Shares are mixed in Europe and Asia after a modest advance on Wall Street that kept the market on track for a fourth straight weekly gain

President Joe Biden over the last two days participated in a voluntary interview with special counsel Robert Hur as a part of his classified documents investigation, the White House announced Monday.

The Republican Party is being called out on social media after it shared the flag of the wrong country in a post to mark 4 July on Twitter. “247 years ago, our forefathers told Ol’ King George to get lost! Happy Independence Day from the GOP!” read the deleted tweet, with a photo of the flag of Liberia attached alongside. Though the GOP’s tweet was swiftly removed from its official handle, the deletion was not fast enough to escape the ridicule that followed. The flag of Liberia resembles the US flag and has similar red and white stripes, but it is distinguished by the presence of a single white star on a blue background, representing Africa’s first independent republic. The US flag has 50 stars to represent the country’s 50 states. In a subsequent tweet, the Republican Party attempted to ignore the mistake and posted another Independence Day message, with the image of a sparkler in front of the US flag. “Thank you to all the men and women in uniform who continue to defend our freedom at home and abroad. Happy Independence Day!” it said. Twitter users, however, were quick to remind them of their mistake. “We’re not gonna forget y’all not knowing the difference between the American flag and the flag of Liberia,” commented a user underneath the post. “Happy ‘the GOP wouldn’t know the American flag if they were looking right at it’ (so they need to post the Liberian flag) to all who celebrate,” wrote another user. “Bwahahahaha, the ‘we love USA’ crowd tweeted the wrong flag originally (Liberia). Is there an explanation as to why right wing parties are so incompetent so often?” wrote another person. Read More Conservatives go to red states, Democrats to blue as the country grows more polarized ‘Rage-baiting’ leftist Twitter account is probably fake, expert says The American flag wasn't always revered as it is today. At the beginning, it was an afterthought Woman killed and several injured in separate July 4 fireworks explosions in Michigan Illinois man critically injured as firework explodes in his face Pete Buttigieg blames severe weather for Fourth of July travel chaos

The Russia and Ukraine war is now “seriously stalemate” Alexander Lukashenko has warned as he urged the two sides to “come to an agreement”. The Belarus leader and Vladimir Putin ally, who has provided his country’s territory as a launch pad for Putin’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, said that Ukraine‘s demands for Russia to quit its territory needs to be resolved at the negotiating table “so nobody dies”. He said: “There are enough problems on both sides and in general the situation is now seriously stalemate: no one can do anything and substantively strengthen or advance their position,” Lukashenko said. “They’re there head-to-head, to the death, entrenched. People are dying.” Speaking in a question and answer video posted on the website of the Belarusian state news agency BelTA, he added: “We need to sit down at the negotiating table and come to an agreement. “As I once said: no preconditions are needed. The main thing is that the ‘stop’ command is given.” Read More Thousands of Ukrainians run to commemorate those killed in the war Russians commemorate victims of Soviet repression as a present-day crackdown on dissent intensifies Russia accuses Ukraine of damaging a nuclear waste warehouse as the battle for Avdiivika grinds on Moscow succession: What would happen if Putin dies?

Ron DeSantis's choice fuels questions over how he handles scrutiny, our North America editor says.

The European Union says the American candidate to become one of the bloc’s chief economists will now not take up the position because of the political controversy it has stirred

A trial is underway for a Hawaii couple accused of fraudulently living for decades under stolen identities of dead babies

Two new laws restricting transgender Missourians’ access to gender-affirming health care and school sports are now in effect

Dylan Mulvaney spoke at the University of Pittsburgh earlier this year for a fee of $26,250 and now she has allegedly doubled her charge

President Mahmoud Abbas, the 87-year-old veteran who has led the Palestinian Authority for nearly two decades, is trending on Palestinian social media -- but not in the way he might like.

Ukraine’s military says it is inflicting major losses on Russian troops as Vladimir Putin’s forces seek to try and encircle the key strategic city of Avdiivka in the east. The general staff of Ukraine’s armed forces said soldiers are “standing their ground, inflicting major losses on the enemy” both around Avdiivka and along other areas of the eastern frontlines. "Our defenders are steadfastly holding the defence in the Avdiivka direction," Commander Oleksandr Tarnavskyi said. It comes as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Ukrainian troops face "difficult" defensive operations on parts of the eastern front with bitter winter cold setting in. Images from the frontline in Donbas, as well as in Kyiv, show that snow has already begun to fall. Russian troops have launched offensives on different sections of the frontline in Ukraine's east this autumn, trying to advance on the devastated town of Avdiivka and in the northeast between the towns of Lyman and Kupiansk. "Difficult weather, difficult defence on the Lyman, Bakhmut, Donetsk and Avdiivka fronts. Offensive actions in the south," Mr Zelensky said. Read More Putin G20 speech: What Russian leader said in virtual address about Ukraine war ‘tragedy’ Ukraine says at least three dead in Russian airstrike on hospital Putin may start sourcing ballistic missiles from Iran, warns White House Finland erects barriers at border with Russia to control influx of migrants. The Kremlin objects

Mayim Bialik may not return to 'Jeopardy!' before 2024