Haynes King is an NFL star.

That is, the Carolina Panthers undrafted rookie quarterback is an NFL star in early August after exactly one preseason game.

Sure, Thursday’s Pro Football Hall of Fame game between the Panthers and Arizona Cardinals was nothing more than a meaningless exhibition in which few, if any, actual starters played.

But NFL fans have been starving for any kind of action for almost six months, and King provided plenty of that during Carolina’s thrilling 33-30 victory in Canton, Ohio — especially on the final play of the game.

Even if his NFL career ends up going nowhere (more on that in a minute), the reigning Atlantic Coast Conference player of the year out of Georgia Tech will always have this spectacular, game-winning run for his highlight reel:

After former USC quarterback Kedon Slovis connected with receiver Bryson Green for a one-yard touchdown pass to give Arizona a 30-27 lead, King had 1 minute, 55 seconds remaining in regulation to lead the Panthers to a comeback win.

He completed four passes for 24 yards and also scrambled for 26 yards to help Carolina get to the Arizona five-yard line with two seconds left on the clock. Haynes took the shotgun snap at the 10 and dropped back to the 14 before shooting up the middle, pump faking around the seven and diving into the end zone for the game-winning score.

A massive end zone celebration ensued.

“I’ll tell you what, I couldn’t breathe,” King said afterward. “But it was amazing, just going out there and being able to celebrate with the guys that you’ve been OTAs, all training camp with, and busting your butt, and to finally go out there and celebrate with them and just showcase your talent is very fun.”

Franchise quarterback Bryce Young did not play. Veteran backup Kenny Pickett started the game and played three series before King took over. The 25-year-old rookie completed 21 of 34 passes for 180 yards with two touchdowns and no interceptions. He also ran for 39 yards with one touchdown on three carries.

“Haynes did a fantastic job,” Panthers coach Dave Canales said after the game, “just keeping the play alive, doing whatever he had to do, run it, throw it.”

After playing sparingly for three years at Texas A&M, King established himself as a dual threat at Georgia Tech over the last three seasons. During that time, King completed 67.6% of his passes for 7,907 yards with 55 touchdowns and 24 interceptions (including 16 during his first season with the Yellow Jackets). He also rushed for 2,277 yards and 36 touchdowns.

King performed well at the NFL scouting combine earlier this year, running the 40-yard dash in a blistering 4.46 seconds. Questions about his age and passing ability may have led teams to skip King during the draft in April, but the Panthers snatched him up in free agency immediately afterward.

Kurt Warner and Warren Moon were undrafted quarterbacks who eventually landed in the Hall of Fame. Tony Romo and Jeff Garcia did pretty well for themselves as well. Will King be able to beat the odds like those guys?

His chances of making Carolina’s 53-man roster improved greatly last month when veteran backup quarterback Will Grier announced his retirement, which bumped King up to No. 3 on the depth chart.

More performances like he had Thursday night certainly won’t hurt King’s cause either. Take a look at his run during the final drive:

Again, it’s only preseason … but, man, he was awesome.

Bruno Guimaraes looks set to move to Premier League champions Arsenal, but Newcastle say they did not want to sell.

Newcastle United did ‌not want to sell captain Bruno Guimaraes, sporting director Ross ⁠Wilson has said, after reports linked the Brazil midfielder with a move to Arsenal.

British media reported on Wednesday that Arsenal had ⁠agreed a deal worth 75 million pounds ($101m) for the 28-year-old. Neither club has confirmed the reported transfer.

“We didn’t want to sell Bruno. It wasn’t in the plan to sell Bruno. None of us – or ownership – wanted to sell Bruno,” Wilson told reporters at Newcastle’s preseason training camp in Spain.

“He’s our captain, he ‌was very important to us, and the debate over his price – it’s a world-record fee for a player of his age.

“What we had to weigh up was, very respectfully from Bruno with his behaviour towards us, very emotionally as well, effectively told us he wanted to leave and move on.”

Guimaraes, who joined Newcastle from French ⁠side Olympique Lyonnais in January 2022, has made ⁠195 appearances in all competitions and scored 31 goals for the Premier League club.

He captained Newcastle to League Cup glory in 2025, ending the club’s long wait for domestic ⁠silverware.

“There’s no part in saying (the transfer) was part of our strategy and was in our thinking ⁠this summer – it wasn’t. But we have ⁠got to be flexible and react to things that happen,” Wilson said.

“It might have been in our plan to sign one player, but we didn’t get him so we move ‌on to another. We can only be honest about that.”

Guimaraes’s exit would be another setback for Newcastle following the departures of Anthony Gordon, ‌Sandro ‌Tonali and manager Eddie Howe.

Newcastle begin their Premier League campaign against Liverpool on August 23.

Saimoni Vunilagi was hospitalised with symptoms of heatstroke after rugby team training on Monday, but died on Friday.

A Fijian rugby player with a Japanese professional team has died after being taken to hospital with “symptoms consistent with severe heatstroke”, Saimoni Vunilagi’s club said on Saturday.

Second-division side Kyushu KV said 26-year-old Vunilagi was taken to hospital in the southern city of Fukuoka after a team practice on Monday, and died on Friday morning.

Temperatures reached a high of 35 degrees Celsius (95 degrees Fahrenheit) in Fukuoka on Monday.

Vunilagi, a back row forward who stood 196cm (6ft5in) and weighed 117kg (258lb), attended university in Japan and began his professional career in 2023.

“The players, staff, and all team associates are devastated by this sudden news,” the club said in a statement.

“Although Saimoni had only recently joined Kyushu KV, his generous spirit and powerful style of play had raised high hopes for his contributions in the upcoming season.

“We humbly pray for the repose of his soul and extend our heartfelt condolences to his bereaved family.”

Japan sweltered through its hottest summer on record last year, and parts of the country have hit 40C (104F) in recent weeks.

Close to 18,600 people were taken to hospital for heatstroke between July 20 and 26, with 45 of them pronounced dead on arrival, according to the fire and disaster management agency.

