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Elon Musk has revealed new details about the next major test flight for SpaceX’s Mars-bound Starship rocket, which he claims is ready to launch. SpaceX is still awaiting approval from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to launch the biggest rocket ever built, with the US regulators currently undertaking a “mishap investigation” for the previous Starship launch in April. The 400-foot-tall (121 metre) rocket exploded over the Gulf of Mexico just three minutes into a planned 90 minute flight on 20 April, breaking up into pieces over the water. An inadequate launchpad was also destroyed by Starship’s huge engines, blasting concrete chunks and metal shards across a 700-acre area. The SpaceX boss had predicted that the rocket would explode, saying ahead of the attempt: “I am not saying it will get to orbit but I am guaranteeing excitement.” The tech billionaire is more hopeful for the latest launch attempt, having made several key changes to how it operates. “We are doing a new staging technique called hot staging where you light the upper stage engines while the booster stage is still firing,” Mr Musk told the All-In Podcast this week. This is the most efficient way to do stage separation of a rocket going to orbit but we did not try that on the last mission... I think, I hope, we have a well over 50 per cent chance of getting through stage separation, and maybe a close to 50 per cent chance of getting to orbit if the hot staging separation method works. “I’d say it’s above 50 per cent chance of getting to orbit this time, whereas previously I said below 50.” Once in orbit, Starship will travel around the planet before splashing down in the Pacific Ocean just north of Hawaii. The Starship rocket is currently fully stacked at SpaceX’s Starbase facility in Texas, though it is not clear how long the private space firm will have to wait before receiving FAA approval. “The SpaceX Starship mishap investigation remains open,” the FAA said in a statement last week. “The FAA will not authorise another Starship launch until SpaceX implements the corrective actions identified during the mishap investigation and demonstrates compliance with all the regulatory requirements of the licence modification process.” Read More SpaceX launch of Starship rocket on hold amid ‘mishap investigation’ SpaceX launch of Starship rocket on hold amid ‘mishap investigation’ Starship ‘ready to launch’, Elon Musk says SpaceX smashes rocket launch record as Musk eyes historic Starship mission

