Royal Mail's takeover by Czech billionaire Daniel Kretinsky will face a government probe, including into potential links with Russia, the BBC understands.
Officials have "called in" the purchase of the postal service's parent company for an investigation under the National Security and Investment Act.
The bid will be suspended, a routine process anytime the government reviews a takeover, but it does not mean that Mr Kretinsky has withdrawn from the deal.
The government could block the deal, though a similar review when Mr Kretinsky increased his stake in Royal Mail found nothing. Mr Kretinsky declined to comment.
However, the BBC understands this probe will be more thorough than last time because Mr Kretinsky is trying to buy the whole parent company in a £5bn deal, including assumed debts, as opposed to a stake.
Mr Kretinsky's companies own a gas transmission business called EUStream that carries Russian gas into Europe but with the knowledge and permission of the EU.
It is a transmission business only and none of Mr Kretinsky's companies buy or trade in Russian gas.
As well as links to Russia, officials will look at whether the UK could be hurt by the private purchase of a postal service that has been delivering mail since it was founded by Henry VIII.
Premier League newcomers Ipswich Town have signed Conor Townsend for £750,000 from Championship club West Bromwich Albion.
Full-back Townsend, 31, has signed a two-year contract with Ipswich, who start their first season back in the Premier League since 2002 at home to Liverpool on 17 August.
"To play in the Premier League again is a big challenge for me and this kind of opportunity doesn’t come around very often so I jumped at the chance," Townsend, who has Premier League experience with both Albion and Hull City, told Ipswich's website., external
"The move came around quite quickly and I'm excited to get started."
Townsend is the latest addition to Kieran McKenna's squad as Ipswich get ready for their first season in the top flight for 22 years.
Ipswich have signed have signed Chelsea forward Omari Hutchinson, 20, in a club record deal believed to be worth an initial £20m - with a further £2.5m potentially due in performance-related add-ons.
They have also added former West Ham defender Ben Johnson, 24, on a free transfer, Hull City centre-back Jacob Greaves, 23, for an undisclosed fee, forward Liam Delap, 21, from Manchester City in a deal which could be worth up to £20m and Kosovo goalkeeper Arijanet Muric, 25, from Burnley in a deal worth up to £15m.
Men's doubles - *Fritz/Paul 6-2 5-2 Evans/Murray
A fourth break point for Andy Murray and Dan Evans!
British tennis icon Andy Murray's illustrious career ended with a straight-set defeat in the Olympic men's doubles quarter-finals.
Murray and Dan Evans lost 6-2 6-4 to American third seeds Taylor Fritz and Tommy Paul.
Murray, 37, confirmed before the Paris Games that it would be his final event before retiring from the sport.
After a long hug with Evans at the baseline, Murray was visibly emotional at the noise created by the fans at Roland Garros chanting his name in loving appreciation.
Evans gently encouraged his team-mate to go into the centre of the court for one final time as he waved to all sides before disappearing to the locker room.
A fifth Olympics is the final juncture of a tumultuous journey which led Murray to three Grand Slam titles and the top of the world rankings.
After a season disrupted by injuries, including surgery to remove a back cyst just five weeks ago, it was testament to the perseverance he has always shown that he was even able to play at Paris 2024.
The rollercoaster nature of his career, and his ability to wring every last drop from it, was epitomised by the epic victories which Scotland's Murray and England's Evans recorded to reach the last eight.
The pair saved five match points before fighting back against Japan's Taro Daniel and Kei Nishikori on Sunday, then fought off another two against Belgian pair Sander Gille and Joran Vliegen.
But another Herculean effort against opponents of Fritz and Paul's stature proved out of reach.
Having started playing professionally as a teenager in 2005, Murray went on to win three Grand Slam titles - including the 2012 Wimbledon triumph which ended Britain's 77-year wait for a home men’s singles champion.
In 2016, Murray was the first British player to become the men's world number one, reaching the pinnacle of the sport after a stellar season which ended up being the best of his career.
But his career was stalled by a hip injury which began to hamper him in 2017.
After attempts to play through the pain, it led to a resurfacing surgery - where a metal cap is inserted into the joint - in 2019 which he thought would end his playing days.
Amazingly, Murray resumed his singles career. He even won another ATP title in Antwerp later in 2019 and went on to record more memorable Grand Slam matches.
However, he was never the same player and unable to forge another deep run at a major.
More setbacks continued this year, leading him to the conclusion that it was finally time to call it day.
