John Higgins makes ‘genius’ Zhao Xintong his favourite to win the World Snooker Championship after an historic victory at the Players Championship.

The reigning world champion beat Higgins 10-7 in Sunday’s final in Telford, bursting for the winning line with breaks of 104, 126 and 92 after the pair could not be separated for 14 frames.

The 28-year-old becomes the fourth player to win his first five ranking finals, after Steve Davis, Mark Williams and Neil Robertson.

The Cyclone is now the first player to win the World Grand Prix and the Players Championship since the Players Series came into being in 2018/19.

He now has the chance to become the first to complete the hat-trick at the Tour Championship in Manchester next month.

Higgins was stunned by what he saw from the Chinese superstar, believing he can make more history in Sheffield this year and break the Crucible Curse, by becoming the first player to defend his first world title at the venue.

‘I couldn’t pot a long ball all day and Zhao doesn’t really miss any long balls,’ Higgins said on Channel 5. ‘The last three frames there it was absolutely poetry in motion.

‘I’m lucky to have my kids here and I can remember my dad saying he was lucky to see footballers like George Best and Jimmy Johnstone. My kids are lucky to see someone like Xintong. He is an absolute genius, a genius.

‘I felt totally great, I felt really good, I just couldn’t pot long balls. You get down for them and think you’ve got to get them because if you don’t get them you know he’s going to punish you. The last three frames it was a joy to watch even though I was on the receiving end.

‘I think he’ll be the man to beat at the World Championship this year, I really do.’

Stephen Hendry, who has tipped Zhao to reach ‘four or five’ World Championship wins, feels he is taking snooker to another level with his excellence.

‘I’m always looking for players who can take the game to the next level. I think this young man can,’ said the seven-time world champion. ‘I think he’s operating at a higher level than anyone else in the game at the moment.

‘He seems to have shrugged the expectation of being world champion and the pressure of that. And now just playing with a freedom and a confidence. Best player in the world at the moment, no doubt about it.’

Zhao was not always at his best in Telford, struggling at times against Elliot Slessor and Mark Allen in round one and the semi-finals, but bouncing back to 6-5 victories against both.

He also faltered at times in the final, before surging to the winning line in style.

‘I still can’t believe that, last week I was in Hong Kong and now back to Telford. I can’t believe that,’ he said of triumphing at the Grand Prix before Players Championship glory.

‘This week I played not really good, but tonight I think the last three frames I played really nice frames. I’m really happy.

‘Our Chinese people really respect John, Ronnie [O’Sullivan] and Mark [Williams], they’re 50 years old and can beat everyone in the world, so I’m really a lucky one.’

On his chances of defending his World Championship title, he said: ‘I don’t want to think a lot. I just want to enjoy snooker.’

Former Masters champion Alan McManus feels Zhao is on course to become one of the all-time greats, saying: ‘That’s what generational talents do in winning big tournaments.

‘He’s put away a legend and put him away in style. He is something incredibly special.

‘We’re talking about six, seven or eight players in the history of our sport are that special. He’s definitely the next one.’

Zhao would have to break the Crucible Curse to defend his world title in May and he would have to become the first to reach the Players Championship final and make it to the World Championship final in the same season.

The new world number five, China’s first world champion, has already made history, how much more can he write this season?

MORE: Mark Selby and Mark Allen rate each other’s games ahead of Players Championship clash

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MORE: Mark Williams weighs in on Judd Trump all-time snooker great debate

The opportunity and ability for teams to rewrite their own narratives in the space of just a few weeks is part of what makes the Six Nations so compelling.

Lacklustre and outgunned in Rome in week one, Scotland are now France’s biggest challengers after following up the Calcutta Cup demolition of England with a nailbiting, nerve-wrenching win in Wales.

The hosts were 23-12 up with just over 20 minutes to go but Scotland roared back to win 26-23 after some brilliant quick thinking from fly-half Finn Russell.

He switched the momentum of the match with a kick that caught Wales out and allowed Darcy Graham to score in the corner. Yet again, the Bath number 10 was the difference-maker.

“Big-game players turn up when it matters and Russell had moments when he bailed Scotland out,” former Wales captain Sam Warburton told BBC Rugby Special.

“He was exceptional at managing the team when they were down in the game. He waits for the perfect moment to get involved.

“He plays what he sees, he has that licence and his clutch kicking was immense. The big-game player rocked up in the last 30 minutes, he was immaculate and a big part of the comeback.”

“Scotland found a way to win ugly,” added their former flanker John Barclay.

