Month: July 2025

Here are the key events on day 1,250 of Russia’s war on Ukraine.

Here is how things stand on Monday, July 28:

Fighting

• Russian forces attacked Ukraine’s capital, Kyiv, early on Monday, wounding five people and damaging a residential building, according to the head of the city’s military administration, Tymur Tkachenko.
• A Russian drone hit a Ukrainian bus carrying 39 evacuees in the eastern Sumy region, near Ukraine’s border with Russia, on Sunday, killing three people and wounding 19 others, according to the regional governor.
• Two others were killed in a landmine explosion in Sumy’s Esman community on Saturday, while two more were killed in Russian attacks on the front-line Donetsk region, according to officials, taking the death toll from attacks across Ukraine on that day to at least six.
• Ukraine’s forces also launched drone attacks at Russia on Sunday, with the governor of the Leningrad region reporting that at least 10 Ukrainian unmanned aircraft were downed over the areas surrounding the city of St Petersburg. Falling debris injured a woman, Governor Alexander Drozdenko said.
• St Petersburg’s Pulkovo airport was closed during the attack, with 57 flights delayed and 22 diverted to other airports, according to a statement.
• The Kremlin, meanwhile, confirmed that the large-scale televised Navy Day parade in St Petersburg had been cancelled for security reasons. Russian President Vladimir Putin still watched naval drills featuring 150 vessels and 15,000 military personnel in the Pacific and Arctic Oceans, and the Baltic and Caspian Seas, from St Petersburg’s naval headquarters.
• The Russian Ministry of Defence said that air defence units downed a total of 291 Ukrainian fixed-wing drones on Sunday, below the record 524 drones downed in attacks on May 7, ahead of Russia’s Victory Day parade on May 9.

Politics and diplomacy

• European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen called on Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to uphold independent anticorruption bodies, amid a firestorm of criticism after the country’s parliament voted to revoke the autonomy of two anticorruption agencies.
• “Ukraine has already achieved a lot on its European path,” von der Leyen said in a post on X after a call with Zelenskyy. “It must build on these solid foundations and preserve independent anti-corruption bodies, which are cornerstones of Ukraine’s rule of law.”
• Zelenskyy, who has submitted draft legislation to restore the independence of the two agencies, thanked the EU and said it was important that the bill be “adopted without delay”.
• Russia opened a regular air link between Moscow and the North Korean capital, Pyongyang, with the first flight between the cities in decades taking off at 16:25 GMT on Sunday, according to the Sheremetyevo airport’s website. The route will be serviced once a month, Russia’s Ministry of Transport said.
• Austrian Minister of Foreign Affairs Beate Meinl-Reisinger told the German media outlet Welt that the country was willing to engage in a “national debate” about joining NATO, after decades remaining neutral.

COOPERSTOWN, N.Y. — If you want someone for your next celebrity roast, Ichiro Suzuki could be your guy.

Mixing sneaky humor with heartfelt messages, the first Japanese-born player to be inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame stole the show Sunday in Cooperstown.

Morning showers and gloomy skies delayed the ceremonies by an hour, but the moisture gave way to bright skies and warm temperatures. The sun seemed its brightest during Suzuki’s acceptance speech.

The outfielder was joined by pitcher CC Sabathia, also elected in his first year of eligibility, and closer Billy Wagner, who made it in his final try on the writers’ ballot. Suzuki fell one vote shy of being a unanimous selection and he took a jab at the unidentified sports writer who didn’t vote for him.

“Three thousand hits or 262 hits in one season are two achievements recognized by the writers. Well, all but one,” Suzuki said to roaring laughter.

“By the way, the offer for the writer to have dinner at my home has now expired,” he added, with emphasis on “expired” for good measure.

A pair of Era Committee selections rounded out the Class of 2025: Dave Parker, who earned the nickname Cobra during 20 big league seasons, and slugger Dick Allen. Parker died June 28, just a month before he was to be inducted.

An estimated 30,000 fans crowded onto the field adjacent to the Clark Sports Center, sun umbrellas and Japanese flags sprinkled around. Suzuki’s No. 51 was seemingly everywhere as fans, thousands of them Seattle Mariners boosters who made the trek from the Pacific Northwest, chanted “Ichiro” several times throughout the day. A sign that read “Thank You Ichiro! Forever a Legend” in English and Japanese summed up the admiration for Suzuki on his special day.

With 52 returning Hall of Famers on hand, Suzuki paid homage to his new baseball home in Cooperstown and his adoring fans by delivering his 18-minute speech in English. His humor, a surprise to many, delighted the crowd.

He threw shade at the Miami Marlins, the last stop of his professional career.

“Honestly, when you guys offered me a contract in 2015, I had never heard of your team,” Suzuki joked.

He kidded that he showed up at spring training every year with his arm “already in shape” just to hear Mariners broadcaster Rick Rizzs scream, “‘Holy smokes! Another laser-beam throw from Ichiro!’”

He even took a moment for some tongue-in-cheek modesty.

“People often measure me by my records. Three thousand hits. Ten Gold Gloves. Ten seasons of 200 hits.

“Not bad, huh?” Suzuki said to more laughs.

He thanked his late agent Tony Anastasio for “getting me to America and for teaching me to love wine.”