Japan experiences about 1,300 heat-related deaths annually and is aiming to halve that number by 2030.

Three lions at a Tokyo zoo died from suspected heatstroke, and others are under treatment, a spokeswoman said this week.

Scientists say human-induced climate change is increasing the frequency and intensity of extreme heat events in Japan and elsewhere.

The country’s highest recorded temperature of 41.8C (107F) was registered on August 5, 2025, in Isesaki, north of Tokyo.

Authorities have adjusted the timing of several cultural and sporting events in recent years because of the heat, including the World Cosplay Summit in Nagoya, which held its final summer edition last weekend.

TINIE Tempah has announced his first album in 10 years as he dropped his new single.

The singer’s last album Youth was released in 2027, and included songs Girls Like featuring Zara Larsson and Not Letting Go with Jess Glynne.

A decade on and Tinie, 37, has shared the exciting news that he’s releasing his fourth studio album.

The musician shared a photo of the album’s front cover, which is titled The Night’s Not Dead.

Looking back on how much has changed over the last 10 years, Tinie wrote: “Last time I announced an album, lockdown wasn’t a thing.

“The UK was still in the EU, Supreme was selling bricks, memes were taking over the world, and 1 Bitcoin was worth £500.

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“So much has happened in the world since then.

“It’s crazy to be announcing my 4th studio album, ‘The Night’s Not Dead,’ coming 16th October 2026.”

He added: “The journey of a night out starts today with Heaven Or Hell ft. Reggie. The track to start your night with. Let’s go!”

Reggie commented: “The King! Inspired me when I was a kid and still inspiring the next generation. an absolute pleasure brother.”

This fan posted: “Oooh this is gonna go crazy,” while another wrote: “Living legend.”

Just last month, The Sun revealed that Tinie was set to release a brand new album.

He exclusively told us: “I’ve not released new music in a while, but I’m back on the grind and it feels good.

“I’ve started putting new music in my sets, but the album is coming in October.”

Tinie’s debut tune, Pass Out, hit the top spot in 2010 and he’s collaborated with massive stars including Rita Ora, Zara Larsson and Ellie Goulding.

But it was way back in 2017 that he released his last album, Youth.

In this revival, Tinie is keen to turn attention to grassroots music venues, where he started out.

Last month, he took to the stage at intimate Southampton venue The Brook alongside Rizzle Kicks to shine a light on the cause.

He said: “One of the reasons I came back was the next generation of artists who may miss out with the way things are going and things are closing. It put me down a bit to think, ‘Wow, this might be an era thing’.

“Behavioural habits have changed — clubs closing, small venues closing — it’s just concerning.

“I feel, as Brits, every ten years we have come to the forefront with a new genre, with garage or grime or dubstep, and I feel like it’s partially because of these spaces that incubate the talent.

“That was one of the motivations for coming back and I feel like it’s a really exciting space to occupy.”

ALEXANDER the Great would have approved – I’m on my trusty black steed conquering the streets of his rival Athens under the watchful eye of the Parthenon.

It’s a whizzy Segway, not the all- conquering king of ancient Macedonia’s fabled warhorse Bucephalus, but what a brilliant way to see historic and modern sights in the Greek capital.

Lively guide Stelios led my group of a dozen — all on an excursion from Tui’s Marella Voyager cruise ship — taking in outstanding views of the Acropolis, Temple of Hephaestus and Pnyx Hill, where the Athenians created the concept of democracy.

Next time you put an X on a ballot paper, this is where it all began 2,500 years ago.

The Segway tour (£110pp), started in tourist hangout Plaka and also visited ­Thiseio, where the locals chill. Fun and insightful, it was a hit with my group.

And, in the free time in Plaka afterwards, treat yourself to a frozen yoghurt for a couple of quid — the Lukumades shop is deservedly popular.

Bank on it

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My wife Debbie and I had joined the all-inclusive Voyager in Corfu, with a seamless airport transfer and check-in at the port.

Greeted by stewards Andi and Yosua, we settled into our balcony cabin then demolished a Mexican meal at the Abuela’s restaurant, followed by a rocking sailaway show from The Journeymen band.

Before arriving at Athens we had a sea day with pre-booked spa treatments. Debbie loved her Thai massage (£129) from Cherry, and I was wowed by a rejuvenating men’s pro- collagen grooming and shave (£69) by Marco.

I felt like a Greek god after an hour in the barber’s chair. We dined like gods that night too, on a superb seven-course food odyssey at the Silver Fork restaurant (£51.95pp), with the highlights a spicy white tomato soup and a beef Wellington to fill your boots with.

Another standout was the Kora La Asian-inspired restaurant (£38.95pp) and its Thali tasting experience — surely this is the best curry at sea.

Mind you, if you’re on a budget you can easily spend the week eating well in the included The Kitchens buffet and the Latitude 53 (international), Vista (Italian) and Piccadilly’s (British) restaurants, along with Abuela’s (Mexican), Nonna’s (pizza/pasta) and the poolside Shack (fast food).

Drinks-wise, we rated swanky Flutes for fizz and laid-back Summer House, with its retractable roof and al fresco area at the stern, for cold beers and ciders.

The Squid & Anchor is your go-to for lively nights of music, quizzes and karaoke and the Broadway theatre hosts West End-style performances.

Up for some immersive, cocktail-fuelled fun? Head to The Exchange speakeasy, where many guests dress up in 1920s-style clothes (£18.95pp).

New day, new country. After our Athens adventure, next up was Kusadasi, Turkey.

We could have hit the beach but walked to the 16th-century castle — on an island reached by a 400-yard causeway — and its open-air/indoor museum covering local maritime trade, wildlife (check the whale skeleton) and plants. Worth a look, decent views and a nice waterfront cafe (£8pp).

Before strolling back to Voyager, we failed to resist the shops selling carpets, knock-off designer goods and that leather jacket you never knew you needed. Luckily, everything is a “special price today, just for you!”

Kusadasi is the gateway to Ephesus, home of the Temple of Artemis, one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. If you haven’t been, get it on your cruise excursion list. It’s outstanding.