A celebration of his career followed at Wimbledon last month and, although he has long recognised there is no "perfect end" to a tennis career, hoped another Olympics medal alongside Evans would be as fitting as it could be.
Great Britain continued their most successful start to a summer Olympics as they collected three gold medals on day seven in Paris.
It means Team GB have nine golds after seven days at the Games for the first time ever.
Friday's impressive showing delivered seven medals in total as Britain's overall tally at the Games rose to 27, and they climbed briefly to third in standings in the afternoon.
By Friday evening, it was party time for hosts France as they enjoyed success at the Champ de Mars Arena, in the pool and then spectacularly on the BMX track.
A week after igniting the Olympic cauldron, France's Teddy Riner put his own name back up in lights as he became the most decorated judoka ever in the Games.
Leon Marchand became the first French athlete to take four individual golds at a single summer Olympics and only the third male swimmer to achieve the feat, after American greats Michael Phelps and Mark Spitz.
Joris Daudet, Sylvain Andre and Romain Mahieu then took a clean sweep of the medals in the men's BMX racing final, although ugly scenes at the final whistle marred France's 1-0 win over Argentina in the quarter-finals of the men's football.
Silver medals for Duncan Scott, behind Marchand in the 200m individual medley, and Ben Proud in the 50m freestyle ensured a satisfactory end to the night for Britain.
Success for the British team had arrived early on with three medals across rowing and diving.
Emily Craig and Imogen Grant won gold in the women's lightweight double sculls, while men's pair Ollie Wynne-Griffith and Tom George claimed silver after being pipped on the line by Croatia.
Divers Anthony Harding and Jack Laugher added to the tally with bronze in the men's 3m synchro springboard final. Bryony Page stormed to gold in the trampoline - and in the equestrian arena, GB triumphed in the team jumping final.
GB sprinter Jeremiah Azu suffered the heartbreak of being disqualified from the Olympic men's 100m heats in Paris because of a false start, after his appeal was turned down.
Azu fought his case after the sanction, citing the noise in the stadium with the pole vault ongoing and French interest getting the crowd excited.
The 23-year-old Welshman was not allowed to race and his subsequent protest was turned down, leaving him bereft.
"Honestly I reacted to a sound,” Azu told BBC One.
"It's a shame, the crowd is so excited, they have got the pole vault going on, the French fans are in here.
"It's a shame they did not let me run under protest. I am not sure what rules are being used.
"I was saying I want to run under protest. Any other race they allow you to run and then afterwards you review it. It's the Olympics so it is clearly different rules."
Although Azu's individual dream is over he can at least expect to be involved in GB's 4x100m men's relay next week.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rog8ou-ZepE
Novak Djokovic beat Carlos Alcaraz in thrilling fashion to secure a long-awaited Olympic title and complete the career 'Golden Slam'.
Djokovic, who has won a men's record 24 majors and swept up every title there is in tennis, finally clinched Olympic gold at his fifth Games.
The Serb, 37, put in his best performance of the year to beat French Open and Wimbledon champion Alcaraz 7-6 (7-3) 7-6 (7-2) in front of a packed crowd in Paris.
He sealed the title with a forehand winner, then turned towards his box - arms outstretched in disbelief - before throwing his racquet to the floor after a draining match which lasted just under three hours.
After hugging Spain's Alcaraz, Djokovic immediately burst into tears and fell to his knees in the middle of the court.
He then unfurled a Serbian flag and clambered into the stands to celebrate with his family and support team.
Djokovic is just the fifth player to win the 'Golden Slam' in singles - all four majors and the Olympic title - after Rafael Nadal, Serena Williams, Andre Agassi and Steffi Graf.
"Everything I felt in that moment when I won surpassed everything I thought or hoped that it would," said Djokovic.
"Being on that court with the Serbian flag raising, singing the Serbian anthem, with the gold around my neck, I think nothing can beat that in terms of professional sport.
"It definitely stands out as the biggest sporting achievement I have had."
Alcaraz, 21, was also in tears after the match, but will leave with a silver medal on his Olympic debut.
Italy's Lorenzo Musetti is the singles bronze medallist, having beaten Felix Auger-Aliassime of Canada on Friday.
Former England and Surrey batter Graham Thorpe has died aged 55, it has been announced.
Thorpe played 100 Tests for England between 1993 and 2005, as well as 82 one-day internationals.
A stylish left-handed batter, he scored 6,744 Test runs for England, including 16 centuries, at an average of 44.66.
