LeBron James has confirmed that he will play in a 24th NBA season – but he will be in search of a new team.

The basketball star has informed the Lakers that he will be competing elsewhere and that the franchise can ‘move on without him,’ according to ESPN.

A bidding war is likely to soon be underway for the services of the 41-year-old in what could be his ‘last dance’ in the 2026-27 campaign.

His departure not only raises questions about his future, but that of his son and Lakers teammate Bronny James as well. 

The move was confirmed by Lakers governor Jeanie Buss, who wrote on social media, ‘LeBron James is one of the greatest athletes in history. We will always be thankful for his eight years with the Lakers – including the title he led us to in 2020 under the toughest imaginable circumstances and the countless records he broke in purple and gold. We wish him all the best in the future, both on the court and off. He will always be a cherished part of the Lakers family.’

Hours later, James responded with a tweet of his own, saying, ‘No, THANK YOU! Truly a honor to wear the [purple and gold] while trying to continuing [sic] the greatness & legacies that came before me! Hope I made a few proud during my stint.’ 

James’s departure puts the immediate future of the Lakers up for debate as he leaves a vacuum

Rumors have linked James to join USA Olympic teammate Steph Curry on Golden State

Speculation about James’s future has linked him to a return to either the Cleveland Cavaliers or the Miami Heat. There is also the possibility he could join USA Olympic teammate Steph Curry on the Golden State Warriors.

The Golden State links have particularly gained steam after rumors suggested the team may be looking to bring in both James and Anthony Davis to make a final push for a title.

Considering his age, it is hard to determine what James’s contract value would be. But his status as the most popular player in the game is enough for any team to consider offering him a deal. 

On the court, James also hasn’t shown massive regression in terms of production. In the season aged 41, he averaged 20.9 points, 6.1 rebounds and 7.2 assists in 60 games.

His final months with the Lakers were defined by tension with his will-he, won’t-he status for the upcoming season – as well as rumors he didn’t appreciate the way he was being treated by the organization.

There is also the issue of his son, Bronny, who may now be left on his own in Los Angeles.

On Tuesday, Bronny remained on the Lakers’ roster – confirming and guaranteeing the third season of his four-year rookie contract.

But as a source told the Daily Mail, that decision proved to be a key point of contention between James and the Lakers.

James’s departure will open up a bidding war for his services from NBA teams

It may also complicate the dynamic his son, Bronny James, has with the Lakers

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‘All the Golden State talk is legit, and LeBron is very interested in going there, but by leaving, he is going to leave his son high and dry and he won’t be there to protect his career that most believe only exists because of him in the first place,’ the source revealed. 

‘If LeBron ends up signing with the Lakers, he is expecting Bronny to be signed to a new contract himself. If the Lakers don’t promise that, then he will head to Golden State immediately.’

Now, even though Bronny has a guaranteed contract, James is now off to new pastures – leaving behind a leadership and talent vacuum in Los Angeles that the Lakers will now scramble to fill in free agency.

Within the past week, the Lakers signed two-guard Austin Reaves to a four-year, $185 million deal to keep him alongside superstar Luka Doncic.

But beyond those two, the Lakers’ roster is in massive need of improvement – with the three-through-five spots projected to be filled by Rui Hachimura, Jarred Vanderbilt and Deandre Ayton.

James leaves behind a complicated legacy with the Lakers. While he did experience success with the team, he was one of the rare examples of an NBA legend choosing Los Angeles – but failing to truly cement himself as a franchise icon.

After arriving in Southern California in 2018 from Cleveland, James won his fourth NBA title with the Lakers in 2020 in what would be the pinnacle of his LA career.

James won the 2020 Finals with the Lakers, but failed to reach the championship series again

In the years to follow, James and the Lakers would reach the playoffs in five of six seasons – but suffered first-round eliminations in three of them. 

They reached the 2023 Western Conference Finals before being swept by the eventual champion Denver Nuggets. This past season, they were swept in the conference semifinals by the Oklahoma City Thunder.

During his time there, James set the record for the most points scored, most games played, most minutes played, most field goals (and field goal attempts) and most turnovers in an NBA career.

He arrived in Los Angeles after his second stint with the Cleveland Cavaliers – where he made four straight NBA Finals and won the 2016 championship.

Prior to Cleveland, James won a pair of NBA titles as part of the ‘Big Three’ in Miami with Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh. 

Thomas Hugh Robinson was wearing a balaclava and was wearing a jacket with the hood up in a bid to disguise himself as he used  a hammer to force the employee to open two tills and hand over money, York Crown Court heard.

