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London CNN —Unless you live under a rock you probably know that US President Joe Biden has spent the past few days here in Europe. First, he met with UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak before climbing aboard Marine One for a short flight to Windsor to meet King Charles III. At several points, Biden placed his hand on the King’s back, in a tactile display of their close rapport. Biden and King Charles arrive to meet participants of the Climate Finance Mobilisation Forum. Among the group of top financiers and philanthropists was Biden’s special presidential envoy for climate, John Kerry.

Persons: Joe Biden, Rishi Sunak, King Charles III, Charles, –, Prince, Andrew Caballero Reynolds, Biden, Queen Elizabeth II, Charles ’, we’ve, King Charles, Andrew Matthews, Grant Shapps, ”, King, John Kerry, Kerry, State for Energy Security Grant Shapps, Kerry wouldn’t, “ Organizations: CNN’s Royal, London CNN, NATO, UK, Wales ’ Company, Welsh Guards, British Army, Getty, CNN, Finance, Windsor, Energy Security, State for Energy Security, US Locations: London, Europe, Lithuania, American, Ukraine, Windsor, United States, AFP, British

☆ Fact Check-UK COVID-19 death statistics used online to misrepresent impact of vaccines
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-12 | by ( Reuters Fact Check | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

This counters a claim spreading online that misinterprets public data to suggest it shows the vaccines did not prevent deaths. The data shows there were 22,361 COVID deaths in England and Wales in 2022 where the individuals were vaccinated three times. This would be 80%, not 92%, of all COVID deaths for 2022, she said. The 92% pertains to COVID deaths of anyone who ever received a vaccine dose, the spokeswoman added. Moreover, the online claim’s wider suggestion of vaccine ineffectiveness is a misrepresentation of COVID deaths data, she said.

Persons: COVID, ”, Jeffrey Morris, biostatistics, Read Organizations: National Statistics, Reuters, Triple, Twitter, Facebook, England, Perelman School of Medicine, Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania Locations: England, Wales, COVID

☆ UK economy shows strains and gains, complicating Bank of England's job
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-12 | by ( William Schomberg | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

But the BoE is also aware that the economic impact of its 18-month campaign of rate hikes has yet to be felt fully. Below is a summary of key measures of the economy that the BoE will be watching before its next announcement on interest rates on Aug. 3. INFLATION THREATBritish consumer price inflation held at 8.7% in annual terms in May, down from a peak of 11.1% last October but the highest among the Group of Seven advanced economies. Reuters GraphicsINSOLVENCIESThere are signs that companies, especially smaller ones, are struggling as borrowing costs rise and the economy barely grows. Reuters GraphicsGraphics by Sumanta Sen, Kripa Jayaram and Vincent Flasseur; Editing by Paul SimaoOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: BoE, GfK, Sumanta Sen, Kripa Jayaram, Vincent Flasseur, Paul Simao Organizations: Bank of England's, Reuters Graphics Reuters, Nationwide, Halifax, Reuters, insolvencies, Wales, Reuters Graphics LABOUR, Thomson Locations: BoE's, Britain, England, Germany

☆ HP joins United Airlines in sponsoring Wrexham, the Welsh soccer club owned by Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-11 | by ( Elliot Smith | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

WREXHAM, Wales - April 10, 2023: Wrexham AFC owners Rob McElhenney and Ryan Reynolds watch their team during the Vanarama National League fixture between Wrexham and Notts County at The Racecourse Ground. Wrexham AFC, the small Welsh soccer club owned by Hollywood stars Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney, on Tuesday announced new sponsorship from U.S. technology giant HP . Wrexham Association Football Club was born in a bar in 1864 and is on its way to great things," said Wrexham AFC Co-Chairmen McElhenney and Reynolds. The formerly struggling club has undergone a remarkable transformation since Reynolds and McElhenney purchased the team for £2 million ($2.6 million) in November 2020. "We're excited to bring the power of our technology to the club and broader community, supporting them to achieve their goals."

