The Guardian - 04 December 2023

••• Christmas gift guide for arts lovers Monday 4 December 2023 From £2.14 for subscribers £2.80 Starmer: Labour will not ‘turn on spending taps’ if it wins election Kiran Stacey and Pippa Crerar Labour will not “turn on the spending taps” if it wins the next election, Keir Starmer will say today, bolstering the view of some senior Labour MPs that he is preparing to sign up to austerity-style public sector cuts. The Labour leader will use a speech on the economy to warn Britain is in its worst economic state in more than half a century and lay the ground for what shadow ministers expect to be extremely tight spending constraints after a general election. The speech marks the fi rst time Starmer has spoken publicly about the long-term path of public sector spending since last month’s autumn statement, which put the UK on course for another round of public sector cuts after the election. Warnings of more freezing weather today after snow covered parts of northern England and Scotland yesterday, with motorists stranded and homes in Cumbria left without power. NewsPage 11 In a speech to the Resolution Foundation, he will say: “Anyone who expects an incoming Labour government to quickly turn on the spending taps is going to be disappointed … It’s already clear that the decisions the government are taking, not to mention their record over the past 13 years, will constrain what a future Labour government can do.” He will add: “This parliament is on track to be the fi rst in modern history where living standards in this country have actually contracted. Household income growth is down government asked its people to pay so much, for so little.” Rachel Reeves, the shadow chancellor, has previously said Labour will not go into the next election promising unfunded departmental spending rises or tax rises beyond what they have already set out. These two pledges have limited how much room the party has to promise to lift government spending in an eff ort to relieve the pressure on Britain’s stretched public services. The constraints the next government faces became ‘No science’ to phasing out fossil fuels, says Cop leader Snow disrupts travel as temperatures plunge Exclusive Damian Carrington Ben Stockton The president of Cop28, Sultan Al Jaber , has claimed there is “no science” indicating that phas ing out fossil fuels is needed to restrict global heating to 1.5C, the Guardian and the Centre for Climate Reporting can reveal. Al Jaber also said a phase-out of fossil fuels would not allow sustainable development “unless you want to take the world back into caves”. The comments were “incredibly concerning” and “verging on climate denial”, scientists said, and are at odds with the position of the UN secretary general, António Guterres . Al Jaber made the comments in ill-tempered responses to questions from Mary Robinson , the chair of the Elders group and a former UN special envoy on climate change, during a live online event 8  4  Leader’s speech likely to raise fears among senior MPs of public sector cuts by 3.1% and Britain is worse off . This isn’t living standards rising too slowly or unequal concentrations of wealth and opportunity. This is Britain going backwards. This is worse than the 1970s, worse than the recessions of the 1980s and 1990s, and worse even than the great crash of 2008.” Preparing for an election at some point next year, Starmer will make clear that times are much worse now than they were in 2010 when the Conservative and Lib Dem coalition government austerity measures began: “Never before has a British  G2 The man who survived for 72 days in the Andes  G2 Beach huts at Blyth in Northumberland yesterday after freezing weather across northern England and Scotland PHOTOGRAPH: OWEN HUMPHREYS/PA

• The Guardian Monday 4 December 2023 News Kiran Stacey Political correspondent Glenys Kinnock, the senior Labour politician and wife of the former leader Neil Kinnock, has died aged 79 . In a statement yesterday, her family said: “It is with the deepest sorrow that we announce the death of Glenys Kinnock. Glenys died peacefully in her sleep in the early hours of Sunday morning at home in London. She was the beloved wife and life partner of Neil, the cherished mother of Steve and Rachel and an adored grandmother.” Kinnock was a member of the European parliament for 15 years, representing Wales from 1994 . In 2009, Gordon Brown appointed her as Europe minister and gave her a life peerage to enable her to join the government. She met her husband, Neil, at university and married him in 1967 . They had two children : Stephen, who is now a Labour MP and shadow minister, and Rachel, who previously worked for the party. Severin Carrell Rory Carroll Irish fi sher y leaders have warned of fresh confl icts with Scotland over fi shing rights around the north Atlantic islet of Rockall as new evidence emerged about the roots of the longrunning sovereignty dispute. Scotland and Ireland have been at loggerheads over access to fi shing grounds within 12 nautical miles of Rockall since the Brexit referendum in 2016, which signalled an end to the UK’s membership of the common fi sheries policy. Scottish fi shery protection vessels have intercepted and boarded Irish trawlers caught fi shing for squid and haddock around the uninhabited islet, with skippers facing arrest and a total ban from fi shing in British waters if they are caught. The crisis abated in early 2021 after the EU signed the Brexit agreement with Boris Johnson’s government. That confi rmed the UK’s rights to restrict access to British coastal waters – a measure Scottish ministers are now enforcing around Rockall, which lies 230 miles (370km) west of North Uist in the Outer Hebrides and 260 mile north-west of Tory Island in Donegal. Irish fi sheries leaders now say they are ready to rekindle the dispute unless ministers in Edinburgh agree to reopen Rockall’s waters. Scottish offi cials said they were hopeful a deal could be struck to resolve the confl ict. Sinn Féin’s fi sheries spokesperson, P ádraig Mac Lochlainn , said the UK’s restrictions around Rockall cost Irish trawlers an estimated €7m (£6m) a year. “The Irish fi shing industry suffered grievously under Brexit and this is rubbing salt in the wounds,” he said. If Sinn Féin takes power in Dublin – opinion polls say it is positioned to lead the next Irish government – it will be “much more forceful” in asserting Irish rights, Mac Lochlainn said. “We would make one last eff ort to resolve this [diplomatically] and then go to international arbitration.” Rockall became a diplomatic problem for Nicola Sturgeon ’s government in 2019, threatening to undermine her attempts to win support overseas for a new independence referendum and a Scottish application to rejoin the EU. Although protecting the UK’s territory is a matter for West minster , responsibility for fi sheries is devolved to the Scottish parliament. The Scottish government has been forced to release confi dential letters and other redacted documents about the crisis by the Scottish Information Commissioner after a three-year transparency dispute with the Guardian. They show Sturgeon repeatedly tried to resolve the Rockall “diffi culties” because Ireland was seen as a key ally for Scotland within the EU; the crisis often topped the agenda in her meetings with the taoiseachs Micheál Martin and Leo Varadkar and other ministers. Senior sources have said that if Scotland became independent and applied to rejoin the EU, Scottish ministers would be ready to negotiate access to Rockall’s waters in order to rejoin the common fi sheries policy. A Scottish government spokesperson said : “There have been developments in recent months which increase our confi dence that arrangements can be agreed under the Scottish/Irish bilateral framework which will be satisfactory for both sides.” A spokesperson for Ireland’s department of foreign aff airs said: “The relevant Irish, Scottish and UK authorities continue to engage constructively on this matter, and we hope that a resolution which is in all of our mutual interests can be found ”. Kinnock appeared regularly by her husband’s side during his unsuccessful general election campaign in 1992, after which she decided to enter elected politics herself. She told the BBC : “I had never ever really wanted to stand for elected offi ce, but after we lost the general election we knew our lives had to take a new direction. I suddenly thought I might throw my hat in the ring for the South Wales East European constituency and from then on that was the decision I made, I never looked back and I’m glad I didn’t.” While in Brussels, she took a particular interest in international development, serving on the development and cooperation committee as well as being Labour’s and dignifi ed woman to feel her mind slipping away must have been devastating.” Her family said yesterday: “As long as she could, she sustained her merriment and endless capacity for love, never complaining and with the innate courage with which she had confronted every challenge throughout her life.” They added: “Neil was with her in her fi nal moments. They had been married for 56 years. A proud democratic socialist, she campaigned, in Britain and internationally, for justice and against poverty all her life.” Keir Starmer , the Labour leader, said: “Glenys was a passionate lifelong campaigner for social justice at home and abroad. She supported Neil through his leadership and went on to have an impressive political career as a member of the European parliament, in the House of Lords and as a minister in the last Labour government, focused on Europe and Africa.” He added: “What we will all remember is Glenys as a true fi ghter for the Labour party and the values of the labour movement, a pioneering woman, to whom we owe an enormous debt.” Former prime minister Sir Tony Blair said she was an “enormous support to Neil but she was a leader in her own right”. Blair, who was Labour leader between 1994 and 2007 said she was “incredibly smart, brave, determined and resolute in standing up for what she believed was right. Whether in fi ghting the cause of development, and the eradication of global poverty, social justice in Britain, equality for women or making the case for a European Union of weight and infl uence in the world, Glenys was passionate and persuasive.” Gordon Brown, Blair’s successor in Downing Street, spoke of his and wife Sarah’s sadness following the death. He said : “All who met Glenys admired her for her generosity, her warmth and her passionate support for the best of national and international causes .” ‘A true fi ghter for Labour’: Glenys Kinnock dies at 79 Ireland ready to reignite fi shing dispute with Scotland ▲ Neil Kinnock’s victory in the Labour leadership election  Glenys Kinnock in 2010 PHOTOGRAPH: PA AND SARAH LEE/GUARDIAN ▲ Rockall has been a diplomatic problem for Scotland since 2019 Inside 04/12/23 Four sections every day NEWSPAPERS SUPPORT RECYCLING The recycled paper content of UK newspapers in 2017 was 64.6% G2 Centre pullout Features and arts Contact For missing sections please fi ll out the form at www.theguardian.com/missingsections or call 0800 839 100. For individual departments, call the Guardian switchboard: 020 3353 2000. For the Readers’ editor (corrections & clarifi cations on specifi c editorial content), call 020 3353 4736 to leave a voice message, or email guardian.readers@ theguardian.com. Letters for publication should be sent to guardian. letters@theguardian.com or the address on the letters page. Guardian News & Media, Kings Place, 90 York Way, London N1 9GU. 020-3353 2000. Fax 020-7837 2114. In Manchester: Centurion House, 129 Deansgate, Manchester M3 3WR. Telephone Sales: 020-7611 9000. The Guardian lists links to third-party websites, but does not endorse them or guarantee their authenticity or accuracy. Back issues sold and provided by Historic Newspapers: www.historic-newspapers.co.uk/oldnewspapers/guardian. Published by Guardian News & Media, Kings Place, 90 York Way, London N1 9GU, and at Centurion House, 129 Deansgate, Manchester M3 3WR. Printed at Reach Watford Limited, St Albans Road, Watford, Herts WD24 7RG; Reach Oldham Limited, Hollinwood Avenue, Chadderton, Oldham OL9 8EP; Reach Saltire Ltd, 110 Fifty Pitches Place, Glasgow G51 4EA; and by Irish Times Print Facility, 4080 Kingswood Road, Citywest Business Campus, Dublin 24. No. 55,144, Monday 4 December 2023. Registered as a newspaper at the Post Office ISSN 0261-3077. Cartoon Journal, page 4 Weather Page 32 Cryptic crossword Back of Journal Quick crossword Back of G2 Journal Outside G2 Opinions and ideas News and Sport Save up to 30% with a subscription to the Guardian and the Observer Visit theguardian. com/paper-subs  Neglect, defl ect, scapegoat: that’s the UK’s migrant policy Nesrine Malik Page 1 Paris attack A German tourist was left dead and two others injured close to the Eiff el Tower Page 7 TV review Dodger: a hilarious Dickens prequel that is an early Christmas treat Page 10 spokesperson on international development in the European parliament. Her 15-year stint as an MEP came to an end when Brown asked her to replace Caroline Flint as a minister in the Foreign Offi ce, giving her the title Lady Kinnock of Holyhead to do so. She was appointed as Europe minister and moved three months later to take over the portfolio for Africa and the U N . Kinnock was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s in 2017 at the age of 73. Writing last year in the Sunday Times , her children said: “We can’t imagine what that day [when she was diagnosed] was like for her. She never complained, but we know she was terrifi ed. For such a formidable, strong, intelligent, funny

Monday 4 December 2023 The Guardian • News 3 Amelia Gentleman The slow-moving campaign to force one of London’s last remaining gentlemen’s clubs to admit women has notched a partial victory with an internal poll revealing a majority of members of the Garrick are in favour of dropping the men-only rule. This is the second significant development in a year in the remarkably languid battle for gender equality at the club, which counts among its members the former supreme court judges Lord Neuberger and Lord Sumption , the actors Hugh Bonneville and Stephen Fry , and Michael Gove , a cabinet minister. Earlier this year, members learned that a senior barrister had updated his advice from when he previously told the club in 2011 that its rules prohibited the admission of female members. Michael Beloff KC later gave the club revised legal advice concluding there was no justifi c ation for excluding women. In a postal vote, organised to canvass members’ views after the changed legal advice, 51% of those members who participated indicated they were in favour of admitting women, while 44% were opposed. In total 76% of the club’s membership took part in the ballot; 53 people (4%) said they were undecided. The proportion of members in favour of admitting women has risen by just half a percentage point over the eight years since the last poll in 2015, when 50.5% of members voted in favour of women at an annual general meeting; this fell short of the two-thirds majority required for a rule change. However, members campaigning for women to be allowed to join noted that the proportion of those opposed to a change had dropped from 48% to 44%, and said the result was an important advance. These members argue that given Beloff’s revised legal opinion, it would be undemocratic now to prevent members from nominating women to join. The club’s chair, Christopher Coker , emailed members with the polling result last Friday, writing: “This has been a most helpful exercise and the general committee is extremely grateful to you all for your response. Clearly you are all engaged with the club and you care about it a great deal.” He gave no details of how the club’s organising committee proposes to respond to the poll. If members do decide to attempt to nominate women, by writing candidates’ names on cards, which fellow members can sign if they support the nomination, they can expect a worsening of the fractious atmosphere at the club on the question of women. When Joanna Lumley was proposed as a member in 2011, prompting the club to take legal advice on the issue, “ugly, rude things were written on the [nomination] card, expletives, and comments that said ‘who do they think they are?’ and ‘women aren’t allowed here and never will be’,” one member recalled. The Garrick is one of a handful of men-only gentlemen’s clubs, including White’s (which does not allow women on the premises, with the exception of cleaning staff and the Queen) and Boodle’s (where women are discouraged from entering through the front door). Newer members are not always more progressive on this issue. Seth Alexander Thévoz , the author of Behind Closed Doors, a study of London clubs, said: “The younger members in historic clubs can be among the most traditionalist, joining because they want a sort of Victorian cosplay .” The large number of senior lawyers who are Garrick members has caused unease within the profession. At the time of the last vote, the human rights lawyer Dinah Rose KC said: “If you’re a judge, publicly committed to the principle of equality, it is incompatible with that, to be a member of that type of club.” The Garrick did not respond to a request for a comment. Garrick membership’s opposition to women fi nally joining the club fades Conan Doyle secretly resented Sherlock Holmes, says historian Harriet Sherwood Sir Arthur Conan Doyle secretly hated his creation Sherlock Holmes, and blamed the cerebral detective for denying him recognition as the author of highbrow historical fi ction, according to the historian  Lucy Worsley . Doyle was catapulted from “obscurity to worldwide fame” after his crime stories began appearing in a magazine in 1891, Worsley writes in Radio Times . Eleven years later he was awarded a knighthood. But “beneath the surface he was a discontented man”, Worsley writes. Conan Doyle struggled to fi nd a publisher for his Sherlock stories after initially approaching the intellectual Cornhill M agazine. “Only after they, and two others, rejected Mr Holmes, was he fi nally accepted by a fourth, much trashier, publisher. They said the work was exactly what they were looking for: ‘cheap fi ction’.” Holmes was lucrative for Conan Doyle, but the author decided to kill him off once he had earned him enough money, sending him over a Swiss waterfall in 1893. “A decade later, though, Arthur was lured to resurrect him when an American publisher off ered him the equivalent of $1.6m,” Worsley writes. “Arthur must have hated himself. And he would have hated the fact that today, 93 years after his death, his historical novels lie unread, while his ‘cheap’ – but beloved – detective lives for ever on our screens.” Sherlock Holmes is the most popular fi ctional detective in history. Conan Doyle wrote four novels and 56 short stories about Holmes’s pursuit of criminals using his observational skills and powers of deduction. Conan Doyle was born in Edinburgh and trained as a doctor before taking up writing. He died of a heart attack in 1930, at the age of 71. ▲ Sir Arthur Conan Doyle: beneath the surface was ‘a discontented man’ ▼ A depiction of life in the exclusive men-only restaurant room in the Garrick gentlemen’s club in London IMAGE: ALAMY ▲ Joanna Lumley was proposed as a member of the Garrick in 2011 Michael Gove and Stephen Fry (above) are members

• The Guardian Monday 4 December 2023 4 Starmer: Labour will not ‘turn on the spending taps’ if it wins election even more acute after the autumn statement, when the chancellor, Jeremy Hunt, announced £20bn worth of tax cuts , paid for in part by future public spending cuts on a par with those carried out by David Cameron’s government. Under projections set out by the Offi ce for Budget Responsibility, the budgets of unprotected departments will fall by 4.1% every year over the next parliament. Torsten Bell, the chief executive of the Resolution Foundation, where Starmer will give today’s speech , called the projected spending cuts “implausibly large”. Starmer and Reeves have not yet decided whether they will match Tory spending plans for at least the fi rst few years of a Labour government as Tony Blair and Gordon Brown did going into the 1997 election. Nevertheless, many shadow ministers expect he and Reeves will choose to stick to the forecast spending limits, though they hope that any additional growth will be used to pay for public spending rather than tax cuts. Some say they are prepared to accept the cuts to come, but that Labour must in turn stick by its pledge to spend more on capital projects under the £28bn green prosperity plan, which has already been watered down . “We can do the departmental cuts as long as we can invest money in things like dilapidated schools, hospitals and roads,” said one. Starmer will say that Labour will prioritise growth with a series of policies including planning reform, competitive business taxes and stronger labour protections. “The defi ning purpose of the next Labour government, the mission that stands above all others, will be raising Britain’s productivity growth,” he will say. “[It is] a goal that for my Labour party is now an obsession. That’s a big change for us. Having wealth creation as our number one priority, that’s not always been the Labour party’s comfort zone.” Some critics, however, warn that sticking to the Tory spending plans will itself be a major drag on economic output. Bell said after the autumn statement that it was “hard to think of a more anti-growth policy” than the projected public sector pay cuts. A decision to match the Tory spending plans is likely to create further friction between the Labour leadership and the party’s grassroots. Many MPs and members are already angry about Starmer’s refusal to call for a ceasefi re in Gaza and were further irritated by him praising the former Tory prime minister Margaret Thatcher over the weekend. The Labour leader picked Thatcher as one of the three former prime ministers he wanted to emulate if were to become prime minister, alongside two of his Labour predecessors Tony Blair and Clement Attlee. All three, he said, had a drive and sense of purpose that defi ned their premiership. Starmer told BBC Radio 4’s Broadcasting House yesterday: “Thatcher did have a plan for entrepreneurialism, [she] had a mission. It doesn’t mean I agree with what she did, but I don’t think anybody could suggest that she didn’t have a driving sense of purpose.” In a piece for the Sunday Telegraph , he said: “Every moment of meaningful change in modern British politics begins with the realisation that politics must act in service of the British people, rather than dictating to them. Margaret Thatcher sought to drag Britain out of its stupor by setting loose our natural entrepreneurialism.” Starmer admitted that part of the reason for his comments was to woo wavering Tory voters, with polls showing that many people had still to make up their mind how they would vote at the next election. National Politics Richard Partington Economics correspondent British workers are missing out on £10,700 a year after more than a decade of weak economic growth and high inequality, according to a major report warning that UK living standards are falling behind comparable rich nations. In a damning report on the economy, the Resolution Foundation and the London School of Economics’ Centre for Economic Performance called for a rethink of economic strategy after 15 years of relative decline. It said a living standards gap of £8,300 had opened up between households in Britain and their average peers in Australia, Canada, France, Germany and the Netherlands, and blamed a “toxic combination” of low growth and inequality. The result of a three-year inquiry by a group of the nation’s top academics, businesspeople and policymakers, the study warned that a generation Economy Workers are losing out on £10,000, says thinktank The Labour leader praised Margaret Thatcher, saying the Tory prime minister ‘sought to drag Britain out of its stupor’ of younger adults was being failed – with 9 million having never worked in an economy with sustained average wage rises. Rishi Sunak is preparing for a general election next year against a backdrop of a continuing cost of living crisis and heavy criticism for the Conservatives over their economic record after 13 years in power. With the government trailing Labour in the polls, the prime minister last month declared victory on his primary target to halve the UK’s infl ation rate this year while hailing tax cuts in the autumn statement to ease pressure on working families. A spokesperson for the Treasury said the Offi ce for Budget Responsibility was forecasting the autumn statement to deliver the “largest boost to potential growth on record,” after the chancellor sought to blunt the highest levels of taxation since the second world war with cuts to national insurance contributions and support for business investment. “We have halved the number of people on low pay with increases to the national living wage and, thanks to above-infl ation increases to tax allowances, we have also saved the average earner over £1,000 a year since 2010.” However, the Resolution Foundation and LSE’s report found that existing plans for reversing decline were “not serious” and had been founded in the belief that “‘worldbeating’ rhetoric automatically translates into a ‘world-beating’ reality”. Chaired by Minouche Shafi k , a former Bank of England deputy governor, and Clive Cowdery , the insurance magnate and founder of the Resolution Foundation, the report warned that household incomes were not on track to reach the peak recorded before the cost of living crisis until 2027 at the earliest. Finding that the UK had been catching up with more productive countries during the 1990s and early 2000s, it said progress had gone into reverse since 2008 . If Britain could close its average income and inequality gaps with these countries, it said the typical household would be 25% (£8,300) better off . It said average wages after infl ation is taken into account were no higher than before the banking collapse 15 years ago. If wages had continued to grow at their pre-2008 pace, it said the average wage today would be £43,000 rather than £32,300. Highlighting a gap in performance Continued from page 1

Monday 4 December 2023 The Guardian • 5 Rowena Mason Whitehall editor Robert Jenrick “rose without a trace” before becoming a cabinet minister at the age of 37, in the words of one Conservative Home columnist . He was seen as a Rishi Sunak ally who could keep a close eye on the former home secretary Suella Braverman in the Home Offi ce. But now he is making waves as a standard bearer for the right of the Conservatives on the need to reduce net migration to the UK – going further than No 10 in suggesting ways it could be brought down and hinting at his frustration at inaction over the high numbers. The MP for Newark won his seat in a 2014 byelection after his predecessor, Patrick Mercer , resigned in a lobbying scandal. And for a long time Jenrick was an unmemorable MP, lacking any distinctive policies or causes. This started to change during his time as communities secretary, when Jenrick was embroiled in two controversies. The fi rst was his move in 2020 to overrule a planning decision in a way that benefi ted the Tory donor and former newspaper magnate Richard Desmond . He pushed through the decision to approve a £1bn development of fl ats a day before a community levy would have come into force, providing £45m for Tower Hamlets council to spend on local infrastructure. The council challenged the decision in court and Jenrick backed down, conceding a potential for bias. It later emerged that he had sat next to Desmond at a Conservative party fundraising event in November, where the former Express owner had shown him a PR video for the 44-storey development. (Jenrick said he refused to discuss the planning application at the event.) Two weeks after the planning decision, Desmond gave the Conservatives £12,000. Amid political pressure, Jenrick’s department released correspondence relating to the case that showed Desmond had texted him about the issue, and suggested that Jenrick had urged offi cials to complete the process before the infrastructure levy came into force. The second related to Jenrick’s moves in lockdown. The MP, a former solicitor, owns two properties in London as well as Eye Manor, a Grade I-listed home in Herefordshire, and local people have complained they do not see him in his Newark constituency as much as they would like. At the peak of the lockdown it emerged that Jenrick had visited yet another property, his parents’ home in Shropshire. He said it had been to drop off food and medicines . It also emerged he had travelled between London and Eye Manor, rather than his home in Newark. He said Eye Manor was his family home and his family were spending the lockdown there. Yet still Jenrick would hardly qualify as a household name. He left the cabinet in 2021 in the wake of the Desmond controversy and spent some time on the backbenches. Only since Migration Former ally of PM courts right wing Rajeev Syal Home aff airs editor Ministers are deliberately hiding the soaring costs of the Rwanda deportation scheme from the public, the head of an infl uential parliamentary watchdog has said, as insiders expect a new deal with the African state to be signed off in days. Dame Diana Johnson , the chair of the home aff airs select committee, said the government has “total disregard” for parliament’s rights to scrutinise the key immigration policy after a senior civil servant said that any extra costs on top of the £140m already paid to Rwanda would not be disclosed until the summer. The home secretary, James Cleverly, is expected to fl y to Kigali early this week to sign a treaty with the Rwandan government to get around a supreme court ruling that the scheme was unlawful. Emergency legislation declaring the central African country to be safe and which aims to curb legal challenges against the policy could also be presented to parliament. The Sunday Times reported that the UK government would hand over another £15m on top of the £140 m – a claim that was dismissed as Rwanda MP says ministers are covering up soaring costs of deportation plan “speculation” by the health secretary, Victoria Atkins . Last week, Matthew Rycroft , the Home Offi ce’s permanent secretary, told the select committee that any additional costs would be disclosed in the department’s annual update in the summer. He said: “Ministers have decided that the way to update parliament is annually, rather than by giving a running commentary .” Johnson, the Labour MP for Kingston upon Hull North, said yesterday that the apparent leak to the Sunday Times, days after refusing to disclose fi gures to parliament, was “totally unacceptable”. She plans to raise the lack of policy transparency with the immigration minister, Robert Jenrick, on Wednesday afternoon when he is due to appear before the committee. She said: “Last Wednesday the home aff airs select committee was told that any extra spending on the Rwanda scheme, on top of the £140m already spent, will not be made public, or given to parliament, until next summer . “This was clearly a decision of ministers and information could be made available if they wished to do so. This approach makes eff ective inyear scrutiny of the department and its policies impossible. It is totally unacceptable that journalists are given this £15m fi gure now. It shows a total disregard for the vital role that select committees play in holding the government to account .” A source close to the home secretary said: “We do not recognise the fi gure published nor how it was come up with. To be clear with the framing of that fi gure, the Rwandans have not asked for extra money in order to sign a treaty nor has money to secure a treaty been off ered.” Sunak’s key immigration policy was dealt a severe blow last month after the UK’s highest court found there was a real risk of deported refugees having their claims wrongly assessed or being returned to their country of origin to face persecution. Since then, Cleverly’s senior offi cials have been drawing up a new deal with the Rwandan government in an eff ort to satisfy the court’s key criticisms. It is understood that there will be additional payments within the deal that will be described as contributions towards training and additional staff costs. A Home Offi ce spokesperson said: “All costs will be reported as part of the annual Home Offi ce reports and accounts in the usual way.” It comes amid heated discussions in government about how far the new legislation will go to sidestep future legal challenges. Backbench Conservative MPs have claimed that the legislation will fail unless it also disapplies the European convention on human rights . ▼ The Hope hostel in Kigali , which Rwanda’s government has prepared for asylum seekers sent by the UK PHOTOGRAPH: SIMON WOHLFART/AFP/GETTY ▲ Robert Jenrick returned to the cabinet as an immigration minister he returned as an immigration minister in October 2022 has Jenrick begun to make waves . He fi rst caught attention in that role with his offi ce’s decision to order murals of Mickey Mouse to be scrubbed from an asylum seeker reception centre over concerns they were too welcoming. Jenrick, a regular on the airwaves, appears to be deployed often by Conservative offi cials to avoid making news. But his claim in the House of Commons last week that he would have liked to have taken steps to reduce immigration before last Christmas raised eyebrows. Usually studiously on message, he appeared to insert a degree of distance between his own position and that of Sunak, giving the impression that he has tried harder than others to reduce immigration fi gures. His allies have suggested he has presented a fi ve-point plan to No 10 on how to reduce the numbers, while insisting he was not departing from the narrative. One minister who is close to Jenrick suggested the immigration minister was positioning himself for the future. “Rob is distancing himself from Rishi, it’s as simple as that. He’s young and is in this for the long term, and can see which way it’s going,” they said. “He may have nailed his colours to Rishi’s mast initially, but if there’s going to be a new captain of the ship after the election, he doesn’t want to be too closely associated with the one that walked the plank.” ▲ The Labour leader, Keir Starmer, has not yet decided whether to match Tory spending plans  Protesters demand higher pay. A thinktank said wages are lagg ing behind other rich countries PHOTOGRAPHS:JESSICA TAYLOR/REUTERS; MIKE KEMP/ IN PICTURES/GETTY with comparable rich nations, it said that poor households in Britain were now £4,300 worse off than their French and German counterparts, leaving them struggling to cope in the cost of living crisis. However, it said the challenges were not insurmountable. The report, funded by the Nuffi eld Foundation charity, said the country needed to focus on its services sector, prioritise public and private investment, expand the largest cities, and raise the number of opportunities for higher-quality jobs in every town. Torsten Bell , the chief executive of the Resolution Foundation, said: “The task facing the UK is to urgently embark on a new path. A new economic strategy built, not on nostalgia or wishful thinking, but our actual strengths … It’s time for Britain to start investing in our future, rather than living off our past.”

• The Guardian Monday 4 December 2023 6 National The Studio Sequin Mini Bag – a gift they’ll love for many parties to come Whilst stocks last. ▼ The former Daily Express owner Richard Desmond lost out on a £6.5bn national lottery contract PHOTOGRAPH: LUKE MACGREGOR/ GETTY Brexite r tycoon to use EU law for £200m claim over ‘fanciful’ failed lottery bid Rob Davies Pippa Crerar Richard Desmond, the Brexit- backing media tycoon, is invoking EU law to sue the gambling regulator after it rejected his “fanciful” bid to run the national lottery, in a lawsuit that could deprive good causes of millions of pounds. The former Daily Express owner has previously vowed to seek damages from the Gambling Commission after his company, Northern & Shell , missed out on a £6.5bn contract to run the Lottery from next year. Desmond is expected to claim that the regulator made “numerous manifest errors” during a bitter and prolonged bidding war that ended when the commission named the Czech-owned operator Allwyn as the winner. The multi millionaire, who gave £1m to the UK Independence Party in the run-up to the Brexit referendum, will rely partly on EU laws retained after the UK’s exit from the bloc, the Guardian understands. According to Desmond’s claim, he is seeking £17.5m to cover the cost of preparing his bid, as well as further unspecifi ed damages. Sources close to Desmond told the Financial Times last month that he would seek up to £200m . He is alleging multiple fl aws in the secretive auction process through which his own bid and those of rivals Allwyn and Camelot, which has held the licence to run the Lottery since its inception in 1994, were assessed. The commission’s chief executive, Andrew Rhodes , has previously said that any damages it is forced to pay might ultimately come out of lottery funding dedicated to good causes. A source familiar with the regulator’s funding confi rmed this, saying the cost could in theory be borne by the exchequer but “the reality is it would come from good causes”. The commission already funds the cost of fi ghting litigation from that pot of money. The Conservative MP Damien Moore called on Desmond to drop the suit, which is being brought by Northern & Shell and its subsidiary the New Lottery Company . It was “ time we moved on and accepted the Gambling Commission’s verdict ”, said Moore. “Of course this process is complex, but I’m tired of seeing legal challenges which, if successful, could see wealthy businesses depriving British charities and social enterprises of hundreds of millions of pounds. ” Desmond claims that his bid might have performed better in the licence competition were it not for mistakes made by the commission. But the regulator is understood to have delivered a scathing assessment of his proposals, declaring the bid “fanciful” because it scored considerably lower on key criteria – such as the amount of money that would be devoted to good causes and the overall businesss plan – than plans lodged by Allwyn and Camelot. The total score would have been 57.5%, compared with Camelot’s score of 85.7% and Allwyn ’s on 87.2%, according to the regulator. Desmond’s claim alleges that the commission made errors in the way it calculated the scores, that it did not treat all bids equally, and also failed to give feedback on his bid’s likely success , which might have convinced him to withdraw and save costs. Northern & Shell’s claim relies on an “obligation on the defendant [the Gambling Commission] to comply with any EU law” relating to procurement, under the terms of the UK’s 2018 EU Withdrawal Act . A spokesperson for Northern & Shell said the company believed there were “ serious public interest questions to be answered as to how the lottery contract was awarded. As an aggrieved bidder, it has been advised that it is entitled to seek full damages.” They said the action was “rooted in a commitment to transparency and fairness” and questioned the regulator’s dismissal of the bid as fanciful . “The bid was supported by substantial fi nancing from leading fi nancial institutions, including HSBC, Barclays and Société Générale , underscoring its seriousness. “Northern & Shell’s action aims to uphold transparency and ensure the process is fair and honest, which is wholly in the public interest.” Camelot, owned by a Canadian pension fund, the Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan, dropped an attempt to overturn the licence award in 2022, amid fury from Conservative MPs. A separate action , seeking damages for its loss of the 10-year contract, was in eff ect ended this year when Allwyn bought out its erstwhile rival for £100m.

