Who is Rob Jetten? The centrist tipped to become youngest Dutch PM

Rob Jetten, the 38-year-old leader of the Dutch centrist party D66, is poised to become the Netherlands’ youngest and first openly gay prime minister after his party was declared the narrow winner of the Dutch general election.

With almost all votes counted, D66’s lead is now unassailable, placing it ahead of the far-right Freedom Party (PVV) led by Geert Wilders, according to ANP, which compiles results from all municipalities.

Mr Jetten’s campaign saw a significant image transformation, moving from a “nagging climate minister” to an optimistic “yes, we can” politician.

The shift was bolstered by refined messaging and increased advertising, allowing D66 to broaden its appeal beyond core social liberal themes like climate change and education.

Crucially, he strategically engaged with divisive issues like immigration and the housing crisis, successfully attracting some voters who had previously favoured right-wing parties.

He directly challenged Mr Wilders, accusing him of “hijacking” Dutch identity and lambasting him for only standing up for women’s and LGBTQ rights to cast Muslims in a poor light.

Sticking to his upbeat approach, Mr Jetten posted a message on Instagram on election morning, stating it was “time for positive forces to win”.

He added: “Together we can beat Wilders, I am ready.” With his party projected to secure the most votes, Mr Jetten is now set to lead coalition negotiations, paving his way to the premiership.

“Rob is without a doubt one of the most talented politicians the Netherlands has ever had,” said Kajsa Ollongren, a D66 party member who served as defence minister in government with Mr Jetten.

“I’m sure that if we win as the exit polls say we do, he’ll want to unite the country and turn around the negative spiral that Wilders has pushed the country in.”

Mr Jetten would be the Netherlands’ first openly gay leader, although his sexuality has not played an important part in the campaign.

The Netherlands is known for its strong protections of LGBT+ rights and his party was in power when the Netherlands became the first country to legalise same-sex marriage 25 years ago.

His “bromance” with another Dutch politician went viral on TikTok in 2021.

That social media trend led Mr Jetten to meet his fiancé, Argentinian international hockey player Nicolas Keenan, who he is due to marry next August. Mr Jetten says they met at a supermarket and Keenan recognised him from the TikTok video compilations.

Mr Jetten stood out in the election with a more conciliatory message of political rivals working together on divisive issues.

He stressed that parties should cooperate and slammed Mr Wilders for negativity and scaremongering.

To combat illegal immigration and discourage dangerous migrant journeys, Mr Jetten has proposed asylum applications to the Netherlands be submitted from outside the EU, alongside increased spending on integration programmes.

Government policy would be aimed at ensuring “people that really are fleeing from war and violence are received in a decent way, learn the language and can participate (in society) and that the rotten apples are pulled out of the system and are deported,” he said.

A backer of European integration and climate policies, D66 is hated by many on the far right, who see it as a party serving a progressive elite.

Windows at its headquarters were recently smashed during a violent, anti-migration protest in The Hague.

Images of Mr Jetten condemning political extremism as he was interviewed standing in broken glass outside his party’s offices helped boost his profile.

He also profited from the fact that his stint on a popular trivia quiz show, for which he was recruited before the election was called, was broadcast over several days during the campaign.

To address an acute housing shortage which is the biggest worry for many voters, Mr Jetten proposed the building of 10 new towns, with the government contributing 2 billion euros (£1.75bn) annually to boost housing in the short term.

He has also suggested cutting red tape to enable the construction of 100,000 new homes each year by redesignating larger buildings and agricultural land.

Egypt reclaims its history as Africa’s cultural pride finally opens

Calamitously delayed transport projects are nothing new. Just ask long-suffering London commuters about the Elizabeth line, which opened – only partially completed – over three years late. Or German rail travellers, still waiting for Stuttgart’s Hauptbahnhof, seven years overdue. Passengers at Berlin airport can trump that; it opened nine years behind schedule.

Cultural venues, another crucial element of the travel experience, are far from immune against wildly optimistic predictions. What were they smoking at the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam when they predicted a 21st-century refurbishment would take just three years? The site was off limits for a decade.

So cut the Grand Egyptian Museum some slack. The billion-dollar (£760m) project on the outskirts of Cairo has been dogged by logistical, political and financial delays. It will finally open to the public on Tuesday 4 November – two decades after construction began, and a dozen years behind schedule.

Reasons cited for repeated postponements include the Arab Spring, the Covid pandemic and the war in Gaza. But with artefacts dating back five millennia, such a delay is barely a heartbeat.

This dazzling new structure is close to the Pyramids in Giza and mirrors their timeless geometry. The GEM, as everyone will call it, has been tantalising tourists for several years; I visited two years ago and paid £20 to enter the foyer.

It was money well spent to revel in the scale of the place and to gaze up at the 36-foot status of Ramses II, rescued from his previous role overlooking a roundabout outside Cairo’s railway station. The building was constructed around this towering figure. Amazing – but frustrating to be so close to some of the most prized antiquities on earth, hidden behind locked gallery doors.

Finally, the mesmerising timeline of Egypt’s millennia under the pharoahs will be revealed in glorious surroundings. The aviation-turned-tourism minister Sherif Fathy calls it “Egypt’s gift to the world”. I call it Africa’s cultural pride and joy.

The GEM is the planet’s biggest museum. It has a footprint exceeding that of the Vatican City. The sheer number of artifacts is boggling – far exceeding the total in the Louvre (now slightly depleted following the recent unfortunate theft from the Parisian palace).

The opening hours are generous: 9am to 6pm daily, extended on Saturdays and Wednesdays to 9pm. Just as well: were you to spend one minute gazing at each of the 50,000 pieces on display, it would take you 12 weeks to view the lot.

Most visitors, of course, will concentrate on the big-hitters – starting with the Tutankhamun collection. After a weekend of politicians and pageantry, the public opening is timed for Tuesday 4 November. That is the 103rd anniversary of the day when British archaeologist Howard Carter opened the Pharaoh’s lost tomb in 1922 in Luxor.

The “Golden Pharaoh” collection occupies two of the halls – with his burial mask no doubt performing the same magnetising role as the Mona Lisa in the Louvre. Yes, you will be able to take pictures and videos, but no “flash, tripods, selfie sticks [or] drones” says the museum. Perhaps with influencers in mind, live streaming is banned.

You can book tickets online at visit-gem.com – the only official source of tickets. Foreigners pay $30 (about £22). Unofficial websites are already selling tickets at twice or three times the going rate.

Reputable tour operators, though, are buying up tickets to ensure their customers will be among the first to visit. Philip Breckner of Discover Egypt says his firm and its destination management company “have already pre-purchased several hundred entrance tickets”.

My advice to make the most of the welcome new table-topper of the heritage Premier League: sign up with a specialist. They will help you navigate through the exciting – and no doubt at first slightly chaotic – new world. Oh, and fly in to the new Sphinx international airport.

The gateway is about 20 miles northwest, so not exactly treading on the toes of the mythical creature. But it is serene and efficient while the main Cairo airport remains the polar opposite.

At the Grand Egyptian museum, the builders have reached the finish line. Now the race to the past begins. The dynasties are waiting.

Simon Calder, also known as The Man Who Pays His Way, has been writing about travel for The Independent since 1994. In his weekly opinion column, he explores a key travel issue – and what it means for you.

Read more: How to fix Britain’s broken railways

Just Stop Oil activists who sprayed Stonehenge cleared of charges

Three Just Stop Oil activists who took part in a protest in which Stonehenge was sprayed with orange powder have been found not guilty of criminal damage and causing a public nuisance.

It follows a trial at Salisbury Crown Court where they cited human rights law in their defence.

Then-Oxford University student Niamh Lynch, 23, and Rajan Naidu, 74, had been accused of using two colour blasters filled with cornflour, talc and an orange dye to spray the monument.

Salisbury Crown Court was told the pair – along with a third activist, Luke Watson, 36 – targeted Stonehenge as part of an ongoing fossil fuel protest by the Just Stop Oil group the day before the 2024 summer solstice.

About 15,000 people were due to gather and celebrate at the monument.

Naidu and Lynch had crossed the boundary ropes and trespassed into the area around the monument before launching the attack.

Watson had bought the equipment used in the attack and had driven his co-accused to Stonehenge that morning.

Prosecutors alleged the protest had been “carefully planned” and was filmed by other Just Stop Oil supporters with footage released publicly afterwards.

Simon Jones, prosecuting, said: “Putting it simply, we say they were all in it together.

“The prosecution say that this is an act of blatant and clear vandalism. The intention is undoubtedly to make a statement.”

After the attack, Naidu and Lynch, who were both wearing white Just Stop Oil T-shirts, sat down in silence in front of the stones until they were arrested.

The court heard the stones were promptly cleaned. The costs of removing the powder totalled £620.

Mr Jones added: “Stonehenge is arguably the best recognised and architecturally sophisticated prehistoric stone circle in the world, built around 5,000 years ago.

“The site in Wiltshire is visited by members of the public from all over the world, providing both an education and spiritual experience.

“The stones are a protected ancient monument.”

The three defendants each denied charges of damaging an ancient protected monument and causing a public nuisance on 19 June 2024.

The latter is a new statutory offence created by the 2022 Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act, which sparked a wave of Kill the Bill protests across the country.

They each accepted taking part in the protest and cited in their defence “reasonable excuse”, and their rights under Articles 10 and 11 of the European Convention on Human Rights to freedom of speech and freedom to protest.

The defendants argued it was a peaceful protest, that the rights of others were not “greatly interfered with”, that care had been taken in choosing the type of powder to use, there was no lasting damage to the stones and that protesting about fossil fuels was a legitimate cause.

Judge Paul Dugdale told the jury in his legal directions they had to assess where the “balance lies” in the case and whether a conviction would be a “proportionate interference” with the defendants’ rights.

“In any society there will be those whose opinions we agree with and those whose opinions we disagree,” he said.

“The essence of a free society and freedom of speech is that everyone’s entitled to express their opinion even when we disagree with what they say.

“If individuals disagree with what our government is doing on certain matters, they are entitled to protest about the government’s actions or inactions.

“All of this is the essence of our free society. It’s how our society has developed over the centuries, and the reality is we are very fortunate to live in a free society.

“There are times when protecting the right to freedom of speech and freedom to protest can mean that activity that would otherwise be unlawful would be regarded as lawful by the court to protect those rights.”

The jury found Naidu, of Gosford Street, Birmingham; Lynch, of Norfolk Road, Turvey, Bedford; and Watson, of The Street, Manuden, Essex, each not guilty of the two charges after deliberating for six hours.

Trump warned Ukraine war creating ‘significant risks’ for US economy

The ongoing war in Ukraine is creating “significant risks” to the U.S. economy and is costing American firms billions in lost opportunities, a report by influential economists has warned.

The Center for Freedom and Prosperity paper by Daniel J. Mitchell and Robert O’Quinn also claims that the continuation of the conflict threatens the U.S. dollar’s status as the world’s reserve currency.

Russia and China want to end this so-called “exorbitant privilege” that sees most countries use the dollar for international trade and are using the war and trade tensions to undermine America’s position, the report argues.

The analysis also highlights a staggering $520bn opportunity for American firms in rebuilding Ukraine, alongside reclaiming $100bn in lost energy ventures like ExxonMobil’s Arctic projects.

Conversely, Boeing stands to lose $50-$100bn if sanctions against Russia persist, driving nations toward China’s aviation sector. Meanwhile, continued conflict threatens the dollar’s reserve status, risking a 1% interest rate hike that could add $300 billion to the U.S.’s $30 trillion debt burden.

The paper, which has been sent to the White House, insists that the priority needs to be an end to hostilities to allow the U.S. and its allies to “normalise trade” with both Russia and Ukraine.

“The ongoing conflict is creating significant risks for the U.S. economy—everything from putting at risk the role of the dollar as the world’s reserve currency to significant potential losses for critical industries such as energy and aviation,” the report states.

“Ongoing efforts by the Trump Administration and others to end the war without rewarding Russian aggression are very desirable, most notably because it would put a stop to the death and destruction.

“But an end to hostilities would be economically beneficial as well. Russia and Ukraine could begin to rebuild and grow as more resources get left in the productive sector of the economy instead of being diverted for military use,” it adds.

Trump has made efforts to bring the nearly four year war to an end since returning to office in January. But his most recent attempt to hold a summit in Budapest with Putin fell apart over Russia’s hardline demands on Ukraine, according to a new report.

The U.S. president has also held back from providing Ukraine with Tomahawk missiles despite repeated requests from the country’s leader Volodymyr Zelensky.

A source close to the administration told The Independent: “This is a very significant piece of work and will have an influence on the administration’s thinking.

“The point is that ending the war now is an economic imperative for the US based on trade. Added to that it cannot put the dollar’s status at risk.”

One of the report’s authors has also claimed that the U.K. and Europe should also welcome the benefits to its economy of an end to the conflict.

“The war, and the concomitant sanctions regime, is a collective effort, with Britain imposing asset freezes, trade bans, and visa restrictions under frameworks like the UK’s own Russia (Sanctions) (EU Exit) Regulations 2019,” Mitchell said.

“British companies, from energy giants like BP (which wrote off $25.5bn from its Rosneft stake, the largest single loss cited) to banks and manufacturers, have borne substantial costs.

“The report notes that while US firms lead in aggregate losses at $46 billion, European players like Germany’s Uniper ($22bn) and Finland’s Fortum ($4.1bn) illustrate the transatlantic pain. In the UK, firms exposed to Russian markets—think Shell or financial institutions with Moscow ties—have seen revenues evaporate, echoing the American experience.”

The Independent has asked White House and Downing Street for comment.

Earps says Hampton’s ‘bad behaviour was rewarded’ with England recall

Former Lionesses goalkeeper Mary Earps says she told England manager Sarina Wiegman that Hannah Hampton’s “bad behaviour is being rewarded” when her rival for the No 1 position was recalled to the squad, amid a series of explosive revelations around her decision to quit the team.

Earps’ autobiography ‘All In’ will be released next week but it has been serialised in the Guardian, with details of the goalkeeper’s shock retirement before Euro 2025, claims of tensions behind the scenes at the Lionesses and criticism of Wiegman’s methods of communication revealed for the first time.

Earps, 32, became a fan favourite following England’s victory at Euro 2022, changing the way that her position was viewed, with the goalkeeper winning the BBC Sports Personality of the Year following the Lionesses’ run to the World Cup final in 2023.

She was also named the best goalkeeper in the world on two occasions, but faced competition for her place in the team from Hampton during a series of European Championship qualifiers in 2024.

Hampton, 24, was the back-up goalkeeper at Euro 2022 and the 2023 World Cup but she was briefly dropped from the England squad following the Euros amid reports about her disruptive behaviour during international camps. Hampton was 21 at the time.

Earps announced her stunning retirement from international duty shortly before Euro 2025, where Hampton shone on her major tournament debut – particularly in the final where the Lionesses defeated Spain on penalties to defend their European title.

In her upcoming autobiography, Earps describes being told that Hampton would be starting for the Lionesses in a key European qualifier against Ireland in April 2024. Earps said she told Wiegman: “I don’t get it. It’s a qualifier match. And bad behaviour is being rewarded.”

Earps writes that she previously told Wiegman that the idea of Hampton returning to the England squad in the spring of 2023 made her feel uncomfortable and said she pointed to alleged “disharmony” that the squad had felt during the previous Euros.

Earps says there was behaviour during England’s Euro 2022 campaign which was “overwhelmingly considered disruptive and unreliable, with a risk of being destructive” and that Wiegman was told this during a player feedback session after the tournament. On Hampton in particular, Earps writes: “Her behaviour behind the scenes at the Euros had frequently risked derailing training sessions and team resources.”

Earps goes on to say that she felt the decision to play Hampton ahead of her in a competitive match was “unjust”. “The affinity I had for Sarina and this job was being destroyed, the trust and respect evaporating,” she writes.

A year later, in April 2025, Earps says she was summoned by Wiegman and informed that she was no longer her first-choice goalkeeper ahead of the Euros. Earps says she was told by Wiegman that Hampton was a “little bit ahead of her” and there was “nothing she had done wrong”.

Earps, however, writes that she felt “extremely disappointed” and told Wiegman that she “could have been more direct and honest” with her assessment of the situation. Earps said Wiegman disagreed and felt she had communicated with her openly, having only made up her mind recently. “That sounded like bull—- to me,” Earps writes.

Earps said she decided to retire from international duty during her meeting with Wiegman and told the England manager that it would not “align with my morals and values to continue”.

Earps then said her preference would be for younger goalkeeper Khiara Keating to get the experience, rather than going to the Euros as second-choice.

“I continued with honesty but my voice broke as I said: ‘I used to feel invincible here but I don’t feel that way any more.’ That saddened me the most of all,” Earps writes.

“I told her that playing for my country had been the greatest privilege of my life but I couldn’t bear to look back on it as a place where I cried in my room, where I didn’t recognise myself. I said I no longer felt supported there and that the goalkeeper dynamic had been too unhealthy for too long.”

Wiegman did not want Earps to retire – and Earps writes that she herself backtracked on her decision and told the Dutchwoman that she would continue. Earps says she changed her mind again in May when Wiegman told her she had not watched her most recent match for Paris Saint-Germain.

“With that, I knew instantly that I’d made the wrong choice,” Earps writes. “I immediately wished I hadn’t uttered the words. I had committed to something and someone who didn’t seem committed to me; whose words, where I was concerned, still didn’t match their actions, and I’d known it all along.”

After Earps announced her decision to retire before the Euros, Wiegman said: “Of course, I had a couple of conversations which I don’t want to share here because that’s between us. I find it hard and it’s hard for her at the same time. She has done such a great job for England. We’ve had an incredible journey. I really cherish that.

“It’s emotional because we also have a relationship and we’ve had such a massive journey together with lots of highs and of course some lows too. But we have to move on and we don’t have time now to celebrate.”

Hampton praised Earps following her decision to retire and said before the Euros that she wanted to live up to her “legacy” during the tournament. She also thanked Earps after receiving the Yashin Trophy for best women’s goalkeeper at this year’s Ballon d’Or, which Earps presented to her.

“I don’t think this award is an achievement for me, it’s an achievement for women’s goalkeeping,” Hampton said in Paris. “I stand on the shoulders of so many great goalkeepers of the past. Sitting alongside my fellow nominees, it’s an honour to be part of such an incredible group.”

Explore phone photography plus a chance to win a Samsung Galaxy S25 FE

When it comes to capturing moments that matter, it’s all about our mobiles, with an incredible 92.5 per cent of photos now taken on our phones. And whether you’re an experienced snapper or an enthusiastic amateur, when it comes to taking your images and videos to the next level, the new Samsung Galaxy S25 FE has all the spec and tech you need.

This sleek and impressively lightweight device is leading the way when it comes to real world AI performance, offering software designed to enhance your images and footage from image quality and clarity, to tone and colour, even in tricky conditions, such as low-light or busy, bustling places – meaning you get the perfect image and video every time. What’s more, the device’s functionality and editing features allows you to easily and seamlessly improve what you capture, meaning you can nail the perfect shot or clip every time.

Read on to find out more about the Galaxy S25 FE’s range of photo-first features – and how you can win one of your own…

Let’s start by delving into the assortment of camera options that come with the Galaxy S25 FE. There’s a triple lens set up on the rear of the body to offer varying focal lengths – a 50 MP Wide Camera, 8 MP Telephoto Camera with 3 x optical zoom and a 12 MP Ultra-Wide camera – meaning you get the exact frame you desire at the best possible quality.

Portrait mode is exceptional, beautifully capturing the essence of people, pets, nature and objects with equal splendour. The option of three different lenses and multiple zoom capabilities means you always get the perfect angle and crop – and whether you’re shooting during the day or when the sun goes down, the Galaxy S25 FE’s Night Mode means the results are clear and vivid.

Take strikingly detailed selfies thanks to a 12 MP front camera, which has regular and wide options, and a 20 per cent higher resolution than the previous model. There’s an equally lucid quality for the selfie video mode – so you can make yourself look just as good as your friends and family.

