
Latest news, sport, business, comment, analysis and reviews from the Guardian, the world's leading liberal voice
Wakelyns needs £1.2m to save its diverse organic crops and ‘micro’ enterprises including a bakery and honeybee hives
The aerial view of Wakelyns matches the experience of visiting it at ground level: in a region dominated by prairie fields of industrial agriculture, here lies a vivid green lung of land. Its sounds and sights in summer – the sleepy purr of the turtle dove, the vivid pink flash of a bullfinch – have vanished from most of the British countryside.
But Wakelyns is not a nature reserve – it is a thriving farm, a “living laboratory” for agroforestry and a hub for innovation and business. It is also under threat, and its owners must raise £1.2m to turn it into a charitable community benefit society.
Continue reading...Tue, 30 Jun 2026 10:00:05 GMT
⚽️ Kick-off time: 12pm local/1pm EDT/6pm BST/3am AEST
⚽️ Player guide | Bracketology | Golden Boot | Mail Scott
Pre-match postbag. “This one is an interesting game. Ivory Coast are a team who when I looked at squad before the tournament, I was surprised at the number of good players they have and they’ve done well so far beating Ecuador and almost holding Germany (although yesterday might be putting that result in perspective). Norway are favourites but I’ve got to think the resting of so many players against France and basically throwing that game has put them under enormous pressure today. Lose today and that decision will come under enormous scrutiny. I heard the great Phillipe Auclair on World Cup Daily mention a lot of Norwegian fans were not happy with that and something like that can puncture the feel-good mood around a team. Despite all that, I’m going for Norway to win 3-1 with Haaland getting at least two goals” – John
“Will be an engaging match and both teams are quite physical and pressing in their game. But can anyone stop Haaland when he is in his groove?” – krishnamoorthy v
Continue reading...Tue, 30 Jun 2026 17:50:54 GMT
As Harry Dunn’s mother, I’ve demanded accountability. The Guardian’s discovery of other victims of US personnel shows how urgent that is
When I read about the case of Sarah Steele, the woman strangled by an American pilot, I felt a familiar sickness in my stomach. It took me straight back to the day I lost my son Harry and to the months and years that followed, when the US authorities did everything they could to deny us justice. It is almost unbearable to think that another British family has now been put through the same ordeal. I thought those days were behind us following our high-profile case, and that the US military and British police had learned their lesson. Clearly not.
What happened to Sarah, as revealed by a Guardian investigation, should shame every institution that allowed her case to slip quietly into the shadows. A woman abused on British soil by an American officer. The man responsible was a guest in our country. Yet instead of a clear and confident assertion of British jurisdiction by Cambridgeshire police, the case was allowed to drift into the US system, where a male military jury acquitted him of the more serious charge. I do not know whether the outcome would have been different under our system. That is not the point. The point is that Sarah was entitled to the protection of the law of the country in which she lived.
Charlotte Charles MBE is the mother of Harry Dunn
Continue reading...Tue, 30 Jun 2026 17:00:11 GMT
Always wondered what everyday stuff celebrities buy, where they shop for food and the basics they scrimp on? The skincare expert talks vinyl, McDonald’s tea and the body lotion she buys on repeat with the Filter
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Caroline Hirons started her career working at the Aveda counter in Harvey Nichols before launching her successful skincare blog in 2010, which has since amassed more than 160m views.
Her debut book, Skincare, was a Sunday Times bestseller. Caroline launched her skincare app, Skin Rocks, and her skincare brand of the same name in 2022.
Continue reading...Tue, 30 Jun 2026 14:00:09 GMT
Drop to 10% for pubs and eateries would be in line with most of Europe, but critics say it favours multinationals
Nearly a quarter of hospitality businesses are losing money, new data has shown, reigniting calls among chefs, pub owners and restaurateurs for their sector to be handed a reduced rate of VAT.
It may seem like a no-brainer because the measure would ease pressure on the ailing sector and put the UK in line with most European countries. But critics say the measure would be extremely costly and reward big multinational businesses, without necessarily helping to spur growth.
Continue reading...Tue, 30 Jun 2026 13:24:31 GMT
We are surrounded by sights, sounds, smells, tastes and textures – and most of it barely registers. Time to slow down and take it all in …
What was the last thing that made your body feel good? Maybe it was the first sip of tea or blast of water in your morning shower, the warm silk of a cat’s back arching to meet your fingers, pulling on a T-shirt softened by repeated washing or the moment you align the numbers on your bike lock and it releases with a weighty clonk? Maybe somewhere you encountered a paper coffee cup with a cardboard sleeve embossed with ridges that offered “a surprisingly gratifying tactile delight”? Maybe you’ve never considered paper cups much; I hadn’t before I read that in Ian Bogost’s The Small Stuff: The Sensory Enchantment of Everyday Life.
