Josh Cullen has admitted the Republic of Ireland have no-one to blame but themselves after defeat in Greece ripped apart their Euro 2024 qualification hopes. Stephen Kenny’s men headed for Athens in bullish mood after a creditable performance as they went down 1-0 to World Cup runners-up France in their opening Group B fixture in March. With the Netherlands also waiting in the wings, they knew victory over Gus Poyet’s men – or certainly something more than the 2-1 defeat they ultimately suffered at the OPAP Arena – would be required if they were to prosper, but in the event, they were outplayed for long periods and emerged with what they deserved. Burnley midfielder Cullen said: “We are very disappointed. We’ve got to be better than that, it’s as simple as that. “We have to take account as players. We need to look at ourselves, there is no excuses we can make.” Ireland survived an early blitz, largely thanks to keeper Gavin Bazunu, but succumbed after a VAR intervention prompted Austrian referee Harald Lechner to award a penalty after Callum O’Dowda had blocked George Baldock’s cross with his arm. They dragged themselves back into it before the break courtesy of defender Nathan Collins’ finish after Evan Ferguson had flicked on Will Smallbone’s corner, but were undone again four minutes after the restart when the excellent Tasos Bakasetas played in Giorgos Masouras to beat Bazunu. When you come away in big matches like this, the last thing you want to do is make mistakes that end in goals Republic of Ireland midfielder Josh Cullen Cullen said: “When you come away in big matches like this, the last thing you want to do is make mistakes that end in goals. We have been doing that too much recently. “It’s a disappointing night and we need to reflect and go again on Monday.” It was the manner of the defeat as much as the fact of it that was concerning as Ireland, who face Gibraltar in Dublin on Monday evening, found themselves on the back foot for much of a contest dominated by a slick Greek outfit which sit three places below them in FIFA’s ranking table. They were never able to get to grips with Trabzonspor schemer Bakasetas or Masouras in midfield and starved of meaningful possession, struggled to create much of note until a late flurry as the hosts sat back on their lead. Kenny and his players must now put their disappointment behind them and prepare for a game in which even a comprehensive victory over a side beaten 3-0 at home by France on Friday evening would do little to improve their parlous position in the group. However, asked how he saw the situation, Cullen said: “Monday. We aren’t looking any further than that. We have to prepare for that and make sure we get a result.” Kenny will be forced to make at least one change with wing-back Matt Doherty suspended after his stoppage-time red card in Athens for a push on Kostas Tsimikas amid a melee as tempers frayed. Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live Callum Wilson praises England for being clinical and ruthless in win over Malta Commentator Martin Tyler stepping down from role at Sky Sports after 33 years Team withdraws from Tour de Suisse after death of rider Gino Mader

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Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti will take the reins of the Brazil national team from the summer of 2024, aiming to lead the team to World Cup glory...

