secure

Red Bull’s Verstappen finished second, and McLaren’s Norris, finishing third, now has a 22-point lead in the drivers’ standings.

George Russell of Mercedes has won the Singapore Grand Prix ahead of Max Verstappen and Lando Norris, as McLaren clinched the Formula One constructors’ championship.

Red Bull’s world champion Max Verstappen and the two McLarens were to fight it out for the other podium spots on Sunday as Briton Russell took the chequered flag under the lights of the Marina Bay Street Circuit to claim his second victory of the season.

“It feels amazing,” said Russell. “We don’t really know where this performance came from, but really, really happy.

“I was really nervous at the beginning when I saw Max on the soft [tyres], but that first stint was great from us.”

Norris put pressure on Verstappen towards the end of the race, but had to settle for third ahead of teammate Oscar Piastri, the pair earning enough points to seal a second consecutive constructors’ title for the team.

“It was a tough race,” said Norris. “Max didn’t make any mistakes. I gave it my all today, and got close.

“I’m happy with today. I got forward two positions. We won as a team, the constructors’ once again.”

Piastri’s lead over Norris in the drivers’ standings was cut to 22 points, while Verstappen is 63 points behind the Australian with six races remaining in the season.

“I think second was the maximum result today,” said Verstappen.

“I think the whole race was quite difficult, more difficult than I hoped for, for a lot of different reasons.”

The celebrations for the constructors’ title in the McLaren garage might be muted, however, with Piastri fuming at the way Norris forced his way past his teammate on the opening corner.

Kimi Antonelli was a distant fifth in the other Mercedes with Charles Leclerc sixth ahead of his Ferrari teammate Lewis Hamilton.

Fernando Alonso was eighth for Aston Martin, while Haas driver Oliver Bearman and Carlos Sainz, who started at the back of the grid after the Williams cars were disqualified from qualifying, took the final points in ninth and 10th.

The crown is secured 👑🔐

McLaren win their second consecutive Constructors’ Championship, but it’s still all to play for behind 👇#F1 #SingaporeGP pic.twitter.com/QOIH6jfKEr

— Formula 1 (@F1) October 5, 2025

A HUNT for a gang of brazen thieves has been launched after 17 cars were stolen from holidaymakers on a cruise.

The motors were lifted from a special “secure” parking facility in Southampton, overnight.

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The special parking site is operated by Southampton Cruise Parking Services and is touted as “secure” storage for vehicles.

Police said they were working closely with the firm in a bid to capture the thieves.

The holidaymakers vehicles were taken between 9 and 10 September, cops said.

Police were called early the next morning and when they arrived at the parking facility they discovered the motors had been swiped.

So far, only six of the 17 stolen motors have been recovered by Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary.

Officers are appealing for any witnesses to come forward to assist with their investigation into the mass motor theft.

Did you have your car stolen? Email [email protected]

A spokesman for Hampshire Constabulary said: “We are appealing for witnesses following the theft of 17 vehicles from a cruise parking facility in Southampton.

“The incident occurred between the evening of September 9 and the early hours of September 10.

“Officers were called at approximately 7:40am on Wednesday September 10 to reports of a suspected break-in at Southampton Cruise Parking Services on First Avenue.

“Upon arrival, it was discovered that 17 cars had been stolen.

“The investigation team is working closely with the company operating the site, as well as local partners, to secure all available evidence.”

Detective Constable Edward Smith, the officer leading the investigation, said: “We don’t underestimate the significant impact this incident has had on the victims, who have returned from their holidays to discover their car stolen.

“We continue to keep those victims updated with the progress with our investigation, which our team is working incredibly hard on to ensure those responsible are arrested.

“We continue to progress several lines of inquiry including a full review of CCTV from the scene and surrounding areas.

“I am pleased to say that this work has already led to the recovery of six of the vehicles and those owners have been updated with the good news.”

Anyone with information, or who may have CCTV footage from the area, is urged to contact police quoting reference number 44250409694.

Alternatively, information can be provided anonymously via Crimestoppers by calling 0800 555 111 or visiting their website.

The Sun has contacted Southampton Cruise Parking Services for comment.

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The series kicked off this weekend with the highly anticipated launch show, with the celebrities meeting their professional partners for the first time

Strictly Come Dancing is back on our screens with a bang after an epic launch show which saw this year’s batch of famous faces paired up with their professional partners.

Viewers tuned in to see the 15 celebrities meet their dance partners as well as perform in a huge group dance for the very first time as the real competition begins next week.

However, before this year’s crop even shows off their dance moves or lack of, two celebrities have already secured a huge advantage. The bookies have declared which contestants are favourites to win and there’s two that are at the top of the list, according to Paddy Power.

