Month: April 2026

DALLAS — The Lakers are as shorthanded as they can be, their dynamic starting backcourt of Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves out with injuries at a pivotal time of the season.

They’re the offensive engines for a Lakers team battling for the No. 3 playoff seeding in a competitive Western Conference.

The 41-year-old LeBron James is now driving the Lakers, and despite falling just a rebound shy of a triple-double, he couldn’t save the Lakers from a 134-128 loss to the Dallas Mavericks on Sunday at American Airlines Center.

James had 30 points, 15 assists and nine rebounds. Luke Kennard delivered his first career triple-double with 15 points, 16 rebounds and 11 assists.

Dallas rookie Cooper Flagg, coming off a 51-point performance against Orlando on Friday, finished with 45 points, nine assists and eight rebounds. He scored 19 points in the first quarter.

“Obviously, Cooper is in a zone over the last couple of games,” James said. “But [he] also has been playing consistent basketball all year so it’s great to see him from early in the season to where he is today.”

For the Lakers, finding ways to win without two of their best players will be their challenge over the final week of the season.

“We’ve got to have the commitment to do it on both ends and that’s the reason that we’ve put ourselves in the position to be in the playoffs,” Redick said, “because we became a really good offensive team and a really good defensive team.”

Doncic was diagnosed with a Grade 2 left hamstring strain and will be out the remainder of the regular season — maybe even longer.

Doncic’s agent, Bill Duffy of WME Sports, confirmed to The Times that his client will seek specialized treatment for his injury in Europe with the hopes of speeding up his recovery.

Reaves was diagnosed with a Grade 2 left oblique muscle injury and will be out for the rest of the regular season, and likely into the playoffs. The time frame for Reaves’ return is more like four-to-six weeks, according to a person with knowledge of the situation not authorized to speak on the matter.

Dallas Mavericks forward Cooper Flagg, left, drives against Lakers guard Bronny James during the second half Sunday.

(LM Otero / Associated Press)

“I took my nap after practice and I woke up with that news and it was like another shot to the [head],” James said about Reaves’ diagnosis. “It was a shot to the heart, obviously, and to the chest and to the mainframe with Luka, understanding that.”

Even Marcus Smart, known for his competitiveness and defensive tenacity, missed his seventh straight game with right ankle soreness.

With Doncic and Reaves out, the Lakers lose a combined 56.8 points per game and 13.8 assists per game. Doncic is fourth in the NBA in assists, with 8.3 per game, and he’s second on the Lakers in rebounding, at 7.7 per game.

“We knew that Austin was likely going to be out for a little bit of time,” Redick said. “Obviously, disappointed and devastated for him to have his regular season finish this way. … Both those guys are going to try to come back and it’s our job to extend the season so that they can come back.”

The Lakers have four regular-season games left, starting with Oklahoma City on Tuesday at Crypto.com Arena. They play at Golden State on Thursday before facing the Phoenix Suns in L.A. on Friday.

The Lakers are tied with the Denver Nuggets for third in the West at 50-28, although the Lakers own the tiebreaker. The NBA playoffs starts the weekend of April 18.

With that in mind, Redick was asked if he had an optimistic view of Doncic being back for the playoffs.

“I just know that he’s gonna do everything he can to try to be back,” Redick said. “I talked to him Friday. I talked to him again yesterday. I talked to him again this morning. He’s going to go through all the necessary things to be back at some point, and it’s our job again to extend the season so both those guys can get back.”

Hull — once crowned Britain’s biggest dump in the book Crap Towns — is suddenly being talked about as one of the world’s hottest holiday spots.

National Geographic has stuck the northern port city on its list of top 20 global places to visit in 2026, right up there with Manila, Beijing and even Route 66.

So, on a soggy halfterm, I grabbed my eleven-year-old son and headed north for 48 hours to see whether Hull’s new swagger stacks up — or whether the UK’s former “snoring capital” is still a total snooze.

It might look out on a limb on the map, but Hull’s a breeze to reach — direct trains from London take just two and a half hours. And once you’re there, it’s all ridiculously walkable, with every major sight just a short stroll away.

We checked into the Hideout Hotel, a slick set of self-catered apartments in the city centre, then dashed across the road to the mighty Hull Minster.

The 13th century church — and the cobbled Old Town around it — somehow survived the Blitz while 95 per cent of Hull’s homes were flattened.

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Locals say Luftwaffe pilots used the Minster’s spire as a handy marker as they crossed the North Sea – so didn’t destroy it.

Hull’s Old Town is a proper gem: narrow lanes and alleyways filled with cosy pubs like WM Hawkes, The Lion & Key and The Sailmakers Arms, and The George Hotel — the city’s oldest boozer — which proudly shows off England’s smallest window. Well worth looking into.

While grownups can tackle the famous Ale Trail, we went for the family-friendly Fish Trail — a quirky hunt for 41 bits of fish art hidden around the city. It’s free, fun and worth doing… just for the halibut.

For the real thing, we headed to “The Deep”.

Hull’s futuristic aquarium sits on the estuary and houses more than 5,000 sea creatures, underwater tunnels, a glass lift shooting up through a giant ocean tank, rays, turtles, jellyfish and sawfish that look like hedge trimmers with fins — plus a colony of adorable Gentoo penguins.

It’s immersive, educational and perfect for a rainy day.

A five-minute wander takes you to the Fruit Market, once a derelict warehouse district and now a buzzing hub of indie shops, bars and cool cafés.

We tucked into topnotch tapas at Ambiente — prawns and anchovies included, despite having just admired their cousins at The Deep — washed down with a crisp, bone-dry sherry.

Next morning we returned for a hearty breakfast at Thieving Harry’s, a hipster hangout with great coffee, brunch and the odd DJ night.

Then it was on to the Museum Quarter — three brilliant, totally free museums in one neat cluster.

The Hull and East Riding Museum whisks you through 235 million years of history, complete with a lifesize woolly mammoth.

The Streetlife Museum dives into Hull’s transport past with vintage trams, retro arcades and a wartime high street.

Both are cracking fun.

Then came Wilberforce House, birthplace of Hull’s most famous son, William Wilberforce — the MP who led the charge to abolish slavery.

The museum tackles the transatlantic slave trade, the fight to end it and its legacy today.

It’s incredibly powerful, thoughtful and handled with real care — not just
suitable for kids, but essential.

Culture continued at the Ferens Art Gallery, one of Britain’s top regional galleries, before some light relief at Dinsdales Joke Shop — a gloriously chaotic treasure trove of whoopee cushions, itching powder and fake poo.

It’s been going since the 1930s, making it the oldest joke shop in the country.

“People in Hull are a unique bunch,” owner Angela Dinsdale told us.

“There’s loads of culture and history — it’s quirky, friendly and there’s plenty for tourists to do.”

And there’s more coming.

A £70m Maritime Project is about to drop anchor: the docks have been revamped, the Maritime Museum reopens later this year, and both the Arctic Corsair trawler — “Hull’s Cutty Sark” — and the Spurn Lightship have been restored to their former glory.

And Hull’s star power doesn’t stop at penguins, ports and pubs.

The city can now brag about producing one of Britain’s hottest acting talents — Robert Aramayo, who is Hull born-and-bred and enrolled at Hull’s Truck Youth Theatre at the age of 11.

The local lad stunned Hollywood this year by beating Leonardo DiCaprio, Timothée Chalamet and Michael B. Jordan to scoop Best Actor at this year’s BAFTAs.

Nearly a decade after being crowned UK City of Culture, there’s never been a better time to go to Hull and back.

April 6 (UPI) — The four crew members of the Artemis II mission entered the moon’s sphere of influence early Monday, marking the start of their lunar flyby.

The Orion spacecraft reached what is called the lunar sphere of influence at about 12:41 a.m. ET Monday, meaning the moon’s gravitational forces on the capsule were greater than those of Earth.

The mission launched Wednesday from Florida, and it took the spacecraft four days, six hours, two minutes and 54 seconds to cross the important gravitational milestone, the first crewed mission to enter the moon’s sphere of influence since Apollo 17 in 1972.

About 13 hours later, at 1:56 p.m., the four-person crew of NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover and Cristina Koch, and Canadian Space Agency astronaut Jeremy Hansen will have surpassed the record for the farthest humans have traveled from Earth, which was previously set by Apollo 13 in 1970.

