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Jeff Stelling’s ‘big problem’

Jeff and Matt have opened up about the big problem they faced during the show.

Democrats in the United States have scored a major victory in midterm elections, taking control of both chambers of Congress in a stinging rebuke of President Donald Trump and his Republican Party.

The results are being carefully watched outside the US, as foreign leaders consider how the new political reality in Washington could affect US foreign policy – from the conflict with Iran to the Russia-Ukraine war and trade relations.

Trump himself has acknowledged the US-Israel war on Iran likely impacted his party’s poor performance in the elections, saying voters were probably not ready “for the short-term consequence of the price of gasoline”.

Here are the latest reactions from world leaders, as the scale of the Democratic victory continues to emerge:

Iran

Iranian parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, who is also the chief negotiator in talks with the US, said voters had rejected conflict.

“Americans said NO TO WAR, and we endorse this message,” wrote Ghalibaf in a post on X.

“If the US govt betrays their public will to serve international paymasters and blackmailers, it will learn our NO comes with a Nightmare,” he added.

Israel

There was no immediate reaction from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, a Trump ally whose coalition lost its own majority in Israel’s parliament in elections last week.

However, opposition figure Yair Golan, whose party is in a coalition seeking to replace Netanyahu, said the US vote reveals “just how toxic Netanyahu has become” among US Democrats and Republicans alike.

He warned that if Netanyahu and his far-right government remain in power, Israel would be on “a path toward international sanctions, global isolation, and a confrontation with the United States – our most important friend and ally.”

Israeli opposition leader Yair Lapid, also part of the anti-Netanyahu coalition, said the US vote effectively ruled out “any possibility of a unity government led by Netanyahu”.

European Union

European Parliament Vice President Christel Schaldemose said the US results left her “cautiously optimistic on Europe’s behalf”.

“Not because everything now ⁠⁠changes for the better, but because it could benefit the support for Ukraine, the green transition, and ⁠⁠relations with the rest of the world,” said Schaldemose in a post on X.

“But the EU must continue the course of standing stronger and standing on its own two feet. That’s not up for debate,” she added.

United Kingdom

Health Minister James Frith stressed that the UK would maintain steady, strong ties with Washington despite an apparent “seismic shift in domestic politics for the Americans”.

“The change of emphasis of power in the States is frequent,” Frith told British media. “But the mainstay of the relationship with the UK Government, as its closest ally, is unwavering and unchanging.”

“So I don’t expect it to change the nature of the relationship at all; it remains very strong,” he added.

France

Finance Minister Roland Lescure said France would wait to see whether Trump, who remains in control of US foreign policy, adjusts his approach.

“Either he decides to rise above the fray – acknowledging that ‌‌changes are necessary, particularly regarding gasoline prices, which directly ‌‌affect people – and, I might add, he tones down his international involvement, or he does not,” Lescure told French TV. “Frankly, this is something we will need to keep an eye on in the ⁠⁠coming days.”

Spain

Left-wing Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said the US Democrats’ landslide victory was emblematic of the “unravelling” of the global far right.

“It happened in Brazil. It just happened in the US. And it will soon happen in Spain,” said Sanchez, whose own premiership is at stake in snap elections he called for November 29 .

Sanchez said US voters had rejected policies that “only ‌‌impoverish”, as well as hate, sexism, climate change denialism and “the privileges of the elites”.

Greece

Government spokesman Pavlos Marinakis said US-Greek relations would not be affected by the election results.

“Greek-American relations will remain strong,” he told local media. “The United States is our strategic ally, and this will continue for major projects ⁠⁠and all major agreements. Nothing will be affected by this outcome. It is obvious that we respect every outcome. The conclusions are clear.”

Russia

Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov stressed the need to wait for the final results of US elections to come into focus, but noted that leaders in the US Democratic Party had a “sharply negative” approach to relations with Moscow.

Russia’s position on Ukraine and broader foreign policy “is not based on short-term considerations and, naturally, does not depend on the fluctuations of the political barometer in other countries,” Ryabkov was quoted by Russian state media as saying.

“We will continue our work in accordance with the directives of the President of the Russian Federation,” he added.

China

Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said Beijing would continue its “constructive strategic relationship” with the US, stressing that US elections are a “domestic affair”.

“China is willing to work with the US to safeguard and implement the important consensus reached by the two heads of state, strengthen communication, properly manage differences and expand cooperation, build a constructive strategic relationship based on respect and equality,” Mao told reporters in Beijing.

Japan

Chief Cabinet Secretary Minoru Kihara said whatever the outcome of the US vote, “the Japan-US alliance the is the cornerstone of Japan’s foreign and security policy.”

“As the international situation becomes turbulent and increasingly uncertain, a strong Japan-US alliance is essential for maximising Japan’s national interests and for peace and stability in the international community,” Kihara said at a press briefing.

South Africa

⁠President Cyril Ramaphosa, who has clashed with Trump over the US president’s promotion of debunked claims of a white genocide in South Africa, said the election marks “a new era in world relations”.

“We have seen that the ⁠⁠Democrats have taken ⁠⁠control of the Senate and of ⁠⁠the House, and ⁠⁠the ⁠⁠people of America have spoken,” Ramaphosa told ‌‌reporters.

In July, 2004, the IMF and
World Bank commemorated the 60th anniversary of their founding at Bretton Woods, NH to
provide a financial framework of assistance for the postwar world after the
expected defeat of Germany
and Japan.
With breathtaking hypocrisy, an October, 2004 Development Committee Communique
stated: “As we celebrate the 60th anniversary of the Bretton Woods
Institutions….we recommit ourselves to supporting efforts by developing
countries to pursue sustainable growth, sound macroeconomic policies, debt
sustainability, open trade, job creation, poverty reduction and good
governance.” Phew.

In fact, for 63 hellish years,
both these institutions achieved mirror opposite results on everything the
above comment states. From inception, their mission was to integrate developing
nations into the Global North-dominated world economy and use debt repayment as
the way to transfer wealth from poor countries to powerful bankers in rich
ones.

The scheme is called debt
slavery because new loans are needed to service old ones, indebtedness rises,
and borrowing terms stipulate harsh one-way “structural adjustment”
provisions that include:

• privatizations of state
  enterprises;
• government deregulation;
• deep cuts in social
  spending;
• wage freezes or cuts;
• unrestricted free market
  access for foreign corporations;
• corporate-friendly tax
  cuts;
• crackdowns on trade
  unionists; and
• savage repression for
  non-believers under a system incompatible with social democracy.

Everywhere the scheme is the
same: huge public wealth transfers to elitist private hands, exploding public
debt, an ever-widening disparity between the super-rich and desperate poor, and
an aggressive nationalism to justify huge spending on security for aggressive
surveillance, mass incarceration plus repression and torture for social
control.

An Alternative to Debt Slavery – The Bank of the South

Last December, Hugo Chavez
announced his idea for a Banco del Sur, or Bank of the South, as part of his
crusade against the institutions of international capital he calls “tools
of Washington.”
The bank will be officially launched at a presidential November 3 summit in Caracas, where it is to be headquartered, with seven
founding member-states – Venezuela,
Argentina, Brazil, Uruguay,
Paraguay, Bolivia and Ecuador.

On October 12, Colombia’s
President Alvaro Uribe announced his nation agreed to become the eighth member
but said “The decision is not a rejection to the World Bank or
Inter-American Development Bank, but a sign of solidarity and fraternity
towards the South American community.” At this time, only four South
American states aren’t included – Chile,
Peru, Guyana and Surinam,
but Chile seems likely to
come aboard following Colombia’s
lead, and the others may decide to join them.

Finance ministers from the
founding countries met in Rio de
Janeiro, Brazil
October 8 to finalize the Bank’s Founding Document. Many key operating issues
have yet to be resolved, but unofficial information was that each nation will
commit 10% of its international reserves and have equal oversight over the new
institution. In a concluding news conference, Brazilian finance minister Guido
Mantega stated: the participating countries “have been able to overcome
all obstacles that were in the way of an understanding around the formation of
the Bank of the South. We can now say that the (bank) is close to becoming a
reality” even though Brazil
(Latin America’s largest economy) hasn’t yet
formalized its entry.

