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England and Wales open their World Cup campaigns today in Qatar amid ongoing uncertainty about potential FIFA punishments for their activism.

Captain Harry Kane is due to wear a One Love multicoloured armband when England face Iran at Khalifa International Stadium at 1pm UK time.

Then at 7pm, at Al Rayyan Stadium, Gareth Bale is due to wear the same armband promoting inclusivity when he leads Wales out against the USA.

The armbands do not directly reference Qatar‘s anti-LGBT laws.

But FIFA has still declined to respond to questions publicly for more than two months about whether they would be permitted or considered unsanctioned messaging on equipment.

There is the potential the captains wearing the armbands could be booked and FA chief executive Mark Bullingham told Sky News last month that England were braced for a possible fine.

While FIFA remained silent on the request from England and Wales – and some other European nations, it suddenly announced on Saturday that teams could wear armbands of its choosing at the World Cup.

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The FIFA messaging is vague – such as #FootballUnitesTheWorld – for the first round of matches. The slogan for the quarterfinals – #NoDiscrimination – comes despite the tournament host nation discriminating against gay people.

FIFA does already permit England’s other planned activism, with players deciding to take the knee to highlight racial injustice.

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Fireworks open World Cup

England manager Gareth Southgate said: “Of course we understand in the Premier League that the clubs have decided to only do that for certain games, big occasions.

“We feel this is the biggest and we think it’s a strong statement that will go around the world for young people, in particular, to see that inclusivity is very important.”

Qatar lost 2-0 to Ecuador in the opening match on Sunday
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Qatar lost 2-0 to Ecuador in the opening match on Sunday

Both England and Wales have an elevated status in the world game, holding two of the eight votes deciding the laws of football.

It allows them to have a say on what is allowed on equipment, but the International Football Association Board is dominated by FIFA’s four votes along with Scotland and Northern Ireland having a seat each.

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‘Dare to dream’

On the pitch, Southgate is trying to end a six-match winless run that includes England being relegated in the Nations League.

He is trying to revive the form that took England to the semi-finals of the 2018 World Cup and final of the European Championship last year.

Wales are back at a World Cup for the first time since 1958.

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England fans prepare at the Kirby estate ahead of World Cup 2022 in Londo
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Flags adorn the Kirby estate in Bermondsey, London

Nearly 2,400 fans applied for tickets for the Iran game via the England Supporters’ Travel Club, while Wales expect more than 2,500 fans to be there.

Many more are set to travel from nearby countries such as UAE and Saudi Arabia.

England kick off at the 40,000 capacity Khalifa International Stadium, with temperatures forecast to be about 26C (79F).

Wales, who are in the same group as England, play the USA six hours later at the Ahmad Bin Ali Stadium.

First Minister Mark Drakeford said Wales should “dare to dream”, while Prime Minister Rishi Sunak tweeted a video of himself circling fixtures on a wall chart and posted “do us proud” next to two flag emojis.

US President Joe Biden also got in on the action by calling the American team and urging “you got some of the best players in the world on your team… let’s go shock ’em all”.

The two top teams from each group progress to the next round, with England and Wales meeting on 29 November in their final group game.

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Kersal Wetlands: Stuart Everett believed to be victim in Salford human remains investigation

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Kersal Wetlands: Stuart Everett believed to be victim in Salford human remains investigation

A man believed to be the victim after human remains were found in a Salford nature reserve has been named as Stuart Everett.

Police said DNA samples had been sent for urgent analysis to formally confirm the victim’s identity.

Mr Everett, 67, lived in the local area.

A major investigation started after a torso wrapped in plastic was found at Kersal Dale Wetlands on 4 April.

More remains were discovered at the weekend in the Greater Manchester area – at Blackleach Reservoir and Colliery Wood, and on Monday in an alleyway in Eccles.

Police said they were confident they all belong to the same person.

Michal Jaroslaw Polchowski, 68, and Marcin Majerkiewicz, 42, from Eccles, were yesterday charged with murder.

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They are due to appear at Manchester Crown Court this morning.

Police officers by a forensic tent at Kersal Dale.
Pic: PA
Police and forensic officers at Kersal Dale.
Pic: PA
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A torso was found at Kersal Dale on 4 April. Pics: PA

The discovery of the torso four weeks ago – consisting of the bottom of the back, buttocks and thigh – prompted a large search for other remains to try to identify the victim.

Detective Superintendent Lewis Hughes said Mr Everett’s family was being supported by specially-trained officers.

“On behalf of Stuart’s loved ones, I ask the public and the press to please respect their wishes for peace and privacy while they process this most devastating news,” he said.

“My officers and detectives, alongside additional resources from across the force, have worked tirelessly over the last three days to secure charges.”

Mr Hughes thanked the public for their help and said police would leave no stone unturned “to find answers for Stuart’s family”.

