Tag: United Kingdom

Stunning new book invites you to witness the magic of wild horses

Experience the magic.

As an autistic child, Alfie Bowen had a rough time in his early schooling. The regular school system didn’t serve him well, and he suffered from bullying. But once he got into a specialist school and met his mentor, the late Duncan Rollo, he thrived. Rollo encouraged Bowen’s passion for photography, arranging his first exhibition and sharing publishing contacts. Now, Bowen has followed his 2021 book, “Wild World: Nature Through an Autistic Eye,” with a new photography book, “Wild Horses,” published by ACC Art Books.

Indeed, wild horses are what this book delivers. “Always staying at a safe and respectful distance and never approaching any of the animals, it has been my privilege to spend many magical hours over the past twenty-four months. witnessing and recording these horses and ponies thriving in nature: in the fields of Suffolk, on the mountains of North Wales and amongst the trees of the New Forest. In many ways, it has been as much a journey of self-healing and self-exploration as it has been about photographing the horses,” Bowen writes.

A black and white photo of three horses.
Photo by Alfie Bowen

The photos are astonishing in their composition, clarity, and depiction of the moving relationships between horses. There are sweet pictures of foals and moms, funny pictures of horses shaking off water, and dramatic photos of them rearing up on their hind legs as they play or fight with each other. In some shots, horses are nose to nose. In others, one horse will have their neck wrapped around another. Horses look right at Bowen through his camera in many pictures. The incredibly clear black and white photos show every knot in the horses’ tangled, wild manes.

A black and white photo of a group of horses.
Photo by Alfie Bowen

This book would be a great accomplishment for any photographer, but knowing Bowen’s back story adds extra meaning to the work. While Bowen has known many tribulations in his young life, his tone is uplifting.

A black and gray horse in a field of flowers.
Photo by Alfie Bowen

As he says, “My message to everyone I have met is to get out into nature, surround yourself with the wonderful flora and fauna that we share our planet with, and feel the sunshine on your back, and the wind blowing through your hair — it can transform you.”

International Saints fans say Caesars Superdome security defaced their flag at Giants game

A Saints fan visiting from the United Kingdom says a member of the Caesars Superdome security team defaced their flag at Sunday’s Giants game:

You hate to see this. A British New Orleans Saints fan traveled all the way from the United Kingdom to support their favorite team and visit the Crescent City, only for an ugly run-in with the Caesars Superdome security team spoiling the experience.

As told by the Dome Patrol UK social media page, this fan was flying a large flag modeled after the UK’s Union Jack in black and gold, emblazoned with “Who Dat” and “UK Saints” as well as the team logo. They displayed the flag from the upper level railing at last week’s game with the Carolina Panthers without issue, and brought it back for Sunday’s game against the New York Giants. Except this time, they say, a member of the security team confiscated the flag and then defaced it by slashing it apart down the middle.

That’s excessive. “Conduct that results in damage to the stadium or other personal property,” is a punishable offense per the Saints’ established Fan Code of Conduct, as are offensive language and obscene gestures towards someone concerning their national origin. But it’s fine for someone’s personal property — representing their nationality, to boot — to be taken away and destroyed by stadium staff? Come on.

It’s an awful look for the Saints as an organization after the team traveled overseas for a game in London just last year. This incident falls on the heels of an expanded slate of international games as the NFL looks to reach foreign markets and win over fans outside America.

Sure, it is a large flag, and it’s possible it may have been limiting other fans’ viewing of the field. But if that’s the case then Superdome security shouldn’t have let the flag be brought inside the building in the first place, much less twice. Confiscating it with a warning would have been one thing. Taking an extra step to deface it and insult fans who spent thousands of dollars to travel so far to support the team is just mean-spirited. The Saints need to make this right.

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Great Britain observes moment of silence to honor Queen Elizabeth II before EuroBasket match

This was a powerful moment at Mediolanum Forum.

After more than seventy years on the throne, Queen Elizabeth II died in Scotland at the age of 96.

As the world mourned her death, many sporting events were postponed across the United Kingdom. The match in Milan between Great Britain and Italy at the EuroBasket tournament, however, was not postponed.

But before the game, both teams took the time to honor the late Queen Elizabeth II with an extended moment of silence.

It was a very powerful tribute at Mediolanum Forum before the two teams played each in the final game of the group phase before the knockout stage begins.

You can read more from USA TODAY.

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Admire the English countryside in these 8 fantastic photos

Explore the countryside through these photos.

Dreamy landscapes and dramatic scenery await you in the English countryside. Despite England’s reputation for drab, rainy days, the country offers plenty of gorgeous sights for those who venture into more rural areas. Journey into these pristine lands for magnificent views that stretch from the Cotswolds to Brontë Country. Channel your inner Catherine or Heathcliff as you explore the wild and windy moors, or simply relax and enjoy a peaceful day in the Yorkshire Dales. Either way, you’re sure to fall in love with England’s charming villages and flourishing valleys that have inspired countless writers and artists. See it all in these seven fantastic photos of the English countryside.

10 best golf courses in England

Does the 2023 Open Championship host, Royal Liverpool, make the cut?

When it comes to golf courses in the United Kingdom, Scotland tends to get most of the glory. However, those who overlook English golf do so at their own peril, as England boasts some incredible courses – both along the coasts and inland.

With the 2023 British Open going to Royal Liverpool, Golfweek has put together a list of the best courses England has to offer.

More U.K. course rankings: 10 best courses in Scotland | Top 50 classic courses in Great Britain and Ireland | Top 50 modern courses in Great Britain and Ireland

These rankings come directly from the hundreds of Golfweek’s Best Raters for 2021 who continually evaluate courses and rate them based on our 10 criteria. They also file a single, overall rating on each course on a points basis of 1-10. Those overall ratings on each course are averaged to produce a final rating for each course. Only a handful of courses in the world achieve a rating above 9, and any course rated 7 or above presents a can’t-miss opportunity.

For more of Golfweek’s Best course lists, check out the most recent selection of course rankings:

We occasionally recommend interesting products, services, and gaming opportunities. If you make a purchase by clicking one of the links, we may earn an affiliate fee. Golfweek operates independently, though, and this doesn’t influence our coverage.

Watch: Storm surge nearly floods Portsalon Golf Club along the coast of Ireland

You certainly don’t see this everyday. 

You certainly don’t see this everyday.

Strong winds and heavy rains have hammered the United Kingdom over the last week, with the BBC reporting that three people were killed and 1.4 million homes were left without power due to storms Franklin and Eunice.

On Monday morning, Portsalon Golf Club course manager Johnny Shields shared a video from the par-4 third hole on Twitter of a storm surge nearly flooding the classic course in Ireland along the North Atlantic coast. Last year it was reported that Bill Murray and author Tom Coyne would visit Portsalon and a handful of Ireland’s best courses for a new series titled, “The Links Life.”

Curious what the course looks like when it’s not storming? Our Jason Lusk was at Portsalon in 2019 and detailed just how challenging the course can be if you miss the fairway.

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Report: Jags to host a home game in London in 2021

Per the Athletic, the Jacksonville Jaguars and Atlanta Falcons will be the NFL’s two home teams in their two games across the pond.

With their plans to play in London in 2021 (and beyond) uncertain, many Jacksonville Jaguars fans were left wondering if they would be getting a full slate of home games in North Florida this season. Unfortunately, that won’t be the case this season, per Daniel Kaplan of The Athletic.

With the league set to release its schedules for all 32 teams on Wednesday, Kaplan reported that the NFL is set to have two international games at Tottenham Football Club’s stadium. The Jags will be the home team in one game, and the Atlanta Falcons, who are on the Jags’ schedule, would be serving as the home team in the second game.

Kaplan also singled out the Miami Dolphins as an opponent for the Jags in London this season. They are a franchise that isn’t foreign to the NFL’s international series, taking part in four contests in London.

Aside from the Dolphins and Falcons, the Jags’ home schedule includes their three divisional rivals (Tennessee, Houston, and Indy), plus the Buffalo Bills, Arizona Cardinals, San Francisco 49ers, and Denver Broncos. Of the aforementioned teams, the Jags have played Houston, Buffalo, Indianapolis, and San Francisco in London.

The most interesting nugget of the Jags’ upcoming international game is the fact that it’s not being played at Wembley Stadium, a venue the Jags have a connection with. However, the league’s new international deal requires them to play at the new Tottenham Football stadium. With that being the case, it will be interesting to see how this factors into the Jags’ interest in playing at London when considering Shad Khan’s ties to Wembley Stadium.

Kaplan noted that the United States is on the United Kingdom’s list of countries whose travelers need to quarantine (for 10 days) and test (two times) once they arrive in the country. The rule even applies to vaccinated people. That said, it’s unknown if these travel restrictions apply to the NFL, but we’ll have more on that as the details come out.

