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Mexico’s iconic Azteca is set to reopen. That’s good news for sleep-deprived stadium director

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MEXICO CITY (AP) — Félix Aguirre admits he’s been having trouble sleeping these last few months. On the eve of the reopening of the iconic Azteca Stadium, and with some work still to be done, the stadium director won’t be able to relax until kickoff on Saturday night.

After being closed since May 2024 for renovations in preparation for the 2026 World Cup, the stadium where Pelé’s Brazil and Diego Maradona’s Argentina won the World Cup in 1970 and 1986, respectively, will again open its doors to fans for a friendly match between Mexico and Portugal.

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It will be a crucial test for Aguirre and all the workers who have been racing against the clock in recent weeks to get the stadium ready, not just for that match but also for the World Cup opener on June 11, when Mexico plays South Africa.

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‘We’re ready’

“It’s true that I’ve had trouble sleeping thinking about the project and making sure it’s the best it can be,” Aguirre told The Associated Press. “Today I can tell you that we’ve done it and we’re ready.”

The AP was given access to the stadium on Thursday when work appeared to still be underway in various areas, including the new locker rooms, where the smell of paint is noticeable.

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According to Aguirre, there are currently 2,200 workers on the project, working 24 hours a day.

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With the renovations, the stadium, officially renamed Banorte, increased its capacity from 83,000 to 87,500 spectators. In addition, new seats, a new sound system with 250 speakers, two video screens, new locker rooms, and a hybrid pitch were installed, among other improvements.

To increase capacity, a lounge area located in the lower and central part of the stadium was removed.

“At some point we tore down the lower stands to put in boxes and some lounges that weren’t nice, now we’re bringing back those stands and that’s returning to the original Azteca,” Aguirre said.

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The stadium located south of Mexico City will host five World Cup games next summer. Opened in 1966, Azteca has undergone several renovations — the last one to accommodate NFL games in 2016.

“There were many areas for improvement, but some things we were obsessed with were enhancing the fan experience. To achieve this, we improved the audio, video, and internet, but we also improved the restrooms, entrances and exits, and everything related to the overall experience,” Aguirre said.

“It’s somewhat subjective, but I think we achieved it.”

All about soul

Aguirre was given a clear brief to follow.

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“Another thing we wanted was for it not to lose its soul,” Aguirre said. “This is a historic building that is part of the city; we couldn’t disrespect its essence. We simply had to enhance it, preserve its soul, and provide fans with a better experience.”

The exterior remains a familiar sight to fans. Debris can still be seen in some places, and there will be no car parking available for supporters for Saturday’s game. Authorities have asked fans to use public transportation or shuttles that will depart from public locations throughout the capital.

Aguirre’s mission is to hand over the stadium to FIFA a month before the June 11 opener.

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If all goes well, then he’ll be able to sleep soundly.

“That’s what we hope,” he said with a laugh.

___

AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer

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Tiger Woods arrested for DUI after car crash: 15-time major winner rolled vehicle

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Tiger Woods has been arrested and charged with driving under the influence amid his involvement in a rollover car crash in Jupiter Island, Florida, on Friday afternoon. Woods blew a 0.00 on an administered Breathalyzer but did “exemplify signs of impairment” at the scene and subsequently refused a urinalysis test, according to Martin County Sheriff John Budensiek.    

The accident occurred near 281 South Beach Road around 2 p.m. ET, police said.

A pick-up truck pulling a pressure cleaner on a trailer was headed Northbound, attempting to turn into a driveway when the driver saw a Land Rover speeding towards him, according to Budensiek. The truck was unable to get out of the way in time, and while the Land Rover that belonged to Woods tried to swerve to avoid collision at the last moment, it clipped the back end of the trailer and turned over onto the driver’s side.

Neither driver was injured at the scene, and no other passengers were in the vehicles. Woods was brought to Martin County Jail and placed under arrest for DUI with property damage and refusal to submit to a lawful test. He will be detained for at least eight hours as required by Florida law.

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Woods, 50, crawled out of the passenger door of his vehicle with police initially recognizing signs of impairment. He explained to officers his string of injuries and surgeries and also submitted to “in-depth roadside tests.”

“He was lethargic on scene, but that was, we believe, because of what he was intoxicated on,” said Budensiek, who clarified that Woods was “not impaired by alcohol but rather some type of medication or drug.”