Venezuelan finance minister
Rodrigo Cabezas explained the bank will help develop the region by offering
South Americans more credits. It’s being “created to build a new
architecture that assumes an improved relationship of the bank and its capacity
to offer credits for its people.” It also aims to increase liquidity and
revive socioeconomic development and infrastructure investments in
participating countries and keep them outside the restrictive control of the
IMF and World Bank that are fast losing influence and being phased out of the
region.

In 2005, 80% of IMF’s $81
billion loan portfolio was to Latin America.
Today, it’s 1% with nearly all its $17 billion in outstanding loans to Turkey and Pakistan. The World Bank is also
being rejected. Venezuela
had already paid off its IMF and World Bank debt ahead of schedule when Hugo
Chavez symbolically announced on April 30: “We will no longer have to go
to Washington
nor to the IMF nor to the World Bank, not to anyone.” Ecuador’s Rafael
Correa is following suit. He cleared his country’s IMF debt, suspended World
Bank loans, accused the WB of trying to extort money from him when he was
economy and finance minister in 2005, and last April declared the Bank’s
country representative persona non grata in an extraordinary diplomatic slap in
the face.

The Banco del Sur will replace
these repressive institutions with $7 billion in startup capital when it begins
operating in 2008. It will be under “a new financial architecture”
for regional investment with the finance ministers of each member nation
sitting on the bank’s administrative council with equal authority over its
operations as things now stand. Venezuelan Finance Minister Rodrigo Cabezas
stressed the bank’s Latin roots, saying: “The idea is to rely on a
development agency for us, led by us” to finance public and private
development and regional integration projects. He added: “There will not
be credit subjected to economic policies. There will not be credit that
produces a calamity for our people and as a result, it will not be a tool of
domination” like the international lending agencies.

Hugo Chavez’s vision is to
liberate the region’s countries from IMF, World Bank, and Inter-American
Development Bank (IBD) control that condemn millions to poverty through their
lending practices. Helped by windfall oil profits, his government is already doing
it with an unprecedented commitment to provide financial aid and below-market
priced oil to regional and other countries. So far this year, it’s on the order
of around $9 billion, and, unlike the Washington-controlled kind, it comes at
low cost and with good will, a cooperative spirit and few if any strings.

Nobel laureate economist Joseph
Stiglitz recognizes Chavez’s efforts and stated his support for the Banco del
Sur on an October 10 visit to Caracas.
He said “One of the advantages of having a Bank of the South is that it
would reflect the perspectives of those in the South (while in contrast IMF and
World Bank conditions) hinder (regional) development effectiveness.”

Stiglitz met with Hugo Chavez
on his visit and praised his redistributive social policies. He also criticized
Washington Consensus neoliberal practices that exploit the region’s people,
“undermin(e)….Andean cooperation, and it is part of the American
strategy of divide and conquer, a strategy trying to get as much of the
benefits for American companies” at the expense of the region and its
people.

Venezuela’s acting ambassador to
the Permanent Mission to the UN, Aura Mahuampi Rodriguez de Ortiz, warned the
world body about Latin American debt during her participation in the General Debate
on Macroeconomic Policies in October. She stressed: “The persistence of
the foreign debt of the developing countries affects negatively on its process
of development. It is not worthy to direct resources for the development of
poor countries if such resources end up directed to the payment of the foreign
debt” instead of going to economic development internally. She also spoke
of the new Bank of the South, how it will help strengthen regional integration
and also fairly distribute investments and finance projects to reduce poverty
and social exclusion.

A less publicized Bank of ALBA
(Bolivarian Alternative for the Americas) will also begin operating by year end
under “a new regional financial architecture under principles that create
a new form of channeling financial resources” to its four country alliance
– Venezuela, Cuba, Bolivia and Nicaragua.

Chavez first proposed ALBA as
an alternative to the Free Trade Area of the Americas (FTAA) in 2001 with Venezuela, Cuba,
and Bolivia
its original members in December, 2004. Nicaragua then joined the alliance
in January, 2007 under its newly elected president, Daniel Ortega, who signed
on as his first act in office. ALBA’s goal is ambitious. It is the
comprehensive integration of the region and development of the “social
state” for all its people. It is boldly based on member states’
complementarity, not competition; solidarity, not domination; cooperation, not
exploitation; and respect for each participating nation’s sovereign right to be
free from the grip of other countries and corporate giants.

In April, the 5th ALBA summit
was held in Caracas
to discuss ways to improve the alliance. Initiatives covered included a
Permanent (coordinating) Secretariat and a plan to create 12 public companies
to be co-managed by ALBA member states. Its goal is to strengthen key economic
sectors in areas of energy, agriculture, telecommunications, infrastructure,
industrial supplies and cement production. ALBA country foreign ministers then
agreed in June to create a development Bank of ALBA to help finance these
ventures with low-cost credit. It will complement the Banco del Sur and also be
headquartered in Caracas.

Uncertain Future Prospects

Socially responsible regional
banks, like those discussed above, will challenge the dominant institutions of
finance capital if they fulfill their promise. But therein lies the problem.
These new institutions aren’t panaceas and they may end up letting capital
interests exploit them for their own advantage. In addition, financial autonomy
alone won’t free the region from Washington’s
grip without greater change. What’s needed are sweeping nationalizations of
basic industries, an end to one-way WTO-style trade deals, socially
redistributing national resources, developing local economies, achieving land
and housing reform, plus a sweeping commitment to social equity and a resolve
to end a 25 year neoliberal nightmare. From 1960 to 1980, the region’s per
capita income growth was 82%. From 1980 to 2000, however, it was 9%, and from
2000 to 2005 only 4%. For the region, it meant sweeping poverty, inequality and
the most extreme disparity between the super-rich and desperate poor in the
world. 

Change is needed, and Venezuela under
Hugo Chavez has done most in the region to achieve it. Finance Minister Rodrigo
Cabezas just presented his government’s 2008 budget to the National Assembly
that allocates 46% of it to social spending. It devotes special attention to
health and education but also to subsidized and free food, land reform,
housing, micro credit, job training, cooperatives and more as Chavez continues
to use his nation’s resources to address the needs of his people. Since he took
office, social spending per person is up more than threefold and in 2006 was
20.9% of GDP.

Chavez now has an ally in Ecuador under
Rafael Correa, whose early efforts are promising. Hopefully, they’ll continue
under a new constitution to be drafted in the next six months and then put to a
national referendum next year. Other Bank of the South founding countries like Brazil, Argentina,
and Bolivia,
however, claim to be center-left but, in fact, embrace 1990s neoliberalism, and
financial autonomy won’t change that. The Bank of the South will only work if
it fulfills a mandate to prioritize local needs and development, not corporate
ones. That’s a tall order, and achieving it won’t be easy with its dominant
member, Brazil under Lula,
closely tied to Washington
and in its grip.

Nonetheless, small signs of
change are emerging, the Bank of the South may be one of them, and a new
generation of leftist leaders may in the end break Washington’s weakening (but still strong)
hold on the region. That’s the hope, and every step forward means more power to
the people and another possible world.

Stephen Lendman lives in Chicago
and can be reached at [email protected].

Also visit his blog
site at sjlendman.blogspot.com and listen to The Steve Lendman News and
Information Hour on TheMicroEffect.com Mondays at noon US central time.

Last week, player Rob Hawkins said England “were not playing to our standards” in their opening 98-18 win over Wales and rated the team five out of 10.

Asked how he would rate England’s showing against the USA, Billington told Premier Sports: “At least a seven. All week, we have been banging on about playing the way we want to play, and the boys really stuck to their principles.

“I’m over the moon for the guys to put on such senior performances.”

Finlay O’Neill was named player of the match as he recorded 38 points, with two tries and 15 conversions.

“It was a good team effort, not just myself,” O’Neill said. “We talked about how we could improve, and I think we did that.

“We need to take the positives – [there are a] few areas to work on but I think we can be very happy with that performance.”

The four semi-finalists have now been set, with the final group games to decide who faces who in the knockouts.

In Pool A, Ireland ensured they will qualify alongside England with a 68-28 victory over Wales.

