Crystal Palace manger Oliver Glasner believes the club should have spent more in the summer given their European commitments, arguing that January is too late to bolster his squad.
In midweek, they were also knocked out of the Count Antrim Shield, going down 4-1 at home to Cliftonville which ended a three-game unbeaten run.
“Ballymena United Football Club can confirm that the club has parted company with first team manager Jim Ervin, this morning,” the club confirmed in a statement.
“The board would like to put on record their upmost thanks to Jim and his staff for their efforts and support during his two and a half years at the Showgrounds.
“Jim will always be remembered as a legendary player for the club, and as manager for successfully guiding Ballymena United through one of the most challenging periods of our recent history.
“The club will now commence the recruitment process for the next first team manager.”
Current U20 manager Ciaran Caldwell will step in as interim boss with Patrick McEleney and Sean O’Neill assisting him for Tuesday’s BetMcLean Cup quarter-final against Larne.
Next five fixtures: Sharks (H), Ospreys (A, Challenge Cup), Black Lion (H, Challenge Cup), Dragons (A), Ulster (A)
It has been a difficult start to life in Galway for former England boss Stuart Lancaster, who replaced Pete Wilkins as Connacht head coach in the summer.
After an opening win over Benetton was followed by the Storm Amy-enforced postponement of their Scarlets game, the western province lost to Cardiff, Bulls and Munster before the international break.
The 28-27 loss to the Bulls in Galway and 17-15 reverse to Munster in Limerick were tough pills to swallow, but Lancaster has had a solid month to devise a plan for breathing new life into Connacht’s season.
It starts with the visit of the Sharks to Dexcom Stadium on Saturday (19:45 GMT). After three defeats in their first four games, the South African side signed off before the November break with a 29-19 win over Scarlets.
The Sharks will be without most of their Springboks, including Siya Kolisi, Eben Etzebeth, Bongi Mbonambi, Ethan Hooker and Andre Esterhuizen.
For the hosts, Ireland internationals Bundee Aki, Cian Prendergast and Finlay Bealham are available for selection, but Mack Hansen has been ruled out.
Hansen, who starred at full-back in Ireland’s win over Australia earlier this month, is nursing hand and foot injuries with Connacht unsure on a timeline for the 27-year-old’s return.
After facing the Sharks, Lancaster will lead Connacht into European action for the first time as the Challenge Cup returns with a trip to Ospreys followed by a home game against Georgian side Black Lion.
At a UN Security Council meeting, members urged Israel to abide by the ceasefire and open more border crossings to ease Gaza’s deep humanitarian crisis. Palestinians say they are still struggling to access food, water and shelter as aid flows remain far below what is needed.
Weekly insights and analysis on the latest developments in military technology, strategy, and foreign policy.
The U.K. Ministry of Defense is facing growing questions about the progress of its F-35 program, after key shortcomings were outlined in a recent critical report from the Public Accounts Committee, a body that examines the value for money of government projects. As well as the adverse effect on the program of years of cost-cutting, the F-35B still critically lacks a standoff strike capability.
In particular, the committee found that a shortage of maintenance engineers is having a profound effect on F-35B availability and output. During Parliamentary questions in the House of Commons, Ben Obese-Jecty, a Conservative member of parliament, asked the Ministry of Defense how long it would take to fix these issues.
A U.K. F-35B during Operation Highmast earlier this year. Under Highmast, 18 British F-35Bs were embarked in the Prince of Wales, which sailed to the Indo-Pacific region. Crown Copyright
In response, Luke Pollard, minister of state at the Ministry of Defense, said that the maintenance engineer shortages would not be fixed for three to four years, although steps had been taken in this direction, including a “significant” increase in the recruitment of engineers over the last two years. These efforts have included boosting training capacity as well as sign-on bonuses for new recruits.
According to the Public Accounts Committee report, The U.K.’s F-35 capability, the shortage of qualified engineers in the Royal Air Force (RAF) came about due to a failure to determine exactly how many of these critical staff would be needed. As a result, this is now one of the main reasons behind the F-35’s availability being judged “poor” and the jet consistently failing to meet targets.
“The Ministry of Defense has introduced a program of surging recruitment for the RAF so that it returns to workforce balance across every specialization,” Pollard explained. “This activity includes a significant focus on the engineer profession where, over the last two years, the RAF has offered joining bonuses and increased the capacity of technical training schools to enable more recruits to be trained. To improve retention, the RAF has implemented a Financial Retention Incentive for engineers. The recruitment and retention of personnel remains one of the top two priorities for the chief of the defense staff.”
While it’s true that the U.K. Armed Forces, in general, are suffering from a lack of technical support staff, it remains embarrassing that, in the case of the F-35B, the Ministry of Defense simply “miscalculated how many engineers would be needed per plane,” by failing to take into account staff taking leave and performing other tasks.
A pair of F-35Bs landing on board HMS Prince of Wales during Operation Highmast in May 2025. Crown Copyright
Overall, the Public Accounts Committee judges the F-35 “the best fast jet the United Kingdom has ever had.”
The jet is currently operated by two frontline units, the RAF’s No. 617 Squadron, the “Dambusters,” and the Royal Navy’s 809 Naval Air Squadron (NAS), as well as a training unit, No. 207 Squadron, RAF, which serves as the Operational Conversion Unit (OCU). All of these are home-based at RAF Marham in England, the main operating hub when the jets are not embarked in one of the two Royal Navy aircraft carriers or deployed on operations. As of this summer, 38 F-35Bs had been delivered, with one of these lost in a carrier accident in the Mediterranean.
The report found that a history of “cost-cutting” throughout the U.K. F-35 program “has caused significant problems in its use,” which have affected the jet’s “capability, availability to fly, and value for money.”
While these issues relate to the in-service F-35B, the short takeoff and vertical landing (STOVL) version of the jet, the same report also warns that the plan to introduce the conventional takeoff and landing F-35A version, which is nuclear-capable, is also likely to run into problems relating to costs and timelines.
When it comes to RAF Marham, the Public Accounts Committee slams the airbase for its “substandard accommodation,” which it described as “shabby, sometimes lacking hot water, and lacking bus access to a local town.”
The report notes that work on infrastructure at Marham won’t be finished until 2034, a “very complacent date,” and one that could further exacerbate problems in personnel retention.
Crown Copyright
Turning to the aircraft itself, one of the most significant problems caused by the cost-cutting relates to the facility that is required to assess the F-35’s stealth capability. This is critical to ensure that the fighter’s low-observable characteristics are functioning as they should. After all, the jet’s stealth features are key to its evading high-end air defense systems. More broadly, it should be noted that this type of infrastructure is a core requirement of the F-35’s unique capabilities, and constructing and sustaining it comes at an added cost.
To reduce the spending on the program, the Ministry of Defense delayed the investment in the facility, which provided a savings of £82 million (around $107 million) by 2024-25. However, due to inflation, the final cost of completing the facility will add another £16 million (around $21 million) on top of that by 2031-32.
British F-35Bs at RAF Marham. Jamie Hunter
In another effort to save cash in the short term, in 2020, the Ministry of Defense chose to slow down the delivery schedule of the F-35Bs, which had the effect of reducing the number of jets available on the flight lines today. The situation was then compounded by a lack of funds for buying new aircraft in 2020; this meant that seven aircraft were delivered a year late.
