Author: INDEPENDENT

Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inboxGet our free Inside Washington emailDonald Trump has rejected claims that he delivered a “meandering” address to a gathering of top CEOs in Washington DC last week, citing a more supportive account of his speech on Truth Social that quotes an attendee branding the criticism a “bunch of BS”.The GOP presidential candidate spoke to the Business Roundtable event on Thursday, the same day he met with congressional Republicans in private on Capitol Hill to rally the troops ahead of November’s election.Discussing his appearance…

Scotland fans play bagpipes outside Cologne Cathedral ahead of Euro 2024 matchScotland play their second game of Euro 2024 against Switzerland but know their hopes of reaching the last-16 could be over already if they suffer a defeat in Cologne.A disastrous 5-1 opening defeat to hosts Germany on Friday night saw manager Steve Clarke admit the team had let themselves down but now the talking must be done on the pitch as captain Andy Robertson declared it’s time for action. Scotland believe they owe the Tartan Army, who have once again travelled in their thousands to Cologne, a performance.But Switzerland…

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emailsSign up to our free breaking news emailsDavid Weston, Sir Ian McKellen’s former understudy, has opened up about the actor’s work ethics and the toll doing theatre can take physically.In an essay for The Guardian, he described McKellen’s commitment to the job and how he always showed up despite exhaustion or illness.“After following him across the world as his understudy in King Lear in 2007, I know his dread of disappointing his audience. No matter how tired he was or how ill…

American Tower is a Business Reporter client.Business Reporter: American TowerIn an exclusive interview with Thierry Amarger, Europe CEO for American Tower, a global provider of digital communications infrastructure, a compelling vision emerges for the future of digital communications in Europe. With a backdrop of impressive progress in network deployment and a commitment to sustainability, Amarger outlines both achievements and challenges in the continent’s journey towards gigabit connectivity.“Europe has made great progress,” Amarger states, highlighting the significant strides made in both 4G and 5G coverage. With nearly 100 per cent population coverage in most countries for 4G and 5G already exceeding…

Zelensky says China trying to undermine Ukraine peace summitFor free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emailsSign up to our free breaking news emailsVladimir Putin was received with much pomp in North Korea by his “comrade” and the pariah state’s leader Kim Jong-un who once again pledged his support to Moscow amid a warning by the United States.Kim Jong-un, who previously supplied arms to Moscow, promised his full support for Russia’s war in Ukraine before beginning a one-on-one meeting with Mr Putin in capital Pyongyang.Mr Putin arrived on Tuesday for…

Sign up to Miguel Delaney’s Reading the Game newsletter sent straight to your inbox for freeSign up to Miguel’s Delaney’s free weekly newsletter Lothar Matthaus is 63 now. And if that may depress those who remember him in his dominant prime, let alone those who conjure images of him as German football’s wunderkind of the early 1980s, it has an added pertinence. He played in the last European Championship that did not feature Cristiano Ronaldo.There are other ways of illustrating Ronaldo’s age, of course: Francisco Conceicao, scored of the late winner in the first game of Ronaldo’s sixth such tournament,…

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emailsSign up to our free breaking news emailsSir Ian McKellen thanked NHS staff and said he is “looking forward to returning to work” after falling off stage mid-performance at a theatre in London on Monday (June 17).The 85-year-old actor is currently playing John Falstaff in Player Kings – a production of William Shakespeare’s Henry IV parts one and two – at the Noël Coward Theatre.The Lord of the Rings star was in a fight scene when he slipped and fell from the…

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emailsSign up to our free breaking news emailsThe US has approved arms sale worth $360m to Taiwan, a decision that is likely to escalate tensions with China.The Joe Biden administration will supply Taiwan with hundreds of armed drones, missile equipment, and related support material.The drone package includes 291 Altius 600M systems, which are unmanned aerial vehicles with warheads, and 720 Switchblades, which function as “extended-range loitering munitions”, the State Department said.The sale “serves US national, economic, and security interests by supporting the…

Sign up to Miguel Delaney’s Reading the Game newsletter sent straight to your inbox for freeSign up to Miguel’s Delaney’s free weekly newsletter Euro 2024 is in full swing with 24 teams competing to win the Henri Delaunay Trophy this summer.While the favourites all appeared fallible coming into this European Championship, they have got off to strong starts across the board. Germany were most impressive of all and thumped Scotland in the tournament’s curtain-raiser in Munich to send out a signal that the hosts are a serious prospect, powered by the talent of Jamal Musiala and Florian Wirtz. England, France,…

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emailsSign up to our free breaking news emailsIt’s becoming something of a formula: Cole Porter musical plus a couple of big stars, plus lavish set, equals lovely bit of summer escapism at the Barbican. They did it with Anything Goes in 2021 and 2022, a perfect revival which enticed audiences back after Covid and reminded us all of the nice things: showtunes, comedy gangsters, Sutton Foster.Now it’s the turn of Kiss Me, Kate, directed by Bartlett Sher, now the go-to man for…