Classic

THEME park fans heading to Universal’s Orlando resorts should take note as some attractions will be closed depending on when they plan to head to the tourist hotspot.

Some rides will be off-limits for a short period of time, while others will be out of action for longer.

Popular attractions set to be impacted include Revenge of the Mummy, and Jurassic Park River Adventure.

On Revenge of the Mummy, thrillseekers are plunged into darkness.

The ride will be closed between January 15 and 21, according to Inside the Magic. 

The Hogwarts Express will fall silent between February 9-26 next year.

Universal’s Jurassic Park River Adventure sees riders plunge 85 feet in a thrilling drop.

But the ride will be closed from January 5, 2026 until November 20, as per the Orlando Informer.

Universal’s Volcano Bay water park will close temporarily from October 26, 2026. 

It’s likely the attraction will reopen by the end of March 2027. 

When visiting Volcano Bay, thrillseekers can enjoy a five-person attraction, Puihi of the Maku Puihi Round Raft Rides.

Or, those wanting a more relaxing experience can enjoy the winding river.

Volcano Bay is also home to shops, bars and restaurants.

Earlier this year, Universal’s Epic Universe opened, sparking an influx of tourists.

The park opened its doors on May 21 and is home to five themed lands.

Guests can immerse themselves in the Super Nintendo World and enjoy Mario Kart-themed attractions.

Epic Universe is home to the Wizarding World of Harry Potter and Dark Universe.

Harry Potter fans can enjoy a Butterbeer when visiting the Wizarding World.

Guests can immerse themselves in the Viking-themed village, which is inspired by How to Train Your Dragon.

SIR David Beckham celebrated his knighthood with a champagne knees-up — and jam roly-poly.

Best pal Gordon Ramsay hosted the bash at his flagship restaurant in Chelsea, whipping-up a three course meal including a Michelin-star take on Becks’ favourite pud.

The former Manchester United, Real Madrid and England ace carried his medal around with him all night in its souvenir red box.

Guests including his three youngest children Romeo, Cruz and Harper joined his parents, Ted and Sandra, and sister Joanne for beef Wellington — while wife Lady Victoria, who avoids red meat, had sea bass.

They then tucked into roly-poly and custard.

A friend said: “It was a super-lovely, very chilled sit-down dinner with David’s inner circle.

“Gordon took care of the whole thing.

“Becks’ favourite Chateau Margaux — plus a lot of champagne — was flowing.

“Obviously everyone kept making a big deal of calling him ‘Sir David’ and that was the running gag of the night.”

After the Windsor Castle ceremony Sir David, 50, changed into a dapper black velvet tux while Lady Victoria, 51, opted for a slinky black floor length number from her own fashion range.

But there was still no sign of estranged eldest son Brooklyn.

Japanese horse racing has been on the precipice of breaking through on the U.S. scene. It seemed like it was almost there in 2021 when it won three Breeders’ Cup races. But after that it leveled off.

Through 10 races at this year’s Breeders’ Cup, horses from Japan underperformed. But in the 11th, the most important race in the two-day event, the breakthrough became official when Forever Young held off Sierra Leone, last year’s winner, to win the $7-million Breeders’ Cup Classic by a half-length.

The last time we saw Forever Young in this country was a year ago when the 4-year-old colt finished third in the Classic. Before that, he was third in the Kentucky Derby by a whisker while being on the receiving end of some bumping down the stretch by Sierra Leone. Without that he might have been victorious in a race that was won by Mystik Dan.

The commonality between the 2021 and 2025 Breeders’ Cup days was that both were run at Del Mar.

Forever Young was almost the victim of some legal chicanery on Saturday as trainer Chad Brown entered a horse — called a rabbit — with little chance to win so that he could set a fast pace. Sierra Leone, also trained by Brown, needs a fast pace to weaken the other horses, which would benefit Sierra Leone’s late running style.

But this time, Forever Young overcame all the obstacles thrown at him. He ran a very tactical race being placed close to the lead and never farther back than third.

Forever Young paid $9.00 to win. He was followed in order by Sierra Leone, Fierceness, Journalism, Mindframe, Baeza, Nevada Beach, Antiquarian and Contrary Thinking, who was the rabbit in the 1 1/4- mile race.

It was the third Breeders’ Cup win for trainer Yoshito Yahagi. When asked if this was his most satisfying win, Yahagi said, through a translator: “I will never, ever get satisfied until I get retired as a trainer.”

Forever Young was the third foreign horse to win the Classic, joining Argentine-bred Invasor in 2006 and Irish-bred Black Tie Affair in 1991.

“So last time here, the horse was 75% conditioned,” Yahagi said. “And this time we create 100% condition. Forever Young is an amazing horse.”

The winning jockey was Ryusei Sakai.

“We got the No. 1 in America,” Yahagi said to NBC.

The Classic lost a lot of luster when the favorite, Sovereignty, the winner of the Kentucky Derby and Belmont Stakes, was scratched earlier in the week when he spiked a fever. Sovereignty was the top-rated horse in the country and a possible horse-of-the-year winner. Many were hoping for a rematch with Journalism, who finished second in both those races and won the Preakness, which Sovereignty did not run in.