Currently, Emmerdale star and late entrant, Lewis Cope is leading the pack with a bookies odds of 12/5 and just behind him is Love Island winner Dani Dyer, who is on 7/2 at the time of writing.

Rounding out the top five are model Ellie Goldstein with 6/1, social media sensation George Clarke at 9/1 and Gladiators star Harry Aikines-Aryeetey.

READ MORE: Strictly Come Dancing star Vicky Pattison admits filming launch show was ‘worst experience’READ MORE: Strictly Come Dancing star La Voix’s life including TV career and real name

On the other end and currently the least favourites to win are former rugby ace Chris Robshaw and Lorraine showbiz correspondent Ross King, who have outside chances of winning at 100/1.

This makes these two contestants favourites to leave the show first, with Ross at 5/2 to exit the show first, with Chris at 3/1.

During the launch show, the first pairings unveiled were Lewis with Katya Jones, Dani with Nikita Kuzmin, Ross and Jowita Przystal, Chris and Nadiya Bychkova and Drag Race UK’s La Voix with Aljaz Skorjanec.

The next to be revealed were Vicky Pattison and Kai Widdrington, Alex Kingston and Johannes Radebe, Ellie and Vito Coppola, Balvinder Sopal and Julian Caillon plus Karen Carney and Carlos Gu.

The final matches were confirmed as Harry and Karen Hauer, Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink and Lauren Oakley, George and Alexis Warr, Stefan Dennis and Dianne Buswell as well as Thomas Skinner and Amy Dowden.

Following the announcement, many fans sadly predicted Ross would be first out as one said: “Poor Jowita out first.” Another added: “Sorry Jowita, it’s an early exit for you this year.”

Eagle-eyed viewers also revealed they think they’ve spotted early signs of tensions between one celebrity and their dance partner. The Apprentice 2019 star Thomas was paired with Welsh beauty Amy but viewers are convinced the two will clash.

Eyebrows were raised when show hosts Claudia Winkleman and Tess Daly introduced the coupled up dancers and interviewed them about their early experiences together. Talking to Thomas and Amy in the green room, Claudia asked the former Apprentice hopeful what his dream Strictly breakfast would be.

He replied: “The best breakfast. We’re going down Deano’s cafe, nice and early, before we get started, get spicy Korean noodles, with chicken breasts and poached eggs and a little bit of Tabasco sauce.

He continued: “Or, if you don’t fancy that, we can have the sunshine chicken curry with the round chips.”

But fans noticed that Amy didn’t look convinced by Thomas’s suggestion, commented that they would beed to dance some of their routines close together, and remarked: “I really hope your food doesn’t repeat on you whilst you dance.”

Thomas then suggested he would be able to freshen his breath with chewing gum before they needed to dance closely. But viewers were convinced they could smell friction between the pair.

Taking to X, one shared a screenshot of Amy’s distressed expression that she pulled when Thomas was describing his dream breakfast. They wrote: “Oh Amy you poor thing getting put with skinner.”

And another shared a similar screenshot and wrote: “Amy Dowden’s face speaking for everybody at the same time… #Strictly #TomSkinner.”

Leigh: Hodgson; Brand, Badrock, Hanley, Charnley; O’Brien, Lam; Trout, Ipape, Mulhern, Halton, Hughes, Liu.

Interchanges: Pene, Davis, Dwyer, Ofahengaue.

St Helens: Sailor; Feldt, Robertson, Percival, Cross; Welsby, Mbye; Walmsley, Clark, Lees, Sironen, Whitley, Batchelor.

Interchanges: Lomax, Bell, Paasi, Delaney.

Referee: Liam Moore.

Southern Brave finished fourth in The Hundred with a four-run win over bottom side Welsh Fire in Southampton.

Chasing 168, Tom Kohler-Cadmore scored 84 from 46 balls, the third-highest score in this season’s competition, but was dismissed on the 98th ball of the innings as Fire fell just short.

Jason Roy powered Brave’s innings, striking 70 from 39 deliveries as the home side closed on 167-7, before Craig Overton had Fire openers Stephen Eskinazi and Steve Smith caught inside the first five balls of the chase.

Kohler-Cadmore, who struck seven sixes and three fours, dragged his side back into contention, putting on an 81-run fifth-wicket partnership with Ben Kellaway.

He cleared the ropes off Jordan Thompson to put his side in the box seat needing seven from three balls, but was bowled from the following delivery.

The Brave all-rounder only conceded singles from his remaining deliveries to close out the match.

The result means both Welsh Fire sides finish bottom of their respective standings, after the women’s side lost to the same opponents earlier in the day.

In the group stage’s final match, Brave lost openers Toby Albert and James Vince in the space of four balls after being put into bat, and saw James Coles bowled by Kellaway for seven to leave them 34-3 shortly after the powerplay.

