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Matthew Henry
Chester-le-Street is a BBC Sport journalist’s hometown.
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Katherine Sciver-Brunt, a legendary former bowler, questioned some of England’s players’ mentality following their defeat by India, claiming that they occasionally appear “lazy.”
England fell to a 13-run defeat at Chester-le-Streeet after India had 318-5 lead the series 2-1.
England’s record-takers bowler, Sciver-Brunt, frequently used vocal defenses on the field, suggesting the team was lacking in similar characters.
She told BBC Test Match Special, “I wouldn’t say that no one in this team wants it, they all want it,” noting that she was a fan.
India’s innings contained a number of misfields, which is a regular issue for the current England side.
Players “don’t want the ball because they are scared of failing,” according to Sciver-Brunt, the wife of England captain Nat.
You can see what I felt a lot of the time, she said, “but it certainly wasn’t on the inside.” Everything I did was life and death, and I put a lot of pride in it.
It’s difficult for me to understand some people’s attitudes because they seem lazy and don’t try to be as nice as I do.
Sciver-Brunt did not name any players, but she claimed she occasionally observed such behavior in the current setup.
I don’t believe everyone is exerting any effort, said Sciver-Brunt.
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Everyone on that pitch is devoted to doing everything in their power for England, Nat Sciver-Brunt said when asked about the comments afterward.
I’ve actually experienced that scenario before when I was much younger: “Oh she is so relaxed, doesn’t seem to be that interested.”
That is not true on the inside, he says. You never know what’s happening inside because people may look differently from the outside.
England defeated West Indies at the start of the summer, defeating them in the T20 series, which was their first appearance under Nat Sciver-Brunt and new coach Charlotte Edwards.
When asked about her former team-mate’s comments, Edwards responded, “I couldn’t be happier with the way the squad is doing with their effort and professionalism.”
Ozzy Osbourne, the legendary Black Sabbath player, lost his battle with Parkinson’s on July 22 at the age of 76. His wife Sharon and three children surrounded him as he passed away.
Music legend Ozzy Osbourne spent his final days in his beloved home of Birmingham before his sad death at the age of 76.
Following a difficult battle with Parkinson’s disease, the Black Sabbath star lost his life today, surrounded by his 72-year-old wife Sharon and their two children, Kelly and Jack. Ozzy has experienced a number of troubling health issues over the years, but his life completely changed when he was diagnosed in 2020.
Ozzy and his Black Sabbath bandmates performed a concert set at Birmingham’s Villa Park just days before his passing in a bid to resurrect the city’s Villa Park. Despite his poor health, Ozzy was determined to return to the stage for one more performance.
He stated to Sirius XM in May that he was in “heavy training” because he had not exercised in seven years.
By hook, not by crook, I must make it there first. This trainer helps people get back to normal, and I have him. He is persuaded that he can pull it off for me despite the challenging situation. I’m giving it everything I can.
Ozzy passed away surrounded by his loved ones(Image: Getty Images)
“It’s endurance. The first thing that goes when you’re laid up is your stamina. I am having my blood pressure taken 15 times a day… I’ve got this f***ing device on my finger. It’s a monitor to say how my heart rate is. I’m constantly in training seven days a week I’ve got this guy who’s virtually living with me, and I’m in bed by seven.”
And while performing at the Back To The Beginning gig, Ozzy said, “I don’t know what to say, man, I’ve been laid up for like six years.” As he addressed the audience for what is now their final time, “You have no idea how I feel. Thank you from the bottom of my heart,” he said.
When asked about his emotional farewell performance, the music legend responded, “It’s a goodbye, and what a way to go out. “
Ozzy, who had spent decades living in America, had declared his desire to move back to the UK.
Ozzy Osbourne on stage during his final performance with Black Sabbath (Image: PR)
Despite his dreams, Sharon and his wife Sharon were both affected by a variety of health issues. They were scheduled to live in their Buckinghamshire home. After two decades in Los Angeles, he declared, “Everything is f***ing ridiculous (in America).”