But as the 28-year-old robber left the Co-op, the shopworker was already contacting his colleagues and police were immediately alerted, said Kelly Clarke, prosecuting.

Less than an hour after the robbery, police were at the robber’s home, an officer having identified Robinson from the shop’s CCTV despite his attempt to disguise himself.

He had walked into the shop at 7.50pm on February 8 and police arrested him at 8.47pm.  In a kitchen drawer they found £215 in £5 and £10 notes taken from the shop, said Ms Clarke.

Today Robinson, who lives 10 minutes’ walk from the shop in Coggan Close, South Bank, York, is starting more than five years in jail and the £215 has been confiscated.

In his personal statement, the victim said: “On the night of the robbery, there was too much adrenaline to think about what happened.

It was a first for me, I’ve never had anything like this happen before.

“I was in shock and numb to what had happened, but in the back of my mind I knew the incident was really going to impact me.”

He said as he gave his witness statement to police “on the surface I was acting normal, but underneath I could feel the panic was setting in, asking myself what just happened and why did it happen to me.”

After Robinson was sentenced Detective Constable Alex Dorlin, of North Yorkshire Police, said: “Robinson subjected a member of staff who was simply doing his job to a terrifying ordeal.

“No one comes to work expecting to be threatened with a hammer.

“This case is a clear example of how – quite apart from the financial loss to businesses – the long-term emotional impact of retail crime can be devastating.

“An immediate and effective response by officers to the report meant we had the evidence we needed to secure a conviction, and ensure Robinson faces the consequences of his actions.”

Robinson didn’t answer police questions on the day he was arrested, February 8, and was released on bail.

When response officer PC Sophie Riley, went with other officers to Robinson’s home on February 8, they found clothing that matched that worn by the robber seen in the CCTV footage.

The shop employee gave officers the jacket he was wearing at the time of the robbery and they sent it to forensic scientists who found Robinson’s DNA on its sleeve. 

York Crown Court heard he had dragged the employee into the cashier’s booth.

Robinson was rearrested on April 24 and again refused to answer police questions. He was charged and has been in custody ever since.

Under a deposit return scheme, people get money back when they return containers to places like supermarkets

People in Wales will have to pay 50p extra for drinks sold in glass bottles unless changes are made by the new Welsh Government to a controversial recycling scheme, it has been warned.

A deposit return scheme is due to start operating across England, Scotland, and Northern Ireland in October 2027, covering plastic bottles and metal cans only.

It means people get money back for taking recyclable containers back to a specified location, like a supermarket, and help cut down on waste.

In Wales, the previous Labour government also wanted the scheme here to include glass bottles and concerns were raised about a different system operating in different countries.

However, industry leaders now say time is of the essence and that any further delays could prevent Wales from having a functioning scheme when the rest of the UK goes live.

They say that unless the countries all go live at the same time, the scheme is open to fraud.

They also say that if Wales goes ahead with glass included in the scheme, producers would need to charge 50p per bottle on glass drinks sold in Wales.

Under the scheme, which operates in countries like Germany, Sweden and the Republic of Ireland, a redeemable deposit is placed on specific drinks containers that can be claimed when the item is returned to a collection point, such as a local supermarket.

People don’t need a receipt or proof of purchase, so anyone can return their own drinks containers or ones that they find, as long as they’re in good condition.

Exchange for Change has been appointed as the scheme administrator for the deposit return scheme in England, Scotland and Northern Ireland to manage collection, recycling, and reverse vending machine operations and is waiting to hear if its application to also be the Welsh scheme administrator will be accepted

The industry is commiting a £1bn, it is said, to get ready for the scheme to launch. For our free daily briefing on the biggest issues facing the nation, sign up to the Wales Matters newsletter here

A letter has been sent to rural resilience minister Llyr Gruffydd asking him to take action over what it calls “significant delays”. It is signed by bosses of Radnor Hills, Brecon Carreg, Brains and Penderyn, among other members of the British Soft Drinks Association.

The letter reads: “We write to you as Welsh small and medium sized drinks manufacturers, all significant employers, to express our urgent concerns about the delayed appointment of a scheme administrator for the Deposit Return Scheme (DRS) in Wales.

“With just fifteen months until the DRS across the rest of the United Kingdom goes live in October 2027, there is no time left to deliver a scheme that is materially different in Wales.

“Going it alone would create significant challenges for our businesses and reduce choice for Welsh consumers.

“The economics of the scheme mean requiring full scale collection infrastructure for glass in Wales could necessitate a producer fee as high as 50p for every single glass bottle sold in Wales, a figure exemptions would only push higher. The practical outcome of this will be higher prices for Welsh shoppers as well as fewer glass products on Welsh shelves, fewer viable Welsh businesses like ours, and fewer Welsh jobs.

