Israel’s president officially tasks the opposition leader with forming a new government.
Published On 8 Nov 20268 Nov 2026
Israel’s opposition leader Gadi Eisenkot, the man officially tasked by President Isaac Herzog with trying to form the country’s next government, has said that he was open to including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in his coalition lineup.
In a speech at Sunday’s ceremony in Herzog’s office in Jerusalem, Eisenkot suggested Netanyahu’s far-right Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich was also welcome to join.
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“If members of Likud and the Religious Zionist Party truly believe this is a time for unity, as they told the president, I cannot conceive of any reason why they would not support a government under my leadership and the principles I have presented,” Eisenkot said.
Eisenkot, who ran as Netanyahu’s main rival, has six weeks to form a new government. At the ceremony, Eisenkot said he will act in the interests of the public and represent all parts of Israeli society.
“The State of Israel needs a stable government,” Herzog said, pointing to the “new political reality” in the US.
Eisenkot led Israel’s military from 2015 to 2019 and sat as an observer in Netanyahu’s war cabinet for the first eight months of Israel’s genocidal war on Gaza, which began in October 2023.
In Israel’s October 27 elections, Eisenkot’s four-party alliance won 48 seats, while Netanyahu’s right-wing and religious bloc secured 53, leaving both short of the 61 needed for a parliamentary majority. Arab-led parties, representing Palestinian citizens of Israel, won a record 19 seats.
Eisenkot has ruled out forming a government with the Arab-led parties, which would give him a 67-seat bloc. Winning over the two ultra-Orthodox parties, United Torah Judaism and Shas, would give him exactly 61 seats.
He could also form a government with fewer than 61 seats if he wins a parliamentary confidence vote.
“Netanyahu still has time to derail Gadi Eisenkot’s efforts to form a government and sabotage attempts to gain a vote of confidence,” said Al Jazeera’s Nour Odeh, reporting from Ramallah, in the occupied West Bank.
“In the meantime, he remains caretaker prime minister. If Eisenkot fails, Netanyahu would be the natural second in line to be tasked with forming a government. And if he fails, elections would then be called, and that would still allow Netanyahu to remain as caretaker.
“Many of Netanyahu’s critics say that is his aim. The big question in Israeli politics now is: does the opposition really want to get rid of Netanyahu? Or is the opposition to Palestinian Israelis in mainstream politics so strong that they’re willing to risk keeping Netanyahu in power by going back to the ballot box?”
Philippine’ tennis star Eala was left stunned after a 6-3, 6-0 loss to the 102-ranked American in Hong Kong.
Published On 8 Nov 20268 Nov 2026
Tennis trailblazer Alex Eala from the Philippines burst into tears as she reflected on a “life-changing” season after falling agonisingly short of a second WTA Tour title in Hong Kong.
The second seed was stunned 6-3, 6-0 by Claire Liu in the final of the Hong Kong Open as the American, ranked 102nd, won her first tour title on Sunday.
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Eala is at a career-high 17 in the world after a breakout year in which the 21-year-old clinched her maiden title, in Washington, DC, in August.
That victory made her the first player from the Philippines to win a tournament on the WTA Tour.
Eala, set to rise to world number 15 next week, started the year ranked 50th.
“This season has changed my life; it’s changed my life for the better,” Eala, who finished the final with heavy strapping on her right leg, told the crowd afterwards.
Becoming emotional as she addressed her team in the stands, she said: “I’m incredibly proud of the work we’ve put in this year.
“We’re the only ones that truly know what it took to arrive to this point in our journey.
Timber huts are now lining Birmingham’s streets alongside traditional food, drink, handmade gifts, decorations and jewellery. Visitors can tuck into schnitzels and bratwursts while sipping German beer and hot chocolate.
Where is Birmingham’s Frankfurt Christmas Market?
The market takes over the city centre, making it hard not to join in. Stalls and entertainment sit in Victoria Square and New Street, between Corporation Street and the Bullring.
This year, there is a slight change due to roadworks. There will be no stalls between Nando’s and the Apple Store on New Street.
When is the market open?
Birmingham’s Christmas Market opened its doors on Thursday, November 5 and will run until Thursday, December 24. It is open every day during that time period.
Monday to Thursday, the market will open from 11am to 9pm, while on Fridays it will stay open until 9:30pm. Saturday hours are 10am until 9:30pm, and Sunday hours are 10am until 9pm.
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What is on?
Musicians from Germany will entertain crowds at lunchtime and in the evenings from Monday to Friday, and all day at weekends. The German House Band will play a mix of Christmas songs and family favourites.
On Monday evenings, a talent slot is open to new and up-and-coming musicians. The two best acts from the Monday sessions will be given the chance to perform in a prime-time December slot.
The big wheel and ice rink also make a return to Centenary Square. These attractions will run until January 3.
How to get to Birmingham Christmas Market
Birmingham’s three stations, Snow Hill, New Street and Moor Street, are within walking distance of the market. It can also be accessed by Metro tram stops and bus services.
There are plenty of car parks near the market, but drivers are advised that the market is located within Birmingham’s Clean Air Zone, which may incur a fee.
After this week’s major wins by the Democratic Party in the midterm elections, it’s no surprise that the cold open on “Saturday Night Live” was political in nature.
But there was one surprise guest: The new senator-elect of Texas, James Talarico.
