Ken Wheatley, from Crewe, sprang into action when he witnessed a car flip onto its roof on the southbound carriageway near Bedford at around 4am.

The collision involved a vehicle carrying a family of three.

Mr Wheatley, a grandfather of four who has worked for AO since 2022, said the scene could have ended in ‘fatalities’.

He said: “It was about four in the morning, and I was driving along when I saw a black car come tearing down past me on the outside lane.

“It must have just clipped the other car containing this family – it was completely upside down with all the lights off.

“If another vehicle had hit them at 50 to 60mph there could have been fatalities.

“But if there’s one thing about HGV drivers, it’s if we can help, we will help.”

Mr Wheatley and three other HGV drivers stopped their vehicles to block the motorway and prevent further danger.

They smashed the window to free the father, but didn’t realise others were inside until they heard a child crying.

Mr Wheatley said: “So, we made the decision to just get them out, because if my kids or grandkids were in there, I’d want someone to do the same.”

He then climbed onto the car to help extract the rest of the family. With a crowbar from his lorry, he prised open the door and retrieved their suitcases.

Mr Wheatley invited the family to take shelter in his cab until paramedics arrived.

Fortunately, none of the occupants sustained serious injuries.

Lynne Wood, director of service delivery at AO based in Bolton, said: “We always speak about being magic in the moments that matter, and Kenny’s heroic actions are a perfect example of this.

“We’re extremely proud of him.”

Mr Wheatley has been named employee of the month and rewarded with champagne, a gift voucher, a trophy, an extra holiday day, and a private parking spot for a month.

Nearly 3,000 people have been evacuated in southern France as out-of-control wildfires sweep through the country amid a record-breaking heatwave.

Terrified tourists could be seen running for their lives as an inferno ripped through a campsite in the town of Sainte-Marie-la-Mer, near the Spanish border.

The blaze destroying dozens of mobile homes before spreading to Canet-en-Roussillon with a luxury yacht going up in flames. The airport in nearby ​Perpignan was closed as two thousand firefighters battled several fires.  

It comes as more vicious fights broke out across a number of Lidl stores with shoppers going head-to-head to buy fans and air conditioners before temperatures are expected to reach 37C this weekend in a raging new heatwave.

The World Meteorological Organisation last week warned ‌that ⁠the record temperatures that baked Western Europe for over a week in late June would worsen the risk of wildfires, given the outlook for sustained high temperatures, very low humidity and dry vegetation. 

French Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu held a crisis meeting in Marseille and revealed that 8,700 hectares had burned in France so far ​this season, including 1,200 on Wednesday alone. 

France, the Netherlands and Belgium have already recorded 3,700 excess deaths from the June heatwave that sent temperatures soaring across Europe, with authorities warning that the numbers are preliminary and could rise. 

France’s weather office has warned that another spell of extreme heat ​could hit next week, prompting a surge of panicked shoppers to descend on stores in the hopes of grabbing air-con units in time. 

Have you been affected by the wildfires? Email Imogen.Garfinkel@dailymail.co.uk

Vicious fights have broken out across a number of French Lidl stores, as shoppers go head-to-head to buy fans and air conditioners before temperatures are expected to reach 37C this weekend

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The fire started at a campsite in the town of Sainte-Marie-la-Mer, near the Spanish border, destroying dozens of mobile homes before spreading to Canet-en-Roussillon on Thursday

In Canet-en-Roussillon, four helicopters were deployed to help tackle the ​blaze and three ​Canadair firefighting planes ⁠were on standby.

‘Our main concern is the industrial zone, where many industrial buildings are located. Some contain potentially polluting substances and ​flammable materials,’ Pierre Regnault de la Mothe, the top official in ​the Pyrenees-Orientales ⁠department, told reporters.

To the east, the fire in the Aude scorched some 900 hectares as winds reaching 70 kilometres per hour complicated the efforts of nearly 700 firefighters.

Nearly 3,000 people were evacuated, with half of them from three campsites in the affected area. 

In the north of Portugal, a forest fire raging for two days has injured four people, as the country battled a third day of intense heat.

A civil protection spokesman told AFP that more than 900 firefighters were battling the blaze that started Wednesday in Vouzela, Viseu district.

Three firefighters and a civilian had suffered burns, the spokesman added.

Hundreds of emergency services were also fighting three other fires in northern Portugal, where temperatures in some districts are predicted to reach 44C.

The government has ordered special measures including barring access to forests and restricting the use of some types of machinery in rural areas.

Carnage erupted in French supermarkets on Thursday after Lidl promised to put out 200,000 fans and air conditioners on its shelves, prompting customers to queue outside stores before dawn in preparation.

But from the moment the stores opened, hundreds flocked inside, with ferocious shoppers resorting to physical violence to secure the electronic devices.

Shocking videos circulating on social media show customers being crushed at the checkout, women yanking each other’s hair, and shoppers tackling rivals to the ground.

Other footage shows hordes of people stampeding through the aisles and speedily grabbing boxes, leaving the remaining shelves empty.

