Norrie out of Canadian Open after Vukic defeat
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BBC News
12 minutes ago
- BBC News
Emma Little-Pengelly: DUP defends minister's Wimbledon trip
The Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) has moved to defend the deputy first minister over a publicly-funded trip with her husband to £1,000 was spent on flights and accommodation when Emma Little-Pengelly and Education Authority (EA) chief executive Richard Pengelly attended the tennis Stormont parties have criticised the spending, but The Executive Office (TEO) said it was in line with civil service policy and "no additional expenditure" was incurred on behalf of her a fresh statement to BBC News NI, the DUP said the invitation was issued "in her capacity as deputy first minister and it will be registered in the normal way". The EA said Mr Pengelly attended while on leave and "no spend was incurred" by the education than £980 was spent on the trip, according to a Freedom of Information request revealed last month by The Irish couple were pictured in the Royal box at centre court alongside celebrities including American pop star Olivia Rodrigo, professional wrestler John Cena and former England football manager Roy posted photos online, describing the invitation as the "honour of a lifetime".The DUP minister and First Minister Michelle O'Neill were invited by the All-England Club, but O'Neill did not take up the invitation. Register of interests Members of the legislative assembly (MLAs) declare any gifts or hospitality they receive worth more than £250 on a public register of is "including those received in a ministerial capacity", according to assembly the DUP said the Wimbledon invite did not need to be declared on the assembly register.A party spokesman said: "The invitation was issued to Emma Little-Pengelly in her capacity as deputy first minister and it will be registered in the normal way via the department in the register of ministers' gifts and hospitality."Because invitations to the Royal box are never offered for sale it is not possible to put a value on this and therefore does not meet the threshold for inclusion in the register of members' interests."The only comparable price available is for the price of a centre court ticket for the relevant day of attendance, which does not meet the threshold for inclusion."Tickets for centre court seats on 2 July cost between £95 and £120, according to Wimbledon's website.A spokesman for the club in south London said Royal box tickets "are not commercially available". 'Beggars belief' Several Stormont parties have criticised the Democratic and Labour Party (SDLP) MLA Matthew O'Toole, leader of the opposition, said it "beggars belief"."The idea that official business was conducted in the Royal box at Wimbledon insults the intelligence of the public here," he Party MLA Paula Bradshaw, chair of the assembly's Executive Office scrutiny committee, said she would be raising Unionist Voice (TUV) MLA Timothy Gaston, a member of the committee, also questioned the "justification for the public paying the bill". A spokesman for TEO said: "Details of gifts and hospitality received by ministers are recorded on the 'Register of Ministers' Gifts and Hospitality Received' which is published on a quarterly basis."In a previous statement, The Executive Office said the deputy first minister "flew economy"."While she was accompanied in her official capacity by her spouse, no additional expenditure was incurred by TEO on behalf of her guest," a spokeswoman said."The travel and accommodation costs incurred by the deputy first minister are in line with NICS (Northern Ireland Civil Service) policy."The EA said "no spend was incurred" by it and the trip was "made in a personal capacity" while Mr Pengelly was on annual Executive Office said while the first minister declined the Wimbledon invite, she attended the Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA) football all-Ireland semi-final later in said there were "no costs" associated with O'Neill's attendance at the match between Tyrone and Kerry at Croke Park in Féin said O'Neill attended the semi-final "at the invitation of the GAA" and there were "zero costs to the department".