On top of the incredible camera functionality, the Galaxy S25 FE boasts trailblazing AI tech – because even the best photo in the world can be improved with a few little tweaks, right? Introducing Photo Assist*: improve your images using the Generative Edit function, which lets you move around, or even remove, people and objects in your photos – so you can wave goodbye to photobombers once and for all. Or leave it to AI to make the decisions with ‘Suggest Erase’ to instantly remove people and objects that may be crowding your background. Equally, you can fill spaces that look too empty: the AI-powered function will analyse surrounding imagery to create a suitable filler. You can also resize and reposition people or objects to create fun, abstract and quirky images.

Want to get even more creative? Lean into the Sketch to Image** function which allows you to generate new additions to your existing photos. Open up your chosen photo and start sketching simple drawings directly onto the image and let AI Image Generation do the rest, as it fills the space with your chosen item or even a person. Want some surfers in that edgy picture of crashing waves? A heart-shaped cloud in that stunning azure sky? Sketch them in and let Galaxy AI do the rest.

While the Galaxy S25 FE already has a very impressive Night Mode, it can always be tricky capturing the exact shot you want without sunlight. This is where Enhanced Nightography comes in. The smartphone’s AI-powered image processing ProVisual Engine will analyse the scenes in the photos and videos to automatically enhance the visual quality, while Object Awareness can recognise faces and lighting and use that information to optimise skin tones and enhance clarity – making skin look true-to-life whenever you’re shooting.

And it’s not only about making things look better. The Audio Eraser*** function will make your videos sound better too. It works by removing unwanted background noises and disturbances post filming, with the result a more clear and focused final cut.

Aside from the innovative camera and AI features, the Galaxy S25 FE is an all-round impressive smartphone. The stylish design is available in four colours – Navy, Jetblack, Icyblue and White – all with Premium Haze matte finish and rare curved edges. While the body may be the slimmest and most lightweight FE model to date (disclaimer, compared to previous models) – just 7.4 mm thin and 190 grams light – the robust build is encased with Corning® Gorilla® and Glass Victus®+ for drop protection and has an enhanced aluminium frame. The device also boasts an IP68 rating**** for dust and water resistance – the highest rating available.

When it comes to battery life, you’re looking at a 4900mAh capacity† offering up to a whopping 28 hours of video playback, and you can power up the battery to 65 per cent in just 30 minutes with fast-wired charging. Expect smooth and immersive gaming and multimedia viewing thanks to a screen resolution of 6.7” FHD+ and up to 120HZ display refresh rate.

While the Galaxy S25 FE’s AI tech in terms of photos and videos may mean a world of endless creation, the integrated AI capabilities don’t end there. Lean into Gemini to get all the information you could need in real time, ‘Circle to Search with Google’ lets you trace information direct from the pictures and videos on your screen‡, while ‘Browse Assist’ instantly summarises web content and ‘Writing Assist’§ works to polish up your notes and communication. Meanwhile the AI-powered Now Bar◊ delivers helpful daily summaries and weather information to your homescreen so you can schedule the perfect moment to get out and shoot.

For your chance to win one of these game-changing devices, and capture your moments in style, simply fill out the form below.

18+, UK residents only. Promotion closes at 23:59 GMT on Sunday 30th November 2025. Winners will be drawn at random from all entries received by the closing date. The prize is non-transferable and no cash alternative is available. Usual promotional rules apply, see independent.co.uk/rules For further information, please write to Customer Care, The Independent, Alphabeta, 14-18 Finsbury Square, London, EC2A 1AH

By opting in to receive marketing communications from Samsung, you agree to our [Terms of Use] and [Privacy Policy] and consent to receive a varying number of marketing messages via email.

To find out more about the Samsung S25 FE visit Samsung

*Samsung account login is required. Requires network connection.

**Samsung account login and network connection may be required for certain AI features.

***Samsung account login required. Six types of sound can be detected; voices, music, wind, nature, crowd and noise. Results may vary depending on audio source & condition of the video.

**** IP68 rating based on lab test conditions for submersion in up to 1.5 meters of freshwater for up to 30 minutes. Not advised for beach or pool use.

† Typical value tested under third party laboratory condition. Rated minimum capacity of S25 FE is 4755 mAh.

‡ Requires network connection. Results may vary depending on visual match.

§ Samsung account login is required. Requires a network connection. Must meet length requirements to activate feature. Service availability may vary by language. Accuracy of results is not guaranteed.

