Europe

Nothing says Christmas like a festive market packed with inspiring gifts and seasonal treats, and what better way to enhance your experience than an affordable European getaway to marvel at the magic

Wandering around a Christmas market with the aroma of spiced mulled wine and wooden cabins stacked with unique gifts is part of what makes the festive season so magical. And there’s one in Europe, where it’s been dubbed the cheapest for a winter getaway.

There is a catalogue of European countries offering some of the most spectacular Christmas markets, set within their enchanting towns with mountain backdrops that could easily resemble something out of a Hallmark movie. Nevertheless, some of these locations can come with a hefty price tag as costs are bumped up during the festive season, but that doesn’t mean we need to sacrifice our European winter wonderland.

One European destination that offers the magic of Christmas at a bargain rate is the capital of Latvia, Riga, with direct flights starting from just £20. The city, renowned for its pedestrian-only medieval Old Town and Art Nouveau architecture, offers everything you could wish for in a festive winter break.

The biggest appeal during this time of year is their charming and traditional Riga Christmas Market in Dome Square, packed with stalls and a thriving food scene with wintery street-food dishes and Latvian cuisine. Warming mulled wines are also available, along with festive cocktails, while visitors browse the stalls of local Latvian artisans.

And it might be one of the best places for some Christmas shopping inspiration, with a selection of handcrafted gifts such as beeswax candles, gingerbread, socks, wool gloves, and creative kits to create wreaths, wall decor and acrylic dishes. Adding to the magic of the Riga Christmas Market, which runs from 28 November to 4 January , will be music from a DJ every Friday, choirs and music ensembles performing on Saturdays and folk music on Sundays.

The city, considered the ‘Art Nouveau capital of Europe’, is nothing short of captivating with its charming, colourful homes decorating the streets and its lively cultural scene. What’s more, it’s filled with shops and cosy restaurants for a traditional taste of Latvia, and its bustling Livu Square, boasting bars and nightclubs.

Another hugely appealing factor about this European city is its affordability. The annual Post Office Christmas Markets Barometer found that Riga is one of the most affordable European destinations for a two-night weekend Christmas market experience, compared to Copenhagen and Vienna, which have been ranked as some of the most expensive.

The Post Office revealed how much you’re likely to spend in Riga during a two-night break for two during the Christmas market season, and it’s certainly good value for money. They revealed the following prices:

• Four cups of coffee from a cafe or bar = £11.49
• Two three-course meals for two (including a bottle of wine) = £132.89
• Two return bus/train transfers from the airport to the city centre = £7.18
• Four glasses of mulled wine, punch or Glühwein at the Christmas market £14.37
• Four pieces of cake/gingerbread/stollen at Christmas market £12.57

Additionally, the Post Office found that a two-night B&B stay in Riga and direct flights or Eurostar for two would cost a total of £377.00. With everything included, this weekend getaway for two in Riga would cost £555.50 in total, or £277.75 per person.

This is in stark contrast to Copenhagen in Denmark, which was estimated to set two people back a whopping £1,056.55 for the exact same amenities as above. Or £926.41 for the same two-night trip to Vienna in Austria.

Direct return weekend flights from London Stansted to Riga start from around £87 per person, while you can snap up a mid-week return flight from around £45. Meanwhile, you can grab a flight from Leeds to Riga for as little as £20, or a return for around £42.

Additionally, direct flights from Manchester start from around £25, or £45 for a return flight. You can also fly from the East Midlands Airport (EMA), near Nottingham, from £22 to Riga, or spend around £45 on a direct return.

You can check the best flights on the Skyscanner website here.

Laura Plunkett, head of Travel Money at Post Office, said: “A short break to one of Europe’s colourful Christmas Markets is an attractive holiday option at this time of year. However, sterling’s drop in value is an important factor for travellers to consider before booking a trip, as it varies between currencies. The pound’s fall against the euro is smaller than against other European currencies – five per cent compared with 10.6 per cent against the Hungarian forint and 10.9 per cent against the Swedish kronor.

“The cost of flights and accommodation will also have a significant impact on overall costs so it is doubly important for holidaymakers planning a trip to do their homework to factor in how sterling’s value, flight and hotel capacity and meal costs will affect overall costs. Budget-conscious travellers stand to save hundreds of pounds if they choose carefully.”

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The US president signals legal war even as the British network apologises for an ‘error of judgement’ in editing his January 6 speech.

United States President Donald Trump says he would likely sue the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) next week for as much as $5bn after the British broadcaster admitted it wrongly edited a video of a speech he gave, but insisted there was no legal basis for his claim.

“We will sue them for anywhere between a billion and five billion dollars, probably sometime next week. I think I have to do it. They have even admitted that they cheated,” Trump told reporters on board Air Force One late on Friday.

Trump’s lawyers had sent the BBC a letter on Monday, accusing it of defaming the US president with the video of the speech before the 2021 US Capitol riot and giving it until Friday to apologise and pay compensation for what they described as “overwhelming reputational and financial harm”.

The controversy centres on the BBC’s edit of Trump’s remarks from January 6, 2021, the day his supporters stormed the US Capitol. The dispute has pushed the network into its most severe crisis in decades, triggering the resignations of two senior leaders and prompting a wave of political scrutiny.

“The people of the UK are very angry about what happened, as you can imagine, because it shows the BBC is fake news,” Trump said.

He added that he planned to raise the BBC issue with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, who has backed the broadcaster’s independence while avoiding taking sides against Trump.

“I’m going to call him over the weekend. He actually put a call into me. He’s very embarrassed,” Trump said.

‘Beyond fake, this is corrupt’

The documentary, aired on the BBC’s flagship Panorama programme, stitched together three separate clips of Trump’s January 6 speech. His lawyers say the sequence created the false impression he was inciting the riot, calling the edit “false and defamatory”.

In an interview with GB News, Trump accused the BBC of misconduct. He said the edit was “impossible to believe” and likened it to election interference.

“I made a beautiful statement, and they made it into a not beautiful statement,” he said. “Fake news was a great term, except it’s not strong enough. This is beyond fake, this is corrupt.”

He dismissed the BBC’s apology as insufficient, arguing that the broadcaster had spliced together remarks that were nearly an hour apart. “It’s incredible to depict the idea that I had given this aggressive speech which led to riots,” he said.

BBC chair Samir Shah issued a personal apology to the White House and told British lawmakers that the edit was “an error of judgement”. Culture Minister Lisa Nandy said on Friday the apology was “right and necessary”.

The crisis has already cost the BBC its director general, Tim Davie, and its head of news, Deborah Turness, both of whom resigned this week as accusations of bias and editing failures mounted.

Officials said the suspension related to broadcasts about an ongoing blockade that has caused major fuel shortages.

Mali’s media regulator has suspended French broadcasters LCI and TF1 over allegedly broadcasting false information on a fuel blockade imposed by an al-Qaeda linked armed group.

TF1 is a French commercial television station that broadcasts in several countries, and LCI, La Chaine Info, is a French free-to-air news channel that is also part of the TF1 group.

Mali’s High Authority for Communication (HAC) said in a letter to image distributors in Mali, dated November 13 and made public on Friday, that it had suspended TF1 and LCI, claiming the two private TV channels had made “unverified claims and falsehoods” in a broadcast on November 9.

“LCI and TF1 television services have been removed from your packages until further notice,” the document read.

