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World No 1 reels off six frames in a row to win 6-2 Wilson had beaten Trump in two finals this season Judd Trump reeled off six frames in a row to beat Kyren Wilson 6-2 and secure his place in the final of the UK Championship for the first time since 2020. The world No 1 capitalised on mistakes from his misfiring opponent to extract some measure of revenge for defeats in finals in Xian and Belfast this season. While Trump produced nothing like the form he showed when he swept aside Zhang Anda in the last eight , it proved more than enough to line him up for another shot at the prestigious trophy he lifted in 2011. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/Yt6GMFU

He replaces Steve Cooper on deal to 2027 with club 16th First game will be on Tuesday not Brentford on Saturday Ruud van Nistelrooy has been confirmed as the manager of Leicester on a contract to June 2027, less than three weeks after he left Manchester United , but will not take charge of Saturday’s game at Brentford. Van Nistelrooy will be in the stands there and the first-team coach, Ben Dawson, will be in the dugout, supported by the coaches Danny Alcock and Andy Hughes. Van Nistelrooy will be presented by Leicester on Monday and his first game will be at home to West Ham on Tuesday. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/sArmJSo

The ties have it: bows are in decline, replaced by an accessory once the preserve of power-dressers that’s being updated by a more fluid generation Generational divides have been spelt out in everything from hair partings to jeans and socks in recent years. A side parting or a pair of no-show trainer socks can brand you a millennial or gen X. And now the latest item to instantly highlight the generational divide is an accessory. If bows are a favourite of thirtysomethings, those in their 20s have discovered the neck tie. On the catwalk, at Saint Laurent, there were baggy, boxy trouser suits worn with ties. Celebrities are also wearing the look. Kelly Rowland wore a suit and tie to endorse Kamala Harris in October, Boygenius all wore ties at the Grammys in February and gen Z style whisperer Hailey Bieber wore a suit and tie to dinner last month. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/1CRejWv

It is due to the courage of victims that we are learning why these undercover officers behaved as they did Even for those familiar with parts of the stories about women who were deceived into intimate relationships  with undercover police officers, the evidence that has emerged in recent weeks has been shocking. The litany of destructive behaviour either carried out by, or caused by, officers deployed to spy on campaigners, who were mostly active in leftwing causes, is being laid bare as never before: self-harm, heroin use, unprotected sex leading to emergency contraception, coercive control and the sudden abandonment of female partners and children. On Tuesday, Belinda Harvey told the public inquiry how she was manipulated by Bob Lambert, who tricked at least three other women into relationships as well. The son he had with one of them, and abandoned as a toddler, did not learn the truth for decades. The Metropolitan police has since paid the son a...

Under the auspices of holding the president elect to account, there’s the usual sucking up to power and money I have spent most of the last week on Zoom calls with accountants in New York, trying to figure out the personal finance implications of moving to the UK – lugging dual citizenship behind me. (Short version: they’re not good.) Since these conversations deal with economic outcomes it has felt, as a matter of form, necessary to mention that given the US just elected a maniac, at some level – don’t we think? – all bets are off. Joking not-joking: we can talk about pensions or college savings until the cows come home but really, why aren’t we screaming? A remark that has elicited, to a man, either blank looks or cheerful entreaties not to be so alarmist. It is three weeks since the presidential election and, crazy cabinet picks aside, Americans are in that strange interim period where normality resumes, and it is possible to convince ourselves that actually this might not be so b...

The environmental harm caused by this shapeshifting, underregulated industry must be tackled Local pushback against cruise ships in the world’s top tourist destinations is nothing new. More than three years ago, these vast vessels were barred from Venice’s lagoon on grounds of the risk they posed to the city’s historic buildings. This summer, cruise ships in Amsterdam and Barcelona were targeted by protesters, on grounds of chemical pollution but also as part of a wider movement against overtourism (as the negative impacts of huge influxes of visitors have become known). But – as revealed this week in a series of Guardian articles, The real cost of cruises – the environmental and social impact of this fast-growing industry goes way beyond individual cities, and requires action on a global scale. The carbon emissions of a cruise are roughly double that of the equivalent flights plus a hotel stay. The industry is also responsible for a vast quantity of waste discharged directly into...

