South Sudan clinches berth in Paris Olympics as best African team at World Cup
South Sudan is going to the Olympics
1970-01-01 08:00
Liverpool determined to rebuff further Al-Ittihad approaches for Mohamed Salah
Liverpool are determined to rebuff further approaches from Al-Ittihad for Mohamed Salah but the next few days are likely to prove every bit of the challenge manager Jurgen Klopp predicted. Mike Gordon, president of owners Fenway Sports Group, politely but firmly rejected the Saudi Pro League’s offer of a £150million deal for the Egypt international and declared the matter closed as far as the club were concerned. However, with the Pro League’s transfer window open until Thursday, there is the very real prospect Al-Ittihad will return with an improved bid which will have even more of a destabilising effect. Which is why Klopp again expressed his concern about the discrepancy as “nobody (in Europe) can react any more”. When Saudi interest in the 31-year-old first reared its head last month, the Egyptian’s agent Ramy Abbas wrote on Twitter on August 7: “If we considered leaving LFC this year, we wouldn’t have renewed the contract last summer. Mohamed remains committed to LFC.” Abbas has not been as forthcoming this time around and although the Salah bid has undoubtedly loomed large over preparations for Sunday’s visit of Aston Villa, Klopp said he had seen “absolutely nothing” to worry about and that Salah was “super-committed”. However, this week’s developments look like the start of a long goodbye for Salah, who will be 32 next summer and in the final year of his £350,000-a-week contract – which easily makes him the highest-paid player in the club’s history – with Liverpool more likely to be amenable to a sale at that point. While the focus of Salah, who has scored scored 138 goals in 221 Premier League appearances, has never been in doubt, Klopp also believes fellow forward Darwin Nunez has a renewed drive following his match-winning two-goal appearance off the bench at Newcastle last week. “Massive, massive, that’s clear. That’s what he wants, what we want,” Klopp said of the effect it would have on the Uruguay international, who started the season as fifth-choice forward. “It’s exactly how it should have been – being a massive threat. You could, of course, see it the next day. But everybody could feel it.” Villa have impressed under Unai Emery this season as, after an opening-day defeat at Newcastle, they have won four successive matches in all competitions. “Aston Villa is a machine – counter-attack, good organised, everyone committed 100 per cent. When they defend deep then they defend with their all and from there they go,” said Klopp. “It’s a massive game, no doubt about it. Yeah, we have to play a top game to get something out of it. “After that it is the international break, so we could make a good start (and) turn it into a really good start to the season result-wise. “But there are a massive 115 minutes in between now and then.” Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live There is no substitute for international cricket – England’s Jonny Bairstow Novak Djokovic survives scare in bid for record-equalling 24th Grand Slam title Day five at US Open: Novak Djokovic avoids shock as Iga Swiatek upsets best mate
1970-01-01 08:00
Pokimane delights fans with stunning hair transformation: 'My heart fluttered'
Pokimane's makeover sparked excitement within the gaming community, prompting fans to flock to Instagram to share their admiration
1970-01-01 08:00
Jimmy Buffett's laid-back party vibe created adoring 'Parrotheads' and success beyond music
Jimmy Buffett celebrated slackers before the word existed, even though he was hardly one himself
1970-01-01 08:00
100-year-old African tortoise reunited with family after being rescued from canal, officials say
A 100-year-old African tortoise named Biscuit has been reunited with his family after being rescued from a canal, according to the Parish of Ascension in Louisiana.
1970-01-01 08:00
How did those get there? Giant inflatable ducks return to Belfast Harbor in Maine for a third year
In what has become an unexpected annual tradition for a coastal city in Maine, gigantic inflatable ducks are once again floating in Belfast Harbor, and for the third year running, the mystery of how they got there has yet to be solved.
1970-01-01 08:00
College football schedule: What games are on today? Teams, TV Schedule for Week 1
College football is back in our lives this weekend with a full slate of games on Saturday. Here is a list of every game featuring an FBS opponent on tap for your enjoyment on Saturday, Sept. 2.
