Great Britain’s women’s flag football team will face Austria in the quarter-finals of the World Games after completing their group campaign on Friday.
Britain followed up their opening win on Thursday by beating Japan 26-24 in the first of their two Friday matches, then losing 34-13 to defending champions Mexico.
That meant Mexico topped Group B, so face the fourth-placed team in Group A – hosts China – while runners-up Britain face third-placed Austria.
The tournament in Chengdu is seen as crucial for the GB team’s development before flag football makes its Olympic debut at Los Angeles 2028.
The World Games is a global multi-sport event showcasing sports not currently on the Olympic programme.
Japan are ranked third and beat Britain 40-34 in the quarter-finals of the Worlds, but that defeat was avenged on Friday. GB held on for a narrow win, with quarterback Jessica Allen making four touchdown passes.
The European champions led 20-12 at half-time after Grace Conway scored twice, either side of a Hannah Elliott touchdown.
Marta Mathews scored to keep GB clear in the second half and although Japan also finished with four touchdowns, they failed to add the extra point on each occasion.
GB twice went in front in their final group game, with Allen making touchdown passes to Elliott and Emily Kemp, but Mexico led 14-13 at half-time and finished with five touchdowns – all from Diana Flores passes.
The winner of GB’s quarter-final with Austria will face the USA or Italy in the semi-finals.
Bournemouth have opened talks to sign Scotland winger Ben Doak from Liverpool.
The Reds want £25m for the 19-year-old, who is expected to be left out of their squad for Friday’s Premier League season opener against Bournemouth.
Doak has been a target for other Premier League clubs and Portuguese side Porto, but the Cherries are considered the frontrunners to sign him, according to multiple sources involved in the deal.
The forward, who has six caps for Scotland, spent last season on loan at Middlesbrough, scoring three times and recording seven assists in 24 matches.
He has played just 10 times for Liverpool since joining from Celtic in 2022.
Bournemouth, who have agreed to sell Dango Ouattara to Brentford for £42.5m, are keen to reduce the price for Doak in negotiations.
It has been a busy summer for the Cherries after losing defenders Illia Zabarnyi, Dean Huijsen and Milos Kerkez for a total of about £150m.
Manager Andoni Iraola admitted his side are “not where they want to be” before the trip to Anfield but added “important movements” will be made before the transfer window closes on 1 September.
Dominic Calvert-Lewin has a chance to “revive his career” after joining newly promoted Leeds, says boss Daniel Farke.
The 28-year-old striker has signed a three-year contract on a free transfer after ending a nine-year spell with Everton on a disappointing note.
Calvert-Lewin earned 11 England caps during his time with the Toffees, but was hindered by a series of injuries in recent seasons and left at the end of last term when his contract expired.
Farke said: “It’s a chance for him to revive his career and reach his former heights, when he was outstanding at the Premier League level, and it’s a big chance for us because we’ve got a proven Premier League player.
Having arrived from Sheffield United in 2016, Calvert-Lewin scored 57 goals in 239 Premier League appearances for Everton, with his best haul of 21 in all competitions in 2020-21.
Since then he has failed to reach double figures and was restricted to just 18 games in both the 2021-22 and 2022-23 campaigns.
In all, Calvert-Lewin scored 71 goals in 273 games for Everton and becomes Leeds’ eighth signing since earning promotion back to the top flight.
“We are all pretty happy and delighted that he will wear a Leeds shirt from now on,” added Farke.
“As a newly promoted side, we want to sign players that have already delivered at the top level, but are still at a good age and on the way up in the career, not already on their way down. Those boxes are all ticked by Dominic.
“We don’t have to speak about his qualities, he has more or less all the skills that you would like your striker to have.
“Of course, his last few seasons were interrupted by injuries but he still managed to play 26 games last season.”
Top flight’s ‘worst finisher since 2022’ – analysis
Matthew Hobbs
BBC Sport journalist
Calvert-Lewin’s signing is a fascinating one for Leeds.