Finally, the Ministry of Defense took the decision to delay the full establishment of the first Royal Navy F-35B squadron, 809 NAS, again on budgetary grounds. This means the squadron has to wait until 2029 to get its full infrastructure at Marham. As a result, capability has been reduced and, once again, the eventual spend will be even greater: from £56 million (around $73 million) to a likely £154 million (around $201 million).
With this history of financial mismanagement in the program, the Public Accounts Committee is skeptical about how the Ministry of Defense will manage the introduction of another version of the jet, the F-35A.
“The new fast jets will be based at RAF Marham, with the Government expected to procure 138 F35s over the lifetime of the programme.” Everything else aside, this is about as clear a commitment to the UK’s full programme of record as you’re ever going to get……
After years of speculation, the United Kingdom finally announced this summer that it will buy 12 F-35As. As we have discussed in the past, this jet offers a number of advantages over the F-35B, but the Ministry of Defense has specifically highlighted its ability to join the NATO nuclear mission, which would see the jets armed with U.S.-owned B61-12 nuclear gravity bombs. On top of this mission, the RAF says that the new jets will be assigned to the training unit and will primarily be used in that role.
According to the Public Accounts Committee:
“Becoming certified for the NATO nuclear mission will add new requirements to training, personnel, and possibly infrastructure, but discussions in this area are at an early stage, and no indication of forecast costs has been provided by the Ministry of Defense.”
A U.S. Air Force F-35A drops a B61-12 during a test at Edwards Air Force Base, California. U.S. Air Force
One of those costs could well relate to the secure underground weapons vaults that are required to store the nuclear bombs. Whether such vaults did exist at RAF Marham in the past, it’s unclear whether this infrastructure remains intact or what degree of work it might need to accommodate the B61-12s. Some reports suggest the vaults have been dismantled or even filled in completely. Making use of U.S.-operated vaults at nearby RAF Lakenheath could be another option.
A Weapons Storage and Security System vault of the type used at NATO airbases in Europe, seen here in the raised position holding an older B61 variant. Public Domain/WikiCommons
When the F-35A decision was announced, TWZalso highlighted the potential disadvantages of a mixed fleet, especially with only a dozen of these versions, which represents very much a token force:
“A fleet of just 12 jets adds another type with some different maintenance and infrastructure requirements, and a relatively low availability rate, at least historically. At the same time, the training that it offers is not 1:1 for the STOVL F-35B, and it is questionable whether it will save money in the long run. That would change, however, if the British were to buy A-models in bigger numbers.”
Night flying aboard the British aircraft carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth. Lockheed Martin
The question of numbers is one that has surrounded the U.K. F-35 program for many years now.
So far, firm orders have only been placed for 48 F-35Bs. The previous Conservative government confirmed it was negotiating to buy another 27 F-35Bs for delivery by 2033. However, this batch of 27 jets will now be divided between F-35As (12) and F-35Bs (15).
At the very least, it seems the planned number of STOVL F-35Bs to be purchased will be reduced.
This could lead to problems, since it is widely considered that significantly more than 48 F-35Bs are required to meet the ambition of 24 jets available for the baseline Carrier Strike mission, across both carriers. Considering training and other demands, a figure of 60-70 jets is generally thought to be reasonable. In the meantime, U.S. Marine Corps F-35Bs have, on occasions, been relied upon to make up the required aircraft numbers during carrier cruises, although this wasn’t the case for the recent embarkation of 24 jets on HMS Prince of Wales.
A U.S. Marine Corps F-35B operates from HMS Queen Elizabeth during the U.K. Carrier Strike Group 21 deployment. Crown Copyright
Reports of Ministry of Defense financial mismanagement on the F-35 program also hardly inspire confidence in the even more ambitious plan for the Global Combat Air Program (GCAP), the United Kingdom’s future air combat initiative at the heart of which is the Tempest crewed stealth fighter.
As we have discussed before, the future of the GCAP program is by no means certain.
In the past, we have suggested that, should the F-35A prove itself with the RAF, that could open up the possibility of a follow-on purchase, and larger numbers of this version that would be a very obvious threat to the future of the Tempest.
A rendering of a pair of Tempests overflying the U.K. coastline. BAE Systems
That, however, likely depends on the Ministry of Defense solving the issues with the ongoing fielding of the F-35.
In summing up the U.K. F-35 program, Sir Geoffrey Clifton-Brown, the chair of the Public Accounts Committee, likened the mismanagement to a homeowner choosing to delay making repairs to a leaky roof, noting that “making short-term cost decisions is famously inadvisable … and yet such decisions have been rife in the management of the F-35.”
The Public Accounts Committee doesn’t provide a final figure for the U.K. F-35 program’s whole-life cost but does state that the Ministry of Defense’s projection of £57 billion (around $75 billion) through to 2069 “is unrealistic.”
Meanwhile, the additional capabilities that are promised under the latest Block 4 standard will represent another huge investment, but one that is required to ensure the jets perform to their fullest potential. The implications of Block 4 are also yet to be fully understood in terms of cost perspective, but will certainly be very significant.
By way of comparison, the United Kingdom expects to pay £31 billion (around $40 billion) for the design and manufacture of its four new Dreadnought class nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarines, including inflation over the life of the program.
The committee also notes that the Ministry of Defense’s figure does not include costs for personnel, fuel, and infrastructure.
While the financial side of the program is worrying, of more immediate concern for the U.K. Armed Forces is the fact that key capabilities are still missing from its F-35s. While full operating capability was recently declared, after demonstrating the ability to put 24 U.K.-owned F-35Bs on a single carrier, this milestone remains somewhat aspirational, since the personnel shortages are still to be properly addressed.
Alarmingly, for a jet that is the backbone of the Carrier Strike role, the Public Accounts Committee reiterates that the F-35 “will also not have the ability to attack ground targets from a safe distance until the early 2030s.”
This, according to the Chief of the Defense Staff, is the biggest concern of all.
The U.K. F-35’s current lack of long-range standoff weaponry has long been acknowledged as a significant shortfall.
Earlier this year, the National Audit Office (NAO), the U.K.’s independent public spending watchdog, stated the following:
“There are some important capabilities that the Ministry of Defense has delayed into the next decade. Most significantly, the F-35 does not have a standoff weapon to attack ground targets from a safe range, which will impact its effectiveness in contested environments.” The NAO added that this capability isn’t expected in full until the early 2030s.
Currently, the U.K. F-35B relies on the Paveway IV precision-guided bomb to attack surface targets.
Ultimately, it plans to integrate the Selected Precision Effects At Range (SPEAR) 3 standoff weapon, but this process has been repeatedly delayed, as you can read about here.
An artist’s impression of an F-35 armed with SPEAR 3 plus Meteor air-to-air missiles. MBDA
As an interim measure, the United Kingdom is now looking to provide its F-35Bs with the GBU-53/B Small Diameter Bomb (SDB) II, a weapon better known as StormBreaker.
“To acquire a more capable interim air-to-surface weapon, the U.K. F-35 program has requested funding for Small Diameter Bombs,” the NAO said, referring to the SDB II.
However, the NAO also noted that the Ministry of Defense “has yet to provide this funding.”
When it comes to standoff air-to-ground weapons, it is important to note that, while the F-35 is hard to detect using fire-control radars, it is not invisible. In some cases, making a direct attack on a target is impossible in terms of survivability, making it necessary to employ standoff munitions to degrade hostile air defenses.
All in all, the Public Accounts Committee report paints a sorry picture of the U.K. F-35 program, with a culture of cost-cutting constraining its capabilities in the short term, while also increasing costs in the long term.
In order for the U.K. Armed Forces to get the most out of the F-35, which it describes as “the best fighter jet this nation has ever possessed,” the report concludes that the Ministry of Defense “must root out the short-termism, complacency, and miscalculation in the program.”
Drakes, Brighton Keep an eye out for deals at this glamorous Regency seafront hotel (a November 30% discount won’t be a one-off). A sea-view balcony room, of course, will cost a bit, but even the snuggest, city-facing bedrooms have air conditioning, a king-size bed, wet room, bathtub and Green & Spring toiletries. For somewhere so fun and stylish, Drakes offers real value, including the shorter tasting menus in Dilsk restaurant. Or just treat yourself to a sundowner in the bar, then head out to dine. This is Brighton; the world is your oyster. Doubles from £143.50 B&B, drakeshotel.com
The Queensberry, Bath
Bath is notoriously expensive, but box clever and you can secure a chic double with bath or shower for a knock-down price at Laurence and Helen Beere’s pugilism-themed boutique hotel spread across four Georgian townhouses. Junior suites and a four-poster suite are pricier; all are beautiful. The ambience is both playful and cossetting. Complimentary tea and espresso coffee are available at all hours in the drawing room. You can opt for fine dining in their Olive Tree restaurant, the city’s only Michelin-starred restaurant, but the “relaxed dining” bar and lounge menu is not just affordable but enticing. Real luxury for less. Doubles from £110 room-only, cooked breakfast from £11.95, thequeensberry.co.uk
The Boot Factory at Artist Residence, Bristol
In a garden square that was once a hive of industrious boot, corset and cardboard-box makers, Justin and Charlotte Salisbury’s fifth hotel occupies a handsome Grade I-listed Georgian terrace. The formula is one of boho chic, mixing vintage, distressed and upcycled furniture with witty and wacky modern art. The Crash Pad, Shoebox and Broom Cupboard rooms are the most budget-friendly, the Artist Suite the most desirable. There is a drop-in bar, with dining from a menu of modern European small and sharing plates and pizzette, to be enjoyed under an artwork exhorting you to “Party Like It’s 1999”. Doublesfrom £136, room-only (early bird price), cooked breakfast from £9, artistresidence.co.uk/the-boot-factory
The Castle Hotel, Bishop’s Castle, Shropshire
This Georgian coaching inn occupies a hilltop position on the bailey of a medieval castle in a market town on the Welsh border. The welcome is warm, the staff friendly and engaged. Comfortable bedrooms, some for a family, are more traditional than boutique. Two, with a self-catering option, occupy the Gate House (former stables). This is an ideal base for walkers, who return to hearty gastropub fare, best enjoyed with the views from the terrace. Doubles from £112 B&B, thecastlehotelbishopscastle.co.uk
William Cecil, Stamford, Lincolnshire
On the edge of the Burghley estate, this inviting hotel, set across three Georgian houses, reopened in 2024 after a £500,000 refurbishment. The look is “Burghley above stairs”, drawing inspiration from Elizabethan Burghley House. The cheapest rooms are on the attic floor; the best suite has a lounge and private terrace. All have a coffee machine, fresh milk, handmade treats and Bramley toiletries. You can take tea by the fire in the lounge, dine from a weekly changing menu in Milly’s Bistro – perhaps a ribeye steak or red onion tarte tatin with whipped goat’s cheese and lentil dressing. Doubles from £139 B&B, thewilliamcecil.co.uk
Lake Isle, Uppingham, Rutland
When a small hotel styles itself a “restaurant with rooms”, it usually signals high charges – but not here. Richard and Janine Burton’s 18th-century house behind an Edwardian shopfront is rated highly for food, service and modest pricing. Bedrooms are smart and contemporary. The smallest are quite snug, but with king-size beds; larger ones have a super-king bed, maybe a lounge area, and most have a tea/coffee maker. Beautifully presented dishes might include lobster and crab mac and cheese. Breakfast is good, too. Doubles from £140 B&B, lakeisle.co.uk
The Sun Inn, Kirkby Lonsdale, Cumbria
In a historic town with a weekly market and vibrant high street, Iain and Jenny Black’s whitewashed 16th-century inn is a cosy, dog-friendly base from which to explore the Lakes and Dales. It has a nice, rustic feel, with beams, exposed stone and blazing log-burners. From a snug room under the eaves to a deluxe super-king with double-ended bath and walk-in shower, all have contemporary furnishings, local artworks and Bath House toiletries. In the restaurant and bar, the menu mixes pub classics (Cumberland sausage and mash) with more imaginative dishes such as stone bass with leeks, mussel cream sauce and lovage. Doubles from £115 B&B, sun-inn.info
Brocco on the Park, Sheffield
When Picasso visited Sheffield in 1950 to address the World Peace Conference, he stayed at this Edwardian park-side villa, where bird-themed Scandi-chic bedrooms draw inspiration from his Dove of Peace. All of them, from Pigeon’s Loft with walk-in monsoon shower, to The Dovecote, with copper roll-top bath and park views from a Juliet balcony, have lamb’s wool blankets, LED mood lighting, an espresso machine, mini fridge, air conditioning, smart TV, home-baked cakes or biscuits, and Bramley toiletries. Dine from a small-plates menu of dishes such as heritage beetroot mosaic; beef carpaccio; pan-fried prawns with mango and pineapple salsa. Doubles from £150 room-only. Cooked breakfast from £12.50, brocco.co.uk
Darwin’s Townhouse, Shrewsbury, Shropshire
In a town nominated by the Guardian as one of the UK’s happiest places to live, this Grade II-listed Georgian townhouse B&B is named in honour of Shrewsbury’s famous son. Interiors are adorned with plant and animal fabrics and objets, maps and memorabilia. Bedrooms – some on the ground floor in a modern garden annexe – are individually designed and quirky. There is an honesty bar in the lounge, with its spectacular original plaster Zodiac ceiling, while a locally sourced breakfast in the conservatory includes artisan jams, Shropshire honey, Wenlock Edge sausages. Doubles from £140, darwinstownhouse.com
The Bailiffgate, Alnwick, Northumberland
A Georgian house and former school with a modern, purpose-built extension combine as a luxury hotel, a new venture for the Duchy of Northumberland, with stunning views of Harry Hotspur’s medieval castle. The best bedrooms have a balcony or terrace. Courtyard rooms in the new building have floor-to-ceiling windows and countryside views. You need to book ahead to secure a room below £150, and breakfast is extra, but that’s still impressive value for five-star luxury. There is “top-notch” bistro cooking in the Motte and Bailey restaurant, with menus for children and vegans, and Craster kippers for breakfast. Doubles from £143 room-only or £173 B&B, bailiffgatehotel.com
Country retreats
Biggin Hall, Biggin-by-Hartington, Derbyshire
Complimentary packed lunches are a mark of the generous spirit at James Moffett’s Grade II-listed 17th-century country-house hotel with Peak District walks from the doorstep. The hotel blends luxury and homely warmth. Bedrooms, in the main house and dog-friendly garden annexes, have individuality and charm. All have a silent mini-fridge. There is a bar with real ales on tap and an open fire. In the restaurant, conservatory and glass dining pods for dog-owners, a nightly changing, fixed-price menu might include such hearty dishes as slow-cooked feather blade of beef with red wine jus, chive mash and spiced carrot puree. Doubles from £150 B&B, bigginhall.co.uk
The Traddock, Austwick, North Yorkshire