1970-01-01 08:00
Epicurus: American fast food meets the Middle East in Camden Market
Camden has long been known as the spiritual home for misfits. Come, all ye oddballs, the streets of Camden scream. All are welcome! Although nowadays it’s a little less punk haven and a little more tourist trap (yes, I’m looking at you, pastas dunked into cheese wheels), there are still pockets of Camden that have retained its unconventional charm. It’s also where punky pair and Israeli chefs Shiri Kraus and Amir Batito have set up shop for both their restaurants, The Black Cow and the newer Epicurus, just minutes away from each other. Like The Black Cow, modeled after the classic American steakhouse but infused with Middle Eastern flavours, Epicurus takes its culinary cue from across the pond. This time, Kraus and Batito decided to focus on the all-American diner and put their Israeli twist on classics like pancakes, wings and ribs. When I ask if this is because American food is a bit of a blank slate, Kraus swiftly corrects me; to her, it’s all about the excitement of infusing the character of American cuisine with Israeli flavours and seeing what’s possible. It’s a pairing that I think is unusual, but to the chefs, makes perfect sense. It’s a warm, balmy day when I make my way to Epicurus to meet my friend, as well as Kraus and Batito. The outdoor space is placed tantalisingly in the late afternoon sun, so we bask in it as our tiny table fills up with more plates than is sensible. The quirky menu features punny dish names like “Chip Chip Hooray”, “Raspoutine”, “Top Dog” and “Sloppy Yossef”, which I find immediately endearing – my love for a good (or even bad) puns knows no bounds. We are instructed to eat as many things as possible with our hands, although Kraus concedes: “You could use a fork, I’ll only judge in silence.” We find delight in the “Oof Gozal” – chicken wings coated in a yellow Amba mango and Scotch bonnet sauce. Despite the use of the fearsome chilli, these wings are barely spicy, favouring the flavour of the Scotch bonnet over the heat. They are incredibly moreish and the fact that your fingers end up being absolutely covered in sauce is only an invitation to get licking. You should also definitely get the “Papi Chulo”, a mix of crunchy deep-fried okra and soft padron peppers covered in spices that come with a lemony-garlicky-chilli aioli for dipping. It’s brilliant for snacking on in the sun. Another honourable mention goes to the Epicurus single decker burger, which is also available as a double. It contains some of the richest, fattiest ingredients I’ve ever seen between buns, like bone marrow aioli and Baron cheese, and it does border on being a bit too unctuous. The Harissa bacon jam helps pull it back a little, but only just. Would I eat it again? Definitely. But I probably would get a salad instead of chips to make myself feel slightly better about ingesting all that fat. I am usually glad when menus don’t have calorie counts – even when they do, I avert my gaze determinedly – and boy, am I really glad there’s no calorie count on this menu. Not everything hits the spot, which I’m hoping Kraus and Batito will be able to tweak until they do. The “Dakdakim”, pancakes stuffed with pulled shawarma chicken, has the trappings of something great, but the addition of both bacon jam and spiced quince make the dish too sickly sweet. Meanwhile, the rack of babyback ribs covered in a deliciously tart-yet-sweet date honey and pomegranate molasses needs a bit more fat on the bones to make it truly delectable – otherwise the mouth-puckering quality of the sauce make the too-lean ribs a bit too dry to really enjoy. But these are small gripes, and ones that I’m happy to forgive if they are improved upon. Is it worth elbowing your way through the thronging crowds of Camden Lock Market to get to Epicurus? I think it will be. Never mind the cheap tat and endless boba tea shops (most of which are simply not very good, there are better places to visit boba tea that isn’t just a sugar bomb) – head to Epicurus for a tasty escape. Epicurus, Unit 90, Camden Stables Market, Greater, London NW1 8AH | www.epicuruscamden.co.uk | 07843 199560 Read More Dorshi, Dorset: Funky Malaysian dumplings are a hit on the south coast National Burger Day 2023: The best burgers in London and where to eat them The best outdoor restaurants, terraces and rooftop bars in London to book now
1970-01-01 08:00
Barclays Says ‘Active Policy Support’ to Benefit Turkey, Russia
Analysts at Barclays Plc are turning more upbeat on the economic outlook for Turkey and Russia, where “active
1970-01-01 08:00
Spalletti carries 'giant' Italian flag his mom made for him to national team job
New national team coach Luciano Spalletti says he will carry an Italian flag that his mom made for him when he was 11 onto the Azzurri bench
1970-01-01 08:00
The strange way Elon Musk spent the night after he made his offer to buy Twitter
It is no secret that Elon Musk is a quirky individual, so it is no surprise that how he chose to spend the evening after he made his offer to buy Twitter was rather odd. According to Grimes, his on-off girlfriend, the tech mogul stayed up all night playing video games after putting the offer in for the app now known as X. Grimes shared the anecdote to Walter Isaacson for his upcoming biography on the world's richest person — an excerpt of which was published by the Wall Street Journal. She said he flew to Vancouver to meet her parents but then stayed in the hotel because he was in "stress mode" and played the fantasy game Elden Ring on a laptop he had with him. "Instead of sleeping, he played until 5:30 in the morning," Grimes told Isaacson. Since purchasing Twitter last year, Musk has brought in a number of changes including making users pay for their verifying blue ticks and changing the name and logo to X. It seems more changes are afoot, and he recently announced the possibility of video and audio calls on the social media platform. As for playing video games all through the night... whatever calms you down, we guess. Sign up to our free Indy100 weekly newsletter Have your say in our news democracy. Click the upvote icon at the top of the page to help raise this article through the indy100 rankings.
1970-01-01 08:00
Dozens of prison officers freed after being taken hostage in Ecuador jails
Fifty prison guards and seven police officers have been freed after being taken hostage by inmates held in six prisons across Ecuador, authorities said, part of a coordinated protest against security operations being conducted inside the country's violence-plagued penitentiaries.
1970-01-01 08:00
