europe

A POPULAR destination in Europe is cracking down on tourists – with fines dished out to rule-breakers.

The small village of Varenna, near Lake Como, is banning anyone from walking around its historic streets either bare-chested or wearing swimwear.

The new rules come as the village, which is home to only 650 people, is experiencing high levels of tourism each summer.

Tourists heading to the town will still be able to have a bare chest or wear their swimwear if they are at one of the lake’s beaches or if they are enjoying a boat trip on the lake itself.

However, if they are caught in the wrong place in the swimwear or with no shirt on, they could be fined between €50 (£42.74) and €200 (£170).

Varenna isn’t the only Italian spot to ban being shirtless and wearing swimwear in the town centre.

Read more on travel inspo

CHEAP BREAKS

UK’s best 100 cheap stays – our pick of the top hotels, holiday parks and pubs

STAYCAY

Our travel experts’ best-kept-secret UK holiday spots for summer – from £37 a night

It is also banned to walk shirtless, barefoot or in a bikini in the town centres of Sorrento and the Amalfi Coast, with fines ranging from €25 (£21.37) to €500 (£427.48).

Varenna has also introduced a number of other rules impacting tourists.

There’s also a clampdown on crowds, as tour groups are now capped at 25 people.

The aim of this is so that the village’s lanes will not be blocked.

Guides have been banned from using speakers as well.

According to The Guardian, Mauro Manzoni, Varenna’s mayor, said: “Varenna is a wonderful village, and we are proud to welcome hundreds of thousands of visitors from all over the world every year.

“However, our residents’ quality of life cannot be sacrificed on the altar of mass tourism.”

ALL over the planet are incredible islands – but these ones have been declared the best in the world.

Travel + Leisure has found the very top destinations from Asia to Africa and Australia – not to mention one spot went to the UK.

The best islands were declared from reader votes of which there were hundreds of thousands.

In top spot was the Thai island of Koh Samui which got a top score of 95.64 out of 100.

The publication said: “This first-time winner in the Gulf of Thailand—with an array of elevated accommodations, luscious jungles, and roaring waterfalls—has become a leading destination for self-care.”

It was also praised for its beaches, vibrant culture and waterfalls.

SEA VIEW

UK’s top £9.50 holiday park has waterpark & private beach with dolphins offshore

CHEAP AS CHIPS

The best British seaside resorts for a £9.50 holiday – picked by our expert

The island is south of Bangkok, known for its pretty beaches, not to mention bargain cocktails and tasty street food.

Travel Reporter Alice Penwill who went last year said: “The island has luxury resorts and picture-perfect beaches

“But the real Thailand is in the busy beach bars flogging happy-hour deals, tiny restaurants with garish tablecloths, and the constant thump of Thai boxing promotions from crackling loudspeakers.“

In second place was the beautiful Maldives followed by the Galapagos Islands and Bali.

But in 13th place is the first and only UK island to make the list – Skye and the Hebrides.

The wild Scottish archipelago is known for mountainous landscapes, rugged coastlines and rare white-sand beaches.

Travel Reporter Cyann Fielding, who visited Eilean Shona – part of the Inner Hebrides – described it as a “real-life Neverland”.

She said: “Whilst there isn’t much to do on the island, it is the perfect retreat away from the modern world and the stresses of day to day life.

“The island has an endless amount of walks you can take, and a couple of mine included heading to the summit and to the opposite side of the island where I found Shoe Bay, with a white sand beach and crystal clear waters.

“And whilst exploring the island, make sure to keep an eye out for wildlife as birds of prey often circle overhead.

“In less than 24 hours I had completely fallen in love with the island.”

Other top islands close to the UK include Malta which is dubbed one of the ‘jewels of the Mediterranean’.

Its capital, Valletta, is one of the sunniest cities in all of Europe – it gets on average 3,000 hours of sunshine each year.

The Italian islands of Sardinia and Sicily which are a short flight away for Brits also got high marks.

In Greece, Milos and Crete placed in the top 25 – as did Paros, which was last year’s winner, some of which are set to be the next big Greek island holiday destinations.

One writer visited Paros last year and loved the island for its “beautiful beaches, traditional villages and a buzzing nightlife.”

She added: “One thing I loved about the island is that it has everything you want out of a holiday.

“Whether that’s a quiet spot on a sandy beach to relax, head off on a wild boat party, or eat authentic Greek food on a candlelit table.”

Here’s the full list of the ‘best islands in the world’…

Here are Travel + Leisure’s best islands in the world – and their scores out of 100…

1. Koh Samui – 95.64
2. Maldives – 95.38
3. Galapagos Islands – 94.99
4. Bali – 93.20
5. Phuket – 93.18
6. Seychelles – 92.95
7. Fiji – 92.71
8. Sri Lanka – 92.67
9. Dominica – 91.87
10. Zanzibar – 91.83
11. Golden Isles – 91.59
12. Sardinia – 91.57
13. Skye and the Hebrides – 91.17
14. Malta – 91.00
15. Grenada – 90.36
16. Madeira – 90.33
17. Azores – 90.18
18. Maui – 89.70
19. Sicily – 89.53
20. Milos – 89.50
21. Virgin Gorda – 89.43
22. Crete – 89.39
23. Vieques – 89.38
24. Paros – 89.33
25. Kauai – 89.16

Marine Le Pen, the far-right French politician, announced Tuesday she is running for president next year after an appeals court shortened her election ban. Le Pen was convicted of embezzlement and ordered to wear a tracking bracelet and banned from running for office for five years.

DEVELOPING STORYDEVELOPING STORY,

The attacks have triggered fires in two districts of Kyiv, according to the city’s mayor.

Russian missile attacks have struck Kyiv in the third large-scale assault on the Ukrainian capital in less than a week.

Early on Wednesday, Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko said in a statement on Telegram that the Russian strikes had triggered fires in two districts of the city. It is not clear if there have been any casualties or damage.

Moscow also launched a large-scale attack on Kyiv on Monday, killing at least 14 people and damaging at least a dozen buildings.

Both Russia and Ukraine have recently expanded their use of long-range weapons, including missiles, marking a new front in Moscow’s four-year war.

Ukraine has focused its attacks on Russian energy facilities to weaken its war efforts.

Ukraine said on Tuesday that its drones attacked a dozen tankers from Russia’s “shadow fleet” over the past two days that were delivering fuel to Moscow-occupied Crimea. Kyiv’s military said they had struck eight vessels subject to sanctions in the Sea of Azov, each with a deadweight of about 7,000 metric tonnes. Two more tankers were hit later in the day.

The Sea of Azov is a key supply route for Russian forces in Crimea and other occupied parts of southern Ukraine.

Russia annexed Crimea in 2014 – in a move that has been unrecognised internationally – eight years before launching its full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

Moscow has not publicly commented on this week’s attacks on Ukraine, which also included strikes on electrical substations, radar systems, and missile installations.

Attacks amid NATO Summit

The latest exchange of fire between Russia and Ukraine also comes amid NATO’s annual summit, which began on Tuesday. The military alliance’s leaders have gathered in Turkey’s capital Ankara for the two-day summit, where defence spending and the Russia-Ukraine war is under discussion.

NATO is expected to pledge further military support for Ukraine, as President Volodymyr Zelenskyy urges the alliance to step up aid for the country’s air defences following a deadly escalation of Russian attacks on Kyiv.

Zelenskyy – who has renewed his call for Ukraine to be allowed to join the alliance – wrote on social media on Tuesday that he had signed new agreements with Estonia, the Netherlands, and Denmark in Ankara.

The deals create “new opportunities for joint production, the development of innovative defense technologies, systematic exchange of expertise, and the export of Ukrainian battlefield-proven solutions”, he said.

