Can an aspirin a day keep cancer at bay?
For decades, aspirin has been known as a go-to painkiller. New research reveals how it may also help fight cancer. While previous research hinted at a link between aspirin use and improved cancer survival, a study published in Nature last week explains why. However, experts caution that aspirin is not a cure – and it carries risks like increased potential for internal bleeding. So, how might aspirin keep cancer from spreading? And what does this mean for future treatments? What have studies found about aspirin use and cancer? Recent studies have revealed how aspirin, a widely used painkiller, may help prevent the spread of cancer, although it is unclear whether it would work the same for all types of the disease. Researchers have been exploring this link for decades. The first clinical study, published in 1988, showed that regular aspirin use significantly lowered the risk of colorectal cancer, though the underlying reason remained unclear. Now, a new study from the University of Cambridge offers more insight. It found the mechanism by which aspirin may help prevent cancer from spreading, a process known as metastasis. Advertisement Metastasis is responsible for the majority of cancer-related deaths, as cancer cells break away from the original tumour and try to take root elsewhere across the body. As these drifting cancer cells go rogue, aspirin may enhance the body’s natural ability to fight back, keeping the cancer cells from taking hold of more organs. How can aspirin keep cancer from spreading? The key to aspirin’s effect on cancer lies in the body’s immune system, a complex network of cells and proteins that defends against infections, diseases and harmful germs. When cancer cells break away from a tumour, they enter the bloodstream, where the immune system – specifically types of white blood cells known as T-cells – normally hunts them down and destroys them. However, platelets – tiny cell fragments in the blood that help with clotting – can interfere with this process. Cancer takes advantage of platelets by triggering a response similar to an injury. When platelets detect the free-floating cancer cells, they rush to coat them, much like they would cover a wound to stop bleeding. This creates a protective shield, making it harder for the immune system to recognise and attack the cancer cells. Additionally, platelets release signals that suppress T-cells, preventing them from doing their job. Aspirin disrupts cancer’s attempts at trickery by reducing the production of a molecule that platelets use to suppress immune activity. With the platelets weakened, T-cells regain their ability to recognise and destroy cancer cells before they have a chance to form new tumours. Advertisement How could aspirin be used against cancer? The study suggests that aspirin could be used after treatments like surgery where tumours are removed. This is because some cancer cells may have already escaped from the tumour and begun to settle in other parts of the body, a process known as seeding, where tiny cancer cells embed themselves in new areas and may later grow into tumours. However, experts caution against immediately using aspirin as a cancer treatment without further research. The painkiller carries the potential for serious side effects such as internal bleeding because by weakening the platelets, it can weaken their ability to help blood clot. Aspirin blocks a molecule that prods platelets to clump together. This makes the blood thinner and increases the risk of uncontrolled bleeding. This is especially dangerous in the stomach, where aspirin can irritate the lining and cause ulcers, and in the brain, where it raises the risk of a hemorrhagic stroke if a tiny blood vessel bursts. Additionally, the study was carried out on mice, not humans, so its effects on cancer spread still need to be confirmed before it can be recommended for treatment. “Our research provides a molecular explanation for observations from clinical studies, but proper clinical validation is still needed,” Rahul Roychoudhuri, a professor in Cambridge’s Department of Pathology who was part of the Nature study, told Al Jazeera. Several clinical trials, such as the ADD-ASPIRIN trial in the United Kingdom, Ireland and India, are under way to determine which patients are most likely to benefit most from taking aspirin and whether it works for specific types of cancers. Advertisement Roychoudhuri added that he does not anticipate an “immediate fast-tracked translation” of aspirin to cancer treatment. Has aspirin been used against diseases in the past? Some patients with a high genetic risk for cancer, such as those with Lynch syndrome (a condition that increases the likelihood of developing certain cancers), are already recommended aspirin as a preventive measure in countries such as Australia and the UK. Since the 1980s, aspirin has also been prescribed to help prevent heart attacks and strokes in people at high risk of heart disease, by reducing the ability of platelets to form harmful clots that can block blood flow to the heart or brain. This clot-preventing effect helps lower the risk of heart attacks in those with a history of cardiovascular disease. Does this mean we are close to a breakthrough in curing cancer? Not necessarily. While aspirin may help slow or prevent the spread of cancer, it does not eliminate tumours entirely. However, scientists are working to identify biomarkers – measurable signs in the blood – and platelet activity to help detect individuals at risk for cancer early on. “This would allow for timely treatment with aspirin while minimising unnecessary exposure for those who do not require it,” said Paola Patrignani, a professor of pharmacology at Gabriele d‘Annunzio University in Italy. Experts say the findings could also contribute to the development of drugs that inhibit cancer spread. “Our discoveries open possibilities for developing more targeted therapies that could potentially provide the benefits without aspirin’s side effects,” Roychoudhuri said. Advertisement Patrignani, who is involved in research funded by Cancer Research UK to investigate whether other anti-platelet drugs, like clopidogrel, might offer similar benefits, says these studies will require another three to five years to be completed.
Russia-Ukraine war: List of key events, day 1,115
These are the key developments on day 1,115 of Russia’s war on Ukraine. Here is the situation on Saturday, March 15: Fighting Russian President Vladimir Putin called for beleaguered Ukrainian troops in the Russian region of Kursk to “surrender”, saying that “if they lay down their arms and surrender, they will be guaranteed life and dignified treatment”. Putin’s remarks were broadcast on Russian television hours after United States President Donald Trump said that “thousands” of Ukrainian troops were surrounded by the Russian military in Kursk, adding that he has “strongly requested” Putin to spare their lives. Ukraine’s General Staff denied again that its forces in Kursk were encircled by Moscow’s troops and said that any reports to that effect were “fabricated by the Russians for political manipulation and to exert pressure on Ukraine and its partners”. A Russian missile struck a residential area in the central Ukrainian city of Kryvyi Rih, injuring 11 people, including two children, the regional governor said. Kryvyi Rih is Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s hometown and has been the target of repeated attacks in Russia’s three-year full-scale invasion of its neighbour. Advertisement Russian guided bombs struck a series of targets in Ukraine, including a residential area in the southern Ukrainian city of Kherson, killing one person, the regional governor said on Telegram. Near Ukraine’s Black Sea city of Odesa, Russian drones attacked the port of Chornomorsk, cutting power completely to the area’s residents, the regional governor said. Russian air defences downed four Ukrainian drones attacking the Russian capital, Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said. One drone damaged the roof of an apartment building a few kilometres from the Kremlin. Several other buildings were lightly damaged by drone fragments, but there were no injuries, according to emergency officials. A far-right anti-Russian activist was shot dead on a street in Odesa and a suspect has been arrested, Zelenskyy said on Telegram. The suspect, a 46-year-old man, was described as a “deserter” from the Ukrainian army. Police said, “We cannot rule out the possibility that this crime was committed on behalf of Russian secret services”. Ceasefire Putin met with US envoy Steve Witkoff to discuss details of the US proposal for a 30-day ceasefire in Moscow’s war on Ukraine, asking him to convey Moscow’s thoughts to Washington, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said. Trump said he was “being a little bit sarcastic” when he repeatedly claimed as a presidential candidate that he would have the Russia-Ukraine war solved within 24 hours – and even before he even took office. “Well, I was being a little bit sarcastic when I said that,” Trump said in a clip released in advance of a television interview to be broadcast on Sunday. In a speech at the US Department of Justice, Trump said that ceasefire negotiations with Russia were ongoing and praised his relationship with Putin, saying that the Russian leader “has respect for this country”. He again suggested that Ukraine was to blame for Russia’s 2022 invasion, saying, “You don’t want to pick on somebody that’s a lot larger than you.” Advertisement United Kingdom Prime Minister Keir Starmer accused Putin of not taking US-led attempts to secure a ceasefire in Ukraine seriously. French President Emmanuel Macron in a post on X, also called on Moscow to stop its “acts of violence” in Ukraine. G7 foreign ministers warned Russia of new sanctions unless it accepted a ceasefire “on equal terms”, saying sanctions could include “caps on oil prices, as well as additional support for Ukraine, and other means”. Politics and diplomacy European support for Ukraine will be discussed in a video conference with about 25 European Union and other world leaders, as well as Zelenskyy, on Saturday. Diplomatic sources said EU foreign affairs chief Kaja Kallas is to propose that the 27-country bloc supply up to 40 billion euros ($43.5bn) in new military aid to Ukraine. The UK’s Starmer will urge leaders from the so-called “coalition of the willing”, which includes Europe, Australia, Canada and New Zealand, to make concrete commitments to support Ukraine and increase pressure on Russia to accept a ceasefire during the video conference. Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Andrei Rudenko is visiting North Korea, North Korean state media report. Russia and Venezuela announced plans to increase energy cooperation after Washington ordered US oil giant Chevron to pull out of the Caribbean country. Adblock test (Why?)
