ITV has reportedly found a replacement for Sir Tom Jones on The Voice UK, after he claimed he has been fired from the show.

The 86-year-old singer has served as an on-off coach since the show’s 2012 debut and has made it clear that he did not want to leave the programme, but the decision was made due to a ‘financial difficulty with insurance’.

Cheryl is said to be the famous face taking up Sir Tom’s spare seat on the show, in what would be her primetime TV return, after a long-running stint as a coach on The X Factor.

If the reports are true, the former Girls Aloud star will join rapper will.i.am and Kelly Rowland, as well as rapper Aitch, who is said to be replacing McFly duo Danny Jones and Tom Fletcher.

A source told The Sun: ‘Everyone loves Sir Tom but there was a feeling that the upcoming series needed a major refresh. With Aitch and Cheryl coming on board and Kelly returning with will.i.am, there just wasn’t a seat going.’

It would also be a huge milestone for the show, as the first time two women were on the judging panel at once.

Cheryl’s fans have been left ecstatic at the prospect of the 43-year-old’s return to TV, having most recently served as a coach on The Greatest Dancer in 2020. 

@cheryl_mixer wrote on X: ‘Okay but let’s talk about how iconic it is for Cheryl (Girls Aloud) & Kelly (Destiny’s Child) to be on The Voice together!! Girl band royalty right there!!’

Meanwhile, @CherylDaily wrote: ‘We are so excited about this news and cannot wait for her TV comeback…. CHEZZA IS BACK!!’

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Cheryl previously appeared on The Voice in 2012, when she performed Call My Name on stage and did a swan dive as part of the act – although she was also forced to fend off accusations of lip-syncing the track.

It had been reported by The Sun that ITV was ‘plotting’ a way for Sir Tom to be involved in the programme regardless, but in an explosive statement posted to X, he appeared to throw cold water on the plans. 

Sir Tom said he was ‘not thrilled’ about what ITV offered him instead of being a coach, writing: ‘They now say in the press they wanted to “refresh” the show, and with a new coaching line-up, there wouldn’t be a chair for me.

‘They are offering a much-reduced role where I would make an appearance but without being actually involved from the start, and I’m not thrilled about that.

‘So the only thing I know right now is that there’s never a good time to fire an 86-year-old who’s still pretty good at his job.’

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Metro contacted ITV and Cheryl for comment on this story.

MORE: ITV’s savage sacking of Sir Tom Jones won’t save The Voice UK

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The Freedom of South Ayrshire is the highest civic distinction the council can bestow.

Ayr Sea Cadets and Royal Marines Cadets have been awarded the Freedom of South Ayrshire at a special ceremony.

The Freedom of South Ayrshire is the highest civic distinction the council can bestow, and it’s only been granted on four other occasions since 2009.

This is the first time the honour has been awarded to a cadet organisation, recognising the outstanding contribution the unit has made to generations of young people and for their service to the wider community.

Around 70 cadets took part in a parade to mark the occasion on Saturday, August 29. The unit also received a new military colour to mark their 85th year.

This is highly significant and involves the handing over of a consecrated flag — representing the honour, identity, and loyalty of the unit.

Founded in 1941, Ayr Sea Cadets and Royal Marines Cadets have provided opportunities for young people across Ayr and the surrounding area since their inception.

Cadets take part in activities such as sailing, powerboating, paddlesports, camping, while also gaining nationally recognised qualifications and practical life skills.

The unit also plays an active role within the local community, supporting remembrance events, civic occasions, charitable activities and volunteering initiatives throughout the year.

Over the last five years, the unit has worked tirelessly to transform the Foresters Hall in Ayr – contributing around 1,800 hours of volunteer labour to turn the building into welcoming hub for the community.

Provost of South Ayrshire, Iain Campbell, said: “It is a tremendous honour to present the Freedom of South Ayrshire to Ayr Sea Cadets and Royal Marines Cadets during their 85th anniversary year. This award recognises not only the proud history of the unit, but also the remarkable contribution it continues to make to the lives of young people across our communities.