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Artificial Intelligence can help talented players who might never normally be noticed get a chance in the professional game. Premier League clubs Chelsea and Burnley – as well as a host of MLS teams – are using an app, created by ai.io, that allows footballers around the world to complete specifically-designed drills and upload match footage of themselves. Using computer vision and deep-learning machinery, which can recognise and evaluate a player’s movement, each user receives a score and then scouts are alerted to anyone that matches set criteria. The aiSCOUT platform is the only digital scouting product invited into the FIFA Innovation Programme and already has several success stories, with Burnley signing Jez Davies and Chelsea handing a 10-week trial to Ben Greenwood, having discovered them on the app. Not every budding footballer will be visited by a scout, but almost everyone will have access to a smartphone and that provides the player with a unique opportunity. “It gives the power to the player,” ai.io COO and director of sports science Richard Felton-Thomas told the PA news agency. “You are always waiting for a scout to come and watch you, you can’t just ring them up and ask them to come. “This just puts power into the players’ hands. “We are really democratising that scouting process. Normally you go and watch and then go and collect more information afterwards, which is just inefficient. “You can’t replace the fundamentals a scout brings of going to a game, seeing how a player deals with adversity, how they transfer those raw skill sets to a match and taking instructions from a coach. “Our tech is there to do the early talent detection but then scouts have to ID that talent with the traditional method. “We give them the efficiency of enough information to say, ‘Don’t wait until the weekend to watch them’, because someone else might be doing that already. “We don’t make the future decision of the player. The scout and the recruitment do that. I don’t think anyone wants AI to decide their fate. We are there to say on certain metrics, players are worth a look.” Davies joined the Clarets when he was spotted on the aiSCOUT app shortly after being released by Tottenham and they quickly signed him up. This just puts power into the players' hands ai.io COO Richard Felton-Thomas Greenwood had a 10-week trial at Chelsea before earning a permanent deal at Bournemouth, going on to feature in the Carabao Cup and represent Republic of Ireland at under-19 level. There has also been huge success in India as players using a shared community phone have been scouted. “We have had players trial and sign for Chelsea and Burnley and in India players who have downloaded our app from a shared community phone are now in football programmes,” Felton-Thomas added. “If it wasn’t for a mobile phone they would never have the exposure. They were not playing registered football so a scout would never have found them but we are changing those lives through those opportunities with a phone. “Jez Davies signed at Burnley. He was released at Tottenham. We didn’t know about him but he entered our app uploaded his reels and you can imagine being 18 and just coming out of Tottenham, his drills were incredible. Burnley saw that and within two weeks he was signed. “The first player we trialled was a player called Ben Greenwood. He had brilliant stats, he was at a football college and had never been scouted by any team, he lived two miles away from Chelsea’s training ground in Cobham and they thought if he was that good, how come our scouts had missed him. “They brought him in for a day, just to validate our data, but he ended up staying for 10 weeks. He scored on his under-19s debut but he didn’t get a contract. “He was signed by Bournemouth and is on his second contract and played in the Carabao Cup for them. This is a player who had never once been scouted, so that was a huge success story.” Read More Josh Magennis determined to keep giving his all for Northern Ireland Andy Farrell feels Ireland are becoming better at handling pressure Charlie Savage impresses Rob Page during his Wales debut Harry Maguire supported by ‘role model’ David Beckham after Hampden experience I want to play – Harry Maguire admits lack of matches will become an issue Conor McGregor closes in on UFC return by re-entering anti-doping test programme

Law professor and civil rights scholar Charles J

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She cites irreconcilable differences, two weeks after the convicted rapist blew a kiss to her in court.

Mike Pence was evasive when answering questions from a CBS reporter in a new interview touching upon Donald Trump’s indictment on charges related to the effort to overturn the 2020 election. The former vice president, whom Mr Trump’s team has spoken openly about cross-examining in the ex-president’s upcoming trial, has largely remained on Mr Trump’s side when it comes to the barrage of legal threats now facing him. But he has not reserved that same loyalty amid Mr Trump’s newest criminal charges, on which he refused to take a side. Speaking with Major Garrett, Mr Pence dodged questions about whether the prosecution of Mr Trump specifically was “politicised” — a charge the Trump team has levelled —while making those same gratuitious swipes at the Justice Department over unrelated issues, like the ongoing prosecution of Hunter Biden. “I don't want to prejudge this indictment. I don't know whether the government has the evidence beyond a reasonable doubt to support this case,” said the former vice president, who was at the very centre of the events now being examined for prosecution by the Department of Justice. He lashed out at the January 6 committee and its conclusion, which has largely been borne out in the Justice Department’s latest indictment. He also attacked the DoJ and vowed to “clean house” in 2025 if elected — while carefully limiting his criticisms to the now-shuttered Robert Mueller investigation and the GOP’s allegations that the department slow-walked and watered down the prosecution of President Joe Biden’s son, who was charged this year. In the interview, he also answered whether he’d take the stand against his former boss if called to do so, telling Garrett that he had no plans to voluntarily testify but would obey a subpoena. “I have no plans to testify, but people can be confident we’ll- we’ll obey the law,” he said. Mr Pence is currently polling in the mid to low single digits in the Republican primary race, and has seen little traction among a primary base that largely remains loyal to Mr Trump and largely refuses to accept the fact that the ex-vice president’s interference on Mr Trump’s behalf to overturn or stall the election’s certification would have been unconstitutional. He has faced angry questions from voters on that very issue at campaign stop after campaign stop, while Mr Trump continues to attack him and insist that he should have worked to stop an imaginary theft of the 2020 election. The former president remains atop the GOP primary field, the odds-on favourite to win the nomination as most of his competition languishes in single-digit or low double-digit polling territory. Read More Defiant Trump claims ‘we need one more indictment’ before 2024 race in first speech since federal charges Mike Pence heckled by Trump supporters at town hall after rolling out mocking merch Trump has been charged. But what about his past? Trump goes on kooky rant about how long it takes to wash his ‘gorgeous head of hair’ Pence, Trump attorney clash over what Trump told his VP ahead of Jan. 6, 2021 DeSantis steps up dire warning to GOP about distraction from Biden, amid Trump's latest indictment

