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EU leaders set to meet after deadly strikes on Ukraine, including Unesco-listed religious site in Kyiv – Europe live

Meanwhile, the European Council president, António Costa, said that “the massive bombings and attacks overnight targeting civilians and the Kyiv Pechersk Lavra, a Unesco site, are yet another reminder that Russia is continuing its escalation.” He added: “These attacks demonstrate Russia’s unwillingness to engage seriously in peace negotiations. But time is not on Russia’s side. When G7 Leaders meet in Evian today, we will discuss how to increase pressure on Russia to come to the negotiating table for a just and lasting peace in Ukraine.”

Middle East crisis live: US and Iran say peace deal reached but Israel rules out withdrawing from Lebanon

The head of the International Maritime Organization has welcomed the framework peace agreement, saying it is an indication od a “crucial return to peace”. “This signals a crucial return to peace, dialogue, multilateralism and diplomacy, and in particular, an important step toward restoring safety in this vital maritime corridor for seafarers and ships, as well as safeguarding the fundamental principle of freedom of navigation,” he said in a statement. “The agreement also allows IMO to advance its plan to evacuate the thousands of seafarers stranded in the area. The organization is working in close collaboration with member states and partners to implement this plan safely and effectively. However, its implementation will require time to ensure that all necessary safety and security guarantees are in place.” Donald Trump said the strait of Hormuz will reopen on Friday after the initial memorandum of understanding is signed (in Switzerland), and confirmed the US naval blockade on Iranian ports will be lifted. Under the terms of the deal, the strategic waterway, through which a fifth of the world’s oil and liquid gas usually passes, would be gradually reopened as Iranian forces clear mines during the first month. However, there remains uncertainty about the status of the strait going forward. In an interview with the NY Times on his 80th birthday yesterday, Trump claimed the waterway will be “permanently toll free” . But on Iran’s Mehr state news, it was reported that a memorandum of understanding between the governments calls for the reopening of the strait within 30 days under “Iranian arrangements”.

