Liverpool FC and Portugal forward Diogo Jota and his brother, fellow soccer player André Silva, died in a car crash early Thursday morning, Spanish authorities said Thursday. Jota was 28, and Silva was 25.
The brothers were found dead near Zamora, Spain, the country’s Civil Guard confirmed to the Associated Press. Police are investigating the cause of the accident, which occurred just after midnight when the Lamborghini the brothers were riding in veered off the road and burst into flames.
No other vehicles were involved and the brothers were alone in the car, police said. It’s unclear which brother was driving.
“We have lost two champions,” Portuguese Football Federation president Pedro Proença said in a statement. “The passing of Diogo and André Silva represents an irreparable loss for Portuguese football and we will do everything we can to honor their legacy every day.”
Football fans stand next to tributes left Thursday at Anfield Stadium in memory of Liverpool player Diogo Jota.
(Ian Hodgson / Associated Press)
Jota, whose full name was Diogo José Teixeira da Silva, was known as a clinical finisher. Early in his professional career, Jota played for such teams as Paços de Ferreira, Atlético Madrid and the Wolverhampton Wanderers.
He signed with Liverpool in 2020 and went on to score 65 goals in 182 games for the Reds. The organization said in a statement that it is “devastated” by Jota’s death.
“Liverpool FC will be making no further comment at this time and request the privacy of Diogo and Andre’s family, friends, teammates and club staff is respected as they try to come to terms with an unimaginable loss,” the team wrote.
Lakers star LeBron James, a minority Liverpool owner, referenced the team’s unofficial anthem “You’ll Never Walk Alone” as he paid tribute to Jota on X.
“My prayers goes out to his loved ones during this time!” James wrote. “May you all be guided and protected! YNWA JOTA!!”
Jota played nearly 50 games for Portugal as well. He made the 2022 World Cup squad, but was unable to play because of injury. Jota’s final match was Portugal’s 5-3 win in a penalty shoot-out over Spain in the Nations League final June 8. About two weeks later, Jota married Rute Cardoso, who was his childhood sweetheart and mother of their three young children.
“It doesn’t make any sense,” Jota’s Portugal teammate Cristiano Ronaldo wrote in Portuguese on X. “Just now we were together in the national team, just now you had gotten married. My condolences to your family, to your wife and to your children. I wish them all the strength in the world. I know that you will always be with them. Rest in peace, Diogo and André. We will all miss you.”
Cristiano Ronaldo, left, celebrates with Portugal teammate Diogo Jota during a Euro 2020 qualifying match in Luxembourg in November 2019.
(Francisco Seco / Associated Press)
Silva was a midfielder for the Liga Portugal 2 squad Penafiel.
A moment of silence for the brothers will be observed at all UEFA Women’s Euro 2025 matches on Thursday and Friday, including the Spain-Portugal game Thursday at noon PDT.
An MIT study finds ChatGPT may be hurting critical thinking skills. How do you use AI tools while protecting your brain?
Are AI chatbots dulling our brains? A new MIT study suggests critical thinking skills are at risk from tools like ChatGPT. What does the science say happens to brains that rely on AI? And how can you use AI tools while protecting your ability to think for yourself?
With 269 runs, captain Shubman Gill breaks Sachin Tendulkar’s record for most scored outside the Indian subcontinent on day two of second Test.
England have stumbled to 77-3 to trail India by 510 runs on day two of their second Test after skipper Shubman Gill scored a record-breaking 269 and their seamers struck early to put the tourists in a commanding position at Edgbaston.
India were charged up on Thursday when Akash Deep picked up two wickets in two balls before Mohammed Siraj also got in on the act to clean up England’s top order and leave them tottering at 25-3 on what had been a good batting wicket.
Ben Duckett nicked a ball to third slip, where Gill took a smart diving catch before Ollie Pope fell the very next delivery for a duck when Deep drew an edge and the ball flew to KL Rahul in the slips.
Dropped catches had cost India the first Test at Headingley, but this time, they stuck as Siraj drew an edge from Zak Crawley to find Karun Nair at first slip.
“Fielding was definitely one of those things we spoke about as a team, and it’s great to see that come off so far,” Gill told the broadcaster Sky Sports.
“This game was all about confidence. We spoke about if we scored 400 again, batting first or batting second, we would be right in the game.”
Harry Brook (30) survived a review for LBW thanks to the umpire’s call, but he and Joe Root (18) absorbed the pressure to see out the day with an unbeaten 52-run partnership.
Record-breaking Gill
Earlier, Gill became the first Indian to score more than 250 outside the Indian subcontinent, breaking Sachin Tendulkar’s record of 241, while he also recorded the highest score by an India captain when he went past Virat Kohli’s 254.
Gill had hardly put a foot wrong over the first two days of the Test, but he briefly lost his concentration after tea when he tried to dispatch a short ball from Josh Tongue, only to find Pope at square leg.
But the Edgbaston crowd rose to their feet to salute the captain’s knock as he walked back to the pavilion, his job done after India found themselves reeling at 211-5 on day one.
“I worked on a few things before the series that I thought might be important for me going into Test cricket,” said Gill, who has scored 424 runs in the series.
“Looking at the results, they are working for me.”
Gill celebrates reaching 200 during day two of the second Test [Stuart Leggett/MI News/NurPhoto via Getty Images]
Having resumed on an overnight score of 310-5, Jadeja and Gill built a 203-run stand before the all-rounder fell to a Tongue bouncer, but Gill looked completely at ease on a flat track that offered precious little assistance.
As England’s bowlers toiled under the summer sun, Gill hardly broke a sweat and put a price on his wicket as he showcased his array of elegant drives and well-timed flicks to pile on the runs.
Take a bow, Shubman
Gill made his trademark bow once again after becoming the first India skipper to score a double-hundred in England and soon broke Sunil Gavaskar’s 46-year-old record for the highest score by an Indian in England (221 in 1979).
He was soon toying with the attack and the placement of fielders, coolly switching between sublime and unorthodox shots as he dispatched the ball to all corners of the ground.
With Washington Sundar playing patiently at the other end, Gill was in Twenty20 mode as they cruised past the 500-mark and a rare outside edge went for a boundary to take the captain to 250.