The letter said the authority disputed three passages in broadcasts by the two channels, specifically that “the junta has banned the sale of fuel,” “[the regions of] Kayes and Nioro are completely under blockade,” and “the terrorists are now close to bringing down the capital [Bamako].”

The channels have not been accessible in Mali since Thursday evening, a journalist for the AFP news agency reported.

Since September, the Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM) group, linked to al-Qaeda and primarily operating in Mali, has imposed a blockade on fuel entering the landlocked country, by sealing off major highways used by tankers to transport fuel from neighbouring Senegal and the Ivory Coast.

In recent weeks, fuel shortages caused by the blockade have created long lines at gas stations and further deteriorated the security situation in the country.

Several Western embassies, notably those of the United States and France, have asked their citizens to leave Mali.

Mali, alongside its neighbours Niger and Burkina Faso, is governed by military leaders who took power by force in recent years, pledging to provide more security to citizens.

But the security situation in the Sahel has worsened since the militaries took power, analysts say, with a record number of attacks and civilians killed both by armed groups and government forces.

All three countries have withdrawn from regional and international organisations in recent months, while forming their own bloc known as the Alliance of Sahel States.

The three West African countries have also wound back defence cooperation with Western powers, most notably their former colonial ruler, France, in favour of closer ties with Russia, including Niger nationalising a uranium mine previously operated by French nuclear firm Orano.

Within the three countries, the military governments are fighting armed groups that control swaths of territory and have staged attacks on army posts.

Human Rights Watch and other advocacy groups have accused the fighters, the military and partner forces of Burkina Faso and Mali of possible atrocities.

President Gustavo Petro says purchase of warplanes is a ‘deterrent weapon to achieve peace’ amid ‘messy’ geopolitics.

Colombian President Gustavo Petro has announced a $4.3bn deal to buy Swedish warplanes at a time when his country is locked in tension with the United States.

Speaking on Friday, Petro confirmed an agreement was reached with Sweden’s Saab aircraft manufacturer to buy 17 Gripen fighter jets, giving the first confirmation of the size and cost of the military acquisition that was initially announced in April.

“This is a deterrent weapon to achieve peace,” Petro said in a post on social media.

The purchase of warplanes comes as Colombia and much of remaining Latin America are on edge due to a US military build-up in the region, and as US forces carry out a campaign of deadly attacks on vessels in the Caribbean and eastern Pacific.

Washington claims – but has provided no evidence – that it has targeted drug smuggling vessels in its 20 confirmed attacks that have killed about 80 people so far in international waters.

Latin American leaders, legal scholars and rights groups have accused the US of carrying out extrajudicial killings of people who should face the courts if suspected of breaking laws related to drug smuggling.

US President Donald Trump has also accused both Petro and his Venezuelan counterpart, Nicolas Maduro, of being involved in the regional drug trade, a claim that both leaders have strenuously denied.

Petro said the new warplanes will be used to dissuade “aggression against Colombia, wherever it may come from”.

“In a world that is geopolitically messy,” he said, such aggression “can come from anywhere”.

The Colombian leader has for weeks traded insults with Donald Trump and said the ultimate goal of the US deployment in the region is to seize Venezuela’s oil wealth and destabilise Latin America.

Trump has long accused Venezuela’s Maduro of trafficking drugs and more recently branded Petro “an illegal drug leader” because of Colombia’s high level of cocaine production. Trump has also withdrawn US financial aid from Colombia and taken it off its list of countries seen as allies in fighting drug trafficking internationally.

Amid the war of words rumbling on between Washington and Bogota, Petro said last week that Colombia would suspend intelligence sharing with the US on combating drug trafficking, but officials in his government quickly rolled back that threat.

The AFP news agency reports that US and French firms had also tried to sell warplanes to Colombia, but, in the end, Bogota went with Sweden’s Saab.

Swedish Defence Minister Pal Jonson said Colombia was joining Sweden, Brazil and Thailand in choosing the Gripen fighter jet, and defence relations between Bogota and Stockholm would “deepen significantly” as a result.

🇸🇪🇨🇴I’m proud that Colombia today joins the Gripen E family, alongside Sweden, Brazil and Thailand. With the Colombian purchase of 17 Gripen E/F, our defence relations will deepen significantly & Colombia will receive one of the world’s greatest fighter jets. (1/4) pic.twitter.com/g0rESq69nD

— Pål Jonson (@PlJonson) November 14, 2025

The British street artist has created several versions of the iconic painting across London, as well as in Palestine.

A man has been sentenced to 13 months in prison by a British court for stealing a print of street artist Banksy’s iconic Girl with Balloon from a London gallery in September last year.

Larry Fraser, 49, was jailed on Friday by a judge in southwest London after he pleaded guilty to the smash-and-grab burglary of the elusive artist’s painting, valued at 270,000 pounds ($355,200).

Despite trying to conceal his identity with a mask, Fraser was caught on camera, and police tracked him down two days after the theft. The artwork was recovered shortly afterwards, according to London’s Metropolitan Police.

“This is a brazen and serious non-domestic burglary,” said Judge Anne Brown, passing the sentence at Kingston Crown Court.

The Girl with Balloon first appeared on the streets of London’s Shoreditch neighbourhood in 2002, with Banksy creating versions of the painting on London’s South Bank in 2004 and in the occupied West Bank in 2005.

One version of the painting shredded itself into pieces the moment after it was sold for more than one million British pounds ($1.3m) by London auction house Sotheby’s in 2018.

Detective Chief Inspector Scott Mather said: “Banksy’s ‘Girl with Balloon’ is known across the world – and we reacted immediately to not just bring Fraser to justice but also reunite the artwork with the gallery.”

Banksy’s paintings in Palestine

The secretive British street artist has returned to Palestine on multiple occasions to create artworks, including a version of the girl with the red balloon.

In 2005, he sprayed nine stencilled images at different locations along the illegal, eight-metre-high (26-foot) separation wall that Israel has constructed in the occupied West Bank.

They included a ladder reaching over the wall, a young girl being carried over it by balloons and a window on the grey concrete showing beautiful mountains in the background.

In 2007, he painted a number of artworks in Bethlehem, including a young girl frisking an Israeli soldier pinned up against a wall.

In February 2015, he allegedly sneaked into the Gaza Strip through a smuggling tunnel and painted three works on the walls of Gaza homes destroyed in Israeli air strikes during the previous year’s conflict.

In 2017, he opened the Walled Off Hotel in Bethlehem, just four metres from Israel’s separation wall.

Earlier this year, authorities attempted to scrub a Banksy painting on a London court wall that depicted a judge hitting a protester and was believed to refer to the country’s crackdown on the Palestine Action protest group.

Banksy rose to fame for sharply ironic outdoor graffiti with political themes. Once a small-time graffiti artist from the English city of Bristol, his artwork has become hugely popular worldwide and valuable.

It’s that time of year when many people think about booking a European winter getaway to hit the snowy slopes on their skis or boards, and there’s one picturesque location that comes with a discounted price tag

Taking to the snow-covered slopes for skiing or snowboarding is a notoriously expensive getaway for anyone, particularly when you factor in equipment hire, lessons, accommodation and flights. However, one savvy savings expert has revealed the European skiing hotspot that costs just £200 per person – and that’s with everything included!

Travel expert, Chelsea, who has accumulated more than 180K followers on TikTok thanks to her holiday-saving hacks, appeared on This Morning to reveal a nifty hack that helps save hundreds of pounds when booking a desirable skiing holiday. Speaking to Ben Shephard and Cat Deeley, Chelsea explained she had just booked a three-night ski getaway to Zakopane in Poland for a mere £200.

