According to the emergency services of the country, at least nine people have died in the southern Ukrainian city of Odesa as a result of a severe rainstorm and flooding.
According to the Ukrainian State Emergency Service on Wednesday, 362 others have been saved overall as a result of workers removing trapped people from buildings and removing water from buildings.
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The relief efforts led to the discovery of a missing young girl in the early morning, according to the service.
It posted images of vehicles being pulled from the water and of people who had been saved from flooded buses.
Odesa’s mayor, Gennadiy Trukhanov, described the situation as challenging but “under control,” citing almost two months of precipitation falling in the city in seven hours.
The mayor noted that rescue efforts were going on “without a break,” noting that “no storm sewer system can support such a load.”
Three and a half years after Russia launched its full-scale invasion, more bad weather is forecast for Thursday, which could raise the difficulties for Ukrainian first responders.
The local military administration in the southern city of Kherson reported a man’s death on Wednesday morning as a result of a Russian attack there.
According to the national police, a policeman was among the injured in an overnight Russian attack in Kharkiv, northeast of Ukraine, and several fires started.
According to Oleh Syniehubov, the governor of the Kharkiv region, five of the six people were taken to a hospital for treatment.
Firefighters attempted to extinguish flames that appeared to be ripping through market stalls, according to videos and photos taken at the scene.
A fire broke out at an oil refinery in the Yaroslavl region, according to the regional governor, Mikhail Yevrayev, over in Russia.
Yevrayev claimed that the blaze had nothing to do with Ukraine’s ongoing conflict with Ukraine, despite Russia’s ongoing ongoing attack of oil facilities.
Residents were concerned that an enemy drone attack might have led to it, he said. However, the incident is not related to that; rather, the fire is technological in nature.
Meanwhile, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, the president of Ukraine, has criticized the state of the Russian-occupied Zaporizhya nuclear power plant, calling it “critical” because the facility has been without power for seven days.
It’s been seven days now. In his weekly address on Tuesday, Zelenskyy said, “There has never been anything like this.”
According to Russian-installed management at the nuclear plant, the plant’s backup electricity supply is sufficient, but Ukrainian shelling prevents resumption of supply via the Dneprovskaya line, according to Russian state news agency RIA.
Late on Tuesday, International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) head Rafael Grossi confirmed that he was “in constant contact with the two sides to enable the plant’s quick reconnection to the electricity grid.”
Nearly every staff member will make a few visits to the one breakout area at FC Midtjylland’s training complex on a daily basis given that the Danes are among Europe’s most active coffee drinkers.
They will not only get their caffeine fix while they are there, but it will also serve as a reminder of the club’s most crucial table, which is directly above the machine that serves espresso after it is poured.
However, the graph below shows Midtjylland’s dead ball goal difference rather than the Superliga standings (which they have topped four times since 2015).
In the Europa League, they take on Nottingham Forest in England on Thursday, where corners and throw-ins are back in style.
Set-pieces are popular in the Premier League, with Nicolas Jover and Austin MacPhee of Aston Villa becoming instantly recognisable touchline prowlers whenever their team needs to restart.
Chelsea paid £750,000 to Brentford for set-piece coach Bernardo Cueva, who had left 5.9 million impressions from Fabrizio Romano’s three X posts while they were on the move in the summer of 2024.
Michele Aragona, who recently joined Ipswich from Midtjylland as a set-piece analyst, recalls anticipating the market’s reaction.
Every location can make millions of pounds worth of difference, according to Aragona, who said the Premier League. “Chelsea really understood that every location can make millions of pounds worth of difference,” Aragona said.
Midtjylland, however, were ten years more than the norm. Since Matthew Benham purchased a majority stake in 2014, set pieces have been a big part of the club’s strategy.
There is a good chance that a set-piece specialist has left Midtjylland’s pseudo-academy before taking on the role they are currently playing. However, if you have heard of one, it is now being replicated across Europe.
It is admired that their alumni are well-known and widely distributed.
“We put so much effort into it that I believe it’s only natural that some talented people leave,” said Midtjylland’s football director Jacob Larsen.
First, there are the coaches. MacPhee is a Villa player in the Premier League, while Martin Mark, who was previously at Newcastle, has joined in the same capacity this summer. Prior to that, Jones also formally spent some time at Midtjylland.