However, Roy, who twice hit back-to-back sixes in an innings full of powerful strokeplay, put on partnerships of 55 with Leus du Plooy and 38 with Laurie Evans to push Brave towards a strong total.

Roy and Evans fell along with Michael Bracewell for the cost of just two runs as Brave wobbled, but Jordan Thompson and Craig Overton added 38 from the last 18 balls of the innings, runs that would prove decisive.

Alfie Davis reflects on one fight in particular when he points out one of the most difficult moments of his career.

Fighting Alexander Shabliy in 2021, the Londoner admits he was “outclassed” as the Russian cruised to a unanimous decision win.

The 33-year-old says that while his preparations for the bout were hampered by a bacterial infection in his foot, the main reason for his defeat was psychological.

“I just didn’t pull the trigger and I think I choked under the pressure that he is this big star I felt I shouldn’t have been in there with,” Davis tells BBC Sport.

When a person doubts their ability and achievements it is sometimes described as impostor syndrome – a psychological experience where someone fears being exposed as not competent at their profession.

Confidence and bravado play such important parts in many fighters’ mindsets that it is uncommon for them to voice doubts about their standing in the sport.

Davis says throughout his career he has performed to his exciting potential in the gym, but has sometimes struggled to replicate it during fights.

This year however, things have changed. His career has reached new heights.

Having won two fights in 2025, Davis faces Russia’s Gadzhi Rabadanov in the PFL lightweight tournament final in Charlotte, North Carolina on Friday – with the winner securing a $500,000 (£372,000) pay day.

Davis puts his change in fortunes down to two factors. The first is a swap of gym and coaches, which he says have allowed him to “express myself a bit more”.

The second is altering the way he thinks about competing. Davis appears calm and confident as he envisions the fight with 32-year-old Rabadanov.

“I think I used to put too much pressure on myself, but when I just go in there and go with the flow, not concentrating on the result too much, I get into my flow state. Before, I was overthinking,” he adds.

“I feel this guy I’m fighting now, if he was in the gym, I’d make easy work of him – I’ve just got to prove that under the big lights.”

To bystanders at the federal courthouse in downtown Los Angeles, it sounded as though U.S. Atty. Bill Essayli would not take no for an answer.

A prosecutor had the irate Trump administration appointee on speaker phone outside the grand jury room, and his screaming was audible, according to three law enforcement officials aware of the encounter who spoke on the condition of anonymity for fear of reprisals.

The grand jury had just refused to indict someone accused of attacking federal law enforcement officers during protests against the recent immigration raids throughout Southern California, two of the officials said.

It was an exceedingly rare outcome after a type of hearing that routinely leads to federal charges being filed.

On the overheard call, according to three officials, Essayli, 39, told a subordinate to disregard the federal government’s “Justice Manual,” which directs prosecutors to only bring cases they can win at trial. Essayli barked that prosecutors should press on and secure indictments as directed by U.S. Atty. Gen. Pam Bondi, according to three officials.

Court records show the reason for Essayli’s frustration.

While his office has filed felony cases against at least 38 people for alleged misconduct that either took place during last month’s protests or near the sites of immigration raids, many have already been dismissed or reduced to misdemeanor charges.

The three officials who spoke to The Times on the condition of anonymity said prosecutors have struggled to get several protest-related cases past grand juries, which need only to find probable cause that a crime has been committed in order to move forward. That is a much lower bar than the “beyond a reasonable doubt” standard required for a criminal conviction.

Five cases have been dismissed without prejudice — meaning they could be refiled — and records show nine have been filed as misdemeanors, which do not require a grand jury indictment to proceed. In some cases, prosecutors reduced charges against defendants to misdemeanors after repeatedly falling short at the grand jury stage, according to three federal law enforcement officials.

Essayli declined to be interviewed for this article. A statement provided by his office on Tuesday accused The Times of spreading “factual inaccuracies and anonymous gossip,” but offered no specifics or further comment in response to questions.

“The U.S. Attorney’s Office will continue working unapologetically to charge all those who assault our agents or impede our federal investigations,” the statement said.

Legal experts said Essayli’s low number of indictments raised concerns about the strength of the cases he is filing.

Carley Palmer, a former federal prosecutor in L.A. who is now a partner at Halpern May Ybarra Gelberg, said the grand jury’s repeated rejection of cases was “a strong indication that the priorities of the prosecutor’s office are out of sync with the priorities of the general community.”

Essayli has won indictments in some serious cases, including two where defendants are accused of throwing or planning to throw Molotov cocktails at L.A. law enforcement officers, and a case where defendants allegedly fired a paintball gun at federal police. But in total, he has only secured seven indictments, which usually need to be obtained no later than 21 days after the filing of a criminal complaint. Three other cases have been resolved via plea deal, records show.

