Author: The Guardian

It just floated there, a turtle huddled in the black corner of the wrecked ship’s bow. Its head, melon-sized and scaled, was about all I could see, as it dipped in and out of the torch beam. My partner and I were in Barbados in 2023 on a holiday we could barely afford but had booked through a veil of grief, after the death of my mother-in-law eight months before.The death came with a laborious house sale, orphaned dog and family feuds. This trip was an escape from the loss and shock. We learned how to scuba dive between sunburn…

England (4-3-3)Jordan Pickford (GK) There is almost nothing to do. Looking for short passes. Sesco headed in early. 6Kyle Walker (RB) There were some strange moments in possession. Not enough overlap, but his defense is acceptable. 6John Stones (CB) Initial distribution was unreliable. But he was part of the England squad that limited Slovenia’s openings. 7Mark Gay (CB) Blocked Kaninik’s cross. Mix and book. It’s mostly smooth, but there are a few minor bugs that need to be ironed out. 7Kieran Trippier (pound) Sometimes Slovenia is targeted. It’s not his fault he’s on the left. Received a yellow card for…

Around 48 minutes into this musty, vaguely icky game – a game that felt like it was a few weeks past its sell-by date, a game that came coated in a thin, unidentifiable layer of mildew – Bukayo Saka got the ball in England’s right channel and played a simple short pass into Harry Kane.For all his current travails, the vagaries of form and fitness, Kane is nothing if not a fearsome striker of a football. When he really connects, as he did here, the ball simply explodes off his boot: all gunpowder and venom and pure, coiled power. Two…

New Los Angeles Lakers head coach J.J. Redick has denied accusations that he used the “N” word during his college career at Duke.Redick held his first press conference as Lakers head coach on Monday. On Tuesday, author and speaker Halleemah Nash wrote on There is today [sic] He was named the new head coach of the Los Angeles Lakers. What a world.Nash did not specify when the alleged incident occurred, but Redick played for Duke from 2002 to 2006. The post was viewed millions of times within hours of being posted.Redick’s spokesman denied Nash’s allegations Tuesday night. “No, that never…

Jury deliberation is under way in the high-profile murder trial of Karen Read, a woman accused of killing her boyfriend, a Boston police officer.Closing arguments from both sides concluded earlier on Tuesday following a two-month-long trial that has captivated Massachusetts and triggered a wave of conspiracy theories.A jury of six men and six women will now decide whether Read, 44, murdered John O’Keefe, 46, in an act of domestic violence, or whether she was framed by corrupt authorities trying to cover up the killing.O’Keefe, a veteran police officer, was found dead on 29 January 2022, outside the home of Brian…

Undisputed world heavyweight champion Oleksandr Usyk has confirmed he will vacate his IBF title to fight Daniel Dubois and Anthony Joshua in September The path was cleared to compete for the title.The Ukrainian became the first heavyweight to hold the IBF, WBO, WBA and WBC belts when he defeated Tyson Fury in Saudi Arabia last month, but only five weeks after becoming undisputed champion , he was forced to give up one of his gold belts.As Usyk now has a rematch contract with Fury, he is unable to defend his IBF title against Dubois, the interim champion and mandatory after…

Gareth Southgate talked about being in “an unusual environment” after having plastic beer cups thrown at him by England fans and hearing his team booed off after their 0-0 draw with Slovenia on Tuesday night.Although a point was enough for England to go through to last 16 as winners of Group C, the reaction in the stands at the Cologne Stadium was hardly complimentary after another ineffective attacking ­display against opponents ranked 57th in the world.Much of the anger was aimed at Southgate when he went to acknowledge supporters after the final whistle. The 53-year-old was met with prolonged boos and…

WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange has pleaded guilty to a felony for publishing U.S. military secrets and struck a deal with the U.S. Department of Justice that is expected to secure his freedom and end an extraordinary legal saga.The plea was filed Wednesday morning in the federal court on Saipan, capital of the U.S. Pacific Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands. Assange flew from London to Saipan and arrived at the court shortly before the hearing began, wearing a dark suit and loose tie.Assange was accompanied by Australian Ambassador to the United States Kevin Rudd and Australian High Commissioner to the…

A woman has drowned after falling and getting swept over by a waterfall at a popular national park in Montana.On Monday, federal officials announced that a 26-year-old woman from Pennsylvania drowned after falling into the water above St Mary’s Falls on the east side of Glacier national park.“According to witnesses, the woman was washed over the falls and trapped under water for several minutes,” the national park service said. “Bystanders pulled her from the water below the falls and administered CPR until emergency responders arrived.”Park rangers, an ambulance crew and a rescue helicopter all arrived at the scene of the…

At the end of a disturbing fever dream with a 0-0 draw at Cologne, only one thing was clear. The best news for England’s promotion in Group C is that England’s promotion in Group C is now finally over. In some schools of thought, happiness is defined as the relief of pain. In this case, the world today at least looks happier.Following England through these three games in Germany was a grueling experience, as England’s experience was, the football equivalent of being beaten to death very slowly and methodically by a garbage bag full of flesh.For much of the game,…