This week’s matchday (8:00 BST kick-off) is Manchester United’s first match of the Carabao Cup, with the winner going to Grimsby on Wednesday (20:00 BST).
Can you name the contest’s 66th year’s winners from the previous 65?
Lucia Matimele stands surrounded by lush green leaves, peppers on the stalk, and bunches of ripe bananas in the main aisle of a busy conference pavilion in Maputo, the capital of Mozambique.
“We have land, we have water, we have farmers”! she is enthusiastic. Investment is what we need, he says.
Matimele is the director of industry and commerce for Gaza province, a region about 200km (125 miles) away that is one of the country’s main breadbaskets. As the government works to promote economic growth and development in a politically divisive year, she and her team packed some of their most promising crops and joined thousands of others from within and outside Mozambique to show their goods and form industry connections.
The 60th annual Maputo International Trade Fair (FACIM), the largest of its kind in the nation, will feature more than 3, 000 exhibitors from nearly 30 nations this week in Mozambique. Tens of thousands are expected to attend the seven-day event, the government said.
For day one of the event, which took place on Monday, crowds of exhibitors and eager attendees gathered at the sprawling conference site on the outskirts of Maputo. Local businesses, provincial leaders like Matimele, and regional and international companies looking to trade in or with Mozambique are among the dozen pavilions that are set up.
Standing before delegates and businesspeople at the opening ceremony, Mozambican President Daniel Chapo focused on the need to ensure a good environment for foreign investors, while also building an inclusive and sustainable local economy.
In addition to being a “legendary country,” Chapo said in Portuguese, highlighting the country’s “unique opportunities” for international partners, that “Mozambique has a geostrategic location, with ports, development corridors, and various other potentialities, vast resources, mineral, natural, agricultural, tourism, and…
But at home, he affirmed, “economic independence starts with agriculture workers, farmers, the youth, women – all of us together”.
To assist in funding small and medium businesses in the nation, the government has established a new $40 million Mutual Guarantee Fund with World Bank funding. The president stated that it will offer credit guarantees to at least 15, 000 businesses and that it primarily aims to assist young people and women.
“One of the concerns we hear repeatedly at all the annual private sector conferences is the difficulty in accessing financing”, Chapo said while launching the fund at FACIM on Monday.
We are aware that small and medium-sized businesses, which make up the foundation of the country’s economic fabric, face a nearly insurmountable challenge due to high interest rates, which are largely responsible for our country’s economy’s dynamism and generate income primarily from young people. This is the reason we created this fund, which is specifically dedicated to this group of companies.
He continued, “This instrument serves as a bridge to the recovery of the Mozambican economy, not just a financial mechanism.”
According to the World Bank, Mozambique has “ample resources,” including abundant water sources, abundant energy, mineral resources, and natural gas deposits.
However, it is anticipated that 2025’s gross domestic product (GBP) growth will be only 3% (it was 1.8%) in 2024 and 5.4%) in 2023).
Experts point to a raft of challenges facing the Southern African nation: for years it was besieged by a $2bn “hidden debt” corruption scandal that implicated senior government officials, it is still recovering from post-2024 election protests that affected tourism, and it faces an ongoing rebellion by armed fighters in the northern Cabo Delgado province, home to offshore liquefied natural gas (LNG) reserves.
According to Borges Nhamirre, a Mozambican researcher on security and governance with the Institute for Security Studies, the armed rebellion has put an end to TotalEnergies’ $20 billion LNG project and added pressure on the region’s finances and near-future economic prospects.
“The economy of Mozambique was prepared for the next 20, 30 years to rely on natural resources … But now the most recent problem is the insurgency in the northern part of the country. So that has a significant impact on Mozambique’s economy,” Nhamirre said.
“Unfortunately, Mozambique did not diversify the revenue sources and did not invest in other industries like agriculture, industry, and manufacturing, which rely primarily on natural gas,” he continued.
“Mozambique needs to bet on producing its own food”, the researcher said, noting that it is not affordable to keep importing when the country has the potential to feed itself. “There is water and land for agriculture.” Therefore, there is only a little capital and mentality at play.
