Oleksandr Usyk will take on Rico Verhoeven in Egpyt in May with the WBC ruling his heavyweight world title will be on the line

Oleksandr Usyk’s heavyweight world title WILL be on the line when he takes on kickboxer Rico Verhoeven.

Usyk will take on the Dutchman in Egypt on May 23 with Verhoeven fighting for just the second time in a boxing ring. Usyk, who holds three of the world titles, had been told his WBC belt would not be on the line for the fight, but that decision was reversed just 24 hours later.

The WBC committee has ruled Usyk can make a voluntary defence of his belt before they force him to defend it against mandatory challenger Agit Kabayel. A statement from the sanctioning body read: “After careful consideration, the WBC Board of Governors has ruled in favor of sanctioning WBC world heavyweight champion Oleksandr Usyk’s voluntary title defence against legendary kickboxing Champion Rico Verhoeven.

FOLLOW OUR FIGHTING FB PAGE! Latest boxing and MMA news, analysis and much more via our dedicated Facebook page

READ MORE: Oleksandr Usyk to defend world title against kickboxer in EgyptREAD MORE: Viddal Riley aims to emulate Ryan Garcia with world title triumph

“At its 63rd Annual Convention in Bangkok, Thailand, the WBC granted Champion Usyk a voluntary defense. Subsequently, the WBC received a petition to sanction the Usyk v. Herhoeven fight as a voluntary defence. Champion Usyk’s has showcased incredible activity in recent years, facing and defeating champions in his division like Anthony Joshua twice, Tyson Fury twice, and Daniel Dubois twice.

“He did all of that while maintaining his undefeated record. In reaching its approval decision, the WBC Board of Governors considered champion Usyk’s activity, which is unprecedented, especially in the heavyweight division.

“Rico has been competing professionally at an elite kickboxing level since 2005. Over the course of two decades while maintaining that very highest level of competition, he has established himself as arguably one of the greatest heavyweight kickboxing champions of all time.

“Rico’s professional journey has been exceptional, which includes headlining and selling out major stadium arenas in front of 30,000 and 40,000 spectators worldwide. At 36 years of age, he competed in 76 professional kickboxing fights. Rico just recently vacated the Glory Kickboxing Heavyweight title going undefeated in 11 years.

“The transition from kickboxing to boxing is not unprecedented. Many Muay Thai athletes have successfully crossed over into professional boxing and competed for WBC titles early in their boxing careers. This WBC decision is within the WBC rules and regulations. The pyramids of Egypt will give this event a historic importance and surroundings. That has been the dream of many, including our beloved WBC President Jose Sulaiman.”

Canada and India signed a 10-year uranium supply agreement as Mark Carney met Narendra Modi in Delhi on Monday, signalling a reset in strained diplomatic ties.

The Canadian prime minister called his visit to India “a new era of partnership” while delivering his statement alongside his Indian counterpart. The two nations announced a host of agreements on energy, trade, and education.

“This visit marks the end of a challenging period and, more importantly, the beginning of a new, more ambitious partnership between two confident and complementary nations,” he said.

“We are advancing towards a Canada-India Economic Partnership agreement with an aim to conclude it by the end of this year,” he added.

Relations between the two countries deteriorated sharply in 2023–24 following allegations by the previous Canadian government that Indian agents were involved in the killing of a Sikh separatist in British Columbia. Diplomatic expulsions and stalled trade talks followed, but both sides are now seeking to move toward a comprehensive economic partnership, with officials earlier signalling India was “no longer” a threat.

Mr Carney said Canadian company Cameco has signed a long-term deal to supply uranium to India. The agreement, valued at $1.9bn, will secure long-term Canadian uranium supplies for India’s expanding nuclear sector, part of a broader push into energy cooperation which includes oil, gas and critical minerals.

Canada is the world’s second-largest uranium producer, accounting for roughly 13–15 per cent of global output. Cameco is the Saskatchewan-based producer and one of the world’s largest publicly traded uranium companies.

open image in gallery

Advertisement

The new deal comes as Delhi accelerates plans to expand nuclear power as a central pillar of its energy security strategy. Nuclear currently accounts for just over three per cent of India’s electricity generation. The country operates 22 reactors with an installed capacity of 6,780 megawatts and is aiming to raise that to 22,480 MW by 2031. Over the longer term, India plans to expand nuclear capacity to 100 gigawatts by 2047.

