A 10-year-old boy rescued by a teen lifeguard from hammering waves off the California coast doesn’t remember anything after a giant wave swept him off his feet in ankle-deep water.

Video of the rescue showed 16-year-old lifeguard Ryder Williams clinging to Nathaniel Rai as wave after wave crashed over them. The pair disappeared from view and reemerged after several seconds as the wave receded.

“I think I have a bruise from him holding me so tight,” Nathaniel told The Associated Press from his father’s home in Dallas.

Nathaniel was on vacation with his mother July 25 at Seabright Beach in Santa Cruz about 60 miles (about 100 kilometers) down the coast from San Francisco.

Williams said he saw Nathaniel lose his footing in the shallow water.

The water was too rough to get a rescue tube around the boy, who lost consciousness and went limp. The pair rode out a few more massive waves before a second lifeguard was able to help get them both back to shore, Williams said in a statement after the rescue.

Nathaniel said the next thing he remembered was lifeguards grabbing him. “I told him I was thankful he saved my life,” the boy said.

The video of the rescue was seen around the world, even catching the attention of President Donald Trump.

Nathaniel has watched the video. Like his father, he is amazed at how strong the waves were and the bravery shown by everyone who helped in the rescue.

“He was two seconds away from dying,” said Nathaniel’s father, Sumit Rai. “Another couple seconds, if Ryder had not gotten to him, he would have been thrown another 15, 20 feet out to sea, at which point you can’t see him, let alone retrieve him or rescue him.”

The father and son had a chance to talk to the lifeguard and his father.

“It turns out we have a lot of common interests and it’s kind of a small world in that sense,” Sumit Rai said.

Nathaniel said he had a little trouble breathing for a few days and his back was sore, but other than the bruise, he is doing well.

Police were called to the scene on Yewdale Avenue, Breightmet, at around 3.15am on Tuesday, August 4, and remained there for hours afterwards.

A woman who lives nearby claimed she had often heard arguments coming from the property.

She said: “They’d just be in there arguing 24/7 and if they weren’t fighting, they’d be doing something else!

“They’d keep to themselves, you’d hear the screaming or else other really loud noises.

The investigation centres around a house on Yewdale Avenue in Breightmet (Image: Phil Taylor)

“It’s dead quiet mostly round here but when it kicks off it really kicks off.

“It’s just horrible that this has happened, they really need to do more to make sure people are safe.”

A man living locally said he heard disturbances in the early hours of that morning and looked to see what was happening.

Officers on the scene (Image: Phil Taylor)

He said: “I saw there was someone on the floor, the officers were bringing him down and he really didn’t want to go down on the floor.

“He just kept saying ‘is she breathing, is she breathing?’”

On his experiences with the pair associated with the house, he said: “For the most part they’d be quiet and then they’d be shouting and then they’d make up.

A house was taped off (Image: Phil Taylor)

“I saw him about two times in three years, so he kept himself to himself.”

He said he had only seen the woman twice within the same time frame.

Two friends who spoke to The Bolton News on Yewdale Avenue said they first became aware of the police presence that morning.

Detectives made door to door enquiries (Image: Phil Taylor)

One of the women said: “We first became aware of it at about 9am this morning.

“At first I thought it might have been a burglary but then I saw the forensics and it all looked more sinister.”

What we know so far – Woman found dead and man arrested on suspicion of murder

UPDATES – Murder arrest after woman found dead as neighbours ‘shell-shocked’

Her friend said: “There’s quite a lot of anti-social behaviour in this area, it’s just horrible that something like this has happened to a lady who’s only in her 30s.”

Officers were on the scene for several hours (Image: Phil Taylor)

Greater Manchester Police confirmed on Tuesday morning that they had been called to the scene at around 3.15am where a woman was found with “significant injuries”.

A spokesperson said: “Despite the best efforts of emergency services, she was sadly pronounced dead at the scene.

“One man, aged 36, has been arrested on suspicion of murder and remains in custody for questioning.

“A scene will remain in place, and we will have an increased police presence in the area as enquiries continue.”