“Independent Welsh business will be hardest hit trying to manage this challenge. To ensure Welsh citizens are not disadvantaged and left out of a world class scheme the Welsh Government must appoint the UK scheme administrator, Exchange for Change, as the Deposit Management Organisation for Wales and be pragmatic about glass by compromising and resolving that issue separately”.

The Welsh Government did not mention glass being exluded. But a spokesperson said: “This new government is committed to ambitious action on climate and nature, and a Deposit Return Scheme is an internationally proven way of delivering both environmental and economic benefits. The scheme must work for Wales, and we will continue to work closely with industry to ensure the arrangements are right.

“There is a formal process underway to appoint a Deposit Management Organisation. It is inaccurate to suggest there has been a delay, and it would be inappropriate to prejudge the outcome of the ongoing formal process.”

The supermarket chain has announced plans to open its first branch in Seaham.

The store would be built on George Street in Seaham’s industrial estate, on the site of the former Katmex factory.

David Murphy from Lidl said: “We are delighted to unveil plans for our first-ever store in Seaham. A new Lidl store off George Street would provide residents with easy access to our high quality and affordable products, create around 40 local jobs, and bring this site back into productive use.

“We look forward to speaking with residents at our drop-in event and gathering feedback to help shape the progress of this scheme.”

Former Katmex site in Seaham. (Image: Google Maps)

Lidl says the new shop would create around 40 jobs.

Plans also describe a customer car park with parent‑and‑child bays, accessible spaces, EV charging points and cycle parking.

Solar panels are proposed for the store roof, which Lidl says could generate up to a quarter of the energy needs for what would be the first-ever Lidl in Seaham.

A public consultation event will take place on Monday, July 13, at Seaham Library between 4pm and 6.45pm to discuss the plans.

Residents have already been sharing their opinions online, with some welcoming the plans and others raising concerns about potential traffic issues.

One commenter supporting the new store said it would “stop people trailing through Grangetown or Peterlee for Lidl, keeps more shopping local.”

Meanwhile, another wrote: “Traffic will be horrendous… we definitely don’t need a Lidl in Seaham, there’s plenty of shops available.”

Another wrote: “Yes to Lidl, location not so much due to traffic increase getting out on to tempest road.”

One of Channel 4’s most beloved comedy shows could soon be galloping back onto our screens.

More than two decades after Smack the Pony aired its final episode, original star Sally Phillips has revealed that the team has been offered a television special, with work already underway on brand-new sketches.

The cult sketch show, which launched in 1999, became a defining comedy of the era thanks to the surreal humor and sharp satire of Phillips, Fiona Allen, and Doon Mackichan.

Now, after years of fans hoping for a revival, it appears the trio are finally getting another chance.

Appearing on the Sunday Brunch Picky Bits podcast, Phillips confirmed the long-awaited return is in the works.

‘We’ve been offered a special, so we’ll do a special,’ she revealed.

The project follows the cast’s reunion at last year’s Edinburgh Fringe Festival, where they revisited the show in front of live audiences in a chat show format.

Phillips admitted she was stunned by the response. ‘It went well actually. People came and liked it,’ she said.

‘It was amazing that these sketches that I’d done at 27, people knew the lines to now. It was really touching.’

While fans can expect plenty of fresh material, the revival will also reunite many of the creative minds behind the original.

‘There was a writers’ room of about six people but anyone could submit and then we re-worked them and improvised them,’ Phillips explained.

For longtime viewers, the news will feel especially satisfying after the show’s creators spent years trying to bring it back.

Back in 2019, Mackichan revealed the trio had already written new sketches and pitched a revival to broadcasters, only to be repeatedly turned down.

Speaking at the time, she admitted she feared the cast’s age had become a stumbling block. ‘It’s just been really difficult,’ she told The i newspaper.

‘We’ve pitched to a few places and it’s not happening. I don’t know whether it’s older women but it’s not happening, which is, to me, astonishing.’

She added: ‘You think, how funny does it have to be?’

Fortunately for fans, attitudes appear to have changed.

While no transmission date has yet been announced, Phillips’ comments suggest the special is no longer just wishful thinking but an active project, marking the first new Smack the Pony material since the series ended in 2003.

For a generation of comedy fans who can still quote its most memorable sketches line for line, that’s likely to be very welcome news indeed.

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The new Cambridge South station officially opened on Sunday (June 28)

A new train station in Cambridge has been dubbed a “game changer” for the city. The multi-million pound Cambridge South station officially opened on Sunday (June 28), after being delayed twice.