But he also took time to get to the root of what made him extraordinary.

“Baseball is much more than just hitting, throwing and running. Baseball taught me to make valued decisions about what is important. It helped shape my view of life and the world. … The older I got, I realized the only way I could get to play the game I loved to the age of 45 at the highest level was to dedicate myself to it completely,” he said. “When fans use their precious time to see you play, you have a responsibility to perform for them whether you are winning by 10 or losing by 10.

“Baseball taught me what it means to be a professional and I believe that is the main reason I am here today. I could not have achieved the numbers without paying attention to the small details every single day consistently for all 19 seasons.”

Now he’s reached the pinnacle, overcoming doubters, one of whom said to him: “‘Don’t embarrass the nation.’” He’s made his homeland proud.

“Going into America’s Baseball Hall of Fame was never my goal. I didn’t even know there was one. I visited Cooperstown for the first time in 2001, but being here today sure feels like a fantastic dream.”

Sabathia thanked “the great players sitting behind me, even Ichiro who stole my Rookie of the Year award (in 2001).” He paid homage to Parker and spoke about Black culture in today’s game.

“It’s an extra honor to be a part of Dave’s Hall of Fame class. He was a father figure for a generation of Black stars. In the ’80s and early ‘90s when I first started watching baseball and Dave Parker was crushing homers, the number of Black players in the major leagues was at its highest, about 18%. Me and my friends played the game because we saw those guys on TV and there was always somebody who looked like me in a baseball uniform.

“Baseball has always been a great game for Black athletes, but baseball culture has not always been great to Black people. I hope we’re starting to turn that around. I don’t want to be the final member of the Black aces, a Black pitcher to win 20 games. And I don’t want to be the final Black pitcher giving a Hall of Fame speech.”

Wagner urged young players to treat obstacles not as “roadblocks, but steppingstones.”

“I wasn’t the biggest player. I wasn’t supposed to be here. There were only seven full-time relievers in the Hall of Fame. Now, there are eight because I refused to give up or give in,” he said.

Suzuki received 393 of 394 votes (99.7%) from the Baseball Writers’ Association of America. Sabathia was picked on 342 ballots (86.8%) and Wagner on 325 (82.5%), which was 29 votes more than the 296 needed for the required 75%.

After arriving in the majors in 2001, Suzuki joined Fred Lynn (1975) as the only players to win Rookie of the Year and MVP in the same season.

Suzuki was a two-time AL batting champion and 10-time All-Star and Gold Glove outfielder, hitting .311 with 117 homers, 780 RBIs and 509 stolen bases with Seattle, the New York Yankees and Miami.

He is perhaps the best contact hitter ever, with 1,278 hits in Nippon Professional Baseball and 3,089 in MLB, including a season-record 262 in 2004. His combined total of 4,367 exceeds Pete Rose’s major league record of 4,256.

Sabathia, second to Suzuki in 2001 AL Rookie of the Year voting, was a six-time All-Star who won the 2007 AL Cy Young Award and a World Series title in 2009. He went 251-161 with a 3.74 ERA and 3,093 strikeouts, third among left-handers behind Randy Johnson and Steve Carlton, during 19 seasons with Cleveland, Milwaukee and the New York Yankees.

A seven-time All-Star, Wagner was 47-40 with a 2.31 ERA and 422 saves for Houston, Philadelphia, the New York Mets, Boston and Atlanta.

Tom Hamilton and Tom Boswell were also honored during Hall of Fame weekend. Hamilton has been the primary radio broadcaster for the Cleveland Guardians franchise for 35 seasons and received the Ford C. Frick Award. Boswell, a retired sports columnist who spent his entire career with The Washington Post, was honored with the BBWAA Career Excellence Award.

Frank writes for the Associated Press.

Legal expert have urged Brits travelling abroad with their kids not to forget one key document this summer – or risk facing ‘unwanted disruption’ before they board the plane

Parents have been urged to bring one key document with them when travelling abroad this summer, or risk being turned away at the airport. The school holidays are rapidly approaching, meaning millions of Brits will be getting ready to jet off for some much-needed Vitamin D.

If you’re heading abroad with your kids, you’ll inevitably already have a long list of essentials to pack – from spare clothes to games and lots of suncream. However, experts over at law firm Richard Nelson LLP have warned that divorced/separated parents should also bring an important letter with them to avoid any ‘unwanted disruptions’.

READ MORE: Having one common drink on holiday could make you sick warns expert

In a statement sent to the Mirror, the firm explained that for a child to be taken abroad, all people with parental responsibility need to agree to the decision.

Mothers are automatically granted parental responsibility at birth, while fathers acquire parental responsibility upon marriage. It’s not widely known, but taking a child abroad without permission is actually classed as child abduction – a serious offence.

“With that in mind, a consent letter from the non-travelling parent is critical,” the experts said. “[This is] a signed letter which provides proof that your ex-partner has agreed to you holidaying abroad should you ever be challenged while travelling. “

The letter should include the other parent’s contact details as well as information about you’re holiday, including the address of your accommodation. If your child has a different surname from you, the letter must also explain this.

