For black female professional footballers, racism has become a distressingly regular part of the game. Earlier this year, England defender Jess Carter told the BBC that the racist abuse she received online during the 2025 Euros made her fearful to leave her hotel room.

Black sportswomen routinely deal with racial abuse from fans and teammates. But less discussed is how their bodies, emotions and on-pitch performances are spoken about by sports commentators. It’s not just negative comments, either. Clear racial stereotypes emerge when comparing positive comments about black players with those about white players. Our 2025 study examines commentary during the 2019 Fifa Women’s World Cup, does just that.

We analysed 2,905 comments of praise given to footballers during 80 hours of BBC and ITV coverage, across all 52 matches at the tournament. We found that white women were more frequently praised for their intelligence and technical proficiency, while black women received the most praise for their perceived physical prowess and natural athleticism.

White players were more frequently praised skills learned through practice, such as having a “lovely technique” (49.4% of all comments about white players), followed by physical (20.3%), character (16.2%), cognitive (10.8%) and natural (3.3%) abilities.

Black players received almost double the amount of praise for their physical prowess (39.5% of comments about black players) and natural abilities (5.8%). They received notably fewer praise comments for learned skills (36.8%), as well as lower amounts of praise for character (11.9%) and cognitive attributes (6.0%).

These differences were especially noticeable in the coverage of national teams from white-majority countries that had more than two black players in their starting squad. England’s two non-white players (accounting for 18.2% of the team) received 50% of all of their team’s praise for natural attributes. These were comments praising qualities that were perceived to be innate, such as being a “magician” on the pitch. England’s visibly white players (81.8% of the team) received almost the entire amount of the praise given to the whole team for cognitive attributes (96%).

France’s black players, who accounted for 43% of team, received 90% and 85% of the team’s total praise for natural and physical attributes, respectively. White French players, who similarly constituted 43% of the playing squad, received 68% of the teams’ total praise for intelligence.

We also found that black female players were more likely to be described as being angry and emotionally unstable during matches. Nigeria’s forward Desire Oparanozie was described as “playing with a bit of anger” and England’s Nikita Parris was said to be unable to maintain her composure, with a tendency to frequently “make her feelings known”.

Their white teammates, on the other hand, were described as calm and composed.
During the England v Cameroon match, commentators praised the almost entirely white England team for keeping their composure and not “reacting” to “unseemly things going on the pitch” by the African players.

The harm of misogynoir

Black women experience a unique form of discrimination called misogynoir. It is different to the exclusions faced by white women and the racism experienced by black men. It is the result of a combination of the misogyny directed at their gender and the anti-black racism directed at their race.

Sport media is a powerful site where the gender and racial stereotypes that exist in society are replicated. It has a long history of portraying black sportswomen as powerful, hyper-masculine and angry.

Studies have shown that black sportswomen are frequently stereotyped as unfeminine, masculine and strong, lacking intelligence, emotionally unstable, inherently angry and overly aggressive. Conversely, white women are seen to embody Eurocentric beauty standards and accepted feminine ideals, such as notions of purity, grace, emotional stoicism and delicacy.

These stereotypes have real-life consequences for black sportswomen. Some footballers have gone so far as to change how they play so that they are not seen as angry or masculine, but just as women who play the game they love. For example, ex-England player Anita Asante explained:

You have to check yourself to make sure people don’t view you in that light. Maybe on that particular day in a training session, I am that sassy person, or I am that competitive person that comes across a bit more feisty – but because there is an association with being a black woman and having that energy and boldness is not always seen a positive thing, [so] I might refrain from being that person and contain more of my emotions.

Evidence shows that misogynoir can influence the career opportunities that are afforded to black women more generally. A recent US study connected racism to higher levels of stress and to higher mortality rates.

Unless, meaningful action is taken by broadcasters to change the practice of commentary through tallying exercises like our research, then commentators might be unwittingly contributing to the racial stereotypes that cause psychological and physiological harm to the same superstars that they idolise and praise.

The Baltimore Ravens landed their star pass rusher in Trey Hendrickson, Maxx Crosby is back in Las Vegas for now and Daniel Jones is staying in Indianapolis as part of a busy start to the new league year.

The biggest move Wednesday came when the Ravens agreed to a four-year, $112 million contract with four-time Pro Bowl defensive end Trey Hendrickson a day after backing out of a deal with the Raiders for Crosby over a failed physical, a person with knowledge of the deal told The Associated Press.

Hendrickson was an All-Pro for Cincinnati in 2024 when he led the NFL with 17 1/2 sacks. He played in only seven games because of injuries last season and had four sacks but has reached double digits in sacks four times in the previous five seasons.

