Protesters Urge Wimbledon to Cut Ties with Barclays over Israel Business Deals

Protesters of the Palestine Solidarity Campaign against the tournament's sponsor Barclays gather outside the Wimbledon Tennis Championships in London, Monday, June 30, 2025. (AP Photo/Alastair Grant)
Protesters of the Palestine Solidarity Campaign against the tournament's sponsor Barclays gather outside the Wimbledon Tennis Championships in London, Monday, June 30, 2025. (AP Photo/Alastair Grant)
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Protesters Urge Wimbledon to Cut Ties with Barclays over Israel Business Deals

Protesters of the Palestine Solidarity Campaign against the tournament's sponsor Barclays gather outside the Wimbledon Tennis Championships in London, Monday, June 30, 2025. (AP Photo/Alastair Grant)
Protesters of the Palestine Solidarity Campaign against the tournament's sponsor Barclays gather outside the Wimbledon Tennis Championships in London, Monday, June 30, 2025. (AP Photo/Alastair Grant)

Pro-Palestinian protesters urged Wimbledon to drop Barclays as a sponsor Monday because of the British bank's business dealings with Israel.

About two dozen protesters from Palestine Solidarity Campaign demonstrated by the main entrance of the All England Club as thousands of fans arrived for Day 1 of the tournament.

“They’re the bank for the arms companies that are obviously supplying weapons to Israel,” protester Khalid Zalmay told The Associated Press. “We should not be arming Israel, we should not be allowing anybody to facilitate arming them, and I think ties should be cut with Israel, the same way that ties were cut with Russia.”

One protester held a sign that said Barclays is a “sponsor of Wimbledon and genocide.”

Barclays said it is “proud of our partnership with Wimbledon” and defended its business practices.

“We provide a range of financial services and products to companies supplying defense products to the UK, NATO and its allies,” the company statement said. “As NATO, the EU and UK seek to increase their defense capabilities in response to increasing geopolitical threats, the provision of financial products and services to the defense sector is becoming increasingly important.”



Chelsea's Gittens Out for 'a Long Time' with Hamstring Tear, Rosenior Says

Chelsea's Jamie Gittens walks off the pitch after getting injured during the English Premier League soccer match between Chelsea and West Ham United in London, Saturday, Jan. 31, 2026. (AP Photo/Alastair Grant) (ASSOCIATED PRESS)
Chelsea's Jamie Gittens walks off the pitch after getting injured during the English Premier League soccer match between Chelsea and West Ham United in London, Saturday, Jan. 31, 2026. (AP Photo/Alastair Grant) (ASSOCIATED PRESS)
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Chelsea's Gittens Out for 'a Long Time' with Hamstring Tear, Rosenior Says

Chelsea's Jamie Gittens walks off the pitch after getting injured during the English Premier League soccer match between Chelsea and West Ham United in London, Saturday, Jan. 31, 2026. (AP Photo/Alastair Grant) (ASSOCIATED PRESS)
Chelsea's Jamie Gittens walks off the pitch after getting injured during the English Premier League soccer match between Chelsea and West Ham United in London, Saturday, Jan. 31, 2026. (AP Photo/Alastair Grant) (ASSOCIATED PRESS)

Chelsea winger Jamie Gittens is facing a long time on the sidelines after the 21-year-old suffered a hamstring tear during last weekend's Premier League win over West Ham United, manager Liam Rosenior said on Thursday. The latest injury blow came as Chelsea, whose five-match winning streak ended in Tuesday's loss to Arsenal in the League Cup semi-finals, look to shrug off the setback in their next Premier League game at bottom side Wolverhampton Wanderers.

"Jamie, he's looking a little bit more long-term. It's a real shame for him. He's got a tear in his hamstring. I have not worked with him for too long," Rosenior told reporters on Thursday.

"Obviously, I know about his career and what an outstanding player he is. So that's going to be a big miss for us."

Left winger Gittens is one of eight Chelsea players out due to injury issues, including forward Pedro Neto, and midfielders Dario Essugo and Romeo Lavia. Chelsea have won their last three Premier League matches to move up to fifth, and progressed to the Champions League's round of 16, before the setback against Arsenal.

Rosenior said the Chelsea players had responded positively to the loss.

"The lads were devastated, and rightfully so, after the game in the dressing room. But I've spoken to them. You get setbacks in life. It's how you respond," Rosenior said.

"The response in training today and in the meetings that we've had has been really positive. We have to now focus on the future, which is Wolves on Saturday."


