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  • Brazilian who stole ball signed by Neymar gets 17 years prison

    Brazilian who stole ball signed by Neymar gets 17 years prison

    BRASÍLIA, July 2 — A Brazilian accused of stealing a football autographed by Neymar from Congress during the 2023 riots by supporters of ex-president Jair Bolsonaro has been sentenced to 17 years’ imprisonment for the theft and other charges.

    The Supreme Court on Monday night convicted Nelson Ribeiro Fonseca Junior, 34, over the robbery of the ball.

    He was also convicted of violent abolition of the democratic rule of law, armed criminal association and attempting a coup over his participation in the riots in Brasilia.

    More than 500 people have been convicted over the events of January 8, 2023, when thousands of Bolsonaro supporters stormed Congress, the Supreme Court and the presidential palace to protest his election loss to left-wing President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva.

    Ribeiro confessed to taking the ball, which Neymar’s boyhood club Santos — to which he returned this year — gifted to the Chamber of Deputies in 2012.

    His lawyers claimed that he found it on the floor of Congress during the unrest, took it away to protect it and handed it in 20 days later to the police.

    Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes ruled that Ribeiro had “actively participated” in events leading to the storming and sacking of Congress, the Supreme Court and presidential palace.

    Moraes described the ball which he took, which had been on display in a corridor, as a “public good belonging to the public heritage” of Brazil.

    The riots came a week after Lula was sworn in after narrowly defeating far-right incumbent Bolsonaro in October 2022 elections.

    The demonstrators called for the military to intervene to oust him.

    Bolsonaro, a former army captain who served a single term from 2019 to 2022, is accused of instigating the riots, although he was in the United States at the time.

    He is on trial for allegedly plotting to wrest power from Lula in the event of his victory.

    Prosecutors claim the plot only failed due to a lack of military backing.

    Bolsonaro denies the charges. — AFP

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  • Wimbledon: Jannik Sinner crushes Luca Nardi; Barbora Krejcikova overcomes Alexandra Eala challenge | Tennis News

    Wimbledon: Jannik Sinner crushes Luca Nardi; Barbora Krejcikova overcomes Alexandra Eala challenge | Tennis News

    Jannik Sinner and Luca Nardi (AP Photo)

    The Times of India at Wimbledon: World No. 1 Jannik Sinner is on flight mode, having locked out all distractions. The 23-year-old demonstrated it effectively on a blazing hot day at Wimbledon, when his serve rocked. The Italian dropped just four points on his first serve against compatriot Luca Nardi in the first round. Sinner won 6-4, 6-3, 6-0 in one-hour and 49-minutes.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!The three-time major winner, whose best result here is a semifinal in 2023, has been working on his serve, which can be a weapon at a whole different level on this surface. Sinner has been watching other players. John Isner, who has the most aces in a tournament with 214 during the 2018 Wimbledon, and also the most career aces at 14,470, has been someone the top-seed is looking at.

    Poll

    Who do you think will win the Wimbledon title this year?

    Sinner, who goes up against Aussie Aleksandar Vukic in the second round on Thursday, didn’t face a breakpoint in the match. “I feel quite comfortable at the moment,” he said of his serve. Sinner’s quick result was a relief for the tournament as top players struggled with the muggy conditions on the opening day and again on Tuesday.
    The Italian, who tested positive twice in March last year for the banned steroid Clostebol, but was cleared of fault or negligence, is playing here for the first time after the news of the positive tests became public. “I think people have forgotten already a little bit what happened,” said Sinner, who had his fair share of support on Court No. 1 on Tuesday. The Italian explained that the situation in the locker-room had also changed, with a lot of players, who had issues with the way the world No. 1 was treated, have put the situation behind them.

    ‘Jay Shah Deserves Credit for How He Ran BCCI’ | Arun Dhumal on BCCI’s Commitment & Leadership

    Perricard serves fastest; Fritz winsIn the opening game of a first-round match, Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard thumped a 153 mph first serve. It was five miles per hour faster than the previous Wimbledon speed record of 148 mph by American Taylor Dent hit 15 summers ago.That was the Frenchman’s takeaway from the three-hour 25-minute clash against the fifth-seeded American Taylor Fritz. Fritz, who didn’t face a single breakpoint in the match, broke at love in the tenth game to close out 6-7 (6), 6-7 (8), 6-4, 7-6 (6), 6-4.In other first-round matches, defending champion Czech Barbora Krejcikova, playing just her seventh match of the season, beat Philippines’ Alexandra Eala 3-6, 6-2, 6-1 in two hours and 10-minutes.


