Guess the footballer 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.

Once you’re done keep scrolling to beat all three of BBC Sport’s daily quizzes.

EXCLUSIVE

Siddiq Ander has accused RSF leader Hemedti of running the paramilitary group like a family business and suppressing dissent.

Senior commander Siddiq Ander says he has defected from Sudan‘s paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), according to exclusive video footage obtained by Al Jazeera.

The footage, published on Friday, shows Ander accusing relatives of RSF leader Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, known as “Hemedti”, of tightly controlling the group’s finances, weapons, troop movements and military promotions.

Ander’s exit follows a string of high-profile defections this year, with some commanders leaving alongside hundreds of fighters.

“It has become clear to us beyond any doubt that we were serving a purely family-based project controlled by Hemedti’s relatives in every aspect, money, weapons, fighters’ movements and the granting of ranks,” Ander said.

“Anyone who speaks out and tells the whole truth faces expulsion, imprisonment or a hidden death.”

Hemedti’s brother, Abdul Rahim Hamdan Dagalo, serves as the RSF deputy commander.

Senior commanders break ranks

A wave of defections has seen several senior RSF commanders leave the group this year, including Lieutenant Colonel Mohammed Azraq al-Fanjari, who announced on October 8 that he was leaving, along with 300 officers and soldiers and 30 military vehicles.

Al-Fanjari also urged other fighters to abandon the RSF, expressing regret over the suffering caused by the war.

His announcement came after the September 25 defection of Al-Tayeb al-Wahidu, who joined the enemy Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) with 50 fighters in Omdurman, across the Nile from the capital, Khartoum, according to The Sudan Tribune.

Al-Wahidu cited abuses within the RSF as his reason for leaving.

Earlier, in May, Brigadier Ali Rizqallah, known as Savannah, announced his departure.

Yet another senior commander, Major General al-Nour Ahmed Adam, known as al-Qubba, joined the SAF in April and was publicly welcomed by Sudanese leader and military chief Abdel Fattah al-Burhan.

Al-Qubba’s departure followed disagreements over military appointments within the RSF leadership, the Tribune reported.

Sudan’s war erupted in April 2023 after a power struggle between the army and the RSF, including disagreements over plans to integrate the paramilitary group into the regular military.

The conflict has since displaced about 13 million people and pushed parts of the country into famine.

The latest defections come as both sides increasingly use drones in attacks that have caused mounting civilian casualties.

On October 26, strikes hit a market and residential area in Nyala, an RSF-controlled city in South Darfur.

Emergency Lawyers, a Sudanese rights group, reported more than 100 deaths, although other medical organisations recorded lower figures.

The United Nations says drone strikes have become the leading cause of civilian deaths in Sudan’s war.

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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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.

The proposition creates a down payment loan program, totaling up to $25 billion, for middle-income families looking to buy a new home in California. The program would be run by the California Housing Finance Agency, which already oversees several homeownership assistance programs.

The state would sell bonds to fund the program. It would pay back investors using interest and loan payments from the program — not taxpayer money. The California Housing Finance Agency would administer the program, including setting interest rates for the loans.

To qualify, prospective borrowers would need to buy a newly constructed home or a home that never has sold before, such as a commercial building that was converted into condos. Borrowers wouldn’t need to be first-time homebuyers, but they would need to earn no more than 200% of the median local income; for a family of four in Los Angeles County, that amounts to no more than $216,200 a year.

There also would be limits on the sales prices of homes bought with help from this program. While the exact price would depend on the county, generally the homes would need to sell for between $1 million and $1.5 million. Homebuyers would need to put at least 3% down, and the state finance agency could provide a loan up to 17% of the sales price.

The loans would function like fixed-rate second mortgages.

According to the California Budget and Policy Center, the earnings that would qualify a family for down payment assistance could vary greatly depending on where they planned to buy a home. Per the center’s calculations, a family of four buying a home in Madera County would have to earn no more than $166,800 a year, while a family in Santa Clara County could earn up to $375,800 a year and still qualify.

Other specifics would be worked out if voters pass the measure. That includes the interest rates charged on this second mortgage, which, according to the Budget and Policy Center, likely would be higher than the current rates for conventional mortgages, which have hovered around 7% for a 30-year mortgage.

Because revenue bonds, which would be used to fund this program, are riskier than other bonds, investors might demand a higher return, translating to a higher interest rate.

Captain Meg Jones says England are aiming to expand their attack to stay at the head of rugby’s world order.

The Red Roses’ four-year, 41-match unbeaten run was ended by a pair of defeats by Canada earlier this month, while New Zealand threatened victory at Allianz Stadium last month, only to be undone by Zoe Harrison’s final-play try.

For so long the runaway leaders at the top of the world rankings, England could even have dropped to third with a combination of a 15-point defeat against the United States on Friday and a New Zealand win over France on Saturday.

That never looked likely as the Red Roses ran in nine tries in victory over the USA in New Jersey, but Jones says competition is becoming more fierce at the top of the game.

“Teams are getting better, that’s the nature of it,” Jones said.

“It happened in the men’s game, it’s happened in the women’s game, and we’ve just got to start being probably more unpredictable.

“We’ve learned loads on this tour, and gained so much feedback from where we want to keep growing, getting better and keep pushing.”

The joint statement comes as US President Donald Trump seeks a new meeting with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.

The United States, South Korea and Japan have reiterated their longstanding call for North Korea to give up its nuclear weapons, a move  Pyongyang has repeatedly ruled out.

The three countries addressed the issue on the sidelines of the Group of 20 (G20) meeting in the US city of Atlanta on Thursday, with their top diplomats reaffirming their “resolute commitment to the complete denuclearisation” of North Korea, according to a readout by the US Department of State.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Hyun and Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi also pledged the “full implementation” of United Nations Security Council resolutions, including a ban on supporting revenue for North Korea’s nuclear and ballistic missile programmes.

The statement comes despite repeated overtures to North Korea by US President Donald Trump, who held a series of historic summits with its leader, Kim Jong Un, during his first term in office and has continued to call Kim a “friend”.

Last year, Trump bucked a long-held US policy by conceding that North Korea was already “sort of a nuclear power”.

More recently, he has played down concerns about North Korea’s nuclear programme and expressed a desire to meet Kim again. Speculation is mounting that the two leaders could reconnect at next month’s APEC summit in China, which Trump is due to attend.

Analysts and South Korea’s spy agency say Kim may have conveyed Pyongyang’s position on potential talks with Trump to Beijing during a recent visit to the Chinese border city of Dandong.