Trainer Bill Mott only brought two horses to the Breeders’ Cup, Sovereignty and Scylla. While Sovereignty didn’t make the starting gate on Saturday, Scylla ($17.20 to win) sure did, winning the biggest race of the year for female horses, the $2-million Distaff.

“It’s certainly difficult to see what happened to Sovereignty,” Mott said. “I think everybody that’s connected [with this sport] has been through it and we knew when it happened, he wouldn’t be able to compete and not at the level that he would need to. And it seems as though he’s recovering well but he’s really not the story here.

“I mean this one is about Scylla and about Junior [Alvarado, his jockey] and the Juddmonte connections.”

Alvarado took her to the front and never looked back, winning the 1 1/8-mile race by 5 1/2 lengths. Nitrogen was second and Regaled finished third. Favorite Seismic Beauty contended early but then faded to 12th in the 13-horse field.

The second richest race on the card, the $5-million Turf, was supposed be a matchup of two-time winner Rebel’s Romance and Minnie Hauk, who had five wins and two seconds in seven starts. They ran together for most of the 1 1/2-mile race but long shot Ethical Diamond started rolling in the top of the stretch and cruised to a 1 1/4-length win. Rebel’s Romance was second.

The Irish-bred Ethical Diamond, trained by William Mullins and ridden by Dylan Browne McMonagle, paid $57.40 to win.

The first Breeders’ Cup race of the day, the $1-million Filly & Mare Sprint, became less interesting when two of the favorites, Sweet Azteca (2-1 morning line) and Tamara (7-2), were scratched by the veterinarian. There was a third scratch that took the field down to seven.

Bob Baffert had three of the horses in the race, including Splendora, who won in dominating fashion by 4 3/4 lengths and paid $7.80. He was midpack until the far turn of the seven-furlong race before jockey Flavien Prat let him loose in the stretch.

It was Baffert’s 20th Breeders’ Cup win, tying him for second with the late Wayne Lukas. Aidan O’Brien won his 21st Breeders’ Cup race on Friday.

“[Lukas] changed every industry for the better,” Baffert said. “He brought elegance to the game. … To be part of it and then to tie him, it’s an honor for me. … I still miss him. I loved having conversations with him. It’s an honor to tie him.”

Shisospicy ($12.60) broke on top and held the lead to the finish to win the $1-million Turf Sprint, which was ran at five furlongs. The 3-year-old filly is trained by Jose Francisco D’Angelo and was ridden by Irad Ortiz, Jr., who picked up his 22nd Cup victory.

She’s Quality was eased shortly out of the gate in the Turf Sprint by jockey Colin Keane and walked onto the equine ambulance. She was transported to an equine hospital and is back in her barn being monitored.

Ortiz picked up his 23rd win in the next race when he won the $2-million Sprint aboard Bentornato. It was also the second straight victory for D’Angelo. Bentornato broke on top and was never headed in the six-furlong race. It was only his second race of the year for the 4-year-old ridgling. Bentornato finished second in last year’s Sprint, losing to Straight No Chaser, who finished seventh on Saturday.

There were three additional Breeders’ Cup races after the Classic, the turf Mile, Dirt Mile and Filly & Mare Turf.

An underrated period drama based on one of the most influential books of all time is available to watch for free

Viewers shouldn’t miss out on this incredible four-part drama based on a classic novel, as it’s available to watch without spending a penny.

This breathtaking adaptation was originally aired in 2023 on ITV and PBS Masterpiece in the US and has developed a passionate cult following despite not receiving critical fanfare at the time.

Based on the novel by Henry Fielding, Tom Jones brings the seminal 1749 novel to life like never before with an ensemble cast of British legends.

William Tell’s Solly McLeod portrays the titular downtrodden hero, a young man with mysterious parentage who falls in love with his spirited neighbour Sophia Western (played by Sophie Wilde).

Sophie decides to flee her arranged marriage to be with Tom, but the pair are kept apart by a series of increasingly fraught misadventures.

They’re accompanied by some of the most recognisable names from the British screen, including Coronation Street’s Lucy Fallon, Harry Potter’s Shirley Henderson, New Tricks’ Alun Armstrong and Ted Lasso star Hannah Waddingham.

Many viewers consider the drama an essential watch and it’s still currently available to stream for free on ITVX.

One 10/10 review from an IMDb user declared it “Gorgeous viewing with a top notch cast”.

They continued: “The cast list is like a who’s who of the cream of British talent, topped by two lovely and good looking leads.

“The episodes fair gallops on its way, cutting through the boring exposition and getting quickly to the important stuff, the love story between Tom and Sophia.”

The review continued to particularly praise Waddingham’s performance as Lady Bellaston, declaring “Seriously, put this woman in EVERYTHING”.

“If you get a chance, watch it in one go, it’s perfect lazy weekend viewing,” the reviewer concluded.

Another warned that fans of the book should expect some changes to the narrative, but admitted: “Even though the story is not like really really the one from the book is one pretty entertaining and very fun to watch. The choice of actors was really good and they did a great job.