Daily Mail
12 minutes ago
- Daily Mail
Son Heung-min admits Los Angeles FC were NOT his first choice club after emotional Tottenham departure - as he reveals what changed his mind
Son Heung-min openly admitted Los Angeles FC were not his first choice destination after deciding to bring his 10-year chapter at Tottenham to an emotional close. The 33-year-old was officially unveiled by his new side on Wednesday after completing a move worth over £20million - a record fee paid by an MLS club. It was no secret that he was on his way this summer, and he was spotted in the stands during LAFC's 2-1 win against Tigres the day before the announcement. Speaking at his introductory press conference in Los Angeles, South Korean legend Son revealed he had to be persuaded to make the move to the United States, before a conversation led to him 'changing his heart' and signing an initial two-year deal. 'They've been absolutely working so hard to get me here to join LAFC,' Son said. 'If I'm honest, it was not my first choice but John [Thorrington, LAFC general manager] was the first call when the season finished and John changed my mind. 'He changed my heart. 'I'm so happy to see all the Korean fans, I was at the game and I saw you supporting like crazy and I wanted to run on the pitch and show my performance. 'I'm here to win and I will perform. 'I will definitely show you something exciting in… are we calling it football or soccer? I will definitely show you some exciting football, and we will have success.' Son went on to describe the impact his decision to leave Spurs took, recalling feeling 'very empty' after walking away from the club for which he scored 173 goals. 'I felt like I gave it all, but I felt like I needed a new challenge and I chose LAFC,' he added. 'I'm old, but I still have good physicality and I still have good quality.' Earlier, a teary Son had issued a heartfelt message to Tottenham supporters. 'How to find the right words for this? I don't know. I have been thinking for days. It's impossible. But here I go,' Son wrote. Son broke into tears when he announced his decision to leave Spurs 'It's time for me to say goodbye to Tottenham. My home for the past decade. When I arrived in 2015, I didn't speak English, I didn't know London, but you welcomed me with open arms, believed in me, and stood by me through every high and low. 'I was just a boy from Korea with big dreams who was supposed to have no chance. And now, 10 years later, North London is in my heart forever. 'I've made friends for life here, had the honour of becoming a godfather here, and had the privilege of captaining our special club here. I've poured my heart and soul into this club, which makes this the hardest decision ever. 'I thought if I was ever going to leave, it would have to be on my terms, on the best terms, when our mission had been accomplished together. 'With pride and honour.' Son will reunite with former Spurs team-mate Hugo Lloris at LAFC. The Los Angeles side topped the Western Conference last season, but lost to Seattle Sounders in the playoffs before LA Galaxy won the MLS Cup.
Reuters
42 minutes ago
- Reuters
Teen Mboko upsets Rybakina to book Canadian Open final with Osaka; Zverev falls
Aug 7 (Reuters) - Teenager Victoria Mboko survived a first-set wobble to battle to a 1-6 7-5 7-6(4) win over 2022 Wimbledon champion Elena Rybakina and set up a Canadian Open showdown with Naomi Osaka, while men's top seed Alexander Zverev was stunned by Karen Khachanov. Mboko, ranked 85th in the world, saved a match point against Kazakh ninth seed Rybakina in front of adoring home support as the 18-year-old became the first Canadian to beat three former Grand Slam champions in a single WTA event in the Open Era. She has beaten Sofia Kenin, Coco Gauff and Rybakina in her stunning run to the final in Montreal. She is also just the third wildcard to reach the final at the Canadian Open in the Open Era after Monica Seles in 1995 and Simona Halep in 2015. "I had everyone supporting me and pushing me through. Without you guys, I don't think I would've been able to pull this through," Mboko said after reaching her first WTA 1000 final. Meanwhile, four-times Grand Slam champion Osaka booked a place in a WTA 1000 final for the first time since Miami 2022 after another impressive display, beating Danish 16th seed Clara Tauson 6-2 7-6(7) in the second semi-final. The 27-year-old Osaka, a former world number one, is the first Japanese player in the Open Era to reach the final at the Canadian Open. In the men's tournament in Toronto, Zverev, a three-times Grand Slam runner-up, suffered a 6-3 4-6 7-6(4) loss against Russian 11th seed Karen Khachanov in the semis. The 29-year-old Khachanov, who will climb to 12th in the world rankings, saved a match point to reach his second ATP Masters 1000 final, with the previous coming at Paris in 2018 where he upset Novak Djokovic. "I had to dig deep and lift my level. It was a very demanding, very mental, very physical match. So I'm very happy to get the win after losing some easy ones to him in recent years," Khachanov, who lost the last three encounters against Zverev, said after their near three-hour battle. "Today was a real close one. I was match point down, if the ball touches the net and drops over we wouldn't be talking now." Khachanov will face American fourth seed Ben Shelton, who upset second-seeded countryman Taylor Fritz 6-4 6-3 to become the youngest American to reach an ATP Masters 1000 final since Andy Roddick in Toronto in 2004, in the final. Australian Open semi-finalist Shelton, 22, will be playing his first ATP Masters 1000 final when he takes on Khachanov. "For me it's the level — 100%. I'm just looking for things in my game to just kind of improve and I've seen so many big improvements this week. So, that's what I'm most happy about — the way I'm playing, how I'm executing, how little I'm hesitating...," Shelton said.