◊ Network connection required.

Premier League abandons Boxing Day tradition as fixtures released

The Premier League has announced its fixture schedule for the festive period, with just one game scheduled for the traditional Boxing Day slot due to complications with a congested calendar caused by the “expansion of European club competitions”.

Manchester United will host Newcastle United at 8pm on Friday 26 December, with a further nine fixtures to be played across Saturday 27 and Sunday 28 December. However, this includes five matches scheduled at 3pm on Saturday 27 December, which will not be televised in the UK due to the 3pm TV blackout.

There were eight Premier League games played on Boxing Day last season, with a full round of 10 top-flight fixtures played on Boxing Day the last time it fell on a Friday in 2014. The Premier League has assured fans that there will be more fixtures on Boxing Day next year, as it falls on a Saturday in 2026.

There will then be six matches on Tuesday 30 December, and a further four on Thursday 1 January – all to be shown on either Sky Sports or TNT Sports – with no Premier League matches scheduled on New Year’s Eve.

The Premier League must fulfil 33 weekends of fixtures as part of its arrangements with broadcasting partners and following an agreement with the FA over the exclusivity of certain FA Cup weekends.

The Premier League scheduled this season’s midweek rounds for the start of December, January and March, another in mid-February and the fifth from Tuesday December 30.

With FA Cup replays scrapped, the FA Cup has been granted exclusive weekends for the fourth, fifth and quarter-finals rounds, while the expanded Champions League league phase now concludes across two midweeks in late January.

A statement from the Premier League said: “The Premier League would like to acknowledge the circumstances that have led to a reduced number of matches on Boxing Day this season – impacting an important tradition in English football.

“There are now several challenges to Premier League fixture scheduling rooted in the expansion of European club competitions – which led to a revision of our domestic calendar ahead of last season, including changes to the FA Cup. This ultimately left the Premier League as a 33-weekend competition – fewer than previous seasons, despite being a 380-match competition since 1995.

“With fewer weekends to work with, the league is bound by how the calendar falls. The league can give an assurance that next season there will be more Premier League matches on Boxing Day – as the date falls on a Saturday.”

There will be a full programme of EFL and non-league fixtures on Boxing Day, however, with a further round of games in the lower divisions expected on Monday 29 December.

The Premier League added: “As with previous years, and in keeping with our commitment to clubs, special arrangements have been made to allow more time between games played across the festive period. This will allow greater time for players to recover with the rest periods between rounds 18, 19 and 20 being increased to ensure that no club plays within 60 hours of another match.”

The Football Supporters’ Association criticised the decision to schedule Newcastle’s game at Manchester United at 8pm on Boxing Day as “thoughtless”, with away fans facing a long journey home.

“The Premier League’s TV selections for Xmas and NY have finally been announced a fortnight after they were supposed to be,” the FSA said on X. “Newcastle’s game at Old Trafford – the longest trip of that game week – has been selected for a ridiculous 8pm kick-off on Boxing Day. Thoughtless.”

Friday 26 December

Manchester United v Newcastle United – 8pm

Saturday 27 December

Nottingham Forest v Manchester City – 12:30pm

Arsenal v Brighton – 3pm

Brentford v Bournemouth – 3pm

Burnley v Everton – 3pm

Liverpool v Wolves – 3pm

West Ham v Fulham – 3pm

Chelsea v Aston Villa – 5:30pm

Sunday 28 December

Sunderland v Leeds – 2pm

Crystal Palace v Tottenham – 4:30pm

Tuesday 30 December

Burnley v Newcastle United – 7:30pm

Chelsea v Bournemouth – 7:30pm

Nottingham Forest v Everton – 7:30pm

West Ham v Brighton – 7:30pm

Arsenal v Aston Villa – 8:15pm

Manchester United v Wolves – 8:15pm

Thursday 1 January

Crystal Palace v Fulham – 5:30pm

Liverpool v Leeds – 5:30pm

Brentford v Tottenham – 8pm

Sunderland v Man City – 8pm

Saturday 3 January

Aston Villa v Nottingham Forest – 12:30pm

Brighton v Burnley – 3pm

Wolves v West Ham – 3pm

Bournemouth v Arsenal – 5:30pm

Sunday 4 January

Leeds v Manchester United – 12:30pm

Everton v Brentford – 3pm

Fulham v Liverpool – 3pm

Newcastle v Crystal Palace – 3pm

Tottenham v Sunderland – 3pm

Manchester City v Chelsea – 5:30pm

Where will Hurricane Melissa head after devastating Cuba and Jamaica?

