NEWCASTLE UNITED supporters are fuming after 45 tickets for their clash with Barcelona were handed to a private school 184 miles away in DUNDEE.
The Magpies welcome the Spanish giants to St James’ Park next Thursday as they kick off their Champions League campaign in bumper fashion.
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Newcastle fans are fuming ahead of the Champions League clash with BarcelonaCredit: George Wood/Getty Images
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Newcastle fans are not happy that 45 tickets were handed to a private school 1in DundeeCredit: George Wood/Getty Images
Only a few lucky thousand managed to secure the hottest ticket in Toon as Newcastle United members entered the ballot in a huge scramble to try and secure a seat.
The membership, which costs £37 an adult and £20 a child each season, is a requirement in order to purchase tickets in ballots or queue sales.
Over 100,000 members were left disappointed as the final few tickets quickly sold out on Tuesday.
And that frustration turned to fury after it emerged 45 had somehow been given to the High School of Dundee, a private school in the Scottish city that costs pupils £20,606.40 a year to attend.
The shock news came to light in a social media post by the school offering a matchday trip by coach plus an overnight stay to students costing £295 per person.
Newcastle United Supporters Trust released a statement that said: “We have been inundated with messages regarding a school in Dundee being given 45 tickets for the Barcelona fixture.
“With >100k in today’s member sale queue and countless tickets on 3rd party sites at vastly inflated prices, we completely understand the ongoing frustration from our members and the wider fanbase.
“We have sent this to the club and continue to push for a response.”
Uefa also have a ticket allocation and their partners also have entitlements to tickets in the Champions League and the governing bodies’ other competitions.
Newcastle are yet to comment but SunSport understands the source of the school’s tickets is being looked into.
Sky Sports viewers ‘get motion sickness’ as Premier League adds new feature for Newcastle vs Liverpool coverage
SunSport has contacted the High School of Dundee for comment.
Newcastle return to action in the Premier League on Saturday when they host Wolves.
Antiques Road Trip descended into bitter clash on Sunday afternoon’s episode as an expert abandoned co-star during a heated row that saw them split up at the auction house
Antiques Road Trip descended into bitter clash on Sunday afternoon’s episode as an expert abandoned co-star during a heated row(Image: BBC)
Antiques Road Trip descended into a bitter clash on Sunday afternoon’s episode as an expert abandoned co-star during a heated row. The BBC afternoon favourite returned over the weekend with a previous instalment when Paul Laidlaw joined fellow expert Margie Cooper on the valuation programme, and the pair ventured from Lincolnshire as they set off on their way to the auction house in Harrogate.
With Paul behind the wheel as Margie set out on an expedition that would see her try to contact spirits from beyond, she warned him ‘not to start with all this war stuff’ as they made their way to the auction house.
Paul began: “I don’t know much about it, airfields! Lincs, East Coast. I’ve got to bring the war up.” Margie then joked: “Oh, don’t, you’re not going to start with all this war stuff!”
Once inside, Margie deliberately crept up on her co-star and he fumed: ‘Whoa, whoa, whoa! Are you familiar with the concept of trespassing?’(Image: BBC)
Paul shot back: “My tactic is… but you won’t. I’m sure this won’t upset you. I will just be hovering behind, ready to snatch. Is that the best you can do?”
Margie hit back: “Don’t you dare! Don’t you dare!” Paul, who was pursuing the purchase of military memorabilia and did go on to discover some rather interesting artefacts, joked to his co-star: “We may end up in the same shop this morning. I’m talking about militaria.”
Not quite satisfied with that stance, Margie shot back: “Sniffing around! Oh no! Please! You’re not still buying that old rubbish, are you?” and she suggested once they had arrived: “Shall we divide and conquer? I’ll just abandon you by the roadside!”
Once inside, Margie deliberately crept up on her co-star and he fumed: “Whoa, whoa, whoa! Are you familiar with the concept of trespassing? I thought you were,” but she fired back: “I am allowed to go where I want to! I was told!”
Paul, furious at this stage, ranted: “is this? An interrogation? You come in here and interrogate me!” Despite this, the pair still maintained a good rapport on screen for the rest of the episode and were on civil terms by the time the auction came around.
The pair managed to keep things civil after their initial spat (Image: BBC)
It comes just days after dealer Paul was gobsmacked after he stumbled upon a rare vintage camera in an antique shop. The camera later fetched a whopping £20,000 at auction.
