The South Korea captain spoke out following their shock World Cup defeat to South Africa in Group A

South Korea star Son Heung-min has issued an apology to his team-mates after a shock defeat to South Africa left their World Cup 2026 hopes clinging by a thread. The former Tottenham forward was surprisingly omitted from the starting XI by head coach Hong Myung-bo for the Group A decider, with Oh Hyeon-gyu and Hwang Hee-chan partnering Lee Kang-in up front.

The Asian nation only needed a draw to secure their place in the Round of 32, having beaten Czechia 2-1 in their opener before losing 1-0 to Mexico. However, they slumped to a disappointing defeat against South Africa, who progressed at their expense thanks to Thapelo Maseko’s 63rd-minute strike.

It was the first time that Son started a World Cup match on the bench on Wednesday since his international debut 16 years ago. That gamble from Hong appeared to backfire as he sent on the 33-year-old for the second half with the score still goalless.

However, the LAFC star was ineffectual in his 45-minute cameo, and Bafana Bafana went on to claim a famous victory. Following the game, Son issued a heartfelt apology to his teammates, admitting he felt like he let them down.

“It’s so frustrating that the match didn’t go the way we wanted it to, and we as players are obviously very disappointed,” Son said. “I feel sorry to my teammates that I didn’t give them much help on the pitch.”

While many expected Korea to obtain the one point required to progress even without Son, leaving him out proved to be a costly blunder. The experienced winger is his nation’s all-time top goalscorer with 56 goals in 147 caps and had netted three times in his previous three World Cup tournament appearances.

Despite Son’s sincere apology, his manager appeared to absolve him of any responsibility by footing the blame for the defeat. Speaking after the game, Hong conceded he would’ve made different choices with his starting XI with hindsight.

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“In terms of the process and preparing for this game, and how we would play on the field, that is something I put much thought into,” the ex-South Korea captain said. “Of course, if we knew what the result was going to be, I probably would have made different choices.

“But I had a strategy in mind. Whenever such a bad result happens, everyone has their own opinion. The result is really the responsibility of the head coach. Ultimately, it comes down to my hands, I guess I made the wrong decisions and that was the reason we had a bad result. Nothing more, nothing less.”

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As reported by The Korea Times, Son issued a blunt response when discussing Hong’s decision to leave him out of the starting lineup: “I don’t really have anything to add to that,” he said, confirming his manager had informed him ahead of the game he would be left out.

Korea now face a nervous wait to discover their fate in the World Cup. With all three matches played in Group A, the Tigers’ hopes are pinned on other teams doing a favour for them to ensure they finish in the top eight slots of the best third-placed teams.

They are currently fourth with three points, albeit having played more games than several teams below them, including Belgium, Ecuador and Paraguay. The goal difference is the first tiebreaker in this table, followed by goals scored.

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Sky Sports, HBO Max, Netflix and Disney+ with Ultimate TV package

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Sky has upgraded its Ultimate TV and Sky Sports bundle to now include HBO Max, Netflix, Disney+, discovery+ and Hayu, as well as 135 channels and full Sky coverage of the Premier League and EFL.

Sky broadcasts more than 1,400 live matches across the Premier League, EFL and more with at least 215 live from the top flight alongside Formula 1, darts and golf.

The pair targeted vehicles across several counties including Cambridgeshire

Two men stole 25 vehicles worth more than £600,000 across several counties, including Cambridgeshire. Aurimas Sarkis, aged 29, and Ignas Kisskiss, aged 36, stole 25 vehicles which were all Audis, BMWs or Mercedes, between October and December 2025.

The thieves target vehicles across Cambridgeshire, Essex, Northamptonshire, Oxfordshire and Hertfordshire. The men were arrested following a long-running investigation into organised thefts of high-value vehicles, using specialist equipment to bypass keyless vehicle security systems. Police estimate the total value of the cars taken to be more than £600,000, according to the Crown Prosecution Service.

Sarkis, of Swallow Drive, Raunds, Northamptonshire and Kisskiss, of Sisley Road, Barking, both appeared at St Albans Crown Court on Wednesday, June 24, after pleading guilty to multiple counts of conspiracy to steal motor vehicles. Sarkis was jailed for four years and one month and Kisskiss was jailed for four years and 10 months.

Aamir Barrett from the Crown Prosecution Service said: “The impact of the organised crime committed by Sarkis and Kisskiss extended well beyond financial loss. Many victims had to find alternative means of transport, were forced to replace essential items like children’s buggies and, in one case, had to repurchase specialist equipment and medication for a disabled family member.

“Our case was supported by evidence including automatic number plate recognition and phone data, as well as GPS data from a tag worn by Sarkis, which clearly linked both defendants to the offences. Faced with this evidence, they admitted their crimes.”

