Situated down by the River Lagan, opposite the Harbour Commissioners Office, it may be a little out of the way of the heart of Belfast’s bar and restaurant scene, but don’t let that put you off

There was once a time when getting out for a meal in Belfast was a weekly occurrence for us and we would be quick to try the latest foodie spot.

But fast forward two children later and family life, as well as the crippling cost of living, means getting out for a meal together happens rarely.

So when it comes to picking a spot to try, we are fussy. You don’t want to waste your one night out on somewhere that won’t deliver.

Gnostic had been on our radar for a long time, coming highly recommended by family and friends. So when the opportunity arose to get out for the night, we decided it was time to give it a try.

Located down by the River Lagan, opposite the Harbour Commissioners Office, it is a little out of the way of our usual haunts in the city centre, but unlike many restaurants in Belfast, it opens on a Sunday night. This just so happened to be our night of freedom. The stars had aligned and it was time to tick this spot off our list.

What we ordered:

There was so much on the menu we wanted to sample, it was difficult to come to an agreement. It is divided up into meat, fish, veggie, slider and taco setions, with three choices in each. Due to the size of the portions, which aren’t exactly small, the waiter advised we get three plates and a side dish.

After much deliberation, we decided to go for the Crispy Pork Wonton, which came with a honey, soy, ginger dipping sauce (£15), the Curried Cauliflower, which came with onion bhaji, cauliflower puree and chimichurri (£14), Katsu chicken sliders (£12.50), and the BBQ pulled pork taco (£12.50).

We had planned to try the corn ribs side dish, which sounded amazing as it came with honey soy ginger, but they had sold out. It just gives us an excuse to return in the future.

What we liked:

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The food definitely packs a punch flavour wise, which is exactly what I expected after hearing so many great things about this spot. I was surprised by the size of the plates. Our waiter had said they weren’t small but it was definitely a generous portion for the price, so what we ordered was more than enough. The honey, soy, ginger sauce with the pork wontons was delicious and I wasn’t wasting a drop of it.

I also loved our katsu chicken sliders, the Asian slaw that came with it was the perfect addition and again the size of the slider was very generous and we got one each.

What I would change:

It is a lovely, cosy and intimate spot, which was great, but at times I did think it was slightly too dark inside. It sounds like a silly thing to pick up on but as they say, you do eat with your eyes. Also, the presentation for the tacos could have been better. It didn’t have the same restaurant quality look as the other dishes, but they were delicious. I couldn’t fault the taste at all.

Apart from that, the food quality was great, the cocktails were delicious and we had a great time and would certainly return. I will say we were sat downstairs in the bar type setting, and perhaps the upstairs dining area is a different experience. It was definitely a more casual and relaxed dining experience, which we did enjoy.

How much it cost:

In total, our bill came to £105.16, which included a 10% service charge, and included our food and four cocktails. In total for the four dishes we tried, it was £54, which for a meal out for two I think it pretty standard. The size of the portions was generous as well, so I don’t begrudge paying that price per dish. Our cocktails were roughly £10 each, which again is pretty average for a night out in Belfast now. Overall, I think the price was spot on for the quality of the food, portion size and alcohol we purchased. We were also given a free shot at the end of the night, which was a nice touch.

I’m so glad we finally got to try this little gem. It’s been on our list of places to visit for a long time after hearing so many great things, now we can add our own experience to that list. The menu is so varied that we could return again and have an entirely different meal. I’m already visualising what I would pick on our next trip.

It may be a little out of the way of Belfast’s more central foodie areas, but I think it’s definitely worth the dander. Also if you don’t usually have an excuse to be in that area, then you can enjoy a walk through City Quays Gardens, which opened almost a year ago.

So if you are looking for somewhere new to try in the city, I highly recommend giving Gnostic a try.

In the interest of fairness and transparency, we pay for all the meals and drinks we review. This ensures that we are giving accurate and honest representations of the food and service that we receive. So, unless we state otherwise that we were invited down, we have paid for the meal ourselves and visited without the knowledge of the eatery, so you can trust our opinions aren’t skewed by a freebie.

