Manchester United have confirmed they will keep Michael Carrick on as permanent manager beyond the end of the season.

Carrick was appointed in January on an interim basis following the sacking of Ruben Amorim but has overseen a sensational change in fortunes, guiding the club up the table to secure Champions League qualification.

The former United midfielder has recorded 11 Premier League wins in 16 matches, which included a seven-game unbeaten streak after taking the reins. He also boasts the highest points tally in the English top flight since his arrival.

“From the moment that I arrived here 20 years ago, I felt the magic of Manchester United,” Carrick said.

“Carrying the responsibility of leading our special football club fills me with immense pride.

“Throughout the past five months, this group of players have shown they can reach the standards of resilience, togetherness and determination that we demand here.

“Now it’s time to move forward together again, with ambition and a clear sense of purpose. Manchester United and our incredible supporters deserve to be challenging for the biggest honours again.”

Carrick will lead United into their final game of the season away at Brighton on Sunday after sealing third place with a 3-2 victory over Nottingham Forest in their last Old Trafford outing.

Explaining the club’s decision to keep Carrick on in the long-term, director of football Jason Wilcox said: “Michael has thoroughly earned the opportunity to continue leading our men’s team.

“In the time he has been doing the role, we have seen positive results on the pitch, but more than that, an approach which aligns with the club’s values, traditions and history.

“Michael’s achievements in leading the club back to the Champions League should not be understated. He has forged a strong bond with the players and can be proud of the winning culture at Carrington and in the dressing room, which we are continuing to build.”

The 44-year-old rejoined the Red Devils for a second interim stint with the club out of all cup competitions, with former team-mate Darren Fletcher losing both outings in charge as caretaker boss before his arrival, including an FA Cup third-round tie at home to the Seagulls.

With only the Premier League left to focus on, Carrick has spearheaded an impressive season turnaround that leaves United looking forward to a first Champions League campaign since 2023/24.

Qualification into Europe’s premier competition comes a year on from enduring a stark low in the club’s history on the continental stage, losing the Europa League final to Tottenham after finishing 15th in the Premier League.

Cambridge City Council were deadlocked with only Labour putting forward a nominee

Cambridge City Council has failed to elect a new leader at their annual meeting after hours of discussion. It was the first council meeting following the May 7 local election which saw council leader Cameron Holloway lose his seat as Labour lost six seats to the Green Party.

Labour put forward their new leader, Cllr Katie Thornburrow, to lead the council but the motion was defeated by 23 votes to 17. No other candidates for leader were nominated.

The Green Party and Liberal Democrats voted against her appointment and a recess was called for the parties to discuss with each other. The Local Democracy Service understands the Green Party had agreed to support Labour’s pick but, when the crucial vote came, voted against her.

The elected leader will be in control of the council at a time when preparations are being made for huge changes as a result of local government reorganisation. This will see an end to the current two-tier system with councils responsibilities split between county and district level.

Cambridge City Council will be combined with surrounding councils into a single unitary authority which could lead to huge changes in the political landscape. The latest local election saw South Cambridgeshire District Council elect a Liberal Democrat candidate for every seat except two. A recess of half an hour was called – but it went on for around two hours.

When councillors returned, Cllr Thornburrow was again the only nomination, and the result of the vote was the same – meaning the vote was adjourned for the day.

Cllr Mike Davey said he was “puzzled” as to why after ten days of discussion they were “then taking another ten days to discuss further”.

Cllr Mike Todd-Jones said: “We are here to serve the people of Cambridge – not engage in party politics, please can we sort this out.”

Cllr Gerri Bird said: “I’ve been a councillor for many years and I’m really sad.

“We are not thinking of our residents – our residents are the most important thing, not us as councillors. Our residents are the ones we should be looking after. It is so so sad and I hope everyone feels the same way.”

Cllr Tim Bick, leader of the Liberal Democrat group, said: “I intend to keep my language about this as uninflammatory as we can, because I don’t think it’s helpful at the moment.

“There have been discussions going on over the past ten days. I have been part of that process and my group has made very clear the approach they would have to the running of the council.

“We are three progressive parties in a progressive city – this should not be something which is beyond resolve. I think what we’ve heard from the party opposite is a pity. It presupposes that the party used to running this council, continues to run it. I think that in order to get a different solution, and perhaps a better solution, is to allow time to see if that can be arrived at.”

Cllr Thornburrow suggested that either Cllr Bick, or the leader of the Green group, Cllr Naomi Bennett, put their names forward.

