Blogs

EVERY year debates rage over whether the FA Cup can ever regain its “magic”.

But over in France, their domestic competition is going from strength-to-strength.

AFP

Stade Briochin produced a sensational upset in the last round[/caption]

AFP

The lower-league side are set to take on PSG[/caption]

Upon first inspection, you might wonder what the big deal is: after all, Paris Saint-Germain have won it 15 times, Marseille on 10 occasions.

But look a little closer, and you’ll see a competition that consistently delivers drama, upsets and “magic”, every single season.

This season’s quarter-finals feature just four teams from Ligue 1, with some of the top-flight’s biggest clubs having been humbled along the way.

And with fourth-tier Cannes hosting Ligue 2 Guingamp, at least one team from outside the top flight is guaranteed to reach the semi-finals.

Lyon were astonishingly beaten on penalties by fifth-tier Bourgoin-Jallieu, who hail from a town of just 28,000 people barely 20 miles away.

And the minnows very nearly backed up their incredible win, only falling to top-flight Reims on penalties in the last round.

Lille, who have defeated Real Madrid, Atletico Madrid and Juventus on the way to the Champions League round of 16, were also defeated via spot kicks by second-tier Dunkerque – despite stars such as Jonathan David being in action.

Montpellier, Ligue 1 champions in 2012, finished their Coupe de France campaign in disgrace this season.

JOIN SUN VEGAS: GET £50 BONUS

Already bottom of the table, they received no respite in the Coupe as they were astonishingly trounced 4-0 by fourth-tier Le Puy Foot 43 Auvergne.

During the match, experienced captain Teji Savanier was asked “Last in Ligue 1 – does that hurt?” – to which he brashly replied: “When you’re being paid €210,000 (£175k) a month, no.”

Sir Jim Ratcliffe‘s Nice, meanwhile, were beaten 2-1 by fourth-tier Stade Briochin courtesy of Hugo Boudin’s late double.

Their reward? The opportunity to face Ligue 1 champions PSG in the quarter-finals.

Such has been the interest in the fixture, set to take place tomorrow, that the match has been moved from Stade Briochin’s charming Stade Fred-Aubert home to Rennes’ Roazhon Park.

Luis Enrique‘s star-studded side will of course be huge favourites, but their lowly opponents will relish the opportunity to test themselves against one of Europe’s most in-form teams.

Part of what sets the Coupe de France apart is its format.

Ditching two-legged ties in 1999, the competition now automatically makes the underdog in each game the home side, provided that they are two divisions or more below their opponents.

Third-tier US Quevilly subsequently reached the final in 2012, while Les Herbiers from the same level finished as runners-up in 2018.

In 2020, the Coupe de France also scrapped extra time, meaning underdogs just have to last 90 minutes before reaching the lottery of penalties.

With the Coupe de la Ligue having also been axed that year, the competition also has maximum prestige as France’s only domestic tournament.

Another fun wrinkle of the competition is that it allows clubs from semi-autonomous French regions around the world to participate.

Earlier this season, AS Venus made the 30-hour trip from Tahiti to face fourth-tier ASM Belfort in round seven.

While last season, Golden Lion made the 8,000 mile round trip from Martinique to face the stars of Lille, although the ruthless Ligue 1 side played their full-strength side and won 12-0.

It may well be that PSG go on to beat Stade Briochin before marching to a 16th Coupe de France triumph.

But that wouldn’t change the fact that this season’s competition has been full of shocks, upsets and incredible stories.

And perhaps it still has another fairytale or two left to tell.

Getty

The stars of PSG will be in action against Stade-Briochin[/caption]

AFP

Lille took on Golden Lion last season[/caption]

HIBS have poached Jamie McGrath from Aberdeen on a pre-contract.

The attacking midfielder will join the Hibees on a four-year deal in the summer upon the expiration of his contract at Pittodrie.

Kenny Ramsay

Jamie McGrath will join Hibs in the summer[/caption]

McGrath, 28, joined the Dons in 2023 after impressing on loan at Dundee United from Wigan Athletic. He also starred for St Mirren between 2020 and 2022.

