USA Update

In Ovid’s “Pygmalion” an artist creates an ivory sculpture of a woman so beautiful that he falls in love with it. He kisses his statue, adorns it with jewels and finery, and prays to Venus for a bride just like her. Venus answers his prayer. She grants the statue life, turning ivory to flesh. Pygmalion […]

It has been more than two and a half months since I was thrown into prison—Hudda Prison, in Quetta, Pakistan, the same place father was caged nearly two decades ago, also for promoting the rights of the people of Balochistan. Since my arrest, Pakistan’s state secuity agencies have deployed every tactic to break me. I […]

The Trump administration has a problem. For the last 10 years, President Donald Trump has made anti-immigration policies the center of his political agenda. He campaigned in 2015 on throwing out Mexicans and Muslims. He promised to build a wall across the southern border. At the Republican National Convention last year, supporters even held signs […]

Israelis, diaspora Jewry and friends of Israel everywhere need to understand that the way Israel is fighting the war in Gaza today is laying the groundwork for a fundamental recasting of how Israel and Jews will be seen the world over. It won’t be good. Police cars and private security at synagogues and Jewish institutions […]

One of the fundamental differences between democracies and dictatorships is how the military is viewed. In democracies, the armed forces are an instrument of national defense, serving the people. But in authoritarian states, the military becomes a weapon the government wields against its own citizens. This week, for the first time in our history, Americans […]

WARSAW — Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk is expected to comfortably survive a confidence vote on Wednesday but the result will do little to assuage the challenges posed by the victory of conservative nationalist Karol Nawrocki in the June 1 presidential election. Tusk’s pro-EU, centrist ruling coalition holds 242 seats in the 460-seat Sejm, or […]

Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem asked Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth to direct military forces sent to the Los Angeles protests to arrest civilians — a request that would exceed authorities invoked by President Trump when he deployed the National Guard. In a letter sent Sunday, obtained first by the San Francisco Chronicle and whose contents were confirmed […]

Lawyers for Sean Combs cross-examined a former girlfriend at his federal trial on Tuesday, highlighting her feelings of affection for the music mogul and the agency she had in their relationship in an effort to counter prosecutors’ narrative of a romance curdled by intimidation and coercion. The woman, Jane, who is appearing in court under […]

LOVE Island fans have named this year’s villain after insisting she is “rotten to the core”.

A villa feud began to emerge as Shakira was left singled out by the girls during her attempts to steal one of their boys and remain in the villa.

It saw Shakira and bombshell Toni sidelined as the five other girls cast judgement on their antics.

However, viewers at home have picked out who they believe is the instigator and blasted her for taking aim at Shakira.

Megan Moore was blasted by fans as the divide began to take hold of the villa.

Writing on X – formerly Twitter – one wrote: “That Meg needs to go…Rotten to the core.”

Someone else agreed, writing: “Someone get Meg out of there.”

A third then penned: “I need Meg to go home she’s horrible.”

The comments continued to flood in as another viewer said of Meg: “Blonde Meg thinks she’s that girl don’t she.”

Before a fifth posted: “Meg p***ing me off the most and I thought I was gonna like her but she’s just p***ing me off.”

ENGLAND suffered their first defeat under Thomas Tuchel and their first to an African nation.

Despite taking an early lead through Harry Kane, Senegal fought back with goals either side of half-time in their friendly at the City Ground.

Reuters

England suffered defeat at home to Senegal[/caption]

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The Lions of Teranga became the first African nation to beat the Three Lions[/caption]

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Thomas Tuchel remonstrated with the officials after a controversial VAR call[/caption]

Crystal Palace star Ismaila Sarr equalised just before the break.

Then Habib Diarra beat Dean Henderson from a tight angle.

Jude Bellingham thought he had grabbed a late equaliser.

However, the close-range finish was ruled out by VAR for a handball in the build-up from Levi Colwill.

Then at the other end, a super Senegal counter-attack was rounded off by Cheikh Sabaly deep into injury time.

And so, following the drab 1-0 win over Andorra, it was more disappointment for England to wrap up the season with a year and a day to go until the World Cup.

Here’s how SunSport’s Tom Barclay rated the Three Lions players…

Dean Henderson: 6

Making just his third cap for England, the Crystal Palace stopper made a number of good stops in the first half.

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The pick of the bunch was against club-mate Ismaila Sarr’s header, but there was nothing Henderson could do about the jet-heeled winger’s finish shortly before the break.

May feel he could have done better for the second goal as he was beaten from an acute angle.

Kyle Walker: 3

This was Walker’s 96th cap – but his poor performance means a 97th is by no means guaranteed.

A good cross for Anthony Gordon aside, Walker was rusty with his touch and looked uncharacteristically slow.

