Rory McIlroy says a desire to take on “challenging things” can fuel further success in 2026 as he made a strong start to his season at the Dubai Invitational.
The world number two completed a career Grand Slam with victory at the Masters last April. He later helped Europe win the Ryder Cup in New York, while he also triumphed at the Pebble Beach Pro-Am, Players Championship and Irish Open.
In his first competitive outing of the year, McIlroy carded an opening five-under 66 to take the first-round lead at Dubai Creek Resort.
Despite becoming just the sixth golfer to complete a career sweep of men’s majors, motivation remains high for McIlroy.
“I like the work and like the process,” McIlroy told Sky Sports.
“I enjoy doing challenging things and I think if you can make that the important part and make it routine, you don’t need motivation to do it. It’s your lifestyle and what you do.
“I guess it’s who you identify as and I identify as a hard worker and someone who likes to do those things.
Opening on the back nine, Northern Ireland’s McIlroy – who is using a new golf ball and irons – made four birdies and a bogey in his first five holes.
A further three birdies left him in the lead on six under, but a bogey on the third – his 12th hole – dropped him back a shot before he closed with six pars.
“I didn’t capitalise on the second nine, which was the trickier one,” said McIlroy.
“I made a silly bogey on three and didn’t capitalise on the par five after that, so I felt I left a few out on that side, but I played a really good nine holes of golf going out and overall a nice way to start the year.”
Scotland’s Connor Syme and Spain’s David Puig carded 67s to sit one shot off McIlroy.
England’s Matt Wallace seemed to be on course for the overnight lead when he reached seven under, but he dropped four shots across his final seven holes to drop back.
Manchester Originals have been renamed Manchester Super Giants and have retained England internationals Jos Buttler and Sophie Ecclestone for the 2026 Hundred season.
Buttler and Ecclestone, ranked fourth in T20 internationals for men’s batting and women’s bowling respectively, are retained alongside Afghanistan spinner Noor Ahmad and former South Africa batter Heinrich Klaasen.
They are joined by former Australia captain Meg Lanning, India’s World Cup winner Smriti Mandhana and England spinner Liam Dawson.
The franchise’s name change follows RPSG Group purchasing a 70% stake in the side, with the organisation already owning Lucknow Super Giants in the Indian Premier League and Durban’s Super Giants in South Africa’s SA20.
Under their previous name, Manchester were unable to secure a Hundred title in their first five seasons, although the men’s side were losing finalists in 2022 and 2023.
Buttler, the former England white-ball captain, and Ecclestone have played their entire Hundred careers with the Manchester franchise.
Lanning signs after playing the last two seasons at Oval Invincibles and London Spirit, while Dawson spent the last four years at Spirit after starting his Hundred career at Southern Brave.
Mandhana spent 2021 to 2024 at Brave, winning the tournament in 2023, but did not play in the tournament last year.
AI-powered toys that can talk back to you are on display at Asia’s biggest toy show, raising smiles but also concerns about children’s safety too. Laura Westbrook went to see some of them.
Jesy Nelson’s fiance Zion Foster has written a heart wrenching tribute to his baby girls following their devastating health diagnosis – admitting that their daughters ‘already know how to fight’
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Jesy Nelson’s fiance Zion Foster has written a heartbreaking tribute to his baby twins following their SMA diagnosis, confessing “I hear your strength every time you cry.”
After a challenging pregnancy, Zion and Jesy were overjoyed to welcome twin baby daughters Ocean Jade and Story Monroe last May. But that joy swiftly turned to heartache, when she revealed at the beginning of January that her babies had been diagnosed with Type 1 Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA).
Sadly, it the most severe form of a rare muscle wasting disease, which only some 50 children in the UK are born with each year and it means, devastatingly, their adorable twins may never be able to walk.
READ MORE: Christine Lampard wows Lorraine viewers in ‘slinky’ figure-hugging high street dress
Now Zion, 27, who like former Little Mix star Jesy is also a musician, has shared a beautiful poem written about his eight-month-old girls. He said: “They said it’s unlikely you’ll walk, you may not be able to talk, probably won’t be able to hold your head up, that’s what me and Jesy heard – SMA Type 1. And it became so clear, doctors only go near what they can measure, so what’s certain?
“I watch your smiles like sunsets, not promised, but real. I listen to you babble the sweetest melodies, in the moment it makes me wonder, if I keep telling you who I want you to be, what I want you to do, what I expect from you, am I loving you, or am I loving my fear?
