LONDON // Irishman Mark Allen handed world champion John Higgins another first-round defeat in the Pokerstars.com Masters at Wembley Arena to set up a quarter-final today against Mark Selby.
Higgins had seemed out of sorts throughout, and although he has won the event twice, most recently in 2006, he has now lost in the first round on nine of his 16 visits to Wembley.
The Scot took the opening frame before being kept scoreless in the next two. However, in the fourth frame he was called for a foul by referee Jan Verhaas for touching a red with his cue, a decision with which Higgins did not agree.
He did reduce the arrears to 3-2 after the interval but Allen outscored him in three of the next four frames to win 6-3.
"It was definitely a good win and will help my confidence," said Allen. "John didn't play well but you need the likes of him or Ronnie O'Sullivan to be off colour when you do play them.
"I've won only three games this season, which is terrible really. The only time I played well was in the UK and I got beat.
"John is an absolute gent on and off the table but I think he struggled before the incident in frame four. I don't think that affected him."
Higgins was understandably disappointed by his performance. "I never seem to play well here," he said.
He was also unamused by the fourth-frame foul awarded against him by referee Verhaas. "It puzzled me a great deal. Every player knows if they touch a ball with the cue and I'm sure I didn't touch a red. I've looked at the television replays and couldn't see the evidence."
Welshman Ryan Day had an emphatic 6-0 victory over Joe Perry to line up a quarter-final against Stephen Maguire.
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COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Kumulus Water
Started: 2021
Founders: Iheb Triki and Mohamed Ali Abid
Based: Tunisia
Sector: Water technology
Number of staff: 22
Investment raised: $4 million
The five pillars of Islam
How has net migration to UK changed?
The figure was broadly flat immediately before the Covid-19 pandemic, standing at 216,000 in the year to June 2018 and 224,000 in the year to June 2019.
It then dropped to an estimated 111,000 in the year to June 2020 when restrictions introduced during the pandemic limited travel and movement.
The total rose to 254,000 in the year to June 2021, followed by steep jumps to 634,000 in the year to June 2022 and 906,000 in the year to June 2023.
The latest available figure of 728,000 for the 12 months to June 2024 suggests levels are starting to decrease.
Skewed figures
In the village of Mevagissey in southwest England the housing stock has doubled in the last century while the number of residents is half the historic high. The village's Neighbourhood Development Plan states that 26% of homes are holiday retreats. Prices are high, averaging around £300,000, £50,000 more than the Cornish average of £250,000. The local average wage is £15,458.
Essentials
The flights: You can fly from the UAE to Iceland with one stop in Europe with a variety of airlines. Return flights with Emirates from Dubai to Stockholm, then Icelandair to Reykjavik, cost from Dh4,153 return. The whole trip takes 11 hours. British Airways flies from Abu Dhabi and Dubai to Reykjavik, via London, with return flights taking 12 hours and costing from Dh2,490 return, including taxes.
The activities: A half-day Silfra snorkelling trip costs 14,990 Icelandic kronur (Dh544) with Dive.is. Inside the Volcano also takes half a day and costs 42,000 kronur (Dh1,524). The Jokulsarlon small-boat cruise lasts about an hour and costs 9,800 kronur (Dh356). Into the Glacier costs 19,500 kronur (Dh708). It lasts three to four hours.
The tours: It’s often better to book a tailor-made trip through a specialist operator. UK-based Discover the World offers seven nights, self-driving, across the island from £892 (Dh4,505) per person. This includes three nights’ accommodation at Hotel Husafell near Into the Glacier, two nights at Hotel Ranga and two nights at the Icelandair Hotel Klaustur. It includes car rental, plus an iPad with itinerary and tourist information pre-loaded onto it, while activities can be booked as optional extras. More information inspiredbyiceland.com
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Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
OPINIONS ON PALESTINE & ISRAEL
MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE – FINAL RECKONING
Director: Christopher McQuarrie
Starring: Tom Cruise, Hayley Atwell, Simon Pegg
Rating: 4/5
Why seagrass matters
- Carbon sink: Seagrass sequesters carbon up to 35X faster than tropical rainforests
- Marine nursery: Crucial habitat for juvenile fish, crustations, and invertebrates
- Biodiversity: Support species like sea turtles, dugongs, and seabirds
- Coastal protection: Reduce erosion and improve water quality
The specs
Engine: 3.0-litre six-cylinder turbo
Power: 398hp from 5,250rpm
Torque: 580Nm at 1,900-4,800rpm
Transmission: Eight-speed auto
Fuel economy, combined: 6.5L/100km
On sale: December
Price: From Dh330,000 (estimate)
The Birkin bag is made by Hermès.
It is named after actress and singer Jane Birkin
Noone from Hermès will go on record to say how much a new Birkin costs, how long one would have to wait to get one, and how many bags are actually made each year.