Hezbollah rejects allegations from Benjamin Netanyahu that it is undermining the Israel-Lebanon ceasefire.
By Al Jazeera Staff, AFP, Anadolu and Reuters
Published On 26 Apr 202626 Apr 2026
Israel has issued new forced evacuation notices for areas in southern Lebanon, ordering residents of seven towns that lie beyond its so-called “buffer zone” to leave, ramping up the conflict with Hezbollah despite a US-brokered ceasefire.
An Israeli military spokesperson said in a statement on X on Sunday that the Lebanese armed group was violating the ceasefire and that Israel would act against it, telling residents to head north and west.
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The towns are north of the Litani River, in an area where Israeli troops have continued military operations despite the ceasefire. They lie outside of what Israel has declared a “buffer zone”, an area stretching roughly 10km (6 miles) north of the border inside southern Lebanon where Israeli forces remain.
Hezbollah rejected allegations that it is undermining the Israel-Lebanon ceasefire, saying its continued attacks are a “legitimate response to the enemy’s persistent violations of the ceasefire”, which it claims have exceeded 500 incidents.
The Iran-aligned group said in a statement on Telegram on Sunday that it shouldn’t be linked to a ceasefire that it didn’t approve, as it had “no say or position”, adding that the group will not “place out bets on a failed diplomacy that has proven its ineffectiveness.”
“It must be understood that Hezbollah’s violations are, in practice, dismantling the ceasefire,” Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said during a weekly cabinet meeting.
The US-mediated ceasefire, which started on April 16 and has been extended to mid-May, has brought a significant reduction in hostilities between Israel and Hezbollah, though both sides have continued to fire at each other, trading blame over breaches.
Al Jazeera’s correspondent in Tyre, Heidi Pett, said “there have been multiple airstrikes across south Lebanon” on Sunday, with many people fleeing to the towns of Sidon and Tyre.
“We once again have thousands of people leaving their homes, joining the hundreds of thousands who were already previously displaced,” she said.
A displaced man, who fled his home after an Israeli evacuation order, sits in a university-turned-shelter in Sidon, Lebanon, April 13, 2026 [Aziz Taher/Reuters]
Hezbollah said it attacked Israeli troops inside Lebanon as well as the rescue force that came to evacuate them, targeting a newly established Israeli artillery position in the town of Biyyada with a swarm of drones.
It also claimed two drone attacks on a gathering of Israeli soldiers in the town of Taybeh, saying casualties were reported among Israeli forces, without giving further details.
‘The security of Israel’
The Israeli army said a 19-year-old soldier, Sergeant Idan Fooks, was killed “during combat” in southern Lebanon, while five others were injured.
“From our perspective, what obliges us is the security of Israel, the security of our soldiers, the security of our communities,” Netanyahu was cited as saying at a cabinet meeting in Jerusalem, by Reuters news agency.
Under the terms of the truce, Israel reserves the right to respond to “planned, imminent or ongoing attacks” and has been striking what it says are Hezbollah targets in south Lebanon almost every day.
The Israeli military said it struck Hezbollah’s “military infrastructure sites used to advance attacks,” in a post on X.
Since the war was renewed between Israel and Hezbollah on March 2, at least 2,509 people have been killed and 7,755 wounded by Israeli attacks, according to Lebanon’s Health Ministry.
Syria has begun its first public trial of former Assad-era officials, with ex-security chief Atef Najib appearing in a courtroom cage over his role in the 2011 Deraa crackdown.
OLIVIA DEAN is preparing to pull out the big guns for the follow-up to her year of triumph — by enlisting the help of hitmaker extraordinaire Nile Rodgers.
She’s become one of the UK’s favourite musicians thanks to the runaway success of her album The Art Of Loving.
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Olivia Dean is working on her follow-up to The Art Of LovingCredit: GettyChic legend Nile Rodgers is keen to work with OliviaCredit: Getty
Now I’m told Chic great Nile is keen to work with Olivia and personally reached out to her.
Their teams are looking for space in the schedules to go into the studio together.
A source said: “Nile has his finger on the pulse when it comes to music and thinks Olivia is just amazing.
“He was actually aware of her before her album dropped and is really keen to get in the studio with her.
“She really does have the world at her feet and is pretty honoured that such a star wants to work with her.”
Nile has written, produced and performed on albums totalling more than 750million sales.
He has worked on tracks including David Bowie’s Let’s Dance, Duran Duran’s The Reflex and Like A Virgin by Madonna.
More recently, he has contributed to Beyonce’s albums Renaissance and Cowboy Carter, and Coldplay’s tenth album Moon Music.
But Olivia doesn’t have loads of time in her diary right now, having kicked off a debut arena tour in Glasgow last Wednesday.
She has shows in London this week and will stay on the road across Europe and North America until the end of August, before jetting Down Under in October.
Olivia kicked off her debut arena tour in Glasgow last WednesdayCredit: Getty
Released last September, The Art Of Loving has turned her into a global star, spawning the singles Man I Need, So Easy (To Fall In Love), A Couple Minutes and Let Alone The One You Love.
She proved to have the Midas touch, because after teaming up with Sam Fender on a version of his song Rein Me In, it spent eight weeks at No1 — and is on course to return there this Friday.
Olivia has also achieved career milestones including performing on Glastonbury’s Pyramid Stage in 2024.
On how to build her career, Olivia previously said: “Make an album, play Jools Holland and play the Pyramid Stage.
“I’ve done them now, I need to figure out some new goals.”
With Nile by her side, I’m sure Olivia will continue to dominate.
MIS-TEEQ confirmed my story that they’re reuniting to celebrate the 25th anniversary of their debut album, Lickin’ On Both Sides.
I revealed in January that Alesha Dixon, Sabrina Washington and Su-Elise Nash were discussing getting back together for a one-off performance.
Mis-Teeq are reuniting to celebrate the 25th anniversary of their debut album, Lickin’ On Both SidesCredit: Getty
And now Mis-Teeq’s Instagram page has kicked back into action, with a video showing their performances from 2001 – when the record came out.
The biography on their account reads: “25 Years. One Legacy.”
Watch this space.
COOPER: MY SLIM PICKIN’
COUNTRY singer Cooper Alan wants to do the unthinkable and drag Eminem into the world of cowboy music.