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During the ski season, Zakopane offers miles of powdery white snow within the Tatras Mountains for a truly magnificent backdrop. The town has often been described as a “hidden gem” with inviting thermal pools after a day on the slopes and a thriving food scene.

With a budget of £200 for the “whole thing”, Chelsea said this would include a three-night trip, with flights, transfers, lessons and ski hire. Sharing further details, she said travellers can fly into Kraków and “take a two-hour bus for £7.50” to get to the resort.

Chelsea added that this particular ski resort is “fantastic for beginners and perfect for learning”, as the ski lessons and ski hire cost around £30 each per day. At various ski resorts across Europe, some lessons can cost anything from £50 to £110 a day.

Revealing how she secured this nifty deal, Chelsea explained that there’s a relatively new website called Heidi, which allows travellers to search for their desired skiing package holiday with any dates or locations they prefer. She added that users can also select certain filters, such as beginners, advanced, families, big ski area, apres-ski or opt for a short transfer.

After making the preferred selections, a list of bargain holiday packages will appear, allowing travellers to book, with many offering an incredible saving. This discounted cost is in stark contrast to other European ski resorts, where visitors can spend anywhere from £2,000 to £5,000 per person for a week.

Following her appearance on This Morning, Chelsea shared the clip on her TikTok account (@cheapholidayexpert) and divulged that she had shared details of the bargain ski trip after a caller had rang into the show. Chelsea wrote in the video caption: “Here, Jayne had asked where I could recommend for a cheap solo ski trip for under £500.”

She then went on to outline further details to help other holidaymakers cut costs this winter. Chelsea revealed: “Have a look on @Heidi Holidays, they’re a new ski website that lets you search ‘anywhere’ which is great when you’re on a budget, as then you can just go where the price is right!

“They do let you search for solo travellers too, but I think if you’re on your own, the best deals can come from booking it yourself, as then you can piece together exactly what you need without paying any double occupancy fees.

“I’ve done a DIY cheap ski trip before – I went to Borovets in Bulgaria last year and managed to get my flights, hotel, car hire, petrol, ski hire, lift pass, ski lessons, food and drink for £410 in total for a 3-night trip. I’ve got a full breakdown on cheapholidayexpert.com – just search for ‘Borovets’ on there and it will come up!”

Chelsea continued: “And yeah, I may have revealed that I’m attempting cheap ski again as I want to see if I can do it for even cheaper this year by heading to Zakopane in Poland!“Both Zakopane and Borovets (Bankso too!) are great for beginner skiers who don’t want to spend a fortune, but want to get a few lessons under their belt to get them on their ski journey!”

Jannik Sinner stayed on course to defend his ATP Finals title, while Felix Auger-Aliassime claimed the last semi spot.

Canada’s Felix Auger-Aliassime reached the last four of the ATP Finals with a 6-4 7-6(4) round-robin win over two-time winner Alexander Zverev on Friday, and Jannik Sinner extended his indoor hardcourt unbeaten run by beating American Ben Shelton.

Germany’s Zverev and Auger-Aliassime both defeated Shelton and lost to Sinner to set up a winner-takes-all clash for the runners-up spot in the Bjorn Borg Group, and the Canadian clinched a place in Saturday’s semifinal against world number one Carlos Alcaraz.

“You want to be in the final, but I’ll have to go through a great player to do that,” Auger-Aliassime said.

“I will take my chance if I have it.”

Zverev was left to rue his failure to take any of his seven break points against Sinner, and it was a similarly frustrating story against the Canadian.

The German held break points in both sets but again could not make them count, and the Canadian broke Zverev at 5-4 up to take the first set, before going on to win the second set tiebreak.

Auger-Aliassime was put under pressure in the opening set, saving break points at 2-2 and 4-4, while Zverev came back from 0-40 down only to lose serve and hand the Canadian the set.

Zverev spent much of the second set gesturing to his team, with Auger-Aliassime winning his first two service games to love before both players were guilty of throwing away chances to break.

Auger-Aliassime let slip a 2-0 lead in the tiebreak, but when Zverev stepped up to serve at 4-5, the Canadian came through to earn consecutive minibreaks and send the German home.

Sinner stays unbeaten

Sinner is unbeaten in 29 matches on indoor hardcourt after a 6-3 7-6(3) victory over Shelton in their dead rubber round-robin match.

There was a relaxed atmosphere in the Inalpi Arena as the Italian had already secured top spot in the group and a semifinal against Alex de Minaur.

Shelton was broken in the opening and closing games of the first set, unable to take advantage of a break point at 2-1 down, while Sinner was always capable of pulling out an ace at the crucial time, hitting two in that fourth game to hold serve.

The American put up more fight in the second set, serving to love on three occasions, rescuing a match point at 5-4 down and forcing Sinner into a tiebreak for the first time in the last two editions of the season-ending championships, before the Italian sealed the win.

Sinner’s chances of ending the year as world number one evaporated on Thursday when Alcaraz completed a clean sweep in the Jimmy Connors Group with a win over Lorenzo Musetti, leaving little at stake against Shelton apart from his unbeaten run.

Before Sinner and Shelton emerged, Alcaraz was presented on court with the ATP year-end world number one trophy, which the Italian won last year, and the pair may yet do battle one last time in 2025 in Sunday’s final.

“It’s a pleasure being the number one of the world. It’s something that I’m working really hard for every day. It is a goal, to be honest,” Alcaraz said.

“For me, it’s a great achievement. It means the world to me and I’m just really proud and happy.”

Swedish police say no information the Stockholm bus accident was an attack, without giving numbers of those killed.

Several people have been killed and injured when a bus hit a bus stop in central Stockholm, Swedish police said, adding that they had no information pointing to it being an attack.

There were six casualties in the incident on Friday, a spokesperson for Stockholm’s rescue services said, without giving the numbers of those killed and injured.

The spokesperson said there were no passengers on the bus at the time.

“It is being investigated as involuntary manslaughter. The bus driver has been arrested, but that is routine in such an incident,” a police spokesperson said.

Health authorities spokesperson Michelle Marcher told the AFP news agency that two seriously injured people had been transported to hospital.

Police said that several people were hit, but they were not immediately providing information on their number, gender or ages.

Ambulances, police and rescue services were working at the scene, they added.

A picture on daily Aftonbladet’s website showed emergency services at the site, surrounding a blue double-decker bus, with debris scattered around the vehicle.

The incident occurred near the Royal Institute of Technology university, police said.

‘Unreal’

A woman identified as Michelle Mac Key told the daily newspaper Expressen she stepped off another bus at the scene just after the accident happened.

“I crossed the road and saw the double-decker bus that had mowed down an entire bus stop queue,” she said. People were screaming and trying to help the injured.

She said she saw both injured and dead people lying on the ground. “There must have been more people under the bus,” she said.

A nurse by profession, she and another man who was a doctor, offered their help to police when they arrived.

“They told us to stand next to the dead bodies,” she said. “I thought it was an exercise at first. That maybe they were dolls. It was so unreal. Chaos.”

Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson said his thoughts were with the victims and their families.

“I have received the tragic news that several people have died and been injured at a bus stop in central Stockholm,” he wrote on X.

“People who might have been on their way home to family, friends, or a quiet evening at home. We do not yet know the cause, but right now my thoughts are primarily with those affected and their loved ones.”

