Author: News Desk

Former mafia hit man sentenced in murder of crime boss in Boston. A former mafia hitman has been sentenced for the prison killing of crime boss James “Whitey” Bulger. Fotios “Freddy” Geas appeared in court on Friday after making a deal with prosecutors to change his plea to guilty regarding his role in the murder of Bulger. Geas was sentenced to 25 years in prison for the killing, according to the Associated Press in the US. He is already serving a separate life sentence for his role in multiple other violent crimes. Former Mafia hit man sentenced in murder of…

An exclusive Chinese silk from Erddig Hall 18th Century rare bed cover saved from ruin. The National Trust records of repairs reveal a ‘make do and mend’ approach to a rare 18th-century bed cover which was saved from ruin after the first World War. The bed cover, made from Chinese silk and embroidered with peacocks and flowers, was commissioned in 1720 for the room used to accommodate the family’s most distinguished guests. A rare cover from a 300-year-old bed has finally gone on public display at National Trust Cymru’s Erddig Hall and Garden in Wrexham. 18th Century rare bed cover…

UK ‘needs £1tn investment over 10 years to hit economic targets’ The UK needs £1tn of fresh investment over the next decade if the government is to hit its economic growth targets, a City taskforce has said. The Capital Markets of Tomorrow report, led by the City veteran and former boss of Legal & General Sir Nigel Wilson, said that in order to achieve at least 3% annual growth, the UK would have to attract around £100bn of investment per year, divided between key sectors. That includes £20bn-£30bn towards the UK’s housing stock, £50bn for the energy sector, and £8bn…

As for the successors of recently retired players, Marc-Andre ter Stegen is expected to take Neuer’s place. The 32-year-old Barcelona keeper has been given the number one jersey for the games against Hungary and the Netherlands, indicating he has finally reached his goal after a long waiting period. By contrast, there is no clear-cut successor for Kroos as the deep-lying playmaker. The most realistic choice might be Bayern’s Aleksandar Pavlovic, who withdrew from the Euros squad because of tonsillitis. The 20-year-old is seen as a blue-chip talent who could mature into the next great string-puller for Germany. But it would…

Erling Haaland and Mohamed Salah’s brilliant early-season form illustrates why footballers must get proper rest periods, players’ union chief Maheta Molango has said. In their first three Premier League matches of the 2024-25 campaign, Manchester City striker Haaland has scored seven times and Liverpool forward Salah has three goals and three assists. Neither player featured in post-season major tournaments and were highlighted as case studies by Professional Footballers’ Association (PFA) chief executive Molango as a new player workload monitoring (PWM) report of 1,500 footballers by global union Fifpro was released on Thursday. “There is a big difference between players who…

On paper, AFC Croydon Athletic’s game at Camberley Town in the Combined Counties League on 9 April seemed a pretty unremarkable affair. So unremarkable, in fact, only 43 paying spectators bothered turning up to watch the midweek match in English football’s ninth tier. Yet among those inside Krooner Park that night was Wilfried Zaha, who has become accustomed to playing in front of crowds of 50,000 since joining Turkish giants Galatasaray. As co-owner of non-league AFC Croydon Athletic, former Crystal Palace star Zaha takes his responsibilities seriously. “Wilf had a few days off so decided to fly over and watch…

Dozens of fans have gathered for the funeral of Barrow AFC life president Brian Keen. Mr Keen, who headed up a consortium of businessmen which saved the Cumbrian club from going bust in 1999, died earlier this month. About 60 fans lined the street outside the club’s grounds, and led “three cheers for Brian” as his hearse rode by, before his funeral was held at the nearby Barrow Crematorium. Chris Altree, former mayor of Barrow, said he came to pay respects to someone who had a “great and lasting influence on the club”. Mr Altree said: “Because of him, we…

Manchester City have signed goalkeeper Katie Startup from Brighton & Hove Albion on a two-year contract until the summer of 2026. The 25-year-old spent the second half of last season at City on an emergency loan from the Seagulls. Startup began her career at Charlton Athletic in 2017 and joined Brighton three years later. She made her debut for the club during the 2021-22 season following short-term loans to Charlton and Liverpool. On returning to City, Startup said she was “really excited” to be back, and for longer this time. “I really enjoyed my time here and I felt really…

Former Wales captain Ashley Williams and ex-Manchester United defender Phil Jones react to the new Champions League draw with fixtures for Manchester City, Arsenal, Liverpool and Aston Villa. Watch the video here

Spain international Aitana Bonmati is close to agreeing a new contract with Barcelona to extend her stay beyond 2025. The current Ballon d’Or holder has reportedly attracted interest from some of Europe’s biggest clubs, including Women’s Super League champions Chelsea. The 26-year-old midfielder has made over 150 appearances for the Catalan club after graduating from their academy. Talks have been ongoing for several months, with both parties always hopeful of agreeing a new deal which could see her become the world’s highest paid female player. Earlier this week, Bonmati was confirmed as a nominee for this year’s Ballon d’Or award…