James McClean criticised Derry City’s European exit on social media – and Derry City manager Tiernan Lynch was asked about the former Ireland international’s comments ahead of their League of Ireland clash with St Patrick’s Athletic

Tiernan Lynch has stressed that his attention remains on “the players that are here today” when quizzed about James McClean’s social media outburst following Derry City’s elimination from European competition.

The Candystripes crashed out of Europe last Thursday, suffering defeat at the hands of Croatian outfit Rijeka in the Conference League — their fourth consecutive European loss this summer, having previously fallen to CSKA Sofia in the Europa League.

McClean subsequently took to social media in a post that has since been removed, in which he stood by his teammates while suggesting “an issue somewhere” within the club.

“Rovers, Bohs, Shels, Larne have all progressed through ties in Europe this year. We played four, lost four,” he wrote following the home defeat against Rijeka.

“And sorry, it needs to be said, we have every much as good, if not better, a squad on paper (compared to those clubs), said it already last time out.”, reports the Irish Mirror.

“If you watch the games, the lads aren’t losing these games based on lack of effort, just like all season, so clearly there is an issue somewhere.

“Given (I) am around it every day and have the CV to give my opinion, I think I’ll give it whether anyone likes it or not.

“If you don’t like it, then you’ll excuse me for not caring about your opinion, given that 99.9pc that have a lot to say have never played a professional game in their lives. Anyways, on to the next.”

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McClean then turned his attention to Roddy Collins in a TikTok post on Sunday, hitting back following Collins’ criticism of the former Ireland international. The footage emerged on Sunday, prior to Derry City’s League of Ireland fixture against St Patrick’s Athletic in Dublin.

McClean’s name was not on the teamsheet for the 5pm encounter, and before the match got underway, Lynch faced questions regarding his player’s social media criticism.

He responded: “My job here at Derry City is to work with the players that are here today and get us prepared for St Pat’s.

“Obviously it’s a game we are really looking forward to. We haven’t played a league game in about a month. So today is all about this group of players.

“An extremely difficult game, no doubt. Obviously Pat’s are flying at the moment, they play really good football, very athletic, they are sitting where they are in the league for a reason, so we are expecting a tough game.”

Lynch added: “You are still able to bring maybe one or two players in if you get the right people out of contract and all that goes with that.

“There have been lots of changes over the last six months here at the club, but there seems to be a lot of stability now and we are looking forward to moving forward.”

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Major wildfires next to a busy rail track have stopped trains from running to a major London airport.

Huge plumes of smoke were seen for miles across north London as fire engines tackled a grass fire near in Waltham Abbey, Essex on Sunday.

At least 50 people reported the grass fire breaking out to the side of the tracks at around 2pm.

At the fires height around 14 hectares of field, about the size of 20 football pitches, were burning next to the River Lea.

People are seen being taken off trains as they grind to a halt on the way to Stansted Airport.

A spokesperson from Rammey Marsh Cruising Club told Metro: ‘There are quite often fires on the marsh by the River Lea. But we were told they had sorted it out.’

A London Fire Brigade spokesman said the fire was under control by 5pm after burning for three hours.

They said: ‘At the height of the fire, around 14 hectares of grassland was alight.

‘Traffic on the M25 is likely to remain affected due to earlier smoke travel in the area. As an additional precaution, train services from Waltham Cross have been suspended.

‘Crews used water backpacks and wildfire beaters to tackle the fire. Wildfire beaters are made of a long handle with a flat piece of rubber at the end, they’re used to beat the flames, depriving them of oxygen and cooling down the area.’

A Stansted Express spokesperson said: ‘Train services running through this station may be delayed or diverted via Seven Sisters. Disruption is expected until further notice.

‘Unfortunately, we have received reports of multiple fires close to the railway lines and as a result, and a safety precaution, the London Fire Brigade have instructed that all train movements in the area be stopped.

‘In reaction trains towards and from Liverpool Street will be diverted via Seven Sisters until further notice.

‘Network Rail and the emergency response team are on site working as quickly as possible to put out the fires and restore the train service to normal.’

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David Beckham‘s 5ft11″ frame was dwarfed by 6ft6″ Michael Jordan as they enjoyed yet another outing in the South of France on Saturday.

The trendy sporting legends shared a friendly embrace at a restaurant in Port de Saint-Tropez.