Shocking videos circulating on social media show customers being crushed at the checkout, women yanking each other’s hair, and shoppers tackling rivals to the ground

Carnage erupted in French supermarkets on Thursday after Lidl promised to put out 200,000 fans and air conditioners on its shelves, prompting customers to queue outside stores before dawn in preparation

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But from the moment the stores opened, hundreds flocked inside, with ferocious shoppers resorting to physical violence to secure the electronic devices

Despite the promise of plentiful devices, customers experienced a shortage of stock

At least 30,000 fans and air-con units were sold at Carrefour on June 22, according to CEO Alexandre Bompard, which is 1,000 times more than an average day

Local journalists said the police were forced to intervene as customers began brawling, doing anything in their power to secure the machines.

In the suburb of Nanterre, Hauts-de-Seine, more than a hundred people descended on a Lidl store, damaging the entrance door in the process.

According to information from BFMTV, only about ten shoppers ultimately managed to leave the scene successfully with a device, due to the outbreak of arguments.

Despite the promise of plentiful devices, customers experienced a shortage of stock.

In Saint-Germain-en-Laye in Yvelines, the shelves were apparently emptied in minutes, and there were no air conditioners, with only about 50 fans available for customers. 

Tension started early at 7.30am, by which time a long line had already emerged outside the shop.

Later, people physically fought one another for the last remaining boxes, prompting law enforcement to intervene amid the chaotic stampede. 

Those who arrived after 8.30am likely went home empty-handed, after queuing for hours.

‘It’s ridiculous, people have gone completely mad,’ Haissam, a resident of Carrières-sous-Poissy, told Le Parisien.

Walker, a taxi driver and resident of Éragny in Val-d’Oise, pointed a finger at the store: ‘Lidl knew perfectly well it would be chaos and they didn’t organise anything.’

A similar scene of carnage unfolded in Orgeval, also in the Yvelines department.

In Essonne, the shop in Saint-Germain-lès-Corbeil was stormed by customers, and nearly 200 vehicles blocked the surrounding area, particularly on the Francilienne highway.

The police were called to help restore control amid the mayhem. 

In Paris too, shoppers complained about being unable to purchase the fans and air-con units. 

‘I just came back from Lidl. One store in Paris received only one air conditioner, while another received nothing. At this rate, I estimate that the supply for the whole of Paris will probably not exceed one hundred units,’ wrote one disappointed person on X.

In the 14th arrondissement, ‘there were two air conditioners and more than 400 people. They used tear gas. Women fell,’ another customer claimed.

‘Nothing at Grèves in Colombes,’ one social media user wrote after failing to purchase a device.

‘Frankly, it looks like a scam,’ another concluded.

Smoke is seen as huge fire and flames engulfed yachts and campsites, with campers evacuated from the seaside resort of Canet-en-Roussillon

Flames from a wildfire burn through vegetation near Sainte-Valiere, Aude department, southern France, on July 2

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Fireguard aircraft of the civil security drops retardant over a wildfire in Pouzols-Minervois, southwestern of France

A wildfire rages near houses in Pouzols-Minervois, southwestern of France, on July 2

At one store in Rueil-Malmaison, ‘only one air conditioner’ was ‘grabbed’ by a woman ‘who had been there since 5am,’ said one despairing shopper.

‘All that for this,’ she wrote on X.

Others were critical of the way the crowds behaved, with one social media user comparing the public to ‘savages’.

Some emerged victorious from the chaotic scenes, however, with one proud shopper sharing a photograph of their purchase and writing: ‘I’ve won the holy battle of Lidl. A source of pride I’ll add to my CV.’

At least 30,000 fans and air-con units were sold at Carrefour on June 22, according to CEO Alexandre Bompard, which is 1,000 times more than an average day. 

In its first preliminary estimate, the national public health agency in France said deaths surged during the heatwave’s peak last week, which roasted most of the country with temperatures that soared in many places above 40C and also broke records for nighttime highs – an exhausting one-two punch for fatigued bodies.

Public Health France said there were more than 1,200 deaths last Wednesday, when France registered its hottest ever day, breaking a record that had been set just the previous day.

Deaths then increased to more than 1,400 on Thursday and another 1,400 on Friday, it said. 

By way of comparison, the pre-heatwave death rate in April and May was around 900 to 1,000 per day, it said.

The agency cautioned that its estimate of at least 1,000 additional deaths during those three sizzling days alone is expected to increase as more death certificates come in for people who died at home and in care facilities for older people, where most deaths are still not registered electronically.

‘Mortality will as a consequence be higher than these first figures,’ the agency said.

Scientists have said the heatwave, which began on June 20, was the worst recorded in Europe, and the blistering conditions have disrupted power generation, damaged infrastructure and overwhelmed healthcare systems.

‘Right now 150million people ​are living under extreme heat, hundreds have died, schools are shut, grids are buckling,’ World Health Organisation Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said on X.

‘Driven by climate change and global warming, the phenomenon of the “once-in-a-generation” heatwave is now occurring nearly annually. We were warned,’ he ⁠wrote, adding that Europe’s homes, workplaces and schools were ill-equipped for extreme heat.

