Europe

RYANAIR is set to scrap even more flights across Europe next year.

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

Earlier this year, the budget airline said they would be cancelling all flights to three French airports –  Bergerac, Brive, and Strasbourg.

However, more are set to be axed, they have confirmed, affecting passengers in summer 2026.

Chief Commercial Officer Jason McGuinness told local media: “We will be leaving several regional airports in France this summer. 

“When you increase taxes by 180 per cent, it makes these airports unviable for us.”

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The new taxes will see an extra €4.77 per flight ticket when it comes to short haul flights.

However, long haul flights will increase by €120 (£105). 

Which airports in France will be affected is yet to be confirmed.

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

This affects all flights to and from Tenerife North, Vigo, Santiago Valladolid and Jerez.

Ryanair boss Michael 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.”

The airport worst affected is Vigo, as the cancellations mean there are no longer any direct UK flights.

Another 1.2million seats are set to be cancelled across Spain next summer.

Lots of airports across Germany are also seeing a reduction in flights.

Memmingen Airport is losing 27 flights a week this winter, while Berlin will lose 76 in January alone.

Cologne is losing 44 in January as well.

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

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

Dortmund, Dresden, and Leipzig airports are to stay closed over winter.

Conditions at Syrian al-Hol and al-Roj camps are “inhuman, dangerous, and degrading”, independent report says, urging UK to comply with international obligations.

The United Kingdom government should voluntarily facilitate the return of former repentant ISIL (ISIS) member Shamima Begum and others living in Syrian camps and deprived of British nationality, a new report has urged.

The Independent Commission on UK Counter-Terrorism Law, Policy and Practice said the current stance of the government towards nationals and former nationals detained in Syrian camps was “increasingly untenable” as they were living under “inhuman” conditions.

“The government should facilitate voluntary repatriation for British nationals, including those deprived of British nationality,” it asserted.

“A coherent, humane, and security-conscious repatriation strategy would strengthen compliance with international obligations and promote long-term public safety and social stability.”

Begum’s case lies at the heart of the UK policy of revoking the citizenship of nationals who joined armed groups in Syria. She left London in 2015 as a minor, at the age of 15, with two school friends, and later married an ISIL fighter. Begum gave birth to three children, all of whom died in infancy.

In 2019, the UK government revoked her citizenship soon after she was discovered in a detention camp in Syria.

Since then, she has challenged the decision, which was turned down by an appeals court in February 2024. Born in the UK to Bangladeshi parents, Begum does not hold Bangladeshi citizenship.

She had admitted that she joined the organisation knowing it was proscribed as a “terror” group, and has said she was “ashamed” and regretted joining the group.

Conditions at camps ‘dangerous’

Citing the United Nations, the report described conditions at the camps, including the infamous al-Hol and al-Roj camps, as “inhuman, dangerous, and degrading”.

“Many detainees, especially women and children, are victims of coercion, trafficking, or exploitation, even if some have been involved in terrorism-related activity,” it added.

According to the commission, between 55-72 UK-linked individuals remain in the camps and other detention centres, including 30-40 children.

The report said the UK’s “reluctance” to repatriate its citizens, including those stripped of their citizenship, made it an “outlier” among “comparable jurisdictions” and could prove to be “counterproductive to long-term security interests”.

“Pressure from the US government, which has called for all states to take back their nationals, the change in the Syrian regime, and as other states repatriate, the prospect of what was referred to as ‘Europe’s Guantanamo’ becoming ‘Britain’s Guantanamo’, may force the government to begin returns,” the report pointed out.

Jannik Sinner extends his unbeaten indoor hardcourt record to 28 matches with straight sets win over Alexander Zverev.

Defending champion Jannik Sinner reached the semifinals of the ATP Finals with a 6-4 6-3 win over two-time winner Alexander Zverev on Wednesday, with Ben Shelton eliminated after losing earlier to Felix Auger-Aliassime in the same group.

Italy’s Sinner extended his indoor hardcourt winning streak to 28 matches, but victory over his German rival was not as comfortable as the scoreline suggests, with the world No 2 under pressure early in both sets.

“A very, very competitive match, a very close match,” Sinner said. “I felt like I was serving very well in important moments. I tried to play the best tennis possible when it mattered, which fortunately went my way.”

The pair, the only two previous ATP Finals champions in this year’s competition in Italy, had both won their opening Bjorn Borg Group matches.

Zverev fails to capitalise on break opportunities

On Wednesday, Sinner faced seven break points compared with Zverev’s four but pulled out aces and delightful drop shots when it counted.

Sinner made a slow start, facing two break points in the opening game, but found four aces at vital points to hold after nine minutes. He let slip two break points at 5-4 up before racing to the net to outwit Zverev and take the first set.

Sinner came back from 0-40 to hold his first service game of the second set, and Zverev forced another break point when the Italian next served, but the champion’s composure never wavered and he broke to lead 4-2, a sliced drop shot the winning point.

Zverev responded by taking a 30-40 lead in the following game, but Sinner held firm. At one stage, a whipped backhand down the line had the German shaking his head in disbelief, and he fell to his third loss to Sinner in 17 days, while the Turin crowd rose to acclaim the Italian.

Sinner must retain his title undefeated to have any chance of ending the year as world number one, while Carlos Alcaraz needs one more match win to stay top of the rankings.

Alcaraz, with two wins from two, faces Lorenzo Musetti on Thursday, with Taylor Fritz meeting Alex de Minaur in the other match of the tournament’s second Jimmy Connors Group.

Auger-Aliassime earns first win

Canada’s Auger-Aliassime, who lost his opener against Sinner, came from a set down to beat Shelton 4-6 7-6(7) 7-5, to leave the American without a win after his defeat against Zverev.

Shelton powered through the opening set, but Auger-Aliassime forced a decider with a tiebreak victory in the second and broke serve to convert a third match point in the final set.

The American lost his cool when failing to serve out for the first set, launching his racket in frustration when Auger-Aliassime made it 5-4, but Shelton broke again.

In the second set tiebreak, where Shelton fell and hurt his knee, Auger-Aliassime took a 3-0 lead. Shelton managed to save three set points before a double fault ended his valiant effort.

The Canadian held break points at 2-1 up in the final set but had to wait until the final game, where Shelton was guilty of gifting match points, and Auger-Aliassime did not refuse.

