Month: March 2026

Trae Young has yet to play a game for the Washington Wizards.

The four-time All Star has, however, already been ejected from a game as a member of the team.

That happened Monday night, three days before Young’s expected debut for the team that acquired him in a trade with the Atlanta Hawks on Jan. 7. He has not played in an NBA game since Dec. 27 because of knee and quadriceps injuries.

Earlier on Monday, Young posted a video on Instagram that showed him in Wizards gear and ended with “3/5” on the screen, indicating the date Washington hosts the Utah Jazz later this week. Before his team’s game against the Houston Rockets on Monday night, Wizards coach Brian Keefe said Young was trending toward being able to play in the Utah game.

Still, Young was in street clothes and watching the Rockets-Wizards game on the bench at Capital One Arena. During the third quarter, Houston’s Tari Eason shoved Washington’s Jamir Watkins to the floor, an incident that did not draw a whistle from the referees.

A few seconds later, after a foul was called on Eason for a different incident involving Watkins, Young stepped onto the court while yelling at referee Jacyn Goble apparently over the previous no-call against Eason. Goble called a technical foul on Young, then spoke with crew chief Tony Brothers and umpire Marat Kogut.

Brothers then announced that the technical foul had been called on Young for running onto the court and that Young had been ejected from the game. Eason also was ejected.

Young gave high fives to fans as he left toward the locker room. He did not speak to reporters after the Wizards’ 123-118 loss but joked about his ejection on X.

“Don’t expect me to get ejected too many more times D.C.,” Young wrote, adding a crying-with-laughter emoji, “but I’m definitely bringing that energy & competitiveness when I’m back for my brothers!”

After the game, Keefe praised Young for having his fellow player’s back.

“I think he was just sticking up for his teammates, which I thought was great,” Keefe told reporters. “Obviously, the refs missed a call in which our guy got knocked down, and I loved how our teammates stuck with him. So, whatever happened in that moment, I was actually proud of him because he stuck up for his teammates and I really care about that type of stuff.”

Keefe added that it’s an example of the type of engagement Young has shown since he’s joined the team.

“It’s nothing that he’s not been doing the whole time since he’s been here,” Keefe said. “He’s talking to everybody in every timeout. He sees so much. He has so much stuff to share. He’s completely engaged in the whole game. So I am not surprised that he stood up [for] his teammates. That’s the type of guy he is, and we’re lucky to have him.”

March 3 (UPI) — Cuba began March facing a historic energy crisis, with an electricity deficit left 64% of the island in the dark due to fuel shortages and technical failures at its thermoelectric plants.

An electricity deficit is the condition in which demand exceeds the amount of electricity available to supply it. The grid simply doesn’t have enough generation at that moment to meet what homes, businesses and infrastructure are trying to draw.

Cuba’s National Electric System reported a deficit exceeding 2,000 megawatts, resulting in rolling outages lasting up to 20 hours a day, according to figures published on X by the state-run Electric Union, known by its Spanish acronym UNE.

For Tuesday’s peak demand period, UNE forecast maximum consumption of 3,150 megawatts, while available generation capacity was expected to reach only about 1,890 megawatts. The resulting shortfall has forced authorities to disconnect circuits across the country to prevent a total and uncontrolled collapse of the grid.

Eight of Cuba’s 16 thermoelectric plants are offline due to breakdowns and fuel shortages, according to reports. The plants, which process domestically produced and imported crude oil, operate within a system widely considered obsolete and underfunded.

Cuban authorities have blamed U.S. sanctions for worsening the crisis. Government officials have denounced what they call an “energy asphyxiation” by Washington, accusing the United States of restricting oil shipments and limiting access to fuel supplies from abroad.

“The electrical system begins 2026 in worse conditions than it had at the same date in 2025. Thermal plants enter and leave service, oil is scarce and going forward there will barely be diesel and fuel oil for distributed generation,” José Luis Reyes, an analyst specializing in Cuba’s power system, told Diario de Cuba.

“The fragile web of energy production and distribution depends on all kinds of unpredictable factors. Blackouts are guaranteed,” he said.

Independent experts estimate that restoring and modernizing Cuba’s electrical grid would require between $8 billion and $10 billion — a figure seen as out of reach for an economy that has contracted by more than 15% since 2020.

Amid the worsening shortages, Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel on Tuesday called for “urgent transformations” to the island’s economic and social model.

During a meeting of the Council of Ministers, Díaz-Canel said the proposed changes include expanding autonomy for state enterprises and municipalities, resizing the state apparatus and boosting domestic food production.

He also urged progress in shifting the country’s energy matrix, promoting exports, easing rules for foreign direct investment and encouraging partnerships between the state and private sectors, including ventures with Cubans living abroad, according to state media outlet Tribuna de La Habana.

The president said the measures must contribute to “macroeconomic stabilization,” increase hard currency revenues and strengthen domestic production, particularly food.

The call for reforms comes amid prolonged economic contraction, high inflation and deteriorating public services, as well as continued political pressure from President Donald Trump, who has advocated for political change on the island.

Trump on Friday raised the possibility of a “friendly takeover” of Cuba, saying the island’s government has been in talks with his administration about the country’s future.

“They are going through major problems and we could very well do something good, I think, something very positive for the people who were forced out, or worse, from Cuba and who live here,” he told reporters at the White House, though he did not specify any potential action against the country.

Many TUI customers due to fly in the next few days will be awaiting news of whether their flights and package holidays are cancelled. The travel operator has now issued a major update on the situation

TUI has cancelled more flights to Cyprus as a UK Royal Navy warship heads for the region.

Sir Keir Starmer said HMS Dragon – a Type 45 Destroyer – will be sent to that section of the Mediterranean. The PM has also spoken with Cypriot President Nikos Christodoulides to let him know the UK is also “sending helicopters with counter-drone capabilities”.

It comes a day after the runway of the British air base in Cyprus, RAF Akrotiri, was hit by a drone. The Ministry of Defence said it caused “minimal damage”.

Today, flights to Cyprus’s two commercial airports were cancelled, with easyJet, Ryanair and TUI scrapping services. This afternoon, German travel giant TUI issued a major update on its coming Cyprus flights.

The spokesperson said: “In light of the evolving situation in the Middle East, we have taken the decision to cancel the four TUI Airways flights scheduled to travel to Cyprus on Wednesday, 4 March. We appreciate this may be disappointing news for those due to travel, and we are truly sorry for the disruption to our customers’ holiday plans. Our customer service teams are fully mobilised, and every affected customer will be contacted directly to discuss the options available to them.

“We want to reassure all customers that we are closely monitoring developments and keeping the situation under constant review.”

As for next steps, TUI has said: “Customers will be contacted directly and offered the option to amend their booking fee-free, with a rebooking incentive, or to receive a full refund.”

It also confirmed that its next TUI Airways flights to Cyprus are scheduled to operate on Saturday (March 7). TUI said: “At this stage, these flights are planned to run as normal. However, we continue to monitor the situation closely and, as it remains dynamic, schedules may be subject to change.”

Passengers flying out on Saturday should keep an eye on TUI’s travel alert page, as well as check its app for updates, and keep up to date with international news.

Flights cancelled on Wednesday, 4 March:

• TOM7318 – East Midlands Airport to Paphos
• TOM6312 – Cardiff Airport to Paphos
• TOM6354 – Bournemouth to Paphos
• TOM2336 – Manchester to Paphos

TUI’s website also has advice for customers currently in Cyprus. It says: “The safety of our customers is always our top priority. Our teams are working with our airline partners to monitor the situation and make arrangements to bring you back to the UK once it is safe to do so. We are working though bookings in date order and will call you to discuss your options. However, if you would prefer, please call us on 0203 451 2688.

“If you choose to call us, please be aware that we are receiving an exceptional volume of calls and there may be some delay in your call being answered.”

READ MORE: TUI, Emirates, British Airways and easyJet latest updates on when flights might resumeREAD MORE: TUI issues update for Brits impacted by Middle East travel advice

The Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) does not currently advise against travel to Cyprus, but many airlines have been cancelling their flights in light of the current situation.

The FCDO advises that Brits planning a holiday in Cyprus should sign up to FCDO Travel Advice email alerts, monitor local news, and regularly review departure plans as the situation can change rapidly.

Have a story you want to share? Email us at webtravel@reachplc.com

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SHE was the biggest pop star of the 80s yet looks younger now than when she shot to fame.

Fans are baffled by how youthful Taylor Dayne looks at 63 years of age.

Taking to her Instagram page this week, the stunning singer who shot to fame with her beloved single Tell It To My Heart, looked half her age as she posed in a raunchy outfit.

“I had such a fabulous time on stage in Seattle last night! What a great start to my weekend of performances,” she penned in the caption of the post.

In the slew of snaps she shared, Taylor looked so youthful with clear, smooth skin and a tiny waist.

One person commented, “Forever beauty.”

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Another swooned, “THE MOST GORGEOUS HUMAN.”

“Goddess,” added a third, while a fourth gushed, “Icon.”

“Wow. She looks amazing! Good for her,” penned a fifth.

And a sixth said, “Not aged a bit.”

Meanwhile, others were left baffled by just how ageless she looks.

“I’m confused. You look so different here,” said one.

“Too many filters. You don’t need them….” added a second.

While a third penned, “This is not Taylor Dayne. Looks nothing like her.”

And a fourth said, “Why does she look like Beyonce?”

Taylor is a singer, songwriter, and actress who became a pop icon in the late 1980s.

She is known for her powerful and strong vocals, and rose to fame with her debut single Tell It to My Heart.

Across her glowing career she has sold 75 million albums and singles worldwide.

She has a slew of shows throughout the year, with her set to take to the stage next in April.

The singing sensation grew up in New York and has never been married.

She has two children who were born via surrogate in 2003.

Match of the Day will bring you all the best of the action and talking points from the Premier League on BBC One on Wednesday 4 March at 22:40 GMT.

