British content creator Luke Tweddle has discussed whether life is better in Australia than in the UK after moving there three years ago and he said the answer wasn’t ‘simple’
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Captain Andy Robertson discusses the reaction of a section of Scotland fans after the friendly defeats by Japan and Ivory Coast.
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Former England goalkeeper Paul Robinson, at Wembley for BBC Radio 5 Live, said: “This is the exact situation no England fan wants. We’ve talked about it for over a season with this World Cup coming up. What do England do without Harry Kane?
“This is what England and Thomas Tuchel do not want. He doesn’t have an answer to this question. Hence why we’re seeing this new formation again, with the interchange and false nine.
“We’ve spoken about Dominic Calvert-Lewin, Dominic Solanke, Ollie Watkins. Nobody stuck their arm up and said, ‘I’ll be his replacement’. that’s why we’re seeing this.”
Robinson added: “It was a very disappointing evening for Thomas Tuchel. The experiment that he tried in the first half with the front four clearly didn’t work.
“It didn’t take him long in the second half to change it. You do give England credit because when those changes were made there was a lot more cohesion.
“The one area that Thomas Tuchel has got a problem is if there is a problem with Harry Kane. If that happens, then England have a real problem after watching that.”
Tuchel answered the question about an over-reliance on Kane, saying: “Well, why would Argentina not rely on Lionel Messi, or Portugal not rely on Cristiano Ronaldo? This is totally normal. Key figures left camp for us and we saw that a bit.
“We lacked a punch in the last 20 metres in both matches. We encouraged the players. It was difficult for us.”
Kane’s potential absence is an immediate concern, leaving Tuchel short of viable alternatives when he needs them most, especially given these two toothless performances without him.
English strikers are suddenly a malaise.
Only 10 English strikers have appeared in the Premier League in the current campaign, with Chelsea’s 22-year-old Liam Delap the only one aged under 26.
Brighton’s Danny Welbeck, who turns 35 at the end of the month, might just have had a good international break by not being involved.
Welbeck and Calvert-Lewin are the only English strikers to have scored 10 or more Premier League goals this season – with 43 scored by English strikers.
It’s a far cry from the first season of the Premier League era in 1992-93, when 20 English strikers passed the 10-goal mark.
In recent years, however, what was already a steep decline has fallen off a cliff. Last season, only 67 goals were scored by English strikers, less than half the number in 2020-21.
Kane’s departure from Tottenham for Germany has played a part, of course, but he left for Bayern in 2023 and English strikers still scored 96 goals in 2023-24.
The cupboard is bare, underscoring just how indispensable Kane is.
This was a sobering night for England and Tuchel. This performance demonstrated that they simple cannot live without Harry Kane.
Three top-20 sides faced by Thomas Tuchel’s England – and still no wins.
The Three Lions breezed through qualification for the World Cup winning all of their eight games without conceding a goal.
But after losing 1-0 to Japan, the world’s 18th-ranked side, at Wembley in England’s last match before Tuchel names his World Cup squad, questions about whether the Three Lions struggle when they come up against elite nations are being asked.
After their loss at Wembley, which saw Japan become the first Asian side to beat England, the Three Lions end the March international break without a win.
There is an argument that Tuchel experiemented with his line-ups in last June’s 3-1 loss to 14th-ranked Senegal, the 1-1 draw with 17th-ranked Uruguay and in the Japan defeat, something he would not do at a major tournament.
But critics will suggest that the England manager should be using these games to find his best XI, and get them ready for the challenge that is coming at this summer’s World Cup, especially as the sides that England did not face the same tests in qualification.
Serbia, England’s toughest oppnent in qualification, are ranked 39th in the world, and were comfortably beaten 5-0 away by England and 2-0 at Wembley in November.
The biggest worry for England and for Tuchel is what they will do without captain and record goalscorer Harry Kane if he is not available.
Kane missed the game against Japan after picking up a knock in training and England, who lacked ideas in attack, do not have a candidate who is ready to be his back-up.
Manchester City midfielder Phil Foden was trialled as a false nine and did not have a good night but Tuchel has said this window has provided him “more clarity” than questions about his side.
“I am disappointed, everyone is.” Tuchel said. “I knew that we had a top exam in this window because our players are heavy in club football and in European football in the most physical toughest league that there is.