Germany needs to act fast in its search for a new coach for its troubled men’s national football eam. The new coach is expected to be in charge by 14 October when Germany will face the United States in a friendly in Connecticut. And after that there is only eight months to put his stamp on the team before Germany opens the European Championship as host in front of 70,000 spectators in Munich on 14 June next year. Germany’s awful recent form — no wins in five games and a group-stage exit at the World Cup — forced out Hansi Flick following Saturday’s 4-1 loss to Japan. Rudi Voller oversaw a 2-1 win over France on Tuesday but is due to return to his post as sporting director. Without an obvious successor to Flick, the post of Germany coach appears wide open. That could result in Germany’s youngest coach in nearly a century. Or its oldest ever. Or the first foreign coach. Here is a look at some possible candidates: Julian Nagelsmann At 36 years old, the former Bayern Munich coach would be the youngest man to coach Germany since 34-year-old Otto Nerz was appointed back in 1926. Since Bayern replaced him with Thomas Tuchel in March, Nagelsmann has been linked with some of Europe’s biggest clubs. He knows the Germany team’s big Bayern contingent, and worked with other players at Leipzig too. However, Nagelsmann reportedly remains under contract with Bayern and the club could demand compensation from the German soccer federation, the DFB. Nagelsmann’s attack-first tactical style could win back fans who have soured on the team, but much like Flick, his teams aren’t known for their robust defending. Louis van Gaal The 72-year-old Dutch coach is a specialist in international tournaments and his lengthy resume — Ajax, Barcelona, Manchester United — includes two years at Bayern Munich, where he reached the Champions League final in 2010. His last job featured an impressive unbeaten run with the Dutch national team before losing on penalties in the World Cup quarterfinals in Qatar to eventual winner Argentina. Van Gaal has notably not ruled himself out of taking the Germany job, telling broadcaster Sky Germany that he was “honored” to see his name mentioned. The oldest man appointed Germany coach until now was 61-year-old Erich Ribbeck in 1998. Oliver Glasner Glasner is another possibility if the team decides to appoint its first non-German coach, and the Austrian already speaks the language. Glasner is best known for winning the Europa League with Eintracht Frankfurt and qualifying the club for the Champions League for the first time. However, Frankfurt removed him as coach last season after a drop in form and Glasner hasn’t coached since. Matthias Sammer Well-connected from advisory roles at the DFB and Borussia Dortmund, Sammer has the backing of 1990 World Cup-winning player and prolific TV pundit Lothar Matthaus. He’d be the first Germany coach to have played for the former East Germany during the Cold War. One problem is that Sammer last coached a team in 2005 before taking on successful sporting director and advisory roles, including at Bayern. Health issues in 2016 caused Sammer to cut back on his workload. Stefan Kuntz Flick was fired after his team conceded four goals to Japan. Could his replacement be a coach whose current team just did the same thing? As a player, Kuntz won the European Championship in 1996 as a teammate of Sammer. His best-known coaching achievement is winning the European Under-21 Championship with Germany in 2017 and 2021. Kuntz is coaching Turkey but is under pressure following a 4-2 friendly loss Tuesday to Japan. Other candidates The former Bayern Munich coach Felix Magath put himself forward Monday, pointing to his record turning around “unsettled teams” in comments to local broadcaster NDR. The DFB has a history of promoting from within — Flick and Low each worked as assistants to their respective predecessors — but the three-man interim coaching team for the win over France doesn’t offer an obvious solution. Voller seems happy with his DFB director job, Hannes Wolf is a youth specialist with a mixed club record, and Sandro Wagner has only coached in the fourth division. AP Read More Germany beat France in first game since sacking Hansi Flick as Italy reignite Euro 2024 hopes Steve Clarke insists Scotland remain in positive mood despite England defeat Aaron Ramsey rolls back the years to keep Wales’s Euro 2024 hopes alive Germany beat France as Italy reignite Euro 2024 hopes Football rumours: Jadon Sancho looking to leave Manchester United Germany boss Hansi Flick under pressure following home defeat to Japan

The US inflation rate was 3.7% over the 12 months to August, up from 3.2% in July.

After Aaron Rodgers suffered a shock injury just moments into his highly anticipated debut for the New York

France’s top financial prosecutor says that investigations into the organization of the 2024 Paris Olympics have not revealed any serious corruption or influence peddling

