free web page counters admin – Page 916 – Koko Cafe

admin

Snooker star Mark Williams, 49, is ‘not normal’ as world No3 is left stunned after Champion of Champions win

MARK WILLIAMS has earned a “ridiculous” tribute after finally winning the Champion of Champions title – aged 49.

World No3 Mark Allen claimed it’s “not normal” that the Welshman is still so good.

a man wearing a shirt that says mark william snooker.com
Mark Williams landed his first ever Champion of Champions crown
Rex

Williams turned professional 32 years ago and lifted the first of his three world crowns back in 2000.

Nonetheless, he was close to his peak at times as he beat Xiao Guodong 10-6 in Sunday’s final to win £150,000.

Williams said afterwards he was “over the moon”.

And he’s certainly not over the hill – judging by both his performance and the reaction of rivals.

Xiao, 35, battled back from 5-0 down to trail just 5-4, helped by two century breaks.

But Williams then rattled off table visits of 104, 62, 80, 95 and 67 to clinch his maiden Champion of Champions glory.

Northern Irishman Allen posted on X: “Ridiculous again from Mark Williams… to be still be one of the very best in the game at his age is not normal.” 

The 38-year-old added: “One of the all-time greats for sure. Enjoy your victory kebab.”

FOOTBALL FREE BETS AND SIGN UP DEALS

The world No6 replied: “ty [Thank you] Pistol” – Allen’s nickname.

And despite his 50th birthday coming next March, he stressed he’s in mood to stop competing at the top level.

Williams said: “I’m not going to retire – I’m enjoying it.

“What a feeling. I can’t really believe it. I’m going to keep playing until I fall off the tour – whenever that is.”

He also had a mischievous swipe at pal Stephen Hendry – after the veteran’s decision to change his equipment was proved resoundingly right.

Williams told ITV4: “I had a new cue, which I knew I was going to struggle with, I knew I was going to lose two or three first-rounders.

‘I’ve been getting slated by a lot of people for changing cues – I’m not going to mention any names, Hendry.

“But it’s starting to come alright now and all of a sudden the cue is the best thing I’ve ever had in my hands.”

Read More »

Four simple cheap steps to stay safe and still cycle through winter

DARKER days and cold, wet weather can put you off wanting to head out on your bike.

But cycling can save you money on the commute and keep you active, without the cost of a gym membership.

a man wearing a helmet and a green jacket
Four simple cheap steps to stay safe and still cycle through winter
Getty

With a few simple steps you can stay safe and still cycle through winter . . . 

MAINTENANCE: Make sure your bike is in good working order before hitting the road.

Halfords offers a free bike health check in stores, which takes around 30 minutes.

An expert will look over your model and ensure it is roadworthy by inspecting the frame, wheels and brake system among other areas.

Any type of bike will be looked over free of charge, including child models.

Just book online to find your nearest store.

If there are repairs needed, you will be given an estimate of costs but there is no obligation to get work carried out at Halfords.

It’s worth getting a couple of different quotes so you can compare and find the best value.

ADJUST YOUR RIDE: Check the weather forecast for when you’re planning to ride.

When it’s wet or slippery you’ll need to slow down to stay safe, so give yourself extra time for your journey.

Make sure you have bike lights on and are wearing reflective clothing, especially when dark and in low light.

PLAN YOUR ROUTE: Map out your journey before you set off. If you’re looking for new routes, try komoot.com.

You can sign up for free and find loops based on difficulty and distance.

SAFETY IN NUMBERS: Join a cycling group to meet new people and help feel safer when out cycling.

Most clubs have different groups based on the speed you are happy to ride at.

There are more than 1,000 groups affiliated with Cycling UK.

You can find your nearest at cyclinguk.org/group-listing.

Prices for joining vary, but you can expect to pay around £25 a year for membership.

  • All prices on page correct at time of going to press. Deals and offers subject to availability.

Deal of the day

a bunch of makeup brushes and sponges on a pink background
Supplied
This eight-piece Studio London brush collection is down from £30 to £10 at Superdrug[/caption]

UPGRADE your beauty tools with this eight-piece Studio London brush collection, down from £30 to £10 at Superdrug.

SAVE: £20

Cheap treat

a bottle of baylis & harding moonlight fig hand wash
Supplied
This limited-edition Baylis & Harding hand wash is just £2.25 at Tesco[/caption]

GIVE your bathroom a touch of style with this limited-edition Baylis & Harding hand wash, £2.25 at Tesco.

