CATEGORIES

Emery urges Villa to 'break our limit' in top-eight push

Unai Emery has urged Aston Villa to \"break our limit\" by enhancing their chances of advancing automatically to the Champions League last 16 with victory against RB Leipzig.

Slot confirms 'outstanding' Alisson ready to face Girona

Alisson could make his Liverpool return against Girona in the Champions League at Montilivi tonight after Arne Slot confirmed that he is ready to start again.

Five takeaways from England's series success in New Zealand

Pressure tells Unless you're Australia, New Zealand is not an easy place to win a Test series.

'Best in the world' Brook keeping feet on ground

England batter is determined to stick with his aggressive approach even if it puts his sky-high statistics at risk

Wolff shares heartfelt final farewell with Hamilton

Toto Wolff has bid Lewis Hamilton a heartfelt final farewell with what the Mercedes team principal called the most important message he has ever sent, as Hamilton prepares to join Ferrari next season.

'This is mad': 17-year-old Littler stunned by Spoty nomination

Luke Littler will have a shot at becoming the youngest winner of the BBC's Sports Personality of the Year award for more than 60 years after being named on a six-strong shortlist headed by the Paris 2024 Olympics stars Keely Hodgkinson and Alex Yee.

Lost in the desert Gerrard's drift into grim-faced obscurity shows true nature of soulless Saudi league

Occasionally, at various opportune or triumphant moments in his career - posing for a photograph, say, or receiving a medal or trophy - Steven Gerrard has been called upon to smile. This is a challenge that has almost invariably proved beyond him. Take his famous goal against Olympiakos in the Champions League, 20 years ago last Sunday. We all remember what happens: header, ball drops, Gerrard smashes it in from distance and tears off in celebration, fists flying, teammates in pursuit.

An investability problem' Legal ruling leaves motor finance industry in a spin

A cloud of anxiety was hanging over the British Motor Museum. Alongside showrooms featuring the 1988 Le Mans-winning Jaguar XJR-9 and the Land Rover Defender used in the opening scenes of the James Bond film Skyfall were conference rooms filled with worried lawyers, bankers and compliance staff from across the motor lending industry.

Ashley has the right critique of Boohoo. But appointing him to the board defies common sense

Make-your-mind-up-time approaches for Boohoo's shareholders in the great showdown with Mike Ashley. The Sports Direct maestro wants a seat on the Boohoo board for him and a mate, to go with the 27% shareholding his Frasers Group holds in the struggling online retailer.

Average home in England, Scotland and Wales 'is now unaffordable'

Only the richest 10% of households can afford to buy an average-priced home in England, according to official figures laying bare the scale of Britain's broken housing market.

Christmas spending forecast to reach £22.7bn

Premium food, clothing and technology purchases are expected to drive a 5% jump in festive spending to £22.7bn this year, according to figures that suggest UK consumers will outstrip the first post-pandemic Christmas in 2021.

Shareholder adviser backs Boohoo in battle with Ashley

Fast-fashion retailer Boohoo has won the support of an influential shareholder adviser in its battle to prevent the Sports Direct founder, Mike Ashley, wresting control of the company.

Gangs kill 200 in 'Vodou-related' attack in Haiti

Close to 200 people were killed in violence in Haiti's capital over the weekend, many in a massacre in which a gang boss reportedly targeted Vodou practitioners.

Saltburn star speaks out about 'inhumane' abuse and online harassment

Barry Keoghan has deactivated his Instagram account in response to the harassment of himself and his family after his reported breakup with the pop star Sabrina Carpenter, accusing fans of \"crossing a line\" and knocking on his grandmother's door.

Chancellor in waiting? How the 'German Trump' marries Opulence and populism

In July 2022, the prevailing political mood in Germany was grim. The economic powerhouse was on the brink of a recession, with Russia threatening to cut off its gas supplies.

Former marine acquitted over subway death

A jury on Manhattan has acquitted Daniel Penny over the death of Jordan Neely on a New York City subway train last year.

South Korea's president banned from travel amid impeachment Vote row

South Korea's president, Yoon Suk Yeol, has been banned from leaving the country, as opposition politicians accused his party of staging a \"second coup\" by refusing to impeach him over his botched declaration of martial law last week.

Police speak to man in connection with health CEO's killing

Police were questioning a man in Pennsylvania last night in connection with the killing of the UnitedHealthcare chief executive, Brian Thompson.

Trump says he will offer pardons to January 6 rioters on 'first day'

In his first sit-down television news interview since winning a second term as president, Donald Trump renewed promises to pardon his supporters involved in the attack on the US Capitol in January 2021.

Disfunction Hundreds of trials being derailed by prisoner escort delays

Hundreds of trials are being derailed because prison vans fail to transport the defendant to court on time, figures show.

Dispense with juries in some cases to cut the crown court backlog, ministers told

Ministers should consider abandoning jury trials for some crown court cases unless they properly fund a justice system \"in serious crisis\", the former lord chief justice has said.

Pizza Hut's 'dangerous' online casino promotion draws anger

Pizza Hut has been criticised for running a \"dangerous\" promotion that offered customers \"free spins\" at online casinos with their takeaway.

Rap moguls Jay-Z and Sean Combs accused of raping 13-year-old girl

An amended lawsuit filed in a US federal court on Sunday alleges that the rap moguls Jay-Z and Sean \"Diddy\" Combs raped a 13-year-old girl during a party in 2000.

Former MP Hodge named as UK anti-corruption champion

Margaret Hodge, a long-term campaigner against global corruption, has been appointed as the UK's anti-corruption champion.

NHS told to focus on safety amid warnings of winter crisis

Wes Streeting has held urgent talks with NHS leaders in England about how the service will cope with an impending winter crisis, amid signs it is already under intense pressure.

Private sector to scrutinise Whitehall spending plans

Rachel Reeves has ordered Whitehall departments to submit their spending plans to \"challenge panels\" of private sector experts, including bankers, as part of her forthcoming spending review.

Schoolgirl, 15, fatally stabbed in row over teddy bear, jury told

A dispute over a teddy bear led to a 15-year-old schoolgirl being stabbed to death by a boy consumed with \"white hot anger\", a jury has heard.

Stage review Rowe and his fabulous frocks reign supreme

One day, a panto may come along in which the story is given as much (OK, even half as much) attention as the dame's frocks, and where the romance between the principal boy and his sweetheart isn't as flat as the backcloth. Hackney's Dick Whittington is not that panto. Nope, this is the one wot Clive Rowe is in, the one wot London's most celebrated dame now conceives and directs, indeed.

Student may have killed 'to see what it was like', court hears

A criminology student may have stabbed a woman to death on a Bournemouth beach because he wanted to know what it was like to take a life and how it felt to make women feel afraid, a jury has heard.

End of the Eras Taylor Swift's epic $2bn tour finally comes to a close

By now, nearly 21 months after Taylor Swift launched what would become the highest-grossing tour of all time, you could be forgiven for thinking both \"wait, Taylor Swift is still on the Eras Tour?\" or that the globe-spanning, headline-dominating, literally seismic show would go on forever.