Paul had snapped up the camera for a mere £60 and was left stunned alongside competitor Kate Bliss at the Bury St. Edmunds auction in Suffolk when the hammer fell at such an astronomical price, especially after watching the bidding increments soar.
The specialist found the camera while hunting for curiosities and collectables in Margate, Kent. The shop owner explained: “Three floors, the upstairs is mainly furniture, but there’s stuff everywhere. And on this floor, there are four rooms through, and in the middle, there’s a staircase which goes down to a room full of chairs and another room full below!”
Faced with the daunting task ahead, Paul joked: “Don’t send the cavalry, okay?” After spending a considerable amount of time rummaging through the treasures, Paul returned to the counter and proposed: “In your cabinet over there, optical instrument… £75 on that, I bid you £50.
“Give me £60 and I’ll shake your hand, but I’m not doing any better than that, I’m afraid,” the proprietor responded. “Shake my hand!” Paul retorted, and the owner added, “Good man, deal done.”
He then turned to the camera and revealed: “What do you get for your money when you open it up? That looks like a peepside and it is!”.
“I think this is a very early camera. If I’m right, that could be quite exciting. The photographic market is very much in the ascent, it’s a hot market, I think that’s a good thing.”
Antiques Road Trip is available to stream on BBC iPlayer.
Kai Havertz has undergone surgery on his kneeCredit: Getty
SunSport understands that Havertz has shared his time between London Colney and his native Germany, being assessed by doctors to determine the severity of the issue.
And the Gunners have since decided to take precautionary measures with Havertz going under the knife for the second time in six months.
A club statement read: “Further to sustaining a knee injury after our recent game against Manchester United on 17 August, subsequent assessments and specialist reviews with Kai confirmed that surgery would be required.
“Today, Kai underwent a successful minor surgical procedure.
“He will shortly begin his recovery and rehabilitation programme, with everyone fully focused on supporting Kai to ensure he is back to full fitness as soon as possible.”
Havertz had a hamstring operation back in February that saw him only return for the final two games of last term, but this minor procedure is not expected to keep him out for a similar period.
It now leaves boss Mikel Arteta relying on summer signing Viktor Gyokeres to lead the line without any back-up for at least the next few weeks.
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Mikel Arteta now has just one available strikerCredit: Getty
Gabriel Jesus – Arsenal’s third-choice No.9 – is also still on the recovery table, expected to return towards the end of 2025 after an ACL reconstruction in January.
However, Arsenal are confident that they have the squad to deal with the absence, hijacking Tottenham’s £68m deal for Eberechi Eze last week 24 hours after Havertz’s injury news.
Arteta gives update on Saka and Odegaard after Arsenal stars suffer injuries
Arteta does have options – playing midfielder Mikel Merino and winger Leandro Trossard down the middle for large parts of last season.
60. The energy from Grimsby has been brilliant tonight.
With an hour gone, they still seem to have plenty in the tank.
The next goal is criitical in this game, Man Utd have enough quality on the pitch to turn this match in an instant.
Grimsby 2-0 Man Utd
58. What a chance for the Red Devils.
Mbuemo swings a cross into the box and Heaven has a completely free diving header.
Somehow, he puts his effort over the crossbar.
Woeful effort.
Grimsby 2-0 Man Utd
56. This weather may be helping the hosts.
The rain is torrential and makes conditions very difficult to play passing football in.
Man Utd have a free-kick some thirty yards out, good chance to ask some questions of the keeper.
Grimsby 2-0 Man Utd
54. Green does brilliantly to hold the ball up.
He seemed to have got in behind the defence but did not have the legs to make the most of it.
Grimsby are still looking dangerous on the attack here.
View from SunSport’s Gareth Davies at Kassam Stadium
A word for 39-year-old James Milner, named as Brighton skipper on his first start for four days short of a year.
He was named as skipper, and kept things ticking along nicely as Albion’s class kept them way out in front.
It was almost too easy for Brighton, who made it 3-0 seconds before the hour mark when Diego Gomez scored right footed from close in with the home defence opened up again.
Grimsby 2-0 Man Utd
52. That was a massive chance for Grimsby.
It should give them confidence that the Red Devils look very open when the hosts come at them.
As the rain pours down, Man Utd get a low cross into the box but the mixture of keeper and defender allows the League Two outfit to clear.
EVERTON’S Carabao Cup clash with Mansfield Town has been delayed.