In an exclusive chat with Bizarre, the TikTok sensation – who has racked up 11.5million followers – revealed that the Slim Shady rapper tops his dream collaboration list.
Cooper Alan wants to do the unthinkable and drag Eminem into the world of cowboy musicCredit: Getty
Cooper said: “Eminem has always been my favourite. It would probably never happen, but that’d be really cool.
“Eminem on a country song, I think that would be crazy.”
He’s also got another surprise duet in mind, this time with with Scottish brothers The Proclaimers.
He added: “We’ve been covering their 500 Miles as our encore, so we’ll throw their hat in the ring too. Dream collab, The Proclaimers.”
I caught Cooper live in London last week on his To The Pub Tour, and the show was absolute carnage – in the best way possible.
The singer is wrapping up his first UK shows in Glasgow tomorrow, following the release of latest album Winston-Salem.
The New Normal singer had fans battling it out in a beer-chugging contest before pouring pints straight into the front row from the stage.
Laughing about the stunt, he said: “You’d think I’d be better at pouring the beer.
“But it comes out too fast, it goes all over their face.”
After testing their drinking skills, he was full of praise for our crowds.
Cooper said: “I was impressed with the British drinking ability, especially on a Tuesday night.”
That’s those Americans told.
If you want proper drinkers, come to Britain.
MEGAN DITCHES ‘CHEATER’
MEGAN THEE STALLION has broken up with boyfriend Klay Thompson after accusing him of cheating on her.
In a statement confirming her split from the NBA basketball player, she said: “I’ve made the decision to end my relationship with Klay.
Megan Thee Stallion has dumped boyfriend Klay ThompsonCredit: Getty
“Trust, fidelity and respect are non-negotiable for me in a relationship.
“When those values are compromised, there’s no real path forward.
“I’m taking time to prioritise myself.”
The WAP rapper was with Klay – who’s yet to address the claims – for just under a year.
On Instagram she wrote: “Cheating, had me around your family playing house.
“Got ‘cold feet’. Holding you down through all your HORRIBLE mood swings and treatment of me during basketball season . . . now you don’t know if you can be ‘monogamous’???”
FOO FIGHTERS celebrated the release of their album Your Favorite Toy with a launch party in London, then performed two new tracks on Saturday Night Live.
But it looks like the band, above, will be prevented from scoring their seventh No1 album, as Noah Kahan’s new record The Great Divide has sold three times more in the UK since they were both released on Friday.
MADGE BASQUES IN GLORY
SHE might be 67, but it’s clear Madonna can still party hard as she leaves a nightclub in bridal lingerie at 2am yesterday.
Madge, in shades and knee-high boots, hosted a bash at The Abbey in West Hollywood, where she played new track I Feel So Free and also premiered an upcoming song, believed to be called Freedom.
Madonna hosted a bash at The Abbey in West Hollywood, where she played new track I Feel So FreeCredit: BackGrid
That could well be her third track with that title.
She recorded one for her 1994 Bedtime Stories album, though it didn’t make the cut at the time, and made another during sessions in 2014 and 2015, which wasn’t officially released but did leak online.
There was some chaos at the Los Angeles nightspot as fans grappled to get close to the superstar, who was standing behind the DJ decks.
Punters were pushing and shoving, with one woman pouring her drink over a man’s head.
Celeb fans Addison Rae and Julia Fox were also there.
Let’s hope they didn’t have soggy bonces.
BOY GEORGE FACES UP TO EUROVISION
BOY GEORGE is all set to make his Eurovision debut next month – but it sounds like he’s put less thought into his vocals than how he will react when the scores are revealed.
The singer is featuring on San Marino’s entry Superstar, by Senhit.
Boy George makes his Eurovision debut next monthCredit: Getty
He said in an exclusive chat at the London Eurovision Party: “I’ve been to so many awards shows where I’ve been nominated, so I will be able to deal with nerves when it comes to the points.
“You have to learn that face where you’re like, ‘I’m so happy for everyone else’.
“But I’ll be so in it. I think Senhit will be more nervous than me.
“I won’t be nervous on the night, not really. There will be nervous energy and excitement.”
The Culture Club frontman joked he better not get stage fright, adding: “Probably on the night, I’ll be like, ‘Argh, this is huge.
“What if I forget to say the right words?’. I won’t have a lot to do, but sometimes not having much to do can be worse. But I think I’ll be fine.”
He has high hopes that San Marino can beat the UK entry Eins, Zwei, Drei by Look Mum No Computer.
George added: “I’d love us to win. San Marino is a small country. Ireland is not doing Eurovision this year so, they can vote for me as I’m Irish.”
THE ROLLING STONES are having fun with the promo for their new album Foreign Tongues.
They have turned their website into a CCTV geek’s heaven with ten cameras showing them at work.
Producer Andrew Watt, who worked on their last No1 album Hackney Diamonds, features in the videos, and helped shape the ten album tracks.
Insiders said there is a top-secret – and random – collab on the new record, out later this year. I’m told no one would ever guess.
SYDNEY CENTRE STAGE
HONKY tonkin’ Sydney Sweeny squeezed into this tiny corset dress to enjoy the world’s largest country music festival.
She was spotted in the crowd during the Stagecoach event in California.
Sydney Sweeny squeezed into this tiny corset dress to enjoy the world’s largest country music festivalCredit: GettySydney was spotted in the crowd during the Stagecoach event in CaliforniaCredit: X
The actress, who seemed to take inspiration from Madonna’s latest corset look, was seen on top of boyfriend Scooter Braun’s shoulders as they watched Ella Langley perform on Friday evening.
She was then back on Saturday for day two and got on the mic herself, inset.
Her lingerie brand Syrn hosted a pop-up where she belted out Sweet Caroline on karaoke and was joined by showbiz pals Diplo and Lance Bass.
Cole Tomas Allen, the suspected gunman who rattled the nation’s top leaders by exchanging gunfire with federal authorities after racing through the secure perimeter of a press gala in Washington late Saturday, had made a long journey from Southern California and written a “manifesto” threatening Trump administration officials before the short-lived attack, officials said.