A photo from the scene published by WPTV showed a Land Rover on its side with police blocking traffic and emergency crews responding. 

This is the fourth known car accident involving Woods since 2009.

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In November 2009, Woods was cited for careless driving after crashing an SUV into a fire hydrant and a tree outside his then-home in Windermere.

Eight years later, in May 2017, he pled guilty to reckless driving after being arrested on a DUI charge in Jupiter when police found him asleep behind the wheel of a parked vehicle. 

In February 2021, Woods suffered severe leg injuries after being involved in a rollover car crash in Southern California. Authorities observed no evidence of impairment or intoxication. He subsequently underwent multiple surgeries and took nearly 10 months to recover before returning to golf.

Woods’ return to golf has been a significant storyline since he last played a tournament in July 2024 at The Open Championship.

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The 15-time major champion had been recovering from a torn Achilles when he underwent back surgery in October 2025, his second inside the span of 13 months, to replace a collapsed lumbar disc. He played competitive golf for the first time since that surgery on Tuesday in the TGL Finals. Woods has gone under the knife seven times for his back since 2014.

There has been speculation that Woods could attempt to play in the 2026 Masters in two weeks, but he has yet to disclose his official status for the first major of the season. 

CBS Sports will continue to update this breaking news as more information becomes available. 

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Punjab Kings Full Schedule, IPL 2026: Date, Time, Venue And Other Details Of PBKS Matches

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Punjab Kings, under their new captain Shreyas Iyer, showed a lot of promise in IPL 2025 after years of mediocre performances. The side entered the final but lost to Royal Challengers Bengaluru in the title clash. Still searching for their first title, Punjab Kings begin their IPL 2026 journey at home against former champions Gujarat Titans. Former India all-rounder Irfan Pathan says Punjab Kings are finally “moving in the right direction” after making smart and bold choices at the auction table, raising hopes of ending their long wait for an Indian Premier League title.

Speaking on ‘IPL Today Live’, Pathan credited Punjab’s improved clarity in leadership and squad-building for their turnaround. Punjab finished as runner-up last season, losing the close final to Royal Challengers Bengaluru.

“Leadership has played a huge role in Punjab’s turnaround. You win half the IPL at the auction table. Big purses don’t necessarily mean you will always get what you want, but they did, and they reached the final,” he said.

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Pathan pointed out that the franchise has not shied away from taking tough calls, including releasing underperforming players such as Glenn Maxwell, while also strengthening their bench.

Punjab Kings full IPL 2026 schedule:

March 31 – Punjab Kings vs Gujarat Titans – New Chandigarh – 7:30PM IST

April 3 – Chennai Super Kings vs Punjab Kings – Chennai – 7:30PM IST

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April 6 – Kolkata Knight Riders vs Punjab Kings – Kolkata – 7:30PM IST

April 11 – Punjab Kings vs Sunrisers Hyderabad – New Chandigarh – 3:30PM IST

April 16 – Mumbai Indians vs Punjab Kings – Mumbai – 7:30PM IST

April 19 – Punjab Kings vs Lucknow Super Giants – New Chandigarh – 7:30PM IST

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April 25 – Delhi Capitals vs Punjab Kings – Delhi – 3:30PM IST

April 28 – Punjab Kings vs Rajasthan Royals – New Chandigarh – 7:30PM IST

May 3 – Gujarat Titans vs Punjab Kings – Ahmedabad – 7:30PM IST

May 6 – Sunrisers Hyderabad vs Punjab Kings – Hyderabad – 7:30PM IST

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May 11 – Punjab Kings vs Delhi Capitals – Dharamshala – 7:30PM IST

May 14 – Punjab Kings vs Mumbai Indians – Dharamshala – 7:30PM IST

May 17 – Punjab Kings vs Royal Challengers Bengaluru – Dharamshala – 3:30PM IST

May 23 – Lucknow Super Giants vs Punjab Kings – Lucknow – 7:30PM IST

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Kenny Smith nixes UNC job talk, calls for long-term commitment from next coach

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North Carolina’s men’s basketball program parted ways with head coach Hubert Davis earlier this week following an upset loss to VCU in the opening round of the NCAA tournament.

UNC did not disclose details about Davis’ departure, instead describing the move as a change in leadership. The now-former Tar Heels coach later confirmed on social media he was “let go” despite wanting to continue coaching at Chapel Hill.