Auger-Aliassime will face Zverev on Friday, with a semifinal place on the line.

Ever dreamt of walking on a beach resembling popcorn? A European shore on the Canary Islands has a striking natural phenomenon that is well worth a visit for some winter sun

With temperatures plummeting in the UK, holidaymakers are turning their attention to European winter getaways to bask in a warmer climate, and there’s one fascinating place with a ‘popcorn beach’ that reaches a welcoming 24C in November.

The Canary Islands, known as the sunshine centre of Europe, have long been top of the list for Brits hunting for some sun, with beaches offering golden sand and crystal clear blue waters. But it’s not just the picture-perfect coastlines that entice tourists to the southern region of Spain.

Elsewhere on the islands, visitors can stumble upon beaches with shimmering or dark sand, due to the islands’ volcanic origin, or admire the sand dunes in Gran Canaria that resemble those in the Egyptian desert. With a fascinating collection of shores, there’s one that has caught attention, so much so that it’s been given its own nickname.

Popcorn Beach, officially called Playa del Bajo de la Burra, is one of the most striking beaches in the world. Found in Fuerteventura, the beach is fantastically composed of white, fossilised coral or calcareous algae that has been washed up on the shore, resembling puffed-up popcorn pieces.

The similarity to edible popcorn on the beach is so striking that in photos, it could easily be mistaken for the tasty cinema snack. Holidaymakers have flocked to the beach to marvel at the natural wonder, labelling it the “most bizarre in the world” and comparing it to the likes of the Caribbean.

One traveller shared a review of Popcorn Beach on TripAdvisor and said: “Great place to visit and just sit and relax. Nice wind and when the tide is out, plenty of rock pools to explore. Beware of the slippery lava rocks, very dangerous. When the tide is in, the white popcorn algae makes it look like the Caribbean!”

A second holidaymaker commented: “This a brilliant little beach near Corralejo Town, the bits of stoned algae that look like pop corn allow for brilliant photos. We visited with our toddler and filled in a nice half hour.”

“Unusual beach that truly looks like popcorn. Very nice views. Beach itself is a bit small,” a third shared. While another warned that you can’t swim in the sea, “Unfortunately, there is no direct water access on site, but the experience of Popcorn beach belongs on every adventure list on Fuerteventura.”

However, anyone planning to visit Popcorn Beach should be aware that there is a strict law against taking any of the coral home, no matter how tempting it might be as a souvenir. Unfortunately, it’s such a problem that the beach reportedly loses around 1,000kg of natural material per month.

Tourists have been urged to preserve the endangered ecosystems and refrain from removing any of their precious sand in the Canary Islands. Otherwise, visitors can face a fine of £128 (€150) to £512 (€600) for “minor” offences, or up to £2,563 (€3,000) for “major” breaches, depending on the amount pocketed, according to the Canarian Weekly.

Despite the strict laws, visitors are welcome to capture themselves among the popcorn-shaped coral in photos and stroll along the shore to admire its distinctive beauty. It’s well worth a visit to admire the natural phenomenon, and with temperatures in Fuerteventura reaching between 22 to 24C in November, it’s the ideal spot to bask in some sunshine.

Not only this, but the island is incredibly easy to reach with direct return flights from London Stansted to Fuerteventura, starting from as little as £36.99 with Ryanair.

Do you have a travel story to share? Email [email protected]

Days after Shein opened its first location in Paris, France, is threatening to ban the Chinese fast-fashion giant. The threat follows months of hand-wringing over Shein’s growing footprint in France, topped off by the discovery of child-like sex dolls and weapons from third-party sellers on its website and on its third-party online marketplace. With the growing backlash, will the controversial company survive in Europe’s fashion capital?

Who: Ireland vs Portugal
What: UEFA World Cup qualifier, Group F
Where: Aviva Stadium in Dublin, Ireland
When: Thursday at 7:45pm (19:45 GMT)

Click here to follow our live coverage.

Unbeaten Portugal (3-1-0) will seal direct qualification to the FIFA World Cup 2026 if they beat Ireland in their penultimate Group F fixture at the Aviva Stadium.

Armed with a five-point lead, Roberto Martinez’s team are in the box seat to seal a seventh consecutive appearance at football’s global showpiece.

Ireland (1-1-2), for their part, still have a mathematical chance to keep their World Cup aspirations alive by causing a huge upset on Thursday night against an opponent that is fifth in the FIFA world rankings.

They are currently third in the group – but only a point behind second-placed Hungary with two matches still to play. Ireland last qualified for the World Cup in 2006.

Here is all to know about their Group F return clash:

Current Group F standings (two fixtures remaining):

• Portugal – 10 points (from four matches)
• Hungary – 5 points (from four matches)
• Ireland – 4 points (from four matches)
• Armenia – 3 points (from four matches)

How can Portugal and Ireland still qualify for World Cup in Group F?

Scenario 1: 

Group leaders Portugal require a win against Ireland to ensure direct World Cup qualification into next year’s tournament, which is being held in the United States, Canada and Mexico.

In this scenario, Portugal would have 13 points – an insurmountable lead over the other three teams in the group with just one match remaining.

Scenario 2:

If Portugal were to draw its final two fixtures against Ireland and Armenia, they would also finish top of the Group F standings with 12 points from six matches.

Scenario 3:

If Portugal lose its final two matches against Ireland and Armenia, and Hungary – which currently has five points – wins its final two fixtures against Armenia and Ireland, then Hungary would move top of Group F with 11 points vs Portugal’s 10 points.

If Ireland win their final two games, and Portugal lose their final two games, then the teams would be level on 10 points at the top of the standings with the group winner being decided by goal difference.

All 12 group winners in Europe qualify directly for the World Cup while the runners-up go on to the playoffs for the remaining finals places taking place in March.

What happened in Portugal’s last match against Hungary?

Portugal were on the brink of punching their ticket to the World Cup as they led Hungary 2-1 in stoppage time in Lisbon, knowing a win would confirm first place in Group F.

However, Hungary snatched a late draw when Liverpool’s Dominik Szoboszlai finished from close range in injury time.

What happened the last time Portugal played Ireland?

The teams last played on October 11 in Lisbon.

Portugal’s Ruben Neves scored a stoppage-time goal to snatch a dramatic 1-0 home win in Group F after his teammate Ronaldo had a penalty saved earlier in the match as Ireland threatened to hold the unbeaten hosts to a draw.

