Danny Stam, the head of the SD Worx team, was thrown off the Women's Tour de France on Friday in the aftermath of a penalty...

David Corenswet and Nicholas Hoult were reportedly part of a series of screen tests conducted by DC Studios for the roles of Superman and Lois Lane

Everybody hurts sometimes – even the most basic worms in the animal kingdom which have no eyes, spine or brain. That’s what scientists have found out about nematode species Caenorhabditis elegans, which possesses basic emotions such as fear. Researchers zapped the worms to see if they would display negative reactions, and the worms continued to “flee” at high speeds for minutes after. The scientists at Nagoya City University in Japan and Northeastern University in the US said the response shows a brain state which is comparable to fear in humans. "These properties have been recently regarded as essential features of emotion, suggesting that C. elegans response to electric shock may reflect a form of emotion, akin to fear," the researchers wrote. The findings are the most recent in a debate over which animals can experience primitive versions of our own emotions. Crayfish and bumblebees have all shown animals can have lasting positive and negative mental states. C. elegans is one of the most basic worms in the animal kingdom. At about 1mm in length it is also tiny and transparent, with no brain, sight or smell. Nonetheless, worms which sensed an electric current for 45 seconds “ran away” for more than two minutes. During this state, they ignored food which was placed nearby, instead scurrying at high speeds. This suggests that the emotional response could be triggered by different stimuli and that one stimulus could inhibit responses to others. When the shock was just five seconds long, the worms fled for a minute and a half before calming down. And when the researchers repeated the experiments with worms that were not to produce neuropeptides – which are the equivalent to human hormones – the worms stayed in a state of fear for longer. "Because the requirement of neuropeptide signaling [in worms] is reminiscent of neuropeptide regulation of fear in mammals including humans, the fear-like brain state may be regulated by evolutionarily conserved molecular mechanisms," the authors of the study wrote. Sign up to our free Indy100 weekly newsletter Have your say in our news democracy. Click the upvote icon at the top of the page to help raise this article through the indy100 rankings.

Republican Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene said she was "uncomfortable" showing graphic, sexually explicit photos of Hunter Biden to Congress, but insisted that "the American people deserve to see" the photos. Ms Greene showed the images during a House Oversight Committee hearing on Wednesday. The photos appeared to show the president's son having sex with sex workers. Black boxes were used to cover the genitals and faces of the individuals who aren't Mr Biden. The committee was discussing the claims of IRS whistleblowers who said Mr Biden received preferential treatment during a federal tax investigation when Ms Greene unveiled her photos. The stunt drew expected criticism from Congressional Democrats, many who offered scathing rebukes of the congresswoman's judgement. Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez called the display "pornographic" and said Republicans had reached a "new low" before taking a barely-veiled shot at Congressman Matt Gaetz. “If the gentlelady from Georgia wanted to follow evidence, we should also take a look at, hypothetically, a case where sex trafficking charges against a 17-year-old girl, potentially,” she said, referencing the fact that Mr Gaetz was under investigation by the DOJ in connection with a child sex trafficking case. Mr Gaetz has denied the allegations and his attorneys said in February that the DOJ had dropped the investigation without issuing charges. Aaron Fritschner, the deputy chief of staff and comms director for Democratic Congressman Don Beyer, noted that Ms Greene included the explicit photos in her email newsletter, and questioned whether or not children were sent those images. "Marjorie Taylor Greene just sent this email to her constituents (yes this using official, taxpayer-funded resources). I clicked the link so you don't have to, it is exactly what you think," he wrote in a tweet, showing a screenshot of Ms Greene's newsletter. "I double checked and there isn't an age screen on her eNewsletter subscription page. So a distinct possibility that Marjorie Taylor Greene just emailed links to video containing nude images of Hunter Biden to minors using taxpayer-funded resources." The Independent has reached out to Ms Greene for comment. Congressman Jamie Raskin told the Washington Post that more than anything, Ms Greene's stunt was "completely irrelevant" to the day's discussion. He said that it "did not advance in any way the putative objective of the hearing" and described the incident as an "assault to the dignity of the committee." Read More Marjorie Taylor Greene sparks outrage by showing explicit photos of Hunter Biden at congressional hearing GOP lawmakers predict imminent ‘fistfight’ between Marjorie Taylor Greene and Lauren Boebert Marjorie Taylor Greene accidentally refers to ‘Israel’s apartheid wall’ in speech praising barriers Marjorie Taylor Greene faces backlash after showing explicit photos of Hunter Biden Biden’s latest campaign video is a Marjorie Taylor Greene speech GOP lawmakers predict ‘fistfight’ between Marjorie Taylor Greene and Lauren Boebert