High-ranking Justice Department officials have repeatedly praised his work.

“My friend, U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli, is a champion for law and order who has done superlative work to prosecute rioters for attacking and obstructing law enforcement in Los Angeles,” Bondi said in a statement to The Times.

Atty. Gen. Pam Bondi speaks during a news conference at the Justice Department on June 6 in Washington.

(Julia Demaree Nikhinson / Associated Press)

But legal experts and some of Essayli’s own prosecutors say he’s stretching legal limits to serve as Trump’s attack dog in L.A.

“It’s just generally a culture of ‘if Bill asks you to jump, you ask how high,’” said one prosecutor who feared retaliation. “Any case he wants to charge, find a way to make it a yes.”

Questions about Essayli’s effectiveness come at a critical time for the former California Assembly member. Bondi appointed him in early April, giving him 120 days to serve as interim U.S. attorney until receiving Senate approval. If he is not confirmed by then, a panel of federal judges will have the opportunity to appoint him — or someone else — to the position.

Democratic Sens. Adam Schiff and Alex Padilla of California raised concerns about Essayli’s leadership of the office in interviews with The Times, and a direct approval from the bench is no sure thing. Earlier this month, a federal judicial panel blocked Trump’s choice for U.S. attorney in upstate New York after the time limit for Senate confirmation had expired.

On Tuesday, another judicial panel declined to appoint New Jersey’s interim federal prosecutor, Alina Habba, one of Trump’s former personal lawyers. Bondi, however, decried the judges for going “rogue,” fired their choice for U.S. attorney and reappointed Habba. Legal experts say the move is unprecedented.

Meghan Blanco, a former federal prosecutor in L.A. who serves as defense counsel to one of the protesters who is facing charges, said the cases are faltering in part because of unreliable information provided by immigration agents claiming to be victims.

“Frankly, they’re not deserving of prosecution,” she said. “What is being alleged isn’t a federal crime, or it simply did not happen.”

Blanco represents Jose Mojica, who was accused of pushing a federal officer in Paramount on June 7.

According to an investigation summary of the incident reviewed by The Times, a U.S. Border Patrol officer claimed a man was screaming in his face that he was going to “shoot him,” then punched him. The officer said he and other agents started chasing the man, but were “stopped by two other males,” later identified as Mojica and Bryan Ramos-Brito.

Blanco said she obtained social media videos showing no such chase took place and presented them at Mojica’s first court appearance. The charges were soon dropped.

“The agent lied and said he was in hot pursuit of a person who punched him,” Blanco said. “The entirety of the affidavit is false.”

Felony charges against Ramos-Brito and two related defendants, Ashley and Joceline Rodriguez, were also dismissed, though prosecutors refiled misdemeanor cases against them.

Christian Camacho-Cerna, the man who allegedly punched an agent, has been indicted. He has pleaded not guilty, with trial set for next month.

Similar issues arose in the case of Andrea Velez, who was charged on June 25 with assaulting a federal officer. The criminal complaint alleged Velez, who is 4 feet 11 inches, stood in the path of an Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer with her arms extended, striking his head and chest when they collided.

Diane Bass, Velez’s attorney, said the incident occurred when masked, unidentified men in plainclothes pulled up to question a downtown L.A. street vendor.

Velez had just been dropped off for work when some of the masked men ran at her and one shoved her to the ground, Bass said. Velez, fearing she was being abducted, held up her work bag to shield herself.

Bass requested body-worn camera footage and witness statements cited in the complaint. Soon after, she said, the prosecutor dismissed the case.

One federal law enforcement official not authorized to speak publicly said concerns are growing among prosecutors about the accuracy of statements by federal immigration agents that serve as the basis of criminal charges.

“There are a lot of hot-headed [Customs and Border Protection] officers who are kind of arresting first and asking questions later. We’re finding there’s not probable cause to support it,” said the prosecutor who requested anonymity over concerns of repercussions.

A demonstrator waves a Mexican flag in front of a dumpster fire after another night of unrest during a protest against immigration raids on June 8, 2025 in Los Angeles, California.

(Gina Ferazzi/Los Angeles Times)

One case under close scrutiny is that of Adrian Martinez, a 20-year-old charged in a criminal complaint last month with conspiracy to impede a federal officer.

Martinez said he was on a break from his job at Walmart when he spotted immigration agents chasing down a maintenance worker, and told them to leave the man alone.

Video footage shows Martinez being thrown to the ground and shoved into a truck, which he said took him to a parking structure.

Once there, Martinez said he was told he’d been arrested for assaulting a federal officer by striking an agent in the face and breaking his glasses. Martinez, who weighs around 150 pounds, said the agents arresting him pointed to the colleague he was being accused of attacking, who looked “like a grizzly bear.”