Is the 2026 World Cup Ronaldo’s last major international tournament?

Yes. With Portugal on the verge of qualifying for the World Cup, Ronaldo confirmed the tournament in North America will be his swansong on football’s biggest stage.

“Definitely, yes, because I will be 41 years old [at the World Cup],” said Ronaldo, who is also the top scorer in history with 143 international goals.

“I gave everything for football. I’ve been in the game for the last 25 years. I did everything. I have many records in the different scenarios in the clubs and also in the national teams.

“I’m really proud. So let’s enjoy the moment, live the moment.”

Head-to-head

This is only the 18th meeting between the European sides with Portugal winning 10 and Ireland winning four.

Ireland’s last win came in a friendly in 2005, courtesy of Andy O’Brien’s solitary strike in Dublin. There have been four subsequent matches, of which Portugal have won three.

Ireland’s last competitive win against Portugal came in a European Championships qualifier in 1995.

The fixture dates back to 1946 and began with a 3-1 home win for Portugal in a friendly.

Portugal’s form

W-W-W-W-D (most recent result last)

Ireland’s form

D-D-L-L-W (most recent result last)

Portugal team news

Chelsea winger Pedro Neto has withdrawn from Martinez’s squad after he suffered a groin injury in his side’s 3-0 Premier League victory over Wolves on Saturday. Rafael Leao is the most likely replacement for Neto.

Sporting Lisbon midfielder Pedro Goncalves is also out for a month after an undisclosed injury playing against Santa Clara on the weekend.

“[I’m] out of these next two games and not being able to be present in the World Cup qualifiers. Something I always dreamed of was representing the National Team, and not being able to go hurts. Now it’s time to recover properly, even though I’m not doing what I love the most! Thank you to the team for the effort until the end! We still have a lot to achieve,” Goncalves wrote on social media.

Ronaldo, who has yet to score away to Ireland in four career meetings, will lead the line for Portugal.

Ireland team news

In a big blow to Ireland’s chances, star striker Evan Ferguson is out of the Portugal fixture with an ankle issue and is in doubt for their final World Cup match against Hungary, which may decide who finishes second in Group F.

Manager Heimir Hallgrimsson will also be without three other injured regulars in the squad: Callum O’Dowda (minor knock), Mark Sykes (shin) and Sammie Szmodics (knee).

Ryan Manning and Jayson Molumby are serving one match suspensions.

Predicted starting lineups:

Ireland: Kelleher (goalkeeper); O’Brien, O’Shea, Collins; Coleman, Cullen, Taylor, Johnston; Ebosele, Azaz; Parrott

Portugal: Costa (goalkeeper); Cancelo, Dias, Inacio, Mendes; Fernandes, Vitinha, Neves, Bernardo, Ronaldo, Leao

What the coaches had to say:

Hallgrimsson:

“If Armenia wins or there is a draw, a win in Hungary is enough for us, so that is two of four scenarios for us,” the Ireland manager said.

“If Hungary win, we need at least a draw, but if they win by two or three goals, we will need a draw [against Portugal] and win by maybe three goals away in Hungary.

“We will know what we need in this game against Portugal before we kick off, which is a benefit to us, but it doesn’t change how we start and play the game, but may need to take calculated risks as the game progresses.”

Martinez:

“November is always a difficult stage. Even so, our focus is on qualifying for the World Cup. … We have to improve, especially in the final 20 minutes of games,” Portugal’s manager said.

Justice Minister German Galushchenko allegedly took part in the scheme involving state nuclear power firm Energoatom.

Ukraine has suspended Justice Minister German Galushchenko for his alleged involvement in a corruption scandal involving the state-run nuclear power company, Energoatom, during his tenure as the country’s energy minister.

Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko announced on Wednesday that Galushchenko had been suspended from his duties, which will be carried out by Deputy Justice Minister for European Integration Lyudmyla Sugak.

Galushchenko, who served as energy minister for four years before taking over the justice portfolio in July, is accused of profiting from a scheme that laundered money from Energoatom.

Ukraine’s Pravda news outlet reported that anticorruption authorities raided Galushchenko’s offices on Monday.

‘I will defend myself in court’

In a statement, Galushchenko said he had spoken with the prime minister and agreed his suspension is appropriate while he defends his case.

“A political decision must be made, and only then can all the details be sorted out,” said Galushchenko. “I believe that suspension for the duration of the investigation is a civilised and correct scenario. I will defend myself in court and prove my position.”

According to Ukraine’s Specialised Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office (SAPO), the alleged $100m scheme was orchestrated by businessman Timur Mindich, a close ally of President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

SAPO’s investigators say Galushchenko helped Mindich manage illicit financial flows in the energy sector, while contractors working with Energoatom were forced to pay bribes of 10 to 15 percent to avoid losing contracts or facing payment delays.

Accusations of kickbacks in the energy sector are particularly sensitive in Ukraine, much of which is facing lengthy daily blackouts as it fends off massive Russian attacks on its infrastructure.

The scandal also highlights a potential challenge to Ukraine’s European Union membership bid, for which eradicating corruption remains a key condition.

Addressing the country on Monday, Zelenskyy urged full cooperation with the anticorruption inquiry and said anyone implicated should be held to account.

Zelenskyy’s comments come just months after he was forced to reverse plans to curb the independence of the country’s key anticorruption watchdogs – SAPO and the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine – following widespread protests.

A Turkish accident investigation has begun its work at the crash site in coordination with Georgian authorities.

All 20 personnel on board a Turkish C-130 military cargo aircraft that crashed in Georgia close to its border with Azerbaijan have died, the Turkish Defence Ministry says, as investigators examine the cause of the accident at the site.

The confirmation came on Wednesday, a day after the plane crashed after taking off from the nearby Azerbaijani city of Ganja.

“Our heroic comrades-in-arms were martyred,” Defence Minister Yasar Guler said in a social media post, alongside photographs of the deceased in their uniforms.

The ministry said a Turkish accident investigation, in coordination with Georgian authorities, had begun inspecting the wreckage at the crash site in the Sighnaghi municipality of Georgia’s Kakheti district early on Wednesday.

The crash, Turkiye’s deadliest military incident since 2020, happened about 5km (3.1 miles) from the Georgian-Azerbaijani border.