Back in Greece for the next call at Insta-fave island Santorini, we joined a tour to Akrotiri — the “Pompeii of the Aegean” — where archaeologists have uncovered part of a city buried under 27ft of ash when the Thera volcano erupted in 1600 BC.

The Thera explosion was around 20 times more powerful than when Vesuvius blasted the real Pompeii in AD 79 and the resulting 100ft tsunami wiped out the Minoan civilisation on Crete 60 miles away, with the ash cloud even affecting the weather in China.

Our excellent guide was former archaeologist Marianne, who used to work here so has the best facts about life in the Bronze Age. Unsurprisingly, she knew a group of Brits would be enthused by seeing the 3,600-year-old “flushing” toilet in a house!

You’re dropped off in pretty Fira overlooking the sea-filled caldera for a wander at leisure, with a ticket for the cable car down to the dock and the tender boats (£62pp).

Next up is Chania, in western Crete, where a €1.80 each-way, 20-minute bus from Souda dropped us near the beautiful Venetian port, where we climbed the tower in the harbour fort to take it all in and idly wandered through the grid of shopping streets.

It’s a real charmer and you could easily while away a full day here, but the ship has a schedule to keep and that took us to our final port, Argostoli in Kefalonia.

We’d only planned to pick up some souvenirs and an ice cream but headed to the footbridge south of the centre to see why there were so many tourists gathered.

GO: AEGEAN CRUISE & CORFU STAY

GETTING, CRUISING & STAYING THERE: A 14-night cruise-and-stay holiday costs from £2,313pp, including a seven-night Aegean Shores cruise on Marella Voyager, plus a seven-night stay at the Atlantica Grand Mediterraneo Resort in Ermones.

Price is based on two adults sharing on an all-inclusive basis with flights from Stansted on September 25, 20kg of luggage each, transfers, tips and service charges.

Cruise calls at Corfu, Piraeus (for Athens), Kusadasi (for Ephesus), Santorini, Souda (for Chania) in Crete, and Kefalonia.

See tui.co.uk/cruise.

The answer was four adult loggerhead turtles swimming around just feet from us and we snapped away with the excited crowd. A magical holiday highlight to see these ­vulnerable creatures so close up.

Next morning, back in Corfu, we headed down the gangway one final time. But not before checking eBay to find out how much a second-hand Segway is!

Welcome to our Who am I? game.

The rules are simple. Each day there’s a new footballer and the challenge is to guess who they are in as few attempts as possible.

After each wrong guess you unlock a new clue. The fewer clues you need to get the right answer, the more points you score.

Three is a good score, four or five points is exceptional.

So take part and return for more tomorrow.

Today’s player and clues set by BBC Sport’s Huzaifah Khan.

After more quizzes? Go to our dedicated Football Quizzes and Sports Quizzes pages and sign up for notifications to get the latest quizzes sent straight to your device.

Retirement rumours surrounded Lionel Messi at last two World Cups, but Argentina FA chief says decision will be his.

Especially after witnessing what Lionel Messi ‌was still capable of at this summer’s World Cup, the president of the Argentine ⁠Football Association is ⁠not rushing the all-time great out the door.

Claudio “Chiqui” Tapia said in an interview on Argentinian TV that Messi is the only person making the decision on when to ⁠hang up his boots.

“It’s a decision that is purely and personally his,” Tapia said. “You have to let him relax. In 2022, we didn’t know if ⁠he’d play in 2026. He said it was game by game, and I think we’ve seen a great version – if not the best – of Leo in a World Cup.

“You have to let him keep enjoying playing football and after that he’ll make the decision he feels is the right ‌one.”

Messi, who turned 39 on June 24 – two days after scoring a brace against Austria in World Cup group-stage play – has given no indication when he might retire from international football or how much longer he intends to play for Inter Miami in the MLS.

As Tapia pointed out, the 2026 tournament was no guarantee after Messi led Argentina to the 2022 title over France in Qatar. Messi, however, played some of his best football ⁠this summer, compiling eight goals and four assists for La Albiceleste.

Argentina lost ⁠1-0 to Spain in extra time in the World Cup final last month in the United States.

Messi became the first person to break Miroslav Klose’s career scoring record of 16 goals; French superstar Kylian Mbappe ended the tournament ⁠with 22 goals to pass Messi by one.

“It was a great World Cup from Leo,” Tapia said. “We enjoyed it a lot, and we’ve ⁠got to feel proud. I enjoyed every moment. Without ⁠a doubt, he was the standard-bearer of this group in the World Cup.

“If you analyse the World Cup he had, for me he was the best player. He was break records match after match.”

Messi would turn 43 during the 2030 World Cup to be held in Spain, Portugal and Morocco. Argentina, Uruguay and Paraguay also will host one match apiece as part of the centennial celebration.

The oldest non-goalkeeper to ‌appear ‌in a World Cup match was Cameroonian forward Roger Milla at 42 years and 39 days old, according to FIFA.

Another all-time great, Cristiano Ronaldo of Portugal, suited up this summer at age 41.

Argentina are set to play their next matches in the international window between September 21-29. No opponent has been announced for the likely two friendlies that will be played.

There has been speculation that the next home game for the Argentinians could be Messi’s last.

As Copa America champions, Argentina will defend their 2024 crown in 2028, but no host nation has yet been announced for the continental competition.

Anyone caught up in the disruption should contact their airline, they added.

No further official information about the nature of the defect has been released.

A number of people spoke to the BBC on Friday evening about their experience at the airport – among them Paul Smith, who was due to fly to Glasgow for his son’s 20th birthday but had to cancel his trip.

“The communication, advice and support for passengers has been really poor,” he said.

There were no announcements on the tannoy system for over an hour, he said, which meant EasyJet reps in the departure lounge were the only source of information.

“What we’ve heard is that there’s a hole in the runway.”

Dave Blackwell, travelling home from Rhodes in Greece, said it had been “a shambles” since his flight back to Bristol was diverted to Newcastle.