However, if you’ve not been able to get permission from your child’s other parents to take them abroad, you may have to seek permission from a court. “If you’re relying on a court order to take your child abroad it’s imperative to allow as much time as possible for the case to be heard,” warned Ann Owens, consultant solicitor at Richard Nelson LLP.

“While you can request an urgent court order these can take more than a week to go through the courts. For those who have been successful in gaining permission this way then you must travel with a sealed copy of the Court Order with you.”

Ann explained that border officials may ask for proof of your legal right to take the child abroad at the airport. “If you can’t provide it, you may be turned away at customs,” she added.

The legal firm also advised bringing your child’s birth or adoption certificate with you to be safe, to provide additional proof of your relation to the kid. If you do have a different last name from your child due to a divorce or new marriage, it may also be wise to bring your divorce or marriage certificate along with you as well. Of course, travelling with all of your family’s passports is a must too.

“While, like the UK, many countries have the legal age of adulthood standing at 18, some have it set as older or younger,” said. “It is important to check the age of adult responsibility in the location you are holidaying in. For instance, you may also need documents for a 19-year-old child when travelling to some Canadian territories.”

Do you have a story to share? Email us at [email protected] for a chance to be featured.

Starvation in Gaza. An entire population deprived of food after months of Israel blocking vital supplies and waging relentless attacks.

Experts say the strategy means long-term damage for the health of Gaza’s people.

So what are the consequences of Israel’s actions?

Presenter: James Bays

Guests:

Dr Nick Maynard – Volunteer surgeon who worked in Gaza with Medical Aid for Palestinians

Dr Tanya Haj-Hassan – Paediatric intensive care doctor treating acute malnutrition in Gaza

Alex de Waal – Executive director at World Peace Foundation; author of Mass Starvation: The History and Future of Famine

US president and his EU counterpart strike sweeping 15 percent tariff deal to stabilise transatlantic trade.

The United States and European Union have reached a sweeping trade agreement, setting a 15 percent tariff on most goods, averting a major transatlantic trade war that could have rattled global markets.

The announcement came after a private meeting on Sunday between US President Donald Trump and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen at Trump’s Turnberry golf resort in Scotland.

The deal comes just days before Washington was due to impose 30 percent tariffs on EU imports.

“It was a very interesting negotiation. I think it’s going to be great for both parties,” Trump told reporters. He added that it was “a good deal for everybody… a giant deal with lots of countries”.

Von der Leyen welcomed the deal, saying it would “bring stability; it will bring predictability that’s very important for our businesses on both sides of the Atlantic”.

Trump claimed the EU committed to buying about $750bn worth of US energy, increasing investment in the United States by another $600bn and placing a large order for military equipment. Both leaders confirmed that the agreed tariff rate of 15 percent would apply broadly to automobiles and other goods.

“We have the opening up of all of the European countries,” Trump said. Von der Leyen echoed that, noting that the 15 percent rate was “across the board, all inclusive” and that the European market was effectively now open.

The talks followed months of tense back-and-forth with Trump, who has long accused the EU of unfair trade practices. Just before negotiations began, he called the existing arrangements “a very one-sided transaction; very unfair to the United States”.

Von der Leyen pointed to the combined economic might of the two powers, describing their trade volume as the world’s largest, encompassing “hundreds of millions of people and trillions of dollars”.

She acknowledged Trump’s “tough” reputation as a negotiator, to which he replied: “But fair.”

Trade conflict averted

Earlier this month, negotiations appeared close to collapse when Trump threatened to proceed with the 30 percent tariff unless the EU matched the 15 percent terms he recently struck with Japan. Asked if he would accept anything lower, Trump flatly said, “No”.

Had no agreement been reached, Brussels had prepared a long list of retaliatory tariffs targeting everything from beef and beer to Boeing aircraft and car parts.

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said that the US-EU deal was a positive move that helped avoid a trade war and a serious blow to the auto sector.

“This agreement has succeeded in averting a trade conflict that would have hit the export-orientated German economy hard,” he said in a statement. “This applies in particular to the automotive industry, where the current tariffs of 27.5 percent will be almost halved to 15 percent.”

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni said it was “positive” that a trade deal had been reached; however, she needed to see the details, Italian news agency ANSA reported.

Trump and United Kingdom Prime Minister Kier Starmer are expected to meet on Monday, with trade also on the agenda. While a separate US–UK trade framework was unveiled in May, Trump insists the broader agreement is already concluded, though the White House admits some elements remain unfinished.

Trump will travel to Aberdeen on Tuesday to help open a third golf course under the family name. He and his sons are expected to cut the ribbon themselves.

GOALIE Hannah Hampton was England’s penalties hero with two saves as the Lionesses roared to Euros glory over Spain last night.

Hannah starred in the 3-1 shootout win after the sides drew 1-1 in Basel, Switzerland.

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The King hailed their historic victory, three years after winning Euro 2022. He said: “The next task is to bring home the World Cup in 2027 if you possibly can!”

They are the first senior England football team to win a major tournament on foreign soil and the first to retain a trophy after victory in 2022.

It was striker Chloe Kelly who sealed the win — repeating her feat from Wembley three years ago when she took off her jersey in celebration.

She brought it home this time by scoring the crucial penalty, sparking scenes of joy in Basel, Switzerland.

Manager Sarina Wiegman — winning her third consecutive Euros after victory in 2017 with the Netherlands — ran on to the pitch punching the air as she joined the mass of players and staff mobbing Kelly.

The Arsenal ace was in tears as she joined thousands of delighted fans singing Sweet Caroline.

Moments later, Kelly said: “I am so proud of this team. So grateful to wear this badge. So proud to be English. I was cool, I was composed.

“I knew I was going to hit the back of the net. Unbelievable. All the staff and Sarina Wiegman — she has done it again! Unbelievable.

“It is going to be crazy. I hope the whole of England comes out to support us and shows their love to these girls as they deserve it.”

Supersub Michelle Agyemang, the breakout star of the tournament, sank to her knees and wept as Kelly’s penalty went in.

In the stands, Prince William and daughter Princess Charlotte roared with delight at the victory.

Just before kick-off, a snap of the pair was posted on the Prince and Princess of Wales’s X account with the caption: “Let’s go, Lionesses.”

Jubilant Wills later greeted them, giving skipper Leah Williamson a hug, before they were presented the Euro 2025 trophy on the pitch.

King Charles told the Lionesses: “You have my whole family’s warmest appreciation and admiration. The next task is to bring home the World Cup in 2027, if you possibly can!”

The team will be at a Downing Street reception today hosted by Deputy PM Angela Rayner and sports minister Stephanie Peacock.

Ms Rayner said: “Our Lionesses are absolute champions. Not only are they bringing it home for England again, but they’re inspiring the next generation of champions too.”

PM Keir Starmer added: “The Lionesses have once again captured the hearts of the nation.

“Their victory is not only a remarkable sporting achievement, but an inspiration for young people across the country.”

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Former England striker and footie pundit Gary Lineker wrote online: “They’ve done it again. She’s done it again. Kelly’s heroes. Fabulous.”

Dutchwoman Wiegman said after the win: “I can’t believe it! We said we can win by any means and that’s what we have shown again today.

“I am so proud of the team and the staff. It is incredible.”

Spain were favourites on the back of an impressive run of ten straight victories in all competitions, scoring 38 goals in the process.

But England, despite a shaky start to the tournament, were confident after seeing off Sweden in the quarters and Italy in the semi-final.

A crowd of 34,203 watched as England enjoyed a bright start, with the first chance after three minutes.

But as the match wore on, Spain began to dominate and England goalkeeper Hannah Hampton was forced into several crucial saves.

Mariona Caldentey put Spain ahead on 25 minutes, with Alessia Russo heading England level on 57 minutes.

Then, with neither side making a breakthrough in extra time, the match went to a penalty shootout.

Hero Hampton saved twice before Kelly’s trademark hop, skip and run penalty went in to secure the victory.

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Israeli forces have killed at least 63 people across Gaza, hours after the military announced it would begin “pausing” attacks for 10 hours daily in some areas to allow humanitarian aid to pass through.

On Sunday, the Israeli army said it would temporarily halt military activity each day from 10am to 8pm (07:00-17:00 GMT) in parts of central and northern Gaza, including al-Mawasi, Deir el-Balah and Gaza City. It also pledged to open designated aid corridors for food and medical convoys between 6am and 11pm.

But hours into the first day of the “humanitarian pauses”, Israeli air raids resumed.

“There was an air strike on Gaza City, and this is one of the areas that was designated as a safe area, and where the Israeli forces are going to halt their military operations,” Al Jazeera’s Hind Khoudary reported from Deir el-Balah.

“According to Palestinians in that area, a bakery was targeted.”

The bombardment comes as global outcry grows over the worsening humanitarian disaster in Gaza inflicted by Israel.

Famine deaths rise

Gaza’s Ministry of Health reported that six more Palestinians, including two children, died from hunger-related causes in the past 24 hours, pushing the number of starvation deaths to 133 since October 2023.

Among the dead was five-month-old Zainab Abu Haleeb, who succumbed to malnutrition at Nasser Hospital.

“Three months inside the hospital, and this is what I get in return, that she is dead,” said her mother, Israa Abu Haleeb, as the child’s father cradled her small body wrapped in a white shroud.

The World Food Programme (WFP) said on Sunday that one in three Gaza residents has gone days without eating, and nearly 500,000 people are suffering from “famine-like conditions”. The World Health Organization also warned last week that more than 20 percent of pregnant and breastfeeding women are malnourished.

Falestine Ahmed, a mother in Gaza, told Al Jazeera she lost one-third of her body weight.

“I used to weigh 57kg [126 pounds], now I weigh 42kg [93 pounds], and both my son and I have been diagnosed with severe malnutrition,” she said. “We barely have any food at home, and even when it’s available, it’s far too expensive for us to afford.”

Israel has authorised new corridors for aid, while the United Arab Emirates and Jordan have airdropped supplies into the territory. However, deliveries have been fraught with danger and are far too few.

Al Jazeera’s Hani Mahmoud reported that one aid drop injured nearly a dozen people. “Eleven people were reported with injuries as one of these pallets fell directly on tents in that displacement site near al-Rasheed Road.”

Despite the mounting evidence of extreme hunger, Israel continues to deny that famine exists in Gaza. The Israeli military insists it is working to improve humanitarian access.

But scenes of desperation contradict official claims. “I’ve come all this way, risking my life for my children. They haven’t eaten for a week,” said Smoud Wahdan, a mother searching for flour, speaking to Al Jazeera. “At the very least, I’ve been looking for a piece of bread for my children.”

Another displaced mother, Tahani, said that her cancer-stricken child was among those suffering. “I came to get flour, to look for food to feed my children. I wish God’s followers would wake up and see all these people. They are dying.”

Aid groups overwhelmed

Liz Allcock, the head of protection for Medical Aid for Palestinians, told Al Jazeera that she has never seen Gaza in such a state. “The scale of starvation and the number of people you see walking around who are literally skin and bones [is shocking]… Money really has no value here when there is nothing to buy,” she said.

“All of Gazan society – no matter who they are – is suffering from critical food shortages,” she added, warning that one-quarter of the population is at risk of acute malnutrition.

The United Nations says aid deliveries can only succeed if Israel approves the rapid movement of convoys through its checkpoints.

UN aid chief Tom Fletcher noted that while some restrictions appeared to have eased, the scale of the crisis required far more action.

“This is progress, but vast amounts of aid are needed to stave off famine and a catastrophic health crisis,” he said.

Diplomatic pressure builds

French President Emmanuel Macron said on Sunday that he discussed the Gaza situation with his Turkish and Egyptian counterparts and plans to co-host a conference in New York City next week focused on securing a two-state solution.

“We cannot accept that people, including large numbers of children, die of hunger,” he said.

Macron confirmed that France would soon recognise Palestinian statehood, joining more than 140 UN member states.

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said in an interview that Israel’s blockade of aid amounts to a violation of “humanity and morality”.

“Quite clearly, it is a breach of international law to stop food being delivered, which was a decision that Israel made in March,” he told ABC News. However, he added that Australia was not ready to recognise Palestinian statehood “imminently”.

In the United States, Secretary of State Marco Rubio said that ceasefire talks led by President Donald Trump’s envoy, Steve Witkoff, are making “a lot of progress”.

“We’re optimistic and hopeful that any day now, we will have a ceasefire agreement,” Rubio told Fox News, suggesting that half of the remaining Israeli captives may be released soon.

Gaza’s Health Ministry said that 88 Palestinians were killed and 374 wounded in Israeli attacks over the past 24 hours alone.

Since Israel’s war on Gaza began in October, at least 59,821 Palestinians have been killed and more than 144,000 injured.

Despite talk of pauses and diplomacy, the violence continues to escalate.

OCHOPEE, Fla. — Deportation flights from the remote Everglades immigration lockup known as ”Alligator Alcatraz″ have begun and are expected to increase soon, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis said Friday.

The first flights operated by the Department of Homeland Security have transferred about 100 detainees from the immigration detention center to other countries, DeSantis said during a news conference near the facility.

“You’re going to see the numbers go up dramatically,” he said.

Two or three flights have already departed, but officials didn’t say where those flights headed.

Critics have condemned the South Florida facility as cruel and inhumane. DeSantis and other Republican officials have defended it as part of the state’s aggressive push to support President Trump’s crackdown on illegal immigration.

Building the facility in the Everglades and naming it after a notorious federal prison were meant as deterrents, DeSantis and other officials have said.

The White House has delighted in the area’s remoteness — about 50 miles west of Miami — and the fact that it is teeming with pythons and alligators. It hopes to send a message that repercussions will be severe if U.S. immigration laws are broken.

Trump has suggested that his administration could reopen Alcatraz, the notorious island prison in San Francisco Bay. The White House also has sent some immigrants awaiting deportation to a detention lockup in Guantánamo Bay, Cuba, and others to a megaprison in El Salvador.

The Everglades facility was built in a matter of days over 10 square miles. It features more than 200 security cameras and more than 5 miles of barbed wire. An adjacent runway makes it more convenient for homeland security officials to move detainees in and out of the site.

It currently holds about 2,000 people, with the potential to double the capacity, Florida Emergency Management Director Kevin Guthrie said Friday.

DeSantis wants the U.S. Justice Department to allow an immigration judge on site to speed up the deportation process.

“This was never intended to be something where people are just held,” he said. “The whole purpose is to be a place that can facilitate increased frequency and numbers of deportations.”

Critics have challenged federal and state officials’ contention that the detention center is just run by the state of Florida. Environmental groups suing to stop further construction and expansion demanded Thursday to see agreements or communications between state and federal officials and to visit the site.

Seewer writes for the Associated Press. AP writer Mike Schneider contributed to this report.

Hampton, who has been playing her first major tournament as England’s first-choice goalkeeper, had big shoes to fill in Switzerland.

Earps – twice named as the best women’s goalkeeper in the world – had played significant roles in England’s victory at Euro 2022 and on the way to the 2023 World Cup final.

But Hampton, who looked likely to start at the Euros even before Earps’ retirement, has proved she deserves the number one shirt.

“At the start of the tournament did you think Hannah Hampton would be the star? Perhaps not. You wondered how she was going to do,” ex-Manchester City defender Nedum Onuoha said.

“Look how well she has done on the biggest stage. To save those penalties – and these were really good saves. She backed herself 100%.

“An amazing moment to see her be that important to the team.”

Just months after England’s Euro triumph in 2022, Hampton was dropped from the squad.