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“The commitment shown by volunteers in rebuilding the unit, securing a permanent home for future generations and creating a facility that also serves the wider community demonstrates exactly the kind of civic contribution this honour is intended to recognise.”

Iona McDonald OBE, Lord-Lieutenant of Ayrshire and Arran, said: “As His Majesty The King’s representative in Ayrshire and Arran, I am delighted to see the Ayr Sea Cadets and Royal Marines Cadets awarded the Freedom of South Ayrshire. This prestigious civic honour is a fitting tribute to the dedication, resilience, and service displayed by both the cadets and the incredible adult volunteers who support them.

“For 85 years, the unit has played a vital role in nurturing leadership, confidence, and community spirit in young people across our region. The dedication shown in restoring Foresters Hall into a vibrant community space demonstrates their profound commitment to South Ayrshire. I offer my warmest congratulations to everyone involved in reaching this historic milestone.”

Commanding Officer, Lieutenant (SCC) Duncan McKechnie RNR, said: “The Freedom of South Ayrshire is a huge honour and recognises our significant contribution to the community, particularly over the last five years.

“We have worked incredibly hard to rebuild the unit following Covid. We are now giving young people even more opportunities.

“One of our biggest achievements has been taking on Foresters Hall and, through the commitment of our volunteers and the support of the local community, transforming it from a largely disused building into a thriving community facility.

“To receive the Freedom in our 85th year makes it even more special. It recognises our long history, but also the significant amount that our cadets and volunteers have achieved in recent years. We are incredibly proud to be part of Ayr and South Ayrshire.”

However, Jones, who played a key role in Eliud Kipchoge’s sub two-hour marathon challenge in 2019, is keen to point out that the science in this area is “behind”.

“There isn’t as much hard evidence as there would be for shorter distances, which have been studied for a long time in quite some detail,” he adds.

That is a view shared by Dr Richard Burden, co-lead of female athlete health and performance at the UK Sports Institute, who feels a lot more information needs to be gathered before conclusions can be made.

“At the moment we are speculating … there are definitely some physiological adaptations that you see more in women than men that are favourable for ultra-type events. But those need to be better established and more studies would need to be done.”

Physiology, however, only gets you so far. The realities of ultra-endurance exercise – multi-day events, sleep deprivation, extreme terrain and conditions, to name but a few – mean the journey to the finish line is as much mental as it is physical.

And for Sophie Woods, this is where women have the edge.

“It’s not necessarily about being the fastest person at the start,” she says. “It is about preparation, it is about mental strength and being able to continue to persevere when things go wrong.”

During the New Zealand runner’s record-breaking run of the Via Alpina, she was forced to expect the unexpected – from disruption caused by wildfires that made her route longer and more dangerous to swarms of horseflies.

“I was so tired and there were so many of them and I wanted to have a complete meltdown and just cry, but I couldn’t because if I stopped moving, they started biting me,” she says.

“I think women are really good at adapting and continuing and just knowing that once we start something, you’ve just got to keep moving until you get to the finish.”

That view is echoed by Yngvild Kaspersen, who last month became the first woman to win the prestigious Ultra-Trail Mont Blanc CCC race in the Alps twice. She credits her victory to the “mental game” she puts herself through in training.

The Norwegian, who balances life as a professional runner with her job as a GP, also believes female ultra-runners are so strong because camaraderie in the community is unrivalled.

“We’re competitors but we’re also motivating each other, inspiring each other, pushing each other to do better in the races,” she says. “If you see the podiums for the women this year [at UTMB], how close we are and how we’re running together out there – that’s very special and I’m very proud to be a part of that community and that group of women.”

So can we explain why women might be more resilient?

Sports dietitian Renee McGregor, who specialises in athlete nutrition and hormonal health, believes the answer comes from the female body itself.

“The moment women step into puberty, we are dealing with a fluctuating hormonal system,” she says. “We never ever give ourselves credit for that, it’s just an accepted part of being female. But actually, it is an endurance in itself and I think that’s probably where a big part of our resilience comes from.”