Current England captain Ben Stokes was among those to pay tribute to Thorpe, along with the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) and Surrey, while Michael Vaughan said his former team-mate was a "legend" who had "gone far too young".
"There seem to be no appropriate words to describe the deep shock we feel at Graham's death," the ECB said in a statement.
"More than one of England's finest-ever batters, he was a beloved member of the cricket family and revered by fans all over the world.
"His skill was unquestioned, and his abilities and achievements across a 13-year international career brought so much happiness to his team-mates and England and Surrey CCC supporters alike.
"Later, as a coach, he guided the best England men's talent to some incredible victories across all formats of the game.
"The cricket world is in mourning today. Our hearts go out to his wife Amanda, his children, father Geoff, and all of his family and friends during this unimaginably difficult time.
"We will always remember Graham for his extraordinary contributions to the sport."
Thorpe spent his entire first-class playing career at Surrey, whom he represented from 1988 to 2005.
Surrey chair Oli Slipper said Thorpe "is one of the great sons" of the county and "there is an overwhelming sadness that he will not walk through the gates of the Oval again".
Surrey chief executive Steve Elworthy added: "He achieved remarkable feats for club and country and was a hero to so many cricket fans."
Thorpe scored an unbeaten 114 in the second innings of his Test debut against Australia in 1993 and had a Test best of 200 not out, made against New Zealand in 2002.
He began coaching in Australia after retiring from playing in 2005, working with New South Wales before joining the England set-up from 2010 to 2022.
Thorpe was appointed head coach of Afghanistan in March 2022, but he was admitted to hospital with a serious illness before he could join the team.
BBC cricket correspondent Jonathan Agnew said Thorpe was a "mainstay of England's middle order throughout the 1990s" and called him "a gritty and unfussy left-hander".
Agnew added that, after it had been announced that Thorpe had been admitted to hospital in 2022 in a serious condition, "no details were given and there have been no public updates until today".
The cause of Thorpe's death has not been announced.
England captain Stokes wore a special shirt in support of Thorpe in June 2022 after the Professional Cricketers' Association said the ex-England batter was "seriously ill".
The shirt had Thorpe's name and the number 564 on the back - signifying his status as the 564th player to be capped by England.
Stokes donned the shirt at the toss for the first Test against New Zealand at Lord's.
He posted a picture on social media of himself in the shirt on Monday, along with a series of heart emojis following the news about Thorpe’s death.
England batter and former captain Joe Root described Thorpe as a "hero, mentor and so much more".
Vaughan, another ex-England skipper, thanked Thorpe "for all the advice throughout my career".
Vaughan added: "You were a great player and a brilliant team-mate. You have gone far too young but you leave as an England cricket legend."
Graham Thorpe - Obituary:
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/cricket/articles/c0xx3435g0vo
A US judge has ruled Google acted illegally to crush competition and maintain a monopoly on online search and related advertising.
The landmark decision on Monday is a major blow to Alphabet, Google's parent company, and could reshape how technology giants do business.
Google was sued by the US Department of Justice in 2020 over its control of about 90% of the online search market.
It is one of several lawsuits filed against the big tech companies as US antitrust authorities attempt to strengthen competition in the industry.
In the decision, US District Judge Amit Mehta said Google had paid billions to ensure it is the default search engine on smartphones and browsers.
“Google is a monopolist, and it has acted as one to maintain its monopoly,” Judge Mehta wrote in his 277-page opinion.
Alphabet plans to appeal against the ruling, Reuters reports.
US Attorney General Merrick Garland, the country's top prosecutor, hailed the ruling as a "historic win for the American people".
“No company - no matter how large or influential - is above the law," Mr Garland said in a statement on Monday. "The Justice Department will continue to vigorously enforce our antitrust laws.”
Federal antitrust regulators have filed other pending lawsuits against Big Tech companies - including Meta Platforms, which owns Facebook, Amazon.com and Apple Inc - accusing them of operating unlawful monopolies.
A dolphin has been found dead on the bank of the Thames in west London, days after one was spotted in the river last week.
On Thursday, a dolphin nicknamed Jo Jo was spotted swimming between the Hammersmith and Putney bridges.
However, on Monday morning a dolphin was pictured dead on the bank of the river near Chelsea Harbour Pier.
Another dolphin was reportedly found on the riverbank at Greenwich but it is not known when it had died.
The British Divers Marine Life Rescue (BDMLR) was tracking Jo Jo on Thursday.
Mary Tester, Thames area coordinator for BDMLR, told BBC London that two dead dolphins found in recent days may been from the same pod.