“I really recommend for you to watch it if you want some light series combined with romance, a bit of jealousy and of course some British scenery.”

And a 9/10 review said: “This is what you want from English costume drama – and more. I really liked it.

“Fans of historical dramas and literary adaptations will find Tom Jones a must-watch, as it stays true to the spirit of the novel while making it accessible and enjoyable for modern audiences.”

In the mood for a cosy period romance with plenty of laughs and scenery-chewing performances from British greats? Look no further.

Tom Jones is available to stream on ITVX.

Sovereignty, the top-ranked horse in the country, will not run in the $7-million Breeders’ Cup Classic after developing a fever this week. The winner of the Kentucky Derby, Belmont Stakes and Travers Stakes will recover although it’s unclear if he will ever race again.

Trainer Bill Mott made the announcement Wednesday morning and informed Breeders’ Cup officials of the scratch.

“I actually started thinking, ‘We might be OK.’ But then, in a matter of hours, my optimism was taken away,” Mott said. “When he had a real mild fever and we medicated him right away, he acted normal. I actually was maybe looking at it with rose-colored glasses.”

On Wednesday morning, Sovereignty was standing upright in his stall munching on hay and showed no obvious discomfort.

“We’ve gone through the entire year with this horse without a hiccup,” Mott said.

The fever was detected on Monday and he was treated with an NSAID, similar to Tylenol. He could not be given an antibiotic at that time because he would then likely fail a drug test. On Tuesday, Mott puts his odds at running at 50-50.

“If we don’t think he’s 100%, he won’t run in the Breeders’ Cup Classic,” Mott said on Tuesday.

After he was initially treated, his temperature went back to normal but then it spiked again overnight.

Sovereignty was the biggest star of the 42nd Breeders’ Cup and was installed as the 6-5 favorite to win the Classic.

Mott and owner Godolphin have been very cautious with this Sovereignty. After he won the Kentucky Derby his connections elected to not run him in the Preakness because it was only two weeks after the Derby. Horse racing is a dying brand on the sports landscape and a possible Triple Crown winner could have a shot in the arm the sport desperately needs.

A decision has not been made if the colt will return to racing next year or be retired to stallion duty.

Few recent films have had quite the reversal of reputation as Karyn Kusama’s 2009 supernatural high-school thriller, which can now clearly be seen for the wise, witty gem it has always been. Overwhelmed at the time by the cultural backlash that swarmed both its star Megan Fox (fresh from the media firestorm of the “Transformers” franchise) and screenwriter Diablo Cody, after her meteoric ascent with the Oscar-winning “Juno,” initial audiences were unprepared for a savage horror-comedy about the traumas of navigating the world as a teenage girl. The bond of two best friends (Fox, Amanda Seyfried) is put to the test when, after a ritual sacrifice goes awry, one of them becomes a possessed succubus who must feed on human flesh. Kusama’s finely modulated direction keeps all the plates of the story spinning as the film moves between being funny, scary and surprisingly tender toward its characters. A conversation with Kusama, Fox and professor Tananarive Due, who specializes in horror, should make this a special evening.

“Jennifer’s Body” is playing Oct. 25 at the Academy Museum. Tickets here.

All season, high school football coaches advise their players to stay focused and not look ahead. Then there’s what happens before, during and after the Garfield vs. Roosevelt football game is played.

“We’ve been hearing about this game since January,” Roosevelt coach Ernesto Ceja said. “I get the texts, the phone calls, ‘Are you guys going to beat Garfield?’ I’m like, ‘Let me put a team together, then I’ll get back to you.’”

The annual East L.A. Classic, in its 90th year, has a double homecoming and usually produces the largest regular-season crowd of the football season. It is set for 7:30 p.m. Friday at East Los Angeles College. The JV game is at 4 p.m., followed by a girls’ flag football game, then the varsity. DJ Mustard will be part of halftime festivities.

In this time of concerns about ICE raids in Los Angeles, East L.A. College officials say every entrance will be watched by L.A. County Sheriff’s deputies, campus police or private security. The school hosted 11 high school graduations last summer with no incidents and believes fans should feel comfortable attending. Tickets are available at GoFan.co

Garfield is on the verge of winning the Eastern League title with a 6-2 record and 5-0 league mark. Roosevelt (4-4, 3-1) has won three straight league games since switching to the double-wing attack.

Garfield principal Regina Marquez Martinez told a gathering of media, players, cheerleaders and band members on Wednesday at East Los Angeles College: “This community, these schools, we’re as American as apple pie and pan dulce.”

Said LAUSD board member Rocio Rivas: “Let’s go East L.A. Let’s go Boyle Heights.”

This is a daily look at the positive happenings in high school sports. To submit any news, please email [email protected].

THIS the stuff of Dreams for millions of fans across the globe and now there’s fresh hope for a Fleetwood Mac reunion.

The group have not performed together since 2019 and they were left devastated when Christine McVie died in 2022.

But I’ve been told that there are serious discussions behind the scenes about a series of projects involving all of the remaining members to celebrate the 50th anniversary of their album Rumours, which is among the best-selling and most critically acclaimed records of all time.

