Grab your copy of the definitive 48-page celebration capturing every goal, record, and defining moment of Mo Salah’s incredible nine years at Anfield

It was the summer everything changed. When Mohamed Salah arrived at Liverpool Football Club for £36.9m in 2017, few could have predicted the sheer magnitude of the impact he would have on Merseyside.

Over the course of nine unforgettable years, life on the pitch was nothing short of extraordinary. The “Egyptian King” mesmerised the Kop, breaking records for fun and striking fear into the hearts of defenders worldwide. Alongside Sadio Mane and Roberto Firmino, he formed the deadliest forward line in Europe, spearheading an era of dazzling football and historic triumphs.

But as any Liverpudlian knows, Salah’s legacy is about more than just the numbers. His profound cultural impact on the city, combined with his brilliance on the grass, cemented his status as one of LFC’s greatest ever players – making his emotional goodbye in May 2026 all the more heartbreaking.

Now, you can capture the magic of this once-in-a-generation talent with our special 48-page commemorative publication dedicated to Salah’s Anfield career. You can order a copy online by clicking here.

Whether you were in the stands for his stunning debut or watching his tearful send-off from afar, this definitive tribute is a must-have piece of Liverpool memorabilia.

What’s Inside?

• Goal by Goal: A complete, strike-by-strike retrospective of every single one of his 257 goals for Liverpool as he cemented his place as the club’s third-highest goalscorer of all time.
• The Record Breaker: Deep dives into his most impressive milestones, statistics, and individual accolades.
• The Deadliest Trio: An exploration of how Salah, Mane, and Firmino combined to conquer Europe.
• The Silverware: Reliving the glorious trophy lifts that defined an unforgettable era.
• The Cultural Icon: A special look at his profound impact on Merseyside and across the globe.
• An Emotional Farewell: Inside the tearful Anfield send-off that captured the hearts of the fanbase.
• In His Own Words: Mo reflects on his incredible LFC journey and his unshakeable bond with the supporters.

Priced at just £3.99, this newsprint special is the perfect keepsake for any Kopite wanting to remember a true Anfield legend.

Order Yours Today – by clicking here!

The Egyptian King Special Edition is on sale now. Secure your copy to guarantee it lands on your doorstep. You can also pick up a copy in your nearest newsagent or supermarket. Worldwide delivery is available.

ITV and BBC are showing coverage from every single game of the tournament, which has expanded to 48 countries this year.

The USA, Canada and Mexico hosting combined with the increased number of games means that evening UK TV coverage has been impacted.

Here’s all you need to know on if Coronation Street and Emmerdale will be on tonight (Tuesday, June 16).

Are Coronation Street and Emmerdale on tonight?

Both Coronation Street and Emmerdale will be on tonight, as BBC One will be showing the main evening match of France vs Senegal (kicks off at 8pm BST).

ITV will be broadcasting coverage of Algeria vs Argentina, but this will not start until 2am BST on Wednesday, June 17.

Soap fans can watch Emmerdale at its usual time of 8pm, but the episode will last an hour instead of 30 minutes.

Coronation Street will follow from 9pm until 10pm, as it also gets a longer episode as well.

Neither soap will be on tomorrow night (Wednesday, June 17) as ITV will be showing England vs Croatia from 8pm BST.

Emmerdale and Corrie are back to their usual 30-minute slots on Friday, June 19 at 8pm and 8.30pm respectively.

Over the course of this week, the schedule changes mean that Emmerdale and Corrie will still have the same amount of soaps to watch, but they are split differently.

Normally, you can expect 5x 30-minute episodes of each soap.

Have you noticed ITV’s new scheduling this year?

From January 2026, the broadcaster introduced a “soaps power hour” on weekdays with 30-minute Emmerdale episodes at 8pm and 30-minute Coronation Street episodes at 8.30pm.

Coronation Street previously aired three hour-long episodes a week, while Emmerdale aired four 30-minute episodes and one hour-long instalment.