South Korea’s dovish President Lee Jae Myung – who has repeatedly offered Pyongyang talks without preconditions – suggested in September that Washington seek a freeze, rather than the immediate elimination, of the North’s nuclear programme in return for sanctions relief.

Critics have said such an approach risks tacitly accepting North Korea as a nuclear-armed state while allowing Pyongyang to win sanctions relief without giving up its arsenal.

Despite long-running UN sanctions, North Korea, which is backed by Russia and China, has enshrined its status as a nuclear-armed state in law. Pyongyang’s government has declared its atomic arsenal to be permanent and irreversible.

Pyongyang denounced a joint statement on Saturday by a group of nations monitoring sanctions implementation against it, pledging that “the stereotyped sanctions racket of the US and the West can neither influence the position of the DPRK (North Korea) as a nuclear weapons state.”

European champions PSG registered their sixth league victory, and sit two points clear at top of the Ligue 1 standings.

Flying ‌fullback Achraf Hakimi grabbed a hat-trick as Paris Saint-Germain went on a rampage to thrash ⁠bottom-placed Le Havre 5-1 and extend their Ligue 1 lead on Friday.

The European champions, who have several regulars out injured, could afford to leave ⁠more of their key players on the bench and still come away with an impressive victory as they moved to 20 points from their opening nine league fixtures.

They ⁠are two points ahead of Lille and four above third-placed Rennes, who have 16 points.

Lille moved above Rennes into second, thanks to a late goal from veteran Olivier Giroud, who came off the bench to score an 86th-minute winner for a 1-0 derby ‌victory at home over RC Lens.

Rennes were handed a 5-2 drubbing at Nice, who continued their improving form with a fourth win in five outings.

Elye Wahi netted a hat-trick for Nice, who moved up to seventh after narrowly avoiding relegation last season.

An all-round display from Hakimi

On top of his three goals at Stade Oceane, Hakimi had two assists for the goals scored by Mika Godts and Senny Mayulu after Josh Maja had given the ⁠hosts the lead.

It was PSG’s ninth consecutive victory in all ⁠competitions.

Le Havre suffered a fifth consecutive defeat and sit bottom with two points, but they briefly dared to believe as Maja handed them an early lead.

Hakimi set up Godts for the equaliser before putting his side ⁠ahead in the 28th minute with a shot in at the near post.

The Morocco international then netted from a free kick ⁠into the bottom corner in the 55th minute before ⁠being at the centre of a counterattack that saw Mayulu make it 4-1 in the 62nd minute.

Hakimi completed his hat-trick with a deflected effort in the 69th minute.

“I am happy because some players had very ‌little playing time. If we want to win trophies, we need everyone,” said PSG coach Luis Enrique.

It’s Halloween weekend and that means it’s time to curl up on the couch to watch a blood-curdling scream erupt — from your television.

In the L.A. area, the forecast is looking pretty grim with showers expected this weekend (I am going to remain cautiously optimistic, however, because I do not want these bags of candy to remain in my house). If it does end up being a rainout, at least there are several very good new series and films to watch. Here are a few suggestions:

• One is Peacock’s “Crystal Lake,” the new “Friday the 13th” prequel series starring Linda Cardellini, who spoke to senior writer Greg Braxton earlier this month about taking on the role of Pamela Voorhees (you’ll see Voorhees in a new light). On the occasion of the show’s release, Greg also wrote this handy guide to all the “Friday the 13th” movies, grading each one on a hockey-mask scale to help you choose which to watch.
• If you prefer your horror to involve teen angst, I highly recommend Prime Video’s “Carrie,” a new adaption of Stephen King’s iconic novel by Mike Flanagan. We spoke to the horror auteur and stars of the series, Samantha Sloyan and Summer H. Howell, about how it modernizes the story’s terror.
• As far as films go, you can’t go wrong with this year’s top two horror hits: Kane Parsons’ ultra-creepy, internet inspired “Backrooms,” which is streaming on HBO Max, and “Obsession,” streaming on Peacock. Fittingly, Inde Navarrette, the star of “Obsession,” will host “Saturday Night Live” on Halloween. And if you want to keep the theme going, Curry Barker, the film’s director, made a surprise release on Thursday of a short called “Mama Bear” on YouTube (be advised, it’s NSFW; watch it in a dark room at night like I did).

Also in this week’s Screen Gab, Susan House, the showrunner of Hulu’s new reality competition series “The Mob,” stopped by Guest Spot to discuss the show, and our writers recommend a documentary about one of the finest comedy sketch series to emerge from Canada and a workplace comedy series that graduated from the web to streaming.

Before I go, I want to take a moment to remember the legendary actor Patrick Stewart, who died on Wednesday. From his stage work with the Royal Shakespeare Company to his iconic roles as Jean-Luc Picard in “Star Trek” and Charles Xavier in “X-Men,” few actors had Stewart’s range and depth, as television critic Robert Lloyd so adeptly writes in his appreciation of him. To use the words of another “Trek” great, may he live long and prosper in the afterlife. — Maira Garcia

Turn on

Recommendations from the film and TV experts at The Times

“SCTV: The Greatest Show You’ve Never Heard Of” takes a closer look at the Canadian sketch series. Andrea Martin, left, Catherine O’Hara, Joe Flaherty, John Candy, Dave Thomas, Eugene Levy and Harold Ramis.

(Netflix)

“SCTV: The Greatest Show You’ve Never Hard Of” (Netflix)

Speak for yourself, title. Some of us were there from the beginning. But the show is definitely having a moment, with Netflix streaming the entire series, and the documentary “You Had To Be There: How the Toronto Godspell Ignited the Comedy Revolution, Spread Love & Overalls, and Created a Community That Changed the World (In a Canadian Kind of Way),” currently in select theaters, featuring future “SCTV” cast members Eugene Levy, Andrea Martin, Dave Thomas and Martin Short (along with Gilda Radner). Jason Hehir’s “Greatest Show” film does a fine job of outlining the birth and death of what many consider the hipper cousin to “Saturday Night Live,” with lots of great photos and films of sketch comedians in their long-haired youth. The good times, the less than good times, the confusing times are all here, burnished with a warm glow of friendship. Gathered to reminisce are all surviving cast members (including the now-late Catherine O’Hara). Even the rarely seen Rick Moranis participates. (RIP John Candy and Joe Flaherty.) Creating comedy under less than glamorous circumstances, with no live audience or sense of whether anyone in the world was watching, they made the show for themselves and one another. Their instincts proved correct. — Robert Lloyd

Ryan Micho, left, Tommy Armstrong, Grace Reiter, Hyde Healy and Julia Dicesare play co-workers in “Minimum Wage.”

