Pool

Trump’s effort to revamp the landmark stretched well past the goal of having it ready by the Fourth of JulyThe newly drained Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool’s bottom surface has noticeably faded since it was lined with a protective coating in a color Donald Trump called “American flag blue” this spring.An Associated Press reporter and photographer viewed the fenced-off reflecting pool on Wednesday from the top of the Washington Monument. The new liner appears grayer than when the pool was repainted and refilled with water in early June. Debris that had been visible earlier this week after the pool was drained is now largely gone, after work crews removed it. Continue reading...

• The Mirror is reporting the latest Premier League transfer rumors, including a collapsed Manchester United deal and Bruno Guimaraes reportedly agreeing to terms with Arsenal. • Other key developments include a potential £80 million move involving Liverpool, alongside ongoing activity from Chelsea. • These transfer movements coincide with the World Cup quarter-finals, specifically the high-profile clash between Spain and Belgium taking place this evening.

David Hearn is accused of destroying ‘American flag blue’ lining material on the bottom of the reflecting poolDavid Hearn, a former Olympic canoe racer, pleaded not guilty on Thursday to damaging Washington’s reflecting pool after a $14.7m renovation project.Hearn, a three-time US Olympian, was indicted last week on a single felony count of property destruction. He appeared in local superior court in Washington DC, to enter the plea after he was criminally charged over the incident in mid-June. Continue reading...

• Juventus is reportedly considering a move to sign defender John Stones this summer, according to Sky Italy. • Stones is currently participating in the World Cup but is a free agent after his contract with Manchester City expired. • The move is significant as Stones has been a pivotal figure in Manchester City's recent domestic and international success.

• Arsenal goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga has drawn interest from clubs in Spain and Italy, with a £5 million release clause allowing him to leave. • Reports claiming Martin Odegaard agreed to a transfer to Turkey have been debunked, as the midfielder remains happy at Arsenal. • Odegaard is currently prioritizing his focus on Norway's upcoming World Cup campaign.

Canoeist David Hearn was arrested in June after touching a peeling piece of liner in the pool from renovation projectDavid Hearn, a three-time US Olympian and canoeist, has been indicted by a grand jury in Washington DC after Donald Trump blamed vandals for damaging Washington’s reflecting pool following a $14.7m renovation project.The ‌indictment accuses Hearn ‌of “maliciously” breaking or destroying lining material on the bottom of the reflecting pool on 19 June. Lawyers for Hearn denied ‌the allegations following his arrest, accusing the ​Trump administration of treating ordinary conduct as criminal. Continue reading...

• AC Milan is reportedly monitoring Liverpool center back Virgil van Dijk as a potential transfer target. • Tottenham Hotspur signed 21-year-old midfielder Mateus Fernandes from West Ham in a record-breaking £85 million deal, surpassing their previous club record of £65 million. • An unnamed player, Anderson, has passed his medical in Kansas City and will finalize a £116 million move to Manchester City's Etihad Stadium after the World Cup.

The Lincoln Memorial reflecting pool in Washington DC will have to be drained again. Donald Trump has blamed vandalism for the failure to keep the water “American flag blue”. But what if this small body of water is proof that the president can’t outrun the truth?Jonathan Freedland speaks to Arwa Mahdawi about why this project, which has cost the taxpayer millions, is proving to be such an embarrassing failure for a man obsessed with imageArchive: AP, Reuters Continue reading...

Senior official alleges in court filing that damage included about ‘70 fence post tops thrown’ into the poolA senior National Park Service (NPS) official has said a liner along the bottom of the Lincoln Memorial reflecting pool was “cut with a sharp knife or razor” earlier this month, repeating Donald Trump’s claims of vandalism.Frank Lands, the deputy director for operations for NPS, made the allegation in a court filing on Wednesday, as part of a lawsuit brought by a nonprofit group seeking to stop the US president’s renovation of the site. Continue reading...

President’s promise of photo and video evidence of vandalism at Washington landmark yet to be fulfilledDonald Trump and the Department of the Interior are facing growing pressure to release photo and video evidence substantiating their claims of sabotage at the Lincoln Memorial reflecting pool in Washington.The $14.7m renovation of the landmark has descended into a farce of algae blooms, peeling paint and dead ducks just days before the US’s 250th anniversary celebrations. Crews have been seen erecting fencing near the area. Continue reading...

