On Monday, LSU gymnast Olivia Dunne delighted fans with a new series of photos on Instagram, where she exuded a 'Gossip Girl' vibe

When rosters expand come September, the Atlanta Braves should call up a few of their top prospects, including A.J. Smith-Shawver.The Braves called up Vaughn Grissom when Ozzie Albies was placed on the injured list this week, so he does not make the cut as the 22-year-old is already in the big le...

Possessing laughing gas to get a psychoactive high became illegal in Britain on Wednesday, with serial offenders facing up to two years in prison and...

Phil Foden's opener against Sheffield United was close to breaking a Premier League record.

A man tore up and burned a copy of the Quran outside a mosque in Sweden on the first day of Eid – after police granted permission for the demonstration Police later charged the man with agitation against an ethnic or national group. While Swedish police have rejected several recent applications for anti-Koran demonstrations, courts have overruled those decisions, saying they infringed on freedom of speech. "It's legal but not appropriate," Sweden’s Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson said. The protest risks sparking a fresh diplomatic row with Turkey, who have been holding up Sweden’s bid to join Nato – an application made in the wake of Russia’s invasion of UKraine – over such protests, as well as accusations from Ankara that Stockholm is harbouring people it considers terrorists. Turkey has asked for a number of extraditions and for Sweden to address its security concerns. At the protest, some 200 onlookers witnessed one of the two organisers tearing up pages of a copy and wiping them on his shoe – before eventually setting the book on fire. After the burning, police charged the man who set fire to the Koran with agitation against an ethnic or national group and with a violation of a ban on fires that has been in place in Stockholm since mid-June. Some of those present shouted ‘God is great’ in Arabic to protest against the burning, and one man was detained by police after he attempted to throw a rock. Representatives of the mosque were disappointed by the police decision to grant permission for the latest protest on the Muslim holiday of Eid al-Adha, mosque director and Imam Mahmoud Khalfi said on Wednesday. "The mosque suggested to the police to at least divert the demonstration to another location, which is possible by law, but they chose not to do so," Mr Khalfi said in a statement. Sweden applied to joint the alliance in the wake of the Kremlin launching its invasion of Ukraine last year, alongside neighbour Finland. The pair decided to drop their long-held stance of military neutrality in the face of Moscow’s aggression. Finalnd were welcomed into the bloc in April, and there were hopes that Sweden could follow suit at a summit in Lithuania in July. But that requires sign-off from all the blocs members. Beyond Turkey, Hungary has also been dragging out ratifying the move, despite officials suggesting they were behind the move. The Nato secretary-general, Jens Stoltenberg, announced on Wednesday that he has called a meeting of senior officials from Turkey, Sweden and Finland on 6 July, ahead of the summit later in the month, to try to overcome Turkish objections. "The time is now to welcome Sweden as a full member of Nato," Mr Stoltenberg told reporters as he announced his last-ditch effort. Foreign ministers, intelligence chiefs and security advisers from Turkey, Sweden and Finland, which joined Nato in April, will be taking part in the talks in Brussels. But the chance of membership being granted in July now look increasingly remote. The Turkish foreign minister, Hakan Fidan, condemned the protest as “vile” in a tweet. He added that it was unacceptable to allow anti-Islam protests in the name of freedom of expression. In late January, Turkey suspended talks with Sweden on its Nato application after a Danish far-right politician burned a copy of the Quaran near the Turkish embassy in Stockholm. In a phone call – that took place on Wednesday seemingly before the latest burning – Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan told the German chancellor, Olaf Scholz, that while Sweden had taken steps in the right direction, there were still aspects of their behaviour that were “unacceptable” to Ankara. Meanwhile, Hungary’s parliament postponed ratifying Sweden's Nato accession to its autumn legislative session. The postponement, the latest in a long succession of delays that have gone on for a year, there was no suggestion in the announcement that the protest in Stockholm had played a part. Additional reporting by Reuters Read More NATO chief convenes July 6 talks hoping to convince Turkey to let Sweden join NATO warns not to underestimate Russian forces, and tells Moscow it has increased preparedness Cleverly to renew UK backing for Sweden’s Nato bid during visit

Sales of previously occupied U.S. homes edged higher in May and the national median sale price posted its biggest annual drop in more than a decade, even as the supply of available properties sank to an all-time low