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  • BBVA’s Investor Relations Team Honored by the Global Institutional Investment Community

    BBVA’s Investor Relations Team Honored by the Global Institutional Investment Community

    In addition, BBVA secured Top 10 rankings across other relevant categories,  such as, Best CEO, Best CFO, Best IR Program, Best Analyst Event, Best Company Board and Best ESG Program, underscoring the team’s strong leadership built on credibility and clear communication.

    Building on these achievements, BBVA’s IR team has been awarded Best Buy-Side Management among European companies by IR Impact. This award recognizes the team’s ongoing commitment and efforts to maintain an open, transparent, and close engagement with institutional investors, always striving for excellence and value creation.

    Patricia Bueno, BBVA’s Global Head of Shareholder & Investor Relations, stated:  “It is a true privilege to have been acknowledged by the market for our efforts—especially in a year marked by intense activity, where the team demonstrated exceptional professionalism and unwavering dedication. We extend our deepest gratitude to all the investment professionals who participated in these surveys and to our entire team for their dedication and hard work.”

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  • Snake on a plane delays a flight in Australia

    Snake on a plane delays a flight in Australia

    MELBOURNE, Australia — An Australian domestic flight was delayed for two hours after a stowaway snake was found in the plane’s cargo hold, officials said on Wednesday.

    The snake was found on Tuesday as passengers were boarding Virgin Australia Flight VA337 at Melbourne Airport bound for Brisbane, according to snake catcher Mark Pelley.

    The snake turned out to be a harmless 60-centimeter (2-foot) green tree snake. But Pelly said he thought it could be venomous when he approached it in the darkened hold.

    “It wasn’t until after I caught the snake that I realized that it wasn’t venomous. Until that point, it looked very dangerous to me,” Pelley said.

    Most of the world’s most venomous snakes are native to Australia.

    When Pelley entered the cargo hold, the snake was half hidden behind a panel and could have disappeared deeper into the plane.

    Pelley said he told an aircraft engineer and airline staff that they would have to evacuate the aircraft if the snake disappeared inside the plane.

    “I said to them if I don’t get this in one shot, it’s going to sneak through the panels and you’re going to have to evacuate the plane because at that stage I did not know what kind of snake it was,” Pelley said.

    “But thankfully, I got it on the first try and captured it,” Pelley added. “If I didn’t get it that first time, the engineers and I would be pulling apart a (Boeing) 737 looking for a snake still right now.”

    Pelley said he had taken 30 minutes to drive to the airport and was then delayed by security before he could reach the airliner.

    An airline official said the flight was delayed around two hours.

    Because the snake is native to the Brisbane region, Pelley suspects it came aboard inside a passenger’s luggage and escaped during the two-hour flight from Brisbane to Melbourne.

    For quarantine reasons, the snake can’t be returned to the wild.

    The snake, which is a protected species, has been given to a Melbourne veterinarian to find a home with a licensed snake keeper.

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  • ‘A billion people backing you’: China transfixed as Musk turns against Trump | Elon Musk

    ‘A billion people backing you’: China transfixed as Musk turns against Trump | Elon Musk

    Few break-ups have as many gossiping observers as the fallout between the once inseparable Donald Trump and Elon Musk.

    The ill-fated bromance between the US president and the world’s richest man, which once raised questions about American oligarchy, is now being pored over by social media users in China, many of whom are Team Musk.

    The latest drama comes from Musk’s pledge to found a new political party, the America party, if Trump’s sweeping tax and spending bill, which Musk described as “insane” passed the Senate this week (it did). Musk had already vowed to unseat lawmakers who backed Trump’s flagship piece of legislation, which is expected to increase US national debt by $3.3tn.

    On Wednesday, hours after the bill passed the US Senate, the hashtag #MuskWantsToBuildAnAmericaParty went viral on Weibo, a Chinese social media platform similar to Musk’s X, receiving more than 37m views.

