Sen. Joe Manchin, the moderate West Virginia Democrat who has yet to decide whether to run for reelection next year or mount a long-shot third party bid for the White House, said Thursday that he's "thinking seriously" about becoming an independent.

With Google Maps able to show us almost every corner of the Earth, it can be fun to explore the world from the comfort of your own home. For those interested in taking a look at some of the more creepy sites the world has to offer, from cemeteries to sights of historic mass murders, look no further. Bachelor’s Grove Cemetery, US The cemetery located in the southwest suburbs of Chicago is known for having many apparent ghost sightings Reported sightings in the past include the white lady, who walks around the grounds carrying an infant when there’s a full moon. A black dog has also been reported sitting by the entrance, but witnesses say it disappears if you get close. Ancient Ram Inn, UK The inn located in the Gloucestershire town of Wotton-under-Edge has reportedly left guests jumping out of their windows out of fear from ghost sightings. It was built in 1145 on pagan burial ground and the ghosts are thought to be relics of witch burnings, Satanic rituals and child sacrifices. Sign up to our new free Indy100 weekly newsletter 112 Ocean Avenue, US The house is located in Amityville, NY and was the scene of a murder committed by Ronald DeFeo Jr. who notoriously killed his parents and four siblings in the house in 1974. The home was purchased by a couple the following year but they left after a month of moving in due to paranormal activity, inspiring The Amityville Horror book and film. Lawang Sewu, Indonesia The building that was the headquarter of the Dutch East Indies Railway Company in the colonial era is said it be haunted by headless spirits. It was also used as a Japanese prison in World War II. The Waverly Hills Sanatorium, US The former sanatorium in Jefferson County, Kentucky used to be a hospital for people with Tuberculosis. Its fifth floor is rumoured to be haunted and the building features a body chute that would have been used for corpses of the deceased. Bhangarh Fort, India This 16th-century fort is thought to be one of the most haunted places in India, and visitors are banned from going there after dark. According to legend, it is cursed by a hermit named Guru Balu Nath and is built on the site where he used to meditate. LaLaurie Mansion, US Marie Delphine Macarty was a New Orleans socialite who tortured and murdered enslaved people in her house in 1834. Her crimes were discovered after a fire at her mansion when enslaved people were found bound in her attic. They displayed signs of long-term abuse and cruelty. Zvíkov Castle, Czech Republic Located in a break in the woods in the Czech Republic, Zvíkov Castle is believed to be haunted by spectral dogs and a kind of magical imp called the Zvíkovský Rarášek. It is said that people who sleep in the castle’s tower will die within one year and visitors have reported animals behaving strangely and cameras breaking out of nowhere. Catacombs, France Paris’s famous underground network of tunnels were first built at the end of the 18th century. They are lined with the bones of millions of bodies as cemeteries at the time overflowed. Legend says that if you’re in the catacombs after midnight, the walls begin speaking and persuading those inside to go deeper in until they become lost and can’t find a way out. Museo Casa de la Zacatecana, Mexico This museum is inside a historic home from the 17th century that is home to a number of ghosts following two gruesome murders. Legend has it that the woman of the home asked one of her servants to kill her husband. After he had done it, the woman then killed the servant herself so he couldn’t tell anyone. It is said that she buried the bodies in the stables. To this day, two skeletons can be seen in a covered opening in the floor. The Myrtles Plantation, US Constructed in 1796, not only was this historic home a slave plantation but it was also built on a Native American burial ground. It is thought to be one of America's most haunted homes with 12 ghosts roaming its halls. 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.

