Hey everyone, welcome back to another Flashback Friday, the segment where we wrap up the week that was. So as always, let’s get right into it.

We’ll start with the World Cup once again. The 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia has come to a close, with France defeating Croatia 4-2 in the Final to become Champions Of The World. Both teams played a great match, however the French were just too good for the Croatians, with even 19 year old Kylian Mbappe making an impact and securing the fourth and final goal for his side. The Closing Ceremony was also a highlight, with Nicky Jam, Era Istrefi and Will Smith headlining the colourful spectacular, with a rendition of this year’s Official World Cup Song, Live It Up. The Final was also interrupted, with four members of a protest rock group invading the pitch in the second half, resulting in the match being halted while they were escorted off the pitch by security. The four, three females and one male, have since been jailed for 15 days, and have all been banned from attending sporting events in Russia for the next three years. The World Cup has now officially ended, and France reign as Champions for just the second time in their history, whilst Croatia Place second, Belgium third, and England fourth. The next World Cup will be in Qatar, and will run from November 21 to December 18, which will be in the Winter in Qatar. This will be the first time in history that leagues around the world will have to be paused for the World Cup, and will then resume after the 2022 World Cup concludes.

In some good news this week, the Thai boys who were trapped in a cave in Chiang Rai have been released from hospital this week, fronting a press conference after their release. They have all been given a clean bill of health, and spoke of their trials and tribulations in the cave. They will return to playing football again soon, however they will first be entering the monkhood in order to commemorate the memory of Thai Navy SEAL Saman Gunan. They will enter as novices and dedicate their entry to the Navy SEAL who tragically died after running out of oxygen when returning to the outside of the cave. This is considered to be one of the highest honours for an individual in the monkhood. Part of the boys survival was thanks to meditation that was taught to them by their coach Ekapol Chanthawong, who is himself a Buddhist monk. The boys told of how they survived their ordeal, but also how they have learnt and grown from the experience, and have come out the other side more resilient and more courageous than ever. This was a life-changing experience for them, and they have become even closer as a result. They are now all back in their own homes with their families, who couldn’t be happier.

In a bit of world news now, and US President Donald Trump has made headlines more than once this week, with visits to both the UK and Russia. He first met with British Prime Minister Theresa May, who he allegedly told to ‘sue the European Union’ rather than negotiate with them. May has since made it clear she has disregarded the advice given to her by the US President, stating that the UK will be ‘going into negotiations with them’. Trump then moved on to meet with the Queen, arriving late to have tea with her, before breaking royal protocol by wondering aimlessly in front of her when the two of them were walking between the Royal Guard, blocking the Queen from view. Also of note, the Queen was wearing a particular brooch when meeting the President of the United Stats, specifically one that former US President Barack Obama had given her upon meeting her. There was also a minor error in the photo taken of the Queen with Trump and the First Lady, with a dog bowl noticeable in the bottom right hand corner of the image, something that should have been taken away from the area but was mistakenly left behind. After Trump’s meeting with the Queen, he moved on to Russia, flying to Helsinki to meet with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin. The meeting was a highly anticipated one, with many expecting him to condemn Putin and Russia for meddling in the 2016 US Presidential Election. However, he was quite friendly with the Russian President, and failed to directly confront him about the issue. After the meeting and after arriving back in the US, he tweeted out saying it had been successful. After a Cabinet meeting, when asked if the Russians were still involved with targeting the US, Trump denied they were, which contradicted a warning given by National Intelligence Director Dan Coats that Russia was still engaged in ‘ongoing, pervasive efforts’ to interfere with US Elections. Later on spokeswoman Sarah Sanders clarified Trump’s earlier ‘no’ meant he didn’t want to answer questions from the press, and that they believed the threat still existed. Trump then told CBS News that he holds Putin personally responsible for Russian interference in the US Election, claiming to have told Putin that the US was no longer going to allow for this to happen. However, many are still not convinced, and are uncertain as to just where Trump stands on this issue and where his relationship with Putin is at.

And in some entertainment news, the first trailer for the new series of Doctor Who has been released this week. The trailer shows the new Doctor in action alongside three new companions. For the first time in the show’s history, the Doctor is now female, with Jodie Whittaker taking on the role under new showrunner Chris Chibnall. The new companions include Yaz, played by Mandip Gill, Ryan, played by Tosin Cole, and Graham, played by Bradley Walsh, who may be more familiar to some people. The new sonic screwdriver has also made its debut, being shown off by Whittaker at San Diego Comic Con during the Doctor Who panel this week. The cast and crew are all very excited about the direction the show is taking, and all have seen just how well Jodie is taking on the role of the Doctor. Whittaker and Chibnall worked together previously on the BBC show Broadchurch, with highly acclaimed and one of the most well known Doctors of the modern era, Tenth Doctor David Tennant. The new season will most likely not begin airing until Autumn in the US, which begins in late September.

And that’s it for another Flashback Friday. Hope you enjoyed it, and stay tuned for more in the coming days. Have a good one!

JJ