By JAMES COHEN, SPORTS REPORTER

Published: 01:45 BST, 11 September 2026 | Updated: 02:33 BST, 11 September 2026

Furious NFL fans have ripped into the ‘worst rendition ever’ of the Star-Spangled Banner prior to the 49ers-Rams clash in Australia on Thursday. 

Prior to the action getting underway at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, New York-based ‘soft rock’ band Infinity Song took to the stage to perform the national anthem.

However, their performance fell flat among viewers watching back on US soil – with hundreds of them swiftly rushing to social media to offer their criticisms.

‘Is this the worst version of the US national anthem ever??,’ one fan wrote on X.  

Advertisement

Another disgruntled viewer wrote: ‘This might be the worst performance of a National Anthem ever holy s***.’

‘These people sound terrible singing the national anthem!’, another said online.

Furious NFL fans have ripped into Infinity Song’s rendition of The Star-Spangled Banner 

Advertisement

They took to the stage prior to the 49ers-Rams clash at Melbourne Cricket Ground

Immediately after Infinity Song took the stage, fellow singer Cody Simpson performed the Australian national anthem – leading to high praise from those same online fans. 

‘Dude who sang the Australian national anthem smoked the boots off the American national anthem rendition,’ one fan said. 

Another wrote: ‘Based on National Anthem performances, its 1-0 Australia. Come on NFL you could have represented the U.S. better than that!’ 

Advertisement

Infinity Song is an American ‘soft rock’ band based in New York City composed of siblings Abraham, Angel, Israel and Momo Boyd. 

The group has released three albums under record label Roc Nation. 

Their performance came just one day after fans were left baffled by a wordless performance of the Star-Spangled Banner prior to the NFL’s season opener.

Pearl Jam guitarist Mike McCready performed the unique version of the anthem before the Seattle Seahawks beat the New England Patriots 13-10 in a Super Bowl rematch at Lumen Field.

Advertisement

The American anthem was performed after Washington native, The Mwango Sisters had delivered a stirring rendition of ‘Lift Every Voice and Sing’, better known as the ‘Black National Anthem’ before the game and received a mixed reception online.

But McCready was widely slammed for his guitar anthem, with viewers online even going as far as to call the performance a ‘disrespectful’ way to start the new season.

Advertisement

Fans were quick to rush to social media and voice their frustrations with the anthem rendition

It came just one day after a wordless performance of the Star-Spangled Banner on Wednesday 

One disgruntled fan wrote: ‘As someone who has played guitar my whole life and loves the instrument… An electric guitar should never be used to play the national anthem in this way. This is a disgrace. 

‘There are many ways to express the anthem uniquely, but also respectfully. Chris Stapleton did that phenomenally well – expressing his own unique angle on the anthem while still articulating it with the dignity and reverence it deserves. 

Advertisement

‘But this is simply a self-indulgent disgrace. There is no thought behind this. He doesn’t even have the decency to stay in the key as he vandalizes the melody – going to stupid out-of-key canned pentatonic riffs for no reason. 

‘I would be insulted if I bought tickets to see this as a musical performance, let alone listening to this as a rendition of our national anthem. Just terrible.’

Manchester United won 4-0 against Sabah in the Champions League on Thursday night as Patrick Dorgu started at left-back.

Michael Carrick’s experiment with Patrick Dorgu didn’t go to plan during Manchester United’s win against Sabah.

Dorgu started at left-back for the first time since his transfer from Italian side Lecce, having played at wing-back under Ruben Amorim, and he looked more like a winger.

The Denmark international assisted Matheus Cunha’s opening goal with a beautifully weighted first-time cross, but he struggled in a handful of defensive scenarios, further evidence of which role he’s best suited to.

The assist was a timely boost for Dorgu, who did not make a good start to the game. Sabah forward Kaheem Parris caused Dorgu problems in the opening 20 minutes, skipping beyond him on the wing on a few occasions.

Dorgu also misjudged a floated pass on the halfway line and attempted to win it when Parris was bound to get there first. The attack came to nothing, but it was another example of him not looking convincing at left-back.

The fact that Dorgu’s best moment in the game came around the opposition’s box will not be wasted on Carrick, who stayed calm and did not react on the touchline when the defender suffered a few rocky moments.