Saudi National Team Selects Austin as Main Camp Base for World Cup 2026

The selection of Austin followed a comprehensive technical and logistical evaluation that included field visits - SPA
The selection of Austin followed a comprehensive technical and logistical evaluation that included field visits - SPA
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Saudi National Team Selects Austin as Main Camp Base for World Cup 2026

The selection of Austin followed a comprehensive technical and logistical evaluation that included field visits - SPA
The selection of Austin followed a comprehensive technical and logistical evaluation that included field visits - SPA

The Saudi national football team has selected the city of Austin, Texas, as its main base during its participation in the FIFA World Cup 2026™, which will be held next summer in Canada, Mexico, and the United States.

The selection of Austin followed a comprehensive technical and logistical evaluation that included field visits and an assessment of the readiness of sports facilities, the suitability of climatic conditions, and the quality of training infrastructure, in addition to its geographic proximity to the host cities for the team’s matches in the tournament, which will help reduce travel time and enhance the efficiency of the daily program, SPA reported.

The designation of the national team’s base comes within the framework of the approved methodology for preparing the team for the World Cup, which focuses on providing a stable and motivating working environment for the technical and administrative staff, enabling the implementation of training and preparation programs in accordance with the highest standards, and enhancing players’ physical and mental readiness throughout the participation period.

The Saudi national team will compete in Group H of the FIFA World Cup 2026™ alongside Spain, Uruguay, and Cape Verde, in the tournament scheduled to take place from June 11 to July 19.


Liverpool in 'Good Place' for Years to Come, Says Slot

Liverpool's Dutch manager Arne Slot applauds fans on the pitch after the English Premier League football match between Liverpool and Newcastle United at Anfield in Liverpool, north west England on January 31, 2026. Liverpool won the game 4-1. (Photo by Paul ELLIS / AFP)
Liverpool's Dutch manager Arne Slot applauds fans on the pitch after the English Premier League football match between Liverpool and Newcastle United at Anfield in Liverpool, north west England on January 31, 2026. Liverpool won the game 4-1. (Photo by Paul ELLIS / AFP)
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Liverpool in 'Good Place' for Years to Come, Says Slot

Liverpool's Dutch manager Arne Slot applauds fans on the pitch after the English Premier League football match between Liverpool and Newcastle United at Anfield in Liverpool, north west England on January 31, 2026. Liverpool won the game 4-1. (Photo by Paul ELLIS / AFP)
Liverpool's Dutch manager Arne Slot applauds fans on the pitch after the English Premier League football match between Liverpool and Newcastle United at Anfield in Liverpool, north west England on January 31, 2026. Liverpool won the game 4-1. (Photo by Paul ELLIS / AFP)

Liverpool's recruitment of rising stars will put the club on a sure footing for years to come, according to manager Arne Slot despite a difficult season for the Premier League champions.

The Reds sit sixth in the Premier League after a difficult start to life at Anfield for a number of new recruits in a near £450 million ($616 million) spending spree in the summer transfer market, said AFP.

Highly-rated French defender Jeremy Jacquet will also join for the start of next season after Liverpool agreed a deal with Rennes worth up to £60 million for the 20-year-old.

"Such a big talent and another example of the model we're using at this club," Slot said on Thursday.

"Young, very talented players, sometimes at the start of their careers or sometimes already a little bit a few years into their career, but always players that are young and can improve us in the short term but also definitely in the long term.

"We've signed a lot of them recently and the mid-long term future of this club, and even the short term, is in a very good place."

Hugo Ekitike and Florian Wirtz are two of the club's big money signings that are beginning to deliver returns on the near £200 million invested in signing them from the Bundesliga.

Ekitike scored twice in a 4-1 win over Newcastle last weekend to take his tally for the season to 15, while Wirtz has netted six times in 10 matches since ending a 22-game wait for his first Liverpool goal.

"As a manager, even if he is struggling a little bit at the start, you have to keep playing him because that is the only way he can improve," said Slot on Wirtz finding his feet in the Premier League.

"He didn't improve that much on the ball because from the start he was special. Maybe now he has a better connection with his teammates because they've played more and more together.

"Off the ball is where I see the biggest improvement with him, and some others, and that combination makes you ready for the Premier League."

Liverpool host Manchester City on Sunday in a match with huge ramifications for the title race and the battle to qualify for next season's Champions League.

City trail leaders Arsenal by six points and could find themselves nine adrift by the time they kick off with the Gunners hosting Sunderland on Saturday.

Liverpool could also be four points outside the top five, which should secure a place in the Champions League, should Manchester United and Chelsea win on Saturday.

Slot is keen to make amends for his side's 3-0 defeat to City in November.

"They were the better team and I think we want to show a different side of us this time."