At the foot of Ingleborough in the rolling Dales countryside, the Reynolds family’s small country house is loved for its warm ambience and friendly staff. Bedrooms are traditionally styled, with antique pieces, fresh fruit, homemade biscuits and Molton Brown bath products. A choice of locally sourced bar lunch, brasserie and tasting menus means you can opt for casual or more formal dining. If you plan to walk in the morning, order a packed lunch before you go to bed; return for tea by the fire in one of the lounges or in the sunshine in the walled garden. Doubles from £135 B&B, thetraddock.co.uk
The Beckford Arms, Tisbury, Wiltshire
Dan Brod, Charlie Luxton and Matt Greenlees created a very special brand with this dining pub with rooms on the edge of the Fonthill estate, their first venture in a burgeoning portfolio. The whole operation is about deceptive simplicity – chic bedrooms with a stripped-back aesthetic, handmade treats and Bramley bath products. And it has a proper country pub ambience with blazing fires. The menu mixes bar snacks, pub classics and such dishes as whole plaice with clams and curry butter. There’s homemade ginger beer for the designated driver, but stay over if you can because it’s great. Doubles from £106 B&B (two nights minimum at weekends), beckfordarms.com
Tudor Farmhouse, Clearwell, Gloucestershire
At the heart of the Forest of Dean, Colin and Hari Fell’s hotel is the very model of rustic chic with rooms spread across the farmhouse, cider house and barn. The cheapest, Hatchling, may be bijou but it has a walk-in shower, minibar fridge, espresso machine and Bramley toiletries. For more space, trade up to Hen, Cockerel or a suite. They’re all beautifully presented, but the great draw is the food, with such sophisticated dishes as poached cod, saffron-braised fennel, salt cod croquette and bisque butter. Doubles from £149 B&B, tudorfarmhousehotel.co.uk
Bridleway Bed & Breakfast, Lincolnshire
A small flock of Southdown sheep, free-range hens and artist owner Jane Haigh await new arrivals at this B&B, down a farm track three miles from central Lincoln. The four farmhouse-chic ground-floor bedrooms in outbuildings have been decorated with wit and flair. The most expensive (least cheap) Garden Room has a private patio and wood-fired hot tub. The cheapest, twin Old Kennels, has a furnished patio. All have fresh flowers, an espresso machine, mini fridge and Bath House toiletries. Book directly for a complimentary cream tea. A continental breakfast is delivered to your door. Doubles from £100 B&B, bridlewaybandb.co.uk
The Coach & Horses, Bolton by Bowland, Lancashire
After a day hiking the fells and moorlands of the Forest of Bowland, it is a joy to return to this former coaching inn with microbrewery, locals bar and highly rated restaurant. The cheapest of the bedrooms, Blue, is snug. The dearest, such as Rose, come with in-room copper bath and chandelier, but they are all stylish, with Italian coffee makers and Molton Brown toiletries. This is deservedly a foodie destination, with tasting, à la carte, bar snacks and children’s menus, with everything from haddock goujons and chips to venison and potato terrine to keep everyone happy. Doubles from £130 B&B, coachandhorsesribblevalley.co.uk
Widbrook Grange, Bradford-on-Avon, Wiltshire
A vintage milk float parked outside this Georgian farmhouse gives a clue to the fun within Nick and Charlotte Dent’s hotel. It is filled with vintage, upcycled objects, repurposed seed trays, churns and handcarts and jokey artworks. While dog-friendly (they even offer a canine afternoon tea) and glorying in eccentricity, this is a hotel with style. Bedrooms mix exposed brick with restful paint shades. There is a pool, a gym, a bar with 160 gins, and an unpretentious restaurant serving bistro favourites with little gastro flourishes. Doubles from £85 B&B, widbrookgrange.co.uk
The Black Swan, Ravenstonedale, Cumbria
Peacefully located at the foot of Howgill Fells, between the Lake District and Yorkshire Dales, this child- and dog-friendly gastropub has ardent fans. Bedrooms in various sizes mix contemporary and traditional styling. All are supplied with fresh milk and organic toiletries. You can dine in the bar, dining rooms or in the riverside beer garden. Across the bridge, there are yurts for hire among the free-range chickens. Typical dishes include venison hotpot with damson-braised red cabbage, wild mushroom risotto, and haddock and chips. There is limited mobile phone coverage – a signal that it’s time to switch off. Doubles from £99 B&B, blackswanhotel.com
The Meikleour Arms, Meikleour, Perth and Kinross
Sam Mercer Nairne, scion of the Marquesses of Lansdowne, and his Bordeaux-born wife, Claire, attract rave reviews for their cottage orné-style Georgian coaching inn and fishing hotel in a designed landscape on the Meikleourestate. The auld alliance is reflected in bedrooms in the main house and dog-friendly serviced cottages, with maybe a French toile-draped canopy bed and toile de Jouy wallpaper. A decanter of sherry and Arran Aromatics toiletries are nice touches. Field-to-plate franglais seasonal menus of ingredients from the estate farm, field, forest and kitchen garden might include venison burger, confit mallard cassoulet, moules frites, with vegetarian options. Doubles from £115 B&B,meikleourarms.co.uk
TŷMawr, Brechfa, Carmarthenshire
Gill Brown and David Hart’s 17th-century country house on the edge of Brechfa forest is set in an acre of well-kept grounds with the River Marlais running by. Each of the six bedrooms has its own character. Aberglasney draws inspiration from one of Wales’s finest gardens; Laugharne, from Dylan Thomas’s boathouse on the heron-priested shore of the Taf estuary. All have Myddfai toiletries. Everything possible is made in house for a set-price rotating nightly menu of dishes such as butterbean casserole, or hake, mussels and leeks in a curry coconut sauce. Doubles from £155 B&B, wales-country-hotel.co.uk
Weekly insights and analysis on the latest developments in military technology, strategy, and foreign policy.
Boeing, Saab, and BAE Systems have teamed up to offer the T-7A Red Hawk advanced jet trainer to the United Kingdom’s Royal Air Force. With a plan to build the jets in the United Kingdom, the partnership aims to deliver a successor to the Royal Air Force’s current fleet of BAE Systems Hawks from 2030. Saab was already deeply involved with the T-7A as an original partner to Boeing.
The three companies announced today that they had signed a letter of intent to work together on the British requirement for a new advanced jet trainer. The proposal puts the T-7A — developed for the U.S. Air Force — at the center of a training system that will employ synthetic training alongside live flying.
The first T-7A Red Hawk arrives at Edwards Air Force Base, California, on November 8, 2023. U.S. Air Force photo by Todd Schannuth Todd Schannuth
Synthetic work is an increasingly important part of flying training, with the latest training systems offering a blend of live, virtual, and constructive (LVC) elements. This approach reduces costs while allowing students to practice tactics and capabilities that would otherwise be impossible using an exclusively live environment, as you can read more about here.
The proposal is pitching the training system to prepare pilots for fourth-, fifth-, and sixth-generation fighters — the Royal Air Force’s Typhoon, F-35, and forthcoming Tempest, respectively.
“The strong partnership between Boeing and Saab developed the T-7 to be the world’s best solution for future pilot training,” said Lars Tossman, head of Saab’s Aeronautics Business Area. “By working with BAE Systems, Saab believes the U.K. can gain a worthy successor to the Hawk that is the right choice for pilots for decades to come.”
If selected for the Royal Air Force requirement, the T-7As will undergo final assembly in the United Kingdom, in an effort led by BAE Systems. This would ensure the company remains involved in the production of jet trainers in the future, after the Hawk production line ended in 2020.