Since Davis’ exit, several possible candidates with ties to UNC have emerged, including Kenny “The Jet” Smith, who was notably mentioned by ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith.

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Hubert Davis speaks with Armando Bacot

North Carolina Tar Heels head coach Hubert Davis talks to Armando Bacot (5) during a game against the UC Riverside Highlanders on Nov. 17, 2023 at the Dean Smith Center in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. (Peyton Williams/UNC/Getty Images)

After praising Hubert Davis, who both played and later coached at North Carolina, Kenny Smith shut down any interest in the vacant job, calling speculation linking him to the opening “disrespectful.”

“Yeah, we can talk about North Carolina,” Smith, a basketball analyst, said during halftime of the Texas-Purdue Sweet Sixteen game in the NCAA tournament. “But that vacancy – I thought that was honestly disrespectful. But first of all, Coach Hubert Davis, thank you. Your service and what you did for North Carolina basketball as a player and as a coach, you moved it forward. I think people forget that because of one game here and there.”

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Smith emphasized the importance of preserving North Carolina’s coaching lineage.

“But I also think this is a precarious position for North Carolina and for us as Tar Heels. Because what makes us special, when you fire one person, that’s Hubert Davis. But when you have Coach [Brad] Frederick, you have Sean May, you have Jeff Lebo, you have Marcus Paige, you have Pat Sullivan. What that is, is you have a lineage to every era of basketball that’s Carolina that was on that staff, including Hubert Davis. Every era was connected.”

Kenny Smith poses for a photo

Former North Carolina Tar Heels basketball player Kenny Smith poses for a selfie with fans as he hosts the annual Late Night with Roy Williams basketball kickoff at the Dean Smith Center on Oct. 23, 2015 in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. (Grant Halverson/Getty Images)

“That’s what makes us special. Forget all that ‘blue blood.’ What makes Carolina family is the connection of all of those eras were in one building at one time. That’s what makes people pay attention and have some animosity or some love for us.”

It remains unclear how wide UNC will cast its net, but hiring outside the program would break from a tradition tied closely to Dean Smith. Nevertheless, Smith hopes the next coach will be committed to Chapel Hill for the long haul, much like Davis was.

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Kenny Smith on a television set

TNT basketball analyst Kenny Smith on air before the NCAA Mens Basketball Tournament Final Four semifinal game between the Purdue Boilermakers and the North Carolina State Wolfpack at State Farm Stadium on April 6, 2024, in Glendale, Arizona.  (Mitchell Layton/Getty Images)

“I will say this. Dean Smith retired as a Tar Heel. Roy Williams retired as a Tar Heel. Hubert Davis was going to retire a Tar Heel. Whoever we come in, they have to want to retire a Tar Heel,” Smith said. “I don’t care what that means. You don’t want to look for, ‘Oh, [what] J.J. Redick has done in LA. I want to be a Laker.’ You retire a Tar Heel, the next person.”

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Davis succeeded Roy Williams in 2021 after being elevated from his assistant role. Williams led the Tar Heels to three national titles. North Carolina’s deepest tournament run under Davis was a Sweet 16 appearance.

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Are We Heading to a Vikings Draft Night Trade Back?

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The NFL Draft.

The 2026 NFL draft is fast approaching, and the mock drafts and draft opinions are in full swing. The popular man to be sent to the Minnesota Vikings right now is Oregon safety Dillon Thieneman. Is he the right pick for the Vikings at 18? Is anybody? Or could we be looking at a Vikings draft-day trade back?

Vikings Trade Back Scenario Is Gaining Steam

The Vikings draft suddenly seems to hinge on Thieneman, who moved from a potentially second-round prospect to a first-rounder after a phenomenal performance at the combine. Should a performance in some drills on one day drastically change the view of a player? The fact is, it can. On the flip side, other options that looked good for the Vikings, like interior defensive linemen Caleb Banks and Peter Woods, have seen their draft stock tank.

Vikings draft trade
Aug 3, 2023; Eagan, MN, USA; Minnesota Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell and team owner Ziggy Wilf talk at training camp at TCO Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brad Rempel-USA TODAY Sports.

If you look at the positions that the Vikings still need to address this offseason – defensive tackle, safety, center, running back, linebacker, WR3 – and assuming Calen Downs and Jeremiyah Love are off the board at 18.