The cold open began with a conversation between Rep. Hakeem Jeffries (Kenan Thompson) and Sen. Chuck Schumer (Sarah Sherman), the minority leaders of the House and Senate (and possible future majority leaders), respectively, as they celebrated their party’s victory, including flipping Texas blue — for which they took credit. (Schumer: “That was all me. I found the candidates, I recruited them. And as a show of respect, they begged me not to appear at their campaign events.”)
Jeffries pledged that their first order of business would be to march up to President Trump and tell him, “Hey, knock it off, Buster.”
But Trump (James Austin Johnson), not one to be left out, interrupted to take the credit for the Democratic victories instead — thanks to the “horrible economy and terrible war.” “So in the words of Moana’s big fat friend, ‘You’re Welcome,’” he said.
After an appearance from J.D. Vance (Jeremy Culhane) and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth (Colin Jost), plus Trump’s complaints about having to work with millennials and the return of their optimism, he began listing some of the newly elected senators who would be arriving in Washington: “Jon Ossoff, or as I call him Thinky Herman. Abdul El-Sayed, or as I call him, Mamdani for men. And of course, down in Texas, Talafreako.” Talarico then stepped into frame to a roar of applause and cheers from the audience, leading to this exchange:
Talarico: “Hi America, I am James Talarico, the guy who has been texting you everyday asking for $5.”
Trump: “In this economy, who can blame you.”
Talarico: “But I think Mr. President, if we can work together, we can make life better for everyday Americans. It’s clear people want something new. They want something different. I’m talking of course about ‘SNL’s’ cold opens. How many of these Trump freezes are they going to do?”
Trump: “Infinity.”
Talarico: “Well in that case, there is only one thing to say: Live from New York, it’s Saturday Night Live.”
Sunlight pours through a tiny stone window, causing the wooden floorboards to creak as they warm up. The sound of sheep’s bells filters in from a passing flock. The scent of baking bread mingles with smoke from the previous evening’s fire. I wake up feeling I’ve been transported back to another time – but in reality I’m in modern-day Albania.
I’m staying in a kulla, one of the traditional stone tower houses that are found throughout northern Albania, Montenegro and North Macedonia. They once protected families during times of conflict and sheltered weary travellers on trade routes, before mostly falling into disrepair in the 20th century. A new long-distance trail developed by the Albanian Agritourism Association aims to return some of them to their former glory and give visitors a chance to discover a part of Albania almost untouched by tourism.
The Tower Trail passes through some of the least visited areas of north-eastern Albania, with stops in the Mirdita, Mat, Bulqiza and Dibra regions. Designed to be walked with a guide over nine days, the journey spans more than 100 miles through traditional villages, high plains, forests and river valleys, with future plans for cycling and 4×4 routes. Some stages of the trail are long, and can easily be broken up into two days, or shortened with a car transfer. Opportunities to stay in guesthouses, farms and kullas help connect travellers with the cultural heritage of the region, in a way that is becoming increasingly difficult in more popular parts of the country.
The kulla, in its many forms, is the central feature of the trail. Traditionally constructed from limestone and wood from the surrounding mountains, kullas follow a regular architectural structure, but also represent the character of the families who commissioned them. Built by highly skilled craftsmen, early versions were made to withstand the region’s harsh weather conditions and even harsher historical realities, including the 15th-century Ottoman invasion and frequent tribal disputes. Many more were built in the 18th and 19th centuries, but under Albania’s communist regime, from 1944 until 1991, many families had their kullas confiscated, only to find them in disrepair when they reclaimed them. Today, many sit empty after a mass exodus from rural Albania to the cities in the 1990s and 2000s.
Clockwise from top: the first stage of the Tower Trail, between the villages of Perlat and Lufaj, crosses open fields and craggy karst terrain, winding up to a highland plateau. Villagers in this sparsely populated region work the land and keep sheep and goats
“We are losing traditions because people aren’t staying here,” Nik Nikolli tells me as we walk through the hilltop village of Lufaj on the trail’s first stage. Nikolli is the director of Infokulla, a small museum and cultural centre in the nearby town of Rubik, which provides free hiking maps and historical information about the region. He explains that many of the villages along the route have just one or two families remaining. Introducing the idea of tourism has been slow because the concept of accepting money from a guest goes against highly established traditions of hospitality. He hopes the trail will encourage local people to open their kullas or farms as guesthouses, providing unique experiences to visitors while earning a bit of extra income for their families.
Walking the trail, it’s easy to see what Nikolli means about the lack of people in the villages and the hospitality of those who remain. On several days, our journey takes longer than expected as my guide and I are regularly invited to sit for a coffee and served a bounty of freshly harvested grapes, plums and walnuts. Agriculture is the mainstay of life in these areas, and people are hard at work in the fields from dawn until dusk. Yet they always seem eager to take a break, entertain visitors and share tales from the past.
Highly established traditions of hospitality remain in the villages. Hajrija Qerimi grew up in a large kulla in the village of Bruç. Her family was well known for their hospitality, and regularly hosted large numbers of travellers at the house
Much of the Tower Trail is centred on old roads through hilly karst terrain dotted with caves, chestnut trees and cornfields. Trail markings are still sporadic and some bushwhacking is required, but the route allows travellers to walk the paths still used by villagers today, with plenty of opportunities for interactions. At the end of my second day on the trail, in the village of Derjan, 91-year-old Hajrija Qerimi is beaming as she tells me about growing up in a large kulla nearby. Her father was a successful farmer, still remembered for his generosity, and the family regularly hosted travellers. She tells me there were never fewer than 10 people at the dinner table. “My father advised me early on that everyone who comes to the house is offered food and drink, and he taught me what and how to serve,” she says, proudly. “The important thing was that nobody left without receiving the absolute best hospitality.”
