Clear your schedule. The FIFA World Cup 2026 has arrived! From global icons like Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo, Kylian Mbappe and Harry Kane to emerging talents such as Lamine Yamal, Arda Guler, Yan Diomande and others, the world’s finest footballers will gather across North America for the sport’s biggest spectacle. Recommended Stories • list 1 of 4Everything you need to know about the FIFA World Cup 2026 stadiums • list 2 of 4Confirmed squads for all 48 nations competing at the FIFA World

SEATTLE (AP) — Part of one of the most far-reaching ocean monitoring systems ever constructed will be taken offline this month as researchers sail off the coast of Oregon to retrieve a scientific buoy anchored deep in the Pacific Ocean. The buoy, positioned about 80 meters (260 feet) beneath the surface, is scheduled for removal on June 16 from the Ocean Observatories Initiative. This vast network, made up of more than 900 ocean sensors and built at a cost of $386 million, has delivered

The occupation of the Azov Sea coastline by Russian forces and the ongoing hostilities have severely affected the region’s environment. In particular, there is a real risk that species unique to this area could disappear. According to Maksym Vysochyn, PhD in Biological Sciences and Associate Professor at the Department of Ecology of Ivano-Frankivsk National Technical University of Oil and Gas, the conflict may also have disrupted established bird migration routes. How have the war and

Turin is often described as one of Italy’s most exacting food capitals, shaped first by the refined tastes of the House of Savoy and later by the philosophy of the slow food movement. That heritage lives on in its grand cafés and historic restaurants, where dining can feel elegant and ceremonial. Yet that is only one side of the city. As a local, I’m far more attached to a humbler institution: the piòla. Piòle were never true restaurants. They were modest places to drink a glass of barbera,

A former chief executive of Marks & Spencer has been named as a government adviser on employment, marking the latest effort to confront the escalating crisis of youth unemployment. Marc Bolland, who led the high street retailer between 2010 and 2016, is set to chair a summit bringing together senior business figures, as concerns grow that the UK could face a “lost generation” without swift and decisive action. Roughly 1 million young people aged 16 to 24 — around one in eight — are

For four years, Vitalina Martynovska and her colleagues had been preparing a full-scale renewal of Kyiv’s National Chornobyl Museum. The redesigned galleries featured modern, streamlined displays intended to present a renewed narrative of the reactor explosion on 26 April 1986 — the gravest nuclear disaster in history. The catastrophe hastened the collapse of the Soviet Union and remains a defining event in Ukraine’s modern identity. The updated museum was meant to highlight not only the heroic

“How far back would you like to go?” Paul McCartney asks as we sit side by side on a small sofa in his office overlooking London’s Soho Square. The space carries a deep, resinous scent with something faintly churchlike in the air. A large green glass candle rests on the windowsill, and beyond it plane trees shimmer in the bright early afternoon light. McCartney purchased the building in 1974, and it has long housed his publishing company and various creative ventures. On another floor, members

Brazil’s preparations for the World Cup suffered an early setback after Neymar missed the national team’s first training session to undergo medical examinations, casting uncertainty over his role in the squad. The Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF) announced that the 34-year-old forward, who is recovering from a right calf injury, did not participate in the closed training session at the Granja Comary complex. Instead, he was sent to a private clinic in Teresopolis for imaging tests to

Mohammed Odeh, the commander of Hamas’s armed wing, was killed in an air strike in the Gaza Strip on Tuesday, just days after his predecessor died in a comparable operation. According to local medics and witnesses, at least three Palestinians were killed and dozens injured when the strike hit a residential building in one of the busiest market districts of Gaza City. Israel’s military and the Shin Bet security agency said the buildings targeted were being used as a hideout by Odeh. Officials

WASHINGTON (AP) — Each morning, Anna Gomez reaches for her phone with a single question in mind: Has President Donald Trump dismissed her yet? For the moment, she remains the only Democrat serving on the Federal Communications Commission. From that position, she has taken on what she views as an urgent responsibility — urging media organizations to resist what she describes as an administration determined to restrict free expression. Her most immediate concern is Disney, the parent company of