Persons: Rob McElhenney, Ryan Reynolds, HP, McElhenney, Reynolds, Vikrant Batra Organizations: WREXHAM, Wrexham AFC, National League, Wrexham, Notts County, Welsh, Hollywood, Tuesday, HP, United Airlines, Wrexham Association Football Club, Wrexham AFC Co, Vanarama National League, League, Disney, HBO, HP Global, English Premier League titans Chelsea, Manchester United, Major League, LA Galaxy Locations: Wales, U.S, Palo Alto , California, Wrexham

☆ Anthropocene: Scientists say they’ve found a site that marks a new chapter in Earth’s history
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-11 | by ( Katie Hunt | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +11 min

CNN —Scientists have identified the geological site that they say best reflects a proposed new epoch called the Anthropocene — a major step toward changing the official timeline of Earth’s history. “We’ve moved into this new Earth state and that should be defined by a new geological epoch,” Waters added. On Tuesday, the scientists announced the geological site — Crawford Lake in Ontario, Canada — that best captures the geological impact of the Anthropocene, according to their research. Annual sediment samples from the Crawford Lake site have revealed geochemical traces of nuclear bomb testing, researchers have confirmed. The alpha spectrometry output shown on the screen indicates the presence of plutonium in a Crawford Lake drill core sample.

Persons: ”, Colin Waters, “ We’ve, Waters, eon, James St, Andrew Knoll, “, ” Knoll, Crawford, AWG, Crawford Lake, Francine McCarthy, Andrew Cundy, Stan Finney, it’s, Paul Crutzen —, Finney, It’s, stratigraphers, ” Waters, they’re, Andrew Mathews, We’ve, ’ ” Organizations: CNN —, Environment School, University of Leicester, Geologists, Wales, Harvard University, University, Southampton, Brock University, UK’s University of Southampton, International, International Union of Geological Sciences, Geological Congress, California State University, University of Southampton “, University of California Locations: Crawford Lake, Ontario, Canada, Flinders, South Australia, Jura, Crawford, Southampton Crawford, Sudeten, Lake, California, Baltic, Japan, China, Australia, Gulf of Mexico, Busan, South Korea, Long, Santa Cruz

☆ Michelin starred hotels around the world, from Italy to Vietnam
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-10 | by ( Chris Dwyer | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +24 min

Courtesy CoteArgentinian maestro Mauro Colagreco was the first ever non-French chef to earn three Michelin stars in France, at Mirazur on the famed French Riviera. Gastronomic restaurant Plénitude by chef Arnaud Donckele marked an extraordinary debut by being awarded the pinnacle of three Michelin stars just six months after opening. Since 2021, they have held three Michelin stars for their cuisine, which celebrates peerless produce from their sustainable farm just seven miles away. Lung King Heen, Four Seasons Hong KongLung King Heen was the first Chinese restaurant to hold three Michelin stars. Capella Hotels & ResortsFinally to Vietnam, where Michelin published its first ever guide in June 2023.

Persons: Winston Churchill, Albert Einstein, it’s, Heiko Nieder, carne ”, Ben Benoliel, Alex Nietosvuori, Ally Thompson, Hjem, morel, Cigliutti Enrico Crippa, Piazza, Crippa, Ferran Adrià, Mauro Colagreco, Côte, Raymond Blanc, Paul Wilkinson Chef Raymond Blanc, Lady Gaga, Queen Elizabeth II, ”, ” Blanc, Luke Selby, Plénitude, Cheval Blanc, France Plénitude, Sylvie Becquet, Blanc Paris, chef Arnaud Donckele, Chopin, Maxime Frédéric –, Aled Williams, Gareth Ward, Il Ristorante Niko Romito, Ristorante Niko Romito, Niko Romito, Romito, Giacomo Amicucci, Kyle, Katina, Michel Bras, Le Saint, Martin, Château Saint, France Le Saint, Chef Jean, Luc Lefrançois, Saint, –, sommelier Vincent Arhuro, King Heen, Hong Kong Lung King Heen, Heen, who’s, Chan Yan Tak, Rome Cavalieri, Pergola, Heinz Beck, Hatta, Ushikubo, Raby Hunt, Raby Hunt's Michelin, James Close, Maria, Chef Maria, Lorenz Adlon Esszimmer, Germany Lorenz Adlon Esszimmer, Lorenz, Young, Reto, Thomas Edison, Henry Ford, John D, Waku, Ghin, Tetsuya Wakuda, There’s, Tetsuya, they’re, kinome, It’s, Denmark There's, Jean Marchal, Maria Coppy, Jakob de Neergaard, iberico, Sven Wassmer, “, Lumnezia, Douglas, Koki, Hiroshi Yamaguchi, Bill Bensley, Chris Dwyer Organizations: CNN, Michelin, Duomo, Capella, Rosewood, of, Notre Dame, Resorts, Dubai Michelin, Resort Dubai, Reale, peerless, ”, Le Saint, Hong, Hong Kong Lung, Seasons Hong, Rockefeller, Sands, Royal Suite, Royal, Swiss, Koki, Capella Hotels, Capella Hanoi Locations: Bangkok, Piedmont, Hanoi, Tokyo, Zurich, Switzerland, Northumberland, Hadrian's, Swedish, England, Wall, Piazza Duomo, Alba, Italy, Japan, Spanish, Capella Bangkok, Thailand, France, Mirazur, Thai, Rosewood Hong Kong, Hong Kong, Chaat, Oxfordshire, ”, Cheval Blanc Paris, of Light, City of, Powys, Wales, Bulgari, Dubai, UAE, Italy’s Abruzzo, SingleThread, California, Healdsburg, Sonoma, Toya, Le, Provence, French, Vence, Marseille, Seasons Hong Kong, Yunnan, Peking, La, Rome, Eternal, County Durham, Darlington, romaine, Berlin, Germany, Brandenburg, Young Swiss, Europe, Marina, Sands, Singapore, Australia, Shizuoka, Hokkaido, d’Angleterre, Copenhagen, Denmark, Marchal, Hibana, Capella Hanoi, Vietnam