The spacecraft is expected to start its flyby of the moon at about 2:45 p.m. Monday, when a seven-hour lunar observation period will begin.

NASA said the crew will see both the near and far sides of the moon during this period. As window space is limited, the crew will be divided into pairs that will conduct between 55- and 85-minute observation shifts, it said.

Mission control sent the crew the final list of lunar surface features to be observed and photographed during the flyby early Sunday, according to NASA.

The astronauts will be tasked with observing about 30 targets, including the Orientale basin, a nearly 600-mile-wide crater that spans the boundary between the moon’s near and far sides, NASA said.

“The crew will study Orientale’s features up close and from multiple angles as they pass by,” the space agency said in a Sunday evening blog post.

Orion is expected to reach its closest approach to the moon at 4,070 miles at 7:02 p.m. only to reach its maximum distance from Earth during the mission minutes later.

The lunar observation period is expected to come to an end at 9:20 p.m.

At about 1:25 p.m. Tuesday, Orion will have exited the lunar sphere of influence en route home.

The 10-day moon flyby mission is to conclude with a splashdown off the coast of San Diego at about 8:07 p.m. Friday.

Tehran says it will respond ‘in kind’ to any attacks on its infrastructure, warns Trump threats an ‘incitement to war crimes’.

At least 34 people have been killed, including six children, as the United States and Israel carried out massive attacks across Iran, targeting a top university as well as residential areas, after US President Donald Trump set a Tuesday deadline for Tehran to fully reopen the Strait of Hormuz or face strikes on its power plants and bridges.

The Fars news agency reported on Monday that an air attack killed 23 people, including four girls and two boys aged below 10 years, in Tehran province’s Baharestan County.

At least five people were killed in an attack on a residential building in the city of Qom, according to the political and security deputy of the governor, Morteza Heydari. Six others were killed in Bandar-e Lengeh, in southern Iran, authorities said.

At least a dozen cities were hit across Iran, including Bandar Abbas, Ahvaz, Mahshahr, Shiraz, Isfahan and Karaj.

US-Israeli strikes also hit Sharif University in Tehran, one of Iran’s leading scientific universities, often compared with the US’s Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). Al Jazeera’s Tohid Asadi, reporting from Tehran, said the facility was severely hit, with extensive damage reported in the compound’s mosque and laboratories.

“The Sharif area has witnessed other attacks, including one on a gas facility,” Asadi said, adding that other civil facilities, including roads, power plants and bridges were also targeted across Iran.

“Iran’s Ministry of Science and Technology told us that at least 30 universities have been hit” since the beginning of the war on February 28, he said.

Iran vows retaliatory attacks

The attacks follow Trump’s expletive-laden threat on Truth Social, demanding that Iran reopen the Strait of Hormuz or face “hell”. Iran has warned of retaliatory attacks, saying it will respond “in kind” to any attacks on its infrastructure, with senior officials condemning the president’s remarks as an “incitement to war crimes”. The strait, through which some 20 percent of global oil and gas passes, has been under effective blockade by Iran in response to the war.

Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei said Iranians were unfazed by Trump’s threats and that they would not be forced into any unfavourable deal. He said Trump’s statements were “an indication of a criminal mindset” and amounted to an “incitement to war crimes and crimes against humanity”.

Baghaei also warned that Iran would respond to any attacks on its infrastructure by launching similar attacks in the region.

Ali Akbar Velayati, an adviser to Iran’s Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei, said a single misstep by either country could severely disrupt global energy flows and international trade.

Velayati added that while the US has learned certain lessons from Iran’s history, it “has yet to understand the geography of power”.

Meanwhile, Israel also faced several missile attacks, with alarms going off in parts of the country. According to the official Israeli radio station, four volleys of Iranian missiles were launched in the early morning hours on Tuesday.

Rescue workers pulled two bodies from the rubble of a building struck in Haifa, while two residents remained missing.

Ambulance and civil defence services reported several injuries, some serious, in more than 20 locations, including Tel Aviv, Petah Tikva and Ramat Gan.

The Ynet News outlet said a 34-year-old woman was “seriously injured” by interceptor missiles in Petah Tikva.

The Channel 2 broadcaster published images of smoke rising over Gush Dan and Bnei Brak, as well as a video of minor damage to a building in Tel Aviv.

The box office hit a power-up this weekend, as “The Super Mario Galaxy Movie” continued a healthy streak for family films in theaters.

The animated sequel from Universal Pictures, Nintendo and Illumination raced to $190 million in the U.S. and Canada in its five-day holiday weekend debut, placing it solidly in first place, according to studio estimates and Comscore data. That total was in line with expectations of a $186-million domestic opening.

Globally, the film earned $372.5 million, the largest opening so far in 2026.

The first film based on the video game franchise, “The Super Mario Bros. Movie,” made $146.4 million in its 2023 debut.

“The Super Mario Galaxy Movie,” which had a production budget of $110 million, continues the story of iconic Nintendo characters Mario, Luigi and Princess Peach as they journey to rescue Princess Rosalina.

Amazon MGM’s “Project Hail Mary” came in second at the box office with a domestic total of $30.7 million – pushing its total to $217 million. A24’s “The Drama ($14.4 million), Disney’s “Hoppers” ($5.8 million) and Universal’s “Reminders of Him ($2.2 million) rounded out the top five.

The success of “Mario” this weekend is another example of the power of family films at the box office.

Animated movies like Sony Pictures Animation’s “Goat” and Walt Disney Co. and Pixar’s “Hoppers” have performed well in theaters this year, along with the strong holdover performance of Disney’s 2025 hit “Zootopia 2,” which has now made more than $1.87 billion worldwide.

That’s all contributed to a stronger first quarter in the theatrical business, as this year’s revenue was up more than 20% compared with the same period in 2025. March was especially strong, with the massive haul from “Project Hail Mary.”

Published on 06/04/2026 – 9:46 GMT+2•Updated
9:56

OPEC+ members met virtually on Sunday and afterwards announced plans to hike crude quotas by 206,000 barrels per day (bpd) in May as the Strait of Hormuz, which is the world’s most important route for black gold, continues to face disruptions as a result of the US-Iran conflict.

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However, the modest rise agreed by the eight key producing countries — Saudi Arabia, Russia, Iraq, the UAE, Kuwait, Kazakhstan, Algeria and Oman — is not likely to bring down oil prices as it represents less than 2% of the supply disrupted by the Hormuz closure. Moreover, the increase is more symbolic than material as the oil can’t be exported until the Strait of Hormuz opens.

“In their collective commitment to support oil market stability, the eight participating countries decided to implement a production adjustment of 206 thousand barrels per day from the 1.65 million barrels per day additional voluntary adjustments announced in April 2023. This adjustment will be implemented in May 2026,” the group said in a statement.

The members’ statement also noted that the 1.65 million barrels per day may be returned in part or in full subject to evolving market conditions and in a gradual manner.

“The countries will continue to closely monitor and assess market conditions, and in their continuous efforts to support market stability, they reaffirmed the importance of adopting a cautious approach and retaining full flexibility to increase, pause or reverse the phase out of the voluntary production adjustments, including reversing the previously implemented voluntary adjustments of the 2.2 million barrels per day announced in November 2023,” the statement also said.

Efforts to stabilise soaring oil prices

The latest statement from OPEC+ comes as oil prices have surged since the Iran conflict began, with Brent and US crude nearing $120 a barrel, driving up fuel costs and putting pressure on consumers and businesses worldwide.

Meanwhile, J.P. Morgan said in a note on Thursday that oil prices could go as high as $150 a barrel if supply flows remain disrupted until mid-May.

US President Donald Trump has given Iran a deadline of Tuesday to open the Strait of Hormuz and has vowed to hit the country’s power plants and bridges otherwise.

European markets were closed on Monday for the Easter holiday.

SACRAMENTO — Kawhi Leonard scored 26 points, and the Clippers snapped a two-game skid by beating the Sacramento Kings 138-109 on Sunday night to improve their play-in positioning.

Leonard scored 13 points in the first quarter as the Clippers raced out to a double-digit lead and coasted against a Kings team playing out the string of a lost season. Leonard has scored 20 or more in 54 consecutive games.

John Collins added 25 points, and Darius Garland and Kobe Sanders each had 17 for the Clippers.

