Outside Edge
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference."El Ingles" is back. Today Frank Evans dons his suit of lights in southern Spain and returns to the bullring for the first time in three years. As Salford's only matador is 65 and recently underwent a quad-ruple heart bypass and replacement knee surgery, the bull's chance's appear better than average, but Evans says optimistically: "Today's 65 is yesterday's 40." He's certainly a survivor, having played rugby for Sale for eight years, worked as George Best's manager for four and suffered numerous close encounters with bulls' horns, including a particularly painful rectal rearrangement in 1983. Let's hope he doesn't get gored in the ring again today.
16
Or is it 13? Chinese Olympic gold-medal gymnast He Kexin's passport states her birth date is 1 January 1992, so why did the official Xinhua news agency give her age as 13 as recently as November? Send your answers to: We Want To Win As Many Medals As Possible And Don't Care How We Do It, Beijing.
Fair shout of the week
The finns may have their wife-carrying champion-ships, as detailed here previously, but in America husband-calling and hog-calling are the contests of choice in the fly-over states. Last weekend Doris Probst from Effingham, or it may have been Blindingham, entered both at the Illinois State Fair. She came nowhere in the former, but oinked her way to victory in the latter, the first woman to do so. We can't help thinking there's a moral in there somewhere, but we have absolutely no idea what it is.
Good week for
Shoaib Akhtar, banned fast bowler recalled by Pakistan for the Champions Trophy squad without being made to pay a £57,000 fine... Bindra Abinav, won India's first-ever individual Olympic gold in the 10m air rifle event... and Benjamin Boukpeti, won Togo's first Olympic medal of any hue when taking kayak bronze.
Bad week for
Ruud Gullit, resigned as the coach of LA Galaxy after seven winless games... Luke Donald, a member of the previous two winning Ryder Cup teams, misses this year's event after wrist surgery... Roger Federer, lost in the Olympic tennis quarter-finals and loses his world No 1 ranking tomorrow... and Walthamstow greyhound track, closed yesterday after 75 years of racing.
Look alike contest of the week
Deadline approaches. The complete-drivel cupboard is bare. An email floods in. Phew! Saved by the PR industry yet again. This week's award for shameless – and successful – self-promotion goes to Screwfix, who are searching for tradesmen who look like famous footballers to play in a five-a-side game on 7 September before the Masters final in Birming-ham. Not much competition so far at screwfix.com – their Gianluca Vialli has more of a resemblance to Bobby Charlton, and Paul Gascoigne wasn't Indian the last time we looked – so come on, plasterersand plumbers, get your pix out for the lads.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments