French double Olympic swimming gold medallist Yannick Agnel will face trial on charges of rape and sexual assault of a 13-year-old girl after his appeal was rejected on Thursday.
In May, the Frenchman’s lawyers appealed the decision for the 33-year-old to face the charges but the appeals court in Colmar, northeast France, turned down the claim and ordered the trial to go ahead.
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Agnel, who won two golds at the 2012 London Games, is suspected of having had a relationship with the girl, who was then 13, in 2016.
Agnel has always insisted the relationship was consensual and loving.
According to prosecutors, the events in question took place between December, 31, 2015 and August 31, 2016 in various locations including Mulhouse, Thailand and Tenerife.
The investigation led to the indictment of the swimmer five months later, in December 2021.
Agnel has always denied he had any control over the teenager.
The public prosecutor at the time, Edwige Roux-Morizot, considered “the facts constitute rape and sexual assault due to the age difference, because the justice system considers that there is genuine moral duress”.
In July 2024, the swimmer, who had retired in 2016, attended a meeting with his accuser, now in her early 20s, that he had requested.
Agnel came to international prominence at the 2010 European championships when he won gold in the 400 metres freestyle, setting a new French and championship record.
Two years later, he starred at the London Olympics when he took gold in the 200m freestyle and the 4x100m freestyle relay as well as silver in the 4x200m freestyle relay.
He collected gold medals in the same two events in the 2013 world championships.
England’s front-row stocks have taken a hit with Sale prop Asher Opoku-Fordjour ruled out of the Six Nations by a shoulder injury.
Opoku-Fordjour, who has not played since the end of November because of an elbow problem, injured his shoulder in training last week.
“He will have surgery tomorrow in Cardiff which essentially will put him out for the next couple of months,” said Sale director of rugby Alex Sanderson.
“It is a real shocker for him, for us and for England.”
England’s Six Nations campaign begins against Wales on 7 February and concludes in France on 14 March.
Opoku-Fordjour, who has won six caps, featured against Australia and Argentina this autumn.
Although the 21-year-old can also play at loosehead, he has specialised at tighthead recently.
A serious Achilles injury has already ruled British and Irish Lion Will Stuart out of the Six Nations, leaving options on that side of the front row badly depleted.
Gloucester’s Afolabi Fasogbon, who won the Under-20 Rugby World Cup alongside Opoku-Fordjour in 2024, and Northampton’s 33-year-old Trevor Davison are among the contenders to step up.
The importance of Leicester’s Joe Heyes, who has enjoyed a superb six months at tighthead for his country, is now higher than ever.
“It takes a special kind of person to take on the psychological load of playing international rugby at tighthead at 19 or 20 years old anyway,” said Sanderson of Opoku-Fordjour.
“He already has that ability to handle, to reframe, to carry.
“Some people could go down rabbit holes, but he doesn’t. He just gets on with it. He is probably already looking ahead to how strong and fit and physical he is going to be when he comes back.
“That is the kind of character he is.”
Sanderson also insisted that Sale’s recruitment for next season is on track, despite suffering the disappointment of scrum-half Raffi Quirke switching to Newcastle and missing out high-profile targets such as Harlequins’ back row Chandler Cunningham-South and Leicester lock George Martin.
Co-owner Simon Orange wrote on social media on Tuesday that he was confident Sale would have their “best squad yet” for 2025-26, urging fans to “have some faith”.
“I would love to tell you about it, it is eating me away inside,” said Sanderson, who admitted his previous honesty about targets had hindered some of the club’s negotiations.
“Simon would not say that and leave himself open for if it didn’t happen.
Flamengo are exploring the possibility of loaning Lucas Paqueta back to West Ham in an effort to seal a move for the Brazil international this month.
BBC Sport reported this week the attacker was the subject of interest from at least two clubs in his native country.
One of those clubs is Flamengo, who are prepared to pay about £35m for the attacker.
Sources indicate Paqueta is pushing to leave, but the Hammers are reluctant to let him go given they face a relegation battle.
Sources claim discussions to that affect have been held between the clubs.
The Brazilian top flight does not start until March, which could – in theory – clear the way for such a deal.
But any agreement for Paqueta to stay in London until the final game of the season in May could depend on how far adrift West Ham are from safety.