Root finally broke the seventh-wicket partnership of 144 when a delivery broke through the defence of Sundar as he departed for a well-made 42.
India’s tail added only 13 runs after Gill’s dismissal, but that gave their bowlers 20 overs to take a crack at England’s batters on a fruitful day as they look to level the series.
Michael Madsen, the actor who was a staple in numerous Quentin Tarantino films including “Kill Bill” and “Reservoir Dogs,” has died. He was 67
A spokesperson for the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department confirmed to The Times that deputies responded to the actor’s Malibu home Thursday morning and found him unresponsive. He was pronounced dead at 8:25 a.m. The spokesperson did not reveal a cause of death, adding that foul play is not suspected and Madsen seemingly died of natural causes.
Who: Chelsea vs Palmeiras What: FIFA Club World Cup quarterfinals Where:Lincoln Financial Field, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States When: Friday, July 4 at 9pm (01:00 GMT, July 5)
How to follow: We’ll have all the build-up on Al Jazeera Sport from 6pm local (22:00 GMT) in advance of our live text commentary stream.
The second quarterfinal of the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup pits English Premier League club Chelsea against Brazil’s Palmeiras.
Al Jazeera Sport takes a look at whether the match-up is a repeat of the 2021 final, which the Blues won 2-1 in the United Arab Emirates.
How did Chelsea reach the quarterfinals?
Chelsea picked up wins against Los Angeles and ES Tunis in the group stage to seal their qualification for the knockout rounds, although they did slip to a 3-1 defeat to another Brazilian club, Flamengo, to concede the top spot.
That handed the Blues a tricky all-European round of 16 tie against Benfica, which required extra time for the London-based club to progress with a 4-1 win.
A two-hour delay, with Chelsea leading 1-0 with four minutes of normal time to play, for nearby lightning was far from ideal in what has already proved a draining summer tournament.
Chelsea’s Christopher Nkunku celebrates scoring their second goal with teammates [Mike Segar/Reuters]
How did Palmeiras reach the quarterfinals?
Two draws, against Corinthians and Porto, and a final match win against Al Ahly were enough for Palmeiras to progress to the last 16 of the tournament.
The cost of finishing second in the group, behind Porto, meant an all-Brazilian tie with Botafogo in the first knockout round.
Former Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Paulinho came off the bench to score the only goal of the game in extra time to send Palmeiras through.
Who could Chelsea and Palmeiras face in the semifinals?
Botafogo’s John looks dejected after Palmeiras’ Paulinho scores their first goal [Lee Smith/Reuters]
Who completes the Club World Cup quarterfinal lineup?
Paris Saint-Germain against Bayern Munich and Real Madrid against Borussia Dortmund complete the quarterfinal lineup, with the winners of those ties facing each other in the semifinals.
Can Joao Pedro play for Chelsea at the CWC?
Yes. Chelsea signed forward Joao Pedro from Brighton & Hove Albion on Wednesday and could make his debut for the London-based club in the quarterfinals.
Financial details were not disclosed, but British media reported that the deal was worth 60 million pounds ($81.54m).
“Everyone knows this is a big club with a great history,” the Brazilian, who has signed an eight-year contract, said in a statement.
“They had brilliant players in the past and have brilliant players now. So I am excited to join, and you know when you are a Chelsea player you must think one thing – win.”
The 23-year-old joined Brighton from Watford in 2023 and has scored 30 goals and provided 10 assists in 70 appearances for the south-coast club.
He has also made three appearances for Brazil’s senior team.
Joao Pedro in action for Brighton and Hove Albion against Chelsea’s Cole Palmer and Enzo Fernandez in the last English Premier League season [Paul Childs/Reuters]
Chelsea captain Reece James’s pre-match thoughts
“We’ve come a long way. It was difficult to be so close to the end of the match and then have a kick in the teeth like that when we lost a late goal. We had to pick ourselves up and brush ourselves down – and to then score a few goals in extra time after the delay probably shows how far we’ve come, and everyone has played a part.”
Palmeiras coach Abel Ferreira’s pre-match thoughts
“Never give up, never give in. All the time, we work for this. I would like to say thank you to my players for all their efforts. We had an amazing game against Botafogo. When we needed to suffer, we suffered together with one player less. We deserved it because we work a lot.”
Chelsea welcome back striker Nicolas Jackson after a two-game ban for his sending off in the defeat by Flamengo.
Moises Caicedo, however, sits out the tie after picking up a yellow card in the win against Benfica.
Palmeiras team news
Paulinho is set to have surgery on his leg after the tournament, so, despite his winning goal in the last round, the midfielder is set to remain among the substitutes.
Palmeiras will also be without the services of the suspended Uruguayan Joaquin Piquerez.
Estevao, who is set to join Chelsea following the finals, will, however, be able to play.
Head-to-head
This is only the second meeting between the sides following Chelsea’s 2-1 win in the 2021 Club World Cup final.
Romelu Lukaku and Kai Havertz scored for the Blues, either side of Raphael Veiga’s 64th-minute penalty, to settle the match that went to extra time. Luan was sent off for Palmeiras for a second yellow card in the final minute of the match.
Chelsea’s Cesar Azpilicueta lifts the trophy as they celebrate winning the 2021 Club World Cup [Matthew Childs/Reuters]
Form guide – Chelsea’s last five games:
W-W-L-W-W
Form guide – Palmeira’s last five games:
D-D-W-D-W
Chelsea possible starting lineup:
Sanchez; James (c), Badiashile, Colwill, Cucurella; Essugo, Lavia; Palmer, Fernandez, Pedro Neto; Jackson
MOSCOW — President Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin discussed Iran, Ukraine and other issues by phone on Thursday, the Kremlin said, in their sixth publicly disclosed chat since Trump returned to the White House.
While discussing the situation around Iran, Putin emphasized the need to resolve all issues by political and diplomatic means, said Yuri Ushakov, his foreign affairs advisor.
The United States struck three sites in Iran on June 22, inserting itself into Israel’s war aimed at destroying Tehran’s nuclear program.
On the conflict in Ukraine, Ushakov said Trump emphasized his push for a quick halt to the fighting, and Putin voiced Moscow’s readiness to pursue talks with Kyiv.
