White House blasts Elon Musk for X post about Biden and Harris assassination
Politics, protest and play: how the stadium became America’s public square
Fifty-two years ago last month, 100,000 Black Angelenos gathered at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Although the historic stadium had long served as a venue for many of the city’s sports teams, that wasn’t the draw on 20 August 1972. Rather, it was Wattstax ‘72, a celebration of Black culture meant to channel positivity and pride in a community devastated by the Watts riots of 1965 and mourning the assassination of the Rev Dr Martin Luther King Jr in 1968.The Rev Jesse Jackson was an emcee, touting co-sponsor Schlitz Brewing Company’s initiative for Black jobs and urging the audience that no matter how impoverished they were, they should remember the motto “I am Somebody”. The police were not asked to maintain order – the organizers managed things themselves
Lancashire frustrate Somerset, Surrey forge ahead of Durham: county cricket – as it happened
The heavy roller, the sun, five penalty runs and a hue and cry over a contentious not out decision in the final overs all added up to a gripping day at Old Trafford in the crucial promotion-relegation headlock.After 21 wickets fell on the first day, only seven fell on the second, as Lancashire played with earthy grit to grind a lead of 292 over Somerset, who are chasing Surrey for a tilt at the title. Josh Bohannon’s 60 and an unbeaten 78 from Luke Wells, plus plucky innings from Rocky Flintoff and Harry Singh, frustrated Somerset, and nostrils later flared when George Balderson was adjudged not out after Craig Overton appeared to throw down his stumps from slip.At the Oval, perennial understudy Ryan Patel hit a merry 134 to give Surrey a vital 153-run first innings lead over Durham. Durham then lost the nightwatcher Callum Parkinson to the first ball of their second innings as the sun dropped and Conor McKerr held a snorter at third slip
Maro Itoje rejects Eddie Jones’ claims he is not suited to England captaincy
Maro Itoje has rejected claims by the former England head coach Eddie Jones that he is “very inward-looking” and not suited to Test captaincy, after being unveiled as Saracens’ skipper.Itoje takes over from Owen Farrell, after the fly-half’s move to Racing 92, in what is his first senior captaincy role. The 29-year-old was earmarked as a future England captain early in his career after bursting on to the Test scene eight years ago but Jones never saw fit to install him in the role, claiming in a 2021 book that he had sent Itoje to acting classes in an effort to improve his leadership.“I might be wrong, but I am not sure Maro is a future England captain,” Jones wrote. “He is going to be one of the great players, but Maro is very inward-looking
One final Woj bomb: ESPN scoop master Adrian Wojnarowski announces shock retirement
Adrian Wojnarowski, who made a name for himself breaking NBA news stories, has announced he is stepping away from journalism to become the general manager of the men’s basketball program at his alma mater, St Bonaventure.-30- pic.twitter.com/bFeFL61s1cWojnarowski, whose tweets announcing NBA trades and deals became known as ‘“Woj bombs”, made the announcement on Wednesday.His talent for breaking news made him one of the most prominent sports journalists in the US and attracted 6
Wallabies face up to annual All Blacks examination with new reason for hope | Angus Fontaine
Bledisloe Cup week: New Zealanders still relish it, Australians have come to dread it. For Wallabies fans, it’s an annual examination akin to a dentist or doctors consult, a mostly shameful ordeal in which they’re painfully probed and sent away to do better. “Tsk, tsk,” they seem to say year after year. “Might be time to make some changes.”After achieving the ignominy of 21 consecutive Bledisloe Cup series losses last season, Australia have made changes
Harry Brook given licence to lay down new ODI template against Australia
In one sense the five-match ODI series between England and Australia that starts in Nottingham on Thursday is slightly lacking in wider context. Part of a trend that has seen previously lengthy visits by India and Australia broken up by way of format and spread out across the four-year cycle, it feels designed to simply keep the “Big Three” energy burning in between marquee Test summers.Although the rivalry endures, tickets have been shifted despite autumn’s creep, and for Harry Brook, there is a bit more on it still. For one, Brook has had a slightly underwhelming international season by way of runs, not least that restless double failure against Sri Lanka at the Oval. And then on top of the chance to bank more experience against Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood before Bazball’s moonshot Ashes tour in 2025/26, there is this opportunity to further his captaincy knowhow with a similar eye on the future
Next reaps rewards as global fashion trends ‘converge’ via social media
The great divide: are office workers more productive than those at home?
Global AI fund needed to help developing nations tap tech benefits, UN says
Australia’s unemployment rate unchanged at 4.2%, dampening hope of RBA interest rate cut
Federal Reserve cuts US interest rates for the first time in four years
Fed chair Jerome Powell says US interest rate cut has nothing to do with election – as it happened