One of the highlights of the trail is the chance for travellers to experience that traditional hospitality while staying in restored kullas.On day four, in the hillside village of Dushaj, I stay at Kulla Hupi, which opened as a guesthouse in 2021. The owner, Luli Hupi, spent years working in a nearby mine, saving to restore the house room by room. “When you come here, there’s a family waiting for you, and you feel you’re at home,” he says.
Running more than just a business venture, Hupi is keen to support the local community. He works with more than 10 families who provide all of the restaurant’s meat, cheese, honey, bread and other produce, while also serving as guides for hiking, horseback riding excursions and cooking classes. He keeps his guest numbers low, and has no interest in the trend towards mass tourism in Albania. “People say I’m stupid for not having 50 tables at the restaurant,” he laughs, as we sit next to a roaring fire in the oda, the traditional sitting room,after a simple dinner of warm corn bread, fig jam, pickled salads, goat’s cheese and gjizë, a type of cottage cheese. “But I don’t want 50 tables, I want 10, and I want people to have to reserve a month in advance.”
Luli Hupi, the owner of Kulla Hupi in the village of Dushaj. Hupi worked in a nearby mine, saving enough money to slowly restore his family’s kulla room by room, opening it as a guest house in 2021
Hupi’s influence can clearly be felt in the surrounding area, where many kullas are undergoing restoration, and the idea of a slower form of tourism is being embraced. On my penultimate night, I stay at Butterfly Camping, a small site situated in a canyon on the banks of the Black Drin River. The owner, Labinot Murrja, lights an open fire, pours me a glass of local grape brandy, and tells me how he and his father cleared and levelled the land along the riverbank themselves.
They kept things simple, building three small cabins, leaving room to erect some tents, tables and a shed with a basic kitchen. Murrja says he’s not interested in casting a wide net for tourists, but is targeting people with an adventurous side, an interest in nature and a desire to experience life in the nearby village, where he still lives with his family. He tells me local people were sceptical when he started, wondering why anyone would have an interest in coming to the middle of nowhere. Yet when they saw guests arrive, they were convinced, and Murrja says similar businesses are now popping up in the wider region. Like Hupi, Murrja emphasises that he’s interested in providing a unique experience for visitors, rather than making a big profit. “I love this job,” he says with a grin. “It doesn’t make you rich, I’m just doing it for passion.”
Albania’s tourism industry has been booming in recent years. However, ongoing protests, sparked by the planned construction of a luxury resort in a protected coastal area, have seen locals voice their frustration at the pace and unsustainable nature of development in the country. With so much of Albania’s tourism concentrated on the coast and northern Alps, rural inland areas have been left struggling to find what they have to offer visitors. In embracing the kulla andtheir strong tradition of hospitality, they may just have found it.
Unrivaled will tip off its third season with a coast-to-coast event on Jan. 8 at Intuit Dome, featuring a doubleheader.
Opening night in Los Angeles will begin at 7 p.m. with a matchup between the league’s first two MVPs, as Napheesa Collier and Lunar Owls BC go up against Chelsea Gray and Rose BC. The second game of the night will feature newly crowned WNBA champion Gabby Williams, the Sparks’ Cameron Brink and Hive BC going against Jackie Young and Laces BC.
“Opening our third season in Los Angeles at Intuit Dome is a significant milestone for Unrivaled and reflects how far the league has come in just two years,” said Unrivaled president and CEO Alex Bazzell. “With our expanded roster of talent and a coast-to-coast opening night, we’re excited to introduce even more fans across Los Angeles to the competition and player experience that make Unrivaled unique.”
Before the games at Intuit Dome, Unrivaled will start the season in Boston with a rematch of last season’s final, as the defending champion Mist take on Phantom. The opening game will be followed by Vinyl vs. Breeze.
The rest of the season will be played as part of an eight-city tour, including stops at the league’s home base, Sephora Arena in Miami, as well as Detroit and San Francisco on Jan. 11, Brooklyn on Jan. 22, Minneapolis on Jan. 24, Houston on Feb. 12 and Philadelphia on Feb. 15.
Unrivaled began touring the country during its second season, starting with a historic soldout game at Xfinity Mobile Arena in Philadelphia. The league also held its semifinal games before another sellout crowd at Barclays Center in Brooklyn.
Three-on-three basketball made its Olympic debut at the 2020 Tokyo Summer Olympics, where the United States took home the gold medal. Germany won the top prize at the Paris Summer Olympics. Unrivaled has maintained the three-on-three approach, but it is played on a condensed full court rather than the Olympic halfcourt format.
The league features WNBA stars such as Kelsey Plum of the Phoenix Mercury, Paige Bueckers of the Dallas Wings and Marina Mabrey of the Toronto Tempo.
Games will be televised on TNT, truTV and HBO Max.
A CLIP of Katherine Ryan discussing outing an industry “predator” on a show has resurfaced after Russell Brand’s conviction.
Ryan shared the screen with disgraced Brand on the Comedy Central series Roast Battle in 2018, before he was axed.
A clip of Katherine Ryan discussing outing an industry ‘predator’ has resurfacedSource: BBCRussell Brand was found guilty of rape and sex attacks on a string of womenSource: Alamy
In a 2018 podcast with Louis Theroux, she claimed to have confronted the unnamed man “again and again” while they worked together and referred to him as a “predator”.
