The BBC’s sport service was plunged into chaos on Saturday as commentators refused to work in support of presenter Gary Lineker, who was suspended after he criticised the governmnet’s new migration policy. The 62-year-old compared the language used to launch the new policy to that of Nazi-era Germany on Twitter, which the BBC said on Friday was a “breach of our guidelines”. The broadcaster said that Lineker will “step back” from presenting Match of the Day – a Saturday night fixture since 1964 and the longest-running football television programme in the world – until it agrees on a clear position…
Author: National Tone
Emma Raducanu is through to the third round of the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells after coming back to beat Polish 20th seed Magda Linette in straight sets 7-6 (7-3) 6-2.Raducanu had trailed 4-1 in the first set before breaking back and then taking her opponent to a tie break, which she claimed 7-3. The second set was far more straightforward, with Raducanu herself opening up a 4-1 advantage after an early break and hanging on to that advantage to breeze through to the third round.The 2021 US Open champion will next face either 13th-seeded Brazilian Beatriz Haddad Maia or…
The Yemen talks began a day after Iran and Saudi Arabia announced a deal to re-establish diplomatic ties.Representatives of Yemen’s government and the Iran-aligned Houthi rebels began talks in Geneva on Saturday aimed at implementing a deal on an exchange of prisoners, the United Nations said. The deal, which brought Yemen’s warring sides – the internationally recognised government and the Houthis – to Switzerland is being overseen by UN envoy for Yemen Hans Grundberg and the International Committee of the Red Cross. “I hope the parties are ready to engage in serious and forthcoming discussions to agree on releasing as…
The cyclone, one of the strongest storms recorded in the Southern hemisphere, previously hit Mozambique in February.Intense rains and winds started to lash parts of Mozambique as Tropical Cyclone Freddy bore down on the country for the second time in as many weeks, authorities have said. Freddy slowed its advance towards the southern African nation and was 60 kilometres (40 miles) off the coast on Saturday morning, according to the Mozambique National Meteorology Institute (INAM). “The system reduced its speed from seven to four kph, thus delaying its entry,” INAM said in an update. “Heavy rains and very strong winds”…
MINNEAPOLIS — Bud Grant, the stoic and demanding Hall of Fame coach who took the Minnesota Vikings and their mighty Purple People Eaters defence to four Super Bowls in eight years and lost all of them, has died. He was 95. The Vikings announced Grant’s death on social media Saturday. “We are absolutely devastated to announce legendary Minnesota Vikings head coach and Hall of Famer Bud Grant has passed away this morning at age 95,” the post said. “We, like all Vikings and NFL fans, are shocked and saddened by this terrible news.” Wearing his trademark purple Vikings cap and…
Sam Hoskins headed in his 18th goal of the season to earn a 1-1 draw and save Northampton from slipping to defeat at Hartlepool.Josh Umerah’s first goal in seven games had put Pools on course for a win under manager John Askey, who has now drawn his first three in charge, eight minutes before the break. But with nine minutes left Hoskins was at the back post to secure a point that means Hartlepool are just a point above the relegation zone, having played two games more than Crawley.Fourth-placed Northampton had the best of the first-half chances with Pools goalkeeper…
The coastguard says it is wrapping up a large rescue operation that began after three boats were spotted drifting off Italy’s coasts.More than 1,000 people have been brought to safety at two Italian ports after the overcrowded boats they were on encountered problems in the Mediterranean, the Italian coastguard has said, almost two weeks after at least 74 people died in a shipwreck. The coastguard said on Saturday it was wrapping up a large rescue operation that began Friday after three boats were spotted drifting off Italy’s coasts. One was south of the Calabrian city of Crotone and two further…
Berlin – Sorrow, solidarity and shock are among the sentiments being expressed in Germany as the country comes to terms with a mass shooting in which seven people died at a Jehovah’s Witness place of worship in Hamburg. Several other people remain in a critical condition after a gunman fired a semiautomatic pistol in the worship hall at approximately 9pm local time on Thursday. Authorities identified the perpetrator as Philipp F, a 35-year-old former member of the Jehovah’s Witnesses community who reportedly left the group about 18 months ago on bad terms. After the shootings, the gunman died when he turned…
Three years ago this day, the coronavirus outbreak was declared a pandemic, a once-in-a-lifetime event that tested the limits of humanity. Societies in lockdown, untold numbers of people hospitalised, school closures, jobs lost and the death of loved ones became routine in the lives of billions of people. While many may want to forget the horrors wrought by the pandemic, others continue to suffer its physical, emotional and financial consequences. Al Jazeera spoke to five people from around the world to understand how COVID-19 affected their lives and continues to do so: Farath Shba, Singapore Zaheer was only 18 months…
China’s efforts in brokering a deal between Iran and Saudi Arabia have been seen by analysts as broader signs of a “changing global order”. During talks in Beijing on Friday, Saudi Arabia and Iran agreed to re-establish diplomatic relations and reopen their embassies within two months. The agreement also stipulated affirming “the respect for the sovereignty of states and the non-interference in internal affairs of states”. Iranian state media posted images and video of Ali Shamkhani, secretary of the Supreme National Security Council of Iran, shaking hands with Saudi national security adviser Musaad bin Mohammed al-Aiban, with Wang Yi, China’s most…