Georgia’s Sakaeronavigatsia air traffic control service said the aircraft disappeared from radar soon after entering the country’s airspace, sending no distress signal prior to the crash.

Dramatic footage published by Azerbaijani media appeared to show the aircraft sending a large cloud of black smoke into the sky after it crashed, leaving debris strewn across the ground.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said he was “deeply saddened” by the crash and expressed his condolences.

The leaders of Azerbaijan and Georgia, along with NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte, have conveyed condolences over the crash, while the United States ambassador to Turkiye, Tom Barrack, also expressed his country’s solidarity.

US firm Lockheed Martin, the maker of the C-130 Hercules, also expressed its condolences and said it was committed to assisting the investigation in any way required.

The C-130 is a four-engine, turboprop transport aircraft that is widely used by militaries around the world to carry personnel, cargo and other equipment.

Australia’s High Court says government acted within its rights when it passed a law revoking 99-year lease for planned Russian embassy site.

Russia has lost a legal fight to build a new embassy near Australia’s Parliament, with the nation’s top court ruling that Canberra acted within its rights when it cancelled the lease for the site.

Australia passed legislation in 2023 to mothball the planned embassy building after officials deemed it to pose a security threat.

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said at the time that his government decided to revoke the lease over the “specific risk” posed by the site, located about 300 metres (328 yards) from Parliament House.

Russia, which blasted the move as “Russophobic hysteria”, challenged the legislation in court, arguing that it was not valid under the Australian Constitution.

In a unanimous ruling on Wednesday, the High Court found that the cancellation of the lease had been a “valid exercise of the legislative power” to enact laws related to the acquisition of property.

The court, however, ruled that Russia was entitled to compensation after paying about $2m for the 99-year lease in 2008.

The court previously rejected a bid by Moscow to stop its officials from being evicted from the site.

The government introduced new legislation on June 15 to end the Russian lease on the land after intelligence agencies warned the location was a risk to national security.

In a statement following the ruling, Attorney General Michelle Rowland said, “Australia will always stand up for our values and we will stand up for our national security.”

“The government welcomes the High Court’s decision that found the government acted lawfully in terminating the Russian Embassy’s lease,” Rowland said in a statement.

“The government will closely consider the next steps in light of the court’s decision,” Rowland added.

The Russian embassy said it was studying the judgement, according to Australian broadcaster ABC News.

“The Russian side will carefully study the text of the court ruling, which sets a precedent,” an embassy official said in a statement.

Relations between Australia and Russia have been strained for years.

Ties deteriorated sharply after the downing of Malaysia Airlines flight MH17, which multiple investigations blamed on pro-Russian separatists, and then plunged further after Moscow launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.

#BREAKING: The lease was granted to Russia in 2008, but was withdrawn when parliament passed a new law citing ASIO advice that the planned embassy could pose a threat to national security. https://t.co/6S6bf37h7m

— ABC News (@abcnews) November 11, 2025

Police seized 61,000 Bitcoin from Zhimin Qian, 47, as part of a years-long money laundering investigation.

The United Kingdom has sentenced a Chinese woman to 11 years and eight months in prison for a years-long scheme to launder investment scam proceeds into Bitcoin, luxury property, and other assets now worth about 4.8 billion British pounds ($6.3bn).

Zhimin Qian, 47, was sentenced by the Southwark Crown Court in London on Tuesday, in a case that saw UK police seize a record-breaking 61,000 Bitcoin as part of their investigation.

Qian, who is also known by the alias Yadi Zhang, was found guilty of money laundering and possessing illegally obtained cryptocurrency.

Will Lyne, the Metropolitan Police’s head of Economic and Cybercrime Command, described the case as “one of the largest and most complex economic crime investigations ever undertaken by the Met”.

“This is currently the largest cryptocurrency seizure by law enforcement in the UK and is the largest money laundering case in UK history by value,” he said in a statement.

UK authorities allege that Qian helped mastermind an investment scam in China between 2014 and 2017 that defrauded 128,000 people out of roughly £4.6bn, according to sentencing remarks from Judge Sally-Ann Hales.

Much of the funds were later recovered by police in China, but Hales said that a “sizeable amount was siphoned off and used by” Qian, and transferred into 70,000 Bitcoin stored on a laptop wallet.

Qian fled China in 2017, spending the next seven years on the run, and travelling between the UK and other countries without an extradition agreement with China.

Qian and an accomplice, who has since been sentenced, came to the attention of UK authorities in 2018, when Qian tried to buy three London properties worth 40.5 million pounds ($53.2m) but failed “know your customer” regulations, according to the Crown Prosecution Service.

Qian disappeared from the UK in 2020, but not before police seized items from a safe deposit box, including a laptop smuggled from China.

Hales said that documents found during the search “give an indication of the level of the defendant’s monthly expenditure, and the grandiose ambitions she held for her future using the proceeds of her criminal conduct”.

Qian returned to police attention last year, when she began to use a dormant wallet with the help of a second accomplice, Senghok Ling, 47, a Malaysian national based in the UK.

When police arrested Ling and Qian in April 2024, the pair was living a “lavish” lifestyle in the UK, according to Hales. At the time, Qian was found in possession of 62 million pounds ($81.4m) worth of cryptocurrency, a large quantity of cash, and two false passports.

Ling was separately sentenced to four years and 11 months in prison.

Richard Hermer, Attorney General for the UK and Wales, on Tuesday praised the sentencing of “two prolific fraudsters”, who together “caused misery upon thousands of victims to fund their lavish lifestyles”.

Undated video circulating on social media shows Russian troops moving through dense fog in Pokrovsk as Moscow steps up efforts to reinforce positions. Ukraine says around 300 Russian soldiers are in the town and are trying to push north to encircle the area.

POPPING over to France from the UK couldn’t be easier, and there are plenty of pretty cities and towns to explore along the Opal Coast.

The spot in the north of France is known for its natural landscape, beautiful beaches and being home to lots of charming seaside destinations like Boulogne-sur-Mer.

When Brits usually take day trips, it’s usually to bustling cities like Paris or Amsterdam.

But if you fancy somewhere quieter, then the Opal Coast is a great option, especially as it’s so easy to get there by car.

To get there, you can travel by Eurotunnel from Folkestone to Calais which takes around 35 minutes.

From there, it’s a 30 minute drive to the city.

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Brits can also take the ferry from Dover to Calais which takes 90 minutes and drive from there.