At the same time, the Russian leader emphasized that Moscow will seek to achieve its goals in Ukraine and remove the “root causes” of the conflict, Ushakov said.
Putin has argued he sent troops into Ukraine in February 2022 to fend off a threat to Russia posed by Ukraine’s push to join NATO and protect Russian speakers in Ukraine — arguments rejected by Kyiv and its allies. He insisted that any prospective peace deal must see Ukraine abandon its NATO bid and recognize Russia’s territorial gains.
Thursday’s call follows the Pentagon’s confirmation that it’s pausing shipment of some weapons to Ukraine as it reviews U.S. military stockpiles. The weapons being held up for Ukraine include air defense missiles, precision-guided artillery and other equipment.
The details on the weapons in some of the paused deliveries were confirmed by a U.S. official and former national security official familiar with the matter. They both requested anonymity to discuss what is being held up as the Pentagon has yet to provide details.
Ushakov said a suspension of some U.S. weapons shipments to Ukraine wasn’t discussed in the Trump-Putin call.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said in Denmark after meeting with major European Union backers that he may talk to Trump in the coming days about the suspension of U.S. weapons deliveries.
“I hope that maybe tomorrow, or close days, these days, I will speak about it with President Trump,” he said.
Asked about his expectations from the Trump-Putin call, he said that “I’m not sure that they have a lot of common ideas, common topics to talk [about], because they are very different people.”
The previous publicly known call between Trump and Putin came June 14, a day after Israel attacked Iran.
The resumed contacts between Trump and Putin appeared to reflect both leaders’ interest in mending U.S.-Russian ties that have plummeted to their lowest point since the Cold War amid the conflict in Ukraine.
On Tuesday, Putin and French President Emmanuel Macron held their first direct telephone call in almost three years.
Isachenkov writes for the Associated Press. AP writers Aamer Madhani in Washington and Lorne Cook in Aarhus, Denmark, contributed to this report.
England’s top order was blown away after Shubman Gill’s mammoth 269 for India to leave the hosts requiring their most unlikely turnaround yet under captain Ben Stokes after two days of the second Test at Edgbaston.
Gill’s epic helped India pile up 587 and, after five sessions in the field, Ben Duckett, Ollie Pope and Zak Crawley all fell to leave England 77-3 at the close.
Duckett and Pope, England’s centurions from their comeback win in the first Test, were caught in the slips off consecutive deliveries in seamer Akash Deep’s second over.
Crawley wafted at Mohammed Siraj to offer another edge on 19 as India, who faced huge questions coming into this Test, took total control.
Harry Brook was skittish in making 30 not out – he finished alongside Joe Root who has 18 – and could easily have deepened England’s woes.
Gill had earlier effortlessly compiled the highest score by an India batter in England and the highest score by an Indian skipper anywhere in the world.
After resuming on 114, Gill extended his partnership with Ravindra Jadeja to 203 to steer India away from early danger and when Jadeja fell for 89, he put on 144 with Washington Sundar to drive home the advantage.
India were guilty of letting a winning position slip in Leeds but now hold all of the cards as they bid to level the series.
July 3 (UPI) — Two minors were charged Thursday in connection with a shooting at a shopping center in Georgia.
Police in Savannah have confirmed two juveniles have been charged with possession of a firearm under the age of 18, but no arrests have been made.
Chatham County District Attorney Shalena Cook Jones said in a press conference Thursday that she “is sending a specific message to each and every person involved in the shooting yesterday. We will find you, we will see you, we will prosecute you, to the fullest extent of the law.”
Gunfire broke out Wednesday at the Oglethorpe Mall around 5:45 p.m. The mall announced on its website Thursday that it will remain closed for the day, although select stores may be open. A related police investigation remains active at the mall.
The two people charged in the case are among three who have been hospitalized with non-life-threatening gunshot wounds. Seven people were injured in total as a result of the incident.
Chatham Area Transit Authority bus service had been suspended to the mall but announced at approximately 11 a.m. EDT Thursday that service has been restored.
The US president says he’ll be ‘very firm’ with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Although it’s not clear that Israeli leaders want to end the “Forever War” they launched in the aftermath of the Hamas attack of October 7, 2023, the US has enough leverage to force a truce, argues Georgetown University visiting scholar, Khaled Elgindy.
Annelle Sheline, a former State Department official who quit in protest of President Biden’s Gaza policies, argues that Israel’s war was “not really about Hamas” but more about the Israeli desire to control Gaza, the West Bank and the wider region.
Sheline and Elgindy delve into the details of the proposed ceasefire deal with host Steve Clemons.
TV chef Lorraine Pascale has hit out at Love Island over what she believes to be ‘tokenism’ after Alima was dumped from the villa and Billykiss coupled up with Conor
TV chef slams Love Island over ‘damage’ to Black community – ‘Do better’(Image: BBC)
TV chef Lorraine Pascale has shared her opinion, claiming Love Island is ‘reinforcing the idea there’s only room for one Black cast member’ at a time after newbie Billykiss Azeez replaced OG contestant Alima Gagigo. The recent episode saw Alima and bombshell Ryan Bannister get kicked out of the villa in a double elimination.
As per the show’s format, the stars chose who to partner up with in the recoupling. Conor Phillips chose to couple up with Billykiss after they bonded during their first date, leaving Alima single and dumped from the villa. This Morning chef Lorraine took to her X, formerly known as Twitter, to complain about the show’s “tokenism”, writing: “Wow @LoveIsland. You finally cast a Black woman who was thriving, and then you replace her with another Black woman?
Lorraine hit out at the show(Image: BBC/Pacific/Myles New)
“This isn’t representation, it’s tokenism. You’re reinforcing the idea that there’s only room for one of us at a time. That’s not diversity – that’s damage. Do better.”
It is understood ITV refutes any suggestion that any editorial decision it makes is based on race
Some fans shared how Alima could have been saved, with one user writing: “This is actually Ben’s fault when you think about it cause if he really liked Alima he would’ve recouped with her a few days ago, then Connor and Helena would’ve been coupled up and she would’ve been dumped tonight.”
“Bro, they should’ve asked if anyone wanted to couple up, Ben would’ve stood up for Alima, Helena would’ve been finally dumped ffs we were so close ugh,” another said.
