List of All Articles with Tag 'f'

If you’re in the mood for an autumn refresh and switching out your soft pastels for something more punchy, the dark tones of damson are where it’s at. Bridging the gap between burgundy and rich, blue-black berry tones, damson is an ode to comfort with its velvety aesthetic – and creates an appealing aspect wherever you style these dark violet hues. Indeed, John Lewis & Partners cite damson as the ‘colour to cocoon’ you – and it’s been unveiled as the shade of the season for autumn/winter 2023 by the John Lewis Colour Council. “Damson is the perfect shade for autumn, both a bold and harmonious colour that can be incorporated effortlessly into the home,” says Melanie Archer, John Lewis colour expert. Opt for cushions or a throw in the autumnal hue for a pop of colour in a living room or bedroom, she suggests, “while open shelving units are a brilliant way to showcase coloured glassware.” Beyond homewares and accessories, wallpaper and paint designers have also incorporated swish rich purples into their collections. “Deep and rich colours such as damson or plum purple are a go-to for this season as they reflect the warm tones found in nature at this time, and create a cocooning effect in the home,” says James Greenwood, interiors expert at Graham & Brown. For a cosy effect in a bedroom, he suggests plum wallpaper teamed with a similar paint shade for a consistent colour scheme. If these dark colours seem overwhelming, but you’re looking to dip your toe into the damson trend, Greenwood says something a little bit lighter still provides those warming hues, while not overwhelming the space. Here’s how to get the look of the season… 12-piece Glaze Dinner Set, £50, Next Emma Bridgewater Blackberry Collection, from left: Blackberry French Bowl, £24, Blackberry Small Cake Stand, £55, Blackberry 3 Mug Teapot, £60, Blackberry Small Teacup & Saucer, £35, Emma Bridgewater Philippe Starck for Kartell Masters Limited Edition Chair, Damson, £229, John Lewis John Lewis Segment Cushion, Damson, £45, (left and centre), Hew Cushion, Damson, £45, (right), Hexa Geometric Rug, L180 x W120cm, Damson, £150, rest of items from a selection, John Lewis African Zebra Purple Cushion, from £62 to £79.50, FabFunky Vintage Trellis Wallpaper in Pistachio and Mulberry on Fig, £58 per roll, Lucie Annabel Little Treasures – Amethyst Optic Vase, £22, Dartington Crystal Fable Plum Wallpaper, Purple/Green, £70 per roll, Epoch Paint, Matt Emulsion, £48, (2.5 litres), Graham & Brown Aubergine Purple 100% Linen Bed Linen: King Duvet Cover, £179, King Fitted Sheet, £99, Housewife Pillowcase, £22, Secret Linen Store Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live Sex Education: What is it like to be a real-life Jean Milburn? King Charles to address French senate in historic first Teenager’s death after drinking too much water was ‘preventable’

Lando Norris has called for stronger punishments to be dished out for blocking other drivers after Max Verstappen escaped grid sanctions at the Singapore Grand Prix. Verstappen was under three separate investigations following qualifying – one for stopping at the pit lane exit, one for impeding Logan Sargeant and another for getting in the way of Yuki Tsunoda in Q2 – but only received a 5,000 euros (£4,308) fine. Norris believes that more responsibility should be placed on the driver to avoid such incidents. “I think the blocking one on track should have been a penalty,” Norris said ahead of this weekend’s Japanese Grand Prix. “If you block someone, it is not just down to the team – I know the team got a fine – but it should be down to the driver as well. “You have to look in your mirrors. You have nothing else to do the whole lap but look in your mirrors and it seems like a lot of people struggle to do that. “There should be harsher penalties for blocking. So many people do it. “It ruins your lap, ruins your qualifying. It put Yuki out in qualifying, he was P1 in Q1. “Nobody seems to care enough. It has happened a lot this season, it has happened to me quite a few times – especially with certain teams – but it is down to the driver to look in the mirror. “I will probably block someone this weekend now and make myself look stupid.” There should be harsher penalties for blocking. So many people do it Lando Norris Mercedes drivers Lewis Hamilton and George Russell were both among the cars held up by Verstappen’s wait at the pit exit and the seven-time world champion says there has to be more consistency in the decision making. “I didn’t really see them, I was in the pit lane when everyone stopped and I couldn’t see what was happening ahead,” Hamilton said. “We always push and work as closely as we can with the FIA to achieve consistency and there are some variations so we have to continue to work on that.” Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc, who also held up, added: “I was a bit surprised (there was not a stronger penalty), especially with the one in the pit lane as that could open some quite bad situations in the future. “It is always an open discussion with the FIA, trying to explain what our point of view is. I am sure we will have that discussion at the briefing.” Verstappen, who arrives in Japan with a 151-point lead in the drivers’ championship, feels that every incident has to be judged individually by the stewards. He said: “Every single instance is different. “The only thing I can say about Singapore is that I explained what happened when I was sitting in the car and the information that was given to me. “That is all I can do and it is up to the stewards to make that call.” Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live Lance Stroll to sit out Singapore Grand Prix after huge crash in qualifying ‘You can forget about that’ – Max Verstappen rules out another win in Singapore Lance Stroll crashes into barrier at 110mph in Singapore Grand Prix qualifying