He now shows evidence that he accomplished his last wish. The Prince’s family shared the location of ” Birmingham, England,” according to a statement that confirmed his death, indicating that he had made it home for the last time.
Ozzy’s passing was “unexpected to be this soon,” according to sources close to the family, but his children were so appreciative of being around him in his final days after he performed his final concert just over two weeks ago.
Ozzy passed away at the Buckinghamshire mansion where his wife Sharon had lived. Ozzy’s daughters Aimee, 41, and Kelly, 40, were there to care for him as recently as last week after flying in from Los Angeles, a source told The Mail.
Ozzy died in his beloved home of Birmingham(Image: FilmMagic)
Ozzy was always going to return to Britain to live in Buckinghamshire, according to a close friend. Sharon had spent a lot of time there, helping him get ready for his family home.
There was a lot of hope that he would stay there for a while longer, but one day they feared they wouldn’t bring him back from Los Angeles for the concert earlier this month.
Aimee and Kelly have both been frequent guests at the house in the last week or so. They really hoped he would be able to carry on for a little longer, which is very sad for them all. But it’s so lovely that he and his children were close friends during his final days.
Ozzy also celebrated and watched his daughter Kelly’s wedding just two weeks before his passing. Ozzy made his final appearance on stage on Saturday, July 5, to officially end his Prince of Darkness reign.
Ozzy shot to fame in Black Sabbath(Image: WireImage)
The rock icon joined his Black Sabbath bandmates at Villa Park, Birmingham in one of the most epic farewell shows in music history.
The Osbourne family received a beautiful surprise following the incredible show when Kelly’s long-term partner Sid proposed in front of her parents, Ozzy and Sharon.
The 40-year-old Kelly posted the sweet video of Sid’s proposal to Instagram the day after he requested to spend the rest of his life with the ex-reality TV star.
Kelly continued, “Oh, and this happened yesterday,” in the video. Sharon was heard saying, “We’ve got to be quiet, hold on,” as she shushed the crew backstage at the show. Kelly’s ex-boyfriend later said, “Kelly, you know I love you more than anything in the world.”
Ozzy has died at the age of 76(Image: Getty Images)
However, an innocent Ozzy quickly interrupted Sid’s romantic proposal and yelled, “F*** off! You won’t marry my daughter, I promise. Sid laughed and continues to ask Kelly the crucial question, “Clearly familiar with Ozzy’s banter.”
Nothing would make me happier than savoring the rest of my life with you, he said. Will you marry me, Kelly, in front of your family and all of our friends? “. Kelly turned around, looked shocked, before nodding off, raising her hands in her direction.
Then, in the video, one of Kelly’s friends yells “about time” as they joked about Sid not proposing sooner while Sid was holding Ozzy’s dazzling ring. After their extended embrace, Kelly and Sid exchanged a kiss and a kiss, while their families yelled encouragement in the distance.
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As their dad stormed the stage for the last time, Kelly and her brother Jack had both made sure they both stayed tuned for their final show.
Following his death, tributes have poured in from the likes of Rod Stewart, David Beckham, and Elton John.
Uba Sani, the governor of Kaduna State, ordered recently constructed homes for banditry victims as part of the Qatar Sanabil Project, a collaboration between the state government and Qatar Charity, on Monday.
The project, which also includes a shopping complex, a clinic, and a school, aims to restore dignity and restore families’ years of insecurity in the state.
Governor Sani referred to the initiative as one of his administration’s most significant decisions during the handover ceremony.
He asserted that “it’s not just about building unveiling.” A covenant was fulfilled in the solemn act of healing. Every widow, orphan, and displaced soul is being told that they are not forgotten. You deserve it. You are at home.
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The governor described the homes as “a bold gesture of solidarity” for families who lost loved ones to banditry. They are a part of a larger rehabilitation plan. He emphasized that the homes are symbolic of resurrected dignity and hope as well as physical shelters.