At the centre of the plans is said to be Mick Fleetwood, who is leading peace talks between former couple Stevie Nicks and Lindsey Buckingham, as well as John McVie.

A one-off show, a TV special and a documentary about the making of Rumours are among options being discussed for the 2027 milestone.

And Warner Records is also preparing a special re-release of the album featuring unheard material from the original studio sessions.

A source close to Mick in the US said: “Fleetwood Mac are discussing new projects and how to mark Rumours’ big 5-0. For certain there is a special edition version of the album coming, which the band and label have been secretly looking at.

“But also there is a significant hope that it is time for the definitive documentary on all the chaos in the studio that created the magic on record.

“John and Christine were divorcing and she was dating their lighting guy. Stevie and Lindsey were over just before she and Mick enjoyed a brief fling. And drugs and booze were everywhere.

“The desire is for everyone to sit down and present their side of events on screen.

“And then of course comes the potential for a stage reunion and concert. That is the goal from Mick.

“Stevie has said it would not feel right being on stage without Christine, but also she and Lindsey are on a healing journey right now, which could be the path to a new show.

“However there is a desire to pay tribute to Christine in some way and a live show around Rumours seems a very fitting way.

“The gig would fill a stadium dozens of times because of the love they command.

“But unless some major shift happens, a tour is unlikely at this stage.”

Aaron Bay-Schuck, co-chairman and CEO of Warner Records confirmed at LA’s City of Hope gala that “some very special” music leftover from the making of Rumours had been found.

He said: “We will do everything in our power to respect that anniversary as long as they’ll let us.”

Last month, Stevie and Lindsey suggested relations had thawed when they reissued their 1973 Buckingham Nicks album.

And in March, Mick admitted: “I always have a fantasy that [Stevie] and Lindsey would pal up a bit more and just say everything’s OK for them both.”

They are beloved by an entirely new generation now thanks to social media, so there will be millions around the globe hoping they can patch things up for one last hurrah.

Aaron Bay-Schuck was at City of Hope’s Spirit of Life gala to celebrate co-chairman and Warner Records COO Tom Corson, who was honoured at the event.

It is the centrepiece of the music, film and entertainment industry’s annual philanthropic campaign and raised nearly $6million.

Funds from the campaign are fueling leading research and survivorship programs for young adults, including music therapy.

Michael Buble, Cher and members of Linkin Park were among other guests who were there in LA last week.

Xander Schauffele won his first title since last year’s Open Championship at the Baycurrent Classic in Japan.

American Schauffele carded a final-round 64, featuring eight birdies, to finish one shot clear of compatriot Max Greyserman on 19-under at Yokohama Country Club.

It was Schauffele’s first event since the United States’ Ryder Cup defeat by Europe at Bethpage Black in New York.

The 31-year-old struggled with a rib injury at the start of the year which disrupted the momentum generated by his 2024 Open victory at Royal Troon, which came only two months after his maiden major win at the PGA Championship.

“It feels good, it’s nice to know I’ve still got it,” said Schauffele. “It was a rough year but my team dragged me through it.

“Hopefully I’m catching my stride. It was a big learning experience with the injury this year.”

Schauffele added that it was “special” to win in Japan, where his mother grew up and his grandparents still live.

Michael Thorbjornsen, who briefly tied for the lead after an eagle at the fourth hole, finished three strokes behind Schauffele in third on 16 under par.

Schauffele’s Ryder Cup team-mate Collin Morikawa finished tied for 14th on 10 under.

American Matt McCarty had the round of the day, hitting 12 birdies – including eight in a row on the back nine – for a final-round 11-under 60, with only a bogey at the 18th denying him a sub-60 round.

The top two returners from last year battled for three miles before Lily Alder of Timpview (Utah) passed La Jolla’s Chiara Dailey in the final yards to win the Bob Day Girls Sweepstakes race on Saturday night in the 44th Woodbridge Cross Country Classic at Great Park in Irvine.

Alder won by 1.6 seconds in 15:40 flat after placing third in 2024 in 15:28.9 — seven-tenths of a second behind runner-up Dailey. Jaelyn Williams of Chula Vista Eastlake was third in 15:52 and taking fourth individually in 15:54.1 was Irvine’s Summer Wilson.

“My coach told me I could go 15:39 and I know I’m a lot better than I performed today,” said Wilson, a senior committed to Duke. “I found myself leading in the first two miles but my strength is my kick, so in retrospect it would’ve been smarter to stay back.”

Wilson’s former school JSerra (she transferred before her junior year) won the team title with 196 points.

Corona Santiago’s Rylee Blade, now a freshman at Florida State, set the meet record of 15:20.3 last fall. Her former Sharks teammate, Arkansas-bound senior Braelyn Combe, who won the state 1,600-meter title in the spring was seventh Saturday in 16:11.1.

Herriman (Utah) senior Jackson Spencer won the Doug Speck Boys Sweepstakes in 13:42.1, well off the meet record of 13:30.3 set a year ago on the same course by Owen Powell of Mercer Island (Wash.). Spencer, who was sixth in last year’s sweepstakes race, led the Mustangs to their fourth straight team championship.

