Author: Andrew Rogers

Germany booked their place at next year’s World Cup in emphatic fashion, hammering Slovakia 6-0 in their final qualifier to finish top of their group. Four first-half goals set the tone, with Nick Woltemade, Serge Gnabry and a Leroy Sané double putting the game out of reach. Substitutes Ridle Baku and 19-year-old debutant Assan Ouédraogo added two more after the break. Slovakia now head for the March playoffs. The Netherlands also qualified comfortably, beating Lithuania 4-0 at home to top Group G. Tijjani Reijnders opened the scoring before quick-fire second-half goals from Cody Gakpo, Xavi Simons and Donyell Malen sealed…

Denmark’s preparations for Tuesday’s decisive World Cup qualifier against Scotland have been disrupted by a sickness bug affecting key players. Head coach Brian Riemer confirmed that Joachim Andersen and Rasmus Højlund missed Saturday’s surprising 0-0 draw with Belarus due to illness, and a staff member has also fallen sick. With fears the bug could spread, Riemer admitted concern but said the medical team is working to contain it. Despite Scotland’s 3-2 loss to Greece, the draw in Copenhagen means they can still qualify automatically. Denmark top Group C by one point and need only a draw at Hampden Park, while…

Manchester City powered to a dominant 3-0 derby win over Manchester United at the Etihad, strengthening their title ambitions and moving four points clear at the top of the Women’s Super League. City overwhelmed their rivals with a stunning first-half spell, scoring three goals in 21 minutes through Rebecca Knaak, Bunny Shaw and Lauren Hemp. The victory marked a major statement from Andrée Jeglertz’s side, who have now beaten both Arsenal and United this season. United, meanwhile, suffered back-to-back WSL defeats for the first time since May 2024. Their midweek heroics against PSG appeared to take a toll, with Marc…

The recent reopening of federal agencies highlights a return to government efficiency after the historic 43-day shutdown. Restored funding, back pay for employees, and bipartisan cooperation have enabled agencies to resume normal operations and public services. Federal employees returning to work are a key factor in restoring functionality. With retroactive pay ensured, workers can focus on clearing backlogs and maintaining essential services across the country. The move has helped rebuild public confidence in government operations. Bipartisan collaboration in the Senate was critical to achieving this milestone. Lawmakers reached a compromise that not only reopened the government but also provided funding…

Celtic are accelerating talks with Wilfried Nancy as they look to appoint the Columbus Crew manager as their new head coach. The club informed the MLS side on Friday of their intention to begin negotiations, with compensation not expected to be an issue. Nancy, who is reportedly open to the move, could be in place before Celtic’s trip to St Mirren next weekend, ending Martin O’Neill’s brief spell as caretaker. O’Neill met major shareholder Dermot Desmond in London on Friday as the club pushes to finalise the appointment. Though initially viewed as an outsider, Nancy now fits Celtic’s preferred profile…

Patrick Bamford has signed with Sheffield United, just months after leading derogatory chants about their manager, Chris Wilder, during Leeds United’s promotion celebrations in April. The 32-year-old striker, released by Leeds in August, has joined the Championship side on a short-term deal until January. Despite past tensions — including Wilder once calling Bamford a “muppet” during their 2018-19 promotion rivalry — the pair have reconciled. Following the viral chant, Bamford and then-Leeds boss Daniel Farke phoned Wilder to apologise. Wilder later confirmed there were “no issues,” adding, “We had a 20-minute chat. It’s part and parcel of football.” With Sheffield…

Barcelona have identified Harry Kane as their top target to replace Robert Lewandowski next summer. The Spanish champions view the 32-year-old England captain as the ideal successor to the 37-year-old Pole, whose contract expires in June. Barça are reportedly prepared to trigger a £57m clause in Kane’s deal with Bayern Munich, allowing him to leave at the end of the season. Since joining Bayern from Tottenham in 2023 for £100m, Kane has scored 108 goals in 113 games, ending his long wait for silverware by helping reclaim the Bundesliga title. While he recently said he was open to staying in…

The Premier League has approved fixture changes for Arsenal and Crystal Palace ahead of their Carabao Cup quarter-final on Tuesday, 23 December at the Emirates Stadium. Originally set to play on Sunday, 21 December, Arsenal’s trip to Everton and Palace’s visit to Leeds United will now take place at 8pm on Saturday, 20 December. The adjustment follows requests from both clubs to allow more recovery time before their midweek cup tie. Palace, who play KuPS in the Conference League on Thursday, 18 December, opted to shorten the gap before their league game rather than face Arsenal with limited rest. In…

The United States Senate approved a deal to fund the federal government through January 30 while also securing a vote in December on extending health-care tax credits under the Affordable Care Act (ACA). The agreement provides short-term stability and a path for addressing critical health-care supports. The funding extension gives lawmakers additional time for negotiations, preventing immediate disruptions to federal operations and ensuring that agencies continue functioning. Analysts said this breathing room is crucial for managing the ongoing government shutdown and avoiding further economic strain. The inclusion of a health-care vote under the ACA signals bipartisan attention to families relying…

New data from the Nation’s Report Card shows that U.S. students are making progress in recovering math skills lost during the Covid‑19 pandemic. Many schools report that students are regaining ground, reflecting positive momentum in mathematics education. The pandemic caused significant disruptions to learning, with remote instruction and school closures affecting student performance nationwide. The latest assessments indicate that efforts to address learning loss are beginning to pay off. Teachers and administrators attribute the gains to targeted programs, tutoring, and extended learning opportunities. Schools are focusing on personalized instruction to help students master concepts they missed during remote learning periods.…