Indian outrage over US killing of sailors mounts as leaders attend G7 summit

Fury has continued to mount in India over US refusal to apologise for the deaths of Indian sailors killed in strikes in the strait of Hormuz, further straining relations between the two countries as their leaders meet at the G7 summit in France this week. Last week, three Indian seafarers, who were working on board commercial oil tankers, were killed when the US launched missile strikes on the vessel as it sailed through the strait of Hormuz. The deaths were the first fatalities since the US military began in April its blockade of the strait in an attempt to squeeze Iran’s economy and push its government towards a peace deal. However, the seemingly blase response from the US government to the killing of the sailors has been the cause of great consternation in India. Headlines over the weekend simply read: “No apology from Washington.” The initial US government statement initially did not even make any mention of the deaths, instead just confirming that its forces had carried out a strike on a vessel in the strait that was allegedly in violation of sanctions, and which had been “uncooperative”. The Indian government first condemned the strikes with “strong protest” and summoned a senior US diplomat to convey that the strikes must stop. But as pressure over the attack continued to build in Delhi, India’s foreign minister, Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, spoke directly to the US secretary of state, Marco Rubio, sending a signal that India would not simply let the matter slide. “Such lethal actions against commercial shipping are not justified,” said Jaishankar’s statement. In return, however, Rubio appeared unrepentant and simply doubled down on justification while refusing to offer any kind of condolence. “Violations of the US blockade and the illicit transport of Iranian oil will not be tolerated,” said the state department readout. The terse exchange is likely to put even more pressure on the relationship between Delhi and Washington, which were once seen as robust and thriving but have become increasingly more complex and strained in recent months due to economic and political tensions. Modi has already flown to France to attend this week’s G7 summit, where he is expected to meet the US president, Donald Trump, on the sidelines. Many expect that the deaths of Indian citizens will feature prominently in their discussion. Back home, the political pressure has been mounting for Modi to publicly raise his objections. The families of the three sailors who died came out publicly demanding answers for how the men had become collateral damage in the conflict and calling for their remains to be brought back. “I have only one demand: that my son’s remains be brought back,” said Rajesh Sharma, the father of 23-year-old Aditya Sharma, who was one of the sailors killed. “I want to know what happened in his last moments. Was he given any rescue assistance? What circumstances led to the deaths of three crew members from our country?”. On Sunday, India’s leader of the opposition, Rahul Gandhi, accused the prime minister of being “silent” over the killing of innocent Indian citizens who were simply doing their jobs, and of kowtowing to the US government. “Foreign powers kill our citizens. Our government quietly obeys orders like an obedient servant and our citizens are left to rot,” said Gandhi. The attacks have also further fuelled anti-US sentiment in India, which is already rife due to the disregard with which the Trump administration is seen to treat India, while claiming it is a strategic ally. India bore the heaviest brunt of Trump’s tariffs, causing economic devastation, and analysts have described a widening “trust deficit” between the two countries, especially as Trump has drawn closer to Pakistan. A recent visit to Delhi by Rubio was seen to do little to help restore relations. While Trump and Modi have in the past had a jovial relationship, they will be meeting at the G7 with relations at their lowest ebb in years. Shashi Tharoor, an opposition MP and chair of India’s parliamentary committee for external affairs, described Rubio’s statement in response to the strike as “deeply shocking”. “How can a ‘friend’ and strategic partner be so deeply insensitive?” questioned Tharoor. “Practically every merchant ship navigating these crucial waters has Indian crew on board. Are they all considered fair game for US missiles now?” The US foreign policy analyst Derek J Grossman was also damning in his analysis of Rubio’s response. “Rubio’s words were very tone deaf and will further inflame anti-US sentiment,” he said. “He didn’t even express condolences for India’s loss of life. Some ‘friend’ Trump’s America is to India.”