She said: "Normally when we have seen dolphins in the past they have been around Greenwich or Canary Wharf, so for them to be spotted this far up the river is quite odd and so many sightings in quick succession - that has never happened before."
Two dolphins were stopped swimming in the Thames close to Canary Wharf before sightings of Jo Jo were reported.
Ms Tester said autopsies on the dolphins may shed light on what had caused their deaths.
A Port of London Authority spokesperson said: "We are aware of a dolphin that sadly died. We are working with the Cetaceans Stranding Investigation Programme to recover the animal."
An Australian father-of-three was killed by a crocodile after falling into a river when a path gave way, his family have said.
Dr Dave Hogbin was on holiday in Queensland with his wife and three boys when a riverbank gave way and he fell into the Annan River in Cooktown.
His wife tried to pull him out of the water, but she too began slipping down the river bank, prompting him to let go of her arm. His family called him a "hero", hailing his "final selfless act".
Queensland Police said they believed human remains found in a crocodile in Cooktown to be of a 40-year-old man, from New South Wales, who went missing on Saturday. The remains are yet to be formally identified.
Writing for News.com.au, journalist Alexis Carey, sister-in-law of Dr Hogbin, said his family wanted to speak out to raise awareness over how dangerous the area is and so his children "know exactly how amazing a man he really was".
Dr Hogbin, from Newcastle, New South Wales, had been on a camping holiday with his wife Jane and three sons - aged seven, five and two - when he was taken by a 4.9m (16ft) crocodile on Saturday afternoon, she wrote.
Clearing up an initial suggestion from police that he had been fishing, Ms Carey said the family had been walking along a path on a 5m (16ft) river bank when a portion of it gave way and he was unable to get out of the water.
She said his wife slid down to pull Dr Hogbin out and was able to grab his arm, but she also began slipping into the river herself.
"Dave’s final, decisive act was to let go of Jane’s arm when he realised she was falling in, despite knowing she was his only lifeline. Within moments, he was taken," Ms Carey said.
"Dave’s brave decision in that terrifying moment very likely saved his wife’s life, ensuring she was able to return to their boys."
She said the fact his children did not witness their dad's final moments was a "small piece of consolation".
Dr Hogbin's wife, Jane, said: “We were just enjoying a standard day of our holiday and everything just changed within 30 seconds. He wasn’t doing anything wrong – in fact, he was doing everything right, and this still happened...
“He saved me – his last act was to not pull me in with him."
Paying tribute to her husband, she described him as a dedicated father and "fiercely loyal and protective".
A GoFundMe page set up to help support the family has raised more than A$56,600 (£28,880).
Queensland Police said the remains found in the crocodile would be tested further to aid identification.
A report for the coroner is being prepared and the search has been suspended.
Spain captain Alvaro Morata and team-mate Rodri have been banned for one game by Uefa after they chanted "Gibraltar is Spanish" during their side's Euro 2024 victory celebrations.
The Gibraltar Football Association (GFA) made an official complaint about the celebrations to European football's governing body before the pair were charged.
Uefa has now suspended Morata and Rodri "for failing to comply with the general principles of conduct, for violating the basic rules of decent conduct, for using sporting events for manifestations of a non-sporting nature and for bringing the sport of football, and Uefa in particular, into disrepute".
They are banned for Spain's next game, which is against Serbia on Thursday, 5 September.
Gibraltar is an enclave at Spain's southern tip that has been under British rule since the 18th century, and Spain has long called for its return.
The chanting took place in front of tens of thousands of Spain fans in Cibeles Square, Madrid on 15 July as players celebrated their 2-1 Euro 2024 final victory over England.
Manchester City midfielder Rodri, 28, could be seen chanting "Gibraltar is Spanish" on the stage, and AC Milan striker Morata, 31, later encouraged the crowd to join in with the same chant.
The Gibraltar FA complained about Spain's behaviour, saying it had "noted the extremely provocative and insulting nature of the celebrations around the Spanish men's national team winning Euro 2024".
"Football has no place for behaviour of this nature," it added.
Gibraltar has been a full member of Uefa since 2013.
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News, Facts & Trivia Archive 1912
Page 13135 of 13166
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posted on 1/8/24
Royal Mail's takeover by Czech billionaire Daniel Kretinsky will face a government probe, including into potential links with Russia, the BBC understands.
Officials have "called in" the purchase of the postal service's parent company for an investigation under the National Security and Investment Act.