The father of murdered beautician Elle Edwards has criticised Labour’s soft justice scheme as a ‘kick in the teeth’ after the thug who helped her killer is set to be freed from prison early.

Elle Edwards, 26, was gunned down by Connor Chapman, 25, who fired a Skorpion sub-machine gun into a group of people outside the Lighthouse pub in Wallasey Village in Wirral, Merseyside, on Christmas Eve 2022. 

Thomas Waring was jailed for nine years in July 2023 after he was found guilty of possessing a prohibited weapon and assisting an offender by helping Chapman burn out the stolen Mercedes used in the shooting.

Elle’s father Tim Edwards said he has pleaded with Andy Burnham to reconsider making changes to the scheme after he learned Waring could be released in October this year.

Waring has only served less than half of his sentence, meaning he will have served just three years and three months. 

He said: ‘It’s a massive kick in the teeth.

‘I did write to Andy Burnham last week and I asked him to just look at the criteria that people are going to be under or fit to get the early release and there was no response. 

‘Obviously the reason why was because they were never going to change it.

Tim Edwards (pictured with Elle) said the decision to release the thug who helped his daughter’s killer is a ‘kick in the teeth’

Elle (pictured) was killed after Chapman opened fire outside the Lighthouse pub shortly before midnight in the culmination of a gang feud

Advertisement

‘I put that more on the Ministry of Justice because they just won’t change, they don’t want to change, they’re all about number crunching.’

Sir Keir Starmer’s Government announced in July 2024 that thousands of prisoners would be released early to combat prison overcrowding.

Mr Burnham went on to give the green light for thousands of killers, thugs and paedophiles to be freed from jail.

But the new Prime Minister paused the controversial plans last month following a public outcry over the proposed release of two of PC Andrew Harper’s killers.

Following an urgent review, rapists and the most serious sex offenders will now be excluded from early release. 

The decision to release some prisoners early has already attracted fury from the family of PC Harper, who was dragged behind a car for more than a mile by three teenage thugs trying to steal a quad bike.

Justice Secretary Alex Norris has refused to back down on the scheme.

He told the BBC that the government wanted to ‘go further’ but stated drawing the scheme wider would cause a ‘prison capacity crisis’.

The grieving father said he spoke to a victim liaison officer from the Probation Service on Monday who told him there would be no change with the early release in Waring’s case.

Mr Edwards added: ‘It just shows that the families, the victims, don’t get a say in any of this. It just shows they don’t care. It’s devastating to take.’

Liverpool Crown Court heard Chapman, who was sentenced to life with a minimum term of 48 years, went to Waring’s house following the shooting and asked him to look after the weapon used in the killing.

Mr Edwards said: ‘The gun has never been found. That gun is still out there. So what’s to stop him coming out and picking that gun up again, there’s nothing to stop him doing that, is there?’

Thomas Waring, 22, (pictured) could walk free from prison after serving less than half of his sentence

Connor Chapman, 24, (pictured) was jailed for a minimum of 48 years for Elle’s murder 

Undated handout file photo of a generic photo of a Skorpion sub-machine gun, similar to that used in the shooting which killed Elle Edwards

Mr Burnham, who is now on holiday, acknowledged the ‘anger, anxiety and distress’ caused to victims by the early-release plans. He said the exclusion of rapists and the worst paedophiles were ‘significant changes’ but acknowledged ‘there will still be concerns about other offenders having their sentences shortened’.

The Prime Minister said he had ‘wanted to go further’ but added: ‘It’s not possible without the prison system reaching capacity and collapsing, which would put public safety at much greater risk.’

Tory leader Kemi Badenoch said: ‘Andy Burnham wants a round of applause for agreeing not to release rapists and child sex offenders. He’s not getting one.

‘This is only a partial climbdown. Killers, violent offenders, men who have terrorised their partners and more will all still walk out of prison in October thanks to Labour’s early release scheme.

‘Yet again victims are learning their fate from press releases. The victims of these horrific crimes have suffered weeks of uncertainty and fear. They deserve so much better.’

Martin Jones, HM Chief Inspector of Probation, told BBC Radio 4’s PM programme that there ‘is a real risk that things will go wrong’ if more clarity isn’t provided over the government’s early release scheme.