In December, India introduced legislation to open its nuclear sector to private investment for the first time, allowing firms selected by the government to build and operate plants. The proposed law forms part of a wider plan to make atomic energy central to India’s clean energy push and would also allow private firms to import and process uranium.

Limited domestic uranium production has made long-term import agreements increasingly important. India produces roughly 600 tonnes of uranium annually, while projected reactor demand is expected to exceed 1,800 tonnes as capacity expands. Much of the country’s reserves are low-grade, and the addition of more light water reactors will further increase reliance on imported fuel.

India’s electricity demand is projected to grow by about two-thirds by 2030 compared with 2024 levels, as the world’s fastest-growing major economy expands its industrial base. India’s high commissioner to Canada, Dinesh Patnaik, said the country is willing to buy “whatever Canada is offering” on energy as it seeks to fulfil its needs.

“On energy, there is an appetite which even Canada cannot fulfil and we are willing to buy whatever Canada is offering on crude, on LPG, on LNG,” he told CBC News ahead of Mr Carney’s meeting in Delhi.

“We are willing to take whatever,” he added, referring to uranium. “Nuclear is a huge field in which we want to work together.”

open image in gallery

India imports the vast majority of its oil and gas, and as global trade becomes increasingly volatile, with India facing tensions with the US over Russian oil purchase, the war in the Middle East and the potential closure of the Strait of Hormuz, which has rattled energy markets, the country is ramping up its efforts to secure dependable long-term fuel supplies.

For Canada, the deal reinforces Mr Carney’s ambition to position the country as a reliable energy supplier to Asian markets beyond the US, which has so far accounted for the overwhelming majority of Canadian crude exports, but US-Canada relations have also been under increasing strain in recent months, with president Donald Trump’s repeated jibes calling Canada the 51st state of the US.

“Team Canada is here on a mission. Premiers, ministers and I were in Mumbai working to double our trade with India, secure energy partnerships, and attract massive new investment – to build a stronger, more resilient Canadian economy,” Mr Carney wrote on X during his visit.

He has described India as a “natural partner” and earlier said his visit marks “the end of a challenging period, and more importantly, the beginning of a new, more ambitious partnership between two confident and complementary nations.”

open image in gallery

Advertisement

Several airlines have suspended all their flights to and from the Middle East amid conflict in the area

Advertisement

Officials are understood to be working on plans that could see more than 100,000 Brits evacuated from the Middle East. Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper suggested that 102,000 British nationals have registered their presence in the region, while about 300,000 British citizens are in Gulf countries targeted by Iran.

British nationals have been advised to follow the instructions of local authorities and monitor the Foreign Office’s travel advice, which could change rapidly. Those in Bahrain, Israel, Kuwait, Palestine, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) have been urged to register their presence with the Foreign Office online.

The Government has used a registration scheme before to provide urgent updates to people affected by international crises. It has not previously needed to deal with so many people in so many different countries.

Ms Cooper told BBC Breakfast: “The latest figure I have from this morning is we have 102,000 people (who) have responded to our proposal to ask people to register their presence so we know where they are, particularly in these Gulf countries that have been targeted so we know where they are and so that we can get them rapid information.

“In many of these countries the airspace is currently closed because of the Iranian attacks. This is deeply stressful obviously for people because we’re talking about a lot of people who are holidaymakers, who were transit passengers just passing through or people on business visits to the region and who we want to make sure can get safely home.”

Any repatriation of UK nationals would likely be organised by the Foreign Office, it is understood. One potential route could see people travelling by land to Saudi Arabia from where they could board flights.

The Civil Aviation Authority oversaw mass repatriations of customers affected by the collapse of travel companies Monarch and Thomas Cook as they involved many holidaymakers protected by the Atol scheme.

Airspace closures in the Middle East have resulted in a number of commercial flights being grounded since the attacks began on Saturday. Nearly half of the flights scheduled to depart from London Heathrow to the region on Sunday were cancelled.

Analytics company Cirium said 24 of the 56 flights from the UK’s busiest airport were axed. British Airways said it is “closely monitoring the situation” and has cancelled “a number of our flights to the Middle East”.