Further agreements are expected with Germany, Norway, Finland, and Canada.

US President Donald Trump is also expected to meet Zelenskyy on the summit sidelines on Wednesday, having spoken with Russian President Vladimir Putin ahead of the NATO gathering.

Asked about Russia’s war in Ukraine, Trump said he hoped it would be settled “soon”.

“I think they both want to make a deal,” Trump said.

“It’s too bad it took so long, but I think something’s going to come out.”

A French appeals court upheld Marine Le Pen’s conviction for misusing European Parliament funds but shortened her ban from seeking public office, keeping alive a narrow path to the 2027 presidential race. The court also ordered her to wear an electronic ankle tag.

EUROSTAR is warning of delays across Europe due to an incident on a track, with some services already cancelled.

Trains heading to and from Europe are experiencing delays and cancellations “due to emergency services attending an incident near the tracks in Lille Europe”.

Cancelled trains include:

• 3:31pm service from London to Paris
• 5:56pm service from Brussels to London, via Lille
• 6:04pm service from London to Amsterdam, stopping at Brussels, Rotterdam and Lille
• 6:40pm service from Amsterdam to London, stopping at Brussels, Rotterdam and Lille
• 7:01pm service from London to Paris
• 8:02pm service from Paris to London

There are also a number of delays to services including the 2:42pm, 3:12pm, 4:12pm, 4:40pm and 5:12pm services from Paris Gare du Nord to London St Pancras.

A service from London St Pancras to Paris at 2:31pm was also delayed.

Read more on travel inspo

GO ON

All the little-known websites for cheap or FREE tickets to gigs, theatre & festivals

CHEAP BREAKS

UK’s best 100 cheap stays – our pick of the top hotels, holiday parks and pubs

Services from Brussels to London have also been impacted including the 2:52pm and 3:52pm services.

The Eurostar website currently states: “We expect our trains between London and Lille/Brussels/Rotterdam/Amsterdam to be subject to severe delays on 07/07/2026 due to emergency services attending an incident near the tracks in Lille Europe.”

The operator is advising that if passengers would prefer to rearrange their plans, then you can change your ticket for free.

It comes as services still face disruptions following from an incident in the Netherlands last week where there was a major fire at Rotterdam Centraal.

At the time, Eurostar commented: “We’re very sorry that, due to a fire near station Rotterdam Centraal, train services across the Netherlands are currently severely disrupted and extremely limited.

“As a result, our trains are subject to significant delays and cancellations, and we’re unfortunately unable to offer alternative travel options.

“This situation will continue until 3rd July 2026. We recommend that you do not attempt to travel to or from the Netherlands until 3rd July. Instead, please cancel your journey or postpone it to a later date.”

Sun Travel has contacted Eurostar for further comment.

BREAKINGBREAKING,

Appeals court rules the far-right leader ineligible to hold public office for 45 months.

A French appeals court has opened the door for far right leader Marine Le Pen to potentially run in the 2027 presidential election but said she must wear an electronic tag.

A Paris appeals court on Tuesday ruled Le Pen guilty of misusing public funds but reduced the ban on her holding elected office to 45 months, with 30 suspended.

She must now decide whether campaigning in 2027 with a monitoring bracelet as part of her sentence to be served at home is possible.

A lower court last year sentenced Le Pen, 57, to a five-year ban from public office and two years in prison over a fake jobs scam at the European Parliament.

The three-time presidential candidate hopes to run in the race to replace outgoing centrist President Emmanuel Macron in 2027.

Le Pen has said that if the sentence prevented her from campaigning, she would hand the reins over to her 30-year-old lieutenant, Jordan Bardella, leader of their National Rally (RN) party.

More to come…

THE rollout of a new visa system for Brits entering Europe is set to be delayed AGAIN.

First announced in 2016, the new ETIAS will be required by all UK travellers visiting countries in the EU.

Similar to the ESTA required to visit America, it will be a ‘visa-waiver’ that lasts three years, or until the passport expires.

However, the introduction of the scheme has faced years of delays – and is likely to be be delayed even further.

This is due to the chaos of the EES system that launched in April, requiring lengthy biometric checks from all non-EU visitors.

Not only has this led to queues as long as five hours, but hundreds of passengers have even missed their flights.

Read more on Europe travel

EU-R ON

What’s the difference between EES and ETIAS? New travel rules this year explained

LINE UP

Fears of more summer holiday queues as EES border points ‘won’t open’ in time

And this is before the busy peak period, with fears of a “complete collapse of the system” during the summer holidays, according to the head of Europe’s airport trade body.

In response, the launch of ETIAS is now expected to be pushed back to 2027.

According to the FT, EU-Lisa – in charge of the ETIAS rollout – has expressed concerns over it being ready to go this year.

One person said they needed to “clean up EES” before they thought of launching it.

Initially thought to launch back in June, a confirmed launch date is expected to be discussed again in September.

When it does start, all travellers aged 18-70 will have to pay €20 (£18) for the ETIAS.

Anyone outside of this age bracket still need to apply, but will get it free of charge.

Applications will only take a couple of minutes to complete, but it may take up to 30 days to be approved.

A week’s stay costs significantly less than many popular European rivals

Many UK households are reconsidering their holiday plans for 2026, with nearly half (47%) of Brits with travel plans deciding to cut back due to soaring flight costs.

Research from the credit card firm Aqua examined the cost of a week’s stay in summer holiday destinations across the UK and Europe to uncover where Brits can stretch their money the furthest this year.

Albania has emerged as the top destination for a summer getaway in 2026, with return flights costing £100 and a week’s stay for two in July coming in at £381.

One British seaside resort also made a notable appearance on the list. Blackpool is the only UK destination to feature in the top 10, landing in ninth place as one of the most budget-friendly summer holiday spots for 2026, boasting the lowest average prices for local attractions (£31) and fuel costs averaging £35.

Things to do in Blackpool

Blackpool offers a wealth of attractions listed on TripAdvisor, among them Sandcastle Waterpark, Blackpool Tower Ballroom and The Blackpool Tower.

It is Blackpool Pleasure Beach, however, that sits at the top of TripAdvisor with a rating of four, based on an impressive 15,000 customer reviews. The amusement and theme park is open seven days a week, with unlimited-ride eTickets available from around £31.50 online for adults (ages 12+) and £22.50 for children, compared to gate prices of up to £50.

Ticket prices at Blackpool Pleasure Beach vary by date, and booking at least seven days in advance can save visitors up to £14 per ticket.

Those who prefer to pay as they go can purchase individual ride tickets starting from £7.

Visitors have been singing the praises of Blackpool Pleasure Beach on TripAdvisor, with one guest writing: “An amazing day on the theme park with amazing rides, all the staff were friendly and helpful, great day all round, would recommend going.”

A second visitor added: “Amazing friendly staff, always happy to help, amazing rides as well, can always have a great day at the Pleasure Beach.”

“We had a fantastic trip to Blackpool Pleasure Beach, which was enjoyed by all ages,” said another. “Our youngest is just a toddler, and our oldest is a teenager, and they both had a great time. There is really something for everyone.”

A fourth guest enthused, “Best day ever today! Jake and Jamie, who work on the Big One, you were right, it doesn’t go upside down! Although we got wetter than we ever would have on Valhalla! All staff were great, and the facilities were too. Can’t wait to come back.”

Rounding off the glowing reviews, one visitor posted: “Great, I had a wonderful time at the amusement park. I am glad I enjoyed all the attractions and entertainment. The atmosphere there was absolutely delightful. It was a pleasure to hear about such positive experiences.”

Meanwhile, at the opposite end of the spectrum, London ranks as the most sought-after staycation destination in the UK. The capital tops the list with steep accommodation costs (£1,133 per week for two adults), affordable meals (£20), and pints (£7).

Yet a number of top attractions, including the British Museum and the National Gallery, are free to enter, which helps to soften the blow on overall expenditure.

Brighton takes second place, with accommodation on the pricier side — the second highest of all destinations analysed (£1,715 a week for two adults). Falmouth, UK, follows closely in third, also driven by some of the steepest accommodation costs (£1,501 a week for two adults).

The top 10 most affordable European destinations for 2026:

1. Albania
2. Prague
3. Porto
4. Madrid
5. Lisbon
6. Costa Del Sol
7. Budapest
8. Tenerife
9. Blackpool
10. Lanzarote

Four wins to go. How can your team reach the final and win the World Cup 2026? Click here to find out.

Who: Switzerland vs Colombia
What: FIFA World Cup 2026 – Round of 16
Where: BC Place Vancouver, Vancouver, Canada
When: Tuesday, July 7, at 1pm (20:00 GMT)
How to follow: We will have all the build-up on Al Jazeera Sport from 16:45 GMT before our live text commentary stream.

The World Cup’s round of 16 concludes on Tuesday in Vancouver, as Switzerland and Colombia face off, with both aiming to match their best performances.

Colombia have established themselves as dangerous outsiders at the tournament, right from topping their group to advancing into the last-16, all while conceding just one goal.

The South Americans’ sturdy defence, though, will face a tricky test against Switzerland, whose breakout star Johan Manzambi has caught global attention.

Playing at the same venue for a third consecutive time, Switzerland has a slight advantage heading into the game. But with Colombia boasting a balance of attacking flair and disciplined defence, the Swiss will have very little space and opportunity to exploit.

Al Jazeera tells you everything about Switzerland vs Colombia:

How did Switzerland and Colombia reach the round of 16?

Switzerland topped Group B with seven points, beating Canada and Bosnia and Herzegovina, and drawing with Qatar. They sealed a 2-0 victory over Algeria in the round of 32, bringing up their first World Cup knockout victory since 1938.

Colombia topped Group K with seven points, beating Uzbekistan and DR Congo, and holding Portugal to a draw. In the round of 32, they beat Ghana 1-0.

Swiss youngster Manzambi is the man to watch

Switzerland’s 20-year-old midfielder Manzambi has arguably been their trump card at the tournament, thanks to his three goals and two assists.

Though he started his debut World Cup off the bench in the first game, the youngster has since become an integral part of the Swiss attack. From setting up chances to finishing them off in style, the swashbuckling Manzambi played an all-round role for his national side.

His breakout performance in the tournament prompted coach Murat Yakin to call him “a very precious and important player”.

“He has been constantly improving ⁠his performance. He is a team player. He’s not only a player that you like to watch … he is an all-rounder. He has many qualities and there is still so much potential in him,” Yakin added.

The Swiss attacking quartet of Manzambi, Breel Embolo, Dan Ndoye and Ruben Vargas have been in fine form, scoring eight of their team’s nine goals between them.

Should they click again and guide the team to victory, it would see Switzerland through to the quarterfinals for the first time since they hosted the tournament in 1954 – and their fourth overall (also 1934 and 1938).

Colombia coach praises his ‘versatile’ team

Colombia coach Nestor Lorenzo emphasised his “versatile” team’s ability to adapt to situations, as they look to follow in the footsteps of the their 2014 Brazil World Cup performance that resulted in the nation’s best-ever placing in the last-eight of the tournament.

“I believe it is key for us to have those types of players, players ⁠who interpret the game with simplicity, and that they know how to behave. They grasp the game, they understand the game,” Lorenzo said.

“On top of the fact that they have the physical and technical capacity that allows for improved versatility, they understand the ‌game. They understand the different moments, and it enables the team to grow. I think we have many players of this sort who are highly versatile.”

Colombia have conceded just once so far – against Uzbekistan in their opening game – and registered five goals in five games, with Daniel Munoz scoring twice and Bayern Munich winger Luis Diaz bagging a goal and assist each.

Switzerland vs Colombia prediction

The Opta supercomputer gives Colombia a 41.9 percent likelihood of winning in regulation time, while Switzerland’s chances of winning are 28.2 percent.

The model estimates a 29.9 percent probability of the game going to extra time.

Switzerland vs Colombia: How to watch, schedule

• Switzerland: RTS, SRF, RSI (10pm, Central European Summer Time)
• Colombia: Caracol, RCN Television SA (3pm, Colombia Time)
• United States: FOX, FOX One, Telemundo App, Telemundo Network, Peacock (3pm, Eastern Daylight Time)
• United Kingdom: STV, STV Player, ITVX, ITV1 (9pm, British Summer Time)

To check the TV listings for your country, head to FIFA’s TV listing schedule here.

Who will the winner face in the quarterfinals?

The winner of the Switzerland vs Colombia match will play either Argentina or Egypt in the quarterfinals in Kansas City in the US, on Saturday, July 11.

Switzerland vs Colombia: Head-to-head

Wednesday’s World Cup match between Switzerland and Colombia will be their fifth meeting across all competitions. Three of those four previous encounters were friendlies, and the most recent dates back to March 2007, when Colombia won 3-1.

The only competitive encounter between these teams was a group-stage match at the 1994 World Cup, which Colombia won 2-0.

However, Colombia’s record against European opposition this year has not been great – they lost to Croatia and France in March friendlies, and drew with Portugal in their final group game this month at the tournament.

Switzerland vs Colombia: Team news

Switzerland have a major fitness issue: Mazambi, Vargas and Djibril Sow, three influential players, quit training early on Monday, raising doubts about their availability.

“Obviously, if they have to quit the training session earlier, everybody is very annoyed because this is going to be a very big loss. If they ‌might not play, it could be a huge issue for us,” coach Yakin said.

Switzerland’s Aebischer and Jaquez are out with muscle injuries, while Colombia’s Cordoba is sidelined due to a groin injury.

Switzerland’s predicted lineup

(4-2-3-1): Kobel (goalkeeper); Zakaria, Elvedi, Akanji, Rodriguez; Freuler, Xhaka; Ndoye, Manzambi, Vargas; Embolo

Colombia’s predicted lineup

(4-3-3): Vargas (goalkeeper); Munoz, Sanchez, Lucumi, Mojica; Puerta, Lerma, Arias; Rodriguez, Suarez, Diaz

NATO leaders are meeting in Ankara, Turkiye on Tuesday and Wednesday.

The summit gets underway as US President Donald Trump renews pressure on member states over defence spending. European nations are expected to respond with billions of dollars in new military contracts.

At the NATO summit last year, members agreed to increase their target to 5 percent of GDP: 3.5 percent on military spending by 2035 and 1.5 percent on security-related needs.

Who is there and what is at stake?

Leaders from all 32 NATO member states are at the summit in Turkiye this week.

Two non-alliance heads of state will also be there: Ukraine’s Volodymyr Zelenskyy and South Korea’s Lee Jae-myung.

Australia, Japan and New Zealand are sending defence or foreign ministers, as are Gulf countries affected by the US-Israel war on Iran: Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates.

Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa is not expected to attend the summit but is holding a bilateral meeting with Trump in Ankara.

What Trump wants from NATO allies

Trump has questioned NATO’s value since his first presidential campaign. He argued that the US carried an unfair share of the costs. At the time, only five countries spent the agreed two percent GDP on defence.

His questions about shared defence responsibility have produced some results in recent years within the alliance as member states pledged an increased defence budget.