[1/3] A selection of injector pens for the Wegovy weight loss drug are shown in this photo illustration in Chicago, Illinois, U.S., March 31, 2023. It highlights the challenge Novo and rivals face in convincing European governments to pay for obesity drugs, which analysts say is likely to slow their take-up there. Germany's health ministry told Reuters there were no plans to change the law to cover weight loss drugs. DIFFERENT PICTUREIn the United States, the federal Medicare health plan for older Americans is prohibited from covering weight-loss drugs. Many health plans paid for by large employers will cover Wegovy, although they may require that patients try a rigorous diet programme or cheaper drugs first.

Persons: Jim Vondruska, Wegovy, Martin Merkel, Merkel, Duane Mellor, Novo, Lars Fruergaard Jorgensen, Michael Wirtz, Terence McManus, Phil McEwan, they've, McEwan, Patricia Weiss, Josephine Mason, Catherine Evans Organizations: REUTERS, Novo Nordisk, Wegovy, Europe's, pharma, European Union, Endocrinology Society, Aston University in, Reuters, Bellevue Asset Management, Barclays, Thomson Locations: Chicago , Illinois, U.S, Germany, FRANKFURT, Aston University in Birmingham, England, Wegovy, Europe, Danish, Berlin, Norway, Denmark, Britain, United States, Switzerland, Bellevue, EU, Cardiff , Wales, Frankfurt

LONDON, July 10 (Reuters) - Thames Water has become the poster child for a British water industry under fire for its poor environmental record and financial mismanagement. After a period as a listed company, Thames Water was acquired by German utility RWE (RWEG.DE) in 2001. Thames Water said on Monday they would provide 750 million pounds, and added it had strong liquidity of 4.4 billion pounds. FINANCESNearly 60% of Thames Water's debt is index-linked, according to ratings agency Standard & Poor's, saddling it with higher repayments as inflation soars. Thames Water was fined 3.3 million pounds last week, while Southern Water was fined 90 million pounds in 2021.

Persons: Margaret Thatcher's, Australia's Macquarie, Abu, Hermes, Ofwat, Sarah Young, Chiara Elisei, Emelia Sithole Organizations: Margaret Thatcher's Conservative, Water, Thames, Ontario, BT, China Investment Corp, Thames Water, Macquarie, Yorkshire Water, Severn Trent, United Utilities, The Times, Environment Agency, Southern Water, Thomson Locations: Britain, Here's, Abu Dhabi, Thames, Southern Water, United, England

☆ Trinity Rodman, daughter of an NBA legend, shines for USWNT before team departs for Women’s World Cup
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-10 | by ( Ben Church | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

CNN —Trinity Rodman scored twice as the United States Women’s National Team (USWNT) beat Wales 2-0 on Sunday in its final warmup game before the Women’s World Cup. Rodman, the daughter of NBA legend Dennis Rodman, came on as a second half substitute before scoring a brace late in the game. In 2021, Rodman made history after becoming the youngest woman ever selected in the NWSL draft. She was named NWSL Rookie of the Year later that year as she helped her team lift the NWSL title. Rodman made her highly-anticipated debut for the national team in 2022 and is part of a new generation of players looking to cement the USWNT’s legacy as the greatest team in women’s soccer.