It was a quick pivot for the Ravens after the surprising development Tuesday night when Baltimore pulled out of the trade that was supposed to send two first-round picks to Las Vegas.

A person with knowledge of Baltimore’s decision told the AP that Crosby failed his physical. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because those results are private.

Crosby had surgery in January to repair a torn meniscus in his left knee. He missed the final two games of the season because of the injury despite wanting to play through it at the time.

The Raiders, who have been among the biggest spenders in the opening days of free agency, now must figure out what to do with Crosby. Las Vegas still has plenty of cap room to keep the five-time Pro Bowler on the roster with his $30 million salary if the team can’t find another trade. Crosby was back in the team facility in Nevada on Wednesday, a person with knowledge said on condition of anonymity.

Jones and the Colts agreed on a two-year contract that is worth up to $100 million, a person with knowledge of the contract told the AP. The person requested anonymity because the deal had not yet been announced.

Jones will receive $88 million over the next two seasons with $50 million guaranteed instead of playing on the $37.8 million transition tag. He can make an additional $12 million through incentives.

Jones led the Colts offense to a productive 10-game start. But following the bye week, Jones played through a hairline fracture in his left leg and then wound up suffering a season-ending torn right Achilles tendon in early December.

Jones set career highs in passer rating (100.2) and completion rate (68%) as Indianapolis ranked fifth in the NFL in scoring at 28.9 points per game before he went down for the season.

All the people are speaking to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because teams haven’t announced the moves or other developments.

Washington agreed to terms with edge rusher K’Lavon Chaisson on a one-year contract worth $12 million with $10.3 million guaranteed, according to Athletes First, the agency that represents him. Coming off ranking last in the NFL on defense, the Commanders also reached deals with linebacker Leo Chenal and cornerback Amik Robertson, after losing out to Baltimore on Hendrickson.

In other news, the Ravens and Bills both restructured the contracts of star quarterbacks Lamar Jackson and Josh Allen to create more room under the salary cap to start the league year.

Baltimore had been hoping to sign Jackson to an extension before the start of the new league year Wednesday. But that hasn’t happened. Instead the Ravens have restructured Jackson’s deal to create cap space, according to a person with knowledge of the deal, speaking on condition of anonymity because the contract hadn’t been finalized.

Jackson has two years remaining on the five-year, $260 million contract the Ravens gave him in 2023.

Buffalo’s move with Allen frees up approximately $12 million in much-needed salary cap space for the team entering the NFL’s new year, a person familiar with the discussions told the AP.

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AP Pro Football Writer Rob Maaddi and AP Sports Writers Stephen Whyno and John Wawrow contributed to this report

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AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl

The Luxury Little Play Company opened on December 10, but has now shut leaving customers devastated.

Owners Natalia, 31, and Atilla, 42, from Spennymoor, said they had always wanted to open a full‑time centre, and since launching, the business proved popular with local families.

The pair put the café on the market last week in a desperate bid to find the right person to take it over with the “dedication it needs”.

The Luxury Little Play Company (Image: The Luxury Little Play Company)

However, in a post on social media on Monday (March 9), they confirmed they had made the “difficult decision” to close the play café permanently.

The Facebook post said: “As many of you know, we had planned to keep the café open while we looked for the right person to take over and continue welcoming families here.

“It was our hope that the café would remain open and continue trading for a long time. Unfortunately, for reasons outside of our control, this is no longer possible.

“Because of this, we had to make the very difficult decision to close suddenly.

“[Monday] ended up being our final day, and there will be no more play sessions.

“We are truly heartbroken that it has come to an end so quickly and without the chance to say a proper goodbye to everyone who has supported us.

“This place has meant so much to us, and it was never just about the play – it was about the community, the chats over coffee, the friendships made, and the lovely atmosphere we all created together.

The Luxury Little Play Company (Image: The Luxury Little Play Company)

“To every family who visited, every child who played here, and every parent who sat down for a moment with a good coffee and a chat – thank you. You made this place special.”

The centre included soft play areas, a bubble house, bouncy castle and teepee, as well as a café and kitchen serving hot food.

The owners said customers can still find them at a playcentre in Durham, called Petite Street Playtown, and will continue with their soft play and bouncy castle hires.

The post added: “And please remember, if you used to come not only to play but also to chat with us, spend time in a lovely atmosphere, and enjoy great coffee, we will always be here for you at Petite Street Playtown, serving you with smiles and love as always.

