New York State

Taking the rise 

THE verdict is in on the Jobs Tax — and it’s not good news. 

In the first set of figures since the £25billion National Insurance whammy on employers kicked in, unemployment now stands at 4.6 per cent. 

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Today’s Spending Review is a chance for the Chancellor to reverse some of the damage inflicted by Labour’s job tax[/caption]

Estimates for last month show 109,000 workers wiped from company pay-rolls — the biggest monthly drop since Covid. 

Vacancies are also at their lowest since the pandemic. 

The ONS bleakly warns: “Some firms may be holding back from recruiting new workers or replacing people when they move on.” 

Reality has now bitten, making Sir Keir Starmer’s claims of having fixed the economy look distinctly shaky. 

The NI tax rise was always going to be a massive brake on the economy. 

If you make it more expensive for employers to employ people they will have to stop doing it. 

The costs to businesses from Angela Rayner’s forthcoming Employment Rights Bill could make it worse. 

Today’s Spending Review is a chance for the Chancellor to reverse some of the damage. 

By unveiling some measures proving growth really is her number one priority. 

China crisis 

WHY are ministers being so complacent about the obvious threats posed by China’s planned super embassy? 

Spooks and MPs are worried about a nest of hostile spies being built in London — close to three major data centres linked by cables carrying highly sensitive financial information. 

The US also has grave doubts about the wisdom of handing Beijing such a golden chance to cause havoc in a close ally’s capital. 

Its chief concern is the Chinese getting hold of secret shared information. 

Given that China already runs secret police stations targeting dissidents in Britain, such fears are justified. 

Could the reason for ministers being so relaxed is that it’s already a done deal in return for the paltry £600million trade agreement signed in January? 

If so, is that really worth such an enormous risk to national security? 

Zero faith 

TAXED to the hilt, worried about losing their jobs and struggling to pay soaring bills, it’s no wonder that so many skint Brits are fed up with Net Zero.

Forty per cent now feel actively worse off as a result of the dash to 2050, while just a fifth believe it has led to positive change. 

Politicians must understand the current harsh economic reality for so many hard-working families. 

Net Zero remains a hugely expensive luxury the country — and ordinary folk — simply can’t afford. 

This is a HUGE signing.

That's one big birthday declaration.

The Welsh opera singer is feeling 'smug'.

President Donald Trump has ordered 4,000 National Guard members and 700 Marines to control protests on his immigration crackdown.

Mindseye launched with big hype and bigger bugs. Stutters, crashes, and chaos plague the game from day one.

Wendy’s is bringing yet another part of its menu into supermarkets for the first time as its double-smoked bacon has become available.

LOVE Island fans have named this year’s villain after insisting she is “rotten to the core”.

A villa feud began to emerge as Shakira was left singled out by the girls during her attempts to steal one of their boys and remain in the villa.

It saw Shakira and bombshell Toni sidelined as the five other girls cast judgement on their antics.

However, viewers at home have picked out who they believe is the instigator and blasted her for taking aim at Shakira.

Megan Moore was blasted by fans as the divide began to take hold of the villa.

Writing on X – formerly Twitter – one wrote: “That Meg needs to go…Rotten to the core.”

Someone else agreed, writing: “Someone get Meg out of there.”

A third then penned: “I need Meg to go home she’s horrible.”

The comments continued to flood in as another viewer said of Meg: “Blonde Meg thinks she’s that girl don’t she.”

Before a fifth posted: “Meg p***ing me off the most and I thought I was gonna like her but she’s just p***ing me off.”

ENGLAND suffered their first defeat under Thomas Tuchel and their first to an African nation.

Despite taking an early lead through Harry Kane, Senegal fought back with goals either side of half-time in their friendly at the City Ground.

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England suffered defeat at home to Senegal[/caption]

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The Lions of Teranga became the first African nation to beat the Three Lions[/caption]

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Thomas Tuchel remonstrated with the officials after a controversial VAR call[/caption]

Crystal Palace star Ismaila Sarr equalised just before the break.

Then Habib Diarra beat Dean Henderson from a tight angle.

