Chelsea Sign Mamadou Sarr From Strasbourg

Chelsea on Monday confirmed the signing of Mamadou Sarr from Ligue 1 side RC Strasbourg, with the defender signing a contract until 2033.

Sarr was a regular for Strasbourg during the 2024/25 campaign and played a key role in the French team securing qualification for European football next season.

The 19-year-old made 28 appearances across all competitions and helped the club seal a place in next season’s UEFA Conference League play-off.

READ ALSO: Inter Milan Hire Chivu As New Coach

The France Under-20 international joined Strasbourg last August and quickly established himself as a regular starter in defence.

Meghan Markle warned ‘it’s time to move on’ after move that will shock Palace

Meghan Markle has been pressing ahead with her As Ever lifestyle brand while building her Instagram following – but one expert has a stark warning for her

Meghan Markle is pressing ahead with her As Ever brand(Image: PA)

Meghan Markle has left the Royal Family firmly behind her as she builds her business empire. Five years after she and Prince Harry dramatically quit as working royals, she is now growing her As Ever lifestyle brand as well as her Instagram following with a string of never-before-seen snaps and videos.

But despite the days of royal duties being long gone, Meghan does continue to use one thing from her former life – her royal title, the Duchess of Sussex. Not only that, she recently raised eyebrows when it emerged she had also used her HRH title on a note in a gift basket to a friend. According to royal expert Jennie Bond, Meghan has appeared to become a shrewd operator as she ploughs forward with her business, which will no doubt help to fund the Sussexes’ enviable lifestyle.

Meghan still retains her Duchess of Sussex title
Meghan still retains her Duchess of Sussex title (Image: Getty Images for TIME)

But writing in The Sun, the former BBC royal correspondent says it’s now time for her to stop using her royal title in her money-making ventures.

She explained: “To try to cling to the vestiges of her blink-of-an-eye time as a working royal is disingenuous. So, Meghan, how about dropping the Duchess nonsense and the HRH which you are no longer entitled to use? Be independent and successful.

“Make your As Ever brand bigger than ever on your own. You tried being part of the Royal Family and hated it. Time to move on, which, I think, is what this is all about.”

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It comes as Meghan as made a huge U-turn in a new announcement about restocking her As Ever products, including her jam. In an Instagram post last week, she promised that her goods would be back in stock later this month and teased other new items, saying there would be “a few new things we can’t wait to show you”.

Meghan had launched a lifestyle brand called As Ever
Meghan has launched a lifestyle brand called As Ever (Image: JENNA PEFFLEY/NETFLIX)

The about-turn came just hours after she was heard telling Beyoncé’s mother that she had decided to “just pause” until she was completely ready.

Meghan appeared on her own podcast, Confessions of a Female Founder, yesterday, recorded in May, telling Tina Knowles she feared annoying customers when the first batch of her jam and herbal teas sold out in less than an hour.

She said she wanted to wait until it was “completely stable and we have everything we need”. However, just hours later, Meghan shared a photo of jam-making preparations including bowls of strawberries, raspberries and blueberries, and freshly squeezed lemons, on her Instagram stories, writing: “June gloom?’ Not over here! Because this month your favourite products are back.”

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Her official As Ever account also posted: “To all who’ve been wondering and waiting, thank you. Your favourites are returning, plus a few NEW things we can’t wait to show you. Coming this month…get excited!”

Meghan’s range includes flower sprinkles, which she used liberally during her Netflix lifestyle show, and raspberry spread, a crepe mix, wildflower honey and an assortment of herbal teas. She renamed her brand from American Riviera Orchard after running into trademark issues.

Stop Wike From Shutting 34 Embassies In Abuja, SERAP Tells Tinubu

The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project Nigeria has urged President Bola Tinubu to direct the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, to withdraw the threat to shut down 34 foreign embassies in Abuja over ground rent debts.

The group’s reaction followed recent revelations by the FCTA that at least 34 embassies in Abuja owe rents for as far back as 2014.

Among the embassies listed are those of Ghana, Thailand, Equatorial Guinea, Côte d’Ivoire, Russia, Philippines, Netherlands, Turkey, Guinea, Ireland, Uganda, Iraq, Zambia, Tanzania, Germany, DR Congo, Venezuela, Korea, Trinidad and Tobago, Egypt, Chad, India, Sudan, Kenya, Zimbabwe, Ethiopia, Indonesia, the European Union, Switzerland, Saudi Arabia, China, and South Africa.