(Netflix)

“Minimum Wage” (Netflix)

The slip-slide from web series to streaming continues with American High’s workplace comedy that began on YouTube and is now appearing, in a slightly longer and moderately gussied-up adaptation, on Netflix. Shot in the now-standard mockumentary style, “Minimum Wage” chronicles life in a dumpy pizza place known as “The Slice Club,” where Grace (Grace Reiter, who recently joined the cast of “Saturday Night Live”) serves as the nominal manager of a wacky team of teenagers who occasionally make and serve pizza. More often, however, they engage in low-stakes antics: dealing with the local high school drama club, planning an ill-conceived birthday party, taking bets on a restaurant breakup or finding themselves stuck on the roof. Most of the cast, including Reiter, appeared in the original web series; this version adds Randall Park as CEO of the “The Slice Club” franchise, who is in mid-divorce and forced to sleep in the restaurant’s basement, and there is a more obvious attempt to underline various “chosen family” themes. They are an engaging, and occasionally hilarious group, and with episodes ranging from 15 to 22 minutes, “Minimum Wage” is an easy binge, or the perfect show to watch while waiting for that friend who’s always late, even when he’s the one who promised to bring the pizza. — Mary McNamara

Guest spot

A weekly chat with actors, writers, directors and more about what they’re working on — and what they’re watching

The cast of “The Mob” in Episode 2, from left: Harry Jowsey, Aida Turturro, Shane Parton, Bruno Tonioli, Romeo Miller, Debi Mazar, Demi Engemann, Maria Georgas, Willam Belli and Chelsea Lazkani.

(Andrea Miconi / Disney)

Being in the mob is serious business, and for us normies, the idea of racketeering and plotting whackings is a no-go. But that doesn’t mean it isn’t entertaining to watch it unfold onscreen in iconic films like “The Godfather” or shows like “The Sopranos.” It’s that fandom that led to “The Mob,” the latest reality competition series from Hulu, co-produced by Primal Media and Studio Lambert, the production company behind “The Traitors.” It premiered earlier this week and drops new episodes on Mondays.

The series features 12 players who come from the reality TV world, including Demi Engemann from “The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives,” Joe Gorga from “The Real Housewives of New Jersey,” Bruno Tonioli from “Dancing With the Stars;” and the acting world like Debi Mazar (“Younger,” “Goodfellas”) and Aida Turturro (“The Sopranos”). Each week, they have to compete in games inspired by mob movies and avoid getting “whacked” or eliminated from the competition by the don, the head of the family who doles out cash in exchange for allegiance. It’s hosted by Parker Posey, who is living a very comfortable life in an Italian villa.

Showrunner Susan House, who has led reailty shows like Netflix’s “The Circle,” says “The Mob” is special because it isn’t just about money — though the participants are competing for thousands in cash. “It’s about the power, it’s about family, and it’s about all these human relationships and human dynamics,” she says over video call this week. “Plus, you’re in this beautiful Italian backdrop. You’ve got Parker Posey, there’s some comedy and there’s fun. This sounds cliche, but I do feel like there’s something for everyone.”

She shares what it was like to work with Posey and the rest of the cast and the drama she’s been watching lately. — M.G.

Tell me how the concept for this series came about, and why the mob theme.

The concept was developed by a U.K. company called Primal, and they developed [it] along with Hulu. And I think the mob theme came about because it’s such a lush kind of environment to do a show from, like it’s so cinematic. It has such an amazing place in pop culture. Everyone knows it. It’s about power. It’s about family. It’s about dynamics. All the fun subject matter that makes for a great TV show.

How was it working with Parker Posey as host of the show?

I grew up in the Midwest in Kansas City, and I was a huge fan of independent film. My best friend and I would go to the one art house [theater] that we had growing up, and we loved Parker Posey. I’ve been a huge fan of her since “Dazed and Confused.” And so when she signed on for the show, I called my best friend when I was allowed to talk, and I said to her, “Oh, my God, you’re not going to believe who is hosting the show,” and we both did a little scream. It was just an … incredible moment in my career that I’m doing a show where Parker Posey, she’s iconic to me, was the host. I think that she’s perfect choice, right? She’s unique. She’s artsy. She’s comedy. She’s done drama. She can embrace a character, a setting. It was for me … just like a dream come true.

I’m so excited you said “Dazed and Confused,” because that’s what I associate her with.

When she signed on, I went back and rewatched that movie. I hadn’t seen it in a while. I was just like, oh, my God, she is so good in that.

And “The Mob” is so different. But it seems like she’s trying so many different things in this later stage of her career.

I know, it’s so cool. “The White Lotus,” she was amazing in, and I feel like people sort of rediscovered her in some ways. Maybe younger generations did, and it’s great, it’s amazing. She’s trying all these new things. I just watched “Wild Horse Nine.” She was incredible in that.

The cast of “The Mob” features a mix of actors and reality TV personalities, which I thought was really interesting. How did you land on that combination?

I think the subject matter of the mob is universal, right? It’s about loyalty. It’s about power, it’s about respect, it’s about family, and I think combining all of these personalities, … from acting and reality, is a unique opportunity to get [them] … on one TV show and see how they react. It’s a super-fun dynamic, and it just adds another layer to the show that’s I think unexpected and really fun.

Debi Mazar, who was in “Goodfellas,” and Aida Turturro, who was in “The Sopranos,” add some authenticity to the mob theme. I imagine their casting was purposeful — how did they incorporate that into the show?

I love Debi Mazar so much. I’m also a huge fan of her, not just from “Goodfellas,” but I love the show “Younger.” She’s also just iconic … We joke it’s the summer of Debi Mazar, with all the Madonna and Coachella things [the pair made an appearance during Sabrina Carpenter’s set]. I agree, she does bring some authenticity to the show, and she’s definitely of that world. I can’t speak to whether she was playing a character or not. You’re supposed to be yourself. So she wasn’t necessarily [anything] other than Debi, unless she was doing something that I don’t know about. I think Aida is also incredible. She says in the show, I think … in one of the first episodes, “I’m not in the mob.” It’s kind of fun to see her play against type. Like, she is Janice Soprano. But then now we’re seeing the real Aida Turturro and how she plays the game as herself.

Joe Gorga is the family’s first don on “The Mob.”

(Andrea Miconi / Disney)

And you have Joe Gorga, who was picked as the first don of the house, and it felt really perfect because he is from Jersey and he has that voice that you associate with those characters.

That did work out perfectly. It was good because he has a lot of these kind of qualities and stereotypes, but he also is fun and funny. And the show is a comedy in some ways … it’s an homage to the genre. Having Joe as that first don and playing that up a little bit is was fun. We were we were thrilled.