Under Julian Nagelsmann, Mads Buttgereit is Germany’s set-piece coach, while Lars Knudsen is currently in charge of Denmark’s Under-21 side. In 2022-2023, he spent a season coaching set-pieces at Leicester City.
The analysts are then there. Marc Orti Esteban was with Brentford up until February, while Carl Safont is with Manchester City’s first team. He is currently undergoing New England Revolution. This summer, Jose Rodriguez Calvo left Villa for Real Sociedad.
According to Aragona, the roles of a set-piece coach and set-piece analyst are frequently confused. Although where the line is drawn will vary from club to club, they are distinct and yet inextricably linked.
He said, “We work in a symbiotic way.” However, the coach is responsible for holding the meetings and training sessions on grass. Then, I’ll go to individual players to check whether everything is right or take care of the shadows of the opposition.
I’ll show them the clips, making sure everything is as accurate as possible. However, other analysts might claim that they remain in the office.
FC Midtjylland/Dan Stentz
In Herning, a city in west Denmark with a population of 55, 000, Midtjylland plays football there and trains in Ikast, a town with about 20 000 people.
They are far from any bright lights and must have been “innovative,” according to Larsen. He told BBC Sport, “Talent development is the beginning, but there is ambition as well.” Additionally, we aim to win every year in Denmark.
Set pieces quickly grew to be Midtjylland’s specialty.
When I played, [set-pieces] were given the final ten minutes of the match’s training, according to Larsen. We tried two different variations, and that was it.
We now discuss how to make the players as engaged in set-pieces as they are with everything else in our training sessions and how to incorporate them.
However, Aragona claims that this is “a common misconception,” while the mind’s eye jumps to fancy-dan routines, with elaborate dummy runs, and extravagant movements.
People often assume that every game must have a different routine depending on the opponent’s weakness, but that’s not the case, he said. “Routines can win you games, but it has to be something you can replicate if you want to create something consistent and best over time.”
Club-wide, Midtjylland places a premium on set-pieces. Each age group has a coach whose responsibilities include set-pieces, and Run During is in charge of them at the youth level.
We examine each player and consider whether we can give him some unique advantages when it comes to set-pieces at the academy level. said Larsen.
We are a talent development club, but there are some specific scenarios. We want to have spoken with players and tried to give them the freedom to think on their own and formulate their own solutions and solutions during matches.
Naturally, the emphasis on defense and attack varies depending on the club.
Aragona described Midtjylland last season as having a balance of 90% attacking and 10% defending.
They lost to FC Copenhagen by a point in the 2024-25 title.
We literally never conceded chances, so we thought, “Why do we need to put a lot of emphasis on the defensive side if everything is going right?”
Set-pieces are frequently discussed in hiring discussions, according to Larsen. By Danish standards, Middtjylland spends a lot of money on players; the 36. 6 million euros they paid for players in 2023-2024 was a record.
An individual take the approach
Midtjylland, according to Larsen, plays an “individual form of football” in comparison to their Danish peers.
We use a lot of physical and psychological parameters. Other teams have more systems than other teams, and their approach is more team-based. Our family spirit brings us together, despite the fact that there is more individual focus here.
One of Midtjylland’s four pillars is that culture.
“From the outside, you see a very aggressive club that works very hard and advances the best,” added Larsen. However, you discover some very soft values when you enter.
Aragona eloquently praises the work-life balance achieved in Denmark, and they also have a youth soccer academy.
Everyone told me, “Your job is important, but your family is more important; if you need to do something with them, don’t come to work.” Perfect work-life balance is achieved. Everyone then heads home after having lunch together and a morning training session. When you call, their voicemail will be returned.
However, a ruthless streak is necessary for football success, and Mike Tullberg, who was appointed in late August following Thomas Thomasberg’s removal, will manage them at the City Ground on Thursday.
A 17-game unbeaten run that included a second-placed league finish and group stage qualification for the Europa League was the latter’s downfall.
After this weekend’s Wallabies’ Test against New Zealand, Australia prop James Slipper will step down from international duty.
The 36-year-old, who is Australia’s mostcapped player, became the first player to play 150 Test matches for the Wallabies following Saturday’s defeat by the All Blacks.
He captained Australia on 15 occasions and won four World Cups.
The single most impressive accomplishment of my rugby career has been playing for the Wallabies, said Slipper, adding that it is a privilege I have never taken for granted.
After Sam Whitelock in New Zealand and Alun Wyn Jones in Wales, Slipper is the only other player to surpass the 150-cap milestone.