The bid will be suspended, a routine process anytime the government reviews a takeover, but it does not mean that Mr Kretinsky has withdrawn from the deal.
The government could block the deal, though a similar review when Mr Kretinsky increased his stake in Royal Mail found nothing. Mr Kretinsky declined to comment.
However, the BBC understands this probe will be more thorough than last time because Mr Kretinsky is trying to buy the whole parent company in a £5bn deal, including assumed debts, as opposed to a stake.
Mr Kretinsky's companies own a gas transmission business called EUStream that carries Russian gas into Europe but with the knowledge and permission of the EU.
It is a transmission business only and none of Mr Kretinsky's companies buy or trade in Russian gas.
As well as links to Russia, officials will look at whether the UK could be hurt by the private purchase of a postal service that has been delivering mail since it was founded by Henry VIII.
posted on 1/8/24
Premier League newcomers Ipswich Town have signed Conor Townsend for £750,000 from Championship club West Bromwich Albion.
Full-back Townsend, 31, has signed a two-year contract with Ipswich, who start their first season back in the Premier League since 2002 at home to Liverpool on 17 August.
"To play in the Premier League again is a big challenge for me and this kind of opportunity doesn’t come around very often so I jumped at the chance," Townsend, who has Premier League experience with both Albion and Hull City, told Ipswich's website., external
"The move came around quite quickly and I'm excited to get started."
Townsend is the latest addition to Kieran McKenna's squad as Ipswich get ready for their first season in the top flight for 22 years.
Ipswich have signed have signed Chelsea forward Omari Hutchinson, 20, in a club record deal believed to be worth an initial £20m - with a further £2.5m potentially due in performance-related add-ons.
They have also added former West Ham defender Ben Johnson, 24, on a free transfer, Hull City centre-back Jacob Greaves, 23, for an undisclosed fee, forward Liam Delap, 21, from Manchester City in a deal which could be worth up to £20m and Kosovo goalkeeper Arijanet Muric, 25, from Burnley in a deal worth up to £15m.
posted on 1/8/24
Men's doubles - *Fritz/Paul 6-2 5-2 Evans/Murray
A fourth break point for Andy Murray and Dan Evans!
posted on 1/8/24
British tennis icon Andy Murray's illustrious career ended with a straight-set defeat in the Olympic men's doubles quarter-finals.
Murray and Dan Evans lost 6-2 6-4 to American third seeds Taylor Fritz and Tommy Paul.
Murray, 37, confirmed before the Paris Games that it would be his final event before retiring from the sport.
After a long hug with Evans at the baseline, Murray was visibly emotional at the noise created by the fans at Roland Garros chanting his name in loving appreciation.
Evans gently encouraged his team-mate to go into the centre of the court for one final time as he waved to all sides before disappearing to the locker room.
A fifth Olympics is the final juncture of a tumultuous journey which led Murray to three Grand Slam titles and the top of the world rankings.
posted on 1/8/24
After a season disrupted by injuries, including surgery to remove a back cyst just five weeks ago, it was testament to the perseverance he has always shown that he was even able to play at Paris 2024.
The rollercoaster nature of his career, and his ability to wring every last drop from it, was epitomised by the epic victories which Scotland's Murray and England's Evans recorded to reach the last eight.
The pair saved five match points before fighting back against Japan's Taro Daniel and Kei Nishikori on Sunday, then fought off another two against Belgian pair Sander Gille and Joran Vliegen.
But another Herculean effort against opponents of Fritz and Paul's stature proved out of reach.
posted on 1/8/24
Having started playing professionally as a teenager in 2005, Murray went on to win three Grand Slam titles - including the 2012 Wimbledon triumph which ended Britain's 77-year wait for a home men’s singles champion.
In 2016, Murray was the first British player to become the men's world number one, reaching the pinnacle of the sport after a stellar season which ended up being the best of his career.
But his career was stalled by a hip injury which began to hamper him in 2017.
After attempts to play through the pain, it led to a resurfacing surgery - where a metal cap is inserted into the joint - in 2019 which he thought would end his playing days.
Amazingly, Murray resumed his singles career. He even won another ATP title in Antwerp later in 2019 and went on to record more memorable Grand Slam matches.
However, he was never the same player and unable to forge another deep run at a major.
More setbacks continued this year, leading him to the conclusion that it was finally time to call it day.
A celebration of his career followed at Wimbledon last month and, although he has long recognised there is no "perfect end" to a tennis career, hoped another Olympics medal alongside Evans would be as fitting as it could be.
posted on 3/8/24
Great Britain continued their most successful start to a summer Olympics as they collected three gold medals on day seven in Paris.
