It has been a difficult summer for the Magpies, losing a number of key players, but there were encouraging signs in the draw with Liverpool. Nico Gonzalez could make his debut as new head coach Matthias Jaissle experiences an away fixture in English football for the first time. Follow the game LIVE below with our dedicated match blog, featuring expert insight and analysis from Sam Tabuteau at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

From knitting to catching up on work, commuters are finding new ways to make journeys count

Scottish commuters could gain almost four extra days of ‘me time’ every year by swapping the car for the train, new research suggests.

A study of 1,000 Scottish commuters found rail passengers are using their journeys to get ahead at work, tackle life admin, relax and even learn new skills.

By contrast, drivers are spending around 91 hours a year stuck in traffic, held up by roadworks, refuelling and searching for parking spaces. That’s nearly four days which could otherwise be spent doing something more productive or enjoyable.

Almost two thirds of rail users (63%) said their journey gives them valuable time to prepare for the day ahead or unwind before getting home.

Reading proved particularly popular, with 35 per cent of passengers saying they use their commute to pick up a book. Around 30 per cent use the time to tackle life admin, while 28 per cent get ahead with work.

Others said they catch up on TV (23%), while five per cent even use their train journey to knit. Around 14 per cent of ScotRail passengers are also using their commute to learn a new skill or study.

To showcase some of the more unusual ways passengers can use their journey, ScotRail has teamed up with three regular commuters to demonstrate how train travel can provide time for hobbies and everyday tasks.

Among them is Barras Market-based maker Jeano Beano, who has created a crochet video showing passengers how they can use their commute to make fun creations, including a cuddly frog.

Jean said: “There’s no better time to try something new than during your commute. Crocheting is a wonderful way to relax, clear your mind and switch off from the stresses of everyday life and travelling on a ScotRail train gives you the perfect opportunity to get creative.”

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She added: “Crochet is easy to pick up, and passengers can quickly learn the basics while making the most of their journey.

“I’m looking forward to showing people how simple and enjoyable it can be and hopefully inspiring them to discover a new hobby they can enjoy on their own commute.”

Nutritionist and high-protein recipe creator Scott Baptie is using his commute to plan his weekly meals, while influencer and single mum Rona, known online as Making Our Cute Life, uses her train journeys to create budget planners.

The research found a very different picture for those behind the wheel. Drivers reported spending an average of 10 minutes sitting in traffic during each commute, alongside nine minutes delayed by roadworks and another five minutes stopping to refuel.

Over the course of a year, that adds up to around 91 hours spent navigating delays and dealing with the demands of driving.

When asked what matters most when choosing how to travel, Scots ranked convenience highest at 51 per cent, followed by cost at 43 per cent, and reliability at 43 per cent.

Around 30 per cent said their ideal commute would allow them to complete life admin, while 42 per cent of rail passengers said they valued having the opportunity to relax before the demands of the day began.

ScotRail Commercial Director Claire Dickie said: “Our research shows commuting has become so much more than getting from A to B.

“People want their journey to be time they can genuinely use, whether that’s catching up on work, organising their day, completing life admin, learning something new, or simply taking a moment to switch off.”

She added: “When you’re driving, your focus has to be on the road. Travelling by train gives customers the freedom to make that time their own, turning what might otherwise be lost time into something genuinely useful or enjoyable – resulting in a Journey Well Spent.”

A man and a woman have been arrested and remain in police custody for questioning on suspicion of child neglect after an incident at a Toby Carvery in Chadderton, Greater Manchester

Two individuals have been taken into custody following an incident involving police outside a Toby Carvery restaurant in Chadderton on Friday evening.

Emergency services rushed to the scene amid reports that a man had been tasered by officers (Friday, August 28). It is understood that the man had allegedly been fleeing from police before being tasered in the car park.

The restaurant, situated on Chadderton Park, Oldham, was temporarily shut after witnesses reported seeing several police vehicles and an ambulance parked outside.

Greater Manchester Police (GMP) has since confirmed that both a man and a woman have been arrested and are currently being held in custody for questioning.

GMP revealed that officers spotted a vehicle being driven erratically and carried out a vehicle stop at 7.45pm on Friday evening, reports the Manchester Evening News.

Upon approaching and speaking to the driver, GMP stated that he turned “aggressive”, prompting officers to deploy their taser.