Monday 4 December 2023 The Guardian ••• News 7 Paris attack suspect swore allegiance to Islamic State Angelique Chrisafi s Paris A 26-year-old man suspected of killing a German-Filipino tourist and wounding two others, one a Briton, near the Eiff el Tower in Paris on Saturday night had pledged allegiance to Islamic State in a video released online. The French counter-terrorism prosecutor, Jean-François Ricard , said the French suspect, named as Armand Rajabpour-Miyandoab , “had recorded a video before committing the act”, in which he spoke in Arabic, swore allegiance to IS and supported its jihadists in diff erent areas from Africa to Iraq, Syria and Pakistan. The video was posted on his X account , which also showed numerous posts about Hamas and Palestine. The account was created at the beginning of October. The suspect was still being questioned by police last night . He is alleged to have stabbed the German-Filipino tourist to death and wounded two others – a 66-yearold British man, and a 60-year-old Frenchman. Rajabpour-Miyandoab, who had served four years in prison for planning a radical Islamist attack before being released in 2020 , had been monitored by the intelligence services for “persistent radicalisation”, Ricard said, and had undergone psychiatric treatment and been monitored for psychiatric issues. doctor on duty at the time of the attack, said the man who died was a nurse. The two people who had been with him were still being treated for shock last night. The UK Foreign Offi ce said it was “supporting a British man who was injured in Paris and are in contact with the local authorities”, the BBC reported . The French president, Emmanuel Macron , sent his condolences to the family of the German citizen killed in what he called a terrorist attack . He thanked the security forces for their quick arrest . The German chancellor, Olaf Scholz, said he was shocked by the attack and that it underlined the need to resolutely oppose hatred and terror. The German interior minister, Nancy Faeser , condemned what she called an “abominable” crime, telling the Funke media group that Berlin’s security services were “working closely” with Paris. “The war in Gaza after Hamas’s terrorist act [of 7 October ] has worsened the threat,” Faeser said, warning that “the threat of Islamist terrorism is acute and serious”. France’s prime minister, Élisabeth Borne , wrote on X: “We will not give in to terrorism.” Three other people from the suspect’s family and entourage were being questioned by police . The interior minister, Gérald Darmanin , visited the scene, telling reporters that the suspect was known to authorities for radical Islamism. Darmanin said the man had said France was “complicit” in “what Israel is doing in Gaza”. The French health minister, Aurélien Rousseau, said the suspect was “being monitored in way that did not mean he was being hospitalised, he was supposed to follow a course of treatment” for psychiatric issues. “As often in these cases, there’s a mixture of an ideology, an easily infl uenced person and, unfortunately, psychiatry,” Rousseau added. France has suff ered several terrorist attacks in recent years, including the 2015 suicide attacks in Paris claimed by IS in which 130 people were killed. In October this year in Arras, northern France, a 57-yearold school teacher was stabbed to death and three others injured in another attack. PM welcomes BBC cuts amid reports licence fee rise will be curbed Aletha Adu Political correspondent Rishi Sunak has said cuts at the BBC are “welcome” and that it is appropriate for the corporation to make savings . It comes amid reports that ministers are planning further curbs on the licence fee that has been frozen for two years. Sunak made the comments en route to Dubai for a brief eight -hour visit to the Cop28 climate summit. His remarks came after the BBC confirmed plans on Wednesday to make £500m of savings, with Newsnight to become a 30- minute “interview, debate and discussion show”. Efficiencies and savings have been made at the broadcaster after the government last year froze its funding for two years, with the licence fee remaining at £159 until April 2024. After this, the licence fee was to rise in line with infl ation for four years before being abolished completely in 2027. But on Thursday, ministers could confi rm that the licence fee will rise by the September rate of consumer price infl ation, 6.7 %, instead of the higher 12-month average, the Sunday Times reported. Acknowledging that final decisions had not been made, the prime minister said “ the BBC should be realistic about what it can expect people to pay at a time like this ”, in regards to the licence fee. The shake-up will also include an extended hour-long edition of BBC News at One, which will be relocated to Salford, making it the only daily BBC national news bulletin to be broadcast outside London. BBC Breakfast, also broadcast from Salford, will be extended by 15 minutes. The corporation expects the changes to save £7.5m as part of its plan to cut spending by £500m. On his way to Dubai Sunak told reporters: “ The fi rst thing to say is I think it is welcome that the BBC are looking at making savings and effi - ciencies in how they operate. It’s really important that when things are diffi cult, everyone is doing what they can to ease the cost of living on families.” Newsnight staff past and present reacted with dismay and anger at the axing of half of the programme’s staff by the BBC , which will reduce its headcount from 57 to 23. The BBC has faced repeated deep real-terms spending cuts since the start of the Tory-Liberal Democrat coalition government in 2010, with the Conservatives forcing the broadcaster to pay for free licences for the over-75s – then blaming it when they took the benefi t away. Tim Davie , the BBC’s director general, said the settlement would leave a £285m gap in funding by 2027 .” Born in 1997 in the affl uent town of Neuilly-sur-Seine , west of Paris, his parents are of Iranian origin and the family was described by the prosecutor as having “no religious engagement”. He converted to Islam in 2015 at the age of 18 and quickly fell into “jihadist ideology, consulting videos and propaganda and making links to jihadists active in Iraq and Syria”, Ricard said. At the end of October this year, his mother had said she was concerned by his behaviour as he was “closed in on himself”. The attack took place at 9.30pm near the Bir -Hakeim bridge in an area popular with tourists . France is on its highest alert for attacks against the background of the war between Israel and Hamas. The prosector said the alleged attacker fi rst targeted three people of Filipino origin near the bridge, dealing hammer blows and stab wounds to a 23-year-old male GermanFilipino citizen. A passing taxi driver intervened but the suspect is said to have shouted “Allahu Akbar ” (“God is greatest”) and run across the bridge to the other side of the River Seine. As police gave chase, he shouted at offi cers, telling them he was wearing a belt of explosives. As he ran, pursued by police, he struck his other two victims on the head with a hammer . Both were treated in hospital. The suspect then hid in a square and police used a stun gun to stop him. Patrick Pelloux, an emergency 1 mile 1 km Paris Notre-Dame Eiffel Tower River Seine Sacré-Coeur Arc de Triomphe Gare du Nord Bir Hakeim bridge ▼ Forensic offi cers at the scene of the knife attack in Paris on Saturday night, in which one person was killed PHOTOGRAPH: YOAN VALAT/EPA ‘There’s a mixture of an ideology, an easily infl uenced person and psychiatry’ Aurélien Rousseau French health minister

• The Guardian Monday 4 December 2023 8 News Cop28 summit ‘No science’ behind the phase-out of fossil fuels, says Cop28 president on 21 November. As well as running Cop28 in Dubai, Al Jaber is the chief executive of the United Arab Emirates’ state oil company, Adnoc , which many observers see as a confl ict of interest. More than 100 countries already support a phase-out of fossil fuels . Whether the fi nal Cop28 agreement calls for this or uses weaker language such as “phase-down” is one of the most fi ercely fought issues at the summit and may be the key determinant of its success. Deep and rapid cuts are needed to bring fossil fuel emissions to zero and limit fastworsening climate impacts. Al Jaber spoke with Robinson at a She Changes Climate event. Robinson said: “We’re in an absolute crisis that is hurting women and children more than anyone … and it’s because we have not yet committed to phasing out fossil fuel. That is the one decision that Cop28 can take and in many ways, because you’re head of Adnoc, you could actually take it with more credibility.” Al Jaber said: “I accepted to come to this meeting to have a sober and mature conversation. I’m not in any way signing up to any discussion that is alarmist. There is no science out there, or no scenario out there, that says that the phase-out of fossil fuel is what’s going to achieve 1.5C.” Robinson challenged him further, saying: “I read that your company is investing in a lot more fossil fuel in the future.” Al Jaber responded: “You’re reading your own media, which is biased and wrong. I am telling you I am the man in charge.” Al Jaber then said: “Please help me, show me the roadmap for a phaseout of fossil fuel that will allow for sustainable socioeconomic development, unless you want to take the world back into caves. “I don’t think [you] will be able to help solve the climate problem by pointing fi ngers or contributing to the polarisation and the divide that is already happening in the world. Show me the solutions. Stop the pointing of fi ngers. Stop it .” Guterres told Cop28 delegates on Friday: “The science is clear: The 1.5C limit is only possible if we ultimately stop burning all fossil fuels. Not reduce, not abate. Phase out, with a clear timeframe.” Bill Hare, the chief executive of Climate Analytics , said: “This is an extraordinary, revealing, worrying and belligerent exchange. ‘Sending us back to caves’ is the oldest of fossil fuel industry tropes: it’s verging on climate denial. “Al Jaber is asking for a 1.5C roadmap – anyone who cares can fi nd that in the International Energy Agency’s latest net zero emissions scenario, which says there cannot be any new fossil fuel development. The science is absolutely clear [and] that absolutely means a phase-out by mid-century .” Sir David King , the chair of the Climate Crisis Advisory Group and a former UK chief scientifi c adviser , said: “It is incredibly concerning and surprising to hear the Cop28 president defend the use of fossil fuels. It is undeniable that to limit global warming to 1.5C we must all rapidly reduce carbon emissions and phase-out the use of fossil fuels by 2035 at the latest. The alternative is an unmanageable future for humanity.” Dr Friederike Otto of Imperial College London said: “The science of climate change has been clear for decades: we need to stop burning fossil fuels. A failure to phase out fossil fuels at Cop28 will put several million more vulnerable people in the fi ring line of climate change. This would be a terrible legacy for Cop28.” Otto rejected the claim that fossil fuels were necessary for development in poorer countries . She said the latest report from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change “shows that the UN’s sustainable development goals are not achievable by continuing the current fossildriven high -emission economies ”. A spokesperson for Cop28 said: “The IEA and IPCC 1.5C scenarios clearly state that fossil fuels will have to play a role in the future energy system, albeit a smaller one. The Cop president was quoting the science, and leading climate experts. “He has clearly said that the oil and gas industry must tackle scope 1 and 2 emissions [from their operations], must invest in clean energy and clean technologies to address scope 3 emissions [from burning fuels], and that all industry must align around keeping the north star of 1.5C within reach . “Once again, this is clearly part of a continued eff ort to undermine the Cop presidency’s tangible achievements and a misrepresentation of our position and successes to date.” The spokesperson said the presidency had put into operation the ▼ Indigenous representatives from Brazil attend the Cop28 summit in Dubai in traditional dress yesterday PHOTOGRAPH: THAIER AL SUDANI/REUTERS Continued from page 1 ▲ Sultan Al Jaber , the Cop28 head and CEO of the UAE oil fi rm Adnoc

Monday 4 December 2023 The Guardian • 9 loss and damage fund with more than $700m (£550m), launched a $30bn private market climate vehicle, and brought 51 oil companies to agree decarbonisation targets and 119 countries to sign a pledge to triple renewable energy. “This is just the beginning,” the spokesperson said. Al Jaber is also the head of Masdar , the UAE’s renewable energy company, but his appointment as Cop28 president has been controversial. Shortly before the summit, leaked documents showed the UAE had planned to use climate meetings with governments to promote oil and gas deals. Al Jaber denied having seen or used the documents. Adnoc has the largest net-zero-busting expansion plans for oil and gas, according to independent analysis. The issue of a phase-out or phasedown is complicated by the terms not having agreed defi nitions and by the highly uncertain role of technologies to “abate” emissions, such as carbon capture and storage. Otto said: “Keeping the Paris agreement targets alive will require a full fossil fuel phase-out, not a vague phase-down relying on unproven technologies .” More than 100 countries back a phase-out of unabated fossil fuels. The US – the world’s biggest oil and gas producer – also backs a phaseout. Others, such as Russia, Saudi Arabia and China, reject the call. Both options are on the table at Cop28, as well as proposals to mention only coal, or to say nothing at all about fossil fuels. Cop26 in Glasgow in 2021 agreed for the fi rst time to “phase down” coal use, but this had been watered down from “phase out” at the last minute, bringing the Cop26 president, Alok Sharma , to tears . In his conversation with Robinson, Al Jaber also said: “A phase-down and a phase-out of fossil fuel in my view is inevitable. That is essential. But we need to be real serious and pragmatic about it.” He said: “The world will continue to need energy sources. We [the UAE] are the only ones in the world today that have been decarbonising the oil and gas resources. We have the lowest carbon intensity.” This refers to the emissions from the energy used to extract fossil fuels, not the far larger emissions from burning the fuels. “There is no such thing as ‘low carbon’ or ‘lower carbon’ oil and gas,” said Otto. Numerous commentators have said that negative or embarrassing revelations about Al Jaber and Adnoc increase the pressure on him to deliver a strong Cop28 deal. The Guardian reported recently that state-run UAE oil and gas fi elds had been fl aring gas almost daily despite having committed 20 years ago to a policy of no routine fl aring. Flaring is the burning of extracted gas that is not captured and sold. Adnoc had been able to read emails to and from the Cop28 offi ce until the Guardian reported on the issue in June. The Guardian also reported that the UAE had failed to report its oil industry’s methane emissions . Harjeet Singh of Climate Action Network said: “Cop28 must deliver a decision on phasing out fossil fuels in a just and equitable manner, without any loopholes or escape routes for the industry to continue expanding and exacerbating the climate crisis.” Oliver Milman Dubai An agreement by countries to phase out fossil fuels would be “one of the most signifi cant events in the history of humanity”, according to Al Gore, amid wrangling by governments at Cop28. It would be a “welcome surprise” if world leaders agreed at the climate talks to call for an end to fossil fuels, but such a declaration would have “enormous impact” on the world, Gore told the Guardian at the gathering in the United Arab Emirates. “If there were a decision here to surprise the world to say: ‘OK, we get it now, we’ve made enough money, we will get on with what needs to be done to give young people a sense of hope again and stop as much suff ering as possible and start the phase-out of fossil fuels,’ it would be one of the most signifi cant events in the history of humanity,” the former US vice-president said. Gore, now a prominent campaigner for action on the climate crisis, welcomed the establishment of a loss and damage fund for developing countries, which are worst hit by heatwaves, droughts, fl oods and other disasters, but added that the amount of money committed to it by rich countries wa s a “pittance” and that the crucial element at the Dubai gathering would be an agreement to wind down fossil fuels. “There is only one measure of success for Cop28 : will it include a commitment to phase out fossil fuels or not ?” he said. “If it does include such a commitment it will be a smashing success; if it does not it will be a failure.” More than half the 200 countries represented at Cop28 have signalled they would support agreement language that mentions a phase-out of fossil fuels. However, the consensus format of these summits means countries must all assent to the text of an agreement, and it is understood Russia, China and Saudi Arabia are among those uncomfortable with a compact calling time on fossil fuels. Oil companies, many posting record profi ts, are planning large expansions in drilling, including Adnoc , the national oil company of the UAE, which is headed by Sultan Al Jaber, also the president of Cop28. Al Jaber has denied allegations that he is using the climate summit as a way to further oil and gas deals for Adnoc. Gore, however, said Adnoc is “one of the dirtiest companies, it’s one of the least responsible companies” and that the appointment of Al Jaber to head Cop28 has been damaging. “They made a mistake, let’s be honest, in angling to put a fossil fuel company CEO in charge of this Cop28,” he said. “I mean it’s absurd. It’s totally ridiculous.” Ruth Michaelson Cop28 organisers and the UN body that oversees the annual climate conference have failed to clarify whether activists in Dubai are safe to demonstrate outside the conference area, putting civil society at risk in a country where protest is normally prohibited. At least 80,000 people are registered to attend the conference , including thousands of activists and members of civil society, who normally hold protests around the conference area. Some protests have already taken place, including to call for a ceasefi re in Gaza, but the demonstrations have mostly been small and not disruptive. It has been reported that the UAE organisers have declined permission for some protests, including one singling out the airline Emirates as a polluter. The conference is taking place in Dubai’s Expo City , a sprawling conference centre built to host the World Exhibition two years ago, which houses a series of pavilions but little public space. Despite pressure on the UAE authorities and the UN framework convention on climate change (UNFCCC), which administers the conference, both have declined to clarify how they are handling dissent, particularly protests outside the venue, gatherings organised without express permission from the authorities, or political protests, particularly those addressing the war in Gaza. The US state department’s annual country report on the Emirates says : “ The law provides limited freedom of assembly, although in practice the government imposed signifi cant restrictions, including criminal penalties. Protests and demonstrations are prohibited.” Emirati law bans gatherings without prior authorisation by the government, while the US state department said authorities “generally permitted political gatherings that supported government policies ”, while imposing penalties including a potential life sentence for those Al Gore Agreement would be a ‘welcome surprise’ ‘People are right to worry’ Offi cials fail to clarify if activists are safe to protest leading gatherings that “[disturb] public security ”. Fines for breaking laws on public assembly have a minimum penalty equivalent to £107,280 and a maximum of £215,000. The Emirates’ restrictions on free expression, coupled with the risk of detention or fi nes, has led some activists and members of civil society to stay away from the conference . “You should not be in a situation where, at an international conference on the climate crisis, you need assurances around safety. It shows that it shouldn’t be held in that environment in the fi rst place,” said Mustafa Qadri , the founder and chief executive of the workers’ rights organisation Equidem , which has released several reports detailing labour violations among migrant workers in the Emirates, including those staffi ng the Expo 2020 conference centre. Qadri, along with members of his organisation based outside Dubai, said he did not feel it was safe for them to attend Cop28. In August the Emirati authorities released a joint statement with the UNFCCC focusing on what they termed an “inclusive” conference. “There will be space available for climate activists to assemble peacefully and make their voices heard,” they said . A Cop28 spokesperson told the Guardian that demonstrations would be permitted in the UN-administered blue zone at the conference and ▼Climate activists demonstrate in Dubai yesterday in support of Palestinians in the Gaza Strip PHOTOGRAPH: THAIER AL SUDANI/REUTERS ▲ Mustafa Qadri of Equidem said he did not feel safe to attend the summit within the “Voice for Action hub ” in the green zone, which is administered by the Emirati authorities. The hub requires anyone hoping to host an event there, including speeches, debates, workshops or demonstrations, to obtain permission from the conference organisers to protest by fi lling out an online form and detailing their plans. This includes selecting the theme of the potential demonstration from a list that reads: “Technology and innovation, inclusion, frontline communities, fi nance, other ”. “ Cop28 has developed specialised security protocols in line with international processes and our security teams have received advanced training to enable them to respond to issues eff ectively, effi ciently and with wider cultural contexts in mind,” said the spokesperson. “The UAE protects the right to protest in line with relevant international agreements.” Qadri said the majority of the security offi cials enforcing the ban on protest were likely to be migrant workers, who could face repercussions including losing their visas for failing to any crackdown on dissent. He said: “This is a society where trade unions and peaceful assembly are criminalised, so you can have the most sophisticated complaints systems but in a repressive environment that comes to very little. People are right to be worried about going there as delegates.” The Cop28 administration requires participants to sign a code of conduct on arrival, which includes a demand to “refrain from using UNFCCC venues for unauthorised demonstrations ”. Representatives for the conference declined to respond to other questions about protests, particularly whether demonstrating outside the designated areas in the blue and green zones was permitted, details of who administered the security training, what the training covered or what would happen to those who protested without prior permission. The UNFCCC did not respond to multiple requests for comment on the issue of protests, including questions about whether it had assessed the risk to participants’ safety if they chose to protest in Dubai. Joey Shea , an Emirates expert at Human Rights Watch , said: “We are deeply alarmed for the safety and security of Cop28 participants … due to the lack of clarity around what kinds of expression and protest will be allowed and where they will be permitted. “We are expecting that in the green zone, UAE national law will apply, but we are not sure what mitigating steps will be taken to protect participants expressing themselves in a way that’s normal for a conference about climate change. We are deeply concerned about the lack of clarity.” Shea said: “I think there is a risk that Cop28 will be very eff ective in whitewashing the Emirates’ reputation if some protests on less sensitive issues are allowed to go ahead, while they take a harder line against protests on issues like political prisoners, harms linked to the UAE’s own fossil fuel production or rights for migrant workers . Just because there’s an opening on some issues during Cop doesn’t mean there is rights-respecting tolerance in the UAE.”

• The Guardian Monday 4 December 2023 10 National Packham fi les for legal review of Sunak’s net zero retreat PA Media Chris Packham has fi led a high court legal challenge to the government over its decision to weaken key climate policies. The broadcaster and environmental campaigner has applied for a judicial review of the government’s decision to ditch the timetable for phasing out petrol and diesel powered cars and vans, gas boilers, off -grid fossil fuel domestic heating and setting minimum energy ratings for homes. A Department for Energy Security and Net Zero spokesperson said it reject ed Packham’s claims and would “robustly” defend the challenge. The measures and their schedule had been set out in the government’s carbon budget delivery plan, which was put before parliament in March this year. In September, Rishi Sunak said he would delay a ban on selling new diesel and petrol cars from 2030 to 2035 and that 20% of households would be exempt from a ban on new gas boiler s, among other changes, arguing that he did not want to burden ordinary people with the costs. Following the announcement, Packham wrote to Sunak, the energy secretary and the transport secretary to challenge the decision, arguing that the prime minister did not have the legal right to change the timeline of carbon budget pledges at will, since implementing the carbon budget delivery plan was governed by statute. Packham said he did not receive a satisfactory response and therefore fi led the judicial review application . The government had made clear that the decision was made without public consultation, without informing the climate change committee or parliament and without giving reasons for delay . The grounds for judicial review include obligations under the Climate Change Act, he said. The legal challenge cites the requirement to have plans in place to meet the budgets if the proposals and policies within them are altered. Packham argues that the secretaries of state have breached this obligation by not confi rming or outlining how they still intend to meet the latest budget. The legal challenge also alleges that there was a failure to consult on the changes, particularly a failure to take into account ongoing consultations about off -grid heating and minimum energy effi ciency in rental properties. Rowan Smith, a solicitor at Leigh Day, said: “If the government’s lawyers are correct, then the secretary of state would have carte blanche to rip up climate change policy at the drop of the hat, without any repercussions whatsoever. “That’s why this legal challenge is so important: if successful, it will mean that the secretary of state has to keep to their promises to have in place policies that will enable carbon budgets to be met.” The application follows a successful legal challenge by Friends of the Earth that the 2021 sixth carbon budget did not include suffi cient detail to demonstrate how the UK would reach net zero by 2050, as the Climate Change Act 2008 says it must. A spokesperson for the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero said: “ We have overdelivered on every carbon budget to date and these changes keep us on track to meet our legal net zero commitments. We routinely publish future emissions projections across all sectors and will continue to do so. “Recent independent climate change committee analysis shows our more pragmatic approach has no material diff erence on our progress to cut emissions. “Households will now have more time to make the transition saving some families thousands of pounds at a time when cost of living is high.” It’s time: Gatwa ‘ready’ after long wait to begin Doctor Who role Tom Ambrose The Doctor Who actor Ncuti Gatwa says he feels “ready but nervous” as he steps into his new role in the BBC sci-fi series. Having auditioned for the part in February 2022, Gatwa was unveiled to the world as the new Doctor by the showrunner Russell T Davies two months later. In an exclusive interview with the Big Issue magazine, the RwandanScottish actor said: “It’s felt like I’ve been the Doctor and also had to hold off from being the Doctor for most of the last two years. So how do I feel about people seeing it? I feel ready. But I’m so nervous.” The former Doctor Who stars David Tennant and Catherine Tate recently resumed their roles as the Doctor and Donna Noble for special episodes this year. Gatwa, who starred in the hit series Sex Education, said: “It feels like it’s come full circle – because David was my Doctor and such a great inspiration to me as an actor . I would have been 13 – a pivotal time … So for him, of all people, to be handing the baton over – it just feels really surreal.” Gatwa was born in Nyarugenge, Rwanda, and raised in Scotland . The idea that he might become an actor first came at 17 when his drama teacher complimented him . After training at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, he moved to London . Before landing his breakthrough role in Sex Education in 2018, he spent time homeless . “Being a 25-year-old man with no money or job aff ected my sense of self-worth,” he previously wrote in the Big Issue. “ Auditions weren’t just acting jobs, they were lifelines.” ▲ Ncuti Gatwa auditioned for the role of the Doctor in February 2022 ▲ Chris Packham alleges the prime minister exceeded his legal powers

Monday 4 December 2023 The Guardian ••• National 11 Josh Halliday North of England correspondent Parts of the UK are forecast to see further snow and ice that is expected to cause local travel disruption today. The Met Offi ce has issued a yellow weather warning of snow for north Wales, the West Midlands and northern England . A yellow weather warning for snow and ice is also in place for the central eastern half of Scotland until midday . The Met Offi ce said snow may lead to localised disruption with “some roads and railways likely to be aff ected, with longer journey times by road, bus and train services”. Rain is likely to fall as snow in relatively low-lying areas. The Met Offi ce said snow should later be confined to the higher parts of northern and central Wales and northern England, leading to “accumulations of 2-5cm on some roads above around 150m, and perhaps 10-15cm on roads above around 350m”. Yesterday about 7,000 homes and businesses were left without power after snowfall brought down trees and stranded hundreds of motorists in Cumbria. By the evening, Electricity North West said all but 1,500 had been reconnected. The power network operator said “access continues to be a major issue and even specialist 4x4 vehicles cannot reach all sites” with “equipment for repairs being carried on foot in some locations”. Drivers had to be rescued from their cars after up to 1 metre of snow fell in parts of the Lake District on Saturday, when the area was busy with day-trippers. Mike Margeson , a mountain rescuer with more than 40 years’ experience, said his teams worked with police and fi refi ghters to help pull people from their cars overnight. “It was a very unprecedented rate of snowfall . I don’t remember seeing that amount of depth of snow falling for a very long time,” he said. Hundreds of people took refuge in emergency overnight shelters including schools, village halls and council chambers after abandoning their vehicles in the blizzards. Karl Melville , the assistant director of highways for Cumberland council, said 2-3ft of snow fell in parts of the county. He said some of the council’s gritters were unable to move for three hours because people had abandoned their cars. “We were having to dig in front of the gritters before we could start ploughing the road. That’s how severe the snow was,” Melville said. Hannah Smith and her family, including her eight-year-old daughter and her friend, said they had to walk for four miles in heavy snow after abandoning their car while trying to return home to Kendal from Grasmere. A journey that normally would have taken about 30 minutes turned into a nine-hour expedition, she said. “We saw hundreds of cars all along the route, some abandoned, but many with people still stuck in their cars,” Smith said. “I was quite worried about how many vulnerable, elderly and young families had been in their cars for over eight hours and by this time it was very cold and dark.” Sally Parkyn , the clerk of Windermere and Bowness town council, said about 25 people and two dogs stayed overnight in its chambers, Langstone House , where one guest bedded down on the mayor’s ceremonial throne. Parkyn said: “We had very little to off er them : hot drinks, biscuits and a warm room. We got pillows for the four children. It was just really diffi - cult, but everybody did their best. “People complain about lack of preparedness, but we haven’t had this much snow in years and the gritters and ploughs were out constantly.” UK braced for more snow and ice as Met Offi ce issues weather warning ▼ Sledgers make the most of the snow in the Lake District town of Windermere. Left, icy conditions in Knaresborough, North Yorkshire  Visitors to the Lake District haul a suitcase through thick snow after abandoning their car on the A591 between Kendal and Windermere on Saturday PHOTOGRAPH: ANDREW MCCAREN/LNP PHOTOGRAPHS: ASADOUR GUZELIAN

Monday 4 December 2023 The Guardian • National 13 Catherine Shoard All of Us Strangers , Andrew Haigh ’s romance starring Andrew Scott as a screenwriter grappling with the death of his parents , has taken best picture, best director and best screenplay at the British Independent Film Awards. The fi lm had already taken four prizes at the craft division of the Bifas last month, for editing, cinematography, music supervision and screenplay; it added three more at the ceremony held at Old Billingsgate in London last night. Paul Mescal took best supporting actor for his performance as a younger man who begins a relationship with Scott’s character. The sweep boosts the awards momentum of a fi lm that is emerging as Haigh’s mainstream breakthrough, after plaudits for fi lms including Weekend ( 2011 ) and 45 Years (2015). Matthew Weaver Christopher Nolan, the fi lm director behind movies including Oppenheimer, Dunkirk and In terstellar, is to be awarded a BFI fellowship for “constantly pushing the limits” of cinema. In September, Oppenheimer, his three-hour epic about the development of the atomic bomb, became the largest -grossing biopic of all time . The 53-year-old has been hailed as a “blockbuster auteur” for more than a decade. Some of his more challenging works include Inception, which audiences needed to watch twice to understand, according to its star Leonardo DiCaprio and Memento , a thriller that is told backwards. In its citation for the fellowship, the BFI said Nolan was “constantly pushing the limits of what largescale film-making can be whilst retaining a reverence for the history of the medium and the primacy of cinema-going ”. He will be presented with the fellowship on 14 February next year . Molly Manning Walker ’s debut feature, How to Have Sex , won best lead performance for Mia McKennaBruce , who plays a 16-year-old navigating a wild and complicated summer holiday in Malia, while Shaun Thomas was – with Mescal – the joint winner of best supporting performance for his turn as an empathetic young man. . Anatomy of a Fall , Justine Trier ’s courtroom drama which took the Palme d’Or at Cannes in May, won best international feature, while Savanah Leaf , a former Olympic volleyball player, took best debut director for her drama about a pregnant single mother, Earth Mama . Nathan Stewart-Jarrett and George MacKay were presented with the best joint lead performance for Femme, about a drag queen and his attacker. The Bifas were founded 25 years ago to celebrate British productions not bankrolled by a major studio. Patron Ray Winstone began proceedings , while Lolly Adefope and Kiell Smith-Bynoe hosted, and stars including Fiona Shaw, Zawe Ashton , Asa Butterfi eld and Theo James presented awards. Jodie Comer presented Stephen Graham with the Richard Harris award for outstanding contribution to British fi lm. The special jury prize went to We Are Parable , a grassroots company promot ing audience interaction with Black cinema. Awards campaigning has gone into overdrive since the the actors’ strike ended . Stars are energetically promoting movies they hope may be in line for trophies in 2024. Key contenders in a strong year include, as well as All of Us Strangers, another fi lm by a British director: Jonathan Glazer’s The Zone of Interest, about the life of Rudolf and Hedwig Höss and their children outside the wall of Auschwitz, where he was camp commander. Martin Scorsese’s indigenous epic Killers of the Flower Moon is likely to fare well, as is The Holdovers, Alexander Payne ’s 1970-set comedy/drama reuniting him with Paul Giamatti . Celine Song ’s Past Lives, billed as a Brief Encounter for the new century, is tipped for considerable silverware . Two fi lms which premiered just before the strike began are also expected to figure: Barbie and Oppenheimer. Nominations for the Golden Globe s are announced on 11 December ahead of the ceremony on 7 January. Bafta nominations come on 18 January, with the ceremony a month later. The Oscars shortlist follows on 23 February, with the ceremony on 10 March . Haigh’s All of Us Strangers takes top prizes at Bifas Nolan to receive BFI accolade as fi lm trailblazer ▲ Andrew Scott and Paul Mescal in All of Us Strangers PHOTOGRAPH: ALAMY