The Labour Party has brutally mocked the Tories' failure to deal with the economy with the Liz Truss lettuce. Last year, the former prime minister became associated with the salad vegetable when the Economist published a column saying she had caused turmoil during her premiership faster than the time it takes for a lettuce to go bad. It said: "Liz Truss is already a historical figure. However long she now lasts in office, she is set to be remembered as the prime minister whose grip on power was the shortest in British political history. Ms Truss entered Downing Street on September 6th. She blew up her own government with a package of unfunded tax cuts and energy-price guarantees on September 23rd. Take away the ten days of mourning after the death of the queen, and she had seven days in control. That is the shelf-life of a lettuce." The Daily Star then ran with the idea of livestreaming a lettuce, asking whether it or Truss would last longer (the lettuce won). After that, the lettuce became the most lasting symbol of Truss's premiership. Now, posting on Twitter, the opposition party has brought the meme back with a picture of a lettuce in a wig with googly eyes, to make a point about soaring inflation. They wrote: "The lettuce that outlasted Liz Truss would cost 20 per cent more today thanks to Tory economic failure." They added: "This is the cost of the Tories." Food inflation is coming down, but it is still very high. Latest British Retail Consortium (BRC) data suggests it dropped to 11.5 per cent in August from 13.1 per cent in July and 17.4 per cent in June. In the last year, popular staple supermarket items like eggs have seen an annual increase of 17.3 per cent to an average of £2.65 per pack, compared to 17.2 per cent for baked beans (£1.98), 7.2 per cent for toilet rolls (£5.83), and 5.9 per cent for milk (£1.80). Meanwhile, Labour have been ramping up their attack ads lately, recently attacking the Tories over the Raac crisis in schools. Now they've brought back the lettuce, it is clear Truss will never catch a break. 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.

The crew of 'Worst Cooks in America' are on strike as Bright Road Productions 'refuses to serve up fair wages and benefits'

Serial qualifiers? It’s still too early to say, but for any Scotland supporter who cannot remember the 1998 World Cup in France or the years before, these are dizzying times indeed. The Tartan Army are heading to Euro 2024, their second successive appearance at the European Championships, and just their second men’s major international tournament in 25 years. Hampden has rediscovered its roar, and it is set to carry Scotland on their march to Germany next summer; tens of thousands will make the journey –many had already booked their tickets before this weekend – and it is all thanks, by and large, to Steve Clarke. If Clarke has brought the good times back, it is worth remembering the dark days he inherited on his appointment in 2019. Scotland were barely able to fill half of Hampden as their men’s major tournament drought extended past two decades. A 3-0 defeat to Kazakhstan proved to be the end for Clarke’s predecessor, Alex McLeish, and rock bottom for Scotland; there was no hope, and no hint of the immense progress Clarke has since been able to achieve with what are still fairly limited resources. Automatic qualification from a tricky Group A was secured with two games to go, owed to a phenomenal start that featured the stunning wins against Spain at Hampden and Norway in Oslo. After the ultimately disappointing performances at the Covid-delayed Euro 2020 finals and defeat to an inspired Ukraine in the play-offs for the 2022 World Cup, Scotland took to their task with focus and clarity, forged from the cohesion and spirit Clarke has brought to the national team over the course of his tenure. If Scotland are famously one of those sides that always do things the hard way, progress to Euro 2024 has been serene by comparison. Under the guidance of the calm and measured Clarke, Scotland has become an environment where players want to play, mirroring a club side with the relationships within the group and the organisation of their approach. There can be no doubting anyone’s commitment to the Scotland cause – and that has not always been the case in recent years – while Clarke’s management style is to never allow anyone to get too high or feel too low. For all that Scotland’s 2-0 victory over Spain in March was a memorable night at