“We will also continue with our soft play and bouncy castle hire ‘luxurylittleplay’ which means that we will still be able to meet many of you along the way.”

The Luxury Little Play Company (Image: The Luxury Little Play Company)

Following the announcement, customers took to social media to share their support online.

One person said: “Aww such a shame we’d hoped for another little visit before goodbye! Wishing you all well for the future.”

While another commented: “You are such a lovely family – thank you for so much warmth and kindness during our visits. We’ll see you at Petite Street very soon.”

For those who didn’t know, official support for Windows 10 ended in October last year – this was unless users extended their licence for another year.

However, the support of the software will completely come to an end on October 13, 2026, even for those who chose to continue using it as part of the Extended Security Updates (ESU) programme.

With Microsoft no longer offering fixes or security updates in just a few months’ time, devices with Windows 10 could become susceptible to cyber-attacks and hackers.

Of course, the first point of action is to upgrade to Windows 11 for free before the beginning of October.

But as Which? estimates around 21 million people in the UK currently own and use computers and laptops with Windows 10, not all will be able to choose the above option.

This is because if you have a PC that has Windows 7 or 8.1, or even one bought with these and later upgraded to Windows 10, you probably won’t have the correct specs to upgrade to Windows 11, the consumer champion has outlined.

How important are Windows security updates? Tech expert explains

With this in mind, Scott Bordoni, chief operations officer at Sync has explained the importance of having up to date security updates, and what you can do if you can’t upgrade to Windows 11 straight away.

Scott warned: “Security updates are one of the most important protections any computer has.

“They fix vulnerabilities that cybercriminals actively look for.

“Once those updates stop arriving, devices gradually become easier targets for malware, scams and data theft.

“When support for Windows 10 ends, computers won’t suddenly stop working.

“But over time they will become more exposed to new security risks because newly discovered weaknesses will no longer be patched.”

What to do before Windows 10 ends to avoid becoming a ‘target’ for scams

Scott continued: “For users who can, upgrading to a supported operating system is the best step.

“Many devices are eligible for Windows 11, which continues to receive regular security updates and protections.

If you have a PC that has Windows 7 or 8.1, the Windows 11 upgrade might not be possible (Image: hadrian-ifeelstock/Getty)

“If upgrading isn’t possible straight away, there are still sensible steps people can take to reduce risk.

“Make sure antivirus software is active and up to date, keep browsers and apps updated, and be cautious with emails, downloads or links from unknown sources.

“It’s also worth reviewing how the device is used.

“Avoid storing sensitive information unnecessarily, keep regular backups of important files, and use strong, unique passwords wherever possible.”

The tech expert concluded: “The key thing is awareness.

“Your computer won’t suddenly become unsafe overnight, but the longer unsupported systems stay in use, the more important it becomes to manage security carefully.

“Moments like this often prompt organisations to review the wider security model of the devices they use.

“Many are increasingly considering platforms designed with security built in from the ground up, such as macOS, which includes features like hardware-level protection, secure boot and regular system-wide updates.”

Can I upgrade from Windows 10 to 11 for free? How to get

If you currently have Windows 10 and your device is eligible to upgrade to Windows 11 for free, this is how you can get the newer software with the most up to date security:

• Firstly, check your laptop or computer can get Windows 11 by using this Which? tool
• Right-click the Start (Windows) button, or press the Windows key on your keyboard
• Choose Update & Security > Windows Update
• Follow the on-screen instructions

Additionally, if you’re not sure which version of Windows you’re running, you can check by:

• Right-click the Start (Windows) button on your screen, or press the Windows key on your keyboard
• Select Settings > System > About
• Navigate to Windows specifications for more details

Did you know support for Windows 10 was ending this year? Let us know if you have a device that will be affected in the comments below.

In an email following his sacking, dated 17 September, 2025, Lord Mandelson wrote: “My chief concern is leaving the US and arriving in the UK with the maximum dignity and minimum media intrusion which I think is to the advantage of all concerned, not least because I remain a crown/civil servant and expect to be treated as such. How is the FCDO assisting in this?”

A Woman of Substance is making its Channel 4 debut tonight with the period drama set to air over the next month.

Channel 4 is preparing to debut A Woman of Substance, a television adaptation of a best-selling novel frequently ranked amongst the “best-selling books of all time”.

Featuring Vera star Brenda Blethyn and Outlander’s Jessica Reynolds, the duo portray the older and younger incarnations of the determined Emma Harte in A Woman of Substance.

The eight-episode Channel 4 drama chronicles how Emma, an impoverished Yorkshire housemaid in the 1900s, pursues vengeance following betrayal and subsequently builds a worldwide business empire.

