LGBTQ+ cruise ship refused entry to Egypt days after Turkey turned it away 09. July 2026 (14:59) Scarlet Lady’s 2,000 passengers told of change as one of those onboard says they will ‘sparkle and spend elsewhere’An LGBTQ+ cruise ship blocked from Turkish waters this week has been refused entry into Egypt.The Scarlet Lady’s 2,000 passengers, including the Broadway performer Patti LuPone, woke on Thursday morning to find a note placed under their cabin doors informing them that the ship was urgently looking for alternative ports. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Pets can suffer heatstroke even when resting, UK vets warn 09. July 2026 (14:34) Most cases used to be seen after exertion or being left in cars, but extreme heat has widened riskExtreme temperatures are causing heatstroke in pets even when they are restricted to homes and gardens, vets have warned, as parts of the UK enter the third heatwave of the year.Temperatures have reached 40C or more in recent weeks in countries including Germany, France and Spain, with western Europe experiencing its hottest June on record. While such events have been linked to hundreds of excess deaths in people, the rising mercury is also taking its toll on animals. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Republicans ask WNBA to protect Caitlin Clark from possible ‘racially motivated’ attacks 09. July 2026 (14:32) Clark has been on the end of hard fouls during careerBlack players routinely receive racist abuse in WNBAEleven Republican politicians have written to the WNBA asking the league to protect Indiana Fever star Caitlin Clark from “multiple attacks” on court.Clark has been on the receiving end of hard fouls since she entered the league in 2024 after a stellar college career with Iowa. Recently, the Phoenix Mercury forward Alyssa Thomas hit Clark in the throat during a game. Thomas was not called for a foul at the time but the WNBA later suspended her for one game. Thomas and her family received racist abuse and death threats after the incident. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Species’ ingenious survival strategies no match for human destruction, red list reveals 09. July 2026 (14:20) Newly endangered animals include desert frogs and snails in extreme ocean depths, both threatened by miningLife has colonised every corner of the planet by evolving ingenious survival strategies but these are increasingly being overwhelmed by destructive human activities, this year’s red list of endangered species has revealed.Many snails, limpets and clams have adapted to life at crushing depths in the oceans on hydrothermal vents where water temperatures can reach 450C (842F). But an assessment for the red list found that two-thirds of the hundreds of mollusc species found only on deep sea vents were at risk of extinction because of deep-sea mining. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Maine Democrats plan convention to replace scandal-hit Platner – US politics live 09. July 2026 (14:19) Senate pick announced his withdrawal in angry video accusing party and media of acting as ‘judge, jury and executioner’Graham Platner ends Maine Senate campaign after sexual assault allegationSign up for the Breaking News US emailDonald Trump is back in Washington today, and he’ll spend most of the day in closed door meetings.We’ll be keeping an eye on whether the president takes to Truth Social to provide any updates on the latest strikes on Iran, and the state of any ongoing negotiations about a tenuous peace deal. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Invest in Britain or I’ll force you to, minister tells pension funds 09. July 2026 (14:13) Business secretary Peter Kyle says asset managers should feel a patriotic duty to make the UK a successBusiness live – latest updatesThe business secretary, Peter Kyle, has told UK pension funds to “get off their high horses” and invest in Britain or be forced to do so by law.Expressing frustration at the level of investment in British companies after years of government initiatives, Kyle said the UK’s biggest asset managers “should feel a patriotic duty in making Britain a success”. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Mosque effigy on loyalist bonfire in Northern Ireland condemned as ‘vile’ 09. July 2026 (14:12) Amnesty says pyre to be burned on Friday in Moygashel is ‘blatant attempt to stir up anti-Muslim hatred’A loyalist bonfire in Northern Ireland featuring an effigy of a mosque has been condemned as an incitement to hatred.The effigy sits atop a tower of pallets that is to be burned on Friday night in the County Tyrone village of Moygashel as part of wider loyalist commemorations. Placards beneath the display read “secure our borders” and “end the threat of radical Islam”. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
US and Iran trade most intense strikes since ceasefire extended 09. July 2026 (13:39) At least 14 people killed in Iran in overnight attacks as Trump declares the agreement ‘over’Middle East crisis live – latest updatesThe US launched airstrikes against Iran overnight, killing at least 14 people, while Tehran responded by hitting Gulf countries in the most intense exchange of fire since a shaky ceasefire was extended last month.The tit-for-tat strikes on Thursday were the largest since Tehran and Washington signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) on 17 June aimed at extending the ceasefire and giving space for negotiations for a permanent truce. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Brian Potter, British songwriter behind hits for Glen Campbell, Take That and more, dies aged 87 09. July 2026 (13:20) Versatile Essex-born hitmaker known for Rhinestone Cowboy, It Only Takes a Minute and many more had been living with Alzheimer’s diseaseBrian Potter, one of the most versatile and successful British producers and songwriters of his generation, has died aged 87. He had been living with Alzheimer’s disease in recent years, his daughter told Billboard.Working with American songwriting partner Dennis Lambert, the Essex-born Potter was behind an astounding array of 1970s hits spanning pop, soul, soft rock, country and beyond. The best-known include Glen Campbell’s Rhinestone Cowboy, a US No 1 in 1975; It Only Takes a Minute, a barnstorming disco hit for Tavares and later Take That; Player’s super-smooth Baby Come Back, another US No 1; and Ain’t No Woman (Like the One I’ve Got), one of the biggest hits for soul-poppers the Four Tops. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
EU’s ‘unpleasant and dangerous’ border checks need overhaul, says Greek airports boss 09. July 2026 (13:02) Airports have had to use gazebos to shield passengers from sun as they wait to be processed, says Alexander ZinellThe boss of 14 Greek airports has called for a serious overhaul of the EU’s new border checks after having to erect gazebos for passengers queuing outside.Alexander Zinell, the chief executive of Fraport Greece, joined a growing chorus of critics calling out “fundamental flaws” in the entry-exit system (EES), which requires non-EU passengers to have their fingerprints and photo taken at the start of their trip and verified every time they leave or re-enter the Schengen zone. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