The countdown to the new season starts here for Swansea City.

Vitor Matos and the Jack Army are set to discover who they’ll face on the opening day of the new Championship season, and indeed their schedule for the rest of the campaign.

The return of the South Wales derby is likely to be a fixture many will be looking out for, while fellow Welsh rivals Wrexham are another potential draw. JOIN US ON FACEBOOK! Follow Wales Online’s Swansea City FB page for more news and analysis

Former Premier League sides Wolverhampton Wanderers and West Ham United are in the mix, while a clash with Burnley is could also carry the intriguing narrative of Craig Bellamy’s return to south Wales.

Bellamy is currently on the brink of taking the reins at Turf Moor.

The fixtures are set to drop at 12pm, and you can follow live updates with our blog below.

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The first event will take place on Thursday, June 25, from 1 pm to 3.30 pm at the club, with refreshments available and all residents welcome to attend.

Organisers say the club will provide an opportunity for people to make new friends, catch up with familiar faces and enjoy regular social activities.

Cllr Samantha Connor, of Bromley Cross and Egerton, said: “It is a great way to meet people you already know, and new people.

“We did not want it to be the same as the previous over-60s club, so it is a social club.”

Egerton Cricket Club. (Image: Samantha Connor)

The initiative grew out of a community meeting held in the area, where residents discussed ways to strengthen local connections.

The club’s secretary had previously run an over-60s group before the pandemic and wanted to see a similar community activity return.

The venue is being provided free of charge, while organisers will offer tea, coffee and sandwiches to help create a welcoming atmosphere.

Cllr Connor said: “We are going to provide tea and coffee and sandwiches to make people feel welcome and greet everybody.

“Most people are saying they want to come.”

Organisers hope the monthly gatherings will expand in the future, potentially including festive outings and trips.

Cllr Connor added: “We found that in the pandemic, it had a huge benefit.

“There are elderly people in this ward- is vital for their mental health.”

He faced an uncertain future after being evicted from his home by the local council. 

But Caesar, the 4ft fibreglass gorilla, has found a new place to stay after becoming a viral sensation.

The primate has been adopted by long-haul travel specialists Flight Centre and is now taking pride of place at their store on South Molton Street in London.

It’s a long way from the house in Wakefield, West Yorkshire, where he had been proudly displayed on a platform by owner Adele Teale for the last 12 months. 

The 59-year-old loves gorillas and Caesar had previously spent 15 years at her home in Leeds without causing any issues. 

But earlier this year Wakefield Council told her someone had complained and she had to remove him as she hadn’t got planning permission.

Caesar had never visited London before and took a scenic route to his new residence, posing at Big Ben, dropping in on Downing Street, and cruising through Piccadilly Circus.

Joe Beevis, general manager of Flight Centre, said: ‘We send nature lovers to see wildlife in Africa every year, so when we heard Caesar needed a new home, it felt like the natural fit. Caesar is a reminder that the best wildlife encounters are live ones. 

‘Booking with companies who take sustainable tourism seriously, such as our travel partner Intrepid Travel, means the animals, their habitats and local communities that make those moments possible can continue to thrive.’

‘We took Caesar’s welfare extremely seriously on the journey down from Wakefield, and, on arrival in London we felt it was only right to show him the sights of our great city.

‘He’s now installed at our South Molton Street store and is adjusting to Mayfair life very well. We’ve had no complaints, though he has developed strong opinions about the air conditioning.’

Adele, Caesar’s owner, added: ‘Caesar has been part of my life for more than 20 years and I wasn’t going to give up on him without a fight, but I’m really glad this is how it’s ended up. 

‘“’He’s not gone forever; he’s just heading to London for a bit, which feels very him.

‘I was glad to be there to hand him over in person and I know he’s going to be properly looked after by Flight Centre, who care as much about animal welfare as I do.’

Caesar’s fans can see him in person at Flight Centre’s store on South Molton Street, Mayfair. 

To celebrate Caesar’s arrival, Flight Centre is offering 10% off selected Africa Tours with Intrepid Travel for a limited time.

Visit the website for more details.

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Shaun Malone has revealed he had undergone brain surgery as he shared a photo from his hospital bed

Gogglebox star Shaun Malone has revealed he had undergone brain surgery as he shared a photo from his hospital bed.

The 31-year-old came to fame alongside his family, from Manchester, as they made their debut on the iconic Channel 4 show in 2014. He has been open about his health battles in that time, having been diagnosed with a brain condition in 2010 after initially getting sinusitis.

Now, Shaun has offered an update on his health, revealing that he went under the knife for another operation – and was struggling with his recovery due to the record-breaking temperatures sweeping across the country, reports the Mirror.