The BBC Sport website will feature highlights of every Premier League match during the 2025-26 season.

At weekends, these will be available on the BBC Sport app, website and iPlayer on Saturdays and Sundays – ordinarily from 20:00 GMT.

If there is an evening match, highlights from all matches that day will be available 30 minutes after the final game of the day finishes.

Highlights of weeknight matches will be published at 22:30 GMT.

You can join Alex Scott and guests every week on Football Focus (Saturday, 11:30 GMT) for all the big talking points, reaction and interviews with players.

Don’t miss any of the goals as they go in on Final Score – starting on BBC iPlayer and the BBC Red Button from 14:45 GMT and BBC One at 16:30 GMT on Saturdays.

South Africa captain Aiden Markram says his team’s win over New Zealand in the group phase will count for nothing in the T20 World Cup semifinal, which will be a “completely fresh start”.

The two teams clash at Kolkata’s Eden Gardens in the first semifinal on Wednesday, with both having never lifted a cricket World Cup in either the 20-over or 50-over formats.

South Africa are the only unbeaten side in the last four, and are trying to rid themselves of a reputation for choking in the final stages at World Cups.

They have been the team to beat in this edition and got the better of New Zealand by seven wickets in a group game in Ahmedabad on February 15.

“We had a good run against them in the group stages, but both teams have played a lot of cricket since then,” Markram told reporters on Tuesday.

“It’s a completely fresh start [on Wednesday] and it being a semifinal, which is exciting as well.

“I don’t think it’s as straightforward as just being able to repeat that. We’ll try to bring our best game to the front again.”

South Africa suffered a heartbreaking defeat in the 2024 T20 World Cup final against India in Barbados, when they needed 30 off 30 balls with six wickets and lost by seven runs after a clatter of wickets.

The Proteas beat India and the West Indies in the Super Eight to have many marking them down as the favourites to lift the trophy.

“With regards to being favourites or not, that’s all different people’s opinions,” said Markram.

“Us as a team really just try to focus on putting good games of cricket together and playing that exciting brand that we’ve been trying to play for the last 18 months or so.”

Markram has led South Africa from the front with 268 runs, including three half-centuries and a top score of 86 not out in seven matches.

He holds an impressive captaincy record of 15 wins in 16 T20 World Cup matches, with the only defeat in the 2024 final.

“The senior guys in the team, we lean on them a lot. They help guide you and lead you when you have a few doubts,” said Markram.

“I think because of that and a really strong group of players over the years, we’ve developed that. Fortunately, it reflects well, but it’s definitely a reflection on the group as a whole.”

New Zealand ‘back themselves’ as outsiders for T20 World Cup

Underdogs New Zealand, meanwhile, back themselves against anyone in “one-off games”, according to captain Mitchell Santner.

Santner admitted that Markram’s unbeaten South Africa were “very good”.

New Zealand have lost twice at this edition, also falling to England in the Super Eight, and squeaked into the semifinals on net run-rate ahead of Pakistan.

“Whether you want to call us the underdogs or not, I think for us it is everyone’s goal throughout the tournament to get to this stage,” Santner told reporters at Eden Gardens.

“We are here now, and we back ourselves on one-off games against most teams, being able to adapt as quick as we can to what’s in front of us.

“South Africa look like a very good outfit as they have shown.

“I guess they are in the same boat as us now, it is one game, and you are into the final,” said the left-arm spinner.

New Zealand will be playing their fourth semi-final in the last five T20 World Cups. They reached the final in 2021 but lost to Australia.

“It is probably two teams that have been in and around it for a long time. We know the heartbreak of South Africa two years ago,” Santner added.

“It is whoever turns up on the day, whoever sees the conditions the best.”

New Zealand are the only semifinalist to lose more than once in the tournament and defeated only two Test-playing nations on the way to the last four – Afghanistan and cohosts Sri Lanka.

“We haven’t played the perfect game throughout this tournament,” said Santner.

“That’s a good thing for us. If we can put it all together, it can put us in a pretty good position.

“There is no real hiding or secrets about what South Africa are going to bring.

“We know they are probably going to roll out the same team and a very good team.”

New Zealand fast bowler Matt Henry returned home for the birth of his second child after the defeat to England in Colombo on Friday.

Santner said the bowler would arrive back later Tuesday night.

“He’ll obviously have a little run around in the morning to see if he’s ready to go.”

HUNDREDS of you, Sun Readers, have reached out to us about your holidays concerns because of the ongoing Iran crisis.

So our Travel Expert – Head of Travel, Lisa Minot – is answering them all for you.

From whether Greece is safe to whether you can cancel your holiday for a refund, here is everything you need to know.

We are going to Cyprus in June and the balance is due by March 17, should we still pay it?

Although many Sun readers are concerned about their holidays to Cyprus following on from the attack on the RAF airbase on the island and the cancellation of flights from British Airways, easyJet and TUI, currently the UK Foreign Office has not issued any warnings about travel to the island.

Unlike the UAE, where the current advises against all but essential travel, Cyprus remains on the safe to travel list.

If you do not pay the balance of your holiday, you face losing the money you have paid to your travel provider so far.

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If the advice were to change, your travel company would have to offer you the chance to amend your travel to a different date or offer you a full refund.

We have had lots of questions about holidays to Cyprus – both Larnaca and Paphos, later in June, July and September and the advice really remains the same.

Unless you have paid a minimal deposit, you should continue to make payments. If you cancel now you could lose money – and discover that holidays are significantly more expensive when you look to book again.

What is important is to make sure you have bought good travel insurance NOW to cover you in the run up to your holiday dates. A lot can happen in the coming months.

Take the time to enquire about what you would be covered for in terms of delays and cancellations as these can vary from policy to policy.

Will this affect holidays in Egypt? We’re due to fly there in May for our honeymoon

While it is very understandable that travellers would be a little nervous of the proximity of Egypt to the current crisis, the popular Egyptian Red Sea resorts of Sharm El Sheikh, Hurgahda and Marsa Alam as well as the majority of Egypt including ancient cities of Cairo and Luxor are NOT under any Foreign Office travel ban.

While no one can predict what is going to happen in the region, it is currently considered safe to travel to these destinations and your tour operator or airline is under no obligation to refund you if you chose not to travel. 

Hurghada and Marsa Alam are hundreds of miles away from the conflict zone and holidays there should not be impacted at all.

I had tipped Egypt as one of the stand-out destinations for British travellers to enjoy 5* luxury at great value prices this year.

Increased flights from the UK and an ever greater number of new luxury resorts mean it still offers guaranteed sunshine for all budgets.

I travelled to Luxor, Hurghada and Marsa Alam in February and could not have felt safer with the Egyptians taking security very seriously.

Is Greece safe to travel, being so close to Turkey?

Yes Greece is safe to travel to – and is not under any UK Foreign Office travel warnings.

The main popular tourist resorts in both Greece and Turkey are many thousands of miles from the current problems in the Middle East.

If you choose to cancel a holiday you have already made payments on you will NOT get your money back as your travel company is under no legal obligation to refund you.

A refund is only triggered if the Foreign Office advises against all travel or all but essential travel.

Again, ensuring you have fully comprehensive travel insurance from the moment you make your booking is really important to give you added protection in the run up to your trip. 

We’ve had questions from Sun readers looking at trips to Corfu and Rhodes this summer – they should be reassured that the chance of holidays to these islands being impacted, while not impossible, is extremely unlikely.

Will travel disruption escalate to the Canary Islands travel from the UK?

While nothing can be guaranteed in these extraordinary times, there is nothing whatsoever to lead me to think that the current crisis will have any impact at all on holidays to the Canary Islands from the UK.

It is understandable that people are worried about the situation, but all of the Canary Islands – along with the rest of Spain – remain on the Foreign Office’s safe to travel list and there is no indication this will change at all. 

There is not any worry about international travel as a whole at the moment and airlines and tour operators take the safety and security of their passengers extremely seriously. 

There should be no issues with travel this summer, where lots of Sun readers are looking forward to holidays.

Are Turkey resorts affected? We have a holiday booked for half-term

No – at present Turkey is not impacted at all by the current situation.

While there are Foreign Office bans on travel to the border between Turkey and Syria, the entire rest of the country is safe to travel to.

The popular coastal resorts of Dalaman, Bodrum, Antalya, Side, Marmaris and more are many thousands of miles from the conflict zone.

As the advice is that it is safe to travel, tour operators and airlines are under no obligation to offer you a refund if you choose not to travel. If you decide to cancel your trip, you will lose any money you have paid.

While some people may feel uneasy, the distances involved mean it is extremely unlikely that anything would impact your holiday.

With all package holidays, you have enhanced protection should the situation change.

If the Foreign Office changes its advice to all but essential travel, you will have extra rights to a refund or amended date.

But right now, that is not necessary as trips to the popular Mediterranean Turkish resorts are safe.

We am due to fly to Dubai March 12-18, having paid £6,000 for a package through Emirates. Do you know where I stand with cancelling?

With the huge popularity of holidays to Dubai – more than 1.47MILLION British travellers headed to the Emirate in 2025 – the Foreign Office now advising against all but essential travel will have a huge impact on those with upcoming holidays.

As the situation remains so uncertain, airlines and travel companies are dealing with upcoming bookings on a rolling basis – prioritising those who are due to travel soonest first.

As of today, passengers with bookings up to March 10 can request a refund directly from Emirates via an online form – and you should expect to receive that refund within a week.

But as your holiday doesn’t depart until March 12 you will have to contact Emirates directly to see if they will allow you to amend your booking or get a refund.

I totally appreciate that this is going to be challenging with many hundreds of thousands of travellers looking to rebook flights and holidays.

Right now, British Airways Holidays are offering rebooking options for those travelling up to March 8 to request a refund.

Those travelling up to March 15 can change their holiday dates or destination free of charge if they depart before March 29.

If you amend to a holiday that is more expensive, you’ll have to pay the difference. If it is cheaper, BA will refund you the difference.