A senior health official says an airstrike on a crowded town square in Ethiopia’s restive Amhara region has killed at least 26 people and wounded more than 55 others

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India announced a new multi-billion-dollar deal for French fighter jets on Thursday as Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited Paris for a two-day trip that will see him feted as guest...

Dele Alli has revealed he was sexually abused at the age of six and was dealing drugs two years later – while a recent fight against a sleeping pill addiction led to a six-week stay at a rehab clinic. The Everton midfielder has seen his football career stall in recent seasons but has now spoken about the reasons behind a mental health battle that saw him contemplate hanging up his boots at the age of 24. In an emotional interview, the Everton midfielder and former England international, now 27, fought back tears as he laid bare his difficult upbringing before he was adopted by the Hickford family. Alli also told Gary Neville in The Overlap podcast, in partnership with Sky Bet, that he only came out of rehab last month as he struggled with his mental health. The 37-cap England star, who spent last season on loan at Turkish side Besiktas, said: “When I came back from Turkey, I came in and I found out that I need an operation and I was in a bad place mentally. “I decided to go to like a modern-day rehab facility for mental health. They deal with like addiction, mental health, and trauma because it was something that I felt like it was time for. “I think with things like that, you can’t be told to go there. I think you have to know, and you have to make the decision yourself, otherwise it’s not going to work.” Alli – a key part of the England side that reached the 2018 World Cup semi-finals – also laid bare the sickening abuse he received as a child, saying he was “molested” at the age of six. “(Childhood) is something I haven’t really spoken about that much, to be honest,” he said. “I was sent to Africa (to stay with his father) to learn discipline, and then I was sent back. At seven, I started smoking, eight I started dealing drugs. “An older person told me that they wouldn’t stop a kid on a bike, so I rode around with my football, and then underneath I’d have the drugs, that was eight. Eleven, I was hung off a bridge by a guy from the next estate, a man. “Twelve, I was adopted – and from then, it was like – I was adopted by an amazing family like I said, I couldn’t have asked for better people to do what they’d done for me. If God created people, it was them. “There were a number of times my adopted family and my brother – you know, it makes me sad – they would take me to rooms crying, asking me to just speak to them, tell them what I’m thinking, how I’m feeling, and I just couldn’t do it because I wanted to deal with it by myself.” After signing for Tottenham from MK Dons, Alli enjoyed a fine run of form that culminated in playing a key role in England’s progress to the World Cup semi-finals in 2018. But he was still battling in silence off the pitch – leading to a “scary” addiction to sleeping pills and a reliance on alcohol. “I got addicted to sleeping tablets and it’s probably a problem that not only I have, I think it’s something that’s going around more than people realise in football,” he said. “I think, without me realising it – the things I was doing to numb the feelings I had...I didn’t realise I was doing it for that purpose, whether it be drinking or whatever. “I don’t want to talk about numbers but it was definitely way too much, and there were some scary moments I had. “To take a sleeping tablet and be ready for the next day is fine, but when you’re broken as I am, it can obviously have the reverse effect because it does work for the problems you want to deal with. “That is the problem – it works until it doesn’t. So yes, I definitely abused them too much. It is scary, now I’m out of it and I look back on it. “Probably the saddest moment for me, was when (Jose) Mourinho was (Tottenham) manager, I think I was 24. I remember there was one session, like one morning I woke up and I had to go to training – this is when he’d stopped playing me – and I was in a bad place. “I mean it sounds dramatic but I was literally staring in the mirror – and I was asking if I could retire now, at 24, doing the thing I love. For me, that was heartbreaking to even have had that thought at 24, to want to retire. That hurt me a lot, that was another thing that I had to carry.” Alli said that he had largely been able to mask his difficulties during his football career but to the detriment of his mental health. He added: “To be honest, I was caught in a bad cycle. I was relying on things that were doing me harm and, yeah, I think I was waking up every day and I was winning the fight, you know, going into training, smiling, showing that I was happy. “But inside, I was definitely losing the battle and it was time for me to change it because when I got injured and they told me I needed surgery, I could feel the feelings I had when the cycle begins and I didn’t want it to happen anymore. “So, I went there [rehab], I went there for six weeks and Everton were amazing about it, you know. They supported me 100 per cent and I’ll be grateful to them forever.” Dele Alli was speaking to Gary Neville on a special episode of The Overlap in partnership with Sky Bet. Read More Five powerful revelations from Dele Alli’s emotional interview Addicted players urged to contact PFA after Dele Alli’s ‘scary’ pill revelation Dele Alli labels Mauricio Pochettino the ‘best’ manager of his career ‘Powerful and brave’: Dele Alli praised for interview about abuse and addiction Lionesses bonus row could drag on until after World Cup Kai Havertz, Declan Rice and Jurrien Timber – this is Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal now