“I don’t even remember you,” Martinez recalled saying. “It just seemed like they were trying to get me to say like, ‘yes, you assaulted him,’ but I knew I didn’t.”

The next day, Essayli posted a photo on X of Martinez, still in his blue Walmart vest. Martinez, he wrote, had been arrested “for an allegation of punching a border patrol agent in the face.”

The criminal complaint makes no reference to a punch and video taken at the scene does not clearly show Martinez strike anyone. Federal prosecutors instead charged Martinez with conspiracy to impede a federal officer, alleging he blocked federal law enforcement vehicles with his car and then later a trash can.

Ciaran McEvoy, a spokesman for the U.S. attorney’s office, previously told The Times that complaints do not always include “the full scope of a defendant’s conduct, or the evidence that will be presented at trial.”

A Department of Homeland Security spokesperson said the agency could not comment on cases under active litigation.

“Our officers are facing a surge in assaults and attacks against them as they put their lives on the line to enforce our nation’s laws,” the DHS statement said.

Charges against nonviolent defendants have repeatedly raised alarm bells among current and former federal prosecutors. In early June, union leader David Huerta was charged with conspiracy to impede a federal officer for allegedly interfering with immigration enforcement actions in the downtown L.A. garment district. Legal experts said Huerta’s conduct did not appear criminal.

“Where do you draw the line between an organized protest and a conspiracy to impede?” Laurie Levenson, a former federal prosecutor and professor at Loyola Law School in Los Angeles, asked last month. “It’ll actually be interesting to see if a grand jury indicts these cases.”

Huerta has denied all wrongdoing and his attorney did not respond to a request for comment. A deadline of Aug. 5 looms for prosecutors to secure an indictment.

Court filings show some prosecutors appear to be refusing to sign their names to contentious cases.

An indictment returned against Alejandro Orellana — who is accused of conspiracy and aiding in civil disorder for passing out gas masks at a protest scene in early June — was only signed by Essayli and his second-in-command, Jennifer Waier, records show. Such cases are typically handled by rank-and-file assistant U.S. attorneys.

In early May, when Essayli pushed to offer a lenient plea deal to L.A. County Sheriff’s Deputy Trevor Kirk months after a jury convicted him of assaulting a woman during a 2023 arrest, several prosecutors refused to sign the document asking for the deal, and some later resigned.

Times staff writer Kevin Rector contributed to this report.

Paying for a seat on a plane is an added expense that many travellers prefer to avoid, but one expert has shared how to travel in comfort without spending any money.

After paying for your flight and any checked luggage, many of us would prefer to not fork out even more for a seat. But waiting to be assigned a random seat can often mean you end up squished in between strangers, making for a rather uncomfortable journey, especially if you’ve got a long way to go.

While some airlines like British Airways will let you choose a seat if you pay for luggage, there’s plenty of packing tips and tricks out there which means many travellers stick to hand luggage. With recent reports that travellers who sit in an unassigned seat in the hopes it might be free could face a hefty fine for what’s being dubbed seat squatting, there’s one more secure way of grabbing a good seat.

Chelsea Dickenson is known for sharing budget travel advice on her blog Holiday Expert, and in a recent article for Metro, she revealed the easy way to get the best seat on the plane without having to spare a single penny.

However, she warned that this isn’t for those who get easy stressed when travelling, as it requires leaving things quite last minute.

Referring to her tactic as “check-in chicken”, Chelsea explained that the trick to getting the best seat on the plane is done by delaying online check-in until the last possible moment.

Chelsea said: “After years of flying on a budget, I’ve learned a thing or two about how they operate. And more often than not, my method lands me a seat with extra legroom without paying a penny”, reports the Express.

However, this strategy won’t be suitable for those travelling in groups, particularly families who wish to be seated together.

If you want to sit together but don’t want to fork out extra for seats, Money Saving Expert instead recommends groups of travellers check-in as soon as you’re able to.

In a post on their website, they explained all major airlines except Ryanair will attempt to seat groups on the same booking together, provided there are seats available next to each other that other passengers haven’t already reserved.

But if you are travelling alone, a game of check-in chicken could work in your favour, particularly if you end up at the front of the aircraft with extra leg room, or in a window seat.

However, Chelsea cautioned that travellers “need a cool head, a charged phone and very firm grasp on when online check-in closes” to do this successfully, and check-in times can differ depending on the airline.

The savvy traveller also pointed out that she primarily employs this tactic, which she refers to as one of her “favourite budget travel joys”, when flying with budget carriers such as Ryanair or Wizz Air, noting that airlines like easyJet and British Airways don’t typically allocate the less desirable seats initially.

