Latest from New York Times
New York Times
24 minutes ago
- Business
- New York Times
Sunderland close to appointing Roma's Florent Ghisolfi as director of football
Sunderland are close to appointing Florent Ghisolfi as the club's director of football. Sporting director Kristjaan Speakman will remain at newly-promoted Sunderland and will work alongside Ghisolfi, who was Roma's sporting director for 2024-25. Ghisolfi had interest from other clubs including Newcastle United, who are assessing candidates to succeed outgoing sporting director Paul Mitchell, with interest also from Juventus, Fiorentina and Saudi Arabia. Advertisement A former midfielder, Ghisolfi led Roma to a top-five finish in Serie A for the first time in five seasons last term, missing out on Champions League qualification to Juventus by one point. The 40-year-old, who decided to leave Roma this summer, had his first sporting director role at Lens, who won promotion back to Ligue 1 during his time at the club before later qualifying for the Champions League. Ghisolfi worked at Nice with INEOS between 2022 and 2024, where head coach Francesco Farioli had wished to retain his services before Roma saw off interest from Monaco to secure his signature last summer. Sunderland are back in the Premier League for the first time since 2017, having defeated Sheffield United in last month's Championship play-off final. ()
New York Times
30 minutes ago
- Politics
- New York Times
Suchinda Kraprayoon, Thai Leader Who Set Off Bloody Protests, Dies at 91
Suchinda Kraprayoon, a prime minister of Thailand who seized power in a military coup, then violently cracked down on pro-democracy protests in 1992, events that came to be known as Black May, died on June 10 in Bangkok. He was 91. His death, in a hospital, was reported by the Thai News Agency. Mr. Suchinda's brief tenure as prime minister, from which he resigned in humiliation after just 48 days, was a pivot point in modern Thai history. His leadership was considered such a disaster that it quelled the military's appetite to overtly interfere in government for more than a decade, an unusual interlude in a nation long dominated by the armed forces. A charismatic Army general who became a short-fused politician, Mr. Suchinda was the nation's supreme military commander in February 1991, when he helped engineer a bloodless coup against a civilian government, some of whose ministers were notorious for corruption. It was the 17th military coup or attempted coup in Thailand in six decades. After the coup, Mr. Suchinda publicly promised that he would not take the job of prime minister, yet he did just that in April 1992, after being nominated by a pro-military coalition in the legislature. Opponents called his appointment 'Suchinda's second coup.' Tens of thousands of protesters flooded the streets of Bangkok beginning on May 17. Troops loyal to the government sprayed the unarmed crowd with automatic rifle fire. The lobby of the Royal Hotel in the city's historic center became a makeshift surgical ward, where at least 10 people were reported to have died on one given night. Want all of The Times? Subscribe.
New York Times
44 minutes ago
- Sport
- New York Times
Inter Miami 2 Porto 1: Messi's magical free kick lights up Club World Cup in comeback win
Lionel Messi lit up the Club World Cup with a vintage free-kick that sealed a 2-1 comeback win over Porto. In front of a 31,783-crowd at Atlanta's Mercedes-Benz Stadium (not bad with the game kicking off at 3pm local time on a Thursday), Porto led through a penalty inside 10 minutes before Telasco Segovia drew Miami level with a thumping finish. But then up stepped Messi just before the hour mark to place a brilliant free kick into the top corner. Advertisement Messi's presence has been key to FIFA's attempt to promote the tournament to the U.S. public and so the world governing body will be delighted with his headline goal. The win puts Miami on four points, level with Palmeiras, with Porto and Al Ahly on one point. Miami face Palmeiras and Porto play Al Ahly on June 24 with the top two teams progressing to the knockout stages. Here, Felipe Cardenas and Conor O'Neill analyse the action from Atlanta. Messi and beautifully struck free-kicks remain one of football's most enduringly breathtaking spectacles, and his latest brilliant effort capped a spirited second-half revival from Miami. Anyone of a Porto persuasion would have drawn a sharp breath when Messi won the set piece himself, crashing into Ze Pedro on the edge of the area. The penalty was perfectly positioned centrally on the edge of the D, a nightmare for Porto shotstopper Claudio Ramos who knew Messi had a clear view of both corners. Messi chose the right, curling a precise left-footed strike into the top corner, beyond Ramos's despairing dive, the ball nestling into the side netting. Besides his magical free-kick, Messi — who was named Superior Player of the Match — sparkled throughout, with everything filtering through the eight-time Ballon d'Or winner. Despite injury concerns coming into the game, he was sharp from the start. Within the first two minutes, he picked up the ball on the right, drove into the half-space and floated a great cross into an offside Luis Suarez. His former Barcelona team-mate's sluggishness repeatedly let Messi's brilliance go to waste in the first half. Moments later, he chested down a high ball to take two Porto defenders out of the game, only for Suarez to be caught flat-footed as Messi threaded another incisive pass his way. Once again, Messi was the creative hub at the heart of Miami's best attacking moves. Advertisement Relying so much on one player, even one as freakishly talented as Messi, has its downsides with Miami looking structurally all over the place as the Argentinian was given freedom to roam. (He was also quite comically nutmegged towards the end of the game.) Still, when he produces moments of magic like this, it's hard to argue with the simplicity of the 'get it to Messi' approach. Conor O'Neill Miami wasn't supposed to be here. They didn't win the MLS Cup final and their Concacaf ranking or any other parameters weren't good enough to warrant a Club World Cup berth. But FIFA always reserves a host slot, and when Miami won the MLS Supporters' Shield in 2024 (given to the team that earns the most regular season points), FIFA president Gianni Infantino had the loophole he needed. Miami and Messi are here and they may be around longer than many expected. Messi's clever free kick was a vintage strike. We've all seen the Argentine do that on numerous occasions. On Thursday in Atlanta, however, it sent shockwaves throughout the football world. Even with Messi, a five-year-old MLS club isn't supposed to take down a perennial UEFA Champions League club. Miami, with Messi, Sergio Busquets, and Luis Suarez, and despite all their squad limitations (depth the primary issue), are a story that the Club World Cup needs. Felipe Cardenas Atlanta United, the local MLS side that calls Mercedes-Benz Stadium home, averages over 40,000 fans a game. When Messi has come with Miami for a regular-season match, or a pivotal playoff clash, the 72,000-seat stadium nearly sells out. The 2024 Copa America opener between Argentina and Canada boasted 70,000 fans, so why did so many people stay home during the Club World Cup? Advertisement Messi remains a major draw in any city he visits in the U.S., but national pride isn't on the line this summer. People won't skip work for what still feels like a summer friendly. Plus, the 32-team team Club World Cup is a novel idea that many Americans don't understand or don't care about. There isn't a large community of Portuguese expats in Atlanta, either. But while the empty seats may be an eyesore on television, inside the stadium the vibe was much different. The fans who are here were wide-eyed at the sight of Messi and the dome-shaped nature of the stadium made a for a decent atmosphere considering the attendance of 31,783. Felipe Cardenas For all of Messi's magic, Porto were poor again tonight. Martin Anselmi's side, like in the game against Palmeiras, were painfully slow in possession and careless in the final third. One small consolation was the bright display of centre-forward Samu Aghehowa, who netted a first-half penalty and offered a rare spark. Aside from the penalty Samu began the game sluggishly but became a dangerous threat as the contest wore on. Early on, he frequently lost the ball with loose touches in tight spaces. Porto's slow build-up did him few favours, allowing Miami to settle into a compact low block that restricted Samu's space. After shaking off this rustiness, he started stretching the Miami defence with his purposeful running in behind. Miami centre backs Ian Fray and Maximiliano Falcon struggled to cope with his physicality on the rare occasions when Porto went long. His combination play, particularly with the lively Rodrigo Mora, stood out with a slick backheel to Mora inside the box a highlight, whose shot was scrambled off the line by Falcon. Just before half-time, Samu finally had a chance to stretch those powerful legs. Picking up the ball in the left channel in his own half, he drove rapidly past the Miami defence, shrugged off Fray, and hit a low driven effort on target. Advertisement As Porto pushed for an equaliser, Samu continued to offer a threat up top, but was frustrated by his teammates' predictable passing and limited movement. But Samu's driving runs, dynamic movement, and smart link-up reminded us why Chelsea were so keen on him last summer. Conor O'Neill Monday, June 23: Palmeiras, Club World Cup group stage (Miami), 9pm ET, 2am (Tuesday) UK Monday, June 23: Al Ahly, Club World Cup group stage (East Rutherford), 9pm ET, 2am (Tuesday) UK You can sign up to DAZN to watch every FIFA Club World Cup game for free
New York Times
an hour ago
- Sport
- New York Times
Vikings mailbag: Submit your post-OTAs and minicamp questions for Alec Lewis
The quietest time of the Minnesota Vikings' calendar is upon us. Players have gone home. Coaches are gearing up for what should be a fascinating season. It's the perfect time to answer some questions. Curious about J.J. McCarthy following OTAs and minicamp? Do you have questions about some of the young players or recent draftees? Toss any questions you want answered below, and we'll return early next week with as many answers as we can get to! Alec Lewis June 19, 2025 4:51 pm EDT
