5 days agoLatest NewsComments Off on Emma Raducanu becomes British No1 for first time in two years after beating star who’s blind in one eye at Queen’s
EMMA RADUCANU became British No.1 for the first time in two years – and then welcomed Wimbledon’s player security boost.
A 6-4 6-1 crushing of Slovakian Rebecca Sramkova, who is blind in her left eye, put Raducanu in the quarter-finals of the new WTA Queen’s event.
GettyRebecca Sramkova congratulates Emma Raducanu on victory[/caption]
Shutterstock EditorialRaducanu says she loved playing in front of big crowds[/caption]
Following doubles pal Katie Boulter’s rain-interrupted 2-6 6-3 6-2 defeat to bandana-wearing Russian Diana Shnaider, the former US Open champion is BrItain’s top player for the first time since June 11, 2023.
Raducanu, 22, said: “I’m really pleased to get through that.
“I don’t think it was my cleanest performance but I’m really pleased to push through in the tight moments.
“I love playing in moments like this with big crowds. They’re all supporting me, which is nice.
“Having Katie in front, it was nice for me to have something to chase. Now I’m sure she’s going to enjoy that with me.
“The grass season is still young, and so is the rest of the season.
“We have a healthy competition between us two. I want to see her do well. She wants to see me do well. It was nice to also play doubles with her this week.”
Ahead of the 2025 Championships, Wimbledon will beef up security to protect female stars following Raducanu’s “really worrying” stalker saga, saying: It’s our top priority.
PARaducanu was delighted to hear of new Wimbledon security measures[/caption]
Raducanu was stalked by a man across multiple countries earlier this year and burst into tears when she spotted the individual in the stands for her match in Dubai.
Boulter, 28, has also spoken in the past about the horrific abuse she has received online – and how she was once followed in a car by a stranger.
Wimbledon chief executive Sally Bolton said: “The safety and wellbeing of all of the players is our absolute top priority.
“The recent incidents coming to light certainly recognise the concern that has been generated by that.
“But we have in place – and have had for many years – processes for ensuring the safety of our players.
“That is in liaison with law enforcement agencies, specialist security teams and we liaise with both tours.
“And that is year-round, not just in preparation for The Championships.”
Raducanu welcomed the news, saying: “I think feeling safe, feeling secure is extremely important. You know, playing at home, there is heightened tension.
“But for me, whenever I played at Wimbledon, I felt very well protected, very safe.
“I’m looking forward to going there, and I don’t think I will feel much of a difference.”
Qualifier Heather Watson rode on a Lime electric bike to Queen’s but was soon on her bike out of the tournament, losing 6-4 6-2 to former Wimbledon champion Elena Rybakina.
5 days agoLatest NewsComments Off on Traveller shares two-second trick that makes it impossible for pickpockets to open your bag zip & it’s fashionable too
THE SUMMER season has finally arrived, which means millions of people around the world will be jetting off abroad to soak up some sun.
TIKTOK/@kiamomentSOne savvy traveller has taken the internet by storm with her hack to prevent pickpocketing[/caption]
TIKTOK/@kiamomentSEvery year, thousands of holidaymakers are pickpocketed while on holiday – but turns out, a hair clip works wonders to stop this from happening[/caption]
Now, with the holiday season in full swing, one savvy fashionista has come to rescue with the ultimate solution.
What’s more, not only will the cheap trick prevent sneaky hands from going through your purse but it will also instantly elevate your bag.
The best part? Chances are, you already have the necessary item needed for the trick – especially if you have long hair.
The simple hack was shared online by TikToker @kiamoments, who revealed how a basic hairclip worked wonders to prevent your zip from opening.
In the video, Kia demonstrated the easy trick on the on-trend crossbody bag – however, as long as the strap is thick enough, any bag should work just fine.
According to the savvy holiday-goer, you should take the claw clip and slide one of its plastic ‘teeth’ through the tiny opening on top of the zip.
Once done, simply attach the rest of the clip around the strap and you’re good to go and explore the local area.
In the clip, which has since racked up more than a staggering 960k views in just one day, Kia also proved that it was impossible to move the zip – unless you remove the claw clip first.
The bright fashionista wrote in the caption: ”Easy tip how to protect yourself from pickpockets while travelling.”
Another pro tip when travelling is, of course, to keep the bag in front of you, she added in the comments.
‘Good idea’
As close to a million TikTokers watched the video, dozens flooded to comments, with the clip amassing almost 32k likes.
Holiday packing tips
Jemma Solomon, aka The Label Lady has got 5 packing tips to help you get organised for your next holiday.
