Latest news with #FullContact
Newsweek
4 days ago
- Politics
- Newsweek
Russian State TV Issues Nuclear Weapon Threat Ahead of Trump Summit
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Russian state TV presenter Vladimir Solovyov has said that Russia could destroy the United States with nuclear strikes ahead of President Donald Trump's meeting with Vladimir Putin. Solovyov was responding Trump's threat of consequences if Putin does not agree to end the war in Ukraine at their meeting in Alaska on Friday. "The only thing that the West understands is strength," Solovyov said on his show Full Contact on Thursday, according to a translation from Russian Media Monitor. "We can destroy all of them with nuclear weapons, let them think about it during our commercial break." He added: "No one has the right to impose their will upon the president of the Russian Federation, who is elected by the Russian people. He represents the interests and aspirations of the Russian people. "When Trump suddenly starts to act as though he can give us directives and is threatening us, we can actually destroy America... America can destroy us as well, but we can do it faster and more effectively." Russian state TV presenter Vladimir Solovyov in St. Petersburg in June. Russian state TV presenter Vladimir Solovyov in St. Petersburg in June. AP This is a developing story. More to follow.
Telegraph
19-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Telegraph
RFU threaten to leave Twickenham for Birmingham or Milton Keynes in stadium row
The Rugby Football Union would consider leaving Allianz Stadium to move to Birmingham or Milton Keynes if a renewed licence cannot be agreed to hold more concerts at the home of rugby, chief executive Bill Sweeney has said. Comparing the number of non-sporting events held per year at the stadium to Tottenham Hotspur Stadium and Wembley, which hold around 30 of those events each year, Sweeney said that the restrictions placed on the RFU by local authorities have meant it has missed out on staging big concerts such as Beyoncé. Current restrictions limit the number of concerts which can be held at Allianz Stadium to three in a single year, and only on two consecutive nights with a capacity restriction of 55,000. Sweeney told the Business of Sport podcast (listen below) that those limits had meant that the RFU had missed out on hosting Beyoncé in the past, given she had wanted to play three consecutive nights. Discussions with the Richmond Borough have centred on how the RFU can generate more revenue to pay off planned development work on Allianz Stadium in the coming years, estimated to be as much as £650 million, suggesting that other options would be on the table if the number of non-sporting events did not increase. The last concert to be played at Allianz Stadium was by Depeche Mode in 2023, in front of a crowd of 52,662. That was the first concert held at the stadium since Metallica in 2019. 'There's plenty of places that would love to have us there. Birmingham, Milton Keynes would love to have us there,' said Sweeney. 'It would be a tough call [to move] for us. It would be very difficult. You couldn't, I don't know how we would justify the investment in the stadium if we can't get the increase in the event licences.' Telegraph Sport revealed last November that the RFU had considered leaving Allianz Stadium for Birmingham, as well as a potential merger with Wembley Stadium. Sweeney's appearance on the podcast covered a range of topics, including the recent Netflix series Full Contact which has now been discontinued following two seasons. League has done 'really good job' promoting itself Discussing the episode following Marcus Smith, Sweeney suggested that Netflix had made a mistake with the tone of how they portrayed the Harlequins and England fly-half. 'I don't know if you saw the Marcus episode on Netflix. I think they got that slightly wrong. I think they started off with Marcus buying a car, and it felt like football,' Sweeney said. 'It just felt like a bit too much bling. Whereas if you look at Marcus' background at Brighton, and what he does at Quins, and what he does in the community game, and what he does elsewhere, I think the story in rugby is subtly different. So you can still have icons, but the way you portray them, I think, has to be different to football.' Asked later in the episode which other sports he admired and where rugby could learn lessons, Sweeney cited the success of rugby league in Australia, joking that he would get banned for making the suggestion. 'I'm really impressed... well, I shouldn't say this because I'd get banned, I suppose, but I think rugby league in Australia. I think they have created an entertainment product around a similar game to ours, but there's less stops and starts. So the ball is in play for a much higher period. Ball in play for us is about 34, 35 per cent. Ball in play in rugby league is, I think it's 80 something.' Sweeney explained. 'So they've created an entertainment product around rugby, which is full-on from start whistle to end whistle. And also the way they've packaged it, you just watch the promotion of it, the colour, the noise, the use of the athletes. I think they've done a really good job. And you can see that in terms of the growth of rugby league down there.'
Reuters
06-02-2025
- Sport
- Reuters
Italy's Negri wary of Wales backlash but embracing favourites tag
Feb 6 (Reuters) - Italy go into Saturday's Six Nations match with Wales as favourites, and while flanker Sebastian Negri welcomes the fact that for once his side are not the underdogs, he is urging caution, having learned how life can easily turn upside down. Last year, Italy had their most successful championship, and that, combined with a Welsh team on a 13-game losing streak, has made the Italians firm favourites. "I think we've got to embrace that fact, but Wales can be at their strongest when their backs are against the wall and we're expecting a really tough battle," Negri told Reuters in an interview. "People say we're the favourites and that's a new sort of tag for us but we have to embrace that. "We're in a good cycle ourselves and looking forward to a big game but you can't underestimate Wales at any time no matter how difficult a run they're on." Italy, and 30-year-old Negri, know all about difficult runs. Last year's win over Scotland was Negri's first taste of Six Nations success in his seventh campaign. "There was a feeling of relief, a lot of emotion, because I've had so many lows in the jersey, but also so many special days," Negri said. "That's a day I'll never forget and it made all the hard times worth it, and beating Wales the following week to back it up was really important." LIFE LESSONS Born in Zimbabwe, with an Italian father, Negri's family were forced out of their home at gun-point by President Robert Mugabe's armed followers and moved to South Africa. The Netflix Six Nations series, Full Contact, gave Negri an opportunity to tell his story, and he is delighted with the reaction. "Maybe my story is a little bit different, but the support and the feedback that I've been given has been pretty special," Negri said. "You go to places like Ireland or the UK and people stop and say hello or congratulate you. "I guess they have a little insight into what you're like as a person and maybe they respect you a bit more because they can see the sacrifices you go through. "In the end, you're just a normal person who throws a rugby ball around, tries to make people proud and I think people can relate to that." Those early traumatic experiences have played an important role in Negri's outlook on life, and rugby. "It shaped me as a person to live every day to the full," he said. "Seeing the way my parents and my family, after what we went through, were so positive and sacrificed a lot for us. "We're very blessed to do what we do and no matter what challenges you're confronted with, it's about how you stand up to it, be positive about it and just be the best person that you can be. "In rugby, you know you're going to get knocked down, you're going to have disappointments, but it's how you come back stronger and I take that into my rugby and into my life too." His involvement in the Netflix series gave Negri an insight into what he could do once he retires from playing, but for now, those thoughts are still a long way off. "It definitely made me consider possible options, whether that's media, event work, commentary or being a pundit," Negri said. "But I'm going to push for as long as I can and hopefully leave my jersey in a better place and leave some sort of legacy and watch this team go from strength to strength. "And I'll have fun doing that for sure."