Hawk T1s of the Red Arrows provide a flypast over Windsor Castle to mark President Donald Trump’s State Visit to the United Kingdom, on September 17, 2025. Crown Copyright AS1 Iwan Lewis RAF
If chosen as the Royal Air Force’s next jet trainer, the T-7A would replace the Hawk T2, which is due to be retired by 2040. It would almost certainly also be the frontrunner to replace the service’s aging Hawk T1s, which continue to serve with the Red Arrows aerobatic display team, and are set to do so until withdrawn around 2030.
The partnership is also looking to use the same approach to “support future international pilot training opportunities,” which could help the T-7A secure export orders that have so far proven elusive.
“Our new collaboration with Boeing and Saab will enable us to present a compelling offer to the U.K. Royal Air Force and our global customers, leveraging the latest tech innovation in training systems and a world-class jet trainer aircraft,” said Simon Barnes, the group managing director of BAE Systems’ Air sector. “We’re committed to ensuring this solution offers the best overall outcome for the nation to support the U.K.’s combat air readiness and deliver economic benefit.”
A three-ship flight of Hawk T2s from RAF Valley, on July 5, 2024. Crown Copyright AS1 Alex Naughalty
This document stated that the Hawk T1 and Hawk T2 “should be replaced with a cost-effective fast jet trainer. The current flying training arrangements for fast jets must be urgently revised to optimize capacity, building in maximum use of contractors and provision for training overseas students.”
U.K. military flying training is undertaken in three phases. Phase one involves initial recruitment and selection and basic military training, and is carried out within individual service commands. Phase two is known as the Military Flying Training System (MFTS), part of which is overseen by a private contractor, Ascent Flight Training Management. This phase takes pilots from introductory instruction and progresses them into specialized streams, including fast jet and rotary.
Finally, phase three involves pilots training on specific frontline aircraft such as Typhoon or F-35 within an Operational Conversion Unit (OCU).
As part of phase two, the Royal Air Force operates 28 Hawk T2 jets that train both its own and Royal Navy fast-jet pilots at RAF Valley in Wales, before they progress to an OCU.
An F-35B from No. 207 Squadron, Royal Air Force, the Lightning Operational Conversion Unit at RAF Marham on March 16, 2024. Crown Copyright AS1 Butler RAF
While the ‘second-generation’ Hawk T2 only entered service in 2009, the Hawk T1, now used exclusively by the Red Arrows, is much older, having first entered service in 1976.
Other contenders to replace the Royal Air Force Hawk include the TF-50, a version of the Korea Aerospace Industries T-50 offered by Lockheed Martin. At the Defense and Security Equipment International (DSEI) exhibition held in London in September of this year, Lockheed Martin displayed a model of the TF-50 in Red Arrows colors.
A model of a Lockheed Martin TF-50 advanced jet trainer displayed in Red Arrows colors during the Defense Security Equipment International (DSEI) at London Excel on September 9, 2025, in London. Photo by John Keeble/Getty Images John Keeble
Meanwhile, British aerospace startup Aeralis is offering a clean-sheet modular jet trainer, which it plans to build in Scotland. While Aeralis has yet to win any orders for its products, it has been provided with funding from the Royal Air Force’s Rapid Capabilities Office. The service’s Chief of the Air Staff has also said in the past that the company’s approach was something the RAF was “very interested in.”
A model of an Aeralis advanced jet trainer displayed during the Defense Security Equipment International (DSEI) at London Excel on September 9, 2025, in London. Photo by John Keeble/Getty Images John Keeble
That the Hawk T2 needs replacement has been clear for some time now, with the relatively young fleet already suffering from well-documented availability issues, which have had an adverse effect on the training pipeline.
In 2022, a fault was reported within the Hawk T2’s Adour powerplant, reducing the planned design life of each engine from 4,000 to 1,700 hours, leading to an average of just eight serviceable aircraft being made available each day throughout fiscal years 2022 and 2023.
In 2023, the entire Hawk T2 fleet was temporarily grounded after an engine-related incident on the runway.
Among others, these issues have resulted in a need to train British pilots overseas to make up the shortfall, at a considerable cost. This has included buying training slots in Italy, Qatar, and with the Euro-NATO Joint Jet Pilot Training Program (ENJJPT) in the United States.
U.S. Air Force T-38C Talon jet trainers assigned to the 90th Flying Training Squadron, above Wichita Falls, Texas, July 21, 2022. The 90th FTS is part of the Euro-NATO Joint Jet Pilot Training Program (ENJJPT), which has also trained Royal Air Force pilots. U.S Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Joseph Pick Tech. Sgt. Joseph Pick
Meanwhile, an update on the T-7A’s progress was provided by Steve Parker, president and CEO of Boeing Defense, Space and Security, at a pre-show media roundtable ahead of the 2025 Dubai Airshow in the United Arab Emirates that TWZ attended.
Parker identified “really good performance this year” for the T-7A, which should see the first operational example delivered to the U.S. Air Force at Randolph Air Force Base, Texas, next month. Parker added: “We’ve got the first ground-based training simulators already stationed at the base and operational, and the program is doing well in its flight test; we are really seeing some good progress there.”
“We’re about 78 percent through test points at Edwards Air Force Base, so making good progress,” including having started high-angle-of-attack testing, Parker added. “The feedback from the United States Air Force has been great, both the testers as well as folks who’ve flown it from the Air Force […] We think it’s going to be a game-changer. Once we get it into the air with our main user, it’s going to sell itself.”
However, full entry into service is now not expected until 2027, a delay of over four years. Earlier this year, we reported on information that emerged about serious and potentially dangerous deficiencies with the emergency ejection system on the T-7A. This followed environmental testing of the aircraft, which also exposed new problems. More generally, the U.S. Air Force has been working with Boeing to fix or otherwise mitigate a host of issues with the T-7A, which, as well as delays, prompted a shakeup of the overall plans for the program. You can read more about what has been disclosed in the past about T-7A testing in this previous TWZ feature.
When asked about export prospects for the T-7A, Bernd Peters, vice president of business development and strategy for Boeing Defense, Space and Security, confirmed that the current focus is on delivering the 351 jets on order for the U.S. Air Force. However, he noted that “customers around the world are watching and seeing the program and the potential that it has, particularly when you think about the [Middle East] region.”
Peters said that Boeing is “definitely having conversations” with potential T-7A customers in the Middle East and identified what he said was “significant potential” for the trainer with “just about any operator that flies an F-15, an F-16, or an F-35 around the world.”
“We do think that there is a significant opportunity, particularly as we begin to ramp up deliveries to the United States Air Force and some of those other nations begin to think through how they want to recapitalize their trainer fleet and close the gap on pilot shortage,” Peters added.
Other export prospects could lie in a light fighter development of the T-7A, something that we have discussed in detail in the past. Previously, the U.S. Air Force looked at the possibility of an ‘F-7’ light fighter variant or derivative of the Red Hawk as one option to supplant at least a portion of its F-16C/D fleet. Some kind of missionized or light combat aircraft version of the T-7A could fare better when offered for export.
While details of the partnership between Boeing, Saab, and BAE Systems were not provided at the pre-show media roundtable, Peters also said that Europe was earmarked for T-7A sales, especially in the 2030 to 2035 timeframe. “Europe is one where I view that there’s a significant opportunity for us to be able to address not just existing Hawk fleets, but other fleets that might be out there,” Peters said.
