Month: May 2025

Natalie Sadler, 43, was travelling from Magaluf, Majorca to Leeds Bradford Airport on May 20 when she was told by a member of staff at the gate to put her suitcase in the baggage sizer

A mum managed to board her Ryanair flight without paying the baggage charge by ditching her suitcase and using a bin bag, leaving a ‘jobsworth’ gobsmacked.

Natalie Sadler was preparing to board her flight from Palma de Majorca to Leeds Bradford on 20 May when she claims a staff member asked her to place her suitcase in the baggage sizer. The 43-year-old caterer had purchased priority boarding for her family holiday to Magaluf, which entitled her to a small personal bag (40x20x25cm) and a 10kg bag (55x40x20cm).

However, Natalie admitted that her 10kg suitcase was a ‘thumbnail’ too big with one of the wheels sticking out. She alleges that a Ryanair staff member then informed her she would need to pay €70 (£58) to take the bag on the flight.

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The mother-of-three claims the same Ryanair staff member told her she had to pay the fee or she wouldn’t be allowed to board the aircraft. Natalie refused to pay the fee, citing the staff member’s ‘rude’ behaviour.

Thinking quickly, she approached a nearby bar at the boarding gate and requested a bin bag. Upon returning to the gate, she emptied all of her clothes from her suitcase into the blue bin bag and left her case behind.

A victorious Natalie boarded the plane with the bin bag and stowed it in the overhead locker, triggering applause of from onlookers. Footage shows Natalie discussing her experience and the blue bin bag containing her belongings.

In a dramatic turn at the boarding gate, Natalie was told by Ryanair staff that her suitcase was a mere thumbnail too wide. She recalled: “It [the suitcase] was literally a thumbnail too wide and the wheel was slightly out, so I’m not going to dispute that.”

A Ryanair staff member then gave her an ultimatum: “She [a Ryanair staff member] was like, ‘if you don’t pay €70 (£58) you’ll get a new flight home. I’ll send the flight without you.’ It wasn’t the money, it was the principle at this point because she was so rude.

“But I said to my husband, ‘open the case’ and I ran over to where the bar was near the boarding gate and I went, ‘have you got a bin bag?’ I opened the case at the door for boarding and she [the Ryanair staff member] was stood next to me and I filled the bag with everything out of the case.”

Determined to avoid the additional fee, Natalie flung it over her shoulder “like Santa” and told the Ryanair crew that they could keep her bag. “And off I went onto the plane. When I got on everyone was clapping, it was hilarious, it was so funny,” she added.

READ MORE: Ryanair tells cabin crews they have to give back £1,000s in payREAD MORE: Every UK motorway services ranked from ‘delightful’ winner to ‘urine-smelling’ loser

“Everyone was just laughing. They were clapping as I walked on with this bag. I couldn’t get down the aisle because it was so big. Everyone found it highly amusing. I told them [the passengers on the plane] there was no way after the way she spoke to me was I giving her any of my money. Not a chance.”

Natalie noted that she had used the same suitcase on a Ryanair flight before without any trouble. She claims she had flown out to Palma de Majorca on Ryanair just seven days prior with the same suitcase and experienced no problems.

Natalie, who had received the brand new suitcase as a gift from her parents, was willing to part with it rather than pay the extra fee. She explained: “I was quite happy to forfeit the suitcase. It’s just a suitcase, it’s not the end of the world. I was like, ‘I’m not leaving all my clothes, what am I going to put it in?”.

Natalie decided not to pay the £58 fee for the oversized suitcase, considering it was only worth £45 new.

“It is absolutely ridiculous but I’m glad I stood my ground. There’s so many people who would have just gone, ‘get the card out, pay them’,” she concluded.

A Ryanair spokesperson clarified the airline’s bag policy: “Ryanair’s bag policy is simple; if the bag fits in our bag sizer, which is bigger than our agreed dimensions, it gets on free of charge. If the bag doesn’t fit within our sizer, it will get charged for. This passenger’s bag exceeded the permitted dimensions, and they chose to repack their items in an alternative bag that would fit the sizer instead. There is a very simple solution to this, which is that passengers simply comply with their agreement at the time of booking and travel with bags that fit or are smaller than our agreed bag dimensions.”

“In the first two months of me being professional, I realised that goal’s impossible. I was naive when I said that. I said that before I turned professional.

“I didn’t realise how much you can’t control in this boxing game. You think since I turned professional, the world champions have been Daniel Dubois, Oleksandr Usyk and Tyson Fury.

“There’s no way in two years I would have put myself in a position to fight them.”

Itauma’s two-round destruction of Mike Balogun on Saturday extended his record to 12 wins and 10 knockouts.

He was initially marketed as the teenager to break Tyson’s record, but denied it was only ever a clever “marketing strategy” for his career.

May 28 (UPI) — Israeli warplanes struck the Houthi-controlled Sanaa International Airport in Yemen on Wednesday morning, the Israel Defense Forces said, seemingly in response to missiles recently launched by the militant group toward Israel.

The IDF said in a statement on X that its airstrikes targeted unidentified aircraft belonging to the Houthis.

“The aircraft that were attacked were used by the Houthi terrorist regime to transport terrorists who promoted terrorist acts against the State of Israel,” it said.

Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said the strike destroyed the last remaining planes used by the Houthis at the site that remained following the IDF’s previous attack on the airport on May 6.

“This is a clear message and a direct continuation of the policy we established: Whoever fires at the State of Israel will pay a heavy price,” Katz said in the statement, The Times of Israel reported.

“The ports in Yemen will continue to be struck heavily, and the airport in Sanaa will be destroyed again and again, as will other strategic infrastructures in the area used by the Houthi terror organization and its supporters.”