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“Heatwave is a terrible time to be stuck in hospital until Friday,” he penned beside a close-up photo of his post-surgery scar, which he shared to his Instagram Story. “Brain surgery is deffo not the highlight of my year [sic].”

Shaun joined Gogglebox in the fourth season, more than a decade ago, and delighted viewers with his TV quips beside his dad, Tom, mum Julie, and siblings Tom Jr and Vanessa

Shaun was in and out of the hospital when he was a teenager, after contracting a life-threatening infection while battling sinusitis. He previously spoke about his illness during an appearance on the Coaching From The Sofa podcast, explaining that doctors gave him less than 10% chance of surviving.

“In 2010 I got sinusitis and in some way, the infection found its way back to my brain. My brain started swelling and my skull started crushing it so my mum took me to A&E saying, ‘Look he’s poorly!’ and they said it was sinusitis,” he said at the time.

“And then I collapsed one day at home and I ended up going into a coma and they said to my mum and dad that I had a less than 10 per cent chance of living. I was in a coma for a few weeks – and they said to my mum and dad, ‘Shaun’s got brain damage, we don’t know what the brain damage is or how it’ll affect him or if it’s going to be really bad.

“And when I woke up my brain damage affected me in some ways, like my memory but mostly the way it affected me was with my left side. I essentially had a stroke, I couldn’t move my left arm, my left leg, even the left side of my face.”

Lumen Field is the stadium that really took my breath away – and my word, it is loud.

So loud, in fact, that it has made the Guinness Book of World Records twice for its noise levels, thanks to its horseshoe shaped design, which keeps much of the sound inside the stadium – although I can personally attest that you can hear the roar from a 25-minute walk away too!

The north stand section is particularly striking: it juts up like the bow of a ship on a wave’s crest, and the open sky on both sides of the seating area yields a stunning view of the Seattle skyline.

Inside, the stadium concourses are cavernous – and yet, even when they are empty, they still manage to exude character and heritage, whether through the rows of jerseys that denote famous artists who have played Lumen Field (including Taylor Swift and Ed Sheeran), or through the Seattle Seahawks Wall of Legends.

Netflix’s Dept Q Season 2 is officially in production, and the streamer has confirmed a major cast update for the Edinburgh-set crime drama

Dept. Q fans have been given some insight into what to expect from the new season.

Dept. Q shot up the Netflix charts when the gripping Scottish crime procedural first burst onto screens back in May 2025, and production has now officially kicked off on the eagerly awaited second season.

Having been formally renewed back in August, the series – based on the books by Danish author Jussi Adler-Olsen – was met with widespread critical acclaim, leaving fans clamouring for more.

The streaming giant has now confirmed that filming is underway on Season 2, teasing in the synopsis: “DCI Carl Morck heads up the maverick Dept. Q from the basement of an Edinburgh police station, charged with cases previously deemed unsolvable.

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“This darkly humorous, propulsive show delivers all the pleasures of a procedural but takes us into the complex mysteries not just of the cases but of the detectives themselves.”

Season 2 will once again be filmed and set in Edinburgh, following the roaring success of the location in the debut series, with Matthew Goode reprising his role as DCI Carl Morck.

Executive Producer Rob Bullock teased: “This season, Carl and his band of misfits tackle a terrible crime hidden in the highest echelons of Scottish society.

“It is a story for our times: rich and powerful people who believe they are above the law. Carl, of course, knows otherwise.

“It’s a joy to be working with master storyteller Scott Frank once again, along with the rest of Team Doolally. We applaud Netflix’s courage for letting them loose once again.”

His band of misfits will also be back including Alexej Manvelov as Akram Salim, Leah Byrne as DC Rose Dickson and Jamie Sives as DS James Hardy.

The series has also brought in several fresh faces including Aisling Franciosi as Kimmie, The Crown’s Greg Wise as Derek Powell, Nicholas Rowe as Thomas Fulton and Outlander: Blood of my Blood star Tony Curran as Winnie Calderwood.

Hamish Clark is also joining the line-up as Christopher Herron, alongside Alex Ferns as Phil Allenbeck, Knight of the Seven Kingdoms star Ross Anderson as Ricky Daddario, Rebecca Root as June Lovesay and The Queen’s Gambit’s Isla Johnston as Agnes.

Line of Duty’s Mark Bonnar will reprise his role as Stephen Burns, along with Game of Thrones actress Kate Dickie as Moira Jacobson, Aaron McVeigh as Jasper and Sanjeev Kohli as Martin Flemming.

Manda Levin said for Netflix: “Season one of Dept. Q made us laugh and cry; it shocked and intrigued us; we fell in love with the characters and with the incredibly vivid and iconic world that Scott Frank and his amazing team conjured up in one of our very favourite cities.