RYANAIR is axing 15 destinations across Europe in 2026, amid plans to scale back its operations.

It comes just months after the budget airline confirmed that two million seats would be scrapped across Spain.

Millions of Brits could be forced to change their plans as routes to major destinations, mainly in Germany and Spain, are scrapped.

Plans to scale back operations in France have also been announced.

Just a few months ago Ryanair cancelled all services to three French destinations.

The cancelled routes come as Ryanair boss Michael O’Leary pushes back against rising air tax costs.

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Here’s the full list of affected routes:

Spain

Back in August, Ryanair said confirmed that two million seats across Spain would be being scrapped.

The destinations is said it would be closing operations and ceasing flights to were:

• Santiago de Compostela
• Vigo
• Valladolid
• Jerez
• Tenerife (North)

Tensions over increased airport charges had affected relations with the state-owned Spanish operator Aena.

Mr O’Leary said at the time: “If the costs in regional Spain are too high, I will fly elsewhere.

“We are better off flying at the same cost to places such as Palma [on the island of Mallorca] than flying to Jerez.”

Germany

In October, Ryanair announced it was dropping 24 routes to and from Germany, cutting nearly 800,000 seats in total.

It was revealed that nine airports would be affected, along with the plans of those wanting a winter break, and including to major cities that are popular with tourists.

These are:

• Berlin
• Hamburg
• Memmingen
• Baden-Württemberg
• Cologne
• Frankfurt-Hahn
• Dortmund
• Dresden
• Leipzig

Ryanair’s CEO Eddie Wilson said back in August: “Germany’s air travel market is broken and needs an urgent fix.

“As a result of these high government taxes/fees (the highest in Europe), and Lufthansa’s high-fare monopoly, German citizens/visitors now pay the highest air fares in Europe.”

France

Ryanair cut services to France in 2025 – with the loss of 25 routes and some 750,000 seats this winter following the decision to drop services to Strasbourg, Brive and Bergerac.

Now though, it has been revealed that further cancellations are possibly looming.

CEO Jason McGuiness has confirmed thar Ryanaire will leave France’s regional airports in the summer of 2026.

However, as yet, no official destinations have been named yet.

The actions of the airline earlier in the year caused a 13 per cent reduction in its capacity in France.

Mr O’Leary told French newspaper Le Parisien: “You have this crazy situation where your government increases the solidarity tax on airline tickets (TSBA), which has gone from 2.63 euros to 7.40 euros per ticket. 180% increase! It’s totally unjustified.”

He added that commercial flying was a “rotten sector that does not bring in a lot of money.”

He also accused the French government of viewing airlines as their personal “tax collectors,” as well as making the claim that “French air traffic control is by far the least effective in Europe.”

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However, five European cities will be getting new Ryanair flights as part of the airline’s winter schedule.

Plus, here is everything you need to know about whether you can use a printed boarding pass, including rules for Ryanair, easyJet, Wizz Air and Jet2 explained.

United Kingdom Prime Minister Keir Starmer has sought to distance himself from an unofficial briefing to the media by unnamed “allies” that he intends to fight off a leadership contest which, they say, could come just 18 months into his premiership.

On Tuesday evening, unnamed sources were cited in The Guardian newspaper saying Health Secretary Wes Streeting has gathered significant backing to supplant Starmer.

But on Wednesday morning, Streeting denied this, telling journalists that he was “not challenging the prime minister”.

“I’m not doing any of the things some silly briefer said overnight,” he stated.

Asked if those responsible for the briefing should be sacked, Streeting said, “Yes. But he’s [Starmer] got to find them first, and I wouldn’t expect him to waste loads of time on this.”

“There are people around the prime minister who do not follow his model and style of leadership,” he said.

In response to the ensuing media storm, Starmer, whose premiership since last year has been marred by poor polling, told reporters in north Wales on Thursday that briefings against ministers are “completely unacceptable”.

“I have been talking to my team today. I have been assured that no briefing against ministers was done from Number 10, but I have made it clear that I find it absolutely unacceptable,” he said.

The current internal party strife has shone a light on the prime minister’s standing as leader of the Labour Party.

In its most recent poll on Tuesday, pollster YouGov said of 4,989 people polled, only 27 percent thought he should continue as Labour Party leader.

Here’s what we know about the rumours of a leadership plot:

What are the rumours about a leadership challenge?

On Tuesday evening, unnamed senior Starmer aides told The Guardian newspaper that any attempt to remove the prime minister would be “reckless” and “dangerous”. According to the aides, deposing Starmer so early in his term as prime minister would undermine financial markets and reverberate on the stock market, the party and its international relationships.

“The party would not recover for a generation,” one of the unnamed sources told The Guardian.

Number 10 sources also told The Guardian they are concerned about rumours that Streeting could be planning a “coup” and is just one of several Labour ministers who are “on manoeuvres” to take the leadership if the opportunity arises. However, none of them were likely to move against the prime minister right now.

They said the most likely moment for a leadership challenge would be after the autumn budget – the government’s tax-and-spending review, due in parliament on November 26 – if higher taxes are announced, or after May elections next year if the Labour party performs poorly.

“Keir will not stand aside at this point, for Wes or anybody else,” one source told The Guardian.

On Friday, the UK’s Financial Times cited an unnamed minister who claimed that support for the health secretary was growing following the news of the unsanctioned “briefing”.

Streeting was not the only name mentioned as a potential leadership contender. Both Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood and Energy Secretary and a former leader of the Labour Party, Ed Miliband were named as possible contenders, the sources said.

Who briefed the press?

The British press is speculating that the unofficial briefing may have been organised by Starmer’s chief of staff, Morgan McSweeney, as a tactic designed to put off any ministers thinking about challenging him.

McSweeney, who has been widely credited with helping Starmer to win the July 2024 election, is now facing calls to resign from unnamed members of parliament, according to reports.

However, Starmer appeared not to support such a move on Thursday when he reiterated that he “of course” has complete confidence in his chief of staff.

What do opposition parties say?

Conservative Party leader Kemi Badenoch was quick to respond, accusing Starmer of losing control of his party during Wednesday’s Prime Minister’s Question Time.

Badenoch called Starmer a “weak prime minister at war with his own cabinet”.

“Two weeks before the budget, isn’t it the case that this prime minister has lost control of government, he’s lost control of his party and lost the trust of the British people,” she said.

Earlier in the debate, Badenoch referred to an interview Streeting gave to the BBC in which he accused Downing Street of having a “toxic culture”, and asked Starmer if his minister was correct.

“Any attack on any member of my cabinet is completely unacceptable,” Starmer said in response.

Meanwhile, the far-right Reform UK party’s head of policy, Zia Yusuf, wrote on X on Thursday that the “terrifying thing about the coup against Starmer is that Labour members will choose his replacement”.

“Their favourite Labour minister is Ed Miliband. Some of the most unhinged people in the country will choose the next Prime Minister,” he added.

Reform’s popularity has risen hugely in the UK since last year’s election.

How does the autumn budget fit into this, and how is Labour polling?

The briefing came just two weeks before Starmer and his chancellor of the exchequer, Rachel Reeves, announce the autumn budget on November 26.

The budget, which outlines the government’s tax-and-spending plans for the next year, has been the subject of intense speculation in recent weeks, as it was widely expected to break one of Labour’s main election pledges: not to increase income taxes.

However, the Financial Times reported on Friday morning that Reeves is now ruling out any rise in income tax amid concerns that it could seriously anger voters and backbench legislators.

