Serbia’s top general threatened armed intervention in Kosovo and called on NATO troops stationed in the north to

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West Ham's 17-match unbeaten European run came to an end on Thursday with a 2-1 loss away to Olympiakos, while Rangers battled for a point in a goalless...

Behind the facade of Europe’s forecast-beating company earnings, cracks are appearing as exporters start to feel the pinch

Joel Embiid was in the house as the Phillies eliminated the Braves and 76ers fans can feel a little better about his long-term commitment to the city and its teams.

Gareth Southgate wants England to go into next summer’s Euros with momentum and is targeting an unbeaten run all the way through to Germany. Having wrapped up progress to next year’s finals with two games to spare, Friday’s forgettable 2-0 victory against Malta all-but assured their place among the top seeds at the December 2 draw. England cruised to qualification from what had looked to be a potentially tricky pool and Southgate wants his side to end 2023 with a bang as they round off Group C away to North Macedonia on Monday. But with Euro 2024 glory their stated ambition, the former defender wants his players to keep their foot on the gas. “We’ve had a really good calendar year and we want to finish it well,” the England manager said ahead of the trip to Skopje. “Simple as that. “We should be aiming to go, if we can, into the tournament unbeaten. We’ve got some tough games coming ahead. “I mean, I’m a bit loathed to say that because then you start looking for draws when you want to go and win matches as well, so I want to get the messaging right on that. “But, you know, it’s good for us to be away from Wembley again, a challenging environment because that’s what we’re going to be in next summer.” England have not lost a match since last December’s galling 2-1 defeat to eventual runners-up France in their World Cup quarter-final clash in Qatar. Les Bleus are among their main rivals for silverware next summer, with Southgate’s side stepping up preparations for the Euros with challenging March friendlies against Brazil and Belgium at Wembley. Both opponents will provide stern tests for a team that Southgate says cannot afford to fall short of the level “they need to be at” like they were against Mediterranean minnows Malta. “The teams we’ve got in March, we wouldn’t get away with it,” Southgate said. “And the players just would have a different level of motivation (compared to against Malta). “This week was always going to be difficult. We’ve already qualified, the players are in the middle of a load of matches. “We’re trying to look after a few physically with the team selection, so you’re making changes that, had we needed to win tonight to qualify, might be different. “So, yeah, the whole week has been a little bit like that – couldn’t really get the players on the pitch until Wednesday and as a consequence we were flat. I accept that. “That’s where we were but I’m not going to get into the players about that. I know why and they’ve won another game of football. “It could have been by more. Not quite sure why the third (from Declan Rice) was disallowed, but there we are.” As frustrating as Friday night was at Wembley, England remain well placed for silverware in Southgate’s fourth – and quite possibly final – major tournament at the helm. There is no time to waste with chances to work together limited, plus the fact Monday’s trip to Skopje looks likely to be their final match on foreign soil until the Euros get under way in June. North Macedonia are expected to be far better than in June’s 7-0 Old Trafford annihilation and Southgate has a number of things to consider before settling on his side for the Group C finale. “A lot of our decision-making is physical as much as anything at the moment, so it’s a strange thing,” he said. “Probably if you’ve still got to qualify there’s a different focus on the games and everybody’s happy and understands their players have got to play. “You’re not subconsciously thinking about ‘should we be pushing players out for another game?’ “So, we need to look at where we are after this game in terms of any knocks and bumps. “We’ve got some fresh players to come in. We want to get the balance of the team right and then assess whether there are certain things we want to see and learn from Monday night’s game as well.” Read More Pat Cummins urges Australia to ’embrace’ World Cup final pressure against India Liverpool fly Luis Diaz’s parents to UK for Christmas with son after kidnapping On this day in 2013 – Elena Baltacha announces retirement from tennis England display against Malta ‘not a worry’ ahead of Euros, Gareth Southgate insists Stephen Kenny insists ‘no pressure’ on Evan Ferguson against Netherlands England continue unbeaten Euro 2024 qualifying run with victory over Malta

