
Grocery prices held steady in June, offering some relief
Grocery prices stayed steady in June after ticking up in May, offering some relief to shoppers. In that time, menu prices rose 0.4%, continuing a slight upward trend over the past few months.
1970-01-01 08:00

Lionel Messi can help make MLS the world’s best league – Bradley Wright-Phillips
Bradley Wright-Phillips believes football in North America can become “unstoppable” on the back of Lionel Messi’s move to Inter Miami and the 2026 World Cup. It is a decade since the former Manchester City and Southampton striker swapped English football for Major League Soccer to join New York Red Bulls. Wright-Phillips last year retired in sixth on the MLS all-time goals list having enjoyed a ringside seat to the sport’s growth in North America and says the best is yet to come. Having signed an eye-catching broadcasting deal with Apple in 2022, further developments will be fuelled by Messi’s move to Miami and the World Cup being hosted in the USA, Canada and Mexico in three years’ time. “My first reaction to Messi coming out was I just couldn’t believe it,” Wright-Phillips told the PA news agency. “Honestly, even now until I see him run out on an MLS pitch, I can’t really fathom what it’s going to be. It’s hard to even picture that. Even now it doesn’t seem real to me. It’s Messi! “Unbelievable time. I feel like I retired at the perfect time, just to be involved in what’s going on. “Messi obviously, Apple taking over and then you’ve got the World Cup coming in ‘26. What more can you ask for?” Put to Wright-Phillips that the sport in North America seems to be going from strength to strength, he said: “Yeah, it does. The potential and the ceiling is higher than ever. “If it’s done right, it can be unstoppable – best league and country in the world for football, right? Wouldn’t you say so?” MLS is certainly on an exciting trajectory and Messi’s arrival will spark unparalleled interest in the competition. “The league is not only getting the best player in the world,” says Wright-Phillips, who played for LAFC and Columbus Crew as well as the Red Bulls. “If you just think about the average fan that doesn’t watch MLS, but now because Messi’s here they’re going to watch MLS. “They now get see a Carles Gil, a Hany Mukhtar, young players like Noel Buck – these are players that we know are good. “But now you’re watching because you want to see Messi and the average fan gets to see that player or they get to see the atmosphere in St Louis or Austin. “That’s what’s exciting about it. It’s not just that we’re going to see Messi play, it’s what Messi exposes globally.” As well as Messi’s macro impact, Miami will be desperate for the Argentina star to improve fortunes at DRV PNK Stadium. The David Beckham co-owned team languish bottom of the Eastern Conference thanks to a difficult campaign that led to Phil Neville’s recent sacking. Ex-Barcelona boss Tata Martino has come in, while Messi’s former Nou Camp team-mates Sergio Busquets and Jordi Alba are expected to join him in Florida. “That tells me that they don’t just want Messi to come here and lose games,” Wright-Phillips added. “The Inter Miami team isn’t doing very well this season, they’ve suffered a lot of injuries, they’ve had a change in the manager. “There’s a lot of things they have to do but if you bring a Busquets, a Jordi Alba, you’re giving yourself, you’re giving Messi a chance to succeed.” Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live Spain defender Pau Torres joins Aston Villa on five-year deal from Villarreal Ons Jabeur ends Elena Rybakina’s reign to reach Wimbledon semi-finals again Paul Collingwood says thrilling Ashes series is drawing new fans to cricket
1970-01-01 08:00

Spain defender Pau Torres joins Aston Villa on five-year deal from Villarreal
Aston Villa have completed the signing of defender Pau Torres from Villarreal. The 26-year-old, who has been capped 23 times for Spain, moves to Villa Park for an undisclosed fee after agreeing a five-year deal. He links up again with Villa boss Unai Emery who he played under for the Yellow Submarine. Torres won the Europa League in 2021 – under Emery – and helped Villarreal reach the semi-finals of the Champions League a year later. He becomes Villa’s second summer signing after the arrival of former Leicester midfielder Youri Tielemans on a free transfer. Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live
1970-01-01 08:00

