Sports
Tony Bellew furiously pleads ‘bring death penalty back’ as he rages over Southport killer Axel Rudakubana guilty plea
Former boxer and I’m A Celebrity…Get Me Out of Here! star Tony Bellew has “pleaded” with the “country’s justice system” to reinstate the death penalty.
The 42-year-old’s passionate demand came on Monday evening, hours after 18-year-old Axel Rudakubana pled guilty to the murder of three young girls and 13 other charges.
Rudakubana, from Lancashire, entered a guilty plea to the murder of Alice da Silva Aguiar, nine, Bebe King, six, and Elsie Dot Stancombe, seven, on July 29 last year.
The three young girls were targeted as they took part in a Taylor Swift-themed dance part in Southport last summer.
Following the guilty plea, it transpired Rudakubana had been referred to the government-backed scheme Prevent three times due to concerns over violent tendencies.
Home Secretary Yvette Cooper announced soon after the guilty plea that an inquiry would be launched into Rudakubana and the failings that befell the Southport murders.
Axel Rudakubana pleaded guilty to all 16 charges he faced in court on Monday
CPS
Cooper insisted “the families and the people of Southport need answers about what happened leading up to this attack”.
While Cooper’s decision, which has been backed by prime minister Sir Keir Starmer on Tuesday, is an attempt to provide clarity, former boxer Bellew has urged the government to go a step further.
Sharing Rudakubana’s mugshot onto his X page, Bellew raged to his 772,4k followers: “I’m pleading with this country’s justice system to bring the death penalty back for this sick individual! Make an example of him please…
“Locking him up just isn’t enough! He targeted young innocent children.
I’m pleading with this country’s justice system to bring the death penalty back for this sick individual! Make an example of him please.. Locking him up just isn’t enough! He targeted young innocent children.. He doesn’t deserve to live another day never mind be fed an housed at… pic.twitter.com/t6a8r1zHW3
— Tony Bellew (@TonyBellew) January 20, 2025
“He doesn’t deserve to live another day never mind be fed an housed at our expense! Just get rid of him and everyone like him..
When one follower replied to suggest the death penalty “will never work”, Bellew replied: “I’m talking extreme cases like this where the evidence is there and better still he pleads guilty..
“Put him and everyone else like him on and Island with nothing and let them kill each other.”
Rudakubana will be sentenced on Thursday following his guilty plea, although he’s ineligible to face a whole life sentence as the mass murderer committed his crimes when he was 17.
Whole life sentences are imposed on the most serious offenders, but used to be reserved under law to killers who are aged 21 and over. The last Conservative government changed the age to 18 in 2022.
On Tuesday morning, Prime Minister Starmer said that the Southport murders “must be a line in the sand” but insisted “nothing will be off the table in this inquiry”.
Tony Bellew has led calls for the return of the death penalty
PA
Speaking to the nation, the PM said: “I know people will be watching right now, and they’ll be saying, we’ve heard all this before, the promises, the sorrow, the inquiry that comes and goes, and inability to change that frankly, has become the oxygen for wider conspiracy.
“And we’ve seen that throughout this case – a suggestion that there has been a cover up. I want to put on record that yesterday’s guilty verdict only happened because hundreds, if not thousands, of dedicated public servants worked towards it, many of whom endured absolutely harrowing circumstances, particularly in the police and the Crown Prosecution Service. That is their job. They are brilliant at it.”
Starmer was also asked if it had been a mistake to withhold information before the guilty party was charged, to which he explained: “You would be putting very different questions to me if I had disclosed information, and we were now faced with a decision that the trial had just collapsed and the families would never get justice.
“You would rightly be challenging me very, very hard about why I disclosed information.”
Sports
Luke Littler and Ronnie O’Sullivan in full agreement over long-held debate between darts and snooker
Luke Littler has weighed in on the debate between snooker’s 147 break and darts’ nine-dart finish on his 18th birthday, siding with seven-time world champion Ronnie O’Sullivan.
The teenage darts sensation, who recently claimed victory over Michael van Gerwen at Alexandra Palace, believes achieving a maximum break in snooker requires more skill than a perfect leg in darts.
The discussion has long divided fans of both sports, with Littler becoming the latest high-profile figure to favour snooker’s ultimate achievement.
“I think it has to be a 147,” Littler told Sport. “I don’t know the rules of snooker. What is it?
Luke Littler
“You pot a red ball, you pot a coloured ball, and you just go over and over again. It’s really hard. I’d say a 147 is a lot harder.”