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When Theroux asked her what she meant by that term, the 43-year-old said: “I mean perpetrator of sexual assault.”
Ryan added: “But it is very dangerous for us to have this conversation. I’m happy to have it, but it is a litigious minefield.
Ryan shared the screen with disgraced Brand on the Comedy Central series Roast Battle in 2018Source: Amazon PrimeRyan added word of the notorious abuser was an ‘open secret’ in the industrySource: BBC
“Lots of people have tried to nail this person down for their alleged crimes and this person has very good lawyers.”
Ryan added word of the notorious abuser was an “open secret” in the industry as she told the shameful star to his face he was a “predator”.
When she was pressed for more details, she said simply that it was “not her story to tell” but that she had heard the allegations from “very credible” sources.
It is widely speculated the Canadian comic was referring to Brand, but she has not confirmed said predator or named the show she was working on.
Russell Brand and wife Laura Brand arriving at Southwark Crown Court on November 5Source: GettyFollowing Brand’s conviction Ryan publicly said she feels ‘grief and relief’Source: PA
However, following Brand’s conviction she has publicly said she feels “grief and relief”.
The stand-up star added there are “a lot of women speaking privately and quietly” following the verdict, who feel “a very nuanced mix of emotions”.
On her podcast Telling Everybody Everything, Ryan said: “It really made me feel just quite dysregulated again, caught off-guard, emotional, in awe of the survivors who also had nothing to gain.
“They came forward despite Russell Brand having fame, power, money, and a legion of fans ready to attack them.”
She added: “I will never be someone who like, dances on graves. There has been some justice done today. There’s a level of relief, but there’s grief alongside relief.
“Everything’s nuanced, and it was proved in court that a terrible thing happened, and that means that a terrible thing happened.
“I just think again and again about people who have been hurt, and who have to carry that, who’ve carried that around long enough, and will continue to carry that in some way, regardless of what justice is done.
“This verdict came because women were hurt, and I worry as well about what happens next.
“Because he’s obviously spent a long time cultivating this idea that the establishment have invented these claims against him, and he’s martyred himself to a growing audience who really still think that it is the courageous survivors who are the villains in this story.
“I just… I don’t know if you can podcast from jail. I hope not.”
Cameron Norrie progressed to the second round of the Paris Masters with victory over Italy’s Matteo Arnaldi.
The British number two notched a 6-4 1-6 6-3 against Arnaldi, who is ranked nine places above him in 36th, in one hour and 41 minutes to secure his first ATP Tour win since August.
“I’m just trying to enjoy my tennis. It’s been a difficult year for me and I don’t really care any more – I just want to play, and play to win,” Norrie told Sky Sports.
“I put a lot of expectation on myself to go and win, especially being a favourite [at times]. I was getting stuck a lot and I definitely want to try to change that.
“I really just want to play every point, enjoy every point, use my skills and give myself permission to let go and play to win. Be a bit more grateful to play.”
Norrie, 31, was already a break up against Arnaldi when he lost his serve in the fourth game of the opening set.
However, the Briton immediately broke back before he served out to win it 6-4 in 36 minutes.
Arnaldi broke Norrie three times in the second set to level the match, but the Briton regrouped in the decider and, after securing a break to go 3-1 up, was able to hold his nerve to close out the match.
A HUGE new attraction with six immersive zones including a ride and even a waterpark is set to open in Europe.
Called Dracula Land, the theme park has been dubbed Transylvanian Disneyland and is set to be built at the cost of €1billion (£835million).
Dracula Land is a project set to be built in Bucharest, RomaniaCredit: Dracula LandIt will have a theme park, waterpark, three hotels, arena and lots of shoppingCredit: Dracula Land
Plans are still in early stages to build Dracula Land in Bucharest which is one of the cheapest cities in Romania.
It hopes to one day be “the largest entertainment, retail, and technology destination on the continent, transforming the country into a new global entertainment hub“.
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It will have everything from a theme park and waterpark to spa, shops, arena, hotels and a tech hub – all of which will be within six themed zones.
The first is the Moonlit District which will be the point of entry for guests where they’ll step through onto the main street.
Rides include a Flying Theatre and a Transylvanian Railway, as well as carousels, drone shows and a Legend of Vlad walkthrough experience
The main street which will have shops and dining will remain open into the evening.
The Family Kingdom will have an immersive zone where visitors can meet ‘legendary figures’ from vampires to ghouls.
It will also have a dark ride, 4D cinema, bat ride, toddler play zone and live entertainment.
The Transylvania area will ‘bring the legendary land of Dracula to life’.
Here there are plans for a water ride, dark ride set in a forest, a mountain coaster as well as a village playground and market.
The waterpark will have 30 attractions including a wave machineCredit: Dracula Land
Dracula’s Castle will be at the very centre of the theme park. Surrounded by a lake, it will have a maze, ancient ruins and dining in the Great Hall.
The Port of New Orleans is inspired by Mardi Gras and will be French-inspired.
There will be dining on a riverboat, as well as rides, shops and a werewolf coaster.
London Town will be familiar to Brits as it will transform into a busy street with red telephone boxes.
There will be plenty of shopping for souvenirs, with Victorian London inspirations as well as a theatre, horse and carriage ride and “vampire hunter training”.
Outside of the theme park will also be a waterpark and thermal spa, which will have 30 water attractions including what it claims will be one of Europe‘s biggest wave pools.
On-site are set to be three hotels, the four-star Dracula Grand Hotel, a three-star plus Dracula Family Hotel and the three-star Dracula Hotel.