US says South African ambassador ‘no longer welcome’
The Trump administration has frequently sparred with South Africa over the legacy of apartheid and criticism of Israel. The administration of President Donald Trump has declared South African Ambassador Ebrahim Rasool a persona non grata in the United States. In a social media post on Friday, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said that Rasool was “no longer welcome in our great country”. “Ebrahim Rasool is a race-baiting politician who hates America and hates POTUS,” Rubio wrote, using the acronym for President of the United States. “We have nothing to discuss with him and so he is considered PERSONA NON GRATA.” Rubio linked his remarks to an article by the right-wing media outlet Breitbart, wherein Rasool is quoted as saying Trump mobilised a “supremacist instinct” and “white victimhood” as a “dog whistle” during the 2024 elections. Rasool’s expulsion is the latest in a series of moves by the Trump administration castigating South Africa, a country that has supported Palestinian rights and helped spearhead a case at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) accusing Israel, a US ally, of genocidal acts in Gaza. Advertisement Earlier this week, the news outlet Semafor reported that Rasool, a veteran diplomat, has been denied what are typically routine opportunities to speak with officials at the US State Department, as well as with high-level Republicans, since Trump’s inauguration. Rasool returned to his post as South Africa’s ambassador to the US in January. He previously served in the role from 2010 to 2015, during the presidency of Barack Obama. South Africa is governed by the African National Congress (ANC), a party that emerged out of the anti-apartheid struggle that ended white minority rule in that country. But its government has been a target of particular ire for the Trump administration and allies like right-wing billionaire Elon Musk, who is of South African origin. Trump’s government has accused the ANC government of discriminating against its white population. Trump has nixed aid to South Africa and, in February – at a time when the White House had almost entirely shuttered refugee admissions for people fleeing violence and repression around the world – Trump offered expedited citizenship for white Afrikaners “escaping government-sponsored race-based discrimination”. The announcement was a response to a land distribution law meant to address inequalities that have continued since the apartheid era. The South African government says that Trump is misinformed about the law, which has not been used to confiscate any land. Vincent Magwenya, a spokesperson for South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, told the Reuters news agency that his country was “not going to partake in a counterproductive megaphone diplomacy” – referring to Trump’s propensity for issuing missives about South Africa on social media. Advertisement Despite Trump’s portrayal of Afrikaners as a besieged minority, South African authorities say that the economic legacy of apartheid, during which white South Africans exercised near-total control over the economy, persists in continued levels of economic inequality between Black and white residents. A 2017 government audit found that while Black people make up 80 percent of the population of South Africa, they own just 4 percent of privately held farmland. The white Afrikaners who own the vast majority of South Africa’s farmland comprise a mere 8 percent of the population. Rasool and his family were themselves expelled from their home in Cape Town during the apartheid period, when Black people were forcibly relocated to designated non-white areas with almost no resources or economic opportunities. Adblock test (Why?)