The Toffees announced that the game has been pushed back by 15 minutes to allow fans “safe access” in time for kick off.
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Everton’s Carabao Cup clash with Mansfield has been delayedCredit: Shutterstock Editorial
Everton are hosting Mansfield at their new Hill Dickinson Stadium, having played their first competitive match at the ground at the weekend.
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Fearnley’s progress has been so rapid over the past 15 months, it can be easy to forget how inexperienced he remains at the highest level.
Little over a year ago, the former US college student was ranked outside of the world’s leading 500 players.
Since then he has soared up the rankings – cracking the top 50 in June – after a stunning introduction to the ATP Tour.
Fearnley has a habit of drawing high-profile names early in the Grand Slams and has already played on some of the iconic courts in the game.
But in recent months his form has been compromised by a nervous tension which is particularly damaging to his serve.
Asked how he can solve the issue, Fearnley said: “I’m not too sure. I guess it’s helpful to know that even hitting all those double faults I can win the match – that’s a positive more than anything.
“There are good days and bad days, but in recent matches the doubles faults have been an issue.
“I’ll be playing Zverev next on another big court – a high-stakes, high-tense environment and I think putting myself in those situations will help.”
With Fearnley and Bautista Agut not taking to the court until after 8pm local time, a long night looking inevitable when the British number three finally secured a 62-minute opener.
When Fearnley used greater variety in the second and third sets – to move the world number 47 around – it reaped rewards.
Fearnley closed in on a relatively sharpish straight-setter when he broke serve early in the third – only for more double faults to help 37-year-old Bautista Agut extend the contest.
But he reset admirably in the fourth set, landing more first serves and limiting the double faults, to get over the line.
Surviving the first round meant Fearnley has now completed a full set of victories at the four Grand Slam tournaments.
“It was an extremely tough match, I knew Roberto would make me go right to the end,” said Fearnley, who wrapped up victory about 11:15pm local time.
GOMA, Congo — President Trump claims that the war in eastern Congo is among the ones he has stopped, after brokering a peace deal between Congo and Rwanda in June. But residents, conflict researchers and others say that’s not true.
Trump on Monday repeated claims that he ended the decadeslong conflict, describing Congo as the “darkest, deepest” part of Africa. “For 35 years, it was a vicious war. Nine million people were killed with machetes. I stopped it. … I got it stopped and saved lots of lives,” he asserted.
The Associated Press previously fact-checked Trump’s claim and found the war far from over. Now residents report clashes in several hot spots, often between the Rwanda-backed M23 rebels who seized key cities earlier this year and militia fighting alongside Congolese forces.
A final peace deal between Congo and the rebels, facilitated by Qatar, appears to have stalled. Each side has accused the other of violating peace terms.
Here’s what people say about Trump’s latest claim:
An inspector says people are still being displaced
The local human rights inspector in South Kivu province’s Kabare territory, Ciruza Mushenzi Dieudonné, said residents in the communities of Bugobe, Cirunga, Kagami and Bushwira continue to flee clashes between the M23 rebels and the Wazalendo militia.
“The problem now is that we do not have humanitarian assistance, hospitals operate during the day and health professionals find refuge elsewhere at night to escape the insecurity,” Dieudonné said.
Amnesty International says clashes reported this week
Christian Rumu with Amnesty International said the rights group learned of clashes during the past 24 hours in various locations. “It is far from the reality to say that he has ended the war,” he said of Trump.
“The U.S. president is misguided in his assessment because people on the ground continue to experience grave human rights violations, and some of these amount to crimes against humanity,” Rumu said, urging Trump to speed up the peace process.
A student says fighting has continued
Amani Safari, a student in Goma, the city first seized by the M23 and most affected by the fighting, said nothing has changed since the peace deal was signed in June.
“Unfortunately, when you look at this agreement, there are no binding sanctions against the two countries that violate it,” Safari said. “The United States only sees American interests.”
An activist in Goma says Trump needs to do more
Espoir Muhinuka, an activist in Goma, said there is no sign the war will end soon and urged Trump to take steps to achieve the permanent ceasefire the peace deal provided for.
“If this does not happen, it would deceive all of humanity,” Muhinuka said.
Civil society leader says residents are losing hope of peace
The president of civil society in North Kivu province, John Banyene, said he and other residents are losing hope of permanent peace.