Oak Park (203) won the Gold Varsity A boys race. Canyon Country Canyon senior Owen Souther was second individually in 14:41.8. Norwalk senior Leo Diaz won the Gold Varsity B race in 14:50.3 and El Toro was second in the team standings with 228 points.

Joaquim Sandoval, a junior from Warren, was first in the Blue Varsity B boys race in 14:28.6. “I’m feeling pretty good,” he said afterward.

Oaks Christian senior Delaney Napierala ran a personal-best 17:01.6 to outlast Jenna Murray of Moorpark (17:03.8) and win the Gold Varsity A girls race. In the Gold Varsity B race, Westlake freshman Sabina Cruz edged Autumn Banks of Tahoe-Truckee by one second in 16:50.7 while pacing the Warriors to the team title.

It’s Viva Las Vegas for the top girls volleyball teams in Southern California. They’ll be in Las Vegas this weekend for the 30th Durango Classic that will be played at four sites beginning Friday.

Seven of MaxPreps’ top 10 teams nationally are scheduled to compete, including Sierra Canyon, Mater Dei, Redondo Union, Marymount and Mira Costa.

Sierra Canyon is ranked No. 1 in the Southern Section power rankings after knocking off Redondo Union last week.

It’s also one of the first chances to see teams strengthened by players who had to sit out the first half of the season after transferring without moving. The sit-out period ended Sept. 13. …

The Ivy League football season begins on Saturday, and there are 39 players from Southern Section high school teams listed on Ivy League rosters.

This is a daily look at the positive happenings in high school sports. To submit any news, please email [email protected].

A POPULAR UK supermarket has recalled two of its products over fears they could cause an E.coli outbreak.

Customers have been warned not to eat either of the products after it was discovered they may contain Shiga toxin-producing E.coli (STEC).

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Fears have been sparked that the contaminated products could spark an outbreak of the potentially deadly disease.

Customers could suffer serious symptoms including diarrhoea, abdominal pain and bloody diarrhoea if they consume the product.

The Shiga toxin-producing E.coli could also cause haemolytic uremic syndrome – a serious condition that can lead to kidney failure and can be fatal.

Anyone who has purchased JS Classic Houmous and JS Lemon & Coriander Houmous is being warned not to eat them.

Customers who have bought the contaminated products are asked to return them to the point of sale urgently.

Full refunds will be handed out to customers who bring back the potentially harmful humus.

Sainsbury’s is putting up in store notices to explain the recall to customers.

A notice issued by the The Food Standards Agency reads: “Sainsbury’s has taken the precautionary step of recalling JS Classic Houmous and JS Lemon & Coriander Houmous because these products may contain Shiga toxin-producing E.coli (STEC).

“If you have bought any of the above products do not eat them. Instead, return them to the store from where they were bought for a full refund.”

In sport, sometimes there is no better way to prepare for a fierce rivalry than watching reruns or reading summaries of previous heart-stopping encounters.

And in cricket, there is no bigger rivalry than India vs Pakistan.

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The sport’s history is embellished with historic India-Pakistan clashes at every tournament and in every decade.

With the teams set to meet again in the T20 Asia Cup 2025, Al Jazeera Sport picks the three India-Pakistan Asia Cup classics you must revisit before Sunday’s encounter:

2010: Harbhajan is a last-over hero with the bat

The 2010 edition of the Asia Cup was a four-team tournament played entirely in Dambulla, Sri Lanka, where all teams played a round-robin group stage, with the top two progressing to the final.

India beat Bangladesh while Pakistan lost to Sri Lanka, making their June 19 encounter a must-win for the Shahid Afridi-led side.

Pakistan opened with a 71-run partnership between Salman Butt and Imran Farhat. A par total of 267 followed the regular fall of wickets thereafter. India’s fast-medium seamer Praveen Kumar picked up three wickets, but it was Ravindra Jadeja’s left-arm spin that kept Pakistan in check.

Gautam Gambhir and Virender Sehwag opened the batting for India’s chase, and while Sehwag fell after an uncharacteristically slow innings, Gambhir kept going as captain MS Dhoni chipped in with a half-century.

India seemed well set before Pakistan’s spinners struck in the last third of their innings. Gambhir, Rohit Sharma, Dhoni and Jadeja fell in quick succession, leaving India reeling at 219-6 with 49 runs required off 29 balls.

Lower-order batter Suresh Raina had the responsibility to take India home alongside off-spinner Harbhajan Singh. Raina hit Ajmal for 12 off 4 before three economical overs from Shoaib Akhtar and Mohammad Amir.

With eight runs to defend in the final over, Amir made a near-perfect start as Raina ran a single. In a desperate attempt to get back on strike, Raina had a mix-up with Harbhajan and was run out, giving Pakistan the upper hand. India needed seven off four, with Kumar facing Amir. A double and a single brought Harbhajan back on strike for the final two balls.