McGregor, an ultra-runner herself, points to research that suggests female runners display more disciplined and even pacing strategies than men in distance races, maximising on what she terms the female “brain bank”.

“I don’t think women go into these races without a lot of thought and contingency planning,” McGregor adds.

“For example, if you’ve been through a pregnancy and you’ve dealt with nausea, if you’ve had a baby and dealt with the lack of sleep or if you’ve gone through fertility treatment, you have to go through so much discomfort, but you know you can get through it. And I think it’s that knowledge of ‘I can get through this, I can find a solution’.”

NAGOYA, Japan (AP) — Athletes who’ve arrived early for the Asian Games were unharmed by extensive flooding that hit the central Japanese city of Nagoya, Mayor Ichiro Hirosawa said Wednesday.

“We are not worried about the conditions of the venues and we believe there is no problem holding the Asian Games as planned,” Hirosawa told reporters.

The Asian Games, an event with more athletes than the Summer Olympics, open Sept. 19 in Nagoya and surrounding areas and run through Oct. 4.

More than 11,000 athletes are signed up from 45 countries and regions in Asia. By comparison, about 10,700 athletes participated in the Summer Olympics in 2024 in Paris.

The previous edition of the Asian Games was held three years ago in Hangzhou, China.

Hirosawa said about 400 athletes and staff who are staying in converted shipping containers — remodeled to serve as temporary housing units for the Asian Games — were briefly evacuated to higher ground during the heavy rain.

He said there were a number of leaking roofs but nothing more serious around the dozens of Games venues.

Record rain fell in parts of the city on Tuesday, flooding dozens of roads and homes, and stranding pedestrians and vehicles. City bus and subway operations were temporarily suspended, the mayor said.

Reports said about 3,500 people took shelter at emergency evacuation centers.

___

See full AP coverage of Asian sports here

The funeral of one of the two police officers killed in a wrong-way crash is to take place later.

PC Matthew Blades, 37, and PC Tom Clough, 38, died when a Volkswagen Passat collided with their marked armed response car on the A66 at South Bank, near Middlesbrough, on 22 August. Five young men were also killed.

Road closures will be in place in Hartlepool for PC Blades’ funeral from 07:30 BST to allow for a full police ceremonial funeral.

Speaking on behalf of his family, Cleveland Police Federation chair Lauren Somerville said “life feels unbearably quiet” without the father-of-two’s “silly jokes” and laughter.

Somerville said flowers had been delivered to the force’s stations and people from Australia, France and America had been in touch.

“The support has been overwhelming, and it’s been comforting,” she said.

Somerville added even small acknowledgements of respect from the public, such as a nod or a thank you when they see police out and about, had brought officers “so much strength”.

Officers had been pursuing the Passat for almost seven minutes after it was connected to earlier alleged criminal activity, but the pursuit was abandoned 10 seconds before the crash when it turned onto the dual carriageway, the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) said.

PC Blades and PC Clough were in a vehicle looking for the Passat after its cloned registration plates triggered an automated number plate recognition camera, although they were not involved in the pursuit, according to the IOPC.

Cole Worthy and Theo Rae, both 17, Makai Saddington, 18, and 23-year-olds Michael Cahill and Jakub Matusiak also died in the crash.

The Voice UK producers have come under fire from Sir Tom Jones this week, after he claimed he was fired over insurance reasons. 

In a statement, the singer claimed: ‘I did not want to leave The Voice as I love the show,’ adding that ‘the only thing I know right now, is that there’s never a good time to fire an 86-year-old who’s still pretty good at his job’.

Amid the upheaval, it’s been claimed Cheryl is set to make her TV comeback with a spot on the judging panel, while Aitch is rumoured to replace McFly duo Danny Jones and Tom Fletcher who are leaving the show.

Eyebrows have been raised over the timing of the reshuffle, with filming for the next series set to begin this week, while the current season, airing weekly on ITV, has been pre-recorded. 

It’s the latest in a long line of scandals to befall the show, which launched in 2012 with an average viewership of over seven million, but this year returned for series 14 and had its lowest launch figure to date – just 1.9 million.