The Clippers (40-38) moved into a tie with Portland for eighth place in the Western Conference with four games to play. The eighth-place team will have two shots to get into the playoffs through the play-in tournament.

Devin Carter scored 21 points and Nique Clifford had 18 to lead Sacramento. Maxime Raynaud had 16 rebounds and 11 points for his 18th double-double, the most among rookies.

The Kings, who won their previous two games, remained in a tie with Utah for the fourth-worst record in the NBA at 21-58 with three games left. Sacramento is tied for the third-most losses in franchise history, having lost 59 games in 1989-90 and 65 in 2008-09.

Up next for the Clippers: vs. Dallas at Intuit Dome on Tuesday night.

THE Sun Travel team have holidayed all over the world, from cheap trips to UK seaside towns to no-expense-spared jaunts to far-flung tropical islands.

But there are a few special, and surprisingly affordable, places that really stand out – including life-changing holidays right here in Britain, and even bucket list trips abroad where you can get PAID to go there.

From interrailing across Europe to backpacking down Australia’s East Coast, here are our top holiday destinations, and how you can recreate them…

Disneyland Paris

Sophie Swietochowski, Assistant Travel Editor

I’ll always remember the giddy look of excitement on my mum’s face when she said: “We’re almost there” on our trip to France in 2002, when I was 10 years old. 

“We can’t be”, I’d thought, rubbing my eyes. But there it was – Mickey Mouse’s face plastered on a sign at the edge of the road. 

My childhood dream of visiting Disneyland Paris was about to come true and Cinderella’s Castle looked even more spectacular than it had in friends’ pictures.

As we approached the main park’s entrance, a stall selling character backpacks caught my attention – Mum bought me one shaped like Eeyore from Disney’s Winnie the Pooh series.

I soared high above visitors on the Dumbo ride, bounced on the rope bridge near the Pirates of the Caribbean ride and devoured ice cream while waiting for my brother and step dad to return from the “scary rides”.

I still feel that same sense of magic and nostalgia when I return to the park today, as an adult. It’s a magic that other theme parks can’t quite capture.

And it’s affordable. Disneyland Paris offer hotel and ticket packages for a three-night stay from £88pp, based on a family of two adults and two children.

Then Eurostar tickets from London direct to Marne-la-Vallée–Chessy (which is just a two minute walk to Disneyland Paris) start from around £62 each way.

Camp America: Santa Rosa, California

Jenna Stevens, Travel Reporter

My sister Emma-Rose and I are both massive fans of US pop culture – from its punk rock bands to its sitcoms… as well as its yellow school buses, fire hydrants, picket fences and mailboxes.

So it was only right that our first solo US adventure as young adults was the ultimate in Americana – 10 weeks at a summer camp and horse ranch in Santa Rosa, California.

Cloverleaf Ranch is a magical place. Think vast, green sports fields where we sprinted through sprinklers, breakfasts of pancakes with syrup, and bunk beds set up in colourful, old-fashioned trailers.

As Camp Counsellors, we taught groups of kids activities like archery, football and animal care. I soon bonded with my groups of four to five year-olds, herding them around camp like a mother duck, and collecting heartfelt drawings and letters which I still have today.

Evenings were spent singing songs and making s’mores by the campfire, taking sunset horse-riding trails, or playing camp-wide games like hide and seek.

My Camp America experience was the all-American adventure of a lifetime – and I’d recommend it to anyone looking to take a gap year or travel their twenties.

Simply set up an account at www.campamerica.co.uk, and once it’s approved, they’ll guide you through sponsorship, visas and camp placement.

Placements typically last between eight to 10 weeks, with camps looking to hire young people who have previously worked with kids or have specialist skills.

Signing up with Camp America costs £489. You also get paid for working at the summer camp, with rates varying between $1,000 – $2,150 (£745 – £1,600) based on your placement.

San Francisco, USA

Cyann Fielding, Travel Reporter

I’d dreamt of visiting San Francisco for many years but the cost always held me back, until I managed to find a way of doing it all for under £1,000.

I stayed at the Green Tortoise Hostel, which is centrally located in Downtown, as for four nights in a four-bed female dorm in June it costs just £138.88 per person – less than a hotel for one night.

And if you want privacy, hostels are a great compromise—a room with two bunk beds or a double bed costs £324.30 for four nights in June.

When it comes to things to see and do in the city, many activities are free—like visiting the Golden Gate Bridge and its visitor centre, walking down the winding Lombard Street, and wandering the vibrant Haight-Ashbury district with its vintage shops.

If you do spend money on a couple of things, make sure it is SFMOMA (£22.51) the modern art museum and heading to Alcatraz Island (£35.98).

The city often hosts free days too, so check these before heading there.

You can bag a cheap return flight to San Francisco from as little as on £437 on KAYAK.

Copenhagen, Denmark

Alice Penwill, Travel Reporter

Denmark’s Copenhagen is the world’s happiest city that embraces an al fresco lifestyle with outdoor dining – even in winter.

It has outdoor lamps with heated blankets on seats, and warm drinks aplenty from spiced Gløgg – a type of mulled wine – to hot chocolate and tasty baked goods. Honestly, I was surprised at how much I loved it.

The city is so easily walkable and easy to navigate, it also has great shops and even its own theme park – Tivoli Gardens.

I loved the Botanical Gardens too which are completely free and beautiful whichever season you visit.

Nyhavn is a must-see, the bright district with tall colourful houses sits right on the waterfront where boat bars bob on the water.

Flights to Copenhagen can be as little as £14.99 each way with Ryanair, or if you want it all sorted for you, book a city break to Copenhagen with TUI.

A three-night stay at the stylish four-star Scandic Sydhavnen (with return flights included) starts from just £234pp.

Tour of India

Kara Godfrey, Deputy Travel Editor

India has long been on my bucket list as a holiday destination, but was wary to explore it as a young woman by myself.

So one of the safest ways to do it is on a guided tour, and not only do Intrepid have a number of them, but they have a Women’s Expedition where you have a local female guide the entire way as well.

We ticked off all of the famous stops such as the Taj Mahal in Agra, as well a exploring the pink city of Jaipur.

But we also managed to explore local places you wouldn’t just stumble upon without knowing someone.

We stayed in Chandelao Garh, a tiny boutique hotel in a small village where we learned about the art of henna and rangoli, between dips in the pool.

We even managed to enjoy some delicious street food without getting sick, thanks to our amazing guide knowing all the safe spots.

Being able to see a country I had wanted to in years, with a mix of tourist attractions and little known areas, while staying safe? It’s one I’ll be talking about for years to come.

Intrepid’s 13-day Women’s Expedition of India starts from £904pp. You can also lock in a trip with just a £1 deposit!

The trip starts and ends in Delhi. Skyscanner offers return fares from just £270.

The Devon and Cornwall coast

Caroline McGuire, Head Of Travel (Digital)

I love Cornwall and try to visit every summer, and one of my favourite holidays of all time was when I toured the coastline from Ilfracombe to Salcombe in a VW campervan.

My guide for the week was travel writer Daniel Start, in the form of his West Country ‘Wild Guide’ book – which details all of the hidden beaches, rural gems and pubs that are worth visiting in that corner of Britain. 

I visited more than 20 beaches in a week and was stunned at the beauty of the English coast, which can be just as exotic as Ibiza or the Maldives and just as rugged as northern Scotland.

Of course, Cornwall and Devon isn’t just about the coast. They also have fantastic local cuisine and we dined on Cornish pasties, local cider, clotted cream ice cream, huge portions of fish and chips, and crab sandwiches. 

Both Cornwall and Devon are famous for their big-name beaches, but my favourites were dotted among the more remote areas, like Porthcurno beach near Lands’ End.

There are scores of campsites along their coast, and Pitch Up has some of the coolest ones. For example, you could camp at Trevella Holiday Park in Newquay from just £12pn.

To find out more about Daniel Start’s Wild Guide books, click here. 

Kruger National Park, South Africa

Sophie Swietochowski, Assistant Travel Editor

An African safari holiday has been on my bucket list ever since I first watched The Lion King (disclaimer: the film was actually inspired by the landscapes of Kenya in East Africa).

This year, I was finally able to tick it off with an adventure through Kruger National Park.