An Easter Road statement said: “We are delighted to announce that Jamie McGrath has signed a pre-contract agreement with Hibernian FC.

“The 28-year-old has signed a four year-deal, keeping him at the Club until the summer of 2029.

“The creative midfielder has spent the 2024/25 campaign at Aberdeen, and played an integral role in their excellent start to the season. So far this season he’s contributed to 11 goals in 27 appearances.

“McGrath has been a stand-out player in the Scottish Premiership for the majority of his career, starring for St Mirren, Dundee United, and the Dons. He also impressed in the League of Ireland in the early part of his career.

“On the international front, McGrath has earned 13 caps for the Republic of Ireland, scoring four goals.”

Hibs boss David Gray added: “We’re delighted to have agreed a pre-contract with Jamie. He’s a player that we’ve admired for some time.

“He’s a creative player that will add extra quality in our midfield and in the final third.

“It’s clear to everyone that he’s been a stand-out performer in the Scottish Premiership over the last few years, and his experience and character will add to our dressing room.

“We all look forward to working with Jamie in the summer.”

Sporting director Malky Mackay said: “We have been working behind the scenes ahead of the summer transfer window, to ensure we bring the best possible players into the Football Club.

“Jamie is someone that has been performing at a high level for a number of years, and is a great example of the calibre of player we want to bring to this club.

“The character and personality of any player we bring into our squad is so important and Jamie is an exceptional person and professional. 

“We look forward to welcoming The McGrath family to Leith and hope that Jamie has a long and successful career in a Hibs strip.”

Keep up to date with ALL the latest news and transfers at the Scottish Sun football page

MANCHESTER UNITED staff piled into a suite at Old Trafford with pie and chips on Monday to be told that they could lose their jobs in the coming months.

United announced this week that as many as 200 staff members will lose their jobs in a second wave of cost-cutting since the arrival of Sir Jim Ratcliffe.

PA

Sir Jim Ratcliffe and Man Utd announced a new round of cuts at the club[/caption]

Getty

Chief Omar Berrada broke the news of up to 200 staff cuts in the near future[/caption]

Employees at the Theatre of Dreams were reportedly left emotional after being informed of the incoming staff culling to save cash for the underachieving club.

According to The Mail, United’s chief executive Omar Berrada apologised to staff at the meeting as he informed them of their anxious wait to learn their fate in April.

It’s said that pies, chips and jugs of water with plastic cups were laid out by the 20-time English champions for the grim meeting.

It was already revealed in the past week that United will be stopping free lunches for staff at Old Trafford, instead offering them fruit.

While those working at Carrington will lose access to the same menu as the players for their lunches from next season, instead being offered soup and sandwiches.

It’s reported that the meeting saw Berrada hammer home the importance of making Man Utd profitable once again, following five years of losses.

While he also discussed United’s ‘Project 150’ – a plan to make the club Premier League champions again by 2028.

The Red Devils, who are currently 15th in the league, published financial results last week that showed the club owe £391m in transfer fees and have seen interest costs since the Glazer family took over in 2005 top £1billion.

CASINO SPECIAL – BEST CASINO BONUSES FROM £10 DEPOSITS

It was also revealed that United had spent a combined £14.5m to sack Erik ten Hag and his staff and let go of sporting director Dan Ashworth.

The new wave of cost-cutting comes after penny pinching measures have been taken up and down the club since the arrival of Ratcliffe and Ineos.

The incredible measures have seen the scrapping of stewards’ bonuses, 250 job cuts last summer, cancelled Christmas parties, cuts to funding donation for former player’s charity and the end of Sir Alex Ferguson’s ambassadorial role with the club.

The club is enduring its worst season on the pitch since they were relegated in the 1970s and every position lower they go costs them £4m in prize money.

Despite cuts all over the club, first team players are still earning unfathomable amounts.

Both Bruno Fernandes and Casemiro are understood to be pocketing in excess of £300,000-per-week, while the squad’s average salary is almost £115,000-per-week.