So while billed as a progressive show that focuses purely on talent rather than appearance, behind the scenes it seems the show is anything but harmonious.

During the live season two finale, some viewers thought Holly Willoughby’s low-cut black dress was not appropriate for a family show, prompting 139 complaints to Ofcom

‘Inappropriate’ outfits 

The Voice sparked controversy from the start, when original host Holly Willoughby was chastised for her wardrobe. 

During the live season two finale, some viewers thought Holly’s low-cut black dress was not appropriate for a family show, prompting 139 complaints to Ofcom

Broadcast Now noted that the show was broadcast from 7.15pm to 9.30pm on Saturday, meaning most of the programme aired prior to the 9pm watershed.

While Ofcom did not investigate the complaints, the BBC apologised for any offence caused.  

‘We’re sorry if some viewers found Holly’s dress to be unsuitable,’ a BBC spokeswoman said. 

‘Holly enjoys fashion and we felt the dress she wore for the live final of The Voice UK was glamorous and wholly appropriate for the occasion.

‘We don’t believe it would have gone against audience expectations for a TV spectacle such as this.’

Never-ending lineup of coaches 

A whopping 18 coaches have spun around on the red chairs since the show began. The first two seasons saw Jessie J, Danny O’Donoghue, Will.i.am and Sir Tom Jones serve as coaches

A whopping 18 coaches have spun around on the red chairs since the show began.   

The first two seasons saw Will.i.am, Jessie J, Sir Tom Jones and Danny O’Donoghue serve as coaches. 

Yet in season three, Jessie and Danny were replaced by Kylie Minogue and Kaiser Chiefs frontman Ricky Wilson.

The following year Rita Ora – who has also been a coach on The Voice Australia – stepped in to replace Kylie Minogue.

Season five saw Sir Tom’s first departure from the show, along with Rita’s, and they were replaced by Boy George and Paloma Faith.

Season six saw the BBC show moved to ITV, who completely shook up the lineup, bringing back Sir Tom to coach alongside Will.i.am, Jennifer Hudson and Gavin Rossdale.

Gavin then left the lineup and Olly Murs took over for season seven and eight. 

Then Meghan Trainor replaced Jennifer Hudson for one year before Anne-Marie replaced Meghan for a stable three-series run.

By season 13 there was another shakeup, with LeAnn Rimes and McFly’s Tom Fletcher and Danny Jones (in the show’s first double chair) replacing Anne-Marie and Olly.

The current coaching panel saw Destiny’s Child star Kelly Rowland make her debut, replacing LeAnn Rimes alongside Will.i.am, Sir Tom and the McFly duo. 

However, Sir Tom and the McFly duo have since left the show, with Cheryl and Aitch said to be their replacements. 

Coach clashes  

While they may only have appeared on one season together, Boy George and Paloma Faith made headlines with their reported clashes on set (pictured with Ricky Wilson and Will.i.am)

However, this month, George reignited their feud when he criticised Paloma Faith for voicing her support for rapper Macklemore, who shouted ‘Free Palestine’ during an Ed Sheeran gig 

George tweeted: ‘@edsheeran clearly has no spine and as for @Palomafaith and her stupid virtuous squealing of delight about Mackle-bore when she is about as political as a soggy tuna sandwich. The whole thing makes me queasy’ 

While they may only have appeared on one season together, Boy George and Paloma Faith made headlines with their reported clashes on set. 

It was reported in 2015 that the Manchester auditions saw the two clash – with the Do You Really Want To Hurt Me crooner branding Paloma ‘bitchy’ and ‘rude’.

Tempers reportedly flared as they both attempted to lure the same singer to their team – with Paloma pretending to fall asleep and snore as George made his bid.

Paloma later recalled the tense exchange in her memoir, MILF, in which George allegedly made a sexist remark that was ultimately cut from the reality TV contest.

While she did not name the coach, Paloma – who was undergoing IVF at the time – recalled: ‘It was an ill-timed and misread joke, intended to be a bit of theatre, but he took offence and came back with a cutting quip, saying I had “probably got PMT” and was “rude”.

