The royal row ahead of Sunday’s World Cup final 

Welcome to Friday’s Early Edition from i.

Shoppers are stocking up on champagne breakfasts and brunch, as well as the official kit, ahead of Sunday’s final in the Women’s World Cup. Pubs will be open early, and even some churches will be offering “bacon rolls and fizz” to their congregations as fans flock to see whether the Lionesses can claim victory against Spain. Millions are expected to tune in. Wednesday’s semi-finals broke TV viewing records in Australia, with 11.5m viewers – nearly half the population. In the UK the BBC recorded a peak audience of 7.3m. But access to public viewing spaces for the upcoming event has caused a minor storm, with some cities suggesting football fans take themselves to “commercial premises” to watch in the absence of larger screening facilities. And some other rows are brewing too – over which public figures should be taking the 22 hour trek to watch the game in person, and if we should be granted a public holiday in the case of victory. We’ll take a look at those, after the headlines.

Today’s news, and why it matters

 The A-level results gap between wealthier and more deprived areas of the UK has continued to grow amid the lingering effect of the Covid pandemic on a generation of schoolchildren. Data released by exam boards showed the disparity between school leavers obtaining the highest A* and A grades in the North East and London has more than doubled since the pandemic.

The Home Office has overturned a wrongful asylum rejection after i revealed the decision was based on outdated information which did not include the fact that the man’s home was a war zone. A Sudanese national who applied for asylum in the UK received a rejection letter dated last month which incorrectly stated that there was “not a real risk” to him from “indiscriminate violence in situations of international or internal armed conflict” in his home country – despite Sudan descending into civil war just three months ago.

Climate change will make some military bases too hot to train at, even though the Army must learn to fight in extreme temperatures, a new report by MPs has warned. Tobias Ellwood, chair of the Defence Select Committee which produced the report, told i that climate change was already impacting defence “as we speak” and that officials needed to look “at the details here and now”.

A senior curator at the British Museum who was sacked after the disappearance of priceless artefacts has been named as Peter John Higgs. He was dismissed earlier this year from his role as curator of Greek collections, Greek sculpture and the Hellenistic period, after objects potentially worth millions of pounds were flagged as missing, The Times reported.

Banks face being fined if they fail to provide access to withdraw and deposit cash within a three-mile radius of consumers and businesses under rules outlined by the Treasury. The move follows widespread anger and concern at bank branch closures and the shutdown of free-to-use ATM cash machines.

Three key debates ahead of Sunday’s Women’s World Cup final:

Where can people view it and what time are pubs open? The kick-off is at the very civilised time of 11am BST, with coverage on the BBC and ITV. A number of councils across the country have organised public screenings, although some have not, but you can read more about where to watch it here. Pubs should be able to open earlier than usual too, No 10 has said. Government lawyers say businesses can open as early as they like and most are licensed to serve drinks from 11am – the time of kick-off. However senior industry figures have called on the Government to do more. Emma McClarkin of the British Beer and Pub Association said the default opening time needed to be an hour earlier: “We need the Government to step in and allow the necessary regulatory easement to allow pubs to serve the public from 10am on final day, so fan and communities can come together and cheer the Lionesses to victory at the best place to watch live sport, the pub.” The Liberal Democrats said Parliament should be recalled to pass emergency legislation on the issue. You can read the full story here.

Will there be a bank holiday? It’s the question everyone wants an answer to – depending on your age, that is. Rishi Sunak has so far resisted calls to announce a special holiday if the Lionesses win. A poll by YouGov, carried out on Thursday, indicated marginally more adults do not think there should be a one-off bank holiday. But there’s a divide, perhaps unsurprisingly, between older and younger adults. When it came to 10 to 24-year-olds, 66 per cent of 18 to 24-year-olds supported a holiday. Among adults over the age of 65, a vast majority – 73 per cent – said there should not be one. Labour’s Sir Keir Starmer, meanwhile, has called for one. Read the full story here.