As to the question of whether Boeing’s manufacturing capacity will be able to cover aircraft for both the U.S. Air Force and potential export customers, Parker struck an optimistic note.
Pointing to the company’s full-size determinant assembly (FSDA) approach, which reduces build time by moving drilling to the component fabrication process, making it more controlled and efficient, Parker said it would be possible to “scale up to very large volumes” for the T-7A.
“We’re going to go well above, potentially 100 aircraft a year, and we’ll be able to scale that up further if we need to go there,” Parker said. “Right now, we’ve got good capacity that will satisfy the United States Air Force, as well as other customers, right through into the early 2030s without having to put any more capital sort of into the system for that.”
A version of the T-7 is also in the running for the U.S. Navy’s Undergraduate Jet Training System (UJTS) competition, which seeks to replace the aging T-45 Goshawk — a type that was also developed from the BAE Systems Hawk.
Of course, should the United Kingdom choose the T-7A to replace its Hawks, the prospect of an additional final assembly line would allow production to be ramped up even further, to help fulfill more export orders.
For now, however, the U.K. government hasn’t allocated funds for its new advanced jet trainer, but with the Red Arrows’ Hawks requiring a successor by 2030, time for a decision is fast running out.
Who: Manchester United vs Everton What: English Premier League Where: Old Trafford, Manchester When: Monday at 8pm (20:00 GMT) How to follow: We’ll have all the build-up on Al Jazeera Sport from 5pm (17:00 GMT) in advance of our live text commentary stream.
Manchester United host Everton and are looking to extend a five-game unbeaten run under Ruben Amorim although they have drawn their past two against Nottingham Forest and Spurs.
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A win could see them move into the top four with Bryan Mbeumo’s scoring streak a key factor in their recent resurgence.
But Everton are just three points below Man United in a congested table, and David Moyes will be extra motivated to get a result at his former club.
Happyish anniversary for Amorim
Monday’s fixture at Old Trafford marks a year to the day since Amorim’s first match in charge.
Amorim’s reign as United manager started with a 1-1 draw away to Ipswich, and since then, the Portuguese boss has experienced plenty of lows in charge of the English football giants, including finishing 15th in the table and failing to qualify for Europe.
But recent results have been encouraging, and Amorim said consistency is key.
“Right away, I knew we would struggle in some things, but the feeling was it is the best league in the world, maybe the best club,” he said.
“[Now] I think we are showing [consistency], but the important thing is that it doesn’t matter what we did in the recent games,” he said. “We cannot forget we suffered a lot in those games and play every game like it is the last one.
“[We are] more dominant, playing better football, and more competitive in every way.”
Cunha credits United resurgence for Brazil call-ups
Man United forward Matheus Cunha has credited the club’s resurgence under Amorim with helping him cement a spot in Carlo Ancelotti’s Brazil squad before next year’s World Cup in North America.
Cunha, 26, has seamlessly adapted to playing in Amorim’s system as a hybrid attacking midfielder and forward, a trait he believes has strengthened his case for World Cup inclusion.
“Knowing that the manager [Amorim] trusts me to play in multiple positions is important,” Cunha said.
“Manchester United is a club that should always be at the top,” he said. “I’m grateful to be playing in a side that’s delivering and competing well. To earn a spot in the national team, you have to consistently show your worth at club level.”
Cunha is thriving under Amorim’s style of play in the 2025-2026 English Premier League season [File: Matt McNulty/Getty Images]
Moyes says Everton in midst of a rebuild
Everton received a significant boost after appointing Moyes as manager for the second time in January with his side steadily rising up the table.
Speaking before the game against Man United, Moyes said his team were continuing to work towards finding “solid ground” but it would take time.
“We’ve said many times about us trying to get on solid ground again. We’ve done that with the new owners, new stadium and staying up last year. So we have to try and make sure that we go steady,” he said.
“If anybody thought that we were going to completely switch everything around, then they’re completely off their head.”
Moyes continued: “I used to always look at the real managers from eras before me who I look up to now – Bobby Robson, Brian Clough, Don Revie – all those ones who’d been given long periods at their clubs, and if you look at the success, it tended to work better that way.”
What happened in Man United’s last EPL match?
Matthijs de Ligt equalised in the sixth minute of a dramatic period of stoppage time to earn Manchester United a 2-2 draw at Tottenham Hotspur in the Premier League on November 8.
Tottenham had looked like they would claim all three points when Richarlison glanced in a header in the first minute of added time, completing a Spurs comeback from a goal down.
There was still time for de Ligt to find space at the back post at a corner to direct a header goalwards and over the line before Tottenham goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario clawed the ball away.
Trailing after Mbeumo’s 32nd-minute header, Tottenham dominated the second half and grabbed an equaliser in the 84th through substitute Mathys Tel’s shot that deflected in off de Ligt.
De Ligt celebrates scoring the equaliser against Spurs [Matthew Childs/Action Images via Reuters]
What happened in Everton’s last EPL match?
Everton defeated Fulham 2-0 at home on November 8 just before FIFA’s international window, ending a three-match EPL winless streak going back to October 5.
Idrissa Gueye gave Everton the lead in the first half, and Michael Keane made it 2-0 in the second as Moyes’s side also had a number of goals chalked off for offside in what was a dominant victory.
Gueye of Everton celebrates scoring his team’s first goal against Fulham [Carl Recine/Getty Images]
Head-to-head: Last six matches
United are unbeaten against Everton in their last six fixtures with four wins and two draws.
The teams last played in a preseason friendly two weeks before the start of the 2025-2026 English Premier League season:
Manchester United 2-2 Everton (August 4)
Everton 2-2 Manchester United (February 2)
Manchester United 4-0 Everton (December 1)
Manchester United 2-0 Everton (March 9, 2024)
Everton 0-3 Manchester United (November 26, 2023)
Manchester United 2-0 Everton (April 8, 2023)
Form guide: last five Premier League matches
Manchester United: W-W-W-D-D (most recent result last)
Everton: W-L-L-D-W
United’s team news
Benjamin Sesko will be out of action “for a few weeks” after hurting his knee before the international break, Amorim said on Friday.
The forward, who joined United from RB Leipzig for 74 million pounds ($97m) in August, was injured during the 2-2 draw at Tottenham and missed Slovenia’s World Cup qualifiers.
United will also be without Harry Maguire against Everton after the defender picked up an injury in the Spurs draw.
Midfielder Kobbie Mainoo could be available to face Everton, and Lisandro Martinez is getting closer to a return after being involved in the Argentina camp over the break.
Meanwhile, Cunha missed a Christmas lights switch-on event in Altrincham after organisers revealed the forward suffered “an accident in training” on Saturday, raising doubts over his availability on Monday.
The UN Security Council has adopted the US’s 20-point Gaza ceasefire plan, approving an international stabilisation force and a ‘board of peace’ with extensive powers to oversee Gaza’s governance and reconstruction.
Four U.S. citizens and a Ukrainian have pleaded guilty to participating in criminal schemes aimed at generating funds for North Korean arms development, the Department of Justice announced on Friday. Photo by KCNA/EPA-EFE
Nov. 14 (UPI) — Four U.S. citizens and a Ukrainian pleaded guilty to participating in North Korean internet technology worker and virtual currency theft schemes.
The Department of Justice announced the guilty pleas on Friday for the illegal schemes that generated funding for North Korea’s armaments program and other uses at various times, from 2019 to 2024.