‘The PMT remark was obviously cut from the edit.’

‘On this day, pumped full of hormones, I felt both shame at experiencing that in front of a studio audience, and like I couldn’t retaliate due to my desire to save face.

‘I ran off stage, to the toilets, and blacked out. I don’t actually have a recollection of any of it until I came to on the floor with my then PA’s hands cupping me face… 

‘Apparently I was shouting something like, “My f***ing father” over and over again… and sort of convulsing.’

Paloma added that production then organised a period of ‘conflict resolution’ with the other coach before they continued filming.

Responding to reports of the fallout at the time, George told Digital Spy that he and Paloma had known each other ‘a long time’ before appearing together on The Voice.

‘First of all, nobody makes anyone cry, crying is a personal choice,’ he said. ‘And Paloma’s gorgeous, I worship and adore her. And we had a right laugh about it afterwards. And she sent me a note saying “I will never do it again” and she did it again!

‘We’ve been out to dinner so you know, we’ll cope with each other, it’s fine. Initially, it’s all about finding out where people’s boundaries are, what you can get away with, what you can say to them. Now we know where we stand.’

However, this month, George reignited their feud when he criticised Paloma Faith for voicing her support for rapper Macklemore – who is facing a boycott petition after he called out ‘Free Palestine’ onstage while supporting Ed Sheeran.

George tweeted: ‘On the subject of @macklemore it’s important to note that slogans such as ‘Free Palestine’ offer the appearance of moral courage without requiring much political knowledge.

‘@edsheeran clearly has no spine and as for @Palomafaith and her stupid virtuous squealing of delight about Mackle-bore when she is about as political as a soggy tuna sandwich. The whole thing makes me queasy.’

When questioned if he is still ‘buddy buddy’ with Paloma, he responded that ‘all showbiz relationships are sequin deep!’

The Tom Jones controversy 

This week isn’t the first time Sir Tom has been dealt a blow by The Voice team. Back in 2015, the singer was dropped from the show for the first time, replaced by George and Paloma

This week isn’t the first time Sir Tom has been dealt a blow by The Voice team. 

Back in 2015, the singer was dropped from the show for the first time, with he and Rita Ora replaced by George and Paloma, who served as coaches with Wil.i.am and Ricky Wilson. 

The talent show’s bosses decision to drop Tom as the fourth coach was only announced as the replacements were unveiled.

The BBC defended informing Tom of the shake-up at the last minute at the time, insisting it was only to keep the new additions top-secret.

A spokesman said: ‘The final decision on the coaches’ line-up for series 5 of The Voice was only taken on Wednesday and Tom’s team was informed early yesterday morning.

‘We then announced it to the press so that it didn’t leak. This has been the same every year and no role was ever promised.’

Yet Tom responded with a lengthy Facebook post, in which he labelled producers’ actions ‘disappointing’.

The statement read: ‘About The Voice UK: In good faith, as part of the team, I’d put the time in my schedule to be involved in Series 5, as I’ve done so for the last 4 years. I’ve supported the show and the BBC since the beginning.

‘I was told yesterday, with no consultation or conversation of any kind, that I would not be returning. Having been through plenty of transformations throughout the years, I support and admire creative change. But being informed, as a matter of duty and respect, is an important part of creative relationships.

‘This sub-standard behaviour from the executives is very disappointing. I will always admire the courage of the performers who participate in the show, as well as all the production staff who worked tirelessly to make a great family viewing experience for the audience at home. I wish the show well.’

He later wrote in his autobiography: ‘To say I was shocked is to put it mildly. But my shock wasn’t about the fact they had replaced me. My shock was about the way they did it.’

Sir Tom claimed that when his management questioned the decision to replace him, BBC bosses simply said he was ‘out of contract’.

‘Indisputable as a bald statement of fact, I guess. But what a cold place the BBC is. Sometimes you wonder whether it is run by humans or a machine in the basement,’ he quipped.

‘It’s a shame because I always treasured the BBC – always had this strong British attachment to it.’