Hurricane Melissa has left a trail of devastation across the Caribbean, with dozens killed and billions of dollars worth of damage inflicted across the region.

The “storm of the century” is one of the most powerful in Atlantic history, and the most forceful hurricane to ever hit Jamaica.

At least 49 people have been killed so far, including 19 in Jamaica, 30 in Haiti, and one person in the Dominican Republic. At least 10 children were killed due to flooding caused by the storm when a river burst in Haiti. The death toll is expected to rise as search and rescue efforts get underway.

Despite reducing in intensity, the storm continues to move on. Melissa was last recorded as a Category 2 storm 264 km (164 miles) west of the North Atlantic British island territory of Bermuda, packing maximum sustained winds of 100 mph (161 kph), according to the National Hurricane Center.

Melissa began as a tropical wave near West Africa, before gaining traction and blowing westward to the Caribbean.

After passing over Jamaica, it made landfall in Cuba on Wednesday. It crawled across the countries with destructive winds and torrential rainfall before passing over to the Bahamas and Bermuda.

Surrounding areas, including the southeastern and central Bahamas and Turks and Caicos, were also at risk of a “life-threatening storm surge” and heavy rainfall, the National Hurricane Centre said. It travelled over the Bahamas as a Category 1 storm, having reached the intensity of a Category 5 over recent days, including when it made landfall in Jamaica.

AccuWeather estimates that $48 billion to $52 billion in damage and economic loss has been inflicted across the western Caribbean.

Red Cross teams have been mobilising as Hurricane Melissa has left deaths and devastation across the region.

Its slow pace makes Hurricane Melissa more destructive, with sustained winds and accumulated rainfall inflicting maximum damage to the vulnerable and low-lying island. Around 70 per cent of Jamaica’s population of over 2.8 million people lives in coastal areas.

“Slow-moving major hurricanes often go down in history as some of the deadliest and most destructive storms on record,” said AccuWeather chief meteorologist Jonathan Porter. “This is a dire situation unfolding in slow motion.”

Cuban president Miguel Díaz-Canel ordered mass evacuations across the country, with at least 735,000 people being forced to leave their homes to escape the devastation. The National Hurricane Centre warned that the hurricane will inflict a “life-threatening storm surge, flash flooding and landslides”.

In the Bahamas, the government ordered evacuations of residents in the southern portions of that archipelago.

“Early indications are that Hurricane Melissa was a disaster of unprecedented catastrophe for the island,” Alexander Pendry, the charity’s global response manager said on Wednesday. “News is already coming through that whole communities are underwater and that the damage left by the strong winds has been devastating.”

Jamaican prime minister Andrew Holness said the country is “expecting that there would be some loss of life” in the aftermath of the event. United Cajun Navy vice-president Brian Trascher estimated that “trillions of gallons of water” would fall on Jamaica.

The UK announced it would provide an additional £5m ($6.71 million) in emergency humanitarian funding to support the Caribbean region’s recovery from hurricane Melissa, after pledging £2.5m earlier this week. Sir Keir Starmer described scenes from the country as “truly shocking”.

“The reports that we have had so far would include damage to hospitals, significant damage to residential property, housing and commercial property as well, and damage to our road infrastructure,” Mr Holness said. “Our country has been ravaged by Hurricane Melissa, but we will rebuild and we will do so even better than before.”

More than 500,000 residents have been left without power, with the parish of St Elizabeth in southwestern Jamaica left completely “underwater”, an official said.

Video of the airport in Montego Bay showed inundated seating areas, broken glass and collapsed ceilings.

Meteorologists at AccuWeather said Melissa ranked as the third most intense hurricane observed in the Caribbean, after Wilma in 2005 and Gilbert in 1988 – the last major storm to make landfall in Jamaica.