David, who has been relaxing on his £16million yacht with his family, was joined by his wife Victoria and son Romeo. 

Victoria, 52, turned heads as she stepped out in a glamorous burgundy gown and matching heels from her collection.

She packed on the PDA with David, 51, who cut a casually cool display in a white T-shirt and trousers. 

The couple looked more than loved-up as they held hands while heading to their exclusive dinner spot. 

Posh and Becks are currently in the same area as their estranged son Brooklyn, who is currently on holiday with his wife Nicola Peltz on his godfather Sir Elton John’s yacht in the South of France.

David, who has been relaxing on his £16 million yacht with his family, was joined by his glamorous wife Victoria

Victoria, 52, turned heads as she stepped out in a glamorous burgundy gown and matching heels from her collection

Michael, 63, arrived for the dinner alongside his wife of 13 years, Cuban model Yvette Prieto.

Yvette looked effortlessly elegant in a champagne dress with white lace, teamed with a white Hermes handbag.

David and Michael are longtime friends, with the footballer even choosing Michael’s famous number 23 when he joined Real Madrid in 2003.

The former England star has previously shared how star-struck he was to meet the basketball player in a restaurant.

He said: ‘Even though he was sat at a table with Madonna and a couple of others, I was looking straight at him.’

‘Victoria just nudged my leg and said, “Stop embarrassing me”. Michael stood up and I shook his hand and his whole hand covered the whole of my arm.’

Since retiring from their respective sports, David and Michael have moved into sports ownership, with Michael having a minority stake in the Charlotte Hornets and co-owning NASCAR’s 23XI Racing while David has ownership stakes in both Inter Miami and Salford City FC.

Earlier in the day, the Beckhams were pictured relaxing on their luxury £16million yacht, Seven. 

David and Victoria bought their 130ft boat in 2022, after previously buying a smaller vessel by the same name the year before.

It boasts five cabins, sleeping ten people and seven crew members.

Their boat features a spa bath on the upper deck, as well as a 65ft garage, plenty of water toys and a jet-ski to keep the family entertained.

The trendy sporting legends shared a friendly embrace at a restaurant in Port de Saint-Tropez

David and Michael are longtime friends, with the footballer even choosing Michael’s famous number 23 when he joined Real Madrid in 2003

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She packed on the PDA with David, who cut a casually cool display in a white T-shirt and trousers

The couple looked more than loved-up as they held hands while heading to their exclusive dinner spot

Posh and Becks are currently in the same area as their estranged son Brooklyn, who is currently holiday with his wife Nicola Peltz on his godfather Sir Elton John’s yacht

Michael, 63, arrived for the diner alongside his wife of 13 years, Cuban model Yvette Prieto

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Yvette looked effortlessly elegant in a champagne dress with white lace, teamed with a white Hermes handbag

The former England star has previously shared how star-struck he was to meet the basketball player in a restaurant

The families hugged before sitting down for dinner together

Victoria shared a sweet hug with Michael’s wife

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Victoria showcased her toned arms and shoulders while reaching out for a hug

David wrapped his arms around Romeo as they watched the sunset

They relaxed on the sundeck of their yacht before heading out for dinner

Earlier in the day, the Beckhams were pictured relaxing on their luxury £16million yacht, Seven

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David showed off his ripped physique as he enjoyed a dip in the sea

Seven is named after David’s iconic football shirt number as well as their daughter Harper’s middle name.

Victoria and David recently followed the World Cup around the US with Romeo, Kim, Harper, 15, Cruz, 21, and his girlfriend Jackie Apostel, 30. 

Despite living across the pond, their eldest son Brooklyn has avoided all family outings amid their ongoing estrangement. 

Brooklyn has not acknowledged any of his parents’ birthdays or milestones publicly since their rift began, around the time of David’s 50th celebrations, and failed to share a post for Father’s Day this year.

It was previously reported that Brooklyn was ‘furious’ that his parents had included him in a Father’s Day post and wants them to ‘leave him alone’.

Shortly before Christmas last year, Brooklyn blocked his parents on Instagram, while his lawyers later wrote to the Beckhams’ team requesting all communication be conducted through legal representatives. 

In January, Brooklyn released a scathing six-page statement denouncing his parents.

He announced he had cut ties with his family – declaring he was no longer part of ‘Brand Beckham’ and insisting his parents and their other children are ‘performative’.