Houthis, an Iran-backed group, have repeatedly attacked Israel since early in Israel’s war against Hamas in Gaza, which began on Oct. 7, 2023, in response to Hamas’ brutal attack on Israel that killed 1,200 people and saw another 251 kidnapped.

The involvement of the Houthis, also an Iran-proxy militia, increased starting in mid-November when it started to enforce a military blockade of the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden, vowing to attack Israeli ships attempting to pass. It said the blockade was in solidarity with the Palestinian people. The rebels followed by broadening targets to include U.S. military ships.

Israel, with its allies, including the United States, have responded with conducting mass airstrikes in Yemen.

On May 6, Israel attacked the airport in Sanaa, and last week conducted similar airstrikes on ports in Hodeidah and al-Salif.

On Tuesday, the IDF said it had intercepted a missile launched from Yemen.

“This is another example of the Houthi terrorist organization’s brutal use of civilian infrastructure for terrorist activities,” the IDF said Wednesday morning on X, seemingly in reference to the Sanaa airport.

“The IDF is determined to continue to act and strike with force anyone who poses a threat to the residents of the State of Israel, at whatever distance is required.”

DEVELOPING STORYDEVELOPING STORY,

Four strikes hit the runway and a Yemenia Airways plane, according to Houthi-affiliated media report.

Israel says it has launched air strikes on Yemen’s main airport in the capital, Sanaa, a day after Yemen’s Houthi rebels fired two projectiles towards Israel.

The Houthi-affiliated news outlet Al Masirah TV reported on Wednesday that four strikes hit the runway and a Yemenia Airways plane.

Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz said on Wednesday that the Israeli air force struck Houthi “terror targets” at the airport and “destroyed the last aircraft remaining”.

“This is a clear message and a continuation of our policy: whoever fires at the State of Israel will pay a heavy price,” Katz said.

The latest Israeli attack on Yemen comes a day after the Houthi armed group fired two projectiles towards Israel that were shot down by Tel Aviv’s air defences. The Houthis later confirmed that they had launched two “ballistic missiles”.

Sanaa airport, the largest in Yemen, came back into service last week after temporary repairs and runway restoration following previous Israeli strikes.

It was mainly used by United Nations aircraft and the only remaining civilian aircraft of Yemenia Airways, after three others were destroyed in the last attack.

Since Israel began its war on Gaza in October 2023, the Houthis have repeatedly targeted Israel in what they say is solidarity with the Palestinians in the enclave.

This is a developing story.

DI Alistair Banks’ sick exploitation gang has finally been exposed and the corrupt copper has seemingly met a grisly end in Hollyoaks but fans think he’s not the only one

Hollyoaks fans have all said the same thing after the latest “insane” episode.

During Wednesday’s (May 28) dramatic episode, which is available to watch on Channel 4’s website, corrupt copper DI Alistair Banks (Drew Cain) put the lives of Vicky Grant (Anya Lawrence), Dillon Ray (Nathaniel Dass) and Frankie Osborne (Isabelle Smith) in more jeopardy.

Rex Gallagher (Jonny Labey) told Dodger Savage (Danny Mac) about a private auction site he’s sure DI Banks will be using to sell the teens.

At The Loft, DI Banks started the bidding with Vicky and Rex and Dodger tried to be the highest bidders but to no avail. However, Dillon assured Frankie that he had a plan and tried to create a distraction.

Dodger figured out their location and called for back up and an oblivious DI Banks called his mysterious wife to inform her that they’ll be on the move with their money soon.

Ste Hay (Kieron Richardson) was horrified to find his boyfriend Rex bidding on Dillon and demanded answers and Rex finally told Ste thetruth that he was part of the gang and begged for forgiveness but Ste cut all ties with him, labelling him a predator.

The lights got cut off at The Loft and an armed DI Banks went to search the area. He caught Dodger in the act and passed him onto his cronies to deal with him.

Dillon, Frankie and Vicky found weapons and hid from Banks. Vicky made a distraction as Frankie attempted to unlock the door but DI Banks caught her. All the teens fired their guns and DI Banks collapsed to the floor.

Taking to X, formerly known as Twitter, after watching the dramatic episode, one fan penned: “Insane episode omg. #Hollyoaks” Another added: “What an episode!!! #hollyoaks.”

A third persons said: “I have never been so nervous for an episode before omfg!! it was so dark and intense and that ending?? just wow!! amazing episode.”

With DS Banks believed to be dead, fans have been left concerned for hero Dodger. One social media user wrote: “I fear we all got distracted by the everything to realise we don’t know Dodgers fate and now I’m scared they killed Dodger.”

Another added: “Please tell me they didn’t kill Dodger off. #Hollyoaks.” A third wrote: “Im sad now please no Dodger! i need to know what happened to him! #hollyoaks.”

Hollyoaks airs Monday to Wednesday on E4 at 7pm and first look episodes can be streamed Channel 4 from 7am

When the Sparks traded for Kelsey Plum, the buzz around her reunion with former championship teammate Dearica Hamby centered on one thing: their pedigree elevating the franchise.

On Tuesday night, fans got a glimpse of the potential that the duo could attain. The chemistry. The comfort. The way they fed off each other’s energy — stepping up when the Sparks needed it most, looking to build momentum off a previous hard-fought victory.

By the fourth quarter of an 88-82 loss to the Atlanta Dream (4-2) on Tuesday night at Crypto.com Arena, the Sparks (2-4) were on the verge of a comeback. A steal by Hamby near midcourt turned into an outlet on the fastbreak to Plum, who quickly dished it back for the finish, trimming the deficit to 66–63.

The second half belonged to them. Plum and Hamby combined for 39 points to rally the Sparks from a 40–31 halftime hole. Like clockwork, Plum buried a clutch three-pointer to cut the lead to 71–70 — the closest L.A. would get. Hamby’s late free throws pulled them to within two in the final minutes.

They led by example — attacking the basket, applying pressure on defense, diving for loose balls — doing everything necessary to win the close games the Sparks have so often found themselves in this season.

But in the end, like so often before, their effort fell just short.

Although the duo played with a sense of urgency, it’s still something the team as a whole struggles to sustain over a full 40 minutes, according to head coach Lynne Roberts. It seemed they might have turned a corner Sunday, but that performance now feels like the exception, not the start of a trend.

“My message to the group was we’ve got to be able to put 40 minutes together and not get down and then play with that urgency,” Roberts said. “We have the ability to play like that more, and that’s what I’d like to see when we go in those spurts or the droughts.”

As a team, the drought came in the second quarter. Coming off their highest-scoring game of the season, the Sparks looked out of sorts against a staunch Atlanta defense that refused to give up easy baskets.

The Dream disrupted the Sparks’ rhythm from the start, denying space for them to initiate sets, locate open shooters or generate meaningful possessions — the blueprint of Roberts’ offense. That inefficiency became more pronounced as the quarter progressed, when opportunities came sparingly and turnovers, whether from steals or denied attempts at the rim, became a recurring theme.

“I could do a better job,” Plum said, shouldering the brunt of the offensive inefficiency in the period. “Getting the people the ball, good shot. And I think we had a lot of good looks around the rim early… Just missed them, and credit to them.”

Plum finished with 27 points, five assists, three rebounds and four steals, and Hamby had 28 points, eight assists, six rebounds and four steals of her own, with Roberts adding that “those are stupid numbers. And her defense there in the second half got us back in it.”

With inconsistency still prevalent and struggles to close out games lingering, Plum and Hamby agree the team is close to improving, but the process is ongoing.

“If you watch these game, we’re right freaking there,” Plum said.

Hamby says success won’t come this early in the season, reflecting on her and Plum’s championship experience in Las Vegas.

“We enjoy the process — been part of the process,” Hamby said. “We know that it’s not like it happens overnight. It’s not going to happen in the first six games of the season.

“Obviously, we want to compete and we want to keep building. But perspective: this is a new group. We’re learning a whole new system. It’s predicated on chemistry, movement, space, team.”

But the road to success remains a marathon.

The Sparks will have only a few days to continue their team-building efforts before hitting the road for a matchup in Las Vegas against the Aces — the former home of both All-Stars. For Plum, it signifies her first return since the offseason trade.

The quick turnaround also gives Rickea Jackson, fresh off a concussion, more time to ease back into the lineup.

With starters logging heavy minutes and rookies thrust into high-pressure roles early in the season, the Sparks simply needed more bodies to ease the burden. The return of Rickea Jackson was a welcome boost.

Still, the Sparks took a cautious approach to her reintroduction. Jackson came off the bench and played limited minutes (12) mostly in the second half, as she worked to reacclimate to the pace of live play.

At times, she looked like a player still finding her rhythm, missing shots she typically makes and picking up uncharacteristic fouls. She finished with more fouls than any other stat: three fouls and just one rebound.

The world’s largest Bitcoin conference is taking place in Las Vegas, Nevada from May 27-29.

This year’s event includes several speakers from US President Donald Trump’s circle including Vice President JD Vance; Trump’s two eldest sons, Donald Trump Jr and Eric Trump; as well as White House crypto tsar David Sacks.

Trump’s favourable view of cryptocurrency and his family’s heavy involvement in the industry is raising concerns about the integrity of Trump’s administration and how he is using his influence as president of the United States.

How has Bitcoin performed under Trump?

Over the past week, Bitcoin reached an all-time high of $111,970, marking a 2.6 percent increase from its previous Inauguration Day peak of $109,114.

Since Donald Trump’s re-election in November 2024, Bitcoin has surged 60 percent, rising from about $69,539 at close on Election Day to its current record level.

The cryptocurrency briefly dropped below $90,000 on February 25, amid market jitters triggered by Trump’s announcement of new tariffs on multiple countries and industries worldwide, before recovering.

What were the policies during the Biden administration?

During the Biden administration, government policy on cryptocurrency was mixed, with a plethora of lawsuits brought against crypto firms by then Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) chair Gary Gensler, who has been replaced under the new Trump administration. There were also major moves to adopt cryptocurrency, with the SEC approving 11 spot Bitcoin ETFs in January 2024.

In 2022 and into 2023, the crypto market faced major drawdowns following the implosion of Bahamas-based cryptocurrency exchange FTX in 2022 and the regional banking crisis in early 2023. This led to the Federal Reserve Board releasing statements to banks on the risks of crypto assets, which it has recently withdrawn.

What are Trump’s crypto policies?

The crypto industry has emerged as a significant political player, contributing large sums to support Trump and other legislators.

Much of Biden’s crypto policies have been rescinded under the Trump administration, with the US Senate advancing key pro-crypto legislation such as the establishment of the Strategic Bitcoin Reserve and the Digital Asset Stockpile, aimed at maintaining control of Bitcoin seized as part of “criminal or civil asset forfeiture proceedings”.

Trump’s cryptocurrency policies included appointing pro-crypto figures to key regulatory roles, such as naming Paul Atkins as the new SEC chair.

The most recent rally in Bitcoin is largely prompted by investor optimism over a more crypto-friendly administration and proposed regulatory changes to reduce barriers to entry in the crypto asset markets.

Unlike fiat currencies, Bitcoin’s maximum supply is 21 million coins. Because of this, the White House has stated “there is a strategic advantage to being among the first nations to create a strategic Bitcoin reserve.”

What if Bitcoin were a country?

With Bitcoin priced at $110,000 and a circulating supply of approximately 19.87m BTC, its market capitalisation stands at roughly $2.18 trillion.

If Bitcoin were a country, it would be a major economic powerhouse, ranking roughly in the top 10 worldwide by gross domestic product (GDP) size, roughly on par with countries like Brazil ($2.17 trillion), Canada ($2.14 trillion) or Russia ($2.02 trillion).

What are the regulations and ethics on government officials’ involvement in crypto?

Just before taking office, Trump launched the $TRUMP meme coin at a Crypto Ball held in Washington, DC. Meme coins are often created as a joke and are susceptible to volatile price movements, however, Trump’s coin has allowed top investors access to him.

Last week, President Trump hosted top investors for a cryptocurrency project at his luxury golf course in Northern Virginia. It’s estimated investors spent $148m on the $TRUMP coin to secure their seats at the dinner, with the top 25 spending more than $111m, according to crypto intelligence firm Inca Digital, the Reuters news agency reported.

While the White House insisted Trump would be attending the event “in his personal time”, he spoke at the event behind a podium marked with the presidential seal.

When Trump’s meme coin launched, it first surged, then fell in value, while its creators, which include an entity linked to the Trump Organization, made hundreds of millions in trading fees.

The Trump family is now deeply invested in crypto, with ventures like First Lady Melania Trump’s coin and a stake in World Liberty Financial, a cryptocurrency firm founded in 2024.

While government officials have financial disclosure requirements, and regulatory agencies can monitor the goings-on of officials, critics have warned of conflicts of interest, as Trump backs crypto after once opposing it, potentially using policy to boost his own gains.

A WHOPPING 120 million Cornish pasties are baked every year in the UK, making them one of the nation’s favourite snacks.

Genuine bakes must be made in the namesake country, contain at least 12.5 per cent beef and 25 per cent root veg.

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But not all of us can make it to the South West to try one, so how do the supermarket options measure up?

LYNSEY HOPE finds out:

Ginsters Original Cornish Pasty (227g)

• £1.95 (£1.95 each)
• Nutrition: 597 calories, 35g fat, 3.7g sugar, 2.1g salt

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Lynsey says: “Given the high price and the somewhat shocking calorie, fat and sugar content, I didn’t want to like these.

“But I did.

“There was a good filling with 15% British beef as well as the traditional potato, swede and onion.

“It was big with a staggering 35g fat and nearly 600 calories – and very filling – definitely a meal as opposed to a snack.

“The pastry was rich and flavoursome though I didn’t like the added turmeric.

“Why mess with a classic?”

• Taste: 4/5
• Value: 4/5
• Overall score: 8/10

Tesco Cornish Pasties (520g)

• £2.50 for 4 (62.5p each)
• Nutrition: 364 calories, 23.3g fat, 9.5g fat, 2.6g sugar, 0.98g fat

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Lynsey says: “These pasties came out smelling very appetising and they had a lovely pepperiness on the tongue.

“They are huge, proper wedges, and I liked the flakiness of the puff pastry.

“There’s a good helping of beef at 18 per cent and these had one of the highest levels of swede, at nine per cent.

“A crowd-pleasing family pack for a good price.”

• Taste: 4/5
• Value: 5/5
• Overall score: 9/10

Asda Cornish Pasties (520g)

• £2.74 for 4 (68.5p each)

• Nutrition: 364 calories, 23g fat, 2.3g sugar, 0.86g salt

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Lynsey says: “Not the tastiest but they are good value and they are filled with a generous 18 per cent beef.

“The filling was dense but a lot of it was onion and it was definitely lacking in swede.

“It’s alright for a meal or snack but I fear pasty purists would not like this.”

• Taste: 2/5
• Value: 2/5
• Overall score: 4/10

Morrisons Cornish Pasties (520g)

• £3.20 (80p each)
• Nutrition: 373 calories, 25.1g fat, 2.1g sugar, 1.16g salt

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Lynsey says: “Very similar to the Tesco pasties with a generous 19 per cent beef.

“The pastry was well cooked and they gave a nice peppery hit on the tongue.

“Perhaps too much spud – I’d have preferred more vegetables.

“Whilst there was seven per cent swede, there was no carrot that I could detect and too much onion.

“Overly salty, too.

“Over 17p more each than the Tesco pasties and not as nice.”

• Taste: 3/5
• Value: 3/5
• Overall score: 6/10

M&S Cornish Pasties (300g)

• £3.50 for 2 (£1.75 each)

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Lynsey says: “Unlike lots of other pasties we tried, this one was made with flaky pastry.

“It was a little fragile with lots of pastry breaking off when I tried to heat it in the oven.

“It was incredibly tasty though.

“The pastry was well-baked and the pasty itself was generously filled with heaps of meat, potato and swede.

“The meat is beef skirt, as per the traditional recipe, which made this juicy and lovely.

“Pricey – but a cut above the other supermarket options.”

• Taste: 5/5
• Value: 4/5
• Overall score: 9/10

Aldi Crestwood Beef and Vegetable Pasty (200g)

• 69p for 1 (69p each)
• Nutrition: 544 calories, 28.5g fat, 3.1g sugar, 1.55g salt

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Lynsey says: “Aldi’s pasty has a Devon ‘crimp’ which means it is sealed on the top rather than traditional Cornish-style on the side.

“It looks great, very substantial and you can’t argue with the price.

“But the filling was bland and sloppy.

“It was lacking meaty flavour and the chunky texture you’d expect.

“Although there was 17 per cent beef, it was potato heavy and the carrots and swede inside were a bit mulchy.

“Very high in fat and calorific too.”