I’d been heavily researching all the dos and don’ts and was fully prepared to see nothing more exciting than a few fascinating birds and maybe the odd elephant (they’re easy to spot in these parts). 

We saw the Big Five in less than 24 hours, however – even the elusive leopard, skulking through the long grass.

This was mainly due to the expertise of our guides, which emphasises the importance of picking the right lodge or accommodation for your trip. 

Skukuza is a wildlife rich area within the park, so staying in and around this region increases your chances.

Two guides are better than one on game drives, I quickly learned, so pick your lodge accordingly.

I wrote down all of my top safari tips here that are well worth a read before you head off.

British Airways flies from Heathrow to Johannesburg from £598pp return.

Two-person tents at Rhino Walking Safaris Plains Camp start from about £422pp per night, with a minimum stay of two nights, including all meals, walking safaris and game drives.

Orlando, Florida

Lisa Minot, Head of Travel

My kids have been lucky enough to visit Orlando’s theme parks as youngsters, falling in love with Disney characters and Universal’s thrill rides.

But it was the holiday we took to the Sunshine State when they’d all grown up that stands out as one of the best of my life.

With my youngest son Ben turning 21, we booked a mega villa in Kissimmee complete with outdoor pool, games room and cinema snug for a very different look at the family-friendly destination.

Of course, we couldn’t miss out on the theme park fun but with everyone older, it was the terrifying chills of Universal’s Halloween Horror Night that had them screaming.

Eldest Sophie is a horror movie fan and loved every one of the haunted houses.

But with the kids having very different priorities now, there were just as many amazing memories made as middle child and family shopaholic Abbi insisted we fit in some retail therapy at the many malls.

And as well as the park fun, we took time as a family to explore the other side of Orlando, heading to Winter Park, the historic heart of the area on the shores of Lake Osceola for a scenic boat tour followed by a slap up lunch with lashings of craft beers at The Ravenous Pig gastro pub.

We flew out with Virgin Atlantic, who fly daily from Heathrow and Manchester to Orlando. But a top tip for saving is to look at fares to Tampa, around an hour from the theme park capital and often cheaper, with return deals from £516.

Jeeves Florida Rentals has a huge range of villas in Kissimmee with prices from £112 per night.

Australia’s East Coast

Sophie Swietochowski, Assistant Travel Editor

In 2015, the year I graduated from university, I hatched a plan with my best friends Jade and Megan to backpack along Australia’s east coast.

We kicked things off in Melbourne with a festival on the beach before hiring a car to travel a patch of the Great Ocean Road, eyes peeled to spot koalas in the trees above.

We then travelled along the coast via the Greyhound bus, stopping at Sydney, Byron Bay and the city of Brisbane, where we drank in hostels, our hair windswept and salty from long days on the beach.

Then it was onto the Whitsundays, a stunning archipelago of 74 islands with the brightest white sands and bluest waters I’ve ever seen (they beat the Caribbean, hands down), then on to Magnetic Island to skydive over the Great Barrier Reef and driving around in Barbie-style cars.

Sydney was our hub and I returned here to do a stint of work as a receptionist (thanks to the Working Holiday visa) before our final adventure in Bali.

I returned home after six incredible months, but Jade fell so in love with the climate and lazy, wine-fuelled beach afternoons that she’s been there ever since, now married to an Aussie.

Qantas flies from Heathrow to Sydney from £1,130pp return. East coast passes for the Greyhound bus start from $319pp (£168pp) for seven days to $519pp (£276pp) for 60 days.

Those aged 18-35 can apply for a Working Holiday visa that allows them to travel and work for up to 12 months on the Australian Government website.

Road tripping through the Deep South

Caroline McGuire, Head of Travel – Digital

I’ve visited everywhere from Vegas to Texas and Florida to California… but my favourite US holiday has to be a family road trip I took with my mum and sister through the Deep South.

We started out in New Orleans, then headed to Memphis and ended up in Nashville.

In New Orleans, we dined on beignets, Po-boys (a traditional Louisiana sandwich) and the best Bloody Marys I’ve ever drunk, then soaked up the architecture and fascinating history during the day.

At night, we made our way between New Orleans best-know jazz clubs – from Fritzel’s to Preservation Hall.

From there, we drove to Memphis – home of the blues and the birthplace of rock n’roll.

We dined on famous Memphis barbeque food and then went out every evening to listen to live blue music.

Last stop on our journey was Nashville – home of country music.

We spent our daylight hours visiting some of the famous Nashville institutions, like the Country Music Hall Of Fame and the Ryman Auditorium.

After fuelling up on hot chicken, we then spent our nights watching live country – both at the famous Bluebird Cafe and then at a small venue on the outskirts of town, where we paid $8 to see a bluegrass band perform at their album launch.

Ten years and many, many work adventures later, the road trip remains in my top three holidays of all time.

If you’re looking to do similar, I highly recommend booking through Dial A Flight – they sorted out our flights, car hire and much of the accommodation, getting us a big discount on each.

On their website you can find offers like the Southern Belle Fly Drive for 12 nights from £1,825pp.

Eilean Shona, Scotland

Cyann Fielding, Travel Reporter

For a bucketlist trip without the ned for a passport, try Eilean Shona in the Inner Hebrides which inspired J.M. Barrie’s Neverland in Peter Pan.

You can make your journey to the island part of your experience and holiday as well, by hopping on the Caledonian Sleeper from London Euston costing from £50 for a seat or £190 for a room, one way.

Once you reach Fort William, your best bet is to hire a car, which costs about £30 a day.

Eilean Shona is then an hour and 20-minute drive away. You can park in a small car park there before catching the small passenger ferry across to the island.

Because the island is privately owned (by Sir Richard Branson‘s sister) you must stay on the island to visit.

A range of cottages and huts are available, costing from £53.58 per person, per night. There are plenty of cheap cottage options available on airbnb.

Silva will leave Manchester City after winning the Champions League and six Premier League titles during his nine-year spell.

Manchester City ‌‌captain Bernardo Silva will leave the club ⁠⁠at the ⁠⁠end of the season, assistant manager Pep Lijnders has confirmed.

“Every good story comes to an end,” Lijnders told reporters after City’s 4-0 FA ‌‌Cup quarterfinal victory over Liverpool on Sunday.

“I hope he enjoys the last months – there are only six weeks left – and has a good farewell. He deserves all that attention.”

The 31-year-old Portugal international, who has ⁠⁠won six Premier League titles and the Champions League during nine years at the Etihad ⁠⁠Stadium, will depart as a free agent when his contract expires after the campaign concludes.

Pep Guardiola, who was serving a touchline suspension during the match, has previously described Silva ⁠⁠as “irreplaceable”.

Silva joined City from AS Monaco ⁠⁠in 2017 for a reported fee of about $57.35m and has since made 450 appearances for the club.

Known ⁠⁠for his tactical versatility, superb technique and tireless work rate, the midfielder has ⁠⁠been a cornerstone of City’s ⁠⁠side under Guardiola.

After winning the League Cup last month, City remain in contention for a domestic treble as the 2025-26 campaign enters ‌‌its final weeks, despite trailing Premier League leaders Arsenal by nine points.

The Manchester club have a game ‌‌in ‌‌hand and eight matches remaining to bridge the deficit.

Silva will become the second major player to leave the top four Premier League clubs this season, joining Liverpool legend Mohamed Salah, who confirmed he will exit the defending champions in May.

The 33-year-old Egypt international confirmed the news via a video message on his social media accounts last month.

“Unfortunately, the day has come. This is ‌‌the first part of my farewell,” Salah said. “I will be leaving Liverpool at the end of the season.”

Signed from AS Roma in 2017, Salah established himself as one ⁠⁠of the best players in the club’s ⁠⁠history, helping Liverpool to two Premier League titles, the Champions League, FIFA Club World Cup, UEFA Super Cup, FA Cup and two League Cups, as ‌‌well as an FA Community Shield.

He has scored 255 goals in 435 appearances, making him the club’s all-time third ‌‌highest ‌‌goal scorer, during which he won the Premier League Golden Boot on four occasions.

Assam, India – Amoiya Medhi says attending an election rally organised by the right-wing Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in her hometown in India’s northeastern state of Assam is a matter of both religious compulsion and personal gratitude.