The players Minnesota might be looking at, like Thieneman, Woods, Banks, Kayden McDonald, Emannuel McNeill-Warren, and CJ Allen, might still be available after the trade back. You might even be able to get two of those players, and when they aren’t at the top end of draft prospects, it gives better value.

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Thieneman’s draft stock may have even risen to the point that someone takes him before 18, in which case the trade back should look even more agreeable to the Vikings’ brain trust.

Don’t Let the Scars of the Past Affect Judgement

Trading back in the first round might bring horrible memories of the 2022 draft for some, but Kwesi Adofo-Mensah got his marching orders back in January. Rob Brzezinski and Kevin O’Connell will be putting this draft together, and if a quality player falls into your lap – as Kyle Hamilton did in 2022 – then you pull the trigger. However, if that doesn’t happen, then there is no need for the Vikings to reach for a player.

Rob Brzezinski speaking during a Vikings.com interview about the team’s front-office philosophy and leadership structure.
Vikings executive Rob Brzezinski speaks with Vikings.com’s Gabe Henderson during a sit-down interview on Feb. 17, 2022, discussing organizational philosophy, front-office strategy, and the hiring of head coach Kevin O’Connell while outlining Minnesota’s leadership structure and long-term football operations vision in a detailed digital feature segment. Mandatory Credit: YouTube.

Of course, then it becomes a case of getting good value from the trade. What good value looks like is somewhat subjective; there are many draft trade chats out there that have their own ideas.

The slight concern is that the Vikings only have an acting general manager in place, a very strange position to be in. Navigating a successful draft, including successful trades, could put Brzezinski in the frame for the full-time GM role, but we don’t know what the Vikings are thinking long term, with everyone keeping their cards close to their chest in Minnesota.

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The first round of the 2026 NFL draft kicks off on April 23 in Pittsburgh.


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Proud UK Viking. Family Man. Enjoy writing about my team. Away from football an advocate for autism acceptance.

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Marcus Rashford handed Barcelona twist after huge injury scare and Man United boost

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Barcelona could be forced to deal with a huge Raphinha injury blow which will almost certainly impact Marcus Rashford

Marcus Rashford could be set for a major Barcelona twist after Raphinha appeared to suffer an injury playing for Brazil. At half-time of their friendly defeat to France, the Barca winger was replaced by Luiz Henrique with fears over another hamstring issue.

Manager Carlo Ancelotti confirmed as much after the game as the Brazil boss explained why he was taken off at the interval. He said: ”Raphinha played very well, then he had a problem at the end of the first half and we had to change him, his muscle bothered him a little and I think they’re going to evaluate him tomorrow.”

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Since returning from injury, Raphinha has started eight of the last nine Barcelona matches which has seen Rashford’s minutes decrease significantly. The 28-year-old, who is on a season-long loan from Manchester United, has played just 28 minutes across Barcelona’s last four games.

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Rashford started the two games that Raphinha missed out entirely and thus would more than likely return to the team if he has picked up an injury. Barcelona have four big games after the international break, with Rashford’s role seemingly set to change.

That could arrive at the perfect time as he looks to secure the England starting spot on the left of Thomas Tuchel’s starting XI. A glimpse on his position in the pecking order is likely to emerge over the coming days during friendlies against Uruguay and Japan.

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The Catalan club have been impressed by his displays this season and are keen to activate the £26million buy-option clause included in his loan switch. However, it has been claimed that they are actively trying to pay a fee below that.

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United do find themselves in a strong position though, with clubs in the Premier League and around Europe making enquiries over his availability, as per ESPN.

Rashford returning to Old Trafford has also not been ruled out with United in a commanding position either way. On one hand, a player very near the top of his game could be back in the squad or United sell to the highest bidder this summer.

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Any final decision over his future is expected after the World Cup with Rashford’s full focus likely to be on that after hoping to finish the season strong.

Barcelona currently sit top of La Liga, clear of Real Madrid by four points and are also in the Champions League quarter-finals where they will take on Atletico Madrid.

Hansi Flick’s side have already faced their domestic rivals over two legs this season with Atletico winning 4-3 on aggregate. During the second leg win for Barca, Rashford played up front with his versatility opening up more avenues for minutes.