Something people will identify are the allusions to mobster TV shows and movies, like the horse head from “The Godfather.” They’re also incorporated when someone gets whacked.

We’re all huge fans of of that genre, and so many people just wanted to drop these little breadcrumbs for the audience who also love it. Our set decorator, John Sparano, is a huge movie buff. He did things that were like, I don’t think anyone would ever understand this. There was a picture of some pool table balls that were about “The Godfather.” I have to ask him, or it’s like, “No one is going to know these three numbers, John. But OK, I’m glad you’re doing it.” In terms of the whackings, we just thought … this genre gave us the opportunity to have fun with those, make those cinematic and honor those films and and how they did things.

Is there anything you are watching lately that you are recommending to other people right now?

I like the show “War” on HBO Max, and I guess that’s apropos for being a reality TV producer. There’s so much drama, and it’s about a relationship. I’m really enjoying watching that, and I feel very nervous sometimes before the end of the show. I’m like, “Oh, my God, what’s going to happen?”

ICYMI

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Ryanair passengers checking in luggage will have less time to reach the airport desk under a new deadline

Anyone travelling with Ryanair who leave their airport journey until the last minute could risk missing their flight when a new rule takes effect. From Tuesday, November 10, airport check-in and bag-drop desks will close 60 minutes before departure, instead of the current 40 minutes.

The change means travellers checking in a suitcase will need to get their bags accepted earlier than they may be used to, even if they have already checked in online. For a flight scheduled to leave at 10am, the deadline will move from 9.20am to 9am. Ryanair carried 206.5 million passengers in the 2025 calendar year.

Travel expert Arber Abdullahu, from TripSIM, has urged holidaymakers to check their airport arrangements before setting off, particularly if they have booked a transfer. He warned that having a boarding pass on a phone does not mean a checked bag has been accepted or that passengers can arrive at the desk whenever they like.

“Checking in online can make you feel that everything is sorted. But if you’re taking a suitcase that needs to go in the hold, you still have a separate deadline to meet at the airport,” he said.

Getting to the airport and reaching the correct desk are not necessarily the same thing, as travellers may need to park, take a shuttle, find their terminal and queue. Anyone relying on a transfer that arrives shortly before the cut-off should review the timings rather than treating the deadline as their target arrival time.

The change could also catch people out on their return journey if they are away when the new rule begins. Someone flying out before November 10 but returning on or after that date should check the deadline for both legs and make sure their hotel pick-up leaves enough time to reach the airport.

“Don’t assume the routine that worked on your outbound flight will work for your return. Check your hotel pick-up time and tell the transfer provider which flight you are taking,” Mr Abdullahu said.

Ryanair says the earlier cut-off is intended to give passengers more time to get through airport security and passport-control queues before reaching their departure gate. The airline says around 20 per cent of its passengers check in a bag, while those who check in online and travel without checked luggage will be unaffected by the bag-drop change.

Passengers should remember that online check-in has a separate deadline and remains open until two hours before departure. Anyone using airport check-in or bag drop should check the latest instructions for their flight and allow enough time to complete each stage of the journey.

TODAY is your last chance to claim two free tickets to Winter Wonderland, as well as a visit to the Magical Ice Kingdom attraction.

We’re giving away FREE tickets to London’s most famous Christmas event this year, and it’s not too late to claim yours.

Join Sun Club now — don’t miss out.

Hyde Park Winter Wonderland is returning for the festive season, from Thursday, November 19 to Sunday, January 3, 2026.

If you want to claim your tickets, plus bag yourself free entry to the Magical Ice Kingdom, click here to sign up to Sun Club (£1.99 per month).

Once you’re signed up to Sun Club, simply click here to visit the Offers Hub and redeem your tickets – but the offer ends tonight so you need to be quick.

(There’s plenty more offers on that make signing up to Sun Club well worth it, such as discounted West End tickets, darts tickets, free racing tickets and even freebies like skincare bundles and books.)

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Join Sun Club for £1.99 a month and get a £5 car wash with IMO

But with more than 150 rides, attractions and magical experiences to take in, Winter Wonderland is the ultimate festive day out.

Thrillseekers can enjoy a spin on the 70m Giant Wheel for views across London or brave the Real Ice Slide.

If you fancy a party, head to the Bavarian Village for live music, DJs, seasonal singalongs and authentic German food and drink. 

Or grab some stocking fillers at the Christmas Market where you can find handcrafted gifts and tempting seasonal treats.

You can also catch the new Gandeys K-pop Dragon Circus, bringing together K-pop music, dance and circus acts.

And if that’s not enough, we’ve even created a list of all the new attractions at Winter Wonderland for 2026 – including free activities and our favourite picks for food.

Join Sun Club now — don’t miss out.

Your free tickets will allow you to visit the fantastic Magical Ice Kingdom presents Neverland – an enchanted world crafted from over 500 tonnes of ice and snow.

The adventure begins in the Darling family nursery, where you will meet Tinkerbell and Peter Pan. 

Together you will journey through the Lost Boys’ camp, cross the enchanted mermaid’s pool and ‘board’ the Jolly Roger. 

Fly down frozen slides and take on the fearsome Captain Hook to free Peter Pan – but be careful not to walk the plank!

The Magical Ice Kingdom has been created in partnership with GOSH Charity.

From visits from Santa to carol singing with the Chaplaincy team, GOSH Charity brings comfort and joy to the wards at Great Ormond Street Hospital, while giving more children the hope of many more Christmases to come.

Our tickets are available for visits between Thursday, November 19 to Sunday, December 6.

Make sure to sign up and claim them TODAY before they’re gone.

18+ UK only (exc. NI, IoM & CI). Sun Savers multiple code collect 10/10/26-14/10/26 or digital subscription required. Online access required. 5,000 pairs of tickets available (7,000 off-peak, 2,000 standard & 1,000 peak) on a first come, first served basis. Subject to availability, daily allocation limits apply. Tickets available between 19/11/26 – 06/12/26. 2 tickets per person only. Non-transferable and non-refundable. Saving based on 2 off-peak Magical Ice Kingdom tickets and entry to Winter Wonderland. T&Cs apply, see sunsavers.co.uk  or club.thesun.co.uk/sun-club. New customer offer: £1.99 per month or £12 for the first year, then £19.99 thereafter unless you cancel at least seven days before your next billing date. Full T&Cs apply, visit thesun.co.uk/terms-and-conditions.

SACRAMENTO — Xavier Becerra is poised to make history as California’s first elected Latino governor, according to a new poll.