“We played against two top-20 teams, well drilled and very good opponents who arrived with their best line-up
“We had big changes in the middle of camp, suddenly after the [Uruguay] match we had seven or eight injuries who had to leave.
“It is not an excuse, it is just an explanation why things are not perfectly smooth and perfectly at the highest level we expect.”
Jordan Pickford: Japan’s opening goal was the first time Pickford had conceded for England in 922 minutes. He had to produce a smart save in the second half to keep the hosts in the game. 6
Ben White: Beaten once early on but showed the consistency he has done for Arsenal after that. A constant hard-working presence down the right-hand side. One particularly good overlapping run in the first half. 6
Ezri Konsa: In with a big chance of starting the first game at the World Cup. One crucial block to deny Ayase Ueda with the shot hitting the bar and going over. 6
Marc Guehi: Given the armband by Tuchel for the first time. A couple of shaky moments early on but after that as dependable as ever. 6
Nico O’Reilly: Another important game for O’Reilly as he makes the left-back position his own before the summer. He showed his ability on the ball and moved into midfield whenever he could. 7
Kobbie Mainoo: A bright start and some nice footwork when moving the ball around midfield. Beaten a couple of times on Japan attacks when trying to defend. 6
Elliot Anderson: A certain starter at the World Cup. Assured in midfield, provided a drive to England’s play and tried to make things happen. One of the better performers on the night and clipped the crossbar with a good effort. 7
Cole Palmer: The Chelsea attacker was given the nod as the number 10 over Phil Foden who played as a false nine. There was always a sense that something could happen when Palmer was on the ball. However, he was caught on the ball and punished for Japan’s opener. Came off just before the hour mark. 6
Morgan Rogers: Started on the right wing and asked to provide a threat through the middle with no natural striker in the starting line-up. Not his best position but did the job that was asked of him. 6
Anthony Gordon: Put in another energetic performance with lots of hard work but not many moments to threaten the Japan defence. 5
Phil Foden: The Man City forward started as a false nine as Tuchel looks for a position for him in England’s squad. It was not a good night for Foden who will be worried about his place on the plane for the World Cup. Replaced in the 59th minute. 5
England head coach Charlotte Edwards says her players have categorically addressed the issues surrounding their fitness.
The physical condition of England’s players was a hot topic of debate before Edwards’ appointment.
England’s early exit from the Women’s T20 World Cup just under 18 months ago prompted former spinner Alex Hartley to say some players were “letting the team down” in terms of fitness.
Athleticism again came into focus during the Ashes in January 2025, and former coach Jon Lewis attributed it to a cultural difference between the UK and Australia.
Edwards introduced minimum fitness standards for England players when she replaced Lewis in charge last year.
When asked on a BBC Test Match Special debate show if the fitness issue had been put to bed, Edwards responded that it “100%” had.
“We’re in a really good place. The results are all so high. I couldn’t be more chuffed – we’ve made real progress,” Edwards said.
“It’s not just all about whether you can run round a track. It’s all the other elements to it that we’ve tried to make just as important.”
Edwards will celebrate a year in charge of England, who host the T20 World Cup this summer, on Wednesday.
The 46-year-old said the introduction of specific benchmarks relating to fitness have had the desired impact.
“I think once you set out the expectation, the players know what they need to do. And we’ve added in sort of benchmarks over the winter,” Edwards added.
“We’ve got to keep raising the standard. The players have fully bought into that, which, that was, I guess what I set out to do and am really pleased with the buy-in.
“I don’t know if anyone watched the fielding from the recent [intra-squad] series, but it’s some of the best fielding I’ve seen, certainly from our group, the improvements we’ve made.”
Watch the full debate about England’s women’s team on BBC iPlayer or listen to it as a podcast on BBC Sounds.
RIO and Kate Ferdinand may be the most high profile Brits to quit Dubai – but they definitely won’t be the last, a top businessman told The Sun.
Wolfgang Douglas – a UK investor and former Dubai resident – says his phone is “red hot” with people trying to get their money out of the Gulf State.
And he says it is not just the war – which has seen the influencer capital of the world besieged by missiles – that is driving away Brits.
It comes as England and Manchester United legend Rio and his wife Kate fled their £6.5million mansion – moving to Portugal.
