Pelicans playoffs 2018

FC Augsburg Perennial underdogs Augsburg got a taste of Europe in the 2015-16 campaign and, having kept the core of their side intact, are talking about a surprise run at a top six finish again this season. Possible lineup for matchday 1: Luthe — Schmid, Gouweleeuw, Hinteregger, Max — Baier, Khedira — Hahn, Gregoritsch, Richter — Ji Transfer window: Augsburg's squad has grown with a number of loanees returning, while Andre Hahn, who scored 12 goals and provided 13 assists in 48 games in his first stint with FCA, also makes a comeback. Not signing a replacement for number one Marwin Hitz could prove a costly decision. Grade: D+ Key player: Don't let the meager two assists from last season fool you. Michael Gregoritsch is just as capable of creating chances for teammates as he is creating for himself. The Austrian is just better at finishing them as proven by the 13 goals he scored last season despite not playing as an out-and-out striker. Fun … [Read more...] about Bite-size Bundesliga breakdown: 2018-19

Black Friday is well and truly underway, and now some of the UK's top retailers have revealed the products shoppers are going wild for.  Tech and gadgets are all performing strongly, and Amazon has revealed that the All-new Echo Dot (3rd Gen) - Smart speaker with Alexa and the Fire TV Stick 4K Ultra HD with All-New Alexa Voice Remote are among its tops sellers for Black Friday 2018.  Velvet sofas are bang on trend so it's no surprise that a luxurious orange three-seater with more than £300 off is one of Habitat's top sellers today.  Halfords has also revealed its top ten, including a men’s mountain bike with £170 off, while Escentual.com is selling out of a Acqua di Parma Blu Mediterraneo Fico di Amalfi gift set.   At Carphone Warehouse, the Samsung Galaxy S9 and Apple iPhone XR were the biggest sellers of the annual shopping extravaganza.  According to retail sales aggregator LovetheSales.com, a massive … [Read more...] about Get them while you can! Retailers reveal the bestselling products of Black Friday 2018 including the Echo Dot and trendy velvet sofas – but have YOU managed to bag a bargain yet?

The number of women convicted of attacking a police officer but walking free from court with a fine has doubled in ten years. Figures from the Ministry of Justice show more than 1,000 women were handed a fine in 2018, compared with 512 a decade earlier. Often the punishment meted out to yobs who punched, bit or spat at an officer was less severe than those handed down for not having a TV licence – an average fine of £146 for an assault conviction compared with £175 for those hauled to court for not paying their licence fee. Figures from the Ministry of Justice have shown that more than 1,000 women were handed a fine in 2018, compared with 512 a decade earlier, after being convicted of attacking a police officer. (Stock image) Over the same ten-year period, the number of women jailed immediately after being convicted of assaulting an officer tumbled from 224 to 159 last year – a drop of almost 30 per cent – while the average prison term has fallen from … [Read more...] about More than 1,000 women were spared jail in 2018 after attacking police officers as number let off with a fine DOUBLES in ten years

We asked the Guardian’s supporters around the world to reflect on what you hope to make space for in 2018: the causes and values that you want to prioritise, and what you would most like to see our journalism focusing on in the year to come. Here’s what you said. With the windfall of the Panama Papers I feel it is so important we keep up the pressure on “offshore”. It is so pervasive and destructive of so many areas of our lives. Health, education, security, justice to name but a few – it is a blight that undermines so many of our services that are fundamental to maintaining our society and our lives. Paul Daly, Leeds, UK Don’t let the immediate news get in the way of the important! On the environment, continue the fossil fuel disinvestment campaign – report on who is still investing. Continue the plastic pollution campaign – who are worst offenders? Don’t forget the environment elsewhere, like the Amazon. Start a campaign to reduce … [Read more...] about Readers’ hopes for 2018: what would you like us to cover this year?

Simon Hattenstone Every January I start out with a wish list. It tends not to change hugely from year to year because many of my dream interviews are not easy to get hold of. Robert and Grace Mugabe, Vladimir Putin, Kim Jong-un, if you are reading this and fancy spending quality time with me this year, give me a bell (or answer my emails). News is by definition difficult to anticipate, which means you don’t know who or what you want to cover till something has happened. Often, unfortunately, that something is tragic. One of the most satisfying pieces of work I did last year was spending time with residents at Whitstable House, the tower next to Grenfell. Would that ever be on a wish list? Of course not. But when terrible events happen, as a features journalist you hope to cover it in way that is different but meaningful. I love being surprised by interviewees too. Some of the people who have stayed with me most were little known at the time. Way back in 2003 I was asked to … [Read more...] about New year’s revolutions: the stories we’re hoping to cover in 2018