“We were in Rhodes Airport for three hours with no information. Now we have all been told our flight is going to Newcastle and then a five or six hour bus ride – why Newcastle? How appalling,” he said.

Are you waiting for a flight to or from Bristol Airport? Please use the form below to get in touch and tell us your experience.

Peter Katsis, a music manager who helped shepherd the careers of Smashing Pumpkins, Jane’s Addiction, Morrissey and Backstreet Boys, has died. He was 69.

Representatives for Katsis confirmed his death on Thursday in Los Angeles, from complications of congestive heart failure, in a statement to the Hollywood Reporter and Billboard. “To the music world, Peter was one of the most influential managers of his generation. His vision, instincts and fierce belief in his artists helped shape some of the most important careers in music for more than four decades. He saw possibilities others didn’t, inspired those around him to dream bigger, and fought relentlessly for the people and artists he believed in,” his family said.

“Peter was simply larger than life. He loved fiercely, laughed loudly and lived with extraordinary courage and conviction. Above everything else, he loved his family. He was our strength, our fiercest advocate, and the person we could always count on to believe anything was possible. The void he leaves in our lives and our hearts is immeasurable.”

Katsis’ career began in Chicago, where he managed the groundbreaking industrial rock group Ministry. He also worked with emerging regional house music acts, helming A&R for the essential label Trax Records and booked acts like Marshall Jefferson and Adonis at globally prominent nightclubs.

After moving to Los Angeles in the early ’90s, he worked with the Cramps and other experimental rock acts before joining Jeff Kwatinetz at the Firm. There he managed hard rock acts including Korn and Limp Bizkit, helping make them superstars of the “TRL” era. He also worked with 30 Seconds to Mars, rapper Snoop Dogg, and played a major role in building Audioslave, the supergroup of Soundgarden’s Chris Cornell and members of Rage Against the Machine.

Katsis took on diverse pop acts like Enrique Iglesias as well, and helped turn the Backstreet Boys into a stadium act, breaking Ticketmaster records for its 1999 Into the Millennium tour.

In 2008, Katsis co-founded a new management firm, Prospect Park, with Kwatinetz and Rich Frank, building a roster that included Smashing Pumpkins, Jane’s Addiction and Morrissey. Katsis also repped Liz Phair, 311, Bush, Fever 333, and pop groups Pentatonix, One Republic and 5 Seconds of Summer.

Smashing Pumpkins’ Billy Corgan wrote on Instagram that he was “Heartbroken that Pete is gone. He meant a lot to Chloe and I as a dear friend and extended member of our family. He will be missed and I’ll always cherish his intense candor and deep love of great music; which was infectious. And he deserves immense credit for helping to usher in the alternative revolution of the ’80s and ’90s and beyond. He was truly one of a kind. One of a us. And Chicago royalty through and through.”

Katsis is survived by his sister Anastasia and his son Ian.

MIAMI — Mike Trout and Nolan Schanuel hit home runs for the Angels in a 4-3 win over the Marlins on Friday, sending Miami to its fourth consecutive loss.

Trout homered in the first inning to open the scoring. Trout, who turned 35 on Friday, hit a home run on his birthday for the sixth time in his 16 MLB seasons.

Josh Lowe scored when Trout reached on a fielder error by Josh Ekness and Schanuel hit a two-run shot to center field, his second home run in as many games, in the seventh.

Shaun Anderson (2-0) recorded the final out of the sixth and earned the win. He walked one and gave up one hit.

Owen Caissie walked to lead off the fourth, Jakub Marsee singled and Esteury Ruiz walked before Kyle Stowers drew a bases-loaded walk to drive in Caissie.

Stowers added an RBI single in the sixth.

In the ninth inning, with two outs, Leo Jiménez hit an RBI single to center field to score Agustín Ramírez and make it 4-3. Javier Sanoja hit the ball off the glove of third baseman Denzer Guzman and left fielder Jose Siri’s throw home beat Jiménez to end the game. Replay review confirmed the out.

José Fermin pitched the ninth and earned his first career save. He allowed one run and three hits.

Ekness (0-1) pitched 1⅔ innings and allowed three runs.

Up next: RHP Sandy Alcantara (12-6, 3.68 ERA) starts for the Marlins on Saturday against the Angels’ RHP Walbert Urena (7-7, 2.54).

Aug. 7 (UPI) — President Donald Trump on Friday urged U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro to reinstall charges against several people accused of vandalizing the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool.

Pirro, a long-time Trump ally, has been in hot water with the president since admitting last week that damage to the pool was due to a “botched installation and not vandalism.”

On Friday, Trump said Pirro should “re-visit her hastily made decision.”

“Now that people are able to see it up close, they are reporting pure VANDALISM at The Reflecting Pool,” Trump wrote on Truth Social.

A D.C. judge on Thursday dismissed the case against the most prominent of the defendants, Olympian David Hearn, 67, who faced 10 years in prison on a felony charge.

Defense attorneys have requested the dismissal of misdemeanor charges against three other people accused of vandalism.

Hearn and the other defendants were indicted on accusations that they purposefully ripped up pieces of the recently-installed blue sealant from the pool’s bottom.

But in court filings, Pirro’s office said she had been misled by the Interior Department into believing they had caused “nearly all of the damage” to the pool.

“I disagree 100% with Jeanine Pirro, the U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia, on the Reflecting Pool,” Trump posted on Truth Social the following day. “I don’t know what she was thinking?”

Renovating the reflecting pool cost the government nearly $15 million in a no-bid contract.

In court filings, Pirro said the “botched” renovation “was the result of a flawed installation by the contractor, Atlantic Industrial Coatings, and the rush to complete the project prior to events associated with the America 250 celebration.”

“Davey Hearn is innocent and today’s dismissal reflects that simple fact,” the Olympian’s lawyers said in a statement on Thursday.

“But this case never should’ve been brought in the first place,” they added. “The Department of Justice’s decision to seek an indictment was a miscarriage of justice.”