• Taste: 2/5
• Value: 3/5
• Overall score: 5/10

Waitrose Mini Cornish Pasties (180g)

• £3.75 for 6 (63.5p each)
• Nutrition: 90 calories, 5.60g fat, 0.60g sugar, 0.19g salt

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Lynsey says: “Little pockets of delicious pastry but filled with air.

“The filling was nice but there was really only a teaspoon in each one.

“I enjoyed them immensely and loved the tiny size for a snack.

“They were incredibly moreish and I kept eating one every time I opened the fridge.

“I liked the meaty flavour of the beef and there was lots of swede.

“Whilst they contained palm oil like many of the others, it was sustainable.

“However, for the price, I’d have liked them to be fuller.”

• Taste: 4/5
• Value: 3/5
• Overall score: 7/10

Lidl Chef Select Cornish Pasty (200g)

• Nutrition: 597 calories, 35g fat, 3.7g sugar, 2.1g salt

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Lynsey says: “Lidl‘s pasty was hefty and one of the most appetising on offer.

“After 20 minutes in the oven, the pastry was really nice and flaky and the filling was hearty and flavoursome.

“The meat was tender and not chewy and there as no gristle.

“Surprisingly, it was more expensive for a single pasty than many others, but it was huge so I still felt for less than a £1 it was excellent value for money.

“You could easily make a meal out of this.”

• Taste: 5/5
• Value: 5/5
• Overall score: 10/10

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FANS declared “never fails to deliver” after adidas unveiled next season’s Champions League ball with a zodiac sign-twist.

The German manufacturer is taking charge of the ball for next term’s elite competition once again.

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This term’s design features various colours printed over an all-white ball to produce an almost rainbow-like effect.

But adidas’ new version instead takes a leaf from astrology.

According to Footy Headlines, this time the Champions League ball will be white with blue stars patterned all around.

Each star is trimmed with gold, while the middle will bear the image of each of the 12 zodiac signs.

There is a ram for Aries, a cow for Taurus, twins for Gemini and a crab for Cancer.

Continuing on, there is a lion for Leo, a maiden for Virgo, scales for Libra and a scorpion for Scorpio.

Finally, there is a centaur for Sagittarius, a goal for Capricorn, a water-bearer for Aquarius, and two fish for Pisces.

The eye-catching design is sure to look even more impressive when being knocked around at speed on the pitch.

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And fans were certainly loving it as they reacted to the new ball on social media.

One said: “UCL balls never fail to deliver.”

Another declared: “Beautiful.”

One noted: “Nice.”

Another added: “Winning the UCL with this ball will be great.”

While Liverpool, Arsenal, Manchester City, Chelsea, Newcastle and Tottenham are all planning for next season’s Champions League, United are unable to offer new recruits any European football – let alone a place in Europe’s premier club competition.

Indeed, it is now more than three years since United last played a Champions League knockout tie.

Despite a lowly league finish and absence of European football next season, BBC Sport understands Cunha still views United as a big club – and that the player does not look at it as a risk.

Instead Cunha, who turned 26 on Tuesday and is in peak form, is excited by the enormous challenge of reviving United’s fortunes.

There is a feeling the move makes sense for all parties.

Cunha wants to move to a so-called bigger club, while Wolves get more than £60m to reinvest.

Meanwhile, Wolves have already showed they can win matches without Cunha after securing 10 points from the four Premier League games he missed through suspension following a red card against Bournemouth in the FA Cup in March.

United, who are set to allow England forward Marcus Rashford and Argentina winger Alejandro Garnacho to leave this summer, need to boost the options available to boss Ruben Amorim.

His side managed just 44 top-flight goals in 2024-25 – a club-record low in the Premier League era. Ipswich Town forward Liam Delap, external and Brentford forward Bryan Mbeumo have also been linked.

Cunha has 27 goals in 65 Premier League appearances over the past two seasons and is regarded at United as someone who can make an instant impact, while at the same time add experience to the team.

“United are lucky they still have their historic appeal and reputation as a club, so players of the Brazilian’s quality and potential want to move there,” former England midfielder Fara Williams told BBC Sport.

“If he does, there is no doubt he improves the squad.”

Colombo, Sri Lanka — As a girl, when Srimathi Mallika Kaluarachchi would go to the cinema with her family, and a man on the screen would hit the character played by superstar Malini Fonseka, Kaluarachchi would cry.

Then she would turn to her father in desperation. “We used to scream at the screen, telling our father to save her,” Kaluarachchi, now 68, recalled. “That was how much we loved her.”

On Monday, Kaluarachchi joined thousands of fans in bidding a final goodbye to Fonseka, who died on May 24 at the age of 78 while receiving treatment in hospital. Neither Fonseka’s family nor the hospital has publicly revealed the nature of her illness. One of the country’s most popular actresses, Fonseka was widely regarded as the queen of Sri Lankan cinema.

She was cremated with full state honours, as fans dressed in the mourning colour of white flocked to Colombo’s Independence Square to catch a glimpse of her coffin before she was cremated. Songs from Fonseka’s films were played while a projector drone flew above the crowd, displaying a montage of scenes from across her career.

Describing Fonseka as “a true icon of Sri Lankan cinema whose grace and talent inspired generations”, Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake said that “her legacy will forever shine in our hearts and on our screens”.

A trailblazer

Fonseka, who starred in more than 140 films, had a career in Sinhala cinema spanning more than five decades.

“Whenever we saw her, we’d forget all the pain we had in our hearts,” said Kaluarachchi, wiping away tears. “Now, we know films aren’t real, but when we were children, we didn’t realise.”

Fonseka was special, Kaluarachchi said, because of the way she represented how everyday people experienced love and, often, the violence that comes with it for women in patriarchal societies.