A maximum break requires a player to successfully pot 36 consecutive balls, alternating between red and black before clearing the colours.
O’Sullivan echoed these sentiments when questioned by darts legend Raymond van Barneveld in 2023.
“The 147 must be harder, I think,” O’Sullivan said.
“I think what you guys do on a dartboard and the way you make it look so easy is just unbelievable, so total respect to you guys.”
The snooker champion elaborated: “Maybe the 147 might be slightly harder, just because it’s 36 shots and you’ve got only nine to do.
“We have to do four times the amount of work that you do.”
Statistics support the frequency of both achievements, with 210 recognised maximum breaks in snooker compared to 96 televised nine-dart finishes.
Luke Littler has already hit a nine-darter – doing so at last year’s Bahrain Masters and Belgian Open
PA
Both sports have seen a dramatic increase in perfect performances in recent years.
The 1980s witnessed just eight 147 breaks in snooker, while 55 have been achieved since 2020.
Similarly in darts, only two nine-dart finishes were recorded between 1984 and 2001, yet 42 have been televised in this decade alone.
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Ronnie O’Sullivan has made 15 maximums – more than any other professional player
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Littler’s perspective carries particular weight given his own mastery of the nine-dart finish.
The teenage star has already demonstrated his prowess by achieving perfect legs at both the Bahrain Masters and Belgian Open last year.
His success continued into the World Championship, where he witnessed two other players accomplish nine-dart finishes during the tournament.
This first-hand experience with darts’ highest achievement makes his endorsement of snooker’s 147 as the greater feat especially noteworthy.
After another defeat and just seven months into his reign at Borussia Dortmund, is manager Nuri Sahin already on the brink of losing his job?
Dortmund are 10th in the Bundesliga, 20 points behind leaders Bayern Munich and seven away from Stuttgart who are fourth.
They would have gone third in the Champions League table on Tuesday but they conceded two goals in two minutes against Bologna to lose their fourth consecutive game of 2025.
Dortmund have now lost four consecutive matches in all competitions, something that has only happened to the club once (six in a row in March and April 2000) in the past 30 years.
The defeat means Dortmund are 13th and must get a result against Shakhtar Donetsk in their final league phase game to have the chance to qualify automatically for the knockouts.
For the first time in the competition, the German side have lost multiple games after scoring the opening goal.
Former manager Edin Terzic, who guided them to the Champions League final last season, departed the club in June when he felt “the club’s new era should begin with a new man on the touchline”.
Turkish boss Sahin, who started his career at Dortmund and played more than 250 games for the club, was chosen as that man but the club’s season has spiralled with inconsistent performances and defeats.
Former Manchester United boss Erik ten Hag has already been linked, external with taking over should Sahin get sacked.
Sports
Novak Djokovic throws Australian Open future into doubt immediately after Carlos Alcaraz victory
Novak Djokovic has cast doubt on his future at the Australian Open just moments after coming back to beat Carlos Alcaraz.
The 37-year-old had to overcome injury to down the 2024 Wimbledon champion, eventually claiming a 4-6 6-4 6-3 6-4 win in Melbourne to reach the semi-final.
“It was possibly one of the best matches of the tournament on the men’s side,” said Djokovic.
“It felt like a final of a Slam and I wish it was. We both gave it our all.”
Novak Djokovic has thrown doubt over his future at the Australian Open
Eurosport
However, having limped around Rod Laver Arena due to a problem with his left leg, the Serbian has raised doubts over his future at the tournament despite gunning for a record-breaking 25th Grand Slam title.
Having played through the injury aggressively, Djokovic addressed his physical concerns and admitted he nearly retired from the match.
“Well since I’m still in the tournament, I don’t want to reveal too much obviously,” he started.
“But yeah, the medication started to kick in and that helped, no doubt. I had to take another dose. This sounds awful! Me taking another dose. But I had to.
“I didn’t know, to be honest, if I lost the second set I didn’t know if I would continue playing.
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“But I felt better and better, managed to play a great couple of games to end the second set.
“And then I saw that Carlos was hesitant a little bit from the back of the court and I took my chances and started to feel better, started to move better.
“So it didn’t bother me, it didn’t create any hindrance towards the end of the match, only in that second set.
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Novak Djokovic let loose with a roar after winning against Carlos Alcaraz
Reuters
“Obviously when the medication starts to release, I’ll see what the reality is tomorrow morning. But right now I’ll just try to be in the moment and enjoy this victory,” he said, suggesting that Friday’s semi-final might be touch and go.