“That it was embraced so wholeheartedly by an audience in Scotland, in the rest of the UK, and across the world, was thrilling.

“The story of Season 2 is as darkly delicious as you’d expect, and Carl and his glorious gang will have their work cut out pinning down the perpetrators as we launch back in for more.”

Dept Q is available to watch on Netflix

Holland Brogan, 21, from Wishaw, who played for Scotland at the Women’s Six Nations, and has captained her club side Glasgow Warriors graduated from the University of Stirling with a Psychology of Sport degree.

A Scottish rugby star gained a different cap this week – having graduated from university this week.

Holland Brogan, 21, from Wishaw, who played for Scotland at the Women’s Six Nations, and has captained her club side Glasgow Warriors graduated from the University of Stirling with a Psychology of Sport degree.

She will now turn professional after signing a new contract with Glasgow Warriors.

Holland said: “My greatest achievements have been getting my first international cap for Scotland, and captaining Glasgow Warriors, while also balancing my studies alongside training and competition.

“These experiences helped me develop resilience, confidence and leadership skills, and I’m proud of what I achieved both individually, and as part of a competitive team environment.

“I chose the University of Stirling because of its strong reputation for sport and its excellent sporting environment.

“And I liked that the University combines academic learning with opportunities to be involved in sport at a high level.”

Honorary graduates Kieron Achara and Dr Walter Humes join hundreds of students at Stirling’s summer graduation

Kieron – the youngest person ever to be capped for Scotland at basketball, at the age of 16 – was awarded an honorary doctorate in recognition of his outstanding contribution to sport in Scotland, particularly basketball.

Also receiving an honorary degree today was education leader Dr Walter Humes, in recognition of his outstanding contribution to the field of education.

A former Honorary Professor at the University of Stirling, Walter is renowned for his research and writing on educational policy, curriculum studies, the history of education, and teacher education.

He began his career as an English teacher before moving into higher education and has also held Professorships at the University of Aberdeen, University of Glasgow and University of the West of Scotland.

Professor Sir Gerry McCormac, Principal and Vice-Chancellor of the University of Stirling, said: “Summer graduation is always a highlight in the University calendar and we are proud to not only recognise the hard work and academic achievements of our students and staff, but to welcome two distinguished honorary graduates into the Stirling family.

“Kieron’s sporting journey, his accomplishments in the field of basketball, and his exceptional advocacy work, are an inspiration to our graduates.

“Walter’s contributions to educational policy and teacher education have been outstanding, and we are proud of his close association to the University. On behalf of the University, I send congratulations to them both.”

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DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — A Liberian oil tanker made its way out of the Strait of Hormuz on Thursday despite threats to shipping from Iran’s paramilitary Revolutionary Guard and using a new route close to Oman’s shore that has been promoted by a U.N. maritime agency.

The transit of the Stoic Warrior and the threats come as tensions rise between Iran and the United States over the terms of their interim accord aimed at permanently ending the Iran war. From getting ships through the narrow mouth of the Persian Gulf to the future of Iran’s stockpile of highly enriched uranium, the two nations are increasingly debating the terms of the deal signed last week.

Through the signing of the memorandum of understanding, the U.S. and Iran agreed to a 60-day period to iron out these and other details. Until that happens — during private talks — leaders from both countries will also continue to negotiate in public, raising the risks of derailing the shaky ceasefire in the region.

A major threat to the deal is the flareup of fighting in Lebanon between Israel and the Iranian-backed militia Hezbollah. On Wednesday. Israel launched an airstrike that killed two people in southern Lebanon, the country’s state-run news agency said. It was Israel’s first airstrike on Lebanon since the latest ceasefire took effect on Saturday.

Tanker sails through Strait of Hormuz

The Stoic Warrior — signaling that it planned to transit the Strait of Hormuz — took off early Thursday morning on a trip that saw it hug the coast of the United Arab Emirates and then Oman.

The vessel then traveled around Oman’s Musandam Peninsula fairly close to the shore, part of a route that Oman laid out alongside the International Maritime Organization, an agency of the United Nations that oversees shipping at sea.

North of the route is the Traffic Separation Scheme, the route in the center of the strait that for decades ships moved through freely. The route is used for transport of about a fifth of all the world’s oil and natural gas.

However, there has been the report of at least one mine sighted in the water after the Guard said that it mined the passage during the war that started on Feb. 28 with U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran. The threat of mines shut off the route.

The naval arm of the Revolutionary Guard, apparently reacting to Oman and the IMO’s route, gave an angry warning Thursday, carried by Iran’s state-run IRNA news agency.