••• The Guardian Monday 4 December 2023 14 News Israel-Hamas war Israeli ground forces operating ‘in all of Gaza’ as refugee camp targeted Dan Sabbagh Jerusalem Israel continued with its intense bombing campaign across the north and south of Gaza for a third day since the end of the truce with Hamas, killing hundreds of Palestinians in a 24-hour period, according to offi cials. Last night, the Israeli military also said it had expanded its ground operation to all of Gaza. “The IDF [Israel Defense Forces] continues to extend its ground operation against Hamas centres in all of the Gaza Strip,” spokesperson R Adm Daniel Hagari told reporters in Tel Aviv. “The forces are coming face-to-face with terrorists and killing them.” Earlier, the Jabaliya refugee camp in the north was hit, with initial reports saying tens of people had been killed and at least one residential block destroyed. About 300 people were reported to be sheltering in the vicinity of the latest strike, in the camp area that has minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, said he had directed the military to attack Gaza with “increasing force” and repeated that his country’s aim was to eliminate Hamas as a political and military organisation. Israel’s revised plan is expected to involve intensifi ed bombing of ▲ Children injured in Israeli airstrikes at Nasser Medical Hospital in Khan Yunis, southern Gaza, yesterday. Israel has stepped up its bombing as it believes Hamas’s leadership is based in the city PHOTOGRAPH: AHMAD HASABALLAH/GETTY ▼ The aftermath of an Israeli airstrike on a residential building in Tal al-Zaatar area, northern Gaza PHOTOGRAPH: FADI ALWHIDI/ANADOLU/GETTY Red Sea ships attacked Three commercial vessels were attacked in international waters in the Red Sea, the U S military said yesterday, as Yemen’s Houthi group claimed it carried out drone and missile strikes on two Israeli vessels in the area. US Central Command said in a statement: “We have every reason to believe that these attacks, while launched by the Houthis in Yemen, are fully enabled by Iran.” America said the USS Carney shot down three drones as it helped the commercial vessels. It was not clear if the warship was a target. It said the attacks were a threat to international commerce. The Houthis said their navy had attacked two Israeli ships, Unity Explorer and Number 9, with an armed drone and a naval missile. A spokesperson said the two ships were targeted after they rejected warnings, without elaborating. Israel has said it has no connection to the ships, which are fl agged in the Bahamas and Panama. The Houthi spokesperson said the attacks were in response to the demands of the Yemeni people and calls from Islamic nations to stand with the Palestinian people. Dan Sabbagh been targeted repeatedly by Israel over the past month, although it was not possible to verify exact numbers. Heavy bombing was also reported in the southern city of Khan Younis , increasingly the focus of Israeli attacks, while its military demanded further evacuation of civilians . Last night, there were reports of clashes between Hamas and Israeli troops a mile from the city. Ismael al-Thawabteh, the director general of the government media offi ce in Gaza, told Al Jazeera that more than 700 Palestinians had been killed in the 24-hour period to noon. The health ministry in Gaza said later that 15,523 Palestinians had been killed since the start of the war, including 316 dead and 664 wounded “in the past hours” . An estimated 1.8 million people are internally displaced according to UN’s OCHA humanitarian agency, and images showed Palestinians trying to leave parts of Khan Younis in line with Israeli demands to evacuate. On Saturday night, Israel’s prime

Monday 4 December 2023 The Guardian ••• 15 Dan Sabbagh Tel Aviv Dozens of people attended a noisy fringe protest on Saturday night outside the Israeli military’s headquarters in Tel Aviv . The group were demonstrating against the renewed bombardment on Gaza that they blame for the halt in the release of the estimated 130 hostages still held by Hamas. The protesters gathered after the regular weekly rally demanding the release of all hostages held by Hamas, and marched around the Israel Defense Force’s Kirya military base demanding an urgent meeting with the country’s war cabinet and pressing for a ceasefi re . Noam Shuster -Eliassi , a comedian who was part of the smaller protest, said the decision to continue the war , which restarted on Friday , was “putting these families [of hostages] in misery. What is their plan? Is it just continuing bombardment in Gaza?” Many of those participating, she said, were anti -war activists, trying to “do everything we can to stop this criminal government”, but she added that in the current situation “the minimum we can do is be with the hostage families”. Shuster-Eliassi argued that only political eff orts and diplomatic agreements could keep people alive . She said: “The only reason why some people here have oxygen and some energy in our bodies was because of the few days’ ceasefi re where we saw families reunite and we knew Aseel Mafarjeh Hundreds of thousands of Palestinians in the West Bank have lost their jobs or had their salaries frozen after the Israeli authorities cancelled their work permits and imposed severe restrictions on crossings after the 7 October attacks. About 24% of employment in the West Bank has been lost – equivalent to 208,000 jobs – as a result of the Israel-Hamas war, estimates by the International Labour Organization (ILO) suggest. According to the ILO, a further 160,000 workers from the West Bank have either lost their jobs in Israel and the settlements, at least temporarily, or are at risk of losing them “as a result of restrictions imposed on Palestinians’ access to the Israeli labour market and the closures of crossings from the West Bank into Israel and the settlements”. Additionally, about 182,000 Gaza that people in Gaza are not being bombarded .” It was the fi rst time the families of some of those who had been abducted had come together with other activists . Those speaking included Yael Adar , whose 38 -year - old son, Tamir, remains held by Hamas, although her 85 -year -old mother -in -law, Yaff a, was released more than a week ago. The follow-on protest ended abruptly when sirens warned of a rocket attack from Gaza aimed at the Tel Aviv area, forcing demonstrators to shelter under a bridge . Another anti-government protest took place at Caesarea, where Benjamin Netanyahu’s estate is located. Eran Litman , the father of Oriya, who was murdered at the Nova music festival , was among those calling for his resignation. Litman blam ed the Israeli prime minister for the failures that led to Hamas’s unexpected attack on 7 October that led to the deaths of 1,200 people in Israel. “The hands of the Israeli government, and its leader, are covered in blood,” he said, according to Haaretz. The resumption of hostilities on Friday morning abruptly cut off the prospect of further releases. A seven - day truce had allowed for the release of 81 Israeli women and children and 24 foreign nationals from Gaza, while 240 Palestinians were released from Israeli jails . Those publicly calling for an end to the war remain in a minority . Shuster-Eliassi said “It’s diffi cult being Israeli. It’s diffi cult to be Jewish. It’s diffi cult to be a leftist, it’s diffi cult to be a logical person with humanity and conscience at the moment.” Tel Aviv Protesters gather against bombardment West Bank Thousands out of work amid confl ict residents who work in Israel and the settlements had their employment terminated, the ILO estimates. Alaa Mousa from Ramallah in the West Bank had been saving for 12 years to build his family a house and was fi nally making it happen. During his daily journey through several checkpoints to his job in Israel , the father of two would dream of how the ground fl oor would look . Now, work on his house has halted. “I need to pay monthly instalments [amounting to ] $3,000 to complete this house. I made enough working in Israel, but now my debts are piling, my family is hungry and I have no clue when this is going to end,” said the 35-year-old builder. Hani Mousa , an assistant political science professor at Birzeit University in the West Bank, said this is part of “Israel’s collective punishment of Palestinians”. Mousa is among thousands of Palestinian s who held permits granting entry into Israel for work, generating about $3 bn a year, but which have been suspended since 8 October . Mousa said: “Going in and out of Israel has always been a risky ordeal, but the money earned made it worth it … Today, we’re left with nothing .” Israel has issued temporary permits for 8,000 workers from the West Bank to cross over, as its construction, agriculture and services sectors rely on the workers. Youssef Mefarjeh, a 26-year-old construction worker, became his family’s only breadwinner after the war began. He earns $900 a month, down from a household income of $7,000 a month before the war. “My father and brother had work permits in Israel, but this source of income is no longer there, and it became up to me to put food on the table,” he said. “Work in the West Bank is gravely dangerous, and doesn’t pay well compared with work in Israel . But I had no other option … until the owner of the workshop I work in said he can no longer aff ord our salaries, or even the raw material, and shut down ,” he said. Cogat, the Israeli body responsible for government policy in the occupied Palestinian territories , did not respond to a request for comment. This article was published in collaboration with Egab evacuated areas as a prelude to a ground operation in the south, in which is it expected to try to take Khan Younis, where it now believes Hamas’s leadership is based. Its military also wants to consolidate control in the north . The Israeli military released a map on Friday dividing Gaza up into hundreds of numbered small districts. It has begun to ask civilians to evacuate from specific areas before, it says, military operations start, dropping leaflets to warn people to evacuate and sending alerts via mobile phones. Israel has been sharply condemned by humanitarian organisations and some politicians for the piecemeal evacuation plan, which they say leaves Palestinians with fewer and fewer places to fl ee to, while Gaza’s infrastructure is at breaking point. Filippo Grandi , the UN high commissioner for refugees, told the BBC that Palestinians in Gaza were being “pushed more and more towards a narrow corner of what is already a very narrow territory” by Israel ’s renewed off ensive. UNRWA, the UN’s relief agency for Palestinian refugees, warned that Palestinians in Gaza were at risk of death from infectious diseases as sanitation comes under pressure. But yesterday, John Kirby, the US national security spokesperson, said the White House believed that Israel had “been receptive to our messages here of trying to minimalise civilian casualties” . Ron Dermer, Israel’s minister of strategic aff airs , insisted on US television network ABC that the eff orts of the country’s military to minimise civilian casualties were unprecedented. “If we wanted to do it fast,” he said, “we’d harm a lot more civilians.” Emmanuel Macron, the French president, speaking in Dubai, said he believed Israel risked unleashing a decade-long war. “What is the total destruction of Hamas, and does anyone think it’s possible? If it is, the war will last 10 years,” Macron said on Saturday. “I think we’re at a point where the Israeli authorities are going to have to defi ne their objective and desired end state more precisely.” Israel’s military announced it had found “800 tunnel shafts” in Gaza since the start of ground operations and had destroyed 500 of them . The I DF said many of the tunnels were located “near or inside civilian buildings and structures, such as schools, kindergartens, mosques and playgrounds” and that in some cases weapons were stored in the shafts. 24% Proportion of employment in the West Bank that has been lost since 7 October, or about 208,000 jobs 182,000 Number of Gaza residents working in Israel who have lost their jobs, according to the ILO’s estimates Gaza diary Letter to Santa: Don’t bring dolls and bicycles, bring blankets instead Ziad , a 35-year-old Palestinian, recounts another day in Gaza Friday 1 December 4pm Dear Santa, Every year around the fi rst days of December, we put our Christmas tree in its spot and decorate it. Our cats love staying under the tree and playing with the ornaments. The tree stays until mid-January, to “keep the Christmas joy and spirit, and to feel happy every year”, my sister says. I am Muslim. Muslims in Gaza love Christmas. Christians and Muslims gather every year to light up a huge Christmas tree in the YMCA centre . I am not sure you received the updated lists of Gaza children, but this year, many children in Gaza are dead. No, Santa, they were not naughty. The children’s only fault was where they were born : in Gaza, facing death, every single minute. I read once that “the soul is healed by being with children ”. Not our children, Santa. Our souls are aching because of being with them. Yesterday, over the phone with my friend who is a mother of two adorable children, she told me that I am lucky not to have any. “My kids are sad all the time, they are cold and they are scared. My son told me he wishes to eat his favourite chocolate one more time before he dies. ” This year, if you come to Gaza, and please do, don’t bring dolls and bicycles . Instead, bring some  blankets, because children in Gaza are cold ; bring some food and fl our, because they are hungry. Can you bring insulin for the woman with a diabetic son ? Can you bring milk for our friend’s two-year-old daughter? Can you bottle safety and hope and bring them to our children? And if any is left, to the adults, too? Days ago, I was with the son of the neighbour of the host family we evacuated to . We heard about a man who sells wood, so we walked for more than an hour to reach him. On our way, it started raining heavily. I looked at the boy and told him that I believed in the power of prayer, especially during rain. I asked him to pray for something. Santa, he did not pray for the game he had spoken about for almost an hour , nor for clothes. He pray ed this whole nightmare would be over, and that he and his siblings would be safe. I wonder, by 25 December , will this be over? Will I be alive, will I gather with my friends, exchange gifts and together, sing  Jingle Bells ? Sending you love, from Gaza. ▼ Former hostage, Irena Tati, holds a picture of her grandson during a demonstration in Tel Aviv PHOTOGRAPH: AHMAD GHARABLI/AFP Gaza River Gaza Strip Israel Egypt Khan Younis Rafah Mediterranean Sea Gaza City Salah al-Din Road Reported Israeli ground operations and claimed furthest advance 5 miles 5 km Source: ISW with AEI’s Critical Threats Project. 2 Dec Jabaliya refugee camp

• The Guardian Monday 4 December 2023 16 National Advertising regulator in call for clarity on ‘biodegradable’ claims Fraudsters at end of the vine as AI traces wine to its origins Patrick Greenfi eld Plastic bottles, takeaway cups and food packaging that could take an unlimited amount of time to break down are being advertised as “biodegradable”, with the advertising Ian Sample Science editor Fraudsters who pass off ropey plonk as a high-end tipple may soon have artifi cial intelligence on their case: scientists have trained an algorithm to trace wines to their origins based on routine chemical analyses. Researchers used machine learning to distinguish wines based on subtle diff erences in the concentrations of compounds, allowing them to track wines back not only to a particular vine-growing region but to the estate where the wine was made. “There’s a lot of wine fraud around with people making up some crap in their garage, printing off labels and selling it for thousands of dollars,” said Prof Alexandre Pouget at the University of Geneva in Switzerland. “We show for the fi rst time that we have enough sensitivity with our chemical techniques to tell the diff erence.” To train the program, the scientists turned to gas chromatography , which had been used to analyse 80 wines harvested over 12 years from seven diff erent estates in the Bordeaux region of France. Rather than trying to fi nd individual compounds that distinguish one wine from another, misunderstandings around common terms such as “biodegradable”, “compostable” and “recyclable”, leaving participants angry when they discovered what they meant. According to the ASA, households in the UK hope to play their part in preventing the destruction of nature by putting rubbish into correct bins or buying products with green packaging. However, some participants believed the labelling meant that packaging would disappear entirely or decompose. Some of those the algorithm draws on all of the chemicals detected in the wine to work out a signature for each. The program displays its results on a twodimensional grid, where wines with similar signatures group together. “It’s the overall pattern of concentrations of many, many molecules that distinguishes a chateau . Each is a symphony: there isn’t a single note that distinguishes them, it’s the whole melody ,” Pouget said. The plots revealed a lot more . The positions of the clusters mirrored the locations of estates on the ground, with wines from three chateaux north of the Dordogne River clearly separated from four chateaux west of the Garonne River. “When we do these projections from the chromatograms we recover the map of Bordeaux,” said Pouget. A host of factors, from grapes and soil to microclimate and the winemaking process, infl uence the concentrations of compounds in the wines . While the program traced wines back to the chateaux with 99% accuracy, it struggled on vintages, reaching 50% accuracy at best. The research, due to appear in Communications Chemistry , suggests machine learning could aid fraud investigations by confi rming whether the wine matches its label. While fraud detection is the most obvious application , Pouget said the approach could be used to monitor quality throughout the wine making process and to ensure it is well blended. “We could use this to fi gure out how to blend wines to optimise quality,” he said. “Wine blending is the key step in making great bordeaux and champagne. So far, this is done by a few wine makers who are paid a fortune for their skills. Having tools like this would make it a lot cheaper to make great blends, which would benefi t everybody.” surveyed were surprised to learn that “biodegradable” packaging ha d an unlimited timeframe to break down and could produce toxins. Many “compostable” products need to be taken to a waste centre and will not break down in a household compost bin, although many of those surveyed believed the products could be composted at home. Miles Lockwood , director of complaints and investigations at the ASA, said the regulator would be cracking down on the use of the terms as part of its action on greenwashing. “Consumers were telling us that they were proud of what they were doing on the environment . When we began to explain the diff erences between recycling in the home or recycling in a centre, it created a sense of disappointment ,” said Lockwood. “With the issue of biodegrad ability, there is no defi nition of what makes something biodegradable. It can take years and sometimes degrade into microplastics – that created a real sense of disappointment and anger. Businesses need to work a lot harder to explain the diff erence .” ▲ The machine-learning program was able to discern diff erences between chateaux in the vine-growing region of Bordeaux PHOTOGRAPH: HEMIS/ALAMY regulator calling for more clarity on such claims from businesses. British consumers believe they are making green choices while disposing of waste when they are often not, according to a new report . The study, from the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA), based on interviews with consumers, found widespread

Monday 4 December 2023 The Guardian • National 17 ▲ Thomas Ryan and Clare Miller outside the care home they have accused of ‘organisational abuse’ Care home accused of waking residents with loud music to save cash Robert Booth Social aff airs correspondent Care workers at a private care home forced dementia suff erers out of bed as early as 5am and woke them by blasting loud radio music to save money, whistleblowers have alleged. The management of Iceni House care home in Swaffh am, Norfolk, received repeated complaints about the practice this summer, as concerned staff said residents were being treated as if they were “on a farm” in order to reduce the workload on daycare staff . One alleged incident was reported in October after it was claimed screaming was heard before two agency care workers were found forcing a woman with dementia out of bed before 6am. Thomas Ryan, a whistleblower who managed the Norfolk care home at night, said he had run to the scene to fi nd “the lady was screaming, lashing out”. He also alleged that day staff would turn up Alexa speakers in the corridors to play Kiss FM outside residents’ rooms at 6.45am to wake them ; that prescriptions for medicines such as anti-psychotics and antibiotics had on occasion not been collected for two weeks; and that incontinence pads were locked in a cupboard at night, leaving residents unclean. The care home is one of several owned by Syed Anjum Hussain , a 48-year old businessman based in Hertfordshire. It is one of about 1,500 residential care homes in England rated as “requires improvement” by the Care Quality Commission (CQC) regulator. Iceni said it was unable to comment on the claims but safeguarding allegations were routinely shared with the CQC and the local authority. Ryan, who ran night shifts at Iceni, and his fellow whistleblower Clare Miller, a senior care assistant, have worked in social care for more than four decades combined. They said care home in Surrey was exposed by the Guardian last year. “The attitude regarding getting people up in the morning is disgusting,” Ryan told the care home operator by email in August. “It is not a farm. We will not force people out of bed … It is the residents’ choice not the staff ’s. This is abuse and the home is allowing it to happen, despite me telling you.” The care home operator welcomed his feedback and said people should not be “got up for the convenience of the team”. Ryan and Miller said problems had persisted and they had quit. They told the Guardian that staff were often not washing people when they changed their pads, leaving them soiled. Pads had been locked away. The care home manager told Ryan this was because “the night team had borrowed excessively”. Ryan said: “They had the money to fi x the problem . It has to change. ” Norfolk county council said it was seeking assurances from the care operator about care and support. It said the home had been responsive and had referred itself to the local authority safeguarding teams. Peter Dean , a registered manager of Iceni House, said: “All complaints and allegations are thoroughly investigated … Safeguarding allegations are routinely shared with CQC and the local authority in a transparent manner . ” the alleged mistreatment of residents could have been avoided if the operator had paid for more staff . This would have allowed staff to get residents up only when residents chose to. “I hate the fact that families have to hear this, but they need to because this is going on behind their backs,” said Miller, who described it as “organisational abuse”. More than 150,000 posts are vacant in social care in England and government plans that emerged last week to restrict migrant workers risk worsening the problem, sector leaders fear. Miller is the daughter of Ann King, whose abuse in the Reigate Grange ‘I hate the fact that families have to hear this, but they need to because this is going on behind their backs’ Clare Miller Whistleblower PHOTOGRAPH: SI BARBER/THE GUARDIAN

• The Guardian Monday 4 December 2023 18 National NHS inaction on transplant inequality is causing patient deaths, say MPs ‘I’m optimistic’ Patient hopes for stem cell match Tobi Thomas Health and inequalities correspondent During a trip to the US in 2016, John O’Connor’s face became swollen . He  initially thought he had been bitten . “The side of my neck where the lymph nodes are was basically like a golf ball,” he said. When he return ed to the UK, the condition of his skin began to deteriorate, leading O’Connor to be misdiagnosed as having eczema and psoriasis. It was only after seven years of sustained eff orts to try to fi nd out what was happening, suspecting it was leukaemia, that he and his wife were able to fi nd some answers. “We were really pushing for the [leukaemia diagnosis],” said O’Connor, 53. “Literally every month, every day, we were going to hospital because the skin condition was really bad. And they just kept fobbing us off saying it was eczema and psoriasis.” In May 2022, O’Connor was diagnosed with S ézary syndrome , a type of blood cancer. It came as a relief. “I know it sounds bad but it felt like closure,” O’Connor said. “When we were at the hospital and I got diagnosed, it felt like closure, because now we knew what it is. I thought, yes, it’s stage 4 cancer but now we can do something about it.” The only treatment that fully aff ected by conditions such as sickle cell and kidney disease , and are less likely to fi nd the right blood, stem cell or organ match on donor registers. Matching tissue type is vital to successful treatment, and compatible donors who are not relations are more likely to be found among donors from a similar ethnic background. The all-party parliamentary group (APPG) for ethnicity transplantation and transfusion’s inquiry report says just 0.1% of blood donors, 0.5% of stem cell donors and less than 5% of organ donors are of minority ethnic or eliminates Sézary syndrome is a stem cell transplant. O’Connor did not think fi nding a match would be a big barrier as he has an identical twin willing to be a donor. But because their cells were too genetically similar, he was told his twin was unsuitable . Stem cell transplants are critical in treating blood cancers. Unrelated donor matches are more likely to be found in donors from the same ethnic background. According to the blood cancer charity Anthony Nolan , people in the UK from a minority ethnic background have only a 37% chance of fi nding a well-matched unrelated donor, compared with white people’s 72% chance . This is partly due to a lack of donors . According to the Swab the World foundation , white people make up 12% of the world’s population but 70% of registered stem cell donors. In June, O’Connor was told by a consultant that after the fi rst unsuccessful search for a match , they would not look again for two years as it was unlikely anyone suitable would join the register. He was told he had three months to live. Since then O’Connor has had no contact from the consultant. “We were annoyed and upset,” O’Connor said. “He told us basically to go away. ” O’Connor now helps to organise stem cell donor drives in Wolverhampton . “I’m optimistic,” he said. “I have my good days and bad days .” mixed background. As a result, white people are nearly twice as likely to fi nd a stem cell donor and 20% more likely to fi nd a kidney donor. Sarah Olney, the Liberal Democrat chair of the group, said more than “a decade of inaction”, with services and communication focus ed “ predominantly” on a white audience, was unacceptable. “With one in fi ve of the UK population now  mixed heritage and ethnic minority, rising to one in three of school-age children, this has to change,” she said. The report calls on the government to appoint a minister for transplant and transfusion inequalities and an equality tsar to “galvanise action”. It also proposes a ministerial review of all organisations involved in patients’ transplant and transfusion journeys. An NHS Blood and Transplant spokesperson said: “Recruiting black heritage blood donors is the focus of our campaigns, partnerships and community work. We’re pleased more people than ever before of black African and black Caribbean heritage are regularly donating.” ▲ John O’Connor, who has leukaemia, has been told he has a lower chance of fi nding a match because of his ethnicity PHOTOGRAPH: FABIO DE PAOLA/THE GUARDIAN Anna Bawden Tobi Thomas NHS “inaction” for more than a decade is causing unnecessary deaths of black, Asian and minority ethnic transplant patients, a report by MPs has concluded. An inquiry into organ donation in the UK found that minority ethnic and mixed heritage people face a “double whammy of inequity”: they are more likely to need donors, because they are disproportionately

Monday 4 December 2023 The Guardian • National 19 Thousands of under-18s caught watching child abuse material NHS chief criticised over email telling staff to report safety fears Harriet Grant Thousands of young people are being caught each year sharing or watching indecent images of children – including child abuse material – a ccording to fi gures seen by the Guardian. While Matthew Weaver The boss of a hospital being investigated for alleged negligence over 40 patient deaths has been accused of sending a hypocritical email urging staff to have the courage to raise concerns despite previous whistleblowing doctors being dismissed. The Guardian last week revealed University Hospitals Sussex is under pressure to suspend surgeons whose cases are being reviewed by a Sussex police investigatio n into more than 100 patients who died or were seriously harmed between 2015 and 2021. Operation Bramber was sparked by two consultants who lost their jobs after raising concerns about deaths and patient harm in the general surgery and neurosurgery departments of Brighton’s Royal County hospital . In an email to staff on Friday, chief executive George Findlay said the trust was committed to learning from mistakes. He said: “When things do go wrong we must be open, learn, and improve together. That openness is how we give people courage to raise concerns and make a positive diff erence to patient care.” Earlier this year, the trust was facing 14 employment tribunals . James Akinwunm i , a consultant neurosurgeon who was unfairly dismissed by the trust in 2014 after he raised the alarm about patient safety, said Findlay’s email was “laughable.” He said: “Whistleblowers including myself have done exactly what he is encouraging in the email and they were sacked for it, so you can draw your own conclusions. “I suspect what they are doing is damage limitation . Instead they should be dealing with surgeons who have been a problem for years.” A more recent whistleblower, who did not want to be named, expressed incredulity at Findlay’s claim that he said Garner. He added that children were be ing “desensitised” by early exposure , with an “increasing interest in shocking material after being exposed to violent pornography”. The Guardian sent freedom of information requests to the 43 police forces across England and Wales. wanted to encourage staff to raise concerns. They said: “The email is hypocritical. Those brave enough to blow the whistle about patient safety have been sanctioned, lost their jobs and had their lives destroyed.” Akinwu nmi expressed concerns about the death of a 61-year-old man who died of a brain haemorrhage in 2012 after surgeons delayed treating him for an aneurysm. Th at case falls outside Operation Bramber’s timeframe but, in an email to the force, he said the cases under investigation were the result of “issues multiplying” after the trust’s failure to act on his concerns. In a BBC Newsnight programme last week report ing the concerns of four whistleblowers at the trust , Akinwu nmi read out a letter he sent the trust previous chief executive, Marianne Griffi ths, urging her to tackle “the charges of serious misconduct”. These included “covering up the death of a patient, the creation of an unsafe environment for patients, fraudulent behaviour, bearing false witness in court [and] attempting to mislead a tribunal amongst others ”. Simon Chilcott, who is waiting to fi nd out if the death of his 23-year-old son Lewis in 2021 is to be included in the investigation , was also dismissive of Findlay’s email. He said: “We raised issues … when Lewis was alive. The problem is when you raise a concern they become defensive.” Lewis died after an alleged error in a tracheostomy led to infection and a haemorrhage. The hospital eventually agreed to conduct a serious incident report into his death, which required six revisions after factual errors were identifi ed by the family. In his email , which was prompted by media coverage, Findlay acknowledged that “not everyone feels that our culture supports” staff to raise concerns. A trust spokesperson said: “Supporting staff to give patients safe and eff ective care is always the primary concern of the trust. Our chief executive offi cer, within a year of his appointment in 2022, brought in an independent Speaking Up Guardian service for colleagues to contact, anonymously if they wish, to raise issues and prompt improvements.” More than 6,000 children and teenagers were identifi ed in 2022 across the 21 forces that responded in full . A total of 3,591 children were identifi ed as watching or sharing online child abuse images between January and October this year. In Cambridgeshire, the number of under-18 s watching or sharing child abuse rose from 78 out of 130 off enders in 2018 to 329 out of 417 in 2023. O ffi cers said most visits to children and teenagers were treated as safeguarding with an emphasis on support, not criminalisation. “The violent and degrading nature of what they see confuses young people about what is appropriate,” said Rachel Haynes of child protection charity the Lucy Faithfull Foundation . “We hear a lot about bulk fi le downloads. Young people may be looking for sexual images of teens their own age, but with that will come images of much younger children being raped.” Police forces and charities called for the swift implementation of the  online safety bill , which includes age-verifi cation measures to protect children from pornography. some cases involved sexting ( consensual sharing of sexual images) between teens, others were found watching “the most abhorrent material”, said DCI Tony Garner , who leads an online child sexual exploitation team based in Worcester. “It’s scary. As a country, as a society, it feels completely out of control ,” 6,000 Number of under-18s who were found to have watched or shared indecent images of children in 2022 ▲ Lewis Chilcott died during surgery after an alleged hospital error

• The Guardian Monday 4 December 2023 20 National The words of Kwame Owus u dance on the tongue of Tienne Simon as Malachi in Dreaming and Drowning at the Bush theatre PHOTOGRAPH: TRISTRAM KENTON/ THE GUARDIAN Theatre review A lyrical look at a gay man’s struggle to fi t in Kate Wyver I nner demons manifest as physical ones in this intimate coming-of-age monologue written and directed by Kwame Owusu . Tienne Simon is Malachi , who has his head in books, his heart looking for the right man. Humour and fear ride in tandem as he grapples with betrayal, anxiety and the business of making new friends at university. Simon’s loose-limbed performance also encompasses the characters Malachi spends his uni days avoiding: intrusive new friends, a racist rich boy in his seminar group. But then there’s Kojo, the almost too good to be true second-year student whom Malachi deepens his voice for, and immediately melts upon meeting. When he talks about Kojo, his whole body seems to shine with pleasure, Owusu’s lyrical language dancing on his tongue. This is one of the play’s great strengths, spotlighting the visceral delights of fi nding the people you fi t with. When Malach i meets Kojo’s friends from the Black Queer society, it’s as if he lets out a breath he’s been holding the whole time. Dreaming and Drowning Bush theatre, London ★★★★ ☆ But creeping into his openhearted eff orts are Malach i’s oceanic nightmares. Blue shadows tower over him as he throws himself against the wall (with movement directed by Ingrid Mackinnon ). His words become fragmented in dream sequences. His anxiety becomes physical. Cracks appear in his surroundings. The sci-fi from the books he loves climbs out of their pages and intrudes violently in his life. Tomás Palmer ’s carpeted set becomes a lopsided climbing frame as he tries to escape his thoughts, Simon’s performance impressively athletic. The fantastical elements of the story come to a head in a way that feels rushed, but the tension and dread beforehand are fi nely laced. A monologue is an opportunity for a writer and an actor to show their control of a single story, and both Owusu’s script and Simon’s performance make it look easy. Until 5 January PA Media A learner driver has passed their theory test after failing 59 times . The individual spent £1,380 and 60 hours on the process at a test centre in Redditch, Worcestershire – more than anyone else in Britain . The gradual learning curve was revealed in data obtained by AA Driving school, which also revealed several other learners required dozens of attempts to pass. They include someone who failed 57 times before passing in Hull ; a person who clocked up 55 unsuccessful tests in Guildford, Surrey, and another who fell short of the required standard 53 times in Royal Tunbridge Wells, Kent. The fi gures from the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency relate to learner drivers who passed during the fi rst half of 2023. Department for Transport fi gures show the pass rate for theory tests has fallen from 65% in the 2007 -08 fi nancial year to 44% in 2022 -23. Approach pass slowly: driver aces 60th test