Fonseka started her career as a stage actress before making her film debut with the 1968 film Punchi Baba.

Her popularity peaked in the 1970s and 1980s, as she collaborated with renowned directors, including Lester James Peries and Dharmasena Pathiraja.

Many of her most famous roles shared a common theme: the struggles of women in a male-dominated society. She played a wife murdered by her husband in the film Nidhanaya (1972), a college student in a complicated relationship in Thushara (1973), a village girl hounded by male attention in Eya Dan Loku Lamayek (1975), and a girl from a rural fishing village enticed by the big city lifestyle, in Bambaru Avith (1978).

This success continued into the 1980s, when she also expanded into directorial ventures, including in the films Sasara Chethana (1984) and Ahimsa (1987).

‘A bridge’ across generations

She also starred in the first Indian-Sri Lankan co-production Pilot Premnath in 1978, opposite legendary Indian Tamil actor Sivaji Ganesan.

“She never limited herself to one category. She was in commercial cinema and arthouse cinema,” said 27-year-old teacher Prabuddhika Kannagara. “She played a village girl, a young girl, a married woman, a mother, and even a grandmother. She represented women across all generations.”

Kannagara was one of the last mourners at the funeral, sitting and watching as sparks emanated from the white cloth tower in the square, specially erected for Fonseka’s cremation, according to Buddhist rituals.

She told Al Jazeera that Fonseka had acted as a “bridge” across various eras of cinema, from black-and-white to digital, and had remained a star not only for her mother’s generation, but also for her own.

Fonseka was a five-time Best Actress winner at Sri Lanka’s Presidential Film Awards. Her most recent win was in 2006 for her role in Ammawarune, a film she also directed. She also won international accolades at the Moscow International Film Festival and the New Delhi Film Festival.

She became Sri Lanka’s first female television drama director in the 1980s, a time when women’s participation behind the camera was unusual. Fonseka also had a short-lived foray into politics, serving as a member of Sri Lanka’s parliament from 2010 to 2015 under former President Mahinda Rajapaksa.

Film critic and journalist Anuradha Kodagoda told Al Jazeera that Fonseka was “rare and unique in Sri Lankan cinema” for the range of characters she played.

Petite and fair, with an oval face and soft features, Fonseka was a “pioneer” in representing working-class women onscreen, and “represented the beauty idol for Sri Lankan women”, said Kodagoda.

“She portrayed her characters very organically and authentically. That is the magic of it, I think,” Kodagoda said.

‘There will be no other queens’

Many mourners, some of whom travelled long distances to attend the funeral, recalled moments when they had met or spoken with Fonseka.

“She was a role model for us. We saw her as an example when we went to the cinema,” said 56-year-old jam factory worker Pushpa Hemalatha. “She wasn’t arrogant. We loved her when we were young.”

Fonseka’s final acting performance was in the 2024 music video Eya Wasanathaya Nowe, playing an elderly woman remembering her deceased husband.

Ivanka Peiris, an actress and musician who acted with her in the TV drama Hithuwakkara, told Al Jazeera that Fonseka was “very empowering” as a role model for women, and “everything” for younger actresses in the industry.

And, she said, Fonseka would never be replaced.

“She’s the queen. That’s it,” Peiris said. “There will be no other queens in Sri Lanka. She will be the first and the last.”

Foreign minister Wang Yi is meeting top diplomats from 11 Pacific nations in the Chinese city of Xiamen.

China is hosting a high-level meeting with 11 Pacific Island nations as it seeks to deepen ties and build what it calls a “closer” community with “a shared future” in the strategic region.

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi is chairing the meeting in the city of Xiamen on Wednesday.

The president of Kiribati, Taneti Maamau, and top diplomats from Niue, Tonga, Nauru, Micronesia, Solomon Islands, Vanuatu, Papua New Guinea, Cook Islands, Fiji and Samoa are attending.

The two-day meeting is the third such gathering, but the first to happen in person in China.

Al Jazeera’s Katrina Yu, reporting from Beijing, said the diplomats are expected to discuss trade, infrastructure development, poverty alleviation, sustainability and climate change.

“For China, this is an opportunity to extend its influence and expand economic ties at a time when the United States is showing very little interest in this region, and we know increasingly that many of those countries are more aligned on China on things like investment, infrastructure, trade and even security assistance,” she said.

Global uncertainty

The meeting comes as United States President Donald Trump’s cuts to foreign aid and the threat of tariffs fuel global uncertainty. Analysts say this has left the door open for China to step in.

“This lack of certainty makes the US a very challenging partner to work with,” said Tess Newton at the Griffith Asia Institute. “Whereas other partners including China can offer, well you know we were here yesterday, we’re here today, and we expect to be here tomorrow.”

The Chinese foreign ministry, announcing the meeting last week, said the objective of the meeting was to “jointly build an even closer China-Pacific Island countries community with a shared future”.

Analysts say that for Beijing, that translates to greater economic aid, diplomatic engagement and the pursuit of a regional security pact.

China has already signed a security accord with the Solomon Islands in 2022, a year after deploying police to the ground in the capital, Honiara, following a series of riots there.

Beijing has also sent advisers to Vanuatu and Kiribati and wants to lock in a similar pact with other island nations.

“What China is trying to do … is to insert itself as a security player and in some cases through the angle of contributing to the individual security needs of Pacific countries such as policing,” said Mihai Sora, director of the Pacific Islands Program at the Lowy Institute in Australia.

The meeting in Xiamen is “an opportunity for China” to push its goals “in its own space, on its own turf and on its own terms,” he added.

Taiwan

The topic of Taiwan, the self-ruled island that China claims as its own and lies off the coast of Xiamen, is also expected to be discussed at this meeting.