Welcome to Bunker Talk. This is a weekend open discussion post for the best commenting crew on the net, in which we can chat about all the stuff that went on this week that we didn’t cover. We can also talk about the stuff we did or whatever else grabs your interest. In other words, it’s an off-topic thread.

This week’s caption reads:

U.S. Marines with 3d Reconnaissance Battalion, 3d Marine Division patrol through an underground tunnel in support of offensive operations during the Korean Marine Exercise Program 25.1 at Camp Stanley, South Korea, March 10, 2025. KMEP is a semi-annual exercise that provides iterative opportunities for Republic of Korea Marine Corps and U.S. Marine Corps units to train together, improving their combined capabilities to deter threats and maintain peace on the Korean Peninsula. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Kendrick Jackson) 

PRIME DIRECTIVES:

• If you want to talk politics, do so respectfully and know that there’s always somebody that isn’t going to agree with you. 
• If you have political differences, hash it out respectfully, stick to the facts, and no childish name-calling or personal attacks of any kind. If you can’t handle yourself in that manner, then please, discuss virtually anything else.
• No drive-by garbage political memes. No conspiracy theory rants. Links to crackpot sites will be axed, too. Trolling and shitposting will not be tolerated. No obsessive behavior about other users. Just don’t interact with folks you don’t like. 
• Do not be a sucker and feed trolls! That’s as much on you as on them. Use the mute button if you don’t like what you see.  
• So unless you have something of quality to say, know how to treat people with respect, understand that everyone isn’t going to subscribe to your exact same worldview, and have come to terms with the reality that there is no perfect solution when it comes to moderation of a community like this, it’s probably best to just move on. 
• Finally, as always, report offenders, please. This doesn’t mean reporting people who don’t share your political views, but we really need your help in this regard.

A SINGER once branded as the ‘new Justin Bieber’ looked unrecognisable while recreating a hit dance – 13 years on.

The now 30-year-old star, who hails from Texas, rose to fame during the 2010s.

Austin Mahone was touted as the next Justin Bieber, with both having been discovered on YouTube.

In 2013, he entered the prestigious Billboard Top 100 with his single What About Love.

And now 13 years on, Austin recreated the song’s signature dance in a new video.

The dance saw Austin show off impressive footwork, while rolling back his shoulders.

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One person commented: “This is who they tried to pit against Justin Bieber.”

Another added: “This song went triple platinum in my house.”

While a third shared: “He still has the red microphone after all these years.”

In a 2013 interview with extratv, Austin addressed being compared to Justin Bieber.

He said: “It’s very flattering, he’s, you know, very successful and I hope to be as successful as him someday.

“I’d just love people to give me a chance and see me as my own artist, as Austin. That’s all I ask.”

His early successes include singles Say Somethin’ and Say You’re Just A Friend, the latter featuring Flo Rida.

In recent years, Austin has continued to release music across different genres.

However, he has yet to reach the heights of Canadian superstar Justin, now aged 32.

He signed with Pitbull’s Mr. 305 Inc in 2015 and released single Dirty Work earlier in that year.

With the song having entered Japan‘s Billboard Top 100, his debut studio album was released exclusively in the country.

His second album, A Lone Star Story – released in 2023 – marked a foray into country music.

In Austin’s personal life, his previous romances include fellow singers Camila Cabello and Becky G.

WHEN you think of Sweden, you think ABBA, IKEA and Northern Lights – as well as it being an expensive holiday destination.

However, I got to know another side of its capital city Stockholm when I lived there for a few months as a student.  

And as a student, it meant I was on a strict budget, so I was on the hunt for the cheapest places to eat and drink as well as finding the best free things to do.

So here’s everything you need to know to avoid emptying your wallet, from cheap transport to bargain hidden gems.

Travel passes

If you’re planning on travelling around the city by public transport, then the SL Smart Card can save you money.

Instead of topping up or paying a fare everyday, you purchase a time-limited travel card and this lets you take all the buses, trams, inner-city commuter ferries, metro and commuter trains your heart desires. 

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When I found the perks of the SL cards, I was exploring the city like nobody’s business as I didn’t have to think about the logistics of costs if I wanted to go to two different neighbourhoods in one day.

Depending on how long you’re there you can choose from different time periods, starting at 24 hours for £13.83 (SEK 180). 

Compare that to a 24-hour pass across Zones 1-6 in London is £23.60?

A much bigger bargain.

Hidden gems

While the centre of Stockholm is great, did you know that the Stockholm Archipelago is home to 30,000 islands?

So one thing I highly recommend is hopping on an inner-city commuter ferry, which you can use with your SL card.

I recommend stopping off at Djurgården, known as Museum Island and is home to ABBA Museum.

But Art-lovers will also love Modern Museet and it is free to visit on Friday evenings between 6pm and 8pm during spring and autumn.

Otherwise ride the metro to Gamla Stan and find Stortoget, the city’s oldest square which is referred to as ‘The Bloodbath,’ having sparked the Swedish War of Liberation.  

You may need to squint your eyes for this one; the Iron Boy (Järnpojke) sculpture is the smallest public monument in Stockholm. 

You might also miss is the narrowest street in the whole city, found down the steps of Mårten Trotzigs gränd. Touch both walls with your hands and make a wish for some good luck.

The Nobel Prize Museum is touristy but also worth a visit too, as included in the entry ticket is a guided tour around the displays so it’s a great way to get a glimpse into ideas that have transformed the way we live. 

Cheap eats and drink

The Swedes love a coffee break, which loosely translates to ‘fika’ – and there are some insanely delicious places to go.

One of my favourites which I went to every week was Stora Bageriet in the district of Östermalm.

Built into a former military bakery that supplied soldiers with bread rations, now you can watch the bakers at work.

Don’t expect to get a table inside as it’s pretty small, but the huge courtyard is where to go instead, especially in the summer months.

As well as the traditional sweet treats up for grabs, I would suggest opting for their other pastries because I can guarantee you that you will not find anything like it elsewhere. I loved the danish buns with rhubarb, which cost just £3.89.