Monday 4 December 2023 The Guardian • Chile 21 Victor Jara murder suspect extradited Page 24 Wakanda … ever? Tumbleweed at site of Akon City Page 27 The town of Avdiivka , on the frontline of Ukraine’s confl ict with Russia since 2014, is largely in ruins PHOTOGRAPH: RL/SERHII NUZHNENKO/REUTERS Ukraine investigating ‘execution’ of surrendering troops by Russian forces Luke Harding Lviv Ukraine is investigating the “execution” by Russian forces of two Ukrainian soldiers who emerged from their trench near the town of Avdiivka and were shot dead as they surrendered. The public prosecutor’s offi ce said it had launched an inquiry into the incident. Video showed the Ukrainian soldiers’ last moments. One raised his arms in the air. Next, Russian service personnel gunned both men down at point-blank range. The footage was fi lmed near the village of Stepove , close to Av diivka, in the Donetsk region of eastern Ukraine , where intense fi ghting is taking place. “This is another crime committed by Russian terrorists. Violation of the rules of war. The killing of unarmed soldiers,” the speaker of Ukraine’s parliament, Ruslan Stefanchuk, tweeted. He added: “Russia has once again proved that it is a terrorist country for which there are no laws and norms of international law.” The dead soldiers served in Ukraine’s 45th Separate Motori sed Rifl e Brigade , the Deep State channel said on Telegram . They abandoned their frontline dugout only after running out of ammunition. One unconfi rmed report said the Russians were themselves killed soon afterwards. Pro-Kremlin military bloggers shrugged off the shooting. “In war, unfortunately, such events happen. Only a small part gets into the frame,” one commentator who posts under the name Rybar commented , adding that the “speed of decision-making in the heat of battle” was “a matter of life and death”. Russia’s military command began a major off ensive against Avdiivka in October, and has been trying for nearly two months to encircle the town. Its forces have had some success, capturing an industrial zone in the south and moving forward in Stepove and other villages to the north. But there has so far been no breakthrough, despite huge losses of infantry and armoured vehicles. The town, just outside Russian-occupied Donetsk, has been on the frontline since 2014. It is now largely in ruins. Ukraine maintains control over a crucial access road. Yesterday, Avdiivka’s military administration mayor, Vitaliy Barabash , said Ukrainian troops were holding fi rm. “Over the past 24 hours, the number of [ground] attacks has decreased,” he said, adding that the Russian advance appeared to be “running out of steam”. He said this was down to several factors including large losses of Russian manpower and snowy conditions. “There are fewer and fewer [Russian] people willing to go on assaults voluntarily, and there are more and more refuseniks .” Ukraine’s military spokesperson Oleksandr Shtupun confi rmed that the number of Russian attacks on Avdiivka had halved over the past 24 hours. Ukraine still controlled a coking plant, used as a vast defensive hub. “Enemy forces are trying to make their way inside, but are suff ering losses in infantry and equipment,” he said. Before last year’s all-out invasion, Avdiivka was home to about 25,000 people. About 1,500 still live there, despite daily Russian air and artillery strikes, and damage to practically all residential buildings. The town’s schools, medical facilities and three supermarkets have been hit. Barabash said Avdiivka was “starting to look like” Maryinka, a nearby settlement to the south -west, where fighting has raged for months. “Maryinka basically no longer exists. It has been razed to its foundations,” the mayor said, speaking to Ukrainian TV. On Friday, state media in Moscow reported that the Russian army had fi nally conquered Maryinka, raising the fl ag of the Soviet Union above a symbolic wrecked building. Ukrainian offi cials said claims of its capture by Russian troops were untrue. “We acknowledge that there was an advance there of the Russian military,” Oleh Zhdanov , a Ukrainian military analyst, said in an online presentation. “But the south-western and north-western parts of the town are under the control of Ukrainian forces.” Russia’s defence ministry made no mention of Maryinka. The Kremlin is trying to advance across the entire eastern Donbas region. As well as its attempt to cut the Avdiivka salient, a bulge in the Ukrainian contact line, it is seeking to improve its position around Bakhmut, f arther north, which the Russian army occupied in May . It is also trying to get back the town of Kupiansk , lost last year in a Ukrainian counter off ensive. There are concerns over European support for Ukraine as the war drags on. In an interview with German TV, the Nato secretary general, Jens Stoltenberg , warned that “a critical situation” ha d developed in Ukraine and that it could get worse “due to insuffi cient western assistance”. He acknowledged Kyiv’s southern counter off ensive this year had not worked out but pointed to its success in winning back control over large parts of the Black Sea. Stoltenberg added that increasing ammunition production in Natomember countries was essential in order for Ukraine to defeat Russia. “We need to prepare for bad news. Confl icts develop in stages. We must support Ukraine in both bad and good times,” he said . “The more we support Ukraine, the sooner this war will end. We must understand that the victory of President [Vladimir] Putin will become a tragedy for Ukraine but it will be dangerous for us, as well.” Russia’s attritional tactics appear largely unchanged. Long-range drone attacks on Ukrainian cities are a daily occurrence. Ukraine said it intercepted 10 out of 12 Shahed drones launched on Saturday night by Moscow. Most were downed above the southern Mykolaiv province, Ukraine’s air force said.  Ukrainian soldiers near Avdiivka in the Donetsk region of eastern Ukraine, where Russia began an off ensive in October PHOTOGRAPH: ANADOLU/GETTY

• The Guardian Monday 4 December 2023 22 Eyewitness

Monday 4 December 2023 The Guardian • ▼ Dakar, Senegal 23 A mother and daughter walk along Hann Bay, once a tourist beach lined with fi shing villages, now despoiled by industry. Plastic and materials cover the sand and raw sewage and chemicals spill into the sea. People suff er skin diseases, gastroenteritis and respiratory problems PHOTOGRAPH: JOHN WESSELS/AFP/GETTY

• The Guardian Monday 4 December 2023 24 World 500 miles 500 km Caracas Colombia Guyana Venezuela Brazil Georgetown Essequibo region Venezuela votes on future of disputed region in Guyana Associated Press Caracas Venezuelans are voting in a referendum to supposedly decide the future of a large swath of neighbouring Guyana of which their government claims ownership , arguing the territory was stolen when a north-south border was drawn more than a century ago. Guyana considers the referendum a step toward annexation and the poll has its residents on edge. It asks Venezuelans whether they support establishing a state in the disputed territory known as Essequibo , granting citizenship to current and future area residents, and rejecting the jurisdiction of the United Nations’ court in settling the disagreement between the two countries. The international court of justice ordered Venezuela on Friday not to take any action that would alter Guyana’s control over Essequibo, but the judges did not ban offi cials from carrying out yesterday’s referendum. Guyana had asked the court to order Venezuela to halt parts of the vote. The legal and practical implications of the referendum remain unclear. But in comments explaining Friday’s verdict, the president of the international court , Joan E Donoghue , said statement s from Venezuela’s government suggested it “is taking steps with a view toward acquiring control over and administering the territory in dispute”. “Furthermore, Venezuelan military officials announced that Venezuela is taking concrete measures to build an airstrip to serve as a ‘logistical support point for the integral development of the Essequibo’, ” she added. The 61,600 sq mile territory accounts for two-thirds of Guyana and also borders Brazil, whose defence ministry said earlier this week that it had “intensified its defen ce actions” and boosted its military presence in the region as a result of the dispute. Essequibo is larger than Greece and rich in minerals. It also gives access to an area of the Atlantic where oil was discovered in 2015 in commercial quantities , drawing the attention of the government of the Venezuelan president, Nicolás Maduro . Venezuela’s government promoted the referendum for weeks, framing participation as an act of patriotism, and often confl ating it with a show of support for Maduro. His government held a mock referendum last month, but it did not release participation fi gures or results. Venezuela has always considered Essequibo as its own because the region was within its boundaries during the Spanish colonial period, and it has long disputed the border decided by international arbitrators in 1899, when Guyana was still a British colony. That boundary was decided by arbitrators from Britain, Russia and the US. The US represented Venezuela on the panel in part because the Venezuelan government had broken off diplomatic relations with Britain. Venezuelan offi cials contend the Americans and Europeans conspired to cheat their country out of the land and argue that a 1966 agreement to resolve the dispute eff ectively nullifi ed the original arbitration. Guyana maintains the initial accord is legal and binding and asked the international court of justice in 2018 to rule as such, but a decision is years away. Voters will have to answer whether they “agree to reject by all means, in accordance with the law ” the 1899 boundary and whether they support the 1966 agreement “as the only valid legal instrument” to reach a solution. Maduro and his allies are urging voters to answer “yes” to all fi ve questions on the referendum. John Bartlett Santiago One of the most emblematic human rights cases of Gen Augusto Pinochet’s bloody dictatorship is inching towards a conclusion, with the extradition from the US of a former soldier charged with the kidnap ping and murder of folk singer Víctor Jara . Late on Friday afternoon, a plane from Miami landed in Santiago with Pedro Barrientos aboard . “We want to draw a line under this case – and quickly,” said human rights lawyer Nelson Caucoto , who has represented the Jara family since 1998. Activists warned that the pursuit of justice must continue unabated, as many of those accused of dictatorship-era atrocities continue to evade punishment. Fourteen people who have been convicted by Chile’s supreme court of human rights abuses – including murders and kidnap ping – remain at large, including two people found guilty in relation to Jara’s kidnap ping and murder, according to Caucoto’s legal practice. Jara, 40, was a singer, theatre director and university professor who sympathised with the socialist government of Salvador Allende, who was ousted in the 1973 coup that brought Pinochet to power. “ Chile still has a huge debt to pay in terms of justice for the forced disappearances, execution and torture [committed under the Pinochet regime],” said Rodrigo Bustos, the executive director of Amnesty International in Chile . To date, convictions have only been secured in about a third of the 3,216 cases of forced disappearances and executions committed during the dictatorship, according to data compiled by Diego Portales University’s transitional justice observatory. Just 0.6% of surviving dictatorshipera victims have seen their cases end in a conviction. “Justice that comes so late is also a denial of justice,” said Bustos. “However, it is vital that these cases do not end in impunity if we are going to build a country in which these crimes are not repeated.” Jara’s widow, the British dancer Joan Jara, died this month at 96 having campaigned for nearly fi ve decades. The fi rst case she put forward in 1978 was closed within a year. Not long after Pinochet was arrested in London in 1998, Joan turned up at Caucoto’s Santiago offi ce to ask him to pursue justice for Jara. Thanks to her perseverance , testimony from former conscripts, soldiers and prisoners was gathered, eventually allowing the case to be reopened. Jara remains one of the bestknown victims of Pinochet’s coup d’état. His protest songs remain popular . After his arrest in 1973, he was transferred to Estadio Chile, a small stadium in Santiago which became a makeshift detention centre for supporters of Allende. Jara was interrogated and tortured in the changing rooms in the bowels of the stadium, where his hands were broken and skull battered with the butt of a rifl e. According to testimony belatedly provided by José Paredes, then an 18-year-old conscript , Barrientos played Russian roulette with Jara before shooting him dead on 16 September 1973. ‘Debt to pay’ Former soldier faces trial over Pinochet-era death of folk singer Victor Jara A rally for the referendum in Caracas yesterday; the vote was framed as an act of patriotism PHOTOGRAPH: MIGUEL GUTIÉRREZ/EPA 61,600 The size in square miles of the region of Essequibo, which accounts for two-thirds of Guyana ▲ Chilean folk singer Víctor Jara, who was killed in September 1973

Monday 4 December 2023 The Guardian • World 25 Guardian staff and agencies Five homeless people were shot in Las Vegas on Friday, one of them fatally, and police were searching for a lone suspect, authorities said. The shooting occurred around 5 .30 pm near a freeway overpass in the north-eastern part of the city, according to Lt Mark Lourenco of the Las Vegas metropolitan police department . “We believe this is an isolated event,” Lourenco said. A police department spokesperson said one man in his 50s had been pronounced dead and another was in critical condition, while three others were in stable conditions. “Right now we are trying to fi gure out what exactly happened during the shooting . The information we have is kind of confl icting,” the spokes person said. One shooter was involved, but a suspect had not been captured, Lourenco said on Friday evening. The shooting comes after police in Los Angeles said on Friday they were searching for a suspect in the fatal shootings of three homeless people in separate incidents last week. The Los Angeles police department has set up a task force of investigators after the three men were shot and killed in pre-dawn hours while sleeping. Each man was alone when he was shot, said the Los Angeles police chief, Mich el Moore , on Friday. In the wake of the Los Angeles killings, the city’s mayor, Karen Bass, urged Los Angeles’s 46,000 homeless people to avoid being alone at night. “This news is devastating to our city,” Bass said at a news conference. Despite widespread misconceptions that homeless people are responsible for the majority of bigcity crime, research shows that they are more likely to be victims of assault, robbery and homicide than people who are housed. In 2022, homeless people made up 24% of Los Angeles’s homicide victims despite making up just 1% of the population, according to an NBC investigation. Four of the seven people killed in a string of homicides in Stockton in 2022 were homeless at the time, according to the NBC affi liate KCRA . George Gascón, the Los Angeles county district attorney , said during a press conference on Friday : “These are some of the most vulnerable people in our community and are being singled out – it appears to be – because of their status.” A grand day out Dancers in La Paz, the capital of Bolivia, take part in a folklore parade yesterday at the beginning of the annual Festival of Jesus del Gran Poder (Grand Power) , a fusion of indigenous beliefs and Catholicism. Some 25 folklorist fraternities took part in the festival, which is on the Unesco world heritage list. PHOTOGRAPH: LUIS GANDARILLAS/EPA Ashifa Kassam European community aff airs correspondent S oon after news broke that the populist Geert Wilders and his antiIslam Party for Freedom (PVV) had won the most votes of any party in the Dutch elections, Ahmed Marcouch found himself comforting his distraught eight-year-old. Earlier in the day, a teacher at his son’s school had explained the election results . Now Marcouch’s son was terrifi ed the family would have to leave the country. “It was heartbreaking,” sa ys Marcouch. But for Marcouch, the Moroccan-born mayor of the eastern Dutch city of Arnhem , it was also a worrying sign of how deeply politics had veered into the personal. Since 2017 the Labour party politician has been at the helm of Arnhem, seeking to bring together residents whose nationalities span more than 100 countries. For the past 10 days, Marcouch , a Muslim who moved to the Netherlands at the age of 10 and who has been directly targeted by Wilders , has grappled with how best to heal the wounds laid bare by the election results. The PVV emerged as the mostvoted -for party in the Gelderland province, home to Arnhem, with more than 20% backing promises that included the rejection of all new asylum claims, banning of Islamic headscarves from public buildings and ending the free movement of EU workers. Marcouch sees the result as a push back against traditional parties and institutions by people frustrated with rising housing costs and the soaring cost of living. “For 40 years they’ve heard promises ,” sa ys Marcouch. “But they haven’t seen any change in their circumstances.” This reality paved the way for Wilders, he believe s. “ They see Wilders addressing their anger, their disappointment. They didn’t hear any solutions but he gives words to their fears,” he sa ys. “It was enough for him to say: ‘I feel your pain.’ ” Marcouch described the result as a wake-up call for politicians, in that it had exposed how the longstanding failure to address these issues had given way to what he called a “threat to democracy” . “Dutch society is one of the richest in the world. But not every citizen benefi ts from this wealth.” He pointed to the lack of aff ordable housing as an example. “We have a social crisis ,” he sa ys. “It’s not because of immigrants . It is because of mismanagement . It is because of political choices. We have to address the anger.” He has begun taking steps to do that, organising a dialogue to allow residents to share their views. “For me right now, it is very important to get people connected, to fi ght this negative polarisation,” he sa ys. Marcouch is adamant that what is needed now is sustained funding in areas such as education, housing and safety. “We need investment to earn back the trust of voters and make people see that democracy will also work for them,” he sa ys. ‘Hear their pain’ Muslim mayor on healing the wounds of Dutch elections ▲ Ahmed Marcouch has been singled out by the populist Geert Wilders ▲ Amy Coney Barrett , one of Donald Trump’s supreme court appointees Homeless man shot dead and four wounded in Las Vegas Carter Sherman A few months ago, the former president Donald Trump accused the Republican party of speaking “very inarticulately” on abortion. And yet, for the GOP presidential frontrunner, inarticulateness seems to be a feature, not a bug, of his own approach to abortion. Trump thinks he can run in 2024 as a “moderate” on abortion, Rolling Stone reported this week – even though he’s currently running ads in Iowa, a crucial state in the Republican primary, proclaiming himself “the most pro-life president ever”. It’s a title to which Trump has a legitimate claim: his three nominees to the supreme court not only handed the country’s highest court a defi nitive conservative majority, but all three voted to overturn Roe v Wade . That move handed the antiabortion movement the victory of a lifetime, but Republicans have been paying for it ever since. They underperformed in the 2022 midterms and the 2023 Virginia state elections, losses that have been widely credited to the party’s inability to fi gure out a path forward on abortion. While Republicans have fl ailed over how to message on an apparently toxic issue, Trump has fl ip-fl opped on it with apparent ease. Shortly after the 2022 midterms, Trump blamed “the abortion issue” for Republicans’ poor performance. He has refused to say whether he supports a federal ban and called the decision by Ron DeSantis, the Florida governor , to sign a six-week abortion ban a “terrible thing”. But all the while, he continues to take credit for overturning Roe. In the meantime, he has not said what, if any, specifi c abortion policy he would support as president. Most Americans oppose the overturning of Roe. But that doesn’t mean voters are all that motivated by it . Even people who say that they would like to keep abortion “mostly legal” are not always that invested in doing so. A recent poll from the New York Times found that, among voters who want abortion to be “mostly legal ”, Biden led by only one point. Abortion Can Trump continue to fl ip-fl op without stumbling?

Monday 4 December 2023 The Guardian • World 27 ▼An artist’s impression of Akon City in Senegal; and below right, engineer Jean Charles Édouard Sarr City of dreams Will plan for Senegal’s real-life Wakanda ever get off the ground? Aina J Khan Mbodiène Herons fl y above a solitary futuristic concrete building in Mbodiène , a coastal village in Senegal. In theory it will become the “ welcome centre” of Akon City , a $6bn (£4.7bn) metropolis inspired by Wakanda, the fi ctional African country from the Black Panther fi lms. The plans were unveiled fi ve years ago by the US-Senegalese R&B singer Akon, and the fi rst phase of construction was supposed to be completed by the end of 2023, but the project has been riddled with delays and controversy. Since childhood, Jean Charles Édouard Sarr, 55, a maintenance engineer involved with the project, has visited his ancestral village of Mbodiène . As a graduate, Sarr left Senegal for a career in France – unlike many, he chose to return . He became enraptured by Akon City’s promise of regeneration. “If youth have the opportunity to have a good university, they will have more chances to fi nd a job here,” he says. “As an African, if you have a nice life, a good job and healthcare, what else do you need? Why would you go looking for it in Europe?” For Mbodiène’s village chief, Michel Diome , the project could be a goldmine for the local economy, which has been damaged by a decline in the fi shing industry. “ We are expecting jobs for men, women and the youth ,” says Diome . Much of the international response has centred on the city’s Afrofuturistic aesthetic, and Akon’s plan for its economy to run on his Akoin cryptocurrency. There has also been a great deal of scepticism as to whether it will come to pass . In 2021, Devyne Stephens , Akon’s former business partner , brought a $4m lawsuit against the singer, claiming that he owed him money from a 2018 settlement . In 2022 , Stephens asked a judge to freeze Akon’s New York assets . His lawyer Jeff rey Movit alleged that Akon City and Akoin exhibited “ characteristics … of fraudulent business ventures such as Ponzi and pyramid schemes”. Akon City was “likely a scam”, Movit alleged. Akon denied the allegations about Akon City. He paid $850,000 to settle part of the continuing lawsuit , saying the motion to freeze his accounts had been made “out of spite” to damage his reputation. Stephens, Movit and Akon’s representative did not respond to requests for comment. In September , Akon said he was working on a 10-year timetable to complete the project. But state support , once zealous, has soured. According to local media, Senegal’s Society for the Development and Promotion of Coasts and Tourist Zones , which secured land for the project, sent formal notice that if it has not advanced by next year, its contract with him will be terminated. Diome said he has been left in the dark about the construction delays but spoke highly of the singer. “I judge people according to the way they are with me,” he says. “ All he has said he would do, he has done.”  Cattle wander past the concrete shell of Akon City’s welcome centre, the $6bn project’s fi rst building

• The Guardian Monday 4 December 2023 28 World Brittany The slow race to preserve rare Quimper snails, one at a time Kim Willsher Brest On a drizzly November evening, ecologists in Brest, Brittany, are rooting through the damp undergrowth fl anking an unmarked and unlit track going nowhere. They are searching for Quimper snails . It’s a slow and meticulous job: the snails are small, come out only at night and prefer the cover of soggy leaves and twigs. Soon, their natural habitat here will be destroyed by a €200 m (£170m) public transport project . As environmental damage cannot be avoided, it has to be reduced and compensated for. So the Quimper snails, known to exist only in northern Brittany and the Basque Country, are being saved, one gastropod at a time, and given a new home. “Here’s one,” says Timothée Scherer , a conservationist at Biotope , an ecological consultancy . He hold s in his palm a coppercoloured translucent shell no bigger than a fi ngernail, whose occupant has retracted its horns . It is a race against time to fi nd as many of the snails as possible before the temperature drops and they hibernate. “Because they only exist in two places in the world there is obviously a risk of extinction ,” Scherer says. It is not the fi rst time the Quimper snails have fought the odds and won . In 2012, the city’s football club, Stade Brestois , was forced to halt its plans for a new training centre after it was discovered that the proposed site was home to the snails. Mindful that it could face similar objections, the Brest Métropole authority commissioned an environmental impact study into the proposed transport plan , which includes a second tram line, a new bus route and 7 miles of new cycle lanes . The study found 200 species in the construction area, 75 of which are offi cially protected. Among them were birds, bats and reptiles , most of which were deemed able to relocate. The slow-moving snails, however, presented a problem. The Quimper snailis an airbreathing gastropod protected at French and EU level. Although the species is not considered directly endangered in France or Spain, Quimper snail populations are said to be “fragile” and their limited geographic situation makes them vulnerable. “Our aim is to clear the area of individuals before the work starts,” Scherer says . Netting barriers have been put around the cleared areas to stop the snails returning. Work to lay tramlines has already begun , and the new transport network is expected to open in 2026 . Offi cials suggest heeding environmental concerns has added an extra year to the project that began in 2019. “Environmental challenges can be seen as a constraint to projects but we view it as an important issue. It doesn’t have to be a competition,” says the engineer Victor Antonio of Brest Métropole local authority. ▲ The Quimper snail is known to exist only in the north of Brittany and in the Basque Country. Left, an ecologist searches for the snails in Brest, where they are being moved to make way for a proposed public transport project that will destroy their natural habitat PHOTOGRAPHS: FRED TANNEAU/AFP ‘Because they only exist in two places there is obviously a risk of extinction’ Timothée Scherer Conservationist

Monday 4 December 2023 The Guardian • 29 Union leader’s mass defi ance warning over anti-strike laws Larry Elliott Economics editor New government anti-strike laws for public sector workers could prompt a campaign of mass defi ance not seen since the 1970s, a union leader has warned. Matt Wrack , the general secretary of the Fire Brigades Union, said the minimum service levels legislation passed earlier this year was eff ectively a ban on strikes and the biggest attack on the rights of workers since the second world war. Speaking to the Guardian before a specially convened TUC summit to discuss how to respond to the law, Wrack said a campaign of noncompliance was one of the options under consideration. “The reality of the legislation is now becoming clear. In key sectors, employers will be able to issue work notices compelling a majority of employees to work even after a democratic vote for strike action. “That’s eff ectively trying to outlaw strikes. It’s the biggest attack on workers’ rights in postwar Britain, and reminiscent of the oppressive restrictions that exist in dictatorships and authoritarian regimes.” The law was passed as the government faced a wave of disruptive public sector strikes across health, education and transport. It will allow employers to issue a “work notice” before a strike, specifying which employees it deems necessary to maintaining a minimum level of operation, and what work they should be doing. The law is expected to start taking effect across three sectors – the ambulance service, the rail network and border security – from midDecember, with regulations for the fi re and rescue service, education and nuclear decommissioning set to be introduced soon. Paul Nowak , the general secretary of the TUC, has said the law is “unworkable”. Wrack said non-compliance could mean “a wave of strikes next year, up to and during the next general election”. The law eff ectively meant workers in the public sector would be told to break their own strike. “What happens if people who voted to strike refuse to go to work? How far does a union go to police its own members?” The FBU leader said that because fi refi ghting and many other public services were the responsibility of devolved administrations, the law would apply diff erently across Britain. Humza Yousaf, Scotland’s fi rst minister, has said he would not issue work notices under the legislation, while the Labour party has pledged to repeal the law if it wins the election. Wrack said it was possible that 100% of fi refi ghters might be issued with work notices after they had voted to strike. His union has 33,000 members and has been outspoken in opposing the legislation. “The FBU and other unions will not accept this attack on working people by this government led by multimillionaires and which ruthlessly serves the interests of the billionaires and bosses.” Wrack said a campaign of noncooperation backed by the TUC would be the most signifi cant act of defi ance by unions since the 1970s, when legislation introduced by Ted Heath’s 1970-74 government was defeated through mass defi ance . The government said minimum service levels would ensure that vital public services would continue in the face of strikes. Rishi Sunak has said they would prevent unions from “de railing” Christmas for millions . A Department for Business and Trade spokesperson said: “The purpose of this legislation is to protect the lives and livelihoods of the public and ensure they can continue to access vital public services.” They added: “This bill does not remove the ability to strike, and we understand disruption is inherent to any industrial action, but people expect the government to act in circumstances where their rights and freedoms are being disproportionately impacted , and that’s what we are doing with this bill.” Rightmove predicts 1% fall in asking prices in 2024 Miles Brignall Average house prices will fall by 1% next year as competition increases among sellers, according to a forecast from Britain’s biggest property website, Rightmove. Home sellers were likely to have to price more competitively to secure a buyer in 2024, while mortgage rates would settle down but would “remain elevated ”, the company said. A year ago it predicted that average new seller asking prices would fall by 2% in 2023 . It now says they are currently 1.3% lower year on year as the property market continues to contend with signifi cantly higher mortgage costs and a cost of living crisis that refuses to go away. The company records asking prices rather than the actual prices paid, and said it was predicting these would typically be 1% lower nationally by the end of 2024. The market was continuing its transition to “more normal levels” of activity following the busy post-pandemic period. It added that the number of sellers who had had to cut their asking price during 2023 had risen to 39%, against 29% last year and 34% in 2019. “An average drop of 1% in prices refl ects our prediction that it’s likely to be another muted, and in parts challenging, year for some buyers and sellers in 2024,” said the Rightmove property expert Tim Bannister . However, he added that “the better-than-anticipated activity this year has shown that many buyers are still getting on with satisfying their housing needs, and there is considerable opportunity for sellers and their agents to attract these buyers with the right pricing”. On Friday, Nationwide building society surprised some observers when it announced that prices rose 0.2% month on month in November, following a 0.9% rise in October and a 0.1% rise in September. However, it said that on an annual basis, prices were down 2% in November. Meanwhile, the website Zoopla said last week that market conditions were the best for buyers since 2018 , when Brexit uncertainty hung over the market. ▲ Rightmove says home sellers are likely to have to set more competitive prices to secure buyers next year PHOTOGRAPH: GETTYIMAGES/ISTOCKPHOTO Thames Water told by auditors it could run out of cash by April Miles Brignall The parent company of Thames Water has been warned by its auditors that it could run out of money by April if shareholders do not inject more cash into the debt-laden fi rm. In accounts signed off in July and last week, PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) said there was “material uncertainty” about whether the main company behind the water supplier c ould continue as a going concern. The disclosure was made in the 2022-23 accounts of Kemble Water Holdings , the company at the top of Thames Water’s ownership structure. PwC made its assertion after noting that there were no fi rm arrangements in place to refi nance a £190m loan at one of its subsidiary companies. Thames Water is expected to face further scrutiny over its debt levels when it issues its results tomorrow, and a possible investigation into whether it misled MPs . In June, it emerged that contingency plans for the collapse of Thames Water were being drawn up by the UK government amid fears that it would not survive because of its huge debt pile. Sir Robert Goodwil l, the chair of the environment, food and rural aff airs select committee, said it was considering a fresh investigation after the Financial Times reported that Thames Water had originally presented a loan from its shareholders to its parent as new equity funding. Alastair Cochran , the chief fi nancial offi cer of Thames Water, told MPs in July that its “incredibly supportive” shareholders “have already provided £500m of equity this year, in March, which was fully drawn by the company”. However, according to the Kemble accounts, the investment had come in the form of a £515m convertible loan reportedly charging 8% interest a year . A spokesperson for Thames Water said that the water supply business was ringfenced and that customers’ supplies would be unaff ected by any changes to the business structure. “We are in a robust fi nancial position and are extremely fortunate to have such supportive shareholders,” said the spokesperson. Kemble Water Holdings declined to comment. Hobbit economics The green ideas in Lord of the Rings Page 31 ‘Trying to outlaw strikes is reminiscent of restrictions that exist in dictatorships’ Matt Wrack Fire Brigades Union £515m Convertible loan taken out by the parent company of Thames Water, reportedly at an 8% interest rate

• The Guardian Monday 4 December 2023 30 Business Europe ‘miles behind’ in race for metals used in car batteries Minicab fi rm Addison Lee U-turns on emissions, blaming lack of chargers Jasper Jolly European carmakers have secured less than a sixth of the raw materials they will need by 2030 to make electric vehicle batteries, according to analysis that highlights the expected Jasper Jolly London’s biggest minicab company has U-turned on plans for all its cars to produce zero emissions this year, blaming a lack of public chargers in the capital. Addison Lee said it had spent £30m on new Volkswagen Multivans , plugin hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs), which combine a small battery with a polluting internal combustion engine, and admitted that the switch to electric cars had been harder than it had expected. The company pledged in late 2021 that its fl eet of cars “will become fully electric by 2023” in an eff ort to reduce carbon emissions. However, it has now said its fl eet will only be “zeroemissions capable” by April 2024. Liam Griffi n , Addison Lee’s chief executive, conceded that this was “disappointing”. He said the capital needed many more “trickle charge” on-street chargers that allow drivers without private parking to recharge cheaply overnight, as well as faster chargers to allow drivers to top up during the day. Griffi n said: “We were slightly oversold the dream, and it hasn’t been the utopia we hoped for in terms of being able to charge . “The electric solution is brilliant carmakers, Tesla in the US and China’s BYD , were signifi cantly further ahead of many of their European rivals in securing access to key raw materials, the researchers found. Batteries used in devices ranging from mobile phones to cars are made of precisely controlled combinations of metals. There is a global race to fi nd enough lithium , the lightest metal, but cobalt and nickel are also important in many batteries. The analysis suggested carmakers ha d disclosed agreements that would cover only 14% of the lithium, 17% if you have got overnight charging. Most of our drivers do not.” The comments highlight the uneven introduction of charging capability even in one of the world’s richest cities, and add to the chorus of business leaders who want faster installation of charge points. Most people who own parking spaces at home and can charge overnight need barely ever wait at public chargers, except for the occasional longer journey, but those who leave their cars on the street can fi nd it much more diffi cult. Griffi n said Addison Lee’s electric Volkswagen ID 4 models have 230 miles of range – more than enough for drivers’ average daily mileage of between 130 and 140 miles . The Multivan’s electric range is only 30 miles, although the company said they will reduce CO2 emissions by 70% compared with its previous petrol fl eet. The US tech fi rm Uber, Addison Lee’s bitter rival in London, has pledged to have only electric cars driving for it by the end of 2025. Increased charging prices have also hit Addison Lee’s economic calculations. When it fi rst took delivery of its electric-only Volkswagen ID.4 models, the costs to charge were as low as £7, with tariff s at lows of 14p per kilowatt hour (kWh) for home charging , Griffi n said. However, prices rose signifi cantly when Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022 caused a global energy crisis, to as high as 80p per kWh on the fastest public chargers. Addison Lee faced other problems. The ID.4 was not the ideal car even in 2021, because it can only carry four passengers, but carmakers have yet to launch many six-seater electric cars. The Multivan can carry six, directly replacing the Volkswagen Sharan and the Ford Galaxy, which previously made up most of its fl eet. Griffi n also said London’s decision to extend the congestion charge to electric vehicles on Christmas Day 2025 made the investment less fi nancially attractive. of the nickel and 10% of the cobalt needed to meet their targets for 2030. The EU and UK will ban the sale of new fossil fuel cars in 2035. Julia Poliscanova , the senior director for vehicles and emobility at T&E, said: “There is a clear disconnect between carmakers’ electric vehicle goals and their critical mineral strategies. Tesla and BYD are way ahead of most European players, who are only waking up to the challenge of securing battery metals now.” T&E said Mercedes-Benz, BMW and Hyundai/Kia were the carmakers with large European operations that were lagging furthest behind rivals. Some of the carmakers may have secret deals with min ing or refi ning companies to supply enough minerals , while some are looking at reducing the use of expensive cobalt and nickel. Addison Lee pledged in late 2021 that its fl eet of cars would become fully electric by 2023 PHOTOGRAPH: PETER MACLAINE/ WENN scramble for green-tech resources. Carmakers have secured contracts for 16% of the lithium, cobalt and nickel required to hit their 2030 electric car sales targets, according to public disclosures analysed by Transport & Environment (T&E), a Brussels-based campaign group. The world’s two biggest electric 14% The amount of lithium sought by carmakers by 2030 that is covered by current agreements

