Author: Darren Smith

Manchester United have completed the signing of Chelsea midfielder Andrey Santos in a £50million deal, as the club overhauls its midfield options ahead of the new Premier League season. The move comes as United pull out of a separate £39million pursuit of Atalanta’s Ederson, turning their attention instead to Aston Villa’s Youri Tielemans in a deal reportedly worth £35million. Andrey Santos, 22, has signed a contract at Old Trafford running until 2031, with the club holding an option to extend the deal by a further year. The Brazilian midfielder made 43 appearances for Chelsea last season before completing his move…

A North Carolina wedding venue owner has pleaded guilty to federal wire fraud after admitting to stealing more than $1million from couples, vendors and investors over a two-year period. Jason Lottman, 43, the former operator of Champagne Manor in Monroe, entered his plea on 6 July, according to the US Attorney’s Office for the Western District of North Carolina. Officials said Lottman ran the scheme between 2023 and 2025, targeting both couples planning their weddings and investors who had put money into the venue. According to the US Attorney’s Office, Lottman solicited investments in Champagne Manor by promising ownership interests…

Jannik Sinner successfully defended his Wimbledon men’s singles title on Sunday night, beating Germany’s Alexander Zverev in a four-set battle on Centre Court. The Italian was congratulated afterwards by the Prince and Princess of Wales and their two eldest children, Prince George and Princess Charlotte, following a trophy presentation from Kate herself. Sinner came through a tense contest to beat Zverev 6-7, 7-6, 6-3, 6-4, recovering from a first-set loss to seal his second consecutive Wimbledon title in a match lasting just under four hours. The win makes him only the tenth man in the Open era to successfully defend…

Footage circulating on social media appears to show a Russian training exercise thrown into chaos after a soldier lost control of a heavy rotary machine gun, sending it spinning wildly and forcing nearby troops to scatter for cover. The Daily Mail has not been able to independently verify the clip, including when or where it was filmed, but it has already drawn widespread attention and speculation online. The video, which has spread rapidly across social media, is described online as showing a Russian mobile fire group during a training exercise involving a YakB-12.7 rotary machine gun. According to the footage,…

Heriot-Watt University has told school-leavers from Scotland not to apply through Clearing this year, after confirming it has already filled every Scottish Government-funded place available for the new intake. The Edinburgh-based institution says the closure applies only to Scottish-domiciled applicants, with places for students from the rest of the UK and overseas still open. Scottish school-leavers hoping to secure a place at Heriot-Watt through Clearing have been told to look elsewhere, after the university confirmed its allocation of Scottish Government-funded places is now full. A notice on the university’s Clearing page states plainly: “Please note, this year, we are closed…

Dawood Safi, a 23-year-old Afghan migrant, has pleaded guilty to the manslaughter of dog walker Wayne Broadhurst on the grounds of diminished responsibility, after a court heard he was in a “psychotic state” during a series of attacks in Uxbridge last October. Southwark Crown Court heard that Safi also assaulted his landlord and a 14-year-old boy on the same day, and he now faces a separate trial over two counts of attempted murder. The attacks took place in Midhurst Gardens, Uxbridge, on 27 October last year, when landlord Shahzad Farrukh, 45, a 14-year-old boy, and Mr Broadhurst were all assaulted.…

A three-year-old British boy has died after falling from the fourth floor of a hotel in Chloraka, near Paphos in Cyprus, while on a family holiday. His 37-year-old father has been arrested on suspicion of negligence, with Cypriot police continuing to investigate the exact circumstances of the fall. The family had arrived in Cyprus only the day before the tragedy, having checked into their hotel on Saturday ahead of a summer holiday. According to local news outlet Sigma Live, the boy’s father had been playing with him while the pair waited for a lift when the toddler slipped from his…

Counter-terrorism detectives are now leading the investigation into the death of Ann Widdecombe after fresh evidence prompted a major change in the inquiry, although police have not concluded that the killing was terror-related. Counter-terrorism officers have assumed responsibility for the investigation into the death of Ann Widdecombe after investigators uncovered what they described as new evidence. The decision marks a significant development in the case, with detectives examining several possible motives while emphasising that the nature of the attack has not yet been determined. Authorities have also sought to reassure the public that there is currently no indication of any…

New Liverpool head coach Andoni Iraola has confirmed the club are pushing to add further reinforcements to his squad before the new Premier League season begins, despite an increasingly difficult pursuit of Ivory Coast forward Yan Diomande. Speaking at his first press conference with external media, the Spaniard said the club were “working hard” on incoming deals, even as he stressed the importance of getting the right players rather than rushing transfers through. Liverpool have so far brought in two new faces this summer: Spain winger Victor Munoz, signed from Osasuna for £34.5million, and centre-back Jeremy Jacquet, whose £60million move…

Sam Chatto, the ceramicist grandson of Princess Margaret, has announced his engagement to fellow artist Eleanor Ekserdjian, proposing with a porcelain ring crafted by his own hand. King Charles has been told the news and is said to be delighted for the couple, who met as students at the University of Edinburgh and now plan to marry next spring. Samuel Chatto, 29, who is 30th in line to the British throne, shared his engagement to Eleanor Ekserdjian, also 29, in an Instagram post. “I’m really delighted to say that Ellie and I are engaged. And we couldn’t be happier. I…