“I am not stupid. I want to be clear. I am not stupid. If I understand there is any player, or some player, who thinks for himself before the club, I can’t be the same Roberto. But with Cuti Romero, I can’t say nothing, because with me, in my time, he has been correct in the beginning, until now.

The group of top-20 players collectively deciding to limit their media commitments is the latest step in a long-running dispute.

The players held an initial meeting with the Grand Slams last year and further talks have taken place since,but there has not been as much progress as the players would have liked.

The key issues the players want to change are:

The group has asked the Slams to pay 22% of their revenue in prize money by 2030, arguing the 15% the French Open is offering is inadequate.

This year’s Roland Garros prize money has increased by 9.5%, but the annual increase was 20% at last year’s US Open and nearly 16% at January’s Australian Open.

French Open tournament director Amelie Mauresmo said she was “very sad” about the action taken by the players but remained “deeply confident” the issue will be resolved.

Mauresmo and French Tennis Federation (FFT) president Gilles Moretton are due to meet with former WTA chairman Larry Scott – who represents the players in the dispute – on Friday.

The participating players would not be drawn on whether a boycott of the majors could be their next course of action.

“I don’t know if I want to start throwing around the ‘b-word’,” American world number eight Taylor Fritz said.

“I don’t think we should really make big threats like that unless we’re fully ready to do it.

“But if it gets to a point where something does have to change if we are ignored, that’s a conversation to have.”

TEL AVIV, Israel (AP) — U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Friday there was “slight progress” during talks with Iran amid uncertainty about whether a deal will be reached or war will resume.

He spoke days after U.S. President Donald Trump said he was holding off on a military strike against the Islamic Republic because “serious negotiations” were underway. Trump has been threatening for weeks that the ceasefire reached in mid-April could end if Iran does not make a deal, with shifting parameters for striking such an agreement.

Rubio spoke ahead of a meeting of NATO foreign ministers in Helsingborg, Sweden, where the military alliance is expected to discuss what role it could play in helping police the Strait of Hormuz once the war is over.

Rubio said he did not want to exaggerate the progress, saying there had been “a little bit of movement and that’s good.” He said the conversations were ongoing. In recent weeks there have been repeated claims of progress, but a deal has stayed out of reach.

Trump has repeatedly set deadlines for Tehran and then backed off. But he’s also previously indicated he would hold off on military action to allow talks to continue — only to turn around and launch strikes. That’s what happened at the war’s outset, when he ordered strikes in late February shortly after indicating he would let talks play out.

He said he called off attacks on Iran this week at the request of allies in the Middle East, including the leaders of Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, who have been targeted by Iran and its allied militias.

But Trump’s decision to give the talks a chance sparked tension with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

An official who spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak to the media said Thursday that Trump and Netanyahu had a “dramatic” phone conversation Tuesday about the status of the Iranian negotiations and that Israel is angry with Trump’s efforts to strike a deal with Iran.

Trump later told reporters that Netanyahu “will do whatever I want him to do.”

The comments are some of the first public signs of daylight between the leaders since they launched the war.

Pakistan continues peace efforts

Pakistan’s army chief was traveling Friday to Tehran for a third round of talks with Iranian leaders this week, two Pakistani officials said. They spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak to reporters.

Field Marshal Asim Munir will be joined by Pakistan’s interior minister, who has already met with Iranian leaders twice this week. Pakistan has worked to mediate a peace deal between Iran and the U.S. since Munir facilitated face-to-face talks between the two countries in Islamabad last month.

Pakistan’s mediation efforts are also expected to be discussed when Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif travels to China this weekend for a four-day visit, said Foreign Ministry spokesperson Tahir Andrabi.

Still, major sticking points remain.

Iran has effectively closed the Strait of Hormuz, a vital waterway for the shipment of oil, gas, fertilizer and other petroleum products. The U.S. is blockading Iranian ports and has redirected 94 commercial vessels and disabled four others from mid-April through Thursday, U.S. Central Command said in a social media post.

Rubio blasted Tehran’s efforts to use its chokehold on the strait to “create a tolling system” that forces ships to pay for passage.

“I don’t know of a country in the world that’s in favor of it except Iran,” Rubio said, “but there’s no country in the world that should accept it.

The U.S. and Israel have said Iran can never have a nuclear weapon. While Iran was said to include some nuclear concessions, Trump has said he wants to remove highly enriched uranium from the country and prevent it from developing nuclear weapons. Iran says its nuclear program is for peaceful purposes.

Officials say Saudi Arabia and the UAE separately struck Iran

Two regional officials and a Western diplomat told The Associated Press that Saudi Arabia and the UAE separately launched multiple attacks on Iran and Iranian-backed Shiite militias in Iraq during the war. An Israeli military officer with knowledge of the situation also confirmed that the UAE proactively struck Iran at least once.

All of them spoke on condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of the information.

The regional officials said the strikes on Iran targeted military facilities, including missile and drone launchers.