Monday 4 December 2023 The Guardian • Business 31 Back in the 1960s, no selfrespecting hippy would be seen dead without a well-thumbed copy of The Lord of the Rings. Along with a copy of Sgt Pepper and the Tibetan Book of the Dead, it came to epitomise the counterculture. Times change. Tolkien’s most prominent fan at present is Giorgia Meloni, the most rightwing prime minister Italy has had since the second world war. That has set alarm bells clanging. Tolkien has not yet been cancelled, but The Lord of the Rings has been accused – at various times – of being racist, nationalistic, ultra-conservative, even fascist. The fact that Meloni knows the book backwards has only added to the notion that Tolkien’s political views were a bit dodgy. That’s a pity, because the central political message conveyed by The Lord of the Rings is the author’s hostility to rampant industrialisation and growth at all costs. Saruman , the wizard who turns to the bad, shows himself in his true colours when he chops down the trees of Fangorn forest in order to feed his furnaces. When Frodo returns to his village after his year-long quest, he is saddened to fi nd how Hobbiton has been despoiled by a new mill, “a great brick building straddling the stream, which it fouled with steaming and stinking outfl ow”. Tolkien, by his own admission, was no socialist. He was antistate and once said his political opinions veered more and more to anarchy. The hippies had it right in the 1960s: if he were alive today, Tolkien would have been a green, and a deep green at that. He even anticipated the direct action of Extinction Rebellion and Just Stop Oil by proposing the dynamiting of factories and power stations. The Lord of the Rings is not a neo-fascist tome; it is part of a literary tradition that stretches back to the Romantic movement of the late 18th and early 19th century. In his book Defending Middle- earth , Patrick Curry says Tolkien was a conservative, but not in the contemporary sense of the word, “which has been almost entirely taken over by neo-liberal ism, but in the sense of striving to conserve what is worth saving”. That seems a fair judgment. So what has this to do with economics? Nothing to the extent that economics is almost entirely absent from the book. The hobbits inhabit a pre-industrial land, tilling the fi elds and harvesting crops. The elves craft beautiful objects but otherwise don’t appear to do much. Only the dwarves in their mines appear to do much at all. To the extent that Tolkien had an economic model in mind, it is the Arts and Crafts movement . That’s fair enough. The Lord of the Rings is a fantasy: it doesn’t have to explain where the wealth comes from. All that said, the book is a critique of hyper-industrialisation that has greater political resonance now than it did when Tolkien started work on it during the 1930s. In those Depression years, there was an emphasis on growth at all costs. That philosophy hadn’t changed by the time the book was published in the mid-1950s. There were two models available, capitalism and communism, and they vied with each other to maximise production. Nobody cared too much about how many trees were felled by the real-life Sarumans. The costs to the environment were never a consideration for decision-makers either of left or right. The cold war was not just an arms race: it was also a struggle between two growth models, which the west eventually won. The collapse of the Soviet Union and the tearing down of the iron curtain ushered in a period when an aggressive brand of globalised, free-market capitalism was triumphant. But victory was short-lived and, before long, environmentalism fi lled the ideological vacuum left by communism’s demise. There are two ways of looking at the period since. The fi rst is to view the post-1990 world as the story of capitalism unbound, with the lust for growth and wealth taking the world to the brink of ecological catastrophe. Despite the scientifi c evidence and all the warning signs from nature, greenhouse gas emissions have kept on rising and made it increasingly hard to prevent global temperatures from passing the point of no return. Seen from this perspective, the human race will be destroyed by greed and stupidity. The orcs win. There is, though, a more upbeat way of looking at things. The past 30 years have increasingly seen the environment hard-wired into policymaking. Net-zero targets, the commitments to phase out fossil fuels, investment in renewables, electric cars, offi cial measures of economic wellbeing that look beyond growth: all of these are signs of progress. The only intellectual developments of any real note in economics since the end of the cold war have been green ones: de-growth and the circular economy, for example. Capitalism is a highly malleable system, and it has responded to pressure from environmentalists. Whether it has changed deeply or quickly enough is moot, but the fact that there is an annual UN conference to monitor progress on meeting agreed decarbonisation matters. Countries have to account for their actions. Free-market liberals argue that, left to its own devices, the profi t motive would eventually fi nd a way to cut greenhouse gases and save the planet. This seems improbable. Without political pressure, it would be business as usual. In truth, both the pessimistic and optimistic scenarios have merit. Progress has been made, but it has not been fast enough. There is a point in The Lord of the Rings where Galadriel says the quest to destroy the ring stands upon the edge of a knife, and that goes for the quest to save the planet as well. That, too, is on a knifeedge, as the nations represented at Cop28 in Dubai surely know. Lord of the Rings Tolkien is no fan of fascism but an early champion of environment ▲ Frodo and Bilbo Bagg ins in the fi lm: the nostalgic saga laments the despoil ing of Hobbiton PHOTOGRAPH: NEW LINE CINEMA/ALLSTAR One in 10 households failing to pay essential bills, says Which? Miles Brignall As the cost of living crisis continues to bite, new data indicates that almost one in 10 households failed to pay a major bill last month – the highest level recorded since April 2020. According to the consumer group Which? ’s latest consumer insight tracker , published today, 9.8% of the households questioned said they had missed or defaulted on a loan, credit card, housing or household bill payment in the month to 10 November. The consumer body said its research suggested that as many as 2.8 million households had missed a signifi cant bill over that period. It has called on businesses to do more to help customers who are struggling fi nancially. Which? said that 57% of those surveyed had reported having to make fi nancial adjustments to stay afl oat. These included cutting back on essentials, dipping into savings, selling possessions or borrowing in order to cover essential spending. Sixteen per cent said they had skipped meals owing to high food costs, while 8% had prioritised meals for other family members – most likely children. Rocio Concha , the director of policy and advocacy at Which?, said: “It’s hugely worrying that one in 10 households missed essential payments in a single month. With Christmas and colder weather fast approaching, these pressures on household fi nances are only likely to worsen in the months to come. “Which? is calling on businesses in essential sectors like food, energy and telecoms providers to do everything possible to help customers get a good deal and avoid unnecessary or unfair costs and charges this winter.” She said supermarkets could help ease the huge pressure faced by shoppers – especially families and those on low incomes – by off ering aff ordable budget range essentials in their pricier convenience stores. The current cold weather will have done little to improve personal fi nances. Last winter, the government gave almost every household, regardless of income, £400 off their electricity bills. However, the scheme ended in March, leaving many of those on moderate incomes struggling to pay their gas and electricity bills , which will average £1,928 a year when the Ofgem price cap is adjusted in January. In June, the Money Advice Trust said it believed as many as 5.5 million UK adults were behind on their energy bills – an increase of 2.1 million compared with March 2022. Which? said people missing or struggling to aff ord essential payments should speak to their provider . Larry Elliott Economics editor Giorgia Meloni is said to be a great fan of the books 57% The proportion of households that had to tighten their belts to stay afl oat in the month to 10 November

• The Guardian Monday 4 December 2023 32 Weather Monday 4 December 2023 992 996 1000 1004 1008 1012 33 31 27 29 Moderate Slight Moderate 10 6 5 7 8 8 8 4 3 5 2 5 4 Shetland The Channel Islands Birmingham Liverpool Cardiff Plymouth Dover London Nottingham Norwich Newcastle York Dublin Belfast Glasgow Edinburgh Inverness ming Ca rpoo London 8 ol ca m 3 Nott UK and Ireland Noon today Forecast Around the UK Atlantic front Around the world There is a beautiful triple meeting in the dawn sky this week. The “morning star ” of Venus is close to Spica, the brightest star of Virgo . On the mornings of 8 and 9 December, the pretty pairing will be joined by a thin waning crescent moon. On 8 December, the moon will be closest to Spica and will have 22% of its visible surface illuminated. A day later, the moon will be closer to Venus and its illuminated portion will have shrunk to just 14%. The chart shows the view looking south -east from London at 7am on 9 December. The sky will be beginning to lighten but the sun will not rise for another 53 minutes. The moon is in the last week of its current lunation, or lunar month, and is heading towards the sun. With each successive day, its illuminated portion grows smaller and it rises a little later. As the week progresses, the moon will appear to move closer to the sun until it is lost in the daylight glare. Stuart Clark Sunny intervals Overcast/dull Mostly cloudy Sunny and heavy showers Sunny showers Thundery rain Thundery showers owers Temperature, ºC X Wind speed, mph Snow showers Rain Sleet Light snow Heavy snow Light sh Sunny Mist Fog Ice Windy Hazy 35C 30 25 20 15 10 5 0 -5 -10 -15 -20 Cold front Warm front Occluded front Trough Low High Low High Tomorrow Wednesday 2 -3 5 3 Algiers 20 Ams’dam 2 Athens 17 Auckland 21 B Aires 22 Bangkok 33 Barcelona 16 Basra 25 Beijing 9 Berlin 0 Bermuda 24 Brussels 5 Budapest 1 C’hagen 1 Cairo 26 Cape Town 23 Chicago 5 Corfu 18 Dakar 30 Dhaka 31 Dublin 4 Florence 8 Gibraltar 18 H Kong 22 Harare 33 Helsinki -8 Istanbul 11 Jo’burg 30 K Lumpur 31 K’mandu 19 Kabul 14 Kingston 31 Kolkata 30 L Angeles 23 Lagos 31 Lima 23 Lisbon 15 Madrid 11 Malaga 16 Melb’rne 30 Mexico C 20 Miami 30 Milan 3 Mombasa 32 Moscow -7 Mumbai 34 N Orleans 20 Nairobi 25 New Delhi 23 New York 11 Oslo -9 Paris 8 Perth 25 Prague -5 Reykjavik 2 Rio de J 28 Rome 13 Shanghai 16 Singapore 31 Stockh’m -8 Strasb’g 2 Sydney 23 Tel Aviv 26 Tenerife 23 Tokyo 15 Toronto 3 Vancouv’r 9 Vienna 0 Warsaw -1 Wash’ton 12 Well’ton 15 Zurich 0 Lows and highs Precipitation Air pollution Sun & Moon High tides Lighting up Forecasts and graphics provided by AccuWeather ©2023 Belfast 1601 to 0829 Birm’ham 1555 to 0800 Brighton 1557 to 0745 Bristol 1604 to 0758 Carlisle 1546 to 0817 Cork 1625 to 0824 Dublin 1608 to 0823 Glasgow 1547 to 0829 Harlech 1603 to 0811 Inverness 1535 to 0839 London 1553 to 0748 M’chester 1553 to 0806 Newcastle 1541 to 0813 Norwich 1542 to 0749 Penzance 1621 to 0804 Source: © Crown Copyright. All rights reserved. Times are local UK times Aberdeen 0603 3.4m 1802 3.6m Avonmouth 1102 10.3m 2332 9.8m Barrow 0337 7.3m 1555 7.5m Belfast 0333 2.9m 1547 3.4m Cobh 0946 3.4m 2200 3.3m Cromer 1116 3.9m 2300 4.2m Dover 0316 5.8m 1548 5.3m Dublin 0415 3.3m 1628 3.6m Galway 0933 4.2m 2216 3.9m Greenock 0445 2.9m 1633 3.3m Harwich 0326 3.5m 1608 3.3m Holyhead 0238 4.5m 1449 4.7m Hull 1033 5.8m 2227 6.0m Leith 0708 4.5m 1925 4.5m Liverpool 0312 7.5m 1533 7.6m London Bridge 0527 5.9m 1807 5.9m Lossiemouth 0417 3.2m 1616 3.4m Milford Haven 1027 5.6m 2300 5.2m Newquay 0922 5.7m 2156 5.3m North Shields 0804 4.1m 2007 4.2m Oban 0950 3.3m 2233 2.9m Penzance 0856 4.6m 2127 4.2m Plymouth 0933 4.7m 2207 4.3m Portsmouth 0348 4.1m 1550 3.9m Southport 0232 7.2m 1453 7.3m Stornoway -- -- 1126 4.0m Weymouth 1054 0.7m 2337 0.4m Whitby 0833 4.4m 2035 4.6m Wick 0345 2.8m 1547 3.0m Workington 0345 6.5m 1559 6.8m Sun rises 0747 Sun sets 1553 Moon rises 2257 Moon sets 1248 Last Quarter 5 Dec Starwatch Spica Porrima Kraz Algorab Heze Minelauva Moon Unukalhai Zubenelgenubi II Venus Libra Crater S Zubeneschamali Corvus Virgo Carbon count Daily atmospheric CO2 readings from Mauna Loa, Hawaii (ppm): Latest 28 Nov 2023 420.59 Weekly average 26 Nov 2023 420.59 03 Dec 2022 417.81 03 Dec 2013 396.21 Pre-industrial base 280 Safe level 350 Source: NOAA-ESRL London 4 8 Manchester 3 4 Edinburgh 1 6 Belfast 1 6 Birmingham 4 5 Brighton 5 9 Bristol 4 8 Cardiff 4 7 Newcastle 2 5 Penzance 7 9 90% 100% 65% 80% 90% 90% 80% 60% 95% 60% Low Low Low Low Low Low Low Low Low Low

Monday 4 December 2023 The Guardian • 33 Out of bounds The golfi ng elite have never had it so good – but cashing in comes at a price T he trouble with Pointless answers is that you never meet any of the 100 people surveyed for each one. Still, the quiz show probably presents as valid an insight into the attitude of the British public as anything else in these zany times. A few weeks ago, Alexander Armstrong fl ashed up famous faces with names relating to fl owers. What happened next was rather galling for those who want golf to capture hearts and minds. Just six of those asked identifi ed Justin Rose: major champion, Englishman, Olympic gold medallist and a player who has received rather a lot of attention for his admirable establishment of a golf series for women. He has little cause to care what transpires on daytime television or his irrelevance compared to Lily Allen but this served as the latest stark reminder of the bubble within which golf operates . Viktor Hovland did not see fi t to appear for a press conference in advance of the Hero World Challenge. This was strange, given he was the defending champion. Perhaps the Norwegian was busy counting his money; heading into the event in the Bahamas, he had collected $37,112,235 (roughly £29m) in 2023 PGA Tour earnings. H e is a fantastic golfer and a lovely fella but is hardly a needle mover. Golf is in serious danger of losing the plot, if that isn’t already the case. Stating sportspeople are overpaid is akin to pointing out Wednesday follows Tuesday yet the entitlement of golfers has become somewhat alarming. When Jon Rahm is linked with a switch to LIV, reportedly for hundreds of millions of dollars, the deal is instantly believable. This is what golf, a sport where once upon a time fi nding the bottom of the hole was key to everything, has become. Those within it – and not just players, this applies to managers, caddies, coaches – have a distorted sense of worth. This existed before LIV, which has only accelerated matters. Tensions exist within the PGA Tour because several of the rank and fi le believe they are underpaid. Pure sport, this is not. Hovland’s wedge came in part from his share of the player impact programme , a convoluted scheme created by the PGA Tour when LIV and its Saudi Arabian riches were fi rst circling. Rory McIlroy topped this year’s chart, which rewards players for bringing eyeballs to the tour, and pocketed $15m. Tiger Woods, who did not play between April and November, was paid $12m. Think of the Premier League handing Erling Haaland a hefty bonus for having the good grace to turn up for his work. No amount of money at this stage makes a diff erence to McIlroy or Woods and the duo are the instantly identifi able faces of their sport but the scale of these payments is still regarded by many as obscene. “Pro golf is on a one-way street to nowhere,” the DP World Tour player Eddie Pepperell said. “Lost its mind, and I’ve lost my respect and love for it.” If the public also identify vulgarity, golf will have a serious problem. Jordan Spieth, who was gifted $7m by the player impact programme, was somewhat bashful when assessing its meaning. “I think its goal was to help prevent players from accepting high-dollar Saudi off ers, LIV off ers,” he said . “If you’re going to see numbers that are thrown out at players now, a couple of specifi c players, it doesn’t really do that. “I think that it was pretty unanimous, including from those of us who have signifi cantly benefi ted from it, to taper it down and fi nd a way to spread those funds elsewhere to support, ideally, fi elds, purses, so that you still could benefi t from them individually . I know it drops by half next year. I’m not sure what that will look like after that. Hopefully it won’t need to exist, I think is the best way to put it, and I think that makes everybody happy.” Spieth’s point is backed up by tournament prize funds; the Players Championship is now worth $25m, the Phoenix Open $20m and humdrum tour stops have players joust for close to $9m. Debate over whether or not golf balls should be “rolled back” is the epitome of tedium. At least it was, until McIlroy waded in. On Wednesday, the R&A will announce modifi cations to the ball to try to rein in the distance leading players can reach. This had been resisted, when originally mooted, by equipment manufacturers and some of McIlroy’s peers. McIlroy is among those who think the ball need not be amended for anyone outside the elite level . “Bifurcation was the logical answer for everyone,” he said. “But yet again in this game, money talks.” Once again, it starts with a g and rhymes with feed. When the R&A outlines its plans, the bleating and whining from certain elements of the game will be all too typical with the bottom line, not the good of the sport, in mind. The clock is now ticking on whether a deal can be closed out between golf’s established tours and the Saudi Public Investment Fund. The Fenway Sports Group has also made overtures about a partnership with the tour. Something like this is needed, not only to ward off whatever threats LIV may pose but to allow long-term sustainability. Golfers have never had it so good. This comes at a cost to reputations. Ewan Murray Tensions exist within the PGA Tour because several of the rank and fi le believe they are underpaid ▲ Viktor Hovland, the world No 4, has won more than £29m this year – thanks in large part to three tournament victories MIKE EHRMANN/GETTY IMAGES Football Carney’s review gets full backing from government Page 40  Rugby union Reff ell roars for Tigers and cuts Falcons adrift Page 37 

• The Guardian Monday 4 December 2023 34 Sport Home Away P W D L F A W D L F A GD Pts Form 1 Arsenal 14 6 2 0 20 8 4 1 1 9 3 +18 33 DWLWWW 2 Liverpool 14 7 0 0 21 5 2 4 1 11 9 +18 31 WWDWDW 3 Manchester City 14 5 2 0 20 7 4 1 2 16 9 +20 30 WWWDDD 4 Aston Villa 14 6 0 0 23 5 3 2 3 10 15 +13 29 WWLWWD 5 Tottenham 14 4 0 2 10 8 4 3 1 18 12 +8 27 WWLLLD 6 Newcastle 14 7 0 1 19 4 1 2 3 13 10 +18 26 WDWLWW 7 Manchester United 14 4 0 3 8 10 4 0 3 8 7 -1 24 WLWWWL 8 Brighton 14 3 3 1 15 10 3 1 3 15 16 +4 22 LDDDWL 9 West Ham 14 3 2 2 12 10 3 1 3 12 14 0 21 LLLWWD 10 Chelsea 14 2 3 3 13 13 3 1 2 12 9 +3 19 DLWDLW 11 Brentford 14 3 3 2 15 12 2 1 3 7 7 +3 19 WWWLLW 12 Crystal Palace 14 1 2 3 6 8 3 2 3 8 11 -5 16 LLWLLD 13 Wolves 14 2 2 2 9 12 2 1 5 10 13 -6 15 WDLWLL 14 Fulham 14 3 0 3 7 9 1 3 4 9 17 -10 15 LDLLWL 15 Nottingham Forest 14 2 3 2 10 9 1 1 5 6 13 -6 13 DLWLLL 16 Bournemouth 14 2 3 3 8 12 1 1 4 8 18 -14 13 LWLWWD 17 Luton 14 1 2 3 6 8 1 1 6 7 18 -13 9 DLDLWL 18 Everton* 14 1 1 5 5 9 4 1 2 10 11 -5 7 LWDWLW 19 Burnley 14 1 0 7 10 20 1 1 4 5 12 -17 7 LLLLLW 20 Sheffield United 14 1 1 5 7 19 0 1 6 4 20 -28 5 LLWDLL *Everton deducted 10pts CINCH PREMIERSHIP P W D L F A GD Pts Celtic 15 12 3 0 38 9 +29 39 Rangers 14 10 1 3 29 7 +22 31 Hearts 14 7 2 5 14 12 +2 23 St Mirren 15 6 4 5 19 21 -2 22 Hibernian 15 5 6 4 22 21 +1 21 Dundee 14 4 6 4 18 20 -2 18 Kilmarnock 15 4 5 6 15 16 -1 17 Motherwell 15 3 5 7 19 25 -6 14 Ross County 14 3 5 6 12 21 -9 14 Aberdeen 13 3 4 6 15 23 -8 13 St Johnstone 14 2 5 7 9 22 -13 11 Livingston 14 2 4 8 9 22 -13 10 Hibernian (1) 2 Aberdeen (0) 0 Vente 18, Fish 70 16,592 Kilmarnock (0) 0 Hearts (1) 1 Dennis 18og 5,915 Livingston (-) P Ross County (-) P Motherwell (1) 3 Dundee (2) 3 Biereth 6, Mugabi 68 Cameron 30, Beck 34 Wilkinson 90+7 Robinson 88 4,239 Rangers (1) 2 St Mirren (0) 0 Sima 45, 70 St Johnstone (1) 1 Celtic (0) 3 Jaiyesimi 40 McGregor 67, O’Riley 79 Forrest 90+3 Football results Premier League Scotland Other results Rugby union GALLAGHER PREMIERSHIP P W D L F A B Pts Sale 8 6 0 2 149 165 3 27 Bath 8 5 0 3 216 172 7 27 Harlequins 8 5 0 3 221 178 6 26 Saracens 8 5 0 3 221 181 5 25 Northampton 8 5 0 3 187 175 5 25 Exeter 8 5 0 3 239 165 3 23 Leicester 8 4 0 4 209 174 4 20 Bristol 8 3 0 5 213 205 5 17 Gloucester 8 2 0 6 157 249 4 12 Newcastle 8 0 0 8 117 265 4 4 Bath 41 Exeter 24; Bristol 51 Gloucester 26; Leicester 47 Newcastle 3; Saracens 12 Northampton 18. Friday Harlequins 36 Sale 3 RFU CHAMPIONSHIP P W D L F A B Pts Ealing Trailfinders 6 5 0 1 227 114 6 26 Doncaster 5 5 0 1 186 154 4 24 Nottingham 6 4 0 2 184 166 5 21 Cornish Pirates 5 3 0 2 162 105 4 16 Ampthill 5 3 0 2 150 147 4 16 Bedford 4 3 0 1 153 90 2 14 Coventry 5 2 0 3 162 124 4 12 Hartpury RFC 6 2 0 4 165 192 3 11 Caldy 4 1 0 3 87 157 2 6 London Scottish 5 1 0 4 72 132 1 5 Cambridge 6 0 0 6 107 274 4 4 Caldy P Bedford P; Cornish Pirates 28 Doncaster 39; Coventry 29 Hartpury 47; Jersey Reds P Ampthill P; London Scottish 19 Ealing Trailfinders 17. Friday Nottingham 22 Cambridge 19 NATIONAL LEAGUE 1 P W D L F A B Pts Rams 12 9 0 3 383 288 12 48 Chinnor 12 9 0 3 438 203 11 47 Plymouth Albion 12 8 0 4 345 265 9 41 Sedgley Park 11 8 0 3 330 317 6 38 Rosslyn Park 12 7 0 5 386 344 8 36 Birmingham 11 7 0 4 284 273 5 33 Richmond 11 5 0 6 303 310 12 32 Blackheath 11 5 0 6 289 270 10 30 Bishop’s Stortford 12 5 0 7 308 362 9 29 Darlington 12 5 0 7 257 323 6 26 Cinderford 12 5 0 7 233 344 2 22 Sale FC 12 4 0 8 251 285 6 22 Taunton Titans 12 2 0 10 333 442 12 20 Leicester Lions 12 3 0 9 244 358 6 18 Birmingham Moseley P Richmond P (frozen pitch); Bishop’s Stortford 13 Darlington Mowden Park 6; Leicester Lions 15 Chinnor 40; Rams 22 Plymouth Albion 20; Rosslyn Park 42 Cinderford 29; Sedgley Park P Blackheath P; Taunton Titans 32 Sale FC 56 UNITED CHAMPIONSHIP P W D L F A B Pts Leinster 7 6 0 1 227 136 5 29 Glasgow 7 5 0 2 208 163 6 26 Bulls 7 5 0 2 274 156 5 25 Munster 7 4 1 2 172 122 5 23 Edinburgh 7 5 0 2 171 162 2 22 Benetton 7 5 1 1 125 123 0 22 Ulster 7 4 0 3 175 168 4 20 Connacht 7 4 0 3 174 186 3 19 Lions 7 3 0 4 210 157 7 19 Stormers 7 3 0 4 171 128 6 18 Ospreys 7 3 0 4 151 148 4 16 Cardiff Rugby 7 2 1 4 151 156 5 15 Scarlets 7 2 0 5 125 272 3 11 Zebre 7 1 1 5 156 252 5 11 Sharks 7 1 0 6 140 170 3 7 Dragons 7 1 0 6 108 239 2 6 Benetton 18 Ospreys 13; Bulls 44 Sharks 10; Cardiff 23 Scarlets 29; Connacht 22 Leinster 24; Lions 49 Dragons 24; Stormers 31 Zebre 7; Ulster 24 Edinburgh 27. Friday Munster 40 Glasgow Warriors 29 ALLIANZ WOMEN’S PREMIERSHIP P W D L F A B Pts Saracens 3 3 0 0 131 25 3 15 Exeter Chiefs 2 2 0 0 73 41 2 10 Gloucester-Hartpury 2 2 0 0 64 14 1 9 Harlequins 3 1 0 2 53 83 2 6 Bristol Bears 3 1 0 2 62 46 1 5 Loughborough 2 1 0 1 31 60 1 5 Sale Sharks 2 1 0 1 40 79 1 5 Trailfinders 2 0 0 2 35 74 1 1 Leicester 3 0 0 3 53 120 1 1 Harlequins 0 Saracens 31; Leicester 12 Loughborough 24; Sale P Exeter P; Worcester P Trailfinders P. Friday Bristol 0 Gloucester-Hartpury 12 Cricket FIRST MEN’S ONE-DAY INTERNATIONAL North Sound, Antigua and Barbuda England 325 (H Brook 71. West Indies 326-6 (Athanaze 66, S Hope 109no). West Indies beat England by four wickets Full scorecard on p36 FIRST MEN’S TEST (final day of five) Sylhet Bangladesh 310 (Mahmudul Hasan Joy 86; GD Phillips 4-53) & 338 (Najmul Hossain Shanto 105, Mushfiqur Rahim 67, Mehidy Hasan Miraz 50no; Ajaz Patel 4-158). New Zealand 317 (KS Williamson 104; Taijul Islam 4-109) & 181 (DJ Mitchell 58; Taijul Islam 6-75). Bangladesh beat New Zealand by 150 runs. FIFTH MEN’S T20 INTERNATIONAL Bangalore India 160-8 (Shreyas Iyer 53). Australia 154-8 (B McDermott 54). India beat Australia by six runs. FIRST WOMEN’S T20 INTERNATIONAL Benoni Bangladesh 136-8 (Murshida Khatun 62). South Africa 149-2 (A Bosch 67; Shorna Akter 5-28) Bangladesh beat South Africa by 13 runs. FIRST WOMEN’S T20 INTERNATIONAL Dunedin New Zealand 127-6. Pakistan 132-3. Pakistan beat New Zealand by seven wickets. Golf HERO WORLD CHALLENGE (Albany, Bahamas) Leading third-round scores (US unless stated)200 S Scheffler 69 66 65. 203 M Fitzpatrick (Eng) 70 68 65. 205 J Thomas 70 67 68. 206 J Spieth 68 67 71; C Morikawa 69 69 68; T Finau 67 71 68; J Day (Aus) 71 69 66. 207 S Straka (Aut) 72 67 68; B Harman 67 69 71. 209 C Young 69 71 69. 34 The week ahead Today Football (7.45pm unless stated) Emirates FA Cup Second round AFC Wimbledon v Ramsgate ITV4 Racing Ayr Racing UK, Plumpton, Wolverhampton Tomorrow Football (7.45pm unless stated) Women’s Nations League Group A1 Netherlands v Belgium; Scotland v England BBC One. Group A3 Wales v Germany (6.30pm) BBC One Wales/BBC iPlayer. Group B1 Northern Ireland v Rep of Ireland (6pm) BBC Two NI/BBC iPlayer Premier League Luton v Arsenal (8.15pm) Amazon Prime Video; Wolves v Burnley (7.30pm) Amazon Bristol Street Motors EFL Trophy Northern section: Second round Accrington v Lincoln; Blackpool v Barnsley (7pm); Bolton v Port Vale; Bradford v Liverpool U21 (7pm); Derby v Fleetwood (7pm); Doncaster v Nottm Forest U21 (7pm); Wigan v Stockport; Wrexham v Burton (7pm) Southern section: Second round Colchester v West Ham U21 (7pm); Crawley v Bristol Rs; Forest Green v Oxford Utd (7pm); MK Dons v Brighton U21 (7pm); Peterborough v Arsenal U21 (7pm); Portsmouth v AFC Wimbledon; Reading v Charlton (7pm); Wycombe v Fulham U21 (7pm) cinch Scottish Premiership Ross County v Motherwell Cricket Women’s Second T20 International New Zealand v Pakistan, Dunedin (midnight) Swimming Euro Short Course Championship Otopeni, Romania (to Sun) Racing Lingfield, Southwell, Wolverhampton Wednesday Football (7.45pm unless stated) Europa League Group F Villarreal v Maccabi Haifa (8pm) TNT Sports 3 Premier League Aston Villa v Man City (8.15pm) Amazon Prime Video; Brighton v Brentford (7.30pm) Amazon; Crystal Palace v Bournemouth (7.30pm) Amazon; Fulham v Nottm Forest (7.30pm) Amazon; Man Utd v Chelsea (8.15pm) Amazon; Sheff Utd v Liverpool (7.30pm) Amazon cinch Scottish Premiership Aberdeen v Kilmarnock; Celtic v Hibernian; Hearts v Rangers (8pm) SSF; St Johnstone v St Mirren Cricket Men’s Second Test (first day of five) Bangladesh v New Zealand, Mirpur (3.30am) Men’s Second ODI West Indies v England, North Sound (5.30pm) TNT Sports 1 Women’s First T20 International India v England, Mumbai (1.30pm) TNT Sports 1 Women’s Second T20 International South Africa v Bangladesh, Kimberley (4pm) Snooker Snooker Shoot-Out Swansea (to Sat) Eurosport 1 Racing Haydock Racing UK, Kempton Racing UK, Lingfield, Ludlow Thursday Football (7.45pm unless stated) Premier League Everton v Newcastle (7.30pm) Amazon Prime Video; Tottenham v West Ham (8.15pm) Amazon Cricket Men’s First Twenty20 International Zimbabwe v Ireland, Harare (4pm) Golf Alfred Dunhill Championship St Andrews, Fife (to Sun) SS Golf World Champions Cup Bradenton, Florida Sky Sports Golf Racing Chelmsford Racing UK, Leicester RUK, Market Rasen, Wincanton RUK Friday Football (7.45pm unless stated) Sky Bet Championship Coventry v Birmingham (8pm) SSF cinch Scottish Championship Raith v Partick BBC Scot/BBC iPlayer Rugby union European Champions Cup Pool 1 Connacht v Bordeaux Bègles (8pm) TNT Sports 2. Pool 3 Glasgow Warriors v Northampton (8pm) TNT Sports Ultimate European Challenge Cup Pool 3 Clermont Auvergne v Edinburgh (9pm) Viaplay Cricket Women’s Third T20 International South Africa v Bangladesh, Kimberley (4pm) Golf Grant Thornton Invitational Naples, Florida (to Sun) SS Golf Racing Exeter Racing UK, Newcastle, Sandown Racing UK, Sedgefield Saturday Football (3pm unless stated) Premier League Aston Villa v Arsenal (5.30pm) SSPL; Brighton v Burnley; Crystal Palace v Liverpool (12.30pm) TNTS1; Man Utd v Bournemouth; Sheffield Utd v Brentford; Wolves v Nottm Forest Sky Bet Championship Blackburn v Leeds (12.30pm); Cardiff v Millwall; Huddersfield v Bristol City; Leicester v Plymouth; Middlesbrough v Ipswich; Norwich v Preston; QPR v Hull; Rotherham v Swansea; Stoke v Sheffield Wednesday; Sunderland v West Brom (12.30pm) SSF; Watford v Southampton Sky Bet League One Blackpool v Carlisle; Bristol Rovers v Cheltenham; Burton v Stevenage; Charlton v Cambridge Utd; Exeter v Port Vale; Leyton Orient v Derby; Northampton v Fleetwood; Peterborough v Oxford Utd; Reading v Barnsley; Wigan v Lincoln; Wycombe v Shrewsbury Sky Bet League Two AFC Wimbledon v Swindon; Accrington v Doncaster; Barrow v Gillingham; Bradford v Salford; Colchester v Crawley; Forest Green v Wrexham; Grimsby v Crewe; Mansfield v MK Dons; Morecambe v Stockport; Notts County v Walsall; Sutton v Harrogate; Tranmere v Newport Barclays Women’s Super League Man City v Aston Villa (noon) SSPL cinch Scottish Premiership Aberdeen v Hearts; Livingston v Hibernian; Motherwell v St Johnstone; Rangers v Dundee; St Mirren v Ross County cinch Scottish Championship Airdrieonians v Dunfermline; Arbroath v Morton; Dundee Utd v Ayr; Queen’s Park v Inverness CT cinch Scottish League 1 Alloa v Hamilton; Annan v Cove; Edinburgh City v Stirling; Falkirk v Kelty; Montrose v Queen of the South cinch Scottish League 2 Bonnyrigg Rose v Peterhead; Clyde v Stranraer; Dumbarton v Stenhousemuir; East Fife v Elgin; Spartans v Forfar Rugby union European Champions Cup Pool 1 Bristol v Lyon (8pm) TNTS1; Bulls v Saracens (7.30pm) TNTS1. Pool 2 Bath v Ulster (3.15pm) TNTS1; Toulouse v Cardiff Rugby (4.15pm) TNTS3. Pool 3 Munster v Bayonne (5.30pm) TNTS3; Toulon v Exeter (2pm) European Challenge Cup Pool 1 Dragons v Oyonnax (8pm) S4C; Sharks v Pau (5.15pm); Zebre v Cheetahs (2pm). Pool 2 Ospreys v Benetton (5.30pm) Viaplay. Pool 3 Black Lion v Gloucester (4pm) Viaplay; Castres v Scarlets (4.15pm) Allianz Women’s Premiership Gloucester-Hartpury v Sale (2pm); Harlequins v Exeter (3pm) TNT Sports 4; Loughborough v Bristol (2pm); Trailfinders v Leicester (3pm) Cricket Men’s Third One-Day International West Indies v England, Bridgetown (5.30pm) TNT Sports 2 Men’s Second T20 International Zimbabwe v Ireland, Harare (11am) Women’s Second T20 International India v England, Mumbai (1.30pm) Women’s Third T20 International New Zealand v Pakistan, Queenstown (midnight) TNT Sports 2 Racing Aintree Racing UK, Chepstow, Newcastle, Sandown Racing UK, Wetherby Racing UK, Wolverhampton Sunday Football (3pm unless stated) Premier League Everton v Chelsea (2pm); Fulham v West Ham (2pm); Luton v Manchester City (2pm) SSPL; Tottenham v Newcastle (4.30pm) SSPL Barclays Women’s Super League Arsenal v Chelsea (12.30pm) BBC Two/BBC iPlayer; Brighton v Leicester (2pm); Liverpool v Bristol City (2pm); Tottenham v Man Utd (6.45pm) SSF; West Ham v Everton cinch Scottish Premiership Kilmarnock v Celtic (noon) SSF Rugby union European Champions Cup Pool 2 Racing 92 v Harlequins (6.30pm) TNTS1. Pool 4 La Rochelle v Leinster (4.15pm) TNTS1; Leicester v Stormers (3.15pm) TNTS2; Sale v Stade Francais (1pm) TNTS1 European Challenge Cup Pool 2 Newcastle v Montpellier (3.15pm) Viaplay; Perpignan v Lions (2pm) Cricket Men’s Third T20 International Zimbabwe v Ireland, Harare (11am) Men’s First T20 International South Africa v India, Durban (2pm) Women’s Third T20 International India v England, Mumbai (1.30pm) Athletics Euro Cross Country Championships Brussels, Belgium BBC Red Button Racing Huntingdon Racing UK, Kelso RUK The main event Aston Villa v Arsenal 5.30pm, Saturday, Sky Sports PL Former Arsenal manager Unai Emery is loving life at Villa Park, where his side entertain the Gunners in the late game. Sport CINCH CHAMPIONSHIP P W D L F A GD Pts Dundee Utd 13 9 4 0 33 6 +27 31 Raith 13 9 3 1 22 14 +8 30 Partick 14 7 4 3 28 21 +7 25 Dunfermline 13 5 3 5 16 14 +2 18 Airdrieonians 14 5 2 7 13 19 -6 17 Ayr 13 4 2 7 17 25 -8 14 Inverness CT 13 3 4 6 13 15 -2 13 Queen’s Park 13 3 4 6 18 27 -9 13 Arbroath 12 4 0 8 16 25 -9 12 Morton 12 2 2 8 12 22 -10 8 Ayr P Arbroath P (frozen pitch); Dunfermline P Queen’s Park P (adverse weather); Inverness CT 1 Raith 2; Morton P Dundee Utd P (frozen pitch); Partick 2 Airdrieonians 1 CINCH LEAGUE ONE P W D L F A GD Pts Hamilton 15 11 3 1 34 7 +27 36 Falkirk 14 10 4 0 31 9 +22 34 Cove Rangers 14 7 4 3 22 15 +7 25 Kelty Hearts 14 6 3 5 22 21 +1 21 Montrose 14 6 2 6 22 21 +1 20 Alloa 14 5 2 7 17 23 -6 17 Stirling 14 4 2 8 10 24 -14 14 Queen of South 15 4 1 10 17 28 -11 13 Annan 14 2 4 8 18 30 -12 10 Edinburgh City 14 2 3 9 18 33 -15 9 Alloa P Annan P (adverse weather); Falkirk P Cove Rangers P; Hamilton 5 Queen of South 0; Kelty Hearts P Edinburgh City P (adverse weather); Stirling P Montrose P (frozen pitch) CINCH LEAGUE TWO P W D L F A GD Pts Stenhousemuir 14 9 4 1 26 10 +16 31 Peterhead 13 9 1 3 25 11 +14 28 Dumbarton 13 8 2 3 23 11 +12 26 Spartans 13 5 5 3 22 19 +3 20 Bonnyrigg Rose 14 5 3 6 21 22 -1 18 Stranraer 14 4 3 7 16 29 -13 15 East Fife 13 3 4 6 17 18 -1 13 Forfar 14 2 7 5 13 17 -4 13 Elgin 13 3 3 7 11 22 -11 12 Clyde 13 1 4 8 10 25 -15 7 East Fife P Spartans P (frozen pitch); Elgin P Clyde P (frozen pitch); Forfar 1 Stranraer 1; Peterhead P Dumbarton P (frozen pitch); Stenhousemuir 1 Bonnyrigg Rose 0 HIGHLAND LEAGUE Clachnacuddin P Inverurie Loco Works P; Deveronvale P Buckie Thistle P (frozen pitch); Banks O’Dee 4 Strathspey 1; Forres P Brechin P; Keith P Wick P; Nairn County P Huntly P; Rothes P Formartine P; Turriff P Lossiemouth P Leading stadings: 1 Banks O’Dee P16 Pts 35; 2 Brechin 13-34; 3 Nairn County 15-30; 4 Formartine 14-29 LOWLAND LEAGUE Albion P Linlithgow P (frozen pitch); Berwick P Caledonian P; Broomhill P East Kilbride P; Celtic B P Cumbernauld P (frozen pitch); Civil Service P Edinburgh Uni P (frozen pitch); Cowdenbeath P Stirling Uni P (frozen pitch); Gala Fairydean P Bo’ness P (frozen pitch); Gretna P Hearts B P (frozen pitch); Tranent P East Stirlingshire P (frozen pitch) Leading stadings: 1 East Kilbride P16 Pts 41; 2 Hearts B 18-36; 3 Cumbernauld 18-36; 4 Bo’ness Utd 16-31 Arsenal (2) 2 Wolves (0) 1 Saka 6, Ødegaard 13 Cunha 86 60,262 Bournemouth (1) 2 Aston Villa (1) 2 Semenyo 10, Solanke 52 Bailey 20, Watkins 90 11,191 Brentford (0) 3 Luton (0) 1 Maupay 49, Mee 56 Brown 76 Baptiste 81 17,075 Burnley (2) 5 Sheffield United (0) 0 Rodríguez 1 Bruun Larsen 29 Amdouni 73, Koleosho 75 Brownhill 80 Chelsea (2) 3 Brighton (1) 2 Fernández 17 65pen Buonanotte 43 Colwill 21 João Pedro 90+2 Liverpool (2) 4 Fulham (2) 3 Leno 20og, Mac Allister 39 Wilson 24, Tete 45+3 Endo 87 De Cordova-Reid 80 Alexander-Arnold 88 Manchester City (2) 3 Tottenham (1) 3 Son 9og, Foden 31 Son 6, Lo Celso 69 Grealish 81 Kulusevski 90 Newcastle (0) 1 Manchester United (0) 0 Gordon 55 52,214 Nottingham Forest (0) 0 Everton (0) 1 29,404 McNeil 67 West Ham (1) 1 Crystal Palace (0) 1 Kudus 13 Édouard 53 Plumpton 12.45 Nelson Criq 1.15 Heros 1.45 Goodwin 2.15 Midnight Mary 2.45 The Height Of Fame 3.15 Stanley Pincombe 3.45 Electric Mason Wolverhampton  5.00 Written Broadcast 5.30 Fircombe Hall 6.00 Smoky Mountain 6.30 Rubeus 7.00 Cuban Breeze (nb) 7.30 Ultramarine 8.00 God Of Thunder 8.30 Lunarscape (nap) Greg Wood’s racing tips • Sport Mary Earps and England are away to Scotland on Tuesday

