“I knew I needed a good start and two centuries off the bat was good. Of course it counted for nothing because two frames later I was back where I started.

“I knew I had to go to the well again. I knew I had done it once and could do it again. I didn’t expect to win all four after the resumption but I got my chances and scored well.”

World number eight Murphy opened with sensational breaks of 132 and 127 and looked to be in his element as he stomped around the auditorium.

But his fast start was initially made to count for nothing as Higgins, who was barely afforded any table time in those frames, exhibited the resolve and superb fighting qualities that have underscored his glittering career.

Higgins, who turns 51 later this month and was hoping to become the oldest ever finalist, took a scrappy 27th frame and then crafted an 88 break.

While those contributions lacked the sparkle of Murphy’s earlier efforts they briefly restored his two-frame advantage.

Murphy’s third century break of the session reduced his arrears and, when the Scot missed a black to the right corner and also played a loose safety shot in the next frame, he was clinically punished as his opponent compiled a 78.

Higgins failed to cut a red into the left corner pocket and Murphy missed a blue into the top-right corner in the 31st frame that eventually went the way of the 2005 winner.

In nerve-shredding 32nd frame, Higgins broke down on 50 and Murphy missed a red with the rest before he secured his place in snooker’s most prestigious match.

And he will now look to join an exclusive club of six players to have won multiple world titles since the tournament’s move to South Yorkshire in 1977.

Who wins the title remains anyone’s guess, but Rooney told BBC Match of the Day the Gunners will be lifting the trophy and even predicted it could be by a “comfortable five points”.

“I think Arsenal will win it,” he said. “The fixtures are more favourable. I think they will win every game and Man City will slip up.

“I can see Arsenal being quite comfortable. They have been fantastic and top of the league most of the season. City’s fixtures are all quite congested.”

Hart, though, disagrees.

A two-time title winner with City in 2012 and 2014, he said: “I don’t care who Arsenal will lose to, I look at Man City and their spine is so long.

“It is full of multiple winners like Gianluigi Donnarumma. I am talking Rodri, Bernardo [Silva], Haaland. That is the spine I want to be part of. I think they will do whatever needs to be done.”

Meanwhile, reacting to Arsenal‘s win on Saturday, former Gunners forward Paul Merson told Sky Sports: “In his wildest dreams Arteta could not have asked for anything better.

“If Arsenal win their next three Premier League matches, Man City will have to pull up trees.

“They are always playing catch-up and that takes its toll in the end, knowing you have to win games just to stay in it.

“I would pick Arsenal just because of the fixtures they have. I expect both teams to win all their games and I think it will come down to goal difference.”

Former England midfielder Jamie Redknapp added on Sky Sports: “If it goes to goal difference, I see Arsenal have the big advantage when you look at the games.

“But we are all guessing. Man City could blow teams away, anything could happen. I think Arsenal are favourites, but I don’t think they are 80% favourites.

“For City, the games are coming thick and fast and Mikel can look after his players just that little bit more.”

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has become “emboldened” after ousting some of the military’s most senior officials as he moves to “consolidate control” at the Pentagon, according to a report.

The firing of Navy Secretary John Phelan and the Army’s chief of staff Gen. Randy George was part of Hegseth’s reported pursuit to “consolidate control” of the Pentagon, leaving him “more confident than ever in his job,” The Washington Post reports.

Despite concerns from those in President Donald Trump’s inner circle, including White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles, Hegseth appears to have secured his standing within the administration amid a turbulent first year in office, the newspaper reports.

“All the power has been taken away from the uniforms and 100 percent gone to the political appointees,” one official told the Post.

Phelan was removed on April 22 shortly after voicing concerns to lawmakers regarding what he characterized as a “land grab” by Hegseth and Deputy Defense Secretary Steve Feinberg, according to the newspaper.

Phelan reportedly alleged that the Pentagon’s top leadership had usurped the Navy’s authority by imposing rigid control over shipbuilding and submarine procurement.

According to people familiar with the matter, word of Phelan’s private protests reached Hegseth almost immediately. Hegseth and Feinberg subsequently presented a case for Phelan’s removal to Trump, who approved the decision.

A person with direct knowledge of the dismissal told The Post that the move was orchestrated within minutes of the leadership becoming aware of Phelan’s criticisms.

The Independent has contacted the Pentagon and the White House for comment.

Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell touted Hegseth for “focusing on executing President Trump’s America First agenda without hesitation” in a statement to the Post.

“From day one, he has moved decisively to restore the warrior ethos, remove [diversity, equity and inclusion] ideology from the military, and refocus the force on lethality and combat readiness,” Parnell added.

White House spokeswoman Anna Kelly told the outlet that the president appreciates Hegseth’s focus on “readiness” and “lethality,” citing military operations in Iran and Venezuela as successes.

Wiles, who reportedly did not dispute her concerns about Hegseth to the Post, praised him in a statement for bringing “clarity, strength and leadership” to the Pentagon “at a critical moment for our country.”

The support from the White House comes after Hegseth remained defiant under nine hours of questioning before Congress this week. During his testimony, he refused to elaborate on the reasoning behind high-level personnel decisions, including the forced retirement of the Army’s chief of staff.

He faced backlash from lawmakers after he called those questioning his optimistic take on the Iran war “reckless, feckless and defeatist.”

Phelan’s exit marks a turnaround for Hegseth. Following a series of early missteps, including a security investigation known as “Signalgate,” speculation was once high that the former Fox News personality would be the first Cabinet member to be replaced.

Instead, Hegseth has outlasted several colleagues, including former Attorney General Pam Bondi and Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, who were recently removed by the president.

An administration official told the Post that the status of Trump’s Cabinet members was akin to “that of a grizzly bear chasing a group of hikers.”

“As long as you don’t run the slowest, you’re safe,” they said. “And Pete is not the slowest right now.”

Spirit Airlines, which once operated hundreds of daily flights on its bright yellow planes and employed about 17,000 people, said it had “started an orderly wind-down of our operations, effective immediately”.

The major airline known for offering budget flights said on its website that all flights have been cancelled and customer service is no longer available.

“We are proud of the impact of our ultra-low-cost model on the industry over the last 34 years and had hoped to serve our guests for many years to come,” the announcement said.

Spirit Airlines shuts down after 34 years – how to get refunds

If you’ve booked flights with Spirit Airlines to US hotspots, you might wonder what you should do to secure a refund.

The company told customers that they could expect refunds, but there would be no help in booking travel on other airlines.

It warned its customers not to arrive at airports following the cancellation of all its flights.

To check your refund status, you’ll need to log on to the website or search for your trip.

The shutdown was expected after Friday came and went without a needed government bailout for the cash-strapped business.

President Donald Trump said on Friday that his administration had given the budget carrier a “final proposal” for a taxpayer-funded takeover to keep it from going under, but a deal was not reached.

Mr Trump floated the idea of a bailout last week after the airline found itself in bankruptcy proceedings for the second time in less than two years, with jet fuel prices soaring because of the Iran war.

17,000 jobs could be affected by Spirit Airlines’ collapse

Spirit lawyer Marshall Huebner said that about 17,000 jobs could be impacted by a shutdown.

Spirit has struggled financially since the Covid-19 pandemic, weighed down by rising operating costs and growing debt.

By the time it filed for Chapter 11 protection in November 2024, the airline had lost more than 2.5 billion dollars since the start of 2020.

The budget carrier sought bankruptcy protection again in August 2025, when it reported having 8.1 billion dollars in debts and 8.6 billion dollars in assets, according to court filings.

Supporters of a rescue, including labour unions representing Spirit’s pilots, flight attendants and ramp workers, said a collapse would put thousands of Americans out of work and hurt consumers by reducing airline competition and increasing airfares.

Recommended reading:

Where did Spirit fly passengers to?

Budget-conscious and leisure travellers would likely feel Spirit’s absence the most, especially in places where the airline has a big footprint, such as Las Vegas and the Florida cities of Fort Lauderdale and Orlando.

The carrier flew about 1.7 million domestic passengers in February, roughly half a million fewer than during the same month a year earlier, according to aviation analytics firm Cirium.

Spirit also has sharply reduced its capacity, with about half as many seats available this month than in May 2024.

Alnmouth in Northumberland, located near Alnwick, has been highlighted by travel experts at Time Out in a new list of must-visit seaside villages and towns to stop by this year.

It was named alongside the likes of Folkestone in Kent, Southsea in Hampshire and Saundersfoot in Pembrokeshire.

