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The World Cup SnubHarry Maguire has announced he has been overlooked by Thomas Tuchel for the England World Cup squad. The Manchester United centre-half had hoped to be included in the 26-man party for the tournament this summer, which Tuchel will name at Wembley on Friday morning."I was confident I could have played a major part this summer for my country after the season I've had," Maguire posted on social media. "I've been left shocked and gutted by the decision. I've loved nothing more than putting that shirt on and representing my country over the years. I wish the players all the best this summer."Resurgence at Manchester UnitedMaguire has excelled for United since Michael Carrick took over as the head coach in mid-January and was called up by Tuchel for the March international programme. The 33-year-old started against Uruguay and came on as a late substitute against Japan, when he brought a threat on set pieces.His performances had raised hopes that he would feature in the World Cup squad, especially after struggling for form under previous manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.Defensive Priorities for EnglandDespite Maguire's improved club form, Tuchel has decided to prioritise other players in the position. The decision suggests that the England manager may be looking for different attributes in his center-back options for the tournament.Maguire's omission comes as a surprise given his recent performances and his experience at international level, having been a regular starter for England in previous tournaments.Implications for Maguire's International FutureThis decision raises questions about Maguire's future with the national team. At 33 years old, this could potentially be his last chance to feature in a World Cup, making the exclusion particularly disappointing.However, his continued good form at Manchester United could give him opportunities to force his way back into contention for future England squads, particularly if Tuchel's preferred options underperform at the World Cup.

Lead: In recent months, a wave of court petitions has targeted several historic mosques, alleging that the land originally belonged to Hindu temples. The disputes, rooted in a mix of legal precedent, political rhetoric, and communal sentiment, are reshaping the religious‑property landscape in India. Rising Legal Battles Over Mosque Sites The Supreme Court’s 2019 Ayodhya verdict set a legal benchmark for resolving contested religious properties. Since then, activists and political groups have filed new petitions claiming that dozens of mosques were built on former temple grounds. Key cases include: Shahjahanpur Mosque – petition filed in March 2026 alleging a 12th‑century temple beneath the structure. Gulbarga Masjid – court hearing scheduled for July 2026 after a local Hindu organization presented archaeological reports. Hyderabad Charminar Mosque – controversy reignited following a state‑level heritage review. Numbers Behind the Controversy Recent court data indicate a noticeable uptick in religious‑property petitions: At least 15 high‑profile mosque sites have been subject to temple‑claim petitions in the past year, compared with 9 in the preceding year. Petitions filed in state high courts rose by roughly 35% year‑over‑year, according to the Ministry of Law and Justice. Legal fees and associated litigation costs for the parties involved have collectively exceeded ₹500 million in 2025‑26. Shifts in Communal Politics and Social Cohesion The surge is influencing both political discourse and community relations. Major political parties are leveraging the disputes to mobilise voter bases, while civil‑society groups warn of heightened communal tension. The pattern also signals a strategic use of heritage narratives to contest political authority at the regional level. What the Next Year May Hold for Religious Property Cases Analysts anticipate several possible trajectories: Judicial clarification – The Supreme Court may issue a comprehensive guideline on heritage‑site claims, aiming to standardise evidence requirements. Legislative response – Parliament could consider amending the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains Act to address overlapping religious claims. Grass‑roots mediation – NGOs are proposing community‑based mediation panels to resolve disputes without prolonged litigation. Regardless of the path taken, the disputes are set to remain a focal point of India’s socio‑political landscape, testing the balance between heritage preservation, religious freedom, and communal harmony.