Why else is Starmer losing popularity in the UK?

Since winning the election in 2024, the prime minister has received backlash from across the political spectrum, including from Labour voters, over several issues.

According to a YouGov poll in September, if an election were to be called now, the far-right Reform UK would win, leaving the Labour Party as the second-largest party and the former governing party, the Conservatives, in third place.

Here are some of the main areas of domestic policy which are causing the popularity of Starmer’s Labour Party to wane.

Migration

The opposition Reform UK party has risen in popularity largely on the back of its calls for stricter migrant control. The key issue is the rapid rise in the numbers of people arriving in small boats across the English Channel from France, particularly in the past year.

In September, Starmer struck a “one-in-one-out” migrant exchange deal with France in an effort to deter people from attempting the Channel crossing. Under the deal, France will accept the return of asylum seekers who crossed to the UK but cannot prove a family connection to the UK.

For each migrant France takes back, the UK will grant asylum to one person who has arrived from France through official channels and who can prove they have family connections in the UK.

But only a handful of migrants have been deported under the scheme so far. Furthermore, on Monday, the Home Office reported that a second migrant had re-entered the UK after being deported to France.

Rise of the far-right

Starmer has faced criticism for his lukewarm response to the rising number of far-right protests across the country.

In September, at least 11,000 people joined a “Unite the Kingdom” march, displaying the St George flag in London.

While Starmer denounced violence against police officers during the protests and argued that the US was “built on diversity”, the antifascist group, Hope Not Hate, and several MPs have urged the government to take stronger action against the rise of far-right groups.

Critics also say Starmer has not done enough to appeal to people who support Reform, or to address their concerns about migration.

Accidental prison releases

In a major blunder, HMP Wandsworth prison in London wrongly released two offenders in early November, including an Algerian sex offender.

Both men were eventually returned to prison but, in the case of the Algerian offender, only after the man handed himself in. Conservative Party shadow Justice Secretary Robert Jenrick said the mistake revealed “the incompetence of this government”.

Economy

Starmer has been grappling with a low-growth economy since the start of his term in government.

According to new figures from the Office for National Statistics on Thursday, between July and September, the UK’s gross domestic product (GDP) increased by just 0.1 percent in comparison with growth of 0.3 percent between April and July.

Meanwhile, inflation remained stuck at 3.8 percent in September 2025 – unchanged from July and August. This is the highest it has been since the start of 2024.

UFC boss breaks up tense face-off between the two fighters before their welterweight title bout at Madison Square Garden.

UFC boss Dana White had to separate a tense staredown between welterweight title holder Jack Della Maddalena and Islam Makhachev before their fight this weekend, as the defending champ pledged to beat the mixed martial arts “legend” to bring the belt home to Australia.

The fighters came nose-to-nose and refused to break eye contact during a face-off after their news conference on Thursday at Madison Square Garden, New York, where they will headline UFC 322 on Saturday night, eventually leading White to prise them apart.

Della Maddalena (18-2) will mount his first title defence after beating Belal Muhammad by unanimous decision to become champion in May. The 29-year-old Australian is undefeated in the UFC and is now on an 18-fight win streak overall.

The 34-year-old Makhachev (27-1), who is regarded as a pound-for-pound great and is on a 15-win streak, vacated his lightweight belt to move up a weight class.

Della Maddalena was taciturn but appeared unfazed as he received a chorus of boos from the crowd at Thursday night’s news conference, with his Dagestani opponent the clear fan-favourite.

“This is what I got in this sport for – big challenges, big moments. I’m excited for the challenge and I’m looking forward to it,” Della Maddalena said.

“I’m going to bring this belt back home to Australia, no doubt,” he added.

“Obviously, Islam’s a legend. A big win over him would be a big name on the resume and it would definitely put me up on the pound-for-pound list.”

Makhachev responded by saying he would go 4-0 against Australian fighters – although he may have been lumping the New Zealander Dan Hooker in that list, as his only previous Aussie opponent was Alexander Volkanovski, who Makhachev beat twice.

“Australia, it’s a good place. I was there, I like it and now it’s 3-0, I will make it four,” he said.

Della Maddalena hit back by saying several Australian fighters were thriving in the UFC.

“I am very proud to be Australian, very proud to raise the Australian flag,” he said.

“Australia is very competitive, it has a fighting culture and that’s why we’re doing so well. We have two champions and after this weekend we will still have two champions.”

Although Della Maddalena and Makhachev are both well-rounded fighters, the Australian is renowned for his boxing while the Dagestani is famed for his ferocious ground game.

Makhachev smiled and said he “didn’t know” when asked if Della Maddalena was the best boxer in the UFC.

“Jack is one of the best, but I am also a good striker, so let’s see who is better,” he said.

Della Maddalena, meanwhile, told reporters he would “absolutely” be able to defend Makhachev’s takedown attempts for the entire fight, as he did so effectively in his victory over Muhammad.

“[I can do it for the] full 25 minutes,” he said, with a wry smile of his own.

Ronaldo at risk of being banned for first game of 2026 World Cup if Portugal qualify after red card against Ireland.

Ireland coach Heimir Hallgrimsson has said Cristiano Ronaldo was wrong to blame him for the red card he received as Portugal fell to a World Cup qualifying defeat.

The five-time Ballon d’Or winner exchanged words with Hallgrimsson after being sent off during Portugal’s 2-0 defeat in Dublin on Thursday.

Ronaldo said before the game the Ireland coach had tried to put pressure on the referee by telling the officials not to be influenced by the superstar striker.

With his team trailing by two goals in the second half, the 40-year-old was frustrated and elbowed Dara O’Shea in the back as the Ireland player marked him in the box.

“He complimented me with putting pressure on the referee, but listen, it had nothing to do with me, it was his action on the pitch that cost him a red card,” Hallgrimsson told reporters.

“It had nothing to do with me unless I got into his head.”

He added, “This was just a moment of a little silliness for him, I would say.”

It was Ronaldo’s first sending off in 226 appearances for the national side.

At the very least, Ronaldo will serve a mandatory one-game ban, but FIFA disciplinary rules require its judges to impose a ban of “at least two matches for serious foul play”.

Despite the blatant elbow, Portugal manager Roberto Martinez said the red card was harsh.

“I thought it was a bit harsh because he cares about the team,” Martinez told reporters. “He was almost 60 minutes in the box being grabbed, pulled, pushed and obviously he tries to get away from the defender.

“I think the action looks worse than what it actually is. I don’t think it’s an elbow; I think it’s a full body, but from where the camera is, it looks like an elbow. But we accept it.”

Martinez also questioned Ireland manager Heimir Hallgrimsson’s comments about Ronaldo “controlling the referee” in the reverse fixture in Lisbon last month, which Portugal won 1-0.

“The only thing that leaves a bitter taste in my mouth is at the press conference yesterday, Ireland coach was talking about the aspect of the referees being influenced, and then a big centre half falls on the floor so dramatically at the turn of Cristiano’s body,” Martinez said.

Portugal, who are assured at least a playoff spot, are two points clear of Hungary at the top of Group F with a superior goal difference. The Irish are one point further back.

Portugal host Armenia while Ireland travel to face Hungary in the final round of fixtures on Sunday.

Kylian Mbappe hit a brace while Michael Olise and Hugo Ekitike also scored as France thrashed Ukraine 4-0 to secure World Cup qualification, after an evening marked by tributes to the victims of the 2015 Paris attacks.