Boulogne-sur-Mer, once an ancient town, is a city that is still used as a major fishing port.

The old centre is a great spot for mooch around thanks to its pretty cobbled streets and quaint shops all surrounded by medieval walls.

The popular Boulogne-sur-Mer’s beach is common with sand yachters as well as kite surfers too.

Thanks to it being a fishing port, there are plenty of restaurants around serving local specialties like pickled herring, mackerel, and mussels.

According to Tripadvisor, the most highly-rated seafood restaurant in Boulogne-sur-Mer is Le Chatillon.

There, those who enjoy seafood can get a seafood platter from €38.90 (£34.26) which has half a crab, four langoustines, six organic pink prawns, whelks, grey prawns and five superior oysters.

A trip to Boulogne-sur-Mer doesn’t have to break the bank either, according to Numbeo, you can buy a bottle of wine there from between €5-8 (£4.40 to £7.04).

Domestic beer cost €2.06 (£1.81) and a meal at an inexpensive restaurant is around €16 (£14.09).

If you’re looking for a place to amuse the kids, check out Nausicaá – Europe‘s largest aquarium where you’ll find tropical fish, sharks, sea lions and penguins.

One day tickets start from €30 (£26.41) for visitors over 12, and €23 (£20.25) for those between three years old up to 12. 

History buffs should check out the Cathédrale Notre-Dame, which was originally built as a church and later transformed into a cathedral.

It’s 100 meters tall and from there you can get a great view of the city.

Not to mention that lying underneath is the largest crypt in France where you’ll find over 400 artefacts like paintings and beautiful wall murals.

The cathedral is free to enter, with a small fee of around €6 (£5.28) to enter the crypt.

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Hear more about Nausicaa from one writer who visited…

Nausicaa, the French National Sea Centre, is Europe’s largest aquarium. It doubled in size in the summer of 2018 with a giant new tank housing thousands of tropical fish, manta rays and, yes, sharks.

But that barely scratches the surface — or beneath the surface — of what you can see there. That tank is certainly impressive. It is 65ft wide and 16ft high, and took a month to fill. As a veteran of many such outings, I have never seen anything like it.

Nor had the kids: Ten-year-old Miles and Ava were entranced by the quantity and variety of everything on show.

But even the sorts of things they had seen before — the touch tank with the smaller rays, glass tunnel (yet more sharks), penguins and sea lions and hundreds of clown fish  — it is like every aquarium you have ever visited, rolled into a gigantic piscine extravaganza.

Marine conservation is the overarching theme, but it is never rammed down your throat. You can even have a nice fish lunch in one of the cafés. Being French, they take this very seriously. And naturally, there is a good selection of wine.

For more on France, here’s a town that looks more like Italy – with Roman buildings and huge music festival.

Plus, for daytrips, one Sun Travel Reporter tested out the extreme-daytripping trend to Paris.

WHEN it comes to taking a break in autumn, many Brits look to escape the worsening weather at home with a sun-soaked getaway.

So we’ve found the sunniest beach in Europe – and it’s just over four hours from the UK.

Saga Holidays has discovered Europe’s sunniest beaches during the low season, and coming in the top spot is Playa de Maspalomas in Gran Canaria.

During the months of November to April it has just over 10 hours of average daily sunshine, and average maximum highs of 22C.

Playa de Maspalomas is just over two miles long and the waters are ideal for swimming and paddling.

Visitors can sunbathe on the sandy shore, but be warned that the beach is known for being windy thanks to it being so flat.

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It’s also well-known for its golden sand dunes that look like a desert – which are made from the island’s breeze which moves the sand to create the spectacular shapes.

The dunes even have its own ecosystem with plants, animals and a lagoon – here you might spot waterbirds and the native Maspalomas giant lizard.

Near the beach is the Maspalomas Lighthouse, which was built in 1861, and there are plenty of beach bars and restaurants for families to enjoy too.

Behind the front row of eateries on the promenade are even more places to grab a snack and lots of souvenir shops.

Playa de Maspalomas was also one of the best beaches for 2024 according to Tripadvisor.

It was well-loved thanks to its family-friendly facilities, as well as miles of rolling sands as well as watersport zones and designated nudist areas.

To get to the sunny beach, you need to head to Gran Canaria which you can do from £16 for a one-way ticket with easyJet.

You can fly from all over the UK including London Gatwick, London Stansted, London Luton, Belfast, Manchester, Liverpool, Glasgow and Birmingham.

As a whole, the island of Gran Canaria is a favourite of Assistant Travel Editor, Sophie Swietochowski.

She said: “I paid a visit to Gran Canaria for the first time this year – and it did not disappoint. 

“The volcanic island is only a four-hour (ish) flight from the UK, yet it offers balmy weather that is worlds apart from those April showers back home, reaching highs of up to 23C in spring.

“I’ll be honest, I barely left the resort during my visit, but there’s no harm in that. Book yourself a plush all-inclusive hotel and it’s simply impossible not to unwind when you’ve got pina coladas being delivered to your sunbed every hour. 

“Got children? That’s what the kids clubs are for. My resort, Paradisus by Melia, had an excellent one for all ages from tiny tots up to teens.”

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Here are the sunniest beaches in Europe…

Low Season

Gran Canaria, Playa de Maspalomas
Tenerife, Playa de Las Teresitas
Limassol, Lady’s Mile Beach
Almeria, Playa de los Genoveses
Crete, Agia Fotia Beach

High Season

Fethiye, Ölüdeniz Beach

Rhodes, Antony Quinn Bay

Samos, Tsamadou beach

Limassol, Lady’s Mile Beach

Ayia Napa, Nissi Beach

Here you can find more of our travel team’s favourite European holiday destinations.

Plus, here are the top five places in the UK where you get the most hours of sunlight during autumn and winter months.

Jannik Sinner begins his ATP Finals title defence with victory against Felix Auger-Aliassime on home soil in Italy.

Italy’s Jannik Sinner began his bid to retain the ATP Finals title with a resounding 7-5, 6-1 win over injury-hit Canadian Felix Auger-Aliassime in their round-robin clash at a packed Inalpi Arena in Turin on Monday.

The pair were meeting for the fourth time since August, and eight days after their last clash, with the outcome the same as Sinner eased into the match before overpowering Auger-Aliassime, who needed medical attention during the second set.