Coach of Australia Joe Schmidt described him as “the ultimate team man” and “he’s incredibly popular in the group.”
“I am aware of how important Wallabies represent to him, and the accomplishments he has made at the highest level of the game speak for themselves,” he said.
In Perth in 2010, Slipper made his professional debut against England.
When Australia take on rivals New Zealand at 10:45 am BST on Saturday, he’ll make his final appearance for the Wallabies in the same city to defend their first Rugby Championship title in a decade.
Israel’s repeated attacks on the Palestinian civilian population and its continued destruction of Gaza show no signs of abating, with at least 17 people killed since dawn in attacks against a ceasefire plan in the US.
On Wednesday, two missiles struck al-Falah School in Zeitoun, east of Gaza City, where Israel has expanded its ground invasion and launched extensive aerial bombardment, killing hundreds of people there. Another attack left many of the Palestinian Civil Defense personnel with serious injuries as they arrived on the scene.
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Six people were killed and others were hurt in the attack, according to medical sources at al-Ahli Arab Hospital, according to Al Jazeera.
In yet another Israeli attack on a home in the Derj neighborhood east of Gaza City, seven people were killed and many others were hurt.
Tens of thousands of Palestinians have been forced to flee to the south, frequently being targeted on the way, by the constant bombardment of Gaza City, killing several people daily, destroying numerous residential buildings and schools, and causing the territory’s largest urban center to be destroyed.
In a mass grave inside the courtyard of al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza City, 11 unidentified bodies were interred in the same area. In recent days, Israeli fire has been blaring down the largest medical complex in the besieged area.
As bombings and gunfire continue all over, kidney transplant patients at al-Shifa are in greater danger.
According to sources close to the emergency and ambulance services, three people were killed in airstrikes against two homes in the central Gaza Strip’s Nuseirat and Bureij refugee camps, according to the Wafa news agency.
Trump’s threat of a “sad end”
According to President Trump, Hamas has “three or four days” to respond to his proposal for a ceasefire in Gaza, according to a statement from Israeli and Arab leaders.
Trump said at the White House on Tuesday, “Hamas is either going to be doing it or not, and if it isn’t, it’s going to be a very sad end.”
A day after the White House released a 20-point document calling for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, the exchange of Israeli prisoners for Palestinians in Israeli prisons, and a staged Israeli withdrawal from the Strip, Trump made the remarks.
Hamas would be required to disarm under the proposed plan, and the US would work with Arab and international partners to establish a “temporary international stabilization force.”
Hamas would not participate in Gaza’s governance, according to the plan. If members of the enclave “peaceful coexistence,” they would receive amnesty, and those who wish to leave would be given safe passage abroad.
Hamas’s negotiating team has been studying Trump’s plan as Israel’s assault on Gaza continues, according to the Qatari government’s foreign affairs ministry on Tuesday.
In their highly anticipated rematch in Dubai on Friday, Paul Hughes faces PFL lightweight champion Usman Nurmagomedov in a potentially career-defining night.
In the co-main event of the PFL Champions Series: Road to Dubai, the rivals will compete for the PFL lightweight world title.
The lightweight’s professional record, which includes 14 wins and two losses, would gain even more if they won on Friday to become an MMA star.
Big breakthrough thanks to Charriere victory.
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Hughes started out in the professional ranks in 2017 before really beginning to gain popularity with the Cage Warriors.
After claiming the Cage Warriors interim featherweight title with a majority decision over Morgan Charriere in London in October 2021, his big break came in his ninth professional fight.
The second round was a thrilling battle between Charriere and Hughes, before the momentum eventually turned to Hughes.
In the later rounds, the Lavey resident was in charge, coming close to defeating his French foe, and landing a number of eye-catching strikes.
Take two victories against Vucenic.
Cage Warriors
In November 2022, Hughes and Jordan Vecenic squared off in an intriguing rematch following their victory over Charriere.
Conor McGregor previously won the belt before the Dubliner forged for fame as a two-weight champion, so Hughes was aware of the value of a win in advancing his career.
The Derry native’s only other major accomplishment was his own one-time career defeat against Vucenic in 2020, which only boosted his desire for victory.
Hughes and his English opponent lost in a contentious split decision, and both fighters’ recovery was delayed by their injuries.
Given that it would pit the champion against the interim champion, the fight, which would take place over five rounds this time, was billed as the biggest in Cage Warriors history when it was made public.
