By Christian Radnedge LONDON Australia would have found it difficult to compete with Saudi Arabia's bid to host

R&B superstar Monica is being praised for helping an audience member at the Riverfront Music Festival in Michigan on Saturday after a video of the altercation went viral on social media over the weekend.

Mark Cuban rejected Michael Rubin's request to collaborate on the Bot-IT deal on 'Shark Tank' Season 15

'Married at First Sight' Season 17 star Clare Kerr reportedly have went on 200 dates

Saudi Pro League side Al Hilal, financed by PIF, lodge a world record offer for Paris Saint-Germain forward Kylian Mbappe. But the Frenchman, out of contract next summer, intends to join Real Madrid instead of heading to the Middle East.

The Lionesses couldn’t hide it, Sarina Wiegman admitted it: England head to the Women’s World Cup with a feeling of disappointment and frustration. A goalless draw against Portugal was not the send-off England wanted after missed chances spoiled the expectant party atmosphere in Milton Keynes. There was always going to be an element of rustiness at play here, five weeks after many of England’s players had their final match of the domestic season. This was England’s first game for two months, a fixture that was arranged with conditioning in mind as much as anything else, with a focus on sharpening combinations ahead of the World Cup rather than results. Had one of those chances fallen in – if Alessia Russo hadn’t been denied by the sliding defender Marques Borges after rounding the goalkeeper, or if Lucy Bronze’s header had drifted inside the post moments later – then of course England would have an outlook that is much, much rosier ahead of the World Cup. But they didn’t, and it means that England suddenly head into the World Cup without a win in two games, both of which have come without a goal. Even though England go into the World Cup as European champions, there was certainly more optimism heading into the Euros last summer. Portugal didn’t win a game at the Euros and although they are an improving side and will be at the World Cup, this was a match that the Lionesses were expected to win and win well. Yet England for the most part played their game and looked threatening. Wiegman’s side showed the way they wanted to play, with the England manager even flashing a look at a system that could be devastating in Australia if it is given another try. Before this warm-up game, the focus was on the selections Wiegman had to make: on whether to go with Alessia Russo or Rachel Daly, or start with Lauren James, Chloe Kelly or Lauren Hemp. Wiegman insisted she came away with more answers than questions, perhaps not at a first-choice striker but certainly in the forward line. James, Kelly or Hemp? Why not all three? The Lionesses drastically improved in the second half when James was moved inside to No 10, with Hemp on the left and Kelly on the right. With James central, the danger flowed from all angles and brought a better balance to the side. “You can tell she can play there,” Wiegman said. “Tight on the ball, powerful, with vision, she did good things.” There was room for improvement too. The England manager also said that James could have been better with her decision-making and final ball but those comments also could have related to anyone at Stadium MK. But the Lionesses routinely got into the right areas: particularly with Hemp and Kelly out wide. All of England’s play was funnelled from there towards the middle, where Russo and Daly shared a half each. Had Daly’s back-post header found the target in the opening stages, set up by Hemp’s duck outside and dink to the back post, then this could have developed into a very different game. Russo had the better opportunities following the break but couldn’t take them, but they are both still world-class options. Wiegman said she wasn’t concerned: the goals will come if they continued to do the right things. And England, for the most part, did that. Georgia Stanway, visibly radiating with confidence after winning the Bundesliga with Bayern Munich this season, clearly enjoyed herself, rolling an audacious nutmeg past a bewildered Portuguese player in midfield in the first half along with a series of clever turns and feints. Her presence in midfield alongside Keira Walsh, who also just looks so assured after her year with Barcelona, was where England were just so on top. Both were taken off when England pressed for a winner, a situation that wouldn’t have happened had minutes not been a consideration. This, after all, was a friendly – it certainly wasn’t a time to panic. But like a lot of the mood ahead of this World Cup, it feels like England’s team for the tournament can go one of two ways: either Wiegman will know her starting line-up by the time the Lionesses play Haiti on 22 July, or there will be an uncertainty in the side that wasn’t there last summer. “We’re not closer now,” Wiegman said when asked if she knew her starting team. “I’m not sure we get closer now.” But England feel close. A couple of goals against Portugal would have made all the difference and created the send-off atmosphere many had arrived for, and that England’s performance largely deserved. Read More Sarina Wiegman has no concerns with England display despite Portugal stalemate Women’s World Cup TV schedule: How to watch every match in UK When is the Women’s World Cup and what are the fixtures?