Should Prince William be at the match? Yes, says Mandu Reid, leader of the Women’s Equality Party. In response to the news that the royal will be supporting the team from home because the long haul flight would prove too difficult, she said: “This is disappointing and calls into question how much of a super fan of women’s sport he really is.” In comments to i she added: “This is a historic once in a life time moment for our country, for sport, and for women,” Reid told i. Royal commentator Richard Fitzwilliams, also said he should consider changing his mind. “He is President of the FA. This is a historic occasion and excitement will build to amazing levels come Sunday. To make matters more pronounced, he added, Spain’s Queen Letizia and the Infanta Sofia will be at the game in Sydney. Is it too late for William to hop on a flight? He might want to check out these last minute prices here.

 Around the world

 Nearly 8,000 people have been evacuated or told to stay indoors on the Canary Island of Tenerife as the worst wildfires in 40 years continue to spread, moving closer to the main city. Fernando Clavijo, the Regional President, said 250 firefighters and members of the Spanish army are tackling the blaze, located in the north of the island. “This is probably the most complicated blaze we have had on the Canary Islands, if not ever, in at least the last 40 years,” he said.

Volodymyr Zelensky’s ex-adviser and rival says Ukraine can reach Crimea by October. Oleksiy Arestovych, a presidential adviser-turned-commentator with a social following of millions, tells i ‘it’s a question of weeks’ before a breakthrough.

The death of a nine-year-old maid who was allegedly abused, tortured and killed by her employer has sparked a campaign against child labour in Pakistan after video purporting to show her writhing in pain after an assault went viral. Social media users called for action using the hashtag #JusticeforFatima after local media reports identified the girl as Fatima Fariro.

A British citizen who has been living in France for more than 20 years has said he hasn’t seen any substantial change in his life post-Brexit, despite Britons “whingeing” that they can’t get pork pies or their favourite cheese. Chris, a 61-year-old retiree in Paris who asked to withhold his surname, said he believed most of those who moved to the EU before Brexit won’t have noticed much of a change since the UK left the bloc.

Fake signs warning of jellyfish and falling rocks have been erected in Mallorca by activists hoping to keep English-speaking tourists away from popular beaches. While the signs warn holidaymakers to stay away – messages in Catalan underneath make clear there is no danger.

 Watch out for…

 bad weather, as more than half a month’s rain – up to 40mm – could soak the south of England today. 

Thoughts for the day

 The idea that a good university degree will lead you to a good job is outdated and damaging. Society has decided university is the pinnacle of education, and that’s a problem, writes Euan Blair.

The Bradley Cooper ‘Jewface’ row is a confected culture war when Jewish people face serious challenges. As a community we need to be focused on uniting in the face of a rising tide of a hate rather than on trivial issues, says Josh Kaplan.

I joined a houseshare in my 40s and it’s saved me from the loneliness of divorce. I can’t count the number of times I have been grateful for company when sadness has clung to my bones, reveals Jodie Bond.

Britney’s divorce is none of our business. When will we stop fretting about women’s personal lives and start engaging with their work, asks Emily Bootle.

Culture Break

 ‘We’ve lost the greatest chat show interviewer we ever had’: TV world mourns Michael Parkinson. Sir Michael became a chat show great by listening to his A-list guests and allowing them to become the star of the show, colleagues say.

The Big Read

 Nurses, builders and gig workers driven to pawnbrokers to survive in cost-of-living crisis. Pawnbroking chains have been making record profits as more people find themselves in need of quick loans not available to them from banks, reports Rob Hastings.

 Sport

 England goalkeeper shirt row intensifies as fans up pressure on Nike for not selling Mary Earps’s kit. A petition demanding the sportswear giant reverse its decision has garnered almost 43,000 signatures.

Something to brighten your day

 With blond ringlets and blotchy skin, the most lifelike replica of Bonnie Prince Charlie’s face made so far has been unveiled by a team of researchers in Scotland. Barbora Vesela, a masters student at the University of Dundee who initiated the project, used death masks to help make 3D models of his face with state-of-the-art software to show him as he would have appeared in 1745, when he was just 24. “Beauty is a very subjective thing, but Bonnie Prince Charlie does have distinctive features, such as his nose and his eyes, that encourage you to study him,” Ms Vesela said. “We don’t tend to think about the age of people when we study history, but Prince Charlie was just 24 years old when he landed in Scotland and to visualise how young he was at this pivotal moment in history is fascinating.”