Christian Miles berated Oklahoma state troopers near Washington DC landmark subject to botched renovationA Washington DC resident arrested this week near the National Mall’s reflecting pool told the Guardian he planned to fight the charges, as Donald Trump continues to blame vandals for the botched renovation of the pool.After the Trump administration spent $14.2m renovating thebody of water in front of the Lincoln Memorial to turn it “American flag” blue in time for the US’s 250th birthday next month, the pool has been beset with algae blooms and peeling paint. Trump has claimed, without evidence, that the pool had been slashed with a knife. Continue reading...

US president planned to revamp the now algae-stricken pool ahead of the holiday and America’s 250th birthdayDonald Trump has acknowledged that repairs to the algae-stricken reflecting pool in Washington DC may not be completed in time for the Fourth of July, when the president plans to convene a big celebration on the National Mall to ring in the country’s 250th birthday.The iconic body of water began filling with algae blooms and peeling paint after the Trump administration ordered a $14.2m renovation to turn it “American flag” blue, prompting the president to claim – without providing evidence – that vandals armed with a knife had damaged it. Continue reading...

• Sunderland striker Brobbey, 24, has emerged as a key target following a successful season where he scored seven goals to help the club finish 7th in the Premier League. • The forward's stock has risen further after scoring twice in the Netherlands' recent 5-1 victory over Sweden. • This performance makes him a focal point of summer transfer speculation as top clubs seek offensive reinforcements.

President says ‘vandals’ to blame for algae blooms and peeling paint as $14m renovation to undergo further repairsThe Lincoln Memorial reflecting pool is set to be drained again after Donald Trump said on Monday – without providing proof – that five people were arrested for vandalism and five more are under investigation in connection to the algae blooms and peeling paint that appeared weeks after his ill-fated $14m renovation attempt.“It’s not a lot of damage, but we’ll probably have to let the water out and refix it. They went in there with a knife,” Trump told reporters, describing what he first said was a 290- to 300ft slit in the paint but then later amended to a 350ft slit. He also said someone had put fertilizer into the water, which caused the algae to grow. Continue reading...

Trump’s pre-Fourth of July renovation project has endured problems with algae, peeling paint and an inflating price tagDonald Trump’s rush to repaint the Lincoln Memorial reflecting pool, an iconic symbol of Washington DC, has hit roadblock after roadblock as the country’s 250th anniversary nears.The public has been gripped by the ill-fated $14m bid to renovate the reflecting pool, which the US president vowed to make “beautiful” in time for this summer’s birthday celebrations at the capital. Continue reading...

Texas man using ‘automated driving assistance system’ crashed into house and Connecticut man drove into pool while trying to parkSeparate crashes in Texas and Connecticut involving Tesla electric vehicles left a woman dead when a car barreled into a house; and a driver rescued after plunging into a municipal swimming pool.A doorbell video camera captured the Friday night episode in Katy, Texas. Authorities said 76-year-old Martha Avila Mantilla was standing in the front room of a relative’s home when the Tesla Model 3 car crashed at speed into the residence. Continue reading...

Algae blooms and peeling paint mar $14.2m renovation as president blames problems on ‘disgraceful Vandalism’The troublesome Lincoln Memorial reflecting pool in Washington is “probably” going to be drained for repairs, Donald Trump has said, after algae blooms and peeling paint marred the controversial recent renovation efforts for America’s 250th anniversary celebrations next month.In a Truth Social post late on Saturday, Trump said that after meeting with pool contractors, they would “probably be forced to release and drain much of the water in order to do the necessary repairs, but will have them done as quickly as possible”. Continue reading...

• Manchester United is reportedly engaged in talks involving a potential £80 million transfer fee as they look to strengthen their squad. • Arsenal is nearing a deal to sign an unnamed attacker, while Liverpool continues to monitor various targets across Europe. • Curtis Jones is reportedly pushing for a move to Inter Milan this summer, according to reports from Gazzetta dello Sport.