More than just housing, he said, “Every brick laid and every key handed over represents the rebirth of communities that have been shattered by violence.”
Governor Sani acknowledged that banditry left behind a lot of destruction for communities, schools, and dreams. He did, however, stress that lasting recovery must include rebuilding people’s lives and livelihoods in addition to military operations and peace models.
He said that “restoration must follow security.” Because “peace without dignity is incomplete, safety without healing is hollow.”
In addition to receiving empowerment tools like tricycles, grinding tools, salon kits, and welding equipment as part of Phase 1 of the Qatar Sanabil Project, affected families also received financial aid to help them regain economic independence.
Governor Sani made the observation that “we’re building futures rather than just giving out homes.” True empowerment refers to helping people walk on their own merit and purpose.
Additionally, the governor established a new school to provide free education to the children of the affected families, established a clinic to assist their medical needs, and established a skills-acquisition center for both young and old.
He thanked Qatar Charity for its “extraordinary commitment to global solidarity” and thanked Qatar’s Country Director Sheikh Hamdi Abdu and Qatari Ambassador to Nigeria, H. E. Ali Bin Ghanem Al-Hajri, for their hard work.
Governor Sani thanked President Bola Tinubu, Nuhu Ribadu, the defense minister, and Mohammed Badaru Abubakar for their contributions to stabilizing the security situation in Kaduna.
He assured residents that this was just the start of the project, which would soon add more homes, schools, clinics, and boreholes to the area’s affected areas.
Governor Sani remarked to the resilient families who are currently receiving homes: “You are not defined by your loss but by your strength.” You are the only ones who survive. Our heroes are you.
General Christopher Musa, the chief of the defense staff, praised the state governor for his efforts to restore and stabilize the state.
He praised the Qatar Charity for its efforts to assist the government in providing support to the victims and assured the government of the support of the armed forces.
Prior to his death, Ozzy Osbourne’s family, including his wife Sharon Osbourne and their children, had made Parkinson’s disease known.
The late Ozzy Osbourne has been praised by a charity for raising awareness of Parkinson’s disease. It comes following the news earlier tonight that the Black Sabbath member died, aged 76, this morning surrounded by his family.
Ozzy’s death was announced by his family in a statement issued today, just weeks after he performed at a farewell concert in his hometown of Birmingham. His wife Sharon Osbourne and four of his children signed the statement.
Ozzy received tributes from Parkinson’s disease organizations in the wake of the news. The late singer-songwriter had previously disclosed to fans that he had been evaluated for the condition just over five years prior.
READ MORE: Ozzy Osbourne dead UPDATES: Black Sabbath legend dies aged 76 days after final performance
Ozzy Osbourne’s passing, which occurred shortly after his celebratory homecoming show, will shock so many, according to Parkinson’s UK CEO Caroline Rassell. Ozzy and his entire family helped so many families in the same situation by opening up about both his diagnosis and his life with Parkinson’s.
“They normalised tough conversations and made others feel less alone with a condition that’s on the rise and affecting more people every day. All of our heartfelt thoughts are with his family, friends and fans worldwide. His memory and the impact he left on the world will live on in all of them.”
It was announced earlier that Ozzy Osbourne has died.(Image: Getty Images)
Cure Parkinson’s CEO, Helen Matthews, also paid tribute. Ozzy’s Back to the Beginning concert earlier this month’s profits would be split between Cure Parkinson’s and two other organizations, it had been announced.
Helen expressed her condolences by saying, “We are devastated by the news about Ozzy and his family.” The most incredible and lively concert at Villa Park was produced just a few weeks ago by Ozzy, Black Sabbath, and all the other acts that made up Back to the Beginning, in my opinion. Ozzy’s tireless efforts have given Cure Parkinson’s, Birmingham Children’s Hospital, and Acorns Children’s Hospice a lot of praise. Thank you, Cure Parkinson’s, for all of us.
Ozzy, who has faced various health issues over the years, announced in 2020 that he had been diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease. The news was shared in an interview with Good Morning America whilst he recalled needing surgery on his neck following a “bad fall” the previous year.