    “If Elon Musk were to found a political party, his tech-driven mindset could inject fresh energy into politics. The potential for change is significant – and worth watching,” wrote one Weibo user.

    “When you’ve had enough, there’s no need to keep putting up with it,” wrote another.

    One comment summed up the mood on the platform: “Brother Musk, you’ve got over a billion people on our side backing you.”

    Musk, the CEO of Tesla and SpaceX, is widely venerated in China for his business acumen and technological achievements. Tesla’s electric vehicles are the only western brand on Chinese roads that can rival domestic firms, and the company’s biggest factory by volume is in Shanghai. Musk is known to have a close relationship with China’s premier, Li Qiang, while Musk’s mother, Maye Musk, is a social media celebrity in her own right in China.

    Musk’s popularity in China follows a well-established trend of Chinese audiences enthusiastically embracing US tech innovators. Walter Isaacson’s biography of Steve Jobs was a bestseller in China, as was his biography of Musk.

    Trump, however, is seen by many as being an unpredictable funnyman who has launched the most aggressive trade war on China in recent history.

    Some internet users commented that Trump and Musk should grow up. “These two grown men argue nonstop over the smallest things – and the whole world ends up knowing about it,” wrote one user, while another joked: “Every day, Musk is basically live-streaming ‘How Billionaires Argue’”.

    The conversation has been allowed to flourish on China’s tightly controlled social media, suggesting that at least some censors are betting that the US political chaos could be no bad thing for China.

    Additional research by Lillian Yang

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  • US bombing "seriously damaged" Iran's Fordow nuclear site, FM says – Reuters

    1. US bombing “seriously damaged” Iran’s Fordow nuclear site, FM says  Reuters
    2. Iran ‘needs more time’ to decide on resuming nuclear talks with US  Al Jazeera
    3. US must rule out more strikes before talks can resume: Iran  Dawn
    4. Iran’s foreign minister doubtful talks with U.S. will resume quickly, but says “doors of diplomacy will never slam shut”  CBS News
    5. ‘We Still Need More Time’: Iranian Foreign Minister Dismisses Trump’s Claim of Imminent Negotiations  Foundation for Defense of Democracies

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  • Applications open for the 15th edition – Announcements

    Applications open for the 15th edition – Announcements

    Applications open for the 15th edition
    March 19–22, 2026

    MIA Photo Fair BNP Paribas

    Superstudio Più
    Via Tortona 27
    Milan
    20144

    Italy

    T +39 342 706 0124
    info@miafair.it

    MIA Photo Fair BNP Paribas, Italy’s leading international art fair dedicated to photography, has officially opened registration for its 15th edition. Scheduled from March 19–22, 2026, the fair will return to Superstudio Più in Milan’s central art and design district.

    Organized by Fiere di Parma and under the artistic direction of Francesca Malgara for the third consecutive year, the fair continues to shape the cultural landscape of contemporary photography.

    Renowned for bringing together international galleries, artists, collectors, curators, and photography enthusiasts, MIA Photo Fair BNP Paribas is a key cultural event on the international art calendar in Milan.

    Applications are now open for galleries wishing to participate in the 2026 edition. Interested galleries are invited to submit their applications by contacting info@miafair.it.

    The 2026 edition will feature several curated sections that examine the multifaceted nature of photography:

    Main Section: Showcasing established galleries from Italy and abroad. Beyond Photography—Dialogue: Curated by Domenico de Chirico, exploring photography in dialogue other media as sculpture, painting, video, and installation. Reportage Beyond Reportage: Curated by Emanuela Mazzonis, this section delves into documentary, photojournalism, and street photography. Special Focus: Curated by Rischa Paterlini, offering a photographic deep dive into the contemporary art scene of a selected country or region, soon to be revealed.

    The fair also hosts several prestigious awards:

    BNL BNP Paribas Award: An acquisition prize for the bank’s prestigious art collection. Fiere di Parma Fund: Targeted acquisitions of outstanding works shown at the fair. Additional Awards: Focused on both artwork acquisition and gallery support.

    In 2025, the fair welcomed over 13,000 visitors, featuring 114 exhibitors and 77 galleries.
    Now in its 15th year, MIA Photo Fair BNP Paribas continues to grow as both a marketplace and cultural hub, supporting the work of emerging and established voices.

    For more information and updates, visit miafairbnpparibas.it.

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  • Association of pulmonary function with the risk of stroke based on the NHANES database | BMC Public Health

    Association of pulmonary function with the risk of stroke based on the NHANES database | BMC Public Health

    Our study adds to the growing body of literature by investigating the relationship between pulmonary function and stroke in a large NHANES cohort. We observed a consistent inverse association between pulmonary function, as measured by spirometry-derived metrics such as FEV1, FVC, and PEF, and the risk of stroke, suggesting that preserved lung function may confer protective effects against stroke risk.

    These findings are consistent with previous studies that have reported associations between lung function and cardiovascular events, including stroke [14, 15, 16]. Logitudinal studies found that a higher pulmonary function was associated with lower risk of new-onset stroke using data from the UK Biobank [11]. However, a two-sample Mendelian randomisation study confirmed that there was weak evidence that reduced lung function increased risk of ischaemic stroke [12]. Greater longitudinal declines in these spirometric measures are further associated with cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. Previous conclusions were mostly based on the patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Our study extended the association in general adults, affirming the significance of respiratory health in cardiovascular outcomes [17, 18]. Interestingly, we observed that the association between reduced pulmonary function and stroke was significantly stronger among participants aged 60 years and older. This age-dependent interaction may reflect cumulative vascular injury, reduced physiologic reserve, and heightened susceptibility to systemic inflammation and hypoxia in older adults. These findings suggest that pulmonary health maintenance may be particularly critical in mitigating stroke risk among the aging population. The inverse association between physical activity and stroke risk observed in our study is consistent with prior research. Physical activity improves vascular health through mechanisms such as lowering blood pressure, enhancing insulin sensitivity, and reducing inflammation. It also helps control key risk factors like obesity and dyslipidemia. Epidemiological studies, including the ARIC and Nurses’ Health Study, have similarly reported reduced stroke incidence with higher activity levels.

    The mechanisms linking pulmonary function to stroke risk are complex and likely involve multiple pathways. Reduced pulmonary function cause reduced oxygen exchange and contribute to systemic inflammation [19], endothelial dysfunction [20], and impaired vascular homeostasis [21], all of which are implicated in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis and cerebrovascular disease. Additionally, impaired lung function may lead to hypoxemia and neurovascular dysfunction [22, 23], thereby predisposing individuals to ischemic stroke. Finally, reduced pulmonary function may alter coagulation and platelet aggregation, increasing the risk of thromboembolic events, including stroke.

    Our study builds on previous research by using a nationally representative cohort, which includes a broad range of demographic, clinical, and pulmonary function variables. However, several limitations should be considered when interpreting our findings. First, the cross-sectional design of NHANES precludes determination of temporal or causal relationships between pulmonary function and stroke risk. Stroke survivors may experience reduced physical activity, neuromuscular dysfunction, and an increased risk of aspiration pneumonia, all of which can impair respiratory mechanics and lung capacity. Second, stroke history was based on self-report, which may be affected by recall bias or misclassification. However, previous studies suggest that self-reported stroke in NHANES has reasonable validity. Third, despite extensive adjustment for confounders, residual confounding cannot be entirely excluded, such as a history of cerebrovascular disease and prior use of medications like hypoglycemic agents and statins. Forth, spirometry-derived metrics may not fully capture the complexity of respiratory physiology, and other measures of lung function, such as diffusion capacity and airway resistance, were not assessed in our study. Finally, we acknowledge that group size imbalance may still introduce residual confounding. We did not apply propensity score matching in the current analysis. Therefore, future studies with larger event numbers consider incorporating PSM as a complementary strategy will strengthen causal inference and improve the robustness of results.

    These findings suggest that pulmonary function testing could serve as a useful adjunct in stroke risk assessment, especially among older adults. Although our findings suggest that lower pulmonary function is associated with higher stroke prevalence, our study does not evaluate whether pulmonary function measures add incremental predictive value beyond traditional risk scores such as the Framingham Stroke Risk Profile. Therefore, the clinical utility of incorporating pulmonary function testing into routine stroke risk assessment remains uncertain. Future studies should investigate whether pulmonary function improves risk prediction models and whether interventions aimed at preserving or improving lung function can reduce the burden of stroke.