Years of ugly attacks on benefit claimants mean Liz Kendall treads a delicate line as she sets out to boost employment That one in eight young people in the UK are not in education, employment or training is a dismal statistic. Nearly a decade after the school-leaving age was raised to 18 in England (in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland it remains 16), and 25 years after Tony Blair aimed to have 50% of young people in higher education, Britain under the Tories went backwards. The problem of a shrinking workforce, and the rising benefits bill it entails, is not limited to young adults. The UK’s lack of a post-pandemic bounceback in employment is a concern in other age groups, particularly the over-50s. But the government is right to be alarmed by the phenomenon of young people emerging from 14 years of schooling unable to work or undertake training. Unemployment and long-term illness are not a great start to anyone’s adult life. Continue reading... from The Guardian https...

It was plainly too good to be true. Or to last. There were 82 seconds on the stadium clock when the Ruben Amorim era at Manchester United was jump-started. The new manager had put his faith in Marcus Rashford in the No 9 role and it was United’s great enigma who scored to put them in charge. Rashford charged about in the early running, a point to prove. And yet it was the prompt for a slow retreat by United for the remainder of the first half. The structure was different, United set up in Amorim’s trademark 3-4-2-1, but the players were the same, along with plenty of the frustrations from Erik ten Hag’s tenure. It is not Amorim’s fault. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/R8YbJXM

To be crowned the world’s best at something – from lowest roller skate limbo to longest under-ice free dive – is a huge achievement. What happens next? Some people train their whole lives to earn a Guinness World Record. For others, picking one up is a happy accident. After all, the more than 40,000 records currently maintained by Guinness run the gauntlet from fastest marathon (an impressive 1hr 59min) to the largest number of hotdogs eaten in one minute (six, including the bun). So what motivates someone to pursue a world record – and what happens to your life after you get one? To find out, we spoke to five record holders, past and present. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/R7P6TQV

It looks, smells and tastes like regular alcohol – so how can we protect ourselves after several people died after likely consuming methanol in Laos this week? Get our breaking news email , free app or daily news podcast The risks of methanol poisoning are in sharp focus this week after the tragic deaths of several young people in Laos, including Melbourne teens Holly Bowles and Bianca Jones . According to Doctors Without Borders, thousands of people are poisoned by methanol every year , with outbreaks killing 20% to 40% of victims. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/AakldXE

The G20? Cop29? Totally pointless, said the Tory leader. World leaders getting up themselves and a load of virtue-signalling It had been shaping up to be another sleepy Thursday in Westminster. A day when hostilities were put on hold after the exertions earlier in the week. A time for MPs to be a little more playful with one another. To even, occasionally, agree with one another. And that’s very much how proceedings began. First, there were outpourings of sympathy from members of all parties for the family of John Prescott , who had died the day before. Tributes for a life well lived. Then the main business: a statement from Keir Starmer on Cop29 and the G20 . Taking the Lead by John Crace is published by Little, Brown (£18.99). To support the Guardian and Observer, order your copy at guardianbookshop.com . Delivery charges may apply. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/hjRduKI

The Republicans were always the party of big business, but Mr Trump is turning them into a playpen for oligarchs One person turns up surprisingly often at Donald Trump’s side. Not his No 2, JD Vance, nor his wife, Melania, but another man a quarter-century younger and about $300bn heavier: Elon Musk. The two hunkered down in Mar-a-Lago on the night of the election, celebrating the results. This week they were in Texas, watching Mr Musk’s staff test-launch a spacecraft. During the campaign, Mr Musk personally chipped in $130m , made speeches at rallies and organised campaigns to “get out the vote”. Last week, the world’s richest man was picked by the president-elect to run a new “department of government efficiency”. So close are the pair that Mr Musk dubs himself “First Buddy”. American politics has always been coiled around money, tight as a vine around a trunk. Nearly 25 years ago, George W Bush joked at a swanky white-tie dinner : “Some people call you the elites; I call you m...