He remarked at the time, “Our experience has been incredibly challenging. I had surgery on my neck, Ozzy went on to say in the interview, “and it screwed all of my nerves.” And I learned that I have a mild form of… “He turned to Sharon, who then said, “It’s Parkin 2, which is a form of Parkinson’s.”
There are so many different Parkinson’s types, Sharon continued. By no stretch of the imagination, it’s a death sentence, but it does have an impact on some body parts. It’s like you have a good day, a good day, and then a terrible day.
In the same interview, Ozzy claimed that he had the condition under control. He added that, having kept the diagnosis from his fans for a while before the interview, he felt “better” about it.
He pointed out that he had had surgery and that he had been experiencing cold in his legs and numbness in one arm. According to Ozzy and Sharon, they were unsure whether the surgery had caused any of the symptoms or whether they were related to Parkinson’s.
According to the NHS, physical symptoms of Parkinson’s can include nerve pain in the form of coldness or numbness. Other symptoms of the condition include tremors, slowness of movement and muscle stiffness.
It was shared in the interview in 2020 that his son Jack Osbourne was the first to notice signs of the condition. Ozzy’s daughter Kelly Osbourne told Good Morning America: “Jack saw it first and then when I saw it myself, it … it’s really strange how this works because there are some days where I will walk in this house and I’m like ‘there is absolutely nothing wrong with him’. […] Then you come back the next day, and nothing has happened, but it’s like he can’t feel his arm and he can’t get off the couch.”
We’ve all learned a lot about each other over and over again, Kelly continued, “This just confirms how much we all love one another and how strong we are.”
Speaking to Rolling Stone magazine in 2023, Ozzy addressed the suggestion that he was “fighting his last battle”. Dismissing concerns in the media, he told the outlet: “You know, I don’t even think about Parkinson’s that much. Every time I scratch my a***, they put it down to Parkinson’s!”
Ozzy’s return to the stage for his farewell concert Back to the Beginning on July 5 was made public in February of this year. His wife Sharon kept fans informed about her husband’s health before he performed.
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Sharon told the Sun earlier this year: “He’s very happy to be coming back and very emotional about this. Parkinson’s is a progressive disease. It’s not something you can stabilise. It affects different parts of the body and it’s affected his legs. But his voice is as good as it’s ever been.”
Then, whilst speaking to Music Week in June, Sharon said: “[Ozzy’s] working with his therapist every single day. He’s doing really well, actually. Ozzy’s number one thing in life is his fans, so he’s working hard to be ready for them, to make this show the perfect way to end things.”
Bola Tinubu, president of Nigeria, has assured the nation that his administration’s top priorities will always be the fight against terrorism and bandits.
At the commissioning of the first phase of the first phase of housing projects for bandit victims in Kaduna State on Tuesday, Tinubu stated that while the fight against terrorism is a challenge, it still ranks among the top priorities of the current administration in line with our national security agenda.
Nigeria is in safe hands, according to Tinubu, who was accompanied by Nuhu Ribadu, the national security adviser. We are confirming that with that assurance. It will be accomplished.
The Federal Government’s wider plan to rebuild communities ravaged by violent attacks includes the housing project, which is being carried out in collaboration with the Qatar Charity Organization.
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Bola Tinubu, president
The president noted that Kaduna State has already made significant progress in restoring peace and rebuilding lives. Things are changing, he said, and “Recovery is ongoing, and it is obvious that fresh air is blowing through Kaduna State.”
He emphasized that the needs of the people, particularly those affected by violence, must be prioritized over good governance. We are shedding blood on the victims of excessive violence. We are resolving conflicts between communities. We’re promoting inclusion and a sense of belonging to everyone, Tinubu said.
The Kaduna State Government, the Office of the National Security Advisor, and the Chief of Defence Staff all made noteworthy efforts to combat insecurity in the area using both kinetic and non-kinetic methods.