Ozgur Unluhisarcikli, the German Marshall Fund’s regional director for Turkiye, believes NATO this year will focus on implementing its promises from last year. “NATO allies just decided to increase their defence spending to five percent last year at The Hague and European allies took action to upgrade their defence industries,” he said. “This year in Ankara the discussion will be on how to translate spending to capabilities. It is therefore stronger than it was last year.”

But Paolo von Schirach, president of the Global Policy Institute, noted that any capability gains from increased spending are years away, saying that more orders mean more military hardware but only eventually. “You can spend a lot and obtain not too much,” he said.

What Ukraine needs from this summit

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is meeting Trump for a bilateral meeting on Wednesday. Ukraine is not a NATO member.

Zelenskyy will be using his face-to-face with the US president to request additional Patriot air defence systems as Russian attacks are intensifying on Ukrainian cities. A drone attack on the Ukrainian capital Kyiv killed at least 11 people on Monday morning.

Jack Watling, a senior research fellow at the Royal United Services Institute said that Ukraine is looking for ongoing political and military technical support from alliance members, to signal to Russia “that this support will be sustained”.

The idea, he said, was “to show Russia that there will be no diminution in its defensive capacity over the next 12-24 months”.

“There is a direct correlation between the number of interceptors supplied to Ukraine and the damage that Russia can inflict with ballistic missiles,” says Watling.

What European nations are trying to solve for

The billions in contracts expected to be announced by European nations at this summit are seen by some analysts as trying to appease the Trump administration.

When European nations didn’t join the war on Iran, Trump stated he didn’t want their money, just their “loyalty”. He added he might not have attended the summit if it wasn’t hosted by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Turkey has in recent years not only increased its defence spending, it also has grown into one of NATO’s largest military exporters.

For now, the tone around defence spending remains sharp. On the eve of the summit, Trump called Germany’s defence spending “ridiculous”. Chancellor Friedrich Merz defended his country’s budget, saying that “this is the greatest effort we have ever made to strengthen our defence capabilities”.

Meanwhile, the US has gone a step beyond rhetoric and announced a phased withdrawal of warplanes, destroyers and submarines from NATO countries. “Less US infantry or armour in Europe has an impact on messaging but little else,” Watling said. But, he added, “the withdrawal of US air power has a more tangible impact”.

Whether the alliance can project unity amid the rhetoric and withdrawals is a key question, said analysts.

“The main value of this summit is political, it shows that the allies are still talking, still meeting, still trying to project unity, even if the underlying disagreements and doubts haven’t disappeared,” von Schirach of the Global Policy Institute said. “Ankara is more about reassurance and signalling than about concrete, immediate changes on the ground.”

EXPLAINER

The far-right leader could be prevented from running for president in 2027 if embezzlement charges are upheld.

France’s appeal court is set to deliver a key verdict on whether Marine Le Pen and other members of her National Rally party misused European Parliament funds in the hiring of aides between 2004 and 2016.

If, on Tuesday, the court upholds her 2025 conviction, which saw her barred from office for five years and sentenced to house arrest, Le Pen – one of the most prominent figures of the European far right and a frontrunner in polls for France’s 2027 contest – is likely to be unable to stand in presidential elections next year.

On Wednesday last week, Le Pen said that even if the court only upholds the order for her to wear an electronic bracelet, she will not stand. “If I can be a candidate, I will be a candidate, provided that I am able to campaign,” the 57-year-old political firebrand told LCI channel.

“Because if I’m allowed to be a candidate but am effectively prevented from campaigning freely, then you understand that wouldn’t be possible.”

What was Le Pen convicted of?

In March 2025, a Paris criminal court ruled that Le Pen was at the heart of “a fraudulent system” that her party used to siphon off EU Parliament funds worth 2.9 million euros ($3.32m).

The court also fined the National Rally party 2 million euros ($2.29m), half of which was suspended.

She had been accused of using money intended to finance the costs of parliamentary ⁠assistants to pay employees working for her political party. EU politicians ⁠are allocated funds to cover expenses, including salaries for parliamentary assistants, but are not allowed to use them for party activities.

Le Pen was ordered to stand trial in 2023, after a seven-year investigation, alongside more than two dozen other defendants. She and her party have denied the accusations, arguing the ⁠money had been used legitimately and that prosecutors had applied an overly narrow definition of what a parliamentary assistant does.

What were the political implications of the verdict?

As part of the initial verdict last year, Le Pen was given a five-year ban from holding elected office and sentenced to two years’ house arrest with an electronic bracelet. Since France will hold the first round of its next presidential election on April 18, 2027, with a run-off set for May 2, Le Pen will not be able to run if she loses the appeal.

The far-right leader has pledged to put up a fight if she’s barred from running. “If I cannot be a candidate, I will make use of every available avenue of appeal,” Le Pen said.

She could go, therefore, to France’s highest court, the Court of Cassation, which does not judge the facts but checks whether the courts and court of appeal have applied the law correctly. The court could take about six months to hear the case and issue a verdict.

If allowed to run, Le Pen is widely seen as a top contender to succeed centrist President Emmanuel Macron in the 2027 election. If not, her 30-year-old protege Jordan Bardella would likely run instead.

What could the Court of Appeal decide?

The appeal court could overturn Le Pen’s conviction in its ruling on July 7, leaving her free to run for president next year. Legal experts say that outcome appears unlikely, however, given the court’s findings at first instance.

The court can instead uphold Le Pen’s conviction. If it confirms the five-year ban requested by prosecutors, it will rule her out of the presidential race, paving the ‌way for Bardella to take her place. Le Pen can then appeal to the Court of Cassation.

A third possibility is that the court upholds the conviction but softens the sentence. If the ban from public office were lifted or shortened to two years or less, the door to a presidential bid would be open.

WASHINGTON — The leaders of Europe are bracing for another turbulent summit with President Trump this week as NATO members gather for their annual meeting in the Turkish capital.

European diplomats view Trump’s decision to attend as a positive sign of his continued commitment to the alliance. But the president’s grievances with several European governments over their refusal to join the U.S. war with Iran have cast a pall over a summit already strained by Trump’s wavering support for the continent.

The secretary-general of the transatlantic alliance, Mark Rutte, told reporters on Monday that Trump had aired his resentments in a recent phone call. But Rutte countered with a mix of flattery and countervailing facts that has thus far kept Trump engaged.

While Trump has accused European leaders of denying U.S. forces access to allied bases for takeoffs and refueling during the war, Rutte noted that about 5,000 sorties supporting Operation Epic Fury launched from European airfields. And last Friday, France and Britain committed to a joint military mission with Oman to support freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz — “an extremely important development,” Rutte said.

At last year’s summit, held in The Hague, all NATO member states — with the exception of Spain — agreed to spend 5% of their GDP on defense by 2035, marking a significant increase in historic spending goals for modern Europe. The pledge is divided into two categories, with 3.5% of spending allocated to core military requirements, and the rest committed to a broad set of security-related investments.

Trump’s tough love on the alliance “is, I think, bringing NATO closer together,” the secretary general told reporters.

“You could argue that he is the first president of the U.S. since Eisenhower who was able to come to this situation where the Europeans and the Canadians will spend the same as the Americans” on security, Rutte said. “This equalization was a wish for 50, 60 years, and now it’s happening — I think in large part due to his leadership.”

NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte speaks to reporters Monday ahead of the NATO summit in Ankara, Turkey.

(Hussein Malla / Associated Press)

In a video message posted on social media Monday, Trump’s ambassador to NATO, Matthew Whitaker, said the summit this week would serve as a “report card” to determine whether countries were beginning to fulfill their commitments from last year.

He offered a note of optimism and suggested the president’s goal is to enhance, rather than undermine, the alliance.

