New guidelines on added time and player behaviour are set to dominate the debate in the early weeks of the new domestic season in England. Here, the PA news agency takes a closer look. – What has happened? Qatar World Cup." data-source="FIFA"> Referees in the Premier League and the EFL, in line with every other competition around the world, have been instructed by the game’s lawmakers to more accurately calculate time lost to stoppages this season – including goal celebrations, substitutions and VAR checks. The approach was first adopted at the men’s World Cup in Qatar last year, where on average FIFA found 10 minutes and 11 seconds were added to matches at the finals. – Why is this being done?The idea is to clamp down on time-wasting and increase effective playing time. The game’s world governing body FIFA found that while added time was up in Qatar compared to the 2018 finals in Russia, effective playing time increased from 55 minutes and 41 seconds in Russia to 59 minutes and 47 seconds in Qatar. – What has been the impact in England so far? Arsenal have been early beneficiaries of the new approach, scoring in the 11th of 13 added minutes at the end of the Community Shield on Sunday to draw level against Manchester City before going on to win on penalties. The match lasted 105 minutes and 45 seconds, well above last season’s Premier League average of 98 minutes and 31 seconds. Games averaged over 100 minutes in each division of the EFL over the opening weekend, with the highest average recorded in League Two – 107 minutes and four seconds. – What has the reaction been?While the feedback received in Qatar was largely positive, the approach has faced some early criticism in the English game. Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola and Manchester United defender Raphael Varane have hit out at what they say is a lack of consultation with players and coaches over the introduction of these guidelines. The chief executive of the Professional Footballers’ Association, Maheta Molango, has met with members of the union over the summer – including Varane during meetings with both Manchester clubs last week. The PFA said players expressed concerns over the impact of this new guidance across the course of a long season, having already pushed back at a “completely unsustainable” calendar – What do the game’s leaders say? FIFA referees’ chief Pierluigi Collina insists the change in approach will be beneficial in cutting out time-wasting, and is confident added time levels will drop when players realise there is no benefit to trying to waste time. He pointed out that even in Qatar there was a drop-off as players adapted – with 11 minutes and six seconds added on average in the group stage, dropping as low as seven minutes and 15 seconds in the last 16. He also pointed out the approach would not make a massive difference in the Premier League – citing the fact that 10 minutes or more had been added in four of the 10 top-flight matches played on the first weekend in March this year. – Is there really an impact on player workload?Global players’ union FIFPRO says there could be, if the levels of added time witnessed in Qatar were sustained across a season. A report it commissioned earlier this year said the changes in added time could equate to three extra games per season for the players with the highest workloads currently. – What else is new? Players and coaches can expect to see a tougher and more consistent approach from officials towards dissent and abuse, as part of a wider effort to improve conduct across the board in the English game. Referees have been instructed to show at least one yellow card where two or more players confront them, while players and coaches in the professional game who repeatedly or seriously abuse officials can expect to face tougher financial sanctions from the Football Association. In the grassroots game, such actions will lead to points deductions this season. Fan behaviour is also being looked at, with the game’s authorities determined to pursue criminal charges against anyone found to be involved in football tragedy abuse, in addition to clamping down on pitch invasions, drugs and pyrotechnics at games. Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live England Rugby World Cup squad hits and misses Dejan Kulusevski vows to ‘do everything’ to keep Harry Kane at Tottenham Raphael Varane says players’ opinions ignored over ‘damaging’ new guidelines

