Champions League: Real Madrid diehards believe a form of mysticism stalks the team’s European success
Mystic Uri Geller claims to have powers of psychokinesis – the ability to move objects without physical interaction with them – and over a 50-year career, has become involved in football on several occasions. He placed energy-infused crystals behind the goal to help Exeter City in 1997 – although they lost the game concerned 5-1, but swears to have helped Reading earn promotion in 2002. Most famously, he flew over Wembley in a helicopter during England’s Euro 96 match against Scotland, claiming he moved the ball just before Scotland’s Gary McAllister missed a crucial penalty.
Ukraine frontline: Physical, mental exhaustion and ever-lurking spectre of death torment soldiers
Viktor was paralysed by anxiety. What if he failed to do his job properly, what if something went wrong with his gun, what if he let down his comrades, whom he calls his “brothers” and considers his second family? He shared his concerns with his company commander. Despite a severe shortage of soldiers on the front, the commander gave Viktor a few days of rest and time to talk with a psychologist.
It’s worse than hell: Drained emotionally and materially, Ukrainian military fear being overrun by Russians
Ukraine’s soldiers talk of exhaustion, faith, personal loss and a perilous shortage of munitions as Russian forces take new ground. We travelled along the front line, where Ukrainian troops say Vladimir Putin must be beaten back. Otherwise, said one, “he’s not going to stop over here.”
President Andrzej Duda seeks release of Polish traveller sentenced to life in Congo
The 52-year-old Pole, Mariusz Majewski, was detained by Congolese forces in February and later faced a military court in the restive nation, accused of spying.
Spain, Ireland and Norway move to recognise Palestine seen as warning shot to Israel to agree to resolve Gaza crisis
Diplomatic pressure on Israel has grown as the battle with Hamas stretches into its eighth month. The UN General Assembly voted by a significant margin on May 11 to grant new “rights and privileges” to Palestine in a sign of growing international support for a vote on full voting membership. The Palestinian Authority currently has observer status. The leaders of Spain, Ireland, Malta and Slovenia said in March they were considering recognising a Palestinian state as “a positive contribution” toward ending the war.
He infused technical sophistication in EPL football, but ‘financial doping’ might just erode Pep Guardiola’s success at Man City
And although this is another question entirely, City fans are entitled to question why spending regulations suddenly became a preoccupation for England’s and Europe’s dominant clubs in the late 2000s. It doesn’t affect the rights or wrongs of their case, but it does serve as a reminder that the principles of Financial Fair Play were not exactly carved on tablets of stone. If Barcelona can’t sign Messi and PSG can, what does that tell us after 10 years of FFP?
Man City on cusp of 4th straight EPL crown but the imminent glory is overcast by 115 grave financial sins
One year on, why have Man City’s charges not been dealt with? All of this is damaging for the Premier League brand. How could it not be when its dominant club of this era has had these allegations hanging over them for so long? Whether your view is sympathetic or hostile to City, what does this situation say about the Premier League and – a hot topic these days – its ability to regulate its clubs and its competition?
Arsenal vs Man City: How apprentice Arteta became master Guardiola’s rival, then ‘conspired’ against EPL’s ‘Big Six’
When a team is unable to inflict direct damage on their rivals, it severely limits their chances of winning the league. By going unbeaten in the ‘Big Six’ mini-league, taking four points from six against City in the process, Arsenal broadened the margin for error ever so slightly.
Rigidly controlled gun ownership in UK gives rise to ‘knife-enabled’ attacks, stoke public anxiety
“Knife-enabled” crime – in which knives were used to commit crimes or someone was caught illegally possessing one — rose seven per cent in England and Wales last year,” the government said last month, noting some localities were not included. In London, such crimes jumped 20 per cent. The other two UK countries, Scotland and Northern Ireland, keep their own statistics.
A football revolution is underway in Europe headlined by Sporting Lisbon’s manager Ruben Amorim
Amorim’s rotational setup will often ensure that Sporting can progress without disruption, as shown by their ‘Press resistance’ metric (98 out of 99), which highlights the volume of touches per opposition tackle in the first two-thirds of the pitch.
