ARSENAL are ready to raid Blackburn for England youth striker Harvey Higgins.

The Gunners have their sights on the 16-year-old hotshot — and hope to take him in the next few weeks.

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Arsenal are ready to raid Blackburn for England youth striker Harvey Higgins[/caption]

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Striker Higgins has been tipped to be a future star[/caption]

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Mikel Arteta is looking for a new striker this summer[/caption]

Rovers will only get compensation for their latest discovery, although that could come in at £1.5million.

Higgins is already playing for the Under-18s but his progress at England youth level has alerted Arsenal.

There are hopes that he will follow in the footsteps of Adam Wharton and David Raya in starting their journeys to stardom at Ewood Park.

Speak to people connected to the kid and there are early comparisons in the style of play to Jamie Vardy, Leicester’s irrepressible centre forward who is still going strong at 38.

Higgins loves to chase a ball from over his shoulder and run on before unleashing his strength and finishing ability.

The schoolboy has already trained with the Under-21s yet is still in his GCSE year at school.

Several top clubs are also interested in the young striker, making competition for his signature intense.

And his ability has not gone unnoticed with sponsors, earning him a contract with Puma.

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Top sides in the Serie A are also tracking his progress — and may make a move.

Arsenal also made an enquiry for Stoke City defender Jaden Dixon in the January window and they continue to monitor his progress.

Rovers are also fighting to keep young defender Silver Eze with big clubs chasing the Italian youth cap.

Blackburn only signed Eze, 16, from Accrington Stanley for £120,000 in November but could lose him before he starts a game for them.

MINISTERS are banning civil service away days and merchandise after taxpayers’ cash was blown on escape rooms and fancy mugs. 

It is all part of a huge crackdown on wasteful spending across Whitehall departments.

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Whitehall wast crackdown[/caption]

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Home Office staff spent £810 on a team-building exercise at an escape room[/caption]

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DfE spent £2,209 on branded pens and notebooks[/caption]

Examples include £967 on purple thermos cups for Visas and Immigration and £548 on “corporate coloured” mugs for HM Passport Office Belfast in 2022.

The Government Property Agency, which manages offices and warehouses, spent £1,450 on 500 fidget cubes three years ago.

And the Public Sector Fraud Authority paid £1,705 for 500 branded notebooks.

Home Office staff spent £810 on a team-building exercise at an escape room in Kent.

The Department for Education spent £2,209 on branded pens and notebooks while the Environment Department spent £812 on branded stationery for a workshop.

Pat McFadden, Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, blasted the “wasteful” spending and vowed to redirect cash to frontline services.

He said: “By cutting wasteful spending we can target resources at frontline public services with more teachers, extra hospital appointments and police back on the beat.

“We will use taxpayers’ money to deliver our Plan for Change, kick-starting economic growth, rebuilding the NHS and strengthening our borders.”

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Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster Pat McFadden[/caption]

Mandarins will be told they now have to hold training and away days in government buildings instead of hiring external venues.

Outside hire will only be allowed when space in government buildings is unavailable. 

They also face stricter rules on what branded products and merchandise is allowed.

It will only be allowed for things deemed “essential” for promotion like overseas trade and diplomacy.

Labour is trying to drastically reduce the 20,000 government credit cards believed to be in circulation. 

Last month, all departments were instructed to freeze cards and those holding them have to reapply under tighter guidelines.

A 99 TO BEAT contestant was left so furious at her elimination she stormed off the ITV show’s set in rage.

The broadcaster’s newest game show continued tonight with Adam and Ryan Thomas at the helm.

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A 99 to Beat contestant was left so furious by her elimination she stormed off set[/caption]

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19-year-old Neveah was inconsolable and left through a fire exit[/caption]

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She was furious a group task resulted in her leaving the show early[/caption]

99 To Beat sees 100 people go head-to-head for the same prize pot.

In order to win, they must beat the other 99 players and avoid coming last at all costs. 

During tonight’s show viewers watched as the remaining hopefuls were split into teams and tasked with flipping pancakes to each other.

However, Flex and Aaron – who were at the very end – struggled to successfully pass the pancakes and the team were eventually beaten.

For 19-year-old Neveah, she was left seething at her early exit from the competition.

The teen screamed at at the top of her lungs before storming away inconsolable and busting out of the studio through the fire exit.

She could then be seen in tears behind-the-scenes as she spoke about her elimination in a piece to camera.