At her booth in one of the pavilions at FACIM, Matimele has similar thoughts. She remarked, “We can feed our people best,” while surrounded by fresh produce from small farms in Gaza. Another booth across the aisle from her sells products made of the province of Tete, including coffee and honey, while businesses throughout FACIM are selling locally sourced goods throughout the entire FACIM, including grains, seafood, vegetables, and livestock.
In Gaza, Matimele says, people farm rice, bananas, cashews and macadamias, much of which they send abroad to countries such as South Africa and Vietnam – and she would like to increase exports and reach new places.
She claims that the issue is not with production but rather with distribution and processing.
According to Matimele, “we need big industry entering this industry,” while adding that small farmers require assurances that the produce they sell and doesn’t waste.
“FACIM helps us by giving us a secure market”, she explained.
For other observers, FACIM’s focus this year on investment and the Mutual Guarantee Fund are a step in the right direction, especially for small business owners in the agricultural sector.
Our main resource is agriculture, according to the statement. According to historian and researcher Rafael Shikhani, it employs millions of people and provides millions of people with food, according to him. Yet, there remains a longstanding “problem” with the sector, he noted from Maputo.
He noted the civil war from 1977 to 1992, and the country’s severe drought from 1982 to 1984, noting that “there have been so many breakups in that]agriculture cycle” historically. He claimed that it was a “temporary disruption to production” that had a negative impact.
Current challenges facing Mozambican agriculture, the researcher said, include a lack of capital for farming, as well as some people preferring to take an easier route by importing food from neighbouring South Africa to sell locally instead of growing it from scratch.
The funding is a key motivator in many cases, according to Shikhani. There will be a certain way you will get stuck, such as “you’ll need equipment, you’ll need a truck, you’ll need to put up a fence, for whatever,” according to the saying “if you don’t have funds, you can still start a very nice business.”
That is where the Mutual Guarantee Fund could come in handy.
Shikhani remarked, “More investment in agriculture is good.” It will also aid in the sector’s transition from small-scale farming businesses to small- and medium-sized farming enterprises that can choose their land based on “the type of land, where you farm, and how you exploit your land” in a more informed manner.
The Chapo government’s approach to solving the country’s most pressing economic issues will greatly affect the outcome, according to analyst Nhamirre.
However, he makes the observation that internal governance issues and external factors will also be a factor.
“There are internal things that the government needs to do well … The people are still very frustrated”, he said, pointing to the past year’s post-election violence, saying there is a chance protests may flare up again.
Shikhani examines the situation through the lens of history. There is a cycle of crisis: a political crisis, a social unrest, and a political crisis. If you deal with economics and you feed people, there will be no more social unrest, and there will be no political crisis. You should start with economics, he said.
Give people food, provide jobs, and give hope; they will work for a living and earn money.
At her booth in FACIM, Matimele and her team stand ready in matching red shirts emblazoned with the words: “Gaza, the route of progress” in Portuguese. A week of networking is scheduled for them, which they anticipate will result in more food, jobs, and hope.
Former England and Team GB player Heather Fisher bluntly states, “I didn’t look in a mirror for years, maybe four or five.”
“Looking back, I felt disgusted because people perceived me as something rather than a person.”
She explains how she overcame losing her hair, how she battled her identity, and how she struggled to accept herself from others.
A white wall with black handwriting on it is unmissable when you’re sitting in her living room.
When you take a closer look, you’ll find dozens of inspirational quotes and affirmations.
Even before she begins to share hers, the words convey a narrative.
“May feel lost.” may make you uncomfortable. a significant component of the transition. Just a few of them, to be precise.
After a storied career that spanned more than a decade and made a cameo in bobsleigh, Fisher retired four years ago as an England player.
She also played rugby sevens and was a member of the Red Roses squad that won the Women’s World Cup in 2014.
She competed for England at the 2018 Commonwealth Games on Australia’s Gold Coast and for Great Britain at the 2016 Rio Olympics, where Great Britain lost to Great Britain in the bronze medal match.
However, some of her most difficult encounters were untimely.
Her hair started to fall out as the 2010 Rugby World Cup rolled around. A serious back injury is thought to have caused it.