What's new?

BEEFEATER has nostalgic classics on its festive menu, including chicken liver and brandy pate, prawn cocktail and steak Diane.

Choose two courses from the set menu for £19.95 or three for £23.95.

Top swap

a bottle of baileys the original irish cream
Supplied
Toast the festive season with Baileys for £10 from Asda[/caption]
a bottle of ballycastle country cream classic on a white background
Supplied
Or get a similar taste with Aldi’s Ballycastle Country Cream for just £4.99[/caption]

TOAST the festive season with Baileys, £10 from Asda.

Or get a similar taste, while saving cash, with Aldi’s Ballycastle Country Cream, for £4.99

SAVE: £5.01

Little helper

USE one of these cute repair patches, £4.99 for two at H&M, to mend kids’ clothing when they get rips or holes.

Shop & save

a white xbox controller sits on top of a green alarm clock
Supplied
Save £5 on this Xbox alarm clock at B&M[/caption]

HELP a gaming fan get out of bed in the morning with this Xbox alarm clock, down from £20 to £15 at B&M.

SAVE: £5

Hot right now

ORDER a personalised greeting card at ryman.co.uk from £2.99 and pick up in your local store in as little as 60 minutes.

PLAY NOW TO WIN £200

a red and white logo for the sun raffle
Join thousands of readers taking part in The Sun Raffle

JOIN thousands of readers taking part in The Sun Raffle.

Every month we’re giving away £100 to 250 lucky readers – whether you’re saving up or just in need of some extra cash, The Sun could have you covered.

Every Sun Savers code entered equals one Raffle ticket.

The more codes you enter, the more tickets you’ll earn and the more chance you will have of winning!

Read More »

Erling Haaland does pull ups on cliff edge and runs with wolves as Man City ace stars in insane Beats by Dre advert

MANCHESTER CITY striker Erling Haaland takes centre stage in the latest Beats by Dre advert set in Norway.

The short film shows of the 22-year-old’s incredible strength and endurance.

a man is kneeling down next to two husky dogs in the woods .
Erling Haaland stars in the latest Beats by Dre campaign
a man is climbing up a rock with a waterfall in the background .
The striker is seen doing pull-ups on the edge of a cliff
a man wearing headphones is laying in the snow
The striker ends the advert waking up under a blanket of snow

It opens with Haaland meditating among a pack of wolves in the forest before he embarks on a run through the Norwegian mountains.

The striker is then seen jogging on a spinning log in the middle of a calm lake.

He continues his workout by doing pull-ups on the edge of a cliff before chopping a pile of wood and walking across hot coals with his bare feet.

It ends with Haaland waking up under a blanket of snow, putting on his sky blue headphones and staring down the camera.

The ad is for Beats’ latest campaign titled: “Ordinary is for everyone else.”

Haaland’s presence in the Premier League has been far from ordinary since he joined Man City two years ago.

In his first season in England, the striker broke a record set by Andy Cole and Alan Shearer to become the highest-scoring Prem star in a single campaign.

He already has two Golden Boots to his name, as well as two Premier League titles, the Champions League, the FA Cup and the UEFA Super Cup.

FOOTBALL FREE BETS AND SIGN UP DEALS

Haaland is understood to be in line to become the Prem’s top earner.

The striker has reportedly been offered a new deal at Man City that will make him the highest-paid star in the history of England’s top flight.

He currently earns £375,000-per-week at the Etihad, but City bosses are willing to up that to £500,000-per-week.

The proposed deal allegedly runs until the end of the 2028-29 campaign.

Who are these famous footballers?

Read More »

Bargain hunters are racing to nab cabin case that’s been slashed to just £3 – and it’s perfect for EasyJet flights

SHOPPERS are legging it to get to their nearest B&M store, keen to get their hands on cabin cases and bags that have been slashed.

So if you’re lucky enough to be jetting abroad any time soon, but don’t want to fork out for a hold bag, you’ve come to the right place.

a gray bag with a tag that says 18 on it
Facebook/Bargain Lovers
Bargain hunters are sprinting to get to B&M, eager to nab cabin bags and cases that have been reduced[/caption]
a sign that says reduced to clear on it
Facebook/Bargain Lovers
This £3 bag, which has a carry handle and wheels, is suitable for Easyjet flights[/caption]
a black excel foldable cabin case sits on a chair
Facebook/Bargain Lovers
Not only will they fit all of your holiday bits in, but they’ll save you cash too[/caption]
excel foldable cabin case 50 x 35 x 20cm suitable for most airlines
Facebook/Bargain Lovers
For just £3, this foldable cabin case is a real bargain[/caption]

There’s nothing more annoying than trying to squeeze your holiday items into a tiny rucksack to take with you on a flight, but thanks to these affordable bags, you’ll be able to fit in everything you need for your next trip.