Managing director for GBR Anglia, Jamie Burles, has dubbed the new station as a “game changer” for Cambridge. He added: “It’s tremendously exciting and that’s not just me speaking, that’s all of the passengers. There seems to be a real sense of joy.”

Following Sunday’s official opening, Jamie added that it looked “brilliant”. He said: “The station was looking fabulous.

“There were so many people walking to the station at 6.30am in the morning. But then, the first train rolled out of the sidings on time, called at the station on time, departed on time and there was a big cheer from everyone. So yeah, it was a bit of a party atmosphere yesterday. Everything worked, which was brilliant.”

There is no parking at Cambridge South, but it features up to 1,000 cycle spaces, as well as a pick-up and drop-off area on the hospital side of the station.

On the lack of parking, Jamie added: “We’re on greenbelt land, so we had to adhere to the Cambridge local plan. Therefore, we had to make this station super well-connected.

“So, we’ve got space for up to 1,000 bicycles. We’ve got access to walking routes, cycle routes, the Cambridge guided busway just over the road and other bus services.”

Trains travelling through the station will be Thameslink, Great Northern, Greater Anglia, and Cross Country. Adrian Gogay, infrastructure director for Thameslink and Great Northern said it was “brilliant” to see the new station open.

He added: “At Thameslink and Great Northern, we’re going to be offering multiple services from the station, with connectivity up to Cambridge and down to London. We have two Great Northern services of transport down to Kings Cross in 45 minutes and beyond. This is a brilliant investment in not just the rail network, but the entirety of the economy.”

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The station is next to the Cambridge Biomedical Campus and Royal Papworth Hospital, benefitting hospital staff, students, and patients. Roland Sinker, on behalf of Cambridge University, said the station opening is an “enormously exciting and important moment”.

Roland added: “The opening of the station is incredible in its own right. What it really means is access to jobs for our population and new treatments. It means the catalytic effect for industry, the university, the National Health Service (NHS), which is working on treatments for the future and world.

“I think it’s a really good sign of what a good built environment can look like, which we’ve got to take forward sensitively as we move into the next phase of the development of Cambridge.”

The station has been funded with £250 million from the Government, as well as £5 million from the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority, Astrazeneca, and the Greater Cambridge Partnership.

The family business announced its closure earlier this month

A Cambridgeshire town has been left without a butcher after its final shop closed due to “financial pressures”. Whittlesey has lost its butcher All About Meat, due to a “continued rise” in bills.

The business, on Broad Street, was formerly called Jones Butchers between 1957 and 2025 before it was taken over in June last year. Two other butchers dating back to the early 1900s have been there, reports the BBC.

The closure was confirmed by All About Meat on social media earlier this month. Announcing the closure, a spokesperson for the shop said: “Due to the continued rise in rent, utility bills and other operating costs, we have reached the difficult decision that we can no longer continue trading.

“This is a decision we never wanted to make, but unfortunately the financial pressures have become too great.”

The team thanked “every single customer” who has supported them over the last year, adding “your loyalty, kindness and custom have meant the world to us”.

The statement continued: “We are deeply sorry to let our customers down and know this news will come as a disappointment to many. Please know that this decision has not been made lightly. Thank you for supporting a local family business and for being part of our journey. We will always be grateful for the support you have shown us.”

Since the announcement on social media, it has received almost 50 comments in response. One person wrote: “I was gutted to find out you’d closed! Whittlesey without a butcher’s shop is unheard of.”

Another person wrote: “You guys are Whittlesey family for meat, all other butchers never compared to your quality and service”.

Meanwhile, others said they were “devastated” and highlighted that the business will be missed.

Our beautiful beaches, long golden miles of sands from Seaton Carew down to Saltburn, fringed by dunes, beneath an azure blue sky, pods of dolphins in the sea, proms and the odd pier to walk on and the dramatic full stop of Huntcliff to stare at.

But today, the sea is closed, from Seaton Carew down to Saltburn, due to a sewage spill in Middlesbrough. The spill was first noticed at 6.08pm on Monday and the swimming ban is likely to last until Thursday – it is not a short-lived, minor incident.

This, for a region that has all the attributes to be a tourist hotspot, is not a good look. This, for a country that takes pride in its environment, is not what anyone wants to see.

We shouldn’t jump to conclusions about the cause, about whether it shows the stress our aging infrastructure is under, about whether it shows how as we build more houses we are not investing in necessary pipes, about whether a privatised company has the right priorities for the wider public god.

Suffice to say that the water industry is in the dock at the moment and if Andy Burnham can find a way to bring it under greater control without it costing the country a fortune, it would be a popular move.

