89 m. ago Get ready to rumble: how wrestling broke out of the ring and on to the stage

Far from the big money and bombast of WWE, standup comedians, performance artists and drag kings are adopting the sport and taking it down unexpected new creative pathsPhil Wang was about to get his hands on the championship belt. He was claiming the prize for Clash of the Comics, the bombastic night that throws comedians and pro wrestlers into the ring, when Ed Gamble stormed in, knocked everyone out, and swanned off with the belt. “Well,” corrects the comedian and Clash co-founder Max Olesker, “we were knocked down by his henchman.” Hulking pro wrestler Bullit was the one to clothesline him and his comedy partner, Ivan Gonzalez. “I think I could have taken Ed if he’d been on his own,” huffs Olesker.The popularity of pro wrestling has fluctuated since its golden era in the 1980s. At the start of this year, WWE made the leap on to Netflix with an eye-watering $5bn (£4bn) deal, inching the skimpily clad, heavily muscled combat sport higher in the public consciousness. In Br...

Sport

98 m. ago Mikel Arteta and Jamie Carragher agree on Arsenal star's new role as Eberechi Eze point made

Mikel Arteta made a tactical tweak to get the best out of Martin Odegaard against Olympiacos and it could spell trouble for Arsenal's Europa League and Premier League rivals

Politics

2 h. ago Ryan Reynolds shows true colours with message to Wrexham star who suffered major injury

Ryan Reynolds has been lifting Wrexham midfielder Andy Cannon's spirits during his rehabilitation from an ACL injury, sending him funny videos as targets a December return

Events

2 h. ago ‘They never told me where I was going’: a family falls into Louisiana’s ‘black hole’ of deportation

Exclusive: A mother and her two US citizen children – including one with stage 4 cancer – disappeared and were deported to HondurasIt was a highway exit sign that gave away their final destination: Alexandria, Louisiana.They were driven in the back of an immigration enforcement truck – their belongings confiscated and their passports seized. Rosario* and her two US citizen children – one of whom has stage 4 kidney cancer – had no idea where agents were planning to take them. Continue reading...

Politics

2 h. ago 'I watched American golf fans abusing Rory McIlroy at Ryder Cup – his response was epic'

Rory McIlroy has been labelled "the greatest of them all" for putting the abusive Bethpage Black fans in their place and leading Team Europe to Ryder Cup glory

Sport

3 h. ago United Rugby Championship clash between Edinburgh and Ulster postponed due to Storm Amy

The fixture will now be played at a later date

Sport

3 h. ago Barry McGuigan remembers Thrilla in Manila 50 years on from legendary fight

This week marked the 50th anniversary of the Thrilla in Manila between Muhammad Ali and Joe Frazier. Former world champion Barry McGuigan gives his memories on the momentous fight

Politics

3 h. ago Australian mushroom killer Erin Patterson set to appeal triple murder conviction

New legal team says they intend to file appeal but need more time to prepare

Events

3 h. ago Alan Shearer tells Ryan Reynolds one key thing he must do to take Wrexham to the Premier League

Wrexham and Birmingham are set to go head-to-head in the Championship on Friday evening, with both clubs aiming to reach the top flight with the backing of their wealthy owners

Politics

4 h. ago Welsh shot put star Funmi Oduwaiye bags bronze at World Para Athletics Championships

Oduwaiye, 22, banked bronze in the F44 event after a personal best of 12.11m with her very first attempt proved enough for a maiden global gong

Politics

4 h. ago ‘We’re all in this together’: New York cathedral pays tribute to immigrants with new mural

At St Patrick’s Cathedral, the largest permanent artwork commisioned in its 146-year history is a plea for acceptance and community at a difficult timeIn the neo-gothic splendor of New York’s St Patrick’s Cathedral, a throng of today’s immigrants – mostly Latino, Asian, and Black – pause on a hillside slope with their humble sacks and bags. A man in a T-shirt cradles an infant, a kid in sneakers sits glumly in the foreground. Overhead in the towering clouds, the Lamb of God stands on a white altar amid the clustering gleam of golden pendulous stripes evoking the presence of God.The scene, humane and magnificent, is a part of what is perhaps the most significant new piece of public art in today’s riven America. Continue reading...