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A report has highlighted multiple failings by a police force after a man was left with broken teeth and permanent scarring after a hit and run. Jamie Titmarsh, 27, was struck by a speeding car on Regent Street in Cambridge at around 7pm on June 14, 2025.

Jamie was “knocked out” and “dragged across the road”, before being rushed to hospital. He suffered broken teeth, a badly swollen lip, and bruising to his face. Cambridgeshire Police has apologised for ‘shortcomings’ in the force’s response.

Jamie is now left with permanent scarring and has composite teeth bonding, with his front teeth set to be replaced in the future. “It’s quite scary crossing the road – it’s something you have to do everyday but now, I am extremely cautious,” said Jamie.

After the crash was reported to Cambridgeshire Police, Jamie had concerns with the way it was investigated. Jamie previously told CambridgeshireLive he felt he was “going around in circles” during the police investigation.

He said: “The communication throughout [the investigation] had been horrendous, and they didn’t speak to me. I felt that I have not been treated fairly as a victim, and that the handling of this case demonstrates a concerning lack of accountability and standard of care.”

Jamie complained about the way the force investigated his hit and run crash. An investigation was carried out by the Police Professional Standards, which highlighted “multiple failings” by the police during the investigation.

Jamie made four allegations. These were:

• Jamie didn’t receive a “good level of service”, such as police “failing to attend the scene of the incident“. He also alleged the severity of the incident wasn’t acknowledged and that the force didn’t review the evidence “thoroughly enough”.
• The police failed to “fully investigate the incident which resulted in no prosecution taking place and evidence wasn’t adequately organised”.
• Due to officers failing to attend the incident scene, it wasn’t “correctly assessed and treated as seriously as it should have been“.
• The police had “poor communication” with Jamie and there was a “lack of victim care”.

All four allegations were upheld and the service level was considered “not of an acceptable standard”. Some failings highlighted in the report were that police failed to attend the scene, despite it being reported as a serious injury.

It also flagged that there were missed time windows with CCTV, delays in filing a road traffic collision report, a decision not to seize the suspect’s vehicle, and poor communication with Jamie. Jamie said he found it “absolutely ridiculous” that the police can “get away with it”.

He added: “I have never needed the police before and the one time I did, they have done nothing. I have been left out of pocket. I am left here with no compensation, and they don’t care. I have future costs from the dentist as I’m going to have my teeth replaced at the front. I’m also worrying for other people. I am just one person, but it might happen again.”

A Cambridgeshire Police spokesperson said: “We apologise to Mr Titmarsh for the shortcomings in our response, which fell below the standards we expect of ourselves and that the public rightly deserve.

“Following the concerns raised, we have fully reviewed the issues through our Professional Standards Department. The points identified have now been acted upon, and steps have been put in place to ensure these errors are not repeated in the future.”

Jenson Joseph, who lived in The Groves and played for Fulford United FC, passed away in April 2024 from a rare catastrophic anaphylactic reaction whilst sleeping.

Alistair Harvey met Jenson in 2019 at York St John University where they played for the men’s football team and lived in the same house.

He is a member of the Jog Fathers, a group of seven running from Aston Villa’s ground in Birmingham to Valley Parade, the home of Bradford City FC, between April 7 and April 11, to raise funds for The Natasha Allergy Research Foundation.

Some of the members of the Jog Fathers, who are preparing to run 115 miles over five consecutive days in memory of their friend Jenson (Image: Supplied)

The Bantams were Jenson’s hometown team and he “fell in love” with the Villa through one of the team’s strikers, John Carew, said Alistair.

He spoke to The Press and paid tribute to his friend and teammate.

Alistair said: “When we first me he came across as a quiet lad and the more you got to know him, the more you realised how funny he was.

“He was really good at getting people together, he was the life and soul of any party, cracking jokes left and right.”

Jenson (top left) with teammates from York St John University (Image: Supplied)

He said signing up for Fulford United FC was “down to Jenson really” – York St John played in the city’s Saturday league and the teams were opponents.

“Jenson was funny, but he was also vociferous on the side of a football pitch, and we had had a funny relationship with the Fulford team, it was a bit of a rivalry.

“We bumped into a couple of the players on a night out and said we were looking for a team.

“Jen got chatting to them and ended up dragging some of us down.”

Last year, Fulford United FC raised funds in Jenson’s memory by hosting a charity football match which raised over £10,000, and the idea for the 115-mile run was borne out of the wishes of another team made up of friends.

Alistair said: “Joe Finnegan, who played with Jenson, wanted to bring some light out of the situation of him dying and he started a football team called Anaphylaxis FC in his honour, with a mix of people who knew Jen and we’ve played a couple of matches.”

The Anaphylaxis FC team lining up for their first fixture in Coventry (Image: Supplied)

As well as raising funds through matches, a few of the squad who run wanted to do more, which led to the foundation of the Jog Fathers, five from Jenson’s hometown of Bradford, plus Alistair and Jack Drummond.

They are hopeful that their 115-mile running effort over consecutive days will be marked by appearances on the pitch at both Villa Park and matchday on April 11 at Valley Parade, where Bradford will host Stevenage FC.

Alistair said: “Jenson hated running himself, so some of us will be running while imagining how much he would be laughing at us.

“However, he always made special trips to places like Manchester to watch and support his friends who were running marathons, and then to Bristol when a mate took part in a charity boxing match.

“He was always up for supporting his mates, and all in all the things we’ve tried to organise have been carried out in the memory of how he would support other people.”

The Jog Fathers are running 115 miles between the grounds of Aston Villa FC and Bradford City FC over consecutive days from April 7 to April 11 to raise money for The Natasha Allergy Research Foundation.

More information can be found via https://www.justgiving.com/campaign/fundraiserforjenson

Manchester United supporters have reason to be excited for the future if these players are anything to go by

Manchester United have a rich history when it comes to promoting players from their academy into the first team. The Class of ’92 will forever be the standard the Reds aspire towards for their young players but in recent years, golden generations have been few and far between.

That being said, we have still seen gems come through the ranks who have contributed to the first team. Kobbie Mainoo is the standout of recent years while Marcus Rashford, Scott McTominay, Alejandro Garnacho and Amad have all had varying degrees of success and exposure to the United starting XI.

With Ruben Amorim in charge, the relationship between the first team and academy was strained but, under Michael Carrick’s watch, this is starting to mend. Once again, it seems like the club are united in their approach to development and that pathway from Carrington to Old Trafford is now realistic.

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There are plenty of young players who are impressing but United’s attackers are the ones who are really catching the eye. Even if you are not following the academy regularly, you will have heard of the name JJ Gabriel. The 15-year-old has been the subject of highlight reels aplenty this season.

Despite being in his mid teens, the forward has been excelling in the U18 Premier League and FA Youth Cup. He has scored an astonishing 21 goals in 24 appearances and plays with the elegance of a more seasoned professional. Gabriel has even been invited into first team training sessions this season – a remarkable feat for someone so young.

However, because of his age, Gabriel has been unable to play in the Premier League this season. That ban will lift in the summer and there is already hope he will be able to emulate the success of Max Dowman at Arsenal.

Thanks to the brilliance of Gabriel, Noah Ajayi has floated under the radar this season. However, he is another player who the Reds think highly of.

The 17-year-old German winger has scored a more modest seven goals in 16 appearances this season but has hit red hot form at the right time as United fought their way to the FA Youth Cup semi-finals. That competition is a testing ground for young players and Ajayi is proving more than capable of holding his own.

He is also closer to making that step up to the first team as he has a physical presence that is more suited to senior football. His goal in the victory over Sunderland was a sign of his potential as he showed great awareness to drift through the defence and slot home.

But while Ajayi is progressing nicely away from the limelight, Kai Rooney is having to adapt to senior exposure at just 16.

Of course, his surname has led to this fame but don’t be fooled, Rooney is not simply living off his father’s legacy. The winger has been slowly exposed to the U18s this season and has made his Old Trafford debut in the FA Youth Cup.

He bagged his first U18s goal against Middlesbrough in August and after a spell away from the age group, returned in February to bag a goal and an assist in three U18 Premier League matches. Sadly for Rooney, injury has brought a premature end to his season.

But, those dreaming of another Rooney stealing the headlines for United in the future can take encouragement from the progress he has made this term. All this is incredibly positive for the Reds and should be encouraged for the future.

Continuing to bring players through the academy will allow the Reds to save money in transfer windows. Even if just one of these players becomes a regular United starter, the investment in the academy continues to be worthwhile.

The mum of Fawziyah Javed, who was murdered by her husband in 2021, spoke after a Scottish Government bid to better identify victims of ‘honour-based’ abuse.

The mum of a pregnant wife pushed over a cliff to her death by her husband says it must be Scotland’s last “honour killing”.

Fawziyah Javed was murdered by Kashif Anwar at Edinburgh’s Arthur’s Seat landmark in September 2021 after he learned she planned to leave him.

The 31-year-old mum-to-be managed to identify her husband as her attacker as she lay dying, having suffered multiple blunt force injuries plunging from the hill.

The tragic case sparked widespread concern over crimes committed to defend the “honour” of a family.

Now the Scottish government has drafted a “long-overdue” definition of the crime which involves physical, emotional, sexual abuse and killings.

It is hoped the move will ensure authorities and support services can better identify victims.

Fawziyah’s mum Yasmin yesterday told the Record her daughter’s harrowing death must be the last of its kind as her “legacy” continues to save lives.

She said: “This must never ever happen again. Another family can not go thorough this.

“He’s (Anwar) got a prison sentence, but we’ve got a life sentence until our last breath on this earth.

“For your only child to be brutally murdered alongside her unborn baby, time is definitely not a healer. It gets more difficult as time goes by.

“Every day is a battle to get through. There are no ways to express something as horrific as this for a family. It can’t happen again. It just can’t.

“It does bring me comfort that this progress is Fawziyah’s legacy and I’m optimistic that lives are going to be saved because authorities will better recognise the signs and be able to better protect women and girls.”

Anwar, from Leeds in Yorkshire, denied killing Fawziyah but was found guilty after a week-long trial at the High Court in Edinburgh in 2023 and was jailed for 20 years.

Chilling CCTV images revealed the pair’s movements as Anwar led his employment lawyer wife to her death, just nine months on from their wedding.

The trial heard how the tragic mum-to-be told a police officer as she lay dying that her husband had pushed her because she “told him I wanted to end (the marriage)”.

Fawziyah had planned not to return to Anwar’s home but to go to her parents’ house and contact police to retrieve her belongings after earlier logging, in secret, abuse she had suffered.

There were several thousand reported cases of honour based abuse (HBA) across the UK last year, but the crime is known to be hugely under reported and often hidden within domestic abuse statistics.

In Scotland, there is not yet a statutory definition of HBA and it has not been a specific crime within Scots’ law.

Scottish Government strategy incorporates the crime within the wider definition of domestic abuse, along with female genital mutilation, forced and child marriages.

Now, as part of the strategy to tackle violence and abuse against women and girls, officials have developed a “clear and robust draft policy definition” to ensure those responding to survivors understand what HBA is.

A progress report published this week said: “This is crucial because stakeholders have raised that when the complexity and nuances of HBA are not fully understood, minority ethnic women can be overlooked by the Police and other services.”

The policy definition has now been tested with mainstream services, including police, social work, the NHS and councils and work is underway to see it applied across services.

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The move follows a tabling of an amendment by the UK Government last month to introduce a statutory definition of honour-based abuse following campaign work by Yasmin and HBA charity Karma Nirvana.

Yasmin said her daughter’s case, which featured in two-part Channel 4 documentary The Push, which re-aired this month, is helping educate the public.

She said: “I get messages from women from all walks of life who have said to me ‘Fawziyah saved our life’. They’ve watched the documentary and realised they’re in that position and taken steps to get out. I’ve also had messages from victims’ families contacting me asking what they can do to help them.

“This definition is a step in the right direction for Scotland but there is still a lot of work to be done. This definition has got to be crystal clear and it has to go deeper into this type of abuse so that people in authority can recognise it and do something about it.

“Not every incident is violent. In Fawziyah’s case in the start it was subtle. There was coercive control and gaslighting. That played a massive part in what happened to her.

“Irrespective of what community you come from, people have this stereotypical type of person in their mind this can happen to. But I know this has happens to highly articulate, confident professional women. Sometimes people may not even realise that they’re being abused in that way. This can happen to some men as well.”

Executive Director at Karma Nirvana, Natasha Rattu, welcomed the Scottish government’s work on HBA but said emotional HBA must be understood as much as physical.

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She said: “It’s always really difficult to get to a point of consensus on what we understand about honour-based abuse.

“This definition is a starting point, which is really welcome. It’s just about making sure that we are absolutely landing it in the experience of victims and survivors.”

Equalities Minister Kaukab Stewart said: “Our Equally Safe delivery plan progress report reflects that real and meaningful progress is being made to realise our shared ambitions of a Scotland free from violence against women and girls.

“We are now confident that we have a strong draft policy definition of Honour-Based Abuse that reflects the realities of women in Scotland.

“We look forward to continuing to work with partners to explore how the definition can be applied in practice across services, and how it can support better responses for survivors.”

What is honour-based abuse?

Honour-based abuse, according to the Scottish government’s definition, describes “a range of violent incidents or patterns of abuse” committed against a person, mainly women and girls, due to the perception that they have brought, or may bring, “dishonour or shame to their family or community”.

They say it includes physical, emotional, sexual abuse and killings and perpetrators can include partners, family

members and members of the community.

They say the abuse “is not exclusive to any specific racial or religious group” but perpetrated by a “minority of individuals within diverse communities”.

The extent of HBA in Scotland is unknown but several thousands of cases are reported across the UK every year.

Fawziyah’s tragic case is not considered the first honour killing north of the border.

In 2011, police in Pakistan confirmed they were treating the murder of a couple from Glasgow as an honour killing.

Saif Rehman, 31, and his wife Uzma Naurin, 30, were shot after their car was ambushed in Gujrat.

It is understood Mr Rehman was shot dead by a group of men at the scene and his wife was driven away and killed.

The perpetrators remain unknown.

In 2013, a man was found guilty of burning his “westernised” ex-wife to death, after setting fire to her following a bitter divorce in another suspected honour killing.

Ahdeih Khayatzadeh, 46, suffered 95% burns in an attack by Ahmad Yazdanparast at the Venus Hair & Beauty salon in Stirling.

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David Beckham appears to be at odds with England manager Thomas Tuchel over the fate of one England player ahead of the World Cup.

Tuchel is hoping to build on Sir Gareth Southgate’s promising but ultimately trophy-less reign by leading England to their first World Cup trophy since 1966 this summer.

Two March friendlies against Uruguay and Japan gave Tuchel one last chance to get a look at which players will make the plane and be selected in England’s World Cup squad.

Tuchel opted to name an expanded 35-man squad for the games against Uruguay and Japan, with two uncapped players in Everton midfielder James Garner and Brighton goalkeeper Jason Steele getting the nod.

There were recalls for Manchester United duo Harry Maguire and Kobbie Mainoo and a first pick for AC Milan defender Fikayo Tomori since 2023.

Trent Alexander-Arnold was perhaps the most high-profile player to miss out, with Tuchel making the ‘tough decision’ to omit the Real Madrid star and ex-Liverpool defender.

‘I know what Trent can give us and I decided still to stick to the players with us,’ Tuchel said. ‘I know it’s difficult to leave out a player like Trent.

‘We spoke on the phone and I explained the situation. He must accept it. It’s a sporting decision.’

Former Manchester United captain Wayne Rooney said it was ‘incredible’ that Alexander-Arnold was left out of England’s squad and suggested there was ‘no way back’ for the talented 27-year-old.

Beckham also appears to disagree with Tuchel’s stance over Alexander-Arnold, insisting he would ‘find it very hard’ not to take him to the World Cup.

Asked about Tuchel’s decision to omit Alexander-Arnold, Beckham told talkSPORT: ‘That’s why I’m not England manager, because I don’t have to make those decisions!

‘But, I’m a massive fan of Trent, I love Trent as a player. I’ve heard so many times over the years when he was at Liverpool, when he’s at Madrid, when he’s playing for England, about, “Well, he’s not as good at defending as he is going forward”.

‘Well, sometimes you have to accept that… Roberto Carlos was an unbelievable defender, but he was also unbelievable going forward.

‘He’d always go forward, and then we’d have to cover him, so those kind of things you expect. But with Trent, would I take him? I’d find it very hard not to take someone like Trent.

‘But then Thomas, he’s come out and said, I think I read it this morning, that there are other players that are ahead of him at the moment. But he said “at the moment”, so that could change.

‘These friendlies might prove that other players are playing that might not get in the squad, so you don’t know.

‘This is very close to picking a final squad, but I still think that Thomas is probably still considering about Trent as well.’

England were held to a 1-1 draw by Uruguay on Friday night and will be looking for a better result – and performance – against Japan on Tuesday.

Tuchel’s side are in Group L for the World Cup and start their campaign against Croatia on June 17 before facing Ghana and Panama for a place in the knockout stages.

Ex-Chelsea boss Tuchel was only expected to be in charge of England until the end of the World Cup but signed a contract extension last month until after Euro 2028.

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Manchester City prospect Floyd Samba speaks to the Manchester Evening News about coming through the ranks at the Etihad, training under Pep Guardiola and his first team ambition

Floyd Samba has an unlikely Manchester City mentor in Abdukodir Khusanov. Samba, 17, has been something of a regular in first-team training for the Blues in recent months, and it’s Khusanov, along with goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma, who have taken the teenager under the wing.

Donnarumma has, of course, been there and done it, tasting success at club and international level prior to his arrival at City. For Khusanov, who is still trying to cement his place in the first team and is still learning English, his willingness to assist Samba and the other youngsters who step into the senior training sessions is commendable.

“He doesn’t speak much English but he is really helpful with the young lads,” said Samba, speaking to the Manchester Evening News of Khusanov. “Donnarumma is very nice and a good guy. He spoke to me quite a bit. A few players helped and are welcoming.”

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Samba is one of the leading lights of City’s Under-18 side who are chasing FA Youth Cup glory this season. The young Blues have a last four tie with Blackburn Rovers next week and could potentially face Manchester United in a mouthwatering final.

And while tangible success on the pitch is important, it’s the development and improvement of the players that is most vital. Spells in first team training play a key role in the line of progression, City don’t gift spots in the senior set-up and when youngsters move across they are treated as though they belong. There is no easing off for academy prospects, no drop in intensity. The message is clear: You’re here on merit, show us what you’ve got.

For Samba, the initial wow moment of training alongside his heroes has passed. He’s been involved with Pep Guardiola’s group on countless occasions this term and is determined to absorb the information and detail to help him on his way.

“I think it is more natural now because I have been there a few times,” he said. “When I first went it was mad just seeing the quality of the players.

“It is surreal, you get to go over there and see the best players and managers in the world. The staff are very welcoming, you don’t feel out of place and you can pick up on all of the basics that the players do and I can take it on and get a bit of experience.”

It’s telling that the words Samba uses to describe the biggest takeaway from Guardiola’s sessions are ‘intensity, demanding and 24/7.’ Samba describes the boss as ‘focussed with whatever is next’. “He treats you the same as any other player,” he adds.

Samba’s Under-18 coach at the Etihad Oli Reiss sees the right traits in the midfielder to believe he can succeed at the highest level. “He is an incredible player,” he told the Manchester Evening News. “His mentality and physicality and the way he is able to play football . . . I think he can have a big future.”

For now the next step for Samba is a City debut. The son of former Premier League football Christopher and brother of fellow City prospect Tyrone, is a progressive midfielder with attacking instincts and an eye for goal.

He could be the next youngster in line for a first team bow, with the likes of Jayden and Reigan Heskey and Charlie Gray having had minutes in the Carabao Cup this season.

Samba was on the bench for the FA Cup win over Salford City in February, another staging post in his fledgling career, and he makes no bones about what the next ambition is.

“Playing in the first team is the next aim and it would be a proud moment for me and my family. I was proud to be on the bench, unfortunately I didn’t get on but hopefully, give it time, and it will happen in the future. I just have to be patient.”

The BBC’s Middle East correspondent Hugo Bachega reports from the funerals of three journalists killed by a targeted attack by Israel in southern Lebanon on Saturday 28 March.

Ali Shoeib, a reporter for the Hezbollah-affiliated Al Manar TV station, was killed in the town of Jezzine alongside reporter Fatima Ftouni and her brother, cameraman Mohamed Ftouni, both from the channel Al Mayadeen, according to the stations.

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) confirmed it had killed Shoeib, describing him as a “terrorist”, but provided no evidence to support the claim that he played a military role in the organisation. The Israeli military has not offered any comment on the killings of Fatima and Mahamed Ftoni.

Read more on this story.

Bruno Fernandes’ Manchester United future is still hanging in the balance

Although he has been arguably Manchester United’s best and most reliable performer in recent seasons, Bruno Fernandes‘ long-term future at Old Trafford has seldom seemed completely assured. The 31-year-old is having a standout campaign, having tallied eight goals and 17 assists in all competitions so far.

But regardless of his productivity and close connection with both the club and its fanbase, ongoing talk of a possible exit has continued. That feeling of doubt grew stronger during Ruben Amorim’s spell in charge, when reports suggested the club were willing to consider a high-value transfer to Saudi Arabia, briefly putting strain on the bond between player and team.

However, with the Portugal international returning to peak form and firmly in contention for PFA Player of the Year, things seem to have settled – at least for now.

Here, Mirror Football looks at the broader situation involving Fernandes, including details of a huge contract offer and a little-known release clause in his Unitec contract.

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£700k-a-week offer

Last year, reports indicated that Saudi Pro League club Al-Hilal were ready to lodge a £100m bid for Fernandes, along with an eye-watering £700,000-per-week salary that would have made him one of the top earners in global sport.

As the midfielder nears the latter stages of his career and United aim to manage their finances carefully, the club were willing to approve a transfer. However, that position did not sit comfortably with Fernandes, who was said to be “hurt” by United’s openness to letting him go.

In the end, no formal offer was submitted, meaning United kept their captain but also missed out on what could have been a record-breaking sale for the club.

Release clause

Although Fernandes has stated his desire to remain at United, the club technically cannot prevent him from leaving. This is due to a £56.68 million release clause in his contract, which can only be activated by overseas clubs.

While that figure might discourage some European sides from pursuing a player who turns 32 in September and offers limited resale potential, it would not pose an issue for Saudi teams.

Al-Hilal had been willing to bid £100m as they were keen to secure Fernandes ahead of last year’s Club World Cup, which started in June before the clause became active, and fresh interest from the Middle East is anticipated this summer.

If Fernandes remains at the club, United are expected to begin talks over a new deal, with his current contract set to expire in 2027. They also hold the option to extend it by an additional year.

United keen to keep Bruno

Despite earlier speculation linking him with a departure, the club’s position has now clearly shifted toward keeping Fernandes. While there is a continued effort to lower the wage bill – with Fernandes earning £300,000 per week – United are determined to maintain their captain’s influence on the field.

That stance has reportedly been communicated directly to Fernandes to help remove any lingering uncertainty about his future. He is also thought to feel more settled since Michael Carrick assumed control in January.

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Sky Sports discounted Premier League and EFL package

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Sky has slashed the price of its Essential TV and Sky Sports bundle ahead of the 2025/26 season, saving members £192 and offering more than 1,400 live matches across the Premier League, EFL and more.

Sky will show at least 215 live Premier League games next season, an increase of up to 100 more.

Homan also told CBS, the BBC’s US news partner, that even after the shutdown ended and funding for TSA was restored, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents currently deployed to airports across the country to help with travel disruptions would remain “until the airports feel like they are 100%.”