Lavey man Hughes put on a strong performance to earn the win, deservedly, with a unanimous decision.
Vucenic fell to his feet in the second round, allowing Hughes to take control of the match for the majority of the game.
After receiving a body shot and a head injury, Hughes almost stopped Vucenic at the end of the third round.
In the fourth round, Hughes returned to where he left off, dropping Vucenic with a series of punches, and going into the fifth saw the contest come out on top.
victory that changed McKee’s life
PFL
In October of this year, it was announced that Hughes would fight AJ McKee in Dubai in his second fight since signing for PFL.
In the lead-up to the fight, which was the American representing the biggest fight of his career at the time, Hughes had described the encounter with McKee as “a life-changing opportunity.”
Prior to meeting Hughes, McKee, a former Bellator featherweight champion, had won 22 of his 23 professional fights. He was an expert and experienced player.
In terms of opponent skill and the ability to win, Hughes was undoubtedly the underdog, and it was obvious that he had taken a step up from Cage Warriors and won with a split decision victory.
In the first round, Hughes impressed with his dangerous striking, which included catching McKee with a right hook.
In the final five minutes, Hughes would regain control, catching McKee up against the cage and unleashing a number of strikes, including an eye-catching uppercut, while McKee fought back in the second round.
Confused Nurmagomedov defeat
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Unsurprisingly, this list includes Hughes and Nurmagomedov’s original fight for the then-Bellaby lightweight title in January, which is regarded as one of the 2025 fights.
Even though he gave a strong performance, Hughes was a huge underdog in the first round, and Nurmagomedov won with a thrilling majority decision.
In the second round, Hughes successfully defended Nurmagomedov’s numerous takedown attempts.
Nurmagomedov finished the third round well with a takedown, but momentum changed in the fourth round as he continued to dominate with several kicks to Hughes’ thigh.
After Hughes fled, the two fighters exchanged blows until the fight came to an abrupt halt, with both claiming to be confident in their own success.
After the judges scored the fight 47-47 48-46 48-46 in his favor, Nurmagomedov kept the belt and extended his unbeaten streak to 19 fights.
He acknowledged following the fight that he had “underestimated” Hughes and that he could not have prevented the latter in their second fight on Friday.
42-second KO homecoming
PFL
In his most recent fight from May in Belfast, Hughes recovered from that agonizing defeat to Nurmagomedov with an incredible 42-second knockout victory over Bruno Miranda.
For the first time since 2019, Hughes gave an electric performance that matched the atmosphere at SSE Arena.
Hughes seized on a laziness from Brazilian Miranda to capitalize on it and deliver his decisive blow in front of home crowd to stake his claim to a rematch against Nurmagomedov.
The referee intervened as Miranda fell and Hughes was unloaded, and a hushed Hughes soaked up the cheers from the raucous Belfast crowd.
Your day is approaching, Hughes said in the aftermath, “Usman Nurmagomedov, you can run and you can try to delay this rematch as long as you want.”
The dog lover, who rose to fame on Love Island in 2021, is taking a stand against something ‘devastating to witness’
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Faye Winter spoke to the Mirror in an exclusive interview(Image: Getty Images)
Spot an adorable puppy advert on social media, and it’s hard to resist bringing one home. But former Love Island star Faye Winter has now urged Brits to think twice about doing so amidst a rise in cruel scams.
Faye has long considered herself a dog person, having worked in animal shelters and volunteered for Guide Dogs years before appearing on the ITV reality show in 2021. Now, using her platform to make a difference, she is determined to address an issue that breaks her heart.
“Backyard breeders are dominating the market, and it’s poisoning something that should be pure and joyful,” she told the Mirror. “I worry constantly about the welfare of the dogs, so many of them are exploited purely for financial gain, especially breeding dogs, bred over and over again with no thought for their health or happiness.
“Since Covid, when the demand for puppies exploded, it’s only got worse. Fashionable breeds are being produced under sickening conditions, with standards that make my stomach turn.
“These breeders will go to shocking lengths to fool people, scattering their breeding dogs across the UK, or even renting Airbnbs to create the illusion of being loving, family breeders. It’s calculated, it’s cruel, and it’s devastating to witness.”
Breeding dogs isn’t quite as simple as bringing two dogs together and letting nature take its course. In fact, anyone who breeds three or more litters in a year, or operates a business selling dogs is legally required to have a licence. They must also adhere to strict welfare standards.