The injury-plagued Patrick Bamford failed to start a Championship match last season, making 17 appearances as a substitute, and, having said he can leave, Leeds have now recruited a player with a similar profile and questionable fitness record.
Calvert-Lewin missed three months of last season and has not scored more than seven Premier League goals in any of the past four campaigns.
Statistically, he can be considered the worst finisher of any forward in the top flight. Since the start of 2022-23, he’s scored just 12 times in total from an xG of 25.7 – the biggest underperformance of any player during this period (-13.7), while former Liverpool striker Darwin Nunez is second on this list at -8.5.
However, the fact Calvert-Lewin was offered a new deal by Everton before he left shows he retains value as an effective lone target man and capable of occupying defenders.
He could get the chance to do that on Monday against his former club, who are without England centre-back Jarrad Branthwaite through injury.
Ibiza Final Boss Jack Kay has shared a cryptic post with his fans just days after meeting controversial adult star Bonnie Blue on the party island
Jack Kaye met Bonnie Blue and was seemingly nervous(Image: Supplied)
Ibiza Final Boss Jack Kay has reflected on his wild ride to fame, just days after his nervous meeting with controversial adult star Bonnie Blue.
The 26-year-old, whose ‘Battle of Hastings haircut’ has become the look of Summer 2025, appeared bewildered as he took to Instagram today to ask his fans, ‘What just happened?’
Jack, from Newcastle, has signed up to for management, released his own dance track, partied with celebrity DJs and flown on a private jet with his pals in the space of a few days. It’s hard to believe that, just a few weeks ago, Jack was just an ordinary Geordie lad preparing for a fun-filled holiday on the White Isle with his pals.
For anyone who has been living under a rock, Jack skyrocketed to fame earlier this month after images of him partying the night away in Ibiza went viral. He’s since taken every opportunity to enjoy what has been the ultimate summer of a lifetime. Now, Jack has taken to Instagram stories to share his thoughts on the trip that sparked his meteoric rise.
READ MORE: Ibiza Final Boss Jack Kay looks unrecognisable in unearthed photo before iconic hair cutREAD MORE: Bonnie Blue Instagram mystery as star vanishes hours after Ibiza Final Boss video
Astonished Jack shared a reflective story via Instagram(Image: Jack Kay/Instagram)
Sharing a random snap of a perfectly trimmed tree, a hilarious nod to his incredible bowl cut, Jack mused: “Two weeks ago, I went on a lads’ holiday and someone took a video of me on the Dance Floor. Was it a dream? What just happened?”
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This comes just days after Jack met up with adult model Bonnie Blue on the party island, in what appeared to be a very awkward interaction.
A clip shows Jack with his arm around Bonnie while facing away from her. They can also be seen making awkward conversation while standing fairly far apart.
In a since-deleted video, Bonnie revealed: “It was my shortest video yet. I was shocked how nervous he was.”
Bonnie claimed to have been surprised by ‘how nervous’ Jack was to meet her(Image: Supplied)
Jack’s newfound fanbase had previously warned him off meeting with Bonnie after she left a seemingly suggestive comment on one of his Instagram posts. The post in question, which shows Jack bopping along in a car with his his mates, is captioned “The final boss can’t be slayed… your misses on the other hand? Her levels been completed.”
Former OnlyFans star Bonnie, who is known for using ragebait as a marketing strategy, commented a simple eyes emoji beneath the vid, sparking words of caution from Jack’s followers.
Divisive Bonnie has become notorious for taking part in extreme sex stunts, which have previously included sleeping with 1,057 men in the space of just 12 hours. In recent months, her troubling antics have become increasingly shocking, to the point where OnlyFans, the site where she made a name for herself, slapped her with a permanent ban.
Jack’s life has changed overnight(Image: Instagram/jack.kayy1)
Things escalated in June, when the 26-year-old announced her plans to hold a human “petting zoo challenge”. This stunt would have seen Bonnie locked in a glass cage, inviting strangers to come and do “whatever they wanted” to her.
