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‘I moved between Man City and Leeds – it was a disaster so I desperately called up my old boss’

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Manchester Evening News

One Premier League star who has played for both Manchester City and Leeds is unlikely to have mixed feelings on Saturday’s showdown

Former Manchester City and Leeds midfielder Kalvin Phillips will be nowhere in sight when the two clubs face off on Saturday. That’s after the Yorkshireman’s £42million transfer to City from Elland Road back in 2022 ultimately ended with a distressed phone call to his old boss.

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Having built himself as a key part of Marcelo Bielsa’s iconic Leeds team, Phillips was eventually snapped up by Pep Guardiola. However, what promised to be the next phase in an endearing tale of hard work paying off petered into a period of utter stagnation.

Phillips, 30, has made just 32 first-team appearances for City as he approaches the fourth anniversary of his move to the Etihad. He’s won the Premier League, Champions League, FA Cup, FIFA Club World Cup and more as a City player, yet all that glitters isn’t gold.

Now on loan at Championship side Sheffield United, his third loan away in as many seasons, Phillips is attempting to resurrect the old him once more. And it was a similar sense of desperation that led him to reach out to Bielsa in April 2023 after he was found at fault for Leicester City’s only goal during a 3-1 City win.

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“I just felt s***,” said Phillips. “It was probably the low-point, confidence-wise. I spoke to Bielsa afterwards. He called me back via a translator and we had a conversation for around half an hour.

“He said he’d watched every game I’d been involved in since I moved from Leeds and he told me what he thought I should do to become the player I was at Leeds.”

Linking up with Guardiola in Manchester inevitably came with its own complications. But then Phillips had just come from a club where he thrived under Bielsa, revered as a tactical taskmaster and one who demands painstaking sacrifice in training; how bad could it be?

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One particularly tough episode related to Guardiola publicly calling Phillips out for returning “overweight” after the 2022 World Cup. The England anchor later empathised with the sentiment and conceded the Catalan was likely right, though his execution left a lot to be desired.

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“He was right to do so, but there are different ways to go about it,” Phillips later told The Guardian. “I did not disagree with him, but obviously I took a big knock on my confidence and how I felt at City. And my family were not happy about it, either. Especially my mum.”

From Phillips’ perspective, he had gone from being the local hero at Leeds and the most valuable player in the squad, as his City fee would attest. Under Guardiola, however, it wasn’t long before he became just another piece of the furniture, and one that was hardly critical to his manager’s plans.

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Saturday’s Premier League clash takes place at Phillips’ former stomping ground at Elland Road. Daniel Farke’s men have made a habit in surprising some of the Premier League elite, having already taken results off the likes of Liverpool, Chelsea and Manchester United in recent months.

They’ll hope to repeat those heroics against the current runners-up if they’re to boost their own bid against relegation. Despite technically still being a City player today, Phillips will not be on the pitch as former club Leeds continue in trying to secure their top-flight future.

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Luis Enrique to be ‘put forward’ for manager’s job as Man United links continue

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Paris Saint-Germain boss Luis Enrique has been linked with the Manchester United manager job

Luis Enrique has been tipped for a potential return to Barcelona despite speculation connecting him with the managerial position at Manchester United. The Reds have already been linked with numerous potential candidates who might assume the role at Old Trafford permanently.

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Michael Carrick was appointed as United’s interim head coach until the end of the season last month, and has enjoyed a remarkable stint in charge thus far, remaining undefeated whilst securing victory in five of his six fixtures in charge.

Enrique, currently managing Paris Saint-Germain, has been mentioned as a possible candidate to take the manager’s job at United in the summer, alongside various other names being discussed as potential alternatives.

However, a report from Catalunya Radio has suggested that Barcelona might view Enrique as a contender to become their next manager. This comes despite Hansi Flick steering the club to the La Liga title last season, whilst they currently sit one point clear of fierce rivals Real Madrid this campaign.

