Did President Trump step in to make sure the USA’s star striker could play in tonight’s world cup game?

Folarin Balogun, was sent off in the last game and should have served a suspension for the last-16 match against Belgium. But World Cup organisers Fifa, opted not to enforce an immediate sanction on the 25-year-old, meaning the co-hosts’ leading goalscorer will be available to play.

The BBC’s US media partner CBS News has confirmed that Balogun’s reinstatement came after US president Donald Trump called Fifa president Gianni Infantino on Thursday and spoke about the suspension. Adam discusses with BBC News chief presenter, Caitríona Perry and Dale Johnson, football issues correspondent.

Plus, Buckingham Palace says Prince Harry will not be staying at the palace during his visit to London this week, despite his team announcing this morning that he had accepted an invitation to do so. Why? Adam speaks to senior royal correspondent Daniela Relph.

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00:00 Trump confirms FIFA review request
05:20 FIFA rules and the suspension reversal
08:00 Belgium’s response
15:45 4th of July celebrations
18:35 Prince Harry’s UK visit
22:00 Buckingham Palace accommodation drama
25:00 Are Prince William and Prince Harry going to see eachother?

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Eleven people have died after a civilian aircraft carrying skydivers crashed in the town of Tomblaine in eastern France, local authorities have said.

The pilot and 10 passengers died in the incident, including five students and five instructors, according to local officials.

The plane, which was being used by a parachutist school, had taken off from Nancy-Essey airfield when it crashed, local media reported.

Police have urged the public to avoid the area around the airport in the Meurthe-et-Moselle department.

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Ukraine’s president plans to use the Nato meeting in Turkey to urge Kyiv’s allies to deliver the air defence systems it urgently needs to protect it from escalating Russian attacks.

Volodymyr Zelensky’s call for help rings with extra intensity after Russian missiles rained down on the Ukrainian capital twice in less than a week, crashing into blocks of flats and killing more than 50 civilians.

The summit in Ankara will also be a chance for Zelensky to hold a crucial meeting with US President Donald Trump and press home his case that Russia’s “brutal” attacks are a show of weakness, not strength, and that Vladimir Putin should be pressured into talks towards a “dignified” peace.

The latest strikes on Ukraine come as it has been stepping up its own long-range drone attacks against Russia, hitting oil refineries and military targets there and causing significant fuel shortages and power cuts.

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In Lebanon, a group of ex-fighters from opposing sides in the country’s deadly civil war is trying to foster a peaceful future.
Fighters for Peace members come from all religious backgrounds, using role play and workshops to demonstrate the cost of war.
By Carine Torbey, BBC Arabic. Digital video: Dina Demrdash.

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Huge crowds of people in Iran are gathering in Iran’s capital Tehran, to pay their respects at the funeral of the late Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who was killed in a US airstrike on his compound, at the start of the recent war with Iran.

The former Supreme Leader’s body is lying in state at the Grand Mosalla, ahead of his burial in his hometown of Mashhad next Thursday.

The Iranian authorities say they expect between 15 and 20 million people to attend the ceremonies across Iran and Iraq over the coming days.

Masses of supporters of the Islamic regime have gathered, chanting slogans against the US and demanding revenge for the Ayatollah’s killing.

Khamenei was killed during joint Israeli and US strikes on Iran in late February, in what quickly spiralled into a wider regional conflict.

US President Donald Trump said Iran’s government was “dying to settle” a peace deal to end the war after a preliminary agreement was struck between the two, adding: “We gave them a week off for a funeral because we’re nice.”

Much of central Tehran will be locked down over as the funeral ceremony gets under way. Khamenei’s body will lie in the Grand Mosalla for three days, alongside the remains of family members who were also killed in the air strikes.

Ben Brown presents BBC News at Ten reporting by Joe Inwood and Nawal Al Maghafi.

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