Upon her exit, Alima has spoken out about where she stands with Remell on the outside, and all things villa life. “Remell and I were getting stronger and stronger by the day,” she said of their relationship.
“When he got the text about the sleepover, I was with him, and as soon as he started smiling.
Newcomer Billykiss coupled up with Conor(Image: ITV/Shutterstock)
“I knew this guy; he wasn’t going to be up to any good. When I saw the clip, from that moment on, I knew it would take a lot for us to go back to how we were before. I wasn’t surprised by his behaviour at all.”
She was asked whether she’d be open to having a conversation with Remell after leaving the show. She said: “I don’t hate him and I’m more than happy to be civil, he was part of my experience after all! But in terms of anything romantic, I’ll keep myself away from that.”
After Remell left the villa, Alima found a connection with Ben, but her time was cut short before they could really give it a go. However, Alima’s departure doesn’t mean the end of the road for the couple.
“I want to see how he acts now that I’m not there and if he finds a connection. If he comes back single, I would be interested in seeing if there’s something we could continue…” she teased.
Love Island continues tonight at 9pm on ITV2 and ITVX*
The first group of immigrants has arrived at a new detention center deep in the Florida Everglades that officials have dubbed “Alligator Alcatraz,” a spokesperson for Republican state Atty. Gen. James Uthmeier told the Associated Press.
“People are there,” Press Secretary Jae Williams said, though he didn’t immediately provide further details on the number of detainees or when they arrived.
“Next stop: back to where they came from,” Uthmeier said on the X social media platform Wednesday. He’s been credited as the architect behind the Everglades proposal. Requests for additional information from the office of Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis and the Florida Division of Emergency Management, which is building the site, had not been returned early Thursday afternoon.
The facility, at an airport used for training, will have an initial capacity of about 3,000 detainees, DeSantis said. The center was built in eight days and features more than 200 security cameras, 28,000-plus feet of barbed wire and 400 security personnel.
Immigrants who are arrested by Florida law enforcement officers under the federal government’s 287(g) program will be taken to the facility, according to a Trump administration official. The program is led by Immigration and Customs Enforcement and allows police officers to interrogate immigrants in their custody and detain them for potential deportation.
The facility is expected to be expanded in 500-bed increments until it has an estimated 5,000 beds by early July.
Environmental groups and Native American tribes have protested against the center, contending it is a threat to the fragile Everglades system, would be cruel to detainees because of heat and mosquitoes, and is on land the tribes consider sacred.
It’s also located at a place prone to frequent heavy rains, which caused some flooding in the tents Tuesday during a visit by President Trump to mark its opening. State officials say the complex can withstand a Category 2 hurricane, which packs winds of between 96 and 110 mph, and that contractors worked overnight to shore up areas where flooding occurred.
DeSantis and other state officials say locating the facility in the rugged and remote Florida Everglades is meant as a deterrent — and naming it after the notorious federal prison of Alcatraz, an island fortress known for its brutal conditions, is meant to send a message. It’s another sign of how the Trump administration and its allies are relying on scare tactics to try to persuade people in the country illegally to leave voluntarily.
State and federal officials have touted the plans on social media and conservative airwaves, sharing a meme of a compound ringed with barbed wire and “guarded” by alligators wearing hats labeled “ICE” for Immigration and Customs Enforcement. The Republican Party of Florida has taken to fundraising off the detention center, selling branded T-shirts and beer koozies emblazoned with the facility’s name.
Anderson and Payne write for the Associated Press. Anderson reported from St. Petersburg, Fla. Payne reported from Tallahassee, Fla. AP reporter Gisela Salomon in Miami contributed to this report.
Fernando Urquiza screamed himself hoarse, slapping palms with strangers on the field level of Dodger Stadium. He’d waited six innings — each on the very edge of his seat. He refreshed flight options to Milwaukee in case Clayton Kershaw made him wait until his next start for strikeout No. 3,000.
Roderick Abram, a die-hard New York Yankees fan celebrating his 40th birthday, rejoiced when Kershaw reached the strikeout milestone. In enemy pinstripes, his team allegiance wavered long enough to clap for a man he often hopes gets shelled — particularly in the Bronx — but not on Wednesday night.
Kershaw’s historic game wasn’t necessarily a vintage outing, but to his dearest fans, that only deepened the meaning.
The Chicago White Sox didn’t make it easy for Kershaw. He labored. He gave up runs. It seemed he might fall one short of the three strikeouts he needed. And still, he managed to finally become the 20th pitcher in MLB history to reach 3,000 strikeouts.
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“Building the emotion and building it up to what it came to be,” said Urquiza, who has attended Dodger games for 38 years. “But Clayton Kershaw pitching, it wouldn’t have happened any other way than to be an emotional outcome.”
As Kershaw wrapped the fifth with just two strikeouts, the mood at Dodger Stadium tightened. Phones rose with each windup, fans stood between pitches and that rare postseason stillness crept in, nearly three months early.
And though some considered leaving early to beat traffic and others weighed booking Milwaukee flights, it didn’t seem as though hope fled Dodger Stadium.
“I know it took a little bit longer for him to get it, but I knew he was going to get it, and that’s why they kept him in. And he wanted it bad, and he got it,” said 34-year-old barber Steven Moreno, who said he “wouldn’t have missed the game for the world.”
Back in 2008, Daniel Palomera brought his kids to watch Greg Maddux pitch. Instead, a baby-faced 20-year-old with a towering leg kick took the mound.
A young fan holds a sign with the number “3,000” on the night Dodgers pitcher Clayton Kershaw recorded his 3,000th career strikeout.
(Luke Johnson / Los Angeles Times)
Palomera saw the early days of Kershaw’s career 17 years ago and returned Wednesday for what could be one of his last major milestones.
“Two years ago, I didn’t think he was gonna make it,” Palomera said. “And last year, I thought he might have thought of retiring with all the injuries, but him coming back just makes it that much more special. He’s getting to do it here — that’s really special.”
Jeremy Wasser stood a few rows behind home plate in a sky blue Kershaw Foundation T-shirt. He tilted his head back and paused for a moment when asked about Kershaw’s legacy.
“To see him be as successful as he’s been, as consistently great as he’s been, he’s represented the city and represented the team with class and with character,” Wasser said. “And the combination of that character and his performance on the field is an extraordinary achievement.”
