Author: INDEPENDENT

Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inboxGet our free Inside Washington emailThe first-ever criminal trial of an American president is now drawing to a close in Manhattan Criminal Court after five weeks of extraordinary testimony and courtroom antics.Donald Trump is accused of 34 charges of the illegal falsification of business records to conceal a $130,000 payment to porn star Stormy Daniels one month before the 2016 presidential election, to ensure her silence about an alleged sexual encounter in 2006.Mr Trump denies both the liaison and the charges against him.Since…

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 Carlo Ancelotti insists his Real Madrid men “ooze confidence” ahead of their Champions League final but admits he still gets pre-match jitters despite his own unparalleled success in the tournament.Los Blancos meet Borussia Dortmund on Saturday night at Wembley, where Ancelotti could add to his four Champions League trophies as a coach, already more than any other boss in the history of the competition.Though he is now 40 years removed from his first European Cup final appearance…

The latest headlines from our reporters across the US sent straight to your inbox each weekdayYour briefing on the latest headlines from across the USCelebrity birthdays for the week of June 2-8:June 2: Actor Ron Ely (“Tarzan”) is 86. Actor Stacy Keach is 83. Actor-director Charles Haid (“Hill Street Blues”) is 81. Singer Chubby Tavares of Tavares is 80. Film director Lasse Hallstrom (“Chocolat,” “The Cider House Rules”) is 78. Actor Jerry Mathers (“Leave It To Beaver”) is 76. Actor Joanna Gleason is 74. Actor Dennis Haysbert (“24″) is 70. Comedian Dana Carvey is 69. Actor Gary Grimes (“Summer of…

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 Departing Barcelona manager Xavi has warned his successor to be prepared to “suffer” in the job.The former Spain midfielder was informed last week he was to be sacked, having previously performed a U-turn saying he wanted to stay on after announcing his intention to leave earlier this year.Ex-Germany and Bayern Munich boss Hansi Flick is expected to replace him.“To the new manager, I tell you: You will suffer. This is a very complicated place to be,” Xavi…

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 working overtime to spin a new story about what happened at the Libertarian National Convention in Washington DC, after being loudly booed and jeered by the audience.The Republican presidential contender confidently told the crowd at the Washington Hilton on Saturday night that “the Libertarian Party should nominate Trump for president,” only for howls of derision to ring out.“That’s nice,” Mr Trump retaliated sarcastically, with a rictus grin.“Maybe you don’t want to win. Only do…

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 captain Leah Williamson has signed a new contract to extend her 19-year association with Arsenal.The 27-year-old defender has made 232 appearances for the club since making her debut in 2014, during which time she has won one league title, two FA Cups and four league cups.“Everyone knows what Arsenal means to me, but I think every time I sign a new contract, I feel that love ignite all over again,” she said.“I’m very happy to be…

Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inboxGet our free Inside Washington emailIndependent presidential candidate and conspiracy theorist Robert F Kennedy Jr has said many wild things over the years.And now, a claim he once made four decades ago appears to be a total fantasy.In the 1984 book The Kennedys: An American Drama, the political dynasty heir regaled a story about a time he said he was shot at with bows and arrows by Indigenous people while traveling in Peru.RFK Jr claims that the ambush unfolded while they rafted along…

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 The Premier League was so close that Leeds United could see it. So near that, twice in swift succession, Daniel Farke referred to it “as the promised land”. He got a glimpse of it, and then a return ticket to the more familiar terrain of the Championship. But then both the play-offs and Wembley promise only disappointment for Leeds. They have another year to reflect on the Dan James half-volley that hit the bar, lacking only the…

Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inboxGet our free Inside Washington emailThe Daily Show host Michael Kosta has ridiculed Donald Trump’s latest false claim that the FBI was authorized to assassinate him when its agents raided his Mar-a-Lago home in August 2022 in search of the classified documents he refused to return to the National Archives after leaving the White House.The Republican presidential candidate made the complaint earlier this week, apparently having been egged on by Georgia GOP congressperson Marjorie Taylor Greene, that the FBI had been permitted to…

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 Russell Martin expressed his gratitude and acknowledged he was not a “sexy appointment” after guiding Southampton to the Premier League with a precious 1-0 win over Leeds at Wembley.Adam Armstrong struck midway through the first half to haunt Leeds again with his 24th goal of the campaign and it proved enough to send Saints back to the top flight at the first time of asking.It continued the remarkable rise of Martin after he masterminded promotion to the…