Allen, a 31-year-old Caltech graduate and high school tutor from Torrance, is believed to have taken a train first to Chicago and then on to D.C. before checking into the Washington Hilton with two guns he had previously purchased, authorities said.
The attacker managed to bypass several layers of security at the White House Correspondents’ Assn. dinner before being taken down by armed agents outside the ballroom where President Trump and an array of other top federal officials were seated.
Allen could not be reached for comment, nor could an attorney for him be identified as of Sunday.
According to Trump, Allen had also authored a “manifesto” prior to the attack, which he had shared with family and which his brother had flagged to local law enforcement in Connecticut. The New York Post reported that Allen described himself in the document as the “Friendly Federal Assassin” and revealed he intended to kill Trump administration officials.
New London (Conn.) Police Deputy Chief John Perry said that around 10:30 p.m. a man came into the lobby of the agency’s headquarters to report that he’d received a troubling email from Allen. The relative initially thought it was spam, but then saw the news of what unfolded in D.C. and felt he needed to report it.
Perry would not say what was in the email, and did not know exactly what time it was sent. But the relative said he only saw and opened it around 10 p.m. “I think he was watching what was going on and kind of put two and two together and said I need to go to my local PD,” Perry said.
Police officials provided the email to the Secret Service and FBI, he said. Trump said the document would be released, but it had not been as of Sunday. Officials said criminal charges against the suspect were pending, with an initial court appearance likely Monday.
Late Saturday, both local and federal law enforcement, including from the FBI, swarmed the Torrance neighborhood where Allen is believed to have lived in a home with his family, with Torrance police clearing the road and putting up police tape along part of the street. A man who responded to a knock on the front door said, “Not right now,” and declined to comment further.
The thwarted attack marked the latest in a string of incidents in which gunmen have gotten dangerously close to Trump, renewing questions about the safety and security of the nation’s commander in chief at a time of intense political division at home and roiling conflicts abroad.
Trump was grazed on the ear by a bullet at one of his presidential campaign events in Butler, Pa., in 2024 — the first of two attempts on his life during that campaign cycle. The other involved a gunman targeting the president as he golfed in Florida, before federal agents intervened. Earlier this year, a gunman was killed at the president’s Mar-a-Lago club, after breaching a security perimeter.
On Sunday, questions swirled as to how such a security lapse could have happened again — and whether large, high-profile events are safe for top officials in a nation where firearms are easy to obtain and ubiquitous.
Acting Atty. Gen. Todd Blanche, in an interview on “Meet the Press” Sunday morning, said federal authorities believe the suspect had set out alone “to target folks that work in the administration, likely including the president,” but that a motive was still being determined and evidence still being gathered — including from devices taken from Allen and in interviews with people who know him.
“As of now, we don’t have any connection to any particular policy directive of President Trump or Iran or anything else that we’re doing in this country, but we are looking into it,” he said.
Blanche also downplayed the threat posed to Trump, other officials in the room such as Vice President JD Vance and First Lady Melania Trump, and the hundreds of other attendees to the annual event — suggesting Allen had essentially been stopped in his tracks shortly after making his break through a checkpoint of metal detectors and federal agents, dramatic video of which Trump posted online.
“Let’s not forget that the suspect didn’t get very far. He barely broke the perimeter,” Blanche said. “And so while this was extraordinarily dangerous and put a lot of lives at risk and there’s no doubt that that’s something that we’re going to have to learn from over the next couple weeks, the system worked. We were safe, President Trump was safe. His Secret Service agents kept him safe. All of us were safe.”
Blanche’s assessment of the attacker’s breach past security — which he said was only “by a few feet” — was disputed by some.
According to other attendees, including Times journalists, event staff were checking tickets, though not very thoroughly, at multiple points prior to escalators that descended to the metal detectors where Allen allegedly dashed past armed security.
The detectors were right outside the event hall and where the bathrooms for the event were located, and the assailant was taken to the ground about 10 to 15 feet beyond them, attendees said. The shots — including two from the gunman, according to Blanche — were heard in the ballroom.
Allen, who graduated from Caltech in 2017 with a degree in mechanical engineering and is registered to vote with no party preference, made a $25 political contribution earmarked for then-Vice President Kamala Harris’ campaign challenging Trump for the presidency in 2024.
While at Caltech, he was a teaching assistant and a member of the school’s Christian fellowship and the Nerf club, according to his LinkedIn profile. He later studied computer science as a post-graduate student at CSU-Dominguez Hills.
Allen was named teacher of the month in December 2024 at C2 Education, which specializes in college test preparation, tutoring and academic advising. A representative for C2 Education was not immediately available for comment.
According to the New York Post, Allen himself had derided the event security in his writings beforehand, describing finding far less security at the hotel than he had expected when he arrived, armed, to check in.
“I expected security cameras at every bend, bugged hotel rooms, armed agents every 10 feet, metal detectors out the wazoo. What I got (who knows, maybe they’re pranking me!) is nothing. No damn security. Not in transport. Not in the hotel. Not in the event,” he wrote, according to the Post. “I walk in with multiple weapons and not a single person there considers the possibility that I could be a threat.”
Authorities did not detail Allen’s alleged travel route to D.C., other than to say it was by train. In response to questions about whether Allen had taken Amtrak to get to Washington and whether his luggage would have undergone any security screening, Amtrak said only that it is cooperating with federal authorities.
Trump also zeroed in on security at the hotel being inadequate, in addition to posting the video of the suspect rushing past security and multiple pictures of him detained on the floor of the hotel.
While praising the federal agents who took the attacker down, Trump suggested that events with top U.S. officials should be held in more secure facilities — such as the giant ballroom he is trying to build on the White House grounds after demolishing the former East Wing.
“What happened last night is exactly the reason that our great Military, Secret Service, Law Enforcement and, for different reasons, every President for the last 150 years, have been DEMANDING that a large, safe, and secure Ballroom be built ON THE GROUNDS OF THE WHITE HOUSE,” Trump wrote on social media Sunday. “This event would never have happened with the Militarily Top Secret Ballroom currently under construction at the White House. It cannot be built fast enough!”