“The killings, the displacement of the population and the clashes continue, therefore, we are still in disarray,” Banyene said. “We, as civil society, encourage this dialogue, but it drags on.”
Analyst says peace efforts appear to have stalled
Christian Moleka, a Congo-based political analyst, said the peace deal brokered by Trump initially helped to facilitate the peace process, but Congo and the M23 missed a deadline to sign a final peace agreement.
“For a conflict that combines the complexities of the structural weaknesses of the Congolese state, local identity and land conflicts, and the fallout of crises in neighboring countries … Trump’s approach may appear as a truce rather than a definitive settlement,” Moleka said.
Asadu and Kabumba write for the Associated Press. Asadu reported from Dakar, Senegal. Janvier Barhahiga in Bukavu, Congo contributed to this report.
Bruno Fernandes’ horrific missed penalty in the first half seemed to have been redeemed when Leny Yoro‘s header deflected off Rodrigo Muniz’s back and into the net.
But Emile Smith Rowe poked home an equaliser soon after with one of his first touches of the match, just minutes after being introduced off the bench.
Man Utd boss Ruben Amorim insists that there may yet be a future of any of his infamous ‘bomb squad’ that don’t make it out of Old Trafford
BUKAYO SAKA and Martin Odegaard’s are doubts for Liverpool after hobbling off against Leeds.
Both players were struck down with injuries either side of half-time.
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Bukayo Saka appeared to pick up a hamstring injury
Captain Odegaard fell awkwardly under a challenge and appeared to hurt his shoulder.
He initially continued but was hauled off after a few minutes and replaced by Ethan Nwaneri.
Arsenal were 1-0 ahead at the time and did not take long to add another, Saka firing past the keeper shortly after Odegaard went off.
But the Gunners talisman also picked up an injury, lasting just eight minutes into the second half.
Saka appeared to suffer a hamstring injury and he received treatment before hobbling off.
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MIGRANT protests have broken out across UK cities today, as demonstrators clash with police.
It comes following a landmark ruling on the use of the Epping hotel.
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Anti-immigration protesters have gathered outside the Radisson Hotel in Perth, ScotlandCredit: PA
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Mounted police have clashed with protesters in BristolCredit: PA
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Counter protesters from the anti-racist group Stand Up to Racism are also presentCredit: PA
A number of cities will see demonstrations over the weekend, primarily centred on so-called asylum hotels, with an estimated 27 protests expected over the bank holiday weekend.
A protest at Castle Park in Bristol saw mounted police officers clashing with demonstrators.
The demonstration was led by Abolish Asylum System, with anti-racism counter protesters also present.
Another protest in Horley, Surrey saw around 200 anti-immigration protesters draped in St George’s and Union flags.
They were opposed by roughly 50 Stand Up to Racism protesters.
Those on the anti-racism side chanted “say it loud, say it clear, refugees are welcome here”, with signs called for an end to deportations.
They were met with abuse from the anti-immigration group, one of whom yelled through a megaphone “you’re all scum and you should be ashamed” claiming it “wasn’t about racism”.
Police are separating the two groups.
Further protests are taking place outside the New Bridge Hotel in Newcastle.
Anti-immigration could be seen carrying Union Jacks as they faced off against police.
One woman could be seen carrying a sign that reads “fairness isn’t extremism”, with a St George’s flag donned like a cape.
The protests come following a ruling earlier this week on the use of the Bell Hotel in Epping.
Following weeks of protests outside the hotel, the High Court ruled that it must remove migrants staying there.
The Home Office has since launched an appeal against the decision in the hopes of continuing its use as a home for asylum seekers.
MILLWALL were given a rude awakening ahead of their Championship clash with Sheffield United as their hotel was evacuated in the middle of the night.
The Lions’ squad piled onto the streets of Sheffield at 3:55am on Saturday morning when the siren started blaring out.
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Millwall players had to evacuate their hotel in the early hours of the morningCredit: Sun Exclusive
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A fire alarm went off just before 4amCredit: Sun Exclusive
It is not clear what set the alarm off, though players were left huddled outside both entrances to the Radisson Blu hotel for approximately 20 minutes while fire crew investigated the cause of the alarm.
A few players appeared bleary-eyed and fed up, while one player was overheard describing the situation as a ‘farce’.
Another FaceTimed his partner to show her his discontent at being sat on the pavement in the early hours of Saturday morning.
Millwall had made the 144-mile from south London by coach on Friday ahead of their trip to Bramall Lane.