China has been gradually whittling away at the number of countries in the Pacific that retain ties with Taiwan, and in January of last year, Nauru also switched recognition to Beijing.

Taiwan now has three remaining allies in the region – Marshall Islands, Palau and Tuvalu.

Al Jazeera’s Yu said the region is of strategic, military and diplomatic significance for China.

“If you look at the region, these countries are very small, their economies are small and only one of them has a population that exceeds one million. That is Papua New Guinea,” she said.

“But the region is strategically extremely important to Beijing because it’s home to crucial shipping lanes, deep sea cables, deep sea ports and potential mineral deposits underwater. Militarily, it could be strategically important, because if there could be any conflict in the future, this area could be important in terms of launching potential forward attacks on US territory, and also US ally Australia is very close by.”

“The Wolverine” star Hugh Jackman and Deborra-Lee Furness are officially going their separate ways two years after announcing an amicable separation.

Furness filed the paperwork Friday in New York.

All filings have been processed and only a judge’s signature is required to finalize the divorce. A representative for Furness did not immediately respond to an email seeking comment on Tuesday.

“Our journey now is shifting and we have decided to separate to pursue our individual growth,” the former couple previously said in a joint statement. The co-signed release, first released to People in September 2023, added that the two were “blessed” to have shared nearly three decades together in a “wonderful, loving marriage.”

“Our family has been and always will be our highest priority. We undertake this next chapter with gratitude, love, and kindness,” they added. “We greatly appreciate your understanding in respecting our privacy as our family navigates this transition in all of our lives.”

Jackman, star of “Logan” and “Les Misérables,” has since been linked with his “Music Man” co-star Sutton Foster.

Furness, 69, and Jackman, 56, initially wed in 1996 and share two children. They adopted their son, Oscar, in 2000 before announcing the birth of their daughter, Ava, in 2005.

“My kids are constantly reminded about how lucky we are in our family,” Jackman told People in 2018. “We’re ridiculously blessed. We live in a beautiful home in places that other people dream of.”

The pair’s last public appearance together was at the Wimbledon men’s final in July 2023. Prior to that, they were seen on the Met Gala red carpet in May of that same year.

Representatives of Jackman did not respond to The Times’ request for comment.

By Tina Teng

Published on
28/05/2025 – 7:29 GMT+2

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European stock markets extended their rally for a second consecutive trading day on Tuesday as concerns over escalating US-EU trade tensions eased. Germany’s DAX rose 0.82% to 24,226.49, marking a fresh record high, while the Euro Stoxx 600 climbed 0.33% to 552.33, edging within 0.2% of its March peak.

US President Donald Trump expressed optimism toward the trade negotiations. “I have just been informed that the EU has called to quickly establish meeting dates,” he wrote in the Truth Social, “This is a positive event, and I hope that they will, FINALLY, like my same demand to China, open up the European Nations for Trade with the United States of America. They will BOTH be very happy, and successful, if they do!!!”

The US president’s comments also lifted Wall Street, with the Dow Jones Industrial Average up 1.78%, the S&P 500 rising 2.05%, and the Nasdaq composite surging 2.47%.

On Sunday, Trump announced he had agreed to postpone the implementation of a 50% tariff on EU imports until 9 July, following a phone call with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. During the call, von der Leyen expressed the EU’s readiness “to advance talks swiftly and decisively” in a bid to avert further trade escalation.

Trump had initially announced 20% “reciprocal tariffs” on EU goods on 2 April before reducing the rate to 10% for 90 days. However, last Friday, he threatened to impose a 50% tariff from 1 June, citing frustration over the pace of negotiations and disagreement among EU member states.

While specific meeting dates remain absent publicly, EU Trade Commissioner Maroš Šefčovič is expected to meet his US counterpart in Paris next Tuesday during the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) summit. Talks are expected to focus on removing bilateral tariffs on industrial goods and addressing US import levies on steel, aluminium, semiconductors, automobiles, and pharmaceutical products, according to sources familiar with the matter.

Earlier this month, the EU postponed a proposed package of retaliatory tariffs on up to €95 billion worth of US imports, including wine, spirits, aircraft, auto parts, electrical products, and more.

Defence and banking stocks lead gains

The DAX is up 22% year-to-date, making it the top performer among major global indices. The index had pulled back sharply in April following Trump’s announcement of the reciprocal tariffs but has consistently rebounded on signs of de-escalation in trade tensions.

In sectors, the defence and banking stocks led the broad gains, underpinned by optimism over Germany’s fiscal and defence spending reforms. In March, Germany’s Friedrich Merz announced plans to increase defence spending beyond 1% of GDP and a €500 billion special fund for infrastructure investment. The landmark fiscal package particularly lifted sentiment in European defence and industrial stocks, with Rheinmetall AG shares soaring 207% so far this year, repeatedly hitting new highs.

Meanwhile, European banking stocks have been supported by the European Central Bank’s accommodative monetary policy stance, which has bolstered investment banking income and lending activity. Shares of Deutsche Bank and Commerzbank soared 50% and 75% respectively this year.

The euro retreats

Despite the bullish momentum in equities, the euro weakened against the US dollar, as the greenback staged a strong rebound following Trump’s decision to delay tariffs — a move that mirrored previous dollar rallies during the US-China trade talks.

The EUR/USD pair fell to just above 1.13 during Wednesday’s Asian session, retreating from over 1.14 on Monday, as markets priced in renewed optimism over US-EU trade negotiations and an improved US economic outlook.

Carlos Rodón pitched seven scoreless innings of five-hit ball, and Devin Williams barely survived a perilous ninth inning to earn his first save since April 17 in the New York Yankees’ 3-2 victory over the Angels on Tuesday night.