Weijia Jiang, president of the correspondents’ association, said in a statement Sunday that the group’s board “will be meeting to assess what happened and determine how to proceed.” She also thanked the U.S. Secret Service and other law enforcement for keeping people safe, and praised journalists in the room for leaping to work to inform the public of what had occurred.
Times staff writers Richard Winton, Ben Wieder and Justine McDaniel contributed to this report.
Sam Kerr scores twice to join former teammate Fran Kirby in being Chelsea’s joint all-time top goalscorer in the WSL, as Sonia Bompastor’s side soundly defeat Everton 4-1 at Goodison Park.
President Donald Trump says suspect wrote an anti-Christian declaration and is ‘sick guy’.
Published On 26 Apr 202626 Apr 2026
United States authorities believe a gunman who is accused of trying to storm the White House Correspondents’ Association dinner was targeting US President Donald Trump and members of his administration, acting Attorney General Todd Blanche says.
Blanche said on Sunday that authorities believe the suspect travelled from California to Washington, DC, by train via Chicago.
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Shots were fired on Saturday evening near the ballroom where the dinner was being held as Secret Service agents subdued the gunman and as Trump, top government officials and hundreds of journalists attended the event.
Investigators have not publicly named the suspect, but multiple US media outlets have identified him as Cole Tomas Allen, 31, of Torrance, California.
Trump told Fox News that the family of the suspect raised concerns about him to local police before the event. The president also told the TV news channel that the accused man had written an anti-Christian declaration.
“The guy is a sick guy,” he told Fox News. “When you read his manifesto, he hates Christians.”
Law enforcement officials who made initial examinations of the suspect’s electronic devices and his writings believe he intended to target Trump administration members in attendance at the dinner.
“It does appear that he did in fact set out to target folks who work in the administration, likely including the president,” Blanche told the NBC TV network.
The suspect is believed to have bought the two firearms he carried with him on Saturday night in the past couple of years, the attorney general said. He is not being cooperative with law enforcement and is expected to face multiple charges on Monday, Blanche said.
Social media posts that appear to match the suspect show he is a highly educated tutor and amateur video game developer with multiple degrees in computer science and mechanical engineering.
Video posted by Trump showed the suspect running past security barricades as Secret Service agents ran towards him. One officer in a bullet-resistant vest was shot but was recovering, officials said. The gunman was taken into custody and was not injured but was taken to hospital to be evaluated, police said.
Outside the hotel, members of the National Guard and other authorities flooded the area as helicopters circled overhead.
Trump used the incident to push his plans to construct a large ballroom next to the White House, a plan that has faced legal challenges and that polls indicate most Americans oppose.
“What happened last night is exactly the reason that our great Military, Secret Service, Law Enforcement and, for different reasons, every President for the last 150 years, have been DEMANDING that a large, safe, and secure Ballroom be built ON THE GROUNDS OF THE WHITE HOUSE,” Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform on Sunday.
The $400m ballroom has become a passion project for Trump during his second term.
Trump was unusually conciliatory after what he saw as a third attempt on his life in less than two years, calling for unity and bipartisan healing.
After back-to-back appearances at both weekends of Coachella, David Lee Roth popped out Saturday at Stagecoach to sing Van Halen’s “Jump” with Teddy Swims for the third (and final?) time. To discuss what he called his “three-peat,” I caught up later with the 71-year-old singer, who wore a bedazzled jacket and a leather vest.
Have you bought property in Indio? Do you just live here now? No, I’ve bought property in the American musical fabric that extends beyond time frame, that extends beyond shoes and haircuts. It includes cowboy hats and yarmulkes.
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Next weekend this place is gonna be barren. Will you be back to sing “Jump” with nobody? There’ll be plenty of people here for the Diamond Dave Big Rig Trucking School and Day Care Center.
You’re on your own tour right now. How are those shows going? They go exquisitely because if you enjoy what you saw onstage [tonight], it’s that times 22 songs.
Twenty-two songs in the set. Oh yeah. I wrote every word that I sing, I wrote every note that I sing — all the melodies — and I stacked all the harmonies. Ed [Van Halen], of course, contributed all the great guitar parts. And we wrote all of those parts literally sitting in a tiny little alcove room where you put a washer and a dryer. We would sit knee-to-knee the room was so small, and he’d play the electric guitar. His mom wouldn’t let him plug in because it would be too loud, so I had to lean over. Every song that you know of Van Halen, I heard from an unplugged-in electric guitar from four inches away, going, “Too long.”
Tighten it up. Cut it short. All great musicians finish long after the ending.
Last time we talked, you said you were wearing Artemis II. What’s the outfit tonight? This is classic Nudie’s western wear from Lankershim. This is from the ’50s. This has been all over the world. This is made by Nudie’s of Hollywood, who made all of Roy Rogers’ and Jean Autry’s [clothes] and all of “Bonanza,” “Gunsmoke,” “Rawhide’s” wear. Look up Nudie of Hollywood, OK? This baby’s worth more than my shoes, and they’re custom-made. This jacket’s worth more than my teeth — same thing.
The future of the National Science Foundation is in question after a slew of scientists who serve on the National Science Board, an independent body that promotes the progress of American science and provides advice to the U.S. president and Congress, were abruptly dismissed from their positions Friday by the White House.
All 22 current members of the board, which establishes policies for the National Science Foundation, were terminated, according to Yolanda Gil, a research professor of computer science and spatial sciences and principal scientist at USC Information Sciences Institute, who has served on the board since 2024.
Many of them received a curt email from President Trump’s presidential personnel office.
“On behalf of President Donald J. Trump, I’m writing to inform you that your position as a member of the National Science Board is terminated, effective immediately,” read an email reviewed by the L.A. Times. “Thank you for your service.”
After receiving an email Friday afternoon, Keivan Stassun, a professor of physics and astronomy at Vanderbilt University and director of the Vanderbilt Initiative in Data-intensive Astrophysics, said he reached out to fellow board members. Every member he heard back from — about a third of the board — reported receiving the same termination notice.
For Stassun, a board member since 2022, the termination represented “a wholesale evisceration of American leadership in science and technology globally.”
The White House has not given any reason for dismissing the board members or provided any information on when, or even whether, they will be replaced. A media representative for the NSF directed all questions to the White House. The White House did not respond to questions from The Times.