Together, there will be space for 1,200 rooms.
London Town will have red phone boxes and Victorian-inspired experiencesCredit: Dracula LandOther facilities includes the arena which will hold concert and sport eventsCredit: Dracula Land
Other facilities include an artificial ski slope for winter sports, a racing track, motor park and tech hub.
There’s also plans for an arena which will be the ‘most immersive’ in southeastern Europe.
It will have 22,500 seats for concerts, festivals and sporting competitions.
Dracula Land will also have its own “metaverse” with DraculaCoin native tokens which can be used across the digital and physical ‘metaverse’ world.
Dragoș Dobrescu, founder of Dracula Land, said: “Dracula Land brings together everything I’ve learned in real estate: discipline, rigor, vision, and the ability to keep complex teams with very different specializations together.
“But more importantly, it adds a story that gives meaning to every square meter built.
“For me, Dracula Land is a national project—a symbol that Romania can and must build landmarks, not just buildings or simple real estate projects.”
Currently, the master plan for the first phase is being finalised, and negotiations with investors are ongoing, so there are no details on when it could open.
Although when it does, the good news for Brits is that flights to Bucharest are cheap with return flights for as little as £45.
Carlos Alcaraz powered to a straight-set win over Alex de Minaur to win the Vienna Open and maintain his perfect record in ATP 500 events this year.
The Spanish second seed triumphed 6-1 6-4 in 87 minutes for his 16th straight win at that level in 2026.
Alcaraz has won 26 straight matches at ATP 500 events – a run that goes back to the 2025 Barcelona Open, where he lost to Holger Rune.
The 23-year-old’s run this year includes titles in Doha and Tokyo.
“I tried to be aggressive and show him that if he wants to win, he has to play better, more aggressive, more solid, and be smarter than me,” said Alcaraz.
“I’m just really happy that at the end I found my way, played great, and obviously it has been a really emotional and amazing week for me.”
Britain’s Harriet Dart won the first WTA Tour singles title of her career as she beat fast-rising Austrian teenager Lilli Tagger in the Guangzhou Open final.
Dart, 30, was overcome by emotion following a 4-6 6-3 6-4 victory in a tense final.
The British number five, ranked 115th in the world, twice had a lead in the decider wiped out by 18-year-old Tagger.
But Dart broke for a third time for 4-3 and held serve to move within one game of the title.
Dart held two championship points on 53rd-ranked Tagger’s serve in the ninth game – dumping an inviting mid-court ball into the net on the second – but recovered to seal victory in the biggest match of her career.
She took her third championship point with a service winner, falling to the court in joy before celebrating with her team.
The gutsy victory capped a stunning run for Dart, who came through qualifying to reach her first tour-level final at the WTA 250 event.
As well as taking home the trophy, Dart will be rewarded for the best week of her career by climbing back inside the world’s top 100.
It means she will go directly into the main draw of the Australian Open when the opening Grand Slam of the season takes place in January.
The hallmark of Dart’s success this week has been her resilience and ability to recover from losing positions.
Fighting back against 2025 French Open junior champion Tagger was the fourth time in seven matches she won after losing the first set.
The title is rich reward for a superb second half to the season, in which Dart has struck the ball consistently well and continued to grow in confidence.
Dart reached a career high of 70th in the world in 2024, having made the Wimbledon third round and US Open second round, but has been languishing outside the top 100 for most of the past two seasons.
Working with former Wimbledon champion Marion Bartoli has been a big factor in Dart’s resurgence.
Dart has won 19 of her 24 tour-level matches on the hard courts since Wimbledon, taking her overall record on the WTA Tour this season to 23 victories from 34 matches – the highest winning percentage of her career.
“It wasn’t fun to be on the other side of the court today – you’ve had an amazing year,” Tagger, who beat seven-time major champion Venus Williams on her way to the final, told Dart.
A tearful Harriet Dart said it “means the world” to qualify for her maiden WTA Tour singles final after battling past Chinese wildcard Sun Xinran in three sets at the Guangzhou Open.
The 30-year-old qualifier recovered from failing to serve out the first set to save multiple match points in the second before closing out a 5-7 7-6 (6-1) 6-0 victory in a little under two and a half hours.
Dart, who made her WTA Tour debut in Eastbourne in 2015, was playing in just her second tour-level singles semi-final, having previously reached the last four at the 2024 Transylvania Open.
The British number five will face fourth seed Lilli Tagger or Kaitlin Quevedo in Sunday’s final, knowing victory will secure her return to the top 100 in the WTA rankings. She has already climbed 14 places to 101st in the live standings.
“It’s been a really long journey. I’ve wanted it so much, so badly – sometimes too much. To finally be here means the world,” said Dart.
“I found it tough out there. It was a rollercoaster. Playing in this part of the competition, more nerves and more feelings come out. I was really battling with myself.
“I’m proud of the second set and was able to turn it quickly.”
Trailing 3-0 in the first set after hitting a double fault on break point in her opening service game, Dart fought back to lead 5-4, dictating points from the baseline during a run of four consecutive service games.
She was visibly frustrated after hitting another two double faults as she served for the set.
Reigning US Open junior champion Sun, 16, made no such mistake, holding to 15 before breaking Dart for a third time to clinch the opener.
Dart twice had her nose in front in the second set, breaking Sun in the first and fifth games, but was immediately broken back on both occasions.