One of the regional officials said the strikes by Saudi Arabia targeted hideouts of Iraqi militias, mainly Kataib Hezbollah, after Riyadh assessed that most of the drone attacks on Saudi Arabia came from neighboring Iraq. He said Saudi Arabia has repeatedly briefed Baghdad about the Iraqi-originated attacks before deciding to strike.

The Western diplomat and one of the regional officials said the UAE had pushed for a collective military response from the Gulf Arab countries since the onset of the war.

Asked for comment, the UAE referred to a May 16 statement by its foreign ministry that “all measures undertaken by the UAE have been within the framework of defensive actions aimed at protecting its sovereignty, civilians, and vital infrastructure.” Saudi Arabia did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Iran has also not publicly addressed being targeted by the UAE and Saudi Arabia.

___

Magdy reported from Cairo, Egypt. Associated Press writers Melanie Lidman in Tel Aviv, Israel; Munir Ahmed in Islamabad; Geir Moulson in Berlin; and Russ Bynum in Savannah, Georgia, contributed to this report.

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This season, Toney finished second in the domestic scoring charts with 32 goals in 32 games – he evens boasts more assists and a better shot conversion rate than Bayern Munich forward Kane.

Just what those goals are worth outside Europe’s top five leagues is yet to be seen, but on numbers alone his record stands up to scrutiny against any English striker around.

Given he is also one of only three centre-forwards selected by Tuchel, with Ollie Watkins also in the squad, it does not feel like a position that is overmanned given that 26 squad places were up for grabs.

Previous Three Lions squads at major tournaments have at times included four or five personnel for the exact same position.

The argument against his inclusion would ask why England need another forward aside from Kane and Watkins, given modern-day formational switches and a dearth of top-quality options for that position?

Detractors would also argue Toney’s place should be used to accomodate another of those multi-talented number 10s who have been left behind.

However, former Chelsea and Paris St-Germain boss Tuchel could make a viable case for leaving behind Palmer and Foden, who have not hit previous heights in 2025-26.

Instead he has gone for a player brimming with confidence and one that is accustomed to dealing with the intense temperatures that England will encounter this summer at the tournament in the US, Mexico and Canada.

“We could see that he still collects the numbers. I think he has very special skills that could help us, the situations, scenarios when we are chasing a result,” added Tuchel.

“I think he can be a very valuable addition to Harry Kane, he can be present in the box when we are pushing for a goal.

“He can take attention off other strikers, he has a natural presence within the box, he is a natural finisher, he can help us with set-pieces – he is very strong in there. Very good in using his body and not to forget, he is a world class penalty taker. He ticks some boxes that we wanted to be ticked.”

The Three Lions, who reached the semi-finals in Russia in 2018 and the quarter-finals in Qatar four years ago, face Croatia in their opening Group L fixture on Wednesday, 17 June (21:00 BST).

Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk called the announcement “good news” for both countries, adding in a post on X: “I thank all those involved in this matter—President Nawrocki, the ministers, congressmen, and friends of Poland in the USA—for their effectiveness and unity of action.”

A man from Brazil has been detained on suspicion of child rape after allegedly fathering his own grandchild and then going on to get the child pregnant in a horrific Amazon incest case.

Police are probing an alleged incest case in which a man is said to have not only fathered his own grandchild, but subsequently impregnated that child. The 50-year-old suspect, hailing from Brazil’s Apurinã ethnic group, was apprehended on Wednesday (20 May) on suspicion of child rape.

The incident occurred in the Bacuri Indigenous community near Tapauá, situated deep within Brazil’s Amazon rainforest.

According to authorities, the 12-year-old victim is simultaneously the man’s daughter and granddaughter.

Her mother, now 33, is understood to have endured repeated sexual assaults by her own father across numerous years, with the 12-year-old born as a consequence of that abuse.

Police were alerted to the case only after a local indigenous healthcare team demanded the girl – already six months pregnant – receive medical care.

The suspect had been concealing her from both health workers and other relatives, maintaining her in isolation and preventing her access to education.

Upon receiving the allegations, police mounted an operation to apprehend him. He initially absconded but was subsequently detained.

Lieutenant Colonel Castro Alves informed local media: “There were several days of intensive searches and operations to track down the individual.

“After a night of surveillance, carried out with careful planning, security and intelligence, the suspect was eventually arrested.” The 12 year old delivered her baby in Beruri. Both mum and infant are reported to be in good health and are currently being looked after by the girl’s mother – the accused’s daughter.

Inspector Jailton Santos commented: “This is a horrific case. For years, this man repeatedly raped his own daughter in that indigenous community. She is now 33 years old.

“As a result of the abuse, she had given birth to a girl. The child lived with her grandmother in the community until the grandmother died about two years ago.

“After her death, the man took the girl, isolated her from the rest of the family, and began living with her as his wife.”

The accused is scheduled to face a judge for a custody hearing.

He faces investigation for rape of a child or vulnerable person – concerning both his daughter and granddaughter – alongside false imprisonment and criminal neglect of a child’s education.