The National Science Foundation was created more than 75 years ago as an independent federal agency when President Truman signed the National Science Foundation Act of 1950 to boost U.S. science for national security and international competition during the Cold War.
“The establishment of the National Science Foundation is a major landmark in the history of science in the United States,” Truman said back then. “We have come to know that our ability to survive and grow as a nation depends to a very large degree upon our scientific progress. Moreover, it is not enough simply to keep abreast of the rest of the world in scientific matters. We must maintain our leadership.”
The agency, which has a budget of over $9 billion, supports fundamental research and education across all non-medical fields of science and engineering.
“The genesis of it was to recognize that the world was increasingly being won or lost on the basis of scientific and technological capability,” Stassun said. “The National Science Foundation is the singular agency within our government that has as its focus making sure that we stay ahead in basic science, technological developments, training the next generation of scientists and engineers.“
After Trump’s dismissal of the board’s experts, Stassun said, the Trump administration could potentially run the agency directly through the Office of Management and Budget.
“What it means is that there won’t be any practical impediments to the administration essentially enacting their own budget and priorities and ignoring Congress’ directives or congressional law,” Stassun said.
Rep. Zoe Lofgren of San José, the ranking Democrat on the House Science, Space and Technology Committee, dubbed the terminations just “the latest stupid move made by a president who continues to harm science and American innovation.”
The board, Lofgren noted in a statement, is apolitical and advises the president on the future of NSF.
“It unfortunately is no surprise a president who has attacked NSF from day one would seek to destroy the board that helps guide the foundation,” Lofgren added. “Will the president fill the NSB with MAGA loyalists who won’t stand up to him as he hands over our leadership in science to our adversaries? A real bozo the clown move.”
The National Science Board is typically made up of 25 scientists and engineers from universities and industry across the nation. Appointed by the U.S. president, they traditionally serve six-year terms.
Some of the board positions were vacant. The key position of NSF director has been unfilled ever since Sethuraman Panchanathan, a computer scientist and academic administrator, resigned in April 2025.
“Given that the NSF director position has been vacant for a year, and that the NSB’s main role is governing NSF, the agency is left in a very precarious position,” Gil told The Times in an email. “I think this is one more indication of the sweeping changes that the administration is planning for the National Science Foundation.”
Over the last two years, Gil said, the White House has proposed drastic reductions in the NSF budget — a troubling sign, she argued, that basic research in science and engineering and training students are not high priorities for the current administration.
In the last few months, Gil added, the agency had significant reductions of personnel, which she said “jeopardizes the peer review process that the agency is best known for and gives more decision power to program directors.”
In March, Trump nominated James O’Neill, a venture capitalist and biotech investor who served as former deputy secretary of Health and Human Services, to lead the foundation. O’Neill has yet to appear before Congress for a hearing, but Trump’s nomination received a storm of criticism from scientists.
“O’Neill would be the first head of NSF who wasn’t a scientist or engineer,” Dr. Julian Reyes, chief of staff of the Union of Concerned Scientists, wrote in a blog post. “If O’Neill is confirmed as NSF’s director, the Trump administration will further tighten its control over an agency created by Congress to be independent in its work to advance science.”
Traditionally, Gil said, NSF directors have had a solid research career and strong familiarity with NSF processes. O’Neill’s background in finance and investments, she suggested, “may be an indication that the administration has a different idea of how to run a science agency like NSF.”
Already, the Trump administration has purged a raft of scientific advisory boards that provided the federal government with expert guidance. Last year, dozens of experts who provided independent evaluations for biomedical research were dismissed from National Institute of Health science review boards. All 17 members of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, which provides federal recommendation on vaccines, were also removed.
In that context, Stassun said he was not surprised when he got the termination letter Friday. “At some point,” he figured, “they would come for the National Science Board, too.”
Going forward, Stassun said he expected the Trump administration to pursue a narrower agenda, from investments in artificial intelligence to building a fleet of Antarctic vessels.
“What we’re likely to see is a collapse of what has historically been a broad investment in American science and technology capabilities,” he said. “The most transformative discoveries are transformative because you can’t predict them in advance, so we invest foundationally in scientists and engineers to do basic science and engineering research.”
One of the board’s chief priorities since he joined in 2022, Stassun said, had been the idea of “talent being the treasure” — developing the best and brightest future leaders and discoverers to ensure a future for American leadership in scientific and technological innovation.
For the board, that meant investing in early science education and strong training for scientists and engineers at all educational levels and in all sectors.
“Discoveries and inventions don’t make themselves, Stassun said. “People do those things. I think there’s a kind of attitude in the current administration that such a worldview is sort of too soft or meek.”
The Trump administration’s interests and priorities, Stassun said, seemed quite different.
“They see the future in, or at least their interest is in, big data centers … not in addition to, but in place of, training human minds to be leading the way,” Stassun said. “It’s a dead end or a bridge to nowhere.”
Even the pioneers of AI will tell you, Stassun said, in many cases, what AI does very well is rapidly synthesizing, consolidating or repackaging existing information. A large language model can only tell you, perhaps very quickly and effectively, what’s already been said.
“Discovery and invention remain the purview of the human mind and creative human genius,” Stassun said. “So, yeah, I think it really does say something pretty foundational to choose to invest only in the one and not the other.”
“Billy Shoemaker was born 2 pounds 6 ounces and it was the only edge he ever needed in life.”
That remains noteworthy now, because when they run this year’s thoroughbred classic at Churchill Downs on May 2, it will mark 40 years since “Billy The Shoe,” still the third-winningest rider in the sport’s North American history and perhaps its most memorable, won his fourth and last Derby aboard a 17-1 longshot named Ferdinand.
In 1986, Snow Chief was the 3-1 Derby favorite. He was trained by colorful and often grumpy Mel Stute, who was, like Shoemaker, a fixture at Santa Anita. His jockey was a young Alex Solis, who came from Panama, was still struggling with the English language then and had quickly dazzled the Southern California racing world with his talent.
Jockey Bill Shoemaker smiles as he holds a large plaque presented to him at Santa Anita on Jan. 1, 1953, in recognition of winning 484 races. He promptly added to the total by winning the first race of the day.