It means Team GB have nine golds after seven days at the Games for the first time ever.
Friday's impressive showing delivered seven medals in total as Britain's overall tally at the Games rose to 27, and they climbed briefly to third in standings in the afternoon.
posted on 3/8/24
By Friday evening, it was party time for hosts France as they enjoyed success at the Champ de Mars Arena, in the pool and then spectacularly on the BMX track.
A week after igniting the Olympic cauldron, France's Teddy Riner put his own name back up in lights as he became the most decorated judoka ever in the Games.
Leon Marchand became the first French athlete to take four individual golds at a single summer Olympics and only the third male swimmer to achieve the feat, after American greats Michael Phelps and Mark Spitz.
Joris Daudet, Sylvain Andre and Romain Mahieu then took a clean sweep of the medals in the men's BMX racing final, although ugly scenes at the final whistle marred France's 1-0 win over Argentina in the quarter-finals of the men's football.
Silver medals for Duncan Scott, behind Marchand in the 200m individual medley, and Ben Proud in the 50m freestyle ensured a satisfactory end to the night for Britain.
Success for the British team had arrived early on with three medals across rowing and diving.
Emily Craig and Imogen Grant won gold in the women's lightweight double sculls, while men's pair Ollie Wynne-Griffith and Tom George claimed silver after being pipped on the line by Croatia.
Divers Anthony Harding and Jack Laugher added to the tally with bronze in the men's 3m synchro springboard final. Bryony Page stormed to gold in the trampoline - and in the equestrian arena, GB triumphed in the team jumping final.
posted on 3/8/24
GB sprinter Jeremiah Azu suffered the heartbreak of being disqualified from the Olympic men's 100m heats in Paris because of a false start, after his appeal was turned down.
Azu fought his case after the sanction, citing the noise in the stadium with the pole vault ongoing and French interest getting the crowd excited.
The 23-year-old Welshman was not allowed to race and his subsequent protest was turned down, leaving him bereft.
"Honestly I reacted to a sound,” Azu told BBC One.
"It's a shame, the crowd is so excited, they have got the pole vault going on, the French fans are in here.
"It's a shame they did not let me run under protest. I am not sure what rules are being used.
"I was saying I want to run under protest. Any other race they allow you to run and then afterwards you review it. It's the Olympics so it is clearly different rules."
Although Azu's individual dream is over he can at least expect to be involved in GB's 4x100m men's relay next week.
posted on 4/8/24
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rog8ou-ZepE
posted on 4/8/24
Cody Rhodes
posted on 4/8/24
Summerslam
posted on 4/8/24
Novak Djokovic beat Carlos Alcaraz in thrilling fashion to secure a long-awaited Olympic title and complete the career 'Golden Slam'.
Djokovic, who has won a men's record 24 majors and swept up every title there is in tennis, finally clinched Olympic gold at his fifth Games.
The Serb, 37, put in his best performance of the year to beat French Open and Wimbledon champion Alcaraz 7-6 (7-3) 7-6 (7-2) in front of a packed crowd in Paris.
He sealed the title with a forehand winner, then turned towards his box - arms outstretched in disbelief - before throwing his racquet to the floor after a draining match which lasted just under three hours.
After hugging Spain's Alcaraz, Djokovic immediately burst into tears and fell to his knees in the middle of the court.
He then unfurled a Serbian flag and clambered into the stands to celebrate with his family and support team.
posted on 4/8/24
Djokovic is just the fifth player to win the 'Golden Slam' in singles - all four majors and the Olympic title - after Rafael Nadal, Serena Williams, Andre Agassi and Steffi Graf.
"Everything I felt in that moment when I won surpassed everything I thought or hoped that it would," said Djokovic.
"Being on that court with the Serbian flag raising, singing the Serbian anthem, with the gold around my neck, I think nothing can beat that in terms of professional sport.
"It definitely stands out as the biggest sporting achievement I have had."
Alcaraz, 21, was also in tears after the match, but will leave with a silver medal on his Olympic debut.
Italy's Lorenzo Musetti is the singles bronze medallist, having beaten Felix Auger-Aliassime of Canada on Friday.
posted on 5/8/24
Former England and Surrey batter Graham Thorpe has died aged 55, it has been announced.
Thorpe played 100 Tests for England between 1993 and 2005, as well as 82 one-day internationals.
A stylish left-handed batter, he scored 6,744 Test runs for England, including 16 centuries, at an average of 44.66.