Following a search of the vehicle, the driver was arrested on suspicion of assaulting two officers, possession with intent to supply class B, and child neglect.

A female passenger was also arrested on suspicion of child neglect, with both individuals remaining in police custody pending questioning.

“At 7.45pm on Friday 28 August, officers conducted a vehicle stop after observing vehicle driving in an erratic manner,” a GMP statement reads. The statement continued: “Officers spoke to the driver, who then became aggressive and a taser was deployed.

“Following a search of the vehicle, a man was subsequently arrested on suspicion of assaulting two officers, possession with intent to supply class B, and child neglect.

“A woman, a passenger, was also arrested on suspicion of child neglect. They remain in custody for questioning.”

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Emergency services were called around 12.30pm on Saturday (August 29).

One lane of the westbound carriageway near Asda. One person was taken to hospital.

A spokesperson for the North East Ambulance Service said: “We were called to a road traffic incident on Portrack Lane in Stockton on Saturday shortly before 12.30pm.

“We dispatched one ambulance crew and the medicar to the incident.

“One patient was taken to University Hospital of North Tees for further treatment.”

Cleveland Police has been contacted for comment.

Trendy electrolyte drinks could be putting consumers at risk of high blood pressure and kidney damage, experts are warning.

The supposedly healthy drinks have exploded in popularity in recent years, with millions now using them as part of their daily routine in the belief they will keep them better hydrated.

But kidney and heart experts say many contain significant amounts of sodium – the main constituent of salt – which can raise blood pressure and, over time, damage the kidneys.

The concern is particularly acute because millions of Britons are already living with high blood pressure or kidney disease without knowing it – meaning they could unwittingly be making an existing problem worse.

Typically, 500ml of electrolyte drink contains about 320mg of sodium – more than twice as much as a standard bag of ready-salted crisps. That is equivalent to about 0.8g of salt. Britons already consume some 8.4g of salt a day on average – well above the recommended maximum of 6g – meaning a daily electrolyte drink could push intake higher still.

Simon Davies, Emeritus Professor of Nephrology at Keele University and a trustee of Kidney Research UK, says: ‘Just as people shouldn’t have too much salt in their diet, I would advise caution with electrolyte drinks.

‘The danger is that consuming a lot of extra sodium every day in a drink can increase blood pressure, which can then damage the kidneys. Damaged kidneys are not as efficient at removing excess salt, so blood pressure rises even higher and the kidneys are damaged even further – and so on and so on, in a vicious circle.

‘What’s worse is that people may not realise the damage has been done until the problems are already well advanced.’

Electrolyte drinks were originally formulated to replace salts and fluids lost by athletes during prolonged, strenuous exercise, or by people suffering from illnesses involving vomiting or diarrhoea.

But they are becoming an everyday wellness product, marketed as a way to improve hydration and maintain optimal levels of minerals such as magnesium and potassium. They are now available in almost every supermarket, corner shop, garage and chemist, either ready-mixed or as soluble tablets and sachets of powder.

Waitrose has reported a 171 per cent jump in searches for ‘electrolytes’ on its website over the past year, while Tesco has almost quadrupled its range of such products over the same period.

Professor Davies says: ‘The marketing suggests we need these drinks for hydration. But we’ve managed to survive on the planet for a very long time without them. For most people, they are simply not necessary.’

The boom does have some basis in science.

Electrolytes are minerals that carry a tiny electrical charge when dissolved in the blood and other body fluids and are vital for the proper functioning of cells in the muscles, heart and brain. They can also help the body absorb and retain water. However, Kidney Research UK says about seven million people in Britain are living with some level of chronic kidney disease. Five million of those are undiagnosed.

For these people, drinking extra sodium may be particularly problematic because damaged kidneys are less able to remove excess salt and fluid from the body, which can then drive blood pressure higher.

High blood pressure itself can then further damage the delicate blood vessels in the kidneys, creating the vicious circle described by Prof Davies.

Electrolyte drinks were originally formulated to replace salts and fluids lost by athletes during prolonged, strenuous exercise, or by people suffering from illnesses involving vomiting or diarrhoea

And the problem can remain hidden for years.

High blood pressure, dubbed a ‘silent killer’ because it typically causes no symptoms while damaging vital organs, affects some 14 million people in the UK.