READ MORE: Marcus Rashford ‘reaches agreement’ to leave Man United after crunch meetingREAD MORE: Man United’s Harry Maguire ‘concern’ as Michael Carrick stance clear after £15.6m decision

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Barcelona’s presidential election is scheduled for next month. It has been reported that Enrique’s name features on the shortlist of several presidential hopefuls for the managerial position going forward, and could be proposed for the role depending on which candidate secures victory, reports the Mirror.

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Current Barcelona president Joan Laporta is understood to favour keeping Flick as manager, though that stance could change should a new president be elected. This could prove a significant setback for United, should the speculation prove accurate that Enrique is being considered for the permanent managerial position at Old Trafford.

Carrick himself could be a contender for the full-time role, provided he maintains his impressive run of results through to the end of the campaign and secures Champions League qualification.

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The prospect of United turning to Enrique has already sparked debate, with former Chelsea coach Jody Morris arguing that retaining Carrick would be the wiser option.

“Carrick has been unbelievable,” Morris said on the latest episode of In The Mixer earlier this week. “I was moaning about Ruben Amorim. I just couldn’t have what he was doing. How can you not play Kobbie Mainoo?

“I have a lot of time for Michael Carrick. He was on my Pro Licence course and I’ve been on a few League Managers’ Association things with him.

“He’s an astute student of the game. Straight away, he comes in and Kobbie Mainoo’s in there and he’s been brilliant. It would be criminal not to give him the job if he carries on.

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“I’m always up for young English coaches getting the job. And I think he’s done an outstanding job so far. The fans are loving him as well. There’s a real feel-good factor around Man United which hasn’t been there for a long time.”

Morris added: “I’d still go with Carrick, because I honestly don’t think Luis Enrique would come to Man United.”

Former Manchester City defender Joleon Lescott echoed Morris’s view. He said: “I don’t know if Enrique goes there now because I don’t think he sees them as genuine contenders.

“I think Carrick should get the job because I don’t know if Enrique helps them to become contenders. I think Carrick definitely does that. I think he has a stronger connection to the club, the fans, everything to help them get to that stage.”

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The empty pub on busy Cambridge road that has been boarded up for years

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Cambridgeshire Live

The pub used to be a hive of activity but has been empty for many years.

Movement spotted at derelict Zebra pub in Cambridge

Cambridge is a city known for its high density of pubs. Whether you are looking for somewhere to soak up the sun next to the River Cam in summer or want a historic pub with a roaring fire in winter, the city has plenty of options for drinking spots.

However, over the years, the city has lost a lot of its popular pubs that many residents might remember. Found on the busy Maids Causeway, the Zebra is one of the lost pubs in the city that has been boarded up for a number of years.

The old Zebra pub building is right next to the Grafton Centre, which is currently being redeveloped into new labs and offices. References to the pub date back to 1861, and it has gone through a range of different landlords.

The pub was known for its “excellent pizzas” and was described as being “always busy and well regarded” by people in the area. The Zebra was briefly closed to allow for it to be refurbished and opened under new management in September 2010.

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The reopening didn’t last long, as the pub closed for good in 2011. It briefly opened as a toy shop with people living in the accommodation upstairs. According to CAMRA, “a string of licensee changes left it somewhat in limbo”.

After the toy shop closed, the building was boarded up and a planning application was approved in 2014 to turn the building into student accommodation for Anglia Ruskin University. A second application was submitted in 2017 to completely demolish the Zebra pub.

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The plan was to build six new two-bedroom apartments. Since the second application was proposed, little to no work has been done to the Zebra pub over the last few years. The building has now been covered by scaffolding and plastic sheets.

If you are walking past the pub any time soon, you might notice some builders going in and out of the area. It is still not known what will happen to the building but it does seem like there have been some developments. Cambridge City Council was approached for more information about the planning process regarding the Zebra.

What do you hope will become of the historic pub?

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PSG’s special request ‘agreed’ to secure huge Champions League advantage over Chelsea | Football

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PSG's special request 'agreed' to secure huge Champions League advantage over Chelsea | Football
PSG could have a week off in between their two games against Chelsea (Picture: Getty)

Paris Saint-Germain have asked for their Ligue 1 match before their Champions League clash with Chelsea to be moved, a development that would hand the French side a huge advantage.

