We take a look at Taylor Swift’s incredible 20-year career so far as the wedding of the decade is scheduled for the pair. Despite her love of singing, the megastar previously stated that she wanted to work as a stockbroker, but thankfully for the millions of fans worldwide, she finally accepted the position.
She shocked the nation when she dropped the bombshell that she will be quitting Strictly Come Dancing after 21 years on the show. Tess Daly’s surprise decision came just eight weeks after her husband of 22 years Vernon Kay said he never misses a Strictly episode – so that he knows Tess is OK.
The BBC Radio 2 presenter explained that he has the dance show playing wherever he is, even if he is working. Vernon, 51, revealed, “I rarely go out when Strictly’s on because I want to make sure everything’s alright. If I’m working, I have it on at the side of the stage.”
But sources say Tess – who shares daughters Phoebe, 21, and Amber, 16, with Vernon – is now looking forward to having more time to see her family. A source says, “Strictly is a real whirlwind – it is chaotic and they don’t have much time together.
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Vernon has understood and is aware of this. Tess has been a member of Strictly for a long time, but it has been heartbreaking for her to miss out on family time because it’s so difficult for her to balance work and family.
“They’re seeing her taking time away from work briefly as their fresh start – a chance for her and Vernon to have some space for their relationship. Once Strictly has stopped, she can have so much more family time, more holidays, more special time with the kids and for work opportunities. It’s going to be very positive for them as a couple.”
Tess, 56, and Vernon, 51, have enjoyed one of the strongest marriages in showbiz, having first set eyes on each other at a BBC Christmas party in 2001. They had plenty in common as they both moved from modelling careers into TV presenting.
Vernon eventually went on one knee a year later, despite Tess’ earlier admission that the initial spark was immediate and intense. While visiting Tess’ parents’ Stockport home on Christmas Day, he asked her out.
In Horwich, Bolton, where Vernon was born, he and his wife were married in 2003 at Vernon’s neighborhood church, St Mary’s. While Vernon went for a white suit and pink shirt to go with a strapless A-line gown, Tess chose a white suit.
However, the couple encountered a scandal that threatened to break their marriage seven years later, with two children. Rhian Sugden, a glamour model, and Vernon were the only women to discover that he had been sending risqué messages to.
Tess and Vernon survived the scandal, but it came back five years later because it was claimed that Rhian and the presenter had allegedly exchanged emails. Vernon claimed he had told Tess everything and that there had never been anything “inappropriate” in their exchanges.
Thankfully, the pair successfully rekindled their relationship by renewing their secret vows. Tess remained silent at the time about the reports, but later admitted in 2017 that marriages are still “work in progress.”
The source claims, “They work hard on their marriage and they’ve got to because it’s tough. It’s tough being with someone in the showbiz world. It’s tough having that spotlight on you all the time. They need a little downtime without the cameras on.
She has learned to trust him once more, and it has been difficult for them to do so. He has tried to earn his trust, and it has been earned. However, they are currently strong, and after Strictly, they will spend a lot more time together.
The source concludes, “It is in some ways a new beginning. She’s been on the show for so long, so it’s going to be different for them. It can only be a good thing because they have more time to grow as a couple and spend together.
Although both Tess and Vernon have successful careers in the spotlight, there are costs to doing so. Tess revealed earlier this year that she works every day and even on vacation.
As a film student, Amber decides her next steps while Phoebe, her oldest child, has already flown the nest and is currently deciding between London and Dubai. And sources claim that once Tess leaves Strictly, they’ll have less to juggle, so they’ll have more time together.
Tess, who co-owns Naia Beach’s high-end swimwear line, made an apparent display of her strong work ethic in March when she stated, “Recently, I took the girls to Dubai. I was constantly improving the brand. When there is work to be done, I’m the type of person who feels a little let down lying on a sunbed.
She continued, “We are busy trying to put all those hats on, because that’s what we do,” adding that it’s all part of the juggle. Since becoming a mother, I’ve been working hard for that ideal balance throughout my entire career. It’s challenging. Every mother I’ve met has a “Wonder Woman” because of how diligently they work.
Tess loves her job, the sources claim, but “I think this is going to be good for her and Vernon and they’re going to have more time together.”
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Aston Villa travel to Anfield on Saturday, with the Reds currently on a four-game losing streak in the Premier League, while Villa has won six of their previous seven games overall.
