Isaac del Toro persevered, despite a mechanical issue and a prolonged wait to change his bike, to mount a late challenge and win the second stage of the Tour de France in a time trial in Barcelona on Sunday, becoming the second Mexican rider to win a stage at the race after Raul Alcala.
France's far-right chief Marine Le Pen faces a key ruling next week that will determine if she can run in the 2027 presidential elections, in what is seen as her best chance at the top job. A lower court handed the 57-year-old politician a five-year ban from public office last year and a two-year sentence over a fake jobs scam at the European Parliament, dashing her ambition to head the EU state. FRANCE 24's Philip Turle brings you this analysis.
Howling winds and lashing rains battered Guam and the Northern Marianas late Sunday hours before the projected arrival of a "super typhoon" with equivalent force to a category-5 hurricane over the US Pacific territories. Super Typhoon Bavi was forecast to roar westwards over the area early Monday with maximum sustained winds of up to 280 kilometres (173 miles) per hour and gusts of 333 kmh, according to the Joint Typhoon Warning Center.
Ayatollah Ali Khamenei’s son and successor was not among the family members and thousands of mourners who turned out Sunday for a second day of ceremonies to honour Iran’s late supreme leader. Mojtaba Khamenei has remained out of the public eye since he was wounded in the strike that killed his father.
Wildfires sweeping southern France are threatening a stage of the Tour de France, with officials set to decide later Sunday whether Monday's race can proceed. The blaze, which has already scorched 1,500 hectares near the Pyrenees, is part of a wider wave of fires across southern Europe fuelled by extreme heat, forcing evacuations and raising fears of a long, intense wildfire season.
Iranian leaders joined prayers Sunday over the casket of late supreme leader Ali Khamenei during a second day of funeral ceremonies. Arash Azizi, contribuing writer at the Atlantic, said Iran needs to "normalise relations with the US somehow" as he pointed to the economy which is in tatters following months of conflict with the US and Israel.
Chinese tech giant Alibaba has ordered staff to stop using Anthropic's Claude Code, after it was found to be flagging users connecting from China. But Anthropic is already trying its best to stop Chinese firms from using Claude at all, and accuses Alibaba of running large "distillation" campaigns against it, saying it deployed around 25,000 fake accounts to train its own models on Claude.
Over the weekend, the Palace of Versailles celebrated the 250th anniversary of American Independence with a historical re-enactment. The French government provided covert support to US states to help them obtain independence from the British.
France is through to the round of 16 after a fierce battle with Paraguay. Paraguay sat in a low block and tried to frustrate les Bleus, often committing bad fouls, all of which went unpunished. Kylian Mbappé scored the only goal of the game, converting a penalty. Morocco were slightly stunned by Canada in the first half of their game in Houston, unfortunately, the Canucks were unable to keep the pressure going and conceded the first goal of the fixture just after half time. Last minute risks did not pay off for the co-hosts who suffered two more goals at the hands of the Atlas Lions. That 3-0 win means that Morocco will face France in the quarter finals, a dramatic remake of the 2022 World Cup.
Tollywood has received one of its biggest announcements of the year as NTR and acclaimed filmmaker Trivikram Srinivas officially reunite for a grand mythological action epic. The prestigious project will be produced under the Haarika & Hassine Creations banner by S. Radha Krishna (Chinababu) and Suryadevara Naga Vamsi. The makers unveiled the project's official announcement along with a striking concept poster carrying the powerful tagline, "The Son of Shiva. The Pride of Parvathi. The Eternal Commander." The poster has gone viral across social media, fueling speculation about the film's storyline and NTR's character. According to industry reports, NTR is expected to portray a powerful divine warrior inspired by Lord Kumaraswamy (Kartikeya/Skanda), the son of Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvathi, and the commander of the celestial army. The film is said to blend mythology with high-octane action, rich storytelling, and modern commercial elements, making it one of the most ambitious projects in Trivikram's career. Reports also suggest that the makers are considering the title "God of War" for the film, although an official confirmation is still awaited. At present, NTR is busy shooting for his upcoming film Dragon, directed by Prashanth Neel. Once that project is completed, this mythological spectacle is expected to go on floors. The production house is likely to reveal more details, including the first glimpse, cast, and technical crew, in the coming weeks.
Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei said “the face-to-face negotiations that will be held in the future will not mean accepting the enemy’s point of view.” WASHINGTON : The US on Thursday (Jun 18) lifted its blockade of Iran, and oil tankers began freely moving through the Strait of Hormuz after months of being unable to use the critical channel, as the tentative agreement to end the war took effect. Meanwhile, Vice President JD Vance announced that he may postpone a trip to Switzerland that had been planned for Friday and included a ceremonial signing of the deal. The visit might have helped start talks on the next, potentially even more critical, round of negotiations between the two sides.
Colombia next face DR Congo on Tuesday in Guadalajara after Uzbekistan play Portugal in Houston. MEXICO CITY: Colombia winger Luis Diaz dazzled at a raucous Azteca Stadium as his side marked their return to the World Cup with a 3-1 Group K win over tournament debutants Uzbekistan on Wednesday (Jun 17). Colombia, who missed the 2022 tournament in Qatar, struggled in the early stages but broke through in the 41st minute when a brilliant ball lifted into the area by Diaz was hooked in on the turn by Daniel Munoz, who had ghosted in behind the defence.
Hyderabad: With the aim of strengthening its presence in Telangana, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has intensified its organizational efforts under the guidance of the central leadership. The party is treating the upcoming Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) elections as a crucial political battle, believing that establishing a strong base in Hyderabad will pave the way for success in the next Telangana Assembly elections. As part of this strategy, BJP National President Nitin Nabin is scheduled to visit Telangana for a three-day tour. During his visit, Nitin Nabin will hold a special meeting with GHMC booth-level committee leaders this evening. He is expected to provide guidance on key aspects of election management, booth-level organization, campaign strategy, and candidate selection. Party leaders will also review the shortcomings observed in recent local elections and discuss measures to strengthen the BJP's grassroots network ahead of the upcoming polls. The BJP's immediate objective is to secure victories in the three municipal corporations. The party has already decided to contest the elections independently, without entering into any alliance. Nitin Nabin is expected to advise state leaders to establish a dedicated selection committee to identify strong candidates and ensure that the party fields capable contenders in every division. In addition, the BJP leadership is likely to emphasize the importance of voter list verification, new voter enrollment, booth-level management, and continuous engagement with voters. The party believes that a strong performance in the GHMC elections will significantly enhance its political influence in Telangana and strengthen its prospects of achieving success in the forthcoming Assembly elections.
Hyderabad: Police have solved a theft case involving a 100-gram 24-carat gold biscuit and ₹1 lakh in cash at a villa in Indu Fortune Fields, KPHB Colony. Two sisters employed as housemaids at the residence were arrested for allegedly committing the theft, and the stolen gold biscuit was recovered from their possession. According to police, the case was registered at KPHB Police Station under Crime No. 810/2026. The accused, Konala Ramya and her younger sister Karri Nagalakshmi, were working as domestic helpers and staying at Villa No. 253, where the complainant, Uddagiri Tatarao, was residing as a tenant. The theft occurred on May 19 after the homeowner's wife reportedly left a second-floor wardrobe unlocked in a hurry. The sisters allegedly noticed a 100-gram 24-carat gold biscuit and ₹1 lakh in cash inside the wardrobe. Taking advantage of the situation, they are accused of stealing both the gold and the cash. During interrogation, the accused allegedly admitted to sharing the stolen cash and spending it on personal expenses. They also confessed to hiding the gold biscuit in the room allotted to them inside the villa, intending to sell it at a later date. Acting on credible information, KPHB Police conducted a search on June 30 and detained the two women. The 100-gram gold biscuit was recovered from their room. The arrested accused, Konala Ramya (36) and Karri Nagalakshmi (34), are natives of Chagallu village in West Godavari district and were employed as housemaids in the villa. The case was investigated under the supervision of DCP Ritheeraj (IPS) and ACP E. Ravikiran Reddy. The investigation was carried out by KPHB SHO S. Rajashekar Reddy, DI K.S. Ravi, DSI Abdul Samad, and the KPHB Crime Team. Police officials stated that the officers involved in cracking the case would be commended for their prompt investigation.