Naveah said: “I’ve never felt so much anger in all my life, it’s so annoying, like I’m absolutely livid I’m not accepting it.

“How can I accept that I’ve just gone out on a whole team challenge and I know that I was putting all my work in.”

Meanwhile, one 99 To Beat contestant was hit with cheating accusations in the same episode.

99 To Beat continues on ITV1 and ITVX.

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TORIES have launched a revolt to stop their former chief whip getting a peerage – after he spilled their sex secrets in a tell-all book.

Simon Hart sent shockwaves through Westminster when his diaries revealed that a Conservative MP had to be rescued from a brothel after a suspected KGB honeytrap.

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Former Prime Minister Rishi Sunak[/caption]

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Palace of Westminster[/caption]

Mr Hart lost his seat in the election but was expected to be handed a peerage in Rishi Sunak’s resignation list.

But Tory MPs are so furious at him for publishing their deepest darkest secrets they have launched an all-out war to stop him getting the ermine.

They have nicknamed their secret plot “Operation Hart-Attack”.

One Tory MP involved said: “His book was a disgrace.

“Simon has destroyed the sanctity and trust of the whips office. 

“A chief whip needs to be trusted and respected by MPs. There is a code – and Simon broke it.

“He has driven a coach and horses through the system.”

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House of Lords chamber[/caption]

Tory MPs have been emailing the House of Lords Appointments Commission (HOLAC) accusing Mr Hart of breaching the politicians’ code of ethics.

They are asking for his appointment to be blocked.

HOLAC never comments on who might be in line for a peerage.

ASTON VILLA’S two-goal blast in two minutes ultimately settled a game of two halves.

But Unai Emery’s Champions League quarter finalists were made to fight for their seventh win in a row right until the end by Forest, their unlikely rivals for an automatic spot in next season’s competition.

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Aston Villa moved within one point of Chelsea in the race for top four as Youri Tielemans looks to play PSG in the Champions League next[/caption]

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Morgan Rogers fired Aston Villa in front inside 13 minutes[/caption]

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The England star channelled Cole Palmer’s favourite celebration[/caption]

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Donyell Malen’s tap-in doubled Villa’s lead within two minutes[/caption]

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Super sub Jota Silva pulled one back in the 57th minute[/caption] https://twitter.com/SkySportsPL/status/1908561996305301953 https://twitter.com/SkySportsPL/status/1908562368444899507 https://twitter.com/SkySportsPL/status/1908577548033720429

What brilliant seasons these clubs are having, and what an entertaining game this was, especially in the second half.

When the Forest fans struck up an early chorus of “Que Sera Sera”, the home supporters joined in to mark their shared achievement of reaching the FA Cup semi finals at Wembley.

It will be Paris in springtime for Villa on Wednesday when they take on PSG in the first leg.

On a deceptively cold afternoon in the West Midlands, boss Emery rested a number of key players for a match that was important for both clubs’ chances of playing elite European football next season.

Emery’s judgement seemed sound when Morgan Rogers and Donyell Malen put the home side ahead with two goals in two first-half  minutes against a Forest team that seemed to be running on fumes.

But Nuno Espirito Santo’s injury-hit band of brothers dug deep and rocked VIlla back on their heels after the break.

Half-time sub Jota Silva pulled one back and Forest squandered a number of other chances to end Villa’s winning streak.

Before the game started, Villa seemed to be giving Forest a lesson in how much they will need to improve if they do make it to the Champions League and want to compete.

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Emery was able to make eight changes to the starting line-up that had won at Brighton yet still field a formidable team.

Meanwhile Nuno had to stick with the tried and trusted as injuries to Ola Aina and Taiwo Awoniyi left him without a centre forward and needing to reshuffle.

Forest had looked leggy and a little nervous in beating Manchester United through Anthony Elanga’s early wondergoal.

A better, more incisive team than United would probably have beaten them.

And Villa, for 15 minutes at least, were a much better and more incisive team than United.

Forest were 3-4-3 out of possession but very much a 5-2-3 when Villa had the ball.

It mattered not. Ian Maatsen drew a save from Matz Sels, then Marco Asensio and Youri Tielemans went close-ish before Rogers and Malen dealt the visitors a quick one-two combination right in the chops.

Visiting centre half Morato looked up from fiddling with a shinpad to find Tielemans was about to clip a lovely pass between him and makeshift wing-back Nico Dominguez. 