The defending European champions progressed into the knockout phase of the Champions League this week after narrowly seeing off Monaco in a play-off.

Friday’s draw fed them into a round of 16 tie with Chelsea – a repeat of last summer’s Club World Cup final in New Jersey where the Blues sealed a thrilling 3-0 victory where Cole Palmer ran the show.

PSG will host the first leg of the tie at Parc des Princes on Wednesday 11 March with the second leg to follow six days later on Tuesday 17 March.

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The French champions are scheduled to face Nantes on the weekend between those two legs.

PSG have now made a special request for that game to be moved to a later date to ensure Luis Enrique’s side are in the best possible condition for the pivotal second leg at Stamford Bridge.  

A statement from the LFP confirmed PSG’s request, also confirming Nantes have already agreed to the fixture being postponed.

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Tempers flared when the two sides met in the summer (Picture: Getty)

‘In order to best prepare for its two Champions League matches against Chelsea, Paris Saint-Germain has approached the LFP Board of Directors, with the agreement of FC Nantes, to request that the match be played the week of April 20, 2026,’ the statement said.

‘The decision of the LFP Board of Directors will be announced as soon as possible.’

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If approved by the league, PSG will have a huge advantage over Chelsea (Picture: Getty)

Nantes and PSG found themselves in an identical position last season with their league match falling between the Champions League quarter-final clash between the French club and Aston Villa.

PSG led 3-1 for the first leg and had a full six days off to recover for the second led at Villa Park where they won 3-2.

Chelsea are unlikely to be given any similar favours from the Premier League.

In between their two games against PSG, the Blues will host Newcastle United at Stamford Bridge on Saturday 14 March in what is expected to be a pivotal game for Liam Rosenior’s side in the race for a top five finish.

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I enjoyed an extra sweet brunch at a peaceful riverside restaurant

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Katie Green

I also admired the beautiful riverside views while tucking into my sweet treat

Brunch at The River Terrace in St Ives

On a sunny winter’s day, I enjoyed a sweet brunch that seemed more like a dessert – while admiring beautiful river views. It’s been a cold and wet winter so far in 2026, but on a visit to St Ives, there was a rare sunny day.

While on a walk along the river and admiring the swans, I stumbled upon a cute restaurant called The River Terrace. The restaurant is hidden away in a historic archway. It created an instant cosy vibe even before stepping in. As I went in, I was shown to my table.

Once I sat down, I admired the décor. The inside was very rustic, with large wooden beams towering over me and other diners, as well as homely wooden dining tables and chairs.

Feeling hungry, I scoured the menu for its brunch options. There were a few good options on offer, including a full English breakfast. But I wasn’t feeling like something savoury – I desired something sweet.

I saw that the restaurant offered stuffed French toast. This was toast filled with lemon mascarpone, topped with berry compote, crumble and maple syrup. The price felt a little bit steep at £14.50, but I chose this to see what it was like.

Before getting my food, I ordered an iced vanilla latte. This crisp cold latte was very refreshing. The vanilla essence in it was extra sweet, and it has a very creamy taste to it. After only having to wait 10 minutes, my food came. I was surprised with how big this dish was.

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For the £14.50 price, I was hoping to have something quite large and I was proved right. The stuffed toast was beautifully presented, with the crumble lightly scattered across all of it, and a handful of berries placed on top.

It looked too good to eat, but of course I tucked in. The toast was certainly stuffed, as it was quite deep to cut into. I took a bite of the lemon mascarpone with a bit of crumble first. The crumble was warm and almost melted in my mouth.

It had a sweet crunchy taste, and combined with the beautifully bitter mascarpone added an extra level of sweetness. Next, I tried it with some of the berries. This was my favourite part. The berries were rich in flavour and succulent. I tried a large berry on its own, and this had a delicious tangy taste to it.

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By the end, I was very full and I took a minute to look at the riverside views from the door next to me. The sun shone on the river as it peacefully flowed by. This was one of the best parts of the restaurant where you could enjoy tranquil river views while eating.