But Alnmouth has been praised for being a sea and river fishing destination, as well as being a “great” location for wildlife spotting – rumour has it “you can’t do much better” than here.

Recent visitors on Tripadvisor have also hailed the beach (which is split up into three sections) within the seaside village as “beautiful” and “unspoilt”.

Commenting on its latest travel guide, Time Out wrote: “In 2026, the UK’s coastline is more in the spotlight than it has been in a long, long time.

“The opening of the long-awaited King Charles III Coastal Path means that the entire coasts of England, Wales and Scotland are now fully walkable – giving you even more of a reason to visit this nation’s extraordinary roster of seaside towns.”

It added: “If you’re on the hunt for British seaside towns that are worth checking out right now – the ones that should be on your radar specifically in 2026 – that’s what we’re here for.”

Within this in mind, Time Out “assembled” its UK travel experts to pick out the country’s “most exciting seaside, port, harbour and resort towns” to visit this year.

You can see all the best-named seaside spots across the country via the Time Out website.

Why is Alnmouth among the UK’s best seaside villages and towns for 2026?

The publisher’s said the “vibe” of Alnmouth is “windswept, virtually untouched coastline in the shadow of a famous castle”.

Detailing why residents and visitors should make the most of this Northumberland coastal spot now the warmer weather is here, Time Out added: “With its pristine beaches, rugged natural beauty and powdery sands that are perfect for building castles, Northumberland is unjustly overlooked when it comes to British beach destinations.

“And whether you’re after bracing winter walks or peaceful summer sunbathing on an uncrowded beach, you can’t do much better than Alnmouth.

“This tiny chocolate box village (population of 455 in the last census) is popular for both sea and river fishing (you’ll need a permit from the local angling society to fish on the river Aln), and is also great for spotting wildlife, with grey seals popping up on the shore and the estuary providing a great habitat for a variety of birds.

“And just a few miles inland, you’ll find Alnwick, a medieval market town famous for an impressive Norman castle that features heavily in the early Harry Potter films.”

Elsewhere, Alnmouth has been described as the “Tobermory of Northumberland”.

Visit Northumberland details: “Pastel-coloured houses strung along the River Aln welcome you to Alnmouth.

“With a diversity of bird and wildlife species, and a tranquil beach where the River Aln meets the North Sea, there is no question that the village is located in an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

“A diverse selection of wildlife can be spotted in the area and the sand dunes are an excellent bird watching spot.

“Showcased in the latest series of Robson Green’s Weekend Escapes episodes, it is a favourite destination for him and many others, that know Alnmouth as one of the region’s best kept hidden gems.”

It continues: “Alnmouth beach, split into three sections within Alnmouth Bay, makes for a perfect family day out; grab your bucket and spade and have fun on Alnmouth’s sandy beaches.

“Alnmouth beach is dog friendly, so your four legged friend can come too.

“Enjoy a picnic with beautiful sea views, then burn off those calories with a short walk and feel the sand between your toes.

“If you are feeling a little more adventurous you can roam on foot, via the St Oswald’s Way and Northumberland Coast Path, via bike on the Coast and Castles cycle route, or even on horseback to truly appreciate the beauty of the Northumberland coastline.”

Additionally, take a wander along the high street in Alnmouth to discover a “delightful selection” of coffee shops, pubs, restaurants, homeware and gift shops. 

Just some of the highest rated foodie spots on Google Reviews include The Whittling House, Bistro 23, The Red Lion Inn, The Hope & Anchor Hotel and The Sun Inn.

Other popular attractions are The Ferryman’s Hut museum, Alnmouth Golf Club, and The Old School Gallery.

Let us know which seaside towns and villages across the North East you like to visit, in the comments below.

The 33rd and deciding frame of the World Snooker Championship semi-final between Mark Allen and Wu Yize was interrupted by an unexpected and baffling shout from the crowd.

The Northern Irishman and the rising Chinese star were locked at 16-16 as they both battled to reach a first Crucible final.

The epic contest came to the boil in dramatic fashion as Allen missed two glorious chances to win the previous frame, most notably on the final black, which was straightforward but he sent wide.

Right at the start of the final frame, with no points on the board yet, Wu came to the table and a spectator loudly shouted: ‘Never forget the Epstein Files!’

The young Chinese talent looked stunned, staring up at the crowd as the same person shouted the line again.

The referee, Marcel Eckhart, quickly ushered security over to have the person removed after the insane interruption to play.

