Author: INDEPENDENT

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 emailsWatch as Chinese New Year 2024 celebrations went underway with a bang in New York City today (Saturday 10 February).Firecrackers and lion dances marked the start of the Lunar New Year of the Dragon, considered to be the most auspicious of the 12 that make up the Chinese zodiac.Cities across the world had already marked the celebrations.Hong Kong is expecting more than a million visitors over the Lunar New Year holiday along with the return…

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 played a starring role in Real Madrid’s most important victory of the season so far, but their joy was dampened when he hobbled off the field injured after an hour.Bellingham had by that point scored twice, assisted by the equally brilliant Vinicius Jr who had also scored a stunning opener after only six minutes, and Rodrygo added the final touch to a 4-0 thrashing over title rivals Girona.The win leaves Madrid five points clear of…

Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inboxGet our free Inside Washington emailTucker Carlson called anyone who thinks President Vladimir Putin should give up Crimea as a condition of achieving peace with Ukraine a “lunatic” following his interview with the Russian leader. Carlson spoke with Mr Putin in a widely-criticised interview on his X/Twitter show. Following the interview, Carlson noted that Crimea was in Russian possession prior to the current war in Ukraine — Russia annexed Crime in 2014 — and said the prospect of Mr Putin returning the region…

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 Nottingham Forest boss Nuno Espirito Santo cannot understand why VAR did not intervene and award his side a penalty in their 3-2 defeat to Newcastle.Taiwo Awoniyi appeared to be tripped by goalkeeper Martin Dubravka with the score at 2-2 but referee Anthony Taylor waved away protests and VAR did not overrule, despite replays showing contact was made.Three minutes later Bruno Guimaraes scored his second of the game to inflict another defeat for Forest which sees them teetering…

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 emailsA six-year-old Palestinian girl who called authorities begging for help as the lone survivor of an attack in Gaza City has been discovered dead. She died alongside a pair of paramedics who were trying to save her. The girl, Hind Rajab, was with family members – her aunt, uncle, and her three cousins – racing in their family car to outrun Israeli tanks and escape the city. Tanks ultimately fired on the car, killing Hind’s…

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 Bayer Leverkusen celebrated carnival weekend in the Rhineland with a superb 3-0 win over Bayern Munich which sent them five points clear of their opponents at the top of the Bundesliga.Josip Stanisic, the man on loan from Bayern, opened the scoring against a static defence in the 18th minute before Alex Grimaldo doubled the lead five minutes into the second half.An exclamation point was added in stoppage time when Manuel Neuer came up for a corner and…

The latest headlines from our reporters across the US sent straight to your inbox each weekdayYour briefing on the latest headlines from across the USA man in Palm Beach County, Florida who is accused of beating his father to death last week was called a “delusional conspiracy theorist” by a family friend. Based on an arrest affidavit, officials responded to a 911 call on 4 February from the family friend of Brian McGann Jr, who he had called during a domestic violence incident involving his father, Brian McGann Sr. The son reportedly arrived at his father’s home around 11pm. 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 Brian McFadden wants Chorley fans to dream of the Football League after bringing some pop star glamour to Victory Park.The former Westlife singer took his place in Chorley’s small VIP stand along with prospective fellow investors Keith Duffy and Shane Lynch from Boyzone for Saturday’s FA Trophy fifth-round tie against Solihull Moors.Clad in Chorley shirts and clutching pints of beer, the trio were happy to sign autographs and take pictures for fans, with their presence the only…

The latest headlines from our reporters across the US sent straight to your inbox each weekdayYour briefing on the latest headlines from across the USRumors circulating online that former Fox News host Tucker Carlson was placed on a Ukrainian “kill list” for his highly criticised interview with Russian President Vladimir Putin are false, according to a new report. A photo supposedly showing Carlson among the names of those Ukrainian forces wanted dead has been misconstrued by social media commenters, according to an Associated Press analysis. Claims that Carlson has been sanctioned by the European Union for the interview were also…

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 Boss Thomas Frank urged Gareth Southgate to hand Ivan Toney an England recall after his Brentford comeback.The striker scored his third goal in four games since returning from his eight-month ban for breaching betting rules in Saturday’s 2-0 win at Wolves.Christian Norgaard’s first-half header put the Bees on course for their first Premier League away win since October, moving them up to 14th.This week, Frank said Toney – who has one cap – is likely to be…