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Absence of violence in Drumcree does not make standoff any less significant

Row comes amid rising division and a tendency towards cynical political posturing in Northern Ireland Three decades ago, it took the deaths of three Roman Catholic children – the Quinn brothers, Jason, nine, Mark, 10, and 11-year-old Richard – in a petrol bomb attack to bring an end to the Drumcree dispute. “No road is worth a life, let alone the lives of three little boys,” the Orange Order’s County Armagh chaplain said at the time. It is perhaps extraordinary to think that this could ever have needed saying – but that was then. Northern Ireland is very different place today. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/KsxkXnE

Serbia’s populist president Aleksandar Vučić resigns to run for prime minister

Vučić not allowed to seek third presidential term and election will test his grip on rule after widespread protests Serbia’s populist president, Aleksandar Vučić, has resigned to pursue an attempt to become the prime minister in an upcoming early parliamentary election that will test his firm rule in the Balkan country after nearly two years of protests. Vučić’s second presidential term would otherwise end in May next year. He is banned by the Serbian constitution from seeking a third term and said he was resigning to lead his rightwing Serbian Progressive party (SNS) in the 25 October ballot. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/zeLmaru

Lando Norris says Colapinto ‘shouldn’t be in F1’ after crash ends title hopes

Briton forced to retire from Azerbaijan GP when eighth Colapinto given a grid drop at the next round in Malaysia Lando Norris has issued a scathing criticism of Franco Colapinto, saying the Alpine driver does not deserve to be in Formula One and should face a ban after taking Norris’s McLaren out of the race. The Azerbaijan Grand Prix was won by Mercedes’ George Russell but Norris was forced to retire from eighth place after Colapinto caused the accident that all but ended the defending world champion’s title hopes. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/ZWjfO3B

Messi’s exit leaves Argentina with impossible task of replacing their superhero | Jonathan Wilson

When things are going awry, the Albiceleste will no longer be able to rely on their ultimate get-out clause It isn’t quite over yet. Lionel Messi will return a week on Wednesday for his formal farewell in a friendly against Benin, but, before that, Argentina face two games when they will begin to experience a future without the most potent get-out-of-jail-free card football has known. Messi’s international career falls into two distinct halves. There was the first decade when there was a sense that he didn’t quite fit, was somehow insufficiently Argentinian, didn’t care for his country. That was always absurd and can be recognised now as a manifestation of the Argentinian public’s frustration at their trophy drought despite the presence in their forward line of one of the best three to play the game. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/6bUTBhf

Irwin holds nerve to sink Leeds and send Warrington to Grand Final

Leeds 12-14 Warrington Late penalty clinches Old Trafford trip Warrington Wolves reached their first Super League Grand Final in almost a decade after emerging through an absorbing playoff semi-final against Leeds Rhinos to move within 80 minutes of a first league title in over 70 years. The Wire have not been at Old Trafford since 2018 and remain without a league title of any kind since 1955, one of the longest streaks in rugby league. But that streak is now one victory away from ending after Sam Burgess’ side navigated past the Rhinos on a gripping night at Headingley thanks to a dramatic late Ewan Irwin penalty. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/qYWGQ4I

Andy Robertson says players are ‘not to blame’ for Manchester City’s actions

City found guilty of breaching Premier League rules Liverpool finished second to City in 2019 and 2022 The former Liverpool defender Andy Robertson believes trophy-winning Manchester City players should not have their achievements diminished or removed because of the actions of the club’s ownership. Robertson was flying from a training camp in Spain to Slovenia with the Scotland squad when news emerged that City have been found guilty of multiple breaches of the Premier League’s financial fair play rules . The Scotland captain, who regularly jousted with City during his nine years at Anfield from 2017, was taken aback when news of the upcoming verdict was put to him in Ljubljana. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/HyiD74j

The age of asterisk: Manchester City’s glittering era of success is tainted now | Barney Ronay

Friday’s verdict against Manchester City will change everything we understood about their Premier League title triumphs Welcome, then, to the age of asterisk. Whatever punishment Manchester City and their sovereign wealth fund owners receive at the end of this process, the fact remains, everything is tainted now. Overturn the tables, scatter the gold coins. Throw your medals in the bin. You cheated to win them. Whatever that thing was, it’s done. Stolen glory, stolen income, stolen joy. Every chant, every “we won the lot”, every awkward documentary scene about the deep, throbbing heart of this empire of love. It all looks odd, sinister, cold, sloppy, but also, and this is always the best response, utterly absurd. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/ynYRhvC