Monday 4 December 2023 The Guardian ••• Sport xxlabel P W D L F A GD Pts Portsmouth 19 12 6 1 32 16 +16 42 Bolton 18 12 3 3 37 18 +19 39 Oxford Utd 18 11 3 4 31 18 +13 36 Stevenage 20 10 6 4 29 19 +10 36 Peterborough 19 10 5 4 37 20 +17 35 Derby 18 10 3 5 31 16 +15 33 Barnsley 18 9 4 5 34 20 +14 31 Blackpool 20 8 6 6 33 25 +8 30 Lincoln 20 8 6 6 26 20 +6 30 Charlton 18 7 5 6 30 25 +5 26 Bristol Rovers 18 6 6 6 24 23 +1 24 Shrewsbury 20 7 3 10 12 27 -15 24 Northampton 19 7 2 10 21 26 -5 23 Wigan 19 9 3 7 30 23 +7 22 Wycombe 18 6 4 8 23 27 -4 22 Leyton Orient 19 5 7 7 18 24 -6 22 Burton 19 5 5 9 16 27 -11 20 Cambridge Utd 19 5 5 9 14 25 -11 20 Port Vale 18 5 4 9 14 27 -13 19 Exeter 18 5 3 10 12 29 -17 18 Fleetwood 18 4 4 10 18 31 -13 16 Carlisle 19 3 6 10 15 26 -11 15 Reading 18 5 2 11 22 30 -8 13 Cheltenham 18 3 3 12 10 27 -17 12 Northampton (0) 0 Portsmouth (2) 3 7,215 Raggett 11, Lane 26 48 LEADING GOALSCORERS 14 May (Charlton) 12 Reid (Stevenage) 11 Rhodes (Blackpool); Cole (Barnsley); Bishop (Portsmouth) P W D L F A GD Pts Stockport 20 13 3 4 40 20 +20 42 Wrexham 20 10 7 3 42 31 +11 37 Barrow 20 10 7 3 27 16 +11 37 Mansfield 19 9 9 1 34 17 +17 36 Crewe 19 10 6 3 40 28 +12 36 Notts County 20 11 3 6 42 36 +6 36 Gillingham 20 10 1 9 19 26 -7 31 Swindon 20 8 6 6 43 36 +7 30 Accrington 20 9 2 9 30 29 +1 29 Wimbledon 19 7 7 5 29 22 +7 28 MK Dons 19 7 6 6 31 27 +4 27 Morecambe 18 8 3 7 26 28 -2 27 Crawley 19 8 3 8 30 33 -3 27 Bradford 20 7 5 8 24 27 -3 26 Newport 20 7 4 9 30 36 -6 25 Harrogate 20 7 3 10 20 27 -7 24 Doncaster 19 7 2 10 25 31 -6 23 Salford 20 6 4 10 30 33 -3 22 Walsall 19 5 6 8 24 31 -7 21 Grimsby 20 4 8 8 27 32 -5 20 Colchester 20 6 2 12 28 40 -12 20 Tranmere 20 5 3 12 27 33 -6 18 Forest Green 19 4 3 12 20 35 -15 15 Sutton Utd 20 3 5 12 26 40 -14 14 LEADING GOALSCORERS 16 Young (Swindon) 14 Langstaff (Notts County); Smith (Salford); 12 Olaofe (Stockport) 11 Keillor-Dunn (Mansfield); Lee (Wrexham); Evans (Newport) EMIRATES FA CUP SECOND ROUND Aldershot (1) 2 Stockport County (1) 2 Stokes 10, 68 Byrne 13, Madden 46 4,756 Alfreton (-) P Walsall (-) P Bolton (3) 5 Harrogate (1) 1 Bödvarsson 9 33 43 Thomson 45 N’Lundulu 49 52 5,703 Cambridge Utd (3) 4 Fleetwood (0) 0 Andrew 8, Kachunga 11 Okenabirhie 13, Ahadme 83 3,387 Chesterfield (1) 1 Leyton Orient (0) 0 Cooper 40og 8,232 Eastleigh (1) 2 Reading (0) 1 McCallum 22, 90+4 Azeez 86 5,002 Gillingham (2) 2 Charlton (0) 0 Bonne 26, Dieng 30 7,717 Maidstone (1) 2 Barrow (1) 1 Corne 35, Gurung 74 Whitfield 20 2,903 Newport (1) 1 Barnet (0) 1 McLoughlin 44 Collinge 89 2,707 Oxford Utd (1) 2 Grimsby (0) 0 McGuane 11, Bodin 75 Peterborough (1) 2 Doncaster (0) 1 Burrows 3,Mason-Clark 53 Faal 75 5,495 Stevenage (0) 1 Port Vale (0) 1 Reid 69 Ojo 76pen 2,491 Sutton Utd (0) 3 Horsham (0) 0 Pereira 64 74, Patrick 89 4,283 Wrexham (2) 3 Yeovil (0) 0 Palmer 14, Cannon 45+2 Dalby 90+3 9,604 Wycombe (0) 0 Morecambe (1) 2 1,604 King 38, Bloxham 56 (Played on Friday) Notts County (1) 2 Shrewsbury (1) 3 Brindley 38, Sanderson 75 Bowman 1 49 56 4,551 York (0) 0 Wigan (0) 1 6,613 Humphrys 61 VANARAMA NATIONAL LEAGUE PREMIER P W D L F A GD Pts Chesterfield 21 17 2 2 53 28 +25 53 Bromley 23 13 6 4 37 23 +14 45 Barnet 22 13 3 6 43 35 +8 42 Solihull 22 10 7 5 32 30 +2 37 Gateshead 21 10 6 5 47 27 +20 36 Aldershot 22 11 3 8 38 36 +2 36 Altrincham 21 9 8 4 40 29 +11 35 Rochdale 23 9 6 8 40 35 +5 33 Halifax 22 8 8 6 24 21 +3 32 Oldham 22 7 9 6 33 33 0 30 Eastleigh 22 8 6 8 34 37 -3 30 Hartlepool 22 8 3 11 36 42 -6 27 Maidenhead 23 6 9 8 27 33 -6 27 Wealdstone 21 7 5 9 26 30 -4 26 Southend 21 10 5 6 37 22 +15 25 Dagenham & Red 22 7 4 11 24 29 -5 25 Dorking 21 7 4 10 26 37 -11 25 Boreham Wood 22 5 9 8 27 32 -5 24 York 22 5 8 9 31 41 -10 23 Woking 22 6 4 12 24 30 -6 22 Ebbsfleet 23 6 4 13 30 44 -14 22 Oxford City 23 5 6 12 34 46 -12 21 Kidderminster 23 4 7 12 17 29 -12 19 Fylde 22 4 6 12 33 44 -11 18 Altrincham P Dorking P (frozen pitch); Bromley 1 Rochdale 0; Fylde P Hartlepool P (frozen pitch); Halifax P Solihull P (frozen pitch); Kidderminster 2 Ebbsfleet 0; Oldham P Boreham Wood P (frozen pitch); Oxford City 1 Maidenhead 4; Southend P Wealdstone P (frozen pitch); Woking P Gateshead P (frozen pitch) VANARAMA NATIONAL LEAGUE NORTH (top 10) P W D L F A GD Pts Scunthorpe 21 13 4 4 46 19 27 43 Tamworth 20 13 2 5 35 14 21 41 South Shields 21 10 6 5 35 21 14 36 Brackley 21 9 6 6 27 18 9 33 Curzon Ashton 19 9 5 5 25 16 9 32 Chorley 19 8 7 4 31 20 11 31 Spennymoor 20 9 4 7 32 32 0 31 Hereford 21 9 3 9 24 28 -4 30 Alfreton 19 8 5 6 32 24 8 29 Scarborough 19 9 2 8 27 24 3 29 Bishop’s Stortford P South Shields P; Brackley 2 Boston Utd 1; Chester P Gloucester P (frozen pitch); Chorley P Buxton P; Hereford 1 Scunthorpe 5; King’s Lynn P Banbury P; Peterborough Sports P Farsley P (frozen pitch); Rushall Olympic 1 Blyth 3; Southport P Darlington P; Spennymoor P Scarborough P (frozen pitch); Warrington P Tamworth P VANARAMA NATIONAL LEAGUE SOUTH (top 10) P W D L F A GD Pts Yeovil 19 13 3 3 39 24 15 42 Hampton & R 20 11 4 5 33 26 7 37 Maidstone 20 10 6 4 30 22 8 36 Aveley 21 10 4 7 32 25 7 34 Torquay 20 11 1 8 35 30 5 34 Bath 20 9 6 5 39 27 12 33 Worthing 19 10 3 6 35 26 9 33 Chelmsford 21 8 8 5 29 23 6 32 Braintree 20 8 6 6 33 22 11 30 Tonbridge 22 8 6 8 31 30 1 30 Aveley 3 Farnborough 4; Bath 2 Chelmsford 3; Braintree P Weymouth P (frozen pitch); Eastbourne P Taunton P; Hampton & Richmond 2 Hemel Hempstead 1; Havant & W 4 Dover 3; Torquay 2 Tonbridge 1; Truro 3 St Albans 1; Weston-super-Mare 4 Welling 2; Worthing 3 Chippenham 1 Sky Bet Championship Sky Bet League One Other football Sky Bet League Two P W D L F A GD Pts Leicester 19 15 1 3 34 12 +22 46 Ipswich 19 14 3 2 41 25 +16 45 Leeds 19 11 5 3 34 20 +14 38 Southampton 19 11 4 4 31 27 +4 37 West Brom 19 9 5 5 30 19 +11 32 Hull 19 8 6 5 29 24 +5 30 Blackburn 19 9 1 9 32 31 +1 28 Preston 19 8 4 7 24 32 -8 28 Sunderland 19 8 3 8 29 22 +7 27 Watford 19 7 6 6 28 23 +5 27 Cardiff 19 8 3 8 27 23 +4 27 Middlesbrough 19 8 3 8 31 29 +2 27 Norwich 19 8 2 9 34 36 -2 26 Bristol City 19 7 4 8 20 21 -1 25 Birmingham 19 6 5 8 23 27 -4 23 Plymouth 19 6 4 9 31 29 +2 22 Coventry 19 5 7 7 24 23 +1 22 Swansea 19 5 6 8 26 27 -1 21 Millwall 19 5 6 8 21 26 -5 21 Stoke 19 6 3 10 19 27 -8 21 Huddersfield 19 4 8 7 18 31 -13 20 QPR 19 4 4 11 17 30 -13 16 Rotherham 19 2 7 10 17 37 -20 13 Sheff Wed 19 2 4 13 12 31 -19 10 Birmingham (0) 0 Rotherham (0) 0 Bristol City (1) 1 Norwich (0) 2 Knight 34 Tanner 59og, Idah 90+5 Hull (1) 1 Watford (1) 2 Twine 10 Kayembe 8, Hoedt 74 20,057 Ipswich (2) 2 Coventry (0) 1 Hirst 6, Burns 41 Williams 90+6og 29,378 Leeds (3) 3 Middlesbrough (2) 2 James 5, Summerville 7 Latte Lath 3, 45 Piroe 38pen 36,812 Millwall (1) 1 Sunderland (0) 1 Nisbet 44 Clarke 78pen 17,815 Plymouth (1) 2 Stoke (1) 1 Bundu 43, Randell 90+7 Campbell 23 16,371 Sheffield Wed (1) 3 Blackburn (0) 1 Cadamarteri 5, Johnson 78 Szmodics 65 Windass 90+1 24,507 Southampton (2) 2 Cardiff (0) 0 A Armstrong 11, 15 28,659 Swansea (0) 1 Huddersfield (1) 1 Patino 90+4 Cabango 3og 14,725 West Brom (0) 1 Leicester (0) 2 Maja 89 Dewsbury-Hall 72 Winks 90+4 24,382 (played on Friday) Preston (0) 0 QPR (0) 2 Smyth 55, Willock 87 14,280 LEADING GOALSCORERS 14 Szmodics (Blackburn) 12 A Armstrong (Southampton) 10 Clarke (Sunderland) 8 Summerville (Leeds); Whittaker (Plymouth); Piroe (Leeds) 211 J Rose (Eng) 72 71 68; L Glover 71 71 69. 213 M Homa 69 73 71. 214 K Bradley 72 74 68. 215 S Burns 71 76 68. 216 T Woods 75 70 71; V Hovland (Nor) 73 73 70. 217 R Fowler 74 70 73. 220 W Clark 76 73 71. 228 W Zalatoris 81 68 79. SOUTH AFRICAN OPEN (Johannesburg) Leading final scores (SA unless stated) 277 D Burmester 70 74 65 68. 280 R van Velzen 72 65 70 73; J Svensson (Swe) 68 67 74 71; R Paratore (It) 69 71 70 70. 281 L de Jager 67 71 70 73; J Schaper 70 70 67 74; A Del Rey (Sp) 70 74 69 68; M Manassero (It) 68 68 73 72; F Lacroix (Fr) 69 68 75 69. 282 T Lawrence 70 71 74 67; F Laporta (It) 69 71 69 73. 283 M Couvra (Fr) 74 68 73 68; W Nienaber 72 70 71 70; Z Lombard 71 73 69 70; G Green (Mal) 72 70 71 70; M Penge (Eng) 75 68 71 69. 284 D Whitnell (Eng) 74 67 74 69; N Bachem (Ger) 75 66 71 72; O Bekker 71 67 73 73; C Bezuidenhout 68 74 70 72; M Schmid (Ger) 70 68 71 75; R Fisher (Eng) 71 69 75 69; A Pavan (It) 70 71 74 69; D Ravetto (Fr) 68 69 72 75. 285 K Samooja (Fin) 69 73 71 72; J Kruyswijk 72 71 71 71; J van Zyl 71 72 71 71; H Du Plessis 68 70 77 70; A Cockerill (Can) 72 72 69 72; S Friedrichsen (Den) 69 71 75 70. 286 L Albertse 69 74 72 71; D Naidoo 72 72 70 72; S Jamieson (Sco) 70 71 73 72; J Ko (Fr) 72 68 74 72; J Lagergren (Swe) 65 71 76 74; W Enefer (Eng) 68 75 73 70; F Schott (Ger) 74 69 70 73. 287 D Bradbury (Eng) 71 70 74 72; D Germishuys 69 71 73 74; A Saddier (Fr) 71 72 73 71; A Sullivan (Eng) 67 72 74 74; J Veerman (US) 71 70 72 74; U Coussaud (Fr) 69 75 71 72; J P. de Villiers 69 71 71 76. 288 C Schwartzel 72 70 70 76; R Williams (Eng) 72 69 75 72; D Fichardt 70 70 74 74; S Sharma (Ind) 73 69 75 71; D Law (Sco) 72 70 73 73; M Schneider (Ger) 72 71 72 73; K Aphibarnrat (Tha) 74 68 73 73. AUSTRALIAN OPEN (Sydney) Leading final scores (Aus unless stated) 271 J Niemann (Chi) 66 69 70 66 (won at the second extra play-off hole); R Hoshino (Jpn) 68 68 65 70. 273 M Lee 67 64 70 72. 274 A Scott 71 68 67 68; G Forrest (Sco) 65 71 70 68; L Canter (Eng) 70 67 69 68. 275 L Herbert 68 69 66 72. 276 A Meronk (Pol) 73 68 69 66; R Hisatsune (Jpn) 69 67 71 69; Y Katsuragawa (Jpn) 67 70 70 69; S Brazel 70 65 70 71; J Scrivener 72 64 69 71; A Fitzpatrick (Eng) 68 68 66 74; A Levy (Fr) 66 71 72 67; J Suri (US) 71 69 70 66. 277 P Rodgers (US) 64 70 68 75. 278 J Vegas (Ven) 66 69 72 71; C Smith 71 68 69 70; C Syme (Sco) 64 70 72 72; P Katich (Ger) 68 71 71 68. 279 A Baddeley 67 72 70 70; A Ayora (Sp) 69 72 73 65; J Stubbs 69 70 71 69; J McLeod 71 69 72 67; J Guan 70 66 70 73; R Mansell (Eng) 71 68 68 72. 280 M Block (US) 71 70 69 70; M Leishman 71 67 69 73; N Galletti (US) 66 73 75 66; E Smylie 68 71 70 71; K McBride 72 68 67 73; A Bland 69 72 65 74. 281 M Jones 35 UEFA WOMEN’S NATIONS LEAGUE Group C4 Israel 6 Armenia 1 WOMEN’S INTERNATIONAL FRIENDLIES Brazil 0 Japan 2; Canada 5 Australia 0; Colombia 0 New Zealand 0; USA 3 China 0 WOMEN’S FA CUP SECOND ROUND Bristol Rovers 1 Keynsham 2; Southampton 3 Maidenhead 0 LA LIGA P W D L F A GD Pts Real Madrid 15 12 2 1 33 9 +24 38 Girona 15 12 2 1 34 18 +16 38 Barcelona 15 10 4 1 28 14 +14 34 Atlético Madrid 14 10 1 3 30 13 +17 31 Athletic Bilbao 15 8 4 3 30 18 +12 28 Real Sociedad 15 7 5 3 26 18 +8 26 Real Betis 15 6 7 2 18 16 +2 25 Las Palmas 15 6 3 6 13 13 0 21 Valencia 15 5 4 6 17 20 -3 19 Getafe 15 4 7 4 17 20 -3 19 Rayo Vallecano 15 4 7 4 16 22 -6 19 Villarreal 15 4 4 7 22 26 -4 16 Alavés 15 4 4 7 14 19 -5 16 Osasuna 15 4 3 8 17 25 -8 15 Sevilla 14 2 7 5 20 20 0 13 Mallorca 15 1 8 6 13 20 -7 11 Cadiz 14 2 5 7 11 21 -10 11 Celta Vigo 14 1 5 8 14 24 -10 8 Granada 15 1 4 10 19 35 -16 7 Almería 15 0 4 11 16 37 -21 4 Almería 0 Real Betis 0; Athletic Bilbao 4 Rayo Vallecano 0; Barcelona 1 Atlético Madrid 0; Girona 2 Valencia 1; Mallorca 0 Alavés 0; Osasuna 1 Real Sociedad 1; Sevilla 1 Villarreal 1; Real Madrid 2 Granada 0 Friday Las Palmas 2 Getafe 0 SERIE A P W D L F A GD Pts Internazionale 14 11 2 1 33 7 +26 35 Juventus 14 10 3 1 22 9 +13 33 Milan 14 9 2 3 24 15 +9 29 Roma 14 7 3 4 27 16 +11 24 Napoli 14 7 3 4 26 17 +9 24 Fiorentina 14 7 2 5 23 17 +6 23 Bologna 14 5 7 2 16 11 +5 22 Atalanta 13 6 2 5 21 13 +8 20 Lazio 14 6 2 6 15 15 0 20 Monza 14 4 6 4 15 14 +1 18 Frosinone 14 5 3 6 20 24 -4 18 Torino 13 4 4 5 10 16 -6 16 Lecce 14 3 7 4 16 19 -3 16 Genoa 14 4 3 7 15 19 -4 15 Sassuolo 14 4 3 7 21 26 -5 15 Udinese 14 1 9 4 12 21 -9 12 Empoli 14 3 2 9 9 26 -17 11 Verona 14 2 4 8 12 21 -9 10 Cagliari 14 2 4 8 13 26 -13 10 Salernitana 14 1 5 8 10 28 -18 8 Fiorentina 3 Salernitana 0; Genoa 1 Empoli 1; Lazio 1 Cagliari 0; Lecce 1 Bologna 1; Milan 3 Frosinone 1;Napoli 0 Internazionale 3; Sassuolo 1 Roma 2; Udinese 3 Hellas Verona 3 Friday Monza 1 Juventus 2 BUNDESLIGA P W D L F A GD Pts Bayer Leverkusen 13 11 2 0 38 11 +27 35 Bayern Munich 12 10 2 0 43 9 +34 32 Stuttgart 13 10 0 3 33 15 +18 30 RB Leipzig 13 8 2 3 31 13 +18 26 B Dortmund 13 7 4 2 26 20 +6 25 Hoffenheim 13 6 2 5 25 23 +2 20 E Frankfurt 13 4 6 3 19 15 +4 18 Freiburg 13 5 3 5 16 23 -7 18 Augsburg 13 4 5 4 23 25 -2 17 B M’gladbach 13 4 4 5 27 28 -1 16 Wolfsburg 13 5 1 7 18 24 -6 16 Bochum 13 2 7 4 14 26 -12 13 Werder Bremen 13 3 2 8 18 27 -9 11 Heidenheim 13 3 2 8 18 28 -10 11 Cologne 13 2 3 8 10 24 -14 9 Darmstadt 13 2 3 8 15 34 -19 9 Mainz 13 1 5 7 12 26 -14 8 Union Berlin 12 2 1 9 12 27 -15 7 Augsburg 2 Eintracht Frankfurt 1; Bayer Leverkusen 1 Borussia Dortmund 1; Bayern Munich P Union Berlin P (adverse weather); Bochum 3 Wolfsburg 1; Borussia M’gladbach 2 Hoffenheim 1; Mainz 0 Freiburg 1; RB Leipzig 2 Heidenheim 1; Stuttgart 2 Werder Bremen 0 Friday Darmstadt 0 Cologne 1 LIGUE 1 P W D L F A GD Pts Paris St-Germain 14 10 3 1 36 11 +25 33 Nice 14 8 5 1 14 5 +9 29 Monaco 14 8 3 3 29 19 +10 27 Lille 14 7 5 2 19 11 +8 26 Reims 14 7 2 5 20 19 +1 23 Lens 14 6 4 4 19 15 +4 22 Brest 13 6 3 4 17 14 +3 21 Nantes 14 5 3 6 18 23 -5 18 Marseille 13 4 5 4 15 14 +1 17 Le Havre 14 3 7 4 12 15 -3 16 Metz 14 4 4 6 15 22 -7 16 Rennes 14 3 6 5 19 19 0 15 Montpellier 14 3 5 6 17 20 -3 13 Toulouse 14 2 7 5 14 18 -4 13 Strasbourg 13 3 4 6 11 18 -7 13 Lorient 14 2 6 6 18 25 -7 12 Clermont 14 2 4 8 9 21 -12 10 Lyon 13 1 4 8 11 24 -13 7 Brest 3 Clermont 0; Le Harve 0 Paris Saint-Germain 2; Lens 3 Lyon 2; Lille 2 Metz 0; Marseille 2 Rennes 0; Monaco 2 Montpellier 0; Nantes 1 Nice 0; Toulouse 1 Lorient 1 Friday Reims 2 Strasbourg 1 69 68 68 76; H Hopewell 65 72 73 71; M Sanchez 71 67 71 72; D Brereton 68 72 71 70; D Horsey (Eng) 66 70 73 72; C Purcell (Ire) 68 71 69 73; L van Meijel (Neth) 70 66 75 70; J Catlin (US) 67 73 71 70; J Moscatel (Sp) 71 69 68 73. 282 C Davis 63 74 70 75; M Power (Ire) 67 73 69 73; F Kennedy (Eng) 70 71 69 72; J Carter (US) 69 70 71 72; S Kjeldsen (Den) 70 71 70 71; O Farr (Wal) 73 66 75 68. 283 S Jones (NZ) 69 67 69 78; A Garcia-Heredia (Sp) 69 69 75 70; C McKinney 70 70 71 72. Tennis NEXT GEN ATP FINALS (Jeddah, Saudi Arabia) Final: H Medjedovic (Ser) bt A Fils (Fr) 3-4 (6-8) 4-1 4-2 3-4 (9-11) 4-1 Snooker UK CHAMPIONSHIP (York) Final: R Sullivan (Eng) bt Ding (Chn) J 10-7 ▲ Joaquin Niemann and Ashleigh Buhai with their trophies in Sydney Snooker O’Sullivan makes history but win lacks earlier ‘buzz’ Ronnie O’Sullivan repelled the determined challenge of Ding Junhui to become the oldest winner of the UK Championship in York, 30 years after he claimed his fi rst title at the tournament at the age of 17. O’Sullivan, 48 tomorrow , won 10-7 against his Chinese opponent, sealing a record-extending eighth UK crown with an exhibition-style fi nish of 129 amid raucous scenes at the Barbican. But he cut a underwhelmed fi gure, saying the triumph lacked the “buzz” of some of his earlier successes, and said he had even found himself struggling for motivation before the opening session . “I’m not sitting here with a massive grin and super-excited,” said O’Sullivan. “I just go through the motions a lot of the time. It’s great to win and I give my best when I’m out there and I want to win, but it’s not the same excitement as years ago when I was winning my fi rst world and UK and Masters titles, and you’re buzzing. “Don’t get me wrong, it’s still a nice feeling and a job well done, but I get more of a buzz from going for a run in the morning or having breakfast with my mate. “I don’t actually feel like ever playing. Once you get down there you think you’re glad you’ve done it, but even in this match today I was thinking I didn’t feel like it, I’d rather sit on my bed and watch a bit of Netfl ix. I feel like that a lot of the time.” Hauled back from 4-1 and 7-5 leads by Ding, who like O’Sullivan won his fi rst UK title as a teenager in 2005, the world No 1 dug deep when it mattered and consecutive breaks of 100 and 74 set him up for his fi nal fl ourish. Ding said: “The first half was disappointing because I had a chance to win more frames but 4-4 wasn’t too bad because I was 4-1 down. I came back to 7-7 but he played so well. ” PA Media ▲ Ronnie O’Sullivan beat Ding Junhui 10-7 for his eighth UK title Mark Staniforth York Barbican