Ireland, who are ranked third in the world, will face the English in their final group game on Friday in Wollongong (06:00 GMT).

In Pool A, two-time champions France and hosts Australia both booked their passages through while scoring triple figures.

France, who were losing finalists against England in 2022, thrashed New Zealand 120-10.

Australia beat Scotland 104-24, and will play the French on Friday to determine the pool winners.

Scotland, New Zealand, Wales and USA all go into a ranking competition to determine fifth through to eighth place.

Wales will face USA in Pool A on Friday, while Scotland play New Zealand.

FIFA Council members may view documents related to Gianni Infantino’s doomed plan, but only in person in Zurich

FIFA will release details of President Gianni Infantino’s aborted plan to sell off stakes in future World Cups to private investors, but they will not be shared with the public.

Reports in the British media said members of the FIFA Council, the main decision-making body of football’s world governing body, will be given access to “key documents” related to the proposal, named FIFA Forward Enterprise.

However, they can only view them under “strict protocols to preserve confidentiality”, the reports said. Those include the 37 members of the council having to register for an in-person appointment to view selected paperwork in Zurich, Switzerland, in the next two weeks.

The news came out late on Monday, the deadline European football’s governing body, UEFA, had set for FIFA to release details about the $4.2bn scheme and answer questions about how the proposal came about and who approved it before the plans were dropped in July amid a worldwide backlash.

UEFA set the deadline after a tense council meeting at which Infantino apologised for the proposal but provided no details about how the plan was formed. He asked council members to submit their questions in writing.

UEFA is leading attempts to remove Infantino before or at the FIFA presidential election on March 18 in Rabat, Morocco. Infantino, who was elected in 2016, is seeking a fourth term through 2031.

Fifa says “key documents” relating to president Gianni Infantino’s failed plan to sell off stakes in the World Cup to private investors will be made available to members of its council.

Last month, Uefa gave football’s world governing body until 2 November to release details about the hugely controversial Fifa Forward Enterprise (FFE) proposal, and to answer a list of questions relating to its governance and decision-making.

That followed a council meeting at which Infantino apologised for the abandoned sell-off plot but failed to offer a full explanation for how the proposal was devised, asking that questions be submitted in writing.

Just hours before the deadline from European football’s governing body passed, Fifa secretary general Mattias Grafstrom wrote to members of its main decision-making body – saying they will be able to view “key documents”, but only in person at the organisation’s headquarters in Zurich.

In his letter – seen by BBC Sport – he says the paperwork will be available “under strict review protocols to preserve confidentiality”, with council members asked to register to see them within the next two weeks.

It is unclear which documents will be made available.

BBC Sport has been told Fifa viewed Uefa’s two-week deadline to respond to more than 100 questions as unfeasible, given their recent focus on organising a new youth World Cup in Azerbaijan and preparations for an extraordinary congress later this month.

Sources have also indicated Fifa’s ability to answer some questions is limited by legal action that Uefa launched in October in the US, requesting disclosure of evidence and documents, warning it could lodge a criminal complaint in Switzerland.

Last month, Uefa told Fifa that it had failed to address “a number of fundamental questions”.

The letter included eight pages of questions covering a number of issues, from FFE and funding to national associations, to the awarding of an inaugural Fifa Peace Prize to US President Donald Trump and the controversial suspended ban given to USA striker Folarin Balogun at the World Cup.

“The withdrawal of FFE, the acknowledgement of mistakes and the announcement of ‘potential governance reforms’ do not answer how the relevant decisions were taken or why the Fifa Council was not involved at the appropriate stage,” the letter said.

“These questions require answers now. They cannot be deferred until the next meeting of the Fifa Council – nor can future governance reforms substitute for scrutiny of decisions already taken and accountability for them.”

Uefa did not outline what steps it intended to take should Fifa not meet the deadline, but hoped it added to the pressure on Infantino before 18 November – the cut-off date for any candidates to confirm they are standing against him in next year’s presidential election.

In his letter Grafstrom says that Uefa’s demand “contains significantly more questions than the Fifa administration could reasonably have anticipated” and that it is “currently working on a response which we will share with all council members in due course.”

He adds that the FFE proposal “could not have proceeded without the cumulative and mandatory approval of the council, and a majority of member associations, and in that event, there would be and has been no penalty to Fifa for withdrawing from the proposal”.

Uefa has been approached for comment.

The 57-year-old crossed jungles and frozen seas before an emotional homecoming in Hull, northern England.

A British adventurer has completed a 28-year walking journey around the world, arriving at his childhood home after travelling some 50,000km (31,070 miles) across jungles, frozen seas and international borders.

Karl Bushby, 57, was embraced by his mother, Angela, outside her terraced house in Hull, northern England, on Monday, beneath a banner reading “Welcome Home Son”.

Hundreds of cheering supporters had welcomed him in the city centre before he made the final stretch home.

“Sorry to keep you waiting,” he joked to the crowd. “Is that it, is it done?”

Bushby began what became known as his Goliath Expedition in Punta Arenas, southern Chile, in November 1998, carrying a tent, a few hundred dollars and a cheap plastic camera.

His goal was to reach his home city by an unbroken route, without using motorised transport to advance his journey.

The route took him north through the Americas, across the ice of the Bering Strait from Alaska to Russia, and onwards through Mongolia and China. He later swam across the Caspian Sea before continuing towards Europe.

Along the way, he negotiated the dense jungle of the Darien Gap between Colombia and Panama, was detained after entering Russia, and faced repeated visa and funding problems.

The global financial crisis in 2008 cost him major sponsors, adding to delays that stretched what he had expected to be a 12-year journey into 28 years.

Last month, he finally swam across the English Channel, clearing the last major obstacle before beginning the final walk home.

“They say it takes a village, but literally it took a world to get me here,” he said as he arrived in Hull. “The kindness of strangers, so many, from individuals to nation-states, to get me back here today. I didn’t do this alone. There was a big team. The biggest team. Earth.”

A feature-length documentary about his journey is in production, while Bushby plans to begin a speaking tour around England in the coming weeks.

In some ways, wheelchair rugby league is the same as the running game. Teams of five players have six tackles to score. Tackles on the ball carrier are made by pulling off a tag attached to each player’s shirt. A try scores four points, with two points for penalties and conversions, which are taken by punching the ball off a tee over the posts.

The game is played with an oval ball and lasts for 80 minutes, with a maximum of two non-disabled and three disabled players allowed on the field at any one time.

But unlike the running game, the balance of power lies not in Australia and the Pacific Islands, but firmly in Europe.

England’s main title rivals are France. The old enemies have met in the past three finals, the French winning in 2013 and 2017 before being beaten 28-24 in Manchester four years ago.

Ireland, ranked third in the world, are also genuine contenders and began their World Cup campaign by thrashing the USA 110-10.

But Australia, who are hosting every match in Wollongong, have their strongest ever squad and thumped New Zealand 112-14 in their Group B opener. An Australian sweep of the men’s, women’s and wheelchair tournaments, all taking place concurrently, for the first time by any nation is not out of the question.

Bayley McKenna is their first non-disabled captain, having picked up the sport in 2006 to support his father, who was paralysed in an accident.

McKenna is far from the only non-disabled person in this tournament – England’s Brown is too, he likewise entered the sport alongside a disabled family member, his brother.

Non-disabled players are crucial to the sport’s survival, helping teams fill their squads and boost interest. But McKenna was targeted by social media abuse during the last World Cup by those who thought he shouldn’t be playing in a wheelchair sport.

“I would have copped about a dozen messages from people all around the world saying, ‘you’re a fraud, you shouldn’t even be in the chair, this is a sport for disabled people’,” he told ABC, external.

“These guys were coming at me, like, ‘you’re lucky you’re not out there on the street by yourself’.

“There is such a stigma around able-bodied athletes playing in wheelchairs. It is ridiculous. I’d be lying to you if I said I was going into this World Cup not expecting it.”

Australia gave England a couple of good games in a two-match Test series last year, indicating the big two in wheelchair rugby league may not be so exclusive for long.

So don’t turn away, England fans. The Rugby League World Cup has plenty left to give.