SERAP, in a post on X (formerly Twitter) on Monday, warned that allowing Wike to carry out the threat would violate international law and diplomatic conventions.

 

READ ALSO: Elections: It’s Too Early To Talk About 2027, That’s Like Playing God — Governor Otti

The group said, “President Tinubu should urgently caution and direct the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, to immediately withdraw the threat to close down 34 embassies in Abuja.

“Article 22, paragraph 1, of the Vienna Convention states that ‘the premises of the mission shall be inviolable’.

“Article 22, paragraph 3, sets out that ‘the premises of the mission, their furnishings and other property thereon and the means of transport of the mission shall be immune from search, requisition, attachment or execution’”.

In a directive issued on May 26, Wike had ordered enforcement action on 4,794 properties with unpaid rents ranging from 10 to 43 years.

Inter Milan Hire Chivu As New Coach

Inter Milan have chosen Cristian Chivu to lead the Serie A club into a new era, confirming the former Romania defender as Simone Inzaghi’s replacement ahead of the upcoming Club World Cup.

“Inter Milan is pleased to welcome Cristian Chivu as the new head coach of the first team. The coach has signed a contract with Inter until 30 June 2027,” Inter said in a statement.

Still reeling from humiliation at the hands of Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League final, Inter have gambled on novice Chivu after failing to get Cesc Fabregas from Como.

Chivu has reportedly agreed a two-year contract with Inter worth 2.5 million euros ($2.85 million) a season, taking charge of one of Europe’s biggest clubs only a few months after beginning his senior coaching career with Parma.

Parma confirmed Chivu’s departure earlier on Monday, setting up his arrival at Inter where he won three Serie A titles and the 2010 Champions League as a player.

READ ALSO: Fan Dies After Falling From Stands At Nations League Final

The 44-year-old replaced Fabio Pechia in February and guided Parma to Serie A safety in his first job in football of any form since leaving Inter’s youth set-up last summer.

“I thank the club, staff, players and fans for having believed in me and our project,” said Chivu on Instagram.

“Together we overcame obstacles and wrote a page (in Parma’s history) which will remain in my heart.”

Chivu’s first match in charge of Inter will be against Monterrey in the Club World Cup next week, in the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California.

He will lead a group of players who looked dead on their feet during their 5-0 hammering against PSG in the Champions League final late last month.

Inzaghi left Inter in the wake of the Italians’ thumping in Munich, taking the job at Saudi Pro League club Al Hilal who are also taking part in the Club World Cup.

Iran to present counterproposal for nuclear deal to US via Oman

Iran will soon present a counterproposal for a nuclear deal to the United States, according to its Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Esmaeil Baghaei, the ministry’s spokesman, told a weekly news conference on Monday that Iran was not satisfied with a US proposal and it would present its version via mediator Oman.

This marks the first public sign that Tehran will not accept the US proposal after the fifth round of talks last month, during which Iran said it had received “elements” of a US proposal and Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi later said the text contained “ambiguities”.

Baqhaei criticised the US proposal on Monday as “lacking elements” reflective of the previous rounds of negotiations, but he did not provide details.

“We will soon submit our own proposed plan to the other side through Oman once it is finalised,” he said.

Baghaei said the US proposal failed to include the lifting of sanctions – a key demand for Tehran, which has been reeling under their weight for years.

Five rounds of talks

Tehran and Washington have held talks since April to thrash out a new nuclear accord to replace a deal with major powers that US President Donald Trump abandoned during his first term in 2018.

The longtime foes have been locked in a diplomatic standoff over Iran’s uranium enrichment. Tehran defends it as a “nonnegotiable” right and Washington describes it as a “red line”.

Trump, who has revived his “maximum pressure” campaign of sanctions on Iran since retaking office in January, has repeatedly said Tehran will not be allowed any uranium enrichment under a potential deal.

Last week, Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei dismissed the US proposal as against Iran’s interests, pledging to continue enrichment on Iranian soil, which Western powers view as a potential pathway to building nuclear weapons. Iran says its nuclear programme is only for peaceful purposes.

