
VARs at centre of Liverpool error returning to duty this weekend
VARs Darren England and Daniel Cook will return to Premier League duty this weekend following their error in last month’s fixture between Tottenham and Liverpool. England and Cook were the VAR and VAR assistant respectively when Liverpool forward Luis Diaz’s goal was incorrectly ruled out for offside in Tottenham’s 2-1 home win. Both officials were stood down the following week, but England will be back as the fourth official for Brentford’s home game against Burnley on Saturday and Cook will return as assistant referee for Sheffield United’s home match against Manchester United. Miscommunication between VAR England and referee Simon Hooper led to Diaz’s goal being wrongly ruled out on September 30, with the incident later described by referees’ chief Howard Webb as “a clear error”. Hooper is the designated VAR for Newcastle’s home game against Crystal Palace on Saturday. New VAR guidelines were introduced in the wake of the Diaz disallowed goal controversy, while audio of the incident was later released. England mistakenly thought the on-field officials had ruled Diaz to be onside, which meant that when he told them ‘check complete’ they believed he had upheld their on-field decision and restarted play with a free-kick. Once play had restarted, there was nothing the VARs could do to revisit the decision under existing protocols. Referees’ body Professional Game Match Officials Limited (PGMOL) said it would develop a new VAR communication protocol in an effort to avoid similar mistakes being made in future. PGMOL said the protocol would “enhance the clarity of communication between the referee and the VAR team in relation to on-field decisions”. VARs will now also confirm the outcome of the checking process with the assistant VAR before confirming the final decision to the on-field officials. One of the talking points from the latest round of fixtures was referee Michael Oliver’s decision not to send off Manchester City’s Mateo Kovacic for a challenge on Arsenal captain Martin Odegaard. The City midfielder was shown a yellow card before avoiding another shortly afterwards and Webb later admitted Kovacic was “fortunate” to stay on the pitch. Oliver will referee Sheffield United’s home game against Manchester United on Saturday. Read More Wigan captain Liam Farrell returns to England squad for Tonga Test series Mikey Johnston issues Netherlands warning as Ireland look to finish on high On this day in 2018: Shahid Khan withdraws £900m offer to buy Wembley from FA Dallas Cowboys bounce back to edge past Los Angeles Chargers Stephen Kenny focused on fixtures instead of future after Ireland beat Gibraltar David Brooks looks to impress for Wales at a major tournament
2023-10-17 18:15

Jim Jordan takes speaker vote to the House floor in bid to end GOP leadership vacuum
Conservative Republican Rep. Jim Jordan of Ohio is bringing the House back to the floor Tuesday to vote on whether he will succeed ousted Speaker Kevin McCarthy and finally end the chamber's prolonged paralysis amid deep GOP divisions.
2023-10-17 17:20

India aims to send astronaut to the moon by 2040
NEW DELHI India aims to send an astronaut to the moon by 2040, the government said on Tuesday,
2023-10-17 17:17

How to watch Buatsi vs Azeez and what time does fight start this weekend?
Joshua Buatsi and Dan Azeez will go head to head in London this weekend, putting their friendship aside in an all-British main event. Each man will enter London’s O2 Arena with an unbeaten record to his name, with both boxers looking to move closer to a world-title shot at light-heavyweight. Last time out, 30-year-old Buatsi (17-0, 13 knockouts) outpointed Pawel Stepien in May to remain undefeated. Then, in July, 34-year-old Azeez (20-0, 13 KOs) was a decision victor against Khalid Graidia. Now, the friends will come face to face in the ring as they headline in a highly-anticipated bout. “What’s at stake allows me to put [our friendship] aside,” Buatsi said in August. Azeez added: “I’m at war with a friend who’s in front of my dreams and aspirations. “I see an entertaining, brutal fight, ultimately with my hand being raised.” Here’s all you need to know. We may earn commission from some of the links in this article, but we never allow this to influence our content. This revenue helps to fund journalism across The Independent. When is the fight? Buatsi vs Azeez will take place at London’s O2 Arena on Saturday 21 October. The main card is scheduled to begin at 8pm BST (12pm PT, 2pm CT, 3pm ET), with ring walks for the main event expected at around 10pm BST (2pm PT, 4pm CT, 5pm ET). How can I watch it? In the UK, the event will air live on Sky Sports for subscribers. It will also be available to stream on the broadcaster’s website and Sky Go app. No US broadcaster has yet been announced. If you’re travelling abroad and want to watch the event, you might need a VPN to unblock your streaming app. Our VPN round-up is here to help and includes deals on VPNs in the market. Viewers using a VPN need to make sure that they comply with any local regulations where they are and also with the terms of their service provider. Odds Buatsi – 30/100 Azeez – 13/5 Draw – 18/1 Full odds via Betway. • Get all the latest boxing betting sites’ offers Fight card (subject to change) Joshua Buatsi vs Dan Azeez (light-heavyweight) Louis Greene (C) vs Sam Gilley (Commonwealth super-welterweight title) Mikael Lawal (C) vs Isaac Chamberlain (British cruiserweight title) Karriss Artingstall vs Vanessa Bradford (women’s featherweight) Michael Hennessy Jr vs Joe Laws (super-welterweight) Read More Fury vs Ngannou pay-per-view price revealed ahead of controversial fight KSI vs Tommy Fury result changed after judging error Dillon Danis reveals next move after loss to Logan Paul Who is fighting on the Buatsi vs Azeez undercard this weekend? KSI vs Tommy Fury result changed after judging error Dillon Danis explains why he will appeal defeat by Logan Paul
2023-10-17 16:54