1. Write a list
Think about all the essentials you need to take with you; suncream, medicine, a few games for the kids, beach towels, and write everything in one list, which you can tick off as you add it to your suitcase.
Or for complete ease, try Google’s AI app – Gemini – which will create a list for you and help you not over pack.
2. Involve your kids
Jemma said: “My girls are getting older, they’re 11 and nine, and they enjoy helping to pack. So I send them a list, and say ‘this is what you need’ and they follow the list.
“And then I give them a rucksack each – and say to them ‘you can have whatever you want in there as long as it’s not liquid’, and they can take that on the plane. And that’s their ‘home away from home’ items.”
3. Try a hack or two
She said: “I think they all work, but for different reasons – and you’ve just got to pick the right one for your trip.
“Rolling your clothes is really good to stop your clothes from getting creases. And if you’re trying to get a lot of items into your case, it’s a space saver.
“Packing cubes are great – for example, I’m going on holiday with my three kids and we’re all using the same suitcase for our clothes.
“These handy compartments let you separate your clothes, toiletries and tech into designated cubes, maximising luggage space by keeping your items compressed and neatly stacked.
“I love taking them abroad with the family and it means my kids can easily take charge of their own items once we’ve arrived.”
4. Decant beauty products
Do you really need to take full-size bottles of shampoo and conditioner with you? The beauty industry has evolved so much, you can now buy shampoo bars or sheets – which are much lighter and smaller.
Or, if you’ll be popping to the shops when you’re abroad, consider buying some items when you arrive.
5. Get organised before you come home
Jemma said: “When you repack on holiday [before coming home], the trick is to separate clean from dirty clothes.
“Also pack it in some form of order – so lights, darks, colours for items that need washing, or if you wash your clothes by person in the household, piles for each person.
“Then you can put it straight into the washing machine. Do it straight away, don’t leave it.”
But while some were impressed with the solution, others weren’t so convinced.
One said: ”I bought small Carabineer. Works better than this I would assume.”
A second chimed in: ”Good idea, but I would definitely get it stuck and would never be able to undo it.”
”Fashion is always the key,” someone else said.
”Wait till you find out some cut open the bags,” a sceptic commented.
”Wait till they just grab your bag and run away,” a viewer penned.
5 days agoLatest NewsComments Off on Arsenal transfer news LIVE: Viktor Gyokeres LATEST as Gunners ‘leap ahead’, Morgan Rogers BOOST, Zubimendi updates
ARSENAL have a HUGE summer of business to take care of in the transfer market.
5 days agoLatest NewsComments Off on England World Cup qualifier moved to stadium 175 miles away in surprising U-turn
ENGLAND’S World Cup qualifier with Serbia in September has been switched to Belgrade – as the Balkan side eye an upset.
Thomas Tuchel’s men had been expected to travel to Leskovac, a city of just 125,000 inhabitants 175 miles south of the capital on September 9.
GettyEngland were set to play in a tiny stadium in Leskovac[/caption]
GettyThe match has been moved to the Rajko Mitic Stadium[/caption]
ReutersNotoriously noisy ground is home to Red Star Belgrade[/caption]
But in a surprise U-turn, Serbian FA chiefs contacted Wembley bosses to inform them of the change in venue.
Instead of playing in the 8,000-capacity Dubocica Stadium, England will now have to stand firm in the face of nearly 50,000 home fans at Red Star’s Rajko Mitic Stadium.
The ground is known as one of the most intimidating in Europe and is nicknamed the “Marakana”.
Three days after the trip, England host Andorra at Villa Park.
In a statement, the Serbs explained: “After a detailed analysis, which, in addition to the sporting aspect, organisational and security segment, also included consultations with UEFA, it was concluded that the Rajko Mitic stadium, as the largest football facility in the country, will provide our national team with optimal conditions for playing matches of high importance.”
England have not played in Belgrade since a decisive European Championship qualifier in 1987.
Goals from Peter Beardsley, John Barnes, Bryan Robson and Tony Adams inside the first 24 minutes earned a 4-1 win over Yugoslavia.
5 days agoLatest NewsComments Off on Former Arsenal star, 50, set to join Arne’s Slot’s Liverpool staff after Everton cult hero left for new job
FORMER Arsenal midfielder Giovanni van Bronckhorst is set to join Arne Slot’s staff at Liverpool.
The 50-year-old is the leading candidate to replace Slot’s right-hand man John Heitinga, who quit the Premier League champions to become manager at Ajax.