Those travelling after March 15 can change their booking up to 14 days before travel for a fee of £100 or if within 14 days of travel for a fee of £500. 

Virgin Atlantic Holidays has the same options in place for the same dates.

 If you have bought travel insurance – and I really do recommend everyone does this from the MOMENT they book their holiday – it would be a good idea to contact them as well to see if there is anything you can claim for.

Anyone with holidays from April onwards, I recommend keeping an eye on the current travel advice, but do not cancel holidays unless you want to be out of pocket.

My daughter is due to return from Mauritius via Dubai on March 5 with Emirates Airlines. Will this be possible & what are her options?

Emirates has only suspended flights until midnight on March 4.

However this is likely to be extended as they are currently only operating repatriation flights for passengers who are stranded in Dubai.

It is advised for your daughter to contact Emirates and see if there is an alternative way to travel home.

Emirates must provide her with an alternative flight home, or a refund.

However, be aware that if she accepts a refund, your daughter will have to pay for her own alternative flight home which might be quicker, but much more expensive and she will not be able to claim the difference back from Emirates.

Air Mauritius offers direct flights from Mauritius to UK, otherwise airlines with non-Dubai stopovers include Air France (stopover in Paris) and Lufthansa (stopover in Frankfurt).

I have a long-haul holiday planned later this year, stopping in the Middle East. Should I cancel my trip or find another airline?

We have had lots of questions from you about upcoming holidays with stopovers in Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Qatar – seeing as they’re huge hub airports for Emirates, Etihad Airways and Qatar Airways, this isn’t surprising.

This includes destinations such as Thailand, Sri Lanka, Maldives, Bali, China, Vietnam, Australia and Pakistan. 

If you have partly paid for your holidays for any of the above destinations, you must still pay the remaining balance or you will be left out of pocket.

It is only if the UK Foreign Office advises against any travel to these destinations that you will be able to cancel a holiday for a refund.

Unless you are travelling in the next few days, it is likely the holidays will still go ahead.

 If you are wary of booking a stop over in the Middle East, then other popular destinations include Singapore, with Singapore Airlines, or Hong Kong, with Cathay Pacific and Istanbul with Turkish Airlines.

I’m confused about the government advice and where travel companies stand – surely a holiday shouldn’t be classed as “essential travel”?

I appreciate the travel warnings can be slightly confusing, so I’ll break them down for you.

There are two travel warnings from the UK Foreign Office – “against all but essential travel” and “against all travel”.

If the advice is against all travel, package holiday companies and airlines have to give you a refund.

If the advice is against all but essential travel the legal standing is a little more complicated. 

However, most travel companies will offer to refund or amend your booking as they recognise they will not be able to provide you with the trip you purchased due to exceptional circumstances.

Last week, a prominent Saudi Sheikh, Mohammed Al-Issa, visited the Auschwitz concentration camp in Poland to commemorate the 75th anniversary of its liberation, which signalled the end of the Nazi Holocaust. Although dozens of Muslim scholars have visited the site, where about one million Jews were killed during World War Two, according to the Auschwitz Memorial Centre’s press office, Al-Issa is the most senior Muslim religious leader to do so.

Visiting Auschwitz is not a problem for a Muslim; Islam orders Muslims to reject unjustified killing of any human being, no matter what their faith is. Al-Issa is a senior ally of Saudi Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman (MBS), who apparently cares little for the sanctity of human life, though, and the visit to Auschwitz has very definite political connotations beyond any Islamic context.

By sending Al-Issa to the camp, Bin Salman wanted to show his support for Israel, which exploits the Holocaust for geopolitical colonial purposes. “The Israeli government decided that it alone was permitted to mark the 75th anniversary of the Allied liberation of Auschwitz [in modern day Poland] in 1945,” wrote journalist Richard Silverstein recently when he commented on the gathering of world leaders in Jerusalem for Benjamin Netanyahu’s Holocaust event.

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Bin Salman uses Al Issa for such purposes, as if to demonstrate his own Zionist credentials. For example, the head of the Makkah-based Muslim World League is leading rapprochement efforts with Evangelical Christians who are, in the US at least, firm Zionists in their backing for the state of Israel. Al-Issa has called for a Muslim-Christian-Jewish interfaith delegation to travel to Jerusalem in what would, in effect, be a Zionist troika.

Zionism is not a religion, and there are many non-Jewish Zionists who desire or support the establishment of a Jewish state in occupied Palestine. The definition of Zionism does not mention the religion of its supporters, and Israeli writer Sheri Oz, is just one author who insists that non-Jews can be Zionists.

Mohammad Bin Salman and Netanyahu – Cartoon [Tasnimnews.com/Wikipedia]

We should not be shocked, therefore, to see a Zionist Muslim leader in these trying times. It is reasonable to say that Bin Salman’s grandfather and father were Zionists, as close friends of Zionist leaders. Logic suggests that Bin Salman comes from a Zionist dynasty.

This has been evident from his close relationship with Zionists and positive approaches to the Israeli occupation and establishment of a Jewish state in Palestine, calling it “[the Jews’] ancestral homeland”. This means that he has no issue with the ethnic cleansing of almost 800,000 Palestinians in 1948, during which thousands were killed and their homes demolished in order to establish the Zionist state of Israel.

“The ‘Jewish state’ claim is how Zionism has tried to mask its intrinsic Apartheid, under the veil of a supposed ‘self-determination of the Jewish people’,” wrote Israeli blogger Jonathan Ofir in Mondoweiss in 2018, “and for the Palestinians it has meant their dispossession.”

As the de facto ruler of Saudi Arabia, Crown Prince Bin Salman has imprisoned dozens of Palestinians, including representatives of Hamas. In doing so he is serving Israel’s interests. Moreover, he has blamed the Palestinians for not making peace with the occupation state. Bin Salman “excoriated the Palestinians for missing key opportunities,” wrote Danial Benjamin in Moment magazine. He pointed out that the prince’s father, King Salman, has played the role of counterweight by saying that Saudi Arabia “permanently stands by Palestine and its people’s right to an independent state with occupied East Jerusalem as its capital.”

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Israeli journalist Barak Ravid of Israel’s Channel 13 News reported Bin Salman as saying: “In the last several decades the Palestinian leadership has missed one opportunity after the other and rejected all the peace proposals it was given. It is about time the Palestinians take the proposals and agree to come to the negotiations table or shut up and stop complaining.” This is reminiscent of the words of the late Israeli Foreign Minister Abba Eban, one of the Zionist founders of Israel, that the Palestinians “never miss an opportunity to miss an opportunity.”

Bin Salman’s Zionism is also very clear in his bold support for US President Donald Trump’s deal of the century, which achieves Zionist goals in Palestine at the expense of Palestinian rights. He participated in the Bahrain conference, the forum where the economic side of the US deal was announced, where he gave “cover to several other Arab countries to attend the event and infuriated the Palestinians.”

US President Donald Trump looks over at Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia Mohammad bin Salman al-Saud as they line up for the family photo during the opening day of Argentina G20 Leaders’ Summit 2018 at Costa Salguero on 30 November 2018 in Buenos Aires, Argentina [Daniel Jayo/Getty Images]

While discussing the issue of the current Saudi support for Israeli policies and practices in Palestine with a credible Palestinian official last week, he told me that the Palestinians had contacted the Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro to ask him not to relocate his country’s embassy to Jerusalem. “The Saudis have been putting pressure on us in order to relocate our embassy to Jerusalem,” replied the Brazilian leader. What more evidence of Mohammad Bin Salman’s Zionism do we need?

The founder of Friends of Zion Museum is American Evangelical Christian Mike Evans. He said, after visiting a number of the Gulf States, that, “The leaders [there] are more pro-Israel than a lot of Jews.” This was a specific reference to Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince, and his counterpart in the UAE, Mohammed Bin Zayed.

“All versions of Zionism lead to the same reactionary end of unbridled expansionism and continued settler colonial genocide of [the] Palestinian people,” Israeli-American writer and photographer Yoav Litvin wrote for Al Jazeera. We may well see an Israeli Embassy opened in Riyadh in the near future, and a Saudi Embassy in Tel Aviv or, more likely, Jerusalem. Is Mohammad Bin Salman a Zionist? There’s no doubt about it.

The views expressed in this article belong to the author and do not necessarily reflect the editorial policy of Middle East Monitor.

THE quiet town of Burnham-on-Crouch in Essex is set to be a TV star.

ITV presenter Josie Gibson was seen filming at the pretty destination on the Dengie Peninsula last week known for its top-tier sailing scene and fresh seafood.

Josie, along with a film crew, were seen at various different spots in Burnham-on-Crouch, which sits on the River Crouch.

The town that is just an hour outside of London was called “wonderfully understated” by The Telegraph and it even questioned whether it’s “the most peaceful town in England.”

While it might be quiet on land, Burnham-on-Crouch has a busy harbour, as well as a quayside, boat-building yards, listed buildings and sailing clubs.

Thanks to its location and popularity within the sailing circle, Burnham-on-Crouch is nicknamed ‘Cowes of the East Coast’.

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This is after the world-renowned Cowes on the Isle of Wight which is the “Yachting Capital of the World”.

Throughout the year are sailing events, but what Burnham-on-Crouch is most famous for is Burnham Week.

The major sailing regatta is held every year at the end of August with plenty of competitive racing for various yacht and dinghy classes.

This year it will kick off on August 29 until September 5, 2026 – and it is a major week in the sailing calendar.

Last week though, the TV crew were spotted on dry land filming outside The Cabin Dairy on the High Street.

The cafe has been in operation since the 1990s, serving up breakfast, brunch, sandwiches, toasties, tea, coffee and ice cream.

Another spot that was seen in front of the camera was The Quarterdeck restaurant.

The seafood restaurant and bistro bar sits on the waterfront, serving dishes like the seafood board with Maldon cured smoked salmon, crevettes, pickled roll mops and anchovies.

Of course you can pick up fish and chips too, as well as a Sailor Sandwich with fish goujons, and oysters.

For oyster fans, check out Burnham Seafood and Oyster Bar which is a fish stall open on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays.

Here, locals can pick up top quality seafood from lobsters to crab, and of course, oysters.

Seafood is a big part of the town’s history as it used to be a thriving oyster port.

In the 19th century, the River Crouch was filled with oyster beds, which were then harvested and traded into London and across Europe.

Next door to The Quarterdeck is Harbour Delights, an American retro diner that serves up tasty drinks and desserts.

You can choose from ice cream sundaes, Belgian waffles, bubble tea, milkshakes, and enjoy a coke float.

One place the crew weren’t seen filming at, but is a Burnham hotspot is the Jolly Fryer.

The fish and chip shop in previous years was voted as the Best Chippy in Essex.

You can pick up a medium cod for two with large chips and either curry sauce or mushy peas for £21.99.

As for what’s nearby, from certain points in the town you can see across the river to Wallasea Island which has been turned into a nature reserve.

Visitors can visit by ferry, which will cost around £5 each way, to see wading birds as well as rare butterflies.

For wine fans, head to family-run Clayhill Vineyard which makes Bacchus (often referred to as England’s answer to Sauvignon Blanc) and chardonnay.

One Sun Writer who visited said: “I particularly loved the English sparkling wine and at £19 per bottle it’s much cheaper — and in my opinion nicer — than champagne.“

The vineyard has views of the River Crouch, and has a small cafe for lunch, tea and cake – and you can taste its wine here too.

For train enthusiasts, head to nearby Mangapps Railway & Museum which is a working railway and museum on a farm in Burnham-on-Crouch.

It has a three-quarter mile passenger line with restored stations, signal boxes, and visitors can go on as many train rides as they like with their ticket.

One visitor on Tripadvisor wrote: “Nice little museum. Lots of different trains and even a well-kept, older station where you can enjoy a small ride on an old train.”

It’s open on weekends between 11.30AM to 5PM. Ticket prices are £15 per adult, £8 per child and under three’s go free.

For anyone who is a fan of The War of the Worlds by H.G. Wells, then you might want to head up to Tillingham.

Fans of the book will know that village is where the narrator’s younger brother escapes to when London is invaded by Martians.

Burnham-on-Crouch is served by the Crouch Valley branch line.

From London Liverpool Street, it can be reached in just over an hour with one transfer at Wickford.

This Essex town has been called a ‘Cotswolds alternative’…

Senior Consumer Reporter Adele Cooke visited Saffron Walden…

She said: “Its Saturday market is often a place to spot TV chef Jamie Oliver. We admired the great artisan stands, but sadly didn’t spot Jamie.

“Coffee in hand, we took a stroll to St Mary’s Church, which dates to Norman times and is still the tallest building in Essex with its spire topping out at 193ft. Then it was on to Bridge End Gardens and its maze –  before a pint at the Cross Keys Hotel, also known for its great food.

“The fun continued with a visit to one of Essex’s Tiptree tea rooms. I knew Tiptree as the makers of tasty jams, often served in little jars at posh hotels.

“We got the day off to the best of starts at Tiptree’s Courtyard tea room in Saffron Walden with their traditional breakfast, a Full English complete with tasty local sausages, bacon, egg and even some traditional Tiptree brown sauce.”

For more on Essex, Britain’s smallest town named one of the coolest spots in the country with cosy pubs and coastal walks.

And this pretty village is regularly named ‘UK’s most beautiful’ is a perfect weekend break.

Four days after the stunning news that Paramount Skydance would acquire Warner Bros. Discovery, Paramount executives tried to calm fears that the blockbuster deal would result in massive layoffs.

In a call Monday, Paramount Chief Strategy Officer and Chief Operating Officer Andy Gordon told Wall Street analysts that $6 billion in merger “synergies” would come from “non-labor sources” and not a “reduction in production capacity.”

Instead, Gordon said, the company would reduce costs by consolidating its streaming technology and cloud providers, finding marketing efficiencies and “optimizing the combined real estate footprint,” likely an allusion to widely anticipated plans that the new owners will consolidate operations around the Warner Bros. lot in Burbank.

Efficiencies aside, most Hollywood observers — including people who are familiar with Paramount Skydance Chief Executive David Ellison’s plans — predict that Paramount will be forced to make large-scale layoffs in order to offset the enormous costs of the mega-deal, which is valued at more than $111 billion (counting debt).

It’s a reasonable expectation, at least if history is any guide.

Many at Warner dread the kinds of cuts seen after Walt Disney Co. bought most of 21st Century Fox’s assets, resulting in thousands of layoffs as the two companies combined operations and shed redundant jobs.

In the case of Warner-Paramount, the new company will have two film and TV studios, as well as two streaming businesses, two legal departments, two marketing departments and so on. It’s doubtful these overlapping functions will survive budget cuts.

Already, consolidation plans are underway.

This week Paramount announced it would combine the two streaming services — Paramount+ and HBO Max — to reach a total of more than 200 million subscribers and better compete against the behemoth Netflix, which boasts 325 million subscribers worldwide.

Ellison was full of praise for the HBO team on Monday’s analyst call, saying the premium service was a “crown jewel” and that it will “continue to have the resources and independence to do what it does best.”

He also reiterated that there is “no intention to pull back on production,” and that the company intends to make 30 films a year — 15 apiece from Paramount and Warner Bros.

“We have all the economic incentives to make sure that we grow this business and are going to invest in content to basically achieve those goals,” Ellison said Monday.

But this deal also includes $79 billion in net debt — a staggering load that overshadows even that of the merger that resulted in Warner Bros. Discovery. That amount became an albatross around that company’s neck and led to waves of layoffs.

“What everybody’s hoping is that the noise that’s being made around prioritizing content will hold true,” said Kevin Klowden, a Milken Institute fellow focused on entertainment and technology. “But until they see that happen, it’s really a question.”

Further job losses would be a blow to an industry that has been reeling from a steady drumbeat of job cuts fueled by media consolidation, dwindling streaming profits and the migration of film and TV jobs to cheaper states and countries.

Paramount executives have said the deal is expected to close in the fiscal third quarter of this year, and Ellison said he was “absolutely confident” they will meet that goal, based on conversations with regulators.

Despite support from the Trump administration, the acquisition is not yet final. Already, California Atty. Gen. Rob Bonta said he was in communication with other states’ attorneys general about challenging the merger on antitrust grounds, saying it wasn’t a “done deal.”

And on Monday, Rep. Sam Liccardo (D-San José), Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) called on Atty. Gen. Pam Bondi and White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles to provide details of their conversations about the merger with Ellison and Netflix co-Chief Executive Ted Sarandos, highlighting the role of politics in the auction.

Paramount plans to keep the two studios separate for now, though company executives have discussed combining operations at the Warner Bros. Burbank lot at some point, according to sources close to Paramount who were not authorized to speak publicly. That could mean a wind down at the historic Paramount lot on Melrose Avenue — and more job losses.

The anxiety over looming cuts is especially deep inside Warner, where staff are still trying to process the news, according to people I spoke with. They noted that when Netflix was the winning bidder, co-Chief Executives Sarandos and Greg Peters came to the Burbank lot and spoke with several hundred of Warner’s senior leaders and outlined their plans, giving staff more clarity about a future under their ownership. No such conversations have occurred with the Paramount team, they said.

“I think genuinely, everyone’s nervous and a little uneasy,” said one Warner Bros. Discovery employee. “With the Netflix option, people had become a little more hopeful. But this outcome is a little more frightening for the staff.”

Stuff We Wrote

Film shoots

Number of the week

After 30 years, the Ghostface killer has still got it. Paramount Pictures and Spyglass Media Group’s “Scream 7” topped the box office this last weekend with $64.1 million in the U.S. and Canada, marking a franchise-best domestic opening. Globally, the film made $97.2 million.

The film centered on original franchise actors Neve Campbell and Courteney Cox, and featured numerous callbacks to the previous movies.

But the film’s debut did not come without controversy. Pro-Palestinian groups protested outside the “Scream 7” premiere on the Paramount lot last week and called for a boycott of the film after franchise star Melissa Barrera was fired more than two years ago for her comments on the Israel-Hamas war.

What I’m watching

On Sunday, I watched the UCLA women’s basketball team dominate USC in what I think is one of the best college rivalries out there (though I’m probably biased. Go Bruins!)

AROUND the UK there are so many beautiful beaches from sandy coves to sprawling shingle stretches.

But experts have revealed where you can find the absolute best – and it is even one of the driest in Britain.

Condé Nast Traveller announced the 60 best beaches in the UK.

And Kent’s Botany Bay nabbed the top spot.

The publication called the coastal stretch “one of Kent’s most blissful hideouts”.

It said: “Viking Bay is beautiful and all, but, despite its size, securing a peaceful spot on the balmiest of summer days is all but impossible.

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“Imagine how smug, then, the local folk of Kent feel, cool bags hooked onto their arms and towels flung over their shoulders, and they descend on Botany Bay.”

It continued to add: “At low tide, wade through the puddles in search of fossils and, come high tide, take a plunge knowing how shallow and rock-free many parts of the beach are – so much so, it has long been a favourite among families.”

Botany Bay sits between trendy seaside towns Margate and Broadstairs, and its beach is easily recognisable thanks to its tall white limestone cliffs and sea stacks.

Even better news for anyone keen to visit Botany Bay is that it doesn’t get much rain.

A study conducted by Parkdean looked at the rainfall patterns over the duration of one year at some of the UK’s most popular beaches.

On average, Botany Bay gets 58 days of rainfall each year – to put that in perspective, the UK gets an average 164 days of rain a year.

And while it isn’t hot, Botany Bay is also one of the warmest beaches in the UK in winter thanks to its location on the Channel with average temperatures of 9.5C.

While Botany Bay doesn’t have a pub, nearby you’ll find the Captain Digby.