••• The Guardian Monday 4 December 2023 36 Sport Cricket First one-day international England’s reboot splutters while Hope delivers glory Simon Burnton Sir Vivian Richards Stadium After crashing at the World Cup England’s white-ball side, like a malfunctioning laptop, has been turned off and on again, rebooted and updated, but when it was time to press restart they suff ered another malfunction. After setting a record ODI score on this ground they proved powerless as West Indies bettered it with seven balls to spare to win by four wickets, and as the batting of their captain, Jos Buttler, continues to suggest major programming errors it was his opposite number, Shai Hope, who steered his team to victory. Hope eased past the mark of 5,000 ODI runs on his way to a superb, match-defining century, stabilising his side before accelerating to the target of 326. He sealed the win by blasting three sixes off four Sam Curran deliveries as England’s bowling turned ragged , before declaring it the fi nest of his 119 innings, and 16 centuries, in the format. “It’s probably at the top,” he said. “It most defi nitely gives us confi dence for the rest of the series. We have to believe. We’ve prepared well enough. We know we put the work in, and it’s only a matter of time before these performances start to click. I see progress, but we need to repeat it next time.” For all Hope’s calm and quality West Indies seemed to be drifting towards defeat until the arrival at the crease of Romario Shepherd shifted the game in their favour. The all-rounder set England’s heads spinning as he scored 48 off 28, with Curran and Brydon Carse both losing control under the pressure he and Hope exerted. Curran in particular took terrible punishment, and his last three overs went for 19, 15 and 19 again – the last with a ball unbowled. scored three off 13, taking a few easy singles before attempting a reverse weep off Motie and gloving the ball to Alick Athanaze at slip, who juggled it into the air before taking it at the second attempt. By the time the ball fi nally dropped into his hands Buttler had already tucked his bat under his arm and started his trudge to the dressing room. “I feel good, I just keep managing to get out,” Buttler said. “It’s disappointing, frustrating, and it’s gone on a lot longer than I’d have liked, but there’s only myself who can score my own runs. I’m not going to score any if I hide away and don’t get out there. You keep working hard, you keep putting the eff ort in, and trust that it will turn around.” His was the only outright failure on England’s scorecard, Brook top-scoring with 71 off 72 and Curran and Carse, in particular, scoring useful late runs – albeit not quite as  useful as those they leaked towards the end of West Indies’ reply. A total of 325 felt like enough on a slightly awkward, turning pitch. But Brandon King and the excellent Athanaze launched the reply with no suggestion of concern. Athanaze, at 24 one of a fresh generation being perhaps belatedly ushered into the West Indies team, hit nine fours and two sixes, one a pull of vicious perfection that sent the ball soaring into the car park, on his way to 66 off 65 and an opening stand of 104. But as in the first innings the openers fell in successive overs and following their departures, and the arrival of Rehan Ahmed and Liam Livingstone’s spin that precipitated them, the scoring slowed and the required run rate climbed. The game seemed to be ebbing away from them but they never surrendered their composure. Eventually Hope and Shepherd took control, the boundary tally started to mount, and it was England who lost theirs. He conceded a record number of runs (98) by an Englishman in an ODI. So much for the new dawn . It had fallen to Phil Salt and Will Jacks, two players deemed insuffi ciently important to merit central contracts but promised the opening berths for this series, to launch England’s intended rebirth, and they threw themselves at the challenge with promising aggression. It was their third opening partnership, and all three sit in the top 10 – out of 33 in total – of England’s best of the last two years. Salt in particular tore into Oshane Thomas and Alzarri Joseph, West Indies’ opening bowlers, as England scored 76 without loss in the fi rst eight overs. But then they started losing wickets and with them momentum, and in their second eight overs added 34 at 4.25 an over, losing three wickets along the way. Zak Crawley and Harry Brook stabilised the innings, the former benefi ting from Gudakesh Motie’s terrible if sun-blinded drop at long on to reach 48 before being very emphatically run out to bring Buttler to the crease. In his past eight innings Buttler has scored 78 runs at an average of 9.75 and a strike rate of 75.72. Here he ▲ Sam Curran was hit for 98 runs, an ODI record for an Englishman North Sound West Indies beat England by four wickets. England Balls 4s 6s PD Salt c Carty b Motie .......................45 28 5 3 WG Jacks c Hope b Joseph ..................26 24 3 1 Z Crawley run out ..............................48 63 5 0 BM Duckett b Cariah ..........................20 23 4 0 HC Brook c Joseph b Shepherd ............71 72 7 2 *†JC Buttler c Athanaze b Motie ...........3 13 0 0 LS Livingstone lbw b Shepherd...........17 19 0 2 SM Curran run out .............................38 26 3 2 BA Carse not out ...............................31 21 2 2 R Ahmed c & b Thomas .......................12 8 0 1 GAP Atkinson c Sub b Thomas ..............4 3 1 0 Extras (lb1, w9) .................................10 Total (50 overs) ...............................325 Fall 77, 77, 110, 181, 191, 232, 239, 305, 321. Bowling Joseph 10-0-65-1; Shepherd 10-0-77-2; Motie 10-0-49-2; Thomas 10-0-57-2; Cariah 10-0-76-1 West Indies Balls 4s 6s A Athanaze lbw b Ahmed ....................66 65 9 2 BA King b Livingstone ........................35 44 4 1 KU Carty lbw b Carse ..........................16 39 1 0 *†SD Hope not out ..........................109 83 4 7 SO Hetmyer c Carse b Atkinson ...........32 30 4 0 SE Rutherford c Brook b Ahmed ...........6 3 0 1 R Shepherd lbw b Atkinson .................48 28 4 3 AS Joseph not out ...............................2 2 0 0 Extras (lb3, w8, nb1) .........................12 Total (for 6, 48.5 overs) ...................326 Fall 104, 106, 144, 200, 213, 302. Did not bat Y Cariah, G Motie, O R Thomas. Bowling Curran 9.5-0-98-0; Atkinson 10-0-62-2; Carse 9-0-73-1; Ahmed 10-1-40-2; Livingstone 10-0-50-1. Toss England elected to bat Umpires C Brown (NZ), G Brathwaite (WI) Scoreboard  Shai Hope picks up runs on the off -side on his way to a matchwinning unbeaten century as Jos Buttler looks on ASHLEY ALLEN/ GETTY IMAGES

Monday 4 December 2023 The Guardian • Sport 37 Simon Peach Hamburg Gareth Southgate says England must have the “humility to start again” as the Euro 2020 runners-up look to go one step further in Germany next summer. The impressive progress during his seven-year reign as manager means the side ranked third in the world are among the favourites to lift the European Championship trophy in Berlin. England found out their Euro 2024 group and potential pathways to the 14 July fi nal in the draw on Saturday evening at the Elbphilharmonie concert hall in Hamburg . Southgate’s top seeds avoided a so- called group of death a s Euro 2020 semi-fi nal opponents Denmark were followed by Slovenia and Serbia, but there is little chance of complacency seeping in. “ Certainly when Denmark came out, and you could still have Denmark, Croatia, Italy or something like that, then you’re wondering where it’s heading,” the England manager said. “But then, of course, you have to be very careful not to underestimate the opponents you have. “I’ve been fortunate as a coach and a player to have been to eight tournaments. I’ve seen a lot of teams that were fancied and well ranked going into tournaments not deliver and not get out of their group. “So we have to have the humility to start again, as well as we’ve been playing and as well as we’ve built over a long period of time. We’ve been ranked in the top fi ve in the world for fi ve years, so we’ve had consistency of performances and results. But a new tournament means a new challenge and the fi rst objective is to get out of the group again.” England have progressed from every group during Southgate’s tenure as manager, going on to reach at least the quarter-fi nals at all three major tournaments. There were signs Former Wales forward Andrew Coombs won the Six Nations in 2013 ▲ England must not underestimate opponents, warns Gareth Southgate Rugby union Codling comforts sorry Falcons after brutal loss Football Southgate calls for ‘humility’ before Euros This was another desperate afternoon for Newcastle, who have lost all eight of their Premiership matches this season and fi nd themselves cut adrift at the foot of the table. Leicester scored seven tries – three of them for the fl anker Tommy Reff ell – and continue their upward trajectory that began with the return of their internationals, but for the Falcons it is shaping up to be a bleak winter. Newcastle may not want for endeavour, nor talented youngsters, but there is a desperate absence of senior quality in their ranks and they have not won in the league since March. Indeed, they have won only twice in 2023 and the head coach, Alex Codling, has called on the club’s hierarchy to “make decisions” with regards to their longer-term strategy. The Falcons have cut their cloth accordingly in a competition plagued by fi nancial troubles but their decision to spend considerably less than the salary cap permits was horribly exposed here against a side packed full of internationals. “Newcastle have got decisions to make going forward around the strategy because there are some really talented youngsters but in the short term it makes life diffi cult,” Codling said. “That’s the bare facts of it. I can’t dress it up any other way but I can’t criticise the players. “I just work week to week at the moment, I work 100 hours a week. This is a huge challenge, my job is to now try and lift the spirits up again. The challenge we have is that we don’t have the experience around them to drop them in. You dust yourself down and go again. It’s like a boxer, there are only so many punches you can take but you keep taking them and hopefully at some point you land a blow. “I’m paid to coach, I respect the club massively, they’ve had to make tough decisions around fi nances but it becomes really tough when every week you’re coming up against fully stacked teams. I’m proud of the players, every week they give me everything they’ve got. At no point will I ever criticise the players around their spirit and togetherness.” The spirit to which Codling refers was no more on show than in the opening 10 minutes here, pinning back an initially sluggish Leicester in their own 22 for the most part and had the fi rst score when Brett Connon decided to kick at goal after Newcastle were awarded a third penalty in quick succession. To sum up the Falcons’ plight, however, they were twice marched back 10 metres soon after the restart, Handré Pollard kicked to the corner and from the ensuing lineout Reff ell was over for his fi rst try. From there, with Reff ell and co getting the upper hand at the breakdown, it was all too simple for Leicester, who displayed a cutting edge that eluded them for the early part of the season and went in at the interval with a bonus point already secured. Matt Scott was next over, taking a fl at pass from Ben Youngs before stepping over and Reff ell had his second soon after in the left corner. Jasper Wiese dotted down from close range to give Leicester a 26-3 lead. Thirteen minutes into the second half Reff ell had his hat-trick, fi nishing off another driving maul in the right-hand corner – Leicester playing to their strengths again and all too easily exposing Newcastle’s defi - ciencies. The Falcons’ afternoon got worse when the fl anker Pedro Rubiolo was shown a yellow card for a high tackle on Wiese and with Newcastle down to 14, Ollie Hassell-Collins was rewarded for his patience on the left wing with a simple fi nish. Mike Brown rounded off an impressive afternoon with the seventh try to ensure Leicester head for Europe on the back of three successive wins, having managed just one in their opening fi ve matches. They are to be bolstered too by the return of Anthony Watson, who missed the World Cup with a calf injury. He was on a short-term Rugby Football Union contract over the summer but has re-signed with the Tigers and the head coach, Dan McKellar, is expected to welcome him back into the side in the European double-header. “Anthony should be available for selection next week,” McKellar said. “A great player, international, British & Irish Lion – outstanding for the Tigers last season. He’s in a position where he’s ready to come back and perform – which is exciting.” Leicester 47 Newcastle 3 Gerard Meagher Mattioli Woods Welford Road Leicester Brown; Steward, Scott (Kata54), Kelly, Hassell-Collins; Pollard (Shillcock 54), Youngs (Whiteley 54); Van Wyk (Whitcombe 62), Montoya ( Clare 62), Cole (Hurd 58), Wells, Chessum (Carter 54), Liebenberg, Reffell, Wiese (Rogerson 62) Tries Reffell 3, Scott, Wiese, Hassell-Collins, Brown Cons Pollard 4, Shillcock 2 Newcastle Obatoyinbo; Radwan, Penny, Moroni (Spencer  54), Brown (Jennings ht); Connon, Elliot (Stuart 56); Brocklebank (Brantingham  49), Blamire (Byrne 62), Bello (McCallum 63), Hawkins (Cardall 49), De Chavez, Rubiolo, Cross (Lockwood 54), Chick Pen Connon Sin-bin Rubiolo 62 Referee Sara Cox ▲ Tommy Reff ell scored Leicester’s fi rst try as part of his hat-trick haul JOE GIDDENS/PA of progress before they lost at that stage against the eventual fi nalists France at the 2022 World Cup , having gone within penalties of becoming continental champions in the last European Championship . When put to Southgate that opposing teams and players have praised his work and the England team, he said : “ Well, I take that with a pinch of salt. Managers are good at that ... because I do it myself. It’s clear the team are heading in a good direction. The rankings came out this week and we were third in the world, so I think our performances across the calendar year have been good. “Eight wins, two draws, we won the toughest qualifying group and we won it comfortably, but that’s history and you have to go again in the next calendar year. It’s nice when we travel around Europe to get well received and we do get a lot of credit, which is lovely. But there’s still a step we want to take and that’s what drives us.” This is shaping up to be Southgate’s fi nal tournament in charge, with his contract expiring after the fi nals tournament next year. PA Media Euro 2024 groups Group A Germany Scotland Hungary Switzerland Group B Spain Croatia Italy Albania Group C Slovenia Denmark Serbia England Group D Playoff winner A Netherlands Austria France Group E Belgium Slovakia Romania Playoff winner B Group F Turkey Playoff winner C Portugal Czech Republic England’s fixtures Sun 16 June v Serbia Gelsenkirchen, 8pm Thu 20 June v Denmark Munich, 5pm Tue 25 June v Slovenia Cologne, 8pm Scotland’s fixtures Fri 14 June v Germany Munich, 8pm Wed 19 June v Switzerland Cologne, 8pm Sun 23 June v Hungary Stuttgart, 8pm Coombs shares dementia and probable CTE diagnosis at 39 The former Wales forward Andrew Coombs has said he has been diagnosed with dementia and probable chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) at the age of 39. Coombs is one of the 295 retired rugby union players who have brought a legal claim against three of the sport’s governing bodies alleging they sustained brain injuries during their careers. The former Newport back-row, who won the Six Nations in 2013, issued a lengthy statement on social media. “I’m writing to share some personal news that has deeply impacted my life and the lives of my loved ones,” he wrote on X . “Eight months ago, I was diagnosed with dementia and probable chronic traumatic encephalopathy after suff ering symptoms for around four years. “This fi rst came to my attention whilst featuring on a live episode of Scrum V Sunday, where discussions around CTE symptoms resonated with me deeply. It was a challenging decision to seek medical advice. However, understanding the changes happening within me became imperative. The diagnosis was a heartbreaking one but it answered many questions that had been lingering in my mind and worrying me for so long.” The former England captain Phil Vickery and the former Wales fl yhalf Gavin Henson were revealed to be part of the legal case on Friday after waiving their anonymity in the claims against World Rugby, the Rugby Football Union and the Welsh Rugby Union. Lawyers for the players have alleged the governing bodies failed to take reasonable steps to protect players from injury caused by repetitive blows and that many have bodies were negligent and failed in their duty of care by not putting in place any reasonable measures of p rotection . That claim is rejected by all three governing bodies, who in turn have criticised the players’ solicitors for withholding medical records and delaying the case. Coombs wrote in his statement: “I do question those who were responsible for managing the health risks associated with repetitive head collisions and concussions. ” A statement from World Rugby, the RFU and WRU said: “Rugby is committed to leading the welfare agenda in sport, driven by evolving science and research to protect and support players at all levels.” PA Media and Guardian sport permanent neurological injuries, including early onset dementia, Parkinson’s disease and CTE. All 295 players are seeking damages as they argue the governing

• The Guardian Monday 4 December 2023 38 Sport Football Premier League Sport Watkins keeps Villa on track in top-four quest Emirates FA Cup Eastleigh through as Arsenal land Liverpool Just as it seemed Aston Villa would succumb to the kind of defeat that would stick in the throat, Unai Emery’s side salvaged a point at a rejuvenated Bournemouth courtesy of a deft Ollie Watkins header with second-half stoppage time looming. At the end of the season, if not sooner, this could feasibly rank as a healthy takeaway given the margins in their explicit quest to qualify for the Champions League. Zoom out to analyse the bigger picture and Villa, imperious on home turf, remain very much poised to challenge. Perhaps that backdrop explains the wild celebrations as Watkins registered his 11th goal in his past 15 appearances in all competitions. Watkins wheeled off towards the away support and Emery went berserk, legging it around his technical area punching the air with both hands. It was a magnifi cent equaliser to earn Villa a potentially precious point and maintain momentum. Watkins beat Ilia Zabarnyi to the substitute Moussa Diaby’s cross and twisted his head to generate enough power to beat the Bournemouth goalkeeper and captain, Neto. “These kind of players need just 20cm,” Andoni Iraola, the Bournemouth manager, said . “For sure, we can defend better but for me the key [to the match] was more the other side. We had chances to score a third goal and probably fi nish the game.” Until that point Watkins had been Paul McCallum’s stoppage-time winner sent non-league Eastleigh past League One Reading in an FA Cup upset as fellow National League side Chesterfi eld also stunned opponents from two divisions above them to claim a spot in the third round. Femi Azeez looked to have salvaged a replay late on for struggling Reading after McCallum’s 22ndminute opener. But McCallum then poked home following a 94th- minute set piece to cause bedlam at the Silverlake Stadium and infl ict more misery on the cash-strapped Royals, whose fans had protested against the club’s owner, Dai Yongge, by throwing tennis balls and fake money on to the pitch, forcing the game to be paused. very much on the periphery, his off -colour display symptomatic of a pale Villa display all round. Emiliano Martínez more than played his part in ensuring Villa departed with something tangible, twice saving superbly from Dominic Solanke, making almost identical saves in each half. Douglas Luiz grimaced when Ryan Christie sidestepped him and located Solanke on the edge of the six-yard box, only for Martínez to repel the striker’s shot with his torso. After the break, a relieved Martínez puff ed his cheeks after denying Solanke when the striker latched on to a laser cross by the electric Marcus Tavernier . With games against Manchester City and Arsenal on the horizon, a signifi cant week given their aspirations this season, Villa at least avoided an ignominious start. Villa arrived as formidable opponents, soaring high with the league summit within sight, but twice pulled level to cancel out goals by the selfl ess Antoine Semenyo and Solanke. Semenyo again shone but was fortunate to avoid a cheap red card, tugging at Leon Bailey’s shirt after picking up an early yellow . Bournemouth have now played all of the top six and so Iraola seems well placed to judge Villa’s top-four credentials. Emery, for one, is determined to do more than just make noises about disturbing the division’s best. “I think they are elite in the fi nal third, in the transitions, on the counter; whenever they have space to run with Diaby, Watkins, Bailey or whoever is playing on the left,” Iraola said. “They are really dangerous whenever they recover the ball, very good at set pieces and with these things you are always in the games. Even if you don’t play at your best, you are always a threat and this is the reason they score so many goals.” On the touchline, there was plenty Dominic Booth of nervous energy as Iraola and Emery paced their technical areas. Emery is watchable at the best of times but grew more irritable as the prospect of moving second in the table – even if only momentarily – faded. A couple of minutes into eight minutes of fi rst-half stoppage time Emery animatedly questioned John McGinn’s motives for dummying a routine pass, prompting a vocal exchange. Following the interval, once Solanke had regained the lead with a smart fi nish, Emery aired his anger when the referee Thomas Bramall halted play after Semenyo clattered into advertising hoardings. The Villa manager’s ire was evident again when the Bournemouth left-back, Milos Kerkez, gained a few yards with a throw-in on halfway. The referee was the subject of frustration from both sets of supporters at the interval. A VAR check, which disallowed Diego Carlos’s goal that would have put Villa 2-1 up moments after Bailey equalised, took four minutes to be completed. Lucas Digne, who beat Tavernier to a header in the buildup, was eventually ruled off side. By the end of a lively and feisty contest, it all rather felt a distant memory. The Villa substitute Jhon Duran clinked a post with an eff ort that defl ected off Marcos Senesi but it was Bournemouth who will replay in their minds chances to seal victory. It is why Emery adopted a pragmatic stance. “I think it was brilliant how we were trying to keep being consistent, never giving up and always trying to be in the match,” the Viilla manager said. “The resilience was on the pitch and in our mind. It is not the best result but we have to accept it.” ▲ Eastleigh’s Paul McCallum celebrates scoring the winner against Reading BRADLEY COLLYER/PA Eastleigh’s 2-1 win earned them a trip to either Newport or Barnet. Chesterfi eld, the National League leaders, clinched a 1-0 win over Leyton Orient, after an own goal from Brandon Cooper, and will travel to Watford . Yesterday’s draw pit s Arsenal and Liverpool against each other. The eye-catching tie means the former – winners in 2020 – and the latter – champions of 2022 – will lock horns at the Emirates Stadium. Sunderland will host Newcastle in the fi rst Tyne-Wear derby since March 2016. The Black Cats have not lost in their nine previous meetings , but it could be a diff erent story against Eddie Howe’s new-look Newcastle. Manchester United will make the short journey to Wigan in the third round – which takes place on the weekend of 6-7 January – while there will be all-Premier League ties between Tottenham and Burnley, Everton and Crystal Palace, and Brentford and Wolves. Chelsea face Preston at Stamford Bridge, West Ham host Bristol City while Manchester City will begin their defence of the trophy with a home tie against Huddersfi eld . Non-league Maidstone United , who beat Barrow, will fancy their chances against either Stevenage or Port Vale at home. They will be joined in the third round by sixth-tier Alfreton Town if they can overcome Walsall after their second round match was postponed on Saturday due to a frozen pitch, with the winner to play Southampton at St Mary’s. Ramsgate, the lowest ranked team left in the competition, need to beat AFC Wimbledon tonight to set up an enticing tie against Championship high-fl yers Ipswich. League Two Stockport County were made to work hard for their place in the third round after being held 2-2 by Aldershot Town yesterday, with Joshua Stokes bagging two for the non-league side. Neill Byrne and Paddy Madden were on target for the Hatters. The winners of the replay, to be played at Edgeley Park, will travel to West Brom in the third round. Wrexham, Stockport’s nearest challengers at the League Two summit, safely secured their spot in the next round with a 3-0 victory over sixth-tier Yeovil Town. Their reward, after goals from Ollie Palmer, Andrew Cannon and Sam Dalby set up a routine win at the Racecourse Ground, is a third-round trip to nearby Shrewsbury Town. Ben Fisher Vitality Stadium Bournemouth 2 Semenyo 10, Solanke 52 Aston Villa 2 Bailey 20, Watkins 90 Bournemouth 4-2-3-1 Neto; Smith, Zabarnyi, Senesi•, Kerkez• (Mepham 84); Christie•, Cook; Semenyo• (Sinisterra 70), Kluivert• (Billing 70), Tavernier (Ouattara 90 ); Solanke Subs not used Moore, Brooks, Traoré, Rothwell, Travers Aston Villa 4-3-3 Martínez; Konsa (Cash 74), Carlos, Torres•, Digne (Moreno 74); Douglas Luiz, McGinn (Durán• 66), Tielemans; Bailey (Diaby 74), Watkins, Zaniolo• (Ramsey ht) Subs not used Olsen, Lenglet, Dendoncker, Iroegbunam Referee Thomas Bramall Attendance 11, 191 ▼ Ollie Watkins beats Illia Zabarnyi to the ball to score Villa’s late equaliser N WILLIAMS/ASTON VILLA/GETTY Hull v Birmingham Newport or Barnet v Eastleigh or Reading Plymouth Argyle v Sutton United Maidstone United v Stevenage or Port Vale Coventry v Oxford United Brentford v Wolves Chelsea v Preston QPR v Bournemouth Gillingham v Sheffield United Swansea v Morecambe Manchester City v Huddersfield Blackburn v Cambridge United N Forest v Blackpool or Forest Green Rovers Wigan Athletic v Manchester United Crystal Palace v Everton Middlesbrough v Aston Villa Sunderland v Newcastle Sheffield Wednesday v Cardiff Millwall v Leicester Watford v Chesterfield or Leyton Orient AFC Wimbledon or Ramsgate v Ipswich Peterborough v Leeds West Brom v Aldershot or Stockport Southampton v Alfreton Town or Walsall Tottenham v Burnley Fulham v Rotherham Norwich v Crewe or Bristol Rovers West Ham v Bristol City Arsenal v Liverpool Stoke v Brighton Luton v Bolton Shrewsbury v Wrexham or Yeovil Town Ties to be played the weekend of 6 January Third-round draw

Monday 4 December 2023 The Guardian • 39 Arsenal 2 Wolves 1 Oleksandr Zinchenko’s mixed bag of a performance showed the Ukraine full-back’s qualities in attack but once more highlighted his defensive defi ciencies. While he was instrumental in the brilliant team goal from Martin Ødegaard that gave Arsenal a 2-0 lead , a series of errors culminated with him giving the ball away cheaply to allow Matheus Cunha’s late strike that set nerves jangling. With Kieran Tierney reportedly to be sold in January, Zinchenko appears to be vying with the versatile Takehiro Tomiyasu for the starting left-back spot. Arsenal fans will hope the Ukrainian’s mistakes do not end up costing them dear. Ed Aarons Saturday’s talking points Brentford 3 Luton 1 The Brentford head coach, Thomas Frank, has had to cope with adversity this season but continues to impress with his side looking well equipped for another top-10 fi nish. Brentford, missing the suspended Ivan Toney for the fi rst half of the season , were also without eight players through injury on Saturday but Neal Maupay is fi lling in strongly in attack on his return to the club . Luton were below par but the Premier League’s newest club can aspire to the status Brentford have achieved since their promotion in 2021. As Frank said: “I still think it is a fairytale [we are here] and I still think these two clubs have the same dreams and ambitions.” Simon Mail Burnley 5 Sheffi eld Utd 0 Burnley were as clinical as Sheffi eld United were calamitous, to cruise to a fi rst home win of the campaign. Yet, ironically for Vincent Kompany’s ball-playing team, they turbo-charged their survival bid with a dash of old-fashioned route one. That was exactly how they opened the scoring inside 15 seconds, with Jay Rodriguez heading in after the striker won a duel following a punt downfi eld. Jacob Bruun Larsen’s second came much in the same fashion, a direct ball over the top fi nding the Dane in space. Oli McBurnie’s red card gave them a helping hand from there, but Burnley’s ability to adapt is becoming clear. Dominic Booth Newcastle 1 Man Utd 0 Erik ten Hag has still to choreograph an away league win against a club occupying the division’s top eight places. Tellingly, Manchester United’s last such victory arrived more than two years ago, in October 2021. If only the visitors had demonstrated a fraction of an injury-ravaged Newcastle’s indomitable determination then it might not have been so one-sided on a snowy, icy Tyneside. It spoke volumes about Manchester United’s lack of character that Ten Hag’s sidekick, Steve McClaren, stood in the tunnel at the fi nal whistle struggling to shepherd visiting players back on to the pitch to applaud their fans. Louise Taylor Nottm Forest 0 Everton 1 The strains of Mull of Kintyre did not, unusually, play at the start of Forest’s defeat , their third in a row, but are the mists rolling in over Steve Cooper’s reign ? Yet if Forest falter again at Fulham and Wolves this week and the owner, Evangelos Marinakis, does dispense with the club’s most popular manager in three decades, will they be better off ? Despite winning only once in 10 games, his players are clearly trying for Cooper as much as ever in the two years since they climbed off the foot of the Championship to the Premier League . Without the injured Taiwo Awoniyi they have looked blunt in successive home defeats and lacking in midfi eld craft. Peter Lansley There are some games in which, you suspect, the two managers could have shaken hands on a draw before kick-off and nobody would much have minded. From the moment Odsonne Édouard levelled eight minutes after half-time, this felt sure to fi nish level, and all that was left was to go through the motions so as to fulfi l the contract to provide 90 minutes for the Sky cameras. The growing number of empty seats on a dank, raw afternoon in east London suggested few who had paid for tickets felt a similar obligation. The two oldest managers in the league spent most of the second half standing almost motionless on the edge of their technical areas, hands thrust in pockets looking vaguely disgruntled, as though they were just counting down the seconds till they could drift off for a mug of cocoa and an episode of Matlock. Not until the 82nd minute did either manager make a change, Roy Hodgson bringing on Jaïro Riedewald, eternal king of the bench, for Will Hughes. “It was a tough game for us,” David Moyes said. “A tight, tight Premier League game. We couldn’t play with enough personality, get the atmosphere going. We were down and couldn’t get the thing lifted.” West Ham had taken a 13th- minute lead with a goal of misleading quality, James Ward-Prowse sweeping a cross-fi eld pass to Vladimir Coufal, whose first-time cross found Mohammed Kudus. His shot took a nick off Marc Guéhi on its way past Johnstone. But David Moyes, despite having three attacking midfi elders and two centre-forwards on the bench, and despite the fact West Ham had returned from Serbia on Friday and looked weary, did not make a single change until the 88th minute when Pablo Fornals was belatedly introduced. Finally, there was some urgency, and Jarrod Bowen might have won it, but headed straight at Sam Johnstone from six yards out. It was probably Hodgson who was happier with the point, if only to stop a run of recent defeats. It would be an exaggeration to suggest he had been under pressure, but with this result Palace have now won just once in their past seven games. The gap to the bottom three remains at nine points but a defeat against Bournemouth on Wednesday, particularly with Liverpool and Manchester City next up, could start to induce twitchiness. “For a large period I was quite pleased with the way we were defending and attacking,” he said. “Then you have to go through the anxious moments of last fi ve minutes of normal time and fi ve minutes of added time. We’ve just lost two games to late goals. I could have done  without that last 10 minutes. Had we lost to another late goal it could have had massive consequences for the team’s confi dence.” Palace feel like a club in a search of a purpose. This is their 11th successive season in the Premier League, in which time they have been consistently lower mid-table. The two attempts to break the mould and Moyes rues ‘terrible’ goal that gifts Palace point in grim battle inject something more progressive or exotic – Frank De Boer and Patrick Vieira, the latter having shown rather more promise than the former – have faltered and, while Hodgson saved them last season and has never been less than solid, it is hard to imagine anything other than more of the same as long he remains. But what else can they be? Palace have the 11th-highest wage bill in the Premier League, so 11th is their natural level. Life for them is plugging away, almost certainly doing enough to survive, occasionally achieving a notable result – such as winning a t Manchester United this season – and occasionally producing a gifted young player, to whom fans can never wholly give their hearts because they know that by their early 20s they will be off to clubs with a more realistic prospect of playing regularly in European competition. Only the three promoted sides went into the weekend having scored fewer goals than Palace, although there is some mitigation in that, after the departure of Wilfried Zaha, injuries have meant Hodgson has been able to start Michael Olise and Eberechi Eze together only once this season and that lasted just 49 minutes before Eze was forced off with an ankle injury. They did not look much like scoring here, set-plays their only real threat. When they did score, the sixth goal West Ham have conceded in the fi rst 15 minutes of the second half since the beginning of October, it was gifted them by Konstantinos Mavropanos. “From our point of view, it was terrible,” said Moyes, who admitted he was concerned by the habit of conceding just after half-time but seemed at a loss to explain it. “We’re not going in and eating a pie and coming out and feeling rubbish,” he said. Édouard took the opportunity almost apologetically, squeezing it just inside the far post at a pace in keeping with the general torpor. ▼ Mohammed Kudus scores his 13th-minute opener for West Ham SIMON DAEL/SHUTTERSTOCK ▲ Odsonne Édouard celebrates after his equaliser at the London Stadium ZAC GOODWIN/PA West Ham 1 Kudus 13 Crystal Palace 1 Édouard 53 Jonathan Wilson London Stadium West Ham 4-3-3 Areola; Coufal•, Mavropanos, Aguerd, Emerson; Á lvarez (Fornals 8 8), Soucek, Ward-Prowse•; Kudus, Bowen, Paquetá Subs not used Fab ianski, Cresswell, Cornet, Ings, Ogbonna, Benrahma, Kehrer, Mubama Crystal Palace 4-3-3 Johnstone; Ward, Andersen, Guéhi, Mitchell; Lerma, Richards, Hughes (Riedewald 82); Olise, Édouard (Mateta 87), Ayew Subs not used Matthews, Whitworth, Tomkins, França, Clyne, Ebiowei, Ahamada Referee Michael Oliver Possession West Ham Crystal Palace 56% 44% Shots on target 3 2 Total attempts 9 9

• The Guardian Monday 4 December 2023 40 Sport Football Premier League Ten-man Chelsea cling on as Fernández takes starring role Chelsea 3 Fernández 17 65pen, Colwill 21 Brighton 2 Buonanotte 43, João Pedro 90+2 Jacob Steinberg Stamford Bridge Chelsea 4-3-3 Sánchez; Disasi, Silva, Badiashile, Colwill; Caicedo•, Fernández•, Gallagher•; Sterling (Palmer 66), Jackson (Maatsen 72), Mudryk (Broja 81) Subs not used Petrovic, Bergström, Madueke, Washington, Matos, Gilchrist Brighton 4-2-3-1 Steele; Veltman, Van Hecke, Igor• (BakerBoaitey 84), Hinshelwood• (Milner• 57); Baleba (Gross• 57), Gilmour; Buonanotte (Mitoma 57), Lallana (João Pedro• 57), Adingra; Ferguson Subs not used Verbruggen, Moder, Kavanagh, O’Mahony Referee Craig Pawson It is probably safe not to take Mauricio Pochettino’s description of himself as a university professor seriously. When this mess of a game was over Professor Poch was on the pitch, any illusion of thoughtfulness disappearing as he had a go at the offi cials, the elbow patches on his blazer well and truly off . Perhaps it is time for Todd Boehly to install a creche at Stamford Bridge. Pochettino was in charge of a class of unruly children during a performance that began with Chelsea in control and ended with Levi Colwill almost giving away a penalty in the 110th minute, tempers boiling over and Brighton almost snatching an unlikely point as chaos reigned. Control? Composure? Forget about it. Chelsea have the worst disciplinary record in the top flight and were almost too intense in their pursuit of their fourth Premier League home win in 2023. They were up for a fi ght after their collapse against Newcastle but were down to 10 men when their captain, Conor Gallagher, got himself sent off just before half-time. Pochettino loved his young side’s spirit. He needs to fi x the naivety, though. “We have too many players who need to feel what it means to play in the Premier League,” Pochettino said, although he defended Gallagher and focused on the positives. “We needed to show our real face. We wanted to show we care.” The desire was captured by Thiago Silva making a crucial challenge as Brighton pushed for a late equaliser. Robert Sánchez made some important stops and the teams clashed after full time. “It is not just about your philosophy on the pitch,” Pochettino said. “You need to belong to the team. We needed this kind of game to challenge us.” Chelsea also needed some good fortune. Brighton fumed at the VAR intervention that allowed Enzo Fernández to score the hosts decisive third goal from the spot. Later they would despair when Colwill was penalised for handball with Chelsea defending a 3-2 lead deep into added time, only for replays to show the ball had struck the left-back in the face. Jubilation turned to disappointment for Roberto De Zerbi, although Brighton’s manager chose not to complain about Chelsea winning a penalty for James Milner’s challenge on Mykhailo Mudryk. “I don’t want to speak about the referee,” the Italian said. “I didn’t see anything. I have to accept every decision.” De Zerbi accepted that Brighton conceded silly goals. Chelsea responded to Pochettino’s anger after the 4-1 defeat by Newcastle. Pochettino made four changes, with Cole Palmer a notable omission, and reacted to a shortage of full-backs by naming Axel Disasi at right-back. Chelsea were committed. Brighton, ravaged by injuries and weary after winning at AEK Athens last Thursday, struggled . It was too easy for Chelsea to play through midfi eld. Moisés Caicedo ignored the boos from the away end and off ered control. Fernández was elusive. Raheem Sterling tested Brighton on the right. The breakthrough arrived when Gallagher delivered a corner. Benoît Badiashile gathered possession and hooked the ball into the six-yard box. Brighton were vulnerable without Lewis Dunk at the back. Nobody tried to stop Fernández from heading in his fi rst goal in the Premier League. Soon it was 2-0. Nicolas Jackson headed Gallagher’s corner back into the middle and Colwill forced the ball over the line. It was the 20-year-old’s fi rst goal for the club and Chelsea were cruising, only for the mood to change when Adam Lallana found Facundo Buonanotte. One on one with Colwill, the winger cut inside and curled a beautiful shot past Sánchez. Chelsea could have been clear – Mudryk had gone close – but now their inexperience took over. They were down to 10 men when Gallagher, who was fortunate only to receive a yellow for a foul on Buonanotte, lost Billy Gilmour and received his second booking for taking the former Chelsea midfi elder down from behind. It is worth remembering that Reece James, the club captain, was already unavailable after his dismissal against Newcastle. Silva took the armband but Caicedo was booked for kicking the ball away. Chelsea were edgy. Caicedo went close to being booked again and De Zerbi responded by introducing Kaoru Mitoma, João Pedro, Pascal Gross and Milner . Brighton were not stretching the 10 men. They lacked conviction and lost their shape after a corner. Jackson released Mudryk and Milner brought the winger down. Contact was slight, no more than a tangle of legs, but Craig Pawson gave a penalty after checking the pitchside monitor. Fernández extend Chelsea’s lead. Chelsea fell back. Brighton still had time. Sánchez made a stunning stop from Gross and Brighton pulled a goal back when João Pedro headed in Milner’s corner. Now the nerves took over. Colwill had his escape and sheer desire got Chelsea over the line. Colwill doubles visitors’ troubles Levi Colwill heads in his fi rst Chelsea goal as the former Brighton loanee puts the hosts 2-0 ahead MIKE HEWITT/ GETTY IMAGES ▲ The Karen Carney-led review has been given full government backing Women’s football Government gives thumbs up for Saturday 3pm TV games Suzanne Wrack The government has accepted every recommendation in the Karen Carney-led review of women’s football. They include supporting full professionalism of the top two divisions, a lifting of minimum standards, full unionisation of the Women’s Super League and Championship, cost controls at the top and for 3pm on Saturday to be considered as a dedicated broadcast slot for women’s football. An implementation group of key stakeholders will meet next March and July to provide updates . “I’m encouraged that the government is providing their full backing to my review and renewing their commitment to develop women’s football in the UK and fulfi l its potential to be a world-beating sport,” Carney said. “The real work begins now. I hope the additional investment and support from the government is the boost for the FA, the incoming NewCo and other stakeholders of the game to rally around this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to transform domestic women’s football .” The government approval comes at a critical junction for the professional women’s game in England, with the WSL and Championship clubs last week formally sign ing off on the formation of NewCo, the new company established to run the two tiers independent of the Football Association. Highlighted in the recommendations is that scrapping the Saturday 3pm blackout to broadcast live matches for women’s football is a “viable option ” that would “signifi cantly increase its broadcast and commercial revenue”. The government is calling on the FA, the Premier League, the EFL and broadcasters to work together to create a bespoke broadcast window for the women’s game with that slot as an option and says that if they fail to fi nd a viable alternative slot then “there is a legitimate question about recompensing the women’s game for this missed opportunity for revenue”. The government is keen to see “clear plans” in the March meeting for how the Professional Game Working Group, set up by the FA to establish NewCo, is going to move the game towards financial sustainability, saying eff ective fi nancial regulation and cost controls, which the body is discussing, will be important. Chelsea’s captain Conor Gallagher is sent off after his second booking

Monday 4 December 2023 The Guardian • 41 Football In brief Scottish Premiership Celtic win after making Rodgers ‘angriest ever’ Brendan Rodgers said he had never been angrier as a manager after watching Celtic’s “soft” fi rst half in a 3-1 comeback win at St Johnstone. Celtic trailed at half-time after conceding from an inswinging corner, Diallang Jaiyesimi getting the fi nal touch. Callum McGregor and Matt O’Riley scored with powerful strikes before the substitute James Forrest scored on the counter in stoppage-time after Jay Turner-Cooke had come close at the other end. Rodgers said of the fi rst half: “We got bullied for the goal and we were soft in everything, with and without the ball. Half-time was the angriest I’ve ever been as a manager.” Celtic are eight points clear of Rangers, who beat St Mirren 2-0 thanks to Abdallah Sima’s goals. PA Media Championship Idah’s injury-time strike hands Norwich victory The substitute Adam Idah scored a stoppage-time winner as Norwich came from behind to win 2-1 at Bristol City. Jason Knight fi red the home side ahead in the 34th minute with a crisp fi nish from 12 yards after the Norwich goalkeeper, Angus Gunn, had parried George Tanner’s low cross into his path. Norwich drew level 13 minutes after half-time when a cross from the left by Dimitris Giannoulis defl ected off Tanner to wrong-foot Max O’Leary and beat him at his near post. Deep into fi ve minutes of injury time Idah outpaced Zak Vyner on to a long ball and held off the centre-back before fi ring low into the corner. Bristol City wasted good chances at 1-0. PA Media Ligue 1 Mbappé on target in 10-man PSG’s triumph Paris Saint-Germain with 10 men beat Le Havre 2-0 to go four points clear of Nice. In the 10th minute Gianluigi Donnarumma was sent off , mistiming a clearance outside his area and catching Josué Casimir in the head. In the 23rd minute Kylian Mbappé scored from an Ousmane Dembélé pass and  saves from the substitute Arnau Tenas kept PSG in front before a Vitinha shot in 89th minute ricocheted in off a defender. Reuters ▲ Norwich’s players and coaching staff celebrate their comeback win Alexander-Arnold is Reds’ king of chaos in rollercoaster win Liverpool 4 Leno 20og, Mac Allister 38, Endo 87, Alexander-Arnold 88 Fulham 3 Wilson 24, Tete 45+3, De Cordova-Reid 80 Will Unwin Anfi eld Liverpool 4-3-3 Kelleher; Alexander-Arnold, Matip (Konaté 69), Van Dijk, Tsimikas; Szoboszlai (Gakpo 64), Mac Allister (Gomez 64), Gravenberch (Endo 83); Salah, Núñez, Díaz Subs not used Adrián, Jones, Elliott, Doak, Quansah Fulham 4-2-3-1 Leno; Tete (Castagne 75), Ream, Bassey, Robinson; Reed (Vinícius 90), Palhinha; Wilson (Cairney 62), Pereira (Willian 62), Iwobi (De  Cordova-Reid 75); Jiménez Subs not used Rodak, Adarabioyo, Ballo-Touré, Lukic Referee Stuart Attwell Attendance 50,143 Things do not always have to go perfectly to create perfection as Liverpool found out, maintaining their 100% home record in a sevengoal thriller against Fulham. Trent Alexander-Arnold, albeit via Bernd Leno’s back, and Alexis Mac Allister scored two incredible goals from a combined distance of 55 yards to twice put Liverpool into the lead. But Fulham repeatedly fought back, netting through Harry Wilson, Kenny Tete and Bobby De Cordova-Reid, all from close range, before Wataru Endo and AlexanderArnold lifted Anfi eld into delirium. It was rare that Alexander-Arnold was stationary on the pitch. He nominally started the game at rightback but could be found operating as a  sweeper, in central midfi eld or at left- wing. When he did get a moment  of calm, the full-back lined up a free-kick from 25 yards before curling in off the bar with the sweetest of strikes, although it will be slightly tainted as it hit Leno’s back on the way down. It was a positive day for Liverpool’s academy as the equaliser came from one of their graduates, too . It highlighted the downside to Alexander-Arnold’s free role, however, as it came down Liverpool’s right with their “right-back” in the centre of the penalty area. Joël Matip’s pass out of defence was intercepted and Fulham broke with Antonee Robinson allowed space to cross for Wilson, who jabbed the ball through Caoimhín Kelleher’s legs, the goalkeeper making his sixth Premier League appearance almost three years to the day since his fi rst. Mac Allister is, in theory, Liverpool’s deepest -lying midfi elder but he off ers far more in that role than others in the league. He is more suited to an attacking position and Jürgen Klopp is happy to see him go forward. The Argentinian was lurking when a throw-in was headed into his path by Raúl Jiménez; a less confi dent player might have taken a touch with the ball bouncing before passing it on but Mac Allister unleashed a vicious shot that kept rising until it hit the top corner. There was a split second of silence before the roar as everyone inside Anfi eld was amazed by what they had witnessed. “If he stayed there two hours, he is not going to do it again,” said Fulham’s manager, Marco Silva , not that Mac Allister is concerned. Leno’s earlier injury meant nine minutes were added on in the fi rst half. In the third of those Jiménez found a more productive use for a fl ick-on and nodded a corner into Tete’s path. The right-back controlled the ball but it seemed to get away from him, making Kelleher think he could claim it only to see Tete’s outstretched right leg divert the ball in. Liverpool thought they had been saved by the assistant referee’s fl ag but VAR confi rmed there was no illegality . The fl uorescent yellow and orange squares did rescue Liverpool soon after when Tim Ream smashed in the rebound following a Kelleher save from João Palhinha’s header. There was no doubt the defender, despite his fi nger wagging, was off side to ensure the half ended in parity. In the second, Mohamed Salah slipped a pass through for Darwin Núñez, who was sporting a new braided hairstyle, but his shot struck the bar . The Uruguay striker felt the need for greater backing from the supporters and threw his hands up to the Kop. The same duo combined soon after as Salah cushioned a Dominik Szoboszlai pass over the defence for Núñez but he could only scuff a shot wide. Alexander-Arnold’s passing range and the fact Liverpool looked susceptible down the right resulted in him being moved into central midfield and Joe Gomez coming on at full-back as Klopp withdrew Szoboszlai and Mac Allister. Cody Gakpo joined the architect of chaos Alexander-Arnold in midfi eld and the game opened up . Fulham were playing on the break and once again, despite the changes, it was Liverpool’s right that caused the hosts problems. Willian was left free to pull the ball back for Tom Cariney, who lifted a cross to the back post where his fellow substitute De Cordova-Reid rose above Kostas Tsimikas to head home and put Fulham into the lead for the fi rst time. Salah, one away from his 200th Liverpool goal, should have levelled when a corner was parried straight into his path but he could not score from six yards out, blazing his volley well over the bar. Salah need not have worried as, from his pass, Endo popped up on the edge of the area to curl a shot into the top corner . It seemed only right AlexanderArnold would have the fi nal say. A Núñez cross was half-cleared out to the England international who fi red home from 18 yards to create bedlam on the pitch and in the stands . It was a glorious end to a glorious match. Anfi eld goes wild after late winner Trent AlexanderArnold runs to the home fans after scoring Liverpool’s fourth goal against Fulham TIM KEATON/EPA Possession Liverpool Fulham 63% 37% Shots on target 12 5 Total attempts 26 9

• The Guardian Monday 4 December 2023 42 Sport Football Premier League Hands up if you’re grabbing a late point Dejan Kulusevski enjoys the moment after getting the goal that secured a draw for Tottenham STU FORSTER/ GETTY IMAGES Kulusevski rises above drama to deny City in six-goal epic Manchester City 3 Son 9og, Foden 31, Grealish 81 Tottenham 3 Son 6, Lo Celso 69, Kulusevski 90 In a game that was akin to a breathless fi ve-a-side, Manchester City slipped from mastering Tottenham to a sloppiness that should, privately, defeats, and the champions have dropped six points from the last nine available. The last time they failed to win in three consecutive Premier League matches occurred March-April 2017 and so City can be characterised as having a wobble by their supreme standards. They are at Aston Villa on Wednesday where Rodri and Jack Grealish are not available due to suspension after being booked yester day. Guardiola can be upset at Grealish as his yellow card was for a petulant kick of the ball. Grealish was on for Jérémy Doku, who appeared to have picked up an injury . In the merit column, though, Grealish did seem to have grabbed all the points when sliding home on 81 minutes. City’s No 10 certainly does not score enough – this was a fi rst of the campaign – and it derived from Ange Postecoglou’s intent that Angeball will not be aff ected whoever the opponent might be. Close to his goal, Yves Bissouma was pickpocketed by Rodri, whose pass went right to Haaland. The Norwegian , profl igate throughout, slipped the ball over and Grealish fi nished. But City proved powderpuff , unable to hold the lead before, in a frantic fi nish in the extra minutes, Haaland thought he had again put Grealish in. This all came after a fi ne start by Tottenham as they scored the type of breakaway strike that is the textbook way to breach City. Kulusevski curved the ball over the champion s high line for Son Heung-min. The Spurs captain was in a foot race with Doku meaning the latter’s jet-heeled pace would, surely, make this competitive but the Belgian lacked desire and Son skipped through to beat Ederson. Great start, sure, yet three minutes later – in the ninth – City equalised. It was direct stuff , too: Julián Álvarez pinged a free-kick in from the right and the ball brushed Haaland’s forehead and banged off Son and past a helpless Guglielmo Vicario. Next in a madcap passage 1-1 should have become 2-1 to City. After a Vicario pass to Emerson the defender fl apped when cornered by Bernardo Silva. The Portuguese squared to Haaland who was at point-blank range yet he fl uff ed the fi nish. The Postecoglou blueprint features high lines, pressing, and front-foot Jamie Jackson Etihad Stadium infuriate Pep Guardiola more than Simon Hooper’s odd decision in added time to wave play on before the referee awarded a foul on Erling Haaland after the No 9 had sent Jack Grealish through. Th e decision had Haaland and his colleagues surrounding the referee – which may provoke an FA charge against City for failing to control their players – but material to the title race is how the champions slip to three points behind Arsenal, 14 matches in. Dejan Kulusevski was the visitor s’ hero. As this helter-skelter contest went into the added minutes, Brennan Johnson skated along the left and popped the ball into City’s area and the winger – via a shoulder – beat Ederson to make it 3-3. The draw means Tottenham halt, admirably, a run of three consecutive P W D L F A GD Pts Arsenal 14 10 3 1 29 11 +18 33 Liverpool 14 9 4 1 32 14 +18 31 Man City 14 9 3 2 36 16 +20 30 Aston Villa 14 9 2 3 33 20 +13 29 Tottenham 14 8 3 3 28 20 +8 27 Newcastle 14 8 2 4 32 14 +18 26 Man Utd 14 8 0 6 16 17 -1 24 Brighton 14 6 4 4 30 26 +4 22 West Ham 14 6 3 5 24 24 0 21 Chelsea 14 5 4 5 25 22 +3 19 Top 10 Possession Man City Tottenham Hotspur 53% 47% Shots on target 4 4 Total attempts 18 8

Monday 4 December 2023 The Guardian • 43 Tottenham show hard evidence they’re the real deal with Postecoglou Analysis Barney Ronay Etihad Stadium Spurs started with four full-backs in defence again. At this point the idea of playing an Ange-issue high line against a team containing Haaland and Jérémy Doku seemed unsustainable. Instead they adapted. Forget the suicidally high line. Welcome to the suicidally deep line. There was an odd moment early on as Doku picked up the ball and just kept walking forwards, until he fi nally got bored and smashed the ball on to the crossbar. At times in those early exchanges City seemed to be spending every available second, without breaks or breaths, trying to shoot at the Tottenham goal while 10 grey-brown shirts stood like men roped together on a mountain. But it was also entirely logical to play like this. Spurs had one obvious strength here – the speed of their attack against City’s slightly ponderous centre-backs. It took a startling degree of clarity and boldness to commit to this so fully. But Spurs scored from their fi rst attack this way, a blitzkrieg counterattack, albeit helped by the fact Doku simply gave up chasing Son Heung-min as he surged away, feet battering the turf like a boxer pounding the pads, before sliding the ball past Ederson. Two minutes later Son scored again, this time touching in a City free-kick. At that point Son had touched the ball twice. Once to score for his team. Once for the opposition. And still strange things kept happening. It was exhausting to watch, every moment bringing some fresh moment of jeopardy, a high-wire one-two, a swarming six-yard-box press. There is a general inversion of roles in the Premier League right now. Defenders stroll and prance and create, ball-playing peacocks. Attackers hustle and close down and try to win the ball. Here this inversion of the order seemed to reach a new peak, a place where day is night, where goalkeepers dribble around centre-forwards, and where the best way to defend against a fl ying winger is to walk backwards towards your own goalline. There is danger in this. Phil Foden made the score 2-1 from just outside the six-yard box, easing the ball past a goalkeeper who may as well have been leaping around in the fi rst row of the stand. But Spurs’ best moments also came from this high-wire rope-a-dope. The attacks were direct, high-speed and thrillingly focused. Brennan Johnson, a fl yer on the right, had a wonderful game. Son played like a supercharged Harry Kane, scoring one, making one and producing a veering decoy as Lo Celso ma de it 2-2 via a curling shot that left Ederson grasping drizzle. City regrouped and went 3-2 up through Jack Grealish after fi ne work from Haaland. But it was Spurs who became more, not less, focused in the fi nal moments, Dejan Kulusevski heading them level at the death. A draw felt fair. But it also felt like victory for Postecoglou; hard evidence, amid the chaos, that this thing might just be real. T his was a breezy, while at times deeply confusing, game of football; but a game that will, above all, have felt like a kind of vindication for Ange Postecoglou. Tottenham Hotspur really, really shouldn’t have been able to come away from this injury-ravaged trip to the champions of Europe with a point, certainly not after falling behind twice; and even more certainly not after playing in the fi rst half like a team intent on walking the opposition backwards into their own goal. And yet, by the end there was a strange toxic fervour around the Etihad Stadium as Pep Guardiola performed weird overhead sarcastic applause and the crowd chanted “cheat” at a referee guilty of a poor call to reverse a decision to play on as Jack Grealish chugged towards goal 40 yards out. Erling Haaland left the pitch in a rage, tresses tumbling down his shoulders, fresh fro m a fi nger-wagging set-to with Giovan i Lo Celso who, despite appearing to come up only to Haaland’s waist, seemed entirely unmoved. This will have felt like a kind of victory in itself. Welcome Ange: agent of chaos. And yes, the points were shared from a 3-3 draw that could, with better Manchester City fi nishing, have gone the other way quite dramatically. But the performance will stand as the most satisfying moment of Postecoglou’s time as Tottenham manager to date; and as confi rmation in spirit, discipline and the boldness of his tactics, that something really is stirring here. This was a test of two very basic things. Most obviously the outer limits of Tottenham’s squad, on a day when the bench contained two goalkeepers, fi ve players yet to make their league debut and one Richarlison. More than that it was a test of Postecoglou’s sense of himself, the will to simply keep on keeping on, not to bend to the moment, to still follow the process – the way we want to play, mate – even with the prospect of four successive defeats looming. Deprived of half their fi rst team, away from home against the most potent footballing entity on earth, how would Tottenham pitch this? Do you still go full philosophy? Do you chase the moon across the sky, die on your feet rather than live on your knees? Actually, yes. ▲ Ange Postecoglou embraces Son Heung-min after the rousing 3-3 draw PAUL CURRIE/SHUTTERSTOCK Spurs had one obvious strength – the speed of their attack against City’s slightly ponderous centre-backs ▲ Dejan Kulusevski leaps above Nathan Aké to score Tottenham’s last-minute equaliser at the Etihad Stadium PETER POWELL/EPA ▼ Jack Grealish fi res Manchester City into a 3-2 lead from close range in the 81st minute of a game that ended in home fury CARL RECINE/REUTERS Manchester City 4-1-1-3-1 Ederson; Walker, Dias, Akanji, Gvardiol• (Aké 87); Rodri•; Silva; Foden (Lewis 73), Álvarez (Kova cic 87), Doku (Grealish 52); Haaland• Subs not used Ortega, Phillips, Stones, Gómez, Bobb Tottenham 4-2-3-1 Vicario; Porro•, Emerson•, Davies, Udogie•; Bissouma (Richarlison 87), Lo Celso (Skipp 79); Gil (Højbjerg ht), Kulusevski•, Johnson (Donley 90); Son Subs not used Forster, Véliz, Austin, Santiago, Dorrington Referee Simon Hooper attacking. Thus far his men were being pressed back and hoping to thrive off breakaways. This is what City do to even the most determined plans. Tottenham’s opener came from the counter and a second nearly derived from the same ploy. Johnson left Rúben Dias fl ailing as he burned along the right but, unlike Doku, the Portuguese refused to give up and his recovery was admirable. When City took the lead it came a little after a sweeping home move that ended in Doku crashing the ball off Tottenham’s crossbar. This time the Belgian’s part was to prod to Álvarez who recycled to Phil Foden who stroked in past Vicario. This had become a spectacle of City sequences and chances, forcing Tottenham into a frantic all-handson deck mode while seeming to not possess quite enough numbers to stem the relentless wave. So it was that Bissouma shipped the ball to Álvarez and when the Argentinian tapped to Haaland it had to be 3-1. But the master marksman blasted over, to his visible disgust. Postecoglou’s default expression was often one of disappointment – particularly when City escaped the squeeze but this is one of their many areas of expertise. The Australian might have swapped it for relief as, at the interval, Spurs were only a goal behind . After a talking-to, not “anger” Postecoglou claimed, Tottenham were a diff er ent proposition, aided by Pierre-Emile Højbjerg’s introduction for the second half , the Dane, on for Bryan Gil, solidifying Spurs. City, too, eased off the gas and it led to Giovani Lo Celso making it 2-2: Álvarez’s lazy fl ick was sloppy and intercepted by Ben Davies, Son was fed, he passed to the Argentinian, and the fi nish was curled in off the base of Ederson’s right-hand post. Grealish thought he had won it only for Kulusevski to intervene. Now came the grandstand – and controversial – fi nish, which began with Emerson Royal felling Haaland. We probably have not heard the end of it.

••• The Guardian Monday 4 December 2023
  
England crash No new dawn as Hope makes Curran suff er in West Indies Happy ending Fernández the hero in triumph for 10-man Chelsea Page 36 Page 40 Jürgen Klopp has said that Liverpool’s late, thrilling 4-3 win over Fulham was a game “people will never forget in their life”. Liverpool trailed 3-2 with three minutes of normal time to go, before goals from Wataru Endo and Trent Alexander-Arnold secured a memorable comeback win . “The outcome was perfect,” the Liverpool manager said. “At 3-3 everyone could see the boys wanted more and because we have been lucky today we got it – an outstanding experience. I don’t think anyone here would have thought before the game that Liverpool v Fulham would be a game you’d never forget in your life but you’re welcome. Anyone that was here today will never forget it in their life.” The mayhem started in the 20th minute with an unfortunate Bernd Leno own goal following an Alexander-Arnold free-kick. Harry Wilson and Kenny Tete levelled for Fulham either side of a wonder strike from Alexis Mac Allister before Bobby De Cordova-Reid put Fulham ahead in the 80th minute. But it was not enough for even a point. All of Liverpool’s goals came from distance, including Mac Allister’s stunning strike from 30 yards. “I have never seen a competitive game with so many worldies,” Klopp said. “Before the game you could see Macca’s foot is right today, he was really into shooting. I thought ‘wow, you better try it’ and he obviously thought the same.” Amid all the goals, AlexanderArnold was infl uential and earned the right to score the winner in the 88th minute. “Nobody is in doubt of how highly I think of Trent. Ever since I have been here his development is crazy. Today he was a real leader on the pitch and that is probably the biggest improvement , ” said Klopp. Will Unwin Anfi eld Klopp hails players after ‘unforgettable’ comeback win ▲ Jürgen Klopp praised his winning goalscorer Trent Alexander-Arnold touchline sometimes I lose my mind and my gestures are not proper but here normally for many years as a manager I’m not a guy when I’m refreshed [calm] to comment. But I would say we didn’t draw for that.” On X, Haaland wrote “wtf” above a clip of the incident. The FA is likely to charge him or Guardiola only if it concludes they have questioned the referee’s integrity. City slip to third in the table, three points behind the leaders, Arsenal, and one behind Liverpool. City’s fury at referee Haaland hits out after late drama in Spurs thriller Manchester City Tottenham 3 3 Son 9og Foden 31 Grealish 81 Son 6 Lo Celso 69 Kulusevski 90 Manchester City’s 3-3 draw with Tottenham ended in fury for the champions that prompted Pep Guardiola to say he would not make a “Mikel Arteta comment” and Erling Haaland to write “wtf” on X after the referee, Simon Hooper, stopped play with Jack Grealish clear on goal in added time. Hooper, having waved play on for a foul on Haaland, halted the game after a pass by the Norwegian had put City’s manager , who was referring to Arteta describing Newcastle’s winner against Arsenal last month as “an absolute disgrace”, was more forthcoming when asked about H aaland’s reaction at the end. “It’s normal,” he said. “His reaction was the same for 10 players. The rules are you cannot talk with the referees or fourth offi cials so we should have had 10 players sent off today. He’s a little bit disappointed. ” Guardiola refused to blame the decision for the result. “I make mistakes, the players make mistakes. I don’t want to criticise him. On the Grealish in behind the Spurs defence. Angry City players surrounded the referee – which may provoke a Football Association charge – and Guardiola remonstrated with the fourth offi cial . When Hooper blew for time, Haaland departed the pitch visibly upset. Guardiola, asked about the incident, responded pointedly. “Next question. I will not do a Mikel Arteta comment. It is hard when you review the image: the referee decides to blow the whistle after he has already said to play on. After the pass, the whistle, so I do not understand this action.” Jamie Jackson Etihad Stadium The Guar Monday 4 Decembe y 2023 g a Match report Page 41  Report and analysis Pages 42-43   Erling Haaland leads the complaints after play is stopped with Jack Grealish in behind the Tottenham defence ROBBIE JAY BARRATT/AMA/GETTY IMAGES *