Kershaw’s accompliment will forever be known as a major milestone in Dodgers history, but it meant more than a statistic to the fans who gave the loyal veteran pitcher a six-minute standing ovation.
“The way he cares and treats his own teammates like family,” Moreno said. “He’s made this organization like a family.”
Air raid hits vehicle in Khaldeh, south of Lebanese capital, as Israel continues its near-daily attacks on Lebanon.
An Israeli drone attack has killed at least one person and injured three near the Lebanese capital, Beirut, the Lebanese Ministry of Public Health says, the latest violation of the ceasefire between the two countries.
The air raid on Thursday hit a vehicle on a busy motorway in the Khaldeh area, about 12km (8 miles) south of Beirut.
The Israeli military said it targeted “military sites and weapons depots” in the area.
Bombing an area near the Lebanese capital marks another escalation by Israel, which has been carrying out near-daily bombardment in Lebanon since it reached a truce with Hezbollah in November of last year.
The identities of the victims of the attack have not been released.
Reporting from outside Beirut, Al Jazeera’s Zeina Khodr noted that the Israeli air raid took place during rush hour, with many people making their way from Beirut to south Lebanon.
“Israel is also acting with little restraint. The Lebanese state wants these attacks to stop, but the state has little leverage. Hezbollah, too, if it does respond, could trigger a harsh Israeli retaliation,” Khodr said.
“We don’t see a wide-scale Israeli bombardment like we saw last year, targeting areas where Hezbollah has influence, but we see these attacks happening almost on a daily basis.”
Later on Thursday, the Israeli military carried out a wave of air strikes across south Lebanon, with heavy bombardment targeting the outskirts of Zawtar al-Charqiyeh, near Nabatieh, Lebanon’s official National News Agency reported.
Lebanese officials often condemn such attacks and call on the United States and France – the two sponsors of last year’s ceasefire – to pressure Israel to end its violations.
But diplomatic efforts have failed to stem the ceasefire breaches, amid unwillingness by the US and its Western allies to hold Israel to account.
The repeated Israeli attacks are testing Hezbollah’s position in Lebanon after it suffered painful blows in its confrontation with Israel last year.
The Iran-allied group started attacking Israeli military positions at the border in October 2023, in what it said was a “support front” to help bring an end to the war on Gaza.
For months, the conflict remained largely confined to the border region, but in September of last year, Israel launched an all-out assault on Lebanon that destroyed large parts of the country, especially areas where Hezbollah enjoys support.
The Israeli military also assassinated the group’s top political and military leaders, including Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah.
A ceasefire was reached in November, in accordance with Security Council Resolution 1701, which ended a previous conflict in 2006.
The truce stipulated that Hezbollah must withdraw its forces to the north of the Litani River, about 30km (20 miles) from the Israeli border.
But after the truce came into effect, Israel continued to occupy parts of south Lebanon in violation of the agreement, and it has been carrying out attacks across the country.
Weakened by the war, Hezbollah has refrained from responding. The Lebanese Armed Forces have also failed to hit back against Israel.
The latest strike in Khaldeh comes amid Lebanese media reports about a US proposal that would see Hezbollah disarm in exchange for an end to Israel’s attacks and a full withdrawal from the country.
But Hezbollah’s Secretary-General Naim Qassem appeared to dismiss any agreement to give up the group’s weapons that would involve Israel.
“We are a group that cannot be driven to humiliation. We will not give up our land. We will not give up our arms to the Israeli enemy,” Qassem said. “And we will not accept to be threatened into concessions.”
Qassem previously warned that Hezbollah’s “patience” in allowing the Lebanese state to deal with the Israeli attacks diplomatically may run out.
But given the cost of the previous war on Hezbollah’s military structure as well as its civilian base, it is not clear whether the group is in a position to renew the conflict with Israel.
The United States economy has added 147,000 jobs in June, beating analyst expectations, as the labour market remains stable despite economic uncertainty driven by President Donald Trump’s policies.
The Department of Labor released the numbers on Thursday. The data, which was released a day early because the Independence Day holiday falls on Friday, showed the unemployment rate ticked down from May by 0.1 percentage points to 4.1 percent. The average workweek was shorter last month, suggesting businesses were probably reducing hours amid rising economic headwinds.
Government jobs at the state and local levels led the gains, adding 73,000 positions in June. State governments added 47,000 jobs, led by 40,000 in education. Local government jobs grew by 23,000. A downward turn continues at the federal level with a loss of 7,000 jobs, which accounts for 69,000 jobs lost since January.
Gains in government jobs were followed by the healthcare sector, which added 39,000 jobs. Social assistance employment increased by 19,000 jobs.
“On net, it was a good report,’’ Sarah House, senior economist with Wells Fargo, told The Associated Press news agency.
“But when you dig underneath the surface, it was another jobs report that didn’t look quite as good as first meets the eye.’’
Looming uncertainty driven by Trump’s tariffs and immigration policies led to little change across much of the private sector in terms of hiring, including in construction, mining, oil and gas extraction, wholesale and retail trade, transportation, financial services, professional and business services, and leisure and hospitality.
Trump’s constant changes in tariffs policy, announcing and suspending import taxes and then coming up with new ones, has left businesses bewildered and hesitant to make decisions about hiring and investment.
Layoffs have started, but they are still relatively low. The Labor Department’s weekly jobless claims report, which also came out on Thursday said claims fell by 4,000 to 233,000. The ADP private payroll report out on Wednesday showed a net loss of 33,000 jobs.
“Though layoffs continue to be rare, a hesitancy to hire and a reluctance to replace departing workers led to job losses last month,” said Nela Richardson, chief economist at ADP.
Thursday’s jobs report also showed average hourly wages came in cooler than forecasters expected, rising 0.2 percent from May and 3.7 percent from a year earlier.
The year-over-year number is inching closer to the 3.5 percent year-over-year number considered consistent with the Federal Reserve’s 2 percent inflation target.
“For the FOURTH month in a row, jobs numbers have beat market expectations with nearly 150,000 good jobs created in June,” White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said in a statement.