On March 29, Medhi was among thousands of men and women who thronged the rally held on the outskirts of Jagiroad, an industrial town in central Assam’s Morigaon district, ahead of the state assembly election scheduled on Thursday.

Nitin Nabin, the BJP’s national president and chief guest at the event, trumpeted the welfare schemes launched by Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma’s government – schemes that Nabin claimed benefitted the Assamese people, especially women.

Medhi, 38, nodded in agreement as she listened attentively to the speeches. “This government has done so much for everyone, including women,” she told Al Jazeera. “I am going to only vote for the BJP.”

Like Medhi, dozens of women attending the rally said they were the beneficiaries of multiple government schemes, including Orunodoi, a direct benefit transfer scheme that saw nearly four million women receive 9,000 rupees each on March 10 – the largest such disbursement in the state’s history, which included a three-month bonus to mark the Bihu festival held in April.

The disbursement came barely a month before Thursday’s vote in which Sarma, 57, is seeking a third consecutive term for his party.

Since becoming the chief minister in 2021, Sarma has been accused of pursuing a hardline Hindu supremacist agenda (popularly known as “Hindutva”) coupled with a xenophobic campaign targeting Muslims. They constitute 34 percent of Assam’s 31 million population, according to the last census conducted in 2011. That’s the highest among Indian states, with only the federally-governed territories of Indian-administered Kashmir and Lakshadweep higher.

An overwhelming nine million of Assam’s 10.3 million Muslims speak Bengali and not Assamese. They historically migrated to Assam in waves – a majority of them moving during British rule, when Bengali-speaking Hindu and Muslim communities moved from East Bengal (now Bangladesh) to work in Assam’s tea estates and rice fields.

‘Protecting our Hindu identity’

For decades, the BJP and other Hindu groups have labelled the Bengali-speaking Muslims as “foreigners”, accusing them of being undocumented immigrants from Bangladesh. Assam founded special tribunals to try these Muslims, sending hundreds to detention centres built across the state.

Thousands of “miya”, as Bengali-speaking Muslims in Assam are pejoratively called, have also been declared “doubtful” voters. The “miya” issue has shaped the BJP’s politics in Assam. Leading the charge against them, Sarma himself publicly admitted that he had instructed BJP workers to file an objection with the Election Commission of India to remove half a million Bengali-speaking Muslims from electoral rolls.

In 2024, Sarma told the state assembly that his government “will take sides” and “will not let miya Muslims take over all of Assam”. Two months ago, a 17-second artificial intelligence-generated video, produced and shared by the BJP on X, showed Sarma holding a rifle and shooting at pictures of two Muslim men, with the caption saying: “No Mercy”. The clip, titled ‘Point Blank Shot’, was deleted after outrage.

Champa Hira, another woman attending the Morigaon rally, said while the BJP’s financial aid and other welfare schemes have been a major draw, her support for the party goes beyond financial benefits.

“For us, it is also about protecting our Hindu identity,” she told Al Jazeera.

“Our Hindu religion is born out of the lotus,” Hira said, referring to the BJP’s election symbol. “We will let the lotus bloom once again for such schemes and also for our Hindu identities.”

In the run-up to the polls, the BJP’s political messaging on roadside billboards, wall graffiti and posters had the party showcase its anti-Muslim policies pursued in the past decade.

The party boasts about clearing around 20,000 hectares of government land – an area more than three-and-a-half-times the size of Manhattan – from the “osinaki manuh” (“strange people” – a veiled reference to Bengali-speaking Muslims). The eviction drives, which intensified after Sarma became the chief minister in 2021, are a part of the BJP’s “war” on Bengali-speaking Muslims to “reclaim every inch of land” allegedly encroached by them. Without providing evidence, Sarma has repeatedly accused the Bengali-speaking Muslims of a conspiracy to change Assam’s demography and reduce Hindus to a minority. The government’s crackdown also saw dozens of Muslims “pushed back” to Bangladesh – their alleged homeland – or their properties bulldozed.

Alongside such hardline policies targeting Muslims, the BJP also touted the launching of various welfare schemes for women and youth. And has promised an increase in financial aid from $13 to over $32 in the Orunodoi cash transfer scheme. In the Udyamita scheme, an entrepreneurial fund reserved for rural women to bootstrap their businesses, the increase is from $107 to $269.

Akhil Ranjan Dutta, who teaches political science at Assam’s Gauhati University, says the Hindu nationalist party is using a strategy that mixes “heightened polarisation and a developmental pitch” to woo the Assamese voters.

“To me, it is a cocktail of Hindutva and welfarism,” Dutta told Al Jazeera. “The BJP is experimenting with a brand of Hindutva by co-opting Indigenous armed struggle and cultural nationalism, while solidifying Hindu identity and othering the Bengali Muslims.”

The Bengali-speaking Muslims say the BJP’s election promises have heightened their anxiety. In its manifesto, the party has promised more crackdowns on the community, including a proposal to implement a Uniform Civil Code, which, according to critics, will override Muslim personal laws on marriage, divorce and inheritance.

The Uniform Civil Code, a longstanding demand from Hindu groups, is already in place in two BJP-ruled states, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s home state of Gujarat. The BJP has also promised a pushback against “Love Jihad”, an unproven conspiracy theory floated by right-wing Hindu groups, under which Muslim men allegedly lure Hindu women into marriage and convert them to Islam.

A former Assamese parliamentarian from the main opposition Congress party, who requested anonymity fearing reprisal from the government, agreed with political scientist Dutta. “The BJP has managed to turn Hindus against Muslims and enjoy support,” he added.

BJP spokesman in Assam, Kishore Upadhyay, rejected the allegation, claiming the government’s eviction drives were not targeted at any community.

“It is directed only against illegal encroachment, irrespective of religion or identity. Unfortunately, successive Congress governments in the past allowed or even facilitated such illegal settlements, creating today’s challenges,” he told Al Jazeera.

“It is also important to highlight that this is about restoring land rights of indigenous and tribal communities, protecting forest areas and ensuring proper land governance.”

Will welfare schemes help BJP?

Opposition parties and analysts say the BJP is mainly milking two cash transfer schemes – Orunodoi and Udyamita – to influence voters in this election.

In December 2025 and January this year, the government distributed cheques of $107 each under the Udyamita scheme. Additionally, it withheld a monthly honorarium of $13 for poor women under the Orunodoi scheme for three months, but handed it out last month in the run-up to the election.

Isfaqur Rahman of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) said the Sarma government’s disbursement of cash only days before the polls will help it in securing significant numbers of female votes. “If cash is disbursed to them on the eve of the election after making the beneficiaries wait, it will help influence their choice to vote,” Rahman told Al Jazeera. “This is nothing more than vote buying by the BJP.”

Economist Joydeep Baruah agreed, saying that distributing a lump sum of money will “bear a positive political result for the ruling party”, as he estimated that that at least 10 to 15 percent of the scheme’s four million women beneficiaries could vote for the BJP.

“While the rural wages in Assam have been stagnant due to a growing unemployment, the Orunodoi financial aid converts into 10-15 percent of their monthly income,” said Baruah, who teaches economics at state-run Krishna Kanta Handiqui State Open University in Assam’s main city of Guwahati.

Baruah said such populist schemes help in sustaining pro-incumbency.

“That way, the BJP is establishing more of a patron-client relationship, with patrons being the BJP and the clients being the beneficiaries,” he told Al Jazeera. “Such a transactional relationship materialises on the ground.”

Dipika Baruah, a 34-year-old woman in Kathiatoli town in central Assam’s Nagaon district – who is not related to economist Baruah – said the government grants empowered her to live with dignity.

“The money helped me keep the flame in my stove going,” she told Al Jazeera as she shopped at Mama Bazar, a marketplace named after Sarma, who is fondly called “mama” (maternal uncle in Assamese and Bengali) by his supporters. “This was possible because of mama. Women will only vote for Mama.”

Pre-poll surveys in Assam also suggest that cash transfer schemes will help the BJP consolidate votes in its favour.

An opinion poll conducted by political research firm, Vote Vibe, revealed that 54 percent of respondents believe the government’s cash transfer schemes will consolidate and even attract opposition voters. The survey also showed 38 percent of female respondents saying the schemes had strengthened the BJP’s voter base, while 21 percent of females said the schemes will poach opposition votes.

BJP spokesman Upadhyay told Al Jazeera the allegations of influencing voters by transferring cash before the election are “factually incorrect and politically motivated”.