Lots of the city’s bars and restaurants are on floating platforms on the river, and one of my favourites is Mälarpaviljongen.

You might expect the garden-restaurant to be on a single platform but actually there are several platforms that are joined through footpaths and bridges.

Take your time to wander through before picking up a tray and working through the window displays. 

Otherwise find beers for under a fiver at the much loved Ölstugan Kungsholmen.

As a student, you’d often find me in the local McDonald’s after a late night out, but Stockholm also has its own take on Maccy D’s called MAX Burgers. 

No matter where you are, I guarantee you’ll find a MAX close to you and the best thing is that the quality of food is better with the same cheap prices. 

My go-tos were a box of cheese fries (£3.42), crunchy chicken wings (£2.64) or a bacon cheeseburger (£6.76). If you love cheese or want to splurge, try the ‘Original Cheese Can’ (£6.92) which is a burger served with a side of melted cheese dip. 

Otherwise when in Sweden – have the IKEA meatballs?

For under a fiver, you can get a plate of 8-piece meatballs with the traditional sides of cream sauce, lingonberry jam, peas and a choice of boiled or mashed potatoes. 

Fourth round, 30 October 2012, Madejski Stadium

An incredible match, the joint-highest scoring EFL Cup tie in history, and it took extra-time to find a winner.

Still without a win in their return to the Premier League, Reading threw away any joy their fans were feeling as they led Arsenal 4-0 by capitulating to lose 7-5.

Arsenal found themselves four down after 35 minutes, but Theo Walcott’s goal before half‑time sparked a comeback that dragged the match into extra-time.

Marouane Chamakh put Arsenal in front for the first time on the night with a goal in the first period of extra-time, only for Reading striker Pavel Pogrebnyak to make it 5-5.

But Walcott restored Arsenal’s lead before Chamakh completed the scoring.

A remarkable night was further added to by the faintly ridiculous moment when Olivier Giroud and Francis Coquelin threw their shirts into the crowd, thinking the match was over, only to have to awkwardly ask for them back once they realised extra‑time was still to come.

Aug. 8 (UPI) — On this date in history:

In 1911, newsreels became a standard part of U.S. movie screenings when the French film company Pathe began releasing weekly black-and-white features to theaters.

In 1940, the German Luftwaffe began a series of daylight air raids on Britain.

In 1945, the Soviet Union declared war on Japan, two days after an atomic bomb was dropped on Hiroshima and several days before Tokyo surrendered.

In 1956, a fire in a Belgian coal mine trapped and killed 262 workers in the worst mining disaster in the country’s history.

In 1968, Richard Nixon won the Republican nomination for president. He was elected in November, defeating Democrat Hubert Humphrey and independent George Wallace.

UPI File Photo

In 1974, facing expected impeachment over the Watergate scandal, Richard Nixon became the first U.S. president to resign. He left office the next day. Listen to UPI Radio’s original report.

In 1988, military conservatives overthrew the government of Gen. Efrain Rios Montt in a coup, promising staunch anti-communism.

In 1988, the first night game at Chicago’s Wrigley Field was played. The park was the last major league stadium to add lights for night baseball.

In 1990, Iraqi President Saddam Hussein annexed Kuwait.

File Photo by Ali Kaligh/UPI

In 2003, U.S. leaders of the Episcopal Church approved a landmark local-option resolution on the issue of same-sex marriages, leaving it to local dioceses whether to bless unions of gay and lesbian couples. Church leaders earlier in the week approved their first openly gay bishop.

In 2010, U.N. officials estimated 1,600 people had been killed in monsoon-triggered flooding in Pakistan, and authorities said China’s deadliest mudslides had claimed more than 1,100 lives. Hundreds of people were missing in the two disasters. In addition to flooding deaths, inclement weather factored into a deadly Airblue crash near Islamabad.

In 2018, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced plans to add a Popular Film category for the Oscars. The academy scrapped the plans less than a month later after backlash.

In 2021, the U.S. women’s basketball team won its record-extending seventh straight gold medal at the Olympics, giving veterans Sue Bird and Diana Taurasi their record fifth gold medal. The Tokyo Summer Games concluded that night with closing ceremonies.

In 2022, the FBI raided former President Donald Trump’s Palm Beach, Fla., home and resort, Mar-a-Lago, looking for evidence of potential mishandling of classified documents.

In 2023, President Joe Biden signed a proclamation establishing a new monument in Arizona to protect nearly 1 million acres of public land that some Native American tribes consider sacred grounds. The new designation was named Baaj Nwaavjo I’tah Kkveni — Ancestral Footprints of the Grand Canyon National Monument.

Memphis Grizzlies ⁠forward Brandon Clarke’s ⁠May 11 death ruled accidental, with effects of heroin and cocaine cited.

The Los Angeles County ‌Department of Medical Examiner reported on Friday ⁠that Memphis Grizzlies ⁠forward Brandon Clarke died due to the effects of heroin and cocaine.

The medical examiner ruled Clarke’s ⁠May 11 death an accident. The combined effects of multiple prescription medications were also identified as a significant contributing ⁠condition, though the specific medications were not disclosed. The full medical examiner’s report has not yet been released.

Clarke, 29, was discovered unresponsive in a bedroom at a residence ‌in California’s San Fernando Valley and was pronounced dead at the scene by paramedics. The medical examiner conducted an examination the following day before formally certifying the cause and manner of death on Friday.

Clarke spent his seven-year NBA career with Memphis after finishing ⁠his college career at Gonzaga. He averaged ⁠10.2 points and 5.5 rebounds over 309 games (50 starts) and finished fourth in Rookie of the Year voting in 2019-20.

Injuries limited Clarke during ⁠his final seasons. He missed more than a year after tearing an Achilles ⁠tendon in 2023 and appeared in ⁠only two games during the 2025-26 campaign because of knee and calf ailments.

About six weeks before his death, Clarke was arrested in Arkansas ‌on charges that included possession and trafficking of a controlled substance following a traffic stop.