But the survey shows voters, and Latinos in particular, have mixed views on the significance and impact of Becerra’s probable win.

According to the poll by the UC Berkeley Institute of Governmental Studies and co-sponsored by the Los Angeles Times, the veteran Democratic politician was backed by 61% of likely California voters, compared with 34% who supported his Republican rival, former Fox News commentator Steve Hilton. That is slightly up from a September IGS survey that showed Becerra leading by 25 percentage points.

“He’s solidified almost unanimous support now among Democrats. Republicans are almost unanimous in the other direction,” IGS Poll Director Mark DiCamillo said.

Becerra, a former U.S. Health and Human Services secretary, congressman and state attorney general, “hasn’t offended any significant parts of the Democratic Party” and has united the party’s voters by “hammering away” against President Trump, DiCamillo said.

When asked to name one or two top priorities for the election, 40% of likely voters chose pushing back against the Trump administration, followed by 34% who cited reducing the cost of living. It’s a reversal from the mid-September survey, when 44% of likely voters said the cost of living was a top issue and 37% listed fighting Trump.

Both of those issues far outweighed the concerns of California voters about other issues that dominated the political discourse in past elections, including fighting crime, creating jobs and improving public education and healthcare.

Becerra’s supporters “are over the top on fighting Trump administration policies,” DiCamillo said. “I mean, 62% of his supporters state that as their greatest concern in this election. It’s really uniting the Democrats.”

The veteran pollster attributed the surge in anti-Trump sentiment in recent weeks to actions that “irritate” Democrats, such as the federal government’s quest to find illegal voting in California elections, continuing immigration raids and the president’s downplaying voter concerns about inflation and gas prices.

The survey reveals a generational split between voters: Those younger than 50 were more likely to name the cost of living as a top issue, while voters 50 and older were more likely to name Trump’s policies.

Latino voters were more evenly split between the two issues, and more focused on other needs than voters of other ethnic and racial groups. They were more likely to list priorities including reducing taxes, fighting crime and protecting immigrant communities than white, Black, or Asian American likely voters.

Days before voting ends in the Nov. 3 election, 53% of likely voters have a favorable view of Becerra and 41% see him unfavorably. Hilton’s image continues its upside-down trend: 56% view him unfavorably and 34% have a positive opinion.

“There’s been a lot of negative campaigning by Hilton, but it doesn’t seem to have had any impact,” DiCamillo said. “Becerra is just riding high on his image rating with the voters. This is the highest image rating we’ve measured for him.”

The survey asked voters whom they expected to win the race, regardless of which candidate they are supporting. Ninety percent of Democrats and 80% of voters not affiliated with a major party expected Becerra to win. Half of Republicans and 58% of those who identify as MAGA said they believed Hilton will win — a striking number in a state where Democratic voters outnumber Republicans nearly 2 to 1 and the GOP has not won a statewide race in 20 years.

“They are hoping against hope,” DiCamillo said.

If he wins Tuesday’s election to replace termed-out Gov. Gavin Newsom, Becerra would become the first-ever Latino elected governor and the first Latino in that office in 150 years.

Becerra’s support among Latino and white voters closely mirrors that of the overall electorate, with 60% favoring him. Becerra received a warmer reception from Black and Asian American voters in the state, according to the poll.

Asked how they felt about the possibility of electing a Latino governor, just over a third of all likely voters and 45% of Latino voters said they felt “proud.” But majorities of both groups — 52% of Latino voters and 58% of likely voters — believe electing the state’s first Latino governor is either “not too important” or “not at all important.”

For better or worse, voters also have low expectations about the impact of a potentially historic election.

Sixty-one percent of likely Latino voters, and 57% of total voters surveyed, do not believe that having a Latino governor would reduce racial inequalities in the state. And similar numbers doubt it would worsen racial tensions.

Among Latino voters, 40% believed electing a Latino governor would ease fear in their communities, but 43% disagreed. The remainder had no opinion.

“While greater than 4 in 10 Latinos feel proud and think it is important to elect a Latino governor, they also recognize that it will take much more than a single elected official to ease the fears and difficulties experienced by the Latino immigrant community,” IGS Co-Director G. Cristina Mora said. “With Trump still in office and prices still high, Latino voters seem cautious yet hopeful about the new governor.”

The poll was conducted online in English and Spanish from Oct. 19 to Sunday. Responses for the governor’s race poll came from a weighted sample of 1,477 respondents who already voted or were considered likely to vote in the November election, from a larger group of 2,787 registered voters throughout California. It has a margin of error of 3 percentage points in either direction.

The picture has its own legacy, but it also captured the end of AC Milan and Inter Milan’s 2005 Champions League quarter-final that was abandoned after flares and other objects rained down on the San Siro turf from a section of Inter fans, one striking and injuring Milan goalkeeper Dida.

With 73 minutes played of the second leg, the referee abandoned the match and the tie was later awarded to Milan, who were leading 3-0 on aggregate.

“The atmosphere that night was like every time you have an AC Milan and Inter derby at the San Siro,” says Rellandini, who was working for Reuters at the time.

“It is always strong. They don’t fight a lot, but the choreography of the supporters is huge and great, so you can really feel it, even if you’re not a player.

“When you put your feet on to the pitch, you can feel that it’s not just a soccer match. It is something more.

“You are really close to the players. It was a nice atmosphere; there was adrenaline.

“It just blew up when they disallowed the goal from Esteban Cambiasso. That completely changed the situation.

“The Inter Milan supporters were freaking out. They started throwing down objects, flares, and did not stop for about 15 or 20 minutes. It was something like a war.”

The tension had been brewing. Milan had knocked Inter out of the competition two years earlier on away goals, despite both semi-final legs ending in a draw at the San Siro. Milan went on to beat Juventus on penalties in the final at Old Trafford.

Milan also headed into the 2004-05 campaign as Italian champions – a sixth Scudetto since Inter last got their hands on the Serie A title in 1988-89.

Owner Silvio Berlusconi was building his second truly great Milan side and the entrepreneur-turned-politician had trusted Carlo Ancelotti, a member of the team that won successive European Cups in 1989 and 1990, to deliver another period of success as manager.

For the quarter-final second leg a formidable back four of Cafu, Jaap Stam, Alessandro Nesta and Paolo Maldini sat behind Andrea Pirlo, Clarence Seedorf, Massimo Ambrosini and Kaka, with Hernan Crespo – formerly of Inter – and Andriy Shevchenko up front. Rui Costa was on the bench.

Inter, meanwhile, had spent lavishly to try and compete with Milan and Juventus. Chairman Massimo Moratti broke the transfer world record twice in three years, first to sign Ronaldo from Barcelona in 1997 and then to get Christian Vieri from Lazio in 1999.