“If I take you for how God knitted you, just as you are, nothing removed, am I loving you? Am I accepting you?”
Zion added: “Story, is your heart okay? Ocean, how’s your mind? I hear strength in your lungs every time you cry, two little warrior girls who already know how to fight.
“Honestly, my worry isn’t the milestones, isn’t forcing life to live a different way. My worry is quieter than that, deeper. It’s about accepting you, loving you for who you are right now, without conditions. No matter what tomorrow brings, and no matter what yesterday was.”
Last week, a tearful Jesy, 34, appeared on This Morning, and opened up to Ben Shephard and Cat Deeley about their unexpected new life, saying, “I just want to be their mum. I don’t want to be a nurse. It’s hard”. She added emotionally, “They’ve had their treatment, thank God. A one-off infusion. That puts the gene back in their body that they don’t have. It stops the muscles still working from dying. Any that have gone, you can’t regain them back.
“Now it’s down to constant physio. We’ve been told they’ll probably never walk or regain their neck strength. They’ll probably be in wheelchairs.”
But like Zion, Jesy is trying to remain positive – and confessed she was trying to “manifest” the best possible outcome for her girls, who must attend Great Ormond Street Hospital twice a week for treatment. She said: “They’re still smiling, they’re still happy and have each other. That’s the main thing I’m so grateful for because they could be doing this by themselves,” she added. “All I can do is try my best to be there for them and give them positive energy, keep doing physio.
“My whole life has completely changed. If you came to my house it looks like a hospital. My whole hallway is filled with medical stuff. It’s crazy how you can go from one extreme to the next.
The twin’s condition, spinal muscular atrophy, is a disease which removes a person’s strength and causes problems by disrupting the motor nerve cells in the spinal cord. It can ultimately cause a person to lose the ability to walk, eat and breathe.
Katie Price’s fans have shared their concerns for the star on social media as she was seen out and about with her daughter Princess following her split from JJ Slater
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Fans of Katie Price are growing increasingly concerned for the star following her latest outing with daughter Princess.
Former glamour model Katie, 47, was pictured out with her daughter Princess, 18, as the pair enjoyed a shopping trip in central London together. Frail Katie and Princess’ mother-daughter day was documented on social media as Princess shared a video of the pair taking a train to central London before hopping in a taxi to the lavish department store Selfridges, before the duo left with their arms full of bags.
Meanwhile, photos of the outing show Katie’s slender frame and obvious cheekbones as she and Princess huddled together underneath a bright yellow Moschino umbrella during the outing. The pair looked cold as they hugged one another’s arms tightly while walking together dressed in form-fitting leggings. Princess paired her navy leggings with a matching jumper while Katie added a black cropped puffer coat to complete her look – along with a large Louis Vuitton handbag.
READ MORE: Katie Price breaks silence on JJ split and reveals how he’s different to other exesREAD MORE: Katie Price’s ex JJ Slater reveals weight loss after split as she ‘moves on’
Katie looked tanned for the outing and styled her raven locks in a down, straight hairstyle while her tattooed eyebrows and inkings on her hands were also visible. She topped off the permanent makeup look with a pair of fluttering eyelashes. Shortly after the trip Princess shared a vlog of her outing with her mum on her Instagram and TikTok pages as she gushed: “This was fun” in the caption of the share.
While many fans took to the comments to gush over the special day, others shared concerns for Katie’s health in the comments as one wrote: “Ive always been a KP fan and from what we see shes a great mumma to H. But is no one talking about how painfully thin she is or is she wanting to be that thin, its worrying i think, just my opinion”. Another added: “she looks ill” as another fan asked: “Oh me Katie what happened”. [sic]
The photos come as Katie responded to concern over her weight as she denied taking ‘skinny jabs’ and insisted she is at her ‘natural weight’ after going through IVF and gaining weight. Katie candidly opened up on the topic while appearing on the Disruptors podcast with host Rob Moore.
Addressing concerns over her weight, Katie explained: “Anyone you know who’s had IVF, you put on weight. I had three IVFs the past 15 months. They all failed.” Katie added: “It started from when I broke my feet. They said I’d never run again. So I couldn’t run, wasn’t exercising, couldn’t ride my horses, so basically, I was in a wheelchair for 10 month. They said I couldn’t walk again, this all happened around COVID time, so obviously you’re going to put on weight because you’re not moving about.”
