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England’s previous Test win in Australia had come at the Sydney Cricket Ground in January 2011. (AFP Photo)Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. From MCG to T20 World Cup snub: How Indian cricket let Shubman Gill downShortest completed Ashes Tests (by balls)Balls Venue Year Winner 788 Old Trafford 1888 England 792 Lord’s 1888 Australia 847 Perth 2025 Australia 852 Melbourne 2025 England 911 Sydney 1895 AustraliaAshes Tests ending inside two daysVenue Year Note Lord’s 1888 — The Oval 1888 — Manchester 1888 — The Oval 1890 — Nottingham 1921 Excluding rest day Perth 2025 — Melbourne 2025 —England’s last Test win in Australia was at the SCG in January 2011. This is the first Test win for Joe Root in 18 Tests in Australia, and the first for Ben Stokes in 13 games. Most consecutive Tests without a win in AustraliaTeam Tests without win Period Status New Zealand 18 Dec 1987 – Dec 2011 Ended England 18 Nov 2013 – Dec 2025 Ended West Indies 17 Nov 2000 – Jan 2024 Ended Pakistan 17 Nov 1999 – Present Ongoing Sri Lanka 15 Feb 1988 – Present OngoingAustralia in Boxing Day Tests since 2011Matches Won Lost Drawn 15 10 3 2Lost: 3 (vs IND in 2018 and 2020 and vs ENG in 2025)Drawn: 2

There’s a bumper seven Premier League fixtures and six Scottish Premiership games to stay across and readers are welcome to join the conversation. Haiti Couleurs was pulled up on Merseyside, but is expected to show his true colours on home turf this weekend. Forest wilted in a 1-0 defeat by Fulham on Monday, though four wins in their past seven league games is still one more than Sean Dyche’s side managed in their previous 18. 5.30pmChelsea v Aston Villa livePremier LeagueThe late afternoon match pits the elite’s form side with one of the league’s most unpredictable teams. 4.30pmCrystal Palace v Tottenham livePremier LeagueWith both clubs having to bear damaging defeats last weekend, there’s an extra frisson to this London derby, particularly as Palace sprung a double over Spurs last season.

Ruben Amorim isn't afraid to show his ruthless side when he needs toRuben Amorim has not been afraid to show his ruthless side during his time in charge of Manchester United. He endured a nightmare first season in charge of the Red Devils but things are finally starting to look better. However, there are some at the other end of the scale who may have already played their last game for the Red Devils. He continues to pick up a huge weekly wage despite played for the Red Devils since his last appearance 15 months ago. Crucially, he is also English, which means he contributes to the Red Devils' contingent of homegrown players.

Read our Privacy noticeThe iconic New Year’s Eve ball drop is getting an encore in 2026 — but this time on the Fourth of July. Tourists and New York City locals will take over the streets of Times Square at midnight on January 1, to watch the multi-colored LED crystal ball, also known as the Constellation Ball, drop, in celebration of the new year. So America250 — the nonpartisan organization that commemorates the 250th anniversary — is launching a second ball drop July 3. But a preview will be taking place in just a few days in Times Square. At 12:04 a.m. on January 1 — four minutes after the regular New Year’s Eve Ball drop — the Times Square Ball will be relit in red, white, and blue, with an America250 design and rise above the illuminated “2026” numbers.

Great glasses, great Scottish accent, great punctuality. Yes, she’s great. What do you think Emmie made of you? I think Emmie is great, but it didn’t feel like a romantic connection. What do you think Dan made of you?

The Cure guitarist and keyboard player Perry Bamonte has died aged 65, the band has said. In a statement on The Cure's website,, external the band said the British musician died "after a short illness at home over Christmas", saying they were making the announcement with "enormous sadness". It read: "Quiet, intensive, intuitive, constant and hugely creative, 'Teddy' was a warm hearted and vital part of The Cure story." Having been part of The Cure's road crew from 1984, Bamonte was asked to join the band after the departure of keyboardist Roger O'Donnell in 1990.