“It [Orunodoi] is a long-standing welfare initiative aimed at supporting economically vulnerable women-led households, not a last-minute electoral measure,” he told Al Jazeera.

‘Kill us all at once’

Back at the BJP rally in Morigaon, where its leaders delivered fiery speeches calling for the expulsion of “infiltrators from Bangladesh”, Amir Ali remembered his sister Afsana.

On February 18, 1983, one-year-old Afsana was among an estimated 1,800 Bengali-speaking Muslims massacred by a Hindu and Indigenous mob in what came to be known as the Nellie massacre. The killings were in 14 villages, including Ali’s Matiparbat, a 40-minute drive from where the BJP rally was held.

Ali, now in his 50s, said he attended the BJP rally only to prove that he is not an “illegal immigrant” but a citizen of the state.

“When children were massacred, we had no choice but to vote to prove that we are not illegal Bangladeshis,” he told Al Jazeera. “Likewise, we have no choice now but to prove we are not infiltrators or ‘strangers’ as Sarma claims.”

In a quaint corner of Jagiroad town, Noorjamal shares Ali’s sentiments. Two years ago, he was rendered homeless after the houses of nearly 8,000 Muslims were bulldozed during a government eviction drive.

“The chief minister says he is evicting Bangladeshis from government land, but how are we Bangladeshis if my father and forefathers were born and died in India?” Noorjamal’s mother Maherbanu Nessa asked.

“The way Himanta ‘mama’ is bulldozing our homes, he might as well just kill us all at once.”

In a communication sent to India’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations in Geneva, the United Nations Committee on Elimination of Racial Discrimination (CERD) said on January 19 this year that Bengali-speaking Muslims in Assam are facing racial discrimination, resulting in forced evictions, hate speech and excessive use of force by the law-enforcement agencies.

An investigation by The New Humanitarian, an independent news outlet, published on March 24 found that between May 2021, when Sarma became Assam’s chief minister, and early 2026, more than 22,000 structures were demolished and 20,380 families evicted in the state, an overwhelming majority of them being Bengali-speaking Muslims.

As Sarma’s BJP vows to “break the backbone of miyas” after the election, Ali and Nessa worry about survival amid such hostilities.

“We have nothing to resist this cruel government but prayers and our votes,” Ali told Al Jazeera. “But maybe, if not today, then someday we will find peace in this land. We are still hopeful.”

HELEN Flanagan has finally sold her family home for a whopping £500,000 under the asking price.

The former Coronation Street actress, 35, bought the six-bedroom abode with ex-fiancé Scott Sinclair, whom she split from back in 2022 after 13 years together.

Despite their long-term relationship and three children, the former couple never married and the family home, near Bolton, is solely in footballer Scott’s name.

But since their split, Helen has been living in the home with their kids; Matilda, Delilah and Charlie.

Last year we reported the house was put on sale for £1.5million before being reduced to £995,000.

And now, the house has been marked as sold, subject to contracts, on Rightmove.

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Despite the hefty cut from £1.5M to £995,000, the couple will still make profit from the home if it went for it’s final asking price, as it was bought by Scott for £840,000 in 2021.

In addition to its six bedrooms, the impressive home is set across three floors – with a massive walk-in wardrobe and a sprawling garden surrounding the gated home.

In January, we revealed how Scott, 37, was keen to get the home sold, while Helen wasn’t in any rush to move out.

A friend of Helen’s said at the time: “Scott pays for the house and all the bills and he’s decided a six-bedroom place is way too big for Helen on her own with the kids.

“But Helen doesn’t want to move and is digging her heels in.

“She loves the place, the kids are settled at the local school and her mum and dad live around the corner.

“Scott wants to buy Helen a four-bedroom home. He’s even offered to put it in her name but wants to stop the maintenance payments.

“The relationship has completely broken down. They no longer communicate — everything goes through her parents.”

But another pal explained Helen has spent a fortune of her own money renovating it.

They said: “The house was really run down and Helen has modernised it and made it into the beautiful family home it is today.

“Scott wants to sell to take the money out, but he hasn’t found Helen or the kids a new place. He’s not being reasonable. He and Helen are not on the same page.”

President Trump endorsed conservative commentator Steve Hilton for California governor late Sunday night.

The endorsement could have a major impact on a race that remains up for grabs, with recent opinion polls showing Hilton and his top Republican rival, Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco, as top contenders in the 2026 contest.

“He is a truly fine man, one who has watched as this once great State has gone to Hell,” Trump posted on Truth Social, adding that he has known Hilton for many years.

Trump in his endorsement praised Hilton while attacking the record of California Gov. Gavin Newsom, using a derogatory name for the governor. Newsom is serving the last year of his final term as governor as he weighs running for president in 2028.

“Gavin Newscum and the Democrats have done an absolutely horrendous job. People are fleeing, crime is increasing, and Taxes are the highest of any State in the Country, maybe the World. Steve can turn it around, before it is too late, and, as President, I will help him to do so! With Federal help,” Trump said.

Despite California’s solidly Democratic electorate, a recent poll by UC Berkeley’s Institute of Governmental Studies found Hilton and Bianco leading the crowded field of candidates just months before the June 2 primary — leading to the possibility of Democrats being shut out of a November election that will determine California’s next governor. The crowded field of Democrats in the race has splintered their party’s voters, providing an opening for the Republicans, the poll showed.

Under the state’s top-two primary system, the top two candidates advance to the general election, regardless of their party affiliation.

If Trump’s endorsement leads to California Republican voters coalescing behind Hilton, severely damaging Bianco’s campaign, that likely would reduce the odds of two GOP candidates finishing in first and second place in the primary.

Trump’s endorsement came the day after Hilton and Bianco squared off in a testy debate in Rancho Mirage that was moderated by Richard Grenell, Trump’s former ambassador to Germany, and days before the state GOP meets in San Diego to consider an endorsement in the race.

On Saturday, Bianco said he suspected that Trump would weigh in on the race and that his team had been in talks with the president’s advisors.

“Of course, I would want him to support me. He’s the president of the United States,” Bianco said in an interview.

Hilton on Saturday questioned whether the president would weigh in on the race.

“I’ve said that I’d be honored to have the President’s endorsement. I think that the California Governor’s race is pretty low on his [agenda] right now,” he said in an interview. “I haven’t asked for that, and I’m not expecting him to weigh in.”

Jon Fleischman, the former executive director of the California Republican Party, wrote on Substack late Sunday that he believes that Trump’s endorsement will significantly boost Hilton’s support among GOP voters.

“This Timing Is Not Accidental,” he wrote, noting that while it was previously unclear whether either candidate could receive the 60% of delegate votes to secure the party nod at its upcoming convention. “Well, obviously this endorsement from the President for Hilton will supercharge his momentum going into the weekend convention”

The three-day competition in the rural town of Stawell featured more than 700 competitors and offered total prize money of A$155,000 (£81,000).

Jamaican Asafa Powell, Britain’s Linford Christie and Australian great Cathy Freeman are among the global champions to compete at the event since it was first held in 1878.

Richardson’s partner and fellow American sprinter Christian Coleman, holder of the indoor 60m world record, contested the men’s event.

The former 100m world champion was eliminated in the semi-finals, where he finished fifth in 12.48 seconds.

The men’s event was won by Australian 21-year-old Olufemi Komolafe in 11.93 off a five-metre start – starting behind all but one of his competitors, with runner-up Jake Ireland starting at 4.5m.

NBA star marks comeback after nine weeks as Houston Rockets beat Golden State Warriors 117-116 in San Francisco.

Stephen Curry marked his return from a two-month absence ‌with 29 points but ended up on the losing side as the Houston Rockets edged the Golden State Warriors 117-116 in San Francisco.

The Rockets’ Alperen Sengun capped a 24-point performance with a go-ahead interior ⁠hoop with 11.1 seconds remaining, sealing his team’s victory on Sunday night.

In his first return to San Francisco ⁠as a member of the Rockets, former Warriors star Kevin Durant poured in a game-high 31 points for Houston (49-29).

Durant also found time for a team-high eight assists and eight rebounds, one shy of Smith’s nine for team honours in both categories.

The Rockets have now moved within one game of the Los Angeles Lakers and Denver Nuggets in their three-team ⁠duel for third place in the Western Conference.