They are currently seven points adrift of Nottingham Forest, who occupy 17th place.
Paqueta missed last weekend’s FA Cup third-round win over Queens Park Rangers, which sparked claims from insiders that he did not make himself available because he wants to leave.
However, club sources insist Paqueta’s absence was down to a minor injury.
It now remains to be seen whether Paqueta is selected to play against Tottenham in the Premier League on Saturday.
West Ham boss Nuno Espirito Santo says the club need to find an answer quickly.
Speaking on Thursday, he told reporters: “We always want our best players to be involved and Lucas is one of our best players, so let’s try to solve the situation.
Film enthusiast Luke Eccleston has urged his followers to watch the emotional 1995 drama with 85% score on Rotten Tomatoes – and you can stream it now on Amazon Prime Video
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A film critic has urged people to ‘stop what they’re doing’ and discover an ‘amazing’ movie currently streaming on Amazon Prime Video.
Whilst the past year has treated film lovers to a long list of blockbusters – such as Sinners, Avatar: Fire and Ash, Jurassic World: Rebirth, and 28 Years Later – there’s something special about revisiting overlooked classics from decades gone by.
However, with countless titles across streaming services, knowing where to begin can prove challenging. That’s where film buff Luke Eccleston comes in.
Sharing his picks with his 358,600 TikTok followers. In his latest clip, Luke championed a 1995 release. He urged: “Please stop whatever you’re doing, because you have never seen a film like this. And it’s the biggest hidden gem I have ever found.”
The movie he’s talking about is ‘The Cure’ from 1995, a 97-minute drama currently available on Amazon Prime Video.
Luke continued: “Trust me, this is a five star, perfect film. I have never felt the way I felt watching this film.”
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The touching yet poignant story follows a teenager who relocates to a new area and strikes up a friendship with his young neighbour, who is living with AIDS following a contaminated blood transfusion.
Despite facing bullying and isolation because of his condition, the young lad strikes up an unexpected bond with his next-door neighbour. Upon learning of a potential remedy, the duo embark on an adventure spanning America in search of it.
Boasting an impressive 85% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, reviewers lauded the then-teenage stars, Brad Renfro and Joseph Mazzello, for their compelling performances. Critics also confessed the deeply moving storyline left them in floods of tears.
Luke praised the film by saying: “It reminds me so much of films like ‘Stand By Me’, and there’s so much hope and journey, and it’s such a great, funny film.
“But honest to god, them last 25 minutes, I have never ever broke down that much. That wasn’t even the worst part, I’m not even joking.”
Luke wasn’t alone in championing the “beautiful” film – as several viewers flocked to the comments section to express their own thoughts.
One said: “I’m off to watch it now.” Another admitted: “This film broke me.” And a third added: A third viewer revealed: “OMG! ! Watched this with my sister tonight and we cried from beginning to end!
“One of them films you’ll remember forever. Absolutely beautiful yet so heartbreakingly sad. We absolutely loved it. Keep sending your recommendations!”.
‘Sneakerinas’ are one of spring’s biggest trends, and Marks & Spencer has just dropped a £50 pair you’ll be living in
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It’s officially going to be a ‘sneakerina’ spring, and Marks & Spencer’s latest launch is a stylish way you can tap into the trend.
As you can probably guess from the hybrid name, the ‘sneakerina’ combines trainers (or sneakers as Americans call them) and ballerina flats. This sounds pretty harmless, considering the two shoes are already popular and not exactly controversial. However, the result is something many people have mixed opinions about.
A-List celebs have, of course, already adopted this trend from Phoebe Dynevor to Bella Hadid, who was spotted wearing a £119 pair from Vivaia last year.
And now Marks & Spencer has launched its new style, the Suede Single Strap Mary Jane Trainers, priced at £50.
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These stylish shoes feature a suede finish, which is right on trend for 2026. They also feature a comfy flat sole that makes them ideal for everyday wear, along with a signature Mary Jane-style strap.
Currently, there are only two colourways to choose from, with one being a dark brown and the second being a lighter taupe shade. To style these shoes, we’d recommend keeping it simple with a pair of straight-leg, blue-wash jeans, a crisp white t-shirt and a cool bomber jacket over the top.