“The economy is booming again and it will only get better when the One, Big, Beautiful Bill is passed and implemented,” she said, referring to Republican legislation to cut taxes, food assistance and the Medicaid health insurance programme for low-income Americans.
Growth slowdown
Despite the White House’s characterisation, the US job market has cooled significantly in the past year. This year, employers have added an average of 130,000 jobs per month, down from an average of 186,000 in 2024. From 2021 to 2023, the US economy added an average of 400,000 jobs per month as it made up for jobs shed during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Other data show the US economy contracting. Last week, a report from the Department of Commerce found the US economy shrank by 0.5 percent in the first quarter.
The US labour force – the count of those working and looking for work – fell by 130,000 last month after a drop of 625,000 in May. Economists expected Trump’s immigration deportations – and the fear of them – to push foreign workers out of the labour force.
The Labor Department said the number of workers who believe no jobs are available for them rose by 256,000 last month to 637,000.
Wells Fargo expected monthly job growth to fall below 100,000 in the second half of the year. “We’re bracing for a much lower pace of job growth,” House said. ”There’s still a lot of policy uncertainty.”
At Primavera Sound Barcelona, Rhian Teasdale, 32, emerges from smoke, stained the color orange by stage lights, gallantly flexing her arms in the air. She hovers over the mic, revealing bleached eyebrows and hair that fades from brown roots to pink. Her outfit is highlighted by a trimmed white shirt and neon fishnet leggings — a clear departure from the bohemian style that proved prevalent amid the release of “Wet Leg” in 2022.
Anyone who has seen the five-piece rock ensemble in 2025 will know that this is a visually different band than that of three years ago.
“It was five years ago that we made the ‘Chaise Longue’ video,” Teasdale says. “People have seen your image as a certain way, and then you grow, you change.
“It’s funny how much people expect you to stay the same, and it’s somehow this big statement to grow and change.”
Rhian Teasdale and Hester Chambers of the rock quintet.
(Alice Backham)
She also notes that “subconsciously,” she had chosen her former attire out of discomfort. Now, feeling more at home in her own skin, she can take a more authentic approach to herself.
“I did not want to be sexualized by men,” she reflects. “The thought of showing any skin and anyone maybe thinking that it was for the male gaze made me want to cover up and not be noticed.
“It wasn’t a conscious gear shift kind of thing, but there are a few things that I can look back on and pinpoint why I’m able to have so much more self-expression.”
Still, their self-titled debut — as kitschy and cottagecore as it was in appearance and sound — certainly warranted the reception that it received, featuring tantalizing tracks such as “Chaise Longue” and “Wet Dream.” In the latter’s music video, Teasdale and Chambers unforgettably prance around in long, blue dresses while sporting lobster claw gloves. But it would be “Chaise Longue” that snatched up a Grammy award in the alternative music performance category; the band also won for alternative music album.
For being stuck within the confines of an island populated by just 140,000 people, Wet Leg’s rise was meteoric. Teasdale mentions that the lives of the Isle of Wight natives were “completely changed”; she was a stylist assistant for commercials in London, bassist Ellis Durand was putting up scaffolding, drummer Henry Holmes was a surf instructor, guitarist Joshua Mobaraki worked in a café and Chambers had taken up a position making jewelry in the family business.
Indeed, the “very sleepy and small-minded” island off the coast of England, known for its beautiful coasts, isaltogether a grain of sand in the Channel, hidden underneath the mainland’s shadow.
“You have to take a boat over there,” Teasdale says of the island. “There’s no bridge, there’s no tunnel.”
Though she’s since moved to London, leaving it in the rearview at 18, she notes that Chambers, Mobaraki and Durand still call it home. Holmes also made the mad dash to the city.
“We’re all just living our little lives and all of a sudden you’re touring the world,” Teasdale says. “It’s crazy going to the Grammys and looking at all the famous people off the telly and just feeling very odd.”
Though, it now seems that the group are well adjusted to fame, as they return for their sophomore album, “Moisturizer.” It’s a far more sonically expressive, authentic and raw record than that of its predecessor. Though no one can deny the hypnotic nature of hits like “Chaise Longue” and “Wet Dream,” the group has undeniably evolved and it shows across the entire 12-track project.
Wet Leg has experienced a change of appearance since their debut three years ago.
(Iris Luiz)
It opens up with the oh-so-smooth “CPR,” the second single released off the album, which Teasdale describes as “walking up to a great height [and] jumping into the abyss that is love.” This proves to be a consistent theme across “Moisturizer,” which often feels like Teasdale’s ode to an aching heart. “CPR” is just the “launchpad” for the “rest of the tunes to spawn from.”
This pours into “liquidize,” which teems with a sense of yearning, questioning in heartache , “So many creatures in the f— world / How could I be your one?” On the rougher “jennifer’s body,” Teasdale’s soft delivery shines through to say “Every day starts and ends with you / Hold me down I get high on you” before taking a backseat and letting Chambers’ guitar wail away.
“I think before falling in love this time around with my current partner, I just had no interest in writing love songs,” Teasdale confesses. “I’d only dated men up until my partner… I feel like the world is so saturated with love songs from a very heteronormative perspective and I felt no interest in it at all.”
As for the change of heart: “I think love just hit me really heavy this time… I’m just so very, very, very, in love.”
Hilariously, she also compares the album rollout process this time around to a fairly obscure occupation she was thrown into prior to the band’s rise. Teasdale, who once worked as a baker, says their debut was like “when you start a new job and you’ve been told you have to make doughnuts.”
“You don’t know where any of the stuff is, so someone has to teach you… where the cookie cutters are, and where the box of sugar is,” she says, laughing. “You know, just like rolling out an album, rolling out the doughnut, rolling out that dough.”
A highlight of the album comes in their third single, “davina mccall,” a mellow and dreamy song that references the famed British “national treasure” known for her work as a TV presenter on “Big Brother.” Teasdale says she watched the show as a kid in the 2000s and was always fascinated when McCall would turn to the camera and say, “This is Davina, I’m coming to get you” when a contestant was eliminated.
“It was a very dramatic moment when Davina McCall was coming to get you,” she says. “It’s kind of a little joke that I’ll come and pick you up wherever you are.”
Teasdale says McCall even recently came to a Wet Leg show after the band had told her they’d written a song using her name. Thankfully, she was “so cool” and gave “the best hugs ever.”