The LeadAnxious Arsenal fans around the world were glued to their screens when Manchester City's draw at Bournemouth crowned the North London club as Premier League champions – but Mikel Arteta, who led Arsenal to their first league title in 22 years, was not watching.The manager had planned to be at Arsenal's training centre in London Colney to watch the game with his players, but could not find the energy to make the trip, and chose to stay at home.The Unconventional Celebration"I went outside to the garden, I started to build some fire. I started to do some barbecue, I didn't watch any of it," Arteta told reporters on Thursday.After finishing second three times in a row, Arteta heard the news of their long-awaited triumph from his eldest son, Gabriel, who plays for Arsenal's Under-18 side."My eldest son opened the garden door, he started to run towards me. He started to cry, gave me a hug and said, we are champions, daddy," Arteta said."Then my other two boys and my wife came over, and it was beautiful, just to see the joy on them as well."Videos shared by Arsenal on social media showed players dancing and chanting at their training centre after their league title was confirmed with a game to spare."It was their moment. And they have to be themselves in that moment. And if I'm there, I think it wasn't going to be the same," Arteta said.Arsenal captain Martin Odegaard called Arteta soon after, asking where the manager was."I said, guys, enjoy for a while and see you in a few hours somewhere in London," Arteta recalled with a smile.The Manager's JourneyIt is Arteta's first league title as manager, and he admitted that he doubted himself during a high-pressure campaign, where they were often a slip-up away from losing their lead in the title race."To play with that on your back constantly is not easy. That has been one of the toughest moments... we showed very important values not only in sport, but in life. Which is perseverance, to be resilient, to be composed in moments when people are doubting," he said."And to be vulnerable. I've asked that question to myself, am I good enough to lead these players to win a major trophy? Until you do it, you cannot validate yourself."The Team's MomentumArteta said the mood in the club had changed after winning the Premier League, buoying the team's confidence ahead of a Champions League final against Paris Saint-Germain on May 30."It changes because the level of emotion you feel, it's something I haven't felt before," he said.The Final ChapterArsenal will conclude their league campaign and lift the trophy at Crystal Palace on Sunday."We will have a window to celebrate and lift the trophy and connect with the people we have constantly around us. Then we have six days to write new history in this football club," Arteta added.

South Korea’s stock market rallied sharply after Samsung Electronics and its labor union struck a tentative agreement that prevented a massive 18‑day strike, sending the KOSPI up more than 8% and boosting major tech and auto stocks.The Tentative Pay Agreement Between Samsung and Its UnionSamsung Electronics and the workers’ union announced a provisional deal on Wednesday night, ending a months‑long standoff over profit‑sharing. The agreement, pending union approval, would allocate 10.5 percent of the firm’s operating profit to its 48,000 employees, sidestepping a planned walkout that threatened global memory‑chip supplies.Market Surge Numbers: KOSPI, Samsung, SK Hynix, AutomakersKOSPI rose 8 percent on the day, extending an 80‑percent year‑to‑date gain.Samsung Electronics shares jumped 7.5 percent.SK Hynix surged 11 percent, reflecting investor confidence in the memory‑chip sector.Hyundai Motor and Kia each climbed about 13 percent, showing spill‑over into non‑tech equities.The chip division’s first‑quarter operating profit hit nearly 54 trillion won (≈$35bn), a near‑50‑fold increase year‑over‑year.Why the Deal Revitalizes South Korea’s Tech‑Driven EconomyThe settlement removes a major labor risk for the world’s largest memory‑chip maker, which commands over one‑third of the global DRAM market and more than a quarter of NAND flash capacity. With AI‑driven demand for chips accelerating, the avoidance of a strike safeguards supply chains and reinforces investor sentiment toward South Korean tech firms, while also buoying related sectors such as automotive manufacturing.Outlook: Labor Relations and AI Chip Demand in 2026‑27Analysts expect continued pressure on Samsung to share a larger slice of its soaring profits, potentially prompting further negotiations. Meanwhile, the AI boom is likely to keep memory‑chip demand high, supporting strong earnings for both Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix. Market watchers will monitor whether the tentative agreement holds, as any relapse could reignite volatility in the KOSPI and global chip supply.