⁠Kimi Antonelli has become Formula One’s youngest world champion ⁠at 20 years and 68 days old with his third-place finish for Mercedes at the Mexico City Grand Prix.

The first Italian champion since 1953 sobbed with joy over the team radio as he took the chequered flag at the high-altitude Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez on Sunday.

Red Bull’s Max Verstappen won the red-flagged, restarted race for his second win of the season, but Antonelli’s overall lead ⁠reached an unassailable 119 points after finishing third.

Ferrari’s Lewis Hamilton started from pole position and took a close second place – after clashing with teammate Charles Leclerc – on an afternoon of drama, with two safety cars, multiple crashes and an agonising 33-minute halt with 25 of the 71 laps remaining.

“Get in there, Kimi. Champion of the world,” said his race engineer Peter Bonnington, a regular target for the young driver’s practical jokes.

“We did it. Thank you so much,” ⁠gasped the Italian, whose parents and sister were there to embrace him when he stepped out of the car. He was then mobbed by his pit crew.

The previous youngest champion was Germany’s Sebastian Vettel, who took the first of his four with Red Bull at 23 years and 134 days old in 2010.

“I’m speechless. I’m trying to process what has just happened,” Antonelli said to the crowd.

“It’s been an incredible season, and to share this podium with Max and Lewis is truly incredible. And looking forward to some more battles in the future.

“This weekend, I did feel a bit more tense, but I’m just so happy that we got it done, and now ‌we can enjoy the rest of the season,” he added, as he stood on the podium with an Italian flag wrapped around his shoulders, spraying the champagne with abandon.

The last Italian champion was Alberto Ascari, 73 years earlier.

“On the last lap, I just backed off, because I just couldn’t see the track. I was getting emotional,” Antonelli told a later news conference.

“So it was just good to bring it home.”

Verstappen second in drivers’ standings

Leclerc finished fourth, McLaren’s outgoing champion Lando Norris fifth, and Antonelli’s teammate George Russell only sixth in a race he had to win to have any chance of staying in contention.

That also meant that Verstappen went second in the overall standings, with Hamilton third and preseason favourite Russell plummeting to fourth, 130 points behind Antonelli.

Mercedes have 630 points in the constructors’ standings to Ferrari’s 504 and could clinch that title in Brazil next weekend.

The race was stopped after a brief safety car deployment on lap 46 of 71 after Valtteri Bottas suffered a high-speed front-left suspension failure down the straight, with his Cadillac pitching uncontrollably into the barriers at turn one.

Bottas received medical attention in the car, but then walked to an ambulance, giving a thumbs-⁠up, as the rest of the field returned to the pits. He went to the medical centre and was released.

Verstappen led from the restart, challenged by Hamilton, with Antonelli passing Leclerc. There was then another safety car when Lindblad and Piastri collided, with the field released to race again with nine laps to the ⁠chequered flag.

‘Pushed out by ‌my own teammate’

Hamilton had led away from the original pole position for the 105th time in his career, but the first for Ferrari at a full Grand Prix, with Leclerc slotting in behind from third on the grid.

The British driver held him off as they went side by side through the opening corners, but Leclerc cut turn four and went across the grass as they battled for the lead, with Verstappen then taking second from Hamilton as the Ferrari looped wide.

“Pushed out by ‌my own teammate,” Hamilton said over the radio.

The stewards handed Leclerc a five-second penalty, but that did little for Hamilton, who remained behind his teammate after their respective stops on laps 28 and 29, with the Monegasque taking his penalty.

Russell, who had lined up on the front row, made a poor start and dropped to fifth. He also collided with Hadjar, punting the Red Bull off, and the stewards handed him a 10-second penalty.

Hawkins, 24, and Scarlets partner Eddie James have developed as Wales’ first-choice centre pairing during the past 12 months.

Wales head coach Steve Tandy has selected five different starting centre partnerships in 13 games since taking charge in September 2025.

Hawkins and James are the most prolific pair, having been together for seven games which include victory in an uncapped match against Barbarians.

Tandy did go back to Ben Thomas and Max Llewellyn for the 43-0 defeat by South Africa in July, but the Scarlets pair have been the preferred option.

“Eddie and I have a good relationship on and off the field,” said Hawkins.

“That is starting to grow on the pitch with the more opportunities we get together.”

The make-up of the Wales midfield has caused debate with Tandy and attack coach Matt Sherratt wanting a creative ball-playing inside centre like Hawkins or Thomas.

This leaves James as the physical presence at outside centre with Tandy stating he sees his long-term future as a Test 13.

Many observers believe James should be considered as a 12 but Wales are determined to keep their creative options open.

With Thomas missing because of a calf injury, Hawkins appears to be competing for the Wales’ 12 jersey with uncapped Dragons centre Aneurin Owen, although Llewellyn has also featured at inside centre for Gloucester this season.

“The ball-playing stuff is stuff I enjoy doing but you still need to go forward as well and I feel like I can also produce that side of it,” said Hawkins.

“Matt [Sherratt] likes you always in and around that first receiver position so you are always in those decision-making roles.

“You’ve got to be comfortable on the ball and making decisions at high speed.

“But there’s not always going to be opportunities to ball play, so you’ve got to try and have a bit of a rounded game.”

Hawkins has also been employed as an outside-half by Scarlets but he sees his future at 12.

“It gives me a lot more respect for the 10s, having been in there, with all the work they do,” he added.

“It probably helps me when I play centre from being a 10, I know what they need from me a little bit more, so the information and communication I’m feeding helps the whole team.”

New Zealand delivered a statement victory as they thrashed Fiji 78-0 to book their place in the Rugby League World Cup semi-finals.

The Kiwis established a 24-0 lead with four converted tries in the opening 13 minutes as Fiji – who pushed reigning world champions Australia close just under a week ago – had no response on Australia’s Gold Coast.

Fiji conceded eight tries in the first half and five in a fiery second period, during which half-back Brandon Wakeham was sent off along with New Zealand winger Ronaldo Mulitalo.

Centre Casey McLean claimed four tries, Keano Kini scored two and Jahrome Hughes, Dane Gagai, James Fisher-Harris, Mulitalo, Xavier Willison, Briton Nikora and Erin Clark also crossed for Stacey Jones’ team.

“Pretty special and pleased about how we went about our business,” said New Zealand captain Fisher-Harris.

“Fiji are a good team but I thought we played really well. It was a battle of the forwards.”

Fiji’s woes were not confined to the scoreline, with captain Apisai Koroisau suffering a suspected broken jaw and he clashed heads with Joseph Tapine in the eighth minute

Semi Valemei, who impressed with a hat-trick of tries against the Kangaroos, also left the field with a head injury during the first half.

Meanwhile, New Zealand will now face an anxious wait to discover if Mulitalo faces a tournament-ending ban for a high shot on Ronald Philitoga, which prompted a fracas involving Wakeham.

However, in his post-match news conference Kiwis head coach Jones confirmed that star full-back Kalyn Ponga, who broke his arm in the tournament opener against Australia on 15 October, has trained this week and could be involved in their last-four match against either Samoa, Tonga or England.

Samoa and Tonga meet on Sunday and both look set to advance from Pool B & C.

England’s slim hopes rest on the unlikely scenario of Tonga defeating Samoa by more than 46 points.

The losers of the contest between the Pacific Island rivals will take on Australia next.

Kevin Walters’ side maintained their 100% record in their final group match with a comfortable 66-6 success over the Cook Islands in Townsville.

Jack Bostock and Tom Trbojevic both scored three tries each in a game the Cook Islands briefly led 6-4 when Rua Ngatikaura went over and Valentine Holmes added the extras.

GLASTONBURY fans reckon they’ve uncovered a major clue about a surprise headliner for next year’s festival.

The chatter began after rock legends U2 announced the UK and European dates of their massive new world tour yesterday, and eagle-eyed fans have already spotted a suspicious gap in their schedule.

The Irish superstars, fronted by Bono, will perform at London’s Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on June 18 and 19, 2027.

But their next scheduled concert isn’t until June 30, when they head to Berlin’s Olympiastadion in Germany.

And the 11-day gap between shows just happens to include Glastonbury Festival, which returns to Worthy Farm from June 23 to 27 following a year off.