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England’s 2026 World Cup kits

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England and Nike have launched the new home, away and goalkeeper kits to be worn at this summer’s FIFA World Cup. You can get free delivery on all orders with the code: ENGFREEDEL

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Sweet Sixteen Game Thread: Tide vs Michigan

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It’s time, folks. Your underdog 4th-seeded Alabama Crimson Tide will hit the court shortly for a Sweet Sixteen showdown with the top-seeded Michigan Wolverines. Dusty May’s group has the best roster money can buy, as this Michigan squad is every bit as good as the UConn and Duke teams that ended Alabama’s NCAA Tournament journeys of the previous two seasons. It’s going to take everything this team has to stun the Wolverines and advance to the program’s third straight Elite Eight.

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Enough from me, time for some hype videos:

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Idle Flyer tops Smith’s 2026 Rosehill stakes runners

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Idle Flyer has steadied the ship after a turbulent launch to her prep, realigning towards her Group One objective, where the upcoming Emancipation Stakes at Rosehill acts as a crucial lead-in.

Trainer Matthew Smith was forced to delay the mare’s debut owing to a tenacious virus, starting her instead across an unbefitting 1200m in the Wenona Girl Quality March 7, but Idle Flyer underlined her potential with a solid fourth.

A barrier trial triumph has kept her on song since, paving the way for Saturday’s Group 2 Emancipation Stakes (1500m) engagement, in which she rates an initial market pick.

“We started in a race we didn’t really want to start in because we had a few interruptions to her ‘prep,’” Smith said.

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“She has been a little bit behind. Her run was good first-up, so she goes into this race fit and well, but is she at her peak yet? Probably not.

“She is ready to go, but one more and she will be cherry ripe.”

Smith’s operation has a full slate, including Portland in the Neville Sellwood Stakes (2000m) and Derby candidates Eureka Rebel with Dezignation tackling the Tulloch Stakes (2000m) ahead of the ATC Australian Derby.

Though longer shots among competitors, these three-year-olds have affirmed stamina at the distance, with Smith expecting progression to the 2400m showpiece.

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“Both look like they will stay really well,” he said.

“I just want to see them hitting the line. The danger in these races is you get no tempo, and then they’re not going to be suited.

“I don’t know what the Derby field will be like. I thought it might lack a bit of depth in the staying ranks, and we’d give it a shot.”

Fierce Impact, a prior Smith inmate and triple Group 1 captor best known for shorter trips, sires Eureka Rebel.

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The trainer’s Mountain Queen, another from that pedigree, mirrors Eureka Rebel’s staying promise and is in the mix for the Australian Oaks (2400m).

“The ones by him that we’ve got showing ability are more middle-distance horses. It would be nice if we could get one through to each of the (classic) races,” Smith said.

In the Neville Sellwood third-up, the gelding Portland takes on classy import Barnavara, yet Smith views the middle-distance assignment on a rain-impacted surface as ideal progression.

“He has been looking to get out to this trip,” Smith said.

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“He’s not right at his top yet, but he’s on the way and this will be another step in the right direction. His work has been good, and I can’t fault him really.”

For the Emancipation Stakes, racing odds are available across various betting sites.

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Donald Trump takes credit for transgender ban at LA’s 2028 Olympics – Press Review

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PRESS REVIEW – Friday, March 27: We look at reactions in the Indian press after parliament approved a controversial law which critics say will curtail the rights of transgender people. The International Olympic Committee makes a landmark ruling to forbid transgender female athletes from participating in female events, beginning with LA’s 2028 Olympics. A bandaged Lindsey Vonn graces the cover of Vanity Fair and talks about her Winter Olympics ordeal. Plus: Japan’s viral Punch the monkey has found love!

India‘s parliament has passed a law that will roll back rights for transgender people. The move is sparking a lot of reaction. As Human Rights Watch explains, the bill amends the 2014 law in which the Indian government recognised transgender people as a third gender. Under the controversial legislation passed this week, it will now remove the right to self-identify and limit recognition to those defined by physical or biological traits. There are an estimated 2 million transgender people in India, although the real number is believed to be much higher.

Indian MP Derek O’Brien writes in the Indian Express that the bill will require the mandated reporting of gender-affirming surgery by the medical board and local authorities. He says this will violate the principles of personal liberty and essentially force people to disclose their transgender identity. Authorities say it will better protect them, but O’Brien argues that it will reinforce the conditions that make protecting them necessary.