He said: ‘The probation service needs time to plan for those releases. And I can’t overstate how important it is that the probation service has taken the steps necessary to ensure that we know where people will be living after they leave prison, what conditions are in place, what protections need to be in place in relation to, for example, drug treatment [and] mental health treatment.

‘So that’s the work that at the moment is on pause, but it’s absolutely so important the probation service has that clarity so that it can ensure that the necessary plans are in place.

‘And unless we get that [clarity], I think there is a real risk that things will go wrong.’

A three-year-old girl has died after becoming trapped in a toy kitchen play set at a babysitter’s home in Boynton Beach, Palm Beach County, in the state of Florida

A three-year-old girl has tragically died after her head became stuck in a kitchen play set at her babysitter’s home.

The horror unfolded at a property in the Meadows neighbourhood of Boynton Beach, a city in Palm Beach County, Florida, on July 23. The Boynton Beach Police Department said officers were called shortly after 11am EDT (4pm BST) to a report that a child was unresponsive and not breathing.

Officers immediately began life-saving measures before Boynton Beach Fire Rescue arrived. The toddler was rushed to hospital in a critical condition and died several days later on July 27, the police department said.

Investigators said the girl and her sibling had been staying at a babysitter’s home. Police said the babysitter had left the property and placed the children in the care of their spouse at the time of the incident, CBS12 News reports.

According to investigators, the spouse checked on the children periodically and, during one of those checks, found the girl with her head trapped inside the play kitchen. He freed her and began emergency aid.

Investigators said the child’s sibling told them the three-year-old had become trapped while trying to retrieve toys that had fallen inside the play set.

Boynton Beach Police Public Information Officer Chelsea Sanabia told CBS12 News that the toy kitchen was “an old wooden set that was bought off of Facebook Marketplace a few years ago”. She added that investigators have not identified the make, model or brand.

The child’s cause of death has not yet been revealed. It is also not known for how long she may have been trapped or whether the case has been submitted for criminal review.

Police have not identified the girl, her parents or the babysitter. The investigation is ongoing.

Celtic secured a narrow 1-0 victory over Dundee at Celtic Park, with Benjamin Nygren’s second-half header proving the difference

Advertisement

Celtic manager Martin O’Neill is known for his cautious approach.

His pre-match worries ahead of his side’s 1-0 victory over Dundee proved well-founded, as the flag night celebrations were followed by a hard-fought win courtesy of Benjamin Nygren’s second-half header.

Heaping praise on the opposition is a tried-and-tested tactic the experienced Irishman has employed throughout a managerial career spanning 39 years.

His compliments towards Dundee seemed sincere and warranted. Steven Pressley’s squad exemplify sides who no longer roll over when up against the Premiership champions.

Celtic, despite the slender margin of victory, displayed numerous encouraging signs. We assesses how the Hoops performed.

VILJAMI SINISALO 7.

Dependable once more, producing an excellent stop to deny Ashley Hay late on. Sinisalo knows a new goalkeeper could arrive to compete with him, yet his leadership skills are hard to top.

A vocal leader between the sticks.

ALISTAIR JOHNSTON 7.

Everton scouts were present but Johnston must have felt transported back to 2024 as he combined effectively with Camilo Duran, reminiscent of his partnership with Nicolas Kuhn. The Canada international – who is craved by the Toffees – was able to showcase his trademark ‘underlap’ runs as he linked up impressively with the Colombian on the right flank.

CAMERON CARTER-VICKERS 7.

The Fridge was match-ready from kick-off. Following last season’s Achilles tendon rupture, he’s gradually returning to peak fitness.

His defensive work was solid and he showed ambition in his distribution.

AUSTON TRUSTY 8.

The American defender can struggle in routine domestic fixtures, but he was impressively focused on his comeback. From ceremonial duties stateside to dispossessing Dundee attackers – the commanding centre-back remains crucial.

KIERAN TIERNEY 8.

Tierney delivered an early cross to demonstrate his ambitions. A low delivery found Nygren whose effort was then turned wide by Kasper Hogh.

The left-back looked set for an attacking performance down his flank but, in truth, Celtic created more openings down the opposite wing throughout the opening period. Goodman made a fine save from his strike before he provided the ideal delivery for Nygren’s decisive goal.

ARNE ENGELS 6.

A reverse ball to find Tierney with his less favoured left foot was perfectly weighted, though beyond that moment, the Belgian didn’t produce his best performance. His delivery from wide areas was inconsistent and Engels’ renowned energy levels weren’t evident as he arrived late to multiple challenges.

Could potentially be his final appearance in the Hoops should West Ham increase their bid.

CALLUM MCGREGOR 7.

Turned back the clock with a threatening surge in the second period which resulted in him striking the woodwork. The captain was active and forward-thinking, though he requires support in midfield with Engels seemingly heading for the exit.

The skipper looked to be running at maximum capacity having nursed knocks throughout last campaign.

BENJAMIN NYGREN 8.

While it’s tempting to boost a match-winner’s rating, the Swedish forward demonstrated composure in possession from kick-off and posed a constant threat. His header found the back of the net with precision and was fully merited.

Celtic supporters have speculated about his potential departure this summer, though replacing his goals would prove challenging.

YANG 6.

The wide man appeared quicker and more powerful in the early stages but his influence diminished as proceedings continued. Celtic are aware he’ll be absent for some crucial fixtures ahead and his willingness to cover defensively and put in a shift deserves credit.

There were several instances in the latter stages where his decision-making let him down.

KASPER HOGH 6.

The towering Dane spurned numerous opportunities but O’Neill will take encouragement from the club’s record acquisition being well-positioned.

Celtic’s new number nine is evidently reliant on confidence, though no forward would prosper with the quality of delivery available during the second period. Hogh thrives on balls delivered into the penalty area and will net regularly.

CAMILO DURAN 7.

Celtic supporters are well aware the Colombian can perform centrally, but his deployment on the flank produced some promising moments. While he appears ready to flourish operating just behind Hogh, he maintained the width that enabled Johnstone to surge beyond him.

Clever touches and skills, plus a sharp turn inside the penalty area, suggest a player with considerable potential.

SUBS.

JAMES FORREST (YANG 79) 2.

Missed a trivela off of McGregor’s strike which cracked the post.

SEBASTIAN TOUNEKTI (DURAN 79) 3.

Lively after coming on, though his decision-making let him down at times. There’s a player there – he just might not show it every week.

LUKE MCCOWAN (NYGREN 83) 2.

Injected some vitality in the final moments.

COLBY DONOVAN (TIERNEY 83) 2.

Showed good commitment as Johnston moved across to left-back.

Unused subs: Doohan, Hatate, Osmand, Murray, Oxlade Chamberlain.

Sign up to our free sports newsletter to get the latest headlines to your inbox

LANSING, Mich. (AP) — A former Michigan public health official and Democratic candidate for governor entered the race for the state’s open U.S. Senate seat on Thursday.

Abdul El-Sayed, 40, is the second Democrat to put his name in the running in what could be one of the most watched races in the 2026 midterm elections. He’s also the second candidate this week to launch a campaign to replace Democratic Sen. Gary Peters, who is not seeking reelection.

“It’s way too hard to survive here in the richest, most powerful country in the world and it should not be this hard to get by,” he told The Associated Press.

El-Sayed ran for governor in 2018 as a progressive Democrat and was endorsed by Sen. Bernie Sanders. He came in second in the Democratic primary, losing to Gretchen Whitmer by more than 20 points and beating now U.S. Rep. Shri Thanedar by more than 12 points. Whitmer went on to win the general election and is in the midst of a second term. She can’t run again because of term limits.

Sanders on Thursday endorsed El-Sayed in the Senate race.

“Abdul is a physician who understands that our current health care system is broken and wildly expensive. He understands that health care is a human right, which is why he supports Medicare for All,” Sanders said in a statement.

A resident of Ann Arbor, El-Sayed recently served as director of the Department of Health, Human & Veterans Services in Wayne County, home to Detroit. Before that, he was the public health director of the city after it declared bankruptc y in 2013.