Ben Chilwell hopes next summer’s European Championship will prove third time lucky, having had to sit on his hands during the last edition before missing the World Cup through injury. Gareth Southgate is not blessed with options at left-back, but a mixture of misfortune and injury has restricted the 26-year-old to just 18 caps since making his debut in 2018. That frustration means Chilwell, a Champions League winner with Chelsea, is still waiting to make his first appearance at a major international tournament. Chilwell went to the rearranged Euros two years ago, but – as well as having to self-isolate due to coronavirus regulations – was overlooked in favour of Kieran Trippier and Luke Shaw. The pair were the left-back options again 18 months later in Qatar as a hamstring injury ruled out the Chelsea full-back, who is hoping to catch a break at Euro 2024. “I missed the World Cup, but I was at the Euros and didn’t play,” Chilwell told talkSPORT and BBC Radio 5 live. “Of course, Germany in the summer is something I am really looking forward to. “I am hoping to have a great season with Chelsea and England, that will put me in good stead, and I can hopefully go out to Germany and do well.” It has long been a case of when rather than if England’s place at Euro 2024 is rubberstamped, with their qualification campaign continuing against Ukraine in Poland this Saturday. Chilwell said “third time lucky would be nice” as he looked ahead to next summer’s finals in Germany and few would back against him fulfilling that goal given his ability to dig deep and overcome disappointment. “I think you have to be strong mentally to come through a lot of stuff that I’ve gone through and a lot of stuff that a lot of footballers go through,” the left-back, who does not have injured Shaw to compete with this month, said. “You don’t get to become a professional football player without having ups and downs, and it is a cliche but it really is about how you deal with them. “I love playing football, so that’s what I always come back to when I when I’m going through the tough times.” Chilwell is not alone in dealing with frustrating periods on the sidelines for Chelsea and England, with right-back Reece James laid low again right now with a hamstring complaint. “Everyone talks about how strong we are as a team at Chelsea when me and Reece play together,” said the 26-year-old, who is captaining the Blues in James’ absence. “Of course, we want to play more together. We’re trying! “Hopefully Reece can be back in the next few weeks and I am feeling good physically so hopefully, when Reece is back, push on and do well for the rest of the season.” The hope at Chelsea is that Mauricio Pochettino will bring improved robustness and fitness to the group on top of on-field improvements. Chilwell says the new head coach’s pre-season regime was as gruelling as people say, but it has left him feeling the “best I’ve felt physically in a long time”. “The manager was constant in telling us that this is only for our benefit,” he said. “It’s going to make our bodies more robust, we’re going to be able to play more games this season, less injuries. “So we all completely bought into it and so far, personally, I’m feeling like that is the case and, like I said, feeling the best I felt physically in a long time. “Hopefully I can stay injury-free for the season and then going into the summer as well.” Chilwell is confident that with a little patience Chelsea “will come good” under Pochettino as the former Argentina international looks to shape a large squad full of new faces and promise into a coherent, effective unit. Among the ex-Tottenham manager’s tactical tweaks in the opening weeks of the season has been a new advanced role for the 26-year-old. “It’s not even been wing-back, it’s been on the wing,” Chilwell said. “Over the past few years, I’ve gone from left-back to left wing-back to left wing… playing striker in a few years! “It’s something new (but) something that isn’t completely new to me, to be honest. “When I’ve been playing left wing-back, they’re kind of similar positions that I get in occasionally that I’ve found myself in this season. “I’m playing up there and the expectation when you’re playing in a front three is to, of course, score goals and get assists. “That’s something that hopefully I can build on in the next few weeks and decision-making, when to shoot, when to pass. “Of course, I’d like to have contributed with a few more so far this season but, like I said, I’m working hard to put that right.”

North Carolina's Republican-controlled legislature passed a bill Wednesday that would make major changes to the state's election laws, the latest in efforts by GOP-led jurisdictions across the country to rewrite election procedures and impose restrictions on voting practices.

Seismic activity has been less intense but a volcanic eruption still seems imminent, scientists say.