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 proudest history, the biggest records, one of the favourites heading into this month’s tournament. Morocco and Senegal might be the big two right now, but Egypt have been Africa Cup of Nations winners on seven occasions and will have an air of expectation about them to go far once more this year.And, adding reason and weight to that expectation, they have Mohamed Salah. The 31-year-old is the Pharaohs’ captain, one of Africa’s all-time best footballers 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 USThe guests to Epstein’s islands came from across the world and from the highest ranks of society: celebrities and scientists and members of royal families, touching down in a private jet and then boarding a helicopter to the island.Its owner liked to call it “Little St Jeff”. The locals called it “Paedophile Island”.But what is the truth about Little St James, the 75-acre private paradise in the US Virgin Islands that billionaire sex abuser Jeffrey Epstein…

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 Eddie Howe has backed record signing Alexander Isak to join Alan Shearer in the Newcastle pantheon after watching him enhance his credentials in a heart-breaking defeat by Manchester City.The 24-year-old Sweden international capped a fine individual display with a stunning first-half equaliser, yet still ended up on the losing side after the club world champions snatched a 3-2 victory at St James’ Park as a mouthwatering spectacle came to a dramatic conclusion.Asked afterwards if Isak, a £63million…

Iceland volcano erupts after weeks of earthquakes 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 volcano had erupted in southwest Iceland, posing an immediate threat to a nearby fishing town that had been evacuated over fears of an outbreak, authorities said.Early-morning live streams from the site showed fountains of molten rock spewing from fissures in the ground, the bright orange lava flow glowing against the dark sky.The eruption began north of the town of Grindavik, which on Saturday was evacuated for a…

Ten Hag addresses Sancho’s departure to Dortmund with frank responseThe January transfer window has been slow to get going this month but may be starting to heat up as clubs try to bolster their squads for the second half of the season.This month, Arsenal and Chelsea are expected to be two of the teams trying to bring in at least one player each, with Ivan Toney a name on both clubs’ wishlists. Brighton striker Evan Ferguson has also been linked with the Blues, although the Seagulls value the teenager at more than £100m. Given the strictness of financial fair play…

Kyiv suffers largest ever drone attack by Russia leaving five woundedFor free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emailsSign up to our free breaking news emailsRussia launched a ‘fearsome’ hypersonic missile attack in the early hours of this morning after the UK promised to send thousands of drones to Kyiv.Air defences shot down Russian missiles in at least five regions across Ukraine, according to local officials from those provinces.“As a result of being hit by the debris of an enemy missile, several private homes and non-residential buildings were damaged, one…

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 Erik ten Hag says Manchester United will only succeed with “hungry players” after letting Jadon Sancho leave little more than a year after Cristiano Ronaldo’s high-profile departure.The Dutch coach was brought in 19 months ago to change things on and off the pitch at Old Trafford, where he has had to deal with a fair share of distractions.Unhappy star Ronaldo’s second spell at United ended in acrimonious fashion in November 2022 and another big name has left…

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 Texas congressman said Saturday that three migrants, including two children, drowned while trying to reach the US near the border city of Eagle Pass, where the Biden administration says Texas has begun denying access to Border Patrol agents. Representative Henry Cuellar, a Texas Democrat, accused the state of failing to act amid escalating tensions between Texas and the US government over immigration enforcement. On Friday, the Justice Department told the US Supreme Court that Texas…

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 Jadon Sancho made an instant impact on his Borussia Dortmund return as he set up a goal in a 3-0 Bundesliga win at Darmstadt on Saturday.England international Sancho rejoined Dortmund on loan this week after being frozen out of the first-team picture at Manchester United.The 23-year-old had not played senior football since August but he wasted little time after entering the action as a 55th-minute substitute.Sancho had a shot blocked soon after coming on and in the…

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 Pennsylvania woman accused of poisoning her boyfriend’s toddler to death made suspicious online searches in the months before the tragedy, according to the state’s top prosecutor. Aleisia Owens, 20, faces charges of criminal homicide, attempted homicide and aggravated assault of a child in connection with the death of one-year-old Iris Alfera in New Castle. Iris died in June after ingesting fatal levels of acetone.Law enforcement learned that in the months preceding her death, Iris had…