With 735 million people hungry, UN says world is 'off track' to meet its 2030 goal
By Leah Douglas About 735 million people worldwide faced chronic hunger in 2022, a figure much higher than
1970-01-01 08:00

Jordan Henderson faces Liverpool transfer decision with Saudi offer looming
Jordan Henderson is set to face a decision over whether to stay at Liverpool amid interest from Saudi Arabia and the possibility of a lucrative transfer. Liverpool are yet to receive an offer for their captain but Henderson has emerged as a target for Al Ettifaq and their new manager Steven Gerrard. Henderson, 33, has two years left on his contract at Anfield but could face a battle for his place after Jurgen Klopp spent £95m revamping his midfield with the signings of World Cup winner Alexis Mac Allister and Dominik Szoboszlai. Now Liverpool’s Champions League-winning skipper must determine whether to extend his 12-year stay at Anfield or join a host of players, including his former teammate Roberto Firmino, in signing up to go to Saudi Arabia. Euro 2024 is likely to be a factor in his thinking. Henderson forced his way back into England’s starting 11 during last winter’s World Cup and remains keen to play for his country. Klopp may be reluctant to lose the former Sunderland player, who made 43 appearances last season, after three other midfielders – vice-captain James Milner, Naby Keita and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain – left at the end of the season. The 2020 Footballer of the Year succeeded Gerrard as Liverpool captain in 2015 and led them to their first English league title in three decades five years later. Read More The reason why Liverpool’s worst season under Jurgen Klopp can be a one-off Liverpool thought they’d bought the future – but two wrong moves left them counting the cost Why England will head into 2024 with their sense of optimism restored
1970-01-01 08:00

What The Hell Is Going on With Sean Payton Calling Jon Gruden to Brag About Not Paying COVID Fine?
Sean Payton might owe the NFL $100K.
1970-01-01 08:00

Tottenham defender Ryan Sessegnon ‘devastated’ by latest injury setback
Tottenham defender Ryan Sessegnon has been left devastated by his recent hamstring injury – but has vowed to come back stronger than ever. Spurs confirmed on Tuesday that Sessegnon had undergone surgery on his left hamstring following an injury in the first week of pre-season training under new boss Ange Postecoglou. Left-back Sessegnon was plagued by muscle injuries last season and now faces another lengthy spell on the sidelines. “Devastated and not really sure what to say right now, but I wanted to come on here and say thank you for all the kind messages I’ve received,” he said on his Instagram page. “Hopefully this provides a light at the end of the tunnel. I feel very hungry and motivated to return stronger than ever and be back doing what I do best, for you guys.” Sessegnon made 23 appearances for Tottenham last season, but his last outing for the club occurred back in February after a hamstring injury curtained the second half of his campaign. The ex-Fulham academy graduate was over the initial problem and returned to work at Spurs on July 1, only to suffer a reoccurrence of last season’s muscle issue. It is expected surgery will be a “permanent solution” to his hamstring troubles. Sessegnon has only made 56 appearances for Tottenham since joining in the summer of 2019 and will now miss the club’s upcoming tour of Perth, Bangkok and Singapore. Earlier on Wednesday, Spurs announced they would now play local side Lion City Sailors on July 26 in the Singapore leg of their pre-season tour after previous opponents AS Roma, managed by Jose Mourinho, pulled out of their tour to Asia. Tottenham have also added another fixture to their summer schedule with the club set to face Barcelona in the 58th Joan Gamper Trophy match on August 8. The pre-season friendly will take place at Estadi Olimpic Lluis Companys – the scene of the 1992 Olympic Games – due to construction work taking place Barca’s Camp Nou stadium. Meanwhile, Harry Kane, Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg and Ivan Perisic were among the international players to return to training at Hotspur Way on Wednesday despite speculation over their futures. Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live It has been a long time coming – Caster Semenya ‘elated’ over ECHR ruling Former Bristol and Bath back-rower Nick Koster dies at age of 34 Marketa Vondrousova prepares to take on ‘super woman’ Elina Svitolina
1970-01-01 08:00

What Is Old Bay Seasoning, Anyway?
The original Old Bay seasoning recipe had dozens of ingredients—but McCormick’s current one is shrouded in secrecy.
1970-01-01 08:00