The coincidence has sent fans into a frenzy, with some convinced U2 could be preparing a secret appearance on the famous Pyramid Stage.

Glast-no

Alternative music festivals to book now if you missed out on Glasto 2027 tickets

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No Glasto or Wireless but still lots of festival action – our ultimate guide

Taking to Reddit, one fan wrote: “I’ve just seen they are performing in London 18th and 19th June, then off to Germany on 30th. Maybe just a gap to add more shows or a glasto gap?”

Another replied: “Was literally about to post this.” A third insisted: “There’s no way they wouldn’t headline. They could do the secret pyramid set on the Saturday (the Foo Fighters / Pulp set).”

U2 previously headlined Glastonbury in 2011, having been forced to pull out of their original 2010 appearance after Bono underwent emergency back surgery.

Their newly announced Greatest Show On Earth World Tour will take the band across Europe, with stops including Stockholm, Paris, Lisbon, Amsterdam and Milan.

Meanwhile, speculation is already mounting over who will top the bill at Glastonbury 2027, with Harry Styles, Sam Fender, Billie Eilish, Taylor Swift and Rihanna among the names linked to the festival.

Organiser Emily Eavis has confirmed all three Pyramid Stage headliners have already been booked, although their identities remain under wraps.

She has also ruled out Madonna and Oasis, despite previous rumours suggesting both acts could make an appearance.

While Sherrock was celebrating, Ireland’s ‘Fierce’ Pearse Mackle, a 21-year-old university student from County Cavan, was left wondering what could have been.

Mackle, who competes on PDC’s Development Tour, was the eighth competitor and failed to hit a match-winning bullseye, instead finding the nine, and his life-changing moment came and went.

He was the only other player, apart from Sherrock, to cause Littler a fright.

For most of the night, Littler cruised through the competition as he went in search of the £501,000, which he had said he would donate to charity.

With former England footballer Gary Lineker hosting and with comedian Lee Mack and television presenter Richard Osman joining Turner as part of the punditry team, this was a night to bring darts to a new audience.

The first challenger was 16-year-old Kasey Smith from Manchester, but Littler showed he was in no mood to mess about, hitting treble 20s against her with his first two darts on his way to an easy win.

Some of Littler’s opponents had never played a competitive game of darts, although everyone was keen to make the most of the experience.

With John McDonald, who retired as the main PDC master of ceremonies after the 2026 World Championship final, announcing the players before their elaborate walk-ons, this was a fun event, although most players came nowhere near beating Littler.

But there were still entertaining moments. Fourteen-year-old Jayden Walker, a year 10 pupil from Dorset, threw off a school blazer and tie to reveal his darts outfit and, as the third-highest ranked player, threatened to cause a huge shock.

But Littler raised his game when he needed to, hitting a maximum 180 followed by a 158 checkout, the highest of the night, to defeat his fellow teenager in only 12 darts.

Taylon Forrester, 18, described himself as a “binman who works with his dad” and he jumped out of a dumpster on his way to the oche.

Other entrants included Zac Spain, a jockey from Melbourne, Australia, Frenchman Theodore Wallich, who dubbed himself the ‘Moustache Kid’, 57-year-old Mark Pooke, another 14-year-old in Makinley Cooper-Johnson and Will Kemp, back playing after a heart attack earlier this year.

But Sherrock, whose participation in the competition had been questioned because of her past achievements in the sport, was the real winner, even if she had been described by Lineker as a “hairdresser from Milton Keynes”.

With Littler on stage for more than two hours, he inevitably tired with his standard dropping and Sherrock was the one to take advantage, winning in a 15-dart leg in match number 15.

Hearn reappeared to present Sherrock with a huge cheque for her life-changing victory to end a surreal night of action.

Great Britain’s Kadeena Cox set a new world record as she won C4 1km gold at the Para Cycling Track World Championships in the Netherlands.

The 35-year-old crossed the line in 1 minute 9.545 seconds to win her seventh world title.

Cox faced a nervous wait as Tara Neyland took to the track afterwards in pursuit of a medal, but her Australian rival could not eclipse the Briton’s time.

Cox, who is a five-time Paralympic gold medallist, was draped in a British flag by her team following victory as she joyously celebrated her first world title since 2024.

In the men’s tandem B 1km time-trial, Britain’s James Ball defended his title as he won gold alongside new partner Aaron Pope.

The pair dominated in the final, crossing the line in 59.563 seconds as Ball secured his eighth world title, with Pope winning his first.

In the women’s pursuit final, Britain’s Sophie Unwin alongside Jenny Holl won silver behind New Zealand’s gold medallists Emma Foy and Jessie Hodges.

Unwin and Holl had earlier set a new world record of 4:30.262 in qualifying, before it was broken by Foy and Hodges’ time of 4:29.672.

In the men’s C4 final, Britain’s Archie Atkinson won bronze, while compatriot Fin Graham also took bronze in the C3 1km time-trial.

The small-market World Series in Major League Baseball wrapped up this week, with the Milwaukee Brewers winning their first title in franchise history.

The title triumph came 44 years after Milwaukee’s only other trip to the Fall Classic, when they lost to the St Louis Cardinals in seven games in 1982.

But beyond the memorable victory, the series’ television ratings made for underwhelming reading, raising questions about baseball’s reach and relevance in a United States sports market dominated by American football and basketball.

Al Jazeera breaks down the numbers and more:

Who played in the 2026 MLB World Series?

The World Series, the championship series of the 2026 MLB season, saw the American League champion Tampa Bay Rays and the National League champion Milwaukee Brewers compete in a best-of-seven playoff series.

At the end of the October 23-28 playoff series, Milwaukee were crowned winners, as they clinched their first World Series title.

Milwaukee’s 57-year wait for a championship ended on Wednesday after defeating the Tampa Bay Rays 4-1 to wrap up the Fall Classic in five games.

Why didn’t the 2026 World Series capture TV audiences?

While the final Nielsen ratings report is still pending, estimates show an average of 11.82 million viewers tuned in for the 2026 World Series across the Fox network.

Milwaukee’s 10-1 win at Tampa in Game 3 attracted the lowest audience, 8.33 million, while Game 5, in which Milwaukee sealed the championship, drew the highest with 14.22 million viewers.

The overall average is much lower than the 2025 and 2024 World Series, which drew 15.49 million and 15.1 million viewers, respectively, as the Los Angeles Dodgers won the title both times.

This year’s World Series’ underwhelming viewership could be linked to the two teams’ relatively low payrolls and markets – the Brewers’ payroll ranks 19th in MLB ($146m), and the Rays are 28th ($95m).

The Brewers also rank as the smallest market team in MLB, generating the lowest local commercial and TV revenue, while the Rays rank squarely in the league’s middle.

Hence, when the Brewers and Rays met this year on MLB’s biggest stage, it marked the first World Series clash between two of baseball’s smallest spenders in 35 ⁠years.

On the other hand, nine-time World Series winners Dodgers, who competed in the last two World Series, boast a star-studded lineup on a hefty payroll, featuring marquee star Shohei Ohtani, former MVP Mookie Betts, 10-time All-Star Freddie Freeman and others.

Those factors keep them in the tier 1 market size category – one that represents the biggest media and population footprints in the sport.

How does the World Series compare with other US sports?

The 2026 World Series’ viewership figures also pale in comparison to those of other major US sports leagues.

Basketball’s 2026 NBA Finals, in which the New York Knicks defeated the San Antonio Spurs 4-1 to end a 53-year drought, attracted a series average of 20.58 million viewers. Game 5 was the most-watched NBA Finals game 5 since 1998, averaging 24.54 million viewers and peaking at 33 million.

Elsewhere in international football, the 2026 FIFA World Cup, held in North America, also produced record numbers. Spain’s 1-0 extra-time win over Argentina delivered a combined average audience of 62.8 million across Fox and Telemundo, making it the most-watched football match ever in the United States.

American football, by far, is the most-watched sport in the US.

A Nielsen report found that an estimated 125.6 million viewers watched the National Football League’s Super Bowl LX, as the Seattle Seahawks beat the New England Patriots 29-13.