The authentic British pub where you can get a pint and burger is at Kingsgate Bay and it sits on top of the cliff and overlooking the ocean.

For those who want to take a coastal walk, you can go via Botany Bay on the 32-mile Viking Coat Trail from Margate to Broadstairs.

Here are the 60 Best Beaches in the UK…

1. Botany Bay, Kent
2. Trevone Bay, Cornwall
3. Sennen Cove, Cornwall
4. Walberswick Beach, Suffolk
5. Pentle Bay, Scilly Isles
6. Crantock Beach, Newquay, Cornwall
7. Mothecombe, Plymouth, Devon
8. Mwnt Beach, Cardigan, Wales
9. Holkham Beach, Norfolk
10. Durdle Door, Jurassic Coast, Dorset
11. Dunwich Beach, Suffolk
12. Pedn Vounder Beach, Cornwall
13. Hunstanton, Norfolk
14. Shell Bay, Studland, Dorset
15. Southwold, Suffolk
16. Mudeford Sandbank, Dorset
17. Cuckmere Haven, Seaford, East Sussex
18. Whitstable beach, Kent
19. Aldeburgh, Suffolk
20. Brancaster Beach, Norfolk
21. Dungeness, Romney Marsh, Kent
22. Polzeath, Cornwall
23. Bantham Beach, South Devon
24. Filey Brigg, North Yorkshire
25. West Wittering Beach, Chichester
26. Sandbanks, Dorset
27. St. Bees, Cumbria
28. Woolacombe Sands, Devon
29. Cromer Beach, North Norfolk
30. Whitley Bay, Tyneside
31. South Bay, Scarborough, Yorkshire
32. Sheringham beach, North Norfolk
33. Ventnor, Isle of Wight
34. Viking Bay, Broadstairs
35. Lantic Bay, Cornwall
36. Scarista Beach, Lewis & Harris, Scotland
37. Achmelvich Beach, North-west Scotland
38. Machir Bay, Islay, Scotland
39. Uig beach, Isle of Lewis, Scotland
40. St Cyrus, Aberdeenshire, Scotland
41. Luskentyre, Outer Hebrides, Scotland
42. Three Cliffs Bay, Wales
43. Aberfforest Beach, Wales
44. Llanddwyn, Anglesey, Wales
45. Barafundle Bay, Pembrokeshire, Wales
46. Rhossili Bay, Gower Coast, Wales
47. Harlech, Gwynedd, Wales
48. Penbryn, Ceredigion, Wales
49. Whitesands Beach, Pembrokeshire, Wales
50. Benone, Ulster, Northern Ireland
51. Mill Bay, Rathlin Island, Northern Ireland
52. Magilligan Point, Ulster, Northern Ireland
53. Whiterocks, Portrush, Northern Ireland
54. Whitepark Bay, Antrim, Northern Ireland
55. Blackpool Sands, Devon
56. Seven Sisters, Sussex
57. Camber Sands, Essex
58. Cley next the Sea, Norfolk
59. Hastings Beach, Sussex
60. Hengistbury Head

For more on coastlines, here are the best ‘one-of-a-kind’ beaches around the world have been revealed – and two in the UK make the list.

And here are our 26 must-visit UK beaches for 2026 – including tropical-feel spots and family-friendly finds.

So much Trump-related news has appeared lately on the airwaves and in web pixels — what with Iran and Epstein and Minnesota and so on — that inevitably a nugget will fall between the cracks.

That seems to have been the fate of the most recent annual financial report of Trump Media and Technology Group, which covered calendar year 2025 and was issued Friday.

Trump Media, which is 52% owned by Donald Trump and trades on Nasdaq with a ticker symbol based on his initials (DJT), is the holding company for Trump’s social media platform, Truth Social.

The annual financial disclosure has garnered minimal press coverage. That’s a pity, because it makes fascinating reading, though not in a good way.

Here are the top and bottom lines from the 10-k annual report: Trump Media lost $712.1 million last year on revenue of about $3.7 million. That’s quite a bit worse than its performance in 2024, when it lost $409 million on revenue of about $3.6 million. The company attributed most of the flood of red ink to “loss from investments,” of which more in a moment.

Truth Social isn’t an especially strong keystone of this operation. The platform is chiefly an outlet for Trump’s social media ramblings and the occasional official White House statements. But no one has to sign in to Truth Social to see them — they’re almost invariably picked up by the news media or reposted by users on other platforms such as X.

That might explain Truth Social’s relatively scrawny user base. The platform is estimated to have about 2 million active users, according to the analytical firm Search Logistics. By comparison, X has about 450 million monthly active users and Facebook has more than 2.9 billion.

It’s no mystery, then, why TMTG disdains “traditional performance metrics like average revenue per user, ad impressions and pricing, or active user accounts, including monthly and daily active users,” according to its annual report.

Relying on those metrics, which are used to judge TMTG’s social media rivals, “might not align with the best interests of TMTG or its stockholders, as it could lead to short-term decision-making at the expense of long-term innovation and value creation.”

Instead, the company says it should be evaluated based on “its commitment to a robust business plan that includes introducing innovative features, new products, new technologies.” But it also acknowledges that, at its heart, TMTG is a proxy for “the reputation and popularity of President Donald J. Trump.” The company warns that “the value of TMTG’s brand may diminish if the popularity of President Donald J. Trump were to suffer.”

How has that played out in real time? Trump Media notched its highest closing price as a public company, $66.22, on March 27, 2024, the day after its initial public offering. In midday trading Monday, the shares were quoted at $11.08, for a loss of 83% since the IPO.

One can’t quibble with stock market price quotes; nor can one finagle annual profit and loss statements, at least not without receiving questions, and perhaps lawsuit complaints, from attentive investors and the Securities and Exchange Commission.

In recent months, TMTG has engaged in a number of baroque financial transactions.

In May, the company announced that it was planning to raise $3.5 billion from institutions to invest in bitcoin, with the money to come from issues of common and preferred shares. The goal was to climb onto the cryptocurrency train, which Trump himself was fueling by, among other things, issuing an executive order promoting the expansion of crypto in the U.S. and denigrating enforcement efforts by the Biden administration as reflecting a “war on cryptocurrency.”

Under Trump, federal regulators have dropped numerous investigations related to cryptocurrencies. Trump has also talked about creating a government crypto strategic reserve, which would entail large government purchases of bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies; a March 3 announcement on that subject briefly sent bitcoin prices soaring by nearly 20%, though they promptly fell back.

Then there’s TMTG’s relationship with Crypto.com, a Singapore-based crypto “service provider” best known to Angelenos unfamiliar with the crypto world as the firm with naming rights to the Los Angeles arena that hosts the NBA Lakers and Clippers, WNBA Sparks and NHL Kings.

In August, Crypto.com and TMTG announced a deal in which TMTG would pursue a crypto treasury strategy consisting mostly of Cronos tokens, a cryptocurrency sponsored by Crypto.com. The initial infusion would consist of 6.4 billion Cronos valued at $1 billion, or about 15.8 cents per Cronos.

As of Dec. 31, TMTG said in its 10-K, it owned 756.1 million Cronos, acquired at a cost of about $114 million, or 15 cents each. By year’s end, they were worth only about nine cents each, for a paper loss of about $46 million. In trading this week, Cronos was quoted at about 7.6 cents, producing a paper loss for TMTG of about $56.5 million, or roughly half the investment.

The financial maneuvering involved in this trade is a little dizzying. The initial transaction was a 50% stock, 50% cash trade in which Crypto.com bought $50 million in TMTG stock and TMTG bought $105 million in Cronos. Who gained in this deal? It’s almost impossible to say.

Crypto.com did gain, if not purely in cash, then arguably through the Trump administration’s good graces.

On March 27, the SEC formally closed an investigation of the company that it had launched during the Biden administration, when the agency was headed by a known crypto skeptic, Gary Gensler. Trump appointed a crypto-friendly regulator, Paul Atkins, as Gensler’s successor.

It’s reasonable to note that as a business model, crypto treasuries have been in vogue over the last year or so, allowing investors to play the crypto market without all the complexities of actually buying and holding the digital assets by buying shares in treasury companies.

I asked Crypto.com whether the steady decline in Cronos’ price suggested that the hookup with TMTG wasn’t bearing fruit. “The fluctuation in value during this time period is consistent with the entire crypto market, which is typical in a bear market,” company spokeswoman Victoria Davis told me by email.

Davis also asserted that the SEC’s investigation of the company had been closed by Gensler, “not the current administration” (i.e., Trump). That’s misleading, at best. Gensler put the investigation on hold after the 2024 election, when it became clear that Trump was going to be in charge.

Crypto.com’s March 27 announcement of the formal end of the case attributed the action to “the current SEC leadership” and blamed the case on “the previous administration.” I asked Davis to explain the discrepancy but got no reply.

TMTG, like Crypto.com, attributed the decline in Cronos’ value to the secular bear market raging in the entire cryptocurrency space, a reflection of “temporary price swings across the crypto market,” said TMTG spokeswoman Shannon Devine. She said the price decline “will not diminish our enthusiasm for the enormous potential of the [CRONOS] ecosystem.”

Trump’s coziness with crypto companies hasn’t gone unnoticed by Democrats on the House Judiciary Committee, who issued a scathing report on the topic in November. (The White House scoffed at the report, saying in response to the report that Trump “only acts in the best interests of the American public.”)

In mid-December, TMTG launched yet another remaking — this time, plunging into the business of fusion power. The instrument is TAE Technologies, a Foothill Ranch-based company working to develop the technology of nuclear fusion as a clean energy source. According to a Dec. 18 announcement, TMTG and TAE will merge, creating what they say is a $6-billion company.

According to the announcement, TMTG will contribute $200 million to the merged company when the deal closes in mid-2026, and an additional $100 million subsequently. Following the merger, TMTG said last month, it will consider spinning off Truth Social into a new publicly traded company.