The Comeback of Manuel Neuer Bayern Munich's Manuel Neuer has come out of international retirement to compete in next month's World Cup after being named as the starting goalkeeper in Germany coach Julian Nagelsmann's squad for the tournament. Nagelsmann's Decision Nagelsmann made the decision after having long labelled Hoffenheim's Oliver Baumann as his first-choice keeper. "Yes, I plan with that [with Neuer as number one]," Nagelsmann told a press conference. "The main task was to nominate the best three keepers. So we decided that these three are part of that." Neuer's Career Revival The 40-year-old Neuer, who last competed for Germany at Euro 2024 before his international retirement, is now set to play in his fifth successive World Cup, joining an elite group of football players with five or more tournaments. Neuer, a 2014 World Cup winner, enjoyed a solid season with champions Bayern, who could win the domestic double with victory over VfB Stuttgart in the German Cup final on Saturday. Germany's World Cup Squad There were few other major surprises in Nagelsmann's 26-man squad for the tournament starting next month. But the coach also called up Bayern's teenage player Lennart Karl, who enjoyed a meteoric rise this season, as well as Nadiem Amiri and Leroy Sane, who both had outside chances of earning a spot. Germany's World Cup Goals Germany, who face Curacao, Ecuador and Ivory Coast in Group E at the World Cup, have set their sights on a fifth title after shock first-round exits in the past two editions in 2018 and 2022. "The statement stands," Nagelsmann said. "We want to become world champions. Every player who is nominated needs to show it now every day." Full Germany Squad Goalkeepers: Manuel Neuer, Oliver Baumann, Alexander Nubel Defenders: Nico Schlotterbeck, David Raum, Nathaniel Brown, Jonathan Tah, Waldemar Anton, Pascal Gross, Joshua Kimmich, Felix Nmecha, Malick Thiaw, Aleksandar Pavlovic, Antonio Rudiger, Angelo Stiller Midfielders/Forwards: Leon Goretzka, Maximilian Beier, Jamal Musiala, Nadiem Amiri, Jamie Leweling, Kai Havertz, Lennart Karl, Florian Wirtz, Deniz Undav, Nick Woltemade, Leroy Sane

The Lead When the founders of a mental health app for men called Mental discovered that one feature — AI interactive audio — was resonating strongly with users, they recognized a significant opportunity. This insight led to the creation of The Path, a new AI therapy application co-founded by renowned motivational speaker Tony Robbins and former Calm employees, which has now secured $14.3 million in seed funding. The Birth of a Safer AI Therapy Platform The Path emerged from observations made by co-founder and CEO Anson Whitmer and co-founder Tyler Sheaffer, who previously worked together at meditation app Calm. Whitmer's personal experiences with suicide in his family inspired him to pursue mental health technology. After working at Calm until 2021, he felt he could make a greater impact by addressing the unique, personal nature of people's mental health challenges. Whitmer sees large language models (LLMs) and AI as the bridge to providing personalized mental health care to everyone, especially given the shortage of therapists worldwide. "What's exciting and game-changing is that, for the first time in my career, I've seen that there's actually this possibility for every single person to have the personalized sort of access and care that they need to really get the help," he said. Funding and Celebrity Endorsement The Path has successfully raised $14.3 million in seed funding, led by Prime Movers Lab where Tony Robbins is a partner. Other notable investors include Olympic speed skater Apolo Anton Ohno, boxer Deontay Wilder, and Designer Fund. After Prime Movers invested, Robbins initially consulted on branding but his enthusiasm grew, leading to him becoming a co-founder. The author has since helped shape The Path into a therapy-plus-coaching app that incorporates his popular self-improvement methods. The app currently offers 11 virtual AI therapists that users can customize based on their preferences for directness and other details. While it's currently free to gain users, The Path plans to eventually charge $40 per month for the service. Superior Safety Benchmarks A key differentiator for The Path is its specially trained AI model, which has scored a 95 on the Vera-MH mental health safety AI benchmark. This significantly outperforms consumer chatbots, which top out at 65 on the same benchmark. According to Whitmer, consumer chatbots are "optimized for engagement," which is counterproductive to effective therapy and coaching that should focus on deep understanding rather than quick solutions. "It's meant to challenge you. It's not just meant to agree with you," Whitmer explains. The Path's AI is designed to help users dig out their assumptions and discover their own solutions rather than simply reinforcing ideas to keep users engaged. The startup's model is post-trained from open source models and doesn't use major consumer LLMs, positioning it as a specialized therapeutic tool rather than a generic chatbot wrapper. Market Potential and Future Outlook The mental health tech market is experiencing significant growth, with OpenAI reporting that at least 900 people use ChatGPT for mental health-related queries every week. This demonstrates the clear demand for AI-powered mental health solutions. However, The Path aims to capture a specific segment of this market by focusing on therapeutic rigor and safety. As mental health awareness continues to grow and technology becomes more sophisticated, AI therapy platforms like The Path could play an increasingly important role in addressing global mental health challenges. The combination of Tony Robbins' brand recognition, the technical expertise of the Calm alumni team, and the specialized focus on therapeutic safety positions The Path as a notable contender in the emerging field of AI-powered mental health care.