Rogers’ control was exquisite. A quick look up, a couple of confident strides forward, a firm left-footed shot, 1-0.

The second goal soon arrived and was also a little gem.

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Silva was a handful during his second-half cameo[/caption]

The weight on Tielemans’ pass to Maatsen was perfect, allowing the Dutchman to throw Ryan Yates off balance and then head to the byline.

The cross was tempting, Malen’s run was well timed and the finish, a formality.

Emery celebrated with his customary gusto. 

But the Villa boss was animated for different reasons midway through the half when Forest finally showed their teeth.

Elanga attempted to recreate his incredible sprint and finish from the United game but pulled his left-foot shot wide of the far post.

Then fellow flying winger Callum Hudson-Odoi found space and was also off target.

Villa had lost a bit of momentum but Forest did not register a shot on goal until the 40th minute, when Emi Martinez saved easily from Yates.

The visitors needed to find some energy from somewhere and Nuno sent on Silva for Elanga at the break to play as a more conventional centre forward.

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Villa manager Unai Emery was animated for different reasons midway through the half[/caption]

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Emiliano Martinez clashed with Silva as the pair squared up to each other after[/caption]

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Martinez and Jota came to blows[/caption]

Unfortunately for Forest the first chance to pull one back fell to Neco Williams, who fired wide of the far post after Hudson-Odoi retrieved a deep cross.

Then the winger himself had a go from a similar position, with a similarly frustrating result

But it was third time lucky. Williams crossed from the left, Elliot Anderson swung and missed, and Silva pounced to steer a left-footed shot across Martinez and into the net.

Moments later Tielemans stopped Anderson from converting another Williams centre.

Then Anderson did get a shot away, only to fire wide.

Villa were on the ropes and Emery had seen enough, making a triple change just after the hour.

The game had plenty of edge by now, with Silva provoking a clash with Martinez that attracted a few other players.

Rogers could have restored the two-goal lead after leaving Murillo in a heap on the halfway line. But a heavy touch meant that Forest goalkeeper Sels could make a save.

Back came Forest, Morgan Gibbs-White shooting wide. Sels saved from Asensio and then Tielemans as the game became end to end.

Gibbs-White went close twice more, sending a header and then a right-footed shot wide.

Sels scrambled away a Marcus Rashford corner, and in stoppage time Murillo hit the bar before Sels denied Rashford again.

The Champions League needs both these clubs and their fans next year.

A GLADIATORS finalist has been forced to quit the BBC show after a devastating injury in the semi-final.

Tonight saw the final four male and female contestants compete for a spot in next week’s final.

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A Gladiators finalist has had to withdraw due to injury[/caption]

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Aneila Afsar will replace Zavia Hill after she finished second to her during the semi-final[/caption]

In the women’s competition, Zavia Hill went head to head with Aneila Afsar.

However, she sustained an injury during the Powerball event after two hard tackles from the Gladiators.

Despite the injury, she pushed through and continued to compete in the remaining events, including the Eliminator.

Her determination paid off when she powered up the Travelator to win the semi-final and a place in next week’s final.

But after the episode aired, it was revealed that due to her injury, Zavia is unable to take part and has had to withdraw from the competition.

It means Aneila will take her place in final alongside fellow finalist Amanda Wah.

Speaking about her sudden addition to the final, Aneila said: “A lot of mixed emotions – bittersweet for sure.

“Anyone who’s been following the show knows how badly I wanted to make it to the final, but this isn’t the way I wanted to get there.

“At the same time, I’m beyond grateful for the opportunity and so excited for what’s ahead.”

Asked if she had any words for Zavia, she added: “Zavia is an incredible contender and an even better person.

“It’s an honour to represent her and I’ll actually be wearing some of her gems in the final.”

For the men’s competition, tonight’s semi-final saw Mus Dumbuya beat Nathan Bland for the final spot in the final.

Mus took the lead in the events, banking him a decent head start in the Eliminator, and he went on to break the series record previously set by Nathan.

He will take on Joe Fishburn in next weekend’s final.

Gladiators airs Saturdays on BBC One and is available on BBC iPlayer.

Mature-age recruit Riley Bice shone for Sydney in their 65-point win over North Melbourne with a polished game across half-back.

The Israeli army says troops with the 36th Division have been deployed in a newly established corridor in the south of the Gaza Strip.

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