Once check-in has opened, which is typically 24 hours before your flight departs, Chelsea said she keeps monitoring the seat map throughout the day, and proceeds with the check-in when she’s satisfied with the remaining seat options.

However, the secret to doing this is to not actually leave it to the very last minute, which could see you having to pay a fee at the airport, and likely more than you would have if you’d simply paid for a seat.

Chelsea clarified that: “I often find that by six hours to go there’s only ‘good’ seats left – ones with extra legroom, seats on the front rows or simply non-middle aisle seats,” and she recommended setting alarms to make sure you don’t forget.

Former world youth champion Bradley Brooks won his maiden PDC ProTour title at the Players Championship 21 in Leicester.

The 25-year-old won the £15,000 top prize after beating Chris Dobey and James Wade on his way to a final against former world champion Gerwyn Price.

Brooks secured an early break of throw with a 13-dart leg and went on to win 8-5 to seal a spot in December’s World Darts Championship.

“I’m lost for words,” he said. “This week I felt so comfortable in my own game and everything clicked, so I’m over the moon.

“I treated the final like I had nothing to lose. I can’t put into words how much it means to me.

“I struggled a couple of times this year and I still have that bad game in me, but I think when I do get it right, I can mix it with the best in the room.”

Michael Smith, the 2023 world champion, was beaten in the first round which means he will miss the World Matchplay in Blackpool for the first time since 2013.

The 34-year-old needed to make at least the semi-finals to qualify, but lost 6-4 to Frenchman Thibault Tricole.

Tuesday’s Players Championship 20 was won by Australian Damon Heta, who beat crowd favourite Stephen Bunting 8-7, and both men will be in Blackpool., external

London Pulse secured top spot at the end of the Netball Super League regular season – and with it home advantage for the major semi-final in the play-offs.

Pulse led Loughborough Lightning by two points going into the final round of games and were given a helping hand.

It came from Birmingham Panthers who caused a surprise in their coach Jo Trip’s final game in charge by achieving a 67-58 success over Lightning, who have won three of the past four Grand Finals, to ensure Pulse finished top.

Antonia Mitchell had 42 goals for Panthers who pulled clear in the second quarter against a Lightning side who lacked fluency and will have plenty to think about before the play-offs.

Pulse then ensured they go into next weekend’s game against Lightning on a high with a comfortable 67-44 victory over bottom side Cardiff Dragons, helped by 36 goals from Olivia Tchine.

The winner of the major semi-final goes straight to the Grand Final while the loser will face the winner of the minor semi-final between third and fourth – Manchester Thunder and London Mavericks – to determine the other finalist.

Thunder and Mavericks lined up for a dress rehearsal on Saturday with the Manchester side winning 67-45 at Wembley Arena, led by 50 goals from Elmere van der Berg.

In the weekend’s final game on Sunday, the sport will say farewell to one of its greatest players.

Former England star Geva Mentor takes to the court for the last time before she retires as she lines up for Leeds Rhinos against Nottingham Forest (16:00 BST) in a match you can watch live on BBC iPlayer and the BBC Sport website.

There was plenty of discussion and hope that losing the England captaincy would allow Knight more freedom as a batter, and in her first two knocks since, that has already come to fruition.

She made 43 not out in the first T20 at Canterbury, and was not required to bat in the second, before finishing strongly by reaching her first international T20 half-century on home soil from 38 balls.

West Indies were rewarded for a much more consistent bowling effort, sticking to a simple plan of keeping the stumps in play and squeezing England’s batters as much as possible with a little help from a surface which aided their spin-heavy attack.

It meant that Knight had to work through the gears, focusing on rotating the strike and picking the gaps in her partnership with Sciver-Brunt which came after England posted their second-lowest T20 powerplay score when batting first at home, with only two boundaries struck in the opening six overs.

After Sciver-Brunt was caught on the boundary at the end of the 11th over, Jones’ counter-attacking knock took the pressure off during the the middle overs which allowed Knight to display more versatility, striking one enormous six over mid-wicket and producing an array of cheeky ramps and paddles off the spinners.

Her injury will be a concern as she struggled to run between the wickets in the final couple of overs, but it has been a highly promising return to the batting ranks.

There are questions surrounding Wyatt-Hodge’s form, however, with 17 runs in three innings having already been dropped from the ODI squad for this series. The opener’s 22 ducks are the most in men’s and women’s T20 internationals, and 11 of them have come first ball.

WASHINGTON — Republicans advanced their massive tax cut and border security package out of a key House committee during a rare Sunday night vote as conservatives who blocked the measure two days earlier reversed course after gaining commitments on the package’s spending cuts.

Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) met with Republican lawmakers shortly before the meeting, telling reporters that the changes agreed to were “just some minor modifications. Not a huge thing.”