Buatsi vs Azeez card: Who else is fighting this weekend?
Friends will become enemies this weekend, as Joshua Buatsi and Dan Azeez clash in an all-British bout at the O2 Arena. The unbeaten light-heavyweights will meet in a main-event contest in London, with each boxer aiming to move a step closer to a world-title fight – at the other’s expense. Thirty-year-old Buatsi (17-0, 13 knockouts) will enter the O2 on the back of a decision victory over Pawel Stepien in May, before Azeez, 34, outpointed Khalid Graidia in July to improve his record to 20-0 (13 KOs). “What’s at stake allows me to put [our friendship] aside,” Buatsi said in August. Azeez added: “I’m at war with a friend who’s in front of my dreams and aspirations. “I see an entertaining, brutal fight, ultimately with my hand being raised.” Here’s all you need to know. We may earn commission from some of the links in this article, but we never allow this to influence our content. This revenue helps to fund journalism across The Independent. When is the fight? Buatsi vs Azeez will take place at London’s O2 Arena on Saturday 21 October. The main card is scheduled to begin at 8pm BST (12pm PT, 2pm CT, 3pm ET), with ring walks for the main event expected at around 10pm BST (2pm PT, 4pm CT, 5pm ET). How can I watch it? In the UK, the event will air live on Sky Sports for subscribers. It will also be available to stream on the broadcaster’s website and Sky Go app. No US broadcaster has yet been announced. If you’re travelling abroad and want to watch the event, you might need a VPN to unblock your streaming app. Our VPN round-up is here to help and includes deals on VPNs in the market. Viewers using a VPN need to make sure that they comply with any local regulations where they are and also with the terms of their service provider. Odds Buatsi – 30/100 Azeez – 13/5 Draw – 18/1 Full odds via Betway. • Get all the latest boxing betting sites’ offers Fight card (subject to change) Joshua Buatsi vs Dan Azeez (light-heavyweight) Louis Greene (C) vs Sam Gilley (Commonwealth super-welterweight title) Mikael Lawal (C) vs Isaac Chamberlain (British cruiserweight title) Karriss Artingstall vs Vanessa Bradford (women’s featherweight) Michael Hennessy Jr vs Joe Laws (super-welterweight) Read More How to watch Buatsi vs Azeez and what time does fight start? KSI vs Tommy Fury result changed after judging error Dillon Danis explains why he will appeal defeat by Logan Paul KSI vs Tommy Fury result changed after judging error Dillon Danis explains why he will appeal defeat by Logan Paul KSI vs Tommy Fury prize money: How much did the fighters earn?
2023-10-17 16:50

Oscar-winner Michelle Yeoh elected to be an International Olympic Committee member
Oscar-winning actor Michelle Yeoh has been elected an International Olympic Committee member
2023-10-17 16:27