A letter by 79 firms voicing ‘significant concerns’ over the budget is likely to do little more than irritate Rachel Reeves While the farmers took to the streets of Westminster, the shopkeepers protested in the old-fashioned way. They wrote a polite letter to the chancellor voicing their “significant concerns” over “the sheer scale” of budget measures that, they say, will push up their industry’s costs by £7bn next year and “make job losses inevitable and higher prices a certainty”. A total of 79 firms signed, including all the FTSE 100 crew – Tesco, Sainsbury’s, Next, Marks & Spencer, B&Q owner Kingfisher, JD Sports and the AB Foods-owned Primark. This display of unity will irritate the Treasury but, almost certainly, will not cause Rachel Reeves to rethink. The chancellor has already told firms how to deal with the rise in employer national insurance contributions (NICs), the most contentious measure and one that comprises £2.33bn of the £7bn. They should absorb it through...

Tax rises were needed, but Labour must not dismiss the difficulties faced by farming families No tax change is perfect. Systems can never be customised to take in every set of circumstances. There are always edge cases – people who are outliers in the groups that new measures are aimed at. Several hundred farming families seem likely to fall into this category, following the changes to inheritance tax in Rachel Reeves’s budget that have prompted this week’s angry protests. Those whose incomes will make it difficult for them to pay the new 20% rate on agricultural property above a £1m threshold may need to sell land, or adapt their businesses in other ways. Given that farms were previously exempt, it is not surprising that this has caused upset. Very few people want to pay more tax – especially on family-owned assets to which they are attached. There is a reasonable argument that more notice should have been given of the government’s plans, which were not in its manifes...

Hate your boring old eye colour? It is now possible to change it – but side-effects include infection, inflammation, light sensitivity and vision loss … Name: Keratopigmentation. Age: First described in AD150 , but not in a way that would tempt you. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/CIz90wx

Private sector reform is overdue, but councils need funding if young people are to have the chances they deserve Curbs on profiteering in the children’s social care sector cannot come soon enough. It is getting on for three years since the Competition and Markets Authority found that children’s home owners in England, Scotland and Wales were making excessive profits while carrying too much debt – exposing children and councils to unacceptable risks. Of all the failed experiments in privatisation of the past 30 years, this has a case to be considered the worst. A situation in which children are regularly uprooted from their areas due to services having been shaped by market forces – rather than their needs – should never have been allowed. Bridget Phillipson’s announcement on Monday that the government will seek to limit the profits of providers in England, and restrict the use of agency social workers to promote a more stable workforce, was the clearest indication so far of the d...

England coach does not believe he will be sacked Freddie Stewart says players should shoulder blame Steve Borthwick has claimed his England players were not fit enough for Test rugby when they began their autumn internationals after Saturday’s defeat by South Africa extended their dismal losing run. In what could be construed as a tacit admission that Aled Walters’ departure has been keenly felt, Borthwick has risked the ire of Premiership clubs by stating that his players’ “condition” was not “where it needed to be” at the start of the month. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/qQjOAhp

Pair took Britain past Germany into Sunday’s semi-finals Captain says: ‘I’m fortunate – I really believe we can win’ Throughout Anne Keothavong’s 12 years of diligently competing in the Billie Jean King Cup, the Great Britain team often seemed stuck. The Europe/Africa Group I, where they were positioned for more than a decade, is notoriously brutal and once a team is relegated to those zonal groups, it can be very difficult to escape. It was not until 2019, with Keothavong as captain, that Great Britain finally broke through and established themselves among the elite. Those struggles in the lower divisions only underline the massive strides Great Britain have taken. Two years after reaching the Billie Jean King Cup semi-finals , they can now call themselves one of the best teams in the world after Friday’s efficient 2-0 win over Germany , which saw both Katie Boulter and Emma Raducanu win in two sets. They will face the defending champions Canada on Sunday confident that they ...