Crespo and Seedorf had arrived at Inter on big deals, but failed to land any significant silverware, before uniting across the divide at Milan.

Fabio Cannavaro had also come and gone – a misfiring two-year spell ending with a move to Juventus.

By 2005 the Inter midfield was built around the Argentina pair of Cambiasso and Juan Sebastian Veron, while ahead of them precocious Brazil forward Adriano was enjoying his most prolific season in a black and blue shirt.

The team was improving. The results weren’t.

Inter carried the unwanted tag of ‘August champions’ among rival fans, who mocked the expectations that had been built up in the summer transfer market and invariably fizzled out by the time silverware was at stake in May.

Among Inter supporters, there was an underlying feeling that they were running an unfair race – between them, Milan and Juventus had won 11 of the previous 13 titles.

However, in 2006 both would be implicated in the Calciopoli scandal. Juventus were relegated to Serie B for their part and stripped of two titles. Milan, Fiorentina, Lazio and Reggina were docked points.

In 2005 rumours were already swirling in the stands. Criminal investigations had begun in Naples and Turin over alleged bribery and corruption in football.

As the match turned against Inter, their fans’ frustrations – at the scoreline and their inability to close the gap on Milan and Juventus teams who always seemed one step ahead – spilled over from the stands and on to the pitch.

Stam and Shevchenko had given Milan a two-goal advantage in the first leg.

LeBron James scored 20 points, including a late tip-in, to help seal the Philadelphia 76ers’ 98-93 victory over the NBA champions New York Knicks on Friday.

The 76ers notched their second win of the young season over the Knicks after spoiling their championship banner-raising with a victory at Madison Square Garden on opening night.

The win had a double edge as Friday’s games marked the start of the fourth edition of the NBA Cup, the NBA in-season tournament won by the Knicks before they went on to beat the San Antonio Spurs in the NBA Finals for their first championship since 1973.

Group-stage Cup games will be played throughout November, all counting in the regular-season standings. Quarterfinals will be played December 4-5 and semifinals December 8-9 before the final on December 11 at Hinkle Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, Indiana.

Tyrese Maxey scored 27 points to lead the Sixers, who took control early against the sloppy Knicks.

They led by 14 in the third quarter and weathered a late Knicks surge.

Jalen Brunson’s step-back three-pointer put New York up 90-89 with 1:32 remaining.

James, the NBA’s all-time leading scorer, answered with a basket that put Philadelphia back in front and pushed the lead to 96-91 with a tip-in off a Maxey miss with 11.9 seconds left.

LeBron’s ‘best game’

James, 41, added nine rebounds, eight assists, one steal and a vintage chase-down block in what 76ers coach Nick Nurse called his best game since joining as a free agent in July.

“I thought he was really good all the way through,” Nurse said. “When we got some downhill stuff, he used his size and knocked them around a little bit for some layups … kind of pushed and organised it.

“He’s been good, but that was his best game, for sure.”

Brunson led New York with 24 points, and Karl-Anthony Towns added 22 points and 12 rebounds for the Knicks, who fell to 2-4.

The Dallas Mavericks, fuelled by 35 points from Kyrie Irving and 33 from Cooper Flagg, rallied to hand the Houston Rockets their first defeat of the season, 116-111.

The Rockets had emerged from a back-and-forth first half with a 51-44 lead, pushing the advantage to as many as 11 before taking an eight-point lead into the final frame.

Irving’s three-pointer with 7:01 remaining put Dallas back in front, and they wouldn’t trail again, the Mavs finding an answer when Houston twice pulled level in the final stretch.

“It felt good,” Irving said. “We came in at halftime, we weren’t proud of our effort. We looked each other in the eye, and we were just like, we’ve got to do better.

“We didn’t bring it in the first half, but the second half we definitely brought it.”

Curry climbs scoring list

Golden State star Stephen Curry scored 31 points to lead the Warriors to a 112-95 victory over the Los Angeles Lakers in a rollercoaster contest in San Francisco.

The Lakers outscored the Warriors 38-15 in the first quarter, the Warriors erasing the 23-point deficit by outscoring Los Angeles 38-15 in the second to knot it 53-53 at halftime.

Luka Doncic scored 37 points for the Lakers. The night’s abiding image was of him crashing to the floor as he was wrong-footed by Curry – who fired over him for a three-pointer.

Curry took his career points tally to 26,674, surpassing Dominique Wilkins (26,668) for 18th on the all-time scoring list.

In Miami, Giannis Antetokounmpo delivered a triple-double of 31 points, 18 rebounds and 10 assists to propel the Heat to a 145-125 victory over the Indiana Pacers.

In Boston, the Celtics romped to a 125-111 victory over the Chicago Bulls. Payton Pritchard scored 30 points off the bench, and Jayson Tatum scored 26 for the Celtics, who led by as many as 32 points.

Orlando’s Desmond Bane scored 28 points, Franz Wagner added 26 and Wendell Carter chipped in 20 as the Magic fended off a late challenge to beat the Raptors 121-114 in Toronto.

The Magic drained 18 three-pointers and withstood a career-high 41-point performance from Toronto’s Scottie Barnes.

Detroit shook off a slow start to hand the winless Nets a fifth straight defeat in Brooklyn, where Cade Cunningham scored 20 points, and Ron Holland added 18 off the bench in a 110-94 Pistons victory.

Despite calling time on his playing career two decades ago, it is still rare for Shearer to find himself with a weekend off.

Now a regular pundit on Match of the Day, as well as co-commentating on England games and sitting alongside Gary Lineker and Micah Richards on The Rest Is Football podcast, he has become one of the most respected pundits in the game.

But that was not always going to be the case.

Unsure of whether he would enter the world of management or media post-retirement, Shearer served as interim Newcastle manager in 2009 for the remaining eight games of the season.

It ended badly, with the Magpies relegated and Shearer never returning to the dugout.

“Newcastle were were in desperate trouble and I could never say no – we were bottom of the league, fighting for our lives,” he said.

“I should have known that when I signed the contract on April Fool’s Day that it wasn’t going to work out!

“I always felt that I was going to go into it again and I wanted to. I had a couple of interviews and got offered the job at Cardiff. And then things changed … and I thought, ‘what am I doing here?'”

That ended Shearer’s brief brush with management and he returned to punditry, spending his weekends travelling between Newcastle and Salford for Match of the Day.

“It is such a long day. For me travelling from Newcastle, it’s a probably 19-20 hour day,” he said.