Yoán Moncada homered in the ninth as the Angels ended a stretch of 16 scoreless innings in the series with two runs and three hits off Williams, the Yankees’ embattled new reliever. Williams lost the closer role last month after a shaky beginning to his New York tenure, and he hadn’t had a save opportunity since April 25.

After Moncada led off the ninth with a homer on his 30th birthday, Taylor Ward and Luis Rengifo singled to put runners on the corners with one out. Ward scored when Jo Adell grounded into a forceout, but Williams got pinch-hitter Logan O’Hoppe on a foul popup to secure his fifth save and the Yankees’ seventh straight series win.

Tyler Anderson (2-2) held the Yankees to five hits and one unearned run over six innings, but the Angels have scored just five runs during their four-game skid after an eight-game winning streak.

Ben Rice and Oswald Peraza homered and Anthony Volpe had an RBI single for the defending AL champion Yankees, who have won four in a row, eight of nine and 15 of 19 to surge seven games ahead of second-place Tampa Bay in the AL East.

Rodón (7-3) tied his season high with 10 strikeouts and didn’t walk a batter while winning his third consecutive start. He struck out Chris Taylor with a runner in scoring position to end the seventh, slotting a fastball in the bottom of the zone with his 105th and final pitch. Opponents are batting just .164 against the left-hander, the lowest mark in the majors among qualified pitchers.

May 28 (UPI) — The Trump administration is suing North Carolina and the state’s Board of Elections on accusations of maintaining voter registration records that include voters who did not provide required identifying information, in violation of federal law.

The Justice Department filed the lawsuit Tuesday, alleging the defendants violated the Help America Vote Act of 2002 by using a state voter registration form that did not “explicitly require” a voter to provide a driver’s license number or the last four digits of a Social Security number.

Those who filled out the form, without providing the identifying information, were then added to the voter registration record.

HAVA was sweeping voter reform legislation that included updated voter identification procedures. Under the law, a voter registration application must include either the applicant’s driver’s license number or the last four digits of their Social Security number.

The lawsuit alleges that a “significant number” of North Carolina voters who did not provide the required identifying information were registered to vote by election officials.

“Accurate voter registration rolls are critical to ensure that elections in North Carolina are conducted fairly, accurately and without fraud,” Assistant Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division said in a statement. “The Department of Justice will not hesitate to file suit against jurisdictions that maintain inaccurate voter registration rolls in violation of federal voting laws.”

The lawsuit comes after Jefferson Griffin, a Republican Court of Appeals judge, finally conceded defeat to his Democratic opponent for North Carolina’s state Supreme Court seat earlier this month, following six months of litigation over the legality of tens of thousands of votes cast in the election.

Griffin lost to Associate Justice Allison Riggs by 734 votes and sought to have some 60,000 ballots in six Democratic-leaning counties rejected on the same grounds that the Justice Department cited in its lawsuit on Wednesday — the ballots were cast by voters, mostly in the military or overseas, who did not provide photo ID or an ID exception form.

Democrats accused him of attempting to steal the election, and the state’s high court ruled to uphold the validity of the votes cast.

With Riggs’ victory, the state’s Supreme Court maintains a 5-2 Republican majority.

Jane Moore, who has been in her second stint on Loose Women since 2013, noted the response from some pundits at the ITV announcement it – and Lorraine – will only run 30 weeks of the year from 2026

Jane Moore has blasted the “snooty reaction” of some pundits at the announcement Loose Women is to be cut back to 30 weeks of the year.

The journalist, who claims ITV intends to use money it will save with the move by investing in more sport programmes, said she was “immensely disappointed” to see comments she called “lazy misogyny”. She wrote: “One male commentator for a broadsheet casually dismissed Loose Women — on air for 25 years — as a ‘gabfest’… The snooty reaction from some quarters was immensely disappointing.”

Jane, 63, does not name the broadsheet – or commentator – in her opinion piece but goes onto list several examples of moments on Loose Women where key political figures have been held to account.

Writing for The Sun, the journalist said: “Clearly he hadn’t seen the episode when Janet Street Porter turned to then-Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and demanded: ‘Why do you hate pensioners?’… Or when a squirming Nigel Farage was put on the spot and declared afterwards ‘that was one of the scariest things I’ve ever done.'”

READ MORE: Lorraine Kelly refused ‘insulting’ offer to merge her show with GMB amid cuts

Loose Women, a staple on ITV since 2000, also won a Royal Television Society award earlier this year for its Facing It Together campaign against domestic violence.

But it and Lorraine are casualties of a major ITV shake-up, as both daytime programmes will only run 30 weeks of the year from 2026. It is thought the move will save the network money but Jane, who was on I’m a Celebrity…Get Me Out of Here! last year, understands cash will go into sport programmes instead.

The experienced broadcaster added: “When it was announced that one of the precious few, all-female shows was being cut back to 30 weeks a year to save money for, among other things, more sport, the snooty reaction from some quarters was immensely disappointing.

“We always cover the day’s main news stories, as well as ­important topics such as, among many other things, miscarriage, post-natal depression, menopause, midlife female invisibility (oh the irony) and breast cancer awareness.”

Jane has been a regular on Loose Women since 2013 and had a three-year stint some time before then, ending in 2002. She works alongside multiple panelists, whose ages range from 25 to 85-year old TV legend Gloria Hunniford. It is thought the numbers will be cut next year, alongside the hours available.

Lorraine Kelly, meanwhile, is also said to be unhappy with the changes. She has had her own, self-titled morning programme on ITV since 2010. But an ITV source told us this week: “She has been an icon of ITV but serious cuts need to be made and her show has been cut to just 30 minutes, which after ad breaks will be a very short chunk of time.”