In Justice Department speech, Donald Trump threatens opponents with jail
“This is a storied hall, if there ever was one.” That is how President Donald Trump opened his remarks to the United States Department of Justice, before he launched into a speech that denounced judges, prosecutors and members of his predecessor’s government as corrupt. It was an extraordinary moment that hinted at potential legal action against political rivals. Trump went on to argue that the 2024 election had granted him a mandate to investigate those he felt had committed “abuses” under the presidency of former President Joe Biden. “I will insist upon and demand full and complete accountability for the wrongs and abuses that have occurred,” Trump said. “ The American people have given us a mandate, and really, just a far-reaching investigation is what they are demanding into the corruption of our system.” Critics have long feared that Trump would seek retribution against his political rivals if he returned to power. While on the campaign trail in 2024, he repeatedly referred to Democrats as “the enemy from within”, calling them “evil” and more dangerous than the threats posed by China and Russia. He also threatened critics, like Republican Liz Cheney, with jail and said he would appoint a special prosecutor to go after Biden. Advertisement But Friday’s speech to the Justice Department was a platform for Trump to renew those threats — and continue to spread false claims that cast doubt on his defeat to Biden in the 2020 presidential election. “I think it was the most humiliating time in the history of our country,” Trump said of Biden’s term. “What a difference a rigged and crooked election had on our country. When you think about it, the people who did this to us should go to jail. They should go to jail.” President Donald Trump speaks at the Justice Department in Washington, DC, on March 14 [Pool via AP] Trump justifies department firings Trump even took aim at prosecutors who worked in the Justice Department, particularly those who participated in criminal investigations against him. Since taking office for a second term on January 20, the president has led a campaign against what he considers “Biden bureaucrats“, though critics point out that many are nonpartisan civil service members. Among the thousands of federal employees terminated in the last two months were career prosecutors who participated in the two federal probes into Trump’s behaviour: one for alleged mishandling of classified documents, and the other for attempting to subvert the 2020 election. Both cases were ultimately dropped after Trump won re-election on November 5. The Justice Department has a policy of not prosecuting sitting presidents. But while career prosecutors are tasked with serving whichever president is in office, Trump has sought to ensure their removal. Advertisement He has also accused the Biden administration of “weaponising” the Justice Department in an effort to derail his re-election campaign. “As we begin a proud new chapter in the chronicles of American justice, this really is something we’re turning the page on: four long years of corruption, weaponisation and surrender to violent criminals,” Trump said on Friday. “ But first, we must be honest about the lies and abuses that have occurred within these walls. Unfortunately, in recent years, a corrupt group of hacks and radicals within the ranks of the American government obliterated the trust and goodwill built up over generations. They weaponised the vast powers of our intelligence and law enforcement agencies to try and thwart the will of the American people.” Trump touted the firing of Justice Department prosecutors from the stage, describing them as “Marxist”, though he did acknowledge he may have fired some loyal public servants. “Last month, I fired all the radical left pro-crime US attorneys appointed by Joe Biden. There were so many that were bad, and I know there were some that were probably very good. But there were so many that were so bad and so evil, so corrupt,” he said. His speech appeared to signal more firings to come, as Trump continues his campaign against officials associated with Biden. “We will expel the rogue actors and corrupt forces from our government. We will expose and very much expose their egregious crimes and severe misconduct of which was levels — you’ve never seen anything like it,” Trump said. Advertisement “It’s going to be legendary. It’s going to also be legendary for the people that are able to seek it out and bring justice.” Demonstrators protest against the Trump administration near the White House on March 14 [Jacquelyn Martin/AP Photo] Trump calls coverage of court cases ‘illegal’ Before his election, Trump faced a total of four criminal indictments: the two federal cases, plus a state-level case in Georgia about alleged election interference and another in New York for falsifying business records. That case pertained to alleged efforts to cover up a hush-money payment to an adult film actress, Stormy Daniels, who claimed they had an affair. While Trump denied any sexual relationship with Daniels and refuted the allegations of wrongdoing, he was nevertheless found guilty of 34 felony counts in the New York case. In the weeks before his January inauguration, he was sentenced to an unconditional discharge, which did not involve any punishment. “The case against me was bull****,” Trump said bluntly at one point on Friday. He was the first president — past or present — to face criminal charges, much less be convicted. Trump re-litigated those cases, however, in front of the Justice Department audience on Friday and even issued vague threats to journalists for their coverage of the cases. He accused members of the media of attempting to illegally sway the judges presiding over his criminal cases. “They take tremendous abuse in The New York Times and The Washington Post,” Trump said of the judges. Advertisement “They take such abuse. And honestly, very simply, they’re afraid of bad publicity. They don’t want bad publicity, and it’s truly interference in my opinion. And it should be illegal, and it probably is illegal in some form.”