These warming and hearty pot pies are filled with succulent chicken, chestnut mushrooms and artichokes in a delicious creamy sauce flavoured with mustard,” says Tom Kerridge. “The filling takes a bit of time, but it’s well worth it once you break into that crispy pastry topping and see all your efforts inside!” Chicken and mushroom pot pies Serves: 4 Ingredients: 750g chicken thigh fillets 500ml chicken stock 5 black peppercorns 4 sprigs of thyme 2 bay leaves 2 tbsp olive oil 200g baby chestnut mushrooms, halved 2 banana shallots, finely diced 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped 150g chargrilled artichoke hearts, quartered 50g butter 50g plain flour, plus extra to dust 1 tsp Dijon mustard 1 tsp wholegrain mustard 1 tbsp tarragon, finely chopped 100ml crème fraîche 1 tbsp sherry vinegar 500g packet ready-made puff pastry 1 large free-range egg, lightly beaten with a pinch of salt Salt and freshly ground pepper Method: 1. To cook the chicken thigh fillets, put the chicken stock, peppercorns, thyme and bay leaves into a medium saucepan over a high heat and bring to a simmer. Add the chicken thighs, reduce the heat to a gentle simmer and cook for 15-20 minutes or until the chicken is tender. 2. Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a frying pan, add the mushrooms and cook for two minutes. Add the shallots and garlic, stir and cook for three to four minutes or until softened. Remove from the heat, stir in the artichokes and set aside. Remove the chicken thighs from the stock and set aside on a tray. Strain the stock. Leave both to cool slightly. 3. Meanwhile, melt the butter in a saucepan, stir in the flour and cook for two minutes. Now gradually whisk in the chicken stock and continue to whisk over a medium heat until the sauce thickens. Stir in both mustards, the chopped tarragon, crème fraîche and sherry vinegar, then the mushroom mix. 4. Cut the poached chicken into bite-sized pieces and fold through the sauce. Season with salt and pepper to taste and leave to cool slightly. Divide the pie filling between four individual pie dishes and place in the fridge to chill. 5. Roll out the pastry on a lightly floured surface to a 5mm thickness. Cut out four rounds, two centimetres wider than your pie dishes. Brush the edges with egg, then lay a pastry round, egg-washed edge down, over each pie dish. Brush the tops with egg wash and rest in the fridge for 20 minutes. 6. Preheat the oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Cut a couple of slits in the top of each pastry lid, to let steam escape during cooking. Bake the pies for 30 minutes or until the pastry is crisp and deep golden brown. Let stand for a few minutes before serving, with a green veg and mash on the side if you like. Paneer and pea fritters “These spicy, rustic-looking nibbles are my take on South Asian fried street food,” says Kerridge. “Flavoured with chaat masala (a slightly tangy spice blend), the fritters are made with protein-rich paneer and gram (chickpea) flour, which adds a nutty, earthy flavour. They need little else other than mango chutney for dipping, and a cold drink to wash them down!” Makes: about 24 Ingredients: Vegetable oil, to fry 1 tsp cumin seeds 1 onion, finely chopped 150g frozen peas, defrosted 1 green chilli, deseeded and finely sliced 175g gram flour 1 tsp chaat masala 3 tbsp finely chopped coriander leaves 250g paneer, coarsely grated Salt and freshly ground pepper To serve: Mango chutney Method: 1. Heat two tablespoons of oil in a small frying pan then add the cumin seeds and let them sizzle for a few seconds before adding the onion. Cook for five to seven minutes until the onion is softened, then remove from the heat and leave to cool. Preheat the oven to 150C/130C fan/gas 2. 2. Once cooled, tip the onion and cumin mix into a bowl and add the peas, chilli, gram flour, chaat masala and chopped coriander. Stir to combine and season well with salt and pepper. Pour in 200 millilitres of water and mix well. Add the grated paneer and stir through gently. 3. You will need to cook the fritters in three or four batches. Heat a 4-5cm depth of oil in a sauté pan to 180C (check with a thermometer). When it is hot, drop spoonfuls of the mixture into the hot oil, spacing them apart. Cook for two to three minutes on each side or until golden and crispy. 4. Remove the fritters from the pan with a slotted spoon and drain on kitchen paper. Keep warm in the low oven while you cook the rest. 5. Once they are all cooked, season the fritters with a little extra salt and serve with mango chutney and lime wedges on the side. Sticky date and banana pudding “This naughty, boozy pud is one of our pub classics,” says Kerridge. “Sticky, caramelised bananas shine alongside a sweet date pudding, and the easy-to-make toffee sauce served alongside takes it to another level of indulgence.” Serves: 4 Ingredients: 1 tbsp softened butter, to grease the dishes 100g plain white flour, plus 1 tbsp to dust 100ml dark rum 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda 150g pitted dates, chopped 85g vegetable suet 85g soft dark brown sugar 1 tsp vanilla extract 2 large free-range eggs For the toffee sauce: 200ml double cream 100g soft dark brown sugar 75g butter A small pinch of salt To finish: 2 small bananas 2 tbsp demerara sugar Method: 1. Brush four individual ovenproof dishes (250 millilitre capacity) with the softened butter and dust lightly with flour, shaking out any excess. 2. Pour the rum and 100 millilitres of water into a saucepan and bring to the boil, then take off the heat and add the bicarbonate of soda and dates. Pop a lid on the pan and leave to stand for 10–15 minutes to allow the dates to soak up the liquid and cool down. 3. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. 4. Tip the dates and liquid into a large bowl and add the flour, suet, brown sugar, vanilla extract and eggs. Beat until evenly combined. Spoon the mixture into the prepared dishes and bake in the oven for 30-35 minutes until golden brown. 5. Meanwhile, to make the toffee sauce, pour the cream into a saucepan and add the brown sugar, butter and salt. Place over a low heat, stirring until the sugar is dissolved, then bring to the boil. Simmer for two to three minutes, then remove from the heat. 6. Peel and thinly slice the bananas. Once you’ve removed the puddings from the oven, arrange the banana slices, overlapping, around the edge of each dish. Sprinkle the banana slices liberally with demerara sugar and run a cook’s blowtorch over them to caramelise the sugar. 7. Serve the date and banana puddings with the toffee sauce in a jug on the side. ‘Pub Kitchen’ by Tom Kerridge (Bloomsbury Absolute, £27). Read More From Nepal to Tibet: Eight warming dishes from the coldest places on earth Obsessed with Boursin? It’s the perfect way to elevate your leftovers Two seasonal stews to keep the chill off this autumn Farmers’ markets in autumn are a cornucopia of colour Spice up your life: Three recipes from Nadiya Hussain’s new book that bring the heat Budget Bites: Three one-pan recipes that minimise on washing up