Royal Court, Liverpool Wolf-like property developers are set to evict the grandmother, who is on a night of drug-fuelled abandon, in this enjoyable show This is Liverpool, so the most frightening set of teeth are those of Cilla Black. Every time the baddies look at them we hear a round of Anyone Who Had a Heart. Laced with poison, they could be fatal. Did I say Liverpool? I should have said Lidlpool, a city where the middle aisle can save the day and where, in Kevin Fearon’s raucous script, the threat to Grandma comes from two metaphorical wolves. The old woman’s cottage is the only thing standing in the way of a multistorey car park. The lupine property developers, Cash and Carry (Andrew Schofield and Keddy Sutton), will stop at nothing – even Cilla’s teeth – to get her evicted. At the Royal Court, Liverpool , until 18 January Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/CsMZFe4

Carl Alesbrook, now 19, unanimously convicted of murder over death of four-month-old Elijah Shemwell A teenager who shook his girlfriend’s baby to death has been jailed for life. Carl Alesbrook, who is now 19, was unanimously convicted of murder after breaking the ribs of four-month-old Elijah Shemwell and causing him “catastrophic” brain injuries when he was left alone with the infant as a 16-year-old in January 2022. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/P5x2UzY

Simon Harris has called a vote for 29 November because he is leading in the polls. But the current economic boom masks serious inequalities Ireland’s imminent general election on 29 November has aroused little interest in Britain. Many here may not even know it is taking place. No surprise there, unfortunately. It was ever thus for Britain’s insular political class. Compared with the attention lavished on the American election, albeit this year an exceptionally important one, the Irish election has barely registered. But is what happens in Wisconsin really more important for Britain than what happens in Wicklow ? Centuries of history suggest the opposite. It does not, however, require specialist knowledge of Irish politics to see why the Fine Gael taoiseach, Simon Harris, has called a snap election in just two weeks’ time. The previous Dáil, elected in 2020, could in theory have remained in existence until next March. But Mr Harris, who succeeded Leo Varadkar as his party’s leader i...

Trump was back in the Oval Office to discuss the transfer of power – a courtesy he never extended when he lost in 2020 Nancy Pelosi once said Donald Trump would be “fumigated out” of the Oval Office if he lost the 2020 presidential election. Joe Biden relished describing him as “the former guy” and “loser”. They thought the American nightmare was over. Then, like in the movies, Democrats woke up in a cold sweat only to realise it wasn’t a dream after all. Instead they are doomed to be supporting players in a sequel. Trump: The Revenge. This time, it’s personal. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/eLnTvBI

The health secretary is right to link investment to accountability, but he must be wary of creating perverse incentives For any government contemplating NHS reform, the 2012 Health and Social Care Act is a textbook case of what not to do. Despite promises of “no more pointless reorganisations”, the Tory health secretary Andrew Lansley did just that, abolishing management tiers and imposing new care commissioning and competition systems on reluctant doctors. The whole thing was a political nightmare that wasted resources, demoralised staff and undermined public confidence. In an independent report published earlier this year, Lord Darzi described the Lansley method as “ scorched earth ”, from which NHS management capacity has not yet fully recovered. And that was before the full social cost of austerity had weighed on the health service, and before it had been battered by the Covid pandemic. Do you have an opinion on the issues raised in this article? If you would like to submit...

Sir Keir Starmer’s pledge on emissions is an encouraging step at a frightening moment Predictions that this will be the first calendar year in which the 1.5C warming limit enshrined in the Paris agreement is surpassed provide a stark backdrop to the UN’s 29th climate conference. This year – 2024 – has already seen the hottest-ever day and month, and is expected by experts to be the hottest year too. Addressing delegates on Tuesday, the UN chief, António Guterres, referred to a “masterclass in climate destruction” . The escalating pattern of destructive weather events, most recently in Valencia , is a warning of what lies ahead. When the 1.5C figure was included in the 2015 deal, it was known to be a stretch. The treaty says countries must hold the average temperature “well below 2C above pre-industrial levels” and aim for 1.5C. Busting this target in 2024 will not mean it has been definitively missed; the measurement of global temperatures relies on averages recorded ...