Kyiv monastery set on fire in night of Russian attacks across Ukraine

A massive Russian missile and drone attack on Kyiv has badly damaged the Dormition Cathedral in the Pechersk Lavra monastery complex, a Unesco world heritage site and one of Ukraine’s most significant religious and cultural sites. Nine people were killed across the country, including four in Kyiv, where waves of drones and missiles drove residents to underground shelters and heavy explosions echoed throughout the capital. Kyiv’s Oleksandr Dovzhenko national film studio, which houses Ukraine’s largest and oldest costume collection, was also hit. ⁠Volodymyr Zelenskyy described the cathedral attack as “one of Russia’s most serious crimes against Christian culture to date” and urged G7 leaders meeting in France on Monday to increase their pressure on Moscow. “It is very important that there be a response from the G7 countries, which are now gathering for their summit – and that this response be decisive and substantive: more pressure on the aggressor and more support for Ukraine’s air defence, especially anti-ballistic capabilities,” the Ukrainian president said. Russia denied targeting the cathedral and claimed it had been hit with a US-made Patriot air-defence missile. Outside the Perchersk-Lavra complex on Monday morning a group of state security officers stood over the remains of two Shahed drones at the site, contradicting the Russian claim. Further along the road, a tumbled gilded dome lay in the street where it had been toppled by a drone that had struck the upper floors of the Art Arsenal museum space. “I only heard one of the two strikes at 4.55am in the morning,” said a young priest who volunteers as an army chaplain and declined to give his name. “The explosion was massive and blew open one of our windows,” he added as he tugged at a section of copper roofing. “Everything was shaking. “I’m from Bakhmut [the Donbas city levelled during Russia’s devastating siege and capture]. This site is important to everyone. But for the Russians nothing is sacred there is no sanctuary. They will claim there was a military object here because they have no values.” Ukraine would be “urgently initiating” procedures within Unesco and other international mechanisms to ensure “immediate and adequate responses to this state barbarism”, the foreign minister, Andrii Sybiha, said on X in reference to the monastery attack. France’s foreign ministry said the attack on Pechersk Lavra ‌was the equivalent of a strike on the Notre Dame cathedral. Its foreign minister, Jean-Noël Barrot said it demonstrated the extent of Russia’s “cruelty”. As dawn broke and the monastery was still burning, staff rang bells in a gesture of defiance. On Sunday, Zelenskyy said he had spoken to Donald Trump about efforts to end to the more ⁠than four-year conflict. Ukraine’s military said on Monday morning that Russia had launched 70 missiles and 611 drones on Ukraine overnight and that its air ‌defence had shot down 50 missiles and 582 drones of various types. The attack was launched as global attention was focused on the latest efforts by the Trump administration to sign a peace deal with Iran, and in the midst of Trump’s cage-fighting spectacle on the White House lawn to mark his 80th birthday. Footage from the Perchersk Lavra showed flames licking up towards its domes. Six people were reported injured. “[T]he roof of one of the holiest places in the Christian world – the Dormition Cathedral of the Kyiv Pechersk Lavra – is burning,” Metropolitan Epiphanius, the head of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine, wrote on X. “What more must the Kremlin Antichrist do for the world to realise that decisive action must be taken so that the Russian terror against Ukraine and the very principles of peace come to an end?” Yulia Svyrydenko, the prime minister, posted a picture of the monastery building in flames and wrote: “A brutal assault on our people ‌and our heritage. This is the true face of Russia’s Orthodox values. We ask for prayers for the salvation of the shrine from destruction. Another Russian crime against humanity, against history, against Christianity.” Damage was reported at 16 locations across the capital amid the sound of interceptor launches and explosions that shook windows in the city centre. “New launches targeting the capital keep being recorded,” said Tymur Tkachenko, the head of Kyiv’s military administration, urging people to remain in shelters. Four people were killed and 23 injured in Kyiv, Tkachenko said. Outside the capital, at least five people were killed in the city of Kharkiv in what appeared to be a double-tap strike targeting emergency responders. Prior to the attack, amid evidence of mounting battlefield setbacks for Russia, the president, Vladimir Putin, had warned that Moscow would target Ukraine with “systemic” strikes. Kyiv had been relatively quiet in recent days as Moscow prepared its drone and missile forces. Poland, an EU and Nato member, scrambled fighter jets and put ground-based air defence systems and radar reconnaissance on a state of readiness, the Polish armed forces said on Monday morning. Ukraine has recently intensified attacks on Russian industrial and energy facilities, as it tries to deprive Moscow of revenues and ⁠hasten an end to the war. On Monday, three people were killed and another three, including a one-year-old child, were injured in a drone attack on the Russian city of Tula, an industrial cluster south of Moscow, the regional governor said in a Telegram post. Ukraine also moved overnight to cut off further supplies from the Crimean peninsula, annexed by Russia in 2014 and already grappling with a fuel crisis, by hitting two bridges connecting it to the Russian-controlled areas.

UK parents: how do you feel about the under-16s social media ban?

The UK government has confirmed a social media ban for under-16s We’d like to hear from parents and carers about their views on the ban. Do you support restrictions on children’s access to social media? If you have children aged 16 and under, how do they feel? And what are the views of your older children? Do you have concerns? If you’re having trouble using the form click here. Read terms of service here and privacy policy here.