Reports suggested it was because of her behaviour, and she had to wait until March 2023 for a recall, when Wiegman said Hampton had “sorted out personal issues”.

Speaking to BBC One following her shootout heroics in the 2025 final, Hampton said: “All I can really say is thank you to Sarina [Wiegman] for all the belief and faith that she’s had in me.

“She knew what I was capable of and she really put that in me to really go and showcase what I can do.”

Hampton, who helped Chelsea win a domestic treble this season, has shown exactly what she is capable of throughout the tournament.

After losing their opening game against France, Hampton was instrumental in helping England bounce back against the Netherlands – with a sublime defence-splitting pass starting the attack for England’s first goal and setting the tempo for a statement 4-0 performance.

Then, in their quarter-final against Sweden, she pulled off two brilliant saves in the shootout to help keep England’s title defence alive.

“The girls have run around for 120 minutes, so the least I can do is save a couple of pens here and there and help the team out in any way I can,” Hampton told BBC Radio 5 Live after the final.

She added on BBC One: “There’s still a lot more to come from me. For my first major tournament, to win it is not too bad.”

July 27 (UPI) — “All available resources are being used” to find the suspect in the deaths of a couple hiking on a trail at a northwest Arkansas state park, Col. Mike Hagar of the Arkansas State Police said Sunday.

Clinton David Brink, 43, and his wife, Cristenb Amanda Brinks, 41, were killed at Devil’s Den State Park near Fayetteville in Washington County on Saturday afternoon, state police said. The couple, who recently moved to Prairie Grove from another state, were hiking with their daughters, 7 and 9, who were not injured.

They are safe and in the custody of relatives, police said.

“I want to thank the public and our media partners for their support as we pursue the man responsible for this heinous crime,” Hagar said in a statement. “We are using all available resources to apprehend this suspect and bring him to justice.”

Assisting are local, state and federal law enforcement.

The 2,500-acre park is in a remote and rural area, including rugged terrain with thick vegetation and no cellphone service. The park includes several trails and 20 miles for horseback riding.

The park is in Lee Creek Valley of the Boston Mountains, which are part of the Ozarks. It was selected as a state park in the 1930s, and developed by the Civilian Conservation Corps, a work relief program established during the Great Depression.

Devil’s Den also includes caves, an 8-acre man-made lake for fishing and boating, as well as a swimming pool. Campsites and cabins are also available.

Police were dispatched at 2:40 p.m. local time Saturday.

Investigators have not released the circumstances of the situation but have launched a double homicide investigation.

They are asking for the public’ help in identifying the suspect.

“Investigators are asking those who visited the park on Saturday to check cellphone photos and videos or GoPro camera footage for images of the suspect,” according to the police statement.

Also, people nearby are asked to check their home security camera footage.

The state police believe he is a White man with a medium build who was carrying a backpack.

Police said he was driving toward a park exit in a black, four-door sedan, possibly a Mazda.

The vehicle may have been going on State Highway 170 to State Highway 220 near the park.

There is increased law enforcement in all of the state parks.

“We are praying for the family and friends of the victims, and know that law enforcement will not rest until the perpetrator is brought to justice,” Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders posted on X.

THIS is the hilarious moment Donald Trump’s golf caddy appears to drop his ball into a prime spot before he takes his shot.

A video clip has emerged which shows two golf caddies alongside the US President as he drives a golf cart around Turnberry’s Ailsa course, in Scotland.

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He donned a white USA baseball cap and was joined by his son Eric.

Trump, 79, is seen being escorted down to the course, with a convoy of 20 other carts following close behind.

The caddies go ahead of the US leaser and one appears to try and secretly place a golf ball on the ground.

The President then gets out and claims to have made the shot himself.

Trump waves for cameras on the third green at the southeast end of the course before the party moves on.

One person who watched the footage circulating on X wrote: “Caddy did that so smoothly. Can only imagine how many times he’s done it.”

“I want to know how he finds caddies to do that for him,” added another.

This comes as the US President arrived aboard Air Force One at around 8.30pm on Friday for his five-day private visit to Bonnie Scotland.

After waving to the crowds, he was welcomed by Scottish Secretary Ian Murray before being whisked to his luxury Turnberry resort 20 miles down the Ayrshire coast.

Villagers waved as the convoy passed through nearby Kirkoswald and later arrived at the resort at around 9.30pm.

And he wasted no time in taking to the green after being seen teeing off at the luxury resort.

Several protests were planned, with opponents of Mr Trump gathering in both Edinburgh and Aberdeen earlier this week.

The Stop Trump coalition has planned what it has described as being a “festival of resistance”.

Activists also shut down the Forth Road Bridge in South Queensferry as part of a huge protest ahead of Trump’s visit.

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Climate campaigners from Greenpeace confirmed that 10 activists abseiled from the massive 156m bridge to block an INEOS tanker.

A large number of police and military personnel were seen searching the grounds at the golf resort to ensure Mr Trump’s safety before he teed off.

A high-profile security operation was in full swing with land, sea and air coverage from police and security services while a number of guests were checked over.

Secret service agents with sniffer dogs checked bushes as snipers were positioned on a platform on the edge of the course and the roof of the hotel.