Having played through the pain barrier, Djokovic started to move more freely by the third set to take control of the tie.
Alcaraz, meanwhile, grew more and more frustrated after losing momentum before losing a truly epic clash that lasted three hours and 38 minutes.
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Novak Djokovic had to play through the pain barrier to defeat Carlos Alcaraz
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After claiming victory, Djokovic roared in the direction of Andy Murray, who has been employed as the seventh seed’s coach for the Australian Open this year.
Djokovic, who has won the Australian Open a record 10 times, has a much-needed day off before returning to court to face Alexander Zrevev on Friday in the semi-final.
Arne Slot praises Mohammed Salah after he scored his 50th European goal for Liverpool in the 2-1 win over Lille at Anfield.
A 17-year-old has been arrested in connection with abusive social media messages sent to Arsenal forward Kai Havertz’s pregnant wife following the club’s FA Cup defeat to Manchester United.
The teenager from St Albans was arrested on suspicion of malicious communications, Hertfordshire Police confirmed on Tuesday.
The teen has since been released on bail while police enquiries continue into the threatening messages sent to Sophia Havertz on Instagram.
The incident occurred after Arsenal’s FA Cup third-round exit to Manchester United on January 12 at the Emirates Stadium.
Kai Havertz was abused after United beat Arsenal in the FA Cup earlier this month
Reuters
Havertz, 25, missed a crucial penalty in the shootout defeat, having also squandered an opportunity to win the match during normal time.
His spot-kick was saved by United goalkeeper Altay Bayindir, leading to Arsenal’s elimination from the competition.
The abusive messages were sent to Sophia Havertz on Instagram in the hours following the match.
Sophia Havertz shared screenshots of the vile messages she received, which included threats about the couple’s unborn child.
One Instagram user wrote “I hope you have a miscarriage,” while another message contained threats to “slaughter” their child.
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Sophia, who has half a million followers on Instagram, responded by urging people to be “more respectful.”
“For anyone to think it’s okay to write something like this is so shocking to me. I hope you are so ashamed of yourself,” she wrote.
Arsenal responded by hiring data technology firm Signify to help determine the identity of those responsible for the abuse.
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Sophia Havertz (centre) posted the abusive messages on social media
PA
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta called for decisive action against online abuse earlier this month, saying: “It’s incredible, honestly. We really have to do something about it, because accepting that and hiding this has terrible consequences.”
“It’s something we have to eradicate from the game because it’s so cynical and dependent to a result of an action. There is no other industry like this,” he added.
Kai and Sophia Havertz have been in a relationship since 2018.
READ MORE: Novak Djokovic throws Australian Open future into doubt immediately after Carlos Alcaraz victory
A teenager has been arrested for sending messages to Kai Havertz
Reuters
The couple announced their engagement in summer 2023 before getting married later that year.
In November 2023, they revealed they were expecting their first child together.
Havertz joined Arsenal from Chelsea in a £65million move in 2023 and has scored 27 goals in 80 appearances for the north London club.
His teammate Leandro Trossard recently defended him, saying: “He is so good for us, not just in terms of scoring but he helps us get up the pitch too.”
Mason Greenwood has switched his international allegiance from England to Jamaica after the Football Association made it clear he would never be considered for selection again.
The 23-year-old Marseille striker has completed the necessary paperwork to represent the Reggae Boys, having qualified through his Jamaican-born father.
The former Manchester United forward won his solitary England cap in 2020 but can change nationality as that appearance came before he turned 21.
The FA’s stance came following Greenwood’s suspension from football three years ago, when he was charged with attempted rape, assault occasioning actual bodily harm and controlling and coercive behaviour.
Mason Greenwood has pledged his allegiance to Jamaica
Getty
The charges were subsequently dropped by the Crown Prosecution Service, with Greenwood denying all allegations.
Despite rebuilding his career at Getafe and now Marseille, FA bosses decided against future England selection, citing concerns over the adverse publicity it would generate.
Steve McClaren, the former England manager, now leads the Jamaican national team that Greenwood will join.
The switch comes after Greenwood completed all necessary paperwork to be eligible for selection by Jamaica.
The striker was once viewed as a potential successor to England’s current number nine Harry Kane, but will now forge a new international path with the Caribbean nation.
