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 When most players arrive at Ajax, even as opposition, they are usually struck by the profound sense of football history. That might only deepen a sense of regret for Jordan Henderson.This is what he could have had, without all the damage to his reputation. The contrast with his current football surroundings will make it worse.While Ajax are steeped in football history, a lot of Saudi Pro League (SPL) facilities looked like they were from another age. The…

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 emailsPakistan has launched missiles into Iran, killing at least nine people, in retaliation for Iran airstrikes inside Pakistan earlier this week. The move has heightened fears of instability spreading across the Middle East in the wake of the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza.Pakistan had warned Tehran that there would be “serious consequences” for Tuesday’s attack, which it said had killed at least two children in western Pakistan.Multiple blasts were heard in Iran’s southeastern province of Sistan-Balochistan…

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 Jordan Henderson has completed his move from Al-Ettifaq to Ajax, the Dutch club have confirmed.It comes after the Saudi Pro League club agreed to terminate the England midfielder’s contract.Henderson, 33, joined Al-Ettifaq from Liverpool last summer but has decided to cut his stay in the Middle East short. He has signed a two-and-a-half year deal with the Amsterdam outfit.A statement from the Dutch club read: “Ajax has reached an agreement with Jordan Henderson on his transfer to…

Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inboxGet our free Inside Washington emailOusted Fox News host Tucker Carlson is “certainly a contender” to be former President Donald Trump’s running mate in the 2024 election, Mr Trump’s eldest son Donald Trump Jr has said. Mr Carlson is in the running despite the earlier revelation that he privately shared his disgust with the ex-commander-in-chief, writing in a text “I hate [Trump] passionately”. The host’s candid view of Mr Trump was revealed in the discovery process in the lawsuit brought by Dominion Voting…

AFCON 2024: 24 Teams’ Quest For African SupremacySign 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 Africa Cup of Nations continues this evening with a much-anticipated battle between Ivory Coast and Nigeria. The result of this match could determine which nation finishes top of Group A. The Ivory Coast currently hold first place following their 2-0 victory over Guinea-Bissau in their Afcon opener and look like a confident force under French boss Jean-Louis Gasset.Nigeria in contrast slumped to a shock 1-1 draw with Equatorial Guinea…

The latest headlines from our reporters across the US sent straight to your inbox each weekdayYour briefing on the latest headlines from across the USUvalde police responding to the Robb Elementary School mass shooting in 2022 showed “no urgency” and their tactical blunders cost lives, according to a damning new Department of Justice report. On 24 May, 2022, a gunman walked into Robb Elementary School and killed 21 people, including 19 students and two adults. Police took more than an hour to confront the gunman despite being on-scene within three minutes of the first shots fired. A DOJ report examining…

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 Egypt and Ghana will look to bounce back from disappointing starts to the African Cup of Nations when they face off in a crucial Group B clash. Egypt, who are going in search of a record-extending eighth AFCON title, only managed to salvage a draw with lowly Mozambique thanks to a Mohamed Salah injury-time penalty in their opening game. Ghana, meanwhile, got off to the worst possible start, as Chris Hughton’s side suffered a huge upset at…

Firefighters battle blaze in Ukraine’s Odessa after Russian airstrike on residential buildingFor free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emailsSign up to our free breaking news emailsKyiv has targeted an oil facility in the Russian city of St Petersburg, more than 500 miles away from Ukraine, in a rare long-range drone attack on Vladimir Putin’s hometown. Russian media claimed three drones were fired toward the city, two of which were downed in the Gulf of Finland, while one outlet claimed there had been a fire after a third drone exploded…

Al-Ettifaq censor Jordan Henderson’s rainbow armband in announcement videoThe 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 rules,…

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 security guard in Colorado charged with first-degree murder was arrested with a severed hand inside of his pocket just one day after a headless body was found in a nearby creek.Solomon Martinez, 26, was arrested at work last week when police found the hand inside a plastic bag in the chest pocket of his jacket, according to an affidavit obtained by the Pueblo Chieftain.Mr Martinez was charged in Pueblo, Colorado, in connection with a woman…