US and Iran reach framework peace deal to end war

A framework peace deal between the US and Iran has been reached, Donald Trump and senior Iranian officials have said, bringing the 15-week conflict to a tentative end and offering hope of relief for the Middle East and the world economy. The secretariat of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council said war and military operations on all fronts, including Lebanon, would end permanently from Monday night. The precise terms of the deal remain unclear but in a statement posted to Truth Social on Sunday evening, the US president announced the opening of the strait of Hormuz as well as the removal of the US naval blockade. “Ships of the World, start your engines. Let the oil flow!” he wrote. Trump later clarified that reopening the strait would depend on the signing of an initial memorandum of understanding on Friday, which Pakistan, acting as mediator, said would take place in Geneva. Leaked drafts suggest the memorandum will trigger an immediate 60-day period of intensive technical talks, during which the most contentious issues, including Iran’s nuclear programme, will be discussed. Iran’s deputy foreign minister, Kazem Gharibabadi, confirmed that negotiators would seek to reach a broader agreement that would include sanctions relief for Iran. News of the full reopening of the strait of Hormuz, through which a fifth of the world’s oil and liquid gas pass, sent stock markets higher and oil prices lower on Monday morning. Iran had closed the waterway to most shipping in the early days of the conflict. Trump will travel to the French Alps on Monday to meet the leaders of Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan and the UK at a potentially acrimonious G7 summit. The US president and other senior officials have repeatedly accused European allies of failing to provide adequate support during the war. Several European leaders, in turn, have sharply criticised his decision-making throughout the conflict. JD Vance, the US vice-president, is expected to attend the signing ceremony. The Iranian delegation is likely to include Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, the Iranian parliamentary speaker and lead negotiator, and Abbas Araghchi, the foreign minister. Shehbaz Sharif, the prime minister of Pakistan and a lead mediator during negotiations in recent months, announced the agreement on Sunday afternoon, saying both sides had declared “the immediate and permanent termination of military operations on all fronts, including in Lebanon”. Israel has fiercely resisted Lebanon’s inclusion in the deal, where its forces have mounted a sweeping offensive and occupied a swath of land in the south. Trump called for restraint on Sunday after Israel launched fresh airstrikes on Beirut. Israel braced for retaliatory Iranian missile strikes after its attack destroyed a building in the Lebanese capital’s southern suburbs, killing three and injuring six. Israeli military officials said the strike targeted senior Hezbollah commanders after the militant Islamist organisation, which has close ties to Tehran, launched three projectiles into northern Israel. Reports suggested Trump made minor last-minute concessions after the Israeli strike, possibly over the timing of the lifting of the US naval blockade, to allow the deal to go ahead. There has been no official response from Benjamin Netanyahu, who faces a tough battle for re-election this year. The Israeli prime minister must now explain to voters why so few of the objectives he outlined at the start of the conflict have been achieved. Israeli officials are also likely to be disappointed that neither Iran’s support for regional militant movements, including Hezbollah, nor its ballistic missile armoury are reportedly on the agenda in negotiations over a final agreement. The talks are likely to focus on Iran’s nuclear programme, with the US pressing Tehran to dilute its stockpiles of highly enriched uranium stockpiles and accept new restrictions and monitoring measures. Experts have warned that it is unlikely that a comprehensive agreement on such complex, technical issues will be reached with such a short timeframe, making it likely that negotiations will drag on. Iran, meanwhile, is keen to secure sanctions relief for Iran and the release of billions of dollars in frozen assets. The US blockade has further damaged the country’s crisis-hit economy, making relief imperative for Iranian policymakers. Inflation has soared and there are shortages of some basic goods. Other issues could also pose challenges, including disagreements over Iran’s demand to charge de facto tolls – potentially disguised as service fees – on shipping through the strait of Hormuz. Iran’s Mehr state news agency reported that the memorandum of understanding called for the reopening of the strait within 30 days under “Iranian arrangements”. The US has long maintained that any tolling arrangements on international shipping – such as those reportedly discussed with Oman – would be unacceptable. There has also been opposition to the deal in Iran and the US, including from hardline factions linked to Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, whose influence has grown during the conflict. While the war has become a political liability for Trump, with polls showing Americans deeply frustrated by rising fuel prices in the run-up to midterm elections in November, some Republicans favour a tougher approach. The Republican senator Lindsey Graham, a leading Iran hawk, welcomed the deal but said he would be “watching closely” the negotiations on the nuclear programme. “Under our law, any nuclear deal with Iran will be sent to Congress for review and a vote,” he said. Trump has told the New York Times that if Tehran fails to reach a nuclear deal, it could face renewed military action. Iran has long maintained that its nuclear programme is peaceful and has not publicly committed to giving up the highly enriched uranium, which is believed to be buried beneath three nuclear sites heavily damaged by US strikes last year. Trump withdrew the US from the 2015 multilateral agreement negotiated by Barack Obama, which lifted sanctions on Tehran in exchange for limits on its nuclear programme, including international inspections. In a joint statement, the UK, Germany, France and Italy said they were prepared to lift sanctions on Iran in response to “clear, verifiable steps” to limit its nuclear programme. Before the deal was announced, a senior Iranian official told Reuters that, under the terms of the draft, the US would agree to release $25bn in frozen Iranian assets. The Trump administration has previously said any release of Iranian funds would occur only after Iran had met specific conditions under a peace deal. Thousands of people have been killed in the conflict, most of them in Iran and Lebanon, since US and Israeli forces first attacked Iran on 28 February. Iran retaliated with attacks on Israel and Gulf states hosting US bases, targeting military and civilian infrastructure.