Mikey Johnston issues Netherlands warning as Ireland look to finish on high
Mikey Johnston has warned the Netherlands not to underestimate the Republic of Ireland as the Dutch attempt to book their place at the finals of Euro 2024. Barring an unlikely sequence of events which would hand Ireland a play-off place, they will not be in Germany next summer, but the Netherlands will be if they can take maximum points from their remaining Group B fixtures against Stephen Kenny’s men and Gibraltar next month. Monday night’s last-gasp 1-0 win in Greece as the Republic beat Gibraltar 4-0 in Faro left the Netherlands in pole position to claim second place behind France, but Celtic winger Johnston, who was on the scoresheet along with Evan Ferguson, Matt Doherty and Callum Robinson, is determined to end a disappointing campaign on a high. Asked if he saw the trip to Amsterdam as a chance to bloody the nose of one of European football’s big guns, who won 2-1 in Dublin last month, the 24-year-old said: “I think we have shown we can do that. “Obviously the results haven’t gone our way, but we went toe-to-toe with them and it’s just fine margins. “At either end in the box, we’ve not been good enough at times, conceding goals we shouldn’t have and maybe we’ve not taken our chances as well. “This group has given everything to qualify and that’s all we can ask.” Our group is obviously tough, but we are not making excuses, we still believed we could qualify from the group. Mikey Johnston Ireland always knew they had a tough task to get out of the group when they were drawn against both the Dutch and World Cup runners-up France. But defeat by the Greeks in Athens in their second fixture left them up against it and they will head into their final fixture with only six points banked from the first seven, all of them against whipping boys Gibraltar. That return has left manager Kenny facing a review next month which might well have been brought forward despite assurances to the contrary had things gone badly at the Estadio Algarve, and few commentators expect him to remain in his role. Asked to assess the campaign, Johnston said: “Obviously it’s disappointing that we haven’t qualified. Our group is obviously tough, but we are not making excuses, we still believed we could qualify from the group.” Whether or not Kenny is involved in the international set-up beyond November remains to be seen, but Johnston will hope his efforts to date in the green shirt will lead to further caps. His six appearances so far – the last of them a first start – have yielded two goals and an exciting brand of football which has at times been missing from Kenny’s team despite the manager’s attempts to adopt a more progressive approach. Johnston spent last season on loan at Vitoria Guimaraes in Portugal, but has missed the start of the new campaign back at Celtic after suffering a stress fracture in his back, and he is now looking to catch the eye of club boss Brendan Rodgers. He said: “I’m just trying to work my way behind the scenes to get my opportunity. The manager has got tough decisions to make. He has got wingers that he has brought in for a few million and whatever, so it’s up to me to get into the team.” Read More On this day in 2018: Shahid Khan withdraws £900m offer to buy Wembley from FA Dallas Cowboys bounce back to edge past Los Angeles Chargers Stephen Kenny focused on fixtures instead of future after Ireland beat Gibraltar David Brooks looks to impress for Wales at a major tournament Northern Ireland U21s lose late on against Serbia I quite like the noise – Ellis Genge ‘fuelled’ by England’s critics
2023-10-17 16:22

Sri Lanka lifts ban on cricketer Gunathilaka after acquittal of rape charges in Australia
Sri Lanka’ s cricket authorities have lifted a ban on international player Danushka Gunathilaka after he was cleared by an Australian court of sexual assault charges
2023-10-17 15:48

Evan Ferguson scores as Ireland beat Gibraltar to spare Stephen Kenny further questions over immediate future
Under-fire manager Stephen Kenny was spared further punishment as the Republic of Ireland eased to a 4-0 Euro 2024 qualifying victory over Gibraltar. Brighton teenager Evan Ferguson fired the visitors into an eighth-minute lead at the Estadio Algarve with his third senior international goal before Celtic winger Mikey Johnston, Wolves defender Matt Doherty and substitute Callum Robinson struck to wrap up just a second win of the Group B campaign. Kenny had gone into the game insisting he would remain in charge until a review of his reign has been carried out after November’s fixtures, although a poor result here would only have increased the clamour for change. In the event, Ireland negotiated a game they should have won comfortably with the minimum of fuss to complete a double over the minnows ahead of next month’s trip to the Netherlands. Once again, there will be only pride at stake in Amsterdam, with hopes of automatic qualification having been extinguished by Friday night’s 2-0 home defeat by Greece, and even the possibility of a play-off place looks ever more faint by the day. The games against Gibraltar, who have now played 44 European Championship and World Cup qualifiers and not collected a single point, were never going to be the yardstick for the Football Association of Ireland’s review and, while embarrassment was avoided with ease, difficult questions remain for a manager whose 28 competitive fixtures have yielded just six wins. Kenny, who once again deployed a back four rather than his usual three, handed Johnston a first senior international start in the search for much-needed creativity. However, it was from the opposite flank that the visitors struck first when Chiedozie Ogbene rolled a pass into the overlapping Doherty’s run and the unmarked Ferguson steered his eighth-minute cross past helpless goalkeeper Dayle Coleing. Luton striker Ogbene continued to look Ireland’s most potent weapon from wide on the right and, with Josh Cullen probing from central midfield, they dominated possession without creating clear-cut openings. They might have extended their lead when Ryan Manning’s 24th-minute corner was allowed to travel across the six-yard-box untouched, but Shane Duffy was unable to stab it home beyond the far post. Coleing was forced to palm away Johnston’s swerving attempt after he had skipped past Tjay de Barr and Liam Walker seconds later. The Celtic man did get his name on the scoresheet with 29 minutes gone when Doherty accepted another Ogbene pass in the space between defenders Jayce Olivero and John Sergeant and crossed for the winger to slide in and, after his initial attempt had come back off a post, bundle the rebound across the line. Coleing had to race from his line to prevent Johnston from reaching Jamie McGrath’s defence-splitting pass seven minutes before the break and then blocked Ferguson’s stabbed effort after Johnston had pulled the ball back. Walker mustered Gibraltar’s first effort in stoppage time after De Barr robbed Johnston and ran into space down the right, but the midfielder’s attempt flew harmlessly wide. Coleing plucked McGrath’s header out of the night sky after he had connected with Ogbene’s cross and then blocked Jason Knight’s firm drive, but he was a relieved man when Duffy’s volley from a Johnston corner flew just wide in a flurry of activity at the start of the second half. Knight sent a diving header wide from Johnston’s 51st-minute cross with the Gibraltar defence at sixes and sevens and Ferguson was unable to hit the target with a free-kick from 25 yards as the Republic looked to kill off the game. Johnston saw a shot deflected wide on the hour but then delivered a corner which was cleverly flicked on by McGrath for Doherty to head past the keeper from point-blank range. Substitute Robinson completed the job with an 80th-minute header to match the 4-0 scoreline when the sides last met in Faro in 2015. Read More Stephen Kenny focused on fixtures instead of future after Ireland beat Gibraltar Stephen Kenny not dwelling on past as Ireland return to Faro focused on victory Stephen Kenny puts speculation to one side for Gibraltar clash I feel sorry for the manager – Chiedozie Ogbene sympathises with Stephen Kenny Stephen Kenny admits Republic of Ireland ‘needed to win’ against Greece Stephen Kenny under pressure as Ireland’s qualification hopes come to end
2023-10-17 15:17