The Hampden roar has often been heard of late for a Manchester United player who was born in England. Just not this particular one. Scott McTominay, after all, was the scourge of Spain and is the joint top scorer in Euro 2024 qualifying, level with Romelu Lukaku and Rasmus Hojlund, just ahead of Cristiano Ronaldo and Harry Kane. Yet this wasn’t a McTominay goal that Scotland’s support were enjoying. The announcement of their scorer over the tannoy was met with the sort of noise that stems from schadenfreude. Harry Maguire, the most prolific centre-back in the history of the England national team, had struck for Scotland. In one respect, it was the product of a teasing cross by Andy Robertson, into the corridor of uncertainty, luring Aaron Ramsdale off his line, forcing Maguire to commit himself, resulting in an unstoppable finish that bisected goalkeeper and near post. And in another way, it had a sad inevitability. These things happen to Maguire. Were his form or luck or touch better, he would have diverted the ball past the goal, or straight to Ramsdale; perhaps missed it altogether. Now his last two goals have come for Scotland and Sevilla. “Just unfortunate,” said Gareth Southgate of his latest mishap, but Maguire can seem the most unfortunate of footballers, the sport’s equivalent of Unlucky Alf from The Fast Show. If something can go wrong, it often does when Maguire is around. For all his shortcomings as a defender – a lack of pace, particularly on the turn, and a capacity to look cumbersome – he seems on an extended run of bad luck that has lasted for around two years, since Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s reign at Old Trafford started to unravel, since his career nosedived. He has lost the United captaincy; but for Southgate’s stubbornness, he may have lost his England place. But now so much with Maguire has a symbolic feel. When Andre Onana made his United debut in pre-season, when a goal was conceded and both Christian Eriksen and Maguire were culpable, it was the world’s most expensive centre-back he subjected to a very public lambasting. When Declan Rice scored the decisive goal for Arsenal against United last Sunday, it took a telling deflection off Maguire. And when it deflects off him, it somehow seems destined to go in. Such is the unrelenting cruelty of being Maguire; in the highest standard of tournament football, he has proved arguably one of the best centre-backs in England’s history and yet is now a figure of fun. “A joke,” said Southgate, though he was referring to the treatment of Maguire, to the unwanted reputation he has acquired, rather than the player. Yet the Scotland faithful bought into it. They cheered when he was brought on at half-time. They spent much of the next 45 minutes taunting him, making every five-yard square pass an event. They sang about Maguire and, ultimately, so did the England support, trying to reclaim him and hail him. “From a Scotland fan’s point of view, I get it, I have no absolutely no complaints of what they did,” Southgate said. “It is a consequence of ridiculous treatment of him for a long period of time, frankly, and I think our fans recognised, ‘Ok, there might be a bit of heat from our own supporters but we are not going to have it from others getting into him.’” Despite England’s ultimate 3-1 victory, it felt like 45 minutes of relentless torment. Perhaps unnecessary torture: Southgate sent him on at half-time when Marc Guehi went off. If Maguire has been barracked by some opposing fans, it was foreseeable that none would be as keen to heckle him as the Scots. England have had a restorative effect on him at times, amid his troubles with United, but there was nothing rejuvenating about this hostility. And Southgate, often the diplomat, became outspoken. He is his favourite defender’s foremost defender. A scapegoat culture has developed. “It is a joke,” he added. “I have never known a player to be treated the way he is; not from the Scottish fans, by our own commentators and pundits. They have created something that is beyond anything I have ever seen. “He has been an absolute stalwart for us in the second-most successful English team for decades. I have talked about the importance of our senior players, he has been crucial amongst that and every time he goes on the field the resilience he shows, the balls he shows is absolutely incredible. So he is a top player and we are all with him. I feel fairly strongly about it, yes.” Southgate’s argument is that Maguire will not hide. “He has fronted up as he always does, which is enormous credit to his character,” he said. The wider argument is that Southgate should hide him, that the rustiness of not playing enough for United will hinder England, that this seems a case of a player being afforded preferential treatment in selection. And thus one of the most torrid nights of Maguire’s career ended up with a resounding endorsement from his manager. But only after the sort of pratfall that may bring more jokes at Maguire’s expense. Read More Jude Bellingham makes centre stage his own as England’s youngest star sees off oldest rivals Terrible football or bad luck? Social media debates Harry Maguire’s ongoing decline Gareth Southgate says Harry Maguire criticism ‘beyond anything I’ve ever seen’ Criticism has not affected Harry Maguire, says England team-mate Aaron Ramsdale ‘Top-level’ England are the benchmark for improving Scotland – Lewis Ferguson Gareth Southgate says Harry Maguire criticism ‘beyond anything I’ve ever seen’

UEFA has opened a disciplinary case against Croatia after fans displayed a World War II-era fascist flag at a European Championship qualifying game

Polish media is reporting that Fernando Santos is set to leave his role as Poland coach less than nine months after he was hired