Democrats on the panel pressed for more details about the changes that Republicans had agreed to in the private negotiations. But Rep. Jodey Arrington (R-Texas), the chairman of the House Budget Committee, said he could not do so.

“Deliberations continue at this very moment,” Arrington said. “They will continue on into the week, and I suspect right up until the time we put this big, beautiful bill on the floor of the House.”

The first time Republicans tried advancing the bill out of the Budget Committee, hard-right Republicans joined with Democrats in voting against sending the measure to the full House. Five Republicans voted no, one on procedural grounds, the other four voicing concerns about the bill’s effect on federal budget deficits.

On Sunday evening, the four voicing concerns about the deficit voted present, and the measure passed by a vote of 17 to 16.

Johnson is looking to put the bill on the House floor before the end of the week.

“This is the vehicle through which we will deliver on the mandate that the American people gave us in the last election,” he said on “Fox News Sunday” in advance of the vote.

The Republicans who criticized the measure noted that the bill’s new spending and tax cuts are front-loaded in the bill, while the measures to offset the cost are back-loaded. For example, they are looking to speed up the new work requirements that Republicans want to enact for Medicaid recipients. Those requirements would not kick in until 2029 under the current bill.

“We are writing checks we cannot cash, and our children are going to pay the price,” said Rep. Chip Roy (R-Texas), a member of the committee. “Something needs to change, or you’re not going to get my support.”

Johnson said the start date for the work requirements was designed to give states time to “retool their systems” and to “make sure that all the new laws and all the new safeguards that we’re placing can actually be enforced.”

Roy was joined in voting no by Reps. Ralph Norman of South Carolina, Josh Brecheen of Oklahoma and Rep. Andrew Clyde of Georgia. Rep. Lloyd Smucker of Pennsylvania switched his vote to no in a procedural step so it could be reconsidered later.

The vote against advancing the bill had come after President Trump urged Republicans in a social media post to unite behind it.

At its core, the sprawling package permanently extends the existing income tax cuts that were approved during Trump’s first term, in 2017, and adds temporary new ones that the president campaigned on in 2024, including no taxes on tips, overtime pay and auto loan interest payments. The measure also proposes big spending increases for border security and defense.

The Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget, a nonpartisan fiscal watchdog group, estimates that the House bill is shaping up to add roughly $3.3 trillion to the debt over the next decade.

Democrats are overwhelmingly opposed to the measure, which Republicans have labeled “The One, Big, Beautiful Bill Act.” Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.) called it “one big, beautiful betrayal” in Friday’s hearing.

“This spending bill is terrible, and I think the American people know that,” Rep. Jim Clyburn (D-S.C.) said on CNN’s “State of the Union’’ on Sunday. “There is nothing wrong with us bringing the government in balance. But there is a problem when that balance comes on the back of working men and women. And that’s what is happening here.”

Johnson is not just having to address the concerns of those in his conference who raised concerns about the deficit. He’s also facing pressure from centrists who will be warily eyeing the proposed changes to Medicaid, food assistance programs and the rolling back of clean energy tax credits. Republican lawmakers from New York and elsewhere are also demanding a much large state and local tax deduction.

As it stands, the bill proposes tripling what’s currently a $10,000 cap on the state and local tax deduction, increasing it to $30,000 for joint filers with incomes up to $400,000 a year.

Rep. Nick LaLota, one of the New York GOP lawmakers leading the effort to lift the cap, said they have proposed a deduction of $62,000 for single filers and $124,000 for joint filers.

If the bill passes the House this week, it would move to the Senate, where Republicans are seeking additional changes that could make final passage in the House more difficult.

Johnson said: “The package that we send over there will be one that was very carefully negotiated and delicately balanced, and we hope that they don’t make many modifications to it because that will ensure its passage quickly.”

Freking and Mascaro write for the Associated Press.

Coinbase may owe customers up to $400 million after hackers steal confidential data.

And with ByBit being duped for $1.5 billion in March, this marks the second major centralized exchange exploit in two months. As such, traders are fleeing to secure self-custody crypto wallets like Best Wallet.

Coinbase Hackers Steal Customer Data

Its CEO CEO Brian Armstrong publicly addressed the situation on X, revealing that the hackers have demanded a $20 million ransom. Rather than folding, Coinbase announced a $20 million reward fund that will pay anyone for information that leads to the hackers’ arrest and conviction.

He underlined that the hackers aimed to use the data for phishing scams. That is, to impersonate Coinbase support agents and trick users into handing over their funds or more valuable account information.

Armstrong said that Coinbase will reimburse any users who lost funds resulting from the hack. He estimates this could cost the company up to $400 million.

Coinbase’s stock dropped by 7.2% after news broke.