US arrests second student, imposes ‘receivership’ on Columbia University
The administration of President Donald Trump has arrested a second student protester and set a deadline for Columbia University, one of the most prestigious campuses in the United States, to cede control of one of its academic departments. In a news release on Friday, the Department of Homeland Security accused Leqaa Kordia, a Palestinian student at Columbia, of overstaying her F-1 student visa. The statement explained that agents from Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detained her for deportation. Another foreign student, Ranjani Srinivasan of India, had her student visa revoked for participating “in activities supporting Hammas”, a misspelling of the Palestinian armed group Hamas. The Trump administration has repeatedly conflated participation in protests against Israel’s war in Gaza with support for Hamas. It has also accused demonstrators of supporting “terrorists”. Kordia’s arrest marks the second time in less than a week that a Palestinian student at Columbia University has been taken into ICE custody for deportation. On Saturday, protest spokesperson Mahmoud Khalil likewise was arrested and placed in immigration detention, first in New Jersey and later in Louisiana. Advertisement Civil liberty advocates say the arrests are meant to stifle free speech rights, and Khalil’s lawyer this week argued he has not been able to contact his client privately, in violation of his right to legal counsel. Khalil is a permanent resident of the US, with a green card, and his American wife is eight months pregnant. The Trump administration, however, says it plans to strip him of his green card. “It is a privilege to be granted a visa to live and study in the United States of America. When you advocate for violence and terrorism that privilege should be revoked, and you should not be in this country,” Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said in the news release. But the arrests and student visa revocation were not the only strong-armed actions the Trump administration took against Columbia in the last 24 hours. In a letter issued late on Thursday night, the administration demanded that Columbia’s Department of Middle Eastern, South Asian and African Studies (MESAAS) be placed in an “academic receivership” wherein an outside authority takes control, often as punishment for mismanagement. The letter specified that the university must come up with a plan to create the academic receivership role no later than March 20. Failure to comply, the letter warned, would negatively affect “Columbia University’s continued financial relationship with the United States government”. Setting up a receivership was just one in a list of demands, which included abolishing the university’s judicial board for hearing disciplinary matters, banning masks on campus and adopting a controversial definition of anti-Semitism that some fear could limit legitimate criticisms of Israel. Advertisement Columbia University is a private school, one of eight campuses that makes up the much-vaunted Ivy League in the northeast region. But Trump and other Republicans have repeatedly attacked the university since it became the epicentre of pro-Palestinian protests in 2023 and 2024 as students rallied against the devastation wrought by Israel’s war, which United Nations experts compared to a genocide. How did we get here? The protests hit a peak last April, after a contentious hearing on Capitol Hill. The university president at the time, Minouche Shafik, appeared before a congressional panel to face scrutiny over allegations that Columbia and other schools had failed to address anti-Semitism on campus. The very next day, Shafik authorised New York City police to enter an encampment that student protesters had set up on Columbia’s East Lawn, leading to mass arrests. Tensions escalated from there. Student protesters argued that their free speech rights were being curtailed, and that officials were conflating criticisms of Israel’s war with anti-Semitism. Some occupied a school building, Hamilton Hall, to show defiance against attempts to dismantle the protest movement. But what happened at Columbia kicked off a series of similar measures across the country, as police were called onto campuses to arrest peaceful protesters. More than 3,000 protesters are estimated to have been arrested between April and July. Trump campaigned for re-election on the platform that he would seek out and deport foreign students who participated in the protests. Advertisement His allies even codified the threats into last year’s Republican Party platform, making it one of 20 pledges: to “deport pro-Hamas radicals and make our college campuses safe and patriotic