Persons: Trinity Rodman, Rodman, Dennis Rodman, “, ”, Vlatko Andonovski, Karen Ambrose Hickey, Sipa, Megan Rapinoe Organizations: CNN, United States Women’s National, Wales, Washington Spirit, Reuters, Washington Locations: United, Australia, New Zealand, Vietnam, Netherlands, Portugal, San Jose , California

☆ For Rapinoe, a Final Send-Off Before a Final World Cup
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-09 | by ( Claire Fahy | More About Claire Fahy | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Megan Rapinoe began her long goodbye with the equivalent of a homecoming. In the decade and a half since she became a professional soccer player, Rapinoe’s career has taken her to soccer clubs on two continents, to Olympic Games on three and, soon, to a fourth World Cup. Rapinoe, 38, grew up in Redding, Calif., about 250 miles north of the site of Sunday’s game, PayPal Park in San Jose. She estimated that about 40 of her family members and friends had made the trip south to see the United States beat Wales, 2-0, in its final game on American soil ahead of the Women’s World Cup that starts later this month in Australia and New Zealand. “This is the closest that I’ll ever get to play to Redding in my career,” Rapinoe had said on Saturday.

Persons: Megan Rapinoe, Rapinoe, I’ll, Redding, ” Rapinoe Organizations: Olympic Games, women’s, PayPal, United States, Wales Locations: Rapinoe, Redding, Calif, San Jose, United, Australia, New Zealand

☆ U.S. forward Rapinoe to retire after current season
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-08 | by ( Nathan Frandino | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

SAN JOSE, Calif., July 8 (Reuters) - United States forward Megan Rapinoe will retire after this season, the 38-year-old said on Saturday, days before she leaves for the Women's World Cup in Australia and New Zealand. Jun 27, 2023; Carson, California, USA; USWNT forward Megan Rapinoe during Women's World Cup media day at Dignity Health Sports Park. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY SportsThe United States are gunning for an unprecedented third consecutive title at the World Cup. Rapinoe joined OL Reign in their inaugural season and holds the team record for most career goals (48) and assists (25). The United States kick off their World Cup campaign on July 22 against Vietnam.

Persons: Megan Rapinoe, Rapinoe, It's, Kirby Lee, gunning, Sue Bird, Donald Trump, Colin Kaepernick, we’ve, Nathan Frandino, Amy Tennery, Clare Fallon Organizations: JOSE, Calif, Women's Soccer League, Dignity Health Sports Park, USA, Wales, National Basketball Association, U.S, Soccer, NFL, United, Vietnam, Thomson Locations: United States, Australia, New Zealand, California, Carson , California, USA, San Jose , California, France, New York

CNN —US Women’s National Team star Megan Rapinoe, a two-time Women’s World Cup winner, has announced she will retire at the end of the 2023 National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) season. Rapinoe, an Olympic gold medalist from London 2012, will play in her fourth and final World Cup this summer in Australia and New Zealand, before returning to her NWSL team OL Reign. To be able to play one last World Cup and one last NWSL season and go out on my own terms is incredibly special.”Megan Rapinoe has won two World Cup and Olympic gold with the USWNT. In her domestic career, Rapinoe won the French league title and French Cup with Lyon in the 2012-2013 season and has won three NWSL Shields with the Seattle Reign and OL Reign. “When you talk about players performing on the biggest stages, she’s right up there with the best to ever do it for the US Women’s National Team.

Persons: Megan Rapinoe, Rapinoe, “ I’ve, ” Rapinoe, “, we’ve, Brad Smith, ”, Cooper, Shields, “ Megan, Kate Markgraf, Vlatko Andonovski, Andonovski, “ It’s Organizations: CNN, US Women’s National, Women’s Soccer League, Wales, National Team, US Soccer, Ballon, Lyon, Seattle, US, National Locations: Australia, New Zealand, United States

☆ Thames Water: Why Britain's water industry is struggling with sewage spills, huge leaks and crushing debts
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-08 | by ( Hanna Ziady | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

The UK water sector is “clearly in a state of multiple crises,” said Dieter Helm, a professor of economic policy at the University of Oxford. Thames Water in troubleThe industry’s long-running problems have been thrust into the spotlight by a looming cash crunch at Thames Water, which serves 15 million people in London and the southeast of England. An aerial view of a Thames Water sewage treatment works in west London. A screen displays real-time notifications of sewage leaks into waterways in the region controlled by Thames Water in January 2023. Will Thames Water be nationalized?

