Author: INDEPENDENT

Pope Francis was well enough on Sunday 25 February to celebrate his weekly Angelus prayer from the Vatican window overlooking St. Peter’s Square, after cancelling his engagements a day before for a mild flu.The pontiff – who over the past few months had to cancel some of his activities and one international trip due to his fragile health – appeared in good shape and regularly read his Angelus prayer, concluding it with his usual salutes to the crowd and his request to pray for him.In his address, Francis remembered “with sorrow” the second anniversary of the start of what he…

Sign up to our free sport newsletter for all the latest news on everything from cycling to boxingSign up to our free sport email for all the latest newsFrance suffered a significant blow at the end of the first half of their Six Nations fixture against Italy as Jonathan Danty was sent off.Referee Christophe Ridley dismissed the centre after he made direct head-on-head contact while attempting to tackle Juan Ignacio Brex.Danty had shot out the line to make a dominant tackle on Brex, but was upright and forceful in an illegal challenge. The bunker official, Ben Whitehouse, subsequently decided that…

Police used a water cannon to disperse anti-government protesters in Tel Aviv, Israel, on Saturday night (24 February), who were calling on the government to resign.Israelis took to the streets for a weekly march, with some holding posters blaming Benjamin Netanyahu for the Hamas-led attack on southern Israel in which 1,200 people were killed and 250 taken hostage.Earlier, the nation’s prime minister said in a statement that he was meeting with members of his government on the next steps after the latest talks with the United States, Egypt and Qatar in search of a deal on pausing the fighting in…

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 Bordeaux have confirmed attacker Alberth Elis was taken to hospital for what appeared to be a serious head injury, sustained after colliding with an opponent on Saturday night.The incident took place 34 seconds into his side’s eventual 1-0 Ligue 2 victory over Guingamp when the Honduras international clashed heads with defender Donatien Gomis.Elis was removed from the action on a stretcher following an eight-minute pause as he was treated on the pitch and – according to a…

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 emailsVladimir Putin could target the UK with another novichok-style poisoning attempt, Britain’s defence secretary has warned.Grant Shapps compared the threat Mr Putin poses to that of Nazi Germany’s Adolf Hitler.Mr Shapps, along with a number of Western leaders, blamed the Kremlin for the recent death of Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny, who died in an Arctic penal colony on 16 February.Vladimir Putin could murder again on UK soil, Britain’s defence secretary has warned in a…

Jurgen Klopp and his Liverpool players were seen inspecting the Wembley pitch ahead of the Carabao Cup final against Chelsea.The two sides go toe-to-toe for the first domestic silverware of the season on Sunday 25 February.Liverpool are looking to win a record-extending 12th League Cup, while Chelsea are chasing their sixth crown.The Blues are also looking to win their first domestic trophy since 2018 after losing three Wembley finals in a row – including both Carabao Cup and FA Cup finals to Liverpool on penalties two years ago.Klopp’s side are the favourites and also sit atop the Premier League going…

Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inboxGet our free Inside Washington emailNikki Haley’s campaign for the presidency chugs along.The former governor of South Carolina vowed to stay in the race Saturday evening after a defeat in her home state, addressing a pumped-up crowd of supporters in Charleston. Pointing to her speech earlier in the week wherein she promised to keep fighting Donald Trump through Super Tuesday and beyond, Ms Haley declared after her latest loss to Mr Trump: “I’m a woman of my word.”Her campaign insists that there remains…

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 Maguire called for a “big reaction” after Manchester United were stunned by a late Fulham winner at Old Trafford.Alex Iwobi netted in the seventh minute of stoppage time as Fulham snatched a 2-1 Premier League victory on Saturday after it seemed Maguire had salvaged a point for the hosts.Fulham dominated most of the contest and deservedly led through Calvin Bassey’s 65th-minute strike, but United produced a strong finish.Maguire equalised when he pounced on a rebound in…

Donald Trump celebrated his comfortable victory in the South Carolina Republican primary by predicting that he would beat Joe Biden in a likely presidential election rematch in November.The former president claimed his fourth straight primary win on Saturday night (24 February), beating rival Nikki Haley in her home state.“We’re going to be up here on 5 November, and we’re going to look at Joe Biden,” Mr Trump said as the crown loudly cheered him.“He’s destroying our country and we’re gonna say ‘Joe, you’re fired. Get out. Get out, Joe. You’re fired.’”Mr Trump also compared himself to Al Capone during a…

Pep Lijnders Liverpool injury update on Salah, Nunez and Szoboszlai ahead of EFL Cup final against ChelseaSign 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 and Liverpool go head-to-head in the Carabao Cup final on Sunday afternoon with both managers bringing special meaning into the match. Should the Blues triumph at Wembley, it will be a first trophy success under boss Mauricio Pochettino which would go a long way to legitimising his place at the club during a tumultuous domestic campaign that sees Chelsea sit…