Harbhajan, who had an altercation with Akhtar a few balls earlier, swung at a length delivery, clearing midwicket for a huge six. The Turbanator then turned towards Akhtar and let out a loud roar as the Indian dressing room celebrated wildly.

India were in the final and Pakistan were nearly out.

Brief scorecard

Pakistan: 267 in 49.3 overs – Salman Butt 74 (85), Kamran Akmal 51 (41); Praveen Kumar 3-53 in 10 overs.
India: 271 in 49.5 overs – Gautam Gambhir 83 (97), MS Dhoni 56 (71); Saeed Ajmal 3-56 in 10 overs.

2014: Afridi seals it with two sixes and a kiss

The round-robin format continued for the 2010 tournament in Bangladesh.

By the time India faced Pakistan, both teams had one win and one loss and needed a win to bolster their chances for a spot in the final.

Runs flowed off Rohit Sharma’s bat on a quick Mirpur outfield, and India seemed on their way to a big total despite losing Shikhar Dhawan early. Virat Kohli joined Rohit in smashing the Pakistani pacers.

While Rohit went his merry way, India were dealt a blow when Umar Gul dismissed Kohli for five. Regular wickets slowed India’s scoring rate, but they still posted 245, thanks to a late flourish by Ambati Rayudu and Jadeja.

Pakistan’s top-order, particularly Mohammad Hafeez, gave them a good start to the chase. However, it wasn’t long before India’s spin twins Ravichandran Ashwin and Amit Mishra forced a collapse worthy of Pakistani renown. Four batters were dismissed in the space of 42 runs.

Hafeez began the rebuild with Sohaib Maqsood in an 87-run partnership, but both were dismissed in consecutive overs, leaving Pakistan reeling at 203-6 off 45. Maqsood’s run out, in particular, was a gift for India after a huge mid-pitch mix-up with Shahid Afridi, just after Pakistan took the upper hand.

Afridi, the last recognised batter, was joined by Gul as Pakistan required 43 off 30 with four wickets standing. Every Afridi swing of his bat was met with trepidation as the all-rounder was known for attempting big shots irrespective of the match situation.

At first, he targeted Jadeja, hitting him for a four and a six in the 46th. The following over, from Bhuvneshwar Kumar, also brought two boundaries before Mohammad Shami kept Pakistan quiet in the 48th.

Kumar’s next over, with two wickets and just three runs, all but ended Pakistan’s hopes as Afridi watched on from the non-striker’s end.

The final over was handed to Ashwin, who had taken 2-31 in his nine overs thus far. The wily spinner gave India the perfect start by bowling Ajmal first up. Pakistani fans held their heads in disbelief while India’s celebrated wildly.

Junaid Khan was last in, and he played a perfect dab to pinch a single, bringing Afridi back on strike.

With nine needed off four, the stadium held its breath knowing Afridi could sway the match either way.

As Ashwin began his delivery stride, Afridi stepped back and swung hard at a short ball. The connection between was by no means ideal, but Afridi’s power cleared the ropes.

Afridi again gave himself room with the ball pitched closer to his body, but when has that ever stopped Afridi from playing a risky shot? Another wild swing skied the ball, but it again cleared the boundary.

Ashwin was all hands-on-head as the Indian team stood in disbelief.

Afridi was all arms lifted wide in his trademark star-man celebration as Junaid embraced him. A delighted Afridi gave Junaid a quick kiss on the cheek before the star all-rounder was mobbed by his teammates.

Brief scorecard

India: 245-8 in 50 overs – Rohit Sharma 56 (58), Ravindra Jadeja 52 (49); Saeed Ajmal 3-40 in 10 overs.
Pakistan: 249-9 in 49.4 overs – Mohammad Hafeez 75 (117), Shahid Afridi 34 (18); Ravichandran Ashwin 3-44 in 9.4 overs.

2016: Kohli trumps Amir in low-scoring thriller

The Asia Cup 2016 was the first played as a T20 and produced one-sided group games until India met Pakistan in the fourth match of the round-robin stage.

Pakistan lost Hafeez to the fourth ball of the match.

A poor umpiring decision, with Khurram Manzoor surviving a caught-behind, left India furious. However, Dhoni’s team didn’t have to wait too long for Manzoor’s departure as Afridi’s men continued to struggle on a low-scoring pitch, losing wickets in every other over.

In a total of 83, Sarfaraz Ahmed’s 25 was Pakistan’s only saving grace. Hardik Pandya led the attack with three wickets, but each of India’s bowlers chipped in, including a then-fresh-faced Jasprit Bumrah.

The chase was seemingly simple, given India’s power-packed batting. Mohammad Amir, playing his first Asia Cup since returning to the team following his cricket corruption-linked ban, had other plans.

The left-arm pacer made a near-perfect start, striking Rohit’s toes with a swinging yorker, only for it to be adjudged not out. There was no surviving the following inswinger, which struck the pads.

Kohli was next in to face the pumped-up Amir, swinging the ball to his will. A single switched strike with Ajinkya Rahane’s first ball ending up being his last, Amir swinging the ball back into the right-hander viciously to strike his pads plumb in front.

