A statue commemorating the actor and writer Terry Jones will be unveiled in his birthplace this weekend.

Jones, best known for his part in the British comedy troupe Monty Python, died in 2020 aged 77 from a rare form of dementia.

His family backed a fundraising campaign to have him immortalised in bronze in Colwyn Bay as the nude organist, a recurring character played by Jones in Monty Python's Flying Circus TV show.

Jones' fellow Python, Sir Michael Palin, said the late star would find the tribute "very funny indeed".

Sir Michael and fellow Python Terry Gilliam will be at the unveiling of the statue overlooking Colwyn Bay beach in north Wales on Saturday.

The two other surviving Python members, John Cleese and Eric Idle, also supported the campaign.

"I'm quite surprised because we're a bit of a diverse lot. Nobody ever agrees on anything really, apart from what's funny, and we were always quite good at that," said Sir Michael.

Emma Thompson, Steve Coogan and Suzy Eddie Izzard were among the other celebrities who promoted the fundraising campaign, which attracted donations from around the world and hit its £120,000 target within six months.

Llandudno sculptor Nick Elphick, who regularly appears in the BBC series Extraordinary Portraits, created the design after consulting Jones' family.

He said the most challenging aspect was representing a larger than life character while making sure his smile was "just right for the family".

The life-sized sculpture shows the late star nude, wearing a flapping tie and with wild hair, grinning as he strikes the classic 'organist' pose.

The organ merges into Terry's writing desk, loaded with nods to his multi-faceted career.

It reflects his work beyond Python including his medieval history books.

"I'm a perfectionist so I'm never happy, but I know that I've put my heart and soul into it," said Elphick.

"I've done literally 15-hour days for nearly a year and a half now, so I'm hoping that people love him."

Jones performed in, co-wrote and directed two Monty Python films: The Life of Brian and The Meaning of Life.

He co-directed The Holy Grail with Gilliam and also co-wrote the series Ripping Yarns with Palin, who he first met at Oxford University.

Sir Michael remembered: "Terry was the faster typist, so he would do most of the typing. And come to think of it, he also made the coffee depending where we were working."

He said Jones "would be the last person in the world to want a statue of him" but would "make an exception" for this design as "I think he'd find it very funny indeed".

Although Jones and his family relocated to Surrey when he was four, he maintained links with Colwyn Bay, becoming patron of Theatr Colwyn and backing its renovation in 2011.

Elphick said he hoped the public engaged with the statue.

"You will be completely and utterly interactive with him and I think it's going to make some iconic photographs, especially with that big soft bum he's got."

📰 மூல செய்தி (Source): https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cpvxe049zwpo?at_medium=RSS&at_campaign=rss

Falklands War veteran Simon Weston has said he hopes King Charles III can convince US President Donald Trump to "back down" over reports the US could review its position on the UK's claim to the territory.

Weston told BBC Newsnight that Trump's "hissy fit" over the sovereignty of the islands "makes our sacrifice feel slightly irrelevant".

An internal Pentagon email reported by Reuters suggested the US was considering options to punish Nato allies it believed had failed to support its war on Iran. BBC News has not been able to review the email.

Downing Street said that sovereignty of the Falkland Islands "rests with the UK" and that the islanders' right to self-determination was paramount.

The report regarding the US position emerged three days before King Charles and Queen Camilla's state visit to the US.

Weston said he hoped the monarch could persuade Trump to "back down and calm down" over the islands, which have been under British rule since 1833.

"He's [Trump] paying absolutely no heed to the humanity that he's abusing with his words because the people of the Falklands deserve more respect, but so do every veteran who served down there deserve more respect."

He called the US president's comments "very unstatesmanlike" and said he was "sad and disappointed it's come to this".

Weston served as a Welsh Guardsman during the 1982 war between the UK and Argentina over the territory.

He suffered almost 50% burns to his body during the bombing of the Sir Galahad ship, which caused the biggest loss of British life during the war.

Argentina has now said it wants to reopen negotiations with the UK over the Falklands, something to which the UK is unlikely to agree.

Sir Keir Starmer's spokesman said on Friday that "sovereignty rests with the UK, and the islanders' right to self-determination is paramount".

Meanwhile, Downing Street noted that its residents had previously voted "overwhelmingly" in favour of remaining a British Overseas Territory.

