Microblog

Posted by Bryan Armen Graham at Madison Square Garden

https://www.theguardian.com/sport/live/2026/jun/08/nba-finals-2026-game-3-san-antonio-spurs-v-new-york-knicks-live-buildup

• Knicks host Spurs with 2-0 lead in best-of-seven series

• Donald Trump given hostile reception at NBA finals

• How New York Knicks finals fever reached Rikers Island

• Reach out to Bryan on Bluesky or by email

Spurs 19-9 Knicks, 6.49, 1st quarter

Finally, it’s time for basketball. The Spurs rattle off the first seven points behind a couple of Wembayana dunks and a Vassell three, doing their best to take the steam out of a deafening atmosphere. Hart answers with a three-pointer, but another Wembanyama lay-up and a Castle three makes it 14-5 to San Antonio. The Spurs have made six of their first eight shots while New York look quite scattered on the defensive end. Play continues well past the first TV timeout and by the time of the first whistle, San Antonio lead by 10.

https://www.theguardian.com/sport/live/2026/jun/08/nba-finals-2026-game-3-san-antonio-spurs-v-new-york-knicks-live-buildup

Posted by Guardian staff

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/jun/08/trump-news-at-a-glance-latest-updates-today

Group seeks emergency injunction to halt UFC Freedom 250 event at the White House before a single punch is thrown – key US politics stories from Monday 8 June

Donald Trump is throwing himself quite the 80th birthday party at the White House on Sunday. All he needs now is for a federal judge, Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson and a passing thunderstorm not to ruin it.

The watchdog group Public Integrity Project filed a lawsuit on Saturday in DC federal court, seeking an emergency injunction to halt the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) Freedom 250 event before a single punch is thrown on 14 June – which is both Flag Day and the president’s birthday.

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/jun/08/trump-news-at-a-glance-latest-updates-today

Posted by Harry Davies

https://www.theguardian.com/law/2026/jun/09/icc-chief-prosecutor-karim-khan-suspended-international-criminal-court

Khan, a prominent British lawyer, has repeatedly denied the allegations which first emerged in 2024

The chief prosecutor of the international criminal court, Karim Khan, has been suspended after a disciplinary process triggered by sexual abuse allegations against him reached a conclusion.

The ICC’s governing body announced the decision on Monday evening after its executive committee voted to refer the proceedings against Khan to a special session of the court’s member states for them to consider his future.

https://www.theguardian.com/law/2026/jun/09/icc-chief-prosecutor-karim-khan-suspended-international-criminal-court

Posted by Bryan Armen Graham at Madison Square Garden

https://www.theguardian.com/sport/live/2026/jun/08/nba-finals-2026-game-3-san-antonio-spurs-v-new-york-knicks-live-buildup

• Knicks host Spurs with 2-0 lead in best-of-seven series

• Donald Trump booed loudly by New York fans at MSG

• How New York Knicks finals fever reached Rikers Island

• Reach out to Bryan on Bluesky or by email

Donald Trump was shown on the jumbotron while the Star-Spangled Banner was being performed by Avery Wilson and a large chorus of boos broke out. The US president was shown for about 10 seconds and held a salute the whole time. A few seconds later, the video board showed Knicks players along the sideline and the crowd turned to cheers.

The only thing louder than the boos around Madison Square Garden when the Spurs took the floor was the cheers when the Knicks ran out to the other end. This building feels fully full now, with under 10 minutes to tip-off.

The city of New York has waited a long time for this game. The last time Madison Square Garden hosted an NBA finals game was 25 June 1999, against this same opponent. The Spurs won that series in five games, but this is a different time. Those Knicks were the No 8 seed, playing without injured star Patrick Ewing. These Knicks are riding a winning streak of 13 (!) games and enter this Game 3 red-hot.

A win here tonight would put New York on the brink of a sweep. The NBA finals last saw a 4-0 finish in 2017, when the Warriors brushed aside the Cavaliers.