“Then I did IVF, pumped all my stuff, and it takes ages for it to get back out your body. But I say to people, if you look at old pictures of me, even after I’ve had babies, I just shrink back. I’ve always been tiny, and I think because the past sort of three years, I’ve been bigger, but they’re the reasons why, right? Now I’ve gone like back, now the IVF that’s all come out, and I’m more active because I could do more because of my feet, and I’m horse riding again, then naturally, i’m going back athletic again.”
Just last month, a source revealed the the Mirror Katie’s family were concerned for the star’s health after she was seen looking unsteady on her feet while stepping out with friends at Yasmin Oukhellou’s launch event for her business. A source close to Katie has expressed their concern over her weight loss and admits that the family have “honest” conversations with her about the star’s well-being. Speaking to the Mirror, a source said: “They do share their concerns with Kate and have open, honest conversations with her about how she’s feeling – including her mental health and her weight loss.
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“Those conversations come from a place of love, care and support, and they remain private within the family. What people too often forget is just how much Kate has been through and how much she has already overcome. Her well-being is, and always will be, the priority, and it’s something she is actively working on.” Responding to recent coverage from alleged friends of Kate who said that her weight loss was “absolutely devastating” and was extremely severe, our source added: “It was quite frankly completely unnecessary.
“It was cruel, hurtful and deeply insensitive, and it reduced a very real, very personal journey into a sensationalised narrative. There was no consideration for the impact those words might have, not just on Kate, but on her family too.”
Disgraced Grange Hill and London’s Buring star John Alford has been sentenced to eight and a half years in prison after being found guilty of sexual offences against two teenagers. In court, disturbing details about the attacks came to light
Ellie Fry Assistant Head of Features (Audience)
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What was supposed to be a normal sleepover with friends turned into every parent’s worst nightmare when two teenagers were sexually assaulted by a TV star who was meant to keep them safe.
Once the hearthrob of 80s TV drama London’s Burning, it’s only now that the true horror of John Alford’s perverted crimes have come to light. The disgraced actor has this week been sentenced to eight and a half years in prison after being found guilty of child sex offences, with his victims bravely sharing with the world the torment they have endured since that fateful night.
The 54-year-old, who was tried under his real name of John Shannon, was found guilty of four counts of sexual activity with a child, as well as two counts relating to a second female of sexual assault and assault by penetration. Alford, of Hartham Road, Islington, was found guilty at St Albans Crown Court on September 5 of sexually assaulting girls aged 14 and 15 at a friend’s home on April 9, 2022. At his sentencing on Wednesday, he showed no emotion or remorse.
READ MORE: John Alford’s dark spiral from 90s heartthrob to paedophile on benefitsREAD MORE: John Alford’s sick crimes in full as babyfaced Grange Hill star jailed for sex assaults
The court heard that Alford’s attacks happened while the girls were enjoying a sleepover at a friend’s house during the Easter holidays. The impromptu party was held at the home of a third girl – whose father was friends with Alford – following a night out at the pub. None of the teens previously knew the Grange Hill star.
The night eventually wound down and everyone in the house went to bed. Except for Alford, who ended up being the only adult left awake with the girls, the court heard. The sex offender then used this position of power as an opportunity to ply his victims with alcohol, heading to a nearby petrol station at 4:30am and buying £250 worth of food, cigarettes and booze – including rum, beer and flavoured vodka.
The court heard that because of the nature of the conversations he had with them that night, he knew how old the girls were. When he returned to his friend’s home, Alford was sipping on a bottle of beer while both girls drank from the bottle of Ciroc vodka he’d offered them. The dad-of-four went on to have sex with the 14-year-old girl in the garden of the property and later in a downstairs toilet. He also inappropriately touched the 15-year-old girl as she lay half-asleep on the living room sofa.
In a video of her police interview played to the court, the 14-year-old said she had never had sex before the night and stated she had been assaulted. She said: “I told him to stop because I didn’t want to have sex with an old man”. The court heard Alford asked her ‘do you want this babe?’ to which she replied “no”. She told police she asked him to stop “three or four times”.
Meanwhile, the 15-year-old girl assaulted by Alford told the court: “We were all just like dozing off. That was when John started to touch me.” The youngster said she felt “absolutely sick” after the attack and immediately showered after being dropped off at the house of the other girl Alford attacked.