Asian shares are lower, tracking a slump on Wall Street after the Federal Reserve said it may not cut interest rates next year by as much as it earlier thought

Goldman Sachs economists said they now expect the U.S. Federal Reserve to begin its interest rate-cutting cycle in

By Kevin Yao BEIJING China's economic slowdown is polarising government advisers over the best way forward, with advocates

Football, bloody hell, as Sir Alex Ferguson famously exclaimed after an action-packed finale against Bayern Munich. Manchester United had the final say again, Casemiro’s second goal meaning they got three in the Allianz Arena. Yet on a night of some surreal developments, there was a certain predictability, too. Of course Harry Kane scored. Bayern Munich bought him to be reassuringly reliable. Of course United lost, too, because that felt like a guarantee for a team with an acute self-destructive streak and even as they can savour the fact that the striker they did get instead of Kane, Rasmus Hojlund, opened his account. But as United’s third successive defeat was a tale of three summer signings, the notion it would come down to Kane against Hojlund, the master and the apprentice of goalscoring, overlooked United’s increasingly acute goalkeeping issue. While United named three goalkeepers on their bench, the problem was the one they had on the Allianz Arena pitch. Andre Onana was a Champions League finalist last season and arguably the outstanding shot-stopper in the competition. If Erik ten Hag thought he was buying a guarantee of their own, a Kane of goalkeeping, the Cameroonian marred his United bow in the competition with a horrible error, gifting Leroy Sane the opener and Bayern a path to a victory that, despite United’s three goals, rarely felt in doubt thereafter. While Jamal Musiala was outstanding, Thomas Tuchel’s team did not justify their billing among the favourites to win the competition. Nor did they need to. After 27 minutes of mediocrity from Bayern, Onana blundered, Sane scored and his torrid start to the season moved into the realms of the terrible. Short of players and confidence, United desperately require solidity, something to give them a platform they can build upon. Instead, for the first time since 2001, they have conceded at least two goals in five successive matches. Onana has been culpable for several of the 14, to varying degrees, but none as much as Sane’s limp shot. While Kane ended his Champions League debut for Bayern with an assist and a goal, the first came courtesy of Onana. As Bayern made an undistinguished start, the best pass Kane received in the first 27 minutes came from Hojlund, United transfer targets in various summers inadvertently combining. But then Sane cut infield, used Kane to play a one-two and shot. Gently. Towards Onana. But the ball squirmed under him, somehow. In a sense, it was a mistake that cost United two goals. They are a side with a capacity to struggle immediately after a setback and, for the third time already this season, they conceded twice in five minutes. The magnificent Musiala was the instigator of the second, a driving run drawing in three United defenders. In the process, they left Gnabry unmarked for him to steer in a shot. Onana neglected to dive this time, perhaps wary of what happened the previous time he did. But it meant there were unwanted similarities with Saturday. As they had against Brighton, United started well. As they did then, they unravelled before the interval. Ten Hag had ditched his midfield diamond and United had a glorious opportunity to open the scoring. After Alphonso Davies made a terrific recovery challenge on Facundo Pellestri, the ball fell obligingly for Christian Eriksen. Perhaps unable to believe how good a chance it was, he shot tamely at Sven Ulreich. Another Dane struck instead for United; it is a goal that may have a long-term significance. It was a first repayment of Hojlund’s £72m fee not, after his cameo at Arsenal, a first indication the young Dane is not intimidated by his price or the pressure it confers. After Bruno Fernandes and Marcus Rashford combined, he span and shot; perhaps a better goalkeeper than Ulreich would have stopped it and United’s three goals suggested the goalkeeper may yet be Bayern’s undoing. But not here. Bayern responded, with a penalty awarded after the incident was reviewed on a monitor. Dayot Upamecano’s header struck the raised arm of Eriksen. Kane composed himself and beat Onana. And then Bayern, so mediocre at the start, were rampant. Sane rolled a shot against the post, Onana again motionless. The goalkeeper belatedly started making saves, launching a damage-limitation exercise when he had been responsible for the initial damage. Bayern, in a show of strength, were able to send on Kingsley Coman, the scorer of a Champions League final winner. Then came a further exchange of goals, Casemiro first finished while grounded before applying a finishing touch to Fernandes’ free kick. Sandwiched by his pair, Bayern added an ultimately decisive fourth: after Thomas Muller struck the post, another substitute, Mathys Tel, finished emphatically. Shorn of 12 players for various reasons – again, some self-inflicted – United had no such enviable options. Their replacements included three goalkeepers, four rookies and a 35-year-old Jonny Evans. United once beat Bayern because they had Teddy Sheringham and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer as substitutes. In a rematch, they had two late goals, both from Casemiro, but fewer reasons to party like it was 1999. Read More Bayern Munich vs Manchester United player ratings: Kane scores and Musiala shines after Onana howler Arsenal are back in the Champions League — and they look like contenders too Harry Kane on target as Bayern Munich pile misery on Manchester United How Harry Kane unshackled Bayern Munich with a classic move from his Tottenham days Andre Onana owns up to mistake against Bayern: ‘One of my worst games’ Bayern Munich vs Manchester United player ratings: Kane scores after Onana howler

