Author: INDEPENDENT

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emailsSign up to our free breaking news emails Vatican police have detained a former employee on charges of attempted extortion after he allegedly tried to sell a 17th-century gilded manuscript describing Bernini’s designs for the altar canopy of St. Peter’s Basilica back to the Holy See.Vatican prosecutors said that the 18-page manuscript, which apparently contains the first known specifications for the gilding of the baldacchino canopy, had disappeared from the basilica archives.The person implicated had worked for the Fabbrica di San Pietro,…

Sign up to Miguel Delaney’s Reading the Game newsletter sent straight to your inbox for freeSign up to Miguel’s Delaney’s free weekly newsletter Euro 2024 is almost upon us, 24 nations having qualified each with a guaranteed three matches to play in the group stage – but a handful of them dreaming of going the distance, hopeful of playing a full seven matches and triumphing in Berlin on 14 July.Another summer of football action will see the likes of England, Spain, France and hosts Germany all go head to head across the course of a month, each hoping to be…

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emailsSign up to our free breaking news emailsDr Michael Mosley has gone missing on a Greek island, his agent has confirmed. Known for appearing on television programmes like This Morning, he is said to have failed to have returned from a hiking excursion. In a local Facebook group, an appeal read: “Have you seen this man? He set off to walk back from St Nick’s at about 13.30 and failed to make it home. His friends are concerned as it is 6…

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emailsSign up to our free breaking news emailsFrancis is a pope of many firsts: the first to use that name, the first from Latin America, the first from the Jesuit religious order. Since last week, he’s also the first pope to apologise for using foul language.Francis was quoted by Italian media as using the Italian term “frociaggine”, roughly translating as “faggotness” or “faggotry”, in a closed-door May 20 meeting with Italian bishops.The Vatican issued an apology, but after that, other Italian reports…

James Maddison has been cut from England’s final squad (Getty Images)James Maddison has left the England camp after being told by Gareth Southgate that he will not be part of the final 26-man squad for Euro 2024.Maddison was included in the 33-player training group selected for the two warm-up friendlies against Bosnia and Herzegovina, who England beat 3-0 on Monday, and Iceland at Wembley this Friday night. But he played only a late cameo against Bosnia and has now been told that he has not made the final list.Liverpool duo Curtis Jones and Jarrell Quansah are also set to miss…

When has Trump threatened to imprison his opponents in the past?The former president has floated the idea of prosecuting his political opponents on multiple occasions in the past.At the start of his re-election campaign, Trump frequently raised the idea of prosecuting President Joe Biden.“I will appoint a real special prosecutor to go after the most corrupt president in the history of America, Joe Biden, and go after the Biden crime family,” Trump said in June at his Bedminster, New Jersey, residence, just hours after being arraigned at a federal courthouse in Miami on charges related to his handling of classified…

Sign up to Miguel Delaney’s Reading the Game newsletter sent straight to your inbox for freeSign up to Miguel’s Delaney’s free weekly newsletter What the papers sayTottenham, Aston Villa and Atletico Madrid are in a three-way battle to sign Chelsea midfielder Conor Gallagher who is worth around £50million, according to the Daily Mail. The England international scored five goals with seven assists for the Blues last season.Despite Spanish outlet Marca saying Manchester United have joined Liverpool in the race for 18-year-old Lille centre back Leny Yoro, the Daily Mail says United are unlikely to make a bid for the teenager.…

Zelensky says China trying to undermine Ukraine peace summitFor free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emailsSign up to our free breaking news emailsVladimir Putin has threatened to retaliate against Western countries that are allowing Ukraine to hit Russia with their long-range missiles.Putin said Russia will provide such weapons to countries or adversaries within striking distance of Western nations.“If we see that these countries are being drawn into a war against the Russian Federation, then we reserve the right to act in the same way. In general, this is a…

Kylian Mbappe said “there were things that made him unhappy” at Paris Saint-Germain, as he discussed his move to Real Madrid.The French striker, 25, will officially join the 15-time European champions on 1 July, the day after his contract with PSG expires.Confirmation of his move makes official one of the worst-kept secrets in football, with Mbappe having been strongly linked with a switch to the Bernabeu for several months.Speaking to the media ahead of France’s friendly game against Luxembourg, the forward opened up on his PSG exit.“I was always happy at PSG, but it’s true that there were things that…

The latest headlines from our reporters across the US sent straight to your inbox each weekdayYour briefing on the latest headlines from across the US More than a dozen Israeli settlers — as well as two affiliated farms and four groups — have been targeted by international sanctions over accusations of attacks and harassment against Palestinians in the West Bank. The measures are meant as a deterrent. They expose people to asset freezes and travel and visa bans. But the measures have had minimal impact, instead emboldening settlers as attacks and land grabbling escalate. Communities donated money and held fundraisers,…