Where others began by expressing regret over the Horizon scandal, Kemi said nothing. Because she feels nothing Look on the bright side. Kemi Badenoch lasted two and a half hours in the witness stand at the Post Office inquiry without losing it. She didn’t get into an argument with Jason Beer, the counsel for the crown, though that could be because his questions were not unduly threatening. After all, we were there to hear Kemi’s version of events . Other versions of the truth may be available. Nor did she square up to any of those in the public gallery who laughed when Beer thanked her for answering “some” of his questions. Not that Kemi nailed it. Like many narcissists, she is a curious mixture of the thick- and thin-skinned. She likes to present herself as a no-nonsense, tough woman. Someone who isn’t afraid to go toe-to-toe with her opponents. Who can tell it like it is. But beneath the surface there’s a vulnerability that she despises. It’s why she lashes out so readily. The pers...

Scotland 15-32 South Africa Springboks hold off stubborn hosts at Murrayfield Not much arguing with this. Scotland threw everything at this match, setting their beloved stadium on a roar time and again, but four tries to none tells its own story. And a familiar one at that. South Africa, without ever really seeming to play much more than within themselves, were just too strong. The image of a lusty puncher failing to land a single blow came to mind, as the Springboks held a swinging Scotland at arm’s length, rarely too troubled, for all their opponents’ fire and enthusiasm. Time and again either side of half-time, Scotland broke out, but they could not quite score a try, let alone four of them. Eben Etzebeth, the only Springbok forward to play the whole match, was the icon, huge, commanding and, at times, laughing in his opponents’ faces. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/Z0VLxl8

Updates from the 8pm GMT kick-off at Anfield Get in touch! Share your thoughts with Scott Slot also goes some way to explaining why Liverpool have been slow starters in most matches this season, picking up speed significantly in the second half. “There are many things we can do better … the threshold is quite high for us … I see that certain things are done better by other teams than us … you wonder which ones? … that’s what we talk about during the week … hopefully we keep improving … it’s necessary in a difficult league like this … Xabi Alonso has played the same style for one, two years I think … he came here playing Boniface as a left winger … that is a compliment to our players … every team that comes here feels they need a special plan … the good thing for us is that’s mostly the first time they play it, so you could argue it’s not an advantage for them to do that … but they feel it’s an advantage … in the first half we have to adjust a bit … then it’s a disadvantage for us ...

David Miliband, Peter Mandelson and Cathy Ashton thought to be on shortlist for diplomatic role A decision on a new US ambassador is likely to be taken within days, with David Miliband, Peter Mandelson and Cathy Ashton all on the shortlist, the Guardian understands. Whitehall sources said Downing Street is determined to press ahead with the appointment of a new US ambassador now that Donald Trump has been confirmed as the next US president. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/EWiuqUH

The Purple One and Orange Crunch are both lighter and now the same shape as the Caramel Swirl First they ditched the plastic wrappers, then they introduced paper tubs . But for many, changing the shape and size of some of the nation’s favourite Quality Street chocolates was a step too far. Nestlé announced the shape changes to the Purple One and Orange Crunch in March, but shoppers realised they were lighter too. They are both now the same shape as the Caramel Swirl. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/o9qfluW

Single Trade Window designed to reduce friction on imports and exports will be halted until at least 2026 amid cost fears A key part of the UK’s post-Brexit border strategy has been put on pause for more than a year amid government concerns over the cost of implementing the scheme. The introduction of the Single Trade Window (STW), which is designed to reduce friction for traders moving goods in and out of Britain, had already been delayed from late October to January next year, but will now be halted until at least 2026. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/xNOhmYv

How else to explain Honest Bob Jenrick winding up as shadow justice secretary? Spare a thought for the losers. Not those like James Cleverly, Tom Tugendhat, Steve Barclay. Or Jeremy Hunt and Oliver Dowden, who politely declined all offers to serve in the shadow cabinet. They had their self-worth to consider. Hard to believe, but true nonetheless. Instead, consider those who desired high office – if that isn’t an oxymoron for the shadow cabinet. Take Suella Braverman and Esther McVey. Gutted to have been overlooked. Their credentials impeccable. Both with an unblemished track record of insanity and incompetence. How much more useless did they have to be for Kemi Badenoch to give them the nod? Imagine the insult. Thought to be less hopeless than Priti Patel or Chris Philp. You’re never going to recover from that. Just left to wander the backbenches. Taking the Lead by John Crace is published by Little, Brown (£18.99). To support the Guardian and Observer, order your copy at guardianbo...