Tracy Parker, nutrition lead at the British Heart Foundation, says: ‘The high levels of sodium in some electrolyte products can raise blood pressure – which is a major risk factor for heart attack, stroke and heart failure.

‘In the UK, most of the salt we eat is already hidden in everyday foods, so adding more through supplements may do more harm than good.’

In some circumstances electrolyte drinks can be useful.

Prof Davies explains: ‘Serious physical exercise like running a marathon or doing high-intensity training in the gym can mean losing a lot of salt through sweat. This can lead to cramps, or feeling dizzy or faint because of a drop in blood pressure.

‘Someone can also lose a lot of salt if they’ve been really sick or had bad diarrhoea. In these cases, it can make sense to take an electrolyte drink.’

For most people going about their normal day, plain water is all that is required to stay hydrated.

And rather than relying on drinks and supplements for potassium, calcium and magnesium, Prof Davies says these minerals are better obtained through a varied diet rich in fruit and vegetables, beans, nuts and seeds.

He says: ‘There is simply no argument for taking electrolyte drinks on a daily basis.

‘A lot of people slosh them back as a health enhancer – but there’s no evidence they have any benefit to health at all. The best you can say is that for most people these drinks won’t do any harm – as long as they have good enough kidney function to deal with them.’

By FRANCINE WOLFISZ, NEWS REPORTER and PETER ALLEN

Published: 09:59 BST, 29 August 2026 | Updated: 17:13 BST, 29 August 2026

Speaking at the scene, Sinn Féin councillor Deirdre Varsani, who is also chairwoman of Mid Ulster District Council, said: “Our understanding is, as confirmed by police, that a man is dead and another person has been arrested and that there is a child injured and in the Royal Victoria Hospital.

“Obviously, it has been upgraded to what we suspected would be a serious domestic incident.

“Any time there is an incident of this nature it brings a great deal of concern.

“When reports come out that there may be a child involved or injured in any way that escalates it in terms of people’s reaction.

“We are dealing with what is confirmed as a serious incident and will take some time for us to get more details and deal with the fallout from that and how the community will be feeling and need supported during this time.

“We hope that our homes are the most safe place for us but when domestic incidents of this nature happen, it really does reinforce that everyone needs to get on board with trying to help society move forward, where people speak up and try to get to grips with what can be at time very serious incidents that happen in the home.”

PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti (AP) — Six children and seven women were released by a gang in Haiti that had kidnapped more than 50 people after launching a deadly attack on a community near the capital, Port-au-Prince, nearly a week ago, according to UNICEF.

The United Nations children’s agency said late Friday that among those released are three children under the age of 2, a 7-year-old and two teenage girls.

“This release offers a rare moment of hope amid the violence threatening children in Haiti,” said Yannig Dussart, UNICEF’s deputy representative in Haiti. “The Kenscoff abduction was not an isolated incident but another stark reminder of the scale and frequency of attacks on children across the country.”

UNICEF said it worked with community leaders to help secure the release of the women and children. It wasn’t immediately clear if they needed medical treatment, and whether there are more women and children being held.

While individual kidnappings in Haiti are commonplace, mass abductions are more unusual. The outcomes vary: Some people are released without a ransom, while others are killed despite multiple ransoms being paid.

Gangs killed at least 47 people during the attack late Sunday on Kenscoff, a once-peaceful farming community nestled in the hills above Haiti’s capital.

A gang leader known as Izo 2 had threatened to execute all the hostages if police killed any gang members in their push to secure Kenscoff. Izo 2 leads an armed group in that area on behalf of and in coordination with other gang leaders including Izo, considered one of Haiti’s most powerful gang leaders.

The recent attack sparked an outcry Friday at an emergency meeting of the U.N. Security Council for swift deployment of the new U.N.-backed gang-fighting force and action to rein in the lawless bands.

Diplomats at the meeting called by the United States, Panama and Colombia expressed horror at the brutal attack.

Luis Ruiz Massieu, the U.N. special envoy to Haiti, said the attack has generated “a new wave of public indignation across all sectors of Haiti’s society, as well as international partners.”

Ruiz Massieu welcomed the decision by Haiti’s authorities to bring together the national police, armed forces and the gang suppression force to assess developments and coordinate plans. It was agreed that the gang suppression force would strengthen its presence in Port-au-Prince and that Haitian forces would reinforce their deployment in Kenscoff.