However, some critics are concerned that the ramifications of this exploit run deeper. Operational security (OPSEC) is crucial in crypto, and people can be targeted in real life if they are known to hold large amounts of digital assets.

Reuters reported that Ledger co-founder David Balland was kidnapped in France in January and held for ransom until he was rescued in a police operation, for example.

OPSEC-aware crypto users are well aware of this danger, and so are concerned.

“The combination of data exposed here (real-life addresses, crypto addresses, and amount and real-life ID documents) is lethal,” wrote Lefteris Karapetsas on X.

Meanwhile, Nansen AI CEO Alex Svanevik called for US President Donald Trump to “dismantle the KYC/AML complex.”

Dismantling KYC regulations would mean exchanges could hold less customer data, helping protect their privacy.

However, users can already protect their privacy through KYC-free crypto wallets. And right now, Best Wallet appears as one of the most secure options.

Best Wallet Brings Unmatched Security to the Wallet Space

Being KYC-free means Best Wallet users retain complete privacy and hackers can’t steal their data.

But it doesn’t stop there. The wallet employs advanced fraud protection to help flag and block crypto scams. It also uses multi-level cryptographic technology for decentralized account recovery. This includes integrating support for Apple and Google accounts, so that users can easily retrieve access to their wallet, even without knowing their private keys.

When it comes to user experience, Best Wallet’s offerings go well beyond those of its peers. The wallet supports over 60 different blockchains, including Bitcoin, Ethereum, Solana, XRP, and Cardano. It also has a cross-chain DEX and even supports derivatives trading.

In addition, the wallet boasts features like a token launchpad, a crypto debit card, a staking aggregator, an NFT gallery, and more.

While making crypto much safer, Best Wallet also creates a seamless and frictionless user experience. It looks like it’s building the future of Web3.

$BEST Presale Soars Past $12M as Wallet Narrative Deepens

The Best Wallet Token offers ecosystem benefits, including trading fee discounts, higher staking yields, governance rights, and access to promotions on partner projects.

It’s currently available to buy via a token presale, which has raised $12.3 million so far.

Best Wallet Token’s presale strength signifies real market appeal, and the recent Coinbase incident will only amplify this in the months ahead.

Expert analyst Jacob Bury explored the Coinbase hack and suggested that Best Wallet Token could be a smart investment to capitalize on the current market outlook.

However, the $BEST presale price will increase throughout the ICO, with the next uptick in under two days.

As such, traders seeking the most value for money should not wait to get involved.

This article is for informational purposes only and does not provide financial advice. Cryptocurrencies are highly volatile, and the market can be unpredictable. Always perform thorough research before making any cryptocurrency-related decisions.

A near-complete ballot count shows the Socialist Party won 52 percent of the votes or 82 of 140 parliamentary seats.

Albania’s ruling Socialist Party has won the country’s parliamentary elections, according to a near-complete vote count, securing Prime Minister Edi Rama an unprecedented fourth term in office.

With about 96 percent of ballots counted, the official results on Tuesday showed the Socialist Party got 82 seats in the 140-seat parliament with 52 percent of the votes.

The opposition centre-right Democratic Party secured 51 seats with 34 percent of votes. Three other small parties will take the rest of the seats.

The threshold for entry into the assembly in Albania is one percent for parties and five percent for party alliances.

The full results are expected later on Tuesday. If confirmed, the results would be an increase from the last election, where Rama’s party won 49 percent of the vote, and would give him a majority to form a government.

Delay possible

The Central Election Commission, the electoral executive, has said that by law, the final results come out 48 hours after the vote ends.

The results may be delayed following a request of the opposition not to consider about 53,000 ballots mailed from the diaspora in neighbouring Greece, claiming they are manipulated.

For the first time, those in the diaspora could cast postal votes. About 195,000 mailed in their votes.

Eligible voters in Albania and abroad voted to elect 140 lawmakers for a four-year mandate in the Balkan nation. Because of mass emigration, the country of 2.4 million people has a total of nearly 3.7 million eligible voters.

Diaspora votes from Greece may move a number of seats in three or four areas in favour of the ruling party. The opposition claims they were manipulated by Socialist supporters. The postal company said it has confirmation signatures of all the voters in Greece.

Rama, who has been in power since 2013, focused his campaign on working to gain membership in the European Union by 2030. Sali Berisha, the candidate of the conservative Democratic Party, argued that Albania still is not ready for the bloc’s membership.

Some analysts were surprised by the strength of Rama’s success, expecting that a series of corruption scandals and the recent unrest in the country due to a crackdown on the opposition would affect his results.

A joint international observation mission noted that despite being competitive and professionally managed, the election process so far was marked by the ruling party’s misuse of public resources, a confrontational and polarising tone, the two main political parties using divisive language, non-transparent financing, and unbalanced media coverage of smaller parties.