Former Arsenal midfielder Giovanni van Bronckhorst is set to join Arne Slot’s staff at LiverpoolArne Slot is losing his assistant John Heitinga, who has become Ajax manager
Liverpool sporting director, Richard Hughes, has been keen to find a replacement ahead of pre-season and Van Bronckhorst, who has managed at Feyenoord, Rangers, and Besiktas fits the bill.
Although a deal has not yet been done, Van Bronckhorst is now in talks with the owning Fenway Sports Group about forming part of a backroom team alongside Sipke Hulshoff and Aaron Briggs.
The former Netherlands captain, who played for Arsenal between 2001 and 2004, is keen on a return to the Premier League, after spending the last six months working as a Uefa analyst.
Van Bronckhorst has never worked with Slot and doesn’t have a close relationship with him, although the pair share similar ideas around playing style and have both won the Dutch league.
If a deal is completed, Van Bronckhorst would arrive at the club with a wealth of coaching experience.
After retiring in 2010, he began his coaching career in Feyenoord’s youth setup before spending four years as the club’s first team manager, winning the Eredivisie in 2017.
Van Bronckhorst then replaced Steven Gerrard as Rangers boss in 2021, guiding them to the Europa League final in 2022 where they lost to Eintracht Frankfurt.
He was also in charge of the Scottish side, who he played for between 1998 and 2001, when they lost 7-1 to Liverpool in the Champions League in October 2022.
Van Bronckhorst is replacing former Everton defender John Heitinga as assistant at Liverpool
Following his dismissal a month later in November, he was also sacked from his position as Besiktas manager after five months in charge in December 2024.
Van Bronckhorst, who later turned into a left-back in his career, won the last of his 106 caps for the Netherlands in the World Cup final in 2010, captaining Heitinga as the Dutch lost 1-0 to Spain in Johannesburg.
Meanwhile, former Everton defender Heitinga wants to take goalkeeper Vitezslav Jaros, who made his Liverpool debut against Crystal Palace in the Premier League this season, to Ajax on loan.
5 days agoLatest NewsComments Off on Mark Wright slammed for ‘poor taste’ post about planes as 290 killed in horror Air India crash
MARK Wright has been slammed for sharing an insensitive post about flying – on the day of the tragic Air India crash.
The former Towie star, 38, posted a snap of himself, wife Michelle Keegan and baby Palma posing in front of a private plane, as he moaned about the leg room on standard jets.
Mark Wright has been slammed for his post about flying todayReutersThe tail of the plane is seen hanging from the edge of a building after the crash in India[/caption]
Appearing completely oblivious to the day’s events, Mark wrote alongside it: “1 day babe, for now we’ll take row 26 with no extra leg room.”
His followers were quick to point out his lack of sensitivity, with one person commenting: “Prob not the best day to post this when so many people lost their lives on a plane.”
A second said: “Not really appropriate to put this up after today’s plane crash.”
While a third wrote: “Poor taste given today’s event.”
And a fourth added: “What a time to choose to post this.”
Radio DJ Mark has since deleted the post and blamed it on an admin error.
He wrote: “I apologise for a post I just put up on my page after today’s heartbreaking events.
“I have posts from a holiday that are on the scheduled setting, which go out on future days I have set them for which was done last week. It’s a horrendous coincidence that today’s post was on such a devastating day.
“Once I logged in to my Instagram and realised the post had gone out, I immediately deleted. My heart goes out to everyone who has been effected from today. I’m sorry for this mistake and any offence caused.”
Mark had been enjoying a break in Spain with his daughter and extended family.
Earlier today it was revealed that anAir India plane burst into a fireball while carrying 242 people, including 53 Brits, flying to London Gatwick airport.
A British man miraculously survived the crash after jumping off the flaming jet and was filmed walking away from the wreckage.
Police are now hunting through the rubble for any further survivors.
According to flight tracking website Flightradar, the Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner’s final signal was received just seconds after take-off.
This was last logged at 1:38pm local time – less than a minute after it started the journey.
King Charles II said he was “desperately shocked” by Thursday’s air crash in India, sending “prayers and deepest possible sympathies” to the families of those affected.
“My wife and I have been desperately shocked by the terrible events in Ahmedabad this morning,” the monarch wrote on Instagram, calling it a “heartbreaking and traumatic time”.
instagramMark was coming back from a family trip to Spain[/caption]
People stand near debris at the site of the plane crashInstagramMichelle shared pictures of her holiday with fans[/caption]
5 days agoLatest NewsComments Off on Margaret River’s Professor Peter Klinken steps down to accolades as WA’s longest-serving Chief Scientist
WA Chief Scientist and Margaret River resident Peter Klinken has quietly retired from the State’s top advisory job and sought to leave the limelight too.
