Author: News Desk

Lionesses tamed as England’s 30-game unbeaten run comes to a crashing halt The Independent says Australia ended England’s 30-game unbeaten streak with a 2-0 friendly victory over the Lionesses in front of 14,489 at Brentford’s Gtech Community Stadium. The world No 4-ranked Lionesses, who lifted the inaugural women’s Finalissima trophy at Wembley last week, were favourites to beat the 10th-ranked but injury-plagued Matildas. But Sarina Wiegman’s side were behind at the break after Chelsea striker Sam Kerr took advantage of an error from Leah Williamson and Charlotte Grant made it two after the restart with a nodded effort that deflected…

There was always a fear the Lionesses could become predictable under Sarina Wiegman Daily Mail says A first defeat in 31 games is not a cause for panic. It is better the Lionesses lose their unbeaten streak under Sarina Wiegman now than at the World Cup. What is more concerning is how England lost against Australia on Tuesday. This was the type of performance we saw during the interim period of Hege Riise or the end of Phil Neville’s reign. This was not a performance from the Wiegman textbook. It was clear the Dutch coach was frustrated by what she…

Matildas urged not to get carried away after stunning result against England The Guardian says A memorable win over England has given Australia a huge boost ahead of the Women’s World Cup on home soil, but Sam Kerr immediately warned against getting carried away with the result after the Matildas captain put in another star turn. Australia bounced back from a 1-0 defeat to Scotland in the first of two international friendlies in the UK last week, with Kerr returning to the side in Brentford to score one and make another in a memorable 2-0 win over the reigning European…

New Zealand cabinet reaches gender equality for the first time Aotearoa New Zealand now has an equal number of men and women in its cabinet for the first time in history.  This milestone was reached after Northland MP Willow-Jean Prime, who is of Māori descent, was promoted as a cabinet minister. There are now 10 women and 10 male members in the cabinet.  Aotearoa New Zealand’s 2020 election resulted in one of the world’s most diverse parliaments, with the highest number of female lawmakers in the OECD, as well as a number of Māori and LGBTQ+ MPs. PM Chris Hipkins…

Civil settlement reached over Grenfell Tower fire claims Arconic, the cladding company involved in the Grenfell Tower fire in June 2017, has settled civil claims with more than 900 people, including survivors, bereaved family members, and residents.  The fire killed 72 people, and the settlement is separate from the ongoing inquiry chaired by Sir Martin Moore-Bick.  Arconic has also agreed to contribute to a restorative justice project for the affected community. The Kensington and Chelsea Tenant Management Organisation, which was appointed by the local council to manage its housing stock, said that while the settlement would not mitigate the loss…

UK to be one of worst performing economies this year, predicts IMF The UK is set to have the worst-performing economy in the G20 this year, according to predictions from the International Monetary Fund (IMF), due to a forecasted shrinkage.  Although the predictions are grim, they are a small upgrade from the IMF’s previous prediction on the health of the UK economy. They have still warned of the “rocky road” ahead for the global financial system due to recent instabilities. The IMF prediction on the UK’s economy points to Britain’s exposure to high gas prices, rising interest rates and slow…

Leaked documents show NATO forces on the ground in Ukraine war The UK, France, the US and other NATO countries have special forces operating in Ukraine, according to just one of the dozens of documents leaked online. The US is investigating how the documents were leaked and have opened a criminal investigation. “We will continue to investigate and turn over every rock until we find the source of this and the extent of it,” US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said. The leaked documents, some marked “top secret”, contain sensitive information about the Ukraine war, including plans for Ukraine’s spring counter-offensive.…

Trump says staff ‘were crying’ in first interview since indictment Donald Trump has given his first interview since being indicted on business fraud charges last week. Speaking to Fox News on Tuesday, Trump claimed that many of the staff at the Manhattan court where he was processed “were in tears or close to it.” He maintained his innocence and vowed not to drop out of the 2024 presidential race, even if convicted. The former president’s interview aired on Tuesday, he described how he was processed at the criminal court by officials, saying police had tears “pouring down their eyes.” “They…

Man City make statement 3-0 win over Bayern Munich in Champions League thriller Following Manchester City’s 3-0 win over Bayern Munich, boss Pep Guardiola said he felt “emotionally destroyed” as his team head ever closer to the Champions League semi-finals.  City have dominated the Premier League for years, and despite many incredible Champions League performances, they have yet to seal the win. For Pep, winning Europe’s elite club competition with Man City is the ultimate goal.  City came close to a Champions League win several times, including the 2021 season when they faced fellow English club Chelsea in the final.…

Today’s news summary – Paper Talk No one story dominates Wednesday’s front pages, with headlines about the upcoming Coronation to junior doctors’ strike, Joe Biden arrives in Northern Ireland to mark the Good Friday Agreement 25th anniversary to the news that the UK economy is heading for the worst growth in the G7.   Good Friday Agreement 25th anniversary US President Joe Biden’s visit to Northern Ireland to mark the 25th anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement is the subject of coverage in several UK newspapers. The Times reports on his vow to maintain peace while also highlighting warnings from nationalists…