The Guardian view on the men’s World Cup: the build-up was unedifying, but now the football takes over | Editorial

Rows over US visas and excessive ticket prices have overshadowed flawed tournament preparations. But fans will still hope for a gripping spectacle One hundred and four matches involving 48 competing nations, to be played in 16 venues across a continent and four time zones: the sheer scale of the men’s World Cup in Canada, the … Read more

House panel to seek testimony from Alan Dershowitz about Jeffrey Epstein

Republican who chairs House panel says he based decision on testimony from Epstein’s longtime assistant Lesley Groff Representative James Comer, the Republican who chairs the House committee on oversight and government reform, announced that he would be asking Alan Dershowitz, Epstein’s former attorney, to appear before the panel as part of its investigation into Jeffrey … Read more

Hegseth warns Cuba against acquiring weapons in visit to Guantánamo Bay

US defense secretary continues ramp-up of pressure against country including sanctions and devastating oil blockade Pete Hegseth has warned Cuba against acquiring weapons that could threaten the United States, during a visit to the US military base at Guantánamo Bay. Washington has ramped up pressure against Cuba with sanctions and a devastating oil blockade, and … Read more

Trump’s slush fund is gone – but his IRS agreement is a new level of self-dealing | Mohamad Bazzi

The president’s immunity from continuing audits made fewer headlines than the ‘anti-weaponization fund’, but it’s no less egregious Last week, Todd Blanche, the acting US attorney general, told Congress that he was abandoning plans to establish a $1.8bn fund to compensate Donald Trump’s political allies. The administration’s attempt to use taxpayer money to pay people … Read more