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British athlete Keely Hodgkinson has poked fun at West Ham over their reluctance to give up the London Stadium for the 2029 World Athletics Championships. Hodgkinson, who recently won the World Indoor Championship 800m, took to social media to express her thoughts on the matter.In a lighthearted post, Hodgkinson suggested that the GB team would bring back more medals to the London Stadium than West Ham has seen in its entire history. This comment came in response to reports that West Ham's stance could jeopardize London's bid to host the championships.Sebastian Coe, the World Athletics president, has expressed his desire to hold the 2029 championships in September as a finale to the athletics season. However, West Ham is hesitant to give up the London Stadium for approximately three weeks, citing their football season commitments.The dispute has garnered attention from athletics fans, with many supporting Hodgkinson's comments. West Ham fans, on the other hand, have expressed mixed reactions, with some finding Hodgkinson's remarks disrespectful.The London Stadium, which hosted the London Olympics in 2012, has been West Ham's home since 2013. The club has a contractual right to prioritize their games during the football season. Lord Coe has commented on the matter, stating that he believes West Ham's deal is favorable.Other cities, including Rome, Munich, Nairobi, and an Indian city, are also interested in hosting the 2029 World Athletics Championships. The final submissions from bidding cities are due in early August, with a decision expected in September.

Liverpool FC has officially announced that Mohamed Salah will depart the club at the end of the season. The news was shared in a statement released on Tuesday, with the club citing Salah's desire to be transparent with the supporters about his future.In a video message on his social media accounts, Salah expressed his gratitude to the club, city, and fans, highlighting the significant impact Liverpool has had on his life. He described Liverpool as more than just a football club, but a passion, history, and spirit.During his time at Liverpool, Salah has achieved immense success, helping the team secure two Premier League titles, the Champions League, FIFA Club World Cup, UEFA Super Cup, FA Cup, two League Cups, and an FA Community Shield. He has scored 255 goals in 435 appearances, making him the club's all-time third-highest goalscorer and winning the Premier League Golden Boot on four occasions.Salah joined Liverpool from AS Roma in 2017 and has since established himself as one of the best players in the club's history. His departure marks the end of an era for the Egyptian star, who has been an integral part of the team's success over the past few years.

Mircea Lucescu, Romania's 80-year-old football manager, is defying his physical limitations to pursue his country's World Cup aspirations. Lucescu has been hospitalized three times since December but remains resolute in his mission to lead Romania to their first World Cup in 28 years. Lucescu's determination is rooted in his passion for football and his sense of duty to Romanian football. He believes that his team has a chance to qualify for the World Cup and is focused on preparing them for the playoff semi-final against Turkey. Despite his advanced age and health issues, Lucescu's energy and love for the game have not diminished. He has a long and illustrious career in football, having played for Romania at the 1970 World Cup and later managed the national team to several successful campaigns. Lucescu's approach to coaching emphasizes the importance of mental preparation and motivation. He believes that his players must be strongly motivated and able to control their emotions in order to succeed. The buildup to the Turkey game has not been easy for Lucescu, with injuries to key players Ionut Radu and Marius Marin. However, he remains focused on the task at hand and is determined to lead his team to victory. Lucescu's legacy in football is undeniable, with over 30 trophies won throughout his career. His second stint as Romania manager began shortly after the 2024 European Championship, and he is eager to make a lasting impact on the team. As Lucescu prepares for the playoff semi-final, he is also mindful of the broader context of Ukrainian football, having left a legacy in the country after 12 years at Shakhtar Donetsk and three with Dynamo Kyiv. He keeps in touch with his former players and friends in Ukraine, who are facing a difficult situation due to the ongoing conflict. Lucescu's ultimate goal is to help Romania qualify for the World Cup, not for personal glory but for the benefit of Romanian football. He hopes that his players will treat this game as a moment to mark a before and after, defining a generation and achieving an extraordinary feat for Romania.

The traditional cold war diplomacy of brinkmanship, characterized by carefully balanced standoffs and rules-based international order, has given way to a world in freefall. This shift is exemplified by the ever-widening conflict in the Gulf where strategic objectives remain as unclear as the potential endpoint of hostilities.Approaching a month since the United States and Israel launched attacks on Iran, the stated objectives of removing the country's nuclear threat and destroying its ballistic missile capability appear increasingly disconnected from the disproportionate impact on civilians and neighboring Gulf nations. Despite these consequences, the Iranian regime's willingness to escalate the conflict shows no signs of diminishing.The Guardian Weekly's coverage examines this critical juncture through multiple perspectives. Patrick Wintour recounts the pivotal week when global tensions reached a tipping point, while Richard Partington analyzes the long-term economic implications of a prolonged conflict, from oil price fluctuations to inflationary pressures and economic growth impacts. From South Lebanon, William Christou reports on healthcare professionals caught in the crossfire of Israeli airstrikes, highlighting the human cost of the escalating violence.Emma Graham-Harrison provides insight from Jerusalem, examining Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's strategy of attempting to rehabilitate his image through what he frames as destruction of an 'axis of evil.' Meanwhile, Simon Tisdall poses a critical question: when US President Donald Trump eventually seeks to halt the conflict, will any parties be willing to heed his calls for de-escalation?Beyond the primary geopolitical focus, this week's Guardian Weekly edition explores several significant developments across different sectors. The UK political landscape features an examination of the upcoming local elections, where voter sentiment appears increasingly focused on rejecting established parties rather than actively supporting alternatives. The scientific section explores innovative approaches to addressing snoring disorders through CPAP machines, while the culture section features an in-depth interview with Dave Grohl discussing Foo Fighters, personal challenges, and grief following the loss of bandmate Taylor Hawkins.In sports, the publication celebrates the remarkable achievement of British athletes Keely Hodgkinson, Georgia Hunter Bell, and Molly Caudery, who each secured gold medals at the world indoor athletics championships in Poland, showcasing British excellence in track and field events.