She said: “We are prepared to be in opposition and we would still work constructively and collaboratively to do the best for our council and our residents. We are prepared to work – we have proposed a way to work, you need to propose a way.”

Newly-elected Green Cllr Sefira Davison said she “welcomed the remarks” of Cllr Bick “that this is not a crisis and we are in a comparatively normal timeline”.

She criticised the “frantic energy” from an “awful lot of people” and said: “I can certainly tell you when I speak to someone who’s very keen to rush me into a deal because we absolutely have to get it right this second – I’m either about to walk away or about to lose a lot of money.”

The council adjourned to meet again at 6pm on June 1 to elect a new leader.

LONDON (AP) — British police appealed for witnesses Friday as they sought to broaden their investigation into potential offenses by the former Prince Andrew, including sexual misconduct.

Thames Valley Police issued the statement as it updated reporters on its investigation into allegations of misconduct in public office by the former prince, now known as Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor. The force covers the area west of London where Mountbatten-Windsor lived for many years.

Mountbatten-Windsor was arrested on Feb. 19 and held for hours as police questioned him about the allegations, linked to his friendship with the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. The arrest was an extraordinary move in a country where authorities once sought to shield the royal family from embarrassment.

Mountbatten-Windsor has repeatedly denied wrongdoing.

Police previously said they were “assessing” reports that Mountbatten-Windsor sent trade reports to Epstein in 2010 when the then-prince was Britain’s special envoy for international trade. Those reports were based on correspondence between the two men that became public when the U.S. Justice Department released millions of pages of documents from its investigation into Epstein.

But detectives renewed their appeal for witnesses amid concern that the public believes they are only investigating allegations linked to the trade reports, when in fact misconduct in public office can apply to a much broader list of offenses, Britain’s Press Association reported.

“Misconduct in public office is a crime that can take different forms, making this a complex investigation,’’ Assistant Chief Constable Oliver Wright said. “Our team of very experienced detectives are working meticulously through a significant amount of information that has come in from the public and other sources.”

Misconduct in public office can include sharing confidential financial information, financial misconduct, willful neglect of duty, and sexual misconduct. It also covers corruption and improper interference, conflict of interest, perverting the course of justice, dishonesty or fraudulent conduct or misconduct leading to personal gain.

Police said they are looking into “a number of aspects of alleged misconduct” following the release of the U.S. documents, and they are working with the Justice Department to get additional information related to the investigation.

Thames Valley Police also issued an update on its inquiry into allegations that a woman was taken to a location in Windsor for sexual purposes in 2010.

“Should she wish to report this to police it will be taken seriously and handled with care, sensitivity and respect for her privacy,’’ police said in a statement.

Florida attorney Brad Edwards told the BBC in January that he represented a woman who said that Epstein sent her to England in 2010 to have a sexual encounter with Mountbatten-Windsor at his home in Windsor.

King Charles III stripped his younger brother of his royal titles late last year as he sought to distance the royal family from the fallout from the Epstein scandal. Those files showed how the wealthy financier used an international web of rich, powerful friends to gain influence and sexually exploit young women and girls.

The fallout from the document release has been strongly felt in the U.K., where the scandal has raised questions about the way power is wielded by the upper echelon of society such as the aristocracy, senior politicians and influential business owners.

Nine police forces in the U.K. have said they are investigating potential wrongdoing related to Epstein.

Britain’s former ambassador to the U.S. Peter Mandelson was fired last year after documents revealed that he had a longer and deeper relationship with Epstein than he previously acknowledged.

Andoni Iraola has guided Bournemouth to European qualification but with him leaving in the summer it opens the door for a bigger club like Liverpool to take on the Spaniard on a free

Arne Slot’s future at Liverpool remains under scrutiny despite reassurances from the owners that the Dutchman will be in the dugout next season at least. However, since then, there has been growing speculation that Fenway Sports Group (FSG) are reconsidering this and possibly looking at an outgoing Premier League boss.

The bookies have priced Andoni Iraola as the clear odds-on favourite at 4/6 with William Hill, Sky Bet and Paddy Power at the moment. You can also find more betting offers at the Mirror Betting Hubs Free Bets offers.

READ MORE: Liverpool owners told to BAN Mohamed Salah from final day send-off as behaviour addressed

READ MORE: Xabi Alonso refuses to rule out Chelsea selling THREE stars including Enzo Fernandez

Iraola’s shortening follows a sharp spike in betting on Thursday, a day after Bournemouth effectively sealed European qualification with a home draw against Manchester City and kept their Champions League hopes alive. The market shift comes amid ongoing uncertainty over Slot’s position at Anfield and raola is expected to be on the market this summer, with Bournemouth confirming he will leave at the end of the season.