But fans will also be pleased to notice that the group has still maintained their signature, bold tongue-in-cheek style of lyrics. On “mangetout,” Teasdale sings “You wanna f— me? / I know, most people do” over a smooth riff and declares on “pillow talk” that “Every night I f— my pillow / I wish I was f— you.”
“The more muscular sound that is on this album is just the result of five people that have been touring together for something shy of three years,” she says. “I think my sense of humor will always be the same… it’s kind of impossible to leave that behind.”
In the last few tracks, the album noticeably slows down. “11:21” is a beautiful song that finds strength in its simplicity. The title is a call back to the day Teasdale met her partner: “Time goes by / But I feel the same about you since the day we first met,” she sings.
(Top to Bottom) Hester Chambers, Joshua Mobaraki, Ellis Durand, Henry Holmes and Rhian Teasdale of Wet Leg.
(Alice Backham)
It’s sandwiched between “don’t speak,” which falls short of capturing the same essence that the rest of “Moisturizer” is peppered with, and “u and me at home.” The latter is the album’s closer and features some of Chambers’ best performances on the album; it’s a befitting farewell to an excellent project.
“I think when you’re really close with someone, it just means that you don’t have to use words,” Teasdale says of working with Chambers. “It’s just easy and joyful and the most natural thing.”
“Moisturizer” hits streaming services and music store shelves on July 11, with all the potential of outperforming their debut, even with it being as successful as it was. Together, the band sounds more refined than three years ago and — if their recent performances are anything to go off of — looks to light up the stage on their North American tour, which starts in September and makes a stop in Los Angeles on Oct. 17.
“I’m just excited for people to hear the rest of the album, because it’s just a fun album,” Teasdale says. “We made it to be played live, so I’m excited for when it’s not a secret thing anymore.”
A local activist who handed out protective face shields to protesters last month during demonstrations against the Trump administration’s chaotic immigration raids was indicted by a federal grand jury Wednesday.
Alejandro Orellana, a 29-year-old member of the Boyle Heights-based community organization Centro CSO, faces charges of conspiracy and aiding and abetting civil disorder, court records show.
According to the indictment, Orellana and at least two others drove around downtown L.A. in a pickup truck distributing Uvex Bionic face shields and other items to a crowd engaged in a protest near the federal building on Los Angeles Street on June 9.
Prosecutors allege Orellana was helping protesters withstand less-lethal munitions being deployed by Los Angeles police officers and Los Angeles County sheriff’s deputies after an unlawful assembly had been declared.
Orellana is due in court on Thursday morning. An e-mail to his federal public defender seeking comment was not immediately returned.
U.S. Atty. Bill Essayli, a former California Assemblyman appointed by President Trump, has promised to aggressively prosecute anyone who interferes with Immigration and Customs Enforcement operations or harms police during protests. Federal prosecutors have brought at least 14 cases related to last month’s demonstrations and Essayli promised more people will be charged.
Asked how handing out defensive equipment was a crime during a news conference last month, Essayli insisted Orellana was specifically handing out supplies to violent demonstrators.
“He wasn’t handing masks out at the beach. … They’re covering their faces. They’re wearing backpacks. These weren’t peaceful protesters,” he said. “They weren’t holding up signs, with a political message. They came to do violence.”
Essayli described anyone who remained at a protest scene after an unlawful assembly was declared as a “rioter” and said peaceful protesters “don’t need a face shield.”
Orellana, who works for United Parcel Service, has no criminal record and previously served in the U.S. Marines, according to Carlos Montes, a fellow member of Centro CSO.
Montes said he believes Essayli is specifically targeting Centro CSO for its pro-immigrant activism, noting FBI agents seized another member’s cellphone last week as part of their investigation into Orellana.
“It’s ridiculous charges. We’re demanding they drop the charges now. They’re insignificant, ridiculous,” Montes said. “The most it amounts to is that he was passing out personal protective equipment, which includes boxes of water, hand sanitizer and snacks.”
A spokesperson for the U.S. Marine Corps did not immediately respond to a request for Orellana’s service record.
Montes also challenged Essayli’s argument that peaceful protesters have no need for protective equipment, pointing to myriad instances in which people have been seriously injured by Los Angeles police and county sheriff’s deputies in recent years.
A Times investigation last month highlighted incidents in which protesters allege Los Angeles Police Department officers fired rubber rounds and other crowd control munitions without warning in recent weeks, causing demonstrators and members of the media to suffer broken bones, concussions and other forms of severe harm.
Times staff writer Brittny Mejia contributed to this report.
At last weekend’s Austrian Grand Prix, Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff said it was likelier that Russell would be at the team next season than Verstappen, but did not deny he was speaking to the world champion’s representatives.
Russell said: “I don’t take that personally because I made it clear from the beginning. I’m happy to be team-mates with anybody.
“I want to continue with Mercedes into the future. The fact is, Toto has never let me down. He’s always given me his word, but he’s also got to do what’s right for his team, which includes me. But it also includes the thousands of people who work for Mercedes.
“For me, it’s nothing to worry about because I don’t think I’ll be going anywhere. And whoever my team-mate will be, it doesn’t concern me either.
“I know where their loyalty lies. It doesn’t need to be public. It doesn’t need to be broadcast to everybody.
“I feel I’m performing better than ever. And it’s as simple as that really. Performance speaks for everything.”
Russell is fourth in the drivers’ championship, nine points behind Verstappen, and won last month’s Canadian Grand Prix.
Williams driver Alex Albon, who is a friend of Russell and a former team-mate of Verstappen, pointed to Russell’s performance as team-mate to Lewis Hamilton at Mercedes for three years, as well as the fact he has convincingly been ahead of his new team-mate Kimi Antonelli this season.
Albon said in a BBC Sport interview: “George is somehow underrated. I’m not just defending a friend here, but I don’t know a driver who can beat a seven-time world champion and be not sure of a seat.
“He’s doing a fantastic year this year as well.
“And as much as Kimi’s getting praise, George is still beating him pretty convincingly. So I guess you can sound me standing up for a friend of mine. But even if he wasn’t my friend, I’d still be saying the same words.