Current England captain Ben Stokes was among those to pay tribute to Thorpe, along with the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) and Surrey, while Michael Vaughan said his former team-mate was a "legend" who had "gone far too young".
"There seem to be no appropriate words to describe the deep shock we feel at Graham's death," the ECB said in a statement.
"More than one of England's finest-ever batters, he was a beloved member of the cricket family and revered by fans all over the world.
"His skill was unquestioned, and his abilities and achievements across a 13-year international career brought so much happiness to his team-mates and England and Surrey CCC supporters alike.
"Later, as a coach, he guided the best England men's talent to some incredible victories across all formats of the game.
"The cricket world is in mourning today. Our hearts go out to his wife Amanda, his children, father Geoff, and all of his family and friends during this unimaginably difficult time.
"We will always remember Graham for his extraordinary contributions to the sport."
posted on 5/8/24
Thorpe spent his entire first-class playing career at Surrey, whom he represented from 1988 to 2005.
Surrey chair Oli Slipper said Thorpe "is one of the great sons" of the county and "there is an overwhelming sadness that he will not walk through the gates of the Oval again".
Surrey chief executive Steve Elworthy added: "He achieved remarkable feats for club and country and was a hero to so many cricket fans."
Thorpe scored an unbeaten 114 in the second innings of his Test debut against Australia in 1993 and had a Test best of 200 not out, made against New Zealand in 2002.
He began coaching in Australia after retiring from playing in 2005, working with New South Wales before joining the England set-up from 2010 to 2022.
Thorpe was appointed head coach of Afghanistan in March 2022, but he was admitted to hospital with a serious illness before he could join the team.
BBC cricket correspondent Jonathan Agnew said Thorpe was a "mainstay of England's middle order throughout the 1990s" and called him "a gritty and unfussy left-hander".
Agnew added that, after it had been announced that Thorpe had been admitted to hospital in 2022 in a serious condition, "no details were given and there have been no public updates until today".
The cause of Thorpe's death has not been announced.
posted on 5/8/24
England captain Stokes wore a special shirt in support of Thorpe in June 2022 after the Professional Cricketers' Association said the ex-England batter was "seriously ill".
The shirt had Thorpe's name and the number 564 on the back - signifying his status as the 564th player to be capped by England.
Stokes donned the shirt at the toss for the first Test against New Zealand at Lord's.
He posted a picture on social media of himself in the shirt on Monday, along with a series of heart emojis following the news about Thorpe’s death.
England batter and former captain Joe Root described Thorpe as a "hero, mentor and so much more".
Vaughan, another ex-England skipper, thanked Thorpe "for all the advice throughout my career".
Vaughan added: "You were a great player and a brilliant team-mate. You have gone far too young but you leave as an England cricket legend."
posted on 5/8/24
posted on 5/8/24
Graham Thorpe - Obituary:
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/cricket/articles/c0xx3435g0vo
posted on 5/8/24
A US judge has ruled Google acted illegally to crush competition and maintain a monopoly on online search and related advertising.
The landmark decision on Monday is a major blow to Alphabet, Google's parent company, and could reshape how technology giants do business.
Google was sued by the US Department of Justice in 2020 over its control of about 90% of the online search market.
It is one of several lawsuits filed against the big tech companies as US antitrust authorities attempt to strengthen competition in the industry.
In the decision, US District Judge Amit Mehta said Google had paid billions to ensure it is the default search engine on smartphones and browsers.
“Google is a monopolist, and it has acted as one to maintain its monopoly,” Judge Mehta wrote in his 277-page opinion.
Alphabet plans to appeal against the ruling, Reuters reports.
US Attorney General Merrick Garland, the country's top prosecutor, hailed the ruling as a "historic win for the American people".
“No company - no matter how large or influential - is above the law," Mr Garland said in a statement on Monday. "The Justice Department will continue to vigorously enforce our antitrust laws.”
Federal antitrust regulators have filed other pending lawsuits against Big Tech companies - including Meta Platforms, which owns Facebook, Amazon.com and Apple Inc - accusing them of operating unlawful monopolies.
posted on 5/8/24
A dolphin has been found dead on the bank of the Thames in west London, days after one was spotted in the river last week.
On Thursday, a dolphin nicknamed Jo Jo was spotted swimming between the Hammersmith and Putney bridges.
However, on Monday morning a dolphin was pictured dead on the bank of the river near Chelsea Harbour Pier.