Brandin Podziemski backed Curry with 18 points for the Warriors (36-42), who have virtually assured themselves of the 10th seed in the Western play-in tournament.

Sengun’s four-footer from the middle of the key came after Golden State used a 17-6 burst to overtake the visitors on a ‌Gary Payton II layup with 19.6 seconds remaining.

Golden State had a shot after Sengun’s hoop, but Curry misfired under heavy pressure from 30 feet, capping a 5-for-10 effort from three-point range.

Jabari Smith Jr had 23 points, Amen Thompson 18 and Reed Sheppard 11 for the Rockets, who won their sixth straight game.

Curry, who ⁠had missed 27 straight games since a January 30 injury against Detroit, ⁠played 26 minutes, during which he hit 11 of his 21 shots.

Coming off the bench in the regular season for the first time in 14 years, Curry was greeted by a warm standing ovation and greetings on the big screen when he entered with 4:54 left in the opening quarter.

“He’s one of the most beloved players in league history, Bay Area history in any sport, and I think a long absence like this reminds everybody how lucky we are to see him, to watch him, to coach him, to play with him,” Warriors coach Steve Kerr said. “So tonight’s a special night because we’re reminded of how lucky we’ve been and how lucky we still are.”

Kerr said before the game that it is still unclear how many of the remaining games Curry will play, given Golden State have five contests in eight days with a back-to-back the rest of the way – and the expectation is he would not play on consecutive nights.

“We’re going to manage it accordingly. The plan for tonight would be shorter bursts, and we’ll see on the minutes,” Kerr said. “But first game back, he’s not playing 48 minutes.”

There’s some big moments ahead on the soaps next week according to teasers shared, with big decisions, realisations, new twists and turns and a plan to save a business

There’s come big moments ahead across Emmerdale, Coronation Street and EastEnders.

Spoilers for next week tease fire drama, some big choices to be made and some realisations. Next week’s full spoilers have yet to be released, so check back on the Mirror on Tuesday for all the gossip.

For now, some publications have revealed little teasers for the big week, and there’s so much drama and the rest. One soap sees a wedding loom, while a character could be in danger.

Another soap sees concerns for a legend as a fire takes place, after it was previously reported Roy Cropper’s café would be deliberately set on fire. There’s also hard scenes and some happy scenes for a soap.

READ MORE: Emmerdale fans ‘work out’ Dr Todd’s link to Graham – and it’s bad news for KimREAD MORE: Soap spoilers reveal legend faces death, divorce news and court verdict

According to the BBC website, Inside Soap magazine and What’s On TV magazine, next week sees some big moments. On EastEnders, Vicki Fowler and Ross Marshall’s hen and stag parties arrive.

A situation soon escalates for Vicki, with her left paranoid and left with little option. Elsewhere, Bea Pollard’s obsession with Honey Mitchell escalates, and she’s clearly jealous of her – while she soon makes a decision about her love life.

Jasmine Fisher starts to feel part of the Slaters, while Oscar Branning attempts to avoid Josh. Oscar then spends his time putting Max and Lauren Branning to the test as they compete.

Finally, Priya Nandra-Hart continues to worry about Ravi Gulati. Over on Coronation Street, Summer Spellman drops a horrifying truth on Todd Grimshaw.

In a fire twist, the residents of Weatherfield see smoke coming from the café. Both Christina Boyd and Glenda Shuttleworth try to help George amid his business troubles.

Eva Price attempts to bring the Driscolls back together, and Mal Roper continues to cause trouble. Finally on Emmerdale, Dr Todd escalates her cruel manipulation towards Jacob Gallagher.

Charity Dingle decides to throw a baby shower for Sarah Sugden, while some new evidence appears. But what is it, who is it linked to and will to help someone in need?

Vanessa Woodfield gets a new housemate, DS Walsh makes an accusation and someone takes action when they notice a spark between two characters, after it seemed things were over.

EastEnders airs Mondays to Thursdays at 7:30pm on BBC One and BBC iPlayer. Emmerdale airs weeknights at 8pm on ITV1 and ITVX.

Coronation Street airs weeknights at 8:30pm on ITV1 and ITV X. * Follow Mirror Celebs and TV on TikTok , Snapchat , Instagram , Twitter , Facebook , YouTube and Threads .

In 2018, Hunter’s former England head coach Simon Middleton tipped his captain to take over his role one day.

Asked whether Scarratt or Hunter, who have a combined total of 260 international caps, have the capability to take over as head coach for the next World Cup in 2033, Mitchell said: “Most definitely. I will probably be an old man by then, in my 70s I think.”

He added: “They have been challenged for a long time in their careers and they are extremely curious.

“You don’t play over 100 Test matches or become the most-capped English women’s player in history if you don’t have a strong work rate.

“You have two wonderful people who are authentic, easy to work with and fun to work with.”

A challenge for Scarratt, which Hunter has already had to navigate, is coaching her former team-mates.

Scrum-half Natasha Hunt appears regularly on Scarratt’s podcast, ‘The Good, the Scaz and the Rugby’, and the pair were room-mates in camp.

Pre-recorded shows will still go out but Scarratt will be fully focused on coaching during the Six Nations.

“She [Hunt] tried [to still room with me], she tried pretty hard,” she joked.

“Mo [Hunt] is rooming with Marlie Packer. So for anyone who was concerned, she is safe and well looked after.

“There are certain things that I cannot talk to Mo about any more because there is an element where it is not appropriate for players to know certain things.

“Obviously they know who I am. I know who they are. There is no point trying to pretend like we [former team-mates] are not friends or that we can’t share a joke with one another. That would almost be weirder.”

Only three female head coaches were in charge at the last World Cup (France, Australia and Japan).

Scarratt said it is too early to consider one day taking on that role but she remains passionate about increasing opportunities for female coaches.

“Fundamentally, we need to do a better job – whether that is upskilling, making it more accessible or showing that it is visible – for more people to be in the game and to then move into those roles,” she added.

“There is still probably a shortage of people available to do that, aside from ex-players. It is very cool to see women in those roles.”

A low-key and cosy eatery in a market town has been crowned Best Pasta Restaurant at the Italian Awards 2026, putting the Derbyshire hidden gem on the culinary map

Italian cuisine is always a firm favourite when it comes to dining out but what you might not realise is that some of the finest examples can be found right on your doorstep.

In what has essentially become the Oscars of the Italian hospitality world, the Italian Awards 2026 took place recently, celebrating the very best pizza, pasta, restaurants and cafés across the UK.

And in a fiercely competitive category, the winner of Best Pasta Restaurant turned out to be a hidden gem nestled in New Mills, High Peak, Derbyshire.

A Tavola Gastronomia Siciliana, the authentic Italian eatery, claimed the coveted prize – and will no doubt see a wave of curious food lovers descend upon them as a result.

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Led by award-winning chef Alessio Muccio, the restaurant takes great pride in producing fresh pasta, gelato and pastries on the premises, using traditional Sicilian ingredients.

Their website states: “Our restaurant is small and cosy and adorned with Sicilian artefacts; it’s a little slice of Sicily here in the High Peak.”

One delighted customer left a glowing review on TripAdvisor, saying: “A Tavola is a colourful, warm, and welcoming trattoria located in the dark, cold, wintery heart of the Peak District.

“Highly recommended for those longing for those rich Sicilian flavours but far from the light and abundance of the Bel Paese. Sicilian sweet and sour flavours are present in many dishes, from pistachio and fennel to sardines with pine nuts and raisins.”

Another reviewer said: “What a wonderful restaurant! A lucky find as we were looking for somewhere to eat before going to hear some live music nearby. Very friendly staff, delicious food and a convivial ambience.

“I only wish it were not over 100 miles from my home. I highly recommend a visit, especially if you are missing being in Italy! You will be transported!”

The Derbyshire eatery bills itself as a ‘labour of love’ from the chef, who has crafted a menu designed to accommodate all dietary needs. What’s more, his specials change with the seasons to guarantee fresh and seasonal ingredients year-round.

These touches haven’t gone unnoticed by diners, with one writing: “Absolutely fantastic food and service. From start to finish totally delicious. Thanks so much. Can’t wait to go back. 5 stars!”

