Somalia's violin novice to TV orchestra triumph in four years
Audiences are lapping up televised orchestra performances reviving Somali music for a new generation.
2023-10-15 08:28
Pope set to draw Marseille crowds after pro-migrant plea
Tens of thousands of people are expected to watch Pope Francis process through the streets and celebrate mass in the French Mediterranean city of Marseille Saturday, where the pontiff has waded into...
2023-09-23 10:18
Explainer-How Bill Ackman's SPARC differs from a SPAC
By Svea Herbst-Bayliss NEW YORK Bill Ackman's new investment vehicle, Pershing Square SPARC Holdings Ltd, marks a departure
2023-10-03 05:18
Biden administration announces $600M to produce COVID tests and will reopen website to order them
The Biden administration has announced that it is providing $600 million in funding to produce new at-home COVID-19 tests and is restarting a website allowing Americans to again order up to four free tests per household
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Saudi Arabia buys Turkish drones during Erdogan's visit
By Aziz El Yaakoubi RIYADH Saudi Arabia agreed on Tuesday to buy Turkish drones, one of several lucrative
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Ukraine Recap: Talks Ongoing to Restart Grain Deal, Erdogan Says
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2023-08-09 18:46
Kyle Walker urges England to get mentality right in bid for Euro 2024 glory
Kyle Walker believes England have enough players with big-match experience to challenge for Euro 2024 glory – if they can perfect their mentality. England rounded off 2023 with a forgettable 1-1 draw in North Macedonia on Monday night having already assured their spot at next summer’s finals by beating Italy last month. Gareth Southgate’s side ended the calendar year unbeaten and topped Group C of Euro 2024 qualifying in the process. The Euro 2020 runners-up will now be top seeds for December’s group-stage draw in Hamburg as England target their first major silverware since 1966. Walker insists they ended the year well despite having already secured qualification amid criticism of the performances in North Macedonia and in the 2-0 Wembley win over Malta. “I don’t think there’s really been a drop off,” he told Radio 5Live. “There’s been a good win against Malta. Okay, if you go and score eight everyone says you should have gone and scored eight- if we don’t score eight it’s a problem. We're all mature, we've all been in big situations, Whether it's Champions League finals, fighting for the Premier League, semi-finals of a World Cup, finals of the Euros Kyle Walker “So it’s three points. Never mind if it’s an eight or 1-0, it is still three points on the board. We know coming here, we should win. We should win but the campaign and the group is wrapped up and it was always going to be a difficult one. “But I said at the start of the team talk that it’s about mentality now, we’ve got the group of players that we’ve had for a number of years now. We’re all mature, we’ve all been in big situations, whether it’s Champions League finals, fighting for the Premier League, semi-finals of a World Cup, finals of the Euros. “Now it’s about our mentality. Now it’s about mentality on the field and off the field to make sure that we take this country to where it deserves and that is to hopefully pick up that European trophy.” Walker, 33, has been installed as Manchester City captain this season but sported the armband for his country for the first time in Monday’s draw. “It was a really proud moment when the manager pulled me aside this afternoon and told me that I would be leading the team out,” he added. “Obviously I’m doing that for Manchester City now but to do it for my country is a real big step in the right direction and another thing I’ve ticked off my list. “We had to be patient and try and break them down. They had a back five and it’s always going to be tough but that’s no excuse. “We know that we should be coming here, taking three points and getting on the plane back home and celebrating qualifying with a good end to the campaign. “But listen, we’ve qualified and let’s not underestimate that. We’ve qualified for a major tournament once again and that’s what we needed to really do.” Read More Phil Taylor to retire at the end of World Senior Darts Tour in 2024 On this day in 2007: England fail to qualify for Euro 2008 after Croatia defeat Jalen Hurts grabs double as Philadelphia Eagles avenge Super Bowl loss Gareth Southgate hails Rico Lewis after strong England debut in North Macedonia Michael O’Neill calls Northern Ireland win over Denmark step in right direction Rob Page: Wales not entertaining Euro 2024 play-off talk before Turkey qualifier
2023-11-21 18:17
British Grand Prix: 20 years since Irish ‘lunatic’ invaded the track at Silverstone