Justin Herbert, Chargers' offense come up short again in Los Angeles' 20-17 loss to Dallas
Justin Herbert and the Los Angeles Chargers' offense couldn't make enough big plays to beat the Dallas Cowboys
2023-10-17 14:24

On this day in 2018: Shahid Khan withdraws £900m offer to buy Wembley from FA
American billionaire Shahid Khan withdrew his offer to buy Wembley Stadium from the Football Association on this day in 2018. The proposed deal was worth £900million and the FA was planning to spend the money on transforming grassroots facilities across the country over the next 20 years but the idea of selling the stadium, which cost £757million to build, proved to be controversial with many in the game. The owner of Fulham and NFL side the Jacksonville Jaguars felt his offer to buy Wembley proved more divisive than initially anticipated and decided to pull out. In a statement, FA chief executive Martin Glenn said: “Shahid Khan has informed us today that he will be withdrawing his offer to buy the stadium – and we fully respect his decision. “At a recent meeting with Mr Khan he expressed to us that, without stronger support from within the game, his offer is being seen as more divisive than it was anticipated to be and has decided to withdraw his proposal.” The proposed deal had the support of the FA’s senior leadership, including Glenn himself, and was also backed by the government but there were significant doubts elsewhere, most notably at the grassroots level itself. Khan’s intention was to eventually use Wembley as a home for his relocated Jaguars but was also willing to agree on several highly restrictive conditions on how he would run the national stadium, one of them being to keep the venue for all of English football’s biggest games. However, wider concerns about whether the FA was selling the family silver too cheaply, its ability to spend the money wisely and Khan’s long-term plans for the stadium all led to the downfall of the sale. In a statement, Khan, 68, said: “I’ve been clear publicly as well as in my correspondence with the FA Council that it would require a proper partnership, with the full and enthusiastic commitment of all involved, to maximise the benefits to the FA and game of football. “At this moment, following last week’s FA Council hearing, it appears there is no definitive mandate to sell Wembley and my current proposal, subsequently, would earn the backing of only a slim majority of the FA Council, well short of the conclusive margin that the FA chairman has required. “The intent of my efforts was, and is, to do right by everyone in a manner that strengthens the English game and brings people together, not divide them. “Unfortunately, given where we are today, I’ve concluded that the outcome of a vote next week would be far from sufficient in expressing the broad support favoured by the FA chairman to sell Wembley Stadium. “I am respectfully withdrawing my offer to purchase Wembley Stadium.” Read More Dallas Cowboys bounce back to edge past Los Angeles Chargers Eddie Jones commits his coaching future to Australia Stephen Kenny focused on fixtures instead of future after Ireland beat Gibraltar David Brooks looks to impress for Wales at a major tournament Northern Ireland U21s lose late on against Serbia I quite like the noise – Ellis Genge ‘fuelled’ by England’s critics
2023-10-17 13:22

As the holidays approach, shoppers are in a mood to spend -- on their homes and themselves
Spending on the holiday season is expected to rebound to -- and even surpass -- pre-pandemic levels this year for the first time. But, surprisingly, it's not gifts that consumers will be splurging on the most in the runup to Christmas, according to a new report Tuesday from Deloitte.
2023-10-17 12:24