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I saw how the Greens channelled voters’ anger – and fused it with hope. That’s why they won in Gorton and Denton | Owen Jones

I saw how the Greens channelled voters’ anger – and fused it with hope. That’s why they won in Gorton and Denton | Owen Jones

Starmer called the byelection a battle for the nation’s soul. This result shows Labour has lost that – and I think it will lose much more It wasn’t even close. The scale of victory of the Green party’s Hannah Spencer in Gorton and Denton changes everything. For years, British politics has oscillated between snuffing out hope and stoking fear. The main parties converged around an economic model that irretrievably broke in the crash of 2008, then encouraged understandably furious voters to blame foreigners for the wreckage. In south-east Manchester, thousands of people just revolted against that wretched consensus. The Greens’ campaign will be studied for years. Less than two years ago, they limped into third place in the constituency on just over 13% of the vote , with barely any ground operation to speak of. They started this contest with scant data and little local infrastructure, up against a Labour machine that had dominated the area for generations and, in 2024, secured more than half the vote and a majority north of 13,000. Continue reading...

Still kicking! - Japan’s football legend and world's oldest professional ‘King Kazu’ turns 59

Still kicking! - Japan’s football legend and world's oldest professional ‘King Kazu’ turns 59

"Japanese football icon Kazuyoshi ‘King Kazu’ Miura turned 59 on Thursday, and true to form, he remains committed to his passion - playing professional football. Footage shows the legendary striker training alongside younger teammates, once again proving that age is just an insignificant number. 
As the world's oldest active professional footballer, Miura continues to defy age and expectations, now entering his remarkable 41st season in the sport.

Currently on loan from Yokohama FC, Miura plays for Fukushima United in Japan's third-tier J3 League. On February 7, he made history by starting a match at 58 years and 346 days, breaking his own record as the oldest player ever to appear in Japan's professional leagues. Although he played just the first 20 minutes against Ventforet Kofu, his presence on the pitch continues to inspire fans worldwide.

His extraordinary journey began in 1986 when he debuted with Brazilian giants Santos, the club made famous by Pele. He has played professionally in Italy (Genoa), Croatia (Dinamo Zagreb), Portugal, Australia, and across Japan. For the national team, he scored 55 goals in 89 appearances during the 1990s.

In 2017, at age 50, Miura became the oldest player to score in a professional match, surpassing the record previously held by English legend Stanley Matthews. Last season, he made seven appearances for fourth-tier Atletico Suzuka.

With no retirement in sight, ‘King Kazu’ persists in chasing his simple yet powerful ambition, “I want to be on the pitch for as many minutes and seconds as possible. That’s all.”"