again”. Upon taking office for a second term on January 20, Trump immediately issued an executive order calling for the removal of foreigners who bear “hostile attitudes” to US “citizens, culture, government, institutions, or founding principles” or who support “threats to our national security”. The US has long been an ally of Israel and has supported its campaign in Gaza, which has killed at least 48,524 Palestinians. In the months since taking office, Trump has directed the Justice Department to “investigate and punish anti-Jewish racism in leftist, anti-American colleges and universities”. And on social media this month, he warned he would take heavy-handed action against any campus that hosts what he called “illegal protests” — although he failed to define what that category might entail. “All Federal Funding will STOP for any College, School, or University that allows illegal protests,” Trump wrote. “Agitators will be imprisoned/or permanently sent back to the country from which they came. American students will be permanently expelled or, depending on on [sic] the crime, arrested.” Already, on March 7, the Trump administration announced the immediate cancellation of $400m in federal grants and contracts to Columbia University, in what was considered a warning shot against all institutions of higher education to conform with the president’s demands. Advertisement Secretary of Education Linda McMahon pointed to increases in reported acts of anti-Semitism after the Hamas-led attacks on southern Israel in October 2023 as a reason for the cancellation. “Since October 7, Jewish students have faced relentless violence, intimidation, and anti-Semitic harassment on their campuses — only to be ignored by those who are supposed to protect them,” McMahon said in an accompanying news release. “Universities must
Finnish court convicts Russian man for war crimes in Ukraine
Finnish court sentences Russian fighter to life imprisonment for war crimes against Ukrainian soldiers in 2014. A Russian national has been sentenced to life imprisonment in Finland for war crimes committed in Ukraine. The district court of Finland’s capital, Helsinki, ruled on Friday that Voislav Torden, then a commander of the far-right Russian nationalist paramilitary group Rusich, was involved in four different war crimes against Ukrainian soldiers during battles in eastern Ukraine in 2014. A fifth charge was dismissed. Torden was arrested in the summer of 2023 in Finland, which shares a 1,340-kilometre (832-mile) border with Russia. The case involves an armed attack on soldiers of a Ukrainian battalion in the Luhansk region. According to the court, Torden was involved in the killing of a soldier, among other things. He also reportedly took degrading photos of the deceased, which he later disseminated. Ukraine hails ‘key milestone’ The 38-year-old defendant denied the allegations in court, the Finnish broadcaster Yle reported. His lawyer, Heikki Lampela, told Finnish media that Torden was surprised by the ruling and would appeal it. Advertisement This is the first case in which a Finnish court has convicted someone for war crimes in Ukraine, Yle reported. The office of Ukraine’s prosecutor general hailed the court’s decision as “a key milestone in holding perpetrators of grave violations of international humanitarian law accountable.” “Ukraine remains committed to working with partners worldwide to ensure there is no impunity for war criminals,” it said in a statement posted on social media. Russia slammed the verdict and called the case against its citizen “shameful” and politically motivated. “The verdict of the Finnish judiciary provokes nothing but deep outrage and indignation. The bias of Helsinki district court, which gave an openly politicised sentence to the Russian citizen, is obvious,” the Russian embassy in Finland said in a statement. Adblock test (Why?)
Will Israel be held accountable for genocidal acts in Gaza?
UN report finds systemic sexual and gender-based violence against Palestinians. A United Nations investigation concludes Israel has carried out genocidal acts by destroying Gaza’s main fertility clinic and maternity hospitals. Israel has rejected the report, which also alleges sexual violence. What are the implications? And will there be accountability? Presenter: Folly Bah Thibault Guests: Sari Bashi – programme director at Human Rights Watch Muhammad Dahleh – human rights lawyer Arwa Damon – founder of the International Network for Aid, Relief and Assistance Adblock test (Why?)
Mark Carney sworn in as Canadian PM amid growing tensions with US
[unable to retrieve full-text content] Mark Carney has been sworn in as the prime minister of Canada, assuming office amid threats from the United States.