Could Villa win another significant victory, similar to Villa Park’s 7-2 victory in 2020?
For the Saturday starting line-ups quiz this week, we’ve chosen that match.
When the FIFA U-17 World Cup 2025 debuts in Qatar on Monday, the next generation of football stars will showcase their talent on the biggest stage.
The tournament is set to produce a spectacle unlike any other thanks to an expanded field of 48 teams.
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Everything you need to know about the showpiece event is provided in this article:
Kicking off the FIFA U-17 World Cup will be two matches between South Africa and Bolivia, and Costa Rica and the United Arab Emirates, both of which will take place in Qatar on November 3.
The 104-match tournament will come to an end on November 27th, when the final match will be played.
Starting this year, Qatar will host five more U-17 World Cups.
At the Aspire Zone complex in Al Rayyan, which is located about 9 kilometers (5,6 miles) from the capital Doha, all matches will take place until the final, which will be played over eight pitches.
The 45-meter-capacity Khalifa International Stadium, the home of six matches during the men’s FIFA 2022 World Cup, will host the final match. One of Qatar’s oldest stadiums, it was constructed in 1976.
Egypt hosted the U-17 World Cup in 1997 and the United Arab Emirates hosted the U-17 World Cup in 2013; this is the third time the event has taken place in the Arab world.
Instead of the previous biennial 24-team competitions, the 2025 U-17 World Cup will be played in a 48-team format.
The participating countries, which come from six confederations, are divided into the following 12 groups:
Group A: Qatar, Italy, South Africa, Bolivia
Group B: Portugal, Morocco, New Caledonia, and Japan
Senegal, Croatia, Costa Rica, and the United Arab Emirates are all in Group C.
Group D includes Argentina, Belgium, Tunisia, Fiji, and Groupe D:
Group E includes England, Venezuela, Haiti, and Egypt.
Group F includes Mexico, South Korea, the Ivory Coast, and Switzerland.
Group G includes Germany, Colombia, North Korea, El Salvador, and Group G.
Brazil, Honduras, Indonesia, and Zambia are included in Group H.
US, Burkinabe, Tajikistan, Czechia, and Group I
Group J: Paraguay, Uzbekistan, Panama, Republic of Ireland, Group J:
Group K includes France, Chile, Canada, and Uganda.
Group L: Mali, New Zealand, Austria, Saudi Arabia
The round of 32 will feature the top two teams from each of the 12 groups, along with the eight best third-placed teams.
The tournament will then follow a knockout format, with the round of 16 quarterfinals, semifinals, and final.
Youth World Cups are fascinating to watch because they provide a glimpse into the future of football and showcase young talent before making their mark on the biggest professional stages.
The U-17 World Cup is of particular significance because it frequently serves as a launch pad for tomorrow’s stars.
Former and current players like Cesc Fabregas, Toni Kroos, and Phil Foden, who later won the tournament’s Golden Ball award for the best player, first attracted attention from the world as they won the trophy for it.
The front-runners in Qatar will be Brazil, who wants to win the fifth U-17 World Cup record-equalling title. Brazil, who are the reigning South American champions, are undoubtedly the best team in the region, having won the title 14 times in a row.
The Brazilians are the most successful team at the 2025 edition because Nigeria did not earn the necessary qualification for this competition.
Portugal and France, who frequently have a strong run at major tournaments, are other potential contenders for the title. They won their third U-17 Euro title in June.
Expectations are low for Germany this year because they failed to advance past the Euros group stage despite the fact that they are the defending champions of the 2023 World Cup.
Mexico, which has won the World Cup twice, is also the title favorite as they reach the finals for the eighth time in a row, while Uzbekistan, who has won the Asian title, and Saudi Arabia could be the dark horses.
Samuele Inacio, Italy’s top scorer in the Euros finals with five goals, is a must-see at the tournament. Inacio, a player for the Borussia Dortmund youth academy, is a constant threat to the goals thanks to his incredible creativity in the forward line.
Djylian N’Guessan, a forward from France and who scored nine times in the Euro qualifying and finals, is a key player in the area known for his excellent technique, calm finishing, and link-up play. N’Guessan, age 17, also represented his country at the recent U-20 World Cup in Chile.
Thomas de Martis, a striker for the South American U-17 Championship, was the top scorer with six goals despite Argentina’s failure to advance to the semifinals. De Martis is excellent at finishing and being incredibly talented in the box.