Virgin Atlantic axed two flights to Heathrow on Monday – one from each of Dubai, UAE and Riyadh, Saudi Arabia – while others were rerouted. Qatar Airways said on Monday morning that all its flights remain suspended.

Etihad’s flights to and from Abu Dhabi are grounded until at least 10am on Monday. Emirates has suspended all operations to and from Dubai until 11am on Tuesday.

Martin Short’s co-stars, Selena Gomez and Steve Martin, skipped the Actor Awards in solidarity after the sudden death of his daughter.

The actor cancelled all events after Katherine was found dead in her home at 42 with a self-inflicted injury late last month.

Co-stars Selena and Steve were both absent from the ceremony despite the best comedy series ensemble nomination for Only Murders In The Building.

Martin, 75, was also nominated for best comedy actor, with the award going to Seth Rogen for The Studio.

The trio are incredibly close, with Three Amigos star set to go on tour with Steve, but all their tour dates have now been postponed.

On February 25, a spokesperson for Martin’s family announced the ‘devastating loss’ and asked for privacy.

‘It is with profound grief that we confirm the passing of Katherine Hartley Short,’ a representative said.

‘The Short family is devastated by this loss and asks for privacy at this time. Katherine was beloved by all and will be remembered for the light and joy she brought into the world.’

Katherine was one of three children adopted by Martin and his late wife, Nancy Dolman (who died of ovarian cancer in 2010). They also adopted two sons, Henry, 36, and Oliver, 39.

She was a social worker who also worked closely with Glenn Close’s charity Bring Change 2 Mind.

The Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) claimed she had not ‘been heard from in 24 hours’ when a friend called the police.

An insider told The Daily Mail that Martin was ‘inconsolable’, adding: ‘For someone who brings so much joy to so many, who is always trying to lift others up and make them laugh, this loss has completely shattered him.

‘He is gutted, and as you would expect, his closest friends are surrounding him with love and support.’ 

Martin previously spoke about grief a couple of years after the death of his wife at just 58 years old.

He told The Guardian: ‘This is the thing of life that we live in denial about, that it will ever happen to us or our loved ones, and when it does you gain a little and you suffer a little. There’s no big surprise.’

In 2019, he told AARP he ‘still communicates with her all the time’, adding: ‘This idea that it just ends, and don’t speak of them – that’s wrong. That’s based on denial that we’re all going to die. So to me, she’s still here.’

Got a story?

If you’ve got a celebrity story, video or pictures get in touch with the Metro.co.uk entertainment team by emailing us celebtips@metro.co.uk, calling 020 3615 2145 or by visiting our Submit Stuff page – we’d love to hear from you.

MORE: Wu-Tang Clan co-founder Oliver ‘Power’ Grant’s cause of death aged 52 confirmed

MORE: Tom Holland and Zendaya may have secretly tied the knot at ‘ultimate stealth wedding’

MORE: Shia LeBeouf says ‘don’t be gay in my lap’ in unhinged interview after arrest

Writing in the Sunday Telegraph and the Mail on Sunday, Nigel Farage claimed postal voting has turned the UK’s elections into a “laughing stock”, adding that allowing non-British citizens to vote is “absurd”.

Currently, anyone eligible to vote in UK elections can choose to do so by post but under Reform UK’s plans this would be limited to the elderly, disabled, serving armed forces personnel and those working overseas during an election.

Under the proposals, Commonwealth citizens, who can currently vote in all types of UK elections if they qualify as a resident, would lose their right to go to the polls.

A spokesperson for Reform UK confirmed the changes would not affect Irish citizens, who also have the right to vote in parliamentary elections.

The policy was born out of Mr Farage’s belief that allowing Commonwealth citizens to vote “undermines national sovereignty” and leads to elections being fought over international rather than domestic issues, Reform UK said.

In 2012, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) estimated there were around 1.2 million Commonwealth nationals living in the UK.

Mr Farage said: “For too long, postal voting has allowed our elections to be turned into a laughing stock, riddled with fraud, intimidation and outright cheating. It’s been allowed to go on for years and has poisoned trust in our democracy.

“Meanwhile, allowing non-Brits – people with zero connection to this country – to vote on our future is absurd. It is right that only British citizens should be able to vote in British parliamentary elections.