“What people don’t realise is that you’re meant to be at your brightest and your liveliest when you go on live at 10:30, whereas if you’re watching football all day on the settee, you’re ready to nod off at that time.”

Watching so much Premier League football, at least Shearer is able to monitor that goal-scoring record of his.

Halle Berry’s efforts against ex-husband Olivier Martinez’s domestic violence restraining order have proved successful, after two weeks of hearings in Los Angeles.

A Los Angeles County Superior Court judge ruled to dissolve Martinez’s temporary restraining order against the Oscar winner during a closed hearing on Thursday and denied his request for a protective order, according to a minute order reviewed by The Times. Judge Shelley Kaufman granted Martinez’s restraining order earlier this month after he accused the actor of physically abusing their 13-year-old son Maceo. The court document states that Martinez “did not sustain the applicable burden of proof” in favor of his protective order request.

“We are extremely pleased that the Court has dissolved the [temporary restraining order],” Berry attorney Marina Beck said in a statement to The Times. “As we move forward, Halle is determined to continue to focus on the well-being and best interests of her family.”

While the decision might alleviate some legal tension for the film star, the Thursday filing also stated that Berry’s visitation time remains limited to Monday and Tuesday from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., and every other weekend Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. When Berry and Martinez (married from 2013 to 2015) settled their divorce in August 2023, they agreed to joint physical and legal custody of their son. Kaufman modified the terms of visitation, barring the child from staying overnight with Berry, when she granted Martinez’s temporary restraining order.

Martinez’s attorney Patrick Baghdaserians told The Times his client was “very happy” with the judge’s order keeping Berry’s limited visitation. Thursday’s decision was “really focused on the best interests of the minor child,” he said.

According to the filing, Kaufman decided “all other orders regarding custody and visitation remain in full force and effect including holidays and vacation.” Previous legal custody orders will also remain in full force and effect, Kaufman said.

Berry and her son must attend 12 sessions of “safe haven joint therapy” in six months after a therapist has been appointed, the order said. A hearing to appoint that therapist is scheduled for Nov. 4.

Thursday’s judgment came down weeks after Martinez raised scathing abuse allegations in a request for a domestic violence restraining order against Berry filed Oct. 1. Martinez’s request centered on an alleged Sept. 26 incident involving Berry and their son. Martinez alleged the actor “physically abused our son, Maceo, by jumping on him, putting her hands around his neck, and choking him,” according to court documents. His filing also included a declaration of Berry’s alleged history of abuse, and screenshots of his text conversation with Berry following the alleged September incident in which she appears to have written, “I feel terrible about what happened last night.”

Berry’s legal team downplayed Martinez’s restraining order and allegations, telling The Times in a statement, “to say this filing is entirely meritless and deliberately misleading would be an understatement.”

Her attorney added: “In a way, today’s filing is not entirely unexpected from an individual with a well-documented history of erratic, possessive and violent behavior. Fortunately, Halle is used to this kind of outrageous conduct from Mr. Martinez and, while she is deeply saddened, she will not allow it to deter her from fighting for Maceo’s best interests and providing him with the love and support he needs.”

In his request, Martinez also asked a judge to bar Berry from contacting and coming within 300 feet of him and their son. Additionally, Martinez requested that the judge order Berry to refrain from drinking during her agreed-upon parenting time with their son and that she undergo sobriety testing “before, during and after visitation” at intervals the court deems fit. He requested that the judge order Berry to pay legal fees, grant him sole legal and physical custody of the 13-year-old boy and do away entirely with Berry’s visitation time.

After the restraining order, several of Berry’s loved ones voiced their support for the actor. Nahla Aubry, the 18-year-old daughter Berry has kept largely out of the public eye, was among them. Aubry spoke out against her former stepfather Martinez and said of Berry, “I have never witnessed her act violently toward anyone.” She also pointed to a 2012 brawl between her father, Gabriel Aubry, and Martinez.

Berry’s fiancé, Van Hunt, and her attorneys also filed declarations vouching for the “Monster’s Ball” actor. Hunt accompanied Berry during the past weeks’ hearing. Berry and Martinez’s son also testified on the restraining order, despite Berry’s objections.

Times editorial library director Cary Schneider contributed to this report.

CHANDLER, Ariz. — At balloon-adorned tables in red, white and blue, a handful of voters inside a church gymnasium listened as Medina Moore explained what to do if federal agents show up at the polls.

Call a hotline, she told volunteers, where attorneys will be ready to respond. Take videos, report what you see and remove yourself from any situation that becomes intense, she advised.

It was one of Moore’s final poll monitor trainings in the Phoenix area before election day, preparing a few new “peacekeepers” to join the ranks of about 200 she has recruited from local faith groups in the Phoenix area to greet voters, answer questions and keep an eye out for issues at voting sites on Tuesday.

“It feels very urgent this year,” said Moore, the voting rights organizer for the Arizona Faith Network, a coalition of religious groups. “We’re in an era of information overload. Being able to educate voters on what’s true and what’s not is very important.”

As lawyers nationwide prepare defenses against possible election interference by the Trump administration and election officials train for worst-case scenarios, ordinary citizens across the country are also readying to help. Through nonpartisan groups, parents are training to be poll monitors, law students are staffing legal hotlines, veterans are holding voting events and business owners are signing pledges to back local election officials.

The grassroots efforts, underpinned by various voting and democracy nonprofits, amount to a striking push by American voters to help uphold the nation’s election system in the face of possible threats from its own government. More than 21,000 people nationwide have been trained as nonpartisan poll monitors through the Election Protection coalition, the program that Moore used, along with thousands of others through other nonprofit and partisan efforts.

The effort is aimed at helping ensure voter turnout at a time when Trump’s rhetoric has eroded public trust in the system and many GOP-led states have enacted new ballot rules for voters to navigate. Worry among voters about whether their ballots will be counted has accelerated, according to organizers; in a recent AP-NORC poll, just under half of American voters expressed confidence that midterm votes will be counted accurately.

“People who vote occasionally or it’s their first time voting or they haven’t voted in a while, they all have questions on ‘If I vote, will my vote count?’” said Rebekah Caruthers, president of the Fair Elections Center, a nonpartisan voting rights group that is working with college students to monitor voting on campuses. The best way to combat those fears, she said, is for as many people as possible to “show up and exercise their right.”

Since returning to office, Trump has undertaken a sweeping effort to exert control over and cast doubt on U.S. elections, and the administration has intensified its efforts as the midterms draw closer.

In recent days, the Justice Department has sued California, arrested residents and threatened to prosecute election officials over an unsubstantiated government claim of 20,000 “likely noncitizen” voters; moved to block certification of Alaska’s election results if the Republican candidate for Senate there loses narrowly; and began notifying counties of its plan to send federal monitors to polling places in every state.