Events

4 h. ago ‘I use cannabis as medicine’: the US basketball player facing execution in Indonesia over $400 of gummies

Unlike his fellow basketball player, Brittney Griner, Jarred Shaw has received scant attention after being arrested for a drugs offence overseasWhen Jarred Shaw, an American basketball player in Indonesia, stepped down to the lobby in his apartment complex earlier this year to collect a package containing illegally imported cannabis gummies, he thought that the medicine to ease his Crohn’s disease had arrived.It had – but so too had 10 undercover police officers. A video on social media shows Shaw, wearing a black T-shirt and shorts, shouting for help as the swarm of officers move to apprehend him.The Indonesian National Police did not respond to a request for comment for this story. Continue reading...

Sport

4 h. ago People on State Pension due to find out new payment rates before Autumn Budget next month

The earnings growth rate is on track to be the Triple Lock measure used for the 2026/27 annual uprating.

Economics

5 h. ago Forest fans turn on Postecoglou, England squad news and more: football – live

⚽ Keep up with the latest news before the weekend’s action⚽ Premier League: 10 things to look out for | And email JohnHere’s our usual lookahead, including to tonight’s game at Bournemouth.Unbeaten in the league since their Friday night opener at Anfield, Bournemouth’s early momentum has been stalled by consecutive draws: at home to Newcastle and at Leeds last week. Fulham visit the Vitality on Friday, offering Andoni Iraola’s side a presentable chance of recapturing winning ways and going second in the table. After a turbulent summer, Iraola has sought consistency in his team selection. Trailing 2-1 at Leeds, the Bournemouth manager made a triple change to restore three usual starters – David Brooks, Alex Scott and Marcus Tavernier – to his XI and was rewarded with a late leveller. Bournemouth have also maintained defensive stability, conceding just once in four games between the trips to Liverpool and Leeds. Marcos Senesi, often playing in an otherwise brand-new back five, has b...

Sport

5 h. ago Arne Slot gives major Alisson injury update as double Liverpool boost confirmed

Liverpool goalkeeper Alisson was withdrawn through injury during the midweek Champions League defeat to Galatasaray and Arne Slot has now confirmed how long he will be sidelined for

Events

5 h. ago Agriculture: The Spiritual Sound review – unabashedly gorgeous noise from ‘ecstatic black metal’ band

(The Flenser)The LA group’s second album pairs all the power and euphoria of heavy music with imaginative detailing and poignant lyrics – it will have you levitating with joy All of the euphoria, transcendence and power of heavy music emanates with blinding force from the second album by this self-described “ecstatic black metal” band from Los Angeles.The Spiritual Sound pairs crushing weight with imaginative detailing. Lead single Bodhidharma rides a riff fit for a biker gang, then a burst of static and screaming heralds a sad post-rock middle eight. The maligned art of the widdly-woo solo is spectacularly resurrected by guitarist Richard Chowenhill, whose soloing here and on highlight Flea will have you levitating with joy – but then the calm ballad Hallelujah features falling guitar notes played with childlike simplicity. Continue reading...

Culture

5 h. ago Arsenal news: Viktor Gyokeres 'could score 40 goals' as club legend warns duo

Arsenal were in action against Olympiacos in the Champions League on Wednesday night and there has been a fair bit of talk coming out of the Gunners camp since the recent win over West Ham

Events

5 h. ago PGA chief to apologise to Rory McIlroy and wife Erica after Ryder Cup abuse ‘crossed the line’

McIlroy was a primary receiver of heckling and abuse on Europe’s way to a 15-13 win at Bethpage Black in New York

Events

6 h. ago Vladimir Putin assassination attempt after plot try to kill him in plush resort revealed

Russian war analysts claim Ukrainian overnight drone strikes on Black Sea resort Sochi may have been an attempt to assassinate Vladimir Putin after his anti-Western rant

Events

6 h. ago Ozzy Osbourne's 'biggest fear' before death and honest reaction to Black Sabbath gig after spinal surgery

He returned to the stage for the final time, months after undergoing spinal surgery, before his sad death, aged 76

Events