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Jamaica boss Steve McClaren is keen to get Mason Greenwood in his squad
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Greenwood joined Marseille from Manchester United last summer in a £27m transfer deal.
The forward has flourished in French football, scoring 12 goals to become the leading scorer in Ligue 1 this season.
Marseille manager Roberto De Zerbi has praised his star striker, saying: “He’s just exceptional. He’s a great player and it shows. I’m happy to see him score to end all the controversy in the media.”
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Nottingham Forest make Matheus Cunha their top January target, Arsenal also showing firm interest in Wolves forward, Chelsea to hold more talks over Alejandro Garnacho.
Nottingham Forest have made Wolves and Brazil forward Matheus Cunha their top January target in the push for Champions League qualification. (Mail) , external
Arsenal have also shown firm interest in signing 25-year-old Cunha in the January transfer window. (Fichajes), external
Chelsea are set to hold more talks with Manchester United over Argentina winger Alejandro Garnacho, 20, who is valued at £50m. (Telegraph – subscription required) , external
United have made enquiries for Bournemouth and Hungary’s Milos Kerkez, 21, Wolves and Algeria’s Rayan Ait-Nouri, 23, and Crystal Palace and England’s Tyrick Mitchell, 25, as Ruben Amorim prioritises signing a left wing-back. (The i), external
West Ham are keen to back new manager Graham Potter with new additions at centre-back and centre-forward before the transfer deadline on 3 February. (Football Insider) , external
Chelsea are demanding at least £70m before allowing France striker Christopher Nkunku, 27, to join Bayern Munich. (Sky Sports), external
Manchester United and Brazil winger Antony, 24, is close to completing a loan move to Real Betis. (Sky Sports) , external
Tottenham and RB Leipzig are the two main clubs trying to sign Southampton’s 18-year-old English midfielder Tyler Dibling. (Sky Germany), external
Juventus and Borussia Dortmund are both pushing to sign Chelsea and Portugal defender Renato Veiga, 21, who is available for either loan or a permanent move. (Times), external
Marseille are the latest club to express an interest in signing Manchester United forward Marcus Rashford, 27. (L’Equipe), external
However Rashford’s favoured destination is Barcelona, who have freed up funds which would allow them to sign the England international. (Athletic – subscription required), external
Ligue 1 side Monaco are also interested in Rashford and could afford his £315,000-a-week wages in a loan deal. (Sun), external
Fulham have enquired about AC Milan and Brazil defender Emerson Royal, 26, who will be available if the Italian club sign England full-back Kyle Walker, 34, from Manchester City. (Times), external
Manchester City have a verbal agreement with La Liga club Real Valladolid to sign Sierra Leonean centre-back Juma Bah, 18. (Fabrizio Romano), external
France’s former Manchester United midfielder Paul Pogba, 31, says he has rejected an offer to return to football from a club in Russia. (Twitch), external
Derby County have rejected a bid from Brighton for former Republic of Ireland Under-21 centre-back Eiran Cashin, 23. (Sky Sports), external
Celtic are unlikely to match Aston Villa‘s asking price for English forward Louis Barry, 21, after having a £10m bid rejected. (Football Insider), external
Mohamed Salah netted his historic 50th European goal for Liverpool as the Reds secured a 2-1 victory over Lille at Anfield on Tuesday night.
The win made Liverpool the first team to book their place in the Champions League last 16 under the new Swiss model format.
Salah’s 34th-minute strike was followed by a Jonathan David equaliser for the 10-man visitors, before Harvey Elliott’s deflected effort sealed the victory for Arne Slot’s side.
The result maintained Liverpool’s perfect record in this season’s competition, cementing their position at the top of the 36-team standings with an unassailable lead.
Mohamed Salah helped Liverpool to victory over Lille on Tuesday night
Reuters
The victory also marked Liverpool’s seventh consecutive Champions League win, equalling their best sequence in the competition’s modern era.
Curtis Jones provided the crucial assist for Liverpool’s opener, threading a brilliant through ball that allowed Salah to race clear and finish past Lucas Chevalier.
The hosts looked to be in complete control when Lille’s Aissa Mandi was shown a second yellow card on the hour mark for a foul on Luis Diaz.
However, just three minutes after going down to ten men, the French side found a surprise equaliser through Jonathan David.
The Canadian striker pounced after Hakon Haraldsson’s initial effort was blocked, blasting home from close range in front of the travelling supporters.