All but three of the islands' 1,672 eligible voters opted to remain a British territory in a 2013 referendum, on a turnout of more than 90%.

Although the 10-week war ended with the surrender of Argentine forces, the country still claims sovereignty over the islands which lie some 300 miles (483km) to its east in the south-west Atlantic Ocean.

The Falklands' government said on Friday: "The Falkland Islands has complete confidence in the commitment made by the UK government to uphold and defend our right of self-determination."

A US state department spokesperson was quoted by the AFP news agency on Friday as saying the US position on the islands remained "one of neutrality".

"We acknowledge that there are conflicting claims of sovereignty between Argentina and the UK," the spokesperson said.

They added that the US recognises "de facto United Kingdom administration" of the archipelago without taking sides on sovereignty claims.

WATCH: How Trump could punish Nato allies | Global News Podcast

Claiming sovereignty over the Falklands has been a rallying cry every Argentine government has deployed in the past, guaranteed to have a popular reaction.

In Argentina's presidential palace, a plaque dedicated to the islands – which it calls Malvinas – is mounted in a prime position.

On Friday, Argentina's President Javier Milei, a Trump ally, posted in capital letters on social media: "The Malvinas were, are, and always will be Argentine."

Simon Weston told Newsnight: "What we don't need is Mr Milei to raise his sleeves and believe that aggression may work because that would just cost more lives."

Milei's foreign affairs minister also denounced the exploration and extraction of natural resources around the islands, where there are significant oil fields.

📰 மூல செய்தி (Source): https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c62lp853214o?at_medium=RSS&at_campaign=rss

Pep Guardiola, Pep Lijnders and Kolo Toure have arrived at a system that suits Manchester City's players

Pep Guardiola has an uncanny ability to time his season right.

Like a long-standing sitcom, much of Guardiola's Manchester City career follows the same story arc: a bright September before his side begin to struggle.

As fans and pundits begin to predict City's downfall, Guardiola tinkers with his squad before a long winning streak results in his club being crowned Premier League champions.

Whether that storyline plays out at the end of this season is yet to be seen but Guardiola has finally landed on a system he trusts for the run-in.

Watch live on BBC One and BBC iPlayer and listen on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra and BBC Sounds (both UK users only). Follow both and live text commentary on the BBC Sport website and app.

Manchester City started the season with a 4-0 win at Wolves

Of the team that started last Sunday's win over Arsenal, only three started their opening league match on 16 August – Erling Haaland, Jeremy Doku and captain Bernardo Silva.

City won 4-0 against now relegated Wolves.

The key differences then were that Rico Lewis and Rayan Ait-Nouri moved in-field from their full-back positions to support Nico Gonzalez while Silva moved into a more attacking midfield position alongside Tijjani Reijnders.

Out of possession, City pressed high. Doku and Oscar Bobb defended close to Haaland, but that often left Wolves' full-backs free.

That detail would become important. Across the season, City would repeatedly tweak their defensive structure as opponents found various ways to find the spare man.

Early on, City leaned into attacking transitions.

Inspired by assistant Pep Lijnders and signings like Reijnders, they attacked quicker than previous Guardiola sides, destroying Wolves on the counter. This also suited Haaland, who started the season in impressive scoring form but was something Guardiola later reeled in, preferring more measured games.

Rayan Ait-Nouri and Rico Lewis move into more narrow positions from full-back. Nico Gonzales anchors the midfield with Tijjani Reijnders and Bernardo Silva pushing on

On 23 August, City lost 2-0 at home to a Tottenham side who are now battling relegation.

Omar Marmoush replaced Doku, while Rayan Cherki came into midfield instead of Silva alongside Gonzalez and Reijnders.

The principles stayed the same – invite pressure before looking to release fast attackers into space.

As the season progressed, man-to-man pressure has been a key trend. Guardiola's early attempts to deal with this lay in drawing opponents on to City before launching the ball early, looking to find Haaland and Marmoush two against two in the opposing half.

City drew Spurs' players on to them from goal-kicks, leaving Marmoush and Haaland up top resulting in a two against two

City pressed in what looked like a 2-3 shape. Haaland jumped to the centre-back in possession while Bobb and Marmoush started narrow before being asked to press the full-backs. At times they were slow to get across, allowing Pedro Porro to play accurate long balls down the line.