Sinner extended his incredible indoor hardcourt winning streak to 27 matches, his last defeat on the surface coming against Novak Djokovic in the 2023 ATP Finals decider.

The 24-year-old is also in a battle with Carlos Alcaraz to end the year as world number one. Sinner must retain his title in Turin to have any chance, while the Spaniard can secure the prize by winning two more matches after victory in his opener.

Sinner began with intent by winning the first game to love and went on to give up just three points on serve in the opening set while forcing five break points, displaying an impressive mixture of sharp backhand and forehand shots down the line.

Auger-Aliassime hung in, smashing eight aces to Sinner’s one during the first set, often at just the right time as he saved four break points, but the Italian came through when it mattered, breaking to win the set.

“It was a very tough match until 6-5. I had some chances to break,” Sinner said.

“He played some very aggressive tennis, so I’m happy to overcome a very tough test today. Obviously, winning the first match is very important in this competition and this format.”

Sinner stormed into a 3-0 lead in the second, and his opponent took a medical timeout for a problem in his left calf.

“I hope it’s nothing too serious,” Sinner said.

“I wish him obviously a very speedy recovery, and hopefully he is back to 100 percent physically.”

Auger-Aliassime saved two break points to avoid losing touch completely before Sinner sank the Canadian with another break to leave the Italian serving for the match, which he did in style, hammering home an ace to clinch the win.

While the Canadian struggled in the second set, Sinner began to enjoy himself, playing some deft drop shots to the delight of his home crowd, who rose to their feet to acclaim the win.

On Sunday, German Alexander Zverev beat American Ben Shelton 6-3, 7-6(6) in the other Bjorn Borg Group match. All four players in the group will meet each other, with the top two qualifying for the semifinals.

Tuesday’s action features the Jimmy Connors Group, where Alcaraz takes on last year’s finalist Taylor Fritz, with both players on one win each, and Italian Lorenzo Musetti faces Australian Alex de Minaur.

Hungarian-British writer David Szalay has won the prestigious Booker prize for his novel Flesh, which tells the story of a tortured Hungarian emigre who makes and loses a fortune.

Szalay, 51, beat five other shortlisted authors, including Indian novelist Kiran Desai and the United Kingdom’s Andrew Miller, to claim the 50,000 British pound ($65,500) award at a ceremony in London on Monday.

Written in spare prose, Slazay’s book recounts the life of taciturn Istvan, from a teenage relationship with an older woman through time as a struggling immigrant in the UK to a denizen of London high society.

“A meditation on class, power, intimacy, migration and masculinity, Flesh is a compelling portrait of one man, and the formative experiences that can reverberate across a lifetime,” organisers of the award ceremony in London said in a statement.

Accepting his trophy at London’s Old Billingsgate, Szalay thanked the judges for rewarding his “risky” novel.

He recalled asking his editor “whether she could imagine a novel called ‘Flesh’ winning the Booker Prize”.

“You have your answer,” he said.

In addition to the 50,000-pound ($67,000) prize for the winner, as well as 2,500-pound awards to each of the shortlisted authors and translators, the writers also gain a boost in popularity and benefit from increased book sales.

Szalay’s book was chosen from 153 submitted novels by a judging panel that included Irish writer Roddy Doyle and Sex and the City actor Sarah Jessica Parker.

Doyle said that Flesh, a book “about living, and the strangeness of living”, emerged as the judges’ unanimous choice after a five-hour meeting.

“We had never read anything quite like it. It is, in many ways, a dark book but it is a joy to read,” said Doyle in a statement.

“I don’t think I’ve read a novel that uses the white space on the page so well. It’s as if the author … is inviting the reader to fill the space, to observe – almost to create – the character with him.”

Szalay, who was born in Canada, raised in the UK and lives in Vienna, was previously a Booker finalist in 2016 for All That Man Is, a series of stories about nine wildly different men.

Flesh was Szalay’s sixth work of fiction.

“Even though my father is Hungarian, I never felt entirely at home in Hungary. I suppose, I’m always a bit of an outsider there, and living away from the UK and London for so many years, I also had a similar feeling about London,” Szalay told BBC Radio.

“I really wanted to write a book that stretched between Hungary and London and involved a character who was not quite at home in either place.”

The frontrunners for this year’s prize, according to betting markets, were Miller for his early-1960s domestic drama The Land in Winter, and Desai for the globe-spanning saga The Loneliness of Sonia and Sunny, her first novel since The Inheritance of Loss, which won the Booker Prize in 2006.

The other finalists were Susan Choi’s twisty family saga, Flashlight; Katie Kitamura’s tale of acting and identity, Audition; and Ben Markovits’s midlife-crisis road trip, The Rest of Our Lives.

The Booker Prize was founded in 1969 and has established a reputation for transforming writers’ careers.

Its winners have included Salman Rushdie, Ian McEwan, Arundhati Roy, Margaret Atwood and Samantha Harvey, who took the 2024 prize for space station story, Orbital.

The separate category of the International Booker Prize was awarded in May to Indian writer and activist Banu Mushtaq for her novel, Heart Lamp, which tells 12 stories of the everyday lives of women and girls in Muslim communities in southern India.

Ukranian president promises accountability after anticorruption bureau announces probe into alleged Energoatom scheme.

Ukraine’s anticorruption agency has launched an investigation into an alleged $100m kickback scheme involving Energoatom, the state-run nuclear power company that supplies more than half of the country’s electricity.

The National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU), which operates independently of the government, announced the probe on Monday as the country faces another harsh winter under daily Russian bombardment.

In a statement posted on social media, NABU said that a “high-level criminal organisation” orchestrated the alleged scheme, led by a businessman and involving a former adviser to the energy minister, Energoatom’s head of security, and four other employees.

“In total, approximately 100 million USD passed through this so-called laundromat,” NABU said, without naming the suspects.

“The minister’s adviser and the director of security at Energoatom took control of all the company’s purchases and created conditions under which all contractors had to pay illegal benefits,” according to NABU chief detective Oleksandr Abakumov.

He said the group discussed increasing the kickback rate during work on protective structures at the Khmelnytskyi nuclear plant last October.

Investigators said Energoatom’s contractors were forced to pay bribes of 10 to 15 percent to avoid losing contracts or facing payment delays.

“A strategic enterprise with annual income exceeding 200 billion hryvnias [$4.7bn] was managed not by authorised officials but by individuals with no formal authority,” NABU said.