A damning statement from the Man Utd Supporters Trust (MUST) following the publication of the second quarter financial results said: “Today’s financial results lay bare the scale of the financial mismanagement we have seen at Manchester United…

“Fans should not pay the price for a problem that starts with our crippling debt interest payments and is exacerbated by a decade or more of mismanagement.

“It’s time to freeze ticket prices and allow everyone – players, management, owners and fans – to get behind United and restore this club to where it belongs.”

NHS chief executive Amanda Pritchard will step down at the end of this financial year in March.

A source said the move was her own decision and she is not happy with government plans to strip NHS England of its independence and give the Department of Health more control.

Simon Jones - Commissioned by The Sun

NHS boss Amanda Pritchard, pictured at the Sun Who Cares Wins Awards, has stepped down from her role[/caption]

Ms Pritchard – who has come in for criticism from MPs in recent weeks – said it had been a “hugely difficult decision for me to stand down”.

She added: “It has been an enormous privilege to lead the NHS in England through what has undoubtedly been the most difficult period in its history.”

NHS England said that, having discussed everything with Health Secretary Wes Streeting in recent months, Ms Pritchard had “decided now is the right time to stand down”.

It said the NHS has “turned a corner on recovery from the pandemic and the foundations are in place to make the necessary changes to the centre to best support the wider NHS”.

Sir James Mackey will be taking over as interim NHS chief executive.

Ms Pritchard became the NHS top boss on August 1 2021, taking over Lord Simon Stevens.

She was the first woman to hold the position in history, since it was created in 1985.

She took over in the midst of a third wave of Covid-19 and as the NHS already faced an unprecedented backlog of care.

Ms Pritchard is a married mother-of-three who has been working in the NHS for 25 years.

She joined the NHS through the graduate management training scheme in 1997 after studying at Oxford University.

And since then, Ms Pritchard has held a number of key roles across the health service, including running the busy London trust Guy’s and St Thomas’ and as chief executive of NHS Improvement.

She also served as a health team leader in the Cabinet Office’s delivery unit and in the past two years, worked as chief operating officer under Lord Stevens.

GERI Halliwell has been spotted posing with her very rarely seen daughter Bluebell, 18, at a Burberry Fashion Week show.

The 52-year-old Spice Girl looked stunning as she donned a white coat and small Burberry bag for the winter show this week.

Getty

Geri Halliwell has been spotted posing with her very rarely seen daughter Bluebell, 18, at a Burberry Fashion Week show[/caption]

Getty

The star shares her 18-year-old daughter with her screenwriter ex Sacha Gervasi[/caption]

Getty

Geri with Bluebell when she was a baby[/caption]

Geri’s daughter Bluebell looked equally as glam, wearing a chic black coat and rocking a very glam makeup look.

She posed next to her famous mum, who wore her hair in loose curls and flashed a smile at the camera.

Geri complimented her look with white heels, while Bluebell opted for jeans and black boots for the star-studded event.

The star shares her 18-year-old daughter with her screenwriter ex Sacha Gervasi.

Geri and her daughter’s father went their separate ways after just six weeks, and welcomed Bluebell in May 2006.

The singing star also shares a son named Monty, with her current husband.

Geri’s evening out comes after her husband Christian Horner was brutally booed last week, at the F1 75 launch event at the O2 Arena in London.

Fans filled the arena to watch all ten Formula One teams reveal car liveries and driver racesuits for the upcoming season.

And the event saw a number of speeches from team principals as they looked to the season ahead.

But when Red Bull boss Horner took to the stage he was greeted by a chorus of boos.

He is a divisive figure among F1 fans due to his controversial way of handling team issues both internally and with rivals.

The 51-year-old has previously been dubbed a “Karen” due to his incessant complaining against other teams when Red Bull have not been dominant.

And then last year, he was involved in a stunning power struggle at Red Bull after he was embroiled in a sexting scandal in which an employee accused him of making suggestive remarks.