These arrangements are murky. TAE is privately held and the value of Truth Social is conjectural at best, so TMTG shareholders could be hard-pressed to assess their gains or losses from the merger and spin-off.

What makes them even murkier is the speculative nature of fusion as an electrical power source. Although numerous companies have leaped into the field — and TAE, which has been backed by Alphabet, the parent of Google, is among the oldest — none has shown the capability of generating electrical power at commercial scale with the elusive technology.

Although some researchers say that fusion could become a technically and economically feasible power source within 10 years, only in 2022 did fusion researchers (at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory) achieve the goal of using fusion to produce more energy than is required to sustain a reaction. They were able to do so only for less than a billionth of a second.

Others working on the technology have expressed doubts that fusion could become a viable power source before the 2040s. The technical challenges, including how to convert the energy produced by a fusion reactor into electricity, remain daunting.

All this points to the fundamental question of what TMTG is supposed to be. TMTG’s original mission, according to its own publicity statements, was to build Truth Social into an alternative social media platform “to end Big Tech’s assault on free speech by opening up the Internet.”

Spinning off Truth Social would place that goal on the side. TMTG is on its way too becoming a hodgepodge of crypto, fusion and other investments selected without regard to whether they fit together or are even achievable. The only constant is Trump himself.

If you want to invest in him, TMTG may be the best way to do it. But judging from its latest financial disclosure, that’s not the same as being a good way to do it.

THINKING of booking a holiday? Well, it’s perfect timing as TUI has just announced its most-loved hotels across the world.

Over 13,000 hotels have been assessed with only those achieving top Customer Satisfaction Scores being considered for the awards.

And coming out on top for UK holidaymakers, is TUI Blue Barut Andiz in Türkiye.

Located in the town of Side, the adults-only hotel scored the highest guest ratings across the entire TUI portfolio.

UK travellers noted how the hotel has friendly staff, brilliant food and a chilled, child-free setting.

Inside the hotel, guests can dine at two à la carte restaurants on a first-floor terrace whilst looking out at the sea.

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When booking via TUI, you’ll get one free visit to the hotel’s signature à la carte restaurant – the Culinarium – which specialises in seafood and hosts themed evenings.

As for bars, you can enjoy the orange glow of the evening at the Sunset Bar or enjoy a tipple by the water at the Meltem Pool Bar.

Need some caffeine? Well, you can head to Thea’s Coffee Shop for ice cream, desserts and of course, hot drinks.

The hotel also boasts a spa with a Turkish bath and a mix of solo and couples treatment rooms.

This year the hotel is celebrating 10 years since opening and as a result, throughout this summer will be hosting a number of celebratory fitness sessions, food experiences, live music events, silent discos and parties.

Fitness sessions include BLUEfit, which are outdoor instructor-led sessions including Aqua Board classes, Pilates and yoga.

Around the hotel, you can head to the beach, which is just a few minutes’ walk away.

And Side’s old town is also not too far, where you can explore Roman ruins with glass walkways that sit over dug-out ruins.

If you want to discover artefacts that have been found during the excavations in the old town, then head to Side Museum, which costs £4.36 per person to visit.

A seven-night all-inclusive stay for two people in a double room with a balcony this April costs from £1,389.32.

Perhaps you are wanting to go on holiday with the family though? Then look at TUI Magic Life Sarigerme, which has been named the best family-friendly hotel.

Also located in Türkiye, the hotel features five swimming pools, seven bars and four restaurants – all sat on the beachfront.

The hotel is just a 20-minute drive from Dalaman but also right by Sarigerme Beach, which is a large, sprawling beach loved by locals for kitesurfing.

There is even a watersports centre on the beach if you want to try out kitesurfing for yourself.

An all-inclusive seven-night stay for two adults this April in a double room costs from £1,383.68.

Fancy heading to Greece? Well, Lindos Blu Luxury Hotel and Suites has been named the best hotel in the Cyprus and Greece category.

With its own private beach, there are two restaurants to pick from as well, serving traditional Mediterranean dishes.

There are two outdoor freshwater pools, an indoor pool and even a whirlpool.

Over the summer months, the hotel usually also puts on entertainment such as live music.

Two adults can stay for seven-nights on a bed and breakfast basis this May from £2,114.82 in a double room with a sea view.

And if you are thinking about heading to Spain, you might want to book in to Hotel Fariones in Lanzarote.

The hotel came out on top for the best in Spain and Portugal category and boasts two pools, three restaurants and direct access to the Playa Grande Beach.

Just a short walk away, you can discover Puerto Del Carmen’s Old Town where you will find a selection of restaurants and bars.

A seven-night break for two adults this May costs from £2,509.14, on a bed and breakfast basis in a double room with a sea view.

For more inspiration on hotels in Europe to book, here’s Europe’s number one beach hotel with a huge pool and sea-view suites.

Plus, Europe’s biggest hotel is in a VERY surprising part of the UK – with 1,630 rooms.

Brighton manager Fabian Hurzeler has called for stricter rules around set-pieces and criticised upcoming opponents Arsenal for time-wasting.

Hurzeler, whose side host the Premier League leaders on Wednesday, claimed the Gunners sometimes wait “over one minute” to take their corners in matches.

Arsenal’s prowess at set-pieces continues to fuel their title charge, with Sunday’s victory over Chelsea the ninth time the Gunners have scored a match-winning goal from a corner this season.

But they have also been at the forefront of recent discussions around grappling and blocking at set-pieces, with Everton boss David Moyes identifying Mikel Arteta’s side as the trailblazers for the use of “dark arts”.

Asked why he believes Arsenal’s approach to set-pieces has received the level of attention that it has, Hurzeler said: “There are no clear rules anymore [around] how much time you can spend taking a corner or a throw-in.

“Some of the ways teams are blocking, there’s no real rule. Sometimes the referee whistles and it’s a foul, sometimes it isn’t a foul or they don’t whistle.

“[We need] a clear rule on how much time you can take for a corner, a free-kick, because no one recognises it. When Arsenal have a corner and they are leading, sometimes they spend over one minute just to take a corner.”

The statistics show that, on average, no Premier League club takes longer to restart from corners than Arsenal.

Despite promising to end United States involvement in costly and destructive foreign wars, President Donald Trump, together with Israel, has launched a massive military assault on Iran, targeting its leadership and nuclear and missile infrastructure.

Much like his predecessors, Trump has relied on military force to pursue US strategic interests, continuing a pattern that has defined US foreign policy for more than two decades.

Since the September 11, 2001, attacks on New York and the US capital, the US has engaged in three full-scale wars and bombed at least 10 countries in operations ranging from drone strikes to invasions, often multiple times within a single year.

The graphic below shows all the countries the US has bombed since 2001.

These may not include all military strikes, particularly covert or special operations.

The cost of decades of war

In the aftermath of the September 11, 2001, attacks, President George W Bush launched what he called a “war on terror”, a global military campaign that reshaped US foreign policy and triggered wars, invasions and air strikes across numerous countries.

According to an analysis by Brown University’s Watson Institute of International & Public Affairs, US-led wars since 2001 have directly caused the deaths of about 940,000 people across Afghanistan, Pakistan, Iraq, Syria, Yemen and other conflict zones.

This does not include indirect deaths, namely those caused by loss of access to food, healthcare or war-related diseases.

The US has spent an estimated $5.8 trillion funding its more than two decades of conflict.

This includes $2.1 trillion spent by the Department of Defense (DOD), $1.1 trillion by Homeland Security, $884bn to increase the DOD base budget, $465bn on veterans’ medical care and an additional $1 trillion in interest payments on loans taken out to fund the wars.

In addition to the $5.8 trillion already spent, the US is expected to have to lay out at least another $2.2 trillion for veterans’ care over the next 30 years.

This would bring the total estimated cost of US wars since 2001 to $8 trillion.

Afghanistan war (2001-2021)

The first and most direct response to 9/11 was the invasion of Afghanistan to dismantle al-Qaeda and remove the Taliban from power.

On October 7, 2001, the US launched Operation Enduring Freedom.

The initial invasion succeeded in toppling the Taliban regime within just a few weeks. However, armed resistance groups mounted a prolonged resistance against US and coalition forces.

The war went on to become the longest conflict in US history, spanning four presidencies and lasting 20 years until the final withdrawal in 2021, after which the Taliban regained control of Afghanistan.

An estimated 241,000 people died as a direct result of the war, according to an analysis from Brown University’s Costs of War project. Hundreds of thousands more people, mostly civilians, died due to hunger, disease and injuries caused by the war.

At least 3,586 soldiers from the US and its NATO allies were killed in the war, which is estimated to have cost $2.26 trillion for the US, according to the Cost of War project.

Iraq war (2003-2011)

On March 20, 2003, Bush launched a second war, this time in Iraq, claiming that President Saddam Hussein possessed weapons of mass destruction – a claim that proved to be false.

On May 1, 2003, Bush declared “mission accomplished” and the end of major combat operations in Iraq.

However, the subsequent years were defined by violence from armed groups and a power vacuum that fuelled the rise of ISIL (ISIS).

In 2008, Bush agreed to withdraw US combat troops, a process completed in 2011 under President Barack Obama.

The drone wars: Pakistan, Somalia and Yemen

Although not declared wars, the US has also expanded its air and drone campaigns.

Beginning in the mid-2000s, the CIA launched drone strikes inside Pakistan’s tribal areas along the Afghan border, targeting al-Qaeda and Taliban figures believed to be operating there. These strikes marked the early expansion of remote warfare.

Obama dramatically expanded the drone strikes in Pakistan, particularly in the early years of his presidency.

At the same time, the US conducted air strikes in Somalia against suspected al-Qaeda affiliates, later targeting fighters linked to al-Shabab as that armed group grew in strength.

In Yemen, US forces carried out missile and drone strikes against al-Qaeda leaders.

Libya intervention

In 2011 during an uprising against Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi, the US joined a NATO-led intervention in Libya. American forces launched air and missile strikes to enforce a no-fly zone.