In Channel 4’s show ‘1,000 Men And Me: The Bonnie Blue Story’ – which led to hundreds of Ofcom complaints – Bonnie bragged: “I am going to be completely helpless, tied down, gagged, choked”.
OnlyFans had concerns about this stunt, which it claims was in violation of its Acceptable Use Policy and Terms of Service, and so issued the permanent ban.
Do you have a story to share? Email me at julia.banim@reachplc.com.
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READ MORE: Nadine Baggott shares ‘gold standard’ alternative to Kim Kardashian’s ‘turkey neck’ face wrap
Arsenal face an immediate test of their title credentials against a revamped Manchester United, while a new-look Liverpool launch the new Premier League season at home to Bournemouth on Friday.
Newcastle are set to be without wantaway star striker Alexander Isak for a tough trip to Aston Villa.
AFP Sports looks at the key talking points ahead of the first weekend of the 2025/2026 season.
Arsenal forward Viktor Gyokeres takes part in a training session at the Kai Tak Stadium in Hong Kong on July 30, 2025, ahead of a friendly exhibition football match against Tottenham Hotspur, which was played on July 31. (Photo by Peter PARKS / AFP)
Benjamin Sesko and Viktor Gyokeres are set to make their Premier League debuts for United and Arsenal, respectively at Old Trafford after a summer that could have seen them line up for their opposition on Sunday.
Arsenal were linked with a move to Sesko for over a year before deciding to bet on Gyokeres as the man to fire them to a first Premier League title since 2004 for a fee that could rise to £66 million ($89 million).
The Gunners have finished second for the past three seasons and were lacking a clinical finisher to take that final step towards being champions
Gyokeres netted a remarkable 97 times in 102 games during two years at Sporting Lisbon, much of which came under the orders of United boss Ruben Amorim.
Instead of being reunited with the Swede, Amorim has been given the resources to overhaul his attack with the signings of Sesko, Bryan Mbeumo and Matheus Cunha at a combined cost of over £200 million
United endured their worst season since being relegated in 1974 during Amorim’s first year in charge.
The Red Devils finished 15th in the Premier League and failed to qualify for Europe after losing the Europa League final.
Both clubs desperately need a fast start and the battle between the two new number nines will go a long way to deciding the outcome.
READ ALSO: Arsenal Have ‘Belief’ To End Trophy Drought, Says Arteta
Liverpool ‘ready’ despite revamp
Liverpool’s Dutch defender #04 Virgil van Dijk (C) heads in their first goal during the English Premier League football match between Chelsea and Liverpool at Stamford Bridge in London on May 4, 2025. (Photo by HENRY NICHOLLS / AFP)
Liverpool have bucked the trend by outspending their rivals with a squad overhaul fresh from winning the league.
Only once, Manchester City in 2019, have the Premier League champions been the biggest spending English club in the market since 2007.
A £260 million outlay on Florian Wirtz, Hugo Ekitike, Jeremie Frimpong and Milos Kerkez is far from over with Isak and Crystal Palace captain Marc Guehi linked with moves to Anfield.
Trent Alexander-Arnold, Luis Diaz and Darwin Nunez are among those to have been sold to raise funds, while the club are still reeling from the tragic death of Diogo Jota in a car accident last month.
The transition has exposed some teething problems in pre-season as a slick attacking force has been picked off on the counter-attack.
Arne Slot, though, is confident his side are ready as they look to defend the title for the first time since 1984.
“I think we’ve lost five to six players that played quite a lot of minutes for us last season and we brought in four new ones, so then it’s normal that there’s a little bit of adaptation,” said Slot.
“But we are definitely ready for the league to start.”
Can Villa, Newcastle rattle ‘big six’ again?
Aston Villa’s English striker #11 Ollie Watkins (L) celebrates with teammates after scoring the opening goal during the English Premier League football match between Aston Villa and Newcastle United at Villa Park in Birmingham, central England on April 19, 2025. (Photo by Darren Staples / AFP)
As the Premier League’s traditional “big six” of Liverpool, Manchester City, United, Arsenal, Chelsea, and Tottenham have flexed their financial muscle in the transfer market, Villa and Newcastle have been squeezed out.