Following Clarke’s death, the Grizzlies ‌remembered ‌him as an “outstanding teammate and an even better person” whose influence extended beyond the organisation and into the Memphis community.

Manchester City have agreed a deal to sign Argentina goalkeeper Geronimo Rulli from Marseille for £1.7m.

The 34-year-old returns to Etihad Stadium – where he spent the 2016-17 season without making a first-team appearance – and has signed a two-year deal.

Rulli famously scored a penalty in Villarreal’s 2021 Europa League final victory over Manchester United, before denying opposite number David de Gea to decide the marathon shootout.

He has won eight caps for Argentina and was part of the squad that won the 2022 World Cup and 2024 Copa America.

Rulli has also had spells at clubs around Europe including Real Sociedad, Montpellier and Ajax.

He comes in as a replacement for England goalkeeper James Trafford, who left City to join Leeds in a deal worth up to £45m earlier this week, and will be understudy to number one Gianluigi Donnarumma.

Palestinian Christians are facing violence and displacement across Gaza, Jerusalem and the occupied West Bank. Attacks, including those targeting churches and clergy, are causing the Palestinian Christian population to shrink.

Shakib Al Hasan says he will return home to face trial if safety assured, but Bangladesh rule out cricket comeback.

Bangladesh have said former star cricketer Shakib Al Hasan had no prospect of returning to play after he joined a media event with ousted former prime minister Sheikh Hasina, a convicted fugitive.

Shakib joined the event by telephone in New Delhi on Wednesday, where Hasina addressed journalists, two years after she was forced from power following a deadly crackdown on student-led protests.

Bangladesh Minister for Youth and Sports Aminul Haque said the government had previously taken a more open approach towards Shakib, who was a politician for Hasina’s former ruling Awami League party.

Shakib, who is currently in Sri Lanka, was among dozens facing murder investigations for a deadly police crackdown on protesters that toppled Hasina’s government.

“We had been looking at the matter with considerable flexibility and tolerance. After this, I do not think there is any room to think that way anymore,” Haque said in a statement.

“Someone who has taken the stage with the autocrat no longer has any opportunity to return.”

Shakib, 39, is Bangladesh’s most successful cricketer and one of the country’s best-known sporting figures. He has played more than 400 international matches and represented Bangladesh at five World Cups.

Rights groups have long accused Hasina’s former administration of abuses including the murder of rivals, suppression of opposition parties, rigged courts and one-sided elections.

A court in Dhaka found Hasina guilty in absentia in November 2025 of crimes against humanity and sentenced her to be hanged. She remains in hiding in India.

All-rounder Shakib announced his retirement plans in September 2024 after his team’s second Test in India but later said he would play a full series before calling it quits.

The Bangladesh Cricket Board said in January he could play again, but his involvement in the event in India on Wednesday caused anger, with Shakib saying his house had been petrol-bombed as a result.

On Thursday, Shakib said he was prepared to return to Bangladesh from his exile in Sri Lanka to face trial on charges including murder. He also said he hoped to play for his country again at the 2027 Cricket World Cup, having led the team at the last edition in 2023.

THE identity of Safiyya Vorajee’s boyfriend has been unmasked.

The ex of Ashley Cain revealed she was in a new relationship earlier today on Instagram but did not give away the identity of the mystery man.

But now, he has been uncovered to be a popular Dutch social media influencer..

Virgil Sint Jago appears to have won the heart of Safiyya who has publicly remained single since her split from Ashley and the tragic passing of their daughter, Azaliya.

Safiyya is understood to have met Virgil in Bali on holiday and is now in the throes of a new romance with him.

As well as being an influencer and online creator, Virgil is also a personal trainer and specialises in helping older women lose weight.

holiday romance

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His social media is littered with plenty of shirtless pics as well as being packed full of his impressive fitness content.

Glam Safiyya first began to hint at the romance a few weeks ago before sharing a cosy selfie with Virgil earlier today.

The 38-year-old took to social media to share a sweet tribute to her new romance alongside a snap of them together. 

Safiyya wrote: “Happy the universe changed my direction from Thailand to Bali.

“In a world that’s so big we met exactly where we were meant to feel so happy.

“God always gets the timing right. Trust in him always. The most magical connection when you feel it in your soul.”

Safiyya also opened up about her trip to Bali and told followers she’s entering a new chapter of her life.

She said: “There’s something so magical here that has healed parts of my soul I didn’t even realise were still hurting.

“I’ve grown so much. My nervous system has finally experienced what real calm feels like. I’ve let my guard down, allowed myself to be vulnerable, and in doing that, I’ve found friendships and connections that have changed me forever.”

Safiyya and ex-boyfriend Ashley Cain were left devastated in 2021 when Azaylia died at eight-months-old following a battle with leukaemia.

It comes weeks after Ashley, who is also dad so sons Alyias, two, and Atlas, one, from different relationships, was dropped by the BBC over historic social media posts which allegedly showed him making degrading comments about women.

The Ex on the Beach star’s Twitter posts made in 2011 and 2013 are said to have referenced extreme sex acts and appeared to make light of consent.

He reportedly used offensive, sexualised and aggressive language about women.

In a darkened room in Maldon, Essex, a ship’s lantern illuminates the laundry drying on a web of ropes suspended from the ceiling. Between piles of sailing memorabilia, 86-year-old Barry Pearce is flipping through a yellowing logbook, watched by his mongrel, Winkle. It feels more like a ship’s cabin than a terrace house. Pearce is one of a handful of surviving skippers who delivered freight on the Thames by sailing barge, the flat-bottomed trading boats famous for their striking red sails that were endemic to the river’s estuary until the 1960s. He remembers the names of every vessel he worked on – Remercie, Edith May, Colonia.

In the 19th century, the ochre sails of thousands of Thames sailing barges pierced the skyline as the craft carried cargo from the Thames estuary and beyond in and out of London. Their shallow draft allowed them to snake far upriver in as little as a metre of water (bargemen would boast that they could sail anywhere there had been a heavy dew). Their ingenious rig, with sails that could be set and stowed with the help of winches, meant around 150 tonnes of cargo could be shifted by just a skipper and mate – often accompanied by a guard dog. This efficiency allowed them to outlive all other commercial sailing vessels, surviving until the 1960s, when Pearce himself took the helm.