Vladimir Putin was reportedly left “paralysed” when the Wagner coup began and no orders were given that day. The mercenary group launched its short-lived mutiny on 24 June, driving its forces towards the Kremlin and preaching open rebellion against Russia’s military leadership – only to abandon its mission just hours later. Now, security officials from Ukraine and other parts of Europe have spoken out, claiming the Russian president was unable to act when he first heard the news. According to intelligence assessments shared with the Washington Post, Mr Putin got a warning from Russian security services that the leader of the Wagner Group Yevgeniy Prigozhin was possibly planning a rebellion, two or three days before it began. But while security was increased at some strategic facilities, such as the Kremlin, including increasing the presidential guard and handing out more weapons, no other action was taken in response to the threat. One European security official, who wished to remain anonymous, told the Washington Post: “Putin had time to take the decision to liquidate [the rebellion] and arrest the organisers. “Then when it began to happen, there was paralysis on all levels … There was absolute dismay and confusion. For a long time, they did not know how to react.” This account of the standoff, which is being viewed as one of the most severe threats to Mr Putin’s presidency in 23 years of his rule, has reportedly been corroborated by officials in Western governments. It’s also consistent with the public comments from William J. Burns, the CIA director, who said that for the majority of the 36 hours when the coup was happening, the military, security services and decision-makers “appeared to be adrift”. According to the analysis, Mr Putin’s indecision shows his fear of countering a warlord like Mr Prigozhin. The Wagner Group leader had played an essential role in the Kremlin’s global ambitions, having previously run troll farms which disseminated disinformation in the US and paramilitary operations in the Middle East and Africa. He then took up the Wagner leader position in the war against Ukraine. But Kremlin spokesperson, Dmitry Peskov, denied the “paralysis” claims, telling the Washington Post, they were made by “people who have zero information”. European security officials added that Mr Putin’s lack of direction meant local officials were then left to decide what to do. Acting without any clear orders, local military decided not to try to stop the Wagner troops, which were heavily armed, as they advanced towards Moscow. Such lack of action led some people to believe the Wagner troops were acting with at least some agreement from the Kremlin. This was despite Mr Putin’s televised address on 24 June saying he promised there would be tough action against the rebels. The way the events unfolded also shows serious cracks and a worsening divide in Russia’s military and security over how the Ukraine war is being handled. Many individuals in the upper sections of the military and security services have reportedly shown support for Mr Prigozhin’s efforts to overturn Russia’s military leadership. Critics of Russia’s president say his lack of direction during the rebellion has left him a lot weaker. Former colonel in the Russian security services and now an opposition politician in exile, Gennady Gudkov, told the Washington Post: “Putin showed himself to be a person who is not able to make serious, important and quick decisions in critical situations. He just hid.” A month after the coup, thousands of Wagner group mercenaries have arrived in Belarus, prompting Nato member Poland to reinforce its eastern border against the “potential threat” they pose. Between 3,450 and 3,650 soldiers have travelled to a camp close to Asipovichy, a town 230 kilometres (140 miles) north of the Ukrainian border, according to Belaruski Hajun, an activist group that tracks troop movements within the country. Read More Why are Wagner mercenaries in Belarus – and would they try to invade Poland? Russia-Ukraine war – live: Putin launches fresh drone strikes on Kyiv as air raid sirens wail across capital Putin signs off law banning Russians from changing gender in latest blow to LGBT+ community The Body in the Woods | An Independent TV Original Documentary The harrowing discovery at centre of The Independent’s new documentary