You could call her the mother of Father’s Day

The US Marine Corps is without leadership for the first time in more than a century after its commandant stepped down and a Republican party senator blocked over 200 military appointments that include a successor for the post. The marine services of the US Department of the Navy are in for a historic limbo as Alabama’s Republican senator Tommy Tuberville has blocked the nominations for months to protest against the defence department’s abortion policies. General David Berger stepped down as commandant on Monday and his assistant commandant and potential successor, general Eric Smith, stepped in as the acting leader of the US Marine Corps. His nomination by the Senate is among the 256 nominations that have been hindered by Mr Tuberville’s blockade. The Republican senator launched his bid to obstruct the nominations in response to a Pentagon policy that offers travel allowances and time off for a service member who has to go out of state to get an abortion or other reproductive care. Denouncing the policy approved by defence secretary Lloyd Austin as “illegal tax-payer funded abortions”, Mr Tuberville said his hold will have a “minimal effect” on Mr Smith’s ability to lead. Under the law, top military decisions are approved by the Senate Armed Services Committee and eventually by the consent of the full chamber. But a single objector can hold up the process. The Pentagon said the blockade could lead to the stalling of promotions of 650 personnel if it continues till the end of the year. Mr Smith was nominated for promotion by Joe Biden and his confirmation hearing was on 13 June, something that was blocked by Mr Tuberville. The stall in his promotion means he will not be able to move to the main residence of the commandant or the commandant’s office, or even issue any new formal commandant’s planning guidance, which is usual for a successor. He will have the authority to implement new policies for the services such as budget, training and other personnel decisions. “Two positions that require two different people to be in those roles will now be a dual-hatted position,” said the Pentagon’s deputy press secretary Sabrina Singh, “which of course is going to impact the US Marine Corps”. The Pentagon is asking officers to delay their planned retirements, while some officers have already taken the responsibilities of more senior ranking jobs without getting the pay for the new rank, she said. Both Mr Austin and Mr Berger have called on the Senate to take action to resolve the situation. “You know, it’s been more than a century since the US Marine Corps has operated without a Senate confirmed commandant,” Mr Austin said at a ceremony at the Marine Barracks Washington. “Smooth and timely transitions of confirmed leadership are central to the defense of the United States and to the full strength of the most powerful fighting force in history,” he said. “Stable and orderly leadership transitions are also vital to maintaining our unmatched network of allies and partners. And they’re crucial for our military readiness.” The Republican senator has been called out by senior leadership for the blockade. “This blockade weakens our national security,” said senator Jack Reed, the Democratic chairman of the Armed Services Committee. “Every day it goes on it has a more significant impact on operations within our military – all branches of our military.” “My hold is not affecting readiness,” said Mr Tuberville in a Washington Post op-ed, steadfast in his opposition to the policy. “Acting officials are in each one of the positions that are due for a promotion. The hold affects only those at the very top – generals and flag officers. The people who actually fight are not affected at all.” If the blockade continues, it will affect the appointment of the chairman of the joint chiefs of staff, as current chair, army general Mark Milley, is set to retire from the highest-ranking US military job in September. General CQ Brown, the current chief of the Air Force, has been nominated to replace Mr Milley, and is scheduled to go before the Senate Armed Services Committee for his hearing on Tuesday. Read More What are cluster bombs and what is controversial about Biden sending them to Ukraine? Biden will meet Zelensky at Nato summit in Lithuania as war with Russia rages on Biden news – live: President to meet Zelensky as palace reacts to King Charles royal protocol breach A grand jury being seated Tuesday could decide whether Trump is charged over Georgia's 2020 election Colorado lawmakers sue colleagues over closed-door meetings Texas governor names second interim attorney general ahead of Ken Paxton's impeachment trial

Alex Murdaugh is serving two life sentences after a jury found him guilty of murdering Paul and Maggie Murdaugh

Canada's annual inflation rate slowed to 2.8% in June on lower prices for gasoline as a result of

Europe made an excellent start in their bid to secure the four points needed to regain the Ryder Cup from the United States in Sunday's singles, taking early leads in...

Olivia Rodrigo has sparkled in a silver gown on the 2023 MTV VMA’s pink carpet. The “Vampire” singer arrived at the award show ceremony in a crystal-covered , floor-length liquid silver Roger Vivier gown that sparkled in every direction. Rodrigo’s appearance marks the Disney Channel alum’s first award show appearance since the recent release of her sophomore album, Guts. During this album cycle, the singer has aimed for sleeker, more glamourous looks that are definitely turning heads among her fans. She paired the dress with her hair worn pin straight and parted down the middle, choosing the soft glam look that she usually gravitates toward. She accessorised the look with a nod to her album cover with a couple of rings that spell out “Guts.” Viewers were collectively in awe of Rodrigo’s showstopping look. One fan wrote X, formerly known as Twitter: “The queen! She is dazzling!” “Olivia Rodrigo the princess that you are,” someone else wrote, comparing the singer-songwriter to Ariel in the ending scene of the animated version of Disney’s The Little Mermaid. A third commented that Rodrigo “is not playing this era”. Rodrigo’s fans aren’t the only ones excited to see her make an appearance at the VMA’s, as K-pop group Stray Kids said that the musical act they’re looking forward to seeing the most is Rodrigo. “We would really like to see Olivia Rodrigo,” group member Bang Chan told Entertainment Tonight host Rachel Smith. Read More 2023 MTV VMAs: The best-dressed stars on the red carpet, from Olivia Rodrigo to Doja Cat Selena Gomez returns to the VMAs red carpet in red gown for first appearance since 2015 MTV VMAs: Most iconic outfits of all time, from Lil’ Kim to Lady Gaga