A firefighter operates near a French firefighters’ wildland fire engines ‘CCFM’ (Camion Citerne Forestier Moyen) as a fire hits in Pouzols-Minervois, southwestern France on July 2

This photo provided by the French fire brigade SDIS13 on Thursday July, 2, 2026, shows the wildfire near La Fare, southern France

The World Meteorological Organisation last week warned ‌that ⁠the record temperatures that baked Western Europe for over a week in late June would worsen the risk of wildfires

French Green party lawmakers announced plans to file a no-confidence motion against the government over its handling of the severe heatwave, ​as the country braces for a third possible bout of extreme temperatures ‌next week.

It was not immediately clear if the motion would be put forward this week or early next week.

When asked about the motion, government spokesman Maud Bregeon said on Wednesday: ‘Obviously, it’s going ​to be filed. It is a political manoeuvre.’

‘There is a government managing ​the crisis and there are political forces fueling the crisis by introducing ⁠the motion,’ Bregeon told reporters after a meeting of the French Cabinet.

The bid ​to topple Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu’s minority government is unlikely to succeed without the backing ​of other opposition parties, including the hard-Right National Rally or the Socialists. 

The Socialists have not supported any of the no-confidence motions filed against Lecornu since he took office last year.

Cyrielle Chatelain, ​who leads the Greens in the National Assembly, said on Tuesday the motion would ​be filed to protest the government’s ‘lack of preparedness not only for the heatwave we have ‌just ⁠experienced, but especially for the one that is coming’.

By HEIDI PARKER, US DEPUTY SHOWBUSINESS EDITOR

Published: 15:02 BST, 3 July 2026 | Updated: 16:52 BST, 3 July 2026

Pamela Anderson and Tommy Lee‘s son, Dylan Jagger Lee, has wed his longtime girlfriend.

The 28-year-old model tied the knot with 25-year-old interior designer Paula Bruss.

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The nuptials took place in Saint-Tropez this week, according to a Friday report from Vogue.

In attendance were his parents Anderson and Lee, who divorced in 1998, and Dylan’s older brother Brandon Lee, 30.

The ceremony took place in a a wildflower garden in a private villa in Les Parcs.

‘The service was peaceful and sentimental,’ Dylan told the outlet. ‘Seeing my beautiful wife walking down the aisle and reciting my vows in the middle of the most beautiful wildflower garden was a dream come true.’

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Pamela Anderson and Tommy Lee’s son, Dylan Jagger Lee, has wed Paula Bruss; seen in 2025

(L-R) Dylan, Anderson and Brandon Thomas Lee in 2022 in NYC

The bride wore a dress designed by Fernando Garcia for Oscar de la Renta, according to Vogue with Dylan dressed by Genuardi.

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Anderson told Vogue: ‘I’m so happy for Dylan and so excited to send him off into the wild world. Tears are catching me off guard at times — happy tears. But as Khalil Gibran says, “As parents, we are the bow from which life springs.”‘

Dylan shared, ‘Looking around and seeing everyone we love gathered together in one place was overwhelming in the best possible way. There was so much excitement and love in the air.’

Saint-Tropez is also where the Malibu-based lovebirds got engaged in July 2024. 

Anderson shared an Instagram post from France where she was makeup free while posing at a resort.

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This comes after Anderson was most recently linked to Liam Neeson, 73, her co-star in the Naked Gun movie reboot.

Romance rumors surrounding the pair intensified during the film’s promotional tour last summer after the two appeared affectionate during interviews and red carpet appearances.

Lee and Anderson attend the film premiere of Scary Movie 3 in LA in 2003

This comes after Anderson was most recently linked to Liam Neeson, 73, her co-star in the Naked Gun movie reboot. Seen in July 2025

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At the time, sources told Page Six Pamela and Liam were ‘figuring things out.’

In December, Pamela addressed the speculation directly and confirmed the pair had briefly dated after production on the comedy had ended.

She told People: ‘We were romantically involved for a short while but only after we finished filming.’

Pamela also said: ‘I’m sure we’ll always be in each other’s lives.’

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Liam, best known for films including Taken, Schindler’s List and Love Actually, starred opposite the blonde beauty in the reboot of the Naked Gun comedy franchise originally led by Leslie Nielsen.

The project, originally around a 34,500 stadium, has been beset by long-running disputes over the planning process and then funding

The GAA are planning for a redeveloped Casement Park to have a capacity of around 15,000.

The project has been beset by long-running disputes over the planning process and then funding.

Inflation increases have driven the project from its initial cost of £78.5m to an estimated £260m last year. Around £120m was jointly in place from the Stormont Executive, the Irish government and the GAA.

The UK government had pledged a further £50m but that is now in doubt amid serious budgetary issues in Westminster.

The Ulster Council held a meeting this week where a scaled-down version of the west Belfast venue was discussed.

The original plans were set for a 34,500 capacity stadium, fit to host provincial finals and other major games.

However, it’s believed that number is now closer to 15,000 as the GAA have been left with no other option.

That would satisfy Antrim GAA and some Ulster level provincial GAA games, but rule it out as a potential Ulster football final.