Wolfgang told The Sun: “I am not surprised to see celebrities like [Rio & Kate] fleeing Dubai with their children.
“The dream of Dubai was sold on safety which is now undeniably not true.
“They sold it on being the Switzerland of the Middle East – untouched by the conflicts around them.
“Sadly, they now find themselves under attack and in the middle of a tinderbox.”
Dubai is known as the playground of the ultra rich – with social-media loving influencers flouting their lives with supercars, yachts and sun-drenched bikini snaps.
Some 240,000 Brit expats have moved out to the playground city – lured by the promise of a lavish lifestyle and low tax.
Expats make up between 85 and 90 per cent of Dubai’s population.
But beneath the glitzy exterior, Wolfgang – who runs The Wolf MBA business academy – says people are now waking up to the city’s dark side.
He claims that it is not just influencers desperate to return to London, but also private investors and ultra-wealthy families.
And he knows how bad things can get in the city – with him having to spend millions of pounds fighting to get his dad Albert freed from a Dubai jail after he was unjustly banged up for a crime he didn’t commit.
Wolfgang told The Sun those “seduced” by the allure of the city are fleeing – but the money is escaping even quicker, with the city now facing a “potentially catastrophic exodus”.
He said: “The Iran war has crashed the Gulf dream, and the real story isn’t expats fleeing Dubai, but how the money is escaping even faster.
“Working discreetly as an intermediary for the private investment houses or family offices of the ultra-wealthy, my phone has been red hot with thousands of calls and messages since late February.”
He went on: “People are threatened or even imprisoned for speaking out or filming drone strikes, but while they weigh options and chase plane tickets, the smart money has been moving – extremely fast.
“Influencers continue posting luxury content while insisting everything is normal, but there are echoes of the Titanic here.”
Wolfgang works in “asset liquidation” – essentially converting assets into cash.
He says he is helping connecting the wealthy with people who can flog property and cars so they can get out of the Gulf.
Wolfgang said one family – who he cannot name – has asked him to help redirect some £250million worth of investments out the region, and instead they are looking at opportunities in London.
Many Gulf natives kept their assets in the West, particularly London while they convinced Brits to move their over to the Middle East.
Wolfgang said: “Fact is, Dubai sold a lie via public and social media, actively undermining confidence in London and the wider UK by highlighting crime, high taxes and political instability, while trumpeting the Gulf as a glamorous tax-free sanctuary for wealth.”
He went on: “While telling the world London is unsafe, many native Gulf investors kept their wealth here all along and continued to live and operate out of Mayfair, Belgravia and Knightsbridge, even as their media was persuading Brits to sell up and ‘join them’ in the Gulf.”
“So, property prices in parts of central London fell 20-30 per cent in recent years.
“And who bought those properties?
“The very people who told Brits to sell yet never left their own London mansions.”
Wolfgang added: “So, after years of being battered by negative narratives, this could be the moment capital begins flowing back into London.
“You can build the tallest skyscrapers in the world, shout about luxury and tax-free wealth and claim accolades like having the world’s only seven-star hotel, but when uncertainty strikes, capital returns to long-established safe institutions.”
And he warned influencers simply “can’t admit the truth” and are continuing to sell the “Gulf mirage”.
Wolfgang has witnessed first hand the disturbing side of Dubai as his dad Albert was banged up in a disgusting prison .
Businessman Albert says the four-year ordeal in a hellhole Dubai jail stripped him of any shred of dignity and left him “feeling less than nothing”.
He had been arrested for financial fraud after simply putting his signature to a piece of paper related to son Wolfgang, who also ran a company in the United Arab Emirates.
He claims he witnessed suicides and prisoners being raped, rubbed shoulders with killers, and survived on meagre portions of rice and weak soup.
Before his arrest, he enjoyed a life of luxury, driving a Rolls-Royce and living in a £6million mansion on Palm Jumeirah island, where celebrities including David and Victoria Beckham and Brad Pitt own villas.
He made his fortune by cornering the market in wooden flooring in the Gulf after moving 4,500 miles from where to Dubai in 1998.
Son Wolfgang followed him out in 2008 to set up his own flooring firm, Timberwolf.
He returned to the UK full time in 2019.
John Murray, BBC Radio 5 Live football correspondent
What that match will be remembered for is Ben White.