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By Mike Blake SAN DIEGO Hundreds of migrants, including families, from Africa, Asia and Latin America gathered on

Erik ten Hag says his players are up for the fight against Arsenal as Manchester United look forward to Sunday’s high-profile clash. The Red Devils have six points from their opening three Premier League matches, but their performances to date have been far from convincing. United rode their luck to edge past Wolves 1-0 in their Old Trafford opener and, having lost 2-0 at Tottenham, had to come from behind to beat Nottingham Forest 3-2 at Old Trafford last time out. It's one of the biggest games in the Premier League Erik ten Hag Ten Hag knows his side need to up their game at the Emirates Stadium on Sunday as last year’s Premier League runners-up host the side that finished third. “It’s one of the biggest games in the Premier League and we are really looking forward, of course, to that fight,” the United boss said. “It’s really always interesting games, intense games. “I think it is two teams who really play offensive football, the right intentions, I would say. “The audience is always the big winner of that game, so really looking forward to have that game.” United head to the capital with three new signings available to feature. Fenerbahce goalkeeper Altay Bayindir arrived on Friday following Dean Henderson’s exit to Crystal Palace. Tottenham left-back Sergio Reguilon followed on a season-long loan, before Jonny Evans’ return to the club on a one-year contract was announced. The trio were registered in time to face the Gunners, but Sofyan Amrabat’s loan from Fiorentina with an obligation to buy was not. The deadline day arrivals bolster a squad that will be fighting on four fronts this term, with United this week drawn against Bayern Munich, FC Copenhagen and Galatasaray in the Champions League group stage. “We need the depth to go into the four competitions,” Ten Hag said. “But also our players, most of them international players for their nations, so they will go all over the world. “We have to cover that. We have to be prepared for that situation, that we always can put a competitive team on the pitch.” Mason Mount, Luke Shaw, Raphael Varane and Tyrell Malacia remain sidelined for the trip to Arsenal. Amad Diallo, Kobbie Mainoo and Tom Heaton are also injured, but summer signing Rasmus Hojlund has been given the green light to make his debut after a back issue. “I think he is ready to start,” Ten Hag said of the Denmark striker, who arrived from Atalanta in a deal that could reach £72million. “I think for every player there is a big spotlight. At United you have to perform, so in every position and with every player.” Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live Taylor Fritz spoils birthday party to head home surge in US Open Premier League summer spending exceeds £2bn for the first time Ireland boss Andy Farrell says ability to ‘roll with punches’ key for World Cup

A South Korean fund whose bets on stocks tied to electric vehicles helped it outperform most of its