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Newcastle’s biggest win in two decades was a draw. After a 20-year absence from the Champions League, they are back, perhaps headed to Madrid or Munich or Milan next season. A point was all they needed against Leicester and a point was what they got. It was a stalemate to savour for Eddie Howe, a largely uneventful game to demonstrate stunning progress in 18 months. Bottom after his first game in charge, Newcastle will now rub shoulders with the European elite. Perhaps a draw means they may face Leicester again next season, though their fate remains more uncertain. They finished three places above Newcastle last year and are 15 below them now. The turnaround has been a triumph of smart recruitment, excellent coaching and, less palatably for many outside Tyneside, Newcastle’s Saudi owners. United have had an injection of funds but some £250 million has largely been spent remarkably well. But around half the starting line-up tends to consist of players Howe inherited and who were winless three months into last season. Some have developed beyond recognition. So has a team: Newcastle’s aim for the season was to qualify for continental competition. Even a Conference League spot would have been considered a success, but instead they have vaulted back into the Champions League. It is a terrific feat by Howe, whose last full season of management culminated in Bournemouth’s relegation to the Championship. It may also be welcomed by one of the world’s more oppressive regimes, with Newcastle 80 percent owned by the Saudi Public Investment Fund. Two of their powerbrokers, Jamie Reuben and Mehrdad Ghodoussi, were applauded as they found the net in a half-time shootout. The players found it altogether harder to apply the finishing touch as they struck the woodwork three times. Which, ultimately, made more of a difference to Leicester, whose fate is out of their hands but who still have some hope; beat West Ham and, if Everton do not win, they will survive. Their plight concentrated their minds but Newcastle succeeded where they twice narrowly failed under Brendan Rodgers. He had twin fifth-place finishes from seasons when Leicester occupied top-four spots for the majority of the time. Newcastle have seen the job through. Perhaps both the scoreline and the venue were fitting. Only Liverpool and Arsenal have won at St James’ Park this season and only four clubs have triumphed there in Howe’s reign. They owe their top-four finish to consistency, particularly for a spell either side of the World Cup. A 17-game unbeaten run was, at one stage, the longest undefeated spell in any of Europe’s top five leagues. Only Manchester City have lost fewer Premier League matches this season and Newcastle, who have won as many games as Liverpool, can see the merit of the draw in the table. They have shown a toughness others lacked, a reliability and a resolve that meant they could grind their way to a point. They had a host of clean sheets in the first half of the season; they have been rarer of late but Nick Pope’s fine injury-time save from Timothy Castagne prevented defeat and spared them an anxious final day at Chelsea. They have benefited from two inspired scoring bursts, from Miguel Almiron in autumn and Callum Wilson in recent weeks. Perhaps it rendered it more of a surprise that Wilson endured an off night. Leicester kept a first clean sheet in six months, but they required assistance from the upright and relied on Newcastle’s radars malfunctioning. They had two double reprieves just before half-time. Wilson almost scored his eighth goal in six games, hooking a shot against the post and heading an effort Wilfred Ndidi cleared off the line. Then Almiron struck the post with a half-volley before Alexander Isak blazed over. Most glaringly. Bruno Guimaraes headed against the post from a yard out after Wout Faes had inadvertently flicked on Kieran Trippier’s corner. Leicester were entitled to argue – as John Terry seemed to – that the Brazilian should have been dispatched to the dressing room long before then but he escaped with a yellow card for planting his studs into Boubakary Soumare’s knee; had VAR intervened the punishment may have been greater. But Leicester got what they came for. Dean Smith adopted a policy of safety in numbers to bolster his porous rearguard, bringing in Harry Souttar as an extra centre-back and playing 5-3-2. Most contentiously – and arguably unsuccessfully given the lack of the threat the impotent strike duo of Jamie Vardy and Kelechi Iheanacho possessed – he benched his two top scorers. James Maddison came on at half-time, Harvey Barnes for the final half-hour. Neither altered proceedings even if, after his side camped behind the ball for much of the match, Smith urged them on at the end. So Leicester need favours from elsewhere on the last day of the season. Newcastle need none. Champions League, here they come. Read More Newcastle vs Leicester player ratings Callum Wilson and Miguel Almiron miss the mark Eddie Howe won’t ‘relax on a beach’ if Newcastle qualify for Champions League Newcastle may have Saudi riches, but Eddie Howe’s team is built on bargains

Pristina-born British pop star Rita Ora arrived in Kosovo on Sunday to celebrate her birthday, paying respect to her homeland from where the...

England’s bid for more Australia wickets in a gripping third Ashes test that the hosts must win was delayed by rain at Headingley with the threat of a third-day washout