Hampden, the key to qualification was that Clarke ensured his squad kept their feet on the ground when there was still a job to be done. Clarke would be the first to point out that further improvements are still required ahead of Euro 2024 – England’s performance and Jude Bellingham’s class at Hampden last month made that perfectly clear – but Scotland will head to Germany believing they can be much more competitive than when they returned from the international wilderness. For one, that long wait, with the emotions it brought with it, is over. Scotland’s squad is settled and largely unchanged from the summer of 2021, and Clarke’s team have the experience of a major tournament to build on. And, as anyone who celebrated a significant birthday, a graduation, or a wedding will remember, the summer of 2021 was a strange time, with the UK only just coming out of spells of Covid lockdown. Scotland’s return required the full experience of the Tartan Army, especially with two games at Hampden and a third against England at Wembley, but a long-awaited party was dampened. Germany will bring full numbers and see Scotland at full voice; it will undoubtedly help a team who will aim to punch above their weight. While there is a notion that successive appearances at the European Championships are a sign of some sort of Scottish “golden generation”, the reality is somewhat different. This Scotland squad certainly has talent and quality, but it is also one with gaps and holes, and is far weaker than the results under Clarke suggest. But the 60-year-old has found solutions and made improvements with the options at his disposal, while creating a culture within the group that has lifted standards and expectations. In simple terms, it is astute management at every level. Scotland, for a while, seemed cursed by having two world-class players in Andy Robertson and Kieran Tierney, but both being left-backs. There is now a genuine partnership between Robertson and Tierney within Clarke’s system, which is built upon a back three that has kept four clean sheets in six games so far in qualifying. Angus Gunn has made an assured start at goalkeeper after taking over from the veterans David Marshall and Craig Gordon, while Aaron Hickey represents a significant upgrade on Stephen O’Donnell at right wing-back – which was another problem position at Euro 2020. The lack of a world-class striker – the Tartan Army would accept at least one Premier League-calibre option, with both Lyndon Dykes and Che Adams plying their trade in the Championship this season – has been mitigated as well. For all that Dykes and Adams have always put in huge shifts when leading the line, often a thankless task in any case, Scotland’s goals have been scored by another player with whom Clarke has performed miracles – Scott McTominay. Underappreciated and perennially dismissed at Manchester United, and used as a centre-back at Euro 2020 as his country struggled to fit him into the side, McTominay has been the revelation of Scotland’s campaign. Deployed now as an attacking midfielder and given licence to break forward into the box, McTominay’s return of six goals in as many games has been beyond anyone’s expectations – as many as Erling Haaland. That McTominay’s success has come within the organisation and structure Clarke has installed is no coincidence; international tournaments often show how countries can rise as a collective, and Morocco, Switzerland and Wales are also recent examples that will give Scotland hope that they can extend their trip to Germany by reaching the knockout stages. “I said after Euro 2020 that we wanted to be serial qualifiers again, and reaching successive Euro finals shows the progress we’ve made,” said Clarke, typically level even as Scotland’s progress was confirmed. “We will raise a glass tonight to celebrate, but then it’s back to work tomorrow in preparation for our friendly against France.” There will have been many back home, however, who will have instead been raising a glass to him, much longer into the night. Read More Scotland qualify for Euro 2024 after Spain result confirms place Andy Robertson injury: Scotland provide update on dislocated shoulder against Spain Steve Clarke congratulates Scotland players for becoming ‘serial qualifiers’ after reaching Euro 2024 Max Johnston handed first Scotland call-up Scotland’s record at major tournaments as Steve Clarke’s men seal Euro 2024 spot Clarke congratulates Scotland players for becoming ‘serial qualifiers’