The former member of staff launched an appeal after a judge cleared Horner of wrongdoing in March – with the appeal also being thrown out.

In a statement last August, his team said: “The complainant exercised the right to appeal, and the appeal was carried out by another independent KC.

“All stages of the appeal process have now been concluded, with the final outcome that the appeal is not upheld.

“The KC’s conclusions have been accepted and adopted by Red Bull. The internal process has concluded.”

Getty

Geri’s husband Christian was greeted by boos at the F1 event recently[/caption]

NOT a week goes by without another picture of Justin Bieber looking gaunt and vacant, fuelling fresh rumours about his mental and physical health among shocked fans.

But yesterday, a rep for the star spoke out with an outright denial that the 30-year-old Canadian star had been using hard drugs – and even went as far as to say he’s doing better than ever before.

BackGrid

Justin looked gaunt and exhausted when he was pictured earlier this month[/caption]

BackGrid

He was pictured at the weekend on a night out with Dave Chappelle[/caption]

Getty

Justin Bieber and his wife Hailey were pictured leaving a restaurant in Brooklyn earlier this month[/caption]

His army of fans will find their statement hard to square with his concerning appearance and what we know has been a tough year for the singer.

“Hailey and Justin have taken a bellyful of negative scrutiny and she’s putting her foot down and saying it has to stop,” a well-placed Hollywood insider told The Sun.

“That said, it hasn’t stopped her and Justin’s friends from being worried about him, and their ongoing status as a couple. The consensus is you only have to look at Justin to know that something’s off, and the worry is that it seems to be getting worse.”

Just this weekend the singer was spotted looking gaunt on a night out with comedian Dave Chapelle in Hollywood, but his camp are dismissive of health concerns.

“The recurring narrative that Justin is using hard drugs is absolutely not true,” his rep said to TMZ, before adding that Bieber is actually “in one of the best places in his life”.

Many suspect the arrest of his former mentor P. Diddy on sex trafficking charges, last summer, played a role in triggering the once fresh-faced popstar’s apparent decline. 

Others put it down to a return to the substance abuse that plagued his earlier career – and which he has spoken about openly – while rumours of trouble with wife Hailey also swirl.

According to his rep, however, Bieber is focusing his energies on “actively parenting his newborn son”, six-month-old Jack Blues, and has been spending time in the studio working on new material.

And behind the scenes, Bieber has been cutting off members of his inner circle – a sign he may be taking control after being a pawn in the music industry since he was just thirteen years old. 

The rep said that the last year has been “very transformative” for Bieber, and that he “ended several close friendships and business relationships that no longer served him”. 

Getty

Getty

The recent pictures of the star have sparked concerns about his mental and physical health[/caption]

“There’s no question he’s also exhausted, and as much as he loves being a first time dad all the late night diaper changing and interrupted sleep has taken a toll,” added The Sun’s insider.

“On top of that he’s been throwing himself back into his music, staying late at the recording studio, fixating over what direction to go with his big comeback.

“It should be the happiest time of his life but instead Justin’s walking around like he’s got the weight of the world on his shoulders.

They added: “For the most part, Justin and Hailey are pretty good at ignoring all the hysterical fan chatter.

“But for people to take it to the next level accuse him of being under some type of influence is on another level entirely, and it’s the big reason they’re coming out swinging with that very heavy public denial.”

Brutal axings

The apparent spiral in his health comes after he sold the rights to his entire back catalogue for £160million in 2023.

Then in June last year he fired manager Scooter Braun, in another shock move to cut himself off from his past.

It was a bold choice given Scooter was the mastermind behind the hit singles that have defined his career, including Baby, Sorry, and What Do You Mean? having discovered the singer at the age of 13.

And it seems to have been a shock for Braun, who only a few days before his firing had spoken out about the fact that Bieber was under contract until 2027.

A statement at the time from Bieber’s team said: “Scooter Braun and SB Projects are not involved in Justin’s current business or management and will not be involved moving forward. 

“Justin is excited about the projects he is currently working on and is focused on what’s in front of him.”