However, her challenges persist into her late seventies as Emma confronts fresh personal troubles and unforeseen adversaries.

With A Woman of Substance broadcasting every Wednesday and Thursday evening over the coming weeks, viewers are eager to discover the origins behind the narrative.

For the latest showbiz, TV, movie and streaming news, go to the new **Everything Gossip** website.

Is A Woman of Substance based on a true story?

A Woman of Substance draws from author Barbara Taylor Bradford OBE’s debut novel sharing the same title, initially released in 1979.

This marked the opening instalment of a successful seven-book sequence and swiftly achieved international bestseller status, with sales exceeding 30 million copies globally.

Bradford’s creation was subsequently adapted into a mini-series, also by Channel 4, back in 1985.

Therefore, A Woman of Substance isn’t rooted in actual events but, despite Emma Harte being fictitious, Bradford has previously commented on how her literary heroines are similar to herself in possessing a “backbone of steel”.

Much like her fictional creations, she hailed from Yorkshire, departed education at 15 and climbed the ladder from journalist to bestselling novelist.

In 2020, Bradford was considering penning a prequel to the A Woman of Substance series and therefore revisited her earlier works in preparation.

She subsequently told The Guardian: “All I could think at the end was these women are all working hard.”

She continued: “They’re all driven, ambitious and disciplined. I’ve written about myself in every book.”

She also discussed her husband Robert Bradford, to whom she was wed for 55 years, before his passing in 2019 at the age of 92.

Bradford confessed: “All I wanted to do was go and lie in his plot next to him for quite a few weeks,”.

However, she reflected: “But I guess if you’re a practical, down-to-earth Yorkshirewoman … we’re rather stoical, and I’m strong. I’ve always had a backbone of steel.”

She added: “I’ve gone through all sorts of things and come out the other end.”

A Woman of Substance continues every Wednesday and Thursday at 9pm on Channel 4.

Police were called to Church Bank in Bolton town centre, just off Churchgate, at around 4.45pm today, March 11.

A reported “altercation” between two men took place there, with one being arrested on suspicion of assault.

Another man “received treatment” for his injuries, with police saying he is to be taken to hospital to be assessed.

Offers are conducting further enquiries.

A spokesperson for Greater Manchester Police said: “At around 4.45pm today (11 March), officers responded to reports of an altercation between two men on Church Bank, Bolton.

Police and paramedics on scene (Image: Newsquest)

“Officers attended and a man was subsequently arrested on suspicion of assault.

“One man has received treatment for his injuries and will be further assessed at hospital. Enquiries are ongoing.”

A police van and an ambulance were seen at the junction of Church Bank, Church Gate and Silverwell Street at 5.30pm today.

Cops raided addresses in Stretford, Wythenshawe, Yorkshire and Frodsham in Cheshire

Police investigating a series of burglaries uncovered a ‘chop shop’ and seized several suspected stolen cars during raids across the north west this morning.

Cops raided addresses in Stretford, Wythenshawe and Yorkshire, During a warrant executed in Frodsham in Cheshire officers found a ‘chop shop’, where stolen cars are broken down and sold as parts.

It following an investigation into a series of at least 12 burglaries in Gorton and Levenshulme during which cars were taken. Some eight vehicles suspected to have been stolen were seized during this morning’s raids and assessments are being carried out to establish if they are in a condition fit to be returned to their owners.

During the raid in Frodsham, police say a ‘chop shop’ was uncovered.

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Two men, both 26, and one man, 36, have been arrested on suspicion of conspiracy to commit burglary ‘as part of initial enquiries’, according to Greater Manchester Police. The suspects remain in custody for questioning.

When he was installed as chief constable in 2021, Sir Stephen Watson vowed that every burglary would be investigated, which wasn’t the case under the previous regime. The force says that there have been about 500 fewer burglary victims each month across Greater Manchester since May 2021 ‘thanks to the ongoing efforts and work of neighbourhood teams’.

Following this morning’s raids, Detective Inspector Natalie McDonald, from GMP’s City of Manchester division, said: “Burglaries are crimes which can leave people feeling scared in their own home and is something that we have zero tolerance for.

“After identifying a trend from a series of burglaries committed across January, we proactively began an in-depth investigation, which resulted in today’s activity and results.

“Every single day across the entirety of Greater Manchester, officers work to tackle burglaries whenever they occur – from providing bespoke preventative advice to arresting those responsible.

“If you have been the victim of a burglary, please do get in touch with your local team, who will be best-placed to provide advice, assistance, and do their best to get you the justice you deserve.”