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 The Football Association is standing by the controversial design of the new England shirt despite criticism from Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer.The shirt’s manufacturer Nike has altered the appearance of the St George’s Cross using purple and blue horizontal stripes in what it called a “playful update” to the shirt ahead of Euro 2024.Sunak warned Nike “should not mess” with the flag while Starmer urged Nike to “reconsider” the design.The FA said…

Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inboxGet our free Inside Washington emailMarjorie Taylor Greene initiated the process to oust House Speaker Mike Johnson as the US House of Representatives narrowly passed a bill to avoid a government shutdown despite the objections of conservatives like the Georgia Republican who support former president Donald Trump. Ms Greene filed a motion to vacate the speaker as the House was still voting on the spending agreement. A two-thirds majority was reached to pass the spending package – 286 voted in favour and 134…

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 Chelsea narrowly missed out on the signature of Brazilian wonderkid Endrick due to concerns over the price they’d have to pay for the teenager.The 17-year-old has joined Real Madrid and will arrive at the Spanish club in July after they reached agreement with Palmeiras in 2022.Considered one of the world’s most promising young players, Endrick made his Brazil debut in November and could again feature for the national side against England at Wembley.The sought after left-footed forward…

Related video: Search continues for missing University of Missouri studentThe latest headlines from our reporters across the US sent straight to your inbox each weekdayYour briefing on the latest headlines from across the USThe body of missing student Riley Strain has been found in a river in Nashville two weeks on from when he was last seen alive. The Metropolitan Nashville Police Department confirmed on Friday that the student’s body had been recovered from the Cumberland River in West Nashville earlier that morning, around eight miles from the downtown area. Police said that there was no signs foul play-related trauma,…

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 Interim boss John O’Shea will send the Republic of Ireland into friendly battle with Belgium on Saturday after being placed in temporary charge of the team he represented with such distinction.The former Ireland defender has stepped into the shoes vacated by Stephen Kenny in November for the clash with FIFA’s fourth-ranked team and Switzerland’s visit to the Aviva Stadium on Tuesday evening.Here, the PA news agency takes a look at some of the talking points surrounding the…

Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inboxGet our free Inside Washington emailUS secretary of state Antony Blinken landed in Israel on Friday for what is expected to be a tense meeting with Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu over the future of Israel’s offensive in Gaza.Mr Blinken has spent days travelling the region in an attempt to broker a new ceasefire in Gaza, some six months into the war. While there, he plans to urge the country’s leaders not to launch a ground attack on the city of Rafah and…

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 Harry Kane and Jordan Henderson are doubts for England’s glamour friendly against Brazil after missing group training on the eve of the game.Gareth Southgate’s men step up their preparations for this summer’s shot at Euro 2024 glory with Wembley friendlies against the Selecao and Belgium.England skipper Kane and vice-captain Henderson’s availability to face Brazil on Saturday evening is in doubt after the pair trained away from the main group at St George’s Park on Friday morning.The pair…

The latest headlines from our reporters across the US sent straight to your inbox each weekdayYour briefing on the latest headlines from across the US“This is really a battle between good and evil,” evangelical TV preacher Hank Kunneman says of the slew of criminal charges facing Donald Trump. “There’s something on President Trump that the enemy fears: It’s called the anointing.” The Nebraska pastor, who was speaking on cable news show “FlashPoint” last summer, is among several voices in Christian media pressing a message of Biblical proportions: The 2024 presidential race is a fight for America’s soul, and a persecuted…

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 An ex-professional footballer, who went from working in a shipyard to playing in the 1961 FA Cup Final before going on to score 250 career goals, is battling Alzheimer’s which research suggests may have been caused by his career.Hugh McIlmoyle, from Port Glasgow, played during the 1960s and 70s for a number of teams including Leicester City, Rotherham United, Carlisle United, Wolverhampton Wanderers, Bristol City, Middlesbrough, and Preston North End.“Known for heading the ball” and “loved by…

Related: Trump lawyer Alina Habba doesn’t rule out seeking $464m bond money from wealthy Russian or Saudi donorsSign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inboxGet our free Inside Washington emailNew York attorney general Letitia James has already begun preparing the ground to seize Donald Trump’s assets in anticipation of his not being able to meet the $464m bond in his Big Apple fraud trial, the deadline for which falls on Monday.It emerged on Thursday that Ms James registered the judgement from the months-long trial with the county clerk’s office in…