“It is possible that doses of that could be available for clinical trial in two to three months, but there is a lot of uncertainty,” a spokesman added, saying it would depend on animal trials as to whether it could be considered “a promising candidate research vaccine” for Bundibugyo.

This bumper 64-page special edition is your perfect guide to this year’s tournament

48 teams, three host nations, 16 venues, millions of fans watching around the globe – and one winner. This summer’s World Cup is the sporting highlight of the year.

The best players on the planet will be in action across the USA, Mexico and Canada over five weeks, promising drama galore.

And our bumper 64-page special edition is the perfect guide to what is the biggest World Cup ever staged. You can order your copy here

England enter the tournament among the favourites as the Three Lions look to end 60 years of hurt, while Scotland will be looking to cause a fair few shocks after qualifying on an electric night at Hampden Park.

Our World Cup preview includes analysis from the Daily Mirror’s chief sports writer Andy Dunn and chief football writer John Cross on England’s chances, while the Daily Record’s Keith Jackson gives us the lowdown on Scotland.

We have exclusive interviews with John Barnes, Stuart Pearce and Gordan Strachan, along with a host of features to put you in the mood for the tournament.

We profile all 48 teams, and take a look at the 16 venues across the three host nations which will stage the action.

And no guide will be complete without a World Cup wallchart, allowing you to chart your viewing – and the path to glory. Order your copy here or pick up at participating retailers from May 27, 2026. Online postage and packaging costs apply.

In elite football, competitive advantage is pursued relentlessly. Big clubs invest heavily in performance data and tactical analysis in the pursuit of marginal gains.

Yet that desperate search for gains has now led to one club, Southampton FC, suffering an enormous loss. Southampton admitted to spying on their opponent’s training session and were charged by the English Football League. They have been expelled from a match that could have seen them win promotion to the Premier League.

That match, the Championship playoff final, is often described as the most lucrative in football. Promotion to the Premier League is worth around £200 million in increased revenue.

Hull and Middlesbrough (the club Southampton spied on) will now fight for that prize. Whether or not you agree with the punishment, the episode highlights the high financial stakes of English football. In an environment where a single result can materially alter a club’s economic trajectory, the pursuit of competitive advantage can take increasingly aggressive forms.

Beyond the specific case of Southampton and “spygate”, there is a bigger issue facing football and the incentives which drive it.

English football’s financial infrastructure does not simply reward success – it also amplifies the consequences of failure. Our research on the economics of English football has shown how the game’s financial structures can reduce competitive balance. The wealthiest sides dominate competitions and leagues. In this environment, clubs can often perceive promotion as transformational – and failure as existential.

This helps to explain why clubs sometimes behave the way they do. Decades of research into the finances of football show a strong relationship between spending and performance. Essentially, the more a team spends (particularly on players’ wages), the better it performs on the pitch.

Because of this, promotion to a higher league becomes more than a financial windfall. It creates a strategic imperative to invest quickly in the hope of staying in that league.

None of this can be used to excuse poor conduct. But it does help explain the environment in which these controversies emerge. Clubs are responding to the incentives the system creates.

And Southampton understands the reality of this system all too well.

Their 2022-23 season in the Premier League brought in revenue of £145.8 million. Immediate relegation back to the Championship reduced that figure to £85 million the following year, and promotion to the Premier League again in 2024-25 pushed it back up to £158.4 million.

Relegation means reduced revenues, strategic uncertainty and operational adjustment. Promotion offers relief and revenue, but not necessarily stability.

If anything, reaching the Premier League often introduces a different kind of pressure. There is an expectation to spend big, recruit aggressively and remain competitive. Any hint of under performance can be punished immediately.

The regulators

English football has repeatedly produced examples of clubs hunting competitive advantage, though normally through aggressive spending. This is a predictable consequence of a model that places extraordinary financial value on relatively narrow sporting outcomes.

This is precisely why regulation is becoming such a central issue in the game. Profit and Sustainability rules (PSR), ongoing debates around spending controls, and the emergence of an independent football regulator all point to a recognition that football’s economic model requires stronger governance.

But regulation alone cannot solve the deeper issue if the underlying incentives remain distorted. If the difference between success and failure continues to be measured in hundreds of millions of pounds, clubs will continue to seek every possible edge.

Seen through that lens, Southampton’s spygate story is more than football controversy. It is a case study in how financial incentives shape organisational behaviour. When there is money to be made, people will continue to break the rules. Perhaps that explains why the penalty of expulsion – which will affect fans, commercial partners and sponsors – was so severe.

Unfortunately, the football world often treats these episodes as isolated ethical failings, when they are actually symptoms of a wider structural problem. The Premier League’s commercial success has made English football richer than ever, but also more financially unforgiving.

The sport has become subject to economic conditions that make marginal advantage extremely valuable. The Southampton case is not just about sporting or non-sporting behaviour. It is about the business model that dominates and shapes modern football.