“They found solutions and ground their way in. In some ways that was the most important win they have had in a while. It has given them a strong position in the table.”

Up next? France at Murrayfield on Saturday, 7 March, and the chance to end Les Bleus’ Grand Slam dreams after three successive wins.

Gary Neville hailed David Raya as an ‘absolutely incredible’ signing for Arsenal after he helped the Gunners dispatch of north London rivals Tottenham.

Raya made a rare mistake in Arsenal’s deflating 2-2 draw with Wolves last week, colliding with Gabriel and allowing the basement boys to score an injury-time equaliser.

Neville questioned how Raya would respond to his uncharacteristic blunder in Arsenal’s huge north London derby on Sunday but was impressed by his reaction.

Viktor Gyokeres and Eberechi Eze stole the headlines after both scoring twice in an emphatic 4-1 win, but Neville was keen to praise Raya for his ‘dominant’ performance in between the posts.

Raya looked back to his best as Arsenal breezed past Spurs and Neville said he has been an ‘absolutely incredible’ signing for Mikel Arteta’s side.

Eyebrows were raised when Arsenal signed Spanish shot-stopper Raya from Brentford in 2023 as Arteta already had England international Aaron Ramsdale at the Emirates Stadium.

But £27m signing Raya quickly displaced Ramsdale as Arsenal’s No. 1 and has been one of the most consistent goalkeepers in the Premier League ever since.

Asked how Arsenal coped with the growing title pressure against Tottenham, Neville said on his Sky Sports podcast: ‘Really well in the end.

‘At half-time they may have looked back and thought, “how are we in this position?” because they were so dominant in the game.

‘They caused their own problems once or twice and I was wondering if these mistakes were becoming contagious and would cost a team who were dominant in most matches.

‘In the end it was really important what happened today. It’s too early to feel the real title pressure, we’re not quite in the home straight, but this is going to get really hot when we get into April. Games really do count now and Arsenal have been in a difficult run.

‘I was thinking about it before the game and I singled out David Raya because I think he’s been absolutely incredible, what a goalkeeper he’s been this season and since he joined Arsenal.

‘But he had all of Thursday and Friday to think long and hard about that Wolves game and listen to the noise. How is he going to respond? Is he going to be a bit more tentative and wobbly and shaky?

Tiger Woods hosted the PGA Tour’s second Signature Event of the season at Riviera Country Club in California, with one of the biggest prize purses of the year on offer

Rory McIlroy is only interested in winning golf tournaments – but a cheque for over £1.3million for finishing in a tie for second sure softens the blow when you come up short.

Breakthrough American star Jacob Bridgeman was a cut above at Riviera Country Club this week, taking a six stroke lead into the final round and seeing that out on Sunday evening to win by a single shot.

Tiger Woods hosted the PGA Tour’s second Signature Event of the season at Riviera Country Club in California, and there was one of the biggest prize purses of the year on offer.

Although the Genesis Invitational is a Signature Event with a limited field compared to a regular PGA Tour tournament, the 36-hole cut in operation ensured not every player earned a paycheck on Sunday night. However, just making the cut banked players over $50,000.

McIlroy finished one shot behind the winner in a tie for second with Kurt Kitayama, who had shot a seven-under par final round 64.

Meanwhile, the world number two had a final round 67, which included five birdies and one bogey. He took home a cheque for over £1,330,000 for his efforts, while the winner pocketed £2,950,000.

A final round 67 – his lowest score of the tournament – saw Shane Lowry finish in a four-way tie for 24th place, for which he earned just under £132,000.