The stadium was in the running to host Euro 2028 games at one stage, before financial realities also closed that door.

Casement Park officially closed its doors for matches in June 2013. The final game hosted at the original stadium was an Antrim v Monaghan match during the 2013 Ulster Senior Football Championship.

The old Casement Park stadium had a maximum official capacity of roughly 31,000 to 34,500 prior to its closure. However, its historic record attendance reached an estimated 41,000 spectators during the Down v Armagh Ulster Final in 1961.

Demolition and enabling works were undertaken this year to satisfy a July 2026 planning permission expiry deadline.

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LONDON (AP) — A former Syrian air force colonel is unfit to stand trial in a landmark British case charging him with three counts of murder as crimes against humanity for attacks on civilians in 2011, a judge said Friday.

Not guilty pleas were entered on behalf of Salem al-Salem, 58, in the Central Criminal Court after prosecutors accepted medical findings that his rare neurological condition was too advanced for him to enter a plea or face trial.

Justice Bobbie Cheema-Grubb said al-Salem will face a trial of facts next year on murder and torture allegations but he won’t be required to appear in court. The trial will determine whether he committed the acts but cannot result in a conviction because of his condition.

Al-Salem is the first person in the U.K. charged with murder as a crime against humanity under the International Criminal Court Act of 2001. U.K. law allows British prosecutors to bring charges for some international offenses, including crimes against humanity and torture, regardless of where they were committed.

Prosecutors said al-Salem was part of a Syrian Air Force Intelligence group that suppressed demonstrations in the Damascus suburb of Jobar when the government carried out a bloody crackdown during the Arab Spring uprising against former President Bashar Assad’s authoritarian leadership.

Al-Salem “was tasked with quelling civilian protests against the regime and the defendant ordered officers under his command to shoot protesters and he himself shot protesters,” prosecutor Emilie Pottle said at a previous hearing. “The murders were part of a widespread and systemic attack against the civilian population.”

Al-Salem, who appeared by a video link with an oxygen mask over his face, has a progressive and fatal motor neuron disease that has left him paralyzed in all four limbs with cognitive impairment and limited ability to communicate, prosecutor Tom Little said.

“The motor neuron disease is now advanced. In addition, there is associated depression, apathy and cognitive impairment as well as severely restricted speech,” Little said in reading out one doctor’s report. “The defendant is monosyllabic and only really understandable to close family.”

The Louisiana Supreme Court on Friday halted the criminal case against state Attorney General Liz Murrill a day after she was indicted on accusations that she threatened the jobs of officials in New Orleans.

The state’s top court said the local court and special prosecutor in the case did not follow proper procedures in the process surrounding the indictment — including multiple local media reports that the court handcuffed and locked out a journalist attempting to report on the grand jury action.

Friday’s stay puts the case on hold, at least for now. Murrill, a Republican, said she intends to ask a court to dismiss the case, which shows a deep rift between Republican state officials and the Democrats who control the state’s most populous city.

“I hope this political witch hunt is not a harbinger of things to come,” she said in a statement Friday, “but I fear that it is.”

The top court found flaws with the indictment

The 16-count indictment handed up Thursday by a New Orleans grand jury accused Murrill, the state’s first female attorney general, with intimidation and malfeasance.

The Supreme Court says there were deep flaws with the charges.

“This indictment appears to turn the law on its head and flows from what appear to be extraordinary procedural defects and improprieties,” the court said in a filing signed by Justice Jay McCallum, a Republican.

The court says there are likely conflicts of interest involving Laurie White, the special prosecutor and former state judge who brought the charges, including that she’s being defended by the attorney general’s office against a sexual harassment lawsuit.

McCallum’s explanation also notes that the law used in the intimidation charge against Murrill requires that threats be “unlawful or include a threat of bodily harm or death.”

The court also found the attorney general is likely to succeed in having the case dismissed and that she would suffer irreparable harm if it can move forward.

The case flows from a contested court system shake-up

The case is fallout from a major political battle in Louisiana.

The state this year abolished the job of the New Orleans criminal court clerk — merging it with another court clerk position. That action came months after Calvin Duncan, who spent decades in prison before his murder conviction was vacated, was elected to the criminal clerk office.

Murrill and other GOP officials have refused to acknowledge Duncan’s innocence, though he’s listed on the National Registry of Exonerations.

The court noted that Duncan was previously represented by White — which it called “a likely conflict of interest.”

Manchester United have work to do in the summer transfer window under Michael Carrick as they look towards a return to the Champions League next season

Manchester United face a crucial summer if Michael Carrick is to continue to improve the Reds. United have yet to complete any new signings, although a deal for Brazilian midfielder Ederson has been agreed with Atalanta.

One former Reds star, though, could provide a much-needed financial boost. Alejandro Garnacho has struggled since arriving at Stamford Bridge from Old Trafford last summer for £40million.

And United could be in line for an additional payday, having negotiated a 10 per cent sell-on clause as part of the deal, entitling them to a slice of any future transfer fee should Chelsea decide to move him on.