Amir’s second over, and India’s third, brought more lbw appeals as Kohli was struck on the pads by another skilful delivery that straightened, but failed to impress the umpire. Amir had his reward next ball, as Raina was the man to go, chipping an easy catch to short mid-on.

Kohli and Yuvraj Singh saw out Amir’s spell, nudging towards the target. Kohli, in particular, showed nerves of steel to see off Amir’s scintillating swing.

The Indian batting star soon reaped his reward, however, settling in to take boundaries off all the bowlers, including Amir’s last.

India’s charge was halted in the 15th when Kohli fell on 49, followed by Pandya, but the team total was 76-3. New batter Dhoni and Yuvraj took six more deliveries to finish the job.

India won by five wickets, but the match could have had a nervy finish were it not for Kohli’s brilliance.

Brief scorecard

Pakistan: 83 runs in 17.3 overs – Sarfaraz Ahmed 25 (24); Hardik Pandya 3-8 in 3.3 overs.
India: 85-5 runs in 15.3 overs – Virat Kohli 49 (51); Mohammad Amir 3-18 in 4 overs.

DOC Martin is the latest TV classic hit by trigger warnings — with viewers warned the medical show ­contains “medical procedures”.

The ITV comedy-drama, starring Martin Clunes, features the notice on its ITVX streaming service.

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In one scene, Clunes’ Dr Martin Ellingham is asked to remove a mole from a patient’s face.

The removal is shown from behind, with no blood seen.

But bosses warned the show “contains a mild medical procedure”.

Another episode tells viewers they could see “one scene of moderate peril” after a man gets injured.

And a series three instalment warns of “scenes of injury which some viewers may find upsetting”.

In series six, people are alerted to “bloody scenes of a medical nature”.

Tory MP Sir Alec Shelbrooke said: “The clue’s in the name — it’s a show about a doctor.

“It’s another example of trigger warnings stepping over the line.”

We have told how TV favourites Rising Damp, Father Ted, Midsomer Murders and Michael Palin’s Around The World in 80 Days were also hit with warnings.

ITV was approached for comment.

On bustling Western Avenue in the heart of Gardena, Sakura-Ya and Chikara Mochi sit about 250 feet away from each other, frequented by South Bay residents for decades for fluffy mochi and cakey manju. They’re two of the only traditional Japanese mochi shops in L.A., with blink-and-you’ll-miss-it signage.

Just a block away is Meiji Tofu Shop, a nearly 50-year-old producer that churns out fresh soy milk and tofu daily. Cross the street to find Otafuku — where the Akutsu family has been serving traditional Tokyo soba since 1997.

You’ll find similar clusters of diverse Japanese food in strip malls across Gardena as well as Torrance, which has the largest East Asian population in all of L.A. The two neighboring cities are home to the biggest suburban Japanese community in the United States — and a decades-old restaurant landscape that feels like a time capsule, yet continues to flourish as a haven for classic Japanese cuisine and hospitality.

“It’s like we’re stuck in the ’90s,” said South Bay native Daniel Son, the chef and owner of Gardena’s Sushi Sonagi. “These days, when everything is monetizing and content creating has to be so fresh, they don’t care. They’re just gonna make great product and quietly do it.”

Japanese immigrants first came to the L.A. area in the late 1800s and early 1900s — many from San Francisco after the 1906 earthquake — as strawberry farmers. Unlike Little Tokyo, which has been subject to the whims of tourists and the changing landscape of downtown L.A., the suburban South Bay has maintained a more stable identity, according to Emily Anderson, a curator for Little Tokyo’s Japanese American National Museum.

“In places like Torrance and Gardena, you have the development and preservation of Japanese American food — it [has] layers of history and struggle, but food ultimately being a source of comfort and identity,” Anderson said.

When Torrance became the site of Toyota’s North American headquarters in 1967, more Japanese immigrants, and food, came with it. Over the next few decades, dozens of restaurants opened in Torrance and Gardena, along with a growing number of Japanese supermarket chains like Tokyo Central, Nijiya Market and Mitsuwa Marketplace, giving neighbors a taste of home.

By the time Toyota left Torrance for Texas in 2017, these businesses had proved themselves integral to the region’s culinary fabric. Their networks, once primarily composed of Japanese immigrants and descendant families, had extended to residents of all backgrounds.

“My plan is to be the last bastion of Japanese food prepared the Japanese way,” said former Tokyo resident Kristen McIntyre, owner of homestyle Japanese restaurant Fukagawa in Gardena.

Many Japanese restaurant owners in the area have a “serve what you want to eat” mindset, said Otafuku owner Mieko Akutsu. “We never adjusted the flavor for American people.”

In her case, that means serving three types of soba, including sarashina soba — a white noodle made using the core of the buckwheat plant — which became known as an upscale dish in Tokyo, where regular, darker soba became a popular working-class meal during the Edo period.

Today, restaurants like Sushi Sonagi, which opened in 2023, along with Michelin-starred Sushi Inaba in Torrance, lead the way in bringing Angelenos — and diners from across the country — to the South Bay, where troves of Japanese restaurants and shops, many immigrant-run and cash-only, shine in all their old-school glory. Many don’t have PR firms or flashy Instagram accounts; some will give you a handwritten receipt and others don’t have websites.