He praised the “Kaduna Peace Model,” calling it “intelligence and community-driven, rooted in the understanding that sustainable peace must be nurtured rather than imposed.”
According to him, the Birnin Gwari Market’s reopening and the return of displaced farmers’ ancestral lands represent progress. He said, “This is a public declaration that Kaduna is having a new face, a face of reality, and rebuilding.”
More than 230, 000 pages of once-classified files relating to Martin Luther King Jr. (MLK)’s murder have been made available by the White House almost six decades after his death in 1968.
After becoming president in January, Donald Trump signed an executive order declassifying documents related to the assassinations of King, former President John F Kennedy and former Senator Robert F Kennedy.
The MLK files, in large part, support the long-held myth that the assassin James Earl Ray acted alone and without conclusive proof of a larger conspiracy.
The FBI’s surveillance and harassment of King, including attempts to discredit and intimidate him in the years leading up to his assassination, are well documented in the files released on Monday.
So what do the MLK files offer? What actions did the FBI take against him? Why did Trump just release them now, then?
What are the MLK files?
The MLK files are a treasure trove of documents that relate to King’s assassination in 1968 and the FBI’s ongoing surveillance of him throughout the 1950s and 1960s. After the FBI compiled the documents and gave them to the National Archives and Records Administration, the records were placed under a court-imposed seal in 1977.
The files include internal memos, wiretap transcripts, informant reports and correspondence from then-FBI Director J Edgar Hoover and senior officials, reflecting how the FBI viewed King as a political threat due to his civil rights activism.
The FBI’s covert attempt to discredit and intimidate King, which included bugging his hotels, breaking into his inner circle, and even writing him an unidentified letter urging him to commit suicide in 1964, is a major focus.
King’s ties to former Communist Party member Stanley Levison were used by the FBI to support illegal surveillance and attempts to undermine his reputation, and the FBI also falsely identified him as a communist sympathiser.
These operations were part of the FBI’s wider COINTELPRO programme, which targeted activists and dissenters across the country.
Attorney General Pam Bondi and President Donald Trump speak during a cabinet meeting at the White House.
Did any new information emerge from the files?
The newly released MLK files do not reveal any dramatic new evidence about his assassination or secret plots.
The FBI conducted extensive surveillance, and Ray was convicted as the lone shooter, which was widely known in the files.
The FBI may have considered additional suspects after Ray, but the communications also suggest otherwise. Ray confessed to killing King in 1969 but later recanted and claimed he was framed.
Ray had been on the run for almost two months prior to his arrest. Before being extradited to the US, where he was found guilty and given a 99-year prison sentence, he fled to Canada, Portugal, and the UK. He died in April 1998 from complications related to kidney and liver disease.
The FBI continued to monitor King and conduct extensive surveillance and disinformation campaigns under Hoover’s direction in the documents. These methods, including anonymous threats and wiretaps, have been widely known for decades, especially since the church committee’s findings in the US Senate in the 1970s.
The new files appear to confirm this history while adding more granular details. They provide additional internal memos and internal records that support earlier accounts of the bureau’s efforts to discredit King and keep his activities in perspective.
Notably, the release does not include any fresh information about the King assassination that might have been related to Ray.
But King scholars would like to see the information the FBI was discussing and circulating as part of its investigation, Ryan Jones, director of history, interpretation and curatorial services at the National Civil Rights Museum in Memphis, Tennessee told The Associated Press news agency.
According to Jones, “That’s critical given the fact that the American public at the time wasn’t aware that the FBI that was overseeing a smear campaign while he was alive,” They merely ignored the same bureau that was receiving assassination threats against King.
What is the civil rights movement?
In the 1950s and 1960s, the civil rights movement fought for decades to put an end to racial segregation and prejudice against African Americans, primarily in the US.
Following World War II, Black Americans demanded equal treatment under the law and full access to the political, social, and economic rights guaranteed by the US Constitution, which was the root of centuries of resistance to slavery and racial injustice.