Captain Mbappe coolly chipped in from the spot 10 minutes into the second half at the Parc des Princes on Thursday, and the impressive Olise doubled France’s lead on 76 minutes.

Mbappe then struck again and Ekitike swept in a first goal for his country, as France got the win they required to clinch their spot at the 2026 finals in the United States, Canada and Mexico.

A minute’s silence was impeccably observed before kickoff by the 41,000 spectators as France marked the 10th anniversary of the attacks in and around Paris on November 13, 2015.

Most of the 130 victims of the attacks were killed at the Bataclan concert hall in the capital, where they were attending a concert.

One person also died near the Stade de France in the northern Paris suburb of Saint-Denis, where multiple explosions took place as suicide bombers attempted to enter the ground during a friendly between Les Bleus and Germany.

Didier Deschamps was the coach then and remains in charge now, with the approaching World Cup to be his final tournament before stepping down.

With one game still to come in Azerbaijan on Sunday, France have an unassailable six-point lead over both Iceland and Ukraine at the top of European qualifying Group D.

Winners of the World Cup in 2018 and runners-up in 2022, France maintain their record of having made it to every edition of the tournament since missing out on a place in the US in 1994.

While they can look forward to the draw for the finals, which takes place in Washington, DC, on December 5, Ukraine and Iceland meet each other on Sunday in a showdown to decide who continues into the playoffs next March.

France’s only slip-up in qualifying came in a draw in Iceland last month, although they have rarely found their fluid best during a low-key campaign.

Mbappe and Olise were in fine fettle here at Paris Saint-Germain’s home ground, though, while Bradley Barcola came closest to scoring in the first half with a curling effort from outside the area that was tipped onto the woodwork and behind for a corner.

Real Madrid superstar Mbappe, the France captain, then chipped in from the spot to open the scoring early in the second half after Olise had been fouled inside the area.

Olise, of Bayern Munich, really came into his own after being shifted from the right to a more central role.

It was shortly after setting up Ekitike to hit the post that Olise turned and fired in France’s second goal, and Ukraine caved in towards the end.

Mbappe scored from close range in the 83rd minute after Ekitike had been denied, taking him to 55 goals for his country and to within two of all-time top marksman Olivier Giroud’s tally of 57.

Liverpool’s Ekitike then rounded off a fine move to wrap up the victory with his first senior international goal.

Deschamps said the performance was professional rather than spectacular, but enough to complete the mission.

“Always appreciate the good moments, even if it seems logical and natural for the France team to qualify. The objective was to qualify here tonight in a heavy, weighty context. The first half was difficult against a low block,” he said.

“I enjoy it, even if it’s not the first time – the France team has to be there at every major tournament.”

Elsewhere, Portugal star Cristiano Ronaldo was sent off for elbowing Ireland defender Dara O’Shea in the second half of a shock 2-0 defeat at Ireland.

Ronaldo now risks a two-game ban, which would see him missing the first match of the World Cup tournament if Portugal qualifies.

Portugal will host last-place Armenia in the final qualifying game on Sunday, when Hungary hosts Ireland at the same time. Portugal top Group F with 10 points, two ahead of Hungary. Ireland is third with seven points.

Earlier, Erling Haaland scored twice as Norway moved even closer to qualifying for the World Cup for the first time since 1998 by beating Estonia 4-1 in Oslo. The win virtually secures a spot for the high-scoring Norwegians in next year’s tournament.

Already-qualified England beat Serbia 2-0 at Wembley Stadium to keep a perfect record in Group K and are yet to concede a goal.

Albania beat Andorra 1-0 in the same group to secure the runner-up spot.

For those who love the idea of a holiday but need their beauty sleep to last, look no further than this city

Forget beaches and sunshine – for many of us, the prospect of five nights of quality sleep on holiday is more than enough. If this sounds like your getaway priority, look no further than Vilnius, the Lithuanian capital – which has just been named the top European destination for sleep tourism.

With its profound wellness culture, Vilnius provides exactly what “sleepcation” travellers are seeking: saunas, spas, and local rituals, designed for deep relaxation, according to Go Vilnius. You can also effortlessly take day trips to the UNESCO dunes on the Curonian Spit or meander through the surrounding forests of Neris National Park. Assessing air quality, light pollution, green space, nightlife, rainfall, and nighttime temperatures, the research examined 300 cities, reports the Express.

In the city, 61% of the urban area is green, trees blanket 48% of the city, and 95% of residents live within 300 metres of greenery. “In Vilnius, I always find ways to relax, no matter the time of the year. During the warm season, I enjoy spending time outdoors in Vilnius’ numerous green spaces or the nearby forests and lakes. In winter, relaxing walks around the Old Town improve my sleep, while the city’s numerous spas and saunas help me unwind after a long day or week,” said Madu Melo, Brazilian expat and marketing professional, living in Vilnius for five years now.

Lithuania, already crowned the World’s Best Wellness Destination by the ITB Health Tourism Awards 2025, has seen its capital Vilnius dubbed the European Sleep Capital, making it a rising star for restful getaways. Here are five unique wellness rituals, woven into city life, that ensure locals and visitors in Vilnius enjoy a good night’s sleep.

Held in the vaulted cellar of the refurbished 17th-century Pacai Palace, this multi-sensory ritual brings Lithuania’s coastlines and forests into a tranquil treatment. The experience kicks off with a four-hand full-body massage and a soft tolling of Old Town bells, mixed with the soundscape of the Baltic Sea and Curonian Lagoon (a tribute to the UNESCO-listed dunes).

Guests are then offered a taste of natural birch sap, invited to inhale the scent of handpicked linden, chamomile, and clover, and to appreciate the beauty of Lithuanian nature for total sensory relaxation. Located beneath the Bokšto Square complex in restored medieval cellars, this circuit alternates between heat and recovery. The 25-meter, four-lane pool sets the rhythm for rounds of traditional sauna, salt sauna, and hammam, punctuated by brief cold dips.

The standout feature is Cloud9, a short vibro-acoustic session on a gently swaying bed that aids the nervous system in unwinding. In a cosy boutique setting on Kalvarij Street, just a stone’s throw from the city centre, groups remain small, allowing the sauna master to maintain the perfect pace.

Visitors can look forward to timed garas (steam waves), traditional birch or oak vanta whisking, aroma infusions of natural scents, and simple breath-work, with each round concluded by a refreshing cold-water dip. After the New Year, an igloo-shaped outdoor sauna will be unveiled in the courtyard of the former Lukišks Prison, now a cultural hub. This unique sauna experience combines brief heat sessions with cold-water baths. The small groups and the thick walls of the igloo ensure tranquillity, enhancing the hot-cold contrast and making it easier to concentrate on breathing and pace.

Nestled next to Sudervl stream and a 1923 windmill, three bathhouses – the Old, the Great, and the Small – offer leisurely, expert-led rituals. Over approximately three hours, guests are treated to measured steam dosings and vanta whiskings, paired with applications of honey and salt, all while enjoying peaceful intervals by the pond or river.

The forest setting and preserved wooden buildings complete the experience, helping visitors unwind without leaving the city. The conversation about wellness and sleep will continue in Vilnius on 22 November at Sleep Fest. The event will feature international experts such as Dr. Daniel Amen, Leslie Kenny, and others, who will share insights on how to incorporate sleep science into everyday routines to reduce anxiety and improve sleep quality.

