Author: INDEPENDENT

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 Jude Bellingham is determined to help Real Madrid and England become kings of the continent as the midfielder looks to end a remarkable season on the highest of highs.The 20-year-old has flourished since last summer swapping Germany for Spain, where he recently won LaLiga and was crowned the competition’s best player.Bellingham is now looking to end a dream first campaign with Madrid by beating former club Borussia Dortmund in Saturday’s Champions League final at Wembley.All eyes will…

Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inboxGet our free Inside Washington emailIvanka Trump has broken her silence and spoken out in support of her father after the former president’s historic criminal conviction at his hush money trial in New York.The former first daughter, who also served as a special advisor during Donald Trump’s time in office, posted a heartfelt message to her Instagram, shortly after her father was found guilty of all felony charges on ThursdayA jury convicted Trump on 34 counts of falsifying business records to cover up…

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 Cole Palmer believes his move to Chelsea last summer fast-tracked his progress into the England squad and put him on course for his first major tournament.The 22-year-old was named in Gareth Southgate’s 33-man provisional squad for Euro 2024 and he is expected to make the final cut of 26 after a stellar campaign which saw him named Premier League young player of the year.Palmer left Manchester City after making 41 appearances in just over three seasons, although…

Trump makes unfounded claim hush money trial was ‘rigged’ after guilty verdictSign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inboxGet our free Inside Washington emailDonald Trump has been found guilty on all counts at his hush money trial, becoming the first criminally convicted US president in history.He sat emotionless as the jury convicted him on 34 counts of falsifying business records to cover up a payment to porn star Stormy Daniels in the run-up to the 2016 election. Ms Daniels says that they had a sexual encounter in 2006, which Trump…

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 New video shows the moment Roy Keane confronted an Arsenal fan who allegedly headbutted the former Manchester United captain.Scott Law, 43, has pleaded not guilty to a charge of common assault against Mr Keane relating to an incident on 3 September last year following Arsenal’s 3-1 victory over Manchester United.The court heard how Keane gestured towards Law, of Waltham Abbey, Essex, during the football match to “meet him outside” after “banter turned more aggressive”.The ex-Ireland international, who…

Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inboxGet our free Inside Washington emailDonald Trump’s historic conviction in his New York hush money case on Thursday may put the former president in prison, but it hasn’t slowed done the enthusiam for his campaign. Shortly after the verdict was announced, the official GOP fundraising site connected to his 2024 effort crashed.“The American people see through Crooked Joe Biden’s rigged show trial,” the campaign wrote on X. “So many Americans were moved to donate to President Trump’s campaign that the WinRed pages went…

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 England boss Sarina Wiegman has been dealt a huge blow ahead of the Euro qualifier double-header against France after Lauren James was forced to pull out through injury.The 22-year-old attacker reported for international duty with a foot injury and has had to admit defeat in her efforts to prove her fitness ahead of Friday night’s Group A3 fixture at St James’ Park and the trip to St-Etienne which follows on Tuesday.Wiegman, who confirmed Tottenham’s Jess Naz had…

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 been found guilty on all 34 counts of falsifying business records as part of a conspiracy to corruptly influence the 2016 presidential election, marking the first-ever criminal conviction of an American president, who will now campaign once again for the White House as a convicted felon and fraud.A jury in Manhattan deliberated for nearly 12 hours before returning a unanimous verdict to New York Justice Juan Merchan on Thursday. An emotionless Trump craned his neck…

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 Kerry Davis, the first black woman to play football for England, hopes “brilliant” forward Lauren James will never let racist abuse stop her from stepping into a well-earned spotlight.Like other trailblazers, Davis has attracted renewed attention in the wake of England’s Euro 2022 triumph and a corresponding run of overdue recognition, from her induction two years ago into the National Football Museum’s Hall of Fame to receiving, in March, Football Black List’s Keith Alexander Award for outstanding…

Five key moments from Donald Trump’s hush money trialSign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inboxGet our free Inside Washington emailDonald Trump’s historic hush money trial has been turned over to the jury, putting the first-ever criminal case against an American president in the hands of his fellow New Yorkers.Deliberations began late on Wednesday morning and – after four questions from jurors regarding specific testimony – will continue on Thursday from 9.30am.In closing arguments, defense lawyer Todd Blanche hammered the credibility of Mr Trump’s ex-“fixer” Michael Cohen, the trial’s star witness,…