Son of Norway’s crown princess convicted of rape and sentenced to four years in prison

Marius Borg Høiby, the son of Norway’s crown princess, has been sentenced to four years in prison after being found guilty of several offences, including two counts of rape. He was also sentenced to a two-year restraining order against one of his victims. The verdict was handed down by the Oslo district court on Monday morning, nearly three months since Høiby’s closely watched six-week trial. Judge Jon Sverdrup Efjestad convicted him of assaulting his former girlfriend Nora Haukland, the only victim to have been publicly named. He was ordered to pay Haukland and three other women compensation. Høiby was acquitted of two other charges of rape. Høiby faced 40 charges, including four counts of rape and assault, several breaches of restraining orders, as well as drug and driving offences. One charge of violating a restraining order was later overturned. Høiby, 29, had pleaded not guilty to the most serious accusations against him, including rape, while admitting to ‌some lesser offences. He can appeal against the verdict. Høiby attended court by video link from Ila prison, which his defence said was for health reasons. Prosecutors had asked the court to sentence him to seven years and seven months in prison, while defence lawyers had argued that he should be acquitted of the rape allegations and receive no more than 18 months for the offences to which he had admitted. The rape charges involve four women between 2018 and 2024. In each case, the women are alleged to have been sleeping or heavily incapacitated. The trial came at a difficult time for the Norwegian royal family, which has been grappling with the serious illness of Høiby’s mother, Crown Princess Mette-Marit. She has also faced scrutiny over her past association with the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. Last week, Oslo district court agreed to release Høiby, who has been in custody since shortly before his trial began on 3 February, so that he could spend time with his mother as she awaits a lung transplant. However, the request was overturned by the court of appeal. The trial has attracted significant attention in Norway and abroad. Before the hearing on Monday, journalists queued outside the court before it opened at 7.30am.