The way Sarr raced past him for the leveller made you wonder if time is finally catching up on the 35-year-old stalwart.

Trevoh Chalobah: 6

An okay showing on his England bow, coming up against his Chelsea colleague Nicolas Jackson.

Though Chalobah was caught out for the leveller, with Jackson managing to get in behind him and hook it back for Sarr to net.

Chalobah’s appearance meant for just the third time since the start of the 20th century England had two brothers representing them, following on from sibling Nathaniel’s solitary cap in 2018.

Levi Colwill: 4

Not a great night for the Chelsea man on his fifth cap.

Had a slack pass charged down by Jackson early in the second half which served as a warning.

Then got nowhere near Habib Diarra as the midfielder raced onto a long ball from Blues old boy Kalidou Koulibaly and then slotted it past Henderson.

His handball also saw Jude Bellingham’s late equaliser ruled out after a VAR intervention.

Myles Lewis-Skelly: 5

Was nowhere to be seen when Koulibaly’s ball went into England’s left-back area for the second goal.

Did not do much else wrong but also did not catch the eye either with not a lot of stepping into midfield.

Then again, the guy is only 18 and it is more a mark of the brilliant impact he has made so far that this performance left you feeling underwhelmed.

Third cap.

Conor Gallagher: 5

Mixed game for the Atletico Madrid man who was one of four of England’s starting line-up heading off to the Club World Cup.

He was burnt for pace by Iliman Ndiaye early on, chose not to pass to Gordon when the Newcastle man was in the clear and was lucky not to be booked for a lunge on Sarr.

But he did tee up Gordon for the shot that led to Kane’s opener.

Declan Rice: 5

Some lax passing that perhaps was not unexpected in the final game of a long, frustrating season.

But let’s be honest, whatever Rice had done here, we know he will still be an automatic starter in central midfield come next summer.

The question remains, who will join him?

Bukayo Saka: 5

His first appearance under Thomas Tuchel, having been injured for the German’s first two games and left out for fitness reasons of the third against Andorra on Saturday.

It certainly was not his most memorable performance, though he was only just back from a strain.

Looked like he was about to level for 2-2 but was denied by a fabulous stop from Edouard Mendy.

Eberechi Eze: 7 (STAR MAN)

In a team performance bereft of real quality, Eze provided a few flashes of class.

He was the one who won the ball in the build-up to Kane’s opener.

While the Crystal Palace star also plucked the ball out of the air brilliantly on two occasions – and had a gorgeous backheel to tee up Morgan Gibbs-White.

Anthony Gordon: 5

Gordon’s international career has been a perplexing one, looking like it could explode at times but ultimately failing to launch so far.

This was his 12th cap and there were hints of what he can bring with his rapid pace and enthusiastic pressing.

But he was not clinical enough in front of goal, missing a sitter midway through the first half, once again leaving fans wondering if he has the genuine quality to shine at this level.

Harry Kane: 7

Kane plays, Kane scores. It has been rinse and repeat for a decade.

Here it happened again as he tapped in a rebound for his 73rd in 107 caps, an appearance feat which drew him level with Ashley Cole.

Did not do a right lot else, mind, although still looked our best passer, which is an issue for Tuchel and his midfield.

SUBS

Morgan Gibbs-White (for Gordon, 58): 6

Biggest cheer of the day was when the Nottingham Forest star was introduced in front of the City Ground. Had a blast well saved.

Curtis Jones (for Gallagher, 58): 5

Fired a shot well over soon after coming on, and lost the ball in the build-up to Senegal’s third.

Morgan Rogers (for Kane, 58): 6

Played up front when coming on while Ivan Toney was left on the bench. Full of running but the team struggled to pick him out.

Noni Madueke (for Saka, 70): 7

It was his corner that led to England’s equaliser – until ref Stephanie Frappart ruled it out after looking at her touchline monitor.

Jude Bellingham (for Rice, 70): 7

Thought he had levelled after a clever touch and finish but the goal was chalked off for Colwill’s handball.

Ivan Toney (for Lewis-Skelly, 87): 6

First England appearance since going to Saudi Arabia but he was on so late, he barely had time to make an impact – even if he has a famous history of doing exactly that.

MANAGER

Thomas Tuchel: 3

HIS first defeat in his fourth game and it was well-deserved.

Senegal were much the better team as his side lacked creativity and looked vulnerable at the back.

Question marks over his decision to play veterans like Walker – and Jordan Henderson in previous games – remain.

While you wondered what the point of selecting Ivan Toney was if he was barely going to play once Kane went off.

None of Tuchel’s quartet of matches have been that impressive so far – but this was downright dire.