Along with Morocco’s midfielder Abdellah Ouazane, the player of the tournament during their first U-17 Africa Cup of Nations title run, Sadriddin Khasanov was named the most valuable player (MVP) in Uzbekistan’s U-17 Asian Cup triumph for his goal-scoring abilities and impressive skills.
General sale tickets for the U-17 World Cup can be found on FIFA’s official website. A day pass, a dedicated ticket for all of Qatar’s matches, and a standalone final ticket are all available.
The price of a day pass, which includes access to six selected pitches, is about $5.50, while final start tickets start at about $4.
There have been broadcast announcements for specific nations, including Brazil, Italy, the UK, and the US.
Qatar will host the FIFA U-17 World Cup this year, and five countries will make history there.
🇸🇻 El Salvador
🇫🇯 Fiji
Republic of Ireland
🇺🇬 Uganda
🇿🇲 Zambia pic. twitter.com/oiOyOwyiLj
Following a summit dominated by a call-out agreement between the leaders of the United States and China to end their trade war, the leaders of the Asian and Pacific Rim have pledged their support for trade and investment that “benefits all.”
Following a high-stakes summit held on the sidelines of the event, US President Donald Trump and his Chinese counterpart, Xi Jinping, earlier agreed to lower the temperature in the heated US-China conflict.
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Trump left South Korea on Thursday following their first face-to-face meeting since 2019, putting the Chinese leader in the spotlight during the two-day economic forum.
At the event’s opening on Friday, Xi, who has portrayed China as a proponent of multilateralism and free trade, said that nations needed to collaborate because the world is becoming more “complex and volatile.”
The APEC leaders stated in their statement that “robust” trade and investment were essential for the growth of the region and that they were committed to “deepening economic cooperation to navigate the evolving global environment.”
According to the declaration, APEC, which has 21 members, includes the US, China, Japan, South Korea, and China, will promote “market-driven” economic integration and promote “experience sharing, capacity building, and business engagement.”
Additionally, the leaders pledged regional cooperation in the areas of declining birth rates and artificial intelligence.
The summit’s host, South Korean President Lee Jae Myung, warned that economies were navigating a time of growing global uncertainty before the declaration.
According to Lee, “the free trade system is experiencing significant turbulence, global economic uncertainty is deepening, and trade and investment momentum is waning.”
In a sign of the fraying consensus on free trade amid rising populism around the world, Saturday’s statement made no direct reference to multilateralism or the World Trade Organization.
It was “probably a miracle” that the leaders could come to a consensus on a joint statement, according to Deborah Elms, head of trade policy at the Hinrich Foundation in Singapore.
Any agreed language that could be included in a document was a difficult task, Elms said, citing the strong positions of some APEC economies.
These are typically prepared well in advance. As officials changed wording to find a workable compromise, this one hung in the balance until the very last second.
After arranging earlier meetings with Xi’s counterparts in Japan, Canada, and Thailand, Xi and Lee met for discussions slated to include trade and North Korea’s nuclear program.
Since Xi’s election in a snap election in June, the two leaders have met for the first time since Xi last visited South Korea in 2014.
Lee has pledged to pursue a more unbiased approach to China than Yoon Suk Yeol, his conservative predecessor, who was impeached for briefly enjoining martial law last year.
South Korea has had to draw a fine line between China, South Korea’s largest trading partner and the US, its security guarantor.
The US maintains about 28,500 troops in South Korea, which is bound by international law to defend it in the event of an attack. This is a testament to Washington’s support for the nation during its 1950-1953 conflict with North Korea.
In 2024, South Korea exported nearly one-fifth of its goods to China, with shipments totaling $133 billion.
With shipments worth $ 127.8 billion, the US was the second-largest export destination.
In recent years, South Korea’s relationship with China has been tampered with by a number of disputes, most notably one involving the US’s 2017 deployment of a THAAD missile defense system.
According to Rob York, director for regional affairs at the Hawaii-based Pacific Forum, Lee wants to see South Korea’s most significant relationships “main stable.” This means lowering tensions with China, preventing a drastic decline in US relations, and leveraging the diplomatic heavy lifting his predecessor did with Japan.
According to York, “for the time being, striking a friendly note with both Chairman Xi and President Trump will mean he will do so even as he steps in secret to lessen US reliance on the US to protect maritime security and to stop PRC hybrid war operations in South Korea related to maritime issues and technology theft,” according to York, who spoke in Mandarin Chinese.