That’s the only match I have ever seen when an England player has scored his first international goal for England at Wembley and was booed by, I would say, a sizeable minority of the crowd.
When he left the squad in Qatar and went home for what was described as personal reasons – we’ve never really got to the bottom of what it was.
There were stories that there was a fall-out, something happened involving Steve Holland, Gareth Southgate’s assistant. But that was never confirmed by Gareth Southgate.
I thought last night might have been the perfect opportunity for Ben White to put his head above the parapet. He’s made his comeback, he’s just scored his first goal. But, as Thomas Tuchel was saying in advance of the match – and we kind of know this already – he described him as quite introverted, quite shy, and maybe he just doesn’t feel comfortable to do that.
But probably at some stage he will have to grasp the nettle and talk about it.
On a night of bizarre incidents, two of them centred around the goals.
White bundled home England’s opener from a corner, but there was a check by the video assistant referee (VAR) with Adam Wharton appearing to block Gimenez in the build-up.
Former Arsenal striker Ian Wright said on ITV: “Come the World Cup, they’d probably look at that and give it as a foul.”
USA Women head coach Emma Hayes added: “VAR was on and off tonight. I think nine times out of 10 blocking someone off like that is a foul and I was surprised it wasn’t given.”
Then came Uruguay’s equaliser.
White and Federico Vinas came together inside the box – and the referee originally allowed play to continue. But he was asked to go to the monitor by VAR after which he awarded a penalty that Valverde scored.
“I think the referee was in a very good position when he gave the initial decision,” former Tottenham goalkeeper Paul Robinson said on BBC Radio 5 live.
“That’s nothing more than clumsy from White. There is connection but he got the ball first. One of those decisions where if it’s not given on field you don’t interfere.”
Marcus Rashford was lively against Uruguay, while Newcastle United’s Anthony Gordon currently appears favourite to start in that position at the World Cup, with Arsenal forward Noni Madueke also comfortable on both flanks.
Tuchel has spoken about Foden as an unorthodox deputy for captain Harry Kane as a central striker, but this would surely be too much of a stretch. The World Cup is no place for wild experiments.
It all leaves Foden as one of the players whose place on the plane to the United States is uncertain, wondering if a big opportunity had passed him by against Uruguay.
England’s struggle to impose themselves on Uruguay meant it was a testing night for those wanting to impress.
“There’s no-one out there in a red shirt that looked over to the bench and said, ‘I’m ready. I’m going to America. I want a ticket for that plane’,” said ex-England goalkeeper Paul Robinson on BBC Radio 5 Live.
Manchester United’s Harry Maguire made the most of his recall in defence with a solid display, capped by two brave, crucial blocks in the closing stages as Uruguay pressed for an unlikely winner.
He is now a serious contender for the squad, especially with fitness doubts continuing to surround John Stones. Tuchel may also find Maguire’s experience at major tournaments crucial.
James Trafford had little to do on his debut in goal, while another making his first full appearance, Everton’s James Garner, was tidy and made a good impression. Whether it is enough for a World Cup place is another matter.
Tottenham Hotspur striker Dominic Solanke worked hard in attack as he pressed his claim to be understudy to Kane, but Leeds United’s Calvert-Lewin – whose last appearance was five years ago – will bitterly regret his missed opportunity with the scoreline goalless.
England won all eight of their qualifying games, scoring 22 goals and conceding none to finish comfortably clear at the top of Group K.
However, their group opponents were Albania, Andorra, Latvia and Serbia – four sides ranked outside the top 20 in the world.
Indeed their toughest test in terms of ranking last year was a friendly against Senegal, who were 19th in the world at the time. England lost 3-1.
It may have been a non-competitive match, but the Three Lions’ performance in that game was concerning.
“No discernible plan. No identity. No improvement – arguably even a regression – since Sir Gareth Southgate stepped down after defeat by Spain in the Euro 2024 final in Berlin,” wrote BBC Sport’s chief football writer Phil McNulty after the game.
“[Tuchel] may offer up mitigating circumstances as he made 10 changes from the World Cup qualifying win against Andorra, plus this was a friendly at the end of a long season. But it was still a sobering, alarming evening as Senegal outclassed England.”