Thailand’s Constitutional Court cleared the way Wednesday for Parliament to vote for a new prime minister more than three months after national elections by declining to rule on a complaint over the rejection of the winning party's leader. The court had been asked to decide whether Parliament had violated the constitution by refusing to allow the leader of the progressive Move Forward Party to be nominated for a second time as a prime ministerial candidate. Party leader Pita Limjaroenrat had assembled an eight-party coalition with a majority in Parliament's lower house. But under the military-implemented constitution, a new prime minister must receive a majority of votes from both the elected House and the conservative appointed Senate, which was chosen by an earlier military government. Pita lost a first vote in Parliament for prime minister last month, with many senators voting against him because of his party’s call for reform of a law that makes it illegal to defame Thailand’s royal family. Critics say the law, which carries a penalty of up to 15 years in prison, has been abused as a political weapon. Members of the Senate, like the army, see themselves as guardians of traditional conservative royalist values. The combined Parliament then refused to allow Pita to be renominated for a second vote. Several lawmakers from Pita's party and private citizens submitted a complaint to the state ombudsman charging that the action violated the constitution. The ombudsman relayed the complaint to the Constitutional Court, which dismissed the case on Wednesday on the grounds that the complainants had not been directly affected by Parliament’s decision and therefore were not entitled to submit the case before the court. While the court’s decision suggested that Pita himself could file a petition seeking a ruling on the matter, Move Forward spokesperson Rangsiman Rome said Pita would not do so. He said Move Forward continues to strongly believe that Parliament can renominate a prime ministerial candidate, but that the issue should be resolved through parliamentary procedures, not the court. After its two failed attempts, Move Forward stepped aside to allow its biggest partner in the eight-party coalition, the Pheu Thai party, to attempt to form a new government. Pheu Thai, which finished second in the May polls, then excluded Move Forward from the coalition, saying its call to reform the royal defamation law made it impossible to gather enough support from other parties and the Senate to approve a new prime minister. Pheu Thai has since cobbled together a coalition of nine parties with 238 seats in the 500-member lower house, still short of the majority it needs. It plans to nominate real estate tycoon Srettha Thavisin as prime minister. Move Forward said Tuesday that its elected House members will not vote for a candidate from the Pheu Thai-led coalition. It said the coalition, which includes parties from the outgoing military-backed administration, had violated popular demand for political reform "that was clearly expressed through the election results.” The results of May’s general election were a strong repudiation of the country’s conservative elites and reflected the disenchantment in particular of young voters who want to limit the political influence of the military, which has staged more than a dozen coups since Thailand became a constitutional monarchy in 1932. Move Forward's stunning victory came after nearly a decade of military-controlled rule led by Prayuth Chan-ocha, who as army chief ousted a Pheu Thai-led government in a 2014 coup and returned as prime minister after 2019 elections. Many believe that the current Pheu Thai-led coalition needs to include at least one of the two military-backed parties that were soundly rejected in the polls to achieve a House majority. Pheu Thai has not ruled out that possibility. Pheu Thai is the latest in a string of parties affiliated with ex-Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, a billionaire populist who was ousted in a 2006 military coup. Thaksin has said he plans to return to Thailand soon following years of self-imposed exile to escape a prison term in several criminal cases which he has decried as politically motivated. Following the court’s decision, House Speaker Wan Muhamad Noor Matha told reporters on Wednesday that he plans to set the next voting for prime minister on Tuesday and will meet with parliamentary leaders on Thursday to discuss the matter. Read More Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Modi says India's economy will be among the top three in the world within five years Grooming cases soar to record high as charity urges tech giants for support Poorer areas missing out because public funding system has broken down – study

Chareleston White accuses Adin Ross of deceiving him during their LA trip claiming he was tricked into participating in a live stream with others

D

The International Monetary Fund is projecting that global economic growth will see a slight improvement compared to its previous projections but cautions that many challenges still cloud the horizon

The race is on for acclaimed pitcher Blake Snell, now a free agent after an impressive season. We examine and rank the teams that could benefit most from his expertise and winning mentality.