With that said, below is a look at the latest United headlines as well as a view on each one…

Garnacho ‘receives exit offer’

Garnacho has reportedly received an offer to leave Chelsea this summer. Journalist Alfredo Pedulla claims Italian Serie A side AS Roma are interested in the Argentine.

It is claimed that Roma’s qualification for the Champions League will allow them to pursue a permanent deal if they so wish.

And because Garnacho was an academy product – having joined United from Atletico Madrid for just £100,000 in 2020 – the initial £40m fee paid by Chelsea was recorded as pure profit under the Premier League’s Profit and Sustainability Rules (PSR). The same accounting benefit would apply to any sell-on income they receive down the line.

Isaac Seelochan of the Manchester Evening News says: “Garnacho has been a poor signing for Chelsea and one sale which United have got right. The potential of him moving again would be music to the Reds’ ears and another example of Chelsea’s chaotic transfer policy under Clearlake.”

United ‘keen on keeper’

United are reportedly keen on Welsh goalkeeper Karl Darlow. However, the Daily Mail say they want to sell Altay Bayindir first to give them more financial headroom.

It is claimed that Bayindir has interest from Besiktas, among others. The Turkish shot-stopper has struggled since joining the Reds from Fenerbahce in September 2023.

Isaac Seelochan of the Manchester Evening News says: “United will need another backup keeper this summer after Bayindir’s struggles. While Darlow would not fill anyone at Old Trafford with confidence, he at least has some Premier League experience.”

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Onana exit confirmed

United have agreed a straight loan with Trabzonspor for goalkeeper Andre Onana. The Cameroonian has no future at Old Trafford following Senne Lammens’ impressive debut campaign.

But he will return to Manchester in 2027 with one more year remaining on his United deal. Trabzonspor are set to cover the majority of his wages, with the Reds hopeful that agreed clauses will cover the remainder of his salary.

Isaac Seelochan of the Manchester Evening News says: “Onana has been a poor signing for United. The Reds would have been keen to see him leave on a permanent deal this summer, but they have done well to get the deal they have for him to at least leave on loan for another season.”

Thousands of Man United fans upgraded their matchday last season. This is how they did it.

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Hello and welcome to Daily Mail Sport’s World Cup Breakfast from day 22 at the tournament – your one-stop shop for everything you’ve missed overnight in North America.

For all the latest news, viral moments and what to look out for, stay right here.

OVERNIGHT ACTION

Switzerland 2-0 Algeria

Switzerland won their first World Cup knockout game for a staggering 88 years. 

The 20-year-old Johan Manzambi again lit up a match in this tournament, with the Newcastle-linked rising star producing a sensational run to tee up Breel Embolo’s opening goal just 10 minutes in. 

They then landed the killer blow on Algeria 48 seconds after half-time when Nottingham Forest star Dan Ndoye took advantage of dreadful defending to slot home. Vladimir Petkovic then held their opponents at a distance to see out a thoroughly professional win. 

Switzerland will remain in Vancouver for the third successive game and face a winnable tie against either Colombia or Ghana in the last 16. 

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Portugal 2-1 Croatia

A forgettable first half was followed by a second 45 full of chaos, drama and heartbreak as Portugal progressed to the last 16.

Ivan Perisic put Croatia in front shortly after the restart before Cristiano Ronaldo – who was later substituted – finally scored his first World Cup knockout goal from the penalty spot following a VAR intervention.

It was far from the last involvement from the VAR, however. Goncalo Ramos netted a superb header in stoppage time but Croatia thought they had forced another 30 minutes as the clock struck 103 when Josko Gvardiol steered home at the back post, only for the referee to be sent to the monitor because of a possible offside.

Espen Eskas then confirmed Luka Modric and Co’s worst nightmare. Mario Pasalic was adjudged to have got a touch on the ball by the new ‘Snicko’ technology while in an offside position before Gvardiol’s finish and the goal was ruled out, breaking their hearts and sending Ronaldo’s men through to a crunch last-16 clash with Spain.

The Snickometer, more commonly used in sports like cricket, detects any motion or impact to judge contact on the Adidas Trionda ball which has a microchip that feeds information back to the VAR booth. FIFA have been using it since 2022.

READ LEWIS STEELE’S VERDICT HERE 

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The Snickometer in the ball was used to detect the faintest of touches by the Croatia player, meaning his team-mate was in an offside position so the late goal was ruled out by VAR 

VIEW FROM THE GROUND

The World Cup will be overtaken by celebrations for America’s 250th birthday this weekend. Here in Dallas, the FIFA flags on the Main Street lampposts are now dwarfed by those promoting a 250th anniversary Block Party, crash barriers for which are also already in place.

The World Cup does not suddenly become an irrelevance, though. Its timing is propitious at a time when the columnists and commentators are reflecting on exactly what the US is celebrating on this anniversary. Last Sunday’s New York Times opinion section cover story posed that very question – ‘What are we celebrating?’ – and the main piece, by Thomas L Friedman, argued that ‘brotherhood’ has been, or at least should be, the ultimate ambition of these United States. Bigger than wealth or cities or production or wealth.