While that result and performance may have been a blip, England needed to face higher-ranked opponents to test them before heading to the World Cup – and they should get that against Uruguay and then Japan, who are 19th in the world.
THE UK’S biggest indoor waterpark has revealed what to expect from its revamp in time for the Easter holidays
Sandcastle Waterpark in Blackpool is getting a £500,000 renovation.
The main upgrades will include some basic improvements, such as a new changing room village.
Images show a much more modern look for the cubicles, with the waterpark now 40 years old.
The slides are also being repainted, while new sound systems are being installed.
The waterpark, which opened in 1986, will be ready to show off the new look by the Easter holidays.
General manager Kyle Woodcock said: “This is a landmark year for us, and we wanted to mark our 40th birthday with improvements that our guests will really feel.”
In the mean time, there are 18 slides to choose from, as well as wave pools and river rapids.
One of the most popular slides is the Master Blaster which is also the longest indoor watercoaster in the UK.
Another record-breaker is Sidewinder, which is the first indoor half-pipe waterslide in the world.
Kids will love splashing their mates with the country’s biggest water cannon too.
It’s the perfect time to visit the waterpark too – the tropical climate means it is 30C all year round.
Splash out on a private Tiki Cabana, and you get unlimited alcohol and lunch for around £60 each.
The waterpark also has an adult only spa with saunas and steam rooms, which costs an extra £7 on top of a standard ticket.
There are two cafes for food and drink, as well as a shop for anything you’ve forgotten.
We’ve rounded up some other indoor waterparks you can find across the UK.
And there are plans for a new indoor water attraction as well in the UK- here’s everything you need to know.
Nigel Dewale, 60, admitted sending abusive messages over social media during the 2025 Women’s Euros.
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Arsenal defender Ben White has been called up to the England squad for the first time in more than three years.
The 27-year-old has not been involved since leaving the camp during the 2022 World Cup in Qatar for personal reasons.
White then made himself unavailable for selection for the rest of Gareth Southgate’s reign.
England play friendlies against Uruguay on 27 March and Japan on 31 March at Wembley.
NEW YORK — Arkansas Gov. Bill Clinton acknowledged Sunday that he had experimented with marijuana while a 22-year-old student in England in the late 1960s, an admission that could raise doubts about his past candor in answering questions about his personal conduct.
For five years, the 45-year-old Clinton has answered questions about whether he had ever used drugs by saying he had never broken a U.S. law. During a televised debate here with Democratic presidential rival Edmund G. (Jerry) Brown Jr., a questioner for the first time asked Clinton explicitly whether he had ever broken either a state, federal or a foreign drug law.
“When I was in England I experimented with marijuana a time or two,” he answered on the WCBS-TV broadcast, “and I didn’t like it. I didn’t inhale and never tried it again.”
Asked the same series of questions, Brown answered bluntly: “No.”
Clinton’s disclosure, which overshadowed one of the most substantive exchanges of the political season between the two rivals, is hardly unusual for a person of Clinton’s generation. Two of the Democratic presidential candidates in 1988 acknowledged similar behavior. And nothing Clinton said about his use of marijuana contradicted what he had said before.
But his decision until now to fend off drug-use queries with a narrow response, which could mislead voters into thinking he had never used drugs of any kind, was likely to add to concerns of those who regard him as less than straightforward.
Clinton said he did not believe the episode would hurt his candidacy, noting that other politicians had admitted to using marijuana and had suffered no apparent electoral consequences. He defended his previous denials by saying he had seen no need to volunteer a reply to something he had not been directly asked.
“Nobody’s ever asked me that question point blank,” he said, adding: “I said I’ve never broken the drug laws of my country, and that’s the absolute truth.”
It was the second time in a week that Clinton found it necessary to clarify previous statements on drugs.
On Thursday, a Clinton campaign aide, Betsey Wright, volunteered to the Los Angeles Times that the governor had never used cocaine or knowingly been around it.
The Times had contacted Wright to ask about a state police drug investigation in the mid-1980s of Clinton’s half-brother and a political contributor. After answering the questions, Wright said: “I assume from the questions that you were implying guilt by association in a state where everybody is associated. For that reason, when I verified with Gov. Clinton the answers to some of the questions, I asked him the following questions:
“ ‘Bill, have you ever used cocaine?’