NFL proposal would have Packers play home game overseas in near future

The NFL’s 17-game schedule has opened the door for the Packers to play a home game overseas in the near future.

The Green Bay Packers will likely be playing a “home” game overseas between the 2022 and 2030 seasons.

According to Daniel Kaplan of The Athletic, the NFL is proposing a new system that will require all teams to sacrifice a home game to play an international game over an eight-year rotating cycle as part of the league’s new 17-game schedule layout.

The proposal will be voted on by team owners next week. If enacted, the cycle would begin in 2022.

The change wouldn’t necessarily rob the Packers of a home game.

According to Kaplan, the alternating ninth home game between the two conferences expected to be added under the new 17-game schedule would be used for the international home game. In other words, the Packers would still play eight home games in Green Bay every year, but one of the team’s ninth home games between 2022 and 2030 would be used on an overseas game.

The Packers, who have resisted giving up a home game to play an international game, are the only NFL team that hasn’t played a game in the United Kingdom.

The proposal would ensure international fans get a chance to see the Packers at least once every eight years. And it would eliminate the negative consequences of moving one of eight home games out of Green Bay, where Packers games each fall are major economic events.

The NFL’s International Series is expected to return in 2021.

The AFC would receive the ninth home game next season. The NFC would then get a ninth home game in 2022, potentially opening the door for the Packers to play overseas in two years.

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State Department report: Jets’ Woody Johnson ’made inappropriate or insensitive comments’

A State Department report obtained by ESPN shed more light on the investigation into Jets owner Woody Johnson.

More details have emerged regarding racist and sexist comments allegedly made by Jets owner Woody Johnson.

A 39-page report from U.S. State Department consisting of interviews and questionnaires with employees at the United States Embassy in London determined Johnson “sometimes made inappropriate or insensitive comments on topics generally considered Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO)-sensitive, such as religion, sex, or color,” according to the document obtained by ESPN.

The report references allegations in stories from The New York Times and CNN that Johnson made racist and sexist remarks during his time as U.S. Ambassador to the United Kingdom, a position he assumed in 2017.

Johnson allegedly asked if the crowd for a 2018 Black History Month event would be comprised of “a whole bunch of Black people,” and why African Americans want a Black History Month. He also allegedly purported that Black fathers abandoning their families was the “real challenge.  Johnson also made disparaging comments about women, including objectifying their appearance and clothes and saying he prefers working with them because they’re cheaper than men. 

Johnson denied the allegations vehemently, both in a statement on Twitter and in the State Department report. 

“If I have unintentionally offended anyone in the execution of my duties, I deeply regret that, but I do not accept that I have treated employees with disrespect or discriminated in any way,” Johnson said, per the report obtained by ESPN. 

Johnson has also been accused of using his position to promote President Trump’s businesses overseas, a claim which Johnson also denied. 

The NFL referred questions on the matter to the State Department, while a State Department spokesperson said Johnson is “a valued member of the team who has led Mission U.K. honorably and professionally.” The Jets, Johnson’s brother, Christopher, and general manager Joe Douglas also defended Johnson.

The Office of the Inspector General concluded that “a more thorough review by the dept is warranted” after the extent of Johnson’s alleged actions were realized. Johnson said he and his staff have or will review courses on work-place discrimination, but that wasn’t enough to curb the OIG’s investigation, which began in 2019.

Eddie Hearn pledges to donate free tickets to U.K. healthcare workers

Eddie Hearn has pledged to give away free tickets to Matchroom Boxing shows to National Health Service workers.

Eddie Hearn is trying to do his part during the global coronavirus pandemic.

The head of London-based Matchroom has pledged to donate 200 tickets for live boxing cards to the front line healthcare workers of the National Health Service, the publicly funded system that offers healthcare to all U.K. citizens, the promoter announced on his social media Saturday.

Some of the most vulnerable individuals to the COVID-19 virus have been healthcare professionals who have been working tirelessly to mitigate the epidemic. Hearn, who has been busy cancelling many of his boxing cards, recognizes that.

“We’ve been thinking lately how we can say thank you to the incredible NHS workers that have selflessly helped everyone through this COVID-19 crisis,” Hearn said in a video on Twitter. “It’s been absolutely incredible.

“From our side at Matchroom boxing, we’re announcing a new scheme for when we get back to our live shows where we’ll be giving away 200 tickets to NHS workers for every Saturday night fight night and pay-per-view shows around the country. From hopefully this summer forward.

“You are the pride of our country.”