El-Sayed said he’s inspired to run for Senate after the overhaul of the federal government brought on by President Donald Trump and Elon Musk, including changes and cuts made at the nation’s top health agencies. But he said Democrats must do more than just run on the opposite of Republican policies.

“You have to come with your own independent analysis of what you think the problem is and how you want to solve it, if you want to earn the trust of the public,” he said.

El-Sayed joins state Sen. Mallory McMorrow in the Democratic field of candidates looking to replace Peters. Others considering a run include U.S. Rep. Haley Stevens and Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel.

On the Republican side, former U.S. Rep. Mike Rogers launched his bid on Monday after losing a Senate race last year by 19,000 votes to Democrat Elissa Slotkin.

Irish singer-songwriter, Lisa O’Neill, performs a stunning rendition of her song ‘Old Note’.

Before singing, Lisa revealed how she wrote the song in an apartment in Dublin that Glen Hansard gave her the keys to.

“Good bless you, Glen,” she said as she finished singing.

Among the cast of Midsummer!, a student production running at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival for two weeks from this Thursday, is a striking young woman whose stellar parental ancestry can be clearly seen in her features, if not in her name.

‘Suri Noelle’, 20, is a beautiful mixture of her willowy mother, the actress Katie Holmes, and takes her hazel eyes and defined cheekbones from her A-lister daddy, Tom Cruise.

But while her proud mother, star of Dawson’s Creek and Batman Begins, is expected to slip into the audience to watch her, her father is not.

Cruise, a devout and leading member of the Church of Scientology, would surely feel uncomfortable watching this modern translation of Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream.

Performed by Suri and eight other students from Carnegie Mellon University School of Drama in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, the show is described as ‘bursting with queer transformative joy’ and Cruise’s chosen religion is profoundly homophobic.

But more than this, Suri and Tom have no father-daughter relationship at all.

Indeed, Cruise is thought not to have seen his girl since she was six years old, although this week his publicists yet again declined to comment on the record or offer guidance off it.

Yet the schism is so complete and long-standing that Suri has now changed her name to remove Cruise.

Tom Cruise, pictured holding his daughter in 2008, is said to have not seen Suri since she was six years old

It was revealed this week that Suri is legally Suri Noelle, taking her mother’s middle name as her new family name.

It seems likely that she quietly made this change while living in New York with Ms Holmes, at some point soon after reaching her 18th birthday.

Name changes are routinely filed ‘under seal’ by New York courts, meaning that they are kept private.

A source told Page Six that Suri was fully supported in her decision to do this by her mother.

‘Katie wasn’t surprised by Suri’s decision to legally drop “Cruise” from her last name because that’s just who Suri is,’ said the source.

‘This also wasn’t something that happened overnight. It was a decision that evolved over time, and Katie respected Suri’s process every step of the way.’

Certainly, when she graduated from LaGuardia High School in June 2024, she was already using the name Suri Noelle.

There was another clue in October 2024, during her freshman year at Carnegie Mellon University, when electoral records showed that she registered to vote using that name – residents are required to do so using their legal name.

Ms Holmes and Cruise, pictured with Suri in 2011, were married for six years from 2006 to 2012

Advertisement

After divorcing the actor in 2012, Ms Holmes is reported to have won custody of their daughter

At the time, sources close to her explained that she wanted to ‘start fresh at college’ and establish her own identity by dropping the Cruise.

How ironic then that Suri’s chosen path is the very profession which Cruise sits atop: acting.

Initially, it was briefed that she was ‘leaning towards’ a college degree in fashion but in fact she is studying musical theatre.

She took the lead role of Morticia in LaGuardia school’s production of The Addams Family: A New Musical in her senior year in 2023, and was said to be ‘amazing’ by an audience member.

Being part of the small troupe which is travelling to Edinburgh tells its own story of how she is blossoming as a performer.

A source tells me that she is an ‘excellent actress’ already.

The source adds: ‘She is a nice girl and goes by a different name to protect her privacy.