Fernandes hits back at Ratcliffe over ‘overpaid’ jibe at Manchester United
Manchester United co-owner says some players are ‘overpaid’, but club captain defends his teammates. Manchester United captain Bruno Fernandes says it is not the players’ fault for the contracts signed off by the club as he hits back at claims by co-owner Jim Ratcliffe that some are “overpaid”. Fernandes was singled out for praise by Ratcliffe, who also said some of the United squad were “not good enough”, in a range of media interviews this week. The United captain led by example by scoring a hat-trick in Thursday’s 4-1 win over Real Sociedad to book a place in the quarterfinals of the Europa League. And he defended his teammates after Ratcliffe singled out the signings of Casemiro, Rasmus Hojlund and Andre Onana as examples of expensive deals made before he arrived at the club that United are still paying for. “We can’t relax at this club. You know that there’s a big standard, a big attention that you get from the media, from everywhere,” Fernandes said. “It’s not nice to hear certain things, obviously. I don’t think that any player likes to hear criticism or things that are talked about to you, that you’re not good enough or you’re overpaid or whatever. Advertisement “Everyone has their own contract. The club agrees to do the contracts at the time you come here or at the time you do a new contract or whatever, and it’s about yourself, proving that you can be important for the club.” Fernandes celebrates scoring Manchester United’s second goal against Real Sociedad at Old Trafford, where he is regarded as a fan favourite [Phil Noble/Reuters] The Europa League is United’s only hope of salvaging a miserable season so far. Ruben Amorim’s team sit 13th in the Premier League and are out of both domestic cup competitions. Fernandes revealed he had the chance to leave Old Trafford last summer but reiterated his desire to win more trophies as captain. “I sat with the club because I had an offer to leave,” the Portuguese midfielder added. “We talked about the possibility of me leaving the club or staying. “They said what they wanted from me. I just asked if they still see me as part of the future of the club or not. I spoke at the time with [former manager, Erik] ten Hag also. “He was very clear with me, the club was very clear with me, that they thought I would be a big part of this rebuild. I thought that we could be successful.” Manchester United co-owner Jim Ratcliffe, centre left, speaks with former manager Alex Ferguson in the stands of Old Trafford, where both regularly attend games [Carl Recine/Reuters] Despite Fernandes’s return of 15 goals this season as United’s stand-out performer, he has still received criticism from one of his predecessors as the club’s captain. Advertisement Roy Keane claimed the 30-year-old was “not a fighter” and “talent is not enough” in a recent media appearance. Fernandes said the former Irish midfielder, who won 13 major trophies at United, is someone he “massively respects” and is hoping to change Keane’s mind. “What I’m doing on the pitch to try to change his mind or trying to do something that he probably sees as a good thing,” Fernandes added. Amorim has said his side “need more Brunos” if they are to rediscover their former glories. Of Fernandes’s 15 goals this season, six have come in the last six games. “I think he’s so important for this team. You can see it by the numbers, and you can see from these last games. He’s always the guy that scores,” Amorim said. “When you play for this team, you have to be prepared for the critics, and I understand that former players had a lot of success here and the standards for them were so high that they see the things like that sometimes as black and white. “In life sometimes, it’s not just black and white. There is some other colours, and you have to understand the context. “Again, he’s always there, trying his best, so I’m really proud to coach a player like him.” Adblock test (Why?)
WPL 2025 final: Delhi Capitals Women vs Mumbai Indians Women; teams, stream
Who: Delhi Capitals Women vs Mumbai Indians WomenWhat: Women’s Premier League (WPL) final 2025Where: Brabourne Stadium, Mumbai, India.When: Saturday, March 15 at 8pm (14:00 GMT) Follow Al Jazeera Sport‘s live text and photo commentary stream. Delhi Capitals Women will hope to end their woes in the WPL final as they face Mumbai Indians Women for the 2025 crown in Mumbai on Saturday. It’s the third consecutive final that Delhi have reached, but they are yet to lift the trophy, and they now face the team that beat them in the inaugural final in 2023, Mumbai Indians. Al Jazeera takes a look at the final of the third edition of the tournament. How did the teams reach the WPL final? Delhi Capitals topped the group stage from Mumbai Indians, who lost their final match – and with it, the top spot – in an 11-run defeat by Royal Challengers Bengaluru on Monday. The