Arne Slot’s time at Liverpool can only be best described as chalk and cheese. On the one hand, they had an incredible debut season thriving in the Premier League, quality in the Champions League and narrowly missing out on the League Cup before a horrendous season in all competitions with the Reds going into the final day with no place in Champions League guaranteed yet.

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His future at the club has been under constant speculation with even some corners of the fanbase calling for his sacking or resignation – a complete u-turn on how things were this time last year. With the growing unrest and now former Liverpool man Xabi Alonso now joining Chelsea it seems that Iraola is the main man according to the bookies.

Spokesperson for William Hill, Lee Phelps, said: “There has been plenty of speculation surrounding Arne Slot’s future at Liverpool following a disappointing campaign, with frustration among sections of the Anfield support continuing to grow.

“With Andoni Iraola leaving Bournemouth at the end of the season, the timing could be ideal for the Spaniard to take the step forward and coach a genuine title-challenging side. Given the increasing uncertainty around Slot’s position, we make Iraola our new 4/7 favourite to be the next man in the Anfield dugout.”

“Further down in the betting is Stuttgart boss Sebastian Hoeness and Luis Enrique at 6/1, Julian Nagelsmann at 13/2, and we couldn’t possibly rule out a return for former-reds boss Jurgen Klopp at 9/1.”

Next Liverpool Manager Odds

• Andoni Iraola – 4/7
• Sebastian Hoeness – 6/1
• Luis Enrique – 6/1
• Julian Nagelsmann – 13/2
• Jurgen Klopp – 9/1
• BAR – 11/1

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Katie Price’s ‘missing’ husband Lee Andrews appeared to follow another woman on social media despite him claiming that he had been ‘kidnapped’

Katie Price‘s “missing” husband Lee Andrews has appeared to follow another woman on social media – despite being “kidnapped”.

The former glamour model has said she has stepped back from searching for her businessman husband, who had last messaged her the previous week claiming he had been “detained” and “arrested”, before saying he had his hands tied with cable ties or similar.

He has not been seen since and no one has seemingly spoken to him, but it seems like he has been “active” on social media in some cases, where his Facebook has shown ‘active’ on occasions.

Lee has claimed his Instagram is a “managed page” but he regularly had been posting on there himself, including updates from his days, AI made videos and also fitness content which looks almost identical to that of Chris Hemsworth.

In a surprising development, the ‘person behind the account’ has made a change to the amount of people Lee is following. Yesterday, he just followed one person, his wife – but today, he follows two people. The second account he now follows is that of another woman, who has around 850 followers.

The lady describes herself as a “biker babe, navy veteran and travel and adventure seeker”. She follows around 1400 people and it was not immediately made clear if she follows Lee.

In a statement on her YouTube yesterday, Katie said: “There’s nothing I can do, nothing more that I can say. And the police are dealing with it. I’m just leaving it to the police. I’m not going to talk about it anymore, I’m just staying quiet because it’s getting ridiculous now, people just taking the p**s out of everything. The police are now handling it, the British police, British consulate, the Foreign Office, Interpol they’re on the case looking for Lee,” she explained in her podcast of her decision.

“All I can do is just get on with my life. I’ve got lots of exciting things coming up, and I’m just waiting for a call. What am I supposed to do, sit here and cry and do nothing, stay in bed? For my own sanity, I’m taking a step back.”

Katie said she had been worried about her husband, and she had contacted authorities to help, adding: “It’s worrying that his location has gone off. So then we contact the police, the embassy, so has his family.

“I’ve had the head of CID in Dubai trying to track Lee. So far, I got a message this morning, so now it’s three days, saying that no one can find anywhere in the country where Lee has been detained.”

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WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump on Thursday said the U.S. will send an additional 5,000 troops to Poland, stirring confusion following weeks of changing statements from Trump and his administration about reducing — not increasing — the American military footprint in Europe.

The Trump administration has said it was reducing levels in Europe by about 5,000 troops, and U.S. officials confirmed about 4,000 service members were no longer deploying to Poland. Trump’s social media announcement raises more uncertainty for European allies that have been blindsided by the changes as the administration has complained about NATO members not shouldering enough of the burden of their own defense and failing to do more to support the Iran war.