LONDON (Reuters) -Britain recorded a slightly larger-than-expected budget deficit in August, official data showed on Thursday, the fourth-highest August borrowing

The proposed law guarantees a third of seats for women in India's parliament and state assemblies.

The King will address the French senate on Thursday for the first time in history. Charles is the only British monarch ever to speak from the senate chamber, where he will remark on the close friendship between the UK and France. A Guard of Honour will line the King’s route to the Salle des Conferences where he will meet representatives from the Senate and National Assembly and sign the visitors’ book before entering the chamber to deliver his address. Charles and Camilla are then set to meet sports stars in Saint-Denis, where France is hosting the Rugby World Cup, as part of their state visit which began on Wednesday. The King and Queen will be joined for the visit by Brigitte Macron as well as sports personalities before visiting a coffee shop on the town square where they will meet beneficiaries of Objectif Emploi, an organisation in Saint-Denis that helps vulnerable young people to find careers, and representatives from The Prince’s Trust International. Earlier, King Charles and Queen Camilla were welcomed with pomp and ceremony on the first day of their long-delayed state visit to France as the monarch attempts to rebuild bridges between the two nations after Brexit. The royal couple arrived for their three-day trip on Wednesday, welcomed by President Emmanuel Macron, six months after it was postponed because of widespread rioting sparked by protests over pension reforms. As the day drew to a close, Charles honoured his late mother, Elizabeth II, in his speech at a lavish state banquet at the Palace of Versailles during which he spoke of her close ties to France and told of the “firm friendship” between the nations. The King and Queen were guests of honour at the star-studded dinner in the Hall of Mirrors, with Rolling Stones frontman Sir Mick Jagger and actor Hugh Grant among the 160 guests who dined on lobster, Bresse chicken and cheese. Speaking of the tributes paid in France to the Queen last September, the King told the president: “You said that she had touched your hearts – and it was she who held France in the greatest affection.” In a speech spoken partly in French, the King said relations between the UK and France have not always been “straightforward” but went on to stress the unity between the nations. Earlier, Charles gave Mr Macron a book containing photographs of the pair together, as well as a complete edition of French philosopher Voltaire’s writings, during a visit to the Elysee Palace, the president’s official residence. In return, Mr Macron gave the King a golden coin featuring Charles’s portrait, as well as a prize-winning French novel. They later planted an oak tree, also a gift from Mr Macron. Read More King Charles France visit – Charles and Camilla at lavish state banquet with Macron after Elysée Palace visit King Charles and Camilla join stars at lavish state banquet on long-awaited France state visit King recalls his mother’s links to France as stars attend state banquet Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live

A Derry-based charity leads a delegation in Dublin to challenge border legislation for migrants.

The Hong Kong Monetary Authority maintained its base rate at 5.75% on Thursday as the US Federal Reserve

By Davide Barbuscia and David Randall NEW YORK The Federal Reserve’s plans for a prolonged period of elevated