The pub has recently undergone a major refurbishment

A village pub is looking for a new landlord. The Three Horseshoes in Yaxley has been serving residents for many years. Having recently undergoing a major refurbishment, the pub is offered in excellent condition.

Angus Carrington, regional manager at Stonegate Pub Partners which owns the pub said: “The Three Horseshoes is a fantastic pub with a well-established customer base and a great reputation within the local community.

“Following its recent refurbishment, it’s in excellent condition and ready for the next publican to hit the ground running. There is a real opportunity here to build on what’s already successful by developing the food offer, creating exciting events and making the most of the fantastic indoor and outdoor spaces. For the right operator, this is a chance to take a great village pub and unlock its full potential.”

The pub comes with a fully equipped kitchen, a main bar that’s popular for watching sports on TV and a second bar with a cosy restaurant area. There is also a large garden with a patio, lawned area and children’s play area.

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The pub also comes with a tarmacked car park and overflow car park. Whoever takes it on will also benefit from private two-bedroom accommodation.

The Three Horseshoes is also ideally located five miles from Peterborough and close to the A1.

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By ELIZABETH HAIGH, SENIOR NEWS REPORTER

Published: 16:07 BST, 29 August 2026 | Updated: 16:42 BST, 29 August 2026

Sir James Cleverly is to resign as a shadow cabinet minister to run for London Mayor, saying the city has been ‘let down by Labour’.

The shadow minister for housing, communities and local government will leave his role with immediate effect.

There had been speculation around the future of the Conservative MP for Braintree’s career, and it is understood he felt the need to clarify his position prior to party conferences this autumn.

It is unknown who will replace Mr Cleverly, 56, in the shadow cabinet, ahead of an expected reshuffle next month. 

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He will be the Tory candidate to challenge Labour’s Sir Sadiq Khan, who is currently halfway through his third term as London Mayor.

Mr Khan has not yet confirmed if he intends to stand for a fourth term at the May 2028 election.

Posting on X following the announcement, Mr Cleverly wrote: ‘London needs more than an administrator. 

‘It needs a champion, someone who understands its potential and is prepared to fight for its future. That’s why I’m running to be the Conservative Candidate for London Mayor.’

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James Cleverly is to resign as a shadow cabinet minister to run for London Mayor

Mr Cleverly will challenge Labour’s Sir Sadiq Khan, who is currently halfway through his third term as London Mayor

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Mr Cleverly told party leader Kemi Badenoch of his decision on Thursday

Speaking to the Sunday Times, the former foreign secretary said he had informed party leader Kemi Badenoch on Thursday.

‘She took it well,’ he told the paper. ‘Kemi has been very gracious’.

He added in an op-ed that ‘London has been let down by Labour’ and accused Prime Minister of Andy Burnham of viewing it as a ‘cash cow’. He said he intends to make ‘a city to be proud of again’. 

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Ms Badenoch is said to be disappointed to lose a pivotal member of her cabinet but supports Mr Cleverly to be the one to take on Mr Khan. 

But she cannot officially endorse any candidate as they must win the Conservative Party’s nomination for the election.

It is not known if any other candidates intend to put themselves forward for the Tory position. 

In 2024, Susan Hall stood for the party but lost to the incumbent mayor by around 200,000 votes.

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The only candidate confirmed for the 2028 election so far is Reform’s Laila Cunningham, a Westminster City Councillor who defected from the Conservatives in June 2025. 

‘We need a credible big hitter putting themselves forward for mayor of London,’ Mr Cleverly told the newspaper. 

He added Mr Khan has been ‘asleep at the wheel’ while leading the UK’s largest city, accusing him of ‘lots of posturing’ with ‘very little delivery’.

Shadow ministers were quick to lend their support to the Essex MP. Richard Holden, shadow transport secretary said: ‘Excellent news for Londoners and the whole country.

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‘A real heavyweight in the race who’d make a superb Mayor of London for every part of our great capital city.’

Before first being elected as an MP in 2015, Mr Cleverly served on the London Assembly for eight years.

He held posts including leader of the Conservative group in the Assembly, the Mayor’s Youth Ambassador and, under Boris Johnson, Deputy Mayor.

The army reservist has been appointed to various cabinet positions under three prime ministers, including foreign and home secretary.

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