While he was off air Sir Tom ‘liked’ tuning into the show, then after a one-series absence, he returned as a judge when the programme made the switch to ITV.

The Corporation’s television boss Danny Cohen later offered Sir Tom a sincere apology, saying he’s ‘truly sorry’ for upsetting the ‘extraordinary figure’.

‘I’ve got huge respect for Tom and I’m truly sorry he’s upset because I am a big fan of his,’ he said.

‘I think he’s a gentleman, I think he’s an extraordinary figure in music and you’ll have seen the huge respect that all of the artists have had for him on The Voice throughout.’

Yet a decade on and history has repeated itself, with Sir Tom axed from the panel once more. 

Sir Tom released a statement on Tuesday that read: ‘To be clear, I did not want to leave The Voice as I love the show and really appreciate the audience. ITV made this decision — obviously a while ago, and I was told just recently.

‘The reason given is because of a financial difficulty with insurance. They now say in the press they wanted to “refresh” the show, and with a new coaching line-up there wouldn’t be a chair for me.’

He added that ITV had offered him ‘a much-reduced role where I would make an appearance but without being actually involved from the start, and I’m not thrilled about that.

‘So the only thing I know right now, is that there’s never a good time to fire an 86-year-old who’s still pretty good at his job.’

‘Fix’ accusations 

Questions were raised in 2016, when Paloma seemingly admitted to arranging a contestant’s progression to the next stage, dropping Liberty X singer Kevin Simm and allowing Ricky Wilson to save him by ‘stealing’ him. Kevin went on to win the show

Over the years, fans have also questioned if the competition is staged – which producers have explicitly denied. 

Questions were raised in 2016, when Paloma seemingly admitted to arranging a contestant’s progression to the next stage. 

During the show, former Liberty X singer Kevin Simm made it to the knockout stage despite losing to teenager Faith Nelson in the battle rounds.

After Paloma chose to save the teen, rival coach Ricky then opted to ‘steal’ Kevin from Paloma’s team by hitting his buzzer – saving him from elimination. 

Discussing the move, Paloma was quoted in The Mirror, suggesting the decision to save Kevin was pre-planned and had been ‘agreed beforehand’ with Ricky.

However, in a statement, a spokesman confirmed the two coaches had discussed Kevin before the recording of the show, but that there was ‘no truth in this fix claim’. 

They added: ‘The conversation between Ricky and Paloma before that battle record was her asking him to steal Kevin if she didn’t choose him. He did not agree or disagree.’

Kevin ultimately won the competition. 

That same season, eyebrows were raised again when one of the frontrunners, Cody Frost, crashed out of the competition early. 

Her mentor George then said they were both ‘pleased’ about the outcome because Cody did not want to sing the winner’s song, an original track called All You Good Friends.

When asked if it was the end of the road for Cody, George said: ‘No. She doesn’t have to do the winner’s single either, so we’re pleased about that.’

MINAB, Iran (AP) — The sun set over this southern Iranian city, and Heydar Sadeghi was where he can be found almost every evening: on a bench next to the shattered remains of his grandson’s school. His face was soaked with tears.

A banner strung around the rubble showed the faces of children and teachers killed here by an American airstrike on Feb. 28, the first day of the war on Iran. Among them are Sadeghi’s 11-year-old grandson Hami and the boy’s mother, Neda Salehizadeh.

“I searched the bodies for my kids, thinking maybe one would be among them,” Sadeghi said Monday evening as he recounted how he rushed to the school in the moments after the explosions. He called out their names, saying, “‘Come with me! I’ve come to get you.’ They weren’t there,” he said, weeping.

The Shajareh Tayyebeh school has become a place to wrestle with grief and preserve the memories of the dead. Here, relatives try to comprehend the incomprehensible — how around 120 of their children could be snuffed out, just after they’d been dropped off for a day of classes.

At least one U.S. missile hit the school that morning in Minab, according to an Associated Press investigation, but there has been no final accounting of what happened. Iranian state media have said 168 people were killed in the strike, most of them children.