Dorgu started at left-back in the absence of Luke Shaw, who was omitted from the squad as a precaution. “He came off the other day with a little bit of cramp, so we didn’t want to take any risks really,” Carrick explained. “We tried to manage him, but we’ll see how he is after this one.”

United failed to sign a left-back in the summer transfer window, despite knowing that Shaw can not cope with two games per week, which is why Carrick wanted to cast his eye over Dorgu in that position on Thursday night.

Carrick hinted at frustration over not signing a cover for Shaw when he spoke after the transfer window had closed, pointing to the club’s finances, but he said he would try to get “the most out of” the current squad.

Although Noussair Mazraoui and Diogo Dalot can play at left-back, it was logical for Carrick to start the first game without Shaw with Dorgu in the role, given he regularly played at left wing-back in Amorim’s system.

Carrick hoped to see Dorgu deliver a convincing defensive performance, along with quality in attack. The 21-year-old passed the latter test, but it’s fair to see he was less than convincing in the defensive department.

The performance indicated that Dorgu will be able to cover at left-back in some games, but it showed that United may be left vulnerable down that side if Shaw is ruled out at some stage.

Shaw’s injury record suggests that is a real possibility. The 31-year-old became just the fifth United player to start every Premier League game last season, but the Reds played their fewest fixtures for 115 years.

United fans understandably slammed the club for failing to sign a left-back when the summer window closed. It unfortunately seems predictable that Shaw’s body will let him down this term, meaning United’s failure to sign cover could come back to bite them.

Carrick would have liked what he saw from Dorgu when he was in Sabah’s half, but he still has more to work on to improve defensively. The good news is that Dorgu has the right attitude to improve.

When Dorgu lost his starting role last season, he responded by getting his head down at Carrington and doing extras after training sessions. He tirelessly worked on improving his crossing because he knew he needed to provide quality from wide areas as a left wing-back under Amorim.

It’s that hard work that saw him transition into a forward, but it now looks like he will have to polish the defensive side of his game for when he is needed to cover for Shaw this season.

Dorgo was shown a yellow card around the hour mark and was replaced by youngster Harry Amass with 20 minutes remaining. Amass looked confident during his cameo and should be considered for more minutes.

Carrick seems likely to persevere with Dorgu at left-back when Shaw is not available, but it wouldn’t be a surprise to see him relocated to the wing sooner rather than later.

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton forced a smile as President Donald Trump mocked him mercilessly for a second night in a row at a Republican convention meant to boost his and other GOP candidates’ chances in November’s midterm elections.

Trump, who endorsed Paxton, has not been impressed by the way the Republican dresses, and he let everyone know during the two-day convention in Dallas.

“And I said something yesterday, and I don’t know if he’ll ever talk to me again. Perhaps he will. But I said it. My people said, ‘Please don’t say that.’ So I won’t say it, but I’ll tell you what I was thinking about saying,” Trump said during a closing address Thursday night.

The camera then pointed to Paxton, who looked like he was bracing himself for what the president would say next.

“I said, ‘I don’t like the way Ken dresses,” Trump said, which prompted Paxton to give off a big smile. “Although I also said he looked really sharp in that suit yesterday. I thought it was spiffy.”

Paxton has brushed off Trump’s insults about his fashion sense before, telling Fox News last week, “I’ve got this sports jacket on. I love it. And we’re gonna just keep going.

“Texas is a relatively casual place in the summer, and it’s hot. We adjust. We wear cowboy boots, and we wear a blazer, and we’re all good.”

The attorney general, who is in a competitive race for U.S. Senate in Texas against Democrat James Talarico, wore a navy suit and red tie during a speech at the convention Wednesday, where he asked supporters for their prayers and votes.

Despite Trump approving of Paxton’s outfit, he still insulted his fashion sense during his keynote address Wednesday.

“He may not dress right. He may not talk exactly perfectly, and he may not be the best-looking guy I’ve ever seen, but you know what he is? He’s the greatest Attorney General in America, and he deserves to be your next senator,” the president said.

Paxton and Talarico are neck and neck in the polls, with the Democrat leading by just three percentage points in a recent survey.