She described how they both went into a bathroom together and “spoke about everything that happened”, before she talked about the incidents again while visiting a different friend’s home two days later. Recalling the moment, she said: “I had a mental breakdown to my best mate’s mum in the garden and she called my mum.”
Recorder Caroline Overton told the court that the girls were in what should have been “a safe environment” while enjoying themselves at the sleepover, including recording TikTok videos. She told Alford: “You were the one remaining adult. You were a trusted family friend and you were fully aware the girls were 14 and 15 years of age.”
During the trial, jurors heard that, after being arrested, the shamed TV star claimed he had “never touched” either of the girls and told police officers: “This stinks. This is a setup.” But a jury disagreed and convicted Alford of all the charges after a week-long trial and more than 13 hours of deliberations.
Once full of zest for life, the two girls now say they are a shadow of their former selves after their trust was cruelly robbed at the hands of a man who was supposed to protect them. The 14-year-old victim told police Alford was older than her dad. In her victim impact statement, she said: “I’m the victim of penetrative sexual assault. Being sexually assaulted has affected my family in every way.”
The girl explained that after the assault, she had to undergo a sexual health exam, but it could not be completed due to it causing her so much pain. She was also given the morning after pill and had to undergo injections for HIV and other diseases, which caused her bruising. She said: “I was scared people were going to notice and wonder why I had them. I had so much shame about the incident. I didn’t want to tell anyone.”
She said she did eventually tell her brother, who told her parents, including her dad who attempted to comfort her. The girl explained: “My dad hugged me, but I didn’t feel comfortable with it because he was a man. It has affected me severely with school. I didn’t care about my GCSEs as this was the only thing that mattered. I wasn’t bothered about my personal hygiene or appearance. I was just existing. I’ve become protective of my friends and any girl I see. I’m always on the look out for a man doing something wrong. What happened to me will be with me forever, but I won’t let it change me.”
The youngest victim said she doesn’t like drinking as it reminds her of that night. She added: “I remember what John smelled like. I was getting flashbacks. I’ve been getting dreams. I’m convinced he’s going to come through my door. I also find it hard being intimate with my boyfriend because of this. The assault by John has completely changed my perspective on life. It has made me look very differently at the world and I now have worries for my life and my future children. I will not let this assault define me, but it has been constantly in my mind.”
For Alford’s other victim, who was 15 at the time of the assault, the pain of that night “destroyed” her. Tragically, she carried out severe self-harm for years after the attack and even attempted to take her own life at the age of 16. She now has scars on her body as a result of the self-harm. In a heartbreaking victim impact statement read out in court, she said: “This man destroyed my mental wellbeing. When I was 16 I tried to take my own life with sleeping tablets. I was in so much physical and emotional pain I cut myself deeply. I used my mum’s lighter to burn the inside of my thighs as well. I felt so suicidal and depressed, words cannot describe how I felt.”
The girl said she often suffers flashbacks and nightmares and she admitted: “Every day I wake up thinking I could have done something to help my friend.” She also said she blames herself. “I still face challenges everyday because of what he did,” she said. “I cannot get on public transport, I can’t do anything by myself.” Tormented by the attack, she also told how if she wakes up in the night, she is too scared to go to the toilet on her own. She said: “I struggle with men. I don’t want to think of every man as evil, but I do. I will never forget his face, his scent, his voice or him.”
Despite the unimaginable suffering he caused his victims, Alford showed no remorse in court. He simply tapped his heart while looking at family members before being led down to the cells. Recorder Overton said he had remained focused on the impact the offences on him and his family rather than his victims. She said he had shown “a lack of acknowledgement” of his behaviour or “any remorse”. And she added: “It is so serious that only a sentence of immediate custody can be justified.”
In mitigation, Alford’s barrister said the former actor has been diagnosed with ADHD and other mental health issues. He said Alford now recognises he has a problem with alcohol, which “he has not really addressed throughout his life”. The star’s laywyer, describing the incident as “sad” and “not one that will be repeated,” told the court his client “will of course struggle in prison because of his mental health”. He added: “Mr Shannon is a family man. His family speak highly of him. He is a loving uncle, loving brother, loving father. As a result of this his family have been targeted by people. It has been difficult for them.”
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Overton said Alford will serve up to two thirds in custody before being released on license. She added that for the rest of his life, he must make police aware of where he is living and inform them if he makes any changes to his name. The pervert was also issued with a restraining order preventing him from contacting either victim either directly or indirectly and he will be on the sex offender’s register indefinitely.