Led by figures such as Malcolm X, Rosa Parks, King and countless grassroots activists, the movement employed strategies ranging from peaceful protests and legal challenges to civil disobedience and mass mobilisation.
Landmark events like the Selma-to-Montgomery marches, the Alabama bus boycott in Alabama, the March on Washington, where King delivered his “I Have a Dream” speech, and the Selma-to-Montgomery marches, all of which were under the control of the public. The Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965 were among the major legislative victories resulting from these efforts.
A person holds an image of the Reverend Martin Luther King Jr during commemorations of the 60th anniversary of the March on Washington at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, DC, on August 26, 2023]Andrew Harnik/AP]
What did the FBI do during this operation?
The FBI’s counterintelligence program, known as COINTELPRO, a covert initiative launched by the FBI under Hoover, dominated the FBI’s operation against King.
Initiated in 1956, COINTELPRO targeted various organisations, but its focus on King and the broader civil rights movement intensified in the early 1960s, particularly as King’s prominence grew.
King was identified as a threat to national security by the FBI, who had a suspicion of communist influence in the civil rights movement, despite never having any proof of such a claim.
Through surveillance and psychological strategies, King’s activities are outlined in declassified documents as part of a coordinated effort to monitor his behavior, undercut his leadership, and tarnish his reputation in the public. Wiretaps were placed on King’s home and office phones, and hidden microphones were installed in hotel rooms where he stayed.
Attorney General Robert F. Kennedy authorized these efforts in 1963, but they frequently turned on themselves to get slanderous information about King’s private life, particularly his extramarital affairs.
The FBI urged King to commit suicide to avoid public outcry in 1964 by sending an anonymous letter to him along with an audiotape it allegedly obtained from a contaminated hotel room to conceal his affairs.
The FBI’s operation against King, which continued until his assassination in 1968, reflected Hoover’s animosity and the agency’s broader paranoia about civil rights activism disrupting the status quo.
In a statement from the King family, it was stated that “he was relentlessly targeted by a deeply disturbing, predatory, and disinformation and surveillance campaign.“
Why was Trump’s release date?
The Trump administration released the MLK files despite opposition from his family and the political group he once led.
Attorney General Pamela Bondi stated in a statement that “the American people deserve answers decades after one of our country’s greatest leaders was killed.”
According to Trump’s request for the files to be made public, it was “in the national interest” to release the information. “Their families and the American people deserve transparency and truth”, it said.
To mark the release of the files, Bondi hosted Alveda King, a conservative commentator and MLK’s niece, at the Department of Justice. Alveda expressed gratitude to Trump for “keeping their promise of transparency in the release of these documents on King’s assassination.”
The King family said in its statement that it had hoped to get an opportunity to review the files as a family before their public release.
King’s children described their father’s case as a “captivating public curiosity for decades,” but they also stressed that “these files must be viewed in their full historical context.
We ask those who sign up for the release of these files to show respect for our family’s ongoing grief, according to the statement.
From left, American real estate developer Donald Trump and his girlfriend (and future wife), former model Melania Knauss, financier (and future convicted sex offender) Jeffrey Epstein and British socialite Ghislaine Maxwell at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago club in Palm Beach, Florida, on February 12, 2000]Davidoff Studios via Getty Images]
Trump, have any other files been made public?
Trump declassified thousands of documents relating to the murders of former president John F. Kennedy (JFK) and his younger brother, Robert F. Kennedy, before making the MLK files public, citing transparency as a result.
In March, the National Archives released tens of thousands of pages concerning JFK’s 1963 assassination, including previously redacted FBI and CIA records. The intelligence efforts of US surveillance efforts during the Cold War and the assassin Lee Harvey Oswald were provided in more detail in these documents.
The Trump administration then released more than 70, 000 pages relating to Senator Kennedy’s 1968 assassination, which were released from April to June. These records included FBI field reports, informant files and internal memos.
While many praised the most recent release, other leaders criticized Trump for making the president’s handling of the Jeffrey Epstein files a political distraction.
