Reach counselling

N ovak Djokovic is through to a ninth Australian Open final after a comprehensive straight-sets win over Russian qualifier Aslan Karatsev. The world No 1, who has won the title on each of the eight previous occasions he has reached the semi-finals in Melbourne, beat the world No 114 6-3, 6-4, 6-2. It was a much-needed comfortable evening for Djokovic after suffering an abdominal injury in the third-round five-setter against Taylor Fritz and a nail-biting victory over Alexander Zverev in the quarter-finals. He will now face either Daniil Medvedev or Stefanos Tsitsipas in the final on Sunday. … [Read more...] about Novak Djokovic delivers semi-final masterclass to beat Aslan Karatsev and reach ninth Australian Open final

A furious racket smash from Novak Djokovic was the spur for a dramatic quarter-final comeback, as the world No1 rallied from an unpromising position to beat Alexander Zverev by a 6-7, 6-2, 6-4, 7-6 margin. The flashpoint came shortly before Zverev moved into a 4-1 lead in the crucial third set. Djokovic had already sat down at the back of the court a few minutes earlier, sparking comparisons to the moody Bjorn Borg lookalike in cult movie The Royal Tenenbaums. Then, when he missed a service return, he let fly, spanking his racket down into the court surface so hard that it left three light-coloured stripes. … [Read more...] about Racket-smashing tantrum provokes comeback spark for Novak Djokovic to reach Australian Open semi-finals

The owners of CityFibre Holdings, the telecoms infrastructure company, are to raise hundreds of millions of pounds from the sale of a stake to a new shareholder to aid their delivery of a £4bn investment programme. Sky News has learnt that CityFibre has appointed the investment banks UBS and Rothschild to identify a third investor to join Goldman Sachs-backed West Street Infrastructure Fund, and Antin Infrastructure Fund. The process, which is expected to take several months, will formally get under way this week, according to industry sources. Insiders said CityFibre was likely to sell a substantial minority stake, which would enable it to receive a capital injection potentially worth many hundreds of millions of pounds. In a statement on Monday, a CityFibre spokesman said: "We can confirm that we're exploring a possible expansion of our shareholder base to support the acceleration of our build and possible participation in the BDUK [Building Digital UK] rural … [Read more...] about Goldman-backed broadband giant CityFibre to sell stake to new investor

The world's most expensive drug has been licensed for use on the NHS in England. Zolgensma has a reported list price of nearly £1.8m per dose, but the health service said it had struck a "landmark confidential deal" with its maker at a "price that is fair to taxpayers". The one-time gene therapy will be used to treat Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA) in infants. The often fatal muscle condition affects nerves in the spinal cord, leading to paralysis. In the UK, up to 80 babies a year are born with SMA. Children who have the most common form of it - type 1 - have a life expectancy of only two years. Zolgensma, which is made by Novartis Gene Therapies, replicates a missing gene and restores nerve and muscle function. Advertisement Studies have shown it can help infants to breathe without ventilators, sit up unaided, crawl and walk. The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) said there was "evidence of exceptional benefit to young … [Read more...] about Zolgensma: World’s most expensive drug licensed for use on NHS to treat Spinal Muscular Atrophy

WALKING down the pavement, my heart pounding, I tried to keep my eyes on the floor. A group of men on the opposite side of the street were leering and shouting at me, making hand gestures, exchanging loud comments about my developing breasts. I was 14, and it was one of my earliest experiences of street harassment. It was the first time I’d felt really unsafe because I was a girl, but it wouldn’t be the last. I’d go on to be followed home, chased and spat at. A man would later masturbate near me on the bus while he stared intensely into my horrified eyes, grinning. A senior colleague at my first ever holiday temp job would send me inappropriate emails. Eventually, I’d be sexually assaulted a number of times in my twenties. I’d go on to start a campaign against sexism , only to be deluged with hundreds of rape and death threats. Men would compete to come up with the most disgusting ideas, sending me messages about using pieces of furniture to give me internal … [Read more...] about Everyday sexism is real: I’ve been spat at, followed and assaulted since I was 14 – things need to change