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The setback proved only temporary for Liverpool, as substitute Harvey Elliott restored their lead five minutes later with a speculative effort that took a massive deflection off Ngal Ayel Mukau.
Liverpool’s qualification for the knockout stages comes with the luxury of having their final group game against PSV Eindhoven reduced to a dead rubber.
Manager Arne Slot now has the option to rest key players in that fixture, with top spot already secured.
The victory was particularly impressive given Lille’s strong European form this season, with the French side having previously earned results against Real Madrid, Atletico Madrid and Juventus.
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Mohamed Salah and Harvey Elliott’s goals led Liverpool to victory over Lille
Reuters
The win also saw Liverpool set a new club record for the longest time without conceding a goal in Europe, surpassing the previous mark of 576 minutes established by Rafael Benitez’s team in 2005-06.
That streak was finally ended by David’s equaliser, though it proved insufficient to deny Liverpool their historic achievement.
Liverpool dominated the key statistics, enjoying 55 per cent possession compared to Lille’s 45 per cent.
The home side registered 10 shots to Lille’s three, with four of those efforts finding the target against just one for the visitors.
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Arne Slot’s Liverpool are in the midst of an incredible season
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The corner count was similarly in Liverpool’s favour at 2-1, while the foul count showed Liverpool committing 10 infractions to Lille’s six.
Both teams will now turn their attention to domestic matters, with Liverpool hosting Ipswich Town in the Premier League on Saturday.
Lille, whose club-record 21-game unbeaten run came to an end at Anfield, travel to face Strasbourg in Ligue 1 at the weekend.
The French side will conclude their Champions League league phase campaign with a home fixture against Feyenoord.
Sports
Man City’s Erling Haaland ‘confident club know what they’re doing’ with Premier League charges
Manchester City striker Erling Haaland says the charges facing the club had no bearing on him signing a new long-term contract.
Haaland has signed a nine-and-a-half-year deal that would keep him at Etihad Stadium until 2034 – and makes him one of the highest-paid sportspeople in the world.
City are awaiting the outcome of the disciplinary hearing into their alleged 115 breaches of Premier League financial rules, which could result in a points deduction and even relegation.
READ MORE: Man City charges had no impact on new deal – Haaland
Sports
Lewis Hamilton dons Ferrari colours for the first time as he bids to break Michael Schumacher record
Lewis Hamilton has donned Ferrari’s iconic red Formula 1 race overalls for the first time, sharing the historic moment on social media.
The seven-time world champion posted a picture of himself wearing the famous Scuderia Ferrari racing suit with the caption “first time in red”.
The image marks another significant milestone in Hamilton’s transition to Ferrari, following his blockbuster switch from Mercedes for the 2025 season in what is widely regarded as one of the biggest driver transfers in F1 history.
Hamilton visited Ferrari’s Maranello headquarters for the first time on Monday, marking his initial introduction to the legendary Italian team.
Lewis Hamilton has donned Ferrari colours for the first time
The 40-year-old Briton continued his integration with Ferrari on Tuesday, meeting team members and familiarising himself with the factory facilities.
“There are some days that you know you’ll remember forever and today, my first as a Ferrari driver, is one of those days,” Hamilton said after his maiden visit to Maranello.
Hamilton is set to make his on-track debut for Ferrari on Wednesday at the team’s Fiorano test track.
The test session will feature Hamilton driving an older Ferrari F1 car alongside teammate Charles Leclerc, with both drivers expected to sample the team’s 2022 and 2023 machines.
Sky Sports Italy will live-stream the historic moment via YouTube, giving fans their first glimpse of Hamilton behind the wheel of a Ferrari.
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Hamilton reflected on realising a long-held ambition as he embraced his new role with the Italian team.
“I’ve been lucky enough to have achieved things in my career I never thought possible, but part of me has always held on to that dream of racing in red. I couldn’t be happier to realise that dream today,” he said.
“Today we start a new era in the history of this iconic team, and I can’t wait to see what story we will write together.”
READ MORE:England captain Jos Buttler reveals blunt reason for Afghanistan boycott rejection
Lewis Hamilton has joined Ferrari ahead of the 2025 season
Ferrari’s new car presentation is scheduled across two days, beginning with the F1 75 event in London on February 18.
The following day will see a filming day take place at the Fiorano circuit.
These events will precede the crucial pre-season testing in Bahrain, which is set to run from February 26-28.
The schedule marks the final preparations before Hamilton makes his competitive debut for the Scuderia in the 2025 season.
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