“Sleep Fest is about bridging the gap between science and real-life challenges. We’re trying to show that better sleep and calmer minds aren’t luxuries, but necessities anyone could have through building everyday habits that help to improve the overall wellbeing,” said Diana Augunait, the organiser of the Sleep Fest.

Vilnius’ recent accolades, including the European Green Capital and European Christmas Capital 2025, highlight the city’s tranquil atmosphere: plentiful green spaces, traditional stress-free Christmas celebrations, and much more.

Conveniently reachable via Frankfurt, Copenhagen, or Helsinki, Vilnius is ideal for a comprehensive European wellness journey or simply a dedicated “sleepcation”.

An opulent stay in Venice

My husband and I stayed in a beautiful 500-year-old Venetian palazzo for just €100 for a double room. The exterior of Palazzo Abadessa, tucked away in the sleepy backstreets of the Cannaregio district, is low key enough, but the grandeur and opulence begin to hit your senses as you explore. First we strolled through the lush ornamental garden, then the huge entrance hall decorated with frescoes and Renaissance paintings going back to the golden age of Venice, lit by glittering Murano chandeliers. The reception area is furnished with an antique velvet armchair, perfect for sipping a prosecco or Venetian spritz. Back in the 16th century, the original owners provided Venice with two of its doges, and today the stone corridors and high-ceilinged rooms have a classy, noble air, as if the ghosts of Caravaggio or Tintoretto might appear any moment and begin painting. Breakfast of cappuccino and croissants in the courtyard served by the friendly owners was a delightful way to start the day.
April

An Italian cookery school in an old castle

Castello di Montalero, east of Turin in the heart of the Monferrato region of Piemont, is a beautiful building with history going back to the 11th century, though much of the present structure was built ​on the old castle foundations around 1700. It has been lovingly restored by the family who provide a fantastic residential cookery school, plus interesting outings and adventures. A once-in-a-lifetime experience.
Christine Mason

A beautifully restored manor in Romania

Sitting above the Romanian village of Mâlâncrav in Transylvania, the 18th-century Apafi Manor is a beautifully restored manor house next to one of the region’s most exquisite Saxon fortified churches. At the end of a lush forested valley, the grand but comfortable interiors by the British designer David Mlinaric feature historic local art and furniture, making you feel as if you have stepped into a 19th-century historical novel. Enjoy candlelit dinners on the veranda made by a cook from the village, and while away afternoons in the magnificent library. It sleeps up to nine, and reasonable prices make for an affordable and magical retreat.
Benjamin

A castle above the Danube in Germany

If you fancy going medieval, then this 13th-century castle perched on a cliff overlooking the Danube in Baden-Württemberg should satisfy. We arrived at Wildenstein Castle youth hostel via a punishing zigzag cycle up the near-vertical outcrop, having ridden from the grand old river’s source in the Black Forest. The whitewashed walls conceal a large courtyard with comfy rooms and a great tavern in a crypt. The panoramic setting provides brilliant views across the Upper Danube nature park and wonderful sunsets. It is reputedly haunted, and exploring the passages and alleyways for ghosts is great fun for all. The abundant breakfast had plenty of delicious pastries, fuel for the next leg of our cycle.
Matt Lunt

Stay in a pineapple in Scotland

It is hard to explain the Pineapple. Stay to appreciate this 18th-century tribute to a fruit and the rise and fall of an estate. It is perched on the Dunmore Estate near Stirling, and was the location of our first Landmark Trust holiday. One wing contains two bedrooms and a bathroom, separated from the simple kitchen and comfortable living room by the Pineapple tower. It’s certainly quirky – walking across the lawn to the loo was a novelty for four nights. It’s dog-friendly and sleeps four, with historic reading and logbooks dating back to 1970s offering entertainment in the absence of TV and wifi.
Berenice

First world war history in Belgium

In the city of Poperinge, one of the few Belgian towns that did not fall to the Germans in the first world war, Talbot House was transformed into a club to offer relief to British soldiers. The house has been very well preserved by knowledgeable volunteers, and the chapel in the attic is a very special place of remembrance. The rooms and breakfast are lovely and very much in the spirit of the original club.
Zoe Leonard

Courtyard apartments in Seville

Seville is steeped in historic hotels, but most were more than my budget. Corral del Conde was surprisingly affordable and near the city centre. It’s a 16th-century corral (although it has Mudéjar origins in the medieval period) – a traditional community of apartments around a courtyard, with shared ovens and laundry sinks – and it’s incredibly pretty. It is a particularly evocative place for any fans of Spanish golden age theatre, because stages would be built in these corrales and locals would watch performances from the wooden balconies. For contrast, it’s a short walk from the giant mushrooms of Las Setas, a very different (and more modern) structure made of wood.
Sarah Collings

An old station in Staffordshire

Our stay with children and older relatives at Alton station, a Landmark trust property in Staffordshire, was both exciting and relaxing. It has glorious Victorian features, including stunning Minton tiles, and one of the bedrooms was the ticket office. It is incredibly interesting for railway enthusiasts, and leisurely bike rides down the disused railway were enjoyed by all.
Esme

Fishers’ cabins in Norway

Touring the Lofoten and Vesteralen islands of Norway, we stayed in several historic fishers’ cabins, but the best place was a little wooden house in Andenes. It is traditionally furnished in 19th-century style and forms part of a small private museum. Alma House is redolent of a time when life for fishing communities was isolated and dangerous, but time at home was precious. Like many holiday rentals in Norway, you may have to share with other holidaymakers, but that only adds to the unique experience.
Noelle

Winning tip: Parador paradise in Spain

Here are the key events from day 1,359 of Russia’s war on Ukraine.

Here is how things stand on Friday, November 14:

Fighting

• Russian forces launched a “massive” attack on Kyiv early on Friday, Mayor Vitali Klitschko said, with air defences in action and a series of explosions reported in the capital.
• Klitschko said falling debris had struck a five-storey apartment building in Dniprovskyi district on the east side of the Dnipro River, and a high-rise dwelling was on fire in Podil district on the opposite bank.
• Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy visited troops near Ukraine’s southeastern front line, where he warned of the need to shore up defences after his troops lost ground in increasingly high-intensity battles far from Russia’s main offensive in the east of the country.
• President Zelenskyy said the situation near the city of Orikhiv in the Zaporizhia region was “one of the most difficult” along a sprawling front line and that thwarting Russian forces there was key to shielding Zaporizhzhia city.
• Ukraine’s military said its troops hit a Russian oil terminal in occupied Crimea and also an oil depot in the occupied Zaporizhia region.
• The Ukrainian General Staff said Russian oil facilities and other military targets were hit by domestically produced weapons, including the “Flamingo” ground-launched cruise missile, drone missiles, and drones.
• Russia’s Ministry of Defence said its forces have captured two more Ukrainian settlements: Synelnykove in the Kharkiv region and Danylivka in the Dnipropetrovsk region.
• Russian air defence units destroyed and intercepted 130 Ukrainian drones overnight over Russia, the state-run TASS news agency reports, citing daily data from the Defence Ministry in Moscow.

Peace talks

• The Kremlin said Ukraine would have to negotiate an end to the war “sooner or later” and predicted that Kyiv’s negotiating position would worsen by the day.
• Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has said he hoped Washington would take no actions liable to escalate the Ukraine conflict.
• Lavrov said United States President Donald Trump had long advocated dialogue with Russia, had sought to fully understand the Russian position on Ukraine and “demonstrated a commitment to finding a sustainable peaceful solution”.
• “We are counting on common sense and that the maintaining of that position will prevail in Washington and that they will refrain from actions that could escalate the conflict to a new level,” Lavrov said.