‘The thing is that she is studying her ass off and actually putting in the work to be a trained actor, not just a nepo baby like Apple Martin [Gwyneth Paltrow’s daughter with Coldplay star Chris Martin].

‘She really wants to learn the craft and art of acting. Also she is insanely talented.’

Her father, arguably the last great movie star, will cast quite a shadow over her professional life if she does continue to tread the boards.

But Suri Noelle is clearly determined to forge her own path.

Born in April 2006, Suri was first introduced to the world at five months old in a stunning photo shoot with Vanity Fair.

In the accompanying interview, Cruise – who had previously adopted children Connor and Bella along with second wife Nicole Kidman – positively overflowed with paternal love declaring ‘I always wanted to be a father’.

He said: ‘I always said to myself that my children would be able to depend on me and I would always be there for them and love them.

‘I’m not one of those people who believe you can spoil a child with too much love. You can never give a child too much love. There’s just no way.’

Then living on a 400-acre ranch in Telluride, Colorado, the writer painted an idyllic picture of the Cruise family living a wholesome, outdoorsy life, with Ms Holmes gushing: ‘It’s really special to see them [Bella and Connor] holding their little sister. To hear them talk about all of the fun things they are going to do together.’

For a time, Bella even seemed to act as an unofficial nanny for Suri, and the whole family travelled together as Cruise made films between 2006 and 2012.

Suri was, naturally, the star of the show at the Cruise-Holmes wedding in Italy in November 2006, and later was pictured incessantly, almost always being held by her father.

And then, as soon as her parents split was announced in 2012, all of that ended.

Within five weeks of Ms Holmes ‘blindsiding’ Cruise by filing for divorce, his lawyer Bert Fields had secured a divorce deal, and Suri pretty much dropped from view.

It was reported that her mother had custody, her father would get visits – and would pay $400,000 a year until Suri’s 18th birthday to meet her living expenses.

Ms Holmes moved to New York and took pains to keep her child largely out of the public eye, and her feet on the ground.

Suri – previously home-schooled – was enrolled at the Avenues School and Ms Holmes took a hiatus from her acting career to steady the ship, even helping out as a ‘reader’, akin to a teaching assistant, at Suri’s school.

The question of Suri’s relationship with her father post-divorce became explosively public in September 2012, when Cruise took legal action against two celebrity magazines which said he had ‘abandoned’ his daughter. The lawsuit was settled out of court.

During a deposition, Cruise admitted he had not seen the then-six-year-old for 110 days over the previous summer, immediately following the breakdown of the marriage.

He agreed that over a five-month period, he saw Suri for ten days in total, six of which were during a father-daughter bonding break at Disney World.

Over this period, he flew from Pittsburgh to London and back again for an annual Scientology event. He also spent a few days in the Croatian resort of Hvar with friends.

Cruise explained Suri and he had instead kept in touch over the phone, as his life was busy with filming: ‘I tell wonderful stories and they like hearing it. I’ve gotten pretty good at communicating.’

He said: ‘Things change. Certainly what doesn’t change is the love I have for my daughter, the fact that I didn’t abandon her emotionally, physically, or otherwise.

‘And in terms of how I feel about her in terms of the responsibility that I feel towards my child is not – is not [sic] waned in any way.’

A source close to the actor continues to deny that they are estranged.

But others doubt this, citing Scientology, the controversial religion followed by Cruise and founded by writer L. Ron Hubbard, as the cause of the seeming estrangement.

When they were together, Ms Holmes received instruction in Scientology and the young Suri was raised a Scientologist.

However, after the split, Ms Holmes returned to her childhood Catholic faith and was said to be keen to get Suri away from Scientology.

The organisation is infamous for discouraging its believers from having family relationships with those outside the religion.

So could this be the real reason Cruise appears to keep his distance?

Brendan Tighe, who worked in Cruise’s security detail and was a Scientologist, certainly believes so.

He told me: ‘So long as Suri sides with her mom, which she clearly does, there will be no contact with her dad.

‘This is particularly sad considering how much of an over-the-top affectionate family they were in the early years.’