“The United States will be here, but we also need our allies to be here. We cannot do it alone, and the American taxpayer should no longer bear the burden,” Whitaker said.

A White House schedule for Trump’s trip lists bilateral meetings with Rutte and the leaders of Turkey, Syria and Ukraine, in between alliance-wide meals and conferences.

Ukraine will remain at the top of the agenda, Trump told reporters Monday, expressing hope that the war could soon come to an end after four brutal years of fighting.

Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has caused the greatest loss of life in Europe since World War II, resulting in more than 1 million casualties, including an estimated 600,000 dead. Since Russian President Vladimir Putin launched his full-scale invasion in 2022, following his covert invasions of Ukraine’s Crimean peninsula and eastern regions in 2014, Russian forces have captured roughly 12% of Ukraine’s territory.

The war has settled into a deadly stalemate since a 2023 Ukrainian counteroffensive failed to break Russian defensive lines. While Russian forces have occasionally advanced, they have only managed to hold marginal gains along the front, at tremendous cost.

In recent weeks, however, expanded Ukrainian drone and missile capabilities have shifted the dynamic, striking military production sites deep inside Russia and targets near Moscow, bringing the war more directly into the Russian public consciousness and raising questions in the Russian capital whether the war effort is sustainable.

Ukraine’s boldness has impressed the Trump administration, Alexander Stubb, the president of Finland, told the Financial Times this week.

“I think he does feel pressure,” Trump said of Putin, addressing reporters in the Oval Office before departing for Turkey on Monday.

The president referred to an ongoing U.S. effort to end the war, a goal that has remained elusive for Trump since returning to office.

“I think we’re getting much closer than people realize,” he said. “President Putin wants it to end, I will tell you that. Very strongly. Had a good call. And President Zelensky actually wants it to end now.”

“We’re going to be going to NATO, and we’re going to be talking about it,” Trump added. “And I think we’re going to get it ended. It’s been terrible.”

The Belgian football federation has vowed “to challenge” FIFA’s controversial reversal of a red card game suspension against Folarin Balogun, which allows the star USA player to take the field in the round of 16 World Cup match against Belgium.

The statement on Monday from the Royal Belgian Football Association (RBFA) came hours before the match was set to begin, and as US President Donald Trump defended directly reaching out to FIFA’s President Gianni Infantino ahead of the controversial decision.

The federation charged that FIFA did not follow the proper protocol in allowing an appeal of its lifting of Balogun’s game suspension, the result of a red card shown during the round of 32 match against Bosnia-Herzegovina.

The RBFA said, given FIFA’s conduct, the federation “has no alternative but to challenge [Balogun’s] eligibility for the upcoming match”. It was not immediately clear how such a challenge would proceed.

“Regardless of the sporting outcome of this match, the RBFA is deeply concerned by the course of events and will continue to fight in the coming hours, days and months in defence of the fundamental principles of ethics, fair competition, and the interests of football as a whole,” the federation said.

Trump says he asked Infantino to ‘review’ the decision

The decision to lift Balogun’s one-game suspension came shortly after Trump spoke directly to Infantino.

That has raised eyebrows and accusations of political meddling in the tournament, with critics noting it is exceedingly rare for FIFA to lift a game suspension during the World Cup, even when a referee makes a questionable call.

If Balogun is allowed to play, it would be the first time since 1962 that a red card issued at the World Cup did not result in a suspension.

FIFA has said it relied on Article 27 of its disciplinary committee rules to reverse the game ban. The provision states “the judicial body may decide to fully or partially suspend the implementation of a disciplinary measure”.

FIFA had earlier said the game ban could not be appealed by Team USA.

Speaking to reporters on Monday, Trump denied that he directly influenced FIFA’s decision.

“All ⁠I did, I asked for a review, ⁠because I didn’t ⁠think it ⁠was a foul,” Trump told reporters.

“I thought it was two great athletes that crashed [into] each other and got entangled.”

He further called football referee Raphael Claus “very suspect”. He added, “If you want, I’ll provide you with the past”, without providing further details.

Later on Monday, Infantino also released his version of the call, which he said was among many he regularly receives from “heads of state, government officials, football stakeholders and business executives from around the world on many different issues”.

Infantino maintained he was not involved in the decision on Balogun’s suspension and was only made aware after it was released.

“During our conversation, I explained that there was an ongoing legal process involving FIFA’s independent judicial bodies and that the case would be decided in due course by the competent bodies,” he said.

‘Keep politics out’

To be sure, several leading football pundits have questioned the decision by Claus to show Balogun the red card.

Many have argued that Balogun incidentally stepped on the ankle of Bosnia and Herzegovina defender Tarik Muharemovic during an otherwise legitimate challenge, and the contact did not warrant the potentially tournament-transforming penalty.

Nevertheless, the unusual series of events is likely to cast a further pall of politics over the games ahead, adding to criticism of the Trump administration’s treatment of Iran’s national team.

Observers have said the optics of Trump’s intervention could taint any future success of the USA team, which has far exceeded expectations under head coach Mauricio Pochettino.

“This is embarrassing to a wonderful US team and a wonderful player,” Shibley Telhami, a professor of peace and development at the University of Maryland, wrote on X following FIFA’s decision.

“Keep politics out. This US team is good enough to win honourably. Now, a win will be diminished.”

London, United Kingdom – Should Andy Burnham enter Downing Street as early as July 17, if he is confirmed unopposed as Labour leader, one of his most consequential early decisions will have nothing to do with defence spending, immigration, or the economy.

It will concern a seven-year 330-million-pound ($440m) contract between NHS England and Palantir Technologies, a leading defence and intelligence software firm in the United States that received no contracts from Burnham’s Greater Manchester administration during his nine years as mayor.

The ramifications of such a decision could extend well beyond the NHS.

Media reports surfaced last week that Burnham is minded to hold that line with Palantir across all of the UK government when he arrives in Downing Street.

When approached by Al Jazeera, an Andy Burnham spokesperson said: “We’re not going to comment on individual government procurement contracts or companies and there are legal processes that must be followed.

“However, in general, Andy’s guiding principles on procurement are that we need to be getting value for money for the taxpayer and that we need to be safeguarding people’s data and British interests.”

For a company that has spent six years embedding itself across several public sector entities – the NHS, the Ministry of Defence, the Home Office, the Financial Conduct Authority – that posture is a real shift from the outgoing Labour administration led by Keir Starmer.

Starmer’s government actively courted US-based AI companies championed by the former UK ambassador to Washington, Peter Mandelson.

According to the Financial Times, which cited people briefed on the discussions, Burnham’s advisers, including former tech minister Josh Simons, are working with researchers Antonio Weiss and Martha Dacombe on a new AI strategy prioritising British companies and workers.

The story of how we got here runs through Manchester.

The Manchester precedent

Burnham served as Mayor of Greater Manchester from 2017 until June, when he returned to Westminster via the Makerfield by-election.

Under his leadership, the Greater Manchester Combined Authority issued no contracts to Palantir. Greater Manchester Police has separately confirmed it did not have a Palantir contract in the past five years.

The more instructive precedent, though, is in the NHS – an institution Burnham has no direct mayoral authority over, but shaped politically through Greater Manchester’s landmark health devolution settlement.

Rather than adopt the NHS England-mandated Federated Data Platform, built on Palantir’s Foundry software, Greater Manchester’s NHS leaders spent six years building their own analytics infrastructure instead. That became a proof of concept, which allies now cite nationally: effective NHS data management, they argue, does not require Palantir.

In May, Al Jazeera spoke to the Good Law Project about its concerns that Palantir was a “potential security risk”.