Persons: ”, Dieter Helm, “, ” Helm, Ofwat, Abu Dhabi, David Black, Ben Stansall, Iain Coucher, they’ve, ” Black, Margaret Thatcher’s, David Hall, Leon Neal, ” Hall, Sarah Bentley “, Maureen McLean, Helm Organizations: London CNN —, University of Oxford, CNN, Thames, Getty, Yorkshire Water, Margaret Thatcher’s Conservative, Public Services International Research Unit, University of Greenwich, Thames Water, Ontario, BBC Locations: England, Wales, London, China, Abu, AFP, Yorkshire, Windsor, UK

☆ Homeless World Cup brings its message of hope to California
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-08 | by ( Rachel Nostrant | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

The 40-team tournament, which runs from July 8-15 at the University of California at Sacramento, is the brainchild of Homeless World Cup Foundation. Fahrudin Muminovic represented Bosnia and Herzegovina at the 2019 Homeless World Cup in Wales. This is the first time the Homeless World Cup will take place in the U.S. There are two different fields of play, the World Cup, which consists of both men's and co-ed teams, and the Women's World Cup, featuring women-only matches. The final match will be held July 15, five days before 32 teams take the field for the 9th annual FIFA Women's World Cup in Australia and New Zealand.

Persons: Shannon Stapleton, Mel Young, Fahrudin Muminovic, Sienna Jackson, Young, “, ” Young, Rachel Nostrant, David Gregorio Our Organizations: REUTERS, University of California, Homeless, Foundation, World Economic, Team USA, Sacramento State, Youth Center, U.S, FIFA, Thomson Locations: Los Angeles , California, U.S, California, Sacramento, Bosnia, Herzegovina, Wales, Srebrenica, South Africa, France, Denmark, Australia, New Zealand

☆ Royal destinations you need to visit in the UK
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-07 | by ( Amy Woodyatt | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

A version of this story appeared in the July 7 edition of CNN’s Royal News, a weekly dispatch bringing you the inside track on Britain’s royal family. Research in 2011 by Visit Britain found that around 60% of tourists to the UK are likely to visit places associated with the royal family, according to Ross Bennett-Cook, a visiting lecturer at the School of Architecture and Cities at London’s University of Westminster. While there is no more recent data on royal sites specifically, in 2022 Visit Britain found that history and heritage were the biggest pull factors for tourists. Peter Titmuss/UCG/Universal Images Group/Getty ImagesCornwall: Dear to local and international tourists alike, Cornwall, on the southwestern tip of the UK pointing out into the Atlantic Ocean, is also a special destination for the royal family. The medieval parish church of St Mary Magdalene is regularly used as a place of worship by members of the royal family and dates back to the 16th-century.

Persons: Ross Bennett, Cook, we’ve, Queen Elizabeth II, King Charles III, William the, Edward III, Prince Harry, Prince Philip, Peter Titmuss, Duke of Cornwall, Prince William, Mary Magdalene, Bauer, Griffin, Queen, King George VI, Queen Victoria . Prince Albert, Queen Victoria, Andrew Milligan, Prince Albert, daytrippers, Mary Queen of Scots, It’s, Peter Byrne, King Charles, Prince of Wales, Work, wasn’t, King Edward I, Wales, Edward II, Tim Rooke, King George IV, Albert, There’s, shouldn’t Organizations: CNN’s Royal, CNN, Wimbledon, School of Architecture, London’s University of Westminster, Guard, Getty, Radcliffe, Sandringham, Sandringham House, Queen, Highlands, Scottish, Caernarfon, Royal Palaces Locations: Europe, London, Windsor, St, George’s, Duchy, Cornwall, Lostwithiel, UK, British, England, Scilly, Sandringham, Norfolk, Royal Parkland, Scotland, Cairns, Edinburgh, Holyroodhouse, Scottish, Caernarfon, Wales, Menai, Anglesey, Prince, Hillsborough, Northern Ireland, Brighton, Isle of Wight, Osborne