Ukraine’s ambassador in London has caused deep consternation in Kyiv after publicly criticising Volodymyr Zelensky’s conduct in a row with British defence secretary Ben Wallace, according to diplomatic sources. Vadym Prystaiko, who has been a key point of contact for the British government during the Ukraine war, accused Mr Zelensky of “unhealthy sarcasm” in his response to Mr Wallace saying Kyiv should not view the UK and Western allies as an “Amazon” delivery service. The Independent has been told that there were subsequently “very strong” telephone conversations between Mr Prystaiko and the government in Kyiv. There are also reports his remarks have been picked up by Russian media and presented, with words twisted, to show major splits between Ukraine and its Western allies at a time Mr Zelensky’s government is carrying out a major counteroffensive to reclaim occupied territory. Speaking at the Nato summit in Vilnius, the British defence secretary had said people expected Ukraine to show more gratitude for the huge help being given by allies. In a mocking response, Mr Zelensky said: “How else can we show our gratitude? We can wake up in the morning and thank the minister. Let him write to me and tell me how to thank him.” Mr Prystaiko responded on Sky News: “President Zelensky saying ‘each and every morning we’ll wake up and call Ben Wallace to thank him’ – I don’t think that kind of sarcasm is healthy. I don’t think we need to show the Russians there is something between us. We’re working together, Ben can call me and tell me anything he wants to.” It remains unclear what disciplinary measures Mr Prystaiko would face from his government. The decision is likely to be made by foreign minister Dmitry Kuleba, who was said to be in New York meeting UN officials earlier this week. Some senior Ukrainian officials accept that the ambassador – a veteran diplomat who had served in the past as his country’s foreign minister – was trying to soothe relations with the UK, but also point out that Moscow was always going to exploit such remarks. Ukrainian officials are regularly targeted by Russian trolls, with Mr Prystaiko himself having been a victim in the past. He gave an interview to Newsweek earlier this year in which he talked about heavy civilian losses due to Russian shelling, which was turned by a Russian website into “colossal losses by the Ukrainian army” with the invented phrase “people were dying in the interest of the West”. It is not just in Ukraine that the “Amazon” controversy lingers on. Some allies of Mr Wallace, who is due to step down from his post and leave politics altogether in the next election, feel that Rishi Sunak should have stood up more for the defence secretary. Asked about Mr Wallace’s remarks, the prime minister said that President Zelensky “had expressed his gratitude for what we’ve done on a number of occasions”. He added: “People across Ukraine are also fighting for their lives and freedom every single day and they’re paying a terrible price for it so I completely understand Volodymyr’s desire to do everything he can to protect his people and to stop this war.” Mr Wallace was not, however, the only Western official to raise the issue of Ukrainian gratitude at the Nato summit. The US’s national security advisor held that “the American people do deserve a degree of gratitude” after being questioned about US resolve. Ukrainian foreign minister Mr Kuleba, in his own response to Wallace’s comments, said: “I apologise, but we are at war. “Colleagues, ministers and foreign journalists often ask me if we are getting enough weapons. I tell them that as long as we are on the way to victory, we will not have enough weapons. When we win, we will say: Thank you, we had enough weapons. But as long as the struggle continues, we will not have enough”. The UK has been involved in training the Ukrainian military since the separatist wars seven years ago. Since Vladimir Putin’s invasion, Kyiv has been supplied with NLAW, Brimstone and Starstreak missiles as well as Challenger tanks. Read More The Body in the Woods | An Independent TV Original Documentary The harrowing discovery at centre of The Independent’s new documentary Varadkar pledges unwavering solidarity with Ukraine on day-long visit to Kyiv Leo Varadkar meets Ukrainian actor in Kyiv after Dublin assault Varadkar to stress morale boost EU accession could offer to Ukraine’s soldiers

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More than 600 people were arrested overnight across France during a third night of violent protests over the police killing of a teenager earlier this week. The boy, identified as Nahel M, of North African descent, was shot dead by an officer following a traffic stop in Nanterre, about 11km northwest of Paris city centre, on Tuesday. The officer has been charged with voluntary homocide and apologised to the boy’s family. Some 40,000 officers were deployed across the country on Thursday in a bid to attempt to quell further clashes but a total of 667 were detained by police. French president Emmanuel Macron will hold a new government emergency meeting later on Friday to discuss the crisis with ministers and officials. In Nanterre, protesters torched cars, barricaded streets and hurled projectiles at police following an earlier peaceful vigil held to pay tribute to the youth. In central Paris, a Nike shoe store was broken into, and several people were arrested after store windows were smashed along the Rue de Rivoli shopping street, Paris police said. Read More Who is Nahel? The teen shot dead by police in France Is it safe to travel to Paris right now? ‘This is war’: France burns amid angry protests after teenager shot dead by police in Paris suburb

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