“That’s why a Reform government will immediately ban wholesale postal voting and ensure only British citizens can vote in elections in order to bring back trust to British democracy.”

The announcement comes after Reform UK asked the police to investigate allegations of election fraud in the Gorton and Denton by-election this week.

The winner of the election was Bolton-born Green Party candidate Hannah Spencer, 34, who managed to overturn a significant labour majority to become the new MP for Gorton and Denton.

Green Party’s Hannah Spencer celebrates winning the Gorton and Denton by-election at Manchester Central. The by-election was triggered by the resignation of former MP Andrew Gwynne who cited health reasons for his decision. Picture date: Friday (Image: Peter Byrne)

Election observer group Democracy Volunteers warned it had witnessed “concerningly high levels” of “family voting” – an illegal practice where two voters use one polling booth and potentially direct each other on voting.

Mr Farage promised to take “action” after the next general election if nothing is done about the allegations, adding: “If this is what was happening at polling stations, just imagine the potential for coercion with postal votes.”

Tory party chairman Kevin Hollinrake said allegations of “family voting” taking place in the Gorton and Denton by-election are “deeply concerning” but branded Reform UK’s plans a “headline-grabbing” exercise.

He said: “Rushing to impose sweeping bans on postal voting is a kneejerk reaction that risks disenfranchising pensioners, disabled people and overseas British citizens who rely on postal ballots to have their say.

“We must safeguard our elections with proportionate, evidence-based reforms, not headline-grabbing measures that could lock law-abiding voters out of our democratic process.”

The Reform UK leader has frequently complained about postal voting when his parties have lost by-elections.

When his former party, Ukip, lost the Oldham West and Royton by-election in 2015, Mr Farage alleged postal votes had been abused, saying the result raised questions about the conduct of elections in constituencies with large ethnic minority communities.

When his Brexit Party lost the Peterborough by-election in 2019, Farage again criticised the postal vote system.

The Brexit Party candidate challenged the result in court but later withdrew the challenge and was ordered to pay the winning Labour candidate’s legal costs.

The latest Electoral Commission data, from 2024, shows no evidence of large-scale election fraud in the UK, with 94% of allegations resolved locally with “words of advice”, or resulting in the police taking no further action.

Reform UK MP Richard Tice questioned the validity of postal ballots when his party’s candidate lost the Rochdale by-election in 2024, stressing the result should act as a “serious wake-up call” to the electorate and those in power.

In none of those cases was postal voting fraud ever proved and none resulted in any convictions.

A major pub chain in the UK is closing all of its bars today

A major UK pub chain with locations throughout the country is shutting its doors today as it works to complete the sale of the business. BrewDog, the Scottish craft beer brand and pub operator, has approximately 60 sites scattered across the UK.

Nevertheless, all will stay closed today (Monday, March 2), as the firm has consistently failed to turn a profit in recent years. BrewDog is holding a company-wide call today, it has informed employees, to enable them to hear directly from senior management.

The pub chain was placed on the market last month. A fortnight ago, bosses confirmed that consultants AlixPartners had been appointed to help attempt to rescue the business.

This follows BrewDog shutting down several of its bars in the UK, including sites such as Camden in London, Brighton, Aberdeen and Leeds. The brand was established in 2007 by friends James Watt and Martin Dickie and expanded remarkably over the past two decades, but encountered financial difficulties in more recent years. Currently, BrewDog has 59 operational sites listed on its website, reports the Express.

Chief executive James Taylor told staff in an internal email: “We appreciate this is an unsettling time for everyone, and we want to ensure that all colleagues have the opportunity to hear directly from us about what happens next. We will therefore be holding a series of company-wide All Hands calls tomorrow (Monday) for all employees across the whole business. These will be scheduled tomorrow.

“To enable everyone to attend, and to comply with licensing issues arising from an anticipated change of ownership, we have taken the decision that none of our bars will open tomorrow (Monday). All sites will remain closed for the day. We have also cancelled food and beer deliveries, as well as customer bookings, for that day.”