The United Nations nuclear watchdog, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), will convene a Board of Governors meeting from Monday to Friday in Vienna to discuss Iran’s nuclear activities.

The meeting comes after the IAEA released a report criticising “less than satisfactory” cooperation from Tehran, particularly in explaining past cases of nuclear material found at undeclared sites.

Iran has criticised the IAEA report as unbalanced, saying it relied on “forged documents” provided by Israel.

King Charles faces protestors shouting ‘ditch the duchy’ at historic event

During his first official royal engagement at Lancaster Castle since becoming King, anti-monarchy protesters waited for King Charles as he arrived for the visit

King Charles takes part in the Ceremony of the Keys during his visit Lancaster Castle(Image: PA)

King Charles has faced protestors during a royal engagement in Lancashire, as a group of anti-monarchists shouted “not my king” as he took part in a historic event. As his first official visit to Lancaster as the monarch, Charles arrived at Lancaster Castle today where he met with D-Day veterans and took part in an ancient ceremonial tradition.

The protestors were awaiting his arrival, as chants of “not my king”, “abolish the monarchy” and “ditch the Duchys” rang through the streets as the King’s motorcade arrived at the castle. The anti-monarchy protestors called for the Duchy income to be spent on local businesses and charities, as they made their intentions clear with placards and chants.

King Charles was met with anti-monarchy protestors at Lancaster Castle
King Charles was met with anti-monarchy protestors at Lancaster Castle (Image: PA)

However, it did not derail the King, who met with a 101-year-old D-Day veteran named Richard Brock, who he remembered from a visit to Normandy last year.

During the reception at Lancaster Castle, Charles told Mr Brock: “You are fantastic.” Mr Brock’s son Tony Brock, who attended with him, said the King “mentioned a nip of whisky and said to keep taking it.”

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The King, who is also the Duke of Lancaster, was greeted at the railway station from the royal train by the Lord-Lieutenant of Lancashire, Amanda Parker.

As part of an ancient ceremonial tradition, Charles was also handed the keys to the castle in front of the John O’Gaunt gateway. The reigning monarch has taken part in the Ceremony of the Keys with each visit to the castle since 1851, when the keys were first presented to Queen Victoria, with Queen Elizabeth also receiving the honour in 2015.

King Charles met with local school children
Charles met with local school children after the historic Ceremony of the Keys(Image: Getty Images)

Students from the nearby Willow Lane Primary School were selected to attend the ceremony and meet the King, with some students offering him a bouquet of flowers.

Schoolchildren from local secondary schools including Ripley St Thomas and Lancaster Girls’ Grammar School also lined the route outside the castle accompanied by a performance from a military band.

After the ceremony at the castle, which was used as a prison until 2011, King Charles met with local business owners who were showcasing their work.

One such business owner was Gillian Hale, from Butlers’ Farmhouse Cheeses, who was told by the King that he loves to indulge in sheep’s cheese on a digestive biscuit.

King Charles and castle guard
The King also met a 101-year-old D-Day veteran, who he told to “keep drinking whiskey”(Image: PA)

Charles smelt some of the cheeses she had on display but did not taste any, as Ms Hale said: “We’re going to send some to him later in a goody bag. He was so gracious.”

The King was also given a neck tie and some gloves for the Queen from Northern Yarn, with business owner Kate Makin saying: “He was really interested in the regenerative farming and the local wools we use.”

Outside the castle, the King met eager royal fans who had been waiting to catch a glimpse of the monarch. Among those keen to see the King were friends Joan Hardcastle, 103, and Barbara Graham, 93, who had come with staff and two other residents from Laurel Bank Care Home.

Mrs Hardcastle held a framed photograph of Charles presenting her with her MBE for voluntary services 40 years ago, as she said: “I’ve seen him several times since. He was fine when I met him, very chatty.”

Care home manager Lyndsay Scott said: “It was Barbara’s idea to come. We got here at 9am, we’ve had flasks of tea and croissants.” After shaking the King’s hand as he left the castle, Mrs Hardcastle said he had not changed.

Before the King left, he unveiled a plaque commemorating his visit, made by sculptor Alan Ward, who has a studio and workshop inside the castle.

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