Brooklyn also claimed David and Victoria had controlled him for much of his life, attempted to drive a wedge between him and Nicola and left him embarrassed when his mother danced ‘inappropriately’ with him during the first dance at his wedding.

Alonso held discreet meetings in London and his hometown of San Sebastian over three weeks in early May to ensure Chelsea was the right fit.

Despite questions as to why he chose the Blues over his former club Liverpool, there was no offer on the table from the latter.

“I had a view of Chelsea from the outside,” he explained, revealing how carefully he considered the move to Stamford Bridge and the early discussions with sporting directors about his vision for the club.

“I could see the positives and my concerns, so I addressed them. We had the same ideas, the same analysis, to start building momentum together. That is why we are taking these steps together and making decisions to build a good team.”

That vision extends to the signing of £117m forward Morgan Rogers from Aston Villa. He was Chelsea‘s first-choice attacking target and was secured despite interest from Premier League champions Arsenal.

Alonso has also added full-back Marco Palestra from Atalanta, who could prove key to implementing the system he used at Bayer Leverkusen, while talks remain open over left-sided option Pep Chavarria of Rayo Vallecano.

“We have taken a few steps but I feel that we can still take a few more,” Alonso said when asked about the backing he has received.

Alonso has been careful not to overplay his hand when speaking to the media, but he always gives the impression he is heavily involved.

His role as the first manager, rather than head coach, under Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital has perhaps been overstated. The club’s five sporting directors remain responsible for much of the operation, albeit in constant dialogue with Alonso and his staff.

As ever at this time of year, Chelsea are open for business.

There is genuine excitement around the arrival of striker Danny Welbeck, 35, who will now join the squad for pre-season.

His role will be to provide experienced cover for Joao Pedro while also bringing a positive influence behind the scenes.

Midfielder Jordan Henderson, 36, is also set to arrive after Chelsea were unable to secure Alonso’s former Bayer Leverkusen captain Granit Xhaka from Sunderland.

As he did under England manager Thomas Tuchel at this summer’s World Cup, Henderson is expected to help drive standards as a vocal leader, something Chelsea have lacked.

It would be similar to the role Alonso played under Pep Guardiola towards the end of his career at Bayern Munich.

It is a senior revolution at the Premier League’s youngest team.

Chelsea have previously suffered from indiscipline, a perceived softness defending set-pieces and, perhaps most importantly, a lack of leadership and dressing-room culture.

“You need the right balance of personalities and stages of maturity, with players in their early 20s, early 30s and everything in between,” Alonso said of reshaping of his squad.

Culture is another area Alonso knows he needs to address. “In the Basque Country, we have a strong sense of collective purpose and culture,” he said.

Alonso believes that culture must extend beyond the playing squad. He recently provided the assists for the winning side in a staff game before Chelsea‘s overseas trip.

Found in the beautiful Yorkshire Dales, the Wensleydale Experience offers tours of its farm and more hands-on activities.

If you book a farm experience, you will be able to get close to many of the farm animals, including the herd of Highland cows.

While walking around the farm, you will also be able to enjoy views of the surrounding countryside.

What can I do at the Wensleydale Experience?

You can book a two- to three-hour farm experience that “offers a genuine insight into life working on a Yorkshire Dales farm.”

You will get to feed many of the animals, help gather sheep, and explore the estate while learning more about how farming works.

The experience might be the perfect way to spend a day with your family if they love animals.

There are also tours available where you can relax and enjoy a walk around the farm to meet each of the animals with children.

You will also be given some time to help feed some of the animals, and children can learn more about where food comes from.

Tours are informal with plenty of opportunities to ask questions and take things at a slower pace.

The immersive tours and farm days can be booked through the Wensleydale Experience website.

What do families think of the Wensleydale Experience?

One reviewer on Tripadvisor said: “We booked a working farm afternoon experience on this working farm.

“It was absolutely fantastic and cannot recommend it enough.

“Bridgette runs the farm with her husband; she is super friendly and welcoming and caters for all ages.

“We had the opportunity to feed all of the animals and explore the farm and finished off the experience with a cream tea.”

Other people have extended their visit by staying in one of the farm’s yurts or other rooms and said they had an “amazing weekend.”

Would you love to get up close to the farm animals? Let us know in the comments.

In a statement to Belfast Live, Translink said that they continue to monitor demand across the network

Families have reported being left struggling to get into Belfast City Centre to enjoy the first day of the Fleadh festivities, with trains and buses operating at full capacity.