Gareth Southgate was delighted with his players’ commitment, togetherness and mentality over the last week as England continue to build towards their goal of winning Euro 2024. Having reached the final of the last edition and impressed in December’s World Cup quarter-final exit to France, the focus is on finally getting their hands on silverware in Germany next summer. Winning their first four Group C matches means it has long been a case of when rather than if England seal their place at the finals, but Saturday’s drab 1-1 qualification draw against Ukraine brought criticism. Southgate’s side bounced back with a slick 3-1 friendly win over old foes Scotland at Hampden Park on Tuesday, bringing a successful camp came to a victorious end. “We’re building all the time,” the England manager said. “We want to keep improving, we keep pushing the players. “We’ve been able to experiment a bit this week as well. Two new centre-backs (Marc Guehi and Lewis Dunk) have come in, relatively inexperienced, and both done really well. “But some of our senior players are so influential – (Kyle) Walker and (Kieran) Trippier were absolutely outstanding (against Scotland). “The impact of our senior players on this group just can’t be underestimated. “Of course, a lot of the headlines will go to some of our younger players and understandably so, but the way that the group form and the way they are as a team is key to getting the types of performance we have (last night).” Southgate’s team are among the favourites to win next summer’s Euros and former international Joe Cole called this side the best England team he has seen his lifetime. “Everybody else can assess that,” the manager said when that was put to him after their impressive Hampden Park triumph. “I think we want to keep pushing the players. “I was really pleased with the week. If you’d said to me before the game, ‘How’s the week been?’ I’d have said, ‘Excellent’. “The players have been fully committed, encouraged each other, trained really well, responded well to a disappointing performance but a really important and good result in Ukraine. “We wanted the sort of mentality that we showed, and they produced that. They were absolutely excellent (at Hampden).” It was an impressive team effort with Real Madrid star Jude Bellingham at its heart in Mount Florida. The 20-year-old played a role in Phil Foden’s opener and three minutes later fired home his second international goal. Bellingham did not stop there as he capped a man-of-the-match display with a fine assist for Harry Kane after Harry Maguire’s own goal temporarily gave Hampden hope. “Well, he was excellent,” Southgate said of the young midfielder. “We thought that position might cause a problem. “I mean, we knew we needed athleticism there to press Scotland because their midfield players can dictate games if you allow them, so that was that was key. “But we knew the way we played the system might create a bit of an overload and his powerful running forwards with Marcus (Rashford) as well, in particular when Harry was dropping low and Phil was dropping low, that gave us a real outlet. “So, it was a nice balance to the team with Kalvin (Phillips) and Dec (Rice) doing a brilliant job of mopping up, destroying things and keeping the ball ticking over well.” Players now return to club matters before convening next month for a Wembley friendly against Australia and qualifier under the arch against Euro 2020 winners Italy. The Group C leaders’ advantage at the top could be cut to three points by the time they host the Azzurri, but bookmakers’ odds of 1-250 on England to qualify for Euro 2024 highlights their position of strength. Scotland are also on the cusp of qualification having won their first five qualifiers. Steve Clarke’s men would have even qualified on Tuesday had Norway and Georgia drawn, but instead the wait continues as they head to second-placed Spain next month looking respond to a deflating loss to the Auld Enemy. Put to Southgate that there appears to be a big gap between England and Scotland, he said: “No, I just think, look, we played exceptionally well. “We were able to nullify a lot of the threats that Scotland pose, so it was a really good performance from us. “I think Scottish fans should be really proud of how their team are going and the job Steve’s doing. “I’m sure there’ll be a huge reaction to the result, but we’ve just said that for three days and I’m sure Steve’s sensible enough to keep calm about that. “We played well, we’ve won the game, but on another night that can look very different.” Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live ‘Top-level’ England are the benchmark for improving Scotland – Lewis Ferguson Football rumours: Martin Odegaard tight lipped about Arsenal contract extension On this day in 2007: McLaren fined £49.2m and stripped of points over ‘spygate’

Tottenham Hotspur legend Gareth Bale has revealed that he's been impressed by Ange Postecoglou's start to life as the club's head coach. Spurs have taken 10 points from a possible 12 so far this season and have played exciting football.

The Serbian player who needed a kidney removed during the Basketball World Cup has been discharged from a Philippines hospital and was able to join his team for its silver-medal celebration in Belgrade

Jude Bellingham is already proving that he has what it takes to help fill the gigantic void left by Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo