Today in Focus

The football’s only just kicked off, but this World Cup has already seen its fair share of controversy. With a Somali referee barred from entering the US, Fifa president Gianni Infantino cosying up to Donald Trump and accusations of price gouging and cash grabbing, fans have been left with mixed emotions about the tournament. Annie Kelly speaks to the sportswriter and columnist Jonathan Liew. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/infocus

John Healey has resigned as defence secretary over the government’s military spending plans, in another significant blow for Keir Starmer. In a scathing letter to the prime minister, Healey said the long-awaited defence investment plan “falls well short of what is required for defence” and that he would have had to take decisions that “could make Britain less safe”. Nosheen Iqbal speaks to the Guardian’s policy editor, Kiran Stacey Healey quits in row with Starmer over military spending. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/infocus

Violence erupted in Northern Ireland last night in response to a stabbing attack in Belfast that was captured in a graphic video. Crowds, including masked men, burned vehicles and houses, hours after Elon Musk, Tommy Robinson and other agitators encouraged people to take to the streets. Nosheen Iqbal speaks to Ireland correspondent Rory Carroll – watch on YouTube. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/infocus

Kemi Badenoch has vowed to reform the Equality Act in what is viewed as an attempt to win back support from Reform voters. The Conservative leader, who also served as equalities minister from 2020 to 2022, wants to scrap the public sector equality duty – a legal requirement that forces public institutions to actively consider how their decisions affect equality. Nosheen Iqbal speaks to community affairs correspondent Aamna Mohdin – watch on YouTube. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/infocus

Israel and Iran have exchanged direct strikes for the first time since a ceasefire was reached in April, raising fears of a return to a full-scale regional war. The Israeli strikes are in apparent defiance of Donald Trump, who told Israel’s prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, not to retaliate against Iran, in order to avoid derailing peace talks. Nosheen Iqbal speaks to the Guardian’s senior international correspondent Julian Borger – watch on YouTube. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/infocus

Thousands have protested in the streets of the Albanian capital, Tirana, this week against a planned luxury resort backed by Donald Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner. Groundwork has begun on the $1.6bn complex in an area long seen as one of the Mediterranean’s most environmentally sensitive, containing 200 species of birds including flamingos and Dalmatian pelicans. After builders began erecting a concrete-based, barbed wire-topped fence around the site, alarm turned to public outrage at the environmental damage and lack of political transparency around the deal. Lucy Hough speaks to US live news editor Chris Michael – watch on YouTube. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/infocus

Israel and Lebanon have agreed to implement a ceasefire to end hostilities as the US attempts to overcome one of the largest barriers to reaching a broader deal to end the war with Iran. But the Israel-Lebanon ceasefire is dependent on a complete halt of fire from Hezbollah, and the evacuation of all its fighters from southern Lebanon. Lucy Hough speaks to Beirut-based reporter William Christou – watch on YouTube. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/infocus

There has been violent disorder on the streets of Southampton sparked by the murder of student Henry Nowak. Politicians and community leaders have called for calm amid fears that Nowak’s death will be used to whip up racial resentment against minority ethnic Britons. Lucy Hough speaks to community affairs correspondent Aamna Mohdin – watch on YouTube. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/infocus

The second tranche of documents related to the appointment of Peter Mandelson as US ambassador have been released. The documents, running to more than 1,000 pages, were supposed to reveal what ministers knew about Mandelson’s links to Epstein and the security process to approve his appointment, but instead have revealed government infighting and early doubts about Keir Starmer’s premiership. Lucy Hough speaks to the Guardian’s head of national news, Archie Bland – watch on YouTube. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/infocus

As Israel threatens to bomb Beirut and the US and Iran trade missile strikes, Donald Trump insists it will ‘all work out well in the end’ and urges his critics to ‘sit back and relax’. So are we any closer to a deal? Lucy Hough speaks to diplomatic editor Patrick Wintour – watch on YouTube. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/infocus

Nato has vowed to ‘defend every inch’ of its territory after a Russian drone hit an apartment building in Romania. The strike prompted swift condemnation and threats of repercussion from European leaders. So is there a risk the war could expand beyond Ukraine? Lucy Hough speaks to senior international correspondent Peter Beaumont – watch on YouTube. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/infocus

A landmark report has warned that the UK risks a ‘lost generation’ of young people, as new figures show that more than 1 million 16- to 24-year-olds in the UK were not in education, employment or training. The former Labour cabinet minister Alan Milburn said youth disengagement was a mounting economic risk to the country, and urged a fundamental reset of policy covering schools, the health service and the welfare state. Lucy Hough speaks to the Guardian’s senior economics correspondent, Richard Partington – watch on YouTube. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/infocus

Peter Mandelson’s links with senior figures in China, Russia and Israel were among the concerns raised by the UK’s vetting agency when it concluded he should be denied clearance, multiple sources have told the Guardian. It comes after a powerful parliamentary committee said the government was failing to fully comply with a parliamentary motion ordering the release of all papers relating to Mandelson’s appointment. A spokesperson for Hayman said he “has no personal connection or familiarity whatsoever” with Mandelson, and his contact with him was limited to work the British politician did for his thinktank. A Cabinet Office spokesperson said it was “committed to complying with the Humble Address in full”. Lucy Hough speaks to the head of investigations Paul Lewis – watch on YouTube. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/infocus