Jude Bellingham thought he had grabbed a late equaliser.

However, the close-range finish was ruled out by VAR for a handball in the build-up from Levi Colwill.

Then at the other end, a super Senegal counter-attack was rounded off by Cheikh Sabaly deep into injury time.

And so, following the drab 1-0 win over Andorra, it was more disappointment for England to wrap up the season with a year and a day to go until the World Cup.

Here’s how SunSport’s Tom Barclay rated the Three Lions players…

Dean Henderson: 6

Making just his third cap for England, the Crystal Palace stopper made a number of good stops in the first half.

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The pick of the bunch was against club-mate Ismaila Sarr’s header, but there was nothing Henderson could do about the jet-heeled winger’s finish shortly before the break.

May feel he could have done better for the second goal as he was beaten from an acute angle.

Kyle Walker: 3

This was Walker’s 96th cap – but his poor performance means a 97th is by no means guaranteed.

A good cross for Anthony Gordon aside, Walker was rusty with his touch and looked uncharacteristically slow.

The way Sarr raced past him for the leveller made you wonder if time is finally catching up on the 35-year-old stalwart.

Trevoh Chalobah: 6

An okay showing on his England bow, coming up against his Chelsea colleague Nicolas Jackson.

Though Chalobah was caught out for the leveller, with Jackson managing to get in behind him and hook it back for Sarr to net.

Chalobah’s appearance meant for just the third time since the start of the 20th century England had two brothers representing them, following on from sibling Nathaniel’s solitary cap in 2018.

Levi Colwill: 4

Not a great night for the Chelsea man on his fifth cap.

Had a slack pass charged down by Jackson early in the second half which served as a warning.

Then got nowhere near Habib Diarra as the midfielder raced onto a long ball from Blues old boy Kalidou Koulibaly and then slotted it past Henderson.

His handball also saw Jude Bellingham’s late equaliser ruled out after a VAR intervention.

Myles Lewis-Skelly: 5

Was nowhere to be seen when Koulibaly’s ball went into England’s left-back area for the second goal.

Did not do much else wrong but also did not catch the eye either with not a lot of stepping into midfield.

Then again, the guy is only 18 and it is more a mark of the brilliant impact he has made so far that this performance left you feeling underwhelmed.

Third cap.

Conor Gallagher: 5

Mixed game for the Atletico Madrid man who was one of four of England’s starting line-up heading off to the Club World Cup.

He was burnt for pace by Iliman Ndiaye early on, chose not to pass to Gordon when the Newcastle man was in the clear and was lucky not to be booked for a lunge on Sarr.

But he did tee up Gordon for the shot that led to Kane’s opener.

Declan Rice: 5

Some lax passing that perhaps was not unexpected in the final game of a long, frustrating season.

But let’s be honest, whatever Rice had done here, we know he will still be an automatic starter in central midfield come next summer.

The question remains, who will join him?

Bukayo Saka: 5

His first appearance under Thomas Tuchel, having been injured for the German’s first two games and left out for fitness reasons of the third against Andorra on Saturday.

It certainly was not his most memorable performance, though he was only just back from a strain.

Looked like he was about to level for 2-2 but was denied by a fabulous stop from Edouard Mendy.

Eberechi Eze: 7 (STAR MAN)

In a team performance bereft of real quality, Eze provided a few flashes of class.

He was the one who won the ball in the build-up to Kane’s opener.

While the Crystal Palace star also plucked the ball out of the air brilliantly on two occasions – and had a gorgeous backheel to tee up Morgan Gibbs-White.

Anthony Gordon: 5

Gordon’s international career has been a perplexing one, looking like it could explode at times but ultimately failing to launch so far.

This was his 12th cap and there were hints of what he can bring with his rapid pace and enthusiastic pressing.

But he was not clinical enough in front of goal, missing a sitter midway through the first half, once again leaving fans wondering if he has the genuine quality to shine at this level.

Harry Kane: 7

Kane plays, Kane scores. It has been rinse and repeat for a decade.