A University of Texas/Texas Politics Project poll released on August 24 found Talarico with 42 percent of Texas voter support compared to Paxton’s 39 percent.

After his jab about Paxton’s style, Trump reiterated that the Republican deserves to be elected to the Senate.

“So I don’t know if he’s going to ever speak to me again, but I don’t care as long as he wins,” the president said Thursday.

Erika Kirk shared a heartbreaking tribute to her husband Charlie as she marked the one-year anniversary of his death.

The Turning Point USA founder, 31, was fatally shot in the neck during an event at Utah Valley University on September 10, 2025.

On Thursday, one year later, Erika shared a black-and-white photo from their wedding, showing her holding Charlie’s hands with the simple message ‘…until Heaven.’

The poignant tribute came amid reports Erika, 37, planned to mark the somber anniversary in private.

‘Erika will mark the anniversary of Charlie’s death privately with her and Charlie’s two young children, their family and close friends,’ a family spokesperson told the Daily Mail.

‘She is so grateful for the continued outpouring of prayers, love and support as she and her family remember and honor Charlie as the beloved husband and father he was.’

The statement suggests Erika will not attend a planned vigil at Utah Valley University on Thursday night.

She had previously attended President Donald Trump’s speech at the Republican convention in Dallas, Texas, on Wednesday, where the commander-in-chief spoke about Charlie’s legacy. 

Erika planned to mark the anniversary of his death with family and friends

He described the shock ‘millions of Americans’ felt upon learning of Charlie’s death and bemoaned that some ‘sick people’ celebrated it.

‘I just want to say, we love you Charlie,’ Trump said, calling the shooting ‘just terrible.’

But when sculptor Sergio Furnari unveiled a life-sized statue commemorating Charlie Kirk in Times Square on Thursday, crowds flew into a frenzy as footage showed men draped in American flags arguing with protesters.

The footage showed several people pushing and shoving each other to the ground, yelling ‘F*** you’ and throwing objects across the area, despite police officers standing nearby.

Protesters against the statue were also seen yelling ‘rest in p***’ at the Kirk statue and putting their middle fingers up at Furnari as he unveiled the sculpture.  

A group of young men were seen standing in front of the statue with their hands raised to the air as the event became aggressive, as another man in an American flag vest ordered others to ‘calm down.’

One man was seen holding a large USA flag and yelling about ‘Islamists’, while other protesters squared off against him.

Charlie Kirk, 31, was fatally shot in the neck during an event at Utah Valley University on September 10, 2025

Furnari told Fox News that he began work on the Kirk sculpture soon after the conservative activist’s assassination because he was ‘saddened’ by the responses some had to the tragedy.

‘I [saw] how Erika got treated, including the parents of Charlie, and that’s what I think became my catalyzer,’ he said.

‘If you’re a parent, no matter if you were Democrat or Republican, you should have a little bit of empathy.’ 

Furnari added that he was not even an especially big fan of Kirk’s when he was alive, but he wanted to ‘stand together’ with people grieving the murder.

‘It’s not like I agree with him. There’s a lot of stuff I didn’t agree with,’ Furnari said.

‘But still, freedom of expression and, in my case, freedom of creation — there are no boundaries, no borders. That’s where we kind of stand together.’ 

The statue, standing at 6-foot-5 and costing $100,000, was built by sculptor Sergio Furnari (left)

 Furnari said he began work on the Kirk sculpture soon after the conservative activist’s assassination, because he was ‘saddened’ by the responses some had to the tragedy

Furnari said the sculpture cost him ‘probably more than $100,000’ when added to the hours he spent making it, and he launched an online fundraiser to recoup the cost of the project. 

He vowed that anyone who donates to his fundraiser will have their name engraved on the statue’s platform. 

Furnari said after he funded the sculpture with his own savings, he became more determined to unveil it to the public due to the discourse surrounding Kirk’s death.

‘I became more passionate about it — just because of the way everybody was making fun of him,’ he said.

‘I feel like they killed him once, and they kill him each time, over and over again.’ 

Man Utd beat Sabah 4-0 in the Champions League, and the manner of the win allowed Michael Carrick to use all five substitutes with time to spare.

Michael Carrick said he was “delighted” to be able to hand out Champions League debuts to two Manchester United academy graduates during their 4-0 win against Sabah at Old Trafford.