Some campaigners have interpreted recent political signalling from Burnham’s camp as supportive of their position, although a Good Law Project spokesperson said it has had no direct contact with him or his team.

The political context

In his first major speech since returning to Westminster as an MP, Burnham said he wanted social value to weigh more heavily in government procurement decisions. The reasoning, according to those close to him, is as much political as ethical.

Reports have described concern within his camp that “unfettered tech boosterism” risks alienating voters already uneasy about how much of the state now runs on American software.

Underneath that concern sits a more specific worry: that a company built to serve defence and intelligence clients does not necessarily share the values of an institution built to treat patients.

“A defence company has inherently different values than a healthcare organisation like the NHS,” said Duncan McCann, Technology and Data Lead at the Good Law Project, which has led legal action seeking greater transparency over the contract. “That’s where I think this concern was created.”

Palantir is not unique in this respect. Its origins in US defence and intelligence contracting are shared, to varying degrees, by most of the US AI firms now supplying British government departments – a lineage that, for critics like McCann, taints the whole category rather than one company alone.

What’s next?

The NHS contract is the most visible, but it is unlikely to be the only one making headlines this year.

A parallel battle is already under way in London, where Palantir has launched a High Court challenge after Mayor Sadiq Khan blocked a 50-million pound ($67m) Metropolitan Police contract, arguing the decision amounts to stifling free speech.

Khan’s office has since approved a smaller arrangement – a partial reversal that has done little to settle the underlying tension.

For campaigners who have spent years pushing for greater scrutiny of Palantir’s role in British public life, Burnham’s ascent could be the moment the tide finally turns. The NHS break clause falls in March 2027, but a decision needs to be made by December.

Burnham is expected in Downing Street later this month. He will soon decide whether Palantir has a future in Britain’s health service – and, by extension, in the rest of the UK’s public sector.

Al Jazeera reached out to Palantir for comment but had not received a response at the time of publishing.

A Russian missile and drone attack on Ukraine’s capital has killed at least 10 people and injured 46 on the eve of a NATO summit. Al Jazeera’s Audrey MacAlpine reports from a residential building that was hit.

Paris and Chamonix, France – Ibrahim Doukanthi prepares to plunge into the Canal Saint-Denis. It is almost noon, and the temperature in the Paris region is nearing 30 degrees Celsius (86F).

He grew up just north of Saint-Denis, one of France’s poorest municipalities, and now lives in La Plaine, hundreds of metres from the Stade de France, the country’s national stadium.

“The water here is completely normal,” he said. “It’s just that it’s green, so you don’t know what’s in it – that’s what makes it a bit scary.”

He has been jumping into the canal – technically not open to swimmers – to cool off during the recent heatwaves.

Like many residents of Paris’s sprawling, historically disinvested suburbs, Doukanthi had to be creative to beat the heat while living in an apartment building without air conditioning.

“What I do is take the spray bottles – I call them ‘pshit-pshit’ – fill them with water, spray myself down, then sit in front of the fan,” he said. “It cools you off like crazy.”

Sitting in the shade at a flea market in Saint-Denis, Natifa Segli, a municipal employee, criticised the government’s response to the heatwave.

“I don’t feel like we learned the lesson from the 2003 heatwave. Here we are in 2026, and this heatwave was horrible,” she said. “Even at work, we weren’t sheltered. The temperatures in the offices were very, very hot.”

For Segli, the only consistent solution is to avoid the sun. “We’re going to stay in the shade,” she said of an upcoming heatwave, expected later this week.

‘We really have nothing to cool off with’

In areas like Saint-Denis, access to cooling infrastructure is unevenly spread, Louiza Ammari, a childcare worker who lives in social housing, told Al Jazeera.

In her building, police banned residents from setting up an inflatable pool for children. As renters, her family is not allowed to install air conditioning. Though one municipal pool opened free swimming hours, she could not go because it does not allow burkinis.

“We really have nothing to cool off with,” she said.

In France, there were 2,025 additional deaths during the last heatwave, the week of June 22 – a week-over-week increase of 30 percent nationwide and 62 percent in the Paris region, according to the national public health agency.

Extreme heat highlights existing inequalities, according to Bruno Villalba, a political science professor at AgroParisTech Paris-Saclay, specialising in political ecology and environmental policy.

“The heatwave is merely a symptom of social vulnerability, particularly in terms of housing,” Villalba told Al Jazeera.

Wealthier people can insulate their homes, afford a portable air-conditioning unit, eat fresh produce, or even leave the city for vacation when it gets too hot, options that are unavailable to many others.

“It’s up to the government to step in,” Villalba said.

“They tell us, ‘Stay hydrated, don’t stay in the sun, drink water,’” he said. “The French government did not sufficiently anticipate the acceleration of climate change.”

‘We are not all equally exposed’

There is a pervasive misconception of “universality” when it comes to climate deregulation, noted Mael Ginsburger, a lecturer at Universite Paris Cite focused on inequalities linked to the ecological transition.

Although experienced by everyone, more vulnerable populations have limited resources to mitigate heatwave conditions.

“We are not all equally exposed, just as we are not all equally responsible. There are significant inequalities in carbon emissions,” Ginsburger said. “Not everyone is equally capable of adapting, and there are certain groups that face multiple vulnerabilities linked to poor health, for example.”

Among wealthy households in France, 70 percent consider their homes properly insulated to combat heat, compared with 46 percent of lower-income households, according to Ginsburger’s research. More people report now suffering from heat in the summer – 66 percent – than cold in the winter, 46 percent.

“Overcrowded housing is much more likely to be in poor condition and have extremely poor insulation,” Ginsburger said. “These are populations facing a combination of overcrowding in dilapidated housing located in areas like Marseille and Lyon that are particularly vulnerable to heat.

“We’re sticking with this same approach of small steps rather than a structural approach that would actually require a more far-reaching overhaul of [building] infrastructure.”

For the homeless, the ramifications of heatwaves can be even worse.

“People who are outside don’t have a moment’s respite. They are suffocating in a concrete jungle where there is no simple, effective way to escape the intense heat. On asphalt, the perceived temperature can often rise to 45-50 degrees,” Paul Alauzy, at NGO Medecins du Monde, or Doctors of the World, told Al Jazeera.

He is a member of Le Revers, an activist group that formed during the 2024 Paris Olympics to bring awareness to the conditions faced by unhoused people in the Paris region.

“We’re asking for long-term policies designed to protect as many people as possible and reduce the number of people living on the streets, precisely to shield them from the harsh weather,” Alauzy said. “Once again, the authorities are stubbornly resorting to reactive, weather-dependent management.”

During heatwaves and cold snaps, French officials usually add a few emergency shelters and install temporary water stations.

“This is obviously not nearly enough,” Alauzy said.

Not all parks and natural spaces, essential for cooling down, are accessible to all.

“Trees, which are natural tools for regulating temperatures, have been effectively pushed out of our cities,” Villalba said, especially in deprived areas.

In places like Saint-Denis, schools and other public infrastructure are insufficiently equipped, said Ammari, the childcare worker.

‘Definitely an advantage to be at an altitude’

Even in the mountains, temperatures rose above 30C during the last heatwave, about 10C (18F) above normal end-of-June temperatures.

In Chamonix, the Bossons Glacier above town visibly shrank and conditions along popular routes up Mont Blanc and neighbouring peaks are becoming dangerous due to rockfall risks.

But nights are not stifling, and locals and visitors in the Alps sleep comfortably.

There are forested trails and a river fed by glacial melt that cools the surrounding area.

“In Chamonix, like in many mountain towns, it’s definitely an advantage to be at an altitude of 1,000 metres [3,280 feet] and to have the forest a few minutes from home,” Jean-Michel Bouteille, who recently retired from his role as director of municipal services in Chamonix, told Al Jazeera. “We’re a town of 9,000 people, but we still have nearby green spaces that are free and easily accessible.”