The Lead Elon Musk's SpaceX has revealed plans for a highly anticipated $1.75tn (£1.3tn) flotation next month as he seeks investor backing for his quest to make life “multiplanetary”. SpaceX's Financial Performance SpaceX is a sprawling business, encompassing the eponymous rocket launch company, the Starlink satellite broadband service, Musk’s xAI artificial intelligence startup and the social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter. The entire business lost $4.9bn in 2025 on revenues of $18.7bn. Revenue is growing, however, rising by a third on 2024. The Data Analysis SpaceX's losses have widened since the start of the year, losing $4.3bn in the first quarter, compared with a loss of $528m in the same period last year. The company is split into three segments: space, which incorporates the rocket launch business whose clients include Nasa; connectivity, which houses Starlink; and AI, the unit behind xAI and the X platform. Connectivity makes the most revenue, at $11.4bn Space with $4.1bn AI at $3.2bn The Impact Analysis Musk will have 85% control of the business under the IPO plans, making it extremely difficult to unseat him from the company. Musk's control will be derived from majority ownership of a type of stock known as class B, which carries much more heft than the class A stock that everyone else will own. The Prediction Musk, who is already worth about $676bn, stands to make a vast sum from SpaceX although the exact amount is unclear. He has been granted 1bn class B shares that vest – meaning, Musk gets full ownership of them – if SpaceX manages to achieve the “establishment of a permanent human colony on Mars with at least one million inhabitants”.

The Paris Court of Appeal has delivered a landmark verdict, convicting Airbus and Air France of corporate manslaughter for the 2009 Atlantic crash of flight AF447 that claimed 228 lives. The ruling imposes the maximum fine of €225,000 per company and revives a decade‑long legal battle for victims’ families.Paris Appeals Court Convicts Airbus and Air FranceThe court concluded that systemic negligence within both the planemaker and the airline contributed to the fatal stall of the A330 during a storm on 1 June 2009. Prosecutors demonstrated that inadequate training, poor sensor‑icing procedures, and failure to act on prior incidents met the legal threshold for corporate manslaughter under French law.Financial Penalties and Their ScaleMaximum corporate manslaughter fine: €225,000 per company (≈£194,500).Fine represents only a few minutes of annual revenue for each firm.Previous lower‑court ruling in 2023 had cleared both firms.Legal Precedent and Industry RepercussionsThe conviction marks the first time French courts have applied corporate manslaughter to major aerospace entities, signalling heightened accountability for safety culture. Aviation regulators may face pressure to tighten oversight of training protocols and sensor‑icing mitigation, while shareholders watch potential reputational fallout.Potential Appeals and Long‑Term OutlookFrench lawyers for the defendants have signalled intent to appeal to the Cour de Cassation, which could extend litigation for years. A successful appeal would reset the legal narrative, but even a upheld verdict could embolden victims’ groups worldwide to pursue similar actions against airlines and manufacturers.

The Comeback of Manuel Neuer Bayern Munich's Manuel Neuer has been named as the starting goalkeeper in Germany's World Cup squad by head coach Julian Nagelsmann. This decision comes after Neuer had announced his international retirement following Euro 2024. Neuer's World Cup Ambitions The 40-year-old Neuer, a 2014 World Cup winner, is set to play in his fifth successive World Cup. He signed a contract extension with Bayern last week and enjoyed a solid season with the champions, who can win the domestic double with victory over Stuttgart in the German Cup final on Saturday. Squad Selection and Analysis Nagelsmann's 26-man squad included few major surprises, but did call up Bayern teenager Lennart Karl, who had a meteoric rise this season. Other inclusions were Nadiem Amiri and Leroy Sané, who both had outside chances of earning a spot. Notable exclusions include Niclas Füllkrug, Karim Adeyemi, and Kevin Schade. Germany's World Cup Goals Germany, who face Curacao, Ecuador, and Ivory Coast in Group E at the World Cup, are aiming for their fifth title. They have had shock first-round exits in the past two editions in 2018 and 2022. Nagelsmann emphasized the team's ambitions, stating, "The statement stands. We want to become world champions. Every player who is nominated needs to show it now every day."