United raced into a 3-0 lead in the first half in their first Champions League game since December 2023 and that allowed Carrick to ring the changes ahead of Sunday’s first Manchester derby of the season.

Matheus Cunha, Bruno Fernandes and Benjamin Sesko scored in the first half and after Lisandro Martinez added a fourth, Carrick turned to Harry Amass and Shea Lacey, bringing on both 19-year-olds for their first appearances at this level.

It was another show of faith in the academy from Carrick and capped off a good day for the club, with the Under-19s beating Sabah 5-0 in the UEFA Youth League at Leigh Sports Village earlier in the afternoon.

“I was delighted with being able to get Harry on the pitch, and Shay,” said Carrick. “I think it’s important. It’s something that we were really kind of focused on as the game developed, really, was trying to get the younger boys on the pitch because I think it’s important for this football club to do that. Pleased with both of them.”

Amass came on for Patrick Dorgu, who had a couple of shaky moments defensively on his first start at left-back for the club but provided the assist for the opening goal and got forward well.

“I thought Pat played ever so well,” added Carrick. “He’s a big threat down that side of the pitch for us tonight, the way we played, and creating the first goal and being really dangerous. I was really pleased with Pat as well.”

A petition launched on the Government’s website is calling for the age-related personal allowance to be restored, with a proposed threshold set at 110% of the full annual new State Pension.

It also wants the allowance to rise automatically each year in line with the State Pension Triple Lock.

The petition was created by Stewart Wilks and is open for signatures until February 19, 2027.

He says: “Pensioners are more likely to spend additional income in their locally. That spending supports high streets, small businesses and jobs and generating additional VAT and other tax revenues.”

Under the Government’s petition rules, it needs to reach 10,000 signatures before ministers are required to respond.

If it reaches 100,000 signatures, it will be considered for debate in Parliament.

The petition calls for the Government to:

• Restore the age-related personal allowance for everyone of State Pension age.
• Set it at 110% of the full annual new State Pension.
• Increase the allowance automatically each year in line with the State Pension Triple Lock.
• Retain the Triple Lock for the State Pension.

The campaign comes amid continued debate over the UK’s frozen personal tax allowance.

The standard Personal Allowance is currently £12,570, meaning most people can receive up to that amount of taxable income each year before paying Income Tax.

The petition argues that pensioners should have a higher allowance linked directly to the value of the State Pension, rather than relying on the existing standard threshold.

Recommended reading

The campaign is currently a long way from the 10,000-signature mark, but it has until February next year to gather support.

It was formally published on August 19, 2026, meaning the petition is still in its early stages.

Anyone wanting the Government to consider the proposal can sign the petition online before it closes on February 19, 2027.

Matthew Wolfenden and Roxy Shahidi, who played David Metcalfe and Leyla Cavanagh on the long-running ITV soap,

Wolfenden, 46, left Emmerdale in 2023 after 17 years on the show, while Shahidi, 43, departed in February 2025 after playing Leyla on and off for 16 years.

Now, the duo has revealed they have spent the past nine years working together as writing partners.

Emmerdale stars reveal exciting new project together after leaving soap

The pair shared the news on Instagram, posting behind-the-scenes photos and a screenshot of their page on United Agents’ website.

Writing over the image, they said: “We’ve never shared the fact that for the last nine years we’ve been writing partners – it’s truly brought us so much joy.”

Their latest project is an original comedy drama, currently in development.

In a video clip, they teased a look at the pilot script, titled Washed Up.

The script opens with the Bruce Springsteen song Glory Days playing over the opening scene, which is set in 1999 at The Big Breakfast House.

The pair wrote on Instagram over the clip: “We’re loving working and laughing together and we’re so excited to be in development with our original comedy drama.”

In the final slide, Shahidi wrote: “We always have each other’s backs and I’m so grateful for this friendship, even though he is really annoying.”

They captioned the announcement: “Find people you can dream with, create with and, most importantly, laugh with.

“Then somehow work doesn’t feel quite so much like work.”

The comedy-drama isn’t their first venture outside Emmerdale.

Earlier in 2024, they launched a podcast called Celebrity Side Hustles, where they interview actors and TV personalities about their passion projects and businesses beyond acting.