“Be careful of the voter fraud,” Trump said at a Texas rally Tuesday. “We’re going to watch that voter fraud.”

Glendale Mayor Jerry P. Weiers, Arizona Republican gubernatorial candidate, Rep. Andy Biggs, Cindy Biggs and Sam Darmo, co-chair of the Assyrian-American Republican coalition and president of Assyrians for Justice, stand for the national anthem at an event in Glendale, Ariz., on Oct. 24, 2026.

(Rebecca Noble / Getty Images)

This week, Trump offered $1 million to anyone who reports voter fraud that leads to a conviction, the latest in a string of incentives he has floated related to the midterms and another suggestion of rampant election fraud.

U.S. Atty. Gen. Todd Blanche last week said the Justice Department did not intend to interfere with elections. House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) committed to a peaceful transfer of power if Democrats win a majority, saying, “We’re going to follow the Constitution,” but predicted there would be no transfer because Republicans would win the majority. Trump told reporters Tuesday that he would respect the election results “if they’re honest elections.”

Preparations by lawyers, nonprofits and Democratic lawmakers to anticipate how the Trump administration could try to interfere with the midterms have been underway for months. Courts have already blocked many of the administration’s steps, including attempts to access state voter rolls, restrict voting by mail and demand states change some election rules.

The grassroots effort has grown out of existing programs — the Election Protection coalition has been operating since 2000 — but interest from volunteers is particularly high this year, organizers from several groups said.

“Voters are responding to the moment that we’re in right now,” said Saige Draeger, a senior policy associate at Verified Voting, a nonprofit that advises states on the use of voting technology and is part of the Election Protection coalition. “I think they feel like it’s incumbent upon everybody to make sure this election goes smoothly.”

In Arizona, an epicenter of Republican efforts to deny the 2020 election results, partisan tensions have long been high, and residents cite concerns about potential political violence surrounding the election.

Now, election denialism is on the ballot: The Republican nominees for governor, secretary of state and attorney general each played a role in Trump’s denial of the 2020 results. Alex Kolodin, the Republican candidate for secretary of state, filed lawsuits challenging the 2020 election results.

The outcome of the race could be consequential for the 2028 election, because secretaries of state play a key role in certifying their states’ results, and presidential elections can come down to a single swing state. Along with the Arizona race, those in Nevada, Michigan and Georgia are being closely watched by pro-democracy groups.

Arizona Gov. Katie Hobbs signs a commemorative bill before a game between the Arizona Diamondbacks and the Texas Rangers at Chase Field on Sept. 3, 2025, in Phoenix.

(Norm Hall / Getty Images)

On street corners, the campaign signs for Kolodin and Secretary of State Adrian Fontes, the Democratic incumbent, duel: “Protect every vote,” say Kolodin’s. “Protect your vote,” Fontes’ read.

Organizers focused on election protection efforts stress that the goal is to ensure every voter casts their vote and the person who gets the most votes is declared the winner — all regardless of political party.

“With the level of polarization that we have nationally right now, people might mistake and think that calling for a free, fair, democratic election is somehow partisan,” said Hardy Merriman, an organizer with the Hold the Line project, which has recruited about 650 volunteers to ask their local leaders to sign on to a pledge affirming they back free and fair elections. “It’s really important for actors to get off the sidelines … and say, no, actually it’s not.”

The mission of the poll monitors is to answer voters’ procedural questions, ensure no one is incorrectly turned away from voting and provide a friendly nonpartisan face — “be a peaceful presence,” Moore said. They can help voters navigate state laws — in Arizona, for instance, a requirement to show an approved form of identification when voting.

The monitors are also trained to call the attorney-staffed hotline to report anything out of the ordinary: long lines that may deter people from voting, people being turned away from the polls, aggressive electioneering from partisans outside the polling place or law enforcement showing up at voting locations.

Monitors trained through the Election Protection coalition will be stationed in 40 states and the District of Columbia, while about 3,000 legal professionals will be staffing the hotline, said Camille Wimbish, national director of campaigns and field programs for the Election Protection coalition, which is a project of the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law.

“It gives voters reassurance that there is someone who has their back at voting locations,” Wimbish said. “It also just shows our determination as a community to stand up and say that we care about our elections, we want election day to be a joyful, peaceful, celebratory experience for all of us.”

PJ Boone-Edgerton Longoni, 70, who attended Moore’s mid-October training in Chandler at Holy Trinity Lutheran Church, said the idea of poll monitoring made her a little nervous, but she believes there is a “high-stakes need” for citizens to show up.

“I want to be a support,” she said. “All this misinformation gets people not to trust anything, and that lack of trust causes things to fall apart — because democracy is based on trust.”

Manchester United target Barcelona’s Fermin Lopez, with Lisandro Martinez attracting interest from the La Liga side, while Arsenal are eyeing Club Brugge striker Nicolo Tresoldi.

Manchester United are interested in Barcelona’s 23-year-old Spain midfielder Fermin Lopez with the Red Devils looking to bolster their attack in January. (Mail – subscription required), external

Manchester United defender Lisandro Martinez is set to leave the club at the end of the season, with Barcelona and Atletico Madrid keen on the 28-year-old Argentina international. (AS – in Spanish), external

Arsenal have no concerns about paying a big fee for Club Brugge’s £42m-rated German striker Nicolo Tresoldi, with the 22-year-old’s value set to increase next summer. (Football Insider), external

A number of Premier League sides are monitoring 26-year-old Minnesota United forward Kelvin Yeboah, with Everton leading the race for the Ghanaian. (Talksport), external

Manchester United‘s interest is growing in Fulham‘s 26-year-old Nigeria defender Calvin Bassey. (Teamtalk), external

Barcelona could move for Inter Milan defender Alessandro Bastoni in January after missing out on the 27-year-old Italy international this summer. (Mundo Deportivo – in Spanish), external

Leeds are interested Maccabi Tel Aviv’s 24-year-old Malian midfielder Issouf Sissokho. (Football Insider), external

Manchester United will target a new left-back and striker in the January transfer window. (Times – subscription required), external

Crystal Palace will face strong competition from Italian clubs for the signature of Lecce’s 21-year-old Portuguese defender Tiago Gabriel. (Teamtalk), external

Nottingham Forest‘s 23-year-old English winger Omari Hutchinson, who is on loan at AC Milan, will return to the City Ground next summer with the Serie A club set to target Real Madrid’s 20-year-old Brazil forward Endrick instead. (Gazzetta – in Italian), external