We should say, though, that this is not acceptable. Pollution should not shut the east coast for days, and it should not take so many hours for local people to be told of the problems in their midst.

As soon as the situation is resolved, we need full and fast explanations of how it happened.

By PATRICK HARRINGTON, UK NEWS REPORTER

Published: 20:00 BST, 30 June 2026 | Updated: 20:07 BST, 30 June 2026

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. (AP) — José Canale wasn’t in the starting lineup in either of his previous two appearances for Paraguay in this World Cup.

He made his first start a memorable one.

Canale scored on the first sudden-death penalty kick, Orlando Gill made two key saves in the shootout, and Paraguay beat Germany 4-3 on penalties Monday to earn the biggest upset of the 2026 World Cup.

It was a major triumph for the landlocked South American country of 7 million people that’s surrounded by soccer giants like Argentina and Brazil. And it was the latest surprising exit by Germany, a four-time champion that has struggled at the World Cup since it last lifted the trophy in 2014.

“I think we deserved one more game and to be honest, considering everything that was said, everything we went through,” Canale said. “What I want to highlight from our team is how united we are. … Today was a game we really needed to show our true colors.”

Paraguayans celebrated in the streets of the capital, Asunción, screaming, jumping and hugging when the match ended. Some cried and dropped to their knees in disbelief, with the familiar beat of the team’s song “Soy Albirrojo” reverberating through the crowd.

Paraguay became the first team to defeat Germany in a penalty shootout at the World Cup. The Germans missed three of six penalty tries, the last by Jonathan Tah, who blasted his attempt high over the crossbar in the first sudden-death round, setting up Canale for the winner. Tah’s miss followed a save by German goalkeeper Manuel Neuer of Fabian Balbuena’s attempt that would have won it for Paraguay.

Tah also thought he had the go-ahead goal in extra time. He headed in a corner kick by Nathaniel Brown in the 102nd minute, but officials concluded after a video review that Waldemar Anton has pushed Gill to the ground before the shot and the goal was disallowed.

The Round of 32 match ended 1-1 after extra time. Paraguay took the lead when Julio Enciso scored on a header late in the first half, but Kai Havertz equalized in the 52nd minute for Germany.

“We had to analyze every player, every detail. Thanks to that I was able to only miss two penalties,” Gill said. “This is for all the people of Paraguay.”

Paraguay, which entered the match ranked 41st by FIFA, became the deepest betting long shot to win a match in this World Cup. Germany came in as the 10th-ranked team in the world.

The Paraguayans will face the winner of Tuesday’s match between France and Sweden in the Round of 16 on Saturday in Philadelphia. A win on the 250th anniversary of the United States’ founding would send Paraguay back to Foxborough for the quarterfinals on July 9.

Germany had won six of seven penalty shootouts in major tournaments, including six straight since losing to Czechoslovakia in the 1976 European Championship final.

“It’s not enough for German football,” coach Julian Nagelsmann said.

In the only previous World Cup match between the teams, Germany beat Paraguay 1-0 in the round of 16 at the 2002 tournament. Nearly a quarter-century later, Paraguay got its revenge.

Paraguay had appeared in five previous knockout games but failed to score in each. It had advanced only once, winning on penalty kicks against Japan in the round of 16 at the 2010 tournament in South Africa. It fell that year to eventual champion Spain in the quarterfinals.

Monday was Germany’s first knockout game since the 2014 final in Brazil, when the Germans beat Argentina 1-0. The Germans were eliminated in the group stage at the last two tournaments.

“We had very big plans for this World Cup. It’s very difficult to disappoint again,” Havertz said. “It was difficult to create chances and keep the pace.”

Paraguay broke the early stalemate in the 42nd minute Monday with some perfect ball movement to set up Enciso.

Miguel Almiron split Germany’s Aleksandar Pavlovic and Nathaniel Brown with a left-footed pass to Matias Galarza. Galarza sent a cross to Enciso, who was unmarked by Germany’s defenders and easily headed it past Neuer.

In the second half, Havertz took a cross from Florian Wirtz, which he got just enough head on to redirect it past Gill.

Germany, whose 10 goals in the group stage was tied for the most of any team, struggled to find a way through Paraguay’s 4-5-1 setup. The Germans had 78% of the possession in the first half.

Paraguay was without defender Omar Alderete, who left with an injury in the second half of its 0-0 draw against Australia. Canale started in his place.

Paraguay opened the World Cup with a 4-1 loss to the United States, then beat Turkey 1-0 while playing the entire second half with 10 men. A scoreless draw against Australia was good enough for Paraguay to reach the knockout stage as the third-place finisher from Group D.

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See more of AP’s World Cup coverage here