No release date has been announced for their new series.

Former Coronation Street favourite lands new role next to EastEnders star

In other soap news, A former Coronation Street star has landed a new role just months after departing the ITV soap.

Daniel Brocklebank played vicar Billy Mayhew on Coronation Street from 2014 to 2026.

Brocklebank appeared on the ITV soap for the final time earlier this year, after his character Billy was killed in a car crash during the Corriedale crossover.

Brocklebank is now set to star as Caesar Flickerman in The Hunger Games: On Stage.

The production is entering its second year at the Troubadour Canary Wharf Theatre.

Brocklebank said: “It’s an absolute honour to be joining the cast as Caesar Flickerman and I’m very much looking forward to being part of such an exciting cinematic yet theatrical experience.

“I was a fan of the books, and then later the films, for many years.

“I look forward to putting my spin on him.

“Plus, I’ve always thought I’d look fabulous with blue hair.

“It’s very different from any of the many stage productions I’ve done over the last 30 years so this is an exciting string to add to my bow.

“Although Caesar doesn’t use a bow of course, I’ll be leaving that to Katniss.”

He will be joined by former EastEnders actor Neil McDermott, who takes on the role of Haymitch Abernathy.

McDermott said: “I’m delighted to be joining The Hunger Games: On Stage family and the world of Panem.

“It’s thrilling to be trusted with the responsibility of playing Haymitch, particularly in a year where the next installment of the film franchise focusing on Haymitch’s backstory is set to release in cinemas.”

Who is your favourite soap actor? Let us know in the comments.

Most of the patients were children

More than 200 patients were harmed under the care of a now-suspended orthopaedic surgeon at Addenbrooke’s Hospital. It comes after she was allowed to continue operating for another eight years after issues in her practice were identified.

Orthopaedic surgeon Kuldeep Stohr worked at Addebrooke’s Hospital in Cambridge before an investigation was launched in March 2024, when colleagues raised concerns over her patient outcomes and her decision making. She was later suspended by the Trust in February 2025.

Papers published by the Trust on its website, which have now been removed, revealed that of the 994 patients reviewed so far, 209 patients suffered harm. Of the 209 patients, 139 were children who had an elective procedure.

The figures were for a Board of Directors meeting on September 9. A total of 47 patients suffered “severe” harm and one reportedly suffered fatal physical harm.

Nicola Ayton, Chief Executive at Cambridge University Hospitals, said she was “deeply sorry” to the patients and families who came to harm or experienced care “below the standards they should expect”.

She said: “This should never have happened and we are making changes so that something like this could not happen again.” One patient, nine-year-old Jack Moate, died two months after being operated on by Ms Stohr, who specialised in paediatric surgery.

Chief Executive Ayton, added: “The external clinical review, chaired by Andrew Kennedy KC, is due to be completed later this year. We have promised that once we receive the final report, which will include confirmed levels of patient harm, we will share it with patients and families first before publishing it in full.

“We know that for patients and families hearing an update like this through the media will come as a shock and cause additional distress. We are sorry to everyone affected that a confidential interim update from the external clinical review was shared by mistake in our public board papers. I am writing to every affected patient and family to apologise and explain what happened.”

Lawyers at Hudgell Solicitors claimed they have received the first admissions of liability for patients being harmed in legal cases for compensation. Solicitor Elizabeth Maliakal says the scale of harm, combined with the years of missed opportunities to act, makes a Public Inquiry essential.

Mrs Maliakal said that she expects the final report to be “damning”. The Trust said 767 patients have been classed as suffering “no harm”, with 53 patients suffering “low harm” when treated by Ms Stohr.

Waitrose has issued an urgent recall notice for its Essential Pitted Black Olives amid listeria contamination fears, urging customers to return the product for a full refund

Advertisement

Waitrose has withdrawn a popular product from its shelves and issued an urgent recall notice to shoppers amid concerns over contamination.

The well-known British supermarket chain has recalled packs of black olives following the discovery of listeria traces in some of the products.

Waitrose identified listeria monocytogenes in 120g packs of Waitrose Essential Pitted Black Olives with a use-by date of September 13, 2026, September 18, 2026, and September 27, 2026.