QUETTA, Pakistan (AP) — A suicide attacker drove an explosives-packed vehicle into the vicinity of a railway line just as a passenger train was passing through the southwestern city of Quetta on Sunday, killing at least 19 people and injuring more than 70 others, authorities reported. The powerful blast caused two train carriages to derail and burst into flames, with thick black smoke rising above the scene, as seen in videos posted online. The bombing occurred in an area typically monitored by

Summer 2026 was expected to mark a strong return to big vacations for many Americans. Instead, rising fuel prices, uncertainty around long-haul routes and a more cautious economic outlook are reshaping the kinds of trips people feel comfortable taking. We spoke with travellers across the US to learn how their plans are evolving. This year’s travel season is proving unusually complex. Flight paths across parts of the Middle East have been disrupted, gas and jet fuel prices have climbed and

Drivers scaling back their petrol and fuel spending at the sharpest pace since the Covid lockdowns of 2020 pushed retail sales in Great Britain to their steepest monthly fall in a year. The Office for National Statistics (ONS) reported that total retail sales volumes dropped by 1.3% in April compared with March. This marked the largest monthly decline since May of the previous year and was significantly worse than the -0.6% decrease analysts had anticipated. Fuel sales tumbled by more than 10%

On May 21, 2026, as Saturn turns direct, the Universe prepares a serious test for three zodiac signs. The energy of this planet can feel heavy and demanding, yet even the most complicated situations will prove manageable in the end. This day will call for deep trust in your own intuition. At times, circumstances may seem to push your patience to the limit, but your inner voice will quietly remind you that everything is unfolding as it should. Despite moments of anxiety or irritation, Saturn

LONDON (AP) — The British government has discreetly relaxed certain restrictions on Russian oil in a move aimed at shielding households from rising living expenses following the shutdown of the Strait of Hormuz. A new trade license that took effect on Wednesday allows the import of Russian crude that has been processed into jet fuel and diesel in other countries, including India and Turkey. The conflict involving the United States, Israel, and Iran, along with Tehran’s decision to close the

The United States has announced a further 30-day extension of a sanctions waiver that permits the purchase of Russian seaborne oil, aiming to support “energy-vulnerable” nations affected by the conflict involving Iran. The decision reverses earlier indications that no additional extension would be granted. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent stated that the department issued a new 30-day general license after the previous waiver expired on Saturday. The measure allows temporary access to Russian

The countdown has begun for Q-Day — the uncertain but inevitable moment when quantum computers become powerful enough to swiftly crack the encryption that protects most of today’s online communications. Researchers have understood this theoretical danger since the 1990s. Recently, however, Google cautioned that some encrypted systems could be vulnerable as early as 2029 — a projection that sharply shortens the preparation window many cybersecurity experts once assumed they had. If accurate,

From far-flung islands and untamed moorland to tranquil canals and vast, star-filled skies, these six destinations capture the very essence of England in summer. Summer in England has a gentle, heady charm. As daylight lingers late into the evening, London’s parks fill with picnickers and festival crowds, while the golden stone of Oxford, Bath and the Cotswolds radiates warmth beneath the afternoon sun. Each year, the summer solstice once again casts its ancient spell over Stonehenge. Yet

WASHINGTON (AP) — American and Nigerian forces have killed a senior Islamic State leader in Nigeria during a joint operation conducted on Friday, U.S. President Donald Trump announced. In a late-night social media statement, Trump disclosed the mission carried out in Africa’s most populous nation but provided limited operational details. He identified the militant as Abu Bakr al-Mainuki and described him as the Islamic State group’s global second-in-command, saying he had attempted to conceal

Homo erectus, a prehistoric human species, was the first of our ancestors known to leave Africa. It spread across multiple continents and survived for nearly 2 million years. Despite its long history and wide reach, the species remains one of the most puzzling chapters in human evolution, largely because usable genetic material has been extremely difficult to recover. Researchers have now extracted ancient proteins from six teeth discovered in China, uncovering for the first time a molecular