However, she held her nerve as she was twice required to serve to stay in the match before storming through the tie-break 7-1, silencing the crowd she had repeatedly complained to the chair umpire about in the process.
With her opponent struggling emotionally and physically, including receiving a medical timeout for treatment on her left leg, Dart cruised through the decider without dropping a game, winning 28 of the 41 points.
Prime Minister Andy Burnham has said he is “open” to the possibility of the UK issuing a formal apology for its role in the transatlantic slave trade, but has ruled out considering financial reparations.
Burham said he wanted a “dialogue with those affected by the slave trade” and was open to “calls for an apology”.
He dismissed the idea of paying financial reparations, saying they were “not the right answer”.
The comments come ahead of a Commonwealth leaders summit in the Caribbean next week, which Burnham will attend. Caribbean nations have renewed calls for the UK to apologise for its role in the slave trade, and for reparations, as King Charles III tours the region.
Burham described the transatlantic slave trade, when Africans were trafficked to the Americas, as a “brutal and barbaric violation” and said Britain must “face up to the past”.
The British government has never formally apologised for slavery or offered to pay reparations. Burnham has stuck with the policy of his predecessors, and has stopped short of offering any consideration of reparation payments.
“I do not think that British people today can be held liable for historical wrongs, however heinous, that happened in a different age under different laws and in which they played no personal part,” Burnham wrote in his piece for the Guardian, external.
He said Commonwealth countries had for years been asking for an “honest conversation”. Burnham said he wanted to offer a “structured dialogue” adding: “Listening to calls for a formal apology on behalf of the British state will form an important part of this process. I am open to them.”
A government source told the BBC this was “morally the right thing to do”.
Downing Street believes it is in the UK’s interest to strengthen the Commonwealth, in a world where China and Russia are seeking to exert influence.
Only this week, President Vladimir Putin hosted a Russia-Africa summit in Moscow.
During the latest edition of the ITV morning programme (October 30), Ranvir Singh and Paul Brand announced the death of Sir Patrick Stewart. The legendary Star Trek and stage actor died at his home in Los Angeles on Wednesday (October 28) at the age of 86, following a “brief and poignant journey” with Alzheimer’s and dementia.
Just moments into GMB, Ranvir said: “Sir Patrick Stewart, the star of everything from Star Trek to Shakespeare, has died at the age of 86. Born in Yorkshire, he conquered the world of acting.”
Ranvir went on: “I think there was a whole nation going, ‘Oh no,’ about Sir Patrick Stewart, what a giant of stage and screen. [He has] sadly died at the age of 86, following a short battle with dementia. Friends have paid tribute to the actor, calling him a titan of his craft.”
Paul added: “Sir Patrick’s talent saw him move effortlessly from performing Shakespeare, to delivering epic Hollywood performances, becoming one of the most loved performers of his generation.”
Philip Sime then looked back on Sir Patrick’s career in a pre-recorded segment. He began: “To millions around the world, he is Jean-Luc Picard, the calm and courageous commander of the USS Enterprise.”
Sir Patrick was born in Yorkshire, into a home marred by poverty and domestic abuse. Acting first on stage, then on screen, was his escape. He would go on to play Professor Charles Xavier in the blockbuster X-Men films, securing his position as one of Hollywood’s brightest stars.
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William Shatner said: “He brought intelligence, grace, and a deep sense of humanity to everything he did.” Hugh Jackman simply called the star “one of the greats of stage and screen”.
Philip went on: “Sir Patrick’s swansong, though, will be the upcoming Avengers film. One last appearance alongside a lifelong friend.”
Back in the studio, Ranvir said: “A remarkable man, an absolute hero… He was an ambassador for Women’s Refuge, because, of course, his mother suffered domestic abuse at the hands of watching his father attack his mother when he was young. He spoke about it so openly, and it definitely changed lives, especially for young boys growing up in those environments. So many people want to thank him this morning.”
GMB viewers were quick to pay tribute across social media, with one X user writing: “A Yorkshire legend who will be forever immortalised in Sci-fi, Shakespeare, and comics.” Another added: “Not just a sci-fi actor but brilliant comedy actor and his classical work would leave you breathless. I was SO affected by his role of Macbeth at Gielgud Theatre. I still have the framed poster on my living room wall.”
A third said: “I don’t think I realised just how much Patrick Stewart meant to me until I saw this news tonight. Been sitting here watching old clips with tears in my eyes. My childhood, my heroes, my Captain. Thank you for everything, Sir Patrick.”
Good Morning Britain airs weekdays on ITV1 and ITVX at 6am
More information about dementia is available via organisations including the NHS and Dementia UK
TeamLab, the Japan-born, tech-heavy immersive art collective, is plotting its first permanent U.S. exhibition in Anaheim. The group, stylized as teamLab, is moving into a 110,000-square-foot space at OCVibe, the 100-acre mixed-use entertainment district currently in development near the Honda Center.
Details are scant, as the TeamLab spot is not estimated to open until 2030, but a press release specifies this will be a new exhibition and not a recreation of one of the collective’s popular international exhibits. TeamLab got its start in Tokyo in 2001, but over the years grew from exhibiting in galleries to building its own museum-like spaces, today having permanent locales in Japan, China and Saudi Arabia.
A TeamLab installation is something of an immersive playground, inviting guests to sometimes take off their shoes to interact with floor-to-ceiling walk-through attractions that split the difference between art and play. One of its showcase facilities, Tokyo’s TeamLab Planets, welcomed more than 2.5 million visitors in 2024, a Guinness world record for the most visited art museum by a single group.