The Lions started the season with a victory over Norwich City before being hammered by Middlesbrough 3-0 last time out.
Between those results, they did progress in the League Cup by beating Newport County 1-0 at Rodney Parade.
His team have started the campaign with three successive defeats – including a 4-1 thrashing at home to Bristol City.
Selles said: “We know when you work and you play for Sheffield United, you know that you need to win every match.
EFL club launch new badge like ‘lion with lollipop and first aid box’
“Then if not, and especially if it’s consecutive, then you’re going to be under massive pressure.”
Meanwhile, Millwall captain Jake Cooper is eyeing up promotion to the Premier League.
The defender has been at The Den since his move from Reading in 2017.
He said: “It would be a dream to be a Premier League player with Millwall and everything at the club is geared to get there.
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Ruben Selles is already under pressure at the BladesCredit: Alamy
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Jake Cooper wants to reach the Premier LeagueCredit: Getty
“There’s more expectation on us now because we finished well last season and the recruitment we’ve done.
“So you can see why people are getting excited.
“It’s important to have lads like Massimo (Luongo) and Alfie (Doughty), who have experience of securing promotion to the Premier League and understand what a winning culture feels like.
“Our new lads have integrated well.
“Alfie knew a few of the guys already while Massimo is very experienced and has been around the Championship for a long time.”
Digha, India – On a hot and sultry June afternoon, Mamata Banerjee, the chief minister of India’s West Bengal state, swept a sun-scorched road to make way for a towering chariot in Digha, a tourist town on the country’s Bay of Bengal coast.
The moment, captured by dozens of cameras and broadcast widely on television, on June 27, marked the launch of the eastern state’s first-ever government-sponsored Rath Yatra (“chariot festival”) to celebrate the construction of a sprawling temple complex built to house the Hindu god, Lord Jagannath.
First announced in December 2018, and completed in May this year, the Digha temple has been pitched by Banerjee and her governing Trinamool Congress (TMC) party as West Bengal’s alternative to the more popular Jagannath Temple in neighbouring Odisha state’s Puri town, about 350km (217 miles) away.
Built in the 12th century, the temple in Puri is one of Hinduism’s four major pilgrimage sites, and home to an annual 800-year-old chariot festival, a weeklong event attended by tens of thousands of devotees. To kick-start the festival, descendants of the erstwhile Puri kingdom’s rulers symbolically sweep the chariot path, like their ancestors in power once did.
At Digha, that task was performed by Banerjee, neither the descendant of an emperor, nor a priest, raising questions about whether the construction of the temple was about faith or politics, a year before one of India’s most politically significant states votes for its next government.
Two devotees praying in front of the chariot on the final day of Rath Yatra in Digha, West Bengal, on May 5, 2025 [Subrajit Sen/Al Jazeera]
Move aimed to counter BJP?
West Bengal, home to more than 91 million people, is India’s fourth most-populous state. Nearly 30 percent of its population is Muslim.
For decades, the state was also home to the world’s longest-serving elected communist government, until a feisty Banerjee – leading the centrist TMC party she founded in 1998 – unseated the Left Front coalition in 2011.
Since then, it is the Hindu majoritarian Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, that has emerged as the TMC’s main rival in West Bengal. From winning just two parliamentary seats in 2014, the year Modi stormed to power, the BJP last year won 12 of the state’s 42 seats. The TMC won 29.
In the 2021 state assembly election, Banerjee’s TMC and its allies won a landslide 216 of 292 seats, while the BJP-led coalition won 77. It was also the first election in which the Left or the Indian National Congress, the main opposition in parliament, could not win a single seat in a state both had previously governed.
As the political landscape changed in West Bengal, so did its players.
For almost a decade now, the BJP and its ideological parent, the far-right Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), have used Hindu festivals such as Ram Navami to expand their footprint in the state, often organising large processions that have on occasion passed, provocatively, through areas with large Muslim populations, with participants carried sticks, swords and tridents.
The BJP has also repeatedly accused the TMC of “minority appeasement”, in essence alleging that the party favours Muslim interests over the concerns of Hindu voters.
The TMC appears to be responding to that shift in politics in kind. In recent rallies, its leaders have been seen chanting “Jai Jagannath” (Hail Jagannath) to counter the BJP’s “Jai Shri Ram” (Hail Lord Ram), a slogan that, for millions of Hindus in India, is more a war-cry against Muslims and other minorities than a political chant.
