting booed — a draft-day tradition — as he took the stage, and was joined by Sabres forward Josh Doan and NFL Bills tackle Dion Dawkins.

Dawkins referred to Bettman as his “new dawg,” acknowledged both the Sabres and Maple Leafs fans in attendance in leading a cheer of “Let’s go, Buffalo.”

For Toronto, McKenna represents a major plank in the rebuilding process of a team suddenly in transition under new general manager John Chayka. Toronto finished last in the Atlantic Division last season and missed the playoffs for the first time since Matthews’ arrival.

The San José Sharks took Swedish winger Ivar Stenberg with the No. 2 pick. Vancouver picks third, Buffalo fourth and the New York Rangers fifth.

The top of the draft class is considered light on forwards and deep in defensemen.

McKenna is accustomed to the spotlight, splashing on the scene by combining for 79 goals and 244 points in 133 games with the WHL’s Medicine Hat. He then made the jump to the NCAA last summer in a bid to challenge himself against older and more physical competition.

McKenna finished his freshman season with a flourish, scoring 32 points in his final 17 outings. His 51 points finished tied for fourth in the nation.

He became just the fifth NCAA player to go first, and third in six years, since Michigan defenseman Owen Power went No. 1 to Buffalo in 2021.

Though accustomed to the spotlight, McKenna now heads to a metropolis that is nearly 100 times larger than Whitehorse’s population of about 39,000. He became the fifth Yukon-born player to be selected in the draft, and the highest pick after Ottawa’s Dylan Cozens went No. 7 to Buffalo in 2019.

A day earlier, without revealing who he was picking, Chayka said the team’s staff was unanimous on their choice. Chayka even traveled to Whitehorse last month to spend time with McKenna and his family.

Wawrow writes for the Associated Press.

June 26 (UPI) — President Donald Trump on Friday threatened to impose a 100% tariff on any country that enacts a digital services tax against a U.S. company.

The new tariff would be applied to all goods shipped into the United States and be levied on top of any other tariff already in effect for that country, Trump said in a post on Truth Social.

At least a dozen nations have digital services taxes, which are meant to limit the influence of large technology companies — especially large U.S. companies such as Apple, Amazon and Meta — and are being considered by several European countries, CNBC and Politico reported.

Canada last year rescinded a digital services tax hours before it was set to go into effect in order to restart trade negotiations with the United States, which Trump held back on until the tax was canceled.

“Please let this statement serve to represent that any Country that imposes such a Tax will immediately be met with a 100% TARIFF on any and all Goods sent to the United States of America,” Trump said in the post.

“This TARIFF will supersede Trade Deals made with the Country, whether implemented, signed, or not,” Trump said. “Additionally, the 100% TARIFF will be immediately imposed, if they proceed.”

Canada’s tax was to be levied against online marketplace and advertising services companies, as well as social media companies, but Trump called it a “direct and blatant attack” on the United States and canceled talks on the tax was rescinded.

Gary and Sarah Andrews’s daughter Wynter died 23 minutes after she was delivered by Caesarean section at the Queen’s Medical Centre on 15 September 2019 after repeated warning signs of her being in distress had been missed.

Wynter died from a loss of oxygen flow to the brain – which an inquest found could have been prevented had staff delivered her earlier.

Sarah, 41, had been admitted to hospital on 14 September, six days after initially experiencing contractions.

The inquest heard the maternity unit was “busy” when she arrived, with information on the patient’s history not properly handed over to other staff at shift changes.

The inquest found Wynter may have survived if “multiple missed opportunities” had been spotted.

In what would become a recurring theme about warning signs being missed, the coroner cited a 2018 letter from midwives to bosses at the trust, outlining concerns over staffing levels as “the cause of a potential disaster”.

“The grim predictions… were indeed realised some 10 months later when Wynter died as a result of the unsafe practices warned about,” coroner Laurinda Bower said.

The Care Quality Commission (CQC) prosecuted NUH over her death in January 2023, with the trust pleading guilty to care failures.

The criminal prosecution resulted in NUH being fined £800,000.