An artist’s rendering of the Anaheim location, estimated to open in 2030.
(OCVibe)
“For teamLab, through art, we seek to explore what perception is and what existence is,” said Toshiyuki Inoko, a founder of TeamLab, in a release announcing the exhibit.
“The artworks change with the presence of people, making them an integral part of the art itself. People immerse themselves with their entire bodies, transcending the boundaries between themselves, the artworks, and the world around them, becoming part of a borderless continuity.”
TeamLab’s Anaheim location is just three miles from Disneyland, which draws more than 17 million people to the area. TeamLab is just one of many immersive art destinations coming to SoCal, as Meow Wolf will be opening a permanent exhibition in the coming months, and firms such as Hopscotch and the Museum of Ice Cream also have area exhibitions on the horizon.
“Anaheim has always been a place where people come to experience something they can’t find anywhere else, and teamLab will expand our appeal to new audiences from around the world. Experiences like this inspire longer stays, repeat visits,” stated Mike Waterman, president and chief executive of the tourism-focused Visit Anaheim.
The deal between TeamLab and OCVibe backers is worth more than $100 million, Bloomberg reported. OCVibe is the vision of Henry and Susan Samueli, owners of the Anaheim Ducks, and it will open in phases. A 5,000 capacity concert hall is set to open next year, followed by a food hall.
The TeamLab building will be visible from the freeway, and is being designed by Smith-Clementi, OCVibe’s master planners. Based on concept art shown, expect a shimmering, scale-like pattern designed to evoke movement.
“This building feels different depending on the direction or pace of your approach,” said Julie Smith-Clementi . “The time of day, or movement of clouds participates in rendering its iridescent cloak, enriching what you think you see. We want the design to leave room for imagination and discovery and, like in nature, to offer something new with each visit.”
OCVibe will also offer office space, residences and two hotels. It’s estimated to be completed by 2033.
A HUGE new airport is coming to Turkey and it will be built directly on the sea.
The new airport in the Black Sea province of Trabzon in Turkey will be the country’s third airport built on the sea and is set to cost £732million.
Turkey is getting a new airport and it will be built on the seaCredit: Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure of the Republic of TurkeyThe airport will be in Trabzon, a city home to around one million peopleCredit: Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure of the Republic of Turkey
The airport will eventually have a 3,000 metre runway that will be 45 metres wide, meaning it will be able to handle larger planes.
There will also be a taxiway next to the runway of the same width and length.
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As for the terminal, it is set to span 110,000-square-metres and will be able to handle up to 10million passengers a year.
A NEW attraction with an enormous lagoon and bright white sands is set to open a few hours from the UK.
Called Alovera Beach, it’s set to open in summer 2028 and the catch is that it’s nowhere near the coast.
Alovera Beach will be just outside of Madrid with a blue lagoon and white sandsCredit: Crystal LagoonsThe inland beach will be easy for Brits to reach thanks to quick and cheap flightsCredit: Crystal Lagoons
Instead, the company called Crystal Lagoons is hoping to open Europe’s largest man-made beach just outside of Spain’s capital, Madrid.
The project itself that’s 104,000 square metres is being built at the cost of €29million (£24.3million).
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At its centre will be a 21,000-square-metre artificial lagoon which will be surrounded by 16,000 square metres of white sand which makes for the perfect sunbathing spot.
The lagoon will be suitable for swimming as well as watersports like kayaking, paddleboarding and aqua fitness classes.
There will also be children’s attractions, relaxation spaces, food outlets and cafes.
On the sand will be an adults-only beach club with separate lounges to relax in as well as restaurants.
During the summer it’s hoping to hold seasonal events too including concerts, guest celebrations and even business events.
Looking at the details on its website, it looks like entry will be through memberships and daily passes.
Plans for Alovera Beach started back in 2017 and it has just taken a huge step forward with developers signing a formal construction-start document on October 21, 2026.
If all goes to plan, work is set to complete in March 2028 with it opening to the public a few months later in the summer months.
There will be room for watersports as well as relaxation and events at the beach clubCredit: Crystal Lagoons
When it does open, the inland beach will be easy for Brits to reach as Alovera is a 45-minute drive from Madrid.
One-way flights are as little as £20 and Brits can get there in less than two and a half hours.
The company has made 1,000 projects across 60 countries including the Evermore Orlando Resort.
It has a range of accommodation including guest rooms and suites to Walt Disney World around two enormous beach areas where visitors can try out kayaking and paddleboarding.
The lagoon here is larger than 25 Olympic-size swimming pools and has has two beach areas.
The prime minister says he would welcome an “honest discussion” about the prospect of returning to free movement between the UK and European Union.
Speaking to the Sunday Times, Andy Burnham said a new relationship with Brussels could include full EU membership or joining the single market, requiring free movement.
Asked about Burnham’s remarks, Angela Rayner told the BBC’s Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg “you can’t take anything off the table”, adding the prime minister was saying “we’ve got to be pragmatic to get the best deal for Britain and he wants to have the conversation.”
Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch responded that the prime minister “hasn’t thought this through”, while Reform UK’s Robert Jenrick dismissed the idea as “mad”.
Migration dominated debate during the 2016 Brexit campaign, with the Leave campaign raising issues about rules allowing any EU citizen to move to the UK.
Burnham has previously committed to Labour’s 2024 election manifesto which ruled out a return of free movement, single market membership or a customs union.
He has said that any changes would require a mandate at a general election, would is due by 2029.