North Cumbria Integrated Care is responsible for acute and community hospitals in the area as well as a range of community health services. And while a number of exciting initiatives are underway in the trust, directors are working to drive improvements in key areas, ensuring patients in North Cumbria are safe and treatment is delivered within acceptable time frames. Performance issuesThe meeting of North Cumbria Integrated Care directors, which took place on Wednesday November 19. Supporting staffTrudie Davies, Interim Chief Executive of North Cumbria Integrated Care. In one case, a potentially harmful fault with an airways device was reported, the device was then completely removed from sites across the North Cumbria trust within hours.

British Garden Centres​British Garden Centres locations are closed on Boxing Day. “Our Garden Centres are closed on Christmas Day, Boxing Day, and New Year’s Day …“Have a wonderful Christmas season.”To find your local branch’s opening hours over the festive season, you can check out ​British Garden Centres locator tool. DobbiesDobbies has confirmed that all of its garden centres shut up shop on Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year’s Day. Trentham Garden Centre posted on Facebook: “The Christmas sale has begun at Trentham Garden Centre, part of Blue Diamond Garden Centres! One of the UK’s largest independent garden centre groups, it uses two distinct brand names: Klondyke Garden Centres for locations in Scotland, and Strikes Garden Centres for England and Wales.

The assessment is contained in Irish Government files that have been made public as part of an annual release from the National Archives of Ireland. The King conducted a two-day visit to Ireland while Prince of Wales in June 1995, after his separation from Diana in 1992. Ms Henney was described in the Irish Department of Foreign Affairs’ document as “fiercely loyal” to Charles and “alive to every opportunity to advance his cause”. A Department of Foreign Affairs note shows officials were unsure if she was joking when she suggested that Diana may also want to visit Ireland. – This article is based on documents contained in the file labelled 2025/124/160 in the National Archives of Ireland.

Share8m ago 04.39 GMT 13th over: England 85-2 (Crawley 23, Bethell 15) Target 175: This is remarkably remarkable. Share15m ago 04.31 GMT What we can assume is the sixth, and final, session of the fourth Ashes Test is imminent. Share1h ago 03.26 GMT Starc drops Duckett 3rd over: England 15-0 (Crawley 4, Duckett 10) Poor again from Starc. View image in fullscreen Mitchell Starc drops a catch off Ben Duckett on day two of the fourth Ashes Test. View image in fullscreen Mitchell Starc bowls as England chase a 175-run target on day two of the fourth Ashes Test.

A Yale University poll from earlier this month says most Americans see climate change as playing a role in hurting prices and the cost of living. Pollsters found that 65 percent of respondents believe climate change is contributing to rising costs at least “a little.” This includes 88 percent of liberal Democrats and 77 percent of moderate or conservative Republicans. “I find it stunning that even some people in the climate community say that we should stop talking about the climate because there’s a cost-of-living crisis going on,” Yale Program on Climate Change Communication Director Anthony Leiserowitz told The Guardian. “It’s a fundamental error to treat these issues as mutually exclusive — climate solutions are also cost-of-living solutions,” Leiserowitz continued. President Trump has long cast doubt on the science behind climate change, and his administration has sought to rollback efforts to mitigate global warming.

21h ago 07.13 GMT Australia will take a 46-run lead into day two of the Boxing Day Test even after being sent in to bat first and being all out before tea for 152. Share21h ago 06.52 GMT England all out for 110 Cameron Green comes on for his first over of the day and ends the England innings with a toe-crushing yorker. 24th over: England 91-9 (Atkinson 10, Tongue 0) Share22h ago 06.22 GMT Won’t someone think of the cricket boards? Share22h ago 06.06 GMT That’s drinks with the players likely to play through to 6pm local time. Someone has to try to disrupt Boland’s metronomic consistency.” Share22h ago 06.04 GMT WICKET!

From champagne coolers to front row VIP beds, cinema owners are investing heavily in premium experiences as the industry gets its box office mojo back. It is also introducing VIP Beds, now in nine locations, which promise to “transform the front row into the best seat in the house”. “Over the last 18 months we have been looking at what we want to do next with Luxe, what we think our guests want next from their cinema experience. Big releases include Super Mario, more editions of Spider-Man, Avengers, Dune and Moana, a fifth Toy Story release and a third in the Jumanji franchise. “When the history books are written, this is the end of the post-pandemic period and new era of film.”

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