“I felt like [opening Sushi Sonagi] in the South Bay almost celebrates the diversity and the rich Asian American culture that’s very deep here,” said Son, who blends his Korean American heritage into his roughly 20-course omakase. “It’s just really cool to bring more life to an area that I feel like is L.A.’s little secret.”

But sushi is merely the cusp of the region’s offerings. Torrance and Gardena are L.A.’s storied destinations for every type of Japanese food imaginable: Yoshoku restaurants, which combine Japanese and Western cooking, coexist alongside traditional izakayas, yakitori joints and newer businesses that hail from Japan. Use these 18 spots as a starting point for some of the best — and some of the oldest — Japanese restaurants that have quietly put South Bay suburbs on the L.A. dining map.

Britain’s Emma Raducanu fell agonisingly short of beating world number one Aryna Sabalenka and earning a statement win at the Cincinnati Open.

Raducanu, 22, lost 7-6 (7-3) 4-6 7-6 (7-5) as defending champion Sabalenka edged a battle lasting more than three hours to reach the fourth round.

Having also pushed Sabalenka at Wimbledon, Raducanu’s performance was further evidence she can severely test the world’s best as her revival continues.

This season, with the British number one’s fitness issues largely behind her and the development of a new-found resilience, she has climbed back into the top 40.

“As I said at Wimbledon I am really happy to see her healthy – mentally and physically,” said Sabalenka.

“Every time she is improving and I can see she is getting back to her best.

“I’m enjoying fighting against her – she is such an incredible player.”

Raducanu could be seeded among the leading 32 players at the upcoming US Open, providing a more favourable draw – in theory at least – at the hard-court Grand Slam which she won as a teenage qualifier in 2021.

On the basis of this display against Sabalenka, there are plenty of positives for Raducanu to take into the final major of the season.

An Amazon Prime remake of the classic sci-fi War of the Worlds has managed to get the lowest-possible score on Rotten Tomatoes, meaning it has been universally panned

An Amazon Prime remake of a classic sci-fi film has earned the lowest-possible score on Rotten Tomatoes. The streaming platform’s new version of War of the World stars Ice Cube and Eva Longoria, but even having two massive names attached to it did not help things when it came to impressing fans of the original.

On the review-aggregation website, which attracts nearly 80 million film and TV fans on a monthly basis, not one of the 13 reviews is positive and it has therefore been left with a rating of 0%. User ExxtraZY wrote: “I am traumatised. Not because of how graphic it is, but how awful it is. It feels like a 10 year old had a fever dream and decided to write the story at the top of their head.”

Another reviewer said: “The butchered one of the greatest sci-fi stories mankind has ever told. Just horrible. Bad writing,” and another fumed: “This movie could either be considered a glorified Amazon Ad or a really, really, really bad movie.” It comes after one Mirror writer claimed ‘the new Bonnie Blue documentary may be the worst thing I’ve ever seen on Channel 4’.

A fourth reviewer said: “Stayed 20 minutes longer than I should have because of Ice Cube. But even he couldn’t save this disaster of an adaptation,” whilst one social media user took to X to write: “This new War of the Worlds movie might be the worst movie I have seen in years.” Despite this, some fans who had watched the movie felt that they could defend it.

One wrote: “I felt the story was strong enough to suspend belief. I didn’t care too much about the special effects, I cared about are the kids going to be OK and how this story is different from the many other renditions I have seen,” and another said: “Ok so I am gonna buck the system here. I truly enjoyed WAR OF THE WORLDS. I thought Ice Cube was great – loved the entire cast. Eva Longoria – great. Loved the kids. What is the problem here??”

One irate viewer took to X to vent: “War of the Worlds (2025) is the worst adaption of the source material to date. It had no ideas beyond the found footage approach, and even then the film is struggling to find ways to present coherent scenes.

“Ice Cube is so lost. Maybe one of the worst movies I’ve ever seen. Most of the film just doesn’t make sense because they’re trying to rush through a mountain of developments.

The latest version of War of the Worlds, which focuses on an attempted alien invasion, was released last week on the streaming service. But the original novel by HG Wells was published in 1898, and the story has been adapted for the screen multiple times.

After first being broadcast on the radio in the late 1930s, three film adaptations were releases from 1953 and 1981. In 2005, Tom Cruise starred alongside a young Dakota Fanning in a modern remake of the Victorian classic.

There is also Jeff Wayne’s musical adaptation, which has toured the country regularly for nearly two decades and has recently featured the likes of Jason Donovan, Steps star Claire Richards, former EastEnders actress Maisie Smith and The Wanted’s Max George stepping into its main roles over the years.

The synopsis for the latest incarnation of the story reads: “‘A gargantuan invasion is coming with this fresh take on the legendary novel of the same name. Renowned actress Eva Longoria is joined by iconic rapper and actor Ice Cube, along with Michael O’Neill and Iman Benson, for a thrilling out-of-this-world adventure that is filled with present-day themes of technology, surveillance, and privacy.”

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