It’s an unexpected location to discover authentic, mouthwatering Italian pasta, nestled in a market town, but it’s definitely worth stopping by while exploring the Peak District.

The restaurant sits on Albion Road, New Mills, High Peak, roughly eight miles south-east of Stockport and just 13 miles from Manchester.

While it might seem somewhat off the beaten track, it wasn’t quite concealed enough to escape the notice of the Italian Awards, which bestowed upon it the recognition its patrons believe it richly deserves.

Awards Director Warren Paul, discussing the launch of the Italian Awards for 2026, expressed his delight in celebrating the efforts of “passionate people”. He added: “That’s why we do what we do.

“It’s to make sure the hard-working inspirational people and businesses get the recognition they deserve.

“Everyone jumps to criticise and leave a negative review or complaint over the tiniest thing, but very few rush to praise good service, food and experiences. That’s where we come in. So congratulations to our winners.”

Highly Recommended restaurants in the same category included:

• Italian Touch By Ivano Pizzeria & Ristorante (Bedford)
• Mele e Pere (London)
• Primavista (Bury St Edmunds)
• Shambles Restaurant & Winebar (Teddington)
• The Kettlebridge Inn, Bar & Italian Restaurant (Cupar)
• A Tavola Gastronomia Siciliana (New Mills)

April 6 (UPI) — The United States and South Korea began a joint investigation Monday to locate the wreckage of at least three U.S. aircraft that crashed off South Korea’s northeastern coast during the Korean War, officials said.

The four-week survey of the Gangneung and Yangyang areas of northeastern Gangwon Province seeks to trace the wreckage of a fighter plane and two transport aircraft, ahead of underwater investigations scheduled for August, South Korea’s Ministry of Defense said in a statement.

The joint survey is being conducted by the Pentagon’s POW/MIA Accounting Agency and South Korea’s Ministry of National Defense Agency for KIA Recovery and Identification, which will collect materials, including information from local residents, as well as confirm the availability of medical decompression chamber facilities essential for underwater operations.

“Since 2024, I have been coming to Korea for three years to work with MAKRI to find traces of the heroes who fought in the war,” U.S. Marine Staff Sgt. Jordyn King, deputy team leader of the Pentagon’s DPAA investigation team in South Korea, said in a statement.

“During the one month given to us, we will carefully gather materials so that we can achieve good results in the future underwater investigation.”

Seoul said the survey covers three aircraft crash sites, including that of a transport plane that crashed on Nov. 15, 1952, after departing Gangneung Air Base for Pohang with nine people, including a South Korean service member, on board.

The plane suffered engine trouble mid-flight and crashed into the sea.

A second site is waters near Yangyang County, where a U.S. aircraft crashed on Feb. 21, 1952. The third is in waters near Gangneung, where a transport plane with 17 people on board crashed on Oct. 16 of that same year after suffering a mechanical problem.

“Just as we recover the remains of South Korean troops killed in action, we will spare no support in helping to find the war dead and missing of the U.S. military who helped us,” Lt. Col. Kim Seong-hwan, acting head of MAKRI, said in a statement.

The announcement comes months after the two agencies signed a memorandum of understanding in Arlington, Va., committing to the recovery and identification of remains of soldiers who were classified as missing during the Korean War of 1950-1953, which ended with an armistice.

According to a DPAA release announcing the signing in August, the agreement enhances cooperation and collaboration between the two agencies, while streamlining efforts to locate, excavate and identify the remains of fallen service members.

More than 1.8 million Americans served in the Korean War of 1950-1953, about 37,000 of whom were killed, more than 92,000 wounded and roughly 8,000 were listed as missing, according to Pentagon statistics.

The ongoing war of choice launched by the United States and Israel against Iran has shattered the geopolitical status quo in our region. As Washington finds itself entangled in another Middle Eastern quagmire, reports suggest that US President Donald Trump’s administration is increasingly in need of a political off-ramp.

The Hormuz littoral states possess a rare, collective opportunity to provide the American president with an exit strategy. By taking the initiative to establish a new, locally managed security architecture for the Strait of Hormuz, our nations can further elevate their strategic significance in regional geopolitics and the global economy. The alternative to this win-win scenario is prolonged conflict that would ensure that a new regional order is eventually imposed unilaterally by Tehran.

Seeking to balance their positions, the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) states appear trapped between two bad options. Confronting Trump, especially in the middle of a war, would undoubtedly carry significant costs and unpredictable reactions from an increasingly unpredictable leader.

At the same time, their inability to avoid being seen by Iran as at least passive participants in the aggression against the country makes them legitimate targets under its increasingly assertive military doctrine, which seeks to prevent the repetition of such wars for the foreseeable future.

Yet, this reality also demonstrates the limits of the United States’ security patronage. These limits—especially during what appears to be a historically unconditional alliance with Israel in which Israeli interests increasingly trump American interests in the region—suggest that the status quo is unsustainable.

A new order will inevitably replace the existing one, as conditions for all regional states will further deteriorate if the conflict continues to escalate. There is no longer any scenario in which Iran remains a target while the GCC carries on as usual, as was the case during the 12-day war in June 2025.

Iran’s ability to choke the flow of maritime traffic with $20,000 drones that can be produced underground and launched from anywhere in the country suggests that it possesses immense leverage. Iranian officials have clearly stated that it will now be utilised to forge a new order for Hormuz.

Relations between Iran and the GCC states have seen ups and downs since the Islamic Revolution in 1979. The relationship was defined by hostility for a long time until it underwent a radical, positive transformation in the past few years.

Iranian attacks against the military and economic infrastructure in the GCC states, along with the recent expulsion of Iranian diplomats from some GCC capitals, undoubtedly constitute a severe setback and a regression toward the past.

However, this crisis has also demonstrated that security is a collective good; the current war proves how one state’s insecurity renders all states in the region insecure. A security architecture built at the expense of a neighbour is no longer viable. Iran has already begun dismantling the former order, but the new order does not need to be exclusively Iranian in its design.

For a path forward, we can look to Europe’s successful historical experiences in achieving a regional order. From the Congress of Vienna, which stabilised Europe following Napoleon’s wars of aggression, to the gradual economic, political, and security integration that followed World War II, these milestones should not serve as templates, but as sources of inspiration for our region.

The Strait of Hormuz suffers from a legal anomaly, as it remains one of the few critical maritime arteries of its kind lacking a dedicated international regulatory treaty. Unlike Turkiye, whose sovereign control and regional stability are in part anchored in the Montreux Convention regulating the Bosporus and Dardanelles, Hormuz operates without a codified maritime framework, which has made it uniquely vulnerable to superpower impositions throughout history. The current war can thus, to some extent, be understood as a product of this unregulated environment.

Convening a “Congress for Hormuz” could help regional states collectively design a security architecture, fill this legal vacuum, and ensure the stability of not only our own region but the global economy as well.

The ultimate goal of such a platform should be the codification of a treaty that formalises the status of the strait and provides the legal certainty currently absent, while also elevating the strategic weight of regional states in the global economy by ensuring that the management of Hormuz remains a local prerogative.

In the short term, this framework can serve to reopen the strait, providing Trump with a way out of the quagmire by claiming that his regional allies have helped reopen it. In the long term, this framework would protect GCC countries from a patron willing to sacrifice international law and regional stability for the benefit of its principal ally, Israel, an ally that none of us will ever be able to replace or compete with.

The future of Hormuz belongs in the hands of its inhabitants, not the superpowers who have exploited it and are currently destabilising it to pursue their own, or Israel’s, interests.

While a multilateral platform and a formal treaty represent the ideal path towards long-term stability, it is imperative to recognise that the current existential war launched against Iran—a conflict facilitated by the regional status quo—has made the emergence of a new order a non-negotiable necessity for Tehran.

Should the GCC states choose to prioritise the requests of their Western allies over regional integration—which is likely to also prolong the conflict, inflicting costs on all sides—Iran will undoubtedly proceed to forge this new order unilaterally.

In such a scenario, the resulting framework would also be an imposed order, born of strategic necessity and survival rather than consensus. Under these conditions, the common ground for shared peace, regional stability, and collective prosperity would be significantly diminished. This would be a lost opportunity.

The GCC states must now decide whether they wish to be the architects of this new regional era, or passive observers.

The views expressed in this article are the author’s own and do not necessarily reflect Al Jazeera’s editorial stance.