What we love most about the ‘sneakerina’ trend is how it toughens up the classic ballerina shoe while also adding a feminine touch to the trainer.
If you’re looking for more styles to choose from, we’ve rounded up our current favourites below…
Shop more of our favourite ‘sneakerinas’
adidas Originals Samba Mary Jane
This divisive release from adidas combines one of the brand’s most iconic and trending styles, the Samba, mixed with a popular 2025 shoe trend, the Mary Jane.
Puma Speedcat Suede Ballet Shoes Women
Dua Lipa posted an Instagram carousel sporting the Puma Speedcat Ballet Shoes, showing that she’s given this controversial trend her seal of approval. Dua’s exact metallic silver ones are currently out of stock, but we’ve found some suede pink ones from Puma that still perfectly fit into the trend.
Vivaia Cristina Satin Sneakerinas
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Bella Hadid was spotted wearing this reasonably affordable £119 pair from Vivaia. And not only is Bella a huge fan of Vivaia’s pair, but so is Charli XCX, who was seen sporting two different pairs in the Coachella desert.
Israel’s military has carried out an attack on a village in Lebanon’s Bekaa Valley, local media outlets are reporting, amid growing concerns of a wider Israeli escalation as the government pushes for the disarmament of Lebanese group Hezbollah.
In a social media post on Thursday, Israeli army spokesman Avichay Adraee told residents of the village of Sohmor to leave their homes ahead of a planned strike on a building he claimed contained “Hezbollah military infrastructure”.
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The Israeli military later said it was attacking several “Hezbollah targets” across Lebanon, without specifying where exactly the strikes were being carried out.
The Hezbollah-affiliated Al-Manar TV said the Israeli army had targeted two residential buildings in Sohmor.
Israel has launched near-daily attacks on Lebanon despite a ceasefire agreement with Hezbollah that came into force in late 2024.
Those attacks have ramped up in recent months as Israel and its main ally, the United States, have been pushing the Lebanese government to disarm Hezbollah.
Later on Thursday, the Israeli army issued another evacuation threat for residents of the Bekaa Valley village of Mashghara, west of Sohmor, saying it planned to attack “Hezbollah infrastructure” there.
Last week, the Lebanese military said the first phase of its plan is to bring all the weapons held by non-state actors between the Litani River and the Israeli border, in southern Lebanon, under its control.
The army said on January 8 that it had established a state monopoly on arms in the south in an “effective and tangible way”, without specifically mentioning Hezbollah.
The Lebanese cabinet, meanwhile, has asked the army to brief it early next month on how it would pursue disarmament in other parts of the country.
A senior Hezbollah official warned the Lebanese government this week, however, that trying to disarm the group across Lebanon would trigger chaos and a possible civil war.
Hezbollah has insisted that the disarmament push only applies to the southernmost region of Lebanon that borders Israel, refusing to relinquish its weapons elsewhere.
In an interview with Russian state media outlet RT, senior Hezbollah political official Mahmoud Qmati said on Wednesday that pursuing a state monopoly on arms further north would be “the biggest crime committed by the state”.
“The path taken by the Lebanese government and state institutions will lead Lebanon to instability, chaos and perhaps even civil war,” Qmati said, though he added that Hezbollah would not be dragged into a confrontation with Lebanon’s army.
Hezbollah has argued that it must retain its weapons in order to deter Israel from occupying additional territories in southern Lebanon, where the Lebanese army is ill-equipped to respond.
Israel has maintained troops in five areas of southern Lebanon, in violation of the 2024 truce.
“There will be no talk or dialogue about any situation north of the Litani River before Israel withdraws from all Lebanese territory, liberates the south and the prisoners, and stops its violations against Lebanon,” said Qmati, the Hezbollah official.
Reporting from the Lebanese capital, Beirut, on Thursday, Al Jazeera’s Zeina Khodr explained that by targeting areas north of the Litani River for attack, the Israeli military is signalling that it has “shifted to phase two of the disarmament plan”.
But the Lebanese army has said “it needs time to put a plan together and that it will present it to the government next month”, Khodr said.
“Lebanese army sources [are] saying that this is very challenging, especially if Hezbollah refuses to cooperate with the army. And Hezbollah [is] making clear it will not cooperate with the army,” she explained.