Monday briefing: Trump’s late-night deal with Iran

Good morning. A war which had no clear objectives and no obvious endgame, but unleashed havoc across the globe, looks to be on the brink of coming to a close. As he prepared to mark his 80th birthday with a cage fight on the historic White House lawn, Donald Trump announced via social media that “the Deal with the Islamic Republic of Iran is now complete”. The US president has been claiming a deal is close since very early on in the conflict, but this time his words have been backed up by Iranian officials and Pakistan, which has been acting as mediator. Iran’s deputy foreign minister Kazem Gharibabadi said the agreement puts an “immediate end” to the war, including the conflict in Lebanon. World leaders, including Keir Starmer, have welcomed the news. For many, especially those whose lives have been thrown into chaos, there will be a sense of relief – even if it is tempered by doubts. Key questions remain – over the nuclear deal, the vital strait of Hormuz, of Israel’s role, and whether peace can hold. A quick piece of housekeeping first. This summer, we will be experimenting with the format of your Monday First Edition. Today, you will notice some minor tweaks that we hope will help set you up for the week. We will also be trying out more substantial changes. We want to know what you think – the good and bad, honestly – so do let us know by replying. Before that, a roundup of this weekend’s news. Weekend roundup Russia | British armed forces intercepted and boarded a Russian shadow fleet oil tanker in the Channel in the early hours of Sunday, the first time the UK has led a naval capture since the start of the war in Ukraine. Ukraine | One of the country’s most significant religious sites, Dormition Cathedral in Kyiv, was set on fire after continuing Russian bombardment. Defence | The strategic defence review row drags on, after last week’s ministerial resignations. Culture secretary Lisa Nandy revealed her department is “actively involved” in identifying cash to divert to the Ministry of Defence. Nature | A tropical western reef heron usually found between west Africa and India has been spotted in north Wales, the first time the species has been sighted in Britain. Birdwatchers are thrilled; climate scientists less so. UK news | Tommy Robinson was detained at Heathrow on Saturday. The far-right activist, real name Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, was held under counter-terrorism laws after riots in Southampton. In depth: A path to peace, but on whose terms? On the morning of Saturday 28 February, the US and Israel launched a major military offensive against Iran, hitting the country with hundreds of air strikes. By 9.45am local time, Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, was killed at his compound in Tehran in a mission that took just one minute. Trump claimed the sudden offensive, dubbed Operation Epic Fury, would give Iranians a chance to “rise up” against their rulers while Benjamin Netanyahu told Iranians to “flood the streets and finish the job”. However, things did not go according to plan - if there was indeed a plan. Iran was able to conduct a sustained, and damaging, wave of retaliatory strikes across the region, hitting critical energy infrastucture. Crucially, it closed the strait of Hormuz, sending oil prices rocketing and sparking global shortage fears. Thousands of people have been killed, primarily in Iran and Lebanon, but also in Israel and in Gulf states. Trump, meanwhile, has insisted the end of the conflict was near almost ever since it began (at least 38 times for those keeping track). He claimed his “short-term excursion” to “get rid of some evil” was – just over a week in – “very complete, pretty much”. By late March, he declared “regime change” had been achieved. A fragile ceasefire that came into effect in April broke down earlier this month when the US launched strikes across Iran, and Trump threatened further action. But the US leader suddenly changed course at the end of last week, insisting a deal was imminent. Global leaders are already reacting positively to the news of an agreement, with G7 leaders expected to discuss it in depth as they meet in France today and Tuesday. But the knock-on effects of this conflict are still likely to reverberate beyond any peace deal. *** What has been announced? Despite Trump’s grand announcement, and the flow of hopeful messages from world leaders, details of the deal are – perhaps unsurprisingly – unclear. A memorandum of understanding is due to be officially signed on Friday in Switzerland, but the precise terms have not been published. Iran’s deputy foreign minister Kazem Gharibabadi said a more expansive agreement would be negotiated during a 60-day ceasefire period. So far Pakistan and Iran have asserted that Lebanon, which has been