NBC’s presentation of Super Bowl LX ranked as the second most-watched Super Bowl in history, behind the 127.7 million viewers who watched Super Bowl LIX in 2025.

The only major American sports league that performs weakly against MLB is the National Hockey League (NHL), a professional ice hockey league in North America.

An average of 5.2 million viewers tuned in for the 2026 Stanley Cup, won by the Carolina Hurricanes, who defeated the Vegas Golden Knights 4-2.

Why was the 2026 MLB London series cancelled?

MLB initially scheduled to host two games in London in mid-2026, with the New York Yankees and Toronto Blue Jays pencilled in to play on June 13 and 14 at London Stadium, the home ground of English football team West Ham United.

But the plan was cancelled due to scheduling issues with the venue and baseball’s television partner.

West Ham played their 2025-26 Premier League season’s final match against Leeds United at the ground on May 24, leaving very little time to convert the field to baseball, which can take up to three weeks.

Furthermore, MLB was unable to schedule games at the same venue later in June because Fox lacked available broadcast slots as that period clashed with the FIFA World Cup.

MLB games have been played abroad on several occasions, from Japan to Australia, since it was first played in Mexico in 2000.

MLB is also working on grassroots initiatives in India, known for its affinity for cricket, and last week hosted MLBx, a fast-paced 3-on-3 baseball competition that brought together baseball and softball stars.

Are other US sports leagues also held abroad?

Yes, major US sports leagues have made strides in expanding their international footprints, regularly hosting regular-season games, exhibition matches and special events abroad.

The NFL hosts regular-season games abroad in locations including London, Munich, Madrid, Sao Paulo and Mexico City.

Last month, the league expanded its presence with games in Melbourne, and the NFL’s first game Down Under drew 100,021 fans, making it the seventh most-attended regular-season game in NFL history.

With a large portion of the league’s player base and revenue coming from outside the US, the NBA also plays regular-season and preseason games in international cities like Paris, Abu Dhabi and Mexico City.

England (0) 6

Try: Cousins Goal: Rowe

Samoa (12) 24

Tries: Crichton Ropati 3, Taulelei-Siala, Fanua Rimoni

Goal: Piliae-Rasabale Penalty: Piliae-Rasabale

England’s women took one step back in the hope of taking two forward as they exited the Rugby League World Cup at the group stage.

With Stuart Barrow’s side defeated by Samoa – despite a spirited display – their focus immediately shifts forward to 2030.

Whether that long-term strategy will bear dividends, though, is as uncertain as the location of the tournament in four years’ time, which is yet to be confirmed.

After reaching the semi-final stage at the previous four World Cups, England’s eye was clearly on the future this time.

That was reflected in Barrow’s thinking for this tournament when he named a squad containing 11 players aged 23 or under.

While the 70-6 rout of a Wales team ill-equipped to compete at this level on their bow had been anticipated and briefly raised expectation levels, what has followed has only underlined the gulf in class England still have to bridge.

And having been humbled again by the Jillaroos just under a week ago, any suggestions that the experience was the “best preparation” they could have for a make-or-break final group game were trashed on Friday in Wollongong.

Instead, the great power and pace of the Samoa players showed almost straight away.

Freedom Crichton Ropati twice went over in the right corner as England fought a rearguard action and the Parramatta Eels winger completed her hat-trick before the break as Samoa enjoyed a huge territorial advantage.

And it looked ominous for England when Mercedez Taulelei-Siala capitalised on a huge overload down the left to score straight after half-time and extend Samoa’s lead to 16-0.

However, when Evie Cousins, who had been in tears towards the end of the first period after failing to catch a routine high ball, skipped over in the left corner, after a superb line break from Hollie-Mae Dodd, it sparked England back into life.

Isabel Rowe added the extras and when Pauline Piliae-Rasabale elected to take two points from a penalty for Samoa it underlined the pressure that Barrow’s side had been able to apply.

While England went out in the last four on a dark and dank night in York four years ago, their departure from this World Cup was in an altogether more scenic setting, with the Pacific Ocean as the backdrop.

Had Fran Goldthorp been able to offload without her pass straying forward, when England had two players spare and the try-line at their mercy, it could have made for an entirely different conclusion.

Instead, when they then failed to find touch after winning a penalty, they were punished ruthlessly as Fanua Rimoni crashed over for Samoa’s fifth try to seal their passage into the last four and a meeting with New Zealand.

Nairobi, Kenya – For more than four decades, the World Athletics Championships have been held across continents but never in Africa.

That changes in 2029, when Nairobi becomes the first African city to host the track and field championships, bringing the sport’s flagship global competition to a continent whose athletes have helped shape its history.

The World Athletics Championships were established in 1983 in Helsinki, Finland, after decades in which athletics’ biggest global competitions were largely tied to the Olympic Games. The inaugural championships brought together 1,333 athletes from 153 countries, laying the foundation for one of the most important events on the international sporting calendar.

Africa’s relationship with athletics stretches much further back. Ethiopia’s Abebe Bikila became the first African to win Olympic marathon gold in 1960, followed by generations of track and field athletes including Uganda’s John Akii-Bua, Morocco’s Said Aouita and a succession of Kenyan champions.

Kenya’s own story is particularly significant. Kipchoge Keino’s 1,500-metre triumph at the 1968 Mexico City Olympics helped establish Kenya as a global distance-running powerhouse. Generations that followed – from Paul Tergat and David Rudisha to Eliud Kipchoge, Vivian Cheruiyot, Hellen Obiri and Faith Kipyegon – have turned Kenyan athletics into a global sporting identity.

Kenya is the second most successful nation in World Athletics Championships history.

For Keino, the two-time Olympic champion and former world record holder whose achievements helped establish Kenya’s reputation in distance running, Nairobi’s selection represents the culmination of decades of progress.

“When we started running, we were young Kenyans with a dream to represent our country and show the world that African athletes could compete at the highest level. Seeing Kenya prepare to host the World Athletics Championships in 2029 is a deeply special moment,” Keino told Al Jazeera.

“It is a testament to how far our country has come from sending athletes abroad to compete, to welcoming the world to our own home.”

Keino said hosting the championships would also give Kenya an opportunity to showcase its talent, culture and hospitality while investing in the future of athletics.

How did Kenya win the bid?

Kenya’s campaign to host the 2029 championships lasted three years and culminated in victory at the World Athletics Council meeting in Budapest on September 15 .

Competing bids came from London, Rome and Munich, all cities with established records of hosting major international athletics events.

Nairobi’s bid highlighted the ongoing renovation of Kasarani stadium ahead of the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations, as well as Kenya’s experience hosting the 2017 World U18 Championships and the 2021 World U20 junior Championships. Kenya also drew lessons from its unsuccessful bid for the 2025 championships, which was awarded to Tokyo.

World Athletics President Sebastian Coe said the council had received four strong bids and described Nairobi’s proposal as “compelling and emotional”.

“Nairobi and Munich ultimately presented two compelling propositions. They offer very different but equally exciting opportunities for our sport, and I am delighted that we can now begin working with both cities to stage two world-class championships,” Coe said.

Athletics Kenya declined to comment on the decision.

Doping questions return

The celebrations were quickly accompanied by questions over whether Kenya can host an event of this scale while dealing with persistent scrutiny over doping in athletics.

Since the international sport governing body World Athletics established the Athletics Integrity Unit in 2017, 318 Kenyan athletes have been sanctioned for anti-doping rule violations, according to figures reported following the announcement. Of those, 136 were still serving bans.

Kenya is not among the countries with the highest overall number of anti-doping violations globally, but its prominence in distance running means high-profile cases often attract considerable international attention.

Kenya’s anti-doping system has also faced scrutiny. In 2025, the World Anti-Doping Agency found Kenya’s anti-doping agency non-compliant with the global anti-doping code, putting additional scrutiny on the country’s system. Kenya was removed from the agency’s compliance watchlist in 2026 after corrective measures.

Recent cases, including the bans of marathon world-record holder Ruth Chepngetich and former half-marathon world-record holder Kibiwott Kandie, have kept the issue in the spotlight.

For Nairobi, the challenge will be to demonstrate that its anti-doping systems are strong enough to protect the credibility of the 2029 championships.