Gaddafi was overthrown and killed, and Libya descended into prolonged instability and factional fighting.

Iraq and Syria

From 2014 onwards, the US intervened in the Syrian war with the stated goal of defeating ISIL. Building on its campaign in Iraq, the US conducted sustained air strikes in Syria while supporting local partner forces on the ground.

In Iraq, US forces advised Iraqi troops, fought ISIL remnants and tried to counter Iranian influence, highlighted by a Trump-ordered 2020 strike that killed Iranian General Qassem Soleimani.

FROM political conflicts to natural disasters, British nationals have been advised against visiting a number of countries.

And with the recent escalation of conflict in the Middle East, the Foreign Office’s has issued a number of updates to its “do not travel” advice.

Travel warnings are in place for 76 destinations for British nationals, with some advice only applying to specified areas of the named country.

The FCDO has also outlined countries, or parts of countries where only “essential travel” is advised.

The Foreign Office clarified: “Whether travel is essential or not is your own decision.

“You may have urgent family or business commitments which you need to attend to.

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“Only you can make an informed decision based on your own individual circumstances and the risks.”

In general, travelling to a country or region where the advice is against all but essential travel will also invalidate most travel insurance policies.

Countries with updated travel warnings

Afghanistan

While Afghanistan was already classified as a no-travel destination by the FCDO, its website flagged that there is “new information about heightened tension between Afghanistan and Pakistan”.

British nationals are advised: “You should not travel to Afghanistan. The security situation is volatile and tensions between Afghanistan and Pakistan have previously resulted in violent clashes in border regions.”

The warning described travel throughout the country as “extremely dangerous”, noting that “a number of border crossings are not currently open”.

It also flagged a “heightened risk of British nationals being detained”, with the potential of “years of imprisonment” and “extrememly limited support” from the FCDO.

Armenia (certain areas)

The FCDO also advises against all travel to regions surrounding the Armenia-Azerbaijan border due to tensions between the nations.

Azerbaijan (certain areas)

As well as avoiding the Armenia-Azerbaijan border, the FCDO advises British nationals against all but essential travel to southwestern Azerbaijan.

Bahrain

The FCDO advises against all but essential travel to Bahrain and is also encouraging Britons currently in the country to register their presence.

Egypt (certain areas)

All travel to Egyptian zones near Israel as well as the Egypt-Libya border should be avoided.

The FCDO also advises against all but essential travel to Egypt’s Western Desert.

Warnings are not currently in place for popular holiday destinations such as Sharm el Sheikh and Hurghada.

Iran

The FCDO continues to advise against all travel to Iran, with “regional escalation posing significant security risks”.

The latest update advises British nationals already in Iran to “carefully consider your presence there and the risks you take by staying”.

The FCDO warned: “British and British-Iranian dual nationals are at significant risk of arrest, questioning, or detention.

“Having a British passport or connections to the UK can be reason enough for the Iranian authorities to detain you.”

Iraq

Iraq is also on the FCDO’s “do not travel” list, with British nationals warned of a “significant risk of further escalation”, with the situation described as “fast-moving and unpredictable”.

Israel

The FCDO now advises against all travel to Israel, with British nationals currently in the nation told to register their location and follow local guidance.

Jordan

British nationals are advised against all but essential travel to Jordan, while any area located within 3km (approximately 1.8 miles) of the Jordan-Syria border should be avoided entirely.

Kuwait

All but essential travel should also be avoided to Kuwait, with the FCDO advising British nationals already in the country to immediately shelter in place “due to reported missile attacks”.

“Remain indoors in a secure location, avoid all travel, and follow instructions from the local authorities,” the Foreign Office said in its official update.

Lebanon

The FCDO advises against all travel to the borders between Lebanon-Syria and Lebanon-Israel.

Meanwhile, all travel to certain areas of Beirut should also be avoided, while the rest of the country should be avoided unless travel is essential.

Oman (certain areas)

A shelter in place warning is in place for Brits currently in specific regions of Oman, specificially the city of Duqm and surrounding areas.

British nationals currently visiting Salalah, or within 100km, are advised to leave as soon as possible “if commercial means allow” and to follow the advice of local authorities.

Pakistan (certain areas)

The FCDO advises against all travel within 10 miles of the Pakistan-Afghanistan border, with a comprehensive list of areas to avoid in the region.

All but essential travel is also recommended within five miles of the Pakistan-India Border Area.

Palestine

All travel to Palestine is not advised, with British nationals encouraged to register their presence in the country.

Qatar

The FCDO now advises against all but essential travel to Qatar, with immediate shelter in place warnings for British nationals “due to reported missile attacks”.

Saudi Arabia (certain areas)

British nationals are urged to steer clear of areas within 80km (roughly 50 miles) of the Saudi Arabia-Yemen border region.

Britons currently in Saudi Arabia are currently adised to “immediately shelter in place”.

Syria

The FCDO continues to advise against all travel to Syria, warning regional escalation posing “significant security risks”, leading to travel disruption.

Turkey (certain areas)

The zone within 10km (just over six miles) of the Turkey-Syria border should be avoided, according to the FCDO.

But all other areas, including tourist areas like Istanbul and Bodrum are considered safe to visit.

Yemen

The FCDO continues to advise against all travel to Yemen, telling British nationals: “If you’re in Yemen, you should leave immediately.”

And as of March 3, the FCDO is not advising against travel to Cyprus after strikes at an RAF base in Akrotiri.

British nationals in the Republic of Cyprus are advised to “follow any instructions from Cypriot local authorities”.

Scroll down for the full list of countries on the Foreign Office’s “do not travel” list.

Beirut, Lebanon – Hezbollah raised the stakes for the Lebanese government on Tuesday, when it launched an attack on Israel’s Ramat Airbase and a barrage of rockets another military facility in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights, a day after Prime Minister Nawaf Salam’s cabinet announced a ban on Hezbollah’s military and security activities.

Analysts said that the Lebanese government’s decision, while difficult to implement, might have a decisive impact on the future of Lebanon. Some say it was a necessary step to bring decisions related to security and defence under the central government’s control, while others argue it raises the spectre of internal strife.

Imad Salamey, a political scientist at the Lebanese American University, said that implementation of the government’s decision to disarm Hezbollah was “more plausible today than in previous years because the decision reflects unusually broad national backing, including from within the Shia political sphere”.

“Amal’s vote in favour signals that support for consolidating arms under state authority is no longer framed purely as a sectarian or anti-resistance demand, but increasingly as a state-stabilisation necessity – especially amid economic collapse and regional escalation,” he said, referring to the other Lebanese Shia Muslim group headed by Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri.

But Michael Young, a Lebanon expert at the Carnegie Middle East Center, said the decision was easier said than done.

“Implementation is going to he much more complicated. The army is not enthusiastic to enter into a fight with Hezbollah,” Young told Al Jazeera.

“It’s good that the state has taken this decision, but it is not good that the army seems very reluctant to implement this decision,” he added.

The Iran-backed Hezbollah effectively joined the war that the United States and Israel started against Iran on Saturday when it launched a barrage of rockets and drones towards northern Israel on Monday, saying it was acting to avenge the killing of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in Tehran and Israel’s near-daily attacks on Lebanon.

Israel responded by hitting Beirut’s southern suburbs with loud attacks that woke many of the city’s residents up, and issued evacuation warnings for more than 50 towns, displacing tens of thousands of people from their homes.

Hezbollah’s military actions banned

As this unfolded, Salam’s cabinet met and debated the events before the prime minister called an emergency news conference.

“We announce a ban on Hezbollah’s military activities and restrict its role to the political sphere,” Salam said in a news conference on Monday after the meeting.

“We declare our rejection of any military or security operations launched from Lebanese territory outside the framework of legitimate institutions.”

He added that all of Hezbollah’s military or security activities are “illegal” and said security forces would “prevent any attacks originating from Lebanese territory” against Israel or other states.

“We declare our commitment to the cessation of hostilities and the resumption of negotiations,” he said.

The statement was the strongest stance against Hezbollah to date and even gained the support of Parliament Speaker, and longtime staunch Hezbollah ally, Nabih Berri, who leads the Amal Movement.

Justice Minister Adel Nassar, meanwhile, ordered the arrest of the people who ordered the attack.

A ‘landmark’ decision

Hezbollah has been Lebanon’s strongest political and military force for decades. But the 2023-2024 war with Israel devastated the group. Hezbollah lost the majority of its military leadership, including longtime Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah.

Since the end of that war, a debate over Hezbollah’s weapons and role has ensued. Salam’s government has promised to disarm Hezbollah, while the group itself only accepted giving up its arms south of the Litani River that cuts across southern Lebanon.

Despite a November 2024 ceasefire agreement, Israel continued to attack south and east Lebanon almost daily. But since Hezbollah’s retaliation, Israel has started bombing Beirut’s suburbs again. On Monday alone, Israel killed more than 52 people, wounded more than 150 others, struck targets all over Lebanon, and gave evacuation orders for more than 50 Lebanese towns.

While Hezbollah’s first attack on Israel in over a year took many by surprise, Israel’s violent response did not.

Critics of Hezbollah pointed out that the group had acted recklessly and gave Israel an excuse to unleash its fury on Lebanon. Israel has also spoken about a potential ground invasion.

For analysts, the Lebanese government’s decision was a clear indication of how far the group has fallen since 2024.

“The government’s decision to officially ban all Hezbollah activities represents a landmark shift in the position of the government toward disarming Hezbollah,” Dania Arayssi, a senior analyst at New Lines Institute for Strategy and Policy, told Al Jazeera. “This is a further reaffirmation that Hezbollah has lost a lot, if not all, its political power and influence in the Lebanese government.”

Arayssi said Hezbollah’s diminished status since 2024 also meant that the likelihood of a clash between the group and the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF) was minimal.

“I don’t think there is a possibility of this leading to internal strife,” she said.

Hezbollah challenges Salam’s government

Hezbollah did not welcome the announcement.