Constrained by the need to meet financial sustainability rules, Villa’s only major signing has been Ivorian striker Evann Guessand from Nice.
Newcastle boss Eddie Howe has had to field constant questioning on the status of Isak, who sat out pre-season preparations in a bid to force through a desired move to Liverpool.
The Magpies’ attempts to replace the Swede have repeatedly fallen down with Sesko, Mbuemo, Hugo Ekitike, Liam Delap and Joao Pedro among those to opt for moves elsewhere.
But both Villa and Newcastle have consistently outperformed some of the “big six” in recent seasons and will be targeting Champions League qualification again this season.
Premier League Fixtures (all times GMT)
Friday
Liverpool v Bournemouth (1900)
Saturday
Aston Villa v Newcastle (1130), Brighton v Fulham, Sunderland v West Ham, Tottenham v Burnley, Wolves v Man City (1630)
Sunday
Chelsea v Crystal Palace, Nottingham Forest v Brentford (both 1300), Man Utd v Arsenal (1530)
Richard Osman has shared some exciting news for fans of his cosy crime novels one week before Netflix’s The Thursday Murder Club lands in cinemas.
The eagerly-awaited Netflix adaptation of The Thursday Murder Club is arriving in cinemas next week, and fans of the beloved book series are buzzing with excitement to witness the story come to life on the big screen.
Yet there’s even more cause for celebration, as writer Richard Osman, 54, has just delivered some good news about his next literary venture.
The bestselling novelist, who’s also recognised for presenting BBC quiz programmes such as Pointless and Richard Osman’s House of Games, shared a major announcement yesterday with his social media audience.
Most fans recognise Osman for his Thursday Murder Club collection, which will soon feature five titles: The Thursday Murder Club, The Man Who Died Twice, The Bullet That Missed, The Last Devil To Die and upcoming release The Impossible Fortune.
Richard Osman shared an exciting announcement(Image: Getty)
Yet in 2024 the writer also published another standalone work titled We Solve Murders, reports the Express.
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Posting on Instagram, Richard disclosed that he’s now begun penning a sequel, sparking a thrilled response from his 266,000 followers.
He simply posted a snapshot of his laptop display showing the witty heading ‘We Solve Murders 2: We Solve More Murders by Richard Osman’.
Richard penned in the caption: “And the 2026 book begins! I mean, it’s just a working title, but it’s got a certain ring to it. Welcome back Amy, Steve and Rosie!”
Supporters rushed to the comments to express their joy, with one declaring: “Best news this year!”
One eager fan remarked: “I am so excited for this one. Perfection will be Nicola Walker reading the audiobook again. Oh and Tony Taylor and his extensive road knowledge of course…”
“Brilliant, I just re-read the first one and loved it even more,” one chimed in with a heart emoji, while another shared: “Oh yay! ! Great news to hear on my birthday lol! Really loved the first one.”
The Thursday Murder Club is coming to cinemas next week(Image: Netflix)
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The title also received a lot of praise, with one person pleading: “Pls keep this title.
“Please for the love of god keep this title,” another insisted, while a third echoed: “It’s a GREAT title, please keep it!”
Meanwhile, fans of The Thursday Murder Club can anticipate the film adaptation from director Chris Columbus, hitting select cinemas from 22 August.
The plot summary reveals: “Four irrepressible retirees spend their time solving cold case murders for fun, but their casual sleuthing takes a thrilling turn when they find themselves with a real whodunit on their hands.”
The star-studded cast features Helen Mirren, Pierce Brosnan, Ben Kingsley, Celia Imrie and David Tennant, with Steven Spielberg’s Amblin Entertainment also producing the film.
Reflecting on the adaptation of his novel last year, Osman expressed: “I’m so proud of this book, so it is a dream to see The Thursday Murder Club in such incredible hands.
“From Chris Columbus to Amblin to Netflix, there are geniuses everywhere I look. And what a cast. I’m pinching myself.”