☆ Arda Güler: Real Madrid sign 18-year-old soccer sensation dubbed ‘Turkish Messi’
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-07 | by ( Ben Morse | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

CNN —Real Madrid have signed 18-year-old soccer sensation Arda Güler from Turkish side Fenerbahçe, the Spanish club announced on Thursday. Güler is one of the most highly sought-after prospects in the sport and his signing was rumored to be a contest between numerous big-name teams. But Real eventually won the race to add his talent and potential to its squad, with Güler signing a six-year contract with the club. I also want to be a legend of Real Madrid. Güler is also a part of the Turkish national team squad, making his debut as a 17-year-old.

Persons: Arda Güler, Güler, Florentino Pérez, Lionel Messi, Turkish Messi, ”, Fenerbahçe, Vinícius Jr, Jude Bellingham, Toni Kroos, Luka Modrić, Eduardo Camavinga, Federico Valverde, Aurélien, Vinícius Organizations: CNN — Real Madrid, Real, Los, supremo, Argentine, Turkish, Lig, Turkish national team, Wales Locations: Spanish, Real Madrid, Fenerbahçe, Real’s, Madrid

☆ UK’s leaky water model faces a growing storm
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-05 | by ( Neil Unmack | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +8 min

The fallout raises two big questions: whether the regulatory regime works, and whether Britain’s water companies should still be privately owned. Average UK water bills are 448 pounds in the current year, versus 409 pounds in Scotland. One option would be to squeeze water companies – cutting allowed prices, and imposing bigger penalties on those that allow leaks. For the sector as a whole, Ofwat assumes equity comprises 45% of water companies’ 94 billion pound RCV, or 42 billion pounds. Reuters Graphics Reuters GraphicsFollow @Unmack1 on TwitterCONTEXT NEWSThames Water investors have become more “concerned” about the company’s turnaround, the chief executive of UK water regulator Ofwat David Black told a UK parliament committee on July 4.

Persons: Macquarie’s, Severn, Ofwat, Jefferies, David Black, Iain Coucher, “, Black, George Hay, Oliver Taslic Organizations: Reuters, Conservative, Thames, Ofwat, Reuters Graphics Regulators, Yorkshire Water, United Utilities, Scottish, Dwr Cymru, Barclays, Reuters Graphics Reuters, Thames Water, Water, Sky News, Thomson Locations: Severn Trent, RCV, Water, Wales, Scotland, Germany, United States, Italy, Ireland, Britain

☆ Without racket, Federer wows Centre Court
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-04 | by ( Martyn Herman | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

[1/2] Tennis - Wimbledon - All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club, London, Britain - July 4, 2023 Eight-time Wimbledon champion Roger Federer stands alongside Catherine, Princess of Wales during a presentation on centre court to honour his achievements REUTERS/Toby MelvilleLONDON, July 4 (Reuters) - Retired Swiss great Roger Federer made a surprise appearance on his favourite stage to the delight of Centre Court ticket holders at Wimbledon on Tuesday. Federer, whose 20 Grand Slam singles titles include a record eight at Wimbledon and who many regard as the greatest player of all time, retired last year at the age of 41. With his long-time rival Rafa Nadal also absent this year as he tries to regain his fitness and Serena Williams also retired, Wimbledon is missing some of its favourite players. But even without his racket, Federer had the Centre Court crowd drooling during a short video presentation played on the scoreboards before defending women's favourite Elena Rybakina took to the court for her opening match. The film captured Federer's glittering Wimbledon career, from his first title in 2003 to his last in 2017.

Persons: Roger Federer, Catherine , Princess of, Toby Melville LONDON, Federer, Rafa Nadal, Serena Williams, Elena Rybakina, Mirka, Wales, Martyn Herman, Ed Osmond Organizations: Lawn Tennis, Croquet Club, Wimbledon, Court, Thomson Locations: London, Britain, Swiss

☆ Putin expected to meet Xi and Modi at SCO Summit following Wagner insurrection
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-03 | by ( Jessie Yeung | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

CNN —All eyes will be on Vladimir Putin this week, with the Russian president expected to make his first appearance on the world stage since the Wagner insurrection threatened his steel grip on power. In the brief, chaotic insurrection, Wagner – a private mercenary group led by warlord Yevgeny Prigozhin – took control of key military facilities in two Russian cities. Participants of the 22nd meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) leaders' summit in Samarkand, Uzbekistan on September 16, 2022. By contrast, Putin managed to end the Wagner insurrection before it reached the capital, without bloodshed. Modi made headlines at last year’s in-person SCO summit in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, when he told Putin that now is not the time for war, appearing to directly rebuff the invasion.