a sticking point throughout talks, would be included in the scope of the agreement. Pakistan’s prime minister, Shehbaz Sharif, said the deal called for “the immediate and permanent termination of military operations on all fronts, including in Lebanon”. However another thorny issue – Iran’s nuclear programme – appears to still be under discussion. While Trump insisted on Sunday that “Iran will never have a nuclear weapons”, reports suggest that talks over its uranium enrichment plans would continue in this 60-day period. The lack of movement on the nuclear issue has led to skepticism over whether a deal will hold. Republican senator Lindsey Graham said he would be “watching closely” on the upcoming negotiations and added he was “somewhat concerned that Iran’s view of the agreement seems different than what the American negotiating team is claiming”. Iranian hardliners have also objected to the terms of the deal with the US, with Meysam Nili, brother-in-law of the hardline former president Ebrahim Raisi, calling the deal on the table a catastrophic capitulation. *** Will oil flow again? Trump initially said he had “authorised” the “toll free opening” of the strait of Hormuz, writing: “Ships of the World, start your engines. Let the oil flow!” But he later added that the waterway would be opened upon the signing of the deal, and “for purposes of mine removal”. That may be an indication things are not yet set in stone, but it also raises the complicated logistics of reopening the strait, which usually sees more than a fifth of the world’s oil supply pass through each day. In April, it was reported that Iran was unable to find the mines it laid in the shipping channel, and an inability to monitor operations meant the US was unable to be clear about their location. “Iranian authorities themselves don’t know [where the mines are], because mines can float away from where they were originally placed,” Pavel Molchanov, analyst at investment bank Raymond James, told Politico, adding that while some sections will be safe, “for a full recovery of shipping traffic, the mine issue will need to be addressed.” The early response to the announcement has been largely positive. Keir Starmer joined France, Germany and Italy in calling for a “toll-free freedom of navigation” to be restored in the waterway after the deal was announced. Markets also bounced on the news – overnight oil prices fell and stock markets jumped. But uncertainty remains. Earlier reports had suggested the agreement would see Iran reopen the strait and the US lift its own blockade of Iran, allowing it to sell oil. However Mehr, Iran’s state media, reported that the memorandum due to be signed this Friday says that the strait will be managed under “Iranian arrangements”. If the waterway does reopen, it could still take months for oil prices to stabilise, and experts have previously warned it could take months for global oil and gas supplies to return to normal. Last week the World Bank said the war would see global economic growth slow to 2.5%, and downgraded forecasts for two-thirds of countries. It predicted that even if the strait reopened next month, global inflation would still hit 4%, up from 3.3% last year. *** What happens now? Friday, when the MoU is supposed to be signed, is still a long way away. The volatile nature of the conflict, and the characters involved – not least Trump – make this an uneasy wait. But perhaps one of the more unusual characteristics of this conflict has been that hostilities have not just flared between sworn enemies, but allies too. Donald Trump has lashed out at a range of western leaders including Keir Starmer for failing to support him, saying of the British PM “he’s no Winston Churchill”. But his most spectacular fallout has been with the man who took him into this war: Benjamin Netanyahu. At the start of this month Trump reportedly called the Israeli prime minister “fucking crazy” for launching a strike on Beirut, adding “you’d be in prison if it ⁠weren’t for me. I’m saving your ass. Everybody hates you now. Everybody hates Israel because of this.” More recently, according to Axios, the president said Netanyahu has “no fucking judgment” and that Israeli strikes had delayed the signing of a deal. Notably, Israel has not yet commented on the deal, which it says it was not party to. As the Guardian’s senior international correspondent, Julian Borger, recently wrote, both Trump and Netanyahu have found “common remedy for their domestic predicament by going to war”. But now both find themselves playing a different game, with a US-Iran deal potentially threatening Netanyahu’s premiership, while at home, Trump desperately needs a solution to his unpopular war. The week to come Today | Keir Starmer is expected to “outline” his plan to ban access to “high risk” social media apps for under-16s. Libby covered what