Kenyan Member of Parliament Dan Wanyama, who chairs the committee on sports and culture, said the country has the experience and infrastructure to host the event.

“We have already held several athletics championships which were very successful. It is a thing of pride for us to defeat major global cities London, Munich and Rome,” Wanyama told Al Jazeera.

“As the chair of the sports committee in Parliament, I can assure you we have the right infrastructure in place because the championship will be held at Moi International Sports Stadium (known locally as Kasarani). The contractor is already on site and preparations have started in earnest.”

Kenyan athletics fan Winston Omondi said some of the criticism of Kenya was unfairly focused on the country.

“If it was about doping, then there are so many developed countries that should not even be participating in athletics, including London itself,” Omondi told Al Jazeera.

More than one stadium

Doping is not the only test facing Kenya.

As the country prepares to host the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations with sporting infrastructure being upgraded at Kasarani and Nyayo stadiums, the World Athletics Championships will require more than a competition venue.

Nairobi will have to ensure adequate training and warm-up facilities while improving transport links, accommodation and athlete services. The city will also need reliable systems for security, accreditation, broadcasting, medical care and the movement of thousands of athletes, officials, journalists and spectators.

Beyond the stadiums, Nairobi’s wider infrastructure will come under scrutiny, particularly its traffic congestion and public transport network.

The success of the championships will therefore depend on more than upgrading Kasarani. Kenya will have to demonstrate that Nairobi can deliver a seamless experience for a global sporting event while maintaining the standards expected of one of athletics’ biggest competitions.

For a country whose athletes have spent decades representing Africa on the world stage, hosting the championships is a historic opportunity. It is also a test of whether a continent that has produced generations of world-class athletes can host the sport’s biggest global events on its own ground.

But winning the bid was only the first race.

As Omondi put it: “We have come so far as people, as a country and as a continent for us to be judged in this way.”

However, Cameron Norrie fell short of his best victory of the season when world number five Daniil Medvedev saved match point to win their last-16 match.

A frustrating year has seen Norrie drop to 41st in the world rankings and exit each of the past three Grand Slam tournaments in the first round.

But the 31-year-old showed his key attributes – tenacity, athleticism and controlled aggression – to threaten a huge upset against Medvedev.

Third seed Medvedev, fresh from winning the Almaty title last week, was left angrily punching the surface when he fell a break down in the deciding set.

Norrie served for the match at 5-3 40-30, but Medvedev picked off his opponent’s serve-volley attempt and fought back to win 4-6 6-3 7-6 (7-1).

Second seed Alcaraz also progressed with a 6-1 7-6 (13-11) win over Georgia’s Nikoloz Basilashvili.

Meanwhile, Novak Djokovic’s hopes of qualifying for the ATP Finals were harmed by a second-round defeat at the Swiss Indoors event in Basel.

The 24-time major champion, 39, lost 7-6 (7-4) 5-7 6-7 (5-7) to Germany’s Jan-Lennard Struff, who produced some inspired tennis to beat the Serb for the first time in nine attempts.

Great Britain’s Jody Cundy’s 20-year reign as para cycling’s C4 kilo time trial world champion was ended by Australian Korey Boddington at the para cycling track world championships in the Netherlands.

Cundy, 48, won the world title in 2006 and had managed to hold onto his rainbow jersey in the 15 world championships since.

But battling for his 17th title in the C4 kilo discipline, Cundy had to settle for silver after finishing his kilometre in one minute and 4.93 seconds, a time which Boddington beat by 2.25 seconds on the final run.

Before the event, Cundy had said “age was catching up with him” and it would be “hard” to add to his 23 track cycling world titles.

Cundy is a nine-time Paralympic champion – with three of his medals coming in para swimming between 1996 and 2000.

Elsewhere on day one of the championships, Great Britain’s Rebecca Newark took gold in the women’s C5 kilo time trial.

In the women’s B kilo time trial, Britain’s Sophie Unwin and pilot Jenny Holl won silver and Elizabeth Jordan and pilot Anna Whitworth Hay claimed bronze.

Great Britain’s Finlay Graham also took bronze in the men’s C3 sprint final.

TeamLab, the Japan-born, tech-heavy immersive art collective, is plotting its first permanent U.S. exhibition in Anaheim. The group, stylized as teamLab, is moving into a 110,000-square-foot space at OCVibe, the 100-acre mixed-use entertainment district currently in development near the Honda Center.

Details are scant, as the TeamLab spot is not estimated to open until 2030, but a press release specifies this will be a new exhibition and not a recreation of one of the collective’s popular international exhibits. TeamLab got its start in Tokyo in 2001, but over the years grew from exhibiting in galleries to building its own museum-like spaces, today having permanent locales in Japan, China and Saudi Arabia.

A TeamLab installation is something of an immersive playground, inviting guests to sometimes take off their shoes to interact with floor-to-ceiling walk-through attractions that split the difference between art and play. One of its showcase facilities, Tokyo’s TeamLab Planets, welcomed more than 2.5 million visitors in 2024, a Guinness world record for the most visited art museum by a single group.

An artist’s rendering of the Anaheim location, estimated to open in 2030.

(OCVibe)

“For teamLab, through art, we seek to explore what perception is and what existence is,” said Toshiyuki Inoko, a founder of TeamLab, in a release announcing the exhibit.

“The artworks change with the presence of people, making them an integral part of the art itself. People immerse themselves with their entire bodies, transcending the boundaries between themselves, the artworks, and the world around them, becoming part of a borderless continuity.”

TeamLab’s Anaheim location is just three miles from Disneyland, which draws more than 17 million people to the area. TeamLab is just one of many immersive art destinations coming to SoCal, as Meow Wolf will be opening a permanent exhibition in the coming months, and firms such as Hopscotch and the Museum of Ice Cream also have area exhibitions on the horizon.

“Anaheim has always been a place where people come to experience something they can’t find anywhere else, and teamLab will expand our appeal to new audiences from around the world. Experiences like this inspire longer stays, repeat visits,” stated Mike Waterman, president and chief executive of the tourism-focused Visit Anaheim.

The deal between TeamLab and OCVibe backers is worth more than $100 million, Bloomberg reported. OCVibe is the vision of Henry and Susan Samueli, owners of the Anaheim Ducks, and it will open in phases. A 5,000 capacity concert hall is set to open next year, followed by a food hall.

The TeamLab building will be visible from the freeway, and is being designed by Smith-Clementi, OCVibe’s master planners. Based on concept art shown, expect a shimmering, scale-like pattern designed to evoke movement.

“This building feels different depending on the direction or pace of your approach,” said Julie Smith-Clementi . “The time of day, or movement of clouds participates in rendering its iridescent cloak, enriching what you think you see. We want the design to leave room for imagination and discovery and, like in nature, to offer something new with each visit.”

OCVibe will also offer office space, residences and two hotels. It’s estimated to be completed by 2033.

Walt Disney World holidays are a bucket list event but that can amp up the pressure to get ‘everything’ right – we take a look at some easy booking tips not to be missed

At 40 square miles, Walt Disney World isn’t just theme park. The entire resort is roughly the same size of San Francisco, with four theme parks, two water parks, countless hotels, and even Disney Springs, a dedicated shopping zone with a cinema, theatre and bowling alley. While all of that means heaps of rides, shows, attractions and play areas to discover, it’s not surprising that for first-timers it can feel overwhelming.

Mickey Mouse’s Orlando home is worth it; it genuinely lives up to the hype. The pyrotechnics, the immersion, the magic; it’s all brilliant. But a place this huge requires planning – it’s not somewhere you want to wing it entirely. I’ve been lucky enough to visit Walt Disney World three times and let me tell you; the difference between a magical holiday and a sweaty, feral meltdown can come down to some tactical decisions.