Persons: Vladimir Putin, Wagner, Putin, Wagner –, Yevgeny Prigozhin –, Prigozhin, Xi, India’s Narendra Modi –, –, they’re, ”, Derek Grossman, Grossman, ” Grossman, Murat Kula, “, Yasuhiro Matsuda, Matsuda, ” Matsuda, “ Xi Jinping, Alexander Korolev, That’s, won’t, Korolev, India’s Modi, Modi, Joe Biden, RAND’s Grossman, India’s Organizations: CNN, Shanghai Cooperation Organization, SCO, Kremlin, RAND Corporation, Anadolu Agency, Getty, Russia, NATO, Chinese Foreign Ministry, Institute for Advanced Studies, University of Tokyo, “ Russia, China –, Kazakhstan, University of New Locations: Russian, Beijing, Moscow, Belarus, Pakistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, US, Russia, China, Samarkand, Central Asia, Iran, Ukraine, Europe, Asia, University of New South Wales, Australia, India, Washington, Indian, Goa, Delhi

☆ Australian home prices climb for fourth month in June
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-02 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

REUTERS/David Gray/File PhotoSYDNEY, July 3 (Reuters) - Australian home prices rose for a fourth consecutive month in June as a sustained squeeze on housing supply helped lift values nationwide, data showed on Monday. Property consultant CoreLogic figures showed national home prices were up 1.1% in June from the previous month, after bottoming in February and starting a sustained rise. Every state and territory capital except Tasmania's Hobart recorded higher prices for dwellings, according to CoreLogic. "A slowdown in the pace of capital gains could be a reflection of a change in sentiment as interest rate expectations revise higher," Lawless said. "Higher interest rates and lower sentiment will likely weigh on the number of active home buyers, helping to rebalance the disconnect between demand and supply."

Persons: David Gray, Tasmania's Hobart, CoreLogic's Tim Lawless, Lawless, Sam McKeith, William Mallard Organizations: REUTERS, ., Reserve Bank of Australia, Thomson Locations: Sydney, Clovelly, Australia, Tasmania's, CoreLogic, New South Wales, Brisbane, Queensland

☆ Captains can wear a choice of eight armbands at the FIFA Women's World Cup
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-30 | by ( Lori Ewing | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

MANCHESTER, England, June 30 (Reuters) - Captains will be permitted to wear armbands with messages about inclusion, gender equality and peace at the Women's World Cup, an about-face for FIFA after rainbow armbands were not allowed at the men's tournament last year in Qatar. Team skippers will have the choice of eight different topics as part of FIFA's "Football Unites the World" campaign, selected in consultation with the 32 participating teams, players and United Nations agencies. Men's team captains from England, Wales, Belgium, the Netherlands, Switzerland, Germany and Denmark had planned to wear "OneLove" armbands at the men's World Cup to protest Qatar's laws against same-sex relationships. "Football unites the world and our global events, such as the FIFA Women's World Cup, have a unique power to bring people together and provide joy, excitement and passion," Infantino said in Friday's statement. Captains have three options: they can wear the "Football Unites the World" armband, an armband corresponding to the theme of their choice for the entire tournament, or the armband corresponding to the theme of the specific match day.

Persons: Gianni Infantino, Infantino, It's, Fatma Samoura, Lori Ewing Organizations: FIFA, Team, Football, United Nations, Thomson Locations: MANCHESTER, England, Qatar, FIFA's, Wales, Belgium, Netherlands, Switzerland, Germany, Denmark, Australia, New Zealand

☆ Despite Battle Over Politics, Florida Tourism Rolls On
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-30 | by ( Tariro Mzezewa | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

At Disney World that day, you would never have known that the League of United Latin American Citizens, the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People and the L.G.B.T.Q. organization Equality Florida had all recently issued warnings telling people to reconsider coming to Florida because of the policies of Gov. I had traveled to Florida in the wake of the N.A.A.C.P.’s advisory to see whether the warnings had any effect. In fact, several travelers said that they visited Disney and certain parts of Florida to get away from politics. “Coming to Disney, especially, is like entering a safe zone,” ‌‌Stephanie Kate Jones, who was visiting the park from Wales in the United Kingdom, told me.