Although the mountain weather is not oppressive, climate change is felt in Chamonix.

“We have temperatures much higher than in previous years, which is leading to significant consequences. The Bossons Glacier is a disaster,” said Bouteille, who has lived in the valley for 26 years.

Fifty years ago, in 1976, the median age of the global population was just under 21 years. That means of the 4.1 billion people on Earth at the time, about half were younger than 21 and half were older. Today the median age is 31, and by 2050 the United Nations projects it will reach 36. The typical human being is steadily getting older.

What is the replacement rate?

The engine of that change is fertility. Demographers measure it using the total fertility rate, the average number of children a woman would have over her lifetime at current birth rates. The figure that matters most is the replacement rate, generally put at about 2.1 births per woman. That is the level at which a generation exactly replaces itself, keeping the population stable over the long run without immigration. The slight margin above two accounts for children who do not survive to adulthood.

The global fertility rate today is about 2.2, barely above replacement and down from approximately five in the 1960s. The United Nations expects it to reach the replacement level around the middle of this century and to keep falling after that. More than half of all countries are already below replacement, including China, the United States, India, Japan and most of Europe.

In practical terms, a fertility rate below replacement means that, over time, each generation is smaller than the one before it. Fewer babies today means fewer working-age adults tomorrow, and a growing share of retirees supported by a shrinking workforce. That is the pressure now facing pension systems, health services and labour markets from Italy to South Korea. It is why population ageing, more than raw numbers, is becoming the defining demographic story of the century.

The UK Foreign and Commonwealth Development Office issued a travel warning on Monday following an incident in Rotterdam that has caused disruption for the past six days

Eurostar passengers heading to Europe had their trips disrupted by a fire.

Eurostar services between the UK and the Netherlands have been severely disrupted following a fire near Rotterdam Central station. The UK Foreign and Commonwealth Development Office issued a travel warning on Monday following last week’s blaze.

Last Monday, multiple London–Amsterdam services were canceled after a fire broke out in a cable duct near Rotterdam Stadion. It caused a major power failure that shut down rail traffic south of Rotterdam.

“Completely messed up my travel plans, ended up getting the ferry,” one unlucky customer who got caught up in the disruption wrote online. Another added: “We had to take the coach to Brussels. I hope we will get our refund.”

The outage disabled signaling and switch systems between Rotterdam Centraal and destinations, including Dordrecht and Breda

“Eurostar services between the UK and the Netherlands are severely disrupted following a fire near Rotterdam Central station,” the FCDO statement issued this morning read.

“Eurostar has advised that they expect trains to be disrupted until at least 6 July 2026. Travel times are expected to be significantly longer due to trains having to take alternative routes due to fire damage and trains between London and Amsterdam will not stop in Rotterdam.

“If you are planning to travel between the UK and the Netherlands, check the latest information with your travel operator before you travel and the latest updates on the Eurostar website.”

Passengers are warned to check with their booking operator before they travel between the UK and the Netherlands.

A statement from the rail firm reads: “Due to fire damage to the railway near Rotterdam, we expect our trains to be disrupted until at least 6 July 2026. Trains running between London and Amsterdam will not stop at Rotterdam and trains running between France/Belgium and Amsterdam will not stop at Schiphol or Rotterdam.

“As these trains need to take an alternative route around the damaged area, journey times will be significantly longer, and seat availability is very limited. We expect the disruption to last until at least 06 July 2026. We apologise for the inconvenience the situation has caused.”

The update comes after the Foreign Office has issued fresh travel advice for Brits heading to Greece. In the update on Thursday, July 2, the FCDO warned that “terrorists are likely to try to carry out attacks in Greece.”

While there is no current advice against travel to Greece for British holidaymakers, the FCDO said that “attacks could be indiscriminate, including in places visited by foreign nationals.”

The FCDO outlined: “There have been several attacks involving explosives and automatic weapons against Greek institutions, shopping malls, banks, media offices, diplomatic premises and the police.”

One tragic attack took place on Wednesday, July 1, which saw “three improvised incendiary device attacks against the residential properties of Greek political figures killed one person, with four others being injured.”

Four wins to go. How can your team reach the final and win the World Cup 2026? Click here to find out.

Who: Portugal vs Spain
What: FIFA World Cup 2026 – Round of 16
Where: Dallas Stadium, Arlington, Texas, the United States
When: Monday, July 6, at 2pm (19:00 GMT)
How to follow: We will have all the build-up on Al Jazeera Sport from 16:00 GMT before our live text commentary stream.

A clash of generations awaits on Monday as ageing football star Cristiano Ronaldo goes up against teen prodigy Lamine Yamal in the World Cup round of 16 match between Portugal and Spain.

The “Iberian derby” marks a rematch of last year’s UEFA Nations League final, which Portugal won by beating European champions Spain on penalties.

Yet, it is not Portugal who are the favourites for this meeting in Dallas. After squeezing their way into the last-16 and a tumultuous run in the group stage, Ronaldo and his side face an uphill task to outshine Spain’s new golden generation.

Since a shock goalless draw in the opening game, Spain have grown into the tournament, and their slick playmaking coupled with solid defence makes them frontrunners to reach the quarterfinals for the first time in 16 years.

Al Jazeera tells you everything about Portugal vs Spain, a battle of the two pre-tournament favourites:

How did Portugal and Spain reach the round of 16?

Portugal came second in Group J with five points, thrashing Uzbekistan and being held to draws by the Democratic Republic of Congo and Colombia. In the round of 32, they controversially scraped past Croatia, bouncing back from a goal down to win 2-1.

Spain topped Group H with seven points, beating Saudi Arabia and Uruguay, and being held to a goalless draw by Cape Verde. In the round of 32, they stormed past Austria 3-0. La Roja are unbeaten in their last 34 matches (W25 D9), one shy of equalling their longest-ever unbeaten run of 35 set between February 2007 and June 2009.

Ronaldo’s last dance?

At age 41, fading forward Ronaldo is still Portugal’s most influential player, not because of his prowess on the pitch but his larger-than-life status off of it. Though he still demands attention in a supremely talented team while contributing less on the pitch, it is safe to say Ronaldo’s once explosive powers are in decline.

Heading into the tournament, there was always speculation about his future, with the 2026 World Cup possibly his last. While Ronaldo – the second-oldest player at the tournament – has fended off questions about what’s next, his sister said he would retire from national duty at the end of the World Cup.

That makes each one of Portugal’s knockout games more intense – if they lose, it could bring down the curtain on Ronaldo’s international career.

From club to country, Ronaldo has won several trophies in a decorated career over the years, but if Portugal fall to Spain, his glittering collection will remain incomplete without the shiny, golden World Cup trophy.

‘World Cup starts now’: Yamal

After a hamstring injury threatened to derail Yamal’s debut World Cup campaign, the 18-year-old winger has stepped up and is slowly stealing the spotlight in North America.

A man-of-the-match performance in Spain’s first tournament knockout win over Austria highlighted the talented youngster’s impact, two years on from his dazzling display that helped Spain win Euro 2024.

“I want to advance through the rounds and win with Spain,” said Yamal. “We aren’t afraid of any team. We are Spain.”

“The World Cup starts now.”

Yamal has bagged one goal so far, while Mikel Oyarzabal leads the team’s scoring chart with four. Spain ‌are ‌unbeaten in 34 matches and chasing their second World Cup title, 16 years after their first in South Africa in 2010.

Portugal vs Spain prediction

The Opta supercomputer gives Spain a 49.2 percent likelihood of winning in regulation time, while Portugal’s chances of winning are 25.6 percent.