Bieber previously defended Braun after he was slammed by many in the industry for buying the rights to Taylor Swift‘s music.

When Taylor posted a message saying she was “sad and grossed out” to see her work in the hands of a man who she claimed had bullied her “for years” Bieber accused her trying to “get sympathy” and encourage fans to “bully Scooter”.

Getty

Some have speculated that recent pictures suggest he’s returned to heavy drug use[/caption]

Getty

Bieber’s representative spoke out against rumours of drug use and claimed the singer is in “one of the best places in his life”[/caption]

Getty

In June 2024, Bieber fired longtime manager Scooter Braun[/caption]

But the row saw stars including Ariana Grande and Demi Lovato dump Scooter, with Justin the last to let go in June.

“Everything has been set up by Scooter since he was a kid,” said an insider at the time.

“Justin is older, wiser, and smarter and has started asking questions.”

The same month, Bieber fired business manager Lou Taylor and her firm TriStar.

It came after a member of Taylor’s team, Britney Spears’ former assistant Robin Greenhall, was named in a damning lawsuit against Diddy by Rodney ‘Lil Rod’ Jones, who claimed he was sexually assaulted by the rapper.

He alleged Greenhill, who was Diddy’s accountant, oversaw payments to sex workers.

“Justin’s split with Lou was not amicable,” the source said.

“He fired her. People generally stay with their accountant for ages and Justin was only with Tri Star for two years. 

“This happened in May, after the Diddy raid.”

Justin is surrounded by a lot of people that do not have his best interests at heart

an insider

Spears herself had also previously accused Greenhill of playing a part in the 13-year conservatorship she became trapped in.

Then in October 2024, it emerged Bieber was considering legal action against his former financial managers for allegedly mismanaging his money.

But the reports led to a split within his team, with some blaming the singer himself for his out-of-control spending habits – chucking millions on private jets, houses and donations to his church.

“He spends eye-watering amounts per month,” an insider told Page Six.

“At one point, he couldn’t even get a credit card. Justin is surrounded by a lot of people that do not have his best interests at heart.”

Diddy fallout

Bieber was reportedly left shaken up by the allegations made against Diddy and his subsequent arrest – having been close to the star since his teen years.

After discovering the teenager in 2008, Braun introduced him to Usher – who signed him to his record label RBMG – making him an instant star.

Before long he was hanging out with Diddy, who became a self-styled mentor, leading to concern among fans about the environment and behaviour the young star was exposed to.

In a 2009 clip with Bieber, Diddy boasts: “He’s having 48 hours with Diddy. What we’re doing, we can’t really disclose. But it’s definitely a 15-year-old’s dream – we’re gonna go full crazy.”

But over the last 18 months, the disgraced rapper has been hit with a slew of lawsuits alleging physical and sexual abuse of exes as well as forcing victims to take part in drug-fueled sex parties he called “Freak Offs.”

And in September, after two of his mansions were raided by police, the star was charged with three federal counts, including sex trafficking.

The disturbing revelations about Diddy sent Bieber’s mental health spiralling and led him to “cut himself off” from the world.

Getty

Disgraced popstar P. Diddy had a close relationship with Bieber since he was young[/caption]

Getty

Getty

Bieber has also unfollowed Usher, who introduced him to Diddy[/caption]

A source told the Sun: “Being dragged into the Diddy scandal has been a real burden, he’s elected to say nothing on the subject – for now – because it would only feed the frenzy and generate way too many headlines.

“But there’s a real worry for Justin that his relationship with Diddy will come back under the microscope eventually, and it’s been traumatic for him to wrap his head around all the charges and allegations in the meantime.

“They were once so close. Justin trusted him implicitly back when they collaborated, so of course that’s weighing heavily on his mind.”

Another source added: “Bieber is so disturbed by the Diddy news and is unwilling to process it or discuss it, so he had shut off.

“So many people who helped to make him who he is were very close to Diddy, and it has completely thrown him.”

Among those is Usher, who has been friends with Bieber since he was 13 and even serenaded the newlyweds at his wedding.