It was all gone a little over a month later, and Fisher was discovered to have alopecia, an autoimmune disorder that destroys hair follicles.
In about five weeks, my hair completely dried. She recalls that she was holding on to strands of hair.
What transpired included a physical altercation as well as a confrontation with her new identity.
“I’ve always had issues with my alopecia.” The 41-year-old describes losing my hair as giving me a different appearance and feeling. I never feel like I fit in, as a woman.
Fisher tried to wear wigs, but they never came across as real.
She claims, “It felt like I was hiding and I didn’t want to hide.”
“It required of me to be brave and to have it,” I said. But that’s challenging. I had no sense of who I could be in the England system.
She had internal struggles as well as external issues; it was how others perceived her appearance.
“I’ve been thrown with wigs,” I said. When I was about to go to play, wigs were thrown at me outside the field, Fisher recalls.
“I’ve been asked why I’m going to pitch with women when I’m a guy. I’m not a guy, it’s obvious. I’ve been physically stowed from the restrooms.
Fisher is still dealing with the scars left by these events.
“You’re just supposed to take the hits,” she says, “because you’re a role model to so many people.”
Fisher thinks rugby, one of the most inclusive sports, has made modest advances in welcoming women of all shapes and sizes and those who have differences.
TikTok and other social media platforms have a significant impact on changing perceptions, enabling athletes to share their own stories and highlighting how they challenge the norm.
Fisher observes how the landscape changed a few years ago when examining her own career.
When she was playing, social media was still in its early stages. You were almost perceived as not taking the sport seriously, she adds if you had worked on your profile.
That has since changed, though.
“I would definitely share my story on social media if I were playing right now for sure.” It would attract attention, promote the game, and showcase a person who is physically and mentally different,” she claims.
American superstar Ilona Maher is just one of the athletes who redefine what it means to be a woman in sport.
She has millions of followers on TikTok and Instagram, making her the most popular rugby player in the world thanks to her strength and femininity.
It’s really interesting to watch Ilona Maher because she did a fantastic job, Fisher says.
Fisher claims that, in contrast, she doesn’t look feminine, which is where the problem is.
She says, “We can put a woman out there who may have muscles and may have a certain way of looking, but they still look feminine.”
We understand the relationship between women and muscles, and we accept muscular women.
We don’t understand hair and muscles, though.
Fisher has worked as a rugby pundit, motivational speaker, and leadership consultant since retiring.
She has also appeared on BBC’s “Go Hard or Go Home” and Channel 4’s “Celebrity SAS Who Dares Wins.”
She wouldn’t want to change who she is if she had the option to get her entire head of hair back.
I wouldn’t change a hair movie because it would make me itchy and cause me to fall asleep. She says with pride, “It’s made me who I am today.
Podcaster Sam Thompson has announced that he is ‘done’ with reality TV as he switches his focus to other projects.
The former Made in Chelsea star, 33, said that he had reached an age where he felt it was time to stop and concentrate on podcasts and documentaries.
Sam, who won the 2023 edition of I’m A Celebrity…Get Me Out Of Here! has been building up a following through the podcast he co-hosts with friend Pete Wicks called ‘Staying Relevant’.
Sam said, “You get to an age when you go, “I’m done,” when it comes to reality TV. You can’t beat that, and the jungle was the perfect place for me to end my time there.
I haven’t taken a vacation in two years. I’d like to take some vacation next year. “Possibly there will be a second documentary coming out soon.”
Whilst documentaries may be on the horizon, for the moment Sam is best known for the podcast he co-hosts with former Strictly Come Dancing contestant Pete Wicks, who has been a supportive friend since Sam’s split from fellow Made in Chelsea star Zara McDermott in January.
In a lie detector test, Pete, 36, admitted he preferred Sam being single over Zara, whom he dated for five years. The lie detector’s operator established that Pete was telling the truth.
Pete has been supportive of Sam, but he has also made fun of him by calling him a “single man with cats”—felines who Sam refers to as “like my sons.”
Speaking to The Standard about his relationship with his podcasting co-host, Sam is honest about their surprise at their success as they prepare for a live recording in front of 20,000 people at London’s O2.