What made it even better was the swans. For a sunny day, I think the River Terrace is the perfect place to stop by for a filling brunch.

It’s also the perfect place if you want to admire pretty riverside views, with some wildlife in the mix.

All of our food reviews are paid for by the writer. The establishments do not know we will be reviewing their food, allowing us to make fair judgements on each place.

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Formula 1: FIA to revise engine rule at centre of row

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Mercedes' Kimi Antonelli leading cars from the Haas, Red Bull, Ferrari, Racing Bulls, McLaren, Alpine and Cadillac teams in pre-season F1 testing in Bahrain

Mercedes’ rivals have succeeded in securing a rule change following a pre-season technical row over engine performance.

Audi, Ferrari, Red Bull and Honda had been pushing for a change in the regulation governing compression ratios on the basis they believed Mercedes had secured an advantage through clever use of materials technology.

Formula 1’s governing body the FIA said on Saturday that a change to the way the compression ratio was measured would be introduced on 1 June, with a further revision for the 2027 season.

A statement said the rule change had been approved unanimously by all power-unit manufacturers.

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The compression ratio is a measurement of the cylinder displacement between the two extremes of the piston stroke. Typically, an increase will lead to more power.

Some estimates of the gain Mercedes could be achieving have been as much as 0.3 seconds a lap, but Mercedes F1 boss Toto Wolff has said it amounts to “a few horsepower – in England you would say a couple, which is more like two and three”.

The original rule stated the ratio would be limited to 16:1 in the new engine rules introduced this year – a change from 18:1 under the previous regulations – and this was measured at ambient temperature.

Mercedes’ rivals were pushing for the compression ratio to be measured at operating temperature.

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The Mercedes engine has been measured by the FIA at both ambient and operating temperature and complied with the limit of 16:1 at all times, senior F1 insiders have told BBC Sport.

Compression ratios tend to decrease as an engine rises in temperature because of thermal expansion of the materials involved. The belief was Mercedes had found a more effective way to limit this loss than other manufacturers.

From 1 June, the compression ratio will be measured at 130C as well as ambient temperature, and from next year only at 130C.

That means that from next year, manufacturers will be able to have engines that exceed a compression ratio of 16:1 at ambient temperature, even though this reduction from the previous limit was introduced into the 2026 regulations to make the rules more appealing to new manufacturers.

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Audi and Ford both entered F1 because they were attracted by the new power-unit rules, which introduce a near 50-50 split between internal combustion and electrical power, and Honda reversed a decision to quit.

A statement from the FIA said: “A significant effort has been invested in finding a solution to the topic of compression ratio.

“The regulations introduced for 2026 represent one of the biggest changes in recent memory.

“All parties acknowledge that with the introduction of such significant regulatory changes, there are collective learnings to be taken from pre-season testing and the initial rounds of the 2026 championship.

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“Further evaluation and technical checks on energy management matters are ongoing.”

This last sentence is a reference to discussions over energy deployment and recovery.

Drivers have complained that because cars are energy starved this has led to unusual and counter-intuitive driving techniques – and there are various proposals to change the rules to make energy management easier.

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Serial flasher who targeted lone women on the Tube is jailed | News UK

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Serial flasher who targeted lone women on the Tube is jailed | News UK
Matheus Prestes was jailed for eight months over his spree of sexual offending (Picture: BTP)

A sexual predator who repeatedly flashed lone women travelling on the Tube has been jailed for eight months.

Matheus Prestes, 30, targeted his victims on the Bakerloo line in a spree lasting four months from June to October last year.

He admitted eight counts of exposure at Inner London Crown Court earlier this month.

The British Transport Police (BTP) praised the bravery of the women in coming forward to report the pervert.

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BTP Sergeant James Ashby said: ‘Prestes repeatedly targeted women on the London Underground in deliberate and predatory acts.

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‘His behaviour was disturbing, persistent, and entirely unacceptable. It is down to these brave women reporting these incidents that we were able to piece together his spree of offending and put him behind bars.’

Prestes’s first reported incident took place at around 7pm on Saturday, June 21, when he stepped off a Bakerloo line service at Baker Street, turned around and exposed himself while staring at a woman still on board the train.