In January, Bieber unfollowed the rapper across his social media, sparking rumours of a fall-out. 

He also cut off longtime collaborator Poo Bear and road manager Ryan Good, who was best man at his wedding to Hailey.

Power couple

So what’s prompting Bieber to take over the reins of his career now?

Insiders say Diddy’s arrest has prompted Bieber to take a fresh look at his inner circle and reconsider what he wants from his career – hence his decision to fire Scooter.

Getty

The couple are facing down rumours of trouble within their marriage[/caption]

Getty

Representatives claim that Bieber is busy raising is son, Jack Blues, who they welcomed in August[/caption]

Getty

Bieber’s wife Hailey has increased her involvement with his career management[/caption]

One of the forces behind these changes is his wife, Hailey, who is now said to be “talking a lot for him”. 

“Hailey has taken control and is heavily involved,” a source told Page Six.

“She’s a part of meetings and she’s talking a lot for him. She’s the voice.

“They’re becoming this power couple. She’s a big part of everything he’s doing.”

The couple welcomed a son, Jack Blues, in August last year. 

But the pair have for the last few months faced rumours that not all is well in their relationship – and Hailey is thought to be under a lot of pressure to keep Bieber afloat.

“Hailey is very upset, she’s the driving force behind their statement and it’s not something she’s willing to let drop,” our source reveals.

“She was equally upset when people were accusing them of having marriage problems right before she announced her pregnancy.”

Hailey is also protective of her ‘devoted’ husband as he deals with the fallout from the Diddy case.

“He seems so fragile and utterly dependent on Hailey, which is sweet and a clear sign of how devoted he is to the marriage,” an insider told The Sun.

“But some believe it would do them good to get a little space and that he’s a little too needy at times.

“It’s a lot of pressure on her, however positive she is publicly about the state of their marriage.

“Justin is clearly working through a lot of issues and Hailey is doing her best to help, but it’s hard on both of them. There’s only so much she can do.”

Nonetheless, concerns over his health among fans are far from misplaced.

Bieber has previously stated he first tried drugs at 13 and relied on drugs and alcohol to self-medicate for his anxiety, going through an especially dark period between the ages of 19 and 21. 

“People don’t know how serious it got,” the star revealed in an episode of the documentary series Justin Bieber: Sessions.

“It was legit crazy scary. I was waking up in the morning and the first thing I was doing was popping pills and smoking a blunt and starting my day.

“My security and stuff would come into my room at night to check my pulse,” he added.

FRANCE is said to be ready to deploy a “nuclear shield” to help protect Europe from any looming Russian threats.

President Emmanuel Macron is leading the way in helping to protect the Continent after he held “productive” talks with Donald Trump over ending the Ukraine war.

Getty

Getty

Macron has suggested a truce could be agreed between Kyiv and Moscow in a matter of weeks following the Trump chat[/caption]

Reuters

The conflict in Ukraine has now entered its fourth year with fighting still raging along the border[/caption]

Macron suggested a truce could be agreed between Kyiv and Moscow in a matter of weeks as he spoke to Fox News following the Trump chat.

The positive comments come just days after the conflict entered its fourth year with fighting still raging along the border.

Macron’s France have also reportedly proposed the idea of sending fighter jets carrying nuclear weapons across to Germany.

The deterrent would act as a stark warning to Russia’s tyrant Vladimir Putin, a French official told The Telegraph.

It would “send a strong message” to Moscow that Europe is still prepared to defend Ukraine regardless of a peace deal being agreed.

Diplomats in Berlin also hope it will place pressure on UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer to deploy British jets as well.

France’s nuclear deterrent – said to hold up to 300 missiles – is currently independent from Nato whereas Britain’s forms a key part of the alliance’s defence strategy.

Germany’s Friedrich Merz, leader of the Christian Democrats (CDU) and man tipped to become the country’s next chancellor, has already welcomed the idea of sending extra defences to Berlin.

He said last Friday that Paris and London should discuss “whether their nuclear protection could also be extended to us”.