Here are my top tips for getting the most out of your Walt Disney World holiday…

1. Make use of Walt Disney world package deals

Booking doesn’t have to be complicated. In fact, you can find Walt Disney World packages that include your hotel, flights and park tickets. British Airways Holidays currently offers seven-night packages in 2027 including your return flights, a Disney hotel stay, 2027 Free Dining + Drinks Offer and 14 days for the price of 7 Disney Magic Tickets. Package options include:

• 3* Disney’s All Star Sports Resort, from £1899pp
• 4* Disney’s Port Orleans Resort – Riverside, from £2249pp
• 5* Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort and Spa from £3749pp

You can book by November 1 to make use of the deals on ba.com/orlando. Disney’s 7-day and 14-Day Magic Tickets cover all four theme parks (and park hopping), water parks, and a Memory Maker which gives you unlimited professional photo downloads.

You can find plenty more information and packages at disneyholidays.co.uk.

2. Download the Walt Disney World App

It is not optional. It is the holiday. Live wait times, park hours, maps, restaurant bookings, your photos and, if you’re staying on-site, your hotel room key all live in the My Disney Experience app.

Download it before you fly and learn where things are. Resort guests can book Lightning Lane passes up to seven days before their stay begins, so work out your must-do rides now. Turning up without a ride strategy is exactly how Snow White ended up exhausted, making a panicked apple purchase, and sharing one bathroom with seven strangers. My must-do rides? TRON, Flight of Passage, Rise of the Resistance and the new muppets-themed Rock N Rollercoaster.

Consider a MagicBand+ too. This handy watch can be used to tap into the theme parks, unlock your hotel door, scan into fast pass queues, and even download your ride photos straight to your account. There are some fun surprises along the way – one of which is how it syncs up to the evening fireworks!

3. Meal planning

Do not be a poor, unfortunate soul standing in a 40-minute queue for a cheeseburger. Nothing triggers a family mutiny faster than a hangry child in the Florida sun. Use the Mobile Order feature on the app. You tap a button, waltz past the sweating masses, grab your tray, and try to hide your supreme smugness.

For proper sit-down dining, you can book exactly 60 days out before your visit. Just be warned to get in early, as tables in the more popular restaurants feel like they vanish faster than Cinderella’s carriage at midnight. My elite tier? Space 220 and Via Napoli in Epcot, Roundup Rodeo BBQ in Hollywood Studios.

As for Character Dining, it’s worth the splurge. At the Grand Floridian’s 1900 Park Fare, I ate Eggs Benedict and gummy bears with Cinderella, Tiana, Mirabel, and Aladdin coming directly to my table. It is peak efficiency. Let the royalty come to you. (Prices for this experience cost £44 per adult and from £27 per child at 1900 Park Fare).

Currently if you book by November 4, Walt Disney World has a Free Disney Dining and Drinks deal for holidays in 2027, which includes school holiday dates. The offer includes free table service dining plans or quick service plans, along with one drink per meal (alcoholic or non-alcoholic, depending on the plan chosen). The offer applies to a minimum of five consecutive nights when booking a Walt Disney World hotel alongside a park ticket package.

4. It doesn’t have to be an intense holiday

You do not need to be strapped to a ride vehicle for 14 consecutive hours to “get your money’s worth.” The Florida heat is aggressive, and the daily walking can be tiring. Take breaks, like enjoying some downtime at your hotel. Do not become a Disney Villain just because you want to force your sobbing toddler onto Peter Pan’s Flight a third time.

Don’t dismiss the water parks either. I retreated to Blizzard Beach – a “melted ski resort” where you float down a lazy river in blazing sunshine surrounded by fake snow. It is an absolute fever dream of a concept, and it is glorious. Disney has been here for decades. The castle will still be there after you’ve had a lie-down.

5. Don’t underestimate the size of the place

Walt Disney World isn’t simply one theme park; in fact, the entire resort is roughly the same size of San Francisco. Leave the glass slippers at home and pack your broken-in trainers. You will walk a half-marathon every day, and wet shoes feel like walking on angry sponges. And for the love of Jiminy Cricket, bring a refillable bottle. Ice water is completely free at quick-service spots if you just ask.

Staying on-site at a Disney hotel comes with some handy perks; for example, you get free transfers from your accommodation to the parks, and you can get 30 minutes of Early Theme Park Entry. Half an hour may not sound like a huge amount, but it’s enough to get in the parks early and head to the biggest rides before the queues kick in. The easy transport options also mean you can park hop or head back to your hotel for a break.

My advice is plan the logistics for high-stakes elements such as key rides you want to do, or food you want to eat, but leave space on the itinerary for the plot twists, and even just time to sit by the hotel pool doing absolutely nothing. This is a holiday after all!

Jay-Z has chosen himself to headline the Super Bowl halftime show.

The 25-time Grammy winner will perform at Inglewood’s SoFi Stadium on Valentine’s Day, Apple Music, the NFL and Roc Nation announced during the Cowboys vs. Eagles “Monday Night Football” matchup.

This caps a banner year for Jay-Z. The rap superstar performed two back-to-back concerts at SoFi Stadium last weekend — part of his “Jay-Z 30” tour celebrating the 30th anniversary of his debut album, “Reasonable Doubt,” and the 25th anniversary of “The Blueprint.” He sold out three nights at New York’s Yankee Stadium in July, followed by stops in London and Paris. He partnered with legendary music producer Rick Rubin on “Jay-Z in 8,” an eight-part documentary about his life and legacy released by HBO last month.

“From Reasonable Doubt to standing on the Super Bowl Halftime stage, this has been a journey,” Jay-Z said in a news release. “Thirty years of music, work and culture on the world’s biggest stage. This run continues to be a dream come true.”

Miley Cyrus, Justin Bieber and Harry Styles were reportedly also in the running, but lost out to the decision-maker himself.

Super Bowl LXI marks the eighth year that Roc Nation, the entertainment behemoth founded by Jay-Z, will produce the halftime show. The Brooklyn rapper has had the ultimate say in who the halftime performer is every year since 2020. In 2019, Roc Nation signed on to consult the NFL on live music entertainment and the social justice initiative Inspire Change, which aims to reduce barriers to opportunity, especially in underserved communities. They extended their deal in 2024 for another five years.

Roc Nation will executive-produce “The Apple Music Super Bowl LXI Halftime Show” and Hamish Hamilton will serve as director.

“For several years, we’ve had the privilege of working closely with Jay-Z and Roc Nation, and I’ve seen the extraordinary impact he has had on the Super Bowl Halftime Show,” NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell said in a news release. “When we first reached an agreement with Roc Nation to produce the show, I had just one request: that Jay-Z take the stage himself one day, whenever the moment felt right to him. I couldn’t be more excited for fans around the world to experience the artistry, creativity and cultural impact he will bring to the Super Bowl stage.”

Jay-Z told Entertainment Tonight in 2024 that it was too soon for him to take on the task.

“I thought it would be selfish to pick myself too early. Maybe one year. Maybe,” he said.

The NFL had approached him years prior about headlining the Super Bowl halftime show, but it came with the stipulation to perform “Run This Town” with Rihanna and Kanye West.

“Of course I would have,” Jay-Z told the New York Times in 2020, “but I said, ‘No, you get me.’ That is not how you go about it, telling someone that they’re going to do the halftime show contingent on who they bring. I said forget it. It was a principle thing.”

Rihanna eventually performed at the 2023 Super Bowl. She may be one of his guest stars come Feb. 14, but he could tap any top artist to perform, considering his label’s deep roster of talent … and the fact that he’s married to Beyoncé. Beyoncé headlined the halftime show in 2013 and made a guest appearance during Coldplay’s Super Bowl 50 set in 2016.

Bad Bunny headlined the show in February, which created an uproar and something of a culture war. “Turning Point USA, the conservative organization founded by the late Charlie Kirk, put together a so-called All-American Halftime Show featuring Kid Rock in an appeal to viewers scandalized by … the Spanish language? Dancing? The idea of fun?” Times music critic Mikael Wood wrote in his review. “For the NFL, the blowback was a calculated risk as the league makes a push to globalize its fan base.”

Before Bad Bunny, performers have included (in reverse chronological order): Kendrick Lamar; Usher; Rihanna; Eminem, Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg, Kendrick Lamar and Mary J. Blige (all together in 2022); the Weeknd; and Shakira and Jennifer Lopez (also together). Last season’s game drew almost 125 million viewers; this is one of — if not the — biggest stages in music.

The Super Bowl will air on ESPN, ABC and Disney+.