Zelenskyy calls for ‘criminal verdicts’

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, addressing the nation on Monday evening, urged full cooperation with the investigation. “Everyone who has been involved in corruption schemes must receive a clear legal response. There must be criminal verdicts,” he said.

Zelenskyy’s comments come just months after he was forced to reverse plans to curb the agency’s independence following widespread protests. Eradicating corruption remains a crucial condition for Ukraine’s European Union membership bid, a goal Kyiv views as central to its post-war future.

Energoatom confirmed on social media that its offices were being searched and said it was cooperating with investigators.

Deputy Minister of Energy of Ukraine Svitlana Grynchuk told reporters she was not yet familiar with the case details, but promised a “transparent process” and accountability for anyone found guilty. “I hope that the transparency of the investigation will reassure our international partners,” she said.

Ukraine’s power infrastructure has suffered extensive damage from Russia’s air strikes this autumn, leaving large parts of the country without electricity. Although Moscow has not targeted nuclear reactors directly, Ukrainian authorities say substations linked to them have been repeatedly hit.

NABU released photographs showing stacks of cash, Ukrainian hryvnias, US dollars and euros, stuffed into bags and piled on tables. The agency did not disclose the owners of the seized money.

The agency conducted 70 searches, reviewed more than 1,000 hours of audio recordings, and deployed its entire detective staff over 15 months.

Opposition lawmaker Yaroslav Zheleznyak, a strong supporter of anticorruption reform, said he would introduce a parliamentary motion to dismiss Grynchuk and her predecessor, German Galushchenko, now serving as justice minister. Hrynchuk declined to comment on the proposal, while Galushchenko did not respond to requests for comment.

As Ukraine continues to battle both corruption and Russia’s war, Kyiv’s ability to convince its international partners of reform may prove as critical to its future as the fighting on the front lines.

Ukraine says European allies can give up some of their Patriot missile systems now and get future deliveries.

Most regions of Ukraine are undergoing scheduled power outages amid a new wave of attacks on energy sites by Russian drones and missiles.

Ukrenergo, the state-run electricity transmission systems operator in Ukraine, said the blackouts will last at least until the end of Monday as repairs are conducted on infrastructure damaged over the weekend and demand remains high as the onset of winter approaches.

The Poltava and Kharkiv regions are suffering from a deficit of high-voltage capacity after damage to their power transmission lines while the areas of Dnipropetrovsk, Zaporizhia, Kyiv and other central and northern regions have been affected as well.

According to Ukraine’s military, Russian forces used two air-launched ballistic missiles, five surface-to-air guided missiles and 67 drones, including those of Iranian design, during their attacks overnight into Monday.

The Ukrainian army did not report shooting down any of the missiles, but it said 52 of the drones were intercepted and the remaining 15 conducted strikes on nine locations.

Russia has maintained its attacks on Ukrainian energy infrastructure as United States-led diplomatic efforts to end the war make little progress. Ukraine has also been hitting Russian oil and fuel infrastructure in a stated effort to disrupt resources going to the front lines.

An explosion rocked Russia’s port town of Tuapse on the Black Sea overnight after Ukrainian forces launched sea drones towards the major oil terminal and refinery in the town. No casualties were reported.

Russia’s Ministry of Defence announced on Monday that four naval drones were destroyed near the port in the northeastern Black Sea.

It added that its air defences shot down six US-made HIMARS rockets and 124 fixed-wing unmanned aerial vehicles.

Ukraine wants Patriots from Europe

While calling for tougher sanctions and asset freezes to punish Russia, Ukraine is also looking to buy more arms.

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on Monday that Ukraine would like to order 25 Patriot air defence systems from US weapons makers as it tries to fend off Russian attacks at the brink of winter.

Zelenskyy acknowledged that the missile systems are expensive and such a large order could take years to manufacture. But he suggested that European countries could give their Patriots to Ukraine and await replacements, stressing that “we would not like to wait.”

Ukraine is also advancing with an internal drive with a stated aim of weeding out corruption in the energy sector.

The National Anti-Corruption Bureau announced on Monday that it was conducting searches in cooperation with a specialised anticorruption judicial office in premises connected to Tymur Mindich, a former business partner of the president.

Mindich, who reportedly fled before the searches, is coowner of Zelenskyy’s Kvartal 95 production company. The Anti-Corruption Bureau said the searches are in relation to a “high-level criminal organisation in the energy and defence sectors” that engaged in money laundering and illegal enrichment.

From ornately frescoed churches in Florence, to rock-hewn chapels in Greece, stained-glass filled sanctuaries in France or tiny seaside shrines in Cornwall, the UK and Europe has a stunning variety of churches and cathedrals. Whether it was a small rural discovery or a grandiose urban affair, we want to hear about favourite discoveries on your travels.

The best tip of the week, chosen by Tom Hall of Lonely Planet wins a £200 voucher to stay at a Coolstays property – the company has more than 3,000 worldwide. The best tips will appear in the Guardian Travel section and website.

Keep your tip to about 100 words

If you have a relevant photo, do send it in – but it’s your words we will be judging for the competition.

We’re sorry, but for legal reasons you must be a UK resident to enter this competition.

The competition closes on Tuesday 18 November at 10am GMT

Have a look at our past winners and other tips

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Here are the key events from day 1,355 of Russia’s war on Ukraine.

Here is how things stand on Monday, November 10:

Fighting

• The Russian Ministry of Defence said its forces captured the Ukrainian settlement of Rybne in the southeastern Zaporizhia region.
• Fighting also continues in and around the city of Pokrovsk in eastern Ukraine. The rate of Russian advances in the strategic city “remains temporarily decreased” as Moscow’s forces slow ground activity “to extend logistics and bring up reinforcements to southern Pokrovsk”, according to the Institute for the Study of War, a Washington, DC-based think tank.
• Elsewhere in Ukraine, repair crews were racing to restore power to thousands of people after Russian drone attacks on Saturday targeted energy infrastructure across the country.
• Ukraine’s central Poltava area, as well as the northeastern regions of Kharkiv and Sumy, were the hardest-hit, with 100,000 customers in Kharkiv alone without electricity, water and heating, Deputy Prime Minister for Restoration of Ukraine Oleksii Kuleba said on Sunday.
• Russia faced its own power outages after Ukraine struck back with drone and missile attacks, cutting power and heating to thousands of households in the Russian cities of Belgorod and Voronezh.