(David F. Smith / Associated Press)
It was an era in sports somewhat less contentious, more inclined to celebrate its history and its moments and less inclined to look for more. A few weeks earlier, Jack Nicklaus had won the Masters, at age 46. It was a hugely popular outcome, just as Shoemaker’s would be. It was quite the time for legend building, those few months in 1986.
The Derby network telecast brought the comfort of an easy chair. Jim McKay, who had done it for years, took viewers through the likely race scenarios. Al Michaels, whose racing chops were notable well before he asked the world if it believed in miracles and well before the NFL hustled him away to greater fame and fortune, pitched in on the telecast with thoughts on the pageantry and some race angles. A young Michaels, with thick black curly hair and the same distinctive voice, broadcast from the track and touched on the interesting elements of Shoemaker’s presence.
“Ferdinand is at 17-1,” Michaels told the audience. “A few years back, you couldn’t get 17-1 with Shoemaker if he was riding Mr. Ed.”
Shoemaker was already a legend and had already won the Derby three times by then. But any mention of his Derby expertise was, and always would be, sprinkled with a disclaimer about his 1975 ride on Gallant Man, when he misjudged the finish line while leading on the home stretch, pulled up his horse and lost a race he had pretty much won.
In ‘86, that was all soft peddled by the media, which mentioned it more out of duty than reportorial necessity. Ferdinand was, after all, a 17-1 longshot, easier to downplay or ignore. Also, Shoemaker was 54, not exactly an age to be looked upon as a contender. No jockey that age had ever won the Derby — and still hasn’t. There was respect for his seniority, but mostly an assumption that he was the past, not likely the present. He had led North American racing in victories for 29 years, finally totaling 8,833. But much of that happened prior to 1986.
Worst for Shoemaker, he had drawn the No. 1 hole, the starting spot closest to the infield that is usually a death knell for Derby horses. The gate opens and the entire field dashes for the rail, all coming down on top of the 1-hole starter. Shoemaker and Ferdinand held ground for a while, but by the time they got to the back stretch, they were dead last. They were still there as the field got to the top of the home stretch.
Then the cavalry charge to the finish began and Shoemaker went with the crowd, to the outside. At one point in the home stretch run, he was six horses wide.
Then, he made one of those moves that made William Lee Shoemaker “Billy The Shoe.” He saw an opening to his left, squeezed through it and soon had Ferdinand almost to the rail — and in full gallop. Before anybody could analyze what had happened, Ferdinand, carrying a jockey who probably never weighed 100 pounds in his career — thanks to the birth advantage Downey so aptly pointed out years later — was cruising past the leaders and sailing home a winner.
Ferdinand, ridden by Billy Shoemaker, heads down the homestretch to win the Kentucky Derby on May 5, 1986, in Louisville, Ky.
(John Swart / Associated Press)
The victory made legendary trainer Charlie Whittingham a Kentucky Derby winner for the first time. He was 73 and had disliked running young horses in a pressure race such as the Derby. The Triple Crown races are only for three-year-old thoroughbreds. Whittingham won another Derby three years later with Sunday Silence. He trained into his 80s.
Shoemaker’s career rightfully was topped off by that Derby victory, as well as his win in the Breeders’ Cup Classic in 1987.
The aftermath of that 1986 race was less kind, although nobody could take away what Shoemaker had accomplished. The jockey who finished last in the ’86 Derby was Laffit Pincay Jr., who later passed Shoemaker’s North American victory total with 9,530 wins. Pincay’s total was topped by Russell Baze, who took 12,842 wins, but in a riding career that featured wins at lesser tracks against lesser competition. When Baze broke his record, however, Pincay was there to offer his congratulations.
By the time Shoemaker won the 1986 Derby, he had little left to achieve. He not only won 11 Triple Crown races, but he also had won, to mention a few prestigious races, the Hollywood Derby, the Hollywood Gold Cup, the Oak Tree Stakes, the San Luis Obispo and the Santa Anita Derby.
Jockey Billy Shoemaker smiles as he rides Ferdinand, the 1986 Kentucky Derby winner, at Hollywood Park after winning the Breeder’s Cup.
(Bettmann Archive via Getty Images)
Each one eight times.
Shoemaker moved into thoroughbred training after he stopped riding. He was a fixture around Santa Anita, as he had been as a jockey. His success was mixed, certainly less than he had as a jockey.
On April 8, 1991, after a day of golf in the Inland Empire, Shoemaker was headed west on the 210 freeway in San Dimas. The road at that point includes an exit to the right for the 57 freeway south and under the 210. Shoemaker swerved right off the 210 and rolled his Ford Bronco down the embankment, about three stories high, and onto the 57 freeway. Police confirmed he was intoxicated during the crash. Shoemaker suffered a broken neck and spent the rest of his life in a wheelchair, from which he continued as a trainer for several years.
Billly Shoemaker is in the winner’s circle at Santa Anita in March 1976 after winning his 7,000th race.
(Associated Press)
Shoemaker eventually sued the state of California because there was no guard rail at the site, the Ford Motor Co., to whom he alleged that the Bronco was a rollover risk, and Glendora Community Hospital for alleged incorrect treatment when he was bought in. Ford paid him at least $1 million, after agreeing to do so if he received no money from the hospital. There is no record of him getting any money from the state of California.
Shoemaker died in October 2013. He remains third on the North American jockey career win list with his 8,833.
Ferdinand was sent to stud in 1989 and sold to a breeding farm in Japan in 1994. In 2002, reports surfaced that Ferdinand had been sent to a slaughter house in Japan, where he became food for either humans or pets, or both. Racing’s indignation over that, as well as that of anger in the general public, prompted the formation by Congress of a bill that would ban the slaughter of horses in the United States.
Deputy Chief Constable Bobby Singleton, pictured Sunday morning visiting officers and staff at the Dunmurry police station in west Belfast after a car bombing nearby last night, said the attack is thought to have involved the New IRA. Photo by Police Service of Northern Ireland/Facebook
April 26 (UPI) — Police in Northern Ireland said Sunday morning that the New IRA is believed to have been involved in a car bombing near a police station in Belfast.
Detectives are treating a car bombing outside a police station in the Dunmurry area of outer Belfast as an attempted murder, and said called it a miracle that nobody was injured, The Guardian and the Belfast Telegraph reported.