Uniformed and plain clothes cops guarded all access points to the course, including roads, footpaths and the beach.

Amid the search, a few golfers were also spotted at the course, enjoying an early-morning game.

A number of onlookers had gathered at the entrance to Turnberry hoping to catch a glimpse of the game.

But they were not let anywhere near.

Police also had road closures in place, with limited access for locals and members of the media.

Upon his arrival, Mr Trump told reporters: “There’s no place like Turnberry. It’s the best course in the world.”

As well as visiting Trump Turnberry, Mr Trump will later head to Aberdeenshire and visit his golf resort in Balmedie.

During his stay, he will officially open his second course at Menie, named in honour of his late mother, Mary Anne MacLeod.

His visit is expected to last until Tuesday, July 29.

The President is also scheduled to meet Scottish First Minister John Swinney and Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer during his trip.

After landing in Scotland, Mr Trump said the “invasion” of migrants is “killing” Europe and told the leaders to “get their act together”.

But when asked about illegal immigration, Mr Trump said a “horrible invasion” was taking place in Europe which needs to stop.

He said: “On immigration, you better get your act together.

“You’re not going to have Europe anymore, you’ve got to get your act together.

“As you know, last month we had nobody entering our country – nobody, [we] shut it down.”

He added: “You’ve got to stop this horrible invasion that’s happening to Europe.”

Mr Trump, who made a crackdown on illegal immigration a major policy in his second term at the White House, boasted: “Last month we had nobody entering our country.”

A massive £5million security operation has been rolled out to ensure his safety, with around 6,000 police officers drafted in from across the UK to support the efforts.

We previously told how police and security services assessed fears that Trump could be assassinated during his visit to Scotland after he survived an attempt at a rally in Pennsylvania last year.

David Threadgold, General Secretary of the Scottish Police Federation, said “a huge amount of threat assessment and intelligence gathering” took place ahead of the visit.

Oscar Piastri controlled the rain-delayed race, extending his F1 Championship lead over McLaren teammate Lando Norris.

Oscar Piastri passed McLaren teammate and title rival Lando Norris with a bold early move to win the rain-delayed Belgian Grand Prix and extend his Formula One lead to 16 points.

Charles Leclerc was a distant third for Ferrari on Sunday, as reigning champions McLaren celebrated their sixth one-two finish in 13 races and the third in a row.

The race at Spa-Francorchamps was red-flagged after an initial formation lap and delayed by an hour and 20 minutes due to the weather, with standing water and heavy spray affecting visibility.

Piastri was in no mood for hanging around when the racing got going with a rolling start after four laps behind the safety car to check conditions.

The Australian slipstreamed Norris through the daunting Eau Rouge section of the track and then scythed past down the Kemmel straight into Les Combes in a move of total commitment in the treacherous conditions.

“I knew lap one would be my best chance of winning the race. I got a good exit out of Turn One; lifted as little as I dared out of Eau Rouge,” he said.

“The rest of the race we managed really well. I struggled at the end. Maybe the mediums were not the best for the last five or six laps. We had it mostly under control.”

The win was his sixth of 2025, making the 24-year-old the first Australian – on a list that includes past world champions Jack Brabham and Alan Jones – to win that many races in a single F1 season.

Norris had a slight battery issue, with the Briton asking over the radio why he had “no pack”, before his race engineer assured him it was coming back, but he was not looking for any excuses afterwards.

“Oscar just did a good job. Nothing more to say. Committed a bit more through Eau Rouge, and had the slipstream and got the run,” he said.

“So, nothing to complain of. He did a better job in the beginning, and that was it. Nothing more I could do after that point. I would love to be up top, but Oscar deserved it today.”

Two-horse race

Piastri now has 266 points to Norris’s 250. The Red Bull’s reigning champion Max Verstappen is third but 81 points off the lead. The championship is more than ever a two-horse race, with Hungary up next weekend before the August break.

McLaren lead the constructors’ standings, with 516 points to Ferrari’s 248, while Mercedes fell further behind their Italian rivals on 220.

Piastri pitted on lap 12 of 44 to switch from intermediates to medium tyres on a drying track. Norris followed a lap later, but he opted for the hards and rejoined nine seconds behind.

The Briton might have hoped Piastri would have to pit again, but the Australian made the tyres last to the chequered flag on a one-stop strategy.

Piastri crossed the line 3.415 seconds clear of Norris, who had been chasing a third win in a row, and managed to reduce the gap in the final laps before late mistakes left the ever-calm Australian under no pressure.

Saturday sprint winner Verstappen finished fourth in his team’s first Grand Prix since the dismissal of team boss Christian Horner, with George Russell fifth for Mercedes.

Williams’s Alex Albon held off Ferrari’s seven-times world champion Lewis Hamilton – last year’s winner with Mercedes – to secure sixth.

Hamilton had been one of four drivers due to start from the pit lane, but given a big boost by the switch to a rolling getaway and a fresh engine installed overnight.

The Briton was also the first to make the decision to switch to slicks and pit, gaining six places.

Liam Lawson was eighth for Racing Bulls, with Gabriel Bortoleto ninth for Sauber and Pierre Gasly securing the final point for Alpine.