“He replied, ‘No.’
“I said, ‘Bill, have you ever been in a room where you were aware there was cocaine?’
“He replied, ‘No.’ ”
When asked Friday why she had posed questions never asked by The Times, Wright said she had heard “rumors” that reporters were trying to place Clinton at parties where cocaine had been used. “I decided it was best to go ahead and put the issue on the table,” she said. (Interviews by The Times with some people said to have been in attendance at those parties have produced no evidence linking Clinton to the drug.)
Later Friday, Clinton called The Times to say that the campaign had not intended to provoke a story quoting him as denying cocaine use. Senior Clinton campaign officials said they feared such a story might be seen by the public as raising yet another question about his personal life.
Clinton’s Sunday acknowledgement of marijuana use while a Rhodes Scholar at Oxford came only three days after Clinton was asked by a member of the editorial board of the New York Daily News whether he had been asked previously about his drug use.
Clinton said that he had been asked such questions, and that his answer had always been that he had never violated a U.S. law.
Clinton campaign officials later described the new admission as an “elaboration” of Clinton’s previous comments and suggested that it and the earlier, narrow denials were merely two ways of looking at the same issue.
“Bill Clinton told the truth at every step of the way,” his chief strategist, James Carville, said. “It’s like the old saying about the guy who’s being sworn into office and he’s asked, ‘Do you swear to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth?’ and he answers, ‘Which one do you want?’ ”
Carville and other senior Clinton aides nevertheless expressed concern that the issue would be given undue prominence and further tar their candidate at a time when polls show that a large number of Democratic voters still harbor questions about Clinton’s personal record.
For his part, however, Brown chose not to make an immediate issue either of Clinton’s marijuana use or his handling of questions about it.
After denying that he had violated any drug laws, Brown demanded of a questioner: “Why don’t you lay off this stuff? What you did 10 or 20 years ago is not really relevant.”
But Brown himself was forced during the debate to respond to a new suggestion of impropriety in a Washington Post story detailing his ties to a company that paid a $400,000 settlement to the federal government after being accused of making exaggerated claims about a product said to help treat AIDS.
Brown, who served on the board of directors of a subsidiary to the company, Costa Mesa-based ICN Pharmaceuticals Inc., until he began his presidential campaign, said he had had “nothing to do” with the episode. He said his position gave him “no responsibility and no contact” with the parent firm.
Clinton did not press the issue during the debate, saying his own experience made him wary of “piling on.” But he suggested later in the day that justice was being done as he told a Bronx audience that “the press is finally starting to look at” a rival he believes has been treated too gently.
Clinton framed his response to the drug question during an era when the issue rose to political prominence.
In 1987, Supreme Court nominee Douglas H. Ginsburg was forced to withdraw his name from nomination after it was learned that he had used marijuana when he was a law-school professor.
But other politicians, including Sen. Albert Gore Jr. of Tennessee and Gov. Bruce Babbitt of Arizona, both 1988 Democratic presidential candidates, acknowledged using marijuana while in college and suffered no apparent political consequences.
Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas has also admitted to having used marijuana, but the issue was given only passing attention during his confirmation hearings.
Clinton, by contrast, has steadfastly refused to answer “have you ever” questions about drug use, adultery or other matters of personal conduct on grounds that they are not legitimate subjects of inquiry.
He has said it is legitimate, however, for an officeholder or a candidate to be questioned about violations of law, and has always responded to questions about his drug use by stating that he had adhered to U.S. drug laws.
Earlier in the morning, Clinton delivered what amounted to an impassioned political sermon to the enthusiastic congregation of an African Methodist church in a mostly black neighborhood in Queens.
But faced with continued criticism of his periodic use of an all-white country club to play golf–conduct that Clinton has said was a mistake–his message Sunday was in part a plea for redemption from a black community from which he has so far drawn deep support.
“I have seen myself turned into a cartoon character of an old Southern deal-maker by the tabloids and television in a total denial of my life’s work,” he said.
He told the congregation he had made “a foolish mistake.” And as he cited Scripture later, the congregation joined him in a sympathetic chorus to murmur “those who are without sin should cast the first stone.”
The hourlong debate here between Clinton and Brown, who participated via satellite from Wisconsin, was one of the better illuminations of the differences between the Arkansas moderate and the California populist-liberal.