“Facilitators in the United States and Ukraine assisted North Korean actors with obtaining remote IT employment with U.S. companies,” the DOJ said.
“The facilitators provided their own, false or stolen identities and hosted U.S. victim company-provided laptops at residences across the United States to create the false appearance that the IT workers were working domestically.”
The DOJ said the employment schemes affected at least 136 U.S. companies and used the identities of more than 18 U.S. citizens or legal residents to generate more than $2.2 million for the North Korean government.
The three U.S. defendants who pleaded guilty are Audricus Phagnasay, 24; Jason Salazar, 30; and Alexander Paul Travis, 34, all of whom entered their guilty pleas in the U.S. District Court for Southern Georgia.
The three pleaded guilty to providing U.S. identities to those who are located outside of the United States to enable them to obtain remote work with U.S. firms in exchange for between $3,450 and $51,397 in compensation.
Salazar and Travis at times completed drug testing on behalf of the overseas individuals.
The three defendants also kept laptops at their homes to make it look like the foreign individuals were located in the United States.
The IT worker scheme generated about $1.28 million in pay for the overseas workers.
Erick Ntekereze Prince, 30, also pleaded guilty to a conspiracy to commit wire fraud charge in the U.S. District Court for Southern Florida on Nov. 6.
Federal prosecutors said Prince used his company Taggcar Inc. to contract and supply overseas IT workers to U.S. firms by misrepresenting them as U.S.-based workers.
He also hosted laptops at several Florida residences and installed remote-access software to make it look like the overseas workers were working from locations in Florida.
Prince was paid more than $89,000 for his participation in the scheme, according to the DOJ.
Ukrainian Oleksander Didenky also pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud and aggravated identity theft in the U.S.District Court for the District of Columbia.
He agreed to forfeit $1.4 million for helping North Korean and other IT workers to get jobs at 40 U.S. companies.
A North Korean military hacking group identified as Advanced Persistent Threat 38 also carried out virtual currency heists totaling millions of dollars in value in 2023 while targeting four overseas platforms, according to the DOJ.
“While APT38 actors continued to launder their ill-gotten gains for these heists, the U.S. government froze and seized more than $15million worth of virtual currency that it now seeks to forfeit for eventual return to their rightful owners,” the DOJ said.
The criminal activities arise from the North Korean government’s efforts to evade U.S. sanctions and generate millions of dollars to help fund its weapons programs, including nuclear arms development, said Roman Rozhavsky, assistant director of the FBI’s Counterintelligence Division.
“These guilty pleas send a clear message: No matter who or where you are, if you support North Korea’s efforts to victimize U.S. businesses and citizens, the FBI will find you and bring you to justice,” Rozhavsky said.
“We will ask all our private sector partners to improve their security process for vetting remote workers and to remain vigilant regarding this emerging threat,” he added.
Colombia’s ambassador to the United States, Daniel Garcia-Pena, has been recalled as part of a diplomatic row with Washington. File Photo by Eduard Ribas Admetlla/EPA
Nov. 11 (UPI) — In a new diplomatic escalation between Colombia and the United States, President Gustavo Petro again recalled Colombia’s ambassador to Washington, Daniel García-Peña, for consultations.
This time, the recall aims to clarify a situation reported by the Colombian magazine Cambio regarding a photo released by the White House on Oct. 21 as part of its official coverage of a meeting between senior officials and Republican senators.
On Sunday, the image drew renewed attention after Cambio published an analysis focusing on a folder held by Deputy Chief of Staff James Blairen. The photo shows Petro alongside Nicolás Maduro, both wearing orange jumpsuits similar to those used in U.S. prisons, as part of a document titled “Trump Doctrine.”
“If an ambassador is called for consultations, the representative of the other country returns to their own country while the necessary information is obtained,” Petro wrote on X, suggesting that while García-Peña is in Bogotá, U.S. chargé d’affaires John McNamara should return to the United States, El Colombiano reported.
“This is about understanding why the official White House page shows me as if I were a prisoner in a U.S. jail. It is a brutal disrespect to the people who elected me and to the Colombian nation and its history,” Petro added.
Colombia’s Foreign Ministry issued a statement confirming that Ambassador García-Peña “has been called for consultations” and “is already in Bogotá.”
At the same time, Foreign Minister Rosa Villavicencio ruled out the expulsion of U.S. chargé d’affaires John McNamara from Colombia, El Tiempo reported.
The Petro government’s decision comes amid a visible deterioration in diplomatic relations between the two countries and adds pressure to a bilateral agenda that includes sensitive issues such as counternarcotics cooperation, migration, trade and hemispheric relations.
According to Cambio, the first paragraph of the document held by Blairen outlines five steps against the Colombian president, three of which are already underway.
The five are designating additional cartels as foreign terrorist organizations, supporting pro-U.S. leaders in the Western Hemisphere, imposing targeted sanctions on Petro, his family and associates, countering corrupt and anti-U.S. criminal activities, and launching a comprehensive investigation into Petro’s campaigns and their foreign financing.
“People should not always rely on what they read in the newspapers,” Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau said when askedwhether the United States had a plan underway to imprison Colombian President Gustavo Petro.
The diplomat addressed the issue during a telephone press briefing with several Latin American media outlets Monday morning.
Landau declined to comment further on the photo, which has since been removed from the U.S. government website, but expressed dissatisfaction with the Colombian president’s statements.
Margit Lake sneaked “multiple miniature bottles” of vodka onto the plane before it took off from San Francisco for London Heathrow, and had to be taken to hospital upon arrival
Margit Lake drank vodka on the United Airlines plane (file image)(Image: Getty Images)
A United Airlines stewardess was ten times the legal limit to fly after downing a vast quantity of vodka on a transatlantic jet.
Margit Lake, 56, sneaked “multiple miniature bottles” of the spirit onto the ten-hour flight from San Francisco to Heathrow on 17 October. She drank some and needed to be taken to hospital after the Boeing 777 landed in west London.
A court heard the Californian flight attendant had low blood pressure and paramedics “smelt alcohol on her breath.” A blood test later revealed Lake had 216 milligrams of alcohol per 100 millilitres in her blood — more than ten times the legal limit.
Uxbridge Magistrates’ Court heard yesterday Lake, who had worked for United Airlines for 26 years, resigned from her job following the misdemeanour.
The legal limit for flight attendants in the UK is 20 milligrams per 100 millilitres of blood, the court was told. Wearing a black cardigan there, Lake admitted performing an aviation function when over the alcohol limit.
Ben Lansbury, defending, said Lake had been feeling “isolated”, was estranged from her family and “had been dealing with grief.” Mr Lansbury said: “She had the alcohol because she needed to calm down. It was something of a shock to her as to what happened. She deeply regrets what happened.
“Ms Lake has been attending Alcoholics Anonymous almost daily since the last hearing. She is supported by colleagues here in the UK and they sit in the back of the court.”
Magistrate Tony Delliston told her: “We are not going to commit this to the crown court. We can deal with this here. You are not going to prison. We are going to deal with this with a financial penalty.”
Lake was fined £1,461 financial penalty, a £584 victim surcharge and £85 in court costs.
It comes as a TUI flight attendant was left seriously injured following a horror fall from a plane at East Midlands Airport after the flight steps were pushed away. The woman, a senior crew member who had over 36 years of experience, was closing the aircraft’s front door when she put her left foot on the steps. Despite her best efforts to hang onto the door, she fell through the gap and to the ground, breaking multiple bones, an Air Accident Investigations Branch (AAIB) report has revealed. The incident occurred on December 16, 2024, with the flight bound for Lanzarote being delayed after the accident. The AAIB investigation found the step removal occurred despite the aircraft door being open.