Double world darts champion Luke Littler recently visited the England squad at their St George's Park training base, where he hosted a special darts tournament for the players as they prepare for upcoming pre-World Cup friendlies against Uruguay and Japan.The 19-year-old darts star shared dinner with the footballers before organizing the "Three Lions darts championship" at their Burton base on Tuesday night. In a surprising turn of events, Newcastle goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale claimed the title of camp champion, leaving Littler thoroughly impressed despite Phil Foden hitting a notable 180 in the final."It was a dream as a football fan to come here to see the facilities, meet all the players and sit down and have dinner and have a laugh with them," said Littler, who is set to travel to Berlin for the latest round of Premier League darts action. "We played a bit of darts – as they were warming up, Thomas Tuchel told me to teach these boys a lesson! There's some good potential there in Phil Foden and Aaron Ramsdale. James Trafford had a little bit as well. The others not so much!"During his visit, Littler was presented with a signed shirt from the England squad, with Jude Bellingham adding a personal touch by giving him a signed jersey featuring the encouraging message "keep smashing it" on the back. The darts champion wished the England squad luck for their upcoming international campaign, expressing hope that they could "bring it home" this summer.

A 60-year-old man has received a suspended prison sentence after pleading guilty to sending offensive messages about England international Jess Carter during the European Championship last summer.Nigel Dewale, of Great Harwood in Lancashire, was sentenced to six weeks, suspended for 12 months, after a hearing at Blackburn magistrates court. He also received a four-year football banning order and a requirement to engage in a 10-day rehabilitation programme.Dewale had admitted to sending 'malicious communications' on TikTok and was identified as the author of two posts that used both racist and misogynist language.The deputy director of the UK Football Policing Unit, Mike Ankers, welcomed the verdict and praised the determination of Carter and the rest of the Lionesses to stand up to online abuse.Ankers said he believed there continued to be substantial underreporting of the online abuse directed at athletes and called for social media companies to be held accountable for sharing identifying information of account holders suspected of hate speech.

Three elite runners, Jessica McClain, Emma Grace Hurley, and Ednah Kurgat, who were leading the USA Track & Field Half Marathon Championships in Atlanta earlier this month, were inadvertently led off course by a guide vehicle. This chaotic turn of events resulted in them finishing in ninth, 12th, and 13th place, respectively, more than two minutes behind the winner, Molly Born.The incident deprived them of the top prize of $20,000 and the three qualifying places for the World Road Running Championships. However, USATF announced on Wednesday that World Athletics had granted permission to expand its team from four to seven, allowing McClain, Hurley, and Kurgat to compete in Copenhagen this September.“From the moment this happened, our focus was on doing right by the athletes,” said USATF CEO Max Siegel. “Jessica, Emma Grace, and Ednah had clearly separated themselves in the race and we are sorry they did not get to celebrate their accomplishment by breaking the tape.”The USATF team for the championships will include Born, Carrie Ellwood, and Annie Rodenfels, along with a final athlete determined by the world rankings in May. The team will consist of four “scoring athletes” and three “non-scoring athletes,” with USATF funding prize money for the non-scoring athletes.

Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB), the Indian Premier League (IPL) champions, have announced a poignant tribute to the 11 fans who lost their lives in a stampede outside their home stadium, M Chinnaswamy, during title celebrations last year. The team will keep 11 seats empty at the stadium as a memorial to the victims.The tragic incident occurred on June 4, 2025, when RCB won the IPL for the first time. The stampede claimed the lives of 11 supporters, aged between 14 and 29, and injured over 50 people. The event took place during a homecoming trophy parade, where hundreds of thousands gathered to welcome the team and star batsman Virat Kohli.In the wake of the tragedy, the stadium was initially deemed unsafe due to structural and crowd management issues. However, after significant enhancements to crowd management measures, including the installation of AI-guided cameras, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) approved the stadium to host games, including RCB's home fixtures.RCB CEO Rajesh Menon emphasized that the empty seats are a tribute to the fans who will always be part of the team's journey. The team will also wear black armbands and warm-up tops with the number 11 during their upcoming match against Sunrisers Hyderabad, marking the start of the 2026 IPL season.The stampede led to several officials, including a senior RCB executive, being questioned by police, though no one has been convicted. The team's management has taken steps to prevent such a tragedy from recurring, ensuring a safer experience for fans.

In a highly-anticipated Madrid derby, Real Madrid demonstrated their championship credentials by mounting a remarkable comeback against city rivals Atletico Madrid. The match concluded with a 3-2 victory for the home side, showcasing the intense rivalry and competitive spirit that characterizes this fixture.The thrilling encounter saw Real Madrid overcome an early deficit, with Vinicius Jr playing a pivotal role by scoring twice to secure the crucial win. The Brazilian winger's performance proved decisive in what was a pulsating contest between two of Spain's most successful clubs.For comprehensive analysis of the match, including tactical breakdowns and player performances, readers can access the full match report through the link provided, offering deeper insights into this memorable derby encounter.