Here it happened again as he tapped in a rebound for his 73rd in 107 caps, an appearance feat which drew him level with Ashley Cole.

Did not do a right lot else, mind, although still looked our best passer, which is an issue for Tuchel and his midfield.

SUBS

Morgan Gibbs-White (for Gordon, 58): 6

Biggest cheer of the day was when the Nottingham Forest star was introduced in front of the City Ground. Had a blast well saved.

Curtis Jones (for Gallagher, 58): 5

Fired a shot well over soon after coming on, and lost the ball in the build-up to Senegal’s third.

Morgan Rogers (for Kane, 58): 6

Played up front when coming on while Ivan Toney was left on the bench. Full of running but the team struggled to pick him out.

Noni Madueke (for Saka, 70): 7

It was his corner that led to England’s equaliser – until ref Stephanie Frappart ruled it out after looking at her touchline monitor.

Jude Bellingham (for Rice, 70): 7

Thought he had levelled after a clever touch and finish but the goal was chalked off for Colwill’s handball.

Ivan Toney (for Lewis-Skelly, 87): 6

First England appearance since going to Saudi Arabia but he was on so late, he barely had time to make an impact – even if he has a famous history of doing exactly that.

MANAGER

Thomas Tuchel: 3

HIS first defeat in his fourth game and it was well-deserved.

Senegal were much the better team as his side lacked creativity and looked vulnerable at the back.

Question marks over his decision to play veterans like Walker – and Jordan Henderson in previous games – remain.

While you wondered what the point of selecting Ivan Toney was if he was barely going to play once Kane went off.

None of Tuchel’s quartet of matches have been that impressive so far – but this was downright dire.

A WOMAN has been left terrified after returning home from holiday and discovering a “deadly” scorpion in her home.

It is believed the scorpion hitched a ride back in her luggage when she returned from a holiday in Africa.

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The woman spotted the terrifying scorpion crawling across her floor[/caption]

Swindon Community Notice Board/Facebook

The small creature packs a venomous punch[/caption]

The deadly scorpion was discovered in a Swindon home earlier this month.

It was reportedly spotted by the homeowner as she sat watching TV with the scorpion crawling across her carpet right under her nose.

The terrified homeowner bravely trapped it under a wine glass before transferring it into a jar where it was safely kept until help arrived.

The RSPCA (Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals) was called and recommended the woman speak to a specialist.

Jonathan Cleverly who provides educational workshops for schools featuring insects, reptiles and invertebrates was eventually scrambled to deal with the African scorpion.

Jonathan took the creature away after identifying it as a member of the Buthidae family which several of the most deadly scorpion species in the world are also a part of.

After getting the deadly creature home Jonathan made sure to keep it locked up safely before finding it a new home.

Jonathan owns several scorpions himself and was well prepared with the proper equipment to transport the deadly animal.

He dismissed the idea that the animal was an escaped pet, believing it snuck into the UK in the woman’s luggage.

The dangerous creatures are commonly found in Africa from where the homeowner had recently returned.

The scorpion has since been taken to live with an expert who has a DWA (Dangerous Wild Animals) licence.

It was estimated to be around 4cm long with Jonathan calling it the “most dangerous animal” he ever had.

Speaking to the BBC Jonathan said: “She’d [the homeowner] done a brilliant job of moving it from a wine glass into a jam jar with a secure lid so it couldn’t move and escape.

“She put in some lettuce for a bit of moisture. She looked after it brilliantly well.

“The scorpion, I would like to say, is absolutely gorgeous – even if it is potentially harmful to humans, it’s a very rare thing for these sorts of scorpion to make their way into the UK.”

Swindon Community Notice Board/Facebook

The homeowner managed to contain the scorpion until help arrived[/caption]

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The deadly scorpion is believed to be a member of the Buthidae family[/caption]

The six legged creature boasts a pair of fearsome looking claws and a large, venomous stinger on its tail.

Coming in at just 4cm the scorpion is small but deadly with the species occasionally causing human fatalities.

When fully grown the scorpion can reach a terrifying 12cm, more than twice the size of the one found in Swindon.