Ukraine energy scandal

• German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and President Zelenskyy have discussed the $100m energy corruption scandal that has engulfed Kyiv, the German government said in a statement.
• Zelenskyy pledged complete transparency, long-term support for independent anticorruption authorities and further swift measures to regain the trust of the Ukrainian people, European partners and international donors, the statement said.
• Ukrainian Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko also announced an audit of all state-owned companies, including in the energy sector, following the scandal that has led to the suspension of two cabinet ministers.
• The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) said it is lending 22.3m euros ($26m) to a Ukrainian energy firm as part of a pipeline of deals, signalling its ongoing support for the sector despite the corruption scandal.
• The EBRD cash will go to private Ukrainian energy company Power One to finance new gas-piston power plants and battery energy storage systems, the lender said in a statement.

Aid to Ukraine

• The International Monetary Fund (IMF) will soon begin a staff mission to Ukraine to discuss its financing needs and a potential new lending programme, IMF spokesperson Julie Kozack said.
• Ukraine is in talks with the IMF about a new four-year lending programme for the country that would replace its current four-year $15.5bn programme. Ukraine has already received $10.6bn of that amount.
• European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen told the European Parliament that the European Union could either borrow the money needed to cover Kyiv’s financial needs in 2026 and 2027 against the collateral of its long-term budget, or each EU country could borrow on its own and extend a grant to Ukraine.
• A third option was a proposal from the Commission to organise a loan that would effectively become a grant, on the basis of the Russian central bank assets frozen in the EU. European finance ministers agreed that funding Ukraine with a reparations loan based on immobilised Russian assets would be the most “effective” of the three options being considered.
• Europe’s top development banks and Ukrainian energy firm Naftogaz signed a deal to provide an EU grant of 127 million euros ($127m) in additional funding to the firm, on top of a 300 billion euro loan ($349bn) it outlined last month to secure Ukraine’s natural gas supply, amid the ongoing attacks on Ukraine’s infrastructure by Russia.
• Nordic and Baltic countries will together contribute $500m to the Prioritised Ukraine Requirements List arms initiative, their defence ministers said in a joint statement.

Russian sanctions

• About 1.4 million barrels per day of Russian oil, or almost a third of the country’s seaborne exporting potential, remain in tankers as unloading slows due to US sanctions against energy firms Rosneft and Lukoil, according to US financial services firm JPMorgan.
• Bulgaria’s parliament has overruled a presidential veto on legislation allowing the government to take control of Lukoil’s oil refinery and sell it to shield the asset from looming US sanctions.
• Bulgarian President Rumen Radev had attempted to veto a move by lawmakers giving a government-appointed commercial manager powers to oversee the continued operation of Lukoil’s refinery in Bulgaria beyond November 21, when the US sanctions are due to take effect, and to sell the company if needed.
• Russia’s Port Alliance group, which operates a network of sea cargo terminals, said foreign hackers had targeted its systems over three days in a distributed denial of service (DDoS) attack and an attempted hack.
• The group said critical elements of its digital infrastructure had been targeted with the aim of disrupting export shipments of coal and mineral fertilisers at its sea terminals in the Baltic, Black Sea, Far East and Arctic regions. The attack was successfully repelled, and operations remained unaffected, Port Alliance said.

Troy Parrott scores twice in first half to keep Ireland’s hopes of reaching next tournament alive with a famous victory.

Ireland have stunned Portugal 2-0 to keep their narrow path to next year’s World Cup open and make the Nations League winners wait to book an automatic spot on a night where their captain Cristiano Ronaldo was sent off.

Ireland, who have not qualified for a major tournament in a decade and last reached a World Cup in 2002, needed at least a draw on Thursday to keep their qualification hopes alive and a first half Troy Parrott double capped their best performance in years.

They still need a win in Budapest on Sunday to claim a spot in next March’s playoffs after second-placed Hungary won 1-0 in Armenia. A draw at home to bottom-placed Armenia is likely the most Portugal need to secure automatic qualification.

But they will have to do it without Ronaldo, whose initial yellow card for lashing out with an elbow to the back of Ireland defender Dara O’Shea was upgraded after review to his first ever red card for Portugal in his 226th appearance.

Portugal, who were moments away from securing their seventh successive World Cup appearance a month ago before a stoppage-time Hungarian equaliser in Lisbon, fell behind on 17 minutes after Liam Scales headed a fizzed-in corner back across goal and Parrott could not miss.

Well worth the lead, Ireland went inches from doubling it when Chiedozie Ogbene struck the post with a fine effort before in-form AZ Alkmaar striker Parrott found the bottom corner with a brilliant finish from similar distance just before the break.

Ireland, who defended gallantly in the reverse fixture before going down to a late goal, did not require a repeat once Ronaldo received his marching orders on the hour, sarcastically clapping the delighted home fans as he departed.

Portugal, who are assured at least a playoff spot, are two points clear of Hungary at the top of Group F with a superior goal difference. The Irish are one point further back.

Parrott told RTE that it was “probably the best night” of his life.

“It is such a relief and overwhelming feeling to see the hard work paying off,” he said.

“We all knew how important this game was for us, especially given the other result tonight [Hungary beat Armenia]. I am just overwhelmed, I don’t know what words to give now. I am over the moon.”

Ireland coach Heimir Hallgrimsson praised the backing of the fans and suggested they may have gotten to Ronaldo.

“I can only praise the supporters. We have amazing fans as always. They have a lot of say in this win, they give us energy and help us at crucial times. They deserve this win,” he said.

“[Ronaldo[ lost his focus a little bit. Maybe it was the fans as well that helped a little bit. He was frustrated and reacted in a way that he knows he shouldn’t.”

Elsewhere on Thursday, Two goals from star striker Kylian Mbappe helped send two-time champions France to the 2026 World Cup with a 4-0 home win against Ukraine.

Midfielder Michael Olise and substitute forward Hugo Ekitike added the other goals in a dominant second half from France, the World Cup runner-up in 2022.

Late goals from Gianluca Mancini and Francesco Pio Esposito helped Italy to a 2-0 win away against Moldova on Thursday, keeping alive their faint hopes of automatic qualification for the 2026 World Cup with their fifth consecutive victory.

The result lifted Italy to 18 points, three behind group leaders Norway, who earlier beat Estonia 4-1, with the two sides meeting on the final qualifying matchday on Sunday. The Azzurri now face what looks an impossible task, needing to win and overturn Norway’s goal difference of 17.

England eased to a mundane 2-0 victory over Serbia with goals from Bukayo Saka and Eberechi Eze to make it seven wins from seven games in their World Cup qualifying campaign at a rain-soaked Wembley Stadium on Thursday.

Serbia put up more resistance than in the 5-0 home drubbing by England in September and Dusan Vlahovic twice went close to equalising but the defeat means his side can no longer finish in the top two and earn a playoff shot.

Albania will finish as runners-up and are guaranteed a playoff place after they beat Andorra 1-0 away.

Officials have recovered the remains of all 20 people who were killed when a Turkish C-130 cargo plane crashed near the Georgia-Azerbaijan border Tuesday.

Parisians marked ten years since the deadly November 2015 attacks that upended French society, reflecting on the 132 people lost.

Follow the build-up, analysis and live text commentary of the game as Ireland host Portugal in Dublin.