News
Labour Leaders Starmer and Nandy Unite on Criticism of Government Struggles
According to an interview with The Guardian, the culture secretary has described the recent political upheaval as “unforgivable”.
A spokesperson for No 10 has stated that the government is in agreement that many individuals are hindered by a system that is not functioning in their best interests, following remarks by Lisa Nandy that described the recent political upheaval as "unforgivable".
In an interview with the Guardian, the culture secretary expressed her concerns, stating that from an outside perspective, it appears the government is more focused on internal matters than on preventing chaos.
Nandy acknowledged that the government has fallen short, emphasizing that this moment should serve as a turning point.
When asked if the prime minister shared Nandy's views, his official spokesperson replied that the prime minister concurs with Nandy's assertion that the country is not working for everyone.
The spokesperson added that the prime minister is committed to fighting for the millions of people living in poverty who are being held back by a system that does not work in their favor.
Nandy's comments come after a challenging few days for the prime minister, during which several Labour MPs and Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar have called for his resignation.
Meanwhile, Sir Keir Starmer is facing scrutiny over his decision to appoint Peter Mandelson as the UK's ambassador to the US, given Mandelson's known connections to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
Although Sir Keir survived a challenge from Sarwar on Monday, thanks to a show of cabinet support, his position remains precarious, and senior ministers appear to be increasingly assertive in their actions and statements.
On Tuesday, Health Secretary Wes Streeting took the initiative to release his own communications with Lord Mandelson, bypassing an ongoing government process to publish related documents.
In a recent interview with the Guardian, Nandy criticized the government's record, highlighting the need for change.
Speaking to the newspaper, Nandy reflected on the Labour movement's history, stating that the party's role extends beyond wealth redistribution to addressing issues of power and representation.
She emphasized that the party has not done enough and that this moment should serve as a catalyst for reckoning, prompting the party to re-examine its purpose and the people it serves.
Nandy expressed the desire for the government to adopt a more ambitious and courageous approach, with ministers being more open about their values and principles.
She also stressed the need for a cultural shift within the Labour Party.
Nandy advocated for a more inclusive and respectful environment, where diverse perspectives are valued and acknowledged.
When asked if her interview marked the beginning of a potential leadership bid, Nandy dismissed the idea, stating "God no".
She explained that her intention was to convey the party's acknowledgment of its mistakes and its commitment to learning from them.
Despite the challenging week, Sir Keir adopted a defiant tone, telling reporters that he would never abandon the country he loves.
He reiterated his commitment to fighting for the millions of people hindered by a system that does not work in their favor, stating that he would never give up on this fight.
Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch has stated that the Labour Party has lost confidence in Sir Keir Starmer, suggesting that his resignation is inevitable.
The prime minister has faced months of questions about his leadership, prompted by low poll ratings and a series of policy reversals.
The latest controversy was triggered by the release of information from the Epstein files, which suggested that Lord Mandelson had accepted money from the US financier and had forwarded him confidential government emails while serving as a minister.
Sir Keir had previously dismissed Lord Mandelson following an earlier release of Epstein documents, but Labour MPs have questioned the initial decision to appoint him.
The Parliamentary Labour Party has also expressed concern over the prime minister's decision to award a peerage to Matthew Doyle, his former communications chief, given Doyle's links to a sex offender.
Lord Doyle has apologized for his past association with Sean Morton, a former Labour councillor who was convicted of indecent child image offenses in 2017.
In a statement, Lord Doyle explained that at the time of his support for Morton, Morton had claimed to be innocent, including during his initial court appearance.
Lord Doyle acknowledged that it was an error in judgment to continue supporting Morton before his conviction and apologized unreservedly for this mistake.
He stated that after Morton's conviction, their contact was limited, and he had not seen or spoken to him in years, except on a few occasions when they attended events organized by others.
On Tuesday, Lord Doyle was suspended from the Labour parliamentary party.
During Prime Minister's Questions, Sir Keir stated that Lord Doyle had not provided a full account of his actions, prompting a challenge from the opposition.
Lord Doyle has yet to respond to the prime minister's accusation.
Entertainment And Arts
Spielberg Contributes $25,000 to Van Der Beek’s $2 Million Crowdfunding Campaign
The relatives of the deceased actor, known for his role in Dawson’s Creek, have expressed gratitude to those who contributed to the $2m fund.
A donation of $25,000 (£21,000) has been made by film director Steven Spielberg and his wife, Kate Capshaw, to a GoFundMe campaign that has raised over $2m (£1.6m) for the family of late actor James Van Der Beek.
Van Der Beek, who passed away at the age of 48, is survived by his wife Kimberly and their six children, and the crowdfunding effort to support his family has now exceeded its initial target of $2m.
Other notable donors include Oscar-winning actress Zoe Saldana, who contributed $2,500 (£2,108), and director Jon M Chu, who gave $10,000 (£8,432) to the cause.
A statement from the organizers of the fundraiser, Friends of the Van Der Beek family, expressed gratitude to all contributors, stating that their support is deeply appreciated.
The statement highlighted the significance of the donations, saying that the kindness shown by contributors is beyond words.
It also noted that the outpouring of support has been a source of comfort during a difficult time, serving as a reminder of the power of love, community, and the enduring legacy of James Van Der Beek.
Van Der Beek was perhaps best known for his starring role in the popular US teen drama series Dawson's Creek, which aired from 1998 to 2003, although he remained associated with the show until 2023.
Although Van Der Beek and Spielberg never collaborated on a project, the late actor's character in Dawson's Creek was a fan of Spielberg's work, with posters of films like ET and Schindler's List featured in his bedroom.
At a Dawson's Creek cast reunion event last year, Spielberg paid tribute to Van Der Beek by sending a video message.
In the message, Spielberg said, "Dawson, you made it," and jokingly added that he hoped to one day have a room like Dawson's, filled with memorabilia from his films.
Van Der Beek passed away on Wednesday after a battle with bowel cancer.
He had been dealing with the diagnosis since August 2023 and publicly disclosed his condition in November 2024.
The GoFundMe campaign was launched to help the family with medical expenses, which had depleted their funds.
The statement from the organizers concluded by saying that the family is currently taking time to grieve and be together, and thanked everyone for their compassionate and generous support in honoring James Van Der Beek's life.
News
Zimbabwe Shocks Australia with Muzarabani’s Exceptional Performance
Zimbabwe secured a stunning 23-run victory over Australia in the T20 World Cup, with Blessing Muzarabani playing a key role by taking 4-17.
In the current T20 world rankings, Zimbabwe occupies the 12th position.
The Men's T20 World Cup is underway in Group B at Colombo.
Zimbabwe's innings concluded at 169-2 after 20 overs, with Bennett scoring an unbeaten 64 off 56 deliveries, while Green claimed 1-6.
Australia's reply ended at 146 after 19.3 overs, as Renshaw top-scored with 65 off 44 balls, and Muzarabani took 4-17.
The match resulted in a 23-run victory for Zimbabwe.
A standout performance from Blessing Muzarabani, who took 4-17, helped Zimbabwe secure a thrilling 23-run win over Australia in the T20 World Cup.
After being set a target of 170, Australia found themselves in trouble at 29-4, but a 77-run partnership between Matthew Renshaw and Glenn Maxwell for the fifth wicket gave them hope.
With 34 runs needed from the last two overs, Renshaw's dismissal for 65, caught off Muzarabani with eight balls remaining, essentially sealed the game's outcome.
The result has left Group B finely balanced after two matches each, with Australia trailing Zimbabwe and Sri Lanka by two points, ahead of their meeting with Sri Lanka on Monday.
Initially, Zimbabwe's approach to batting first at the R. Premadasa Stadium appeared overly cautious.
Brian Bennett's innings of 64 not out from 56 balls, including seven fours, was played at a strike rate of 114.28, as he anchored the Zimbabwean batting.
In contrast, Tadiwanashe Marumani and Ryan Burl adopted a more aggressive approach, scoring 35 off 21 and 30 balls, respectively.
A late surge from Zimbabwe skipper Sikandar Raza, who scored 25 off 13 balls, including the team's only six on the final ball, provided a boost to their total.
Australia's target seemed achievable, given their total of 182-6 in their previous win against Ireland.
However, the Australian batting line-up was severely dented by the loss of key wickets, including Josh Inglis, Travis Head, Cameron Green, and Tim David, courtesy of Muzarabani and Brad Evans.
A partnership between Renshaw and Maxwell offered some respite, but when Maxwell fell for 31, dragged on to Burl, the pressure mounted on Australia.
Muzarabani's return to bowl the penultimate over proved decisive, as he removed Renshaw, and Zimbabwe subsequently wrapped up the win.
There are calls for the ICC to review the rules regarding 12th men.
For more information, including notifications and social media updates, visit BBC Sport.
A blogger who participates in the FPL is also competing in the T20 World Cup.
News
FA Cup Finalists Outside the Big Six Since 2008
As the FA Cup resumes this weekend, assess your understanding of past finalists that have competed from beyond the Premier League’s top six clubs.
This weekend, the FA Cup resumes with 32 teams remaining in contention for the historic trophy, which has been awarded for 155 years and will be presented to the winner in May.
Historically, the Premier League's top six clubs – Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester City, Manchester United, and Tottenham – have dominated the FA Cup, claiming 32 titles out of the last 37.
However, in recent years, teams outside of this elite group have experienced some notable victories in the competition.
Since 2008, 10 teams from outside the traditional 'big six' have advanced to the FA Cup final – can you identify all of them?
For more quizzes, visit our Football Quizzes and Sports Quizzes sections, where you can also subscribe to receive the latest quizzes directly on your device.
We have a quiz question tailored to each Premier League team – test your knowledge and see how you score.
Can you recall every team that has won the Women's Champions League?
Which players have made the most appearances in the Premier League – can you name them all?
Explore our Sports Quizzes page for a wide range of challenging and engaging quizzes.
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