European shares edged higher on Thursday, supported by gains in energy stocks as oil prices rallied while investors

By Daniel Trotta California Governor Gavin Newsom on Friday announced he would give up trying to deny parole

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After Chelsea experienced their worst season since the establishment of the Premier League, American owner Todd Boehly has taken significant measures to bring about change at Stamford Bridge. The Blues went through a revolving door of three managers last season, including Thomas Tuchel (now at Bayern Munich), Graham Potter, and interim manager and club legend Frank Lampard. Now, Mauricio Pochettino, who previously led London rivals Tottenham to a Champions League final, will take over the reins and attempt to restore stability to a club that won the Champions League as recently as 2021. This summer, the club has witnessed an astonishing number of departures already, with several key players leaving who played pivotal roles at Stamford Bridge over the past few seasons. Among those having exited are Edouard Mendy, Ruben Loftus-Cheek, Mateo Kovacic, Kalidou Koulibaly, N’Golo Kante, Kai Havertz, Mason Mount, and Christian Pulisic. These departures mark the beginning of a new era at Chelsea and may be the transformative change required for the club to regain its place in Europe. Here are the latest transfer rumours regarding the Blues: Michael Olise After a summer of outgoings so far for the west London club, Chelsea now appear to be turning their focus to incomings as they look to assemble a squad that can improve on last season’s miserable campaign. One player reportedly being eyed up is Crystal Palace’s Michael Olise, with RMC Sport suggesting that the Blues have tabled a bid for the French winger. Olise is said to have a £35m release clause in his contract, which runs until 2026, with Chelsea willing to pay above the buyout clause to secure preferable terms of payment for the 21-year-old. Chelsea are not alone in their interest in the playmaker, with Arsenal, Manchester City and PSG also said to be interested in Olise. Elye Wahi Another position Chelsea are keen to strengthen is the striker position. Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang has departed for Marseille while Romeulu Lukaku appears to not be in Pochettino’s plans. Nicolas Jackson and Christopher Nkunku have already arrived but Chelsea are also keen on French youngster, Elye Wahi. According to Fabrizio Romano, Chelsea have reached advanced negotiations with Montpellier for a deal to bring the 20-year-old to the club. The Frenchman scored 19 goals in 33 games in Ligue 1 last season with Chelsea reportedly keen to loan out the striker this season before bringing him into the first-team picture the following season. Moises Caicedo With Kovacic, Kante and Mount departing, Chelsea will look to bring in some central midfield replacements. One such player that the Blues may target is Brighton’s Moises Caicedo. The Ecuadorian was a key player as Brighton finished sixth but has been the subject of much interest from the league’s biggest club. The Guardian has reported that a £70m bid has been rejected, with the club holding firm on their £100m valuation. It is thought that Brighton would be willing to accept a deal that also involves Levi Colwill returning to the Amex on a permanent basis after his successful loan spell last year, but Chelsea are keen to keep the 21-year-old at Stamford Bridge having rejected a £30m bid from Brighton for the defender earlier in the window. Mohammed Kudus Playing for Ajax, Kudus can play in a more attacking central midfield role as well as out on the right wing and could be the latest player to leave the Dutch club as they continue their cost-cutting measures having failed to qualify for the Champions League. The Ghanaian international could cost up to £40m and has attracted interest from Arsenal, according to The Daily Mail. Despite this, Chelsea are also said to be interested in the player with David Ornstein reporting that Chelsea have made contact with the Dutch side about a move for the 22-year-old. Callum Hudson-Odoi Chelsea’s outgoings are not done for the summer, however, with Callum Hudson-Odoi the latest to be linked with a move away from Stamford Bridge. The 22-year-old had an unsuccessful loan spell at Bayer Leverkusen last season and is reportedly training with the Under-21’s currently. Hudson-Odoi only has one year left on his contract with The Evening Standard reporting that the winger has agreed personal terms with Fulham ahead of a move to the Premier League side. Lazio are another team said to be interested in the winger but the Serie A club are yet to table a formal bid. Conor Gallagher The Chelsea midfielder has featured during the club’s pre-season tour to America but reportedly is being offered out to clubs as the west London outfit continue their clearout after a hugely disappointing season last year. Gallagher has been at Chelsea since he was six but has just two years left on his current deal. Tottenham are said to be interested but they will also face competition from West Ham who have made a move for the Englishman as they look to fill the void left by Declan Rice’s record-breaking move to Arsenal. According to Sky Sports, the Hammers’ initial bid of £40m which has been rejected with Chelsea wanting £50m for their 23-year-old midfielder. Marc Guehi After Wesley Fofana picked up a second long-term knee injury, Chelsea are said to weighing up a move for a centre-back in this window. Thiago Silva, Levi Colwill, Benoit Badiashile and Trevoh Chalobah remain on the books but, according to The Evening Standard, the club is said to be weighing up a move for Crystal Palace’s Marc Guehi. The 23-year-old left Chelsea for Crystal Palace for £18 million in 2021 with no buy-back clause inserted into the deal. A fee of around £50m is said to be required to bring the English defender back to west London after a couple of impressive seasons for the Eagles. Read More Arsenal transfer news: Record Declan Rice bid, Jurrien Timber and Granit Xhaka latest Manchester United transfer news: Mason Mount bid accepted, David De Gea and Andre Onana latest Tottenham transfer news: Harry Kane latest after Bayern Munich bids and trio on centre-back list Mason Mount’s sale is one part of Chelsea’s ‘masterplan’, but what comes next? Dybala or Vlahovic: Which Serie A striker should Chelsea sign? Women’s World Cup LIVE: Today’s results and latest news

LONDON There are some signs of de-dollarisation emerging right now, but the dollar should retain its "large footprint"

David Corenswet had stated in an interview in 2019 that he wanted to play an 'optimistic' Superman unlike Henry Cavill's 'dark' version

Belgium coach Domenico Tedesco has called up midfielder Mandela Keita for the first time for upcoming European Championship qualifying matches against Austria and Sweden