One commuter who contacted Belfast Live said that multiple families were left standing on platforms at several train stations because the trains were “packed to the doors”.

In the run-up to the Fleadh, Translink encouraged people to take public transport and to plan ahead for their journey.

“Translink appear to be only scheduling an hourly three-carriage service like any other Sunday on the first day of the Fleadh.

“There have been multiple families left on platforms at Finaghy, Balmoral etc.

“The trains are packed to the doors. There is zero planning visible and zero customer service.”

A Translink spokesperson said: “We are operating enhanced capacity and frequency across bus and train services to accommodate both Fleadh visitors and regular passengers.

“We continue to monitor demand across the public transport network, responding appropriately using all available resources.

“Our passengers should leave extra time for their journeys and expect services to be busy during the week ahead.

“Keep up to date with the latest public transport updates via the Translink Journey Planner App and socials.”

For all the latest news, visit the Belfast Live homepage here and sign up to our daily newsletter here.

By VIVEK CHAUDHARY, SENIOR REPORTER

Published: 15:55 BST, 2 August 2026 | Updated: 16:49 BST, 2 August 2026

Greek police have charged a man in connection with the murder of a British woman whose body was found in a suitcase in Athens.

Elisabeth Jane Ross, 38 who was also known as Lisa, was discovered inside a suitcase by a homeless man in an abandoned carpark in the Kypseli district of Athens on 18 July.

The man arrested is reported to be a 26-year-old Afghan national who confessed to the killing. He is believed to have met Ms Ross through her work helping refugees and homeless people.

He was detained at an address in central Athens with police revealing that he had withdrawn money using Ms Ross’s bank cards after the killing, which helped them to track his movements.

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Her body was discovered on 18 July, three days after telling Greek friends she was staying with outside Athens that she was going to Kypseli to visit American friends.

Police said in a statement that the man had been charged with murder, robbery and weapons offences.

The statement added: ‘A 26-year-old foreign national has been identified in connection with the case; a criminal file has been opened against him for intentional homicide, robbery, and violations of weapons legislation.’

Police revealed that fingerprint evidence was discovered on the suitcase while CCTV showed the man carrying it to the abandoned car park.

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The statement continued: ‘He was brought to the Division’s headquarters on Thursday, July 30, 2026, and confessed to his actions.

‘It was established that the 26-year-old placed the body in a suitcase and transported it to the abandoned site. Furthermore, in the days that followed, he used the victim’s bank cards to withdraw cash.

‘During searches conducted at his residence, a replica pistol and a knife were found and seized; consequently, he was arrested for violating the law on weapons.’

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Police are investigating the death of Elizabeth-Jane Ross, 38, after her body was found inside a suitcase in Athens, Greece on July 18

The derelict space where the suitcase containing Ms Ross’s body was found (pictured) 

Ms Ross, a committed Christian, had been regularly visiting Greece for the past seven years working with organisations helping refugees and other vulnerable groups.

She arrived in Athens on June 26 and was staying with Greek friends in the suburb of Keratsini, close to the country’s main seaport.

However, she then told them on July 15 she was leaving to stay with Americans she knew in Kypseli – a more central part of Athens and was discovered dead 72 hours later.

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It has emerged that Ms Ross had regularly volunteered with the One Heart organisation in Greece which specialises in providing medical support to refugees, particularly those from Afghanistan or Iran.

Following the discovery of her body, the police investigation focused on questioning those she may have met through this work, with officers claiming that her killer may have been someone she tried to help.

She was seen speaking with homeless people in Kypseli after arriving in the area.

It is understood the killer continued to send messages from Ms Ross’s phone and posted on her Facebook page after her death in an attempted cover up.

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One text from her mobile on July 15 to a Greek friend read: ‘I need some time – I’m going to a Greek island.’

Messages to her family claimed that she ‘needed some time to herself’ and that she ‘wanted to be alone for a while’.

It was then ‘mysteriously’ switched off as her death was reported across the globe.

Ms Ross’s father, a lawyer from Edinburgh, told officers he had been receiving messages from July 15 to July 29.

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“I, for one, consider that the management of No. Fifty Cheyne are sensitive to the local residents and that high class clientele who frequent the establishment cause a public nuisance, are an incitement to crime, or any sort of disorder, or present any threat to public safety is utterly preposterous exaggeration of their civil and well-behaved conduct.”