The model estimates a 25.2 percent probability of the game going to extra time.

Portugal vs Spain: Kickoff time, TV channels

• Portugal: RTP1, SPORT.TV5, LiveModeTV, RTP Play  (8pm, Western European Summer Time)
• Spain:  (9pm, Central European Summer Time)
• United Kingdom: BBC One, BBC iPlayer (8pm, British Summer Time)
• United States: FOX, FOX One, Telemundo App, Telemundo Network, Peacock (3pm, Eastern Daylight Time)

To check the TV listings for your country, head to FIFA’s TV listing schedule here.

Who will the winner face in the quarterfinals?

The winner of the Portugal vs Spain match will face either the USA or Belgium in the quarterfinals in Los Angeles in the US on Friday, July 10.

Portugal vs Spain: Head-to-head

There has been little to separate Portugal and Spain across their five previous meetings at major tournaments, with each side winning once and the remaining three matches ending in draws.

That includes their most recent World Cup meeting, a 3-3 draw in 2018, in which Ronaldo scored a hat-trick.

In the all-time head-to-head, the teams have played 41 times, with Spain winning 18 times, Portugal seven times, and the sides playing out 16 draws.

Portugal will take confidence from having defeated Spain, albeit in a shootout, in their most recent meeting in the UEFA Nations League final in June 2025.

Portugal vs Spain: Team news

Spain’s Nico Williams is out with a hamstring injury. No issues are reported in the Portugal camp.

Portugal’s predicted lineup

(4-2-3-1): Costa (goalkeeper); Cancelo, Dias, Veiga, Mendes; Neves, Vitinha; Neto, Fernandes, Leao; Ronaldo

Spain’s predicted lineup

(4-2-3-1): Simon (goalkeeper); Porro, Cubarsi, Laporte, Cucurella; Rodri, Pedri; Yamal, Olmo, Baena; Oyarzabal

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy had warned of a likely attack ahead of meeting with US President Donald Trump.

A Russian missile and drone attack on Ukraine’s Kyiv has killed at least 10 people and damaged more than a dozen residential buildings in the second large-scale assault on the Ukrainian capital in less than a week.

The attack early on Monday morning injured at least 46 people in Kyiv, according to Tymur Tkachenko, head of the city’s military administration.

Another person was killed and 10 others were injured in districts surrounding Kyiv, according to authorities.

Ukraine’s military said Russia fired 68 missiles and 351 drones overnight.

The Kyiv Independent reported that the first explosions were heard at about 1:40am local time, followed by more strikes at 2:10am and 3:15am.

Thousands of residents fled to underground shelters, it reported, as air raid sirens sounded across Ukraine.

At least 15 buildings were damaged in Kyiv in the strikes, including four in the capital’s historic Podilskyi district, Tkachenko said.

Rescue work is under way across the capital and the death toll could rise, he said.

“Unfortunately, this is not the final information,” Tkachenko told reporters as the death toll jumped to nine from seven in Kyiv.

In his nightly address on Sunday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy warned that another Russian assault might be coming before the NATO summit in Turkiye this week.

He is due to meet United States President Donald Trump on the sidelines of the summit, which begins on Tuesday.

“Intelligence once again indicates that the Russians are preparing a new massive strike,” Zelenskyy said, according to the Kyiv Independent.

“This is typical of Putin: right after America’s Independence Day and before the NATO summit in Ankara.”

Late last week, Russia hit the Ukrainian capital with dozens of missiles and hundreds of drones, killing 31 people.

The strikes were the deadliest to hit Kyiv this year.

Both Russia and Ukraine have recently expanded their use of long-range weapons, including missiles, marking a new front in the four-year war.

Ukraine has focused its attacks on Russian energy facilities to weaken its war efforts.

Mikhail Razvozhayev, the governor of Russian-controlled Sevastopol, a Black Sea port in Crimea, said on Monday a Ukrainian strike near the city had knocked out electricity supplies.

“Following an enemy attack on energy infrastructure near Sevastopol, our city was temporarily left without electricity,” Razvozhayev wrote on Telegram.

England hands Mexico their first World Cup loss at Estadio Azteca, winning 3-2 to reach the 2026 quarterfinals.

Jude Bellingham’s double inflicted a rare defeat on Mexico at their Estadio Azteca as 10-man England won a nerve-racking World Cup classic 3-2 to reach the quarterfinals.

Harry Kane also scored from the penalty spot as the Three Lions overcame Jarell Quansah’s red card, high altitude, and a fervent home support on Sunday to keep their quest for a first major tournament win in 60 years alive.

England have relied on Bellingham and Kane throughout the tournament, and the duo has carried them into a last-eight showdown with Erling Haaland’s Norway.

Bellingham struck twice in 98 seconds in the first half to condemn Mexico to just a third defeat in 90 matches at the Azteca.

Julian Quinones and Raul Jimenez reduced the Mexican arrears, but they fell short of a place in the quarterfinals.

Victory also helped to erase some of England’s nightmarish memories at the Azteca in the quarterfinals of the 1986 World Cup, when Diego Maradona scored a double for Argentina, including the infamous “Hand of God” goal.

Sunday’s match was delayed by an hour after a thunderstorm and heavy rain lashed the Mexican capital for hours before the planned 6pm (00:00 GMT) kickoff time.

Despite the sodden conditions, more than 80,000 fans crammed into the stadium to create a deafening noise.

England coach Thomas Tuchel was wary of a fast start from Mexico as his side adjusted to the altitude of 2,240 metres (7,350 feet) above sea level.

Mexico had flown out of the traps when they won a World Cup knockout game for the first time in 40 years against Ecuador 2-0 on Tuesday.

This time, England managed to keep Javier Aguirre’s side at bay, but they did need a crucial intervention from Jordan Pickford to deny Jimenez opening the scoring with a diving header that was headed for the bottom corner.

Tuchel made three changes to the side that needed a heroic performance from Kane to prevent an embarrassing early exit to DR Congo.

Quansah was forced to deputise at right-back with Reece James not fit to start for a third consecutive game, opening up Tuchel to criticism over his decision not to select more specialist cover in the position.

Anthony Gordon and Bukayo Saka also started out wide, and both made telling contributions.

Saka’s cross picked out Bellingham to power in a header for the first goal Mexico conceded in five World Cup games.

The hosts failed to compose themselves, as within two minutes, the Real Madrid midfielder had doubled England’s lead.

Kane’s ball across fell perfectly for Bellingham to power in his fourth goal of the tournament.

Yet what should have been a comfortable lead was nearly wiped out by half-time.

Quinones blasted in his fourth goal of the tournament to spark the Mexico rally after England failed to clear a free kick.

Jimenez drilled wide and saw another header saved by Pickford before Bellingham made a last-ditch intervention to deny Cesar Montes a certain equaliser.

Nico O’Reilly nearly restored England’s two-goal cushion as his deflected shot cannoned off the post.

Quansah was shown a straight red card on 54 minutes after a VAR review for a mistimed lunge on Jesus Gallardo.

But just six minutes later, the 10 men had added to their lead when Gordon was wiped out by Mexico goalkeeper Raul Rangel and Kane emphatically dispatched the penalty.

The England captain’s sixth goal of the tournament puts him just one behind Haaland, Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappe in the race for the Golden Boot.

The game took another huge momentum swing when, this time, Kane was penalised for a foul inside his own box and Jimenez slotted home the penalty to set up a frantic final 20 minutes.

England, though, stood tall, defending at times frantically to resist the Mexican wave during 11 minutes of additional time, and have reached a third consecutive FIFA World Cup quarterfinal.