result forced Mumbai into an eliminator with third-placed Gujarat Giants on Thursday. A resounding 47-run victory was recorded as Hayley Matthews smashed 77 in a total of 213-4. Who are the previous WPL winners? Mumbai Indians beat Delhi by seven wickets in the final of the first edition of the WPL in 2023. Advertisement Royal Challengers Bangalore were crowned champions with an eight-wicket win last season. Can Delhi Capitals end their final jinx? Former Australia captain Meg Lanning has led Delhi since the formation of the WPL and vice captain at the Capitals believes her skipper’s winning mentality and unwavering optimism are instrumental “Meg is someone who wants to win every game. But, at the same time, she has the amount of clarity in what she’s looking for. Winning is one thing that she tells us, but she also tells us to focus on what we need to do,” India batter Jemimah Rodrigues said of the seven-time World Cup winner. “She has clarity in what she wants to do and what she wants this team to do and makes sure she takes everyone along in doing that thing. I think that helps us be a successful team. “The thing I love about Meg, and this is something that I would like to add in myself … is that she’s calm but aggressive at the same time. And as a leader, that’s a very crucial quality to have.” 2️⃣ 🔝 Teams2️⃣ Great Captains1️⃣ Trophy 🏆 Who will win the 𝐒𝐮𝐦𝐦𝐢𝐭 𝐂𝐥𝐚𝐬𝐡? 🤔#TATAWPL | #DCvMI | #Final | @DelhiCapitals | @mipaltan pic.twitter.com/OiI9OAt0ge — Women’s Premier League (WPL) (@wplt20) March 14, 2025 Who are the WPL’s leading run scorers? Nat Sciver (Brunt Mumbai Indians) – 416 Ellyse Perry (Royal Challengers Bengaluru) – 372 Shafali Verma (Delhi Capitals) – 300 Meg Lanning (Delhi Capitals) – 263 Who are the WPL’s leading wicket-takers? Amelia Kerr (Mumbai Indians) – 14 Hayley Matthews (Mumbai Indians) – 14 Georgia Wareham (Royal Challengers Bangalore) – 12 Advertisement What is the secret to Delhi Capitals’ consistency? Rodrigues has credited the team’s professionalism and unity for their consistency, especially during the current season which she described as the most challenging ever. “Every player adds so much value to the team that they just know their stuff,” she said. “I think out of all the three seasons, we are most proud of this year, because it wasn’t easy, but we found a way to pick ourselves up and still come at the top.” What are Mumbai’s chances of overcoming Delhi? Delhi may have topped the group this year but Mumbai already have one WPL title under their belt – and Delhi carry their losing streak in the finals with them into Saturday’s game. “We have a really good balance of international players as well as the local Indian players, too,” Matthews said as she analysed the Mumbai squad. “We get contributions from so many different participants in the team like Nat [Sciver-Brunt], Melie [Amelia Kerr], Shab [Shabnim Ismail], myself, being able to step up as internationals. “When you look at a captain like Harmanpreet [Kaur], even the young players, like Sanskriti Gupta that have come in this year, have been able to make massive impacts.” How did the WPL reach its final in Mumbai? The tournament has been on a road trip across India with the opening six games staged in Vadodara, before eight were played in Bengaluru. Lucknow and Mumbai concluded the 20-match group stage. Thursday’s eliminator was also played in Mumbai. Consistency 🤝 Team work 🤝 Performance Our two finalists had that in common on the road to the #Final 🛣 But who will fulfill their quest for glory? 🏆🤔 #TATAWPL | #DCvMI | @DelhiCapitals | @mipaltan pic.twitter.com/MkxmxLcEN9 — Women’s Premier League (WPL) (@wplt20) March 14, 2025 Advertisement Are impact players allowed in the WPL? Unlike the Indian Premier League (IPL), the WPL does not allow for a substitute player to be brought into the team during the match to make an impact. Delhi’s Rodrigues hopes this remains the case. “I am not a massive fan of the impact player [rule] because I am someone who loves the rules we already have,” she said. “It’s unfair to the bowlers also sometimes when they have bowled so well and have done so much and then towards the end, a proper batter is coming in.” Has the WPL been a success? According to West Indies white-ball captain and Mumbai all-rounder Hayley Matthews, Twenty20 leagues have transformed women’s cricket from a sport that once relied on public support for survival into an appealing spectacle. The 26-year-old, who shot to fame in the West Indies’ 2016 T20 World Cup triumph, said T20 leagues like the WPL have fostered global exposure and helped develop the women’s game. “I feel like once upon a time, women’s cricket was probably like, ‘Come and watch the game to support the women,’ whereas now I feel like we have a product that’s entertaining and we have these skills that people want to see us play cricket,” Matthews told Reuters. “Just getting the opportunity to play these