And you won’t have to worry about getting a tape measure out, as these bags are suitable for EasyJet flights.

It comes after one bargain hunter was browsing her local B&M, when she spotted the epic discounts.

Thrilled with her finds, Melania Theodor Eli took to social media to share a close-up look at her cheap buys, leaving many open-mouthed.

Posting on BARGAIN LOVERS, Poundland, Home Bargains, B&M, Primark, The Range, a public Facebook group with 417,600 members, Melania shared snaps of her purchases – a cabin bag and a cabin case – and wrote: “My bargain for today from B&M.”

Melania was lucky enough to get her hands on the Bordlite cabin carry-on, which was once priced at £18, but had since been reduced to just £3.

The grey bag has multiple organiser pockets, a handy carry handle and is made from a durable material.

It’s got two wheels so can be pushed along if you prefer and it’s suitable for putting under your seat on an EasyJet flight.

Not only is it now incredibly affordable, but it’s £15 cheaper than its original price too.

But not only did Melania nab this epic bargain, she also swiped an Excel foldable cabin case too.

The case, which is hailed as ‘suitable for most airlines’ was once £15, but had also been slashed to just £3, saving Melania an impressive £12.

The handy cabin bag is ideal for weekends and business trips and is designed to fit all the major airlines’ size requirements.

Holiday packing tips

Jemma Solomon, aka The Label Lady has got 5 packing tips to help you get organised for your next holiday.

1. Write a list

Think about all the essentials you need to take with you; suncream, medicine, a few games for the kids, beach towels, and write everything in one list, which you can tick off as you add it to your suitcase.

Or for complete ease, try Google’s AI app – Gemini – which will create a list for you and help you not over pack.

2. Involve your kids

Jemma said: “My girls are getting older, they’re 11 and nine, and they enjoy helping to pack. So I send them a list, and say ‘this is what you need’ and they follow the list. 

“And then I give them a rucksack each – and say to them ‘you can have whatever you want in there as long as it’s not liquid’, and they can take that on the plane. And that’s their ‘home away from home’ items.” 

3. Try a hack or two

She said: “I think they all work, but for different reasons – and you’ve just got to pick the right one for your trip.

“Rolling your clothes is really good to stop your clothes from getting creases. And if you’re trying to get a lot of items into your case, it’s a space saver. 

“Packing cubes are great – for example, I’m going on holiday with my three kids and we’re all using the same suitcase for our clothes.

“These handy compartments let you separate your clothes, toiletries and tech into designated cubes, maximising luggage space by keeping your items compressed and neatly stacked.

“I love taking them abroad with the family and it means my kids can easily take charge of their own items once we’ve arrived.”

4. Decant beauty products

Do you really need to take full-size bottles of shampoo and conditioner with you? The beauty industry has evolved so much, you can now buy shampoo bars or sheets – which are much lighter and smaller.

Or, if you’ll be popping to the shops when you’re abroad, consider buying some items when you arrive.

5. Get organised before you come home

Jemma said: “When you repack on holiday [before coming home], the trick is to separate clean from dirty clothes. 

“Also pack it in some form of order – so lights, darks, colours for items that need washing, or if you wash your clothes by person in the household, piles for each person. 

“Then you can put it straight into the washing machine. Do it straight away, don’t leave it.”

It provides a substantial 30L packing capacity and is perfect for easy travel.

Not only is it compact and lightweight, but it fits in overhead cabin space, making it the perfect hand luggage bag

Bargain hunters react

Social media users were clearly left stunned by Melania’s discounted purchases, as her post has quickly racked up over 450 likes.

Savvy shoppers rushed to the comments to praise the cheap finds, with many keen to nab themselves one. 

Just the right size for a cabin bag

Facebook user

One person said: “What a bargain.”

Another added: “Ooo, think I will go look.” 

Whilst a third simply commented: “Amazing.” 

At the same time, one travel enthusiast penned: “I got one for going away in October.

“Just the right size for a cabin bag.” 