Roundup: Bethany Joy Lenz Was in a Cult; National League Wins MLB All-Star Game; NBA To Implement Flopping Penalty
Bethany Joy Lenz was in a cult for 10 years, the National League won the All-Star Game, the NBA will implement a flopping penalty and more in the Roundup.
1970-01-01 08:00

Kick It Out received 65.1 per cent rise in reports of discrimination last season
Anti-discrimination body Kick It Out received a 65.1 per cent rise in reports of discriminatory behaviour during the 2022-23 season – with reports of sexism and misogyny up 400 per cent. Figures released by the organisation show 1,007 reports were made during the campaign from the grassroots and professional games and across social media, which Kick It Out puts down in part to an “increased awareness” of reporting procedures and fans becoming “less tolerant” of discriminatory behaviour. Reports of online abuse rose by 279 per cent, with the organisation receiving 207 more reports related to online forums and social media than in the previous 12 months. The significant leap in reports highlights that discrimination is still a serious issue within the game Kick It Out statement Racism was the most common form of discrimination, accounting for just under half (49.3 per cent) of all reports, while reports related to sexism and misogyny represented the largest rise in a specific discrimination type – up from 16 to 80. Faith-based discrimination fell slightly due to a 29.5 per cent drop in the number of reports received of an antisemitic nature, but Islamophobia (300 per cent) and sectarian chanting in the professional game (15.8 per cent) were both up. Discrimination reports in the professional game rose by 27.4 per cent to 484, which represents those received from the Premier League, English Football League and National League, domestic cups, European and international competition, Women’s Super League and Women’s Championship. A statement from Kick It Out referred to the rise in reports as a “significant leap” that “highlights that discrimination is still a serious issue within the game”. It added: “The record figures could also be attributed to an increased awareness of reporting procedures and fans becoming less tolerant of discriminatory behaviour.” Racism continued to account for more than half of grassroots reports (50.8 per cent) and 43.4 per cent of overall grassroots incidents received were from under-18s or younger age-group games. “Research conducted by Kick It Out suggests these numbers are the tip of the iceberg with many incidents still not reported,” the statement added. Social media abuse comprised a much larger proportion of overall reports compared to previous years, making up 28 per cent of all reports received, up from 12.1 per cent last year. Kick It Out chief executive Tony Burnett said: “The significant increase in reports across the game is alarming and strengthens our resolve to tackle discrimination in all areas of football. “Behind each of these statistics is somebody who has sadly experienced discrimination, and supporting the victims of abuse remains Kick It Out’s utmost priority. “While we continue to work tirelessly to Kick It Out, we call upon fans, clubs, leagues and governing bodies to help us with this cause, and we are encouraged that the number of reports per incident continues to increase, suggesting that people are becoming less tolerant of discriminatory behaviour and more likely to report abuse when they see it. “Our figures provide a snapshot of what is happening across the game, but we still don’t know the full picture because clubs, leagues and governing bodies aren’t currently mandated to share their reporting data. “This underscores why football urgently needs a centralised reporting mechanism to collate and monitor reports. Only once that happens can we understand the full extent of the problem within football and tackle it with the full force of the sport.” Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live Haverfordwest CEO preparing for Europe after ‘devastating’ Arsenal redundancy West Brom partner with The Jeff Astle Foundation charity for coming season ‘Long live the captain!’ – Lewis Dunk boosts Brighton with new three-year deal
1970-01-01 08:00