Today, only about 30 Thames barges are still sailing, either as private homes or leisure cruisers. Two of them – Pudge and Centaur – lie like beached krakens on the oozing mud of Maldon’s Blackwater estuary. Both are owned by the Thames Sailing Barge Trust, a charity run entirely by volunteers, including Pearce. Every summer, both vessels can be hired as private charters for groups of up to 12, or you can book a berth on one of their one- to three-day public sailing cruises. They also offer events such as children’s art days throughout the year.

I’m here on a scorching evening at Hythe quay to spend the weekend exploring the River Blackwater and Essex coast aboard Centaur, a barge built in 1895. Itineraries are flexible and based on passengers’ interests. For us it involves sailing up the Blackwater, a Pimm’s at Tollesbury Marina, and a swim off Shingle Point and wander around West Mersea on Mersea Island. Our motley crew consists of three trainees overseen by skipper Chris Martin, who teaches boatbuilding at vocational training organisation Circles Alternative Education.

There are also six passengers, ranging in age from 18 to 76, in five cabins, which are basic but comfortable (each has a wash basin). Although I am the only one who is not a competent sailor, Martin makes it clear that helping to handle the barge is optional.

Unwisely, given our 3am departure to catch high tide, I sink several pints with the two youngest members of Pudge’s crew in the Little Ship Club on the quay. A behemothic man wielding a squeezebox sings sea shanties as salty couples slow dance nearby. “I only know of one or two people my age who are into barging, and I find that disturbing,” yells 25-year-old Charlie Francis over strains of Bound for South Australia. “Barging was the lifeblood of the east coast. We should be proud of our heritage and celebrate the communities working to preserve it.”

After a few hours in my bunk, I make it on to deck at 4.15am. The moon is a slice of radish in a lilac sky. We’re bearing away from the wind and, having set the sails, the crew is already on their second round of tea and custard creams.

As dawn paints its peachy palette, Martin turns the great wheel. He points out Blackwater landmarks that only a local would know: the green buoy known as the Doctor, where early 20th-century fishers left spirits for the alcoholics supposedly drying out at Osea Island’s temperance resort; the pub where, as recently as 20 years ago, Martin witnessed a smuggler wordlessly deliver two dripping bags while regulars stared determinedly into their pints; the hulking trawler, Ross Revenge, which is still home to Radio Caroline, the former pirate station – another relic kept alive by volunteers of the Blackwater.

Where the river opens into the silvery sea, the wind picks up and the barge rocks gently against the tide. My eyelids are heavy and the slowness of the whole experience is working its magic on my screen-frazzled brain. Martin calls for the staysail to be unfurled, a 20-minute task that rewards the barge with another knot and a half of speed. “This life is the antithesis of the digital age’s obsession with instant gratification,” he says. “Sailing barges may not be able to teach us much about cargo any more, but they can teach us the value of slowing down, doing things with our hands and spending time in nature.”

As we make our stately, seven-knot progress, 370 sq metres of rust-red canvas billows above and fingers of salt marsh slide by. With so little distraction, the coffee tastes lip-curlingly bitter, the bacon sandwiches as saline as the deep. I settle on a coil of rope to scan the horizon for porpoises, but soon drift into sleep.

A swim from a sandbank near Tollesbury is followed by a meander through West Mersea at golden hour. Clapboard cottages framed by hollyhocks sit beside sailmakers and chandleries converted into trendy cafes. We drop anchor in the Blackwater estuary and beneath a blazing sunset tuck into lasagne on deck. I haven’t felt this present for months. It’s all such a delight I begin to feel concerned about the trust’s future. Sailing barges cost between £30,000 and £100,000 a year to keep afloat. The trip I’m on costs just £220 including meals, while the Trust’s annual membership is only £37.50.

Although the trust offers training in many of the skills needed to maintain the barges, sourcing the timber is becoming increasingly difficult – and expensive. “Centaur’s exterior planking is pitch pine from the Mississippi basin, which is incredibly durable, but has been virtually exhausted,” says Martin. “And so much of the timber trade has been replaced by plastic.”

The trust also offers free training for future skippers, including the mate on our trip, 18-year-old Ben Weldon, the son of a local shipwright. However, it typically takes 2,000 hours – or 10 years – and the dropout rate is high.

While the trust has recently been awarded £28,090 from the National Lottery Heritage Fund to develop a bid for the £4m needed to restore Centaur, it seems wrong that responsibility for keeping this thread of Britain’s maritime story from unravelling rests on so few shoulders. Sailing may be associated with privilege, but we are a seafaring nation and this inheritance belongs to all of us.

On Sunday morning, our last on board, a westerly fills the sails, and the tea-coloured Blackwater wrinkles beneath the bow as we beat our way back towards Maldon. “Lee ho,” Martin calls, showing me how to spin the wheel to help the crew tack. “So far we’ve used less than a gallon of fuel to do 50 miles. Pretty extraordinary, given that a family car does about 30 miles to the gallon.”

When I asked Pearce at the start of the trip why keeping Thames sailing barges afloat is worth the fight, he looked blank, as if such a question had never occurred to him. He showed me a pencil sketch of a barge he had drawn at the age of 15 in Greenwich, left half-finished when his skipper had poked his head through the hatch and invited him below for dinner. Now, more than 70 years later, he bends once more over that drawing as though no time has passed.

Eventually, he half-whispers: “Well, they’re just lovely, ain’t they?” He glances toward the window. Nearby, Centaur waits on the mud for the returning tide.

The trip was provided by the Thames Sailing Barge Trust. The next weekend aboard Centaur departs on 14 August, £220 for two nights’ full board; three-night trips depart on 3 September (£350 on Pudge, £320 on Centaur) and 18 September (£290 on Centaur). A variety of one-day sailings are also available
from £55 to £125pp