A delivery car was hijacked late Saturday night in West Belfast, an explosive device was placed in the car’s boot and the delivery driver was told to drive to the police station and abandon it there, police said.
Bobby Singleton, deputy chief constable of the Police Service of Northern Ireland, told reporters that the attack was nearly identical to an attack earlier this year.
“As a consequence of that, our early working hypothesis is that this may well be the work of the New IRA, who claimed responsibility for the attack in Lurgen,” Singleton said.
“Thanks to the swift actions of police, no one has been injured, which is nothing short of miraculous,” he said.
The attempt on a Lurgen police station in March was unsuccessful because the device did not detonate, but the method — hijacking a car and forcing the driver to abandon the bomb on wheels somewhere — was nearly the same, Singleton said.
President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump participate in the 2026 White House Correspondents’ Association Dinner in Washington on April 25, 2026. Photo by Yuri Gripas/UPI | License Photo
This article outlines the historical evolution of Tanzania, focusing on the significance of Union Day celebrated on April 26th. It tracks the region’s transition from European colonial rule under Germany and Britain to the independent states of Tanganyika and Zanzibar. The text highlights the 1964 merger of these two territories following a socialist revolution in Zanzibar, which resulted in the formation of a unified republic. Interestingly, the name Tanzania serves as a linguistic blend of both original territories to symbolize their political integration. Today, the nation recognizes this history by maintaining Zanzibar as a semi-autonomous region within the larger country. Through this overvi …
The shooting of a Secret Service agent at the White House Correspondents’ Association dinner on Saturday night has raised concerns about the safety of political leaders amid rising political violence. Despite hundreds of agents from various law enforcement agencies being assigned to secure the event, a suspect armed with a shotgun and other weapons was able to approach just one floor above where prominent figures, including President Donald Trump, Vice President JD Vance, and several cabinet members, were dining.
The alleged gunman, who carried a shotgun, a handgun, and knives, was reportedly staying at the Washington Hilton hotel, where the dinner took place. Trump’s remarks following the incident highlighted the dangers of his role, noting the hotel is “not particularly a secure building. ” This vulnerability is concerning given recent assassination attempts against him during the 2024 presidential campaign.
Attendees had to pass through metal detectors at the ballroom, but only needed tickets to access the hotel, which was open to other guests. Many attendees faced demonstrators protesting the Trump administration’s policies. Video footage showed the gunman rushing past a security checkpoint before shooting the agent, after which he was tackled and arrested by officials.
Inside the ballroom, guests were dining when gunshots were heard. Secret Service agents quickly acted to protect Trump and Vance, while security responses varied for other officials, with some agents forming shields and others reacting differently. The timing for evacuating protectees differed, with some leaving almost immediately and others remaining longer. Trump, who has faced close calls with violence in the past, later acknowledged that carrying on with the event was not feasible after the attack.
Lionsgate’s “Michael” is on track to unseat “Straight Outta Compton” as the king of musical biopics.
Early returns suggest the Antoine Fuqua-directed film will surpass the $60-million opening weekend box office record set by the N.W.A biopic in 2015, with the studio expecting an opening that could reach $70 million.
“Michael Jackson is one of the most influential artists in human history. His impact on music, fashion, dance, film and business has withstood the test of time,” said Adam Fogelson, the chair of the Lionsgate Motion Picture Group.
“All of those things together seem to have created a profound response from audiences of all ages,” he added.
“Michael,” starring the legendary pop star’s nephew Jaafar Jackson, hits 3,900 screens nationwide on Friday.
That film remains the highest-grossing documentary of all time with nearly $270 million in global ticket sales.
The stakes may be higher for “Michael,” not just because of its roughly $200-million cost, but also its circuitous journey to the big screen.
Early development on the motion picture began in 2019, but frequent changes — both in the storyline and production — forced delays. The original idea was to encapsulate Jackson’s life from childhood fame with the Jackson 5 to his solo commercial peak during the ’80s and end with the child sex abuse allegations he faced in 1993.
That version of the film was well underway when the production was forced to go back to the drawing board due to a legal issue. The Jackson estate, which is in support of the project, reportedly discovered the early draft of “Michael” violated a $15-million settlement with the accuser in that case. Part of the agreement stipulated that the alleged victim would never be pictured or mentioned in a dramatization of Jackson’s life.
Production reconvened for 22 additional days and the Jackson estate took on tens of millions of dollars in additional reshoot costs.
The current version of “Michael,” hitting theaters this weekend, is set between the 1960s and 1988. It closely follows the controlling relationship between Jackson and his father, Joe Jackson, played by Colman Domingo, and tracks the king of pop’s peak stardom. Janet Jackson is notably absent from the storyline.
Depending on how the movie performs, there are plans for a potential sequel. The follow-up would tell the second half of Jackson’s career, where much of the scrapped footage could be used. Lionsgate has done advanced work to ensure that a significant amount of the previously captured footage could be included.
So far, the movie is receiving mixed reviews. As of Friday morning, the critic’s consensus on Rotten Tomatoes was less than favorable, with a score of 40%. But Lionsgate remains confident the film will resonate positively with average moviegoers and Jackson fans, both domestically and globally.
“The audiences that are now starting to watch the movie in early previews have been euphoric,” Fogelson said. “Audiences are speaking loudly and clearly about how much they appreciate the final product.”
Even outside of theaters, Jackson’s story continues to find success. “MJ,” the jukebox musical based on his life, is in its fourth year on Broadway and has had both national and international showings. Michael Jackson’s estate has also collaborated with Cirque du Soleil for several acrobatic productions since 2011. The “Michael Jackson ONE” show, which first premiered in 2013, recently extended its run on the Las Vegas Strip until 2030.
Tiffany Naiman, the director of music industry programs at UCLA, said the sustained interest in the pop icon speaks to his loyal fan base and place in American cultural history.
“He represents not only extraordinary artistic achievement, but also the contradictions of fame at its most amplified,” Naiman said in a statement. “That tension — between brilliance and controversy, innovation and scrutiny — is precisely what continues to draw audiences back, and what will likely shape both the film’s reception and its broader cultural impact.”