‘Backyard breeding’ therefore regards the practice of breeding dogs illegitimately, and often within ‘inadequate conditions’ with ‘insufficient care’, according to the RSPCA. These operations, commonly known as ‘puppy mills’, often involve overbreeding dogs and subjecting them to unhygienic environments, which increases their risk of illness and long-term health issues.
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In 2022, research from The Kennel Club revealed that around 25% of puppy buyers suspected their breeders were operating illegally. This finding coincided with a threefold increase in the number of people buying puppies on social media since 2017, and almost a third paying before ever seeing them in person.
“[When getting a puppy] we want them to be in a setup of a family home environment, we want them to be from people that care,” Faye continued. “We want them to have the best upbringing and the best breeding background, so we aren’t going to be breeding for fashion items, for example.
“You don’t want people breeding and making dogs ill, because ultimately, two bad dogs breed, and you’re making worse dogs. We want to be able to make sure that dogs are bred [well], but also the people that are breeding them, they’re not dotting themselves around and, you know, using Airbnbs.
“That they have got a UK home address, that they have got IDs. We want to make sure that these people are real, and you’re not being defrauded out of money…When it comes to litters being born, you’ve also got people that will take your money and then disappear off the face of the earth.”
In light of these concerns, Faye has now become a new ambassador for PetProov.com. Founded in 2024, this UK-based start-up works by verifying the identities of both buyers and pet breeders using ‘government-grade checks’.
To complete a transaction, either a buyer or the breeder pays a one-time fee of £4.99 per pet. The other party then receives an email invitation to download the app, which requires you to complete a live facial recognition check and to upload a copy of government-issued ID. PetProov claims this only takes a matter of minutes.
Once verified, sellers are then able to share key documents about their animals, including health and vaccination records. In turn, a prospective buyer can thoroughly evaluate a pet’s background before making any commitment.
Faye continued: “The more people that are signing up for PetProov, and getting their breeders to fill in the application, the more we can make sure we are streamlining it so that people can’t slip through the net.
“They can’t be allowed to change their addresses, they can’t be allowed to use fake names, they can’t be allowed to use Airbnbs to be able to sell puppies.”
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In 2022, Faye, from Devon, welcomed home Bonnie, a Golden Retriever. Speaking of her own experience, she said: “My breeder, she didn’t care who I was, where I was from, my background, anything else. She wanted to know that I was the right person for her puppies. I got literally interrogated.
“I was given some downtime to go and have a think about the puppy. I was given huge documentation of how much Bonnie was likely to cost me over her years, how much she was going to likely cost me in vet bills, how much she was to insure, how much dog food it was going to cost me.
“I was then given a cooling off period. Obviously, I knew that my breeder was great, I had to sign a contract to make sure that if anything was to happen to her, or if I could no longer look after her, that she would go back to my breeder, she wouldn’t be sold on.
“She was so hot on it that I knew that she was my breeder, and I knew she was a very, very good breeder.” Later, she also added: “My biggest therapy was Bon, and, you know, my situation completely changed when I got Bonnie, and she got me through it.
“…Our dogs look out for us every single day of our lives, we are their favorite hello, and we are their worst goodbye. We need to make sure that we have that same level of respect for them.
“I just want everybody to know that there is now a platform that is going to help you make the best decisions when it comes to buying a dog.”
You can find out more about PetProov here.
Five signs an online puppy advert is dodgy
A staggering 87% of puppy trade calls received by the RSPCA concern animals bought over the internet. Below are just a few of several warning signs it urges buyers to watch out for.
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Descriptions may have been copied and pasted and used on more than one advert.
Words like ‘miniature’ and ‘teacup’ can be a sign of dealers trying to capitalise on popular terms.
Same contact number on more than one advert. Try Googling the number to see if it’s been used on any other puppy adverts.
Vaccinated early. If the advert says a puppy has been vaccinated, check how old he or she is. A puppy cannot be vaccinated before they’re four to six weeks old.
Promises of ‘free insurance’ and ‘puppy packs’. These don’t mean the advert is from a legitimate breeder.
Guidance from The Kennel Club also encourages people to:
Avoid buying a dog around Christmas time – most responsible breeders avoid selling during the festive season.
Do not buy from a third party/anyone other than a breeder.
Do not buy from a breeder who won’t show you the puppy interacting with its mother.
Do not pick up a puppy from anywhere other than the breeder’s home/premises.