We’re so proud of ourselves for getting there, he said. We can’t believe it’s happening, but it’s crazy. We realized that we were just cracking up when we looked back and saw all the things we had accomplished. We have actually accomplished some things.
Speaking to The Sun about his future plans, Sam doubled down on his desire to slow the pace to ‘consolidate’ what he has at the moment. He said: “Next year, I want to really consolidate and figure out what it is that I want to do, and not just be a yes man.
In a breathless game in which Newcastle came out of a 2-0 deficit with 10 men, Rio Ngumoha, 16, scored the Reds’ 16-year-old forward, Rio Ngumoha, who had just scored the winning goal.
The ball was in play for 40.8% of the game, which is the lowest percentage in a Premier League game since February 2010, according to Opta’s statistics.
After the game, Slot told Sky Sports, “I’m not too sure if I saw a football game.”
“It was long throws after set-piece,” he said. There wasn’t much to be gained from tactics. But I particularly liked how strong we were.
Alexander Isak’s desire to leave Newcastle for Liverpool, which contributed to the stadium’s feisty atmosphere, which the match played out against.
That was later realized when Newcastle’s Anthony Gordon was sent off shortly before half-time for a rash challenge on Liverpool’s Virgil van Dijk.
The most fouls in a Premier League game this season has been 32 total.
“The first 45 minutes and a half were very challenging. We went 1-0 up, Slot said, “and we didn’t even collapse.”
Gordon, the England forward, has apologized for his dismissal, saying that his intentions were good.
The 24-year-old stated in a social media post that she was just “trying to create energy in the game and I mistimed the tackle.”
“I also want to apologize to Virgil. I’d never intentionally tackle someone like this. He is aware of our conversation afterward.
“Most importantly, I’m proud of the amount of time we spent playing on the field. St James’ Park is so unique because of everyone’s sense of community.
Kim Kardashian has been criticised for allowing her daughter North, 12, to wear a corset and mini skirt. The family are currently on holiday in Rome, Italy but fans took issue with the not-yet teenager’s outfit.
North was taller than her mother, who wore a stunning black silk dress, and had pigtail-styled blue hair. North was also sporting some chunky boots, a corset, and a very short skirt.
However, enraged fans took to social media to vent their outrage. Why does North appear so grown-up, one wrote? What 12-year-old wears a corset, adds another phrase. Kim is a truly unknowing parent.
This is literally a child, according to a third commentator, who also claimed, “Her and Beyoncé are the same when it comes to how they dress their [children] in public.” She typically wears oversized baggy clothing. A fifth phrase comes to mind: “It’s insane for me to be 12 years old in North.”
North previously opened up about being in the spotlight – and the daughter of former power couple Kim Kardashian and rapper Kanye West. Kim and Kanye are now divorced, and the latter is with Bianca Censori.
When questioned about her preference for being on camera, she responded, “I prefer taking pictures of myself, but I dislike it when paparazzi do.” When I just woke up, I thought, “Yo, I’m going to sue you because there are so many paparazzi.”
I’m like, “Okay, I could take a picture if I’m ready, if I’m not tired, and if my outfit is good. She continued, “I always wanted to pause time when her mother asked if she had a superpower.”
When I was in class last year, I said, “I want to pause time and finish my work, and then I run out of class and go to Starbucks, and then I go around to Japan and then I go everywhere!”
North and Kim shared a joint account on TikTok, where she also showed off her appearance. The rest of the family is spending time in Italy, with North and Kim. With her ex-kanye, Kim also has Saint, nine, and Psalm, six, and Chicago, seven.
She said, “Every time I go to the Met, I love bringing my oldest daughter with me just to see me get ready. All of her aunties are in the hotel, and we’re all getting ready together, so it’s just a fun few days.
She continued, “She’s a big critic, but it’s pretty good, you know, her critiquing,” explaining what her daughter had taught her about fashion. You can be yourself, after all, right?
She’s in a really positive mood, like vibe right now, where it’s just like, “Eye, even if that’s not my style, I’m not going to criticize that because just be you and if you like that then that’s what you should be into. ” She was such a positive force tonight, and I love that energy. “I love that energy.