Shoppers who have bought these packs of olives are strongly advised not to consume them and to return them to their nearest Waitrose store for a full refund.

Listeria can be found across a broad range of food products, though certain items are more susceptible to harbouring the bacteria. Pre-made deli meats, salads, soft mould-ripened cheeses (such as Camembert and brie), and other pre-prepared chilled food products are among the most common carriers of listeria, reports the Express.

According to the NHS, the listeria bacterium can cause a rare infection known as Listeriosis, which can leave some people seriously unwell. For the majority of people, listeriosis produces no symptoms or only mild ones lasting a few days, including a high temperature, aches and pains, chills, nausea, vomiting, and diarrhoea.

In rare instances, the infection can become more serious, potentially leading to severe complications such as meningitis. The most recent Waitrose recall alert comes after multiple food contamination cases throughout the UK over the past week, with Sainsbury’s experiencing its own black olive product recall situation just days earlier.

The prominent UK supermarket was compelled to issue an urgent recall of its Inspired to Cook Pitted Black Olives following the discovery of the Listeria monocytogenes bacterium. The recall impacted 120g packs with use-by dates of 6 September, 7 September, and 10 September 2026.

Shoppers have been advised not to consume the product and return it to the shop for a refund. Anyone requiring additional information can visit the Sainsbury’s website or contact its careline on 0800 028 8303.

Waitrose also faced another product recall challenge, with the major grocer warning shoppers not to eat its Waitrose Rhubarb Crumble if they have particular allergies. The product was discovered to contain oats, which had not been listed on the product label.

The inclusion of oats meant the product contained gluten, which had gone unlisted on the label, and was consequently problematic for individuals with allergies or Coeliac disease.

The Food Standards Agency stated: “This product contains gluten, making it a possible health risk for anyone with an allergy or intolerance to oats or gluten, or with coeliac disease. If you have bought the above product and have an allergy or intolerance to oats or gluten or have coeliac disease, do not eat it. Instead, return it to the store from where it was bought for a full refund.”

The 500g pack affected by the recall notice carries a use-by date of 19 August 2026. The product is suitable for freezing, however, meaning customers may still have it stored at home.

Waitrose’s recall notice reads: “Please check your home freezer for the product. Do not consume. Package up the item. Return the product to your local Waitrose & Partners branch for a refund. We apologise that it has been necessary to recall this product and for the inconvenience caused.”

The newlywed has plead for her husband to return home as she is concerned about his health with police launching a search operation and asking the public for help

A heartbroken newlywed pleads for her missing husband to ‘come home’ as police have launched a search for the missing man.

Dominick Bianchi, 35, is missing out of East Greenbush in New York and could be in need of medical attention.

He was last seen on Tuesday morning in the area of Forrest Pointe Drive and police are urging for any information from the public.

His wife has told News 10 that he is a Type 1 diabetic and she is unsure if he has his insulin on him.

James Condo, assistant chief of the East Greenbush Police Department said on Wednesday: “We have officers up there today continuing to search the area, canvas the residents, check local cameras.

“We had a search yesterday with the assistance of the New York State Police, Environmental Conservation, Rensselaer County Search and Rescue. We had the dogs. We had the New York State Police Aviation Unit, our own drones.”

Dominick is described to be 5’11” with blue/green eyes, brown hair, and a beard.

He has a chest tattoo of a skull and roses, a tattoo on his right arm of a baseball, and a back tattoo of a cross.

He was last seen at around 10am on Tuesday outside of his home and police believe he left on foot.

When he left home on Tuesday, he left his vehicle, phone, and wallet behind.

His wife Julianna Zyra told the outlet: “He has a continuous glucose monitor, which is paired to his phone that he doesn’t have.

“There’s a way to check his blood sugar without it, but I don’t know if he has that equipment with him.”

The pair got married just a few months ago, and she explained he had recently been struggling with his mental health.

She added: “He has been struggling mentally for quite some time, and nobody really knows about it.

“It’s not fair. And I really wish people would stay off the internet, hypothesising things that happened, he’s very sick and he is not in the right headspace.”

“Whatever it is that’s going on, there are so many people who care about you want you to be OK.

“I know you feel really alone, but there are people who want to help you. If you’re seeing this, please, come home.”