It’s been so hard to discern that ambition under a Trump administration which has divided so many and sowed such discord among people and nations. It would be naive to make too many claims on a football competition, whose sustaining benefits can be short-lived, but this World Cup of many nations, continents, colours and people has brought the same spirit of unity and humanity that it always does. ‘With brotherhood, everything is possible. Without it, nothing good is sustainable,’ Friedman wrote. For these few brief weeks, the World Cup has reminded us of that.

By Ian Herbert 

The World Cup will be overtaken by celebrations for America’s 250th birthday this weekend

TEAM OF THE DAY

CELEBRITY WATCH

Hollywood superstars Penelope Cruz and her husband Javier Bardem would have been delighted with what they saw as they took in Spain’s victory over Austria in Los Angeles.

Cruz, 52, and Bardem, 57, were both born in Spain and were spotted looking rather happy with their nation’s performance while sitting in the VIP section of the SoFi Stadium.

The Oscar-winning duo, who married in 2010, may yet be smiling on July 19 with Spain among the favourites to lift the trophy – although they are on formidable France’s side of the draw.

PS: Did you know Bardem played for the Spanish national rugby team at a junior level throughout his youth.  

Hollywood couple Penelope Cruz and Javier Bardem watched as Spain beat Austria in LA

VIRAL MOMENT OF THE DAY

Drake curse, what Drake curse? 

The 39-year-old Canadian musician and mogul was in the stands supporting Portugal in his home city of Toronto.

The teams Drake supports, has bet on or publicly backed have an uncanny knack of losing, no matter which sport he leans into. 

And with his flag planted firmly in the Cristiano Ronaldo corner, surrounded by friends in Portugal shirts, Roberto Martinez’s men would have been forgiven for feeling slightly uneasy.

But they need not have been worried, Drake was seen celebrating Ronaldo’s goal with his signature ‘where she at’ gesture in footage that went viral online after he was shown on the big screen and the Portuguese are safely through. 

Drake was seen celebrating Cristiano Ronaldo’s goal for Portugal against Croatia 

PICTURE OF THE DAY

Portugal boss Roberto Martinez finally heeded the cries and urges from fans by substituting Cristiano Ronaldo. Safe to say the 41-year-old star wasn’t exactly happy about the decision. 

Cristiano Ronaldo reacts to being taken off 10 minutes from time in Portugal’s win over Croatia

STAT OF THE DAY

Cristiano Ronaldo is no stranger to making history. The 41-year-old Portuguese superstar is already the all-time leading men’s international goalscorer, and became the first player to find the net at six World Cups during the tournament in north America.

Ronaldo is now also the oldest to ever feature and score in the World Cup knockout stages, at 41 years and 147 days, after starting the match against Croatia and finding the net from the spot.

According to his sister, Katia Aveiro, the Al-Nassr star is set to retire from international football after the tournament. He still has a chance to go out in style after Portugal’s dramatic win over Croatia.

Cristiano Ronaldo became the oldest player to feature in a World Cup knockout match

THREE THINGS TO LOOK OUT FOR TODAY

1. Will Egypt’s talisman Mo Salah be fit to face Australia?

Fans back in Egypt would have grimaced at the sight of the former Liverpool star being forced off with a hamstring injury in the draw with Iran.

Salah did not look comfortable as he sat with an ice pack on the bench and has been assessed in recent days. Reports in Egypt suggest he will start against Australia but his exact condition remains to be seen.

Egypt’s supporters, both at home and those who have travelled to north America, will be desperately hoping to see Salah line up for the anthems before kick-off. Without him, beating the plucky Aussies will be a whole lot harder. 

Egypt are sweating on the fitness of star man Mo Salah, who went off injured against Iran

2. The Cape Verde fairytale continues

Few stories have been as heartwarming as African minnows Cape Verde reaching the knockout stages against all the odds.

Cape Verde progressed from a group including European champions Spain and South American giants Uruguay but the tests don’t come tougher than Lionel Messi’s Argentina.

Bookies have priced Cape Verde as long as 16/1 to cause what would be one of the greatest World Cup upsets in history and continue their fairytale story. Unlikely, of course, but the reigning world champions should not take them lightly.

3. Messi mania in Miami

Hordes of fans follow Lionel Messi everywhere he goes but fewer places in the world can claim to love the Argentinian star as much as Miami.

Messi returns to the city where he plays his club football for the last-32 clash with Cape Verde, with Inter Miami owner David Beckham set to be among those in the stands to watch the 39-year-old.

Security has been beefed up and extra police laid on in anticipation of chaos in the city as people aim to get a glimpse of one of the greatest ever.

Miami is braced for Lionel Messi mania as the Argentinian star returns to the city where he plays his club football

TODAY’S GAMES

Australia vs Egypt (Dallas, BBC One, 7pm)

Both sides head into the match in Dallas targeting a first victory in the knockout stage of a World Cup.

The Socceroos have lacked an attacking threat in their performances so far, relying on defensive solidity and counter-attacks in finishing second in Group D.