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It was an extremely confusing outburst, especially as the session had begun with the players locked at 11-11, so the man had waited all the way until the 33rd frame, which was no guarantee to happen at all, to shout out.

It appeared that Wu may have been put off by the shock outburst as Allen took a lead in the frame, but the 22-year-old got back to the table and made a half-century to get over the line and book a spot in the final.

Shaun Murphy waits for him there after an impressive 17-15 win over John Higgins earlier on Saturday.

MORE: Shaun Murphy responds to ‘like God’ John Higgins comment after Crucible clash

MORE: John Higgins ‘sick’ after nightmare moment in Shaun Murphy Crucible defeat

MORE: Shaun Murphy denies John Higgins in epic World Snooker Championship semi-final

Petrol prices gets its information directly from garages and from users.

Cheapest unleaded in York

ASDA EXPRESS YORK 149.7p
MORRISONS YORK 149.9p
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ASDA EXPRESS YORK 184.7p
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Prices are correct at the time of writing based on the information available.

For the latest information, go to petrolprices.com.

Kobbie Mainoo has opened up on the impact Casemiro has had on his career at Manchester United, while sharing that World Cup talk has been put on the backburner as the Red Devils push for Champions League qualification

Manchester United midfielder Kobbie Mainoo has disclosed that World Cup discussions are currently on pause as the Red Devils pursue Champions League qualification. Having previously been sidelined from the starting XI, the 21-year-old has become a crucial component of Michael Carrick’s team and heads into Sunday’s clash with rivals Liverpool following a new lucrative five-year contract.

The England international has been amongst the regular fixtures in Carrick’s squad despite facing an uncertain future under former boss Ruben Amorim.

With Mainoo’s long-term future now secured, it seems he will be amongst the core players as the recruitment team orchestrates a transformation at the heart of United’s midfield – with Carlos Baleba and Elliot Anderson amongst those reportedly targeted.

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Casemiro, who is enjoying his most prolific goalscoring campaign at Old Trafford, will depart the club at the end of the season, bringing the curtain down on the Premier League phase of his career.

The Brazilian’s presence at the Theatre of Dreams allowed Mainoo to observe one of his footballing idols at close quarters.

He anticipates an emotional send-off for the midfield veteran, Mainoo told GQ Magazine: “Yeah, for me, Casemiro, Bruno Fernandes and Tom Heaton are all still role models in my life and especially on the football pitch, how they carry themselves now, they approach the game.

“It’s important to always have them people who you want to learn things from, whether that’s in football or off the pitch and life.

“When I was younger, the season before he joined [in 2022], he was always in my FIFA team. So to get to play with him and learn off him every day, it’s been a blessing.

“Definitely going to be emotional when he leaves because the impact he’s had on my career so far has been amazing. I don’t think he knows that.”

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England will be desperate to shake off the heartbreak of back-to-back defeats in major tournament finals, following their loss to Spain at Euro 2024.

The Three Lions were unable to avenge their penalty shootout defeat to Italy in 2021, but the arrival of Thomas Tuchel and the upcoming tournament in North America has breathed fresh optimism into the camp.

For Mainoo, strong performances in the latter half of the season could yet earn him a place in the German’s plans for their opening group fixture against Croatia on 17 June.

The midfielder has, however, acknowledged that World Cup talk remains firmly on the back burner, with United’s push for European football taking precedence.

The Red Devils are on the brink of securing their place in elite European competition, sitting 10 points ahead of sixth-placed Brentford. Mainoo said: “We’ve got a big end of the season and we’re trying to finish as high as possible so there’s not much World Cup chat, it’s more the task at hand.

“It’s easy for others to look at the bigger picture and see the things that are coming up, but the focus can’t really waver from the games in front of us because the Premier League is the hardest league in the world.

“Every team’s dangerous. So if we take our eye off the ball, you pay for it.”

Antonelli secured his pole with his first run in final qualifying, and a mistake on his final run meant he faced an anxious wait to see if anyone could improve his time.

But only Verstappen, who was third fastest on the first runs, managed to go faster on a second attempt in the 33C Miami heat.

The 19-year-old, who was demoted from fourth to sixth in the sprint by a five-second penalty for exceeding track limits, said: “It has been an amazing day to be on pole again.