The Hindu, another Indian paper, reports that the bill now awaits the approval of Droupadi Murmu, the Indian president. Amidst widespread protests, the All Indian feminist alliance penned a letter to her, urging not to sign it. They condemned the “undue and unjustifiable haste” with which the bill was passed.

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Meanwhile, the International Olympic Committee has moved to ban transgender female athletes from competing in future women‘s Olympic events. The Guardian reports that Kirsty Coventry, the IOC president, said the landmark decision was taken because it is not fair for biological males to compete in the female category. The IOC’s decision will ban transgender women athletes from the female category of events at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics and future Games. Athletes who wish to compete in the female category will have to undergo a one-time SRY masculinity gene test. The decision also extends to DSD athletes, those with differences of sexual development such as Caster Semenya, the South African athlete who identifies as female but has some male chromosomes too. 

The Guardian, in an analysis piece, calls the decision “seismic”. It notes that four and half years ago, the IOC was hailing the participation of Laurel Hubbard, the transgender weightlifter from New Zealand. Now with this decision, it has made one the most astonishing U-turns from a governing body in modern times. The decision also reflects a changed political climate. 

Elsewhere, Vanity Fair‘s new cover features Olympic skier Lindsey Vonn, just weeks after her horrific crash in Milan Cortina. She talks about the moments after that crash, the pain, nearly losing her leg to amputation, her long road to recovery and why she hasn’t ruled out a comeback.

Finally, a baby macaque at a Japanese zoo who went viral for cuddling a plush toy has reportedly found love. You might remember Punch the monkey – we talked about him here on the press review several weeks ago. He melted hearts with his cuddling of an orangutan plush toy after being rejected by his tribe. The Times of London says Punch’s many superfans can rejoice because it appears he has found love with another primate. He’s been seen getting cosy with a female macaque at the monkey mountain enclosure. In an Oedipal twist, it appears that his new lady looks a lot like his mother!

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Mbappe shines as France beat Brazil 2-1 in 2026 FIFA World Cup warmup | Football News

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The traffic on the way to France’s World Cup tuneup against Brazil was a problem. Kylian Mbappe’s knee was not.


The former Paris Saint-Germain and current Real Madrid star showed no ill effects from his knee injury on Thursday when he broke free for a goal to give France an early lead on its way to a 2-1 victory in a friendly between two of the world’s top teams.


Mbappe missed almost a month with a left knee sprain for Real Madrid before coming on as a substitute in the last two matches. France coach Didier Deschamps started Mbappe but had him on a limit of about an hour; he came off for a substitute in the 65th minute.

 

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“He has a lot of desire, a lot of soreness in his legs,” Dechamps said. “Beyond that – the quality to make to make a difference, he’s always had.” 
With a crowd of 66,215 heavily favoring Brazil, Mbappe and Hugo Ekitike gave France a 2-0 lead on the same pitch where they will play their final group stage game of this summer’s World Cup, against Norway and Erling Haaland. Bremer cut the deficit to 2-1 in the 78th minute.


The friendly went off without any major hiccups despite the simmering feud between the town of Foxborough and World Cup organizers over almost $8 million in security costs. The sides reached an agreement two weeks ago in which the organizing committee promised to make the payment in advance and the town approved the necessary entertainment license.


That was expected to be the last remaining obstacle to the world’s biggest sporting event arriving in this 20,000-person suburb tucked between Boston and Providence, Rhode Island, that swells to three times its size for New England Patriots games. To accommodate FIFA requirements, a grass field has replaced the artificial turf that had been used for the NFL’s Patriots and the New England Revolution of Major League Soccer.


“Good stadium. Good pitch. It was all OK to play good football,” Brazil coach Carlo Ancelotti said. “The atmosphere in the stadium was good – a lot of Brazilian supporters. Everything was fine, apart from the result.” 
Deschamps said the biggest problem was the travel from Boston, about 25 miles away but part of it on a four-lane road with stoplights and tens of thousands of fans trying to get to the game.

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“I am convinced that everything will be fine,” Deschamps said. “The most difficult thing are the trips that take a lot of time. … One hour and 15 minutes before a game is not easy.” 
The crowd was the second-largest to watch a soccer match at Gillette Stadium, behind only a 2007 friendly between Brazil and Mexico. It was speckled with fans in Brazilian yellow kits, with just a few French flags waving to celebrate Mbappe’s goal. (The media dining room was more neutral, with madeleines, macarons and eclairs alongside Brazilian brigadeiro, pudim and mousse deo maracuja.) 
Also in the house were coach Joe Mazzulla and players from the NBA’s Boston Celtics, with forward Jayson Tatum taking part in the pregame coin toss alongside Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey.