Mike Rinder, once Scientology’s number three, who knew Cruise and his family first-hand for years, also concurs. He told me he is also convinced that the religion is the reason for the apparent breakdown between Cruise and Suri.

‘As Katie gained custody of Suri, Tom cannot communicate with her as she is connected to her mother. Any good Scientologist chooses Scientology over their personal wishes or even wellbeing,’ he said.

Whatever the truth, Suri is clearly determined to make her own way, free of the shackles of her father’s name and religion.

And as she takes her first steps as an actress, it will be her mother proudly watching from the wings, not her famous father.

By BOBBY MANZI, FOOTBALL REPORTER

Published: 18:08 BST, 4 August 2026 | Updated: 18:52 BST, 4 August 2026

Jordan FA president Prince Ali bin Hussein has accused Gianni Infantino of blackmail as pressure continues to mount on the FIFA president.

Infantino has come under intense scrutiny since plans to sell £3.1billion in World Cup stakes leaked last week.

The Swiss football administrator has since scrapped the proposals after widespread opposition – including an internal rebellion at FIFA.

UEFA and Concacaf – the body for North and Central America and the Caribbean – are both calling for Infantino to step down, with Europe declaring a lack of confidence in the FIFA president.

Advertisement

Jordan, meanwhile, are the first Asian nation to rebel against Infantino – taking the total to 91, assuming all UEFA and CONCACAF nations follow the stance set by their continental bodies. 106 nations are needed to depose Infantino as president.

In a statement Hussein ripped into Infantino, accusing him of delaying prize money payments and refusing to address the problem unless Jordan endorsed him for a fourth term at the helm of world football.

Gianni Infantino has been accused of blackmail by Jordan FA president Prince Ali bin Hussein

Advertisement

‘There is no shortage of issues regarding FIFA. Let me start by clarifying what some of these are from an FA perspective, in particular that of Jordan going into a World Cup for the first time,’ Hussein said

‘We are a small country with a minimal budget for our FA and had to deal with enormous hurdles.

‘First, getting our fans into the USA: not all were granted VISAS, even though they had tickets – which we also know were sold at exorbitant prices.

Advertisement

‘Secondly, we are being taxed by the US government through FIFA for our participation. Money that should go to players and staff.

‘This was not the case for those who played and set up camp in Canada and Mexico. But we happened to be in the USA so now we face these huge costs in taxes for having participated.

‘Thirdly we have been waiting for reward money for our players since December for the Arab Cup in Qatar, which is a FIFA event.

‘The money our team should receive for having reached the final has not been delivered yet, while at the same time FIFA brags about how many billions they have in reserve.

Advertisement

‘It is clear the problem really is with leadership. For months, FIFA has been refusing to help us on any of these or other matters – until it was verbally communicated to me during the World Cup that if I endorsed Infantino it would go a long way to helping our FA out.

‘We pride ourselves in Jordan in upholding ethical values. We did not endorse him before and certainly will not now.

‘But the whole situation amounts to blackmail and we refuse to give in to that.’

Daily Mail Sport have contacted FIFA for comment.

Advertisement

Princess Eugenie has announced the birth of a baby girl.

Eugenie, who is married to Jack Brooksbank, made the announcement on her Instagram page on Tuesday.

The birth took place at a hospital in Lisbon, Portugal, on Monday evening, Buckingham Palace said.

This is the couple’s third child, following sons August and Ernest, and it is understood they are taking time to decide on a name.

In a short post, Eugenie, who is the daughter of Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, wrote: “Jack and I are so excited to announce Baby Girl Brooksbank!!”

“We are beyond in love with our girlie.”

The birth is a rare occasion where a member of the royal family has been born overseas, with Eugenie and Mr Brooksbank having a home and other connections in Portugal.

Buckingham Palace said: “Her Royal Highness Princess Eugenie and Mr Jack Brooksbank are delighted to announce the safe arrival of their daughter, born on Monday August 3 2026, at 6.20pm, at a hospital in Lisbon, Portugal.

“The baby was born weighing 6lb 9oz.

“Their Majesties The King and Queen and other members of the royal family were delighted to be informed of the news.”

More to follow.

Subscribe here to get the latest updates from The Independent