Another dolphin was reportedly found on the riverbank at Greenwich but it is not known when it had died.
The British Divers Marine Life Rescue (BDMLR) was tracking Jo Jo on Thursday.
Mary Tester, Thames area coordinator for BDMLR, told BBC London that two dead dolphins found in recent days may been from the same pod.
She said: "Normally when we have seen dolphins in the past they have been around Greenwich or Canary Wharf, so for them to be spotted this far up the river is quite odd and so many sightings in quick succession - that has never happened before."
Two dolphins were stopped swimming in the Thames close to Canary Wharf before sightings of Jo Jo were reported.
Ms Tester said autopsies on the dolphins may shed light on what had caused their deaths.
A Port of London Authority spokesperson said: "We are aware of a dolphin that sadly died. We are working with the Cetaceans Stranding Investigation Programme to recover the animal."
posted on 6/8/24
An Australian father-of-three was killed by a crocodile after falling into a river when a path gave way, his family have said.
Dr Dave Hogbin was on holiday in Queensland with his wife and three boys when a riverbank gave way and he fell into the Annan River in Cooktown.
His wife tried to pull him out of the water, but she too began slipping down the river bank, prompting him to let go of her arm. His family called him a "hero", hailing his "final selfless act".
Queensland Police said they believed human remains found in a crocodile in Cooktown to be of a 40-year-old man, from New South Wales, who went missing on Saturday. The remains are yet to be formally identified.
Writing for News.com.au, journalist Alexis Carey, sister-in-law of Dr Hogbin, said his family wanted to speak out to raise awareness over how dangerous the area is and so his children "know exactly how amazing a man he really was".
Dr Hogbin, from Newcastle, New South Wales, had been on a camping holiday with his wife Jane and three sons - aged seven, five and two - when he was taken by a 4.9m (16ft) crocodile on Saturday afternoon, she wrote.
Clearing up an initial suggestion from police that he had been fishing, Ms Carey said the family had been walking along a path on a 5m (16ft) river bank when a portion of it gave way and he was unable to get out of the water.
She said his wife slid down to pull Dr Hogbin out and was able to grab his arm, but she also began slipping into the river herself.
posted on 6/8/24
"Dave’s final, decisive act was to let go of Jane’s arm when he realised she was falling in, despite knowing she was his only lifeline. Within moments, he was taken," Ms Carey said.
"Dave’s brave decision in that terrifying moment very likely saved his wife’s life, ensuring she was able to return to their boys."
She said the fact his children did not witness their dad's final moments was a "small piece of consolation".
Dr Hogbin's wife, Jane, said: “We were just enjoying a standard day of our holiday and everything just changed within 30 seconds. He wasn’t doing anything wrong – in fact, he was doing everything right, and this still happened...
“He saved me – his last act was to not pull me in with him."
Paying tribute to her husband, she described him as a dedicated father and "fiercely loyal and protective".
A GoFundMe page set up to help support the family has raised more than A$56,600 (£28,880).
Queensland Police said the remains found in the crocodile would be tested further to aid identification.
A report for the coroner is being prepared and the search has been suspended.
posted on 6/8/24
Hero.
posted on 7/8/24
Spain captain Alvaro Morata and team-mate Rodri have been banned for one game by Uefa after they chanted "Gibraltar is Spanish" during their side's Euro 2024 victory celebrations.
The Gibraltar Football Association (GFA) made an official complaint about the celebrations to European football's governing body before the pair were charged.
Uefa has now suspended Morata and Rodri "for failing to comply with the general principles of conduct, for violating the basic rules of decent conduct, for using sporting events for manifestations of a non-sporting nature and for bringing the sport of football, and Uefa in particular, into disrepute".
They are banned for Spain's next game, which is against Serbia on Thursday, 5 September.
Gibraltar is an enclave at Spain's southern tip that has been under British rule since the 18th century, and Spain has long called for its return.
The chanting took place in front of tens of thousands of Spain fans in Cibeles Square, Madrid on 15 July as players celebrated their 2-1 Euro 2024 final victory over England.
Manchester City midfielder Rodri, 28, could be seen chanting "Gibraltar is Spanish" on the stage, and AC Milan striker Morata, 31, later encouraged the crowd to join in with the same chant.
The Gibraltar FA complained about Spain's behaviour, saying it had "noted the extremely provocative and insulting nature of the celebrations around the Spanish men's national team winning Euro 2024".
"Football has no place for behaviour of this nature," it added.
Gibraltar has been a full member of Uefa since 2013.
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