After days of talk about ticket prices and presidential appearances - Trump is here, by the way, and in a suite behind glass - I wasn’t exactly sure what the vibes of this one would be. But the Garden is loud and rocking. We should have a good game on our hands.

https://www.theguardian.com/sport/live/2026/jun/08/nba-finals-2026-game-3-san-antonio-spurs-v-new-york-knicks-live-buildup

Posted by Bryan Armen Graham at Madison Square Garden

https://www.theguardian.com/sport/live/2026/jun/08/nba-finals-2026-game-3-san-antonio-spurs-v-new-york-knicks-live-buildup

• Knicks host Spurs with 2-0 lead in best-of-seven series

• Trump to attend first NBA finals in New York since 1999

• How New York Knicks finals fever reached Rikers Island

• Reach out to Bryan on Bluesky or by email

Less than a half hour before tip-off, Madison Square Garden is nearly full. I’m situated in the 300s with a bird’s-eye view of the court, and the fans at this level were some of the earliest arrivals. (I was also among the early arrivals, as my Apple Health step count tracker has made clear: I walked 5,293 steps around the entirety of this arena just to find a security access point that would let me inside.)

Celebrity Row is starting to fill up. So far, I see Ben Stiller, Tina Fey, Tracy Morgan and Spike Lee in a group. Lee is wearing a jersey that says “Pope Leo” on the back – a pointed choice, given a certain attender’s recent clashes with the head of the Catholic church? The director and longtime Knicks fan was hanging out with franchise cult hero Jeremy Lin earlier.

https://www.theguardian.com/sport/live/2026/jun/08/nba-finals-2026-game-3-san-antonio-spurs-v-new-york-knicks-live-buildup

Posted by Cecilia Nowell

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/jun/08/kalshi-polymarket-election-misinformation

Prediction market apps are doubling down on paid content creators denying election results, asking them to remove posts or lose sponsorship

Popular online prediction markets Kalshi and Polymarket will prohibit paid creators and affiliates from denying election results, NPR reports, as online creators spread misinformation about California’s election.

In a social media post, Bobby Allyn, NPR technology reporter, reports: “Kalshi now says it prohibits paid creators from calling into question the integrity or accuracy of an election, legal ruling or official determination in connection with an election.

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/jun/08/kalshi-polymarket-election-misinformation

Posted by Sam Levine

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/jun/08/who-is-todd-blanche-trump-attorney-general-pick

Attorney general pick joined Trump’s legal team in 2023 – there seems little doubt he would be prepared to carry out the president’s wishes

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Todd Blanche’s nomination to be permanently made the attorney general marks the apex of a gamble from a man who bet everything on representing Donald Trump and became one of his most steadfast and punishing enforcers.

Trump announced the news at the White House on Monday. The nomination will require Senate confirmation to become permanent.

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/jun/08/who-is-todd-blanche-trump-attorney-general-pick

Posted by Paul MacInnes and Alexander Abnos

https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/jun/08/top-african-referee-omar-artan-refused-access-to-the-united-states

• Was going to be first Somalian to officiate at a World Cup

• ‘He deserves the support of the football community’

A Somali referee, who was set to become the first person from his country to officiate at a World Cup, has been denied access to the US and will not work at the tournament.

Fifa confirmed that Omar Artan “will be unable to train and officiate at the Fifa World Cup 2026” in a statement issued to media on Monday. The governing body passed responsibility for the situation to the US government, saying that they were “informed by authorities that Mr Artan’s status will not be changed at present”.

https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/jun/08/top-african-referee-omar-artan-refused-access-to-the-united-states

Posted by Paul MacInnes

https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/jun/08/top-african-referee-omar-artan-refused-access-to-the-united-states

• Was going to be first Somalian to officiate at a World Cup

• ‘He deserves the support of the football community’

A Somali referee, who was set to become the first person from his country to officiate at a World Cup, has been denied access to the United States and will not work during this summer’s tournament.

Fifa confirmed that Artan “will be unable to train and officiate at the Fifa World Cup 2026” in a statement issued to media on Monday due to him being denied entry to the United States.”

https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/jun/08/top-african-referee-omar-artan-refused-access-to-the-united-states

Posted by Serena Richards and agencies

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/jun/08/bandits-in-north-west-nigeria-abduct-villagers-they-invited-to-discuss-peace-talks

Thirty-nine people taken near Magamin Diddi village in Maradun municipality, north-west Zamfara state, police say

Armed bandits in north-west Nigeria abducted dozens of villagers whom they invited to a meeting about potential peace negotiations, authorities and residents said on Monday, highlighting the region’s worsening security.

According to local police, 39 people were seized on Sunday during a meeting in the forest near Magamin Diddi village in the Maradun municipality of north-west Zamfara state. But some residents and officials believe the number of those abducted could be as high as 50.

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/jun/08/bandits-in-north-west-nigeria-abduct-villagers-they-invited-to-discuss-peace-talks