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  Former Manchester United and England captain Wayne Rooney has been named Pundit of the Year at the 2026 Broadcast Sport Awards in recognition of his work as a television football analyst. The 41-year-old, who is a regular on Stick To United, on Disney+, and the BBC's Match of the Day, received the prestigious award at a ceremony in London on Thursday night, November 5, attended by approximately 650 people from the sports broadcasting industry. Rooney's recognition follows his impressive transition into television punditry, particularly during the 2026 FIFA World Cup, where his straightforward analysis, humour and outspoken opinions attracted widespread attention from viewers. One of his most memorable moments came when he delivered a brutally honest assessment of the tournament's final half-time show, which featured Madonna, BTS, Shakira and Justin Bieber.   Speaking live on BBC Television, Rooney said: "I like a lot of them artists, but I thought it was crap." ...

  Police in Zealand have dismissed a rape allegation against Cape Verde captain Ryan Mendes and charged the accuser with making a false statement.   Detective Inspector Scott Beard said on Friday, November 6,  the claim that a sexual assault occurred at a central Auckland hotel in March had not been substantiated. A 40-year-old woman has been charged under New Zealand's Crimes Act with making a false statement. She is expected to appear in court next week.   "A decision to prosecute in these circumstances is not taken lightly and follows months of investigative work by our Adult Sexual Assault Team," Beard said.   The incident was alleged to have occurred hours after Cape Verde played Chile in a friendly match, which Chile won 4-2, in Auckland. Mendes' lawyer, Karl Trotter, said the allegation resulted in his client facing intense international media speculation. Cape Verde qualified for the 2026 World Cup, and the subject of the alleged assault arose at almost...

  US President Donald Trump has appointed Stephen Miller as White House chief of staff, replacing Susie Wiles following the Republican Party’s heavy losses in this week’s midterm elections. Miller, 41, has been a leading figure behind Trump’s immigration policies, serving as deputy chief of staff for policy and homeland security adviser. Asked on Friday, November 6, why he had replaced Wiles, Trump told reporters: “I wanted to make a change.” “Sometimes in life you have to make moves,” he added. The appointment followed Trump’s repeated assurances before the elections that there was “zero chance” he would replace Wiles. A White House official told AFP that she resigned on Thursday night. Announcing the change on Truth Social, Trump described Miller as “one of my most trusted advisors”. He said Wiles would move to his   political operation and praised her work at the White House. “I want to thank her for her service as Chief of Staff. She has done a great job!” he wrote. Mille...

  Usher and Chris Brown reportedly argued backstage before their Atlanta concert on Thursday night, contributing to a delay of nearly three hours, according to sources cited by TMZ. The disagreement reportedly centred on whether to begin the performance while fans were still arriving amid heavy traffic around the venue. Sources told the outlet that Usher wanted the show to proceed, while Brown preferred to wait for more concertgoers to reach their seats. The singers reportedly exchanged words, with one source claiming they had been highly competitive throughout their joint R&B Tour. Sources attributed Thursday’s dispute to “egos” and said the pair had not resolved their differences. However, they did not believe the disagreement threatened the tour’s continuation. The delayed performance prompted criticism from fans who had waited for the show to begin. Usher and Brown were scheduled to perform in Atlanta again on Friday night. The two previously had a confrontation at Brown’s ...

  U.S. Republican Congressman Byron Donalds has made history after winning Florida's gubernatorial election, becoming the first Black person to be elected governor in the state's history. Donalds, a three-term congressman from southwest Florida, defeated Democratic rival former Rep. David Jolly in a close race to win the Sunshine State's gubernatorial election on Tuesday's November 3. He secured 4,131,527 votes, defeating Democratic challenger David Jolly, who polled 4,023,046 votes. Donalds won by a margin of 108,481 votes, representing approximately 50.7 per cent of the total votes against Jolly's 49.3 per cent.   The Republican Congressman, who is a close ally of President Trump, will succeed term-limited Gov. Ron DeSantis, extending nearly three decades of Republican control of Florida's governor's mansion.   "I am humbled and grateful beyond measure," Donalds said in a victory statement posted to X. "As your Governor, I will give you ever...

  Democrat Gina Hinojosa has made history after defeating Republican incumbent Greg Abbott in the Texas gubernatorial election, becoming the first Latina woman to be elected governor of the state. Hinojosa's victory in Tuesday's November 3 election ends Abbott's bid for a fourth consecutive term and marks a major political shift in Texas, which has been governed by Republicans for more than three decades. The Democratic candidate secured 4,735,948 votes, defeating Republican incumbent Greg Abbott, who polled 4,109,653 votes. Hinojosa won by a margin of 626,295 votes, securing approximately 53.5 per cent of the total votes against Abbott's 46.5 per cent.   “Here’s what Texas said today, loud and clear: Your government belongs to you,” said Hinojosa in her victory speech. “As your governor, I will never forget it.”   When Hinojosa, 52, takes office in January 2027, she will be the first Latina sworn in to serve as Texas governor and the first Democratic governor since Ann...