“Based on the successful Election of the now President of Poland, Karol Nawrocki, who I was proud to Endorse, and our relationship with him, I am pleased to announce that the United States will be sending an additional 5,000 Troops to Poland,” Trump said on Truth Social.

Trump and the Pentagon have said in recent weeks that they were drawing down at least 5,000 troops in Germany after Chancellor Friedrich Merz said the U.S. was being “humiliated” by the Iranian leadership and criticized what he called a lack of strategy in the war.

Trump then told reporters at the beginning of the month that the U.S. would be “cutting a lot further than 5,000.”

As of last week, some 4,000 troops from the Army’s 2nd Armored Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division were no longer en route to Poland. The Associated Press reported that the canceled deployment was part of an effort to comply with Trump’s order to reduce the number of troops in Europe. A deployment to Germany of personnel trained to fire long-range missiles also was halted.

Democratic and Republican lawmakers alike criticized the reductions as sending the wrong signal both to allies and Russian President Vladimir Putin during the 4-year-old war in Ukraine.

Republican Rep. Don Bacon of Nebraska said during a congressional hearing that he spoke with Polish officials and they were “blindsided.” He called the decision “reprehensible” and said it was “an embarrassment to our country what we just did to Poland.”

Chief Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell said Tuesday that it was “a temporary delay” of the deployment of U.S. forces to Poland, which he called a “model U.S. ally.” He said it was a result of the U.S. reducing the number of brigade combat teams assigned to Europe from four to three and indicated the Pentagon still needed to decide which troops to station where.

It was not clear whether that meant the brigade would resume its deployment to Poland, if additional troops on top of that rotational deployment could be added, or whether there would still be a drawdown of U.S. troops in Europe but from a different country. The Pentagon referred requests for comment to the White House, which did not immediately respond to messages seeking clarity.

U.S. defense officials expressed confusion Friday about Trump’s new announcement. ‘’We just spent the better part of two weeks reacting to the first announcement, We don’t know what this means either,’’ said one official. Both spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive military matters.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Defense Undersecretary Elbridge Colby both spoke with their Polish counterparts this week. Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk had said Wednesday that he was happy to hear “Washington’s declaration that Poland will be treated as it deserves.”

As of Tuesday, U.S. Gen. Alexus Grynkewich, commander of both American and NATO forces in Europe, told reporters in Brussels that “it will be 5,000 troops coming out of Europe.”

Trump’s announcement came as Secretary of State Marco Rubio was on his way to Sweden to meet with his NATO counterparts, who have been questioning the Trump administration’s policies on reduced U.S. troop levels in Europe.

“There seems to be no process to deliberating policies like troop withdrawals and deployments at the top,” said Ian Kelly, a retired career diplomat who served as U.S. ambassador to Georgia during the Obama and first Trump administrations and now teaches international relations at Northwestern University in Illinois.

Kelly said Rubio may have a tough time in explaining Trump’s wild swings to Europeans who are craving certainty and consistency even if they might disagree.

“These are not well thought out decisions,” Kelly said. “These are impulsive decisions based on Trump’s whims or what his advisors think are Trump’s whims.”

___ Associated Press writer Michelle L. Price and Emma Burrows in London contributed to this report.

Speaking on the BBC Radio 4’s Today programme, Labour MP Phillips said: “For those young women going through a rape trial like this will not have been a simple thing to do, it will have been many, many months if not years to achieve any sort of justice and I am afraid to say it sends a bad message.”

Protesters demanding the return of the body of someone who died of Ebola virus set a hospital on fire.

A lethal strain of the virus killed at least 130 people in the Democratic Republic of Congo amid a wider outbreak in central and eastern Africa.

With tensions high, the relatives of a young man who died of Ebola tried to take his body ‘by force’ from Rwampara Hospital in Ituri yesterday.

Family members lobbed stones and set two hospital tents on fire where six people were receiving treatment.

At least one worker at the hospital near the city of Bunia was injured and all have since been given military protection.

The man who died was a beloved local footballer who played for several local teams.

Yet his family as well as locals believe that ‘Ebola is a lie’, Luc Mambele, vice president of Congolese political party A2RC, told CNN.

His mother says that he died of typhoid fever, a disease caused by dirty water, not Ebola.

Mambele added: ‘The population is not sufficiently informed or made aware of what is happening.

‘To members of the most remote communities, Ebola is a White man’s invention; it doesn’t exist.’

Some locals see Ebola as a money-grab by NGOs and hospitals.