Egypt went unbeaten in reaching the last 32 and will be confident of carrying on their historic run, even if Australia sit just two places below them in the FIFA world rankings. An intriguing contest awaits.

Prediction: Egypt win 

Argentina vs Cape Verde (Miami, ITV, 11pm)

The World Cup holders are huge favourites to progress but Cape Verde proved in the group stage that they can be a tough nut to crack.

Messi will not only be hoping to take his country a step closer to retaining their crown but he also has his eye on the Golden Boot – a prize, remarkably, that he has never won.

The Argentinian hero has six goals so far and sits joint-top of the standings with Kylian Mbappe, whose superb double in France’s win over Sweden moved him level with Messi, with Erling Haaland and Harry Kane one back on five.

Prediction: Argentina win

Colombia vs Ghana (Kansas City, ITV, 2:30am)

Hasn’t the first knockout round flown by? The final tie is another interesting encounter, pitting the South Americans – who topped their group ahead of Portugal – against the side that troubled England last week.

Colombia have grown into the tournament and will fancy their chances of reaching the last 16, with Switzerland lying in wait.

Ghana showed their resilience and fortitude in holding England to a draw and could frustrate Colombia, who will expect to remain on course for a tasty quarter-final with Argentina by beating the African side in the early hours of Saturday morning.

Prediction: Colombia win. 

Three men have today been cleared of the murder of Lyra McKee.

Paul McIntyre, 58, Peter Cavanagh, 38 and Jordan Gareth Devine, 25, have been found not guilty in a non-jury trial at Belfast Crown Court.

As the verdict was delivered, the sister of Miss McKee, 29, who was shot and killed while watching riots in Londonderry in April 2019, said the justice system had ‘completely failed’ her family. 

Paul McIntyre, 58, Peter Cavanagh, 38 and Jordan Gareth Devine, 25, (left to right) have been found not guilty in a non-jury trial at Belfast Crown Court

Lyra McKee (circled) within the crowd watching a protest in Londonderry just before she was shot

The gun that police recovered in Northern Ireland, which was used to kill journalist Lyra

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Ms McKee died after being hit by a bullet as she stood close to police vehicles while observing disturbances in the Creggan area of the city.

Several petrol bombs had been directed at police and a car was set on fire during chaotic scenes which culminated in four shots being fired towards officers.

The New IRA claimed responsibility for the death of Ms McKee.

Speaking outside Belfast Crown Court, her sister Nichola Corner said: ‘Today has come as a complete and utter shock to us as a family.’

She added: ‘The system has completely failed Lyra and has failed our family, and has failed Northern Ireland, to be perfectly honest.’

Ms Corner said: ‘There is also a situation which is ongoing in our country and has been for many years, and that people are afraid to speak out, they are afraid to tell the truth, they are afraid to share information that they have

‘Over 150 people witnessed this event on the 18th of April 2019.

‘Not one of those 150 people came forward with evidence.

‘That culture of silence needs to stop in Northern Ireland, it is unfair to victims.’

Ms McKee died during what the prosecution termed a ‘culmination of orchestrated violence’ on a suburban street in Londonderry.

She had been among a number of people watching the disorder on Fanad Drive on the evening of April 18 in 2019 that followed petrol bombs being thrown at a passing police car in the area of the Creggan shops on April 16.

The rioting is said to have been a response by dissident republicans to police activity in which homes were searched.

It was during the Easter period when all shades of Irish republicanism mark the anniversary of the 1916 Rising: the Dublin uprising credited as a key step in the south of Ireland gaining independence from the UK.

A television crew, including British presenter Reggie Yates, had been filming in the area with the republican organisation Saoradh for a documentary for MTV.

After filming around several Londonderry locations in the morning, they left the area before the shooting happened.

The trial of three men who were found not guilty of Ms McKee’s murder by intentionally encouraging or assisting the gunman on a joint enterprise basis, heard that the shots were fired by a masked man standing at the corner of Fanad Drive and the southern part of Central Drive.

Following the fourth shot, screaming began.

As the gunman was seen retreating down Central Drive, Ms McKee was rushed to hospital in a police Land Rover, but was confirmed dead just after she arrived.

Her death sparked widespread outrage and led to pressure being exerted on politicians to break an impasse and start talks to restore the then suspended power-sharing institutions at Stormont.

Former Irish president Michael D Higgins, then prime minister Theresa May and former Taoiseach Leo Varadkar were among the mourners who attended her funeral.

Originally from Belfast, Ms McKee had only recently moved to Londonderry before she was killed, to live with her partner Sara Canning.

She had tweeted about the ‘absolute madness’ in Londonderry in the hours before she was shot dead.

Ms McKee rose to prominence in 2014 after a blog post called ‘Letter to my 14-year-old self’ in which she spoke about the struggle of growing up gay in Belfast.

CCTV video released by the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) in 2019 shows a suspect (circled) wanted in connection with the death of Belfast journalist Lyra McKee

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Specialist officers collect evidence at the scene

In subsequent years, her letter was turned into a short film, she became a published author and she had signed a two-book deal with Faber & Faber, as well as appearing in domestic and international publications.