Read More »

‘The original has NOT been discontinued’ says top choc brand as Christmas favourite now in TWO sizes

A POPULAR chocolate brands has made a major change to their festive offering – with a top-selling Christmas favourite now available in TWO sizes.

Tony’s Chocoloney has revealed they’re making their huge iconic Christmas countdown calendar also available in a smaller version for the first time ever.

two tony 's chocolonely countdown calendars on a green background
Tony’s Chocoloney has made a mini version of their huge Christmas countdown calendar
the back of a tony 's chocolately countdown calendar
But they’ve moved to reassure choc fans that the large version is still available
santa is holding a bag of tony 's chocolates
Tony’s also have a cute mini pouch available in their Christmas range

And the two Christmas calendars are already selling out across Irish stores – with both not available from the exact same retailers.

Tony’s bosses revealed that their “returning big favourite” – the revamped mega countdown calendar – is “back and better than ever” with a brand new design.

The ethical choc maestros, on a mission to make all chocolate production totally slave-free, have kept their calendar slots unequally divided to highlight inequality in the chocolate industry.

The calendar is packed with 25 tasty Tiny Tony’s chocolates in ten fun flavours and is available in Dunnes Stores and Tesco, as well as speciality stores like Brown Thomas.

The big difference with the compact countdown calendar, apart from the size, is that it only includes two of Tony’s classic flavours – milk caramel sea salt and milk chocolate – across the 24 chocolates included.

The €12 version is available from Supervalu and Centra as well as selected independent stores.

And Tony’s bosses were quick to correct fans who feared the original supersized calendar had been discontinued.

They said: “Hold up.. hold up. Let’s clear up some choco countdown calendar confusion.

“Our original countdown calendar has NOT been discontinued, it’s quite the choco-opposite.

“The big countdown cal now has a NEW smaller countdown pal! By our choco-mathematics that’s two Tony’s countdown calendars this year.

“Makin’ its festive debut..our smaller countdown cal was designed for our choco fans with a serious cocoa crush for our milk + milk caramel sea salt Tiny Tony’s, enjoy these two flavours day by day ‘till the big 25.

“Or enjoy the OG..with 10 flaves of Tiny Tony’s to discover in a box so big it’ll make your door frame say ‘oh heck, oh crumbs!'”

Also in Tony’s festive treat range this year are the Tiny Tony’s Christmas pouch with 15 bite-sized treats across a mix of flavours, priced at €6 in Supervalu, Centra and Tesco stores.

FESTIVE FEAST

The Tiny Tony’s Gift Box has 20 Tiny Tony’s across five classic flavours and is €7.29 from Tesco and independent shops.

And if it’s a chocolate bar you’re after, the Christmas tasting pack includes six small bars across the brand’s top-selling flavours, on sale for €10 across SuperValu, Centra and speciality stores.

Choc chiefs urged Irish punters to choose this Christmas season to make an impact by snapping up their fair trade treats.

They said: “Tony’s is tackling exploitation in the cocoa supply chain all year round but with chocolate sales ready to reach new heights this festive season, Tony’s Chocolonely invites us all to ask: is the chocolate we’re enjoying naughty or nice?

“By choosing Tony’s, you’re supporting a fairer, more sustainable chocolate industry – and staying on Santa’s Nice List while indulging in delicious treats – it’s a win-win for everyone!”

Fans were whipped into a frenzy when Tony’s announced their new festive line-up.

One said: “OMG! Now I just can’t wait for Christmas!”

Another wrote: “Is there any other choice BUT Tony’s?? I don’t see one.. gotta be the big red calendar for me.”

One more added: “The small one is tooooo cute.”

Another said: “You’ve literally thought of everything. You guys are amazing.”

a row of tony 's chocolonely bars on a green table
The Christmas bar tasting pack is €10

Read More »

Sweden, Finland urge citizens to prepare for possibility of war | Reporter Replay

Sweden and Finland have all begun warning their residents to prepare for the possibility of war as Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine rages on. Stockholm on Nov. 18 published its latest version of “In Case of Crisis or War,” a pamphlet instructing civilians on how to prepare for, and ride out, a national crisis that...

Read More »

I’m a menopause expert — these 3 supplements will help boost your fading libido

Every day in America, an estimated 6,000 women reach menopause — and more than two million enter that stage each year. Menopause — when a woman has gone 12 months without a period — typically occurs between the ages of 45 and 55. Symptoms include anxiety, mood changes, hot flashes, sleep problems, weight gain, and slowed metabolism. Another major tell?...

Read More »