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Hainault attack: Sword-wielding man arrested near station after ‘stabbing’ multiple people and police officers

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Hainault attack: Sword-wielding man arrested near station after 'stabbing' multiple people and police officers

A critical incident has been declared near a Tube station in northeast London after reports a man wielding a sword attacked members of the public and police officers.

The man, alleged to have been carrying a sword, crashed a vehicle into a house in Thurlow Gardens, before reportedly stabbing a number of people, police said.

The 36-year-old was alleged to have attacked members of the public and two police officers before eventually being arrested.

The Metropolitan Police were alerted to the incident shortly before 7am this morning.

Pic:@ell_pht
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A man wielding a sword has been arrested, police said. Pic:@ell_pht

Fire and rescue crews as well as a number of ambulances were also dispatched to the scene.

The condition of those injured isn’t currently known and officers are not looking for anymore suspects.

Hainault Tube station in Ilford has been closed by police after the incident.

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Home Secretary James Cleverly said he was being updated about the incident and extended his thoughts to those affected.

Wes Streeting, the MP for Ilford North, wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter: “A critical incident has been declared in Hainault.

“There are station and road closures in place. The police, ambulance service and fire brigade are responding.”

Pic: @petekingdom/X
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A man with a sword has been arrested. Pic: @petekingdom/X

@petekingdom/X
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@petekingdom/X

Police said the attack did not appear to be terror related.

Deputy Assistant Commissioner Ade Adelekan added: “This must have been a terrifying incident for those concerned.

“I know the wider community will be feeling shock and alarm.

“People will want to know what has happened and will we provide more information as soon as we can.”

The Metropolitan Police previously said: “Police are at an incident in the Hainault area.

“Please follow the instructions of police officers on the ground.

“A man has been arrested.”

This breaking news story is being updated and more details will be published shortly.

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You can receive breaking news alerts on a smartphone or tablet via the Sky News app. You can also follow @SkyNews on X or subscribe to our YouTube channel to keep up with the latest news.

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Ex-cop who filmed wife having sex with lover in Screwfix car park avoids jail

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Ex-cop who filmed wife having sex with lover in Screwfix car park avoids jail

A former police constable who filmed his estranged wife having sex with a colleague in a Screwfix car park has avoided jail.

Gavin Harper, 45, was described as “obsessed” in court and was convicted of stalking his estranged wife, who was also a police officer.

He caught Stephanie Glynn, 40, having sex with her colleague Andrew McLullich, 42, in the car park of a Screwfix, in Birkenhead, Merseyside, after he placed a tracker on her vehicle.

Harper, from Liscard, Wirral, crept up to the vehicle and started filming at the window with his mobile phone.

Prosecutors said this was the culmination of a campaign of “obsessive, intrusive and unwanted behaviour” against Ms Glynn that lasted from December 2020 to February 2021.

The father of two was found guilty by a jury at Liverpool Crown Court last month of aggravated stalking, including secretly bugging Ms Glynn’s car, listening in on her conversations, and tracking her whereabouts.

On Monday, Judge David Potter sentenced Harper to two years in jail, suspended for two years.

The judge said that Harper would have faced immediate imprisonment but for the significant impact this would have had on his elderly parents and youngest son.

The court heard Harper cared for his elderly parents, who would “not be able to cope” without him, and his son would have been forced to give up his university studies if he was jailed.

Harper and Ms Glynn were in a six-year relationship before they married in 2018, having met working at Merseyside Police.

However, Ms Glynn left their family home in December 2020 after she became close with Mr McLullich – an acting inspector and formerly her supervising sergeant.

Speaking in court, Harper claimed he wanted “undeniable proof” of the affair. His intention, he said, was to pass the video to police as evidence of two serving officers having an inappropriate relationship during the COVID lockdown restrictions.

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Judge Potter told Harper: “I am sure you became obsessed to the point of criminality in stalking Stephanie Glynn to provide evidence of her affair to weaponise that against her for having that affair, and you also became determined to destroy the career of Andrew McLullich.

“In that obsession the feelings, embarrassment and pain felt by Stephanie Glynn were collateral damage.

“You were more concerned about your own feelings and a raging sense of injustice.”

The judge said the events in Screwfix car park “do no credit to any of the people involved”.

The court previously heard that Harper and Mr McLullich punched one another in the car park after he began filming them.

Suzanne Payne, defending, said Harper’s behaviour against Ms Glynn was “out of character and borne out of the circumstances at that time”.

She added that Ms Glynn had received a written warning over her conduct in the car park.

Ms Glynn, now divorced, was said to have been left “sickeningly anxious” as a result of Harper’s stalking, and told the jury she now “constantly looked over her shoulders”.

The judge issued Harper with a seven-year restraining order from contacting or approaching Ms Glynn and Mr McLullich.

Harper must also perform 200 hours of unpaid work and complete 20 days of rehabilitation.

The Crown offered no evidence over an allegation that Harper unlawfully wounded Mr McLullich in the Screwfix car park after jurors could not reach a verdict on that charge.

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