Persons: Jean Franco Rivera’s, Ahmed, Luis, ‌ Jean Franco, Jean Franco’s, Ron DeSantis, Stephanie Kate Jones, ” Organizations: Disney World, Galaxy, Disney, League of United Latin American Citizens, National Association for, Advancement of Colored People, Gov Locations: Puerto Rico, Texas, Orlando, Florida, Wales, United Kingdom

☆ Climate nears point of no return as land, sea temperatures break records, experts say
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-30 | by ( David Stanway | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

Sea temperatures also broke April and May records. Global average sea surface temperatures hit 21C in late March and have remained at record levels for the time of year throughout April and May. Australia's weather agency warned that Pacific and Indian ocean sea temperatures could be 3C warmer than normal by October. Though this year's high sea temperatures are caused by a "perfect combination" of circumstances, the ecological impact could endure, she said. The Worldwide Fund for Nature, however, warned of a "worrying lack of momentum" during climate talks in Bonn this month, with little progress made on key issues like fossil fuels and finance ahead of November's COP28 climate talks in Dubai.

Persons: Kerry, Sarah Perkins, Kirkpatrick, Piers Forster, El Nino, Annalisa Bracco, Li Shuo, John Kerry, Li, David Stanway, Ali Withers, Gloria Dickie, Jamie Freed Organizations: EU, Australia's University of New, U.S ., World Meteorological Organization, El Nino, University of Leeds, Georgia Institute of Technology, DUBAI, The, Nature, Thomson Locations: Beijing, SINGAPORE, Bonn, Australia's University of New South Wales, United States, North America, Canada, U.S . East Coast, India, Spain, Iran, Vietnam, Paris, 1.5C, California, Africa, November's, Dubai, China, Copenhagen, London

☆ Australia ushers in a new era of psychedelic medicine
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-30 | by ( Katie Hunt | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

Australia may be the first country to regulate the therapeutic use of MDMA and psilocybin, but it isn’t alone in ushering in a new era of psychedelic medicine. In October 2022, Alberta became the first jurisdiction in Canada to regulate the use of psychedelic drugs. Combining psychotherapy with psychedelic drugs is thought to be necessary for a beneficial outcome. He said that psychedelic drugs resulted in “powerful altered states of consciousness that can be intensely therapeutic, but also intensely destabilizing. “If you have a regulated, insured, safe context, and a good psychotherapeutic relationship, and yes, there’s the potential for great benefit there.”However, Rucker stressed that psychedelic drugs were not “a chemical switch to make everything seem fine.

Persons: ”, haven’t, Colleen Loo, Loo, “, Cole Burston, Celia Morgan, Morgan, James Rucker, “ You’re, ” Morgan, ” Rucker, prescriber, Rucker Organizations: CNN, Goods Administration, US Food and Drug Administration, University of New, Black Dog Institute, The Royal, New Zealand College of Psychiatrists, Oregon Health Authority, Getty, University of Exeter, The New England, of Medicine, of Psychiatry, Neuroscience, King’s College London, Therapeutic Goods Locations: Australia, University of New South Wales, Sydney, RANZCP, Alberta, Canada, AFP, United Kingdom, The, psychopharmacology

☆ World hits record land, sea temperatures as climate change fuels 2023 extremes
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-30 | by ( David Stanway | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

Persons: Cpl Marc, Andre Leclerc, Kerry, Sarah Perkins, Kirkpatrick, Piers Forster, El Nino, Annalisa Bracco, Li Shuo, John Kerry, Li, David Stanway, Ali Withers, Gloria Dickie, Jamie Freed Organizations: Canadian Forces, REUTERS, EU, Australia's University of New, U.S ., World Meteorological Organization, El Nino, University of Leeds, Georgia Institute of Technology, DUBAI, The, Nature, Thomson Locations: Mistissini, Quebec, Canada, Beijing, SINGAPORE, Bonn, Australia's University of New South Wales, United States, North America, U.S . East Coast, India, Spain, Iran, Vietnam, Paris, 1.5C, California, Africa, November's, Dubai, China, Copenhagen, London

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