As he tried to calm the concern after defeat at Nottingham Forest, manager Daniel Farke admitted Leeds United supporters could be described as “emotional”.
Which could go a long way to explaining why Joe Rodon has fitted in so well with them.
The Wales defender not only wears his heart on his sleeve, but displays it on his face.
You didn’t have to be a body language expert to see the 28-year-old’s City Ground frustration as Leeds managed to concede three goals for a second week in a row.
Nor what it has meant to be a match-winner in the Premier League after his first top-flight goals last month.
As Leeds’ former title-winning centre-back Jon Newsome puts it: “He wouldn’t make a very good poker player”.
But Rodon has become something of an ace in the pack at Elland Road, with his fan favourite status going beyond just simply showing what it means.
And you don’t make a near century of consecutive league appearances – and mentions alongside Norman Hunter as a result – for pure passion alone.
Instead, Rodon is showing why he had been tipped for the very top after breaking through at Swansea, and what Wales fans heading to Liechtenstein this weekend have known for some time.
“He has all the attributes to belong in the Premier League,” said boss Craig Bellamy. “When we were at Burnley [in the Championship], we wanted to bring him in. We felt he was a player for the high level.
Miri Taylor’s first goal of the campaign is enough to give Aston Villa a 1-0 win over Manchester United, as the home side lose their first game in the Women’s Super League this season.
Matthijs de Ligt equalised in the sixth minute of a dramatic period of stoppage time to earn Manchester United a 2-2 draw at Tottenham Hotspur in the Premier League.
Tottenham looked like claiming all three points on Sunday when Richarlison glanced in a header in the first minute of added-on time, completing a Spurs comeback from a goal down.
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There was still time for de Ligt to find space at the back post at a corner to direct a header goalwards and over the line before Tottenham goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario clawed the ball away.
Trailing to Bryan Mbeumo’s 32nd-minute header, Tottenham dominated the second half and grabbed an equaliser in the 84th through substitute Mathys Tel’s shot that deflected in off de Ligt.
De Ligt said United deserved more from the game than a point.
“I’m proud of the team for how we fought back and got a point in a really difficult stadium,” he said.
“You can see that we still have the fire in our belly to get a goal, to get a point – even with 10 men,” he added, as United played the last few minutes a man down as Benjamin Sesko was forced off injured after United had made all their five substitutions.
However, Tel said he felt Spurs merited all three points.
“We are feeling 50-50, we conceded a goal, but our reaction in the second half was top,” Tel said.
“We changed the game, but we are mad because we have to win today. The subs brought energy to change the game, and we showed great mentality; we deserved to win.”
United extended their unbeaten run in the league to five games – three wins followed by two draws – while Tottenham have only won one of their six home games so far.
However, the Red Devils have now failed to beat Spurs in their previous eight meetings, but it was the most recent of these that will live long in the memory of the Tottenham support.
Spurs ended their 17-year trophy drought thanks to a scrappy 1-0 win in the Europa League final in May, which also took them into the Champions League while United missed out on European football altogether.
Despite the huge blow to United’s finances and prestige, Ruben Amorim is making the most of having more time on the training field to finally build some momentum after a tough first year at Old Trafford.
Unlike most of United’s big-money signings in recent years, Bryan Mbeumo has proved his worth since a 65-million-pound ($86m) move from Brentford in July.
The Cameroonian was named Premier League player of the month for October and took his tally to four goals in as many games when he headed in from Amad Diallo’s cross on 32 minutes.
Spurs were booed off after a woeful attacking display in losing a London derby 1-0 to Chelsea last weekend.
After another dreary first 45 minutes, the hosts came to life early in the second period.
Senne Lammens produced a brilliant stop to turn Cristian Romero’s flick behind.
The Belgian goalkeeper was quickly called into action again to parry Joao Palhinha’s effort.
Brennan Johnston, who scored the winner when the sides last met in Bilbao, was then denied an equaliser by the offside flag.
Tottenham’s burst of attacking threat quickly fizzled out, though, and discontent among the home fans with manager Thomas Frank showed when his decision to replace Xavi Simons was roundly booed.
However, the Spurs boss can claim his changes turned the game around.
Destiny Udogie crossed for fellow substitute Tel to turn and fire into the top corner via a deflection off de Ligt.
Tel equalises for Spurs [Toby Melville/Reuters]
Wilson Odobert, introduced off the bench at half-time, then curled a shot towards the far corner that Richarlison flicked in to leave Lammens helpless.
The Brazilian tore off his shirt and was reduced to tears in his celebration.
Yet, it still was not enough to earn Tottenham a first home league win since the opening weekend of the season.
De Ligt was offered too much space at the back post from Bruno Fernandes’s corner, and his header was too powerful for Vicario.
Later, Arsenal take a six-point lead into a match at Sunderland, while Chelsea host Wolverhampton in one of three other games.
Manchester United head coach Ruben Amorim backs striker Benjamin Sesko to find his feet at Old Trafford and insists his early “struggles” are “normal” amid the scrutiny the Red Devils face from the media and “club legends”.
WFP says a ‘deepening hunger crisis’ is unfolding and that it may have to pause food aid due to record low funding.
Published On 7 Nov 20257 Nov 2025
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The number of people facing emergency levels of hunger in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo has nearly doubled since last year, the United Nations has warned.
The UN’s World Food Programme (WFP) said on Friday a “deepening hunger crisis” was unfolding in the region, but warned it was only able to reach a fraction of those in need due to acute funding shortages and access difficulties.
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“We’re at historically low levels of funding. We’ve probably received about $150m this year,” said Cynthia Jones, country director of the WFP for the DRC, pointing to a need for $350m to help people in desperate need in the West African country.
“One in three people in DRC’s eastern provinces of North Kivu, South Kivu, Ituri, and Tanganyika are facing crisis levels of hunger or worse. That’s over 10 million people,” Jones said.
“Of that, an alarming three million people are in emergency levels of hunger,” she told a media briefing in Geneva.
She said this higher level meant people were facing extreme gaps in food consumption and very high levels of malnutrition, adding that the numbers of people that are facing emergency levels of hunger is surging.
“It has almost doubled since last year,” said Jones. “People are already dying of hunger.”
Years-long conflict
The area has been rocked by more than a year of fighting. The Rwanda-backed M23 armed group has seized swaths of the eastern DRC since taking up arms again in 2021, compounding a humanitarian crisis and the more than three-decade conflict in the region.
The armed group’s lightning offensive saw it capture the key eastern cities of Goma and Bukavu, near the border with Rwanda. It has set up an administration there parallel to the government in Kinshasa and taken control of nearby mines.
Rwanda has denied supporting the rebels. Both M23 and Congolese forces have been accused of carrying out atrocities.
Jones said the WFP was facing “a complete halt of all emergency food assistance in the eastern provinces” from February or March 2026.
She added that the two airports in the east, Goma and Bukavu, had been shut for months.
WFP wants an air bridge set up between neighbouring Rwanda and the eastern DRC, saying it would be a safer, faster and more effective route than from Kinshasa, on the other side of the vast nation.
In recent years, the WFP had received up to $600m in funding. In 2024, it received about $380m.
UN agencies, including the WFP, have been hit by major cuts in US foreign aid, as well as other major European donors reducing overseas aid budgets to increase defence spending.