Bolton Council has confirmed that everyone aged between five and 15 can take advantage of unlimited free travel on Bee Network bus services during the month, with no registration required.

In a post on social media, the council said families could enjoy more affordable days out by simply asking the driver for a free ticket when boarding a bus.

The offer forms part of the Government’s Great British Summer Savings campaign, which is providing free bus travel for children aged five to 15 on participating local bus services across England throughout August.

Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM) has also announced a boost for 16-year-olds, who will be able to activate their Our Pass from August 1, a month earlier than usual.

The move means all young people under the age of 18 in Greater Manchester will be entitled to free bus travel during August.

Children under five already travel free on Bee Network buses all year round.

Fran Wilkinson, customer and growth director at TfGM, said: “We’re pleased to be taking part in the Great British Summer Savings scheme which will mean free bus travel on the Bee Network for everyone aged five to 15 in August.

“This will help make days out more affordable for families this summer.

“To complement this national scheme, we are allowing Our Pass to be activated one month early which means no young person in Greater Manchester will miss out.

“The Bee Network is all about making it easier and more affordable to get around Greater Manchester and this national scheme will help us do just that.”

The Our Pass scheme, launched in 2019, is currently used by more than 50,000 young people across Greater Manchester.

As well as free bus travel, members can access a range of discounts and offers, including half-price off-peak one-day and weekend tram tickets through the Bee Network app.

Anyone who was aged between 16 and 18 on August 31, 2026, and lives in Greater Manchester is eligible to apply for a digital Our Pass, subject to a one-off £10 administration fee.

TfGM said the free travel scheme could help families visit attractions and destinations across Greater Manchester during the summer holidays without worrying about transport costs.

Further information about Our Pass is available online, while people who need additional support can contact TfGM or visit a Bee Network travel and information office.

“Spider-Man: Brand New Day” made box office history in its first weekend in theaters. The Sony-released superhero movie became the second biggest North American opening ever with an astonishing $355 million in ticket sales, according to studio estimates Sunday. It was just a few million shy of “Avengers: Endgame,” which debuted to $357 million in 2019.

Tom Holland’s run as the comic book webslinger has been a mighty one. “No Way Home,” his third standalone Spider-Man movie, made over $1.9 billion worldwide to become the eighth highest earning movie of all time, not accounting for inflation. It was also the first movie since the beginning of pandemic to cross the $1 billion mark.

But the triumph of “Brand New Day” also comes on the heels of another major movie featuring Holland and Zendaya: Christopher Nolan’s“The Odyssey,” which slid to second place in its third weekend in theaters with $51 million.

“Spider-Man: Brand New Day” started strong, with a record $168 million opening day from 4,487 theaters in the U.S. and Canada, besting “Avenger: Endgame’s” $157 million Friday. The studio predicted it would lead to a $325 million opening weekend, which would still have beaten the second-place record. It takes the place of “Spider-Man: No Way Home” which opened to $260 million in December 2021. In the realm of best opening weekends in North America, they’re followed by “Avengers: Infinity War” ($257 million in 2018) and “Star Wars: The Force Awakens” ($247 million in 2015).

Expectations were always high for “Brand New Day,” which was directed by Destin Daniel Cretton and cost a reported $225 million to produce, not including marketing expenses. But there were worries it wouldn’t attract the same level of mass audience enthusiasm as its predecessor which integrated past Peter Parker actors Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield into the mix. In reality, interest was higher than ever. “Brand New Day” also received strong reviews from critics and audiences. It currently has a 90% on Rotten Tomatoes; Audiences gave it an “A” CinemaScore and a five-star rating on PostTrak.

Ticket buyers were predominately male (about 61%) and many were on the younger side, with slightly more than half the audience under the age of 25, according to PostTrak exit polls. The biggest group was between the ages of 18 and 24, which made up 36% of the audience; 27% were between the ages of 25 and 34.

Cries about the death of the superhero movie have been looming since “Endgame” with more than a few high-profile flops in the years since, including several from the once-impenetrable Marvel Studios. Still, when they work, they really work, most notably with “No Way Home” and “Deadpool & Wolverine,” which made over $1.3 billion.

This year has also seen a resurgence of moviegoing from younger audiences, who have made hits out of movies like “Obsession,” “Backrooms” and “The Drama,” which also starred Zendaya.