National News

Leeds were shoved to the brink of relegation from the Premier League after their ‘must-win’ match at West Ham ended in a 3-1 defeat. Sam Allardyce’s rescue mission reached crisis point after goals from Declan Rice, Jarrod Bowen and Manuel Lanzini denied them the victory their new manager admitted they needed to have any realistic chance of staying up. Allardyce arrived at Elland Road as a last-ditch appointment with four

Andy Murray has withdrawn from this year’s French Open, the PA news agency understands. The second grand slam of the year begins next week, but after struggling to find his best form on clay recently, the Scot will prioritise a busy grass-court schedule in the build-up to Wimbledon. Murray was beaten in the first round of the Italian Open and earlier this week made another early exit on clay after

An animal charity has taken steps to protect nine baby swans which had to be rescued after shooting over the edge of a weir while swimming with their parents. The cygnets got into difficulties while paddling in a millpond in Nash Mills, Hertfordshire, on Monday. A rescuer from charity Swan Support, which is based in Datchet, Berkshire, saved the chicks. Steve Hermon, who runs Swan Support with wife Wendy, clambered

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has said Russian forces are not occupying Bakhmut, casting doubt on Moscow’s claims that the eastern Ukrainian city has fallen. Responding to a reporter’s question about the status of the city at the Group of Seven meeting in Hiroshima, Japan, Mr Zelensky said: “Bakhmut is not occupied by the Russian Federation as of today.” “We are not throwing people (away) to die,” Mr Zelensky said in

Victoria Beckham has said she would not want to be in her twenties again as she used to focus on what she felt needed to be improved upon but now she is “comfortable” with who she is. Beckham rose to prominence in the nineties as a member of girl group The Spice Girl but later turned her hand to the worlds of fashion and beauty. She said she embraces her

Rishi Sunak has met Volodymyr Zelensky at the G7 summit in Hiroshima after the Ukrainian president closed in on obtaining the F-16 fighter jets he wants to fight off Russia. “Good to see you,” the Prime Minister said, slapping him on the back after they greeted each other with an embrace. “You made it.” Asked by reporters if it was a good day for Ukraine, Mr Zelensky smiled, nodded and

Protesters are taking to the water at 12 bathing spots around the UK to demand an end to sewage discharges into the country’s seas and rivers. Surfers Against Sewage (SAS) organised the demonstration which was led by paddle-boarders, kayakers, swimmers and paddlers at Brighton beach in East Sussex. Other locations include Tinside Beach East, Plymouth Hoe, and Gyllyngvase beach, Falmouth, South Bay in Scarborough, Portobello Beach in Edinburgh and Penarth

Renowned composer Sir Karl Jenkins has broken chart records by reaching more than 1,000 weeks in the UK Official Classical Artist Albums Chart. The milestone was reached by Sir Karl’s popular mass The Armed Man – commissioned in 1999 by the Royal Armouries to mark the millennium. It comes after the composer recently went viral at the King’s coronation when his striking appearance caught the attention of the public. It

Thomas Frank said the uncertainty that hung over Ivan Toney and Brentford due to the striker’s FA charge of breaking gambling rules was allowed to run on for too long. Toney was charged with 262 betting offences in November and December last year, with the 27-year-old admitting to 232 of them in February, but it took until Wednesday for an eight-month ban from football to be handed down. The England