Interior department insists water at Washington landmark is ‘crystal clear’ as witnesses report murky green poolUS federal government workers continue take on the green hue that has swept across Washington’s reflecting pool, an increasingly fiendish battle the Trump administration compared to its war with Iran.After Donald Trump ordered a $14.2m refurbishment to turn the monument “American Flag blue” in time for the country’s 250th birthday celebrations, the administration encountered a formidable foe: algae. Continue reading...

• Arsenal FC is reportedly preparing a bid for Bradley Barcola, while receiving a boost regarding Morgan Rogers. • Liverpool has completed the signing of Munoz to strengthen their squad during the summer transfer window. • Chelsea is considering offering striker Nicolas Jackson as part of a deal to acquire an unnamed Italy international.

Administration had claimed algae at Lincoln Memorial pool would be cleared after the renovation, but it has proliferated amid warm weatherDonald Trump’s $14.2m bid to turn the Lincoln Memorial reflecting pool from what the US president described as a “filthy” and “dirty” site into a “beautiful” monument has encountered a hitch.The water is green again. Continue reading...

President steered no-bid contract for project that he said would cost $1.8m to company that worked on his golf resortThe final drops of water have been added, and the nanobubbler switched on. Donald Trump’s “beautiful” makeover of the Lincoln Memorial reflecting pool, one of Washington DC’s most historically symbolic attractions, is officially complete, and the public is getting its first glimpse of how the project’s $14.2m was spent.Contrary to the president’s predictable assertion that it was receiving “rave reviews”, however, early impressions are decidedly mixed. Some of the first visitors declared themselves underwhelmed by the 2,000ft pool’s somewhat dull color – American flag blue, according to the specifications. Continue reading...

• Several Premier League clubs are actively pursuing new talent, with Bayern Munich targeting Ngumoha and Liverpool opening talks for Yan Diomande. • AC Milan's Rafael Leao has signaled a potential departure from Serie A, stating to Sport TV that he is seeking a "new challenge" this summer. • Manchester United is closely monitoring Leao's situation as a primary transfer target following his public admission of wanting a move.

• Liverpool have entered talks with Andoni Iraola, who has reportedly agreed to a two-year deal to replace manager Arne Slot following Slot's dismissal last weekend. • Young talent Rio Ngumoha joined England's senior squad in Florida on Tuesday to train under Thomas Tuchel. • Ngumoha is part of a group of English youth players providing training support while senior stars recover from recent Champions League and Conference League finals.

• Arsenal FC is reportedly interested in bringing Argentine striker Julian Alvarez back to the Premier League from Spain. • Alvarez previously played for Manchester City, who originally signed him in a deal valued at approximately £81 million. • This potential move highlights Arsenal's strategy to bolster their attacking options during the current summer transfer window.

• Chelsea is reportedly exploring options for a new defender due to uncertainty regarding Marc Cucurella's future, as the player attracts interest from clubs in Spain. • Juventus is currently not seeking to sell 26-year-old defender Gleison Bremer, though reports suggest the club's stance may change for the right price. • According to Gazzetta dello Sport, a significant bid worth €50m (£43.2m) could potentially force Juventus to reconsider selling the player.

Helen Spree, 63, headed prison watchdog and was said to have become besotted with killer Dylan Westall, 35A corrupt prison watchdog boss who billed herself “the prisoners’ Deliveroo” has been jailed for five years after admitting sending sexual messages to a killer inmate and smuggling drugs.Helen Spree, 63, was the head of the independent monitoring board (IMB) for HMP Liverpool when she engaged in illicit chats with prisoners over a 20-month period. Spree was said to have become besotted with Dylan Westall, 35, who was serving a life sentence for manslaughter for shooting a teenager in the head. Continue reading...

• Liverpool has sacked manager Arne Slot with immediate effect following a period of instability and discontent within the squad. • Former player Brad Friedel cited a difficult summer transfer window as a primary cause, specifically highlighting the "disastrous" nature of the Alexander Isak transfer involving Newcastle. • The departure comes amid significant turmoil, including the exit of key player Trent Alexander-Arnold and general dissatisfaction with the club's direction.