Author: The Guardian

The space rocket of a Chinese private company crashed and exploded into flames near a city on Sunday, after it accidentally launched during a test.The first stage of the Tianlong-3 rocket left its launch pad due to a structural failure at the connection between the rocket and the test stand, said company Beijing Tianbing, also known as Space Pioneer, in a statement on its official WeChat account. The rocket landed in a hilly area of the city of Gongyi in central China, it said.Video footage from the incident published by Chinese digital media outlet The Paper showed the rocket soaring…

U.S. Department of Justice to file lawsuit against Boeing The company committed fraud but plans to offer the plane maker a plea deal, according to people familiar with the matter, angering relatives of hundreds of passengers who died in two fatal crashes five years ago.Officials have told families of those on board Lion Air Flight 610 and Ethiopian Airlines Flight 302, which killed 346 people, that Boeing will decide by the end of the week whether to plead guilty and avoid a trial.Lawyers representing the relatives accused the federal government of orchestrating “another sweetheart plea deal” with Boeing. During a…

Spain versus Germany, then. Don’t mind if we do. The tournament’s hosts and its best team will meet in Stuttgart for a place in the semi-finals after the selección took 33 shots and scored four goals to ease past Georgia here. Only “ease” may not be quite the right word.They were hugely impressive again en route to a victory secured by goals from Rodri, Fabián Ruiz, Nico ­Williams and Dani Olmo, a lovely combination of quality, control and velocity confirming their status as favourites, but that makes it sound a little simpler than it was – if only because for…

Willy Sagnol says it may be time to abandon VAR until it can be used properly after Spain equalized, arguing Spain should have been ruled out for offside in their bid to knock Georgia out of Euro 2024 And was excluded.Georgia, ranked 74th in the world and playing their first major tournament, took the lead after 18 minutes but Rodri equalized six minutes before half-time and three second-half goals gave Spain a 4-1 win in Cologne. They advanced to the quarterfinals.Rodri admitted things could have been different had Spain still trailed at half-time, with Sagnol insisting they should have done…

England (4-2-3-1)Jordan Pickford (GK) Bemused by everything that unfolded in front of him. No chance with Schranz’s goal. 6Kyle Walker (RB) Dreadful passing and he was repeatedly exposed by Haraslin. But hurled in throw for equaliser. 4John Stones (CB) Looked like his mind was elsewhere. Awful distribution. Knuckled down in extra-time. 4Marc Guéhi (CB) Suspended for next round after Trippier’s hospital ball. Beaten before Slovakia’s goal. Then a big assist. 6Kieran Trippier (LB): Unlucky not to get an assist. But lack of left foot a problem all tournament. 4Kobbie Mainoo (CM) Did not protect defence well but he showed personality…

Gareth Southgate admitted he considered subbing Jude Bellingham but the midfielder saved England from injury time with a bicycle kick in injury time The knockout goal that Harry Kane called one of the best in the country’s history.Southgate also considered replacing Kane before the captain’s extra-time winner in the tense last 16 tie against heartbreak Slovakia, but before Bellingham changed the situation with a stunning equalizer Gate suffered an embarrassing defeat.England struggled for a long time and deservedly fell behind to Ivan Schranz’s sharp goal in the 25th minute. Southgate’s reign was coming to an end – until Kyle Walker’s…

The National Rally (RN) has won 34% of the popular vote in the first round of France’s snap two-round general election, according to early estimates, with the leftwing New Popular Front (NFP) alliance on 28%-29% and President Emmanuel Macron’s centrist Together bloc on 20%-22%.A national vote share, however, is extremely difficult to translate into a projected number of seats in the assemblée nationale. That’s because the final outcome will depend on the results in the constituencies. While pollsters issue seat estimates, France’s polling watchdog does not endorse them.Here’s a guide to what comes next as voters gear up for the…

McLaren driver Lando Norris has condemned Max Verstappen’s driving as desperate and reckless after the pair clashed as they battled for the lead at the Austrian Grand Prix, with Norris being knocked out and Verstappen just behind Finished fifth. George Russell took advantage of the collision to secure victory for Mercedes at the Red Bull Ring.The pair had been competing fiercely and on lap 64 of the 71-lap race, Norris attempted to overtake for a third time and they collided with each other as the 24-year-old British driver tried to go around the outside of the corner. All three were…

The only thing that unifies fashion at Glastonbury is the need for sensible footwear: no other festival is as much a walking holiday as it is a great day (and night) out. But other than that, all bets are off. From kimonos to fancy dress, these were the big trends this year.Furry bucket hatsStormzy goes for a classic bucket hat. Photograph: Ben Birchall/PABucket hats are to Glastonbury what flip-flops are to the beach: absolutely everywhere, in every colour and permutation imaginable. But this year a new variation emerged: furry. Even as sunshine pounded the festival on Saturday afternoon, festivalgoers would…

George Russell won the Austrian Grand Prix for Mercedes, inheriting the lead and winning. A fierce, testy but thrilling battle ensued between Max Verstappen and Norris with Verstappen falling behind.McLaren’s Oscar Piastri finished second, Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz third and Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton fourth.It’s a moment of celebration for Russell and Mercedes. The 26-year-old from King’s Lynn claimed his second career win and Mercedes’ first since winning in Brazil in 2022.The team has won eight consecutive constructors’ championships since 2014, marking their second most important step since the rule change that year.However, the race was defined by the battle between Verstappen…