“I think you have to have a very factual, quite evidence-based debate about this,” he told the Sunday Times, external, adding he believed the type of migration had changed from revolving door movement of young people.
“Revolving door migration where people would come and then go back is different,” he said. “The balance of migration has changed, hasn’t it, since then? I think we’ve just got to have an honest discussion about those things.”
But he stressed: “I can’t see myself ever recommending anything that would involve joining the euro or Schengen.”
The Schengen Agreement allows passport-free travel across EU countries. The UK was able to keep the pound when it was an EU member, but the bloc has pushed new members to adopt the Euro.
His remarks were made ahead of an EU summit on 20 November in Brussels, where the prime minister is expected to pitch options for a reset of relations with the bloc.
On Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg, Rayner said she wanted to see the best possible deal with the European Union, which may well involve concessions.
“What the prime minister is saying now, and what I want, is that we have an honest conversation about the facts of what the trade-offs are to get the best deal for Britain going forward,” she said.
“The frustration for me in the previous debate we had when we had the referendum is that a lot of those facts didn’t get the airtime… So I would like us to have an honest conversation about what the trade-offs could be and then put that to the people at a general election.”
Writing on X, Badenoch dismissed it as “yet another example of Burnham’s foot in mouth syndrome”.
She added: “Most people who voted for Brexit did so because they didn’t want free movement. Too many politicians have failed to understand the significance and impact of immigration on communities.”
Conservative MP and former chancellor Jeremy Hunt, who backed Remain, warned the Brexit debate was “incredibly divisive” and insisted the current Brexit deal can still be made to work.
“I was at the top of a government that was paralysed for several years while we were trying to wrestle with the implications of that vote and I think, having made the decision, we should stick with it and make the most of it – I think we can make it a success,” he told Kuenssberg.
Pointing to the one million young people not in work or training, he added: “Surely our priority in that situation is to get those jobs filled by the young people we have here instead of parking them on welfare.
“Which is why I think it’s astonishing to lead on the issue of free movement… Something that is actually going to stop young people here getting jobs.”
But Liberal Democrat deputy leader Daisy Cooper told Kuenssberg she believed allowing freedom of movement would be “a really good thing for growth” and pushed for the UK to rejoin the single market, the customs union, and also be involved in the bloc’s defence pact.
The UK currently has “the worst of both worlds” on immigration, she said, as it was excluded from the EU’s “new asylum pact with biometric data” that could be used to “tackle the small boats crisis”.
Reform UK’s economy spokesperson Robert Jenrick told Kuenssberg he had never believed freedom of movement “was a good thing”, despite supporting the Remain position before the 2016 referendum when he was a Conservative MP.
“I think it’s completely mad, the idea that this country needs more immigration,” he said, claiming data shows mass migration “has been a disaster for working people, for Brits”.
“The last thing they want is their wages being undercut by a load of low wage, low-skilled migrants from overseas,” he added.
Former Northern Ireland Open champions Kyren Wilson and Mark Williams remain on course for a potential meeting in the final of this year’s tournament in Belfast after winning their respective quarter-finals on Friday.
World number nine Wilson ran out a convincing 6-1 winner over Anthony McGill in the afternoon session at the Waterfront Hall, while Williams, who sits one place higher in the rankings, defeated David Gilbert 6-4 during the evening’s play.
Wilson, who claimed both the world title and the NI Open crown in 2024, established a 4-0 lead over his Scottish opponent with the help of breaks of 77, 75 and 122.
McGill took the next with a run of 66 but the Englishman eased home to progress and secure a first semi-final appearance at a ranking event since March 2025, with compatriot Sam Craigie his next opponent.
Craigie advanced to only his second-ever ranking event semi-final by beating Elliot Slessor 6-2.
Slessor took an early lead after compiling an 82 but Craigie reeled off five frames in a row and ultimately clinched a comfortable passage to the last four.
Gilbert built a 3-1 lead over Williams with the help of breaks of 62, 95 and 60, but after they shared the next two, Williams scored three centuries in consecutive frames as he took the next four to seal victory.
The 51-year-old three-time world champion and 2017 NI Open winner will take on fellow Welshman Jak Jones in Saturday’s second semi-final.
Jones, who has already collected the British Open and Championship League titles this season, edged out Scott Donaldson 6-5 in a late-night thriller, a break of 84 in the decider proving decisive in booking his berth in the last four.
The immense pride which Kartal felt about becoming the British number one came shining through, describing it as being “up there” in her career achievements.
While she will only initially hold the status for a week, Kartal’s impressive comeback and Boulter’s decent run creates a fascinating subplot for the leading British women in the final throes of the season – and the start of 2027.
Boulter will have the chance to further improve her ranking when she plays in Tokyo and Hong Kong in the coming weeks, with Kartal’s plans for the rest of the season still uncertain as she sensibly manages her workload.
And don’t forget about Emma Raducanu. It seems increasingly unlikely she will play again this season because of the shin injury which ruled her out of Wimbledon, but is clearly too good a player not to be pushing back into the top 50 when she does return.
When all three are back competing on the WTA Tour at the same time, it promises to be an interesting tussle between them in the rankings.
Boulter and Raducanu both insisted they were not transfixed by the British number one spot when they exchanged positions in 2025, instead preferring to focus on their own career paths and the bigger picture of the world rankings.
But there is no doubt that Boulter, in particular, could see the opportunity to cement her place as the nation’s best player as an extra incentive to continue finishing 2026 strongly.
