Everton easily beat Wolfsburg in first Europa League match of campaign

Everton’s traditional Z-Cars anthem was rudely interrupted by the Europa League theme tune before kick-off, but the teething troubles went no further for Roberto Martínez’s men against Wolfsburg. Goodison Park hosted a display of clinical efficiency on its first European night in five seasons. Everton have returned with clear intent. The final scoreline suggests a comfortable night’s work for the victors but there was defensive...

Labour considers staking all on saving the NHS

Labour is debating whether to make a bold commitment to extra spending on the National Health Service the centrepiece of its election offer, raising the profile of the service, which is the party's single strongest issue and possibly its best route to forming a majority government in May.The alternative being discussed is to claim that reform of the NHS, including integration of health and social care, as well as reversal of "government...

Russia stokes tensions with the west by cutting gas exports to Poland

A decision by Russia to cut gas exports to Poland without warning has rekindled fears about Europe's reliance on Siberian gas at a time of increasing tension between Moscow and the west.The Polish state energy group, PGNiG, said it was trying to find out why volumes had been slashed by up to 24% when it had been exporting gas itself to Ukraine to make up for Russian shortfalls there.Its counterpart in Kiev, Ukrtransgaz, accused Kremlin-controlled...

Obama authorises air strikes against Isis militants in Syria

Barack Obama announced a open-ended US bombing campaign against Islamic State militants on Wednesday that will extend into Syria for the first time, despite acknowledging that the extremist group did not currently pose a direct threat to the US homeland. In a markedly interventionist speech on the eve of the 13th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks, Obama announced an aggressive offensive to combat Isis, which has been responsible...

Party leaders take high road to Scotland in united effort to avert yes vote

Britain's three main party leaders will cast aside partisan Westminster politics on Wednesday, abandoning the routine of the weekly battle of prime minister's questions, to travel to Scotland in a desperate joint bid to stop a haemorrhage of votes towards Scottish independence.Travelling separately and speaking to different audiences, David Cameron, Ed Miliband and Nick Clegg will fan out across Scotland on Wednesday to make an impassioned...

Donetsk's pro-Russia rebels celebrate expelling 'fascist Ukrainian junta

With jaunty pop numbers about "expelling the fascist junta", rousing war poetry and – somewhat incongruously – a parade of performing dogs, the leaders of the self-proclaimed Donetsk People's Republic celebrated on Monday what they see as victory over Kiev.Held in the shadow of an austere second world war monument in central Donetsk, the event was officially a celebration of the 71st anniversary of the liberation of the Donbass region from...

MH370: Chinese police break up families' prayers

Relatives of passengers on the missing Malaysia Airlines jet MH370 gathered at a temple in Beijing to mark the six-month anniversary of its disappearance, as a small band of plainclothes police pressured them to disperse.While the family members ostensibly gathered on Monday morning to pray for their relatives, the meeting quickly turned into a demonstration.The family members, most of them elderly, stood in a cluster at the gates of ...

Kei Nishikori a slight favourite against Marin Cilic in US Open final

there is no obvious tennis reason for Michael Chang to be advising Kei Nishikori, apart from their sharing winged feet, but helping him to the US Open final makes a strong case for the former world No2 and famed baseline defender to be made coach of the year. Certainly, if Nishikori beats Marin Cilic on Monday – after first doubting he would play at all, then getting rid of Milos Raonic, Stanislas Wawrinka and Novak Djokovic in 14 tough sets...

Caroline Wozniacki through to US Open final after Peng Shuai retires

Five years after losing here to Kim Clijsters in her only slam final, the former world No1 Caroline Wozniacki gets her second chance to win a major – this time against her good friend Serena Williams, who hopes to draw alongside Chris Evert and Martina Navratilova on 18 grand slam titles. So publicly at one during a summer when they endured a variety of personal and health problems, the battling Dane and the American legend...

Italian air traffic controllers strike hits British flights

Many Ryanair and easyJet flights have been cancelled due to an air traffic control strike in Italy. Photograph: Kirsty Wigglesworth/PA Air passengers in Britain are facing major disruption due to a strike by Italian air traffic controllers, with scores of flights cancelled. The four-hour stoppage from 11.30am to 3.30pm on Saturday has led to Ryanair axing 96 flights to and from...