Do you think it’s fair for the soaps to be moved while football is on? Tell us in the comments below.

Tributes have been made to Peter Hudson, 61, who was killed after a crash involving a white Mercedes A Class car on Sunday, June 7.

It happened on the Market Place in Thirsk, outside the Nova Bar, and despite the efforts of firefighters and paramedics, he sadly died at the scene.

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In a statement issued by North Yorkshire Police, the family said that they were ‘devastated by the loss of our amazing Pete’.

They said: “Totally irreplaceable, kind, loving and hilarious. He was adored by family and friends, and meant something to everyone, but absolutely everything to us. We will love him and miss him always.”

The Market Place was closed to traffic until 6am the next day (June 8) while emergency services worked at the scene and to allow the vehicle to be safely recovered.

The driver of the Mercedes – a 46-year-old man from Darlington – is assisting the investigation.

Witnesses or anyone with relevant CCTV or dashcam footage are urged to come forward and speak to police by emailing sciu@northyorkshire.police.uk and quote reference number 12260105347

Rivals is returning for a third season of romance, rivalries and rekindled love affairs, according to Disney+ who has confirmed news that it will be back.

The announcement comes before the second instalment has even wrapped, with the mid-season finale airing earlier this month.

Fans were gutted when they found out they had to wait until November for the second half of season 2 to drop.

But now, they’re excited again, as the Hulu Original series starring David Tennant, Danny Dyer, Aidan Turner and Katherine Parkinson has already been greenlit for season 3.

More specifically, fans are excited for what they think will happen between two of the yearning protagonists.

Some of those responding to Disney+’s announcement on X, featuring an appropriately tense picture of Rupert Campbell-Black [Alex Hassell] and Taggie O’Hara [Bella Maclean], think they can hear wedding bells for the pair – and that it’s got all the ingredients to be a gloriously messy affair.

Throughout seasons one and two, they have been tantalisingly close, but rarely touched.

Nonetheless, their sexual tension has been constantly palpable and viewers are desperate to see it all come to a head.

Abi on X exclaimed: ‘Rutag [Rupert and Taggie] wedding season let’s f***ing gooooo!’

Another, with the handle @always_t1red_ responded: ‘Sooooo first ep Rupert and Taggie wedding day? I will not survive this I fear.’

Despite his obvious adoration for Taggie, Rupert has had various lovers in the Jilly Cooper adaptation including Beattie Johnson [Annabel Scholey], Sarah Stratton [Emily Atack] and Cameron Cook [Nafessa Williams] – not to mention the string of other affairs he’s told to have had.

With the aforementioned women still part of the plot, and his ex-wife too, @KhimPawich is excited about the prospect of a wedding where they’re all in attendance.

She wrote on X: ‘Better have Rutag wedding with all the messy people in Rutshire in it, that’s gonna be fun!! (I mean all the women that Rupert has been with coming, too! That’s wildly messier.)’

Although we don’t know exactly what executive producers Dominic Treadwell-Collins, Alexander Lamb, Laura Wade and Felicity Blunt have in store, Disney+ has teased us with a short synopsis of what we might be able to expect: ‘As the dust settles post the scandalous revelations in Season Two, we see the stakes become higher and the alliances more fragile, with nothing staying buried for long.

‘New romances blossom, old flames rekindle and shocking secrets will be spilled in this third series which takes everyone’s favourite rivalries to the next level.

‘In a world of power, passion and betrayal, everyone has something to lose.’

Treadwell-Collins also said: ‘We’ve been delighted and overwhelmed by the audience’s response to season two of Rivals – testament to the hard work from everyone working on Rivals both on and off screen.

‘Our one sadness is that Jilly didn’t get to witness the love for season two. But she’s still very much with us in spirit and would be so delighted that season three has been green lit.

‘We’re so thrilled to continue to work with Disney as we dive deeper into the Rutshire Chronicles and expand the Cooperverse even further.’