New York Times
an hour ago
- Politics
- New York Times
Dodgers say they denied federal immigration officials access to Dodger Stadium parking lots
LOS ANGELES — The Los Angeles Dodgers said they denied federal immigration officials access to the area around the team's stadium on Thursday morning, hours after The Athletic and other outlets reported the team's plans to announce assistance to immigrants impacted by recent militarized raids in the city. Advertisement 'This morning, ICE agents came to Dodger Stadium and requested permission to access the parking lots,' the organization posted on X. 'They were denied entry to the grounds by the organization.' The Department of Homeland Security said in a statement that Customs and Border Protection 'vehicles were in the stadium parking lot very briefly, unrelated to any operation or enforcement.' DHS said that the activity 'had nothing to do with the Dodgers.' ICE, which is overseen by DHS, told The Athletic in a statement Thursday that the agency was never at Dodger Stadium. In recent immigration raids, ICE and other federal officials have sometimes operated in unmarked cars. Social media videos from Dodger Stadium appear to show some unmarked white vans with unclear markings. The Dodgers, who are set to host the San Diego Padres on Thursday night, said the game will be played as scheduled. Images began circulating on social media Thursday morning of unmarked white vans and masked agents parked out in front of the Dodger Stadium gates. ICE has recently cracked down on immigrants in the city as part of President Donald Trump's push to reduce immigration, leading to protests in Los Angeles and elsewhere in the U.S. While Trump was running for his second term, he promised to 'carry out the largest domestic deportation operation in American history.' The Dodgers' statement on Thursday marked the organization's first public comments since the raids began on June 6. The organization was expected to announce details of its plans to assist immigrant groups on Thursday afternoon. According to the Los Angeles Times, the Dodgers asked local police to intervene after a group of protesters showed up to the area on Thursday morning. Dodgers chief marketing officer Lon Rosen previously told The Los Angeles Times, 'We're not going to comment' on the ongoing ICE raids, with Los Angeles FC and Angel City FC being the lone Los Angeles professional sports franchises to issue any form of statement. Dodgers manager Dave Roberts called the events in Los Angeles 'unsettling' before deferring any further statement, saying, 'I haven't dug enough and can't speak intelligently on it.' Advertisement Kiké Hernández has been the lone Dodgers player to issue a public statement on the matter, posting on Instagram on Saturday night to give his support to the immigrant communities affected. 'I may not be Born & Raised, but this city adopted me as one of their own,' Hernández wrote in his post. 'I am saddened and infuriated by what's happening in our country and our city. Los Angeles and Dodger fans have welcomed me, supported me and shown me nothing but kindness and love. This is my second home. And I cannot stand to see our community being violated, profiled, abused and ripped apart. ALL people deserve to be treated with respect, dignity and human rights. #CityOfImmigrants.' Jaime Jarrín, the Dodgers' iconic former Spanish-language broadcaster, took to Instagram on Tuesday, writing: 'As an immigrant who came to this country 70 years ago, I know firsthand the hope, courage, and determination it takes to build a new life in a new land. I've always believed that immigration isn't just part of the American story; it is the American story.' The Dodgers also received backlash this week after singer and social media personality Nezza opted to perform the official Spanish version of the United States national anthem at Dodger Stadium on Saturday night, later posting a video showing an unidentified Dodgers employee telling her not to do it. Nezza, also known as Vanessa Hernández, proceeded with a rendition of 'El Pendón Estrellado,' the official Spanish version commissioned by President Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1945. Nezza's performance came in the middle of nationwide 'No Kings' protests against the Trump administration, countering a military parade in Washington. She told CNN's 'The Lead' this week that the Dodgers 'called and said, 'Don't ever call us again. Don't ever email us again. The rest of your clients are never welcome here again.' So for me, that kind of feels like a ban.' Advertisement When asked this week about Nezza's video, a team spokesperson assured there were 'no hard feelings' and that the singer was not banned from the stadium. The outcry, which included prominent Latin voices such as artist Becky G, has spurred calls and plans for a protest at the ballpark Saturday afternoon.