The Trump administration has yet to directly accept the blame or release findings of a Pentagon investigation into the bombing.

A grandfather grieves every day

For Sadeghi, the day of the strike began as every school day did.

He drove Hami and the boy’s 9-year-old sister Nila to school along with their mother, his daughter-in-law Salehizadeh, who was a teacher. As usual, he planned to pick them up at 1 p.m.

“But the bell was rung early — by Trump,” he said.

Hami was a fifth grader who loved soccer and riding his bicycle, Sadeghi said. His body was so mangled in the blast, they could only identify him from the clothes he was wearing, he said.

Nila was pulled alive from the rubble.

“Thank God, she is physically fine,” Sadeghi said. “But mentally, no.”

The girl and her father have moved in with Sadeghi and his wife. The slightest, unexpected noise frightens her. She often goes to bed in her grandmother’s arms but lies awake for much of the night.

Sadeghi said he often invites Nila’s friends to come spend the night, hoping their presence will distract her.

The UK has announced that it will impose sanctions against individuals and entities involved in building settlements in the West Bank after the Israeli government decided to proceed with a new settlement

US President Donald Trump has not condemned the UK’s decision to impose sanctions on those building settlements in the West Bank has been revealed.

UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham announced on Tuesday, September 8, that the UK would impose sanctions against individuals and entities involved in building settlements in the West Bank.

This after the Israeli government decided to proceed with a new settlement in the sensitive E1 area, which would divide the West Bank and prevent territorial contiguity in any future Palestinian state.

Canada, Denmark, Finland and France are among the several countries that have supported the UK in its decision.

Israeli ally America has now revealed that it was briefed by the UK before the announcement.

Two sources familiar have said that Trump did not push back or ask UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham to change course, Axios has reported.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio did not condemn the UK’s move when asked about it by reporters on Tuesday.

“The President hasn’t commented on this and neither have I,” he told reporters.

“We were made aware that they are gonna make this decision. We heard their arguments as to why.

“We share the goal of stability. We don’t want to see an uptick in violence or tensions in the West Bank in a tenuous time in the region.”

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US ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee attacked the new sanctions when speaking to the BBC.

Huckabee told the broadcaster that the UK government’s decision amounted to “discrimination against the Jewish people.”

A White House distanced itself from the comments.

An official told Axios that Huckabee’s remarks “were not coordinated with the White House” or State Department.

In response to the UK’s move, Israel announced the closure of the UK consulate in East Jerusalem. The consulate handles relations with the Palestinian Authority.

Israel has also expelled British diplomats and military officers posted to a US-led Gaza task force and terminated a British military training mission in the West Bank.

Paul Scholes says Gabriel Magalhaes ‘gets away with murder’ after avoiding a red card in Arsenal’s recent win over Chelsea.

The Premier League champions maintained their perfect start to the new season with a 2-1 win over London rivals Chelsea on Sunday.

While trailing to Morgan Rogers’ early volley, Gabriel was perhaps fortunate not to see red after kicking Chelsea goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez in the head during a scramble in the box.

The referee’s view was obstructed by several players and VAR did not intervene, much to the surprise of Manchester United legends Scholes and Nicky Butt.

‘He should have been sent off,’ Scholes said on The Good, The Bad & The Football podcast. ‘I missed it at first but it should be a red card. He’s gone miles over the bar.’

After podcast host Paddy McGuinness suggested Gabriel routinely ‘gets away with murder’, Scholes responded: ‘He does, yeah.

‘You get some players like that. Like, say me or Nicky made a foul, we got booked. Then there’s other players who can make ten fouls a game and nothing happens.

‘They get up and go to the referee, “oh, I’m sorry”. Do you know what I mean? They get away with it when other players don’t, and he’s one of them, isn’t he?’

Fellow former England midfielder Butt added: ‘It was ridiculous. If they don’t think that’s a sending off then there’s no point of having VAR. I don’t understand it.’

Ex-Manchester United and England captain Wayne Rooney also felt Gabriel should have seen red for his wild kick at new Chelsea goalkeeper Martinez.