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England’s Lionesses have reached the knock-out stages of the Women’s World Cup after a dominant 6-1 win against China in Adelaide.

The European champions needed just a point against the Women’s Asian Cup winners to clinch top spot in Group D.

But they settled nerves early on in the match when Alessia Russo hooked in the opener after just four minutes.

Alessia Russo put England in the lead after just four minutes
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Alessia Russo put England in front after just four minutes

Lauren Hemp added a second 26 minutes in, before Lauren James scored her second curled wonder goal of the World Cup to make it 3-0 before half-time.

James thought she had added a fourth with another beautifully placed long-range strike before the break.

However, the referee ruled it out after a review.

VAR punished England again after half-time, when China were awarded a penalty.

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The Lionesses conceded for the first time in the tournament after Lucy Bronze appeared to handle the ball and was given a yellow card after the review.

Wang Shuang pulled one back for China from the spot to give the Chinese hope, as the Lionesses let their lead slip to 3-1.

China's Wang Shuang scores their side's first goal of the game from the penalty spot
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China’s Wang Shuang scores their side’s first goal of the game from the penalty spot

But another stunning James strike restored a three-goal cushion for England.

There was no denying the Chelsea forward her second goal of the game, as she produced a sublime first-time side-footed volley into the far corner of the net.

And Euros hero Chloe Kelly pounced on a goalkeeping error by Zhu Yu to make it five.

England's Chloe Kelly celebrates scoring their fifth goal
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England’s Chloe Kelly celebrates scoring their fifth goal

Rachel Daly rounded off the scoring to make it 6-1 in a thumping England win.

James was denied her hat-trick when England boss Sarina Wiegman took her off with 10 minutes to go – presumably with an eye on the next round.

The double goalscorer said: “It’s what dreams are made of. Happy for the team and everyone is buzzing and looking forward to going into the next round.

“I felt free, whether I am on the wing or in the middle, I am just happy to be on the pitch playing and enjoying my football. I am happy I can contribute to goals as well.”

On her stunning first-time finish at the far post, she added: “I think like the last game, I just thought ‘Why not? Hit it and see what happens’.”

And she said more is to come, adding: “For sure, each day, each game I am looking to improve and get better, there are many more years of improvement, I can always get better. I just need to stay focused and hopefully that can happen.”

James volleys in her second - and England's fourth goal
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James volleys in her second – and England’s fourth goal

Manager Wiegman made three changes to her Lionesses starting line-up – with Katie Zelem starting in the World Cup for the first time, and Jess Carter and Hemp returning to the starting XI.

Five players that lifted last year’s Euros were unavailable for the showdown with China.

But England weren’t fazed and delivered their most assured performance of the tournament so far.

Wiegman said afterwards: “I am very delighted, I said before the game we were going to do things a little bit different than we did before and we did really well, it shows how adaptive this team is and I think they are enjoying themselves.

“I think today it worked really well, players felt comfortable. What we want is the qualities we have now to try and use them a little bit more.”

On James’s performance, Wiegman added: “She feels good, you can tell, she did special things today. Unfortunately one goal was cancelled, but she flows over the pitch.”

Wiegman tight-lipped on Walsh

The Lionesses booked their place in the last 16 without key midfielder Keira Walsh, who was ruled out of at least this clash with an undisclosed knee problem after an injury in the last match against Denmark.

Wiegman was non-committal when asked before the game whether Walsh would be able to play any further part in the tournament.

Walsh was stretchered off in the first half of England’s match against Denmark in Sydney on Friday with what appeared to be a serious knee injury, although scans have since shown the 26-year-old has not suffered an ACL injury as first feared.

“Keira is okay. It’s not an ACL. I can’t give you any more information,” Wiegman said.

“It’s not nice to lose players. First of all for them, and second for the team, but we are here to move on.

“It’s part of sport, it’s not nice, but we have to move on, to adapt to the new situation and find a way, and bring 11 players on the pitch with whom we think can win the game.”

Sarina Wiegman waves to England fans at the Hindmarsh Stadium in Adelaide, Australia, after her side reach the last 16 of the World Cup
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England boss Sarina Wiegman waves to England fans at the Hindmarsh Stadium in Adelaide, Australia, after her side reach the last 16 of the World Cup

Read more:
How China v England unfolded

What next for England?

The fourth-ranked Lionesses defeated Haiti 1-0 in their opener, and Denmark 1-0 in the second group game of the tournament.

Group winners and runners-up progress to the last 16.

By winning their group, England have secured a knock-out tie against Nigeria on Monday – avoiding hosts Australia.

The next round of knock-out stage fixtures will take place from 5 to 8 August.

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Teen arrested after Kayden Moy dies following ‘disturbance’ at beach in Ayrshire

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Teen arrested after Kayden Moy dies following 'disturbance' at beach in Ayrshire

A teenager has been arrested after a 16-year-old boy died following reports of a “disturbance” at a beach in Ayrshire.