Politics and diplomacy

• In an interview with Russian state news agency RIA Novosti, Minister of Foreign Affairs Sergey Lavrov said that ending Moscow’s war on Ukraine is “impossible” without “fully taking into account Russia’s legitimate interests and addressing its root causes”.
• Lavrov added that discussions with the US were under way, but “not as rapidly as we would prefer”, noting that he was ready to meet face-to-face with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
• Russian Security Council Secretary Sergei Shoigu travelled to Egypt for meetings with top officials, including President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, Russia’s state TASS news agency reported, with plans to discuss “military and military-technical cooperation”.
• Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban told reporters that the United States agreed to provide a “financial shield” to Hungary in the event of economic or budgetary pressures, though he did not explain further. The comments came after Hungary announced it had secured a one-year waiver from US sanctions on Russian oil and gas.

Sanctions

• Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Kyiv and its European partners were preparing a 20th package of sanctions on Russia.
• Ukraine will propose “including Russian legal entities and individuals that are still profiteering from energy resources”. The package is expected to be signed within a month, the president added.
• Zelenskyy also signed new Ukrainian sanctions against eight Russian individuals, including an FSB agent accused of “information sabotage” and financier Kirill Dmitriev, who runs Russia’s sovereign wealth fund and is President Vladimir Putin’s special envoy on international economic and investment cooperation.
• Another set of new sanctions will target five Russian businesses, including publishing houses engaged in “justifying aggression” and “spreading Russian propaganda worldwide”, Zelenskyy’s office said.

Regional security

• In Belgium, three drones were detected above the Doel nuclear power plant on Sunday evening, according to the Reuters news agency, the latest in a series of drone sightings that have prompted the temporary closure of two major airports over the past week.
• The United Kingdom said it plans to provide equipment and personnel to Belgium in light of the incidents. Air Chief Marshal Richard Knighton told the BBC broadcaster that while the source of the drones was not yet known, Russia has been involved in a pattern of “hybrid warfare” in recent years.

Manchester City celebrated Pep Guardiola’s 1,000th game in management with a statement 3-0 win over Liverpool to close to within four points of Premier League leaders Arsenal.

Erling Haaland shrugged off missing an early penalty on Sunday to head in his 99th Premier League goal before Nico Gonzalez’s deflected effort and a wonder strike from Jeremy Doku confirmed City’s status as Arsenal’s major title rivals.

Liverpool have now lost four of their last five league games to leave the defending champions down in eighth, eight points off the top.

Arsenal’s 10-game winning run came to an end in a 2-2 draw at Sunderland on Saturday and Guardiola’s men took full advantage in the battle of the two sides that have dominated English football’s Premier League over the past decade.

Even if decisions went against Arne Slot’s men, this was another display of how far they have fallen since cruising to a 2-0 win at the Etihad in February.

The Reds showed signs of a revival in beating Aston Villa and Real Madrid in the past eight days, but had no answer to the slickness of a rejuvenated City, who have won 11 of their last 14 games in all competitions.

Conor Bradley shut down the threat of Madrid’s Vinicius Junior on Tuesday, but was given a torrid time by the pace and trickery of Doku down City’s left.

Early in the first half, Doku made the most of Ibrahima Konate’s clearance off Bradley to round Giorgi Mamardashvili before his trailing leg was clipped by the Georgian goalkeeper.

Referee Chris Kavanagh was initially unmoved, but pointed to the spot after a VAR review.

Haaland has struck 28 times already this season for club and country, but has yet to score for City from the penalty spot in 2025-26.

Mamardashvili redeemed himself by getting down low to his left to turn the Norwegian’s penalty to safety to briefly lift the mood among the Liverpool players and travelling support.

City remained in control of the game, though, as Rayan Cherki’s effort was deflected wide before Mamardashvili turned Doku’s strike after another mazy run into the side netting.

Haaland has only failed to score in two of his 18 appearances this season, and duly delivered with a looping header to meet Matheus Nunes’s wicked delivery at 29 minutes.

Liverpool thought they were level nine minutes later, when van Dijk’s header from a corner arrowed into the far corner.

However, Andrew Robertson ducked out of the way of his captain’s effort and was deemed to have interfered with Gianluigi Donnarumma from an offside position.

Instead of going in all square, City rubbed salt in the wounds of Liverpool’s perceived injustice.

The visitors were slow to get out from a corner, and Gonzalez had time to take aim before his shot deflected off van Dijk to wrong-foot Mamardashvili.

Liverpool only had themselves to blame for not getting back in the game early in the second period as Cody Gakpo blazed over with the goal gaping at the end of a fine move involving Mohamed Salah and Bradley.

But Doku fittingly rounded off arguably his best performance in three seasons at City to seal a statement victory.

The Belgian jinked inside the leaden-footed Konate before curling into the top corner from outside the box.

Salah summed up Liverpool’s day and season so far when he dinked wide a glorious chance 10 minutes from time.

Despite the visitors’ need for goals, Slot left 125-million-pound ($165m) striker Alexander Isak on the bench for the entire match due to his lack of match fitness.

The decision to tear up the squad that coasted to the title with a near 450-million-pound ($692m) spend in the transfer window looks more misguided by the game as Liverpool find themselves in a battle just to make the top four rather than the title race.

After the game, Doku told Sky Sports that he was very happy with the team’s performance.

“It is always good for the confidence [to dominate a match], but I have great players around me. That gives me the feeling that I have to do more in every game and every day I want to improve,” he said.

Van Dijk said Liverpool struggled to recover from a difficult first half.

“Our pressing just wasn’t good enough; it should have been better. We need to find more consistency. Losing hurts, always, but 3-0 especially,” he said.

“There were some good moments in the game, but you play Man City at home, who can make it very difficult. The focus should be on reflecting on this when we come back and then fight again.”

Earlier on Sunday, Aston Villa thrashed Bournemouth 4-0 to move into seventh place in the Premier League. But Newcastle United’s poor domestic form continued as they slumped to defeat at Brentford.

Nottingham Forest ended a winless Premier League run stretching back to the first weekend of the season as they came from behind to beat Leeds United 3-1 at the City Ground.

Crystal Palace and Brighton and Hove Albion shared the spoils in a dour 0-0 draw at Selhurst Park.