Jilly Cooper died while season two was being filmed, but those involved have been keen to honour her throughout the show.

The series is based on the novel with the same name, which is part of the late author’s best-selling Rutshire Chronicles.

Rivals is available to stream on Disney+.

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Lloyds and Halifax have announced plans to shut branches in South Shields, Wallsend, Redcar, Gateshead and Durham later this year, citing the continued shift towards online, mobile and telephone banking.

The latest announcements come amid a nationwide retreat from the high street. Hundreds of UK bank branches have been earmarked for closure as banks respond to changing customer habits.

Halifax has announced three further closures across the North East.

Halifax’s Durham branch at 1 North Road is also set to close on September 29, with customers directed to the nearby Lloyds Durham branch when it closes.

The brand’s Redcar branch at 8 High Street will close on November 2, with the nearest branch in Middlesbrough.

The Gateshead branch on Jackson Street, will shut on October 19. Customers will instead be able to use Lloyds Gateshead.

Lloyds will close its South Shields branch at 101 King Street on October 12, with customers directed to the North Shields branch.

Lloyds is also closing its Wallsend branch at Royal Chambers, High Street East, on November 3. The nearest alternative branch will be in Newcastle.

All banks said: “We regularly review how our customers choose to bank with us. And, with most now using our app, online services or phone banking, we’re closing these branches.”

They may not have the luxurious cabins and glamorous restaurant service of the famous Orient Express, but new European sleeper train routes are offering tourists an alternative to short-haul flights and busy airports.

Services setting up in 2026 include a new sleeper train between Paris and Berlin. One of the most significant developments is expected to be a planned night train from Brussels to Milan, which will connect northern Europe with services to some of southern Europe’s popular holiday destinations. This route is scheduled to launch in autumn 2026, with stops including the pretty Swiss city of Berne and and the town of Stresa, Italy, on the shores of Lake Maggiore. More services will now link Dresden and Prague.

These routes reflect an effort by rail operators and policymakers to rebuild Europe’s cross-border sleeper network after decades of decline.

Although long-distance rail remains relatively niche in Europe, accounting for only a small proportion of journeys over 1,000 kilometres, additional European routes could mean more people consider trains as a long-distance travel option.

Trains v planes?

For decades, speed and low-cost flights dominated European travel.

But there are some indications that public attitudes towards long train journeys appear to be changing. A survey carried out in 2021 across Germany, Poland, France, Spain and the Netherlands found that 69% of respondents were willing to take night trains, while 37% of respondents would accept travel times of over five hours when shifting from planes to trains (37%). Recent behavioural research indicates that climate concerns are starting to play a part in some people’s decision making, although high train prices still put people off choosing rail.

Recent research on Londoners’ travel planning also suggests environmental awareness is among the strongest predictors of willingness to use night trains for leisure travel. There’s a strong environmental argument for choosing rail. Flights create a far greater level of greenhouse gas emissions, compared with train travel.

In 2024 Europeans travelled 443 billion kilometres by train, a 5.8% increase over the previous year. This reflects the growing interest in rail as an alternative to short-haul flights. For some travellers, overnight rail may also appeal as it means arriving in city centres, fewer baggage restrictions and potentially a more relaxing journey.

Other factors?

Recent volatility in global fuel markets due to the conflict in Iran may increase interest in rail travel this summer, as travellers worry about flights being cancelled. Since jet fuel represents around 30% of airline operating costs, rapid changes in global energy markets can quickly affect flight prices.

In a warming climate, travelling overnight could also help passengers avoid some of the hottest parts of the day as Europe sees more summer heatwaves.

While Europe is rediscovering long-distance train travel, other parts of the world have been investing heavily in rail infrastructure for years. Countries such as China and Japan have spent decades expanding high-speed rail networks, making long-distance rail both practical and attractive. Japan, a pioneer in high-speed rail, operates its Shinkansen bullet trains across nearly 3,000km of track. This connects more than 550 cities and shows how sustained investment can make rail a competitive alternative to domestic aviation.