Germany currently holds an arsenal of nuclear missiles sent to them by the US which has long guaranteed the Continent’s safety.

However, Macron alone has over three times more weapons available at his disposal with Britain also capable of bulking up Europe’s border.

It is unclear if Trump will move his deterrents if the UK and France do decide to bolster defences.

This has been seen as a sign of Europe continuing to try and create a stronger alliance which isn’t as dependent on America’s help.

In Merz’s victory speech after topping the German polls he urged leaders to look towards an “independent European defence capability”.. 

His remarks came after brave Volodymyr Zelensky called for the creation of an “Army of Europe” to take on Russia earlier this month.

EUROPE MEETS TRUMP

Macron and Starmer are both leading the way in trying to urge Washington to listen to all parties involved in a truce including – Europe and Ukraine – after recent US-Russia only talks.

Macron stood side-by-side with Trump in the White House on Monday to discuss the war.

It was the first meeting between the Republican and a European leader since Trump re-entered office in January.

Speaking together at a podium, Macron said peace “must not be a surrender of Ukraine” as he also called on Europeans to do more to protect the Continent.

AFP or licensors

Macron sits in a Dassault Aviation Rafale fighter jet in 2017 after he reportedly proposed the idea of sending jets carrying nuclear weapons to Germany[/caption]

AP

Ukrainian soldiers of the 43rd Artillery Brigade fire a howitzer[/caption]

The Mega Agency

Macron and Keir Starmer are both leading the way in trying to help Europe get a seat at the table in the peace talks[/caption]

Starmer is also due to meet with President Trump on Thursday to hold similar talks. 

Trump spoke with his “friend” Macron, as he repeated the war in Ukraine would “never have happened if I was president”.

He also made a stern warning that any overspill outside of Ukraine’s borders could have a devastating outcome if a peace deal isn’t secured soon.

He said: “There will be a point where it is not going to stop at those two countries.

“Already there is such involvement from other countries and it could really lead to a very big war, World War III, and we are not gonna let that happen either.”

Meanwhile Macron echoed Trump’s words but made it clear that Ukraine’s future should be prioritised and that the US and Europe need to “shoulder” responsibilities.

And on the prospect of European troops being used as peacemakers in Ukraine, Macron clarified that troops “would not be on the front line, but mark a presence in Ukraine as a guarantee”.

The French leader grimaced after Trump incorrectly suggested European assistance to Ukraine would be in the form of loans.

Macron said: “Europe is willing to step up to be a stronger partner, to do more on defence and security on this continent, as well as to be a reliable partner.”

He added that there is “good reason” to re-engage with Putin, but “being strong and having deterrence capabilities is the only way” to ensure an agreement is “respected”.

Macron said that his aim is to “try to get something first which can be assessed, checked and verified” and “ensure that we build sufficient guarantees in the short-run”.

The French president added: “This is where we are ready to be engaged.

“A lot of my European colleagues are ready to be engaged.

After the meeting, the United States shockingly sided with Russia in a UN vote on a resolution demanding that Putin’s troops leave Ukraine.

The US President’s administration joined Iran, North Korea, Belarus, Hungary and 13 others to oppose the call — with China abstaining.

Yet 93 countries voted in favour of the Ukraine-tabled resolution — which branded Russia the “aggressor” — including the UK and most European nations.

Getty

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has long called on his European allies to give him more support[/caption]

EPA

US, Russian and Saudi representatives spoke at Riyadh’s Diriyah Palace over peace talks on February 18 – notably excluding Europe and Ukraine[/caption]

MARRIED At First Sight UK’s Erica Roberts has opened up about moments from the reunion special that didn’t make it to screen.

In the special one-off episode, which aired on Monday night, Erica appeared at a dinner with a host of other brides and grooms from the E4 favourite.

Channel 4

Erica made a bombshell confession during the MAFS reunion[/caption]

Channel 4

The star’s appearance was a surprise to many – especially Kieran[/caption]

Channel 4

Kieran confessed to kissing Erica, but hadn’t told his ex, Kristina yet[/caption]

During the evening, she announced to the group that she had ‘kissed and had a sleepover’ with 2024 groom Kieran Chapman when he had visited her in Edinburgh five months after the end of his relationship.