Days later, on June 25, he again exposed himself and began masturbating in front of another woman on a southbound Bakerloo line service.

When she told him she was reporting his actions to the police, he quickly got off the train at Edgware Road.

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LONDON, UK - JANUARY 28, 2025: Baker Street London Underground station platform with an arriving Tube train. One of the oldest and most famous stations, known for its Sherlock Holmes connection; Shutterstock ID 2672022097; purchase_order: -; job: -; client: -; other:
Prestes targeted lone women travelling on the Bakerloo Line (Picture: Shutterstock/Sergii Figurnyi)

On Sunday, July 6, at around 6pm, Prestes targeted another lone woman on a Bakerloo line service near Kenton.

After exposing himself on board the train, he got off, stood on the platform, and stared at her while masturbating.

Then, on Tuesday, August 5, he walked along a Tube carriage before he exposed himself to a woman near Lambeth North.

Later that month, on Friday, August 22, another woman reported that Prestes had exposed himself to her between Oxford Circus and Waterloo before masturbating in her eyeline and leaving the train.

On Saturday, October 11, he targeted three women in a day, again on Bakerloo line trains. On each occasion he exposed himself to a lone woman and immediately got off the train.

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Sgt Ashby said: ‘This sentence reflects the seriousness of his actions. ‘Passengers can be reassured that we will always take reports of sexual offences seriously, act quickly to identify offenders, and work tirelessly to bring them before the courts.’

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

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Emmerdale ‘confirms’ who takes down Joe Tate and he won’t see it coming | Soaps

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Emmerdale ‘confirms’ who takes down Joe Tate and he won’t see it coming | Soaps
Of all the people…(Picture: ITV)

The problem with Emmerdale’s Joe Tate (Ned Porteous) is, he thinks he’s unstoppable.

When he sees an opportunity that means he’ll have more money in his bank account, Joe will stop at nothing to get exactly that. If people get hurt along the way, so be it.

While Joe’s main motivation tends to be money, the particularly unpleasant side to him also comes out when he’s in some sort of jeopardy.

About a year ago, we discovered that Joe needed a kidney transplant, and he didn’t really care about organising the donation ethically. At one point, he was so desperate to find a blood match, he drugged Noah Dingle (Jack Downham) and took him to a private hospital.

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When it became apparent Noah wasn’t a match, Joe dumped him at the side of the road in a haze. If this didn’t happen, Suzy, Leyla and Amy wouldn’t have lost their lives in the limo crash that followed.

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The reason for Joe’s ruthlessness to rear its ugly head again this time round has been Kim Tate’s (Claire King) farm plan. The matriarch wants to buy all of the land that surrounds Home Farm, and has asked Joe to help.

His tunnel vision focus was interrupted a few weeks ago, when Graham Foster (Andrew Scarborough) returned from the dead. Graham made it clear that he was back for Joe and wanted to reconnect with him, and Joe decided to give him another chance.

While he’s been busy catching up on what Joe’s been doing the past six years, Graham has found himself experiencing a whirlwind of emotions whenever he’s discovered another milestone in Joe’s life.

When Joe opened up about his relationship with Dawn Taylor (Olivia Bromley), Graham was surprised to hear Joe speak with so much affection in his tone. When it then became apparent Joe really values the new family he has at Home Farm, Graham was taken aback to see how much he’s changed, but happy for him nonetheless.

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Graham Foster standing in Home Farm with Kim and Joe Tate in Emmerdale.
Graham doesn’t like how much Joe sounds like Kim Tate these days (Picture: ITV)

The farm plan Joe and Kim are busy working on has been something Graham hasn’t enjoyed hearing about.

While Graham is here for Joe building up the Tate empire, he believes it could be achieved in a more considerate way. He’s already expressed his disappointment at Joe taking advantage of Victoria Sugden (Isabel Hodgins) and Moira Dingle (Natalie J Robb), and once again made it clear how he feels about Joe and Kim’s plan in this evening’s episode.

When Joe caught Graham looking at houses to rent, he was curious. He said that he’s been contemplating moving, and wondered if Joe would like to go with him. He said Dawn and the kids could come, and they could make a fresh start.

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Victoria Sugden and Joe Tate looking at each other, standing side by side, in Emmerdale.
Joe blackmailed Vic and Robert, leading to him getting their farmland (Picture: ITV)

The problem Graham has right now is that he thinks Joe has spent too much time around Kim. He believed that if Joe had time away from her, he’d remember who he really is.

Graham stood up and told Joe that the power he’s holding right now is poisonous and if he doesn’t stop now, it will change him completely.

He later told Joe that he’s decided to stay in the village near his family, clearly intent on keeping an eye on him.

The possibility of Graham plotting to betray Joe was revisited this week, when Kim spotted him having a conversation with Cain Dingle (Jeff Hordley).

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What is Graham up to?

  • He is planning on betraying JoeCheck

  • He is planning on destroying KimCheck

Suspicious they were planning something, Kim told Joe to test Graham by getting him to organise an inventory at Butler’s Farm.

Graham headed up there, but chose to tell Cain about Joe’s plan instead of going behind his back. Graham knows that Cain has cancer, and actually feels quite sorry for him.

Joe quickly worked out that Graham had lied and was heartbroken at the betrayal. Graham refused to leave Home Farm though, much to Kim’s annoyance, as he secretly knew that Joe didn’t want him to go.

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He explained to Joe that he doesn’t know the full picture, but cannot tell him it either. Is this because Graham is planning on betraying Joe?

Or is he secretly plotting against Kim instead?

This article was originally published on February 17, 2026.

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Trump says Iran threatened Europe as he confirms strikes on Tehran

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Belfast Live

It is understood that the UK was not involved in the US-Israeli strikes.

Donald Trump claimed Iran was developing weapons that could target “our very good friends and allies in Europe” and US troops overseas as he confirmed US involvement in strikes on Tehran.

Israel and the US launched attacks on the Iranian capital and other parts of the country early on Saturday morning.

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In a video posted on his Truth Social platform, Mr Trump said the Iranian regime had “attempted to rebuild their nuclear programme and to continue developing long-range missiles that can now threaten our very good friends and allies in Europe, our troops stationed overseas and could soon reach the American homeland”.

Sir Keir Starmer has convened the Government’s emergency Cobra committee as missile strikes continue to rock the Middle East. It is understood that the UK was not involved in the US-Israeli strikes.

A Government spokesperson said the UK did not want to see “further escalation into a wider regional conflict” and reiterated Britain’s support for a negotiated solution to Iran’s nuclear ambitions.

Iran has previously warned that it would retaliate against US personnel across the Middle East if attacked.

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At around 8.10am UK time, the Israeli military said it had “identified missiles launched from Iran” towards Israel “a short while ago”, adding: “Defensive systems are operating to intercept the threat.”

Following the strikes, the Foreign Office has warned against all travel to Israel while embassies in Bahrain, Qatar and the UAE have advised British nationals to shelter in place.

The spokesperson added: “Iran must never be allowed to develop a nuclear weapon and that is why we have continually supported efforts to reach a negotiated solution.

“Our immediate priority is the safety of UK nationals in the region and we will provide them with consular assistance, available 24/7.”

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Saturday’s attack follows mounting tension in the region, with the US deploying a vast fleet of warships and aircraft to try to pressure Iran into a deal over its nuclear programme.

Israeli defence minister Israel Katz said the attack had been carried out to “remove threats”, and the strikes are reported to have targeted a range of government and military sites.

One of the first is reported to have landed near the office of Iran’s supreme leader, the 86-year-old Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

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‘I’m a dog trainer and it’s better if they don’t lift their leg to pee’

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Wales Online

A dog trainer has explained that male dogs lifting their leg to urinate is learned from other dogs rather than being instinctive – and why it’s better if they don’t pick up this habit

Dog owners have shared their shock after discovering that dogs raising their leg to pee is a learned behaviour rather than an immediate instinct. Male puppies generally learn the habit from adult dogs while out on walks in the street or at the park.

A dog trainer known as @thepuppyacademy maintains male puppies watch other dogs and conclude this must be the “correct” method to urinate, ultimately choosing it over squatting. Nevertheless, the so-called “leg lift” does fulfil a function. It enables dogs to mark their scent on raised surfaces such as trees, lampposts, and public bins.

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A statement from the American Kennel Club explains: “Peeing at this elevation lets the dog leave their message near nose level, which makes it easy for other dogs to discover. The urine dribbles down and covers a larger area than if left on the lawn. The spread helps maximise the scent they leave behind.”

Despite this, the trainer at The Puppy Academy says: “I personally don’t recommend encouraging it because a dog who hikes its leg tends to mark much more often, which makes your walks a lot longer. You may also find curtains inside your home getting marked.”

Commenting on the video, one user wrote: “My dog is a one-year-old intact male and doesn’t lift his leg. It’s the best!” Another added: “My spayed female dog is a lifter and marker. No clue where she learned it.”

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A third user said: “I started to worry about my now 13-month-old lab not lifting his leg, then realised how silly that is. If he’s peeing in the right places, who cares? Sometimes he lifts, sometimes he doesn’t.”

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Another commented: “My male dog always squatted. He wasn’t obsessed with marking anything and everything either.”

Dr Mary Burch, a certified applied animal behaviourist and director of the Canine Good Citizen Program at the American Kennel Club, explained: “Urinating in both male and female dogs has several purposes. The two main functions are eliminating urine and marking territory.

“When dogs walk by an elevated pee station, they can more easily smell urine on a vertical surface than on a flat one. Male dogs who don’t lift a leg and opt for squatting may do so because the position causes discomfort in their rear leg joints, or after experiencing hip or knee surgery.”

Dr Burch added that female dogs typically squat because it helps them remain cleaner, while males tend to direct urine away from their legs.

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An additional statement from the American Kennel Club notes: “Some female dogs also lift their legs to urinate. The raised stance may feel more comfortable than squatting, particularly when exercising away from home.

“Intact females may mark with lifted legs during heat cycles to signal to receptive males that mating season has begun.

“Female dogs may also raise a leg if they feel anxious and want to establish territory. Size can play a role, too – smaller females tend to lift their legs, whilst medium- and large-sized females often do not.”

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I was hit by a truck – then my wife noticed something about my beard

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I was hit by a truck - then my wife noticed something about my beard
Doctors were preparing to declare me dead (Picture: Daniel Fox)

In December 2024, when I was 49, a seven-tonne van changed my life. 

I was walking across a pedestrian crossing when a vehicle hit me at 30mph.

It was around 3pm – just as I was leaving a pub I’d nipped into for a Christmas pint. 

The catastrophic impact knocked me unconscious straight away. 

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I later learned that when an air ambulance arrived I was intubated – when a tube is inserted into your windpipe to keep your airway open – at the scene. 

l was then put in a medically induced coma and taken to the critical care unit at Preston Royal Hospital, sixty miles from my home. 

There it was confirmed that my lungs had collapsed, I needed a chest drain, I had severe head trauma, a brain bleed, extensive facial fractures and multiple broken bones. 

Doctors were preparing to declare me dead.

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Daniel Fox ??After a car accident, I had low testosterone
I struggled to distinguish reality for a while and experienced a period of coma-related delusion (Picture: Daniel Fox)

At 5pm, my wife was informed by the police about the accident – since I had only popped out for half an hour, and left my phone at home, my friends and family didn’t know about the accident.

I was at the hospital from December 20 until January 14, and for 12 of these days, I was in a coma and totally oblivious to everything. 

Even now, I have no real recollection of the accident.

When I woke up, I struggled to distinguish reality for a while and experienced a period of coma-related delusion. It felt like I was in a dream state – I struggled to perceive what had happened to me and how bad it was.

As I began getting visitors, people pointed out I didn’t look great – but it was my beard that was most notably different. 

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My wife noticed my face had only a few millimetres of growth after almost a month in hospital, which confused both of us – I’d always had a thick beard.