Tom Lehrer, an acerbic songwriter and Harvard-trained mathematician who rose to fame in the 1950s and ’60s by pillorying the sensibilities of the day, has died at age 97.

Lehrer died at his home in Cambridge, Mass., on Saturday. His death was confirmed by friends on Facebook. No cause of death was given.

The bespectacled Lehrer began performing on college campuses and clubs across the country in the 1950s, playing the piano and singing darkly comedic numbers that he penned on topics such as racial conflict, the Catholic Church and militarism, earning him the sobriquet of “musical nerd god.” In “National Brotherhood Week,” which lampooned the brief interlude of imposed tolerance celebrated annually from the 1930s through the early 2000s he wrote:

Oh, the white folks hate the black folks
and the black folks hate the white folks,
to hate all but the right folks is an old established rule …
But during National Brotherhood Week (National Brotherhood Week),
Lena Horne and Sheriff Clark are dancing cheek to cheek.
It’s fun to eulogize
The people you despise,
As long as you don’t let ‘em into your school.

Lehrer’s songs also took aim at then-taboo subjects such as sexuality, pornography and addiction.

In 1953, his self-released album “Songs of Tom Lehrer” became an underground hit. Produced for $40 and promoted by word of mouth, the cover image was of Lehrer in hell playing piano as the devil. It eventually sold an estimated 500,000 copies and sparked demand for concert performances around the world.

During the mid-1960s, Lehrer contributed several songs to the satirical NBC news show “That Was the Week That Was,” hosted by David Frost. The show inspired Lehrer’s third album, “That Was the Year That Was.” Released in 1965, it reached the 18th spot on American music charts.

On the occasion of his 90th birthday in 2018, Los Angeles Times columnist Michael Hiltzik wrote that Lehrer’s lyrics were written “with the facility of William S. Gilbert and tunes that evoked the felicity of Sir Arthur Sullivan. Lehrer’s work bounced the absurdities and paranoias of that period back at us, in rhymed couplets and a bouncy piano beat.”

Tom Lehrer circa 1970.

(Michael Ochs Archives)

Thomas Andrew Lehrer was born in New York City on April 9, 1928, to a middle-class family. His father James Lehrer was a successful necktie manufacturer.

As a child he took piano lessons but preferred Broadway show tunes — with a particular affection for the works of Gilbert and Sullivan — to the classics. After entering Harvard University at age 15, his penchant for sardonic humor surfaced in his parody song “Fight Fiercely Harvard,” which challenged the football team’s reputation for toughness and earned him a measure of renown on campus.

For a time he followed a dual track, music and academia, though he never completed the PhD thesis he began while pursuing doctoral studies at Harvard and Columbia University. After a two-year break between 1955 and 1957 when he served in the Army, Lehrer once again performed concerts across the U.S., Canada and Europe.

In a 1959 Time article, the magazine described Lehrer and fellow comedians Lenny Bruce and Mort Sahl as the symbols of a new “sick” comedy. “What the sickniks dispense is partly social criticism liberally laced with cyanide, partly a Charles Addams kind of jolly ghoulishness, and partly a personal and highly disturbing hostility toward all the world.”

Lehrer’s work opened the door for generations of musical satirists including Randy Newman and “Weird Al” Yankovic and exerted an influence on everything from the musical skits of “Saturday Night Live” to the mockumentary “This Is Spinal Tap.”

“He set the bar for me — and provided an example of how a nerdy kid with a weird sense of humor could find his way in the world,” Yankovic once said of Lehrer.

“Done right, social criticism set to a catchy tune always makes politics easier to digest,” Lizz Winstead, co-creator of “The Daily Show,” told Buzzfeed in an article examining Lehrer’s influence on modern satirical comedy.

But Lehrer was first and foremost an academic, over the course of his career teaching math and musical theater at Harvard, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and UC Santa Cruz and working for a time at the Atomic Energy Commission. He viewed entertainment largely as a sideline, and by the late 1960s had grown weary of life in the public eye.

After several pauses to focus on his academic pursuits, he stepped off the stage in 1967 following a concert in Copenhagen. In 1971, he wrote songs for the PBS children’s series “The Electric Company.” His last turn in the spotlight was a year later. After performing at a presidential campaign rally for the Democratic nominee, South Dakota Sen. George S. McGovern, he gave up performing for good.

Lehrer explained his retreat from the stage by saying that “political satire became obsolete when Henry Kissinger was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize.” In an interview with the New York Times, he elaborated: “The Vietnam War is what changed it. Everybody got earnest. My purpose was to make people laugh and not applaud. If the audience applauds, they’re just showing they agree with me.”

But audiences were not through with Lehrer.

After nearly a decade in self-imposed exile, Lehrer became a hit once again in the early 1980s when Cameron Mackintosh, the British theatrical producer, created “Tomfoolery,” a revue of Lehrer’s songs that opened in London‘s West End before going to to play New York, Washington, Dublin and other cities.

Despite the public acclaim, Lehrer maintained a fiercely private life. He never married nor did he have children.

In 2020, Lehrer announced through his website that he was making all of the lyrics he wrote available to download for free without further permission, whether or not they were published or retained a copyright.

Two years later he went further in relinquishing his rights, saying: “In short, I no longer retain any rights to any of my songs. So help yourselves, and don’t send me any money.”