His bride Kristina Goodsell, was seen getting upset as the moment played out, with Kieran noting he “hadn’t told her yet”.

However Erica insists we don’t know the full story and that things weren’t as they seemed.

Writing on Instagram as the special aired, she wrote: “Haven’t watched tonight’s episode yet as I’m busy but just to clarify, Kristina already knew and had been told off camera what had happened which is why I brought it up at the dinner table.

“I wouldn’t have ever mentioned it or ‘blindsided’ her in front of everyone if she didn’t already know what was going to be said.

“Please remember this is a TV SHOW for your entertainment and it’s literally not that deep. All love good night xxx”

In a trailer for the new episode of her podcast You and Me, which she hosts with The Traitors star Meryl Williams, Erica later cleared things up further saying she that Kieran had pulled Kristina aside and told her off-camera while filming.

“He was avoiding, completely avoiding the situation,” Erica said. “It then got to the point where we were now in the dinner party, and we were halfway through the dinner party, and again we stopped [filming].”

“He’d probably been in that mixer from like 12 o’clock in the afternoon. How long time is it? Was now like six o’clock at night.”

“I was just getting a bit like, ‘Look, it’s going to… someone’s going to say something, or someone’s going to tell her, and it’s just not going to be right coming from someone else again, it just it needs to come from him.”

“We stopped for a quick break halfway for the dinner party, what does Kieran do? All cameras are off, he goes around to Kristina and says, ‘By the way, just to let you know, me and Erica did have a kiss. It was like two months ago, but I just want to, I just want to tell you off camera.”

“I was like, ‘Are you f**king for real? Because her reaction in that moment was, Well, why didn’t you tell me this two months ago?” she continued. “Again, he doesn’t need to tell her s**t, because they’ve been broken up for months.”

“It’s actually not that deep,” Erica added. “It’s not that deep. I’ve not ran off with her man and married him, like we literally had a one kiss. Like, it’s not that deep.

“You would never, ever, ever, ever, ever, in the real world be like, by the way, I kissed your ex husband.”

Married At First Sight: The Reunion is available now on Chanel 4 on Demand.

Channel 4

Erica revealed there was more that didn’t make it to the show’s final cut[/caption]

Channel 4

Kieran was seen looking uncomfortable at her arrival[/caption]

Channel 4

Kieran eventually came clean about what happened to Kristina[/caption]

One of the most captivating criminal dramas to ever air on television is Person of Interest. The 2011–2016 series, which was directed by Jonathan Nolan and produced by J.J. Abrams, combined profound character development, high-stakes action, and artificial intelligence. The program follows Jim Caviezel’s character John Reese and Michael Emerson’s character Harold Finch as they […]

A MYSTERY disease has killed over 50 people and left hundreds sick in northwestern Congo, according to doctors on the ground.

The time from symptom onset to death is just 48 hours in most cases, “which is really worrying,” said Serge Ngalebato, medical director of Bikoro Hospital.

AP

The latest disease outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo began on January 21, and 419 cases have been recorded including 53 deaths, according to the World Health Organisation WHO.

According to the Africa office, the first outbreak in the town of Boloko began after three children ate a bat and died within 48 hours following hemorrhagic fever symptoms.

There have long been concerns about diseases jumping from animals to humans in places where wild animals are popularly eaten.

The number of such outbreaks in Africa has surged by more than 60 per cent in the last decade, the WHO said in 2022.

After the second outbreak of the current mystery disease began in the town of Bomate on Febuary 9, samples from 13 cases have been sent to the National Institute for Biomedical Research in Congo’s capital, Kinshasa, for testing, the WHO said.

All samples have been negative for Ebola or other common hemorrhagic fever diseases like Marburg.

Some tested positive for malaria.

Last year, another mystery flu-like illness that killed dozens of people in another part of Congo was determined to be likely malaria.