“Now no one will say Jai Shri Ram. Everyone will say Jai Jagannath,” TMC leader Arup Biswas said in Digha in April.
To political scientist Ranabir Samaddar, the TMC’s temple politics is evidence of a brewing battle over the identity of Hinduism itself.
“If you agree Hindu society is not monolithic, then it’s natural that Hindus who reject the majoritarian version will assert a different understanding,” said Samaddar, who is a distinguished chair in migration and forced migration studies at the Mahanirban Calcutta Research Group.
He argued that moves like Mamata’s represent a deeper social and cultural contest. “This is not a simple secularism-versus-communalism binary,” he said. “It is a protest against the idea that there is only one kind of Hinduism.”
For years, the BJP’s political opponents have struggled to craft a response to its vision of creating a Hindu-first state without being put on the defensive by Modi’s party, which portrays them as intrinsically anti-Hindu.
The Digha temple, Samaddar suggested, attempts to break that BJP stranglehold.
“As the dominant narrative becomes more rigid, insisting on a singular, state-aligned Hindu identity, the counter-response is also happening within the framework of Hindu identity,” he said. “It’s a dialogue, a form of social argument about plurality.
“This is also an assertion of rights. A claim to say, ‘We too are Hindus, but we won’t let you define what Hinduism is.’ These are attempts to break the monopoly of certain institutions and groups who have long claimed to speak for all Hindus. That’s what makes this moment significant.”
The new Jagannath Temple in Digha, West Bengal, India, on May 5, 2025 [Subrajit Sen/Al Jazeera]
Bengal’s shifting religious terrain
Originally introduced by the government as a “cultural centre”, the Digha shrine soon evolved into a 65-metre-tall (213 feet) temple, spread over 8 hectares (20 acres) and costing the state exchequer more than $30m.
“This temple will add a new feather to the state’s cap. Digha will grow into an international tourist attraction. This will serve as a place of harmony. The sea adds a special charm to Digha. If it becomes a place of pilgrimage, more tourists will come,” Trinamool chief Banerjee had said during the structure’s inauguration on April 30. She will seek a fourth straight term as chief minister next year.
But the project has faced pushback.
When the Digha temple opened earlier this year, the BJP’s parliamentarian from Puri, Sambit Patra, declared: “There is only one Jagannath Dham in the world, and it is in Puri.” A dham is a shrine in Sanskrit.
On June 27, the BJP’s most prominent Bengal leader, Suvendu Adhikari, called the temple a “tourist attraction, not a spiritual site”.
“Puri Dham will remain Puri Dham. Mamata Banerjee is a fake Hindu. Temples can’t be built using government funds. It is a cultural centre, not a temple. Don’t mislead the people of Bengal,” he said.
He argued that Hindu temples in independent India have been made using donations – including the Ram temple in the northern Indian city of Ayodhya, built on the ruins of the 16th-century Babri Mosque that Hindu zealots had torn down in 1992. “Hindus make temples on their own. No government fund was used to build the Ram temple. Hindus across the world funded it.”
Priests at the Puri temple were furious too. The temple’s chief servitor, Bhabani Das Mohapatra, called the Digha complex a “crime by Mamata Banerjee”, and accused the West Bengal state government of “arrogantly violating scriptural norms”. Ramakrishna Das Mahapatra, a senior servitor from Puri who attended the Digha consecration, was suspended by the Puri temple authority.
A young girl with her family visiting Digha to attend the first ever Rath Yatra at the new shrine, on May 5, 2025. Her family belongs to the organisation tasked with planning the festival [Subrajit Sen/Al Jazeera]
‘Nobody invited us’
The criticism of the Digha temple is not limited to political opponents and representatives of the Digha temple.
As hundreds of people watched the June 27 consecration from behind security barricades, a 64-year-old local and retired government employee, Manik Sarkar, said he was frustrated.
“All the cost is coming from taxpayers like us,” he told Al Jazeera. “But nobody invited us. The government hospital nearby doesn’t even have proper equipment, and they’re spending millions lighting up the temple.”
Another resident, Ashima Devi, said she was anxious about the daily electricity bills. “Lakhs of rupees, every night,” she said. “Unemployment is already so high here. Thousands of government school teachers who lost their jobs because of corruption – they had cleared the exams fairly. Why isn’t this government fixing that? What will happen to them?”