Jostling for position before eventual debt for equity swap gives opportunity to fight for £3bn lifeline with least worst terms Roll up, roll up, who wants to lend £3bn to Thames Water, a company already drowning in debt? It turns out a lot of people do. Two rival groups of existing creditors – one representing the A class of bondholders, the other the junior Bs – have tabled proposals to provide the company with a “liquidity runway”, meaning emergency cash to get it through the next year or so. At some point in that period, it is hoped, Thames would set about the more fundamental task of imposing losses on those same debtholders to clear the decks for new shareholders to inject capital. None of this is straightforward and some of today’s bondholders will probably also be tomorrow’s shareholders, assuming a debt-for-equity swap is possible. And “runway” is probably the wrong metaphor. We’re really talking about a sticking plaster before the main surgery on the balance sheet can begin....

League Two side into second round after 1-0 victory AFC Wimbledon beat bitter rivals MK Dons Harrogate pulled off an FA Cup upset as the League Two side beat Wrexham 1-0 to reach the second round. Jack Muldoon scored the only goal of the game with a glancing header midway through the first half and League One high-fliers Wrexham struggled to create clear-cut chances to equalise. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/vIWUKas

Elias Visontay rides aimlessly to see how friendly or antisocial Sydneysiders really are. Along the way he discovers why many drivers can’t stand Uber Pool Get our breaking news email , free app or daily news podcast As kids we’re warned not to accept rides with strangers. But when my editors told me to take Uber Pools around Sydney and write about the characters I meet, I had little idea I’d be in for fashion critiques, tales of backseat romances, plenty of awkward silences – and mostly solo rides. When it first launched before Covid, Uber Pool was perhaps the truest form of ride sharing. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/yKH2da0

They came more in expectation than hope: a modern-day record 3,110 of them crammed into the Sussex Transport Community Stadium like the mackerels that adorn Worthing’s badge. Some mooted cup upsets are born of the heart, fuelled by an alluring backstory that taps into society’s natural inclination to cheer for underdogs that have overcome adversity to challenge those more distinguished. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/2fZsVI5

The former president leaned heavily into his agenda of hate and menace in a week as unedifying as it was unhinged There was racism and misogyny by the bucketload. There was a firing squad death threat to a former congresswoman. And there was the extraordinary sight of a Republican candidate for president of the United States playing dress-up as a sanitation worker in the cab of a garbage truck. Donald Trump’s final full week on the campaign trail was as unedifying as it was bizarre. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/5PvCBWt

Russell Bruce Moncrief, 75, faces counts of human trafficking and racketeering over ‘sickening scheme’ A bail bondsman is facing criminal charges in Florida for allegedly approaching incarcerated women and offering to bond them out if they give him sex in return. Russell Bruce Moncrief faces counts of human trafficking and racketeering – along with accusations that he used his authority within the criminal justice system to prey on particularly vulnerable women, said a recent news release from the office of the state’s attorney general, Ashley Moody. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/A3FtNbj

Piotr Kucharski wore insignia for proscribed terror group on combat clothing at Suffolk Viking re-enactment A builder has been jailed for claiming at a Viking re-enactment that he had fought for the Wagner group in Ukraine. Piotr Kucharski, 49, wore combat clothing bearing badges with insignia for the proscribed terror organisation to an event in Stonham Aspal, in Suffolk. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/UQuZMJh

Daniel Khalife, 23, says he absconded because he was ‘terrified’ of being locked up with dangerous offenders A former British soldier has told a jury he did not hand himself in after he escaped from prison because he was “finally demonstrating what a foolish idea it was” to imprison someone with his “skill set”. Daniel Khalife, 23, told the court he absconded from Wandsworth prison while on remand because he was “terrified” of being locked up with “serious sex offenders” and “terrorists” who wanted to kill him, and that he did not think his imprisonment would be in the public interest. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/vRZHkaw