Genesis Invitational Prizemoney

Winner: Jacob Bridgeman, -18/266, $4 million

T-2: Kurt Kitayama, -17/267, $1.8 million

T-2: Rory McIlroy, -17/267, $1.8 million

4: Adam Scott, -16/268, $1 million

5: Aldrich Potgieter, -15/269, $840,000

6: Jake Knapp, -13/271, $760,000

T-7: Collin Morikawa, -12/272, $603,200

T-7: Cameron Young, -12/272, $603,200

T-7: Tommy Fleetwood, -12/272, $603,200

T-7: Ryan Fox, -12/272, $603,200

T-7: Xander Schauffele, -12/272, $603,200

T-12: Min Woo Lee, -11/273, $415,000

T-12: Scottie Scheffler, -11/273, $415,000

T-12: Jordan Spieth, -11/273, $415,000

T-12: Alex Noren, -11/273, $415,000

T-16: Sam Stevens, -10/274, $319,000

T-16: Pierceson Coody, -10/274, $319,000

T-16: Akshay Bhatia, -10/274, $319,000

T-16: Marco Penge, -10/274, $319,000

T-20: Ludvig Aberg, -9/275, $259,500

T-20: Robert MacIntyre, -9/275, $259,500

T-22: Harris English, -8/276, $224,500

T-22: Sahith Theegala, -8/276, $224,500

T-24: Shane Lowry, -7/277, $178,250

T-24: Matt McCarty, -7/277, $178,250

T-24: Matt Fitzpatrick, -7/277, $178,250

T-24: Max Greyserman, -7/277, $178,250

T-28: Rickie Fowler, -6/278, $136,500

T-28: Nick Taylor, -6/278, $136,500

T-28: Hideki Matsuyama, -6/278, $136,500

T-28: Tony Finau, -6/278, $136,500

T-28: Aaron Rai, -6/278, $136,500

T-28: Ryan Gerard, -6/278, $136,500

T-34: Si Woo Kim, -5/279, $109,000

T-34: Patrick Rodgers, -5/279, $109,000

T-34: Tom Kim, -5/279, $1049,000

T-37: Sami Valimaki, -4/280, $92,250

T-37: Corey Conners, -4/280, $94,250

T-37: Max Homa, -4/280, $94,250

T-37: Patrick Cantlay, -4/280, $94,250

T-41: Viktor Hovland, -3/281, $78,000

T-41: Ben Griffin, -3/281, $78,000

T-41: Wyndham Clark, -3/281, $78,000

44: Jhonattan Vegas, -2/282, $70,000

T-45: Ryo Hisatsune, -1/283, $64,000

T-45: Taylor Pendrith, -1/283, $64,000

T-47: Andrew Novak, E/284, $57,000

T-47: Denny McCarthy, E/284, $57,000

49: Matti Schmid, +2/286, $54,000

T-50: Sepp Straka, +5/289, 51,500

T-50: Brian Harman, +5/289, $51,500

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TEL AVIV, Israel (AP) — An uproar continued Sunday after the U.S. ambassador to Israel, Mike Huckabee, said Israel has a right to much of the Middle East, as more Arab and Muslim countries objected and the U.S. said his comments were taken out of context.

Huckabee spoke in an interview with conservative commentator Tucker Carlson that aired Friday. Carlson said that according to the Bible, the descendants of Abraham would receive land that today would include much of the Middle East, including parts of modern-day Jordan, Syria, Iraq and Lebanon. He quoted from Genesis Chapter 15 and asked Huckabee if Israel had a right to that land.

Huckabee responded: “It would be fine if they took it all.”

A spokesperson for the U.S. Embassy said Sunday that Huckabee’s comments were taken out of context and that there is no change to U.S. policies on Israel.

In the interview, Huckabee added: “They’re not asking to go back and take all of that, but they are asking to at least take the land that they now occupy, they now live in, they now own legitimately, and it is a safe haven for them.” He added that Israel isn’t trying to take over Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, or Iraq but is trying to protect its own people.

Carlson has been critical of U.S. support for Israel in the war in Gaza and has come under fire for his own far-right views, including the white-supremacist theory that says whites are being “replaced” by people of color.

Trump warned on Friday that limited strikes against Iran are possible, even as the country’s top diplomat said Tehran expects to have a proposed deal ready in the next few days following nuclear talks with the United States.

The movements of additional U.S. warships and airplanes to the region, with the USS Gerald R. Ford aircraft carrier near the mouth of the Mediterranean Sea, don’t guarantee a U.S. strike on Iran, but they bolster Trump’s ability to carry out one if he chooses.

Netanyahu warned last week that if Iran attacks Israel, they will risk a “response that they cannot even imagine.”

Israel attacked Iran last year during indirect U.S.-Iran talks, sparking a 12-day war. The United States inserted itself in the war by bombing Iranian nuclear sites.

___

Magdy reported from Cairo. Associated Press writer Sam Mednick contributed from Tel Aviv, Israel.

Dr Oscar Duke appeared on BBC Morning Live on Wednesday to warn viewers about the dangers of taking too much vitamin D

A doctor has issued a warning about Vitamin D overdose, urging Britons to adhere to the recommended dosage. Dr Oscar Duke featured on BBC Morning Live on Wednesday to outline the health dangers of excessive intake.

According to the NHS, Vitamin D helps regulate calcium and phosphate in the body, which are crucial for maintaining healthy bones, teeth and muscles. The health body also states it performs an important function in bolstering the immune system.