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  • Asian shares are mixed, tracking Wall Street split as momentum slows and Tesla drops

    Asian shares are mixed, tracking Wall Street split as momentum slows and Tesla drops

    MANILA, Philippines — Asian shares were mixed on Wednesday following a similar drift overnight on Wall Street as losses for Tesla and other technology shares put a brake on the momentum of recent record highs.

    U.S. futures edged higher and oil prices were little changed.

    Shares fell in Japan, hit by jitters over a lack of progress in trade talks with the U.S., but they recovered much of their lost ground, trading 0.3% lower at 39,874.33.

    Stephen Innes, managing partner at SPI Asset Management, pointed to President Donald Trump’s declaration that there will be no extension of his tariff pause, which ends on July 9.

    “The message was blunt: if Tokyo won’t yield, it will pay. Tariffs of 30%, 35% or ‘whatever number we determine’ are now openly back on the table,” he said. “The negotiating table just became a pressure cooker.”

    Hong Kong’s Hang Seng advanced 0.6% to 24,220.65 and the Shanghai Composite index was down just over 1 point at 3,456.51.

    South Korea’s KOSPI fell 1.2% to 3,053.39 as inflation rose in June.

    Australia’s S&P ASX 200 edged up 0.4% to 8,580.70.

    On Tuesday, the S&P 500 dipped 0.1% to 6,198.01 for its first loss in four days. The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 0.9% to 44,494.94, and the Nasdaq composite fell 0.8% to 20,202.89.

    Tesla tugged on the market as the relationship between its CEO, Elon Musk, and President Donald Trump soured even further. Once allies, the two have clashed recently, and Trump suggested there’s potentially “BIG MONEY TO BE SAVED” by scrutinizing subsidies, contracts or other government spending going to Musk’s companies.

    Tesla fell 5.3%. It has lost just over a quarter of its value so far this year, 25.5%, in large part because of Musk’s and Trump’s feud.

    Drops for several darlings of the artificial-intelligence frenzy also weighed on the market. Nvidia’s decline of 3% was the heaviest weight on the S&P 500.

    But more stocks within the index rose than fell, led by several casino companies. They rallied following a report showing better-than-expected growth in overall gaming revenue in Macao, China’s casino hub. Las Vegas Sands gained 8.9%, Wynn Resorts climbed 8.8% and MGM Resorts International rose 7.3%.

    Automakers outside of Tesla were also strong, with General Motors up 5.7% and Ford Motor up 4.6%.

    The U.S. stock market has made a stunning recovery from its springtime sell-off of roughly 20%. But challenges still lie ahead for Wall Street, with one of the largest being the continued threat of Trump’s tariffs.

    Many of Trump’s stiff proposed taxes on imports are currently on pause, and they’re scheduled to kick into effect in about a week. Depending on how big they are, they could hurt the economy and worsen inflation.

    Washington is also making progress on proposed cuts to tax rates and other measures that could send the U.S. government’s debt spiraling higher, which could raise inflation. That in turn could mean higher interest rates, which would hurt prices for bonds, stocks and other investments.

    Despite such challenges, strategists at Barclays say they see signals of euphoria among some investors. The strategists say a measure that tries to show how much “excess optimism” is in the market is not far from the peaks seen during the “meme stock” craze that sent GameStop to market-bending heights or to the dot-com bubble at the turn of the millennium.
    In other dealings early Wednesday, benchmark U.S. crude gained 1 cent to $65.46 per barrel. Brent crude, the international standard, rose 5 cents per barrel to $67.16.

    The U.S. dollar rose to 143.58 Japanese yen from 143.41 yen. The euro slid to $1.1798 from $1.1808. ___

    AP Business Writer Stan Choe contributed

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  • Pakistan calls upon UNSC to resolve Kashmir dispute – RADIO PAKISTAN

    1. Pakistan calls upon UNSC to resolve Kashmir dispute  RADIO PAKISTAN
    2. Pakistan assumes UN Security Council presidency  Dawn
    3. Pakistan to assume on Tuesday UNSC’s presidency for July, vows to uphold international law  Ptv.com.pk
    4. Pakistan advances peace at UNSC  The Express Tribune
    5. Pakistan set to assume presidency of UN Security Council  DW

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