that might look like last week. Tuesday | Chief of the defence staff Richard Knighton will appear in front of the Lords’ international relations and defence committee at 11am to discuss the beleaguered strategic defense review. One worth watching. Thursday | It’s make or break in Makerfield for Andy Burnham, as he looks to win the byelection … and then the keys to Number 10? There are also two byelections in Scotland, one of which the Guardian has called “pivotal” for the future of energy in the country. What else we’ve been reading This is a deeply compelling piece from Rachel Aroesti on how algorithms have flattened subcultures, independent discovery and the entire concept of personal taste. From the clothes we wear to the music we like, our choices are less our own than ever. Charlie Lindlar, newsletters team Lots of these 80th birthday messages for Donald Trump made me smile, Greta Thunbergh’s in particular: “My initial thought was to give you a one-way ticket to The Hague … but that would probably go above your head.” Michael Authors from Zadie Smithand William Boyd to Ali Smith told our books team the one book to read this summer. I’m still halfway through Lena Dunham’s autobiography, so I’ve lots of catching up to do. Charlie World Cup 2026 On the pitch Netherlands 2-2 Japan | Daichi Kamada’s 88th-minute equaliser stole a point from the Dutch, who led through Virgil van Dijk and Crysencio Summerville. Germany 7-1 Curaçao | A brave World Cup debut for the Caribbean nation ended in defeat to a sharp-looking German side. Livano Comenencia’s goal to tie the game 1-1 in the 21st minute will be one of the moments of the tournament. And the rest … | And in last night’s two late games, Sweden had an easy win over error-prone Tunisia and substitute Amad Diallo struck in the 90th minute to give Côte d’Ivoire a 1-0 win over Ecuador in their ⁠Group E opener. Off the pitch DR Congo | Reporting from Houston, Nick Ames writes on how the African nationhas a “brutally tough” tournament ahead … and their world-class fashion sense. Houston | Nick also spoke to a number of very unenthused Republicans at a political convention in Texas. “I’m a fan of the sport but I don’t really understand it,” said one. ‘The big one’ | Matthew Engel has a lovely column on how World Cups, more than any other sporting event “invades” the public conscience – we all remember where we were David Beckham kicked Diego Simeone, right? Today’s fixtures • Spain v Cape Verde, 5pm on ITV • Belgium v Egypt, 8pm on BBC • Saudi Arabia v Uruguay, 11pm on ITV • Iran v New Zealand, 0200 on BBC The front pages “PM to announce ‘Australia plus’ social media ban for under-16s”, is the Guardian’s front page today. On the same topic Metro writes “Starmer is ‘gambling with young lives’”. The Telegraph says “Starmer: No more money for defence”. The i Paper goes with “Burnham: I’ll keep triple lock and look at tax cut for pensioners if I become PM” and the Express says “Stop treating pensioners as an easy target”. The Times runs with “Raid on Russian shadow vessel ‘just the beginning’”. The FT has “Trump expects deal with Iran despite Israeli hit on Beirut”. The Mirror, on its water safety campaign, says “I don’t want anyone else to go through this”. And the Sun, on the World Cup, leads with “3 Lions on alert”. Today in Focus In Makerfield for the byelection that could change everything - podcast Helen Pidd goes to Makerfield where the Labour candidate and would-be prime minister Andy Burnham faces Reform UK in a crucial byelection, and talks to the Guardian’s north of England editor, Josh Halliday, about how British politics could look very different on Friday morning. Cartoon of the day | Ella Baron The Upside A bit of good news to remind you that the world’s not all bad It was once a totter round a park in the south-west suburbs of London; now it’s a global sensation that has 12 million participants at 2,800 locations worldwide. Parkrun celebrated its millionth event this weekend, with Olympic champion Dame Kelly Holmes in attendance as thousands celebrated together at the place that started it all: Bushy Park in Hampton. In this lovely piece, Aneesa Ahmed and Sundus Abdi report on how the free weekly 5km fun run’s modest ambitions grew over two decades into a global sensation, speaking to its founders and the runners to whom it means so much. “It is like a spiritual home for some people, some have likened it to a church,” says Parkrun chief executive Elizabeth Duggan. “It’s somewhere that you go, you know people, it calms and connects. It plays a role in community, and people are keen to support and protect it.” Sign up here for a weekly roundup of The Upside, sent to you every Sunday Bored at work? And finally, the Guardian’s puzzles are here to keep you entertained throughout the day. Until tomorrow. Quick crossword Cryptic crossword Wordiply