Kayden Moy was found seriously injured by officers at Irvine Beach at around 6.45pm on Saturday.

The teenager, from East Kilbride, South Lanarkshire, was taken to hospital but died in the early hours.

Police Scotland said on Sunday evening that a 17-year-old boy had been arrested and enquires were continuing.

Officers believe the incident may have been filmed and have urged witnesses and anyone with information to come forward.

Kayden Moy. Pic: Facebook
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Kayden. Pic: Facebook

Pic: iStock
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The incident happened at Irvine Beach in Ayrshire, Scotland. File pic: iStock

Detective Chief Inspector Campbell Jackson said: “An extensive investigation is under way to establish the full circumstances surrounding this death.

“Our officers are supporting the boy’s family at this very difficult and heartbreaking time.

“From our investigation so far, we know there were a number of people on the beach around the time of the disturbance.

“We believe several of them were filming at the time and may have footage of what happened.

“I would urge people to review the footage they have and contact police if they think the footage captured could be of significance to our investigation.”

This can be submitted anonymously, the force said.

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Superintendent Jim McMillan added: “We understand this death will be of great concern for the local community, but please be assured that we are doing everything we can to identify those involved.

“There will be additional patrols in the area as we carry out our enquiries and anyone with any concerns can approach these officers.”

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Post-Brexit EU reset negotiations ‘going to the wire’, says minister

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Post-Brexit EU reset negotiations 'going to the wire', says minister

Negotiations to reset the UK’s post-Brexit relationship with the EU are going “to the wire”, a Cabinet Office minister has said.

“There is no final deal as yet. We are in the very final hours,” the UK’s lead negotiator Nick Thomas-Symonds told Sky’s Sunday Morning with Trevor Phillips.

On the possibility of a youth mobility scheme with the EU, he insisted “nothing is agreed until everything is”.

“We would be open to a smart, controlled youth mobility scheme,” he said. “But I should set out, we will not return to freedom of movement.”

Politics latest: PM outlines ‘benefits’ for UK from closer EU ties

The government is set to host EU leaders in London on Monday.

Put to the minister that the government could not guarantee there will be a deal by tomorrow afternoon, Mr Thomas-Symonds said: “Nobody can guarantee anything when you have two parties in a negotiation.”

But the minister said he remained “confident” a deal could be reached “that makes our borders more secure, is good for jobs and growth, and brings people’s household bills down”.

“That is what is in our national interest and that’s what we will continue to do over these final hours,” he said.

“We have certainly been taking what I have called a ruthlessly pragmatic approach.”

On agricultural products, food and drink, Mr Thomas-Symonds said supermarkets were crying out for a deal because the status quo “isn’t working”, with “lorries stuck for 16 hours and food rotting” and producers and farmers unable to export goods because of the amount of “red tape”.

Asked how much people could expect to save on shopping as a result of the deal the government was hoping to negotiate, the minister was unable to give a figure.

Read more:
What could a UK-EU reset look like?
Starmer’s stance on immigration criticised

On the issue of fishing, asked if a deal would mean allowing French boats into British waters, the minister said the Brexit deal which reduced EU fishing in UK waters by a quarter over five years comes to an end next year.

He said the objectives now included “an overall deal in the interest of our fishers, easier access to markets to sell our fish and looking after our oceans”.

Turning to borders, the minister was asked if people would be able to move through queues at airports faster.

Again, he could not give a definitive answer, but said it was “certainly something we have been pushing with the EU… we want British people who are going on holiday to be able to go and enjoy their holiday, and not be stuck in queues”.

PM opens door to EU youth mobility scheme

A deal granting the UK access to a major EU defence fund could be on the table, according to reports – and Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has appeared to signal a youth mobility deal could be possible, telling The Times that while freedom of movement is a “red line”, youth mobility does not come under this.

The European Commission has proposed opening negotiations with the UK on an agreement to facilitate youth mobility between the EU and the UK. The scheme would allow both UK and EU citizens aged between 18 and 30 years old to stay for up to four years in a country of their choosing.

Earlier this month, Home Secretary Yvette Cooper told Phillips a youth mobility scheme was not the approach the government wanted to take to bring net migration down.

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Lack of UK training ‘big driver of net migration’

When this was put to him, Mr Thomas-Symonds insisted any deal on a youth mobility scheme with Europe will have to be “smart” and “controlled” and will be “consistent” with the government’s immigration policy.

Asked what the government had got in return for a youth mobility scheme – now there had been a change in approach – the minister said: “It is about an overall balanced package that works for Britain. The government is 100% behind the objective of getting net migration down.”

Phillips said more than a million young people came to the country between 2004 and 2015. “If there isn’t a cap – that’s what we are talking about,” he said.

The minister insisted such a scheme would be “controlled” – but refused to say whether there would be a cap.

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‘It’s going to be a bad deal’

Shadow cabinet office minister Alex Burghart told Phillips an uncapped youth mobility scheme with the EU would lead to “much higher immigration”, adding: “It sounds very much as though it’s going to be a bad deal.”