Named as one of the ’30 under 30 in media’ by Forbes Magazine in 2016, Ms McKee was cited for her passion of ‘digging into topics that others don’t care about’.

She was killed just weeks before her book, Angels With Blue Faces, was due to be published.

The non-fiction book was about the Troubles-era cold case murder of South Belfast MP Rev Robert Bradford.

She had also been an editor for California-based news site Mediagazer, a trade publication covering the media industry.

The National Union of Journalists described Ms McKee as one of the most promising journalists in Northern Ireland.

She was also regarded as a hero to many in the LGBT community in Northern Ireland.

Public outrage over her death placed immense pressure on politicians to break a two-year political deadlock at Stormont, at a time when the devolved powersharing institutions were suspended.

Lyra McKee was shot at a protest where guns were fired and petrol bombs were thrown

The reaction to her killing helped kickstart political talks in 2019 as part of a bid to break the stalemate.

Paying tribute at Ms McKee’s funeral, her sister Nichola Corner said: ‘We have the power to create the kind of society that Lyra envisioned.

‘One where labels are meaningless.

‘One where every single person is valued.

‘One where every single child gets the chance to grow up and to make their dreams come true.’

She added: ‘In the words of Lyra herself, we must change our own world one piece at a time, now let’s get to work.’

Weight-loss drug semaglutide could be prescribed to people with a serious form of fatty liver disease under new guidance announced today.

The medication – sold for weight loss under the brand name Wegovy – has been approved by the MHRA to treat metabolic-associated steatohepatitis, or MASH.

MASH develops when excess fat builds up in the liver, triggering inflammation and scarring. It is more common in people who are obese, have type 2 diabetes or have high levels of fat in the blood.

Under the new guidance, semaglutide can be prescribed to adults with MASH who have moderate to advanced liver fibrosis – scarring of the liver caused by the condition.

Julian Beach, Executive Director of Healthcare Quality and Access at the MHRA, said: ‘The available evidence indicates that semaglutide is a safe and effective treatment option for patients with MASH.

‘As with all GLP-1 receptor agonists, this is a prescription-only medication and should only be taken in consultation with a doctor.’

However, patients with MASH cannot currently get semaglutide on the NHS specifically to treat the condition.

NICE is still assessing whether the drug is clinically effective and cost-effective enough to be offered routinely as a treatment for MASH. Until that decision is made, it will not be available on the NHS for this use.

The approval is also conditional, meaning regulators want more evidence before granting full marketing authorisation. Further results are expected from an ongoing study in adults with MASH and moderate to advanced liver scarring.

Semaglutide is a GLP-1 receptor agonist and is prescribed alongside diet and exercise. It works by mimicking a hormone released after eating, helping people feel fuller for longer, reducing cravings and supporting weight loss.

Semaglutide is already authorised for weight management in adults and adolescents, and for reducing the risk of cardiovascular events in adults.

Treatment usually starts at a low dose of 0.25mg once a week, before gradually increasing to 0.5mg, 1mg and 1.7mg, with patients spending around four weeks on each dose. The usual maintenance dose is 2.4mg once weekly.

For patients with obesity, defined as a BMI over 30, the dose may be increased to 7.2mg once weekly after at least four weeks on the 2.4mg dose.

The MHRA said it will review new information on semaglutide at least once a year, and update the product information if needed.

As with all medicines, the regulator will continue to monitor the drug’s safety and effectiveness. The most common side effects are gastrointestinal problems, including nausea, diarrhoea, constipation and vomiting.

Anyone who thinks they may be experiencing side effects is advised to speak to a doctor, pharmacist or nurse, and report them through the MHRA Yellow Card scheme.

Liver disease is one of the fastest-growing causes of death in the UK, and often develops silently, leaving many unaware until serious and sometimes irreversible damage has already occurred.

 Incidents of the disease have soared in recent decades, with deaths increasing more than fourfold since the 1970s – even as outcomes for many other major illnesses have improved.

While it is often linked to alcohol, experts warn growing numbers of cases are being driven by obesity, diabetes and poor diet – meaning millions of non-drinkers could also be at risk.

One of the biggest challenges is that symptoms can take years to appear. By the time the condition is diagnosed, patients may already have significant scarring of the liver, known as cirrhosis, or even liver failure or cancer.

The announcement comes shortly after a tablet form of the medication became available in the UK. 

Today Superdrug announced it would be selling the pill for a little as £79 per month.

Around 2.5million adults in the UK are thought to be using fat-busting jabs such as Wegovy and Mounjaro, but the arrival of the new pill has opened the door for millions more.

On average, the lowest dose of the once-weekly injection – 0.25mg – costs between £80 and £140 per month in the UK.

Trial results of the new pill, which is taken daily, found that patients lost around 17 per cent of their body weight after 64 weeks on the highest dose, 25mg. 

This means it is slightly less effective than the jabs, which tend to trigger up to a 20.7 per cent reduction.

Superdrug is currently stocking the pill at doses of 1.5mg and 4mg, with higher doses at 9mg and 25mg coming soon.