Spurs vacated the centre and overloaded the flanks, resulting in Gonzalez often finding himself with nobody to mark while the defence played a high line and offside trap to minimal success.

For Spurs' first goal, Pedro Porro played long down the line. Pape Matar Sarr, Spurs' third midfielder, stepped into attack alongside Richarlison, attracting attention from Ruben Dias who had been dragged out of position. John Stones tried to apply an offside trap, slipping in the process.

Problems, particularly in defence, continued to grow as City lost to Brighton on 31 August.

City tweaked their press again. The wingers now pressed the centre-backs instead of the full-backs.

The left winger pressed Jan Paul van Hecke while left-back Ait-Nouri had to sprint long distances to reach Brighton's right-back Joel Veltman once Brighton progressed the ball.

A Rodri short of rhythm after injury returned but found himself on the same island Gonzalez did the week prior, disconnected from both defence and midfield, without a player to mark.

Brighton outnumbered City's defenders with their forward line, a damning indictment of the visitors' set-up.

Brighton progress the ball from centre-back to central midfielder before finding their right full-back. This triggers City's left-back to run but the distances are too large to cover

City responded with a 3-0 derby win over Manchester United on 14 September.

Reijnders started his fourth game in a row, this time alongside Phil Foden, both playing in front of Rodri. The pair would form a key partnership in the opening months.

Doku drifted inside from his left-wing position in build-up play, while Nico O'Reilly, starting at left-back for the first time that season, pinned Noussair Mazraoui back.

This worked remarkably well and Doku's narrow and roaming winger role became a key Guardiola weapon for the rest of the season.

It helped City create a four-man overload against United's midfield two and nudged Guardiola's men in the right direction.

Nico O'Reilly stands on the touchline, Jeremy Doku moves into midfield and City have an overload centrally

City beat Burnley 5-1 on 27 September with Gonzalez, Foden and Reijnders in midfield. O'Reilly kept his place at left-back with Josko Gvardiol, Dias and Matheus Nunes making up the back four.

Guardiola was beginning to identify pieces he liked.

Doku and Haaland were mainstays in the front three now. The right-wing position, subject to change, was filled by Savinho.

Pep's thinking at this point was to deploy traditional wingers – Doku and Savinho, who could get to the byline with Foden and Reijnders expected to arrive into the box to help Haaland score goals.

City's full-backs could rotate out wide but generally tucked into midfield aiming to support attacks and protect City from counters.

Protection centrally and late runs into the box have been key principles for Guardiola throughout his career.

As the season progressed, Guardiola altered his instructions hoping to find the right combination of players to carry out these tasks. O'Reilly, the manager realised with time, was far more valuable as a scorer than a player who prevented counter-attacks.

Jeremy Doku gets to the byline as Phil Foden and Tijjani Reijnders (white) attack the box. Full-backs Nico O'Reilly and Matheus Nunes (yellow) support centrally

In City's 1-0 loss to Villa on 26 October, Guardiola started with a midfield of Silva, Reijnders and Foden and an attack of Savinho, Haaland and Bobb.

Villa were able to pass around City's high press and it was telling that Guardiola changed things in the 61st minute with a triple substitution.

Gonzalez, Doku and O'Reilly came on together, a nod to what Guardiola now knew mattered more than ever. Given the current state of the Premier League, embodied by an imposing Villa side, City's had learned a valuable lesson around the value of physicality.

Guardiola outclassed Bournemouth 3-1 on 2 November and Doku again was given his free role in-field. O'Reilly and Doku were beginning to form an impressive and rotating partnership that Guardiola would rely on for the run-in.

Bournemouth pressed in a strict, aggressive man-to-man fashion and as they followed the winger into awkward positions, O'Reilly burst into the open space.

Cherki started on the right, moving in-field too. The Frenchman's influence gradually began to increase from this point on and in the small spaces, alongside Doku and Foden, Bournemouth struggled to find any reference against their fluidity.

With Andoni Iraola's men stepping up, City were able to find Haaland running in behind and won comfortably.

City persisted with this narrow front three against Liverpool on 9 November with the full-backs tracking Doku and Cherki into their own half before O'Reilly again showcased his dynamic running ability with Guardiola taking note o

📰 மூல செய்தி (Source): https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/articles/cy419pnepwpo?at_medium=RSS&at_campaign=rss