The 2018 World Cup champion and 2022 Golden Boot winner, Mbappe sprained his left knee in December but played through January before sitting out almost a month. He said on Monday that his injury was “truly behind me.” (Reports that said the team examined the wrong knee were false, Mbappe said at a news conference in Foxborough on Wednesday.) 
And he showed it in the 32nd minute when Ousmane Dembele delivered a through ball that left no one between the No. 2 scorer in French soccer history and the goalkeeper. Mbappe tapped it ahead once before chipping it over the keeper to make it 1-0.


France took a 2-0 lead in the 65th minute when Ekitike, Liverpool’s top scorer this season, converted a pass from Michael Olise in the penalty area. Mbappe left for a substitute immediately afterward.


After France’s Dayot Upamecano was sent off in the 55th minute for taking down a player with a clear path to the goal, a card that was upgraded from yellow to red on video review, Brazil cut the deficit to 2-1 when Bremer redirected a cross from Luiz Henrique past France keeper Mike Maignan.

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The game also featured a mid-half “cooling break” that enabled players to rest and hydrate – even though the temperature in early spring New England was in the mid-60s Fahrenheit (15 Celsius). After a heat wave during last year’s Club World Cup, FIFA announced that all games in the 2026 World Cup would include the break, regardless of the temperature on the pitch.


Up Next 
Brazil will play Croatia on Tuesday in Orlando, Florida, their first matchup since the 2022 World Cup quarterfinals.


“There are no friendlies for us,” defender Leo Pereira said. “Every game is a big game, and we have to play it as if it was a World Cup final.” 
France will play Colombia in Landover, Maryland, on Sunday.

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Coleen Rooney speaks about son Kai’s future and he might not follow Man United dad Wayne

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Kai Rooney’s mum, Coleen, has offered some intriguing insight into where her sons’ careers could head – and it may not be to follow in dad Wayne’s footsteps

Manchester United prospect Kai Rooney may be following in dad Wayne‘s footsteps at club level. However, the similarities in career path may end there after mother Coleen‘s latest reveal.

Rooney Jr, 16, is making the kind of moves to signal he’s got what it takes to fashion a career in football. He’s joined up with Darren Fletcher’s under-18 side this season and played a part in the squad that’s taken United to an FA Youth Cup semi-final against Crystal Palace.

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But while he may be on the fast track at club level, it may not end up being his dad’s old England side – who face Uruguay this evening – Kai represents at international level. Not only that, but Coleen recently appeared on The Late, Late Show and confessed any of her four sons could be open to representing the Republic of Ireland instead.

“Obviously they’re so young yet,” she told host Patrick Kielty. “We haven’t got to that point, but I think they’d be proud to play for Ireland, yeah.

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“But I don’t know, they don’t know. Let’s let them make the decision.”

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Both Wayne and Coleen have Irish heritage, and the former could have qualified to pull on the iconic green through his grandparents. It’s a similar case for Coleen, whose father Tony McLoughlin, a former bricklayer, also hails from Irish stock.

In the event he struggled to earn the attention of English selectors, Kai could therefore find a home across the Irish Sea. And the same might be said for any of his brothers should they chase a career in the sport, either.

Wayne and Coleen share three other boys in Klay, 12, Kit, 10, and Cass, eight. However, none among that trio have gathered nearly the same excitement as their eldest sibling in terms of sporting prospects just yet.

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Kai first started exciting scouts when he raked in 56 goals and 28 assists over the course of a campaign while playing for United’s under-12s. However, he’s still yet to really take off with Fletcher’s group just yet.

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Coleen has revealed Wayne, England’s former top scorer, agreed to not attend Kai’s matches for a spell, simply because he gets mobbed by fans too often. However, he broke that treaty for United’s recent quarter-final win over Sunderland in the FA Youth Cup, though Kai was an unused substitute.

He’ll hope to set the record straight by making more of an impact in their upcoming semi against Palace on April 11. And a few more star turns may be enough to earn the attention of certain international setups, including the Republic of Ireland.

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