She was referring to a $70m public school hiring scam recently unearthed by India’s top financial crimes office, the Enforcement Directorate, for which the TMC’s former education minister is now jailed.
One man in the crowd, who called himself a TMC supporter, interjected. “Tourism will grow,” he said.
But Sarkar pushed back: “All the hotels [in Digha] are owned by outsiders. What benefit are you talking about?”
One of the three chariots being pulled by participants and organisers, while members of the public watch from behind barricades, on May 5, 2025 [Subrajit Sen/Al Jazeera]
‘A politics that centres temples’
Historian Tapati Guha Thakurta said that the state’s involvement in temple building ought to be seen as a part of a larger arc in India’s modern journey.
“There’s been a major slide – from the modern, secular model to a politics that centres temples,” she said.
After India’s independence, the state actively supported projects like the reconstruction of the Somnath temple in Gujarat, backed by leaders like Vallabhbhai Patel — the man credited with bringing together 500 princely states into the Indian union using a mix of allurement and coercion.
But independent India’s first prime minister, Jawaharlal Nehru, opposed state support for the Somnath rebuilding, she noted.
“He stayed away. That moment showed how contested religion was, even within the Nehruvian vision of the state,” Guha Thakurta said to Al Jazeera. “That moment was emblematic. It showed that even at the dawn of Indian secularism, religion was never fully out of the frame.”
Nawsad Siddique, the sole state legislator from the Indian Secular Front, a coalition of the opposition Left groups and Congress party, called the Digha temple a “blurring of governance and faith”. Speaking to reporters on July 10, in Kolkata, he said, “We don’t have jobs. Our youth are migrating. Our schools are crumbling. And we’re building mega temples?”
Guha Thakurta recalled the deliberate separation of state and religion under 34 years of Left government.
“Our generation grew up under a firewall between religion and the state,” said Guha Thakurta, whose research into Durga Puja – the celebration of Goddess Durga that is the pre-eminent annual festival for Bengalis – helped secure a UNESCO intangible cultural heritage tag for the festival.
At the time, Marxist cultural elites dismissed even Durga Puja as “opo-sanskriti” or a degenerate ritual, to be merely tolerated.
That changed post-2011, when Banerjee first came to power.
“From $100 in grants, it’s now $1,200,” she said, referring to state funds for Durga Puja committees. “Durga Puja is now a state event. And this model is spreading.”
“We’re sitting on a volcano about to erupt. That’s all I’ll say.”
United goalkeeper Altay Bayindir got a hand to the ball but he could only help it goalwards, and Riccardo Calafiori was on hand to add a final touch on the line.
Viktor Gyokeres also made his Arsenal debut following his £60million arrival.
Anti-government protests in Serbia turned violent as riot police clashed with demonstrators in several cities, including Belgrade and Valjevo. Protesters vandalised offices of the ruling Serbian Progressive Party (SNS), marking a major escalation in the nine-month-long movement against government corruption.
Protesters have clashed with riot police in Serbia’s capital, Belgrade, and other cities, on the fifth consecutive night of demonstrations against the government of right-wing President Aleksandar Vucic.
Clashes also broke out in Belgrade late on Saturday after police stopped demonstrators heading for the governing Serbian Progressive Party’s (SNS) headquarters.
Late on Saturday, thousands gathered in the central city of Valjevo to show their growing anger against the government, while a small group of masked young men attacked the empty offices of the governing SNS party, setting them alight.
They subsequently clashed with riot police, with protesters throwing fireworks and rocks as the officers responded with stun grenades and tear gas.
Some clashes were also reported in the northern city of Novi Sad, the country’s second largest.
Almost daily protests have gripped Serbia since November, following the collapse of a railway station roof that killed 16 people.
The tragedy became a symbol of deep-rooted corruption in the Balkan nation, with demands for a transparent investigation growing into calls for early elections.
At their height, the protests drew hundreds of thousands onto the streets.
However, the mostly peaceful demonstrations deteriorated earlier this week when large groups of pro-government supporters – many masked and some armed with batons and fireworks – attacked protesters.
That has led to violent clashes for several nights, leaving many injured on both sides.
Protests were further heightened after several videos shared online showed police striking unarmed demonstrators with batons.
Police have denied allegations of brutality, accusing demonstrators of attacking officers.
While the protests have so far led to the resignation of the prime minister and the collapse of the government, President Vucic has remained defiant.
He has repeatedly rejected calls for early elections and denounced the demonstrations as part of a foreign plot to overthrow him.