The Small Stuff is a manifesto for tuning into the tiny opportunities for gratification being human offers, even in increasingly frictionless, AI-enabled, automated lives. Starting from that paper cup, Bogost – an interdisciplinary academic at Washington University, video game designer and writer – explores how we’ve become what he calls “dematerialised” and how to fight back, analysing the idiosyncratically pleasing qualities of plastic drinking fountain tumblers, using “steel-crank-roll paper towel dispensers” and – don’t tell me this one doesn’t resonate – peeling the plastic protective film off, in his case, a wooden knife block (I have happy memories of doing this on our microwave door).
Continue reading...Tue, 30 Jun 2026 09:00:37 GMT
PM unveils long-awaited defence investment plan, which he says will mean hit to road, housing and energy schemes
Keir Starmer has warned his successor not to borrow more to pay for defence as he raided energy, transport and housing projects to plug a military spending deficit with an extra £15bn over the next four years.
The prime minister revealed his long-awaited defence investment plan (Dip) on Tuesday, after an 11-month government row that cost him a defence secretary and arguably contributed to his downfall.
Continue reading...Tue, 30 Jun 2026 14:09:41 GMT
President reacts to ruling to uphold birthright citizenship after justices strike down executive order aimed at ending longstanding principle
Supreme court upholds birthright citizenship in blow to Trump agenda
Justices allow states to ban trans women from female sports and strike down limits on federal campaign spending
The supreme court’s decision to reject Trump’s attempt to fire Federal Reserve governor Lisa Cook yesterday is part of a long-running battle over the independence of the central bank.
Trump repeatedly attacked former chair Jerome Powell for not lowering interest rates fast enough, calling him a “moron” on social media. Powell’s term ended in May this year, and he was succeeded by Trump nominee Kevin Warsh.
Continue reading...Tue, 30 Jun 2026 17:46:56 GMT
Exclusive: Pentagon files suggest some new facilities will store nuclear arsenal, with $163m also earmarked for secretive spy base
More than $4bn (£3bn) is to be spent upgrading the US government’s military and spy bases in the UK, according to official documents that shed light on the UK’s apparent role as a secretive site for American nuclear weapons.
The construction plans include building new bunkers in Suffolk, which will seemingly be used to store nuclear weapons, and modernising facilities to help covert units run secret operations.
Continue reading...Tue, 30 Jun 2026 11:00:04 GMT
Prime minister-in-waiting is seeking an interim base in the city centre before Ancoats site is completed in 2028
A civil service base that is under construction in Manchester has been earmarked for Andy Burnham’s No 10 North, according to reports.
The northern centre of government will be in Ancoats, on the outskirts of Manchester city centre, but the site is not due to be completed before 2028, according to the Manchester Evening News.
Continue reading...Tue, 30 Jun 2026 13:43:37 GMT
Offers and services for you
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LE MASSIF SPA
Envelop yourself in the energy and essences of the alpine woodland and succumb to true wellness with our exclusive selection of rituals and treatments.
The BIOAQUAM CIRCUIT includes indoor and outdoor jacuzzi (30 sqm), indoor and outdoor sauna, steam room, relaxation areas and spa buffet with infusions and detox snacks.
PRIVATE SPA. A spa within a spa: rituals and relaxation in an exclusive setting, just for you. Experience unique wellbeing, alone or with a partner.The SECRETS OF THE FOREST, enchanting itineraries, with treatments inspired by thousands of years of Alpine wisdom and therapeutic, precious products sourced from mountain meadows and woods.
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CHÉTIF RESTAURANT
Our restaurant is a journey through the authentic flavours of our mountain cuisine and traditional Mediterranean cooking.
Every day our chefs carefully prepare the best raw ingredients and proudly present the fresh pasta and desserts they have made in our kitchen with infinite passion and devotion. The carefully curated wine list, the splendour of the surroundings and the distinctive service will engage your senses and fill your holidays with memorable experiences at table too. -
DEL GIGANTE BAR
Our hotel bar is named after the “Dente del Gigante”, or Giant’s Tooth, a mountain peak more than 4,000 metres tall in the northern section of the Mont Blanc massif. After a day out on the slopes or exploring the mountains, treat yourself to a delicious afternoon tea, Italian aperitivo or glass of wine. Berni, our Bar Manager, is a real icon of Courmayeur Dolce Vita, don’t it miss it out.
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LA LOGE DU MASSIF SKI LODGE
Is your private ski lodge on the slopes of Plan Checrouit
• Restaurant with indoor and outdoor areas
• Bar and après-ski
• 3 Terraces with 360° panoramic views on Mont Blanc glaciers
• Kids club (3-12 years)
• Ski concierge service and private ski-in/ski-out room with
heated lockers and direct access to the slopes. -
GIFT VOUCHERS
The most beautiful gifts are made up of happiness, splendour and relaxation.
Exactly what we offer at Le Massif, where every moment is created from the spirit of Italian hospitality.
HOLIDAY GIFT VOUCHER
Give the gift of a holiday in search of the most prestigious wellnes.
CUSTOM GIFT VOUCHER
Choose the value of your gift voucher and give the present of cherished relaxation and pampering.
SPA GIFT VOUCHER
A relaxing day at the natural spa.
Info and reservations at reception.