“It was a difficult start to the day with the sprint but super-happy with the recovery. I got a little bit excited on the final lap of Q3 but the first lap was good enough. I was very stressed just waiting for everyone to finish their laps.”

Red Bull, like McLaren and Ferrari, brought a major upgrade to their car for this weekend, and while McLaren’s worked well early on, refinements from Red Bull and Mercedes left the sprint winners trailing.

Verstappen said: “The car has not been at its best in the previous races but also from my side I never felt comfortable with the layout of the car.

“The team has been pushing flat out to bring upgrades and make me feel more comfortable and it really paid off. I feel more in control and I can push a bit more and to be on the front row is way better than I expected heading into the weekend.”

Verstappen’s team-mate Isack Hadjar, who had had a promising start to his Red Bull career, was left trailing, 0.825secs adrift of the Dutchman in ninth. He said he had been struggling with a lack of power all weekend.

Leclerc was a little disappointed with third after Ferrari’s upgrade, saying they were just not fast enough to compete at the very front. He headed Hamilton by 0.176secs.

The top 10 behind Piastri was completed by Alpine’s Franco Colapinto, on good form on one lap all weekend, Hadjar and the second Alpine of Pierre Gasly.

At the back, Fernando Alonso made it 40 grand prix qualifying sessions in a row beating Aston Martin team-mate Lance Stroll as his team improved after qualifying right at the back for the sprint, both their drivers beating the Cadillacs.

Fresh analysis of Environment Agency bathing‑water data shows every designated bathing beach on the County Durham coast is currently rated either “excellent” or “good” – comfortably clear of the “poor” standard that underpins the Brown Flag list of England’s dirtiest spots.

The cleanest County Durham beach for swimming

If you want the highest possible water quality score, go to Seaton Carew North Gare.

The Environment Agency classifies this stretch of sand as “excellent”, the top rating under national bathing‑water regulations, based on multiple seasons of bacteria testing.

For a bank holiday dip, this is the clear winner on the County Durham coast.

Seaton Carew’s North Gare beach. (Image: GOOGLE)

Other beaches rated ‘good’ for bathing

Several other popular County Durham beaches are rated “good”, meaning they still comfortably meet the legal standard for safe swimming:

Crimdon, near Parkdean Resorts Crimdon Dene Holiday Park.

• Seaham Beach, a solid option for families who want facilities as well as clean water.
• Seaton Carew Centre, covering the busier central promenade.
• Seaton Carew North, giving Seaton a clean sweep of swimmable water along the town’s main stretch.
• Seaham Hall Beach, the sheltered bay below the historic hall.

Seaham Hall Beach (Image: GOOGLE MAPS)

Environment Agency classifications run from “excellent” and “good” down to “sufficient” and finally “poor”, the band that triggers Brown Flag naming‑and‑shaming.

On the County Durham list, there are no beaches in the “sufficient” or “poor” categories, meaning swimmers are not being asked to avoid any of these sites on water quality grounds.

Brown Flag beaches – and why County Durham avoided them

The latest Brown Flag “awards” from Holiday Park Guru use the same Environment Agency data to pick out England’s worst‑performing bathing waters, highlighting beaches that have been officially graded as poor because of high levels of bacteria such as E.coli, often linked to sewage pollution.

Among this year’s 19 “winners” are two North East sites – Littlehaven Beach in South Shields and Cullercoats Bay in North Tyneside – both carrying the EA’s lowest possible “poor” rating.

Campaigners are using the tongue‑in‑cheek awards, complete with literal brown flags, to warn holidaymakers not to assume every seaside resort is safe to swim in.

Set against that backdrop, County Durham’s run of excellent and good classifications stands out as swimmers look for somewhere to cool off without worrying about “do not swim” signs or pollution alerts.

How to check water quality before you set off

Anyone planning a last‑minute trip can plug their chosen beach into the government’s official bathing‑water quality checker, which publishes up‑to‑date classifications and details of any short‑term pollution warnings.

Northumbrian Water also hosts an interactive coastal map for the region’s designated bathing waters, including the County Durham coastline, so swimmers can see classifications and check for any investigation work or improvement schemes.

For this weekend, though, the basic picture is simple: if you stick to Seaton Carew North Gare for the very best rating, or one of the “good” beaches at Crimdon or Seaham, you are choosing some of the cleanest officially monitored bathing waters in the North East.