What is Ebola?

Ebola is an illness caused by a group of related viruses, known as orthoebolaviruses.

Infections come in two parts – dry and wet.

The so-called dry symptoms, which include fever, aches, pains and fatigue, can progress to ‘wet’ ones such as diarrhoea, vomiting and bleeding.

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As the first round of symptoms, which show within 21 days, resemble the common cold or flu, many Ebola cases go undiagnosed.

Ebola is mainly spread through contact with the bodily fluids of an infected, sick or dead person, or contaminated objects like clothing.

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Health officials refused to release his remains as the body of a dead Ebola victim is highly infectious

Officers from the national police force who were deployed to the scene.

Everything we know about the Ebola outbreak

The World Health Organization (WHO) has declared the outbreak a ‘public health emergency of international concern’ but a pandemic is unlikely.

The type of Ebola virus behind the outbreak, known as Bundibugyo, is rare. There is no vaccine or treatment.

It’s not clear when the outbreak began but Africa’s leading public health authority said last week that 65 deaths from Ebola had been reported.

The authority, the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, suspects as many as 671 people could be sickened with Ebola.

The Bundibugyo strain is also tearing through Uganda, where two cases and one death have been reported so far in Kampala, it added.

The first known case involved healthcare worker whose symptoms began on April 24 and who later died at a medical facility in Bunia.

As test results continue to come in, health officials expect this number to rise to as many as 1,000 – if it’s not already that high.

Fears of spread are high as many in Ituri have been displaced by a conflict which has gouged hospitals and slowed down efforts to contain the virus.

Ituri is also home to migrant laborers, drawn to the province’s gold mines who often hop borders.

Public transport, flights and ferries between Uganda and the DRC have been suspended.

Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@metro.co.uk.

For more stories like this, check our news page.

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Agatha Christie’s Poirot, based on Agatha Christie’s famous crime fiction series, was a mystery drama that aired on ITV from 1989 to 2013.

The show revolved around the fictional private investigator Hercule Poirot, with David Suchet starring as the titular character.

Now, according to reports, a new Poirot series is in the works at the BBC.

ITV’s Poirot being ‘rebooted’ on BBC after 13 years

The BBC has committed to reimagining Hercule Poirot in a “major” new TV series, according to Deadline.

The publisher is reporting that the broadcaster secured the adaptation in a “highly competitive situation”, with other networks and streamers also keen.

They added: “The BBC is understood to have made a significant commitment to the project, meaning it could run for up to three seasons over the coming years.”

The first series is rumoured to premiere in the second half of 2027.

Deadline reports that the Poirot reboot is housed at Mammoth Screen, with founder Damien Timmer having been an executive producer of many episodes of Poirot on ITV.

Casting for the role of Poirot is underway, with several high-profile actors having played the detective in the past.

As well as David Suchet, who played the character in the ITV series, he has also been played by John Malkovich and Kenneth Branagh.

The beloved ITV show ran for 13 series and 70 episodes in total, spanning four decades.

Each episode was adapted from a novel or short story by Christie that featured Poirot.

The final series aired from  June to November in 2013, averaging more than five million viewers in the UK.

ITV reviving classic show after 28 years

Poirot is not the only classic series that is being brought back, with ITV also working on a reboot of Game show Name That Tune.

The British version first aired on UK TV back in 1976 and became a 15-minute slot on the popular entertainment series Wednesday at Eight, which went on to become London Night Out.

However, because the game was so popular, producers Thames Television decided to turn Name That Tune into a half-hour weekly series in 1983.

From 1976 until 1983, it was hosted by Tom O’Connor, with Lionel Blair taking over in 1984 until the series was dropped from the ITV schedules in 1988.

In 1997, the series was revived on Channel 5 with Jools Holland as the host for two series in 1997 and 1998.

The new series will be its first return to television since then.

The new series, hosted by Alison Hammond, will see contestants go up against each other as their music knowledge is put to the test in a series of fast-paced rounds.

It will feature tracks from the world’s best-loved artists and bands from across every genre – all building towards the finale. 

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Alison said:  “As a massive music lover, my biggest challenge as a host will be trying not to grab the mic and start singing along when one of my all-time favourite tunes comes on!

“And trust me… that will take serious self-control!

“I grew up absolutely loving the original show, so being part of this now feels like a real full-circle moment.

 “I cannot wait to get into the studio, put the contestants through their paces, and see who really knows their music.”

Did you watch the original Poirot series on ITV? Let us know in the comments.