The head of Hezbollah’s Parliamentary Bloc, Mohammad Raad, dispelled rumours of his assassination on Monday evening when he released a statement dismissing the government’s decision.

“We see no justification for Prime Minister Salam and his government to take bombastic decisions against Lebanese citizens who reject the occupation and accuse them of violating the peace that the enemy itself has denied and refused to uphold for a year and four months,” Raad said in a statement. “[Israel] has imposed a state of daily war on the Lebanese people.”

“The Lebanese were expecting a decision to ban aggression, but instead they are faced with a decision to ban the rejection of aggression,” Raad added.

Jawad Salhab, a political researcher and analyst, called the government’s move “a grave betrayal of the Lebanese people and a grave betrayal of the Lebanese state, whose sovereignty has been violated for 15 months.”

“Fifteen months of strategic patience have cost us more than 500 martyrs, while this Zionist enemy has persisted in its aggression against Lebanon and its sovereignty by air, land, and sea,” he said.

Overnight on Monday, leading into Tuesday, Israel struck targets around Lebanon, including the southern suburbs of the capital Beirut. In one strike, Israel targeted al-Manar, Hezbollah’s television station.

Then, on Tuesday morning, Hezbollah attacked Israel again, in what will be interpreted as a clear challenge to Salam’s announcement.

The Lebanese army had been tasked with an earlier government decision to disarm Hezbollah and said in January that it completed the first phase south of the Litani River. But Hezbollah has refused to move along with phase two, set to take place between the Litani and the Awali River, which is near the city of Sidon.

Nicholas Blanford, a nonresident senior fellow with the US-based Atlantic Council, told Al Jazeera that the government’s move was a “bold step” but one that might be difficult to enforce.

“How can they implement the decision?” Blanford asked, adding that it increased the potential for internal conflict.

Fearing the prospect of a Republican winning California’s gubernatorial race, state Democratic Party Chair Rusty Hicks on Tuesday urged his party’s candidates who lack a viable path to victory to drop out.

“It is imperative that every candidate honestly assess the viability of their candidacy and campaign,” Hicks wrote in an open letter to the politicians vying to replace termed-out Gov. Gavin Newsom. “I recognize my suggestions are hard for many to contemplate and may be even viewed as overly harsh by some.”

Hicks did not name the Democrats he wants out of the race.

But, even though the odds are relatively low, California cannot risk having a Republican elected as the next governor at a time when President Trump is in the White House, he said.

“[S]o much is at stake in our Nation and so many are counting on the leadership of California Democrats to stand up and speak out at this historic moment,” Hicks wrote. “California’s leadership on the world stage is significantly harder if a Democrat is not elected as our next Governor.”

Hicks urged Democrats languishing at the bottom of the field of candidates to drop out before the Friday deadline to officially file to run for governor — to ensure their names do not appear on the June primary ballot.

Under California’s top-two primary system, the two candidates who receive the most votes in the June primary advance to the November general election, regardless of party.

With nine top Democrats running, the fear is that the candidates will splinter their party’s vote and allow the top two Republicans in the race to finish in first and second place. This is despite Democratic registered voters outnumbering Republicans in the state by almost 2 to 1, and no GOP candidate winning a statewide election since 2006.

Having two Republicans competing in the November election would be devastating to Democratic voter turnout and could hurt party candidates in pivotal down-ballot races.

“The result would present a real risk to winning the congressional seats required and imperil Democrats’ chances to retake the House, cut Donald Trump’s term in half, and spare our Nation from the pain many have endured since January 2025,” Hicks said in his letter. “We simply can’t let that happen.”

A recent poll by the Public Policy Institute of California found that five candidates lead the contest — former Rep. Katie Porter, Rep. Eric Swalwell and hedge fund founder Tom Steyer among Democrats and conservative commentator Steve Hilton and Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco, both Republicans. Hilton and Bianco have led all candidates in other polls over the last few months.

Discussions about the need for some Democrats to exit the race took place at last weekend’s California Democratic Party convention as well as when the powerful California Federation of Labor Unions began its endorsement process last week.

But a politically thorny issue is that nearly all of the Democrats lagging in the polls are people of color, as former U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra noted at a candidate forum Monday evening.

“By the way, there are people who are calling for candidates to get out of the race,” he said at a gathering hosted by Equality California and the Los Angeles LGBT Center at the Renberg Theatre in Hollywood. “Isn’t it interesting that the candidates they are asking get out of the race are the candidates of color? So don’t take me there.”

Hicks, asked about the effect on candidates of color, lauded the field’s accomplishments.

“We have a number of strong candidates. They have incredible stories, and they are reflective of the diversity of our party. That being said, there are some political realities of where we are at at this particular moment,” he said in an interview. “I’m not calling on any specific candidates to move in one direction or the other. I’m just calling on them to assess their campaign and determine if they have a viable [path] and if they don’t, to not file.”

During Monday evening’s gubernatorial forum, Porter said she is concerned about the prospect of two Republicans making the top two.

“I hear people say to me, it could never happen, but everybody said that about Trump too,” she said at the forum. “And I look at how much harm we’re suffering, and I think about all the political risks that people are facing every day, the risk of an immigrant to leave their home and walk on our streets, the risk of a kid who’s trans to try to play sports even in this state. And I just don’t think we can take any more political risks.”

Times staff writer Phil Willon contributed to this report.

A British man in Spain has shared one big difference between the UK and Spain, claiming it’s something you’ll only notice once you leave the UK – but not everyone agreed with him

Spain has remained a firm favourite amongst Brits seeking a sun-soaked getaway for several years in a row. And It’s not just the brief flight time that appeals for holidaymakers, as the country also enjoys glorious weather throughout the entire year.

Data from the Office of National Statistics reveals that Brits clocked up more than 17.8 million trips to the Mediterranean nation in 2024, with figures projected to have climbed to 19.1 million in 2025. These holidays included trips to the Canary Islands and Costa Blanca, home to Benidorm. Further hotspots include the various Costas, the Balearic Islands, whilst the Northern regions are also seeing a surge in popularity.

Whilst the prospect of swapping Britain’s bleak and overcast winter months for brighter, warmer climes is undeniably attractive, there are certain contrasts many travellers might not have considered.

A British expat has now highlighted one major distinction between Spain and the UK, which may well explain why countless Brits are lured to the southern European nation.

On TikTok, a man called Mark posted footage of himself strolling through British streets back in January, showcasing murky skies with the sun conspicuously absent.

“You don’t realise how depressing it is until you leave the UK,” he captioned the clip, which then switched to show him wandering through Spain’s bright streets, lined with palm trees along the pavements.

“Why does the UK have a grey filter?” he pondered in the post’s caption.

Is the UK weather more grey than Spain?

From March 2026, the UK is forecast to see average temperatures ranging between 9C and lows of 2C, though some regions might also benefit from sunny spells with temperatures reaching up to 17 degrees in Eastern England on 5 March, according to the Met Office’s long range forecast.

Northern parts of England and Scotland are anticipated to face rain and storms, and potentially even some snow on higher ground, with overnight frost still possible between 4-13 March.

In contrast, Spanish March days are typically sunny, offering 6-8 hours of sunshine daily, alongside average temperatures of between 12-18 degrees. However, occasional brief rain showers should be expected, according to Tui.

Southern regions like Andalusia and the Canary Islands are the warmest (up to 21°C), whilst central and northern areas are cooler, creating perfect conditions for exploring the spring-blooming countryside.

Despite Mark’s post, numerous people quickly flocked to the comment section of his video to argue the UK weather isn’t as ‘depressing’ as he suggested.

“will never understand why people think grey skies are depressing,” one viewer commented.

Multiple people also pointed out that the UK can be equally sunny and warm at times, and that it’s unfair to judge the weather based on cold and overcast winter days, as the sunny summer days we experience deserve recognition.

Arteta and Arsenal now have to hold the nerve we have all questioned.

But it does seem somewhat contradictory to slate Arsenal for their style when they fall short, then carp when they reach March in firm contention for all four major prizes.

This is what Arteta means when he talks about the “noise” surrounding title races, especially if your club has not won one since 2003/04.

And is the criticism of Arsenal‘s systematic style actually fair?

Arsenal have scored more goals (58) and conceded fewest (22) in the Premier League. Their goal difference of +36 is the highest.

Predictably, Arsenal are way ahead on goals scored from set pieces, including penalties, with 21 compared to Manchester United‘s 15 in second.

They have scored 27.6% of their goals this season from corners, with 16. Spurs are top of that particular table have scored 13 of their 38 goals from corners – a total of 34.2%.

The Gunners have had more touches in the opposition box (981) than any other team. Liverpool are second with 939. They are second with Brentford, as measured by OPTA statistics, on creating big chances. They have 87 compared to City’s 89.

This points to efficiency and success – so far – this season, even though Arteta himself accepts things must be better than the panic-stricken conclusion to the Chelsea win.

He said in the immediate aftermath: “It is certainly something we will discuss as we have to improve it and do better.

“I’m trying to stay calm, but we weren’t getting the control we wanted, especially against ten men.

“You see with every team that is winning games that everyone is suffering and the margins are so small. But it’s good.”

City have suffered similarly stressful conclusions to their two most recent league wins against Newcastle United and Leeds United, but is this not what champions – or those wishing to be champions – do?

Are Arsenal also paying the price for the elite level football served up by Pep Guardiola’s City as they won six titles under the Catalan, and their closest rivals Liverpool under Jurgen Klopp, who won one before his successor Arne Slot repeated the feat in his first season?

Guardiola’s style has become the purists’ template, while Klopp’s explosive “heavy metal football” provided a thrilling counterpoint.

Arteta has made Arsenal more pragmatic in the attempt to finally bring that elusive crown to Emirates Stadium.

There is more than one way to win a Premier League title – and if Arteta’s earthy approach ends that 22-year wait, there will not be one person of an Arsenal persuasion who will care what the critics say.