While there are no confirmed reports – it appears as though there will NOT be a rematch clause in the contract between Itauma and Whyte.
With Itauma aged 20 and Whyte 17 years older, they are at opposite ends of their careers.
Itauma will be hoping to push forwards into the title scene with a victory, and Whyte will be looking to prove he still belongs at the top, so a rematch may not be on the agenda for either fighter.
SunSport will keep you updated if and when a rematch clause is confirmed in the contract between the pair.
What’s the Dill?
Dillian Whyte rocked up to Riyadh 17lb lighter than his last bout and 1lb lighter than the rival almost half his age.
But he vowed to unload the heavy artillery inside the ring, after a very tame build-up from the reformed Brixton bad boy.
“Things have gone good,” he said about his dramatic weight loss. “That’s it. He was saying stuff at the press conference and I just him told him to relax, take it easy and chill out.
“He asked me to take my glasses off and today I came in with no glasses. I’m a chilled guy until people mess me about.
“I don’t need to be a bully. I can just switch like that, when I need to.”
Whyte a ‘wounded animal’?
Moses Itauma saw a ‘wounded animal’ in the eyes of super-skinny Dillian Whyte.
Whyte stunned the crowd with a six pack and 244lb of muscle, Itauma got to see his pupils and he reckons he spotted prey.
At 245lb he growled: “I saw a wounded animal. I’m not looking for the knockout but if it happens, it happens.”
Frankly speaking
Frank Warren reckons Moses Itauma is so calm and calculated that even the Planet’s Baddest Man might struggle to scare him.
The 73-year-old Hall-of-Famer told SunSport: “Mike Tyson, in the early days, won 90 per cent of his fights outside the ring.
“The intimidation was unbelievable. I mean, he really intimidated people.
“Most of the American heavyweight guys back then were from the streets but that’s what he managed to do with a lot of them.
“There were a rare couple of fighters he couldn’t intimidate, like Buster Douglas.
“And he couldn’t intimidate Evander Holyfield in any way, shape or form.
“And I think, with Moses, I think you have a hard job to intimidate him.”
The exciting youngster is ranked No1 by the WBO after he knocked out Mike Balogun in May to take his flawless record to 12-0.
Itauma is the big favourite to beat veteran Whyte, who is almost double his age.
The Bodysnatcher is looking to pull off a huge upset as he looks to revive his career after underwhelming wins against Christian Hammer and Ebenezer Tetteh in 2024.
A win for Whyte could potentially set up a blockbuster rematch with Anthony Joshua or a trilogy bout against Derek Chisora.
But defeat may see the 37-year-old’s time as a top heavyweight come to an end.
SunSport brings you all the details you need ahead of Itamua vs Whyte.
Moses Itauma vs Dillian Whyte – all the info
One of the biggest fights of the year has arrived
The highly-touted Moses Itauma faces the biggest test of his fledgling career as he steps into the ring with Dillian Whyte on Saturday night.
Itauma, 20, has great expectations on his shoulders – he has been compared to Mike Tyson and is expected by many to dominate boxing’s heavyweight division over the next decade.
But the Slovakian-born star – who sits at 12-0 (10KOs) is yet to face a test anywhere close to what Whyte can offer.
The Body Snatcher is now 37 and has not looked great in his last couple of fights, but the former world title challenger knows an upset win would catapult him right back to the top table.
The whole fight card will stream live on DAZN in over 200 countries across the globe via a DAZN subscription.
If you are not currently a DAZN member, then monthly and annual subscription options are available to watch over 185 fights a year across boxing, bare knuckle boxing, MMA and kickboxing.
An Annual Super Saver subscription is a one-off payment of £119.99 / $224.99 for 12-months access (£14.99 / $19.99 per month if paying in monthly instalments).
A Monthly Flexible pass, which can be cancelled at any time, is £24.99 / $29.99 per month.
Alternatively, SunSport’s live blog will bring you round-by-round updates from the huge card.
Who else is on the card?
Here are all the bouts taking place in Saudi Arabia:
Subject to change
Moses Itauma vs Dillian Whyte; Heavyweight
Nick Ball vs Sam Goodman; Featherweight, for the WBA title
Ray Ford vs Abraham Nova; Super featherweight
Filip Hrgovic vs David Adeleye; Heavyweight
Hayato Tsutsumi vs Qais Ashfaq; Super featherweight