The BrewDog pubs that are closed today are:

• Aberdeen Castlegate
• Aberdeen Kennels
• Aberdeen Union Square
• Basingstoke
• Belfast Grand Central
• Bath
• Birmingham
• Bournemouth
• Bristol Baldwin Street
• Bristol Harbourside
• Cambridge
• Camden Road Arms
• Canary Wharf, London
• Cardiff
• Carlisle
• Chancery Lane, London
• Cheltenham
• Clerkenwell
• Doghouse Edinburgh Bar
• Doghouse Edinburgh Hotel
• Doghouse Manchester Bar
• Doghopuse Manchester Hotel
• Dogtap Ellon
• Duke of Hammersmith, London
• Ealing
• Edinburgh Airport
• Edinburgh Cowgate
• Edinburgh Lothian Road
• Edinburgh Waverley
• Exeter
• Gatwick Airport
• Glasgow Kelvingrove
• Glasgow Merchant City
• Hull
• Inverurie
• Liverpool
• Manchester Outpost
• Manchester Peter Street
• Milton Keynes
• Newcastle
• Norwich
• Nottingham
• Paddington, London
• Perth
• Plymouth
• Reading
• Seething Lane Tap, London
• Seven Dials, London
• Soho, London
• Southampton
• St Andrew’s
• Stirling
• Tower Bridge Arms, London
• Tower Hill Outpost, London
• Upminster
• Wandsworth
• Waterloo
• Waterloo – Grind Coffee
• Waterloo Arms

Last October, BrewDog posted a £37m loss. It has around 1,400 employees in the UK. It also expanded internationally, opening venues in the Republic of Ireland, the US and Australia.

Australian Grand Prix organisers say they are “really confident” the travel chaos caused by the ongoing conflict in the Middle East will not impact the opening race of the Formula 1 season this weekend.

Close to 1,000 members of staff have been forced to rearrange flights, with an estimated 500 of them reportedly set to be flown from Europe on charter planes.

It comes after the US and Israel launched an attack against Iran on Saturday, sparking retaliatory strikes across the region.

F1 also said it was “closely monitoring” the situation, with upcoming races in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia scheduled in April.

Australian Formula 1 chief Travis Auld said on Monday that “everyone will be here ready for the race” as Melbourne prepares to host the 2026 curtain-raiser.

Many drivers and other key personnel based in Europe have had travel plans affected by the major disruption to global air transport, with key routes through Qatar and the United Arab Emirates impacted.

“The last 48 hours have required some reshuffling of flights,” Auld said.

“That is largely Formula 1’s responsibility. They take charge of the teams, drivers and all the personnel that are required here to make this event happen. There’s quite a number of them.

“My understanding is that’s all now been locked in, everyone will be here ready for the race and fans won’t notice any difference.”

All crew members are believed to have survived

‘Several’ US warplanes have crashed in Kuwait as strikes on Iran continue, the Kuwaiti Ministry of Defence has said.

Theu are said to have crashed in the country on Monday morning with all air crews surviving, the ministry added. The cause of the crashes are not known at this stage.

A statement shared by the official Kuwait Army account on X, said: “The official spokesperson for the Ministry of Defense announced that several US warplanes crashed this morning, confirming that all crew members survived.

“He explained that the relevant authorities immediately initiated search and rescue operations, evacuating the crews and transporting them to the hospital for medical evaluation and treatment.

“He noted that their condition is stable. The spokesperson added that direct coordination is underway with friendly US forces regarding the circumstances of the incident, and joint technical procedures are being implemented.

“He affirmed that the relevant authorities are continuing their investigations to determine the cause of the crash, urging the public to obtain information from official sources.”

Social media footage was shared earlier this morning of what is believed to be an F-15 fighter falling from the sky in Kuwait.

It comes after US and Israel hit targets across Iran on Sunday as part of an intensifying military campaign which followed the killing of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

Israel also launched strikes on Lebanon’s capital Beirut on Monday after missiles were fired by militant group Hezbollah.

The dispute is believed to stem from the appointment of council clerk

Advertisement

A council meeting descended into chaos resulting in five councillors resigning one after the other. The five councillors had previously voiced concerns regarding governance at Caldicot Town Council and declared in a statement that they “do not believe sufficient progress has been achieved” in tackling the issues they had raised.

A statement released by the council said it “does not recognise the suggestion that there are ongoing governance failings” and that it operates in accordance with its rules, statutory legislation, national regulations and its code of conduct.