“Oh my goodness me!” screamed ITV’s lead Formula 1 commentator James Allen, words struggling to comprehend the sheer craziness of what was being witnessed. “We’ve got a lunatic on the track!” When a group of protestors from Just Stop Oil invaded the circuit last year during the opening lap of the British Grand Prix, it wasn’t Silverstone’s first run-in with track invaders. Contrarily, 20 years ago, the 2003 British Grand Prix was 10 laps in before deranged Irish priest Neil Horan sprinted up the fiercely quick Hangar Straight. Many drivers had to swerve to avoid him as Horan, dressed in a brown kilt, madly ran into the racing line of F1 cars speeding at 200mph while waving banners which read: “Read the bible” and “The Bible is always right.” The result could have been catastrophic if it wasn’t for the quick awareness of the drivers and the marshal stationed at position ‘Hangar 1’. Volunteering at the British Grand Prix once again, Stephen Green ran into the void of the unknown. “I didn’t really think, adrenaline just kicks in,” Green, now 72, tells The Independent. “I made the decision anyway to wait until most of the pack had gone past. I actually watched it last week on YouTube – it seems like the guy is running up there forever and a day before I get to him. “I think I just barged into him! Then he fell over and I just grabbed his wrists and dragged him. There was a white transit van with security waiting behind the debris fence. I remember what I said to him but it’s not printable!” It was an astonishing scene. While pitch invasions and streakers have for many a long year popped up at various sporting events across the country, a live racetrack is an entirely different situation altogether. More so than any wider cause, lives in the immediacy are at risk. For Green, though, it brought a sense of notoriety not familiar to the men and women in orange suits. Soon after, once the police investigation had subsided and Horan was charged with “aggravated trespass”, the marshal was the second man awarded the BARC (British Automobile Racing Club) Browning medal for outstanding bravery. The first was David Purley, 21 years earlier, following his attempts to save Roger Williamson from a fire at Zandvoort. Meanwhile Horan, laicised by the Catholic Church, did not stop there; in fact, Silverstone was just the start of his bizarre interventions. A year later, at the 2004 Athens Olympics, he ran into the path of lead Brazilian runner Vanderlei de Lima in the men’s marathon and pushed him into the crowds, ruining his path to gold. Months earlier, he was caught by police at the Epsom Derby. He also appeared on Britain’s Got Talent in 2009, performing an Irish jig. Yet that day 20 years ago brought together two very different people from two very different walks of life. A point not lost on Green when, peculiarly, Horan got in touch. “Strangely enough, he emailed me five years ago to ask how I was,” Green says. “We exchanged a couple of emails and that’s about it. “Strange chap, shall we say!” The subject of protestors is top of the agenda at Silverstone this weekend. If not for last year’s near-catastrophe, then for Just Stop Oil’s recent interventions at Twickenham, the World Snooker Championship, the Ashes and just this week, Wimbledon. “At a national event, you always run the risk of idiots turning up and doing whatever they’ve got in mind to do,” Green says. “There was a huge tightening of security after the 2003 incident. “Last year I just got messages from my mates saying ‘why are you not at Silverstone?!’ There is a difference between Just Stop Oil and Horan though, I think everyone would say that Just Stop Oil are actually trying to achieve something. “Motorsport is lucky in many ways that we don’t get as much as we could’ve done. It is very tightly controlled – given F1 goes all over the world, I think it does pretty well.” Green, who still marshals at events across the UK after previous F1 stints in the Middle-East as well as Silverstone, had the rarest of race interactions on that day in ‘03. F1 and the police are on red-alert this Sunday to ensure a repeat does not occur, with the threat level at an all-time high. Read More Lewis Hamilton supports ‘peaceful’ protests at British Grand Prix this weekend Just Stop Oil ‘vital’ says Dale Vince as sports fans are backed to intervene Arrests at Wimbledon after Just Stop Oil protesters storm court twice Lewis Hamilton must be ‘cold-blooded’ in new Mercedes contract negotiations F1 release 2024 calendar with radical change to start of the season F1 descends into farce again after results shake-up – the FIA has to be better
2023-07-07 14:57
A Moscow court delays decision on the appeal of jailed Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich
Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich has filed an appeal to be released from jail on espionage charges, but the Moscow City Court did not immediately rule on it
2023-09-19 21:47
Acuña becomes first 40-70 player as Braves beat Cubs 6-5 in 10 innings
ATLANTA (AP) — Ronald Acuña Jr. established the 40-70 club, Ozzie Albies walked him off with a 10th-inning single and the Atlanta Braves dealt the Chicago Cubs another devastating setback by clinching home-field advantage throughout the NL playoffs with a 6-5 victory Wednesday night.
2023-09-28 11:56
TSMC will decide this week on whether to invest in Arm IPO
TAIPEI TSMC, the world's largest contract chipmaker, will decide this week whether to invest in chip designer Arm
2023-09-06 14:23
Who was William Benjamin Adams? Man whose remains were found nearly 3 decades ago after he vanished during a stroll identified
William Benjamin Adams had been suffering from dementia, his family said and several efforts were made to find him but they turned to be unsuccessful
2023-10-01 04:22
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