News

Paul Pogba has tested positive for coronavirus

Pogba and fellow teammate Tanguy Ndombele have been left out of France's squad for the Nations League games against Sweden and Croatia as a result.

The Manc The Manc - 27th August 2020

Manchester United midfielder Paul Pogba has returned a positive test for COVID-19, according to reports.

His France teammate – and Tottenham Hotspur centre-mid Tanguy Ndombele – has also tested positive for the virus.

The pair have been left out of France’s squad for the upcoming Nations League games against Sweden and Croatia as a result.

Both players will now have to self-isolate.

France manager Didier Deschamps confirmed the news, stating: “I had to make a last-minute change to this list, because Paul Pogba was planned to be in this list but unfortunately for him, he took a test (for COVID-19) yesterday which turned out to be positive today, so at the last minute he was replaced by Eduardo Camavinga.”

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Beloved Manchester artist Stanley Chow slams Conservative Party for using his artwork

Daisy Jackson Daisy Jackson Stanley Chow has lashed out at the Conservative Party

Celebrated local artist Stanley Chow has lashed out at the Conservative Party.

The illustrator, who is famed for his cartoon portraits of famous faces, has discovered that the political party have been using his Andy Burnham illustration at their party conference.

Publicly addressing the usage, Stanley said he would be ‘seeking legal advice’.

He shared a photo of his Andy Burnham portrait that has been placed onto a water bottle with the slogan ‘Bottler Burnham’.

The label also says: “0% strength. Bottled under pressure from Badenoch.”

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In another photo, Stanley Chow revealed that the Tory party conference has used his Andy Burnham portrait on pots of sweets, too.

This time, they say: “Andy Panders’ people pleaser pick n mix. Free sweets for everyone, it will only cost you higher taxes.”

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Stanley wrote: “It seems like @conservatives have been using my artwork without my permission at their conference party…

“Regardless of whatever your political allegiances are, it’s still copyright infringement… I’ll be seeking legal advice.”

Backing him up in the comments are a number of other local artists, including Mancsy, who said: “As well as the copyright infringement, I expect more of political parties than making gags at the expense of the opposition. It’s alarming on multiple levels.”

Someone else wrote: “Imagine calling a prime minister a people pleaser like it’s an insult… when it’s their job.”

Another person said: “How does that even happen?! Layers of people signing off who go, ‘Sure, let’s not worry about copyright’ (people who’ve presumably never step foot in MCR and seen your artwork, like EVERYWHERE). Drag em, babe. Copyright and reputation, surely.”

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Featured image: The Manc Group

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Manchester man jailed after sexually assaulting and masturbating in front of woman on train

Emily Sergeant Emily Sergeant

A man has been jailed after sexually assaulting and masturbating in front of a woman on board a train to Manchester.

Following an extensive British Transport Police (BTP) investigation, Nisan Fernando Kurukulasuriya, of Troutbeck Road in Altrincham, was sentenced at Manchester Crown Court last month.

At the trail last month, the court heard how, on Monday 20 April 2026, 39-year-old Kurukulasuriya was on a train from Stoke to Manchester and sat next to a woman he didn’t know, who was on the phone.

He then sexually assaulted her repeatedly, doing so again even after being pushed away by the woman.

The woman then noticed that Kurukulasuriya had exposed himself and was masturbating in front of her. She shouted at him, and in response, he stood up and ran away to leave the train – but the woman immediately got up to report the incident to staff.

When the train arrived at Manchester Piccadilly, the woman alerted a member of staff while Kurukulasuriya was stood only a few meters away, and BTP were subsequently called straight away.

Police quickly attended and arrested Kurukulasuriya.

When police interviewed him, Kurukulasuriya showed no remorse for his actions and refused to answer any questions put to him.

After pleading guilty to Sexual Assault and Outraging Public Decency at a previous court hearing, Kurukulasuriya was sentenced to eight months’ imprisonment, and was also handed a 10-year Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO) which will bar him from sitting next to any woman he doesn’t know on public transport, as well as being put on thensex offenders register for 10 years.

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BTP Detective Sergeant, Mark Haviland, called Kurukulasuriya a ‘despicable man’ who targeted a woman travelling alone ‘for his own sick sexual gratification’.

Featured Image – BTP

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