Again and again, the two candidates clashed on issues ranging from economic policy to capital punishment to labor issues to Middle East strategy.
On economic issues, Brown advanced his proposal to overhaul the current tax systems and replace them with a 13% flat-tax as a “progressive tax” whose simplicity would “jump-start the economy.”
But Clinton, who favors a more conventional middle-class tax cut and an increase on taxes for the wealthy, again derided Brown’s idea as a plan that would benefit only the wealthy and would “triple taxes on the poor and raise taxes on the middle class.”
In answer to a question, Clinton said he favored capital punishment as well as a proposal to accelerate what is now the time-consuming process under which a death-row inmate may appeal his sentence.
But Brown described Clinton’s decision earlier this year to order the execution of a man whose lawyer claimed he was retarded as a “moral abomination.” He contended that the proposal to limit death-penalty appeals was part of a “systematic erosion of civil liberties” and said: “I would oppose it with every ounce that I have.”
Brown said he would favor a five-year moratorium on the manufacture of handguns. But Clinton, while describing himself as an advocate of gun control, said he was unsure whether he could embrace such an approach.
On Israel, Clinton defended what he described as a longstanding U.S. willingness to “wink” at Israeli settlements on the occupied West Bank and criticized the Bush Administration’s recent get-tough policy. But Brown bluntly said he regarded the settlements as “a problem.”
Asked about an issue important to labor unions, the two candidates made clear that their allegiance pulled them in different directions.
Clinton said he would favor placing young people in jobs of all kinds as part of a civilian corps to give them training for the future.
But Brown warned that the low wages paid to such employees would undermine working people and suggested that any such corps be limited to outdoor conservation efforts.
Bayern Munich striker Harry Kane is enjoying an incredible season, having scored 47 goals in all competitions for the German side, and will lead the line for England in North America.
The question is who acts as his deputy?
Dominic Calvert-Lewin was the joint top-scoring English player alongside Danny Welbeck on 10 goals before the latter got his double and he has been called up to Tuchel’s squad.
The Leeds striker had an impressive run of form with seven goals in six games towards the end of 2025 but went into Saturday’s game against Brentford on the back of one goal in his previous eight games.
Tottenham striker Dominic Solanke was also called up but he has just three Premier League goals this season and is working his way back from a long injury lay-off.
Both have the profile to replace Kane but don’t have the form that Welbeck finds himself in.
“Welbeck is very unfortunate not to get the call-up,” Rooney added. “He’s 35 years of age but is showing no signs of slowing down.
“I think it was probably between him and [Dominic] Calvert-Lewin so he’s just missed out – but he’s having a fantastic season.”
Match of the day pundit Alan Shearer added: “He can count himself really unlucky he’s not in the squad considering the form he is in and the number of goals.
“Solanke has got three goals, Calvert-Lewin has got two in the last 12. I think he’s really unlucky not to be in that 35-man squad.”
Despite his omission, Hurzeler believes Tuchel will make the right call when it comes to naming his England World Cup squad.
“England have a really good German coach and he will make the right decisions,” he said.
He said it is vital to judge Welbeck on his importance “beside the pitch” and in creating “group togetherness”, adding: “That can be crucial for a World Cup.”
England manager Thomas Tuchel explains his decisions for selecting Manchester United players Harry Maguire and Kobbie Mainoo for his upcoming camp.
He also says it was a “tough decision” to not include Trent Alexander-Arnold in the expanded 35-man squad.
The Three Lions continue their World Cup preparations with friendlies at Wembley Stadium against Uruguay on 27 March and Japan on 31 March.
Teams must submit their final World Cup squads by Saturday, 30 May.
READ MORE: ‘Last opportunity to impress’ – Tuchel names 35-man England squad
The issue that has created the most noise since Tuchel took charge is about how he has dealt with Jude Bellingham and the battle for the number 10 position.
The Real Madrid midfielder was left out of the October camp after injury despite wanting to join up as Tuchel favoured keeping a settled group after excellent performances.
Aston Villa midfielder Morgan Rogers impressed in qualifying, starting five of England’s eight group games, and has become the first-choice number 10.
“Rather than finding positions for my best players just so that I can have them on the field, I prefer to put everyone in their best positions and have some competition,” Tuchel said when speaking about the pair going up against each other.