What are pani puri? The much-loved Indian street snack known by different names across the country
Today’s Google Doodle celebrates one of India’s most famous street food snacks – the bite-sized pani puri. The dish is one of India’s most popular street foods and can incorporate many different flavours depending on the ingredients used and where in the country it is being made. The popular snack consists of a crispy, deep-fried shell that is cracked open on one side and stuffed with any combination of potatoes, chickpeas, spices or chillies dunked in flavoured water. The tiny snack is best eaten quickly in rounds, with customers dipping the shell into the water and popping it whole into their mouths before the next shell is offered. The sweet and savoury dish goes by different names in different parts of India. In capital Delhi, it is known as gol gappa, while in West Bengal, Bihar and Nepal, the snack is called phuchka. In southwestern Maharashtra, it is known by the staple pani puri, while in northern Haryana state, it is called paani patashi. In central Madhya Pradesh, the snack goes by fulki and in Uttar Pradesh, it’s called pani ke batashe or padake. In the northeastern state of Assam, locals call it the phuska, while Gujaratis call it pakodi. In parts of Odisha, Andhra Pradesh, Jharkhand and Chhattisgarh, locals call the snack Gup-chup. The process of making the humble pani puri is simple and the filling can be made according to the preference of the person eating it. The options usually consist of a potato stuffing, mashed chickpeas stuffing, boondi or tiny fried gram flour balls. A hot ragda stuffing can also be used, which is a curry or gravy preparation made from dried white peas, spices and seasonings. The server pokes a hole in the deep-drief hollow shell called the puri and fills the stuffing in it. The flavoured water, or pani in Hindi, used to dunk the filling is made either of tamarind, asafoetida, mint, garlic, lemon or jaljeera – a type of flavoured water made with chilli, cumin (jeera) and water (jal, which is another word for water) – and is served to customers one by one. One plate of pani puri usually consists of six to eight bites and costs between Rs 20-40 (£0.20-£0.40). The staple Indian snack is available in almost every north Indian restaurant locally and has only grown in popularity abroad. London’s high end Indian restaurants, like Dishoom, Roti Chai, Indian Accent and Gunpowder, also serve the dish. The snack is best enjoyed when the flavoured water is served cold. Today’s Google Doodle features a bespoke video game in which players “serve” customers’ orders for pani puri with different fillings. Google said 12 July marked the anniversary of a World Record set in 2015 for the most flavours of pani puri offered by one restaurant. It was claimed by eatery Indori Zayka in Indore, Madhya Pradesh. Read More How to shop at Borough Market in the summer ‘We call them Picky Bits’: Nigella Lawson responds to viral ‘Girl Dinner’ trend Get set for Wimbledon with these strawberry recipes Indian food influencer’s digestive mocktail recipe mocked online Ali Ahmed Aslam, chicken tikka masala ‘inventor’, dies at age 77 The tiny profit UK farmers make from the food they grow
1970-01-01 08:00

West Brom partner with The Jeff Astle Foundation charity for coming season
West Brom have announced The Jeff Astle Foundation as their official charity partner for the 2023-24 season. The Jeff Astle Foundation was launched to serve as a lasting legacy for former Baggies forward Astle, who died in 2002 aged 59 with early-onset dementia and had his verdict of death later recorded as being by industrial disease, owing to the repeated heading of a ball. Set up by Astle’s family, The Jeff Astle Foundation continues to campaign for greater research into the impact of repetitive heading for footballers, raising awareness of brain injury in all forms of sport and offering much-needed support to those affected. Astle scored 174 goals in 361 appearances for West Brom and netted the winner in their FA Cup triumph over Everton in 1968. A donation will be made to The Jeff Astle Foundation for every home shirt sold. Albion managing director Mark Miles said: “We are delighted to be supporting The Jeff Astle Foundation for the coming season. “The profile of the charity and its achievements to date are a direct consequence of one family’s dedicated quest to ensure the safety of everyone who plays the beautiful game. “We wholeheartedly support the charity’s aim to raise awareness of brain injury in all forms of sport, including football, and hope the partnership helps further build the profile of their incredible work.” Charity director Dawn Astle said: “We are honoured and overwhelmed to be named the club’s official charity partner for the 2023-24 season. “Dad loved this club and its supporters and to have next season’s home kit dedicated to him and the charity instils our family with a pride that is difficult to comprehend. “We are so, so thankful to the club for providing us with this opportunity to continue to celebrate dad’s legacy, raising awareness and funds for the charity in the process. “As a family we have been fortunate enough to have been involved in the kit’s design and we are confident the club’s supporters will love it as much as we do. “It’s a special kit for a really important cause, and every shirt sold will help us to continue our work with those affected by brain injuries in sport.”
1970-01-01 08:00