Daniel Fox ??After a car accident, I had low testosterone
He explained that the impact to my head might have affected my pituitary gland, disrupting my hormones (Picture: Daniel Fox)

A few days later a male nurse came to prepare me for facial reconstruction surgery five weeks after the accident and commented that at least I’d already shaved. I hadn’t shaved at all – but my face looked smooth as if it was.

Noticing my confusion, he suggested I get my testosterone checked, something I’d never considered. He explained that the impact to my head might have affected my pituitary gland, disrupting my hormones. 

He was right to point it out – and as I healed, the problems went far beyond facial hair. 

During my recovery from the accident, I noticed my libido had vanished. While I was healing, I had accepted that I wasn’t going to have a sex life for a while.

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But, I did notice that I didn’t feel turned on or sexual in any way – sex simply never came to mind. 

Daniel Fox ??After a car accident, I had low testosterone
I noticed my libido had vanished (Picture: Daniel Fox)

I was open about this feeling with my wife, and she was very supportive, but it did marry up with the suggestion of low testosterone, so I spoke to my GP, who advised me to wait a few months to see if the symptoms settled.

Feeling desperate for answers, I began researching testosterone boosters on my own and tried various nutritional supplements such as vitamins and minerals, but nothing made a difference.

By March last year, sex wasn’t even a thought, and my mood had deteriorated so badly that I didn’t want to carry on. I felt overwhelmed and confused by what was happening to me – everything I had lived for before had disappeared. 

Even my existence felt pointless.

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My recovery was slow and steady from the physical injuries, however, in September I was diagnosed with and treated for PTSD. 

When I went back to my GP, sharing that my low testosterone symptoms had not settled, he suggested I have a blood test – but warned treatment could take time. 

Daniel Fox ??After a car accident, I had low testosterone
My mood had deteriorated so badly that I didn’t want to carry on (Picture: Daniel Fox)

So, I lost patience and longing for help, I went online again and looked at some testosterone replacement treatment (TRT) providers for a blood test.

The more I searched, the more I kept coming across Voy, a provider that seemed to have genuine people raving about their service sharing that it was a simple process, with great support.

I ordered the test and sent off my sample in April 2025. The results came back four days later on the app, showing that my testosterone levels were very low. 

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Normal testosterone levels are between 10 and 30 nmol/l, and my levels were 5.147 nmol/l. 

The app advised me to have a full blood test to move forward with treatment, and so I booked for a phlebotomist nurse to come to my house and take my test. I received the results four days later which revealed my hormone levels were even lower than suggested, and so I started taking TRT.

BRITAIN-HEALTH-DISINFORMATION-MEN
I kept coming across Voy, a provider that seemed to have genuine people raving about their service (Picture: Henry NICHOLLS / AFP via Getty Images

I self administer five small injections per week, three of which are Testosterone Cypionate and two are HCG to keep my fertility and testicular size.

Disillusioned with my attempts to get more treatment through the NHS, I continued with Voy, who guided me through the process. The support team were quick to respond to my questions, and the consultation with the doctor was informative, guiding me through everything.

Since TRT is a lifelong commitment for me, having proper support is crucial.

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Lacking testosterone affects mood, strength, confidence, and your sense of identity. Within three months of treatment, I went from severe low moods and weight gain to losing six per cent body fat.

Within six months, I noticed differences. My confidence returned alongside my libido. The apathy that had swallowed me after the accident began to lift.

I feel like I am more present now, unlike before.

After the accident, I wanted to be an insignificant shadow in the corner of the world. Now, I live a different existence from 12 months ago. Life is simple; it’s been changed for good.

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We lose too many men to mental health problems, as they feel too ashamed to talk to someone – something I struggled with. 

Given low testosterone is so closely tied to the way that a man feels, psychologically, I would advise men to get tested and to talk to your mates. That even if they do get results that say your testosterone levels are low, it doesn’t make them any less of a man.

Taking action is the right thing to do, and there is support out there.

For me, taking a test was the first step towards becoming a better version of myself.

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Do you have a story you’d like to share? Get in touch by emailing Ross.Mccafferty@metro.co.uk. 

Share your views in the comments below.

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