The revival of sleeper trains is not without challenges. Not all expansion plans are running smoothly. For example, the ÖBB Nightjet service between Paris and Vienna was cancelled for 2026 following the withdrawal of French government funding.

But if Europeans want to reduce aviation emissions, while still going on holiday abroad, sleeper trains could become an important part of the solution.

In politics, very often a speech about one topic is actually designed to deliver a very different and far broader message. This was certainly the case with Keir Starmer’s statement on banning social media for under-16s.

This was not just an announcement about the government’s proposals. It was an announcement of Starmer’s intention to fight for his position. And it was an attempt to set the agenda at the beginning of a week in which the good folk of Makerfield may well send the King of the North, Andy Burnham, back to Westminster.

Out with the “Old Keir” – the non-ideological technocratic neo-statism combined with a rather wooden and hesitant political style – and in with the new – far more relaxed, engaging and, quite simply, more human.

There was a subtlety about his speech that suggested a man who is fully aware of the challenges (and challengers) that lie ahead.

It appears he has at last decided to jettison the “Ming vase strategy” of leading through extreme caution that carried him into power. This, arguably, should have been done away with long ago.

It delivered what can only be seen as a very shallow landslide (a high number of seats despite a low vote share), based more on frustration and anger towards the previous government that on public commitment and belief in a fresh new political project. The threadbare nature of Starmerism quickly became apparent. Policies were launched without any clear unifying thread and quickly became what critics called “the politics of nothing”: plenty of activity, but no discernible action.

This was a particular problem on the doorstep, where the prime minister’s inability to project conviction in public left voters unsure where the government was going or why. Added to this were Starmer’s repeated assertions that he was “a toolmaker’s son”, which too often smacked of faux authenticy.

“New Keir” was suddenly more emotional and relatable, repeatedly emphasising his role as a parent: “All I have ever wanted for my own children, hand on heart, is for them to be happy and for them to be safe. And I think that’s what any parent wants.”

The surprise on his face was palpable when the end of his speech was met with whoops and cheers of joy from the audience. For a moment, it really did look like he was going to turn around to see if the source of joy was behind him (has Harry Styles walked in?), before the realisation dawned that he had, at last, connected with a substantial chunk of the British public.

What to make of ‘New Keir’

Despite the attempted rebrand, the prime minister quickly sought to deflate public expectations. This was going to be “hard to legislate for, hard to regulate, hard to enforce”. This is why the government had been having lots of “conversations”, had done lots of “listening” and definitely believed in “partnerships”.

At times it appeared like the old, careful Keir was struggling to get out of this new – and dare I say, Burnham-esque – imposture.

Burnham-esque? So soon? Yes, both presentationally and politically.

In a Facebook video to tout the announcement, the prime minister appears almost more Burnham-esque than Burnham. Shorn of suit and tie, in casual clothes and with a hint of a tan, Starmer speaks to the camera as if he’s just checking in on his way to a northern soul disco night.

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“New Keir” might be cooler than “Old Keir”, but this is not the only shift.

There’s also a clear attempt to move the debate away from specific policy questions and challenges and towards Burnham’s focus on more fundamental questions about how we “do” politics in the UK. For “New Keir”, banning social media for children was not an isolated decision but an element of the wider “building blocks of a different Britain altogether”.

The basic problem for Starmer is that, after two years in government, none of those building blocks were already in place, or really identifiable. What did exist was a series of self-inflicted injuries and policy U-turns. These not only undermined the perceived competence of the government, but also played into populist arguments about the existence of a disconnected and shambolic political elite.

From this perspective, the prime minster’s announcement of a social media ban could well be seen as a late attempt to fill the void created by “the politics of nothing” with “the politics of (at least) something”. A more cynical interpretation might view it as rushing out a policy that has implications for children’s wellbeing as part of a desperate political rescue mission. A more positive and realistic interpretation might view is as Starmer simply seeking to ensure at least some kind of legacy.