“I just hope the delay’s coming from him asking for a lot of money. And if he is, he deserves it.
“Otherwise, George is actually one of the most adaptable drivers on the grid. And wherever it ends up being, I think he should be considered as at the very least a top-three driver on the grid.”
July 3 (UPI) — The U.S. economy added seasonally adjusted 147,000 jobs in June despite lower predictions, the Bureau of Labor Statistics said Thursday.
The unemployment rate dipped to 4.1%, which is lower than the expected increase of 4.3%. The rate that includes discouraged workers and part-time workers slid to 7.7%. There are 7 million unemployed people in the United States. The jobless rate dropped due to fewer workers looking for jobs. The unemployment rate has stayed between 4% and 4.2% since May 2024.
According to the BLS, there were job gains in health care (39,000) and state government, while the federal government keeps losing jobs. The government lost 7,000 jobs in June, and employment is down by 69,000 since its January peak. (Those on paid leave or getting ongoing severance are counted as employed.)
People who work part-time for economic reasons was at 4.5 million, which changed little in June. These are people who want full-time work. Those not in the labor force but who want jobs stayed at 6 million.
The number of discouraged workers, those who believed no jobs were available for them, increased in June to 637,000, an increase of 256,000.
Other major industries, like mining, retail and transportation, showed little change over last month.
In response to the news, the stock market rose Thursday.
“The solid June jobs report confirms that the labor market remains resolute and slams the door shut on a July rate cut,” Jeff Schulze, head of economic and market strategy at ClearBridge Investments, told CNBC. “Today’s good news should be treated as such by the markets, with equities rising despite the accompanying pickup in interest rates.”
Lexie Limitless, real name Lexie Alford, became the youngest person to travel to every country at the age of 21 and has since travelled around the world, sharing her experiences
Lexie opened up about her experiences exploring Europe(Image: Lexie Limitless/YouTube)
A globe-trotting traveller who’s visited every country in Europe has claimed one nation on the continent has the bluest water she’s “ever seen”. Lexie Limitless, a US YouTuber who became the youngest person to visit every country at the age of 21, has opened up about her experiences exploring Europe, highlighting some of the continent’s “underrated” nations.
The adventurous traveller, real name Lexie Alford, boasts half a million YouTube subscribers and broke the record after exploring all 196 countries and now boasts the impressive following. In a Europe-themed video, she reveals six less-traditional but breathtaking destinations across Europe.
Lexie, who also goes by Lexie Limitless on Instagram, described one nation as a cultural “melting pot” with a blend of Islamic and European “influences”, and another as having the most stunningly blue river waters she’s ever encountered.
She remarked: “I would say that one of the top underrated places has to be Slovenia. There are some incredible hiking paths and literally the bluest water I’ve ever seen in rivers.”
Slovenia had “literally the bluest water” she’d ever seen in rivers(Image: Getty Images)
Slovenia, formerly part of Yugoslavia, is a small nation situated in Central Europe. It is bordered by Austria in the north, Italy to the West, Croatia to the south, and Hungary to the northeast.
In addition to its dazzling waters, Slovenia also boasts many impressive caves. In fact, it’s home to more than 10,000, including the World Heritage-listed Krizna Jama Cave and the 20km Postojna.
She gushed: “I also loved Mostar in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Again, incredible river running through this city that really felt like a melting pot between both Islamic and European influences, with a lot of very rich history to learn while you’re there.”
Further sharing her travel tales, Lexie said: “I think also the cutest little village I’ve ever been to, which I actually saw in one of those…while I was on one of those river cruises, was a place called eský Krumlov in the Czech Republic.”
Describing the locale, Lexie spoke of its “crazy bridges” and “aqueduct-looking architecture”, as well as its “beautiful rivers” and “adorable cafes”.
She referred to it as “quintessentially” the European village of everyone’s Disney-inspired dreams.
Ljubljana Castle in Ljubljana, Slovenia(Image: Getty Images)
However, not stopping at just these gems, Lexie also praised Sweden in the summertime, the picturesque Valle Verzasca in Switzerland, and the enchanting Bruges in Belgium, which cinephiles might recall from the 2008 Colin Farrell movie ‘In Bruges’.
Topping her list of favourite countries globally is the secluded mountain kingdom of Bhutan in Asia, which is nestled between India and China. Lexie highlighted Bhutan for its unique distinction of being deemed the “happiest country in the world”.
She also hailed Bhutan as one of the globe’s “best-kept secrets”, insisting that the world has “so much to learn from this tiny country”.
Musical icon Angélique Kidjo has become the first black African performer to be selected for a star on the prestigious Hollywood Walk of Fame.
Kidjo, who comes from the West African country of Benin and has won five Grammy awards, was among the 35 names announced as part of the Walk of Fame’s class of 2026 list.
The 64-year-old was hailed as Africa’s “premier diva” during a press conference announcing the list on Wednesday.
Singer Miley Cyrus, actor Timothée Chalamet, actress Demi Moore and former basketball player Shaquille O’Neal are also among those set to be honoured with a star on Los Angeles’ famous walk.
Kidjo receives the honour after making music for more than four decades and releasing 16 albums.
The songstress has won fans across the world with her commanding voice and ability to fuse West African styles with the likes of funk, jazz and R&B.
Her long list of collaborators includes forces such as Burna Boy, Philip Glass, Sting and Alicia Keys.
Kidjo joins Charlize Theron, a white South African actress, in representing Africa on the Walk of Fame. Theron received her star in 2005.
The date on which Kidjo will see her star unveiled on the Walk of Fame has not yet been announced.
After recipients have been selected for a star, they have two years to schedule induction ceremonies.
Kidjo grew up in Benin, but left for Paris in 1983, citing oppression from the country’s then communist government.
“From the moment the communist regime arrived in Benin, I became aware that the freedom we enjoy can be snatched away in a second,” she told the BBC in 2023.
She said she has been driven by curiosity since childhood, adding: “my nickname was ‘when, why, how?’. I want to understand things, to understand my place in this world.”
Kidjo worked as a backing singer in France before striking out as a solo artist in 1990, with the album Parakou.
She is a Unicef and Oxfam goodwill ambassador, and has her own charity, Batonga, which is dedicated to supporting the education of young girls in Africa.