Asked if the Conservatives would scrap any EU deal, he said: “It depends what the deal is, Trevor. And we still, even at this late stage, we don’t know.

“The government can’t tell us whether everyone will be able to come. They can’t tell us how old the young person is. They can’t tell us what benefits they would get.

“So I think when people hear about a youth mobility scheme, they think about an 18-year-old coming over working at a bar. But actually we may well be looking at a scheme which allows 30-year-olds to come over and have access to the NHS on day one, to claim benefits on day one, to bring their extended families.”

He added: “So there are obviously very considerable disadvantages to the UK if this deal is done in the wrong way.”

Jose Manuel Barroso, former EU Commission president, told Phillips it “makes sense” for a stronger relationship to exist between the European Union and the UK, adding: “We are stronger together.”

He said he understood fishing and youth mobility are the key sticking points for a UK-EU deal.

“Frankly, what is at stake… is much more important than those specific issues,” he said.

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Teenager living in ‘continuous pain’ after surgeon Dr Yaser Jabbar carried out ‘inappropriate’ operations

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Teenager living in 'continuous pain' after surgeon Dr Yaser Jabbar carried out 'inappropriate' operations

A 15-year-old boy who was operated on twice by a now unlicensed Great Ormond Street surgeon is living with “continuous” pain.

Finias Sandu has been told by an independent review the procedures he underwent on both his legs were “unacceptable” and “inappropriate” for his age.

The teenager from Essex was born with a condition that causes curved bones in his legs.

Aged seven, a reconstructive procedure was carried out on Finias’s left leg, lengthening the limb by 3.5cm.

A few years later, the same operation was carried out on his right leg which involved wearing an invasive and heavy metal frame for months.

He has now been told by independent experts these procedures should not have taken place and concerns have been raised over a lack of imaging being taken prior to the operations.

Dr Yasser Jabbar. Pic: Linkedin
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Yaser Jabbar rescinded his UK medical licence last year. Pic: LinkedIn

His doctor at London’s prestigious Great Ormond Street Hospital was former consultant orthopaedic surgeon Yaser Jabbar. Sky News has spoken to others he treated.

Mr Jabbar also did not arrange for updated scans or for relevant X-rays to be conducted ahead of the procedures.

The surgeries have been found to have caused Finias “harm” and left him in constant pain.

“The pain is there every day, every day I’m continuously in pain,” he told Sky News.

“It’s not something really sharp, although it does get to a certain point where it hurts quite a lot, but it’s always there. It just doesn’t leave, it’s a companion to me, just always there.”

Read more:
Girl who had leg amputated suffered harm during surgeon’s care
Child, 11, in wheelchair after surgeon’s operations

Hospital accused of ‘covering up’ concerns about suspended surgeon

Finias Sandu's surgery pictures
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Finias’s surgery pictures

Care of over 700 patients being assessed

Mr Jabbar rescinded his UK medical licence in January last year after working at Great Ormond Street between 2017 and 2022.

The care of his 700-plus patients is being assessed, with some facing corrective surgery, among them Finias.

Finias Sandu in hospital

“Trusting somebody is hard to do, knowing what they have done to me physically and emotionally, you know, it’s just too much to comprehend for me,” he said.

“It wasn’t something just physically, like my leg pain and everything else. It was emotionally, because I put my trust in that specific doctor. My parents and I don’t really understand the more scientific terms, we just went by what he said.”

Finias Sandu in hospital

Doctors refused to treat Finias because of his surgeries

Finias and his family relocated to their native Romania soon after the reconstructive frame was removed from his right leg in the summer of 2021.

The pain worsened and they sought advice from doctors in Romania, who refused to treat Finias because of the impact of his surgeries.

Finias Sandu in hospital

Dozens of families seeking legal claims

His mother Cornelia Sandu is “furious” and feels her trust in the hospital has been shattered. They are now among dozens of families seeking legal claims.

Cyrus Plaza from Hudgell Solicitors is representing the family. He said: “In cases where it has been identified that harm was caused, we want to see Great Ormond Street Hospital agreeing to pay interim payments of compensation for the children, so that if they need therapy or treatment now, they can access it.”

Finias Sandu in hospital

Finias is accessing therapy and mental health support as he prepares for corrective surgery later in the year.

A spokesperson for Great Ormond Street Hospital told Sky News: “We are deeply sorry to Finias and his family, and all the patients and families who have been impacted.

“We want every patient and family who comes to our hospital to feel safe and cared for. We will always discuss concerns families may have and, where they submit claims, we will work to ensure the legal process can be resolved as quickly as possible.”

Finias Sandu with his mother and sister
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Finias with his mother and sister

Service not ‘safe for patients’

Sky News has attempted to contact Mr Jabbar.

An external review into the wider orthopaedic department at the hospital began in September 2022.

It was commissioned after the Royal College of Surgeons warned the hospital’s lower limb reconstruction service was not “safe for patients or adequate to meet demand”.

The investigation is expected to be completed by the end of the year.

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