The irony is that if “Old Keir” had been a little bit more like “New Keir” from the start – braver in policy terms and more openly engaging in presentational terms – his premiership may well have been in a very different and more positive position.

The suspects admitted trapping and collecting cats across southern Vietnam over the past three years, police said. According to investigators, the suspects allegedly transported stolen cats to holding facilities before selling them on to traders, with transactions taking place every two to three days.

The Trump administration has come up with a liquid solution for the growing algae problem in the newly renovated Reflecting Pool: Bleach.

On Tuesday, workers outfitted in neon vests were seen dumping hydrogen peroxide into the roughly 2,000-foot body of water, which had turned green just days after the president’s much touted $14 million refurbishment wrapped up, The Daily Beast reported.

Photos show crews unloading numerous large boxes — apparently filled with the cleaning solution — at multiple points along the pool’s perimeter.

A close-up of the materials showed workers were using a 12 percent concentration, which the CDC warns can cause respiratory issues if inhaled and chemical burns upon skin contact, according to The New Republic. At high concentrations, hydrogen peroxide may also pose a risk to wildlife, including ducks that are often seen splashing around in the pool.

Some visitors were shocked by the state of the pool.

“I think it’s a mess. I’ve never seen it this green before,” one area resident complained to The Daily Beast. “I was expecting green, but it’s a little greener than I thought it would be,” he observed.

Just days earlier, the Trump administration completed its resurfacing project in the pool, which the president had vowed would be painted “American flag blue.” Workers with large rollers had been seen laboring inside the drained basin for over a month. Trump had promised the work would cost about $2 million, but it ended up coming in at $14 million.

But after Trump hailed his refurbishment as a major victory, photographers and visitors noted this weekend that the water had turned a distinct shade of green as algae began to accumulate.

In response to the build-up, an Interior Department spokesperson took a swipe at former President Barack Obama.

“The nanobubbler technology has successfully destroyed the algae bloom that has plagued every pool reopening since 1922, most infamously, the Obama pool reopening that resulted in massive algae clumps taking over the pool’s surface,” the spokesperson told The New York Post Monday.

“Now, due to deploying the advanced nanobubbler technology, the algae is dead and being vacuumed up as we speak,” the spokesperson said, adding that the National Park Service was “actually maintaining” the pool “versus previous administrations.”​

On Monday, Park Service workers were also seen wading into the pool and clearing out clumps of algae.

The Independent has reached out to the Interior Department, which oversees National Park Service, for comment.

Captain Ben Stokes and pace bowler Gus Atkinson have been made unavailable for the second Test following an incident in a nightclub following the first Test, while seamer Ollie Robinson is injured.

As a result of the absentees, and to balance the team, England have omitted spinner Shoaib Bashir from the XI that won the first Test.

In have come pace bowlers Jofra Archer, Matthew Fisher and Baker, alongside Cox and Rew.

It is the first time England have made five changes to their team during a home series since the fourth and final Test against New Zealand in 1999, also the last time they faced the Black Caps at The Oval.

Smith, 25, missed the tour of New Zealand in 2024 for the birth of his first child.

On that occasion, Cox was due to deputise, only to suffer a broken thumb in the nets.

Although Rew was named in the England squad for the first Test, Cox moved ahead of him in the pecking order for the second Test and was named in the hosts’ XI on Monday.

Rew, who averages almost 42 in first-class cricket and has made 12 centuries, spent a long period on Tuesday practising his wicketkeeping at The Oval with England fielding coach Sarah Taylor.

Despite Rew taking the gloves in the second Test, he will bat at number six, one place ahead of Cox.

Smith is the second player to welcome a child during this series.

New Zealand opener Devon Conway returned home after New Zealand’s defeat at Lord’s to be at the birth of a baby, but has since returned and will play in the second Test.