There is no denying Bellingham is one of the best midfielders in the world when he is fit and in form, but the midfielder is currently working his way back from a hamstring injury and has not played since 1 February.
It’s easy to forget that Bellingham is just 22, given he has already produced some iconic moments for England such as his last-gasp bicycle kick against Slovakia at Euro 2024 and his assist for Cole Palmer’s goal in the final.
Tuchel has made a point about how his England team need to be settled and united, but if Bellingham is producing his best for Madrid at the end of the season, the England manager has a very difficult decision on his hands.
Chelsea’s Cole Palmer, who has also had injury problems this season, has barely played under Tuchel, featuring for just 65 minutes.
And Phil Foden’s role is not clear in this England squad – he was called up as a back-up striker for the last camp and assisted Eberechi Eze in the win over Serbia at Wembley in November from that position.
Just 51% of the local road network in England and Wales is reported to be in good condition, research suggests.
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TIME has named its Best Places to see and stay in 2026 this year, which included two spots in the UK.
I visited the V&A Storehouse in Stratford shortly after it opened last summer.
The London museum was the only other entry on the 100 places list that was in the UK, along with an afternoon tea experience The Maid of Somerset.
When it comes to the new V&A Storehouse – joining the likes of the original Victoria and Albert Museum and V&A Dundee – it isn’t your usual museum.
Right off the bat, it’s free, which is a huge bonus for trying to explore London on a budget.
Even better is that you don’t have to book ahead, and there are free lockers to use too.
However, the museum itself is one for fans of the concept of museums, rather than any theme or designs.
For example, my favourite museum is the Kensington V&A, for its fashion exhibits while my mum-friends love taking their kids to the Science Museum.
But the V&A Museum feels more like an IKEA showroom, with a mix of collections rather than a set theme.
The website states: “There are curated mini displays across all three levels of Storehouse.
“Go behind the scenes and take your own path through the worlds of art, design, performance, fashion and more.”
Described as a “working museum,” it certainly has interesting elements.
One that has been praised is the Order an Object scheme which lets you ‘order’ on of the 1.25million objects across the V&A museums.
You then select a time and date appointment to come an see it up close.
But for standard museum goers, especially those with little kids, this museum might not be one for them.
It is three floors of metal walkways, so kids running around are likely to cause chaos.
And I found some of the items hard to understand, with some having limited descriptions.
It is certainly a fascinating and unique take on museums – but unless you are a fan of them as a concept, perhaps not one to go out of your way for.
It is now home to a David Bowie exhibit, a permanent archive of some of his most famous pieces.
And there are also a range of events, including the upcoming The Music is Black: A British Story this week.
Here is London’s weirdest free museum.
And we’ve rounded up the best free kids attractions in London.
England’s last-gasp defeat by France will have their fans discussing certain moments for years to come, but their indiscipline throughout the Six Nations came to the fore once again – particularly at the end of both halves in Paris.
Leading 27-17 with half-time looming, Ellis Genge was sin-binned after referee Nika Amashukeli ruled the prop had dragged down a maul, soon after two quick penalties had handed momentum back to France.
“After those three penalties in less than two minutes, England then conceded 21 points including that penalty try,” former Wales and Lions captain Sam Warburton said on BBC Rugby Special.
“Then with 14 men they conceded another 14 points, so that is 21 points in that period. It was a really crucial two minutes that they got wrong.”
Then in the dying moments of normal time with England 46-45 ahead, the referee gave France the option of a penalty kick from either of two positions, following infringements by Trevor Davison and Maro Itoje.
Thomas Ramos made no mistake to secure the title for France. Speaking on Rugby Special, former Scotland captain John Barclay said that short spell will be one England will regret.
“In the final two minutes after Tommy Freeman scored, France had a player in the sin-bin. When England look at how they managed this period, they had the game in their hands and threw it away.
“It was a really disappointing end for England. It will be a really tough debriefing on how they manage those crucial moments in the final bit of the game.
“Across the championship they are the top for penalties conceded, with eight yellows and one red, and the damage it did to them – they conceded 63 points with a player off the pitch.”
France edge out England with the last kick of the game in a sensational 13-try decider, to secure back-to-back Six Nations titles at the Stade de France.
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