Author: INDEPENDENT

(The FA via Getty Images)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 England face Spain in the Euro 2024 final on Sunday as the Three Lions attempt to win a major trophy for the first time in more than half a century.Gareth Southgate’s side have endured a rollercoaster ride in Germany this summer, stumbling through the group phase despite an opening match victory over Serbia and going behind in each of their knockout round games so far. A dramatic late overhead kick by Jude Bellingham…

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 emailsAustralian prime minister Anthony Albanese told Russia to “back off” and rejected claims that the arrest of a Brisbane-based couple accused of spying for Moscow was fuelling “anti-Russian paranoia”.Mr Albanese said Russia engaged in “espionage here and around the world” and had “no credibility”.“Russia can get the message: back off,” he said at an event in Brisbane on Saturday.“How about you get out of Ukraine and stop the illegal and immoral war that you’re engaged…

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 For many an England player, winning a major final against Spain and scoring in it would represent a perfect day this weekend. For a couple, it has already happened. Not in a senior European Championships either but a World Cup, albeit at Under-17 level. Phil Foden got the third and fifth goals, sandwiching a strike by Marc Guehi in a 5-2 win in 2017. “Very good memories,” said the centre-back, studying the footage seven years on. “We…

Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inboxGet our free Inside Washington emailFormer President Donald Trump slammed George Clooney as a “backstabber” and a “third-rate movie actor” for his New York Times op-ed calling on President Joe Biden to drop out of his race for re-election.Trump appeared on The Clay Travis and Buck Sexton Show on Friday saying that regardless of what you think of Biden, “he’s been nice to Clooney.”“I thought it was very disloyal, backstabber, third-rate movie actor,” Trump said on the program in reference to the op-ed.Last…

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 Declan Rice insisted he was ready to “run through a brick wall” to set England on course for Euro 2024 glory.The Arsenal midfielder has played every minute of England’s campaign in Germany so far and will be a key factor in deciding the outcome of Sunday’s final against Spain.Coming up against the likes of Pedri, Dani Olmo and Rodri, Rice will need to be at the top of his game alongside teenage midfield partner Kobbie Mainoo.All of…

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 emails The youngest son of Mukesh Ambani, Asia’s richest man, married his longtime girlfriend early Saturday in what many dubbed the wedding of the year attended by global celebrities, business tycoons and politicians, highlighting the billionaire’s staggering wealth and rising clout.The wedding rituals, including exchanging garlands by the couple and walking around the sacred fire, began Friday and were completed past midnight.The celebrations of Anant Ambani marrying Radhika Merchant took place at the Ambani-owned Jio…

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 England took one step closer to booking a place at Euro 2025 with a 2-1 victory over the Republic of Ireland in their Carrow Road qualifier.Alessia Russo fired the defending European champions into the lead after just five minutes in front of a sold-out crowd in Norwich, undeterred by the soggy conditions and delighted to welcome the Lionesses back for the first time since the 2022 Arnold Clark Cup.Georgia Stanway doubled England’s advantage with a second-half penalty…

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 emails Terrorism and organized crime by violent extremist groups linked to al-Qaida and the Islamic State are a “pervasive threat” in Africa’s volatile Sahel region and are spilling over to West Africa’s coastal countries, the top U.N. envoy for the area warned Friday.Leonardo Simão, the U.N. special representative for the Sahel and West Africa, said the focus on combating terrorism has had limited effect in stopping rampant illegal trafficking in the Sahel and the effort…

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 Marc Guehi is on a short list of players who have scored goals in major finals for England and now he is hoping his experience of winning the Under-17 World Cup can help him heading into Sunday’s Euro 2024 showdown with Spain.It was against the same opposition in 2017 where Guehi found the back of the net in a 5-2 victory to seal the under-17 title in India.Phil Foden also hit a brace in the victory, while…

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 emails A New Mexico judge dismissed the involuntary manslaughter case against Alec Baldwin over the fatal shooting of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins in a sudden move Friday.Judge Mary Marlowe Sommer dismissed the case based on the misconduct of police and prosecutors over the withholding of evidence from the defense. She said the case cannot be filed again.Baldwin, the lead actor and co-producer of the film “Rust,” was pointing a gun at Hutchins during a rehearsal on…