Four of the five had walked out of a council meeting in October, expressing frustration that bodies responsible for upholding standards on local volunteer councils — which are permitted to employ their own staff — indicated they either wouldn’t, or couldn’t, pursue their complaints.

The dispute is believed to stem from the appointment of council clerk Mark Tredwin in September 2024, initially on a probationary basis, before being confirmed in a permanent role in 2025.

Complaints had been lodged against the clerk, who is understood to have the backing of a majority of councillors. The council has a full membership of 16, though it now faces six vacancies following the resignations and the recent death of a fellow councillor.

Amongst the concerns highlighted was a claim that a member of staff had been prevented from returning to their duties following sick leave, alongside internal personnel issues and tensions between the clerk and dissatisfied councillors.

The situation has now intensified following the departures of councillors Jill Bond and Rachel Grumach, who represent the West End ward, Tony Easson representing the Dewstow ward, and Castle Ward councillors Robert Wilsher and John Woodfield.

Three of the five were originally elected as Labour councillors, although Tony Easson, who also serves as a Monmouthshire County Councillor, was latterly listed as independent after his suspension from the Labour Party, whilst Rachel Grumach and John Woodfield stood as independents.

In a joint statement, the five said: “The decision reflects shared and long-standing concerns about governance, organisational effectiveness, and the overall working environment within the council, impacting delivery to the Caldicot community.”

They said that over the previous 15 months they had attempted to tackle the matters through “proper channels” within the council and external bodies including the Welsh Local Government Association, Audit Wales, Public Services Ombudsman for Wales, the Information Commissioner’s Office, One Voice Wales – the umbrella organisation for town and community councils – and Monmouthshire County Council’s monitoring officers, as well as local Members of Parliament and Members of the Senedd.

“While these engagements were undertaken in good faith and in the interests of securing improvement, the councillors do not believe that sufficient progress has been achieved to address the underlying issues,” the statement issued by the five said.

Caldicot Town Council’s statement said resignations are “always a matter of regret” and thanked the five for the service but said there would be no detrimental impact on how the council functions.

It said: “Like many councils, Caldicot has experienced periods involving employment matters which have placed pressure on administrative capacity.

“Members have consistently been advised that the greatest risk to the council’s effectiveness arises not from governance structures themselves, but from divisions within the membership and any failure to adhere collectively to agreed governance procedures, standing orders and the code of conduct.

“The council remains committed to transparent decision-making and to serving the residents of Caldicot. Work continues to ensure stability, continuity and effective service delivery.”

This man was awarded an MBE in 1995 for his charity work

Within communities, there are always a few people who stand out as local legends. One considered a local legend in Cambridge’s past is former road sweeper Snowy Farr.

Snowy was known in the city for his eccentrics and antics. Many locals will remember him for his famous outfit – a bright red tunic, black boots and shiny medals.

Born Walter Farr, he was also known for his bright white hair, which he sported since childhood and therefore gave him his Snowy nickname. He was mainly based in Petty Cury or Cambridge’s market square.

He would mostly be seen with a cat sitting on top of his hat and a mouse in his mouth. At other times, mice would also be running across his hat, as well as pigeons balanced on the end of his umbrella.

Advertisement

Other animals that joined Snowy for his antics included dogs, guinea pigs and chickens. Although these seem like odd antics, Snowy had good intentions in mind.

He would perform for crowds with the aim to raise money for charity. Over time, he raised nearly £70,000 for charities supporting blind and partially-sighted people.

In 1995, he was recognised for this charity work as he was awarded an MBE. Sadly, Snowy died aged 88 in 2007.

He was found at his home in Oakington. Snowy’s popularity was proved at his funeral, as around 100 mourners attended the service at St Andrew’s Church in Oakington.

Snowy was familiar to the church as he used to tend to the ground as he said “God had told him to do so”. At his funeral, Reverend James Alexander said: “We all have our memories of Snowy, with his long white beard, performing animals and cart, in the middle of Cambridge.

“It was an amazing sight, and crowds of people used to gather to watch him. He was awfully clever with animals, and when people asked me how he did it, the answer was he simply spent all day, every day with them.”

In 2012, a sculpture was installed outside the Guildhall in Cambridge to commemorate Snowy. It was designed by artist Gary Webb and features a cat-topped hat with mice running around the brim.