However, due to Britain’s climate, many individuals struggle to obtain sufficient vitamin D naturally through sunlight exposure. Supplements are consequently advised to bridge this gap.

“In these winter and autumn months, it’s really important to supplement our vitamin D because we don’t get enough from sunlight in the UK,” Dr Oscar explained. Nevertheless, excessive consumption can result in serious health complications.

He added: “The NHS and government recommendation is that we take 400 international units of vitamin D a day during those autumn and winter months.”

Adults and children aged over one are recommended to take a daily 10 microgram supplement – equivalent to 400 IU – from October through to early March.

Passing the advised dose is fairly straightforward, as over-the-counter supplements frequently contain 800 to 1,000 IU. Dr Oscar cautioned: “If you’re getting over 4,000 international units, then you’re at potential risk of vitamin D overdose.”

The NHS cautions that excessive vitamin D consumption over extended periods can lead to a build-up of calcium in the body, a condition called hypercalcaemia.

“If you get too much calcium in your body, then that can affect your heart,” said Dr Duke. “You can get calcium stones in your kidneys, and it can really upset your tummy.”

Whilst toxicity is regarded as uncommon, the Food Standards Agency recommends that 4,000 IU (100 micrograms) daily represents the safe upper threshold for adults. Vitamin D deficiency continues to be widespread across the UK, with government figures from the National Diet and Nutrition Survey indicating that approximately one in six adults experience low levels throughout winter.

Dr Oscar Duke emphasised that adhering to the recommended dosage is essential for safely reaping the benefits of vitamin D. Surpassing the safe threshold can result in severe health complications. Always examine supplement labels and seek medical advice if uncertain about your intake.

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Those travelling between the two stations should check before they travel

Seven trains have been cancelled today after ‘more trains than usual’ need to be repaired. Would-be passengers hoping to travel between Cambridge and Norwich are impacted by the cancellations. Greater Anglia trains running between Cambridge and Norwich have been cancelled after a number of trains need urgent repairs, which have taken them out of service today. According to the trainline, the cancellations will only impact passengers travelling between the two stations today (Sunday, February 22). The cancellations have affected at least seven journeys between the two major stations. Those wishing to travel to Cambridge or Norwich from either destination are advised to check before they travel. Routes which are impacted for the rest of the day: 1:08pm Norwich to Cambridge due 2.30pm 2.40pm Cambridge to Norwich due 3.57pm 4.06pm Norwich to Cambridge due 5.30pm 5.41 Cambridge to Norwich due 6.59pm 7.15pm Norwich to Cambridge due 8.32pm 8.42pm Cambridge to Norwich due 10.02pm

After their Irish Cup humiliation against Limavady, Linfield have since played four and won four, scoring 14 goals and conceding one.

Linfield manager David Healy knows his squad have what it takes to go to war for the Irish Premiership title.

After beating arch rivals Glentoran at Windsor Park on Saturday night, the Blues boss insisted his men have the belief now to push on for glory.

Healy knows most of his side have been there and done that. Indeed, the former Northern Ireland striker says that winning mentality has to be there from day one for all Linfield players.

“You have to have a champion mentality to sign for Linfield, be at Linfield for the length of time that some of these players have been and try and maintain success because the demands have been set for 140 years,” said Healy.

After their Irish Cup humiliation against Limavady, Linfield have since played four and won four, scoring 14 goals and conceding one. The Blues are now five points behind league leaders Larne who have only picked up one point from a possible nine of late.

“I said in the press about it being unlikely but not impossible, and it’s not,” Healy insisted. “We were written off a number of weeks ago and probably rightly so. With the level of performance we put in away to Limavady in the cup. Our league form has been good from the turn of the year.

“The table looks a little bit better, the players have more belief now. We’ve got to buy into the end of the season drive, where we’ve been before. We’ve been in the trenches, we understand what it takes.

“That’s why it’s important for me at times, amongst the chaos, amongst the noise, amongst the criticism, to try and remain as calm as I need to be. Because if not, then it gets out of hand and into players’ performance levels.

“I’m pleased for the players, they took a bit of a battering, they’ve responded well. We now have basically 10 cup finals coming up – nine league games and the cup final against Cliftonville.”

Matt Fitzpatrick was the matchwinner at Windsor on Saturday night. His poacher’s finish for his 17th goal of the season sealed a huge three points and it was nothing less than he deserved, said the manager.

“Fitzy’s popped up. His performance tonight was phenomenal, leading the line the way he does. He deserves that goal.

“I don’t think it was a great game but we found a way,” said Healy. “I thought second half, we were better.”

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