LONDON — The fabled two-hour barrier for a marathon has been broken, officially, in an once-inconceivable achievement in sports.
Not by one runner, but two.
In a race for the ages, Sabastian Sawe of Kenya won the London Marathon in 1 hour, 59 minutes and 30 seconds on Sunday, shattering the previous men’s world record by an astonishing 65 seconds.
“What comes today is not for me alone,” the 29-year-old Sawe said, “but for all of us today in London.”
Just 11 seconds further back was Ethiopia’s Yomif Kejelcha, who — running in his first-ever marathon — also covered the 26.2-mile (42.2-kilometer) course in under 2 hours.
Completing the podium was Uganda’s Jacob Kiplimo, who broke the previous world-record time — set by Kenya’s Kelvin Kiptum in Chicago in 2023 — by seven seconds, finishing in 2:00:28.
In an exhilarating sight, Sawe ran quicker as the marathon went on, covering the second half of the race in 59 minutes and 1 second. He pulled clear with Kejelcha after 30 kilometers and then made his solo break in the final two kilometers, sprinting along the finish on The Mall to loud cheers.
Sabastian Sawe of Team Kenya runs ahead of Yomif Kejelcha of Team Ethiopia during the London Marathon on Sunday in London.
(Warren Little / Getty Images)
Sawe, who retained his title in London, said it was a “day to remember for me” and thanked the huge crowds who lined the streets of the British capital to witness what might be regarded as a feat marking the peak of human physical achievement.
“I think they help a lot,” he said, “because if it was not for them you don’t feel like you are so loved … with them calling, you feel so happy and strong.”
Under two hours has been done before — unofficially
Breaking two hours in a marathon has been a long time coming — and has been done before.
However, when Eliud Kipchoge — the Kenyan long-distance great — achieved the feat in Vienna in 2019, it was in a specially tailored race called the “1.59 Challenge” that was arranged by British billionaire Jim Ratcliffe in favorable conditions, on a 6-mile (9.6-kilometer) circuit, and using rotating pacemakers.
That meant it wasn’t classed as an official race setting, so Kipchoge’s time of 1:59:40 didn’t go in the record book.
In any case, Sawe surpassed that time by 10 seconds on a mostly flat course across London in dry, sunny conditions.
Sabastian Sawe, of Kenya, smiles and holds up his adidas shoe with his world-record marathon time written on it Sunday in London.
(Alex Davidson / Getty Images)
“The goalposts have literally just moved for marathon running,” Paula Radcliffe, a former winner of the London Marathon, said during commentary of the race for the BBC.
At the turn of the century, the world’s best time for the men’s marathon was 2:05:42, set by Khalid Khannouchi in Chicago in 1999.
Khannouchi broke his own record by four seconds in 2002 — the last time the fastest men’s marathon was run in London — and it has been whittled down gradually over the last 24 years by a succession of Kenyan and Ethiopian runners, including Haile Gebrselassie, Wilson Kipsang, Kipchoge and most recently Kiptum.
Assefa wins fastest-ever women’s-only marathon
A record was also set in the women’s race, with Ethiopia’s Tigst Assefa pulling away with about 500 meters remaining to win in 2:15:41 and defend the title in the fastest-ever time in a women’s-only marathon.
However, it was 16 seconds slower than the course record set by Radcliffe in 2003 when it was a mixed race.
Tigst Assefa celebrates as she crosses the finish line during the London Marathon women’s race in a record time Sunday.
(Ian Walton / Associated Press)
Kenya’s Hellen Obiri was 12 seconds back in second place in a personal-best time on her London debut and compatriot Joyciline Jepkosgei was third, a further two seconds adrift. It was the first time three women have run under 2 hours, 16 minutes in a marathon.
“I screamed when I finished because I knew I was breaking the world record,” Assefa said.
“I felt much healthier today and have worked really hard on my speed and all my training has paid off.”
Swiss double in wheelchair races
In the wheelchair races, there was a Swiss double with Marcel Hug powering to a sixth straight men’s title — and eighth in total — and Catherine Debrunner beating Tatyana McFadden in a close finish to defend the title.
Sen. Thom Tillis, R-N.C., said on Sunday that he will vote to confirm President Donald Trump’s nominee for Federal Reserve chairman after the Department of Justice assured him it has ended its investigation into current chair Jerome Powell. Photo by Bonnie Cash/UPI | License Photo
April 26 (UPI) — U.S. Sen. Thom Tillis, R-N.C., said on Sunday that he will end his blockade of Kevin Warsh’s confirmation as Federal Reserve chair after the Department of Justice ended its investigation into current chair Jerome Powell.
U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro on Friday said the Justice Department was ending its investigation into Powell over the Fed’s budget for renovations to its headquarters and has threatened him with criminal charges over testimony he gave about the costs.
Tillis made the announcement during an interview on NBC News’ “Meet The Press,” because the department assured him that it has “completely and fully ended” the investigation.
He had previously said he would block all Trump nominees until the probe was dropped.
“We worked a lot over the weekend to make sure that we were very clear that we have assurances from the Department of Justice that I needed to feel like they were not using the department as a weapon to threaten the independence of the Fed,” Tillis told NBC News.
The Justice Department launched a criminal investigation into Powell in January after President Donald Trump questioned the Fed being over budget on renovations to its headquarters in Washington, D.C.
The investigation was condemned by several members of Congress as improper, including Tillis, because it was seen as politically motivated punishment from Trump for not setting interest rates at levels he preferred.
Pirro said Friday that she has asked the Federal Reserve’s inspector general to investigate the renovation costs, which she said is “billions of dollars” over budget, and that she expects a “comprehensive report” on the matter.
She noted, however, that she “will not hesitate to restart a criminal investigation should the facts warrant doing so.”
President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump participate in the 2026 White House Correspondents’ Association Dinner in Washington on April 25, 2026. Photo by Yuri Gripas/UPI | License Photo
PLANNING a holiday, staycation or day out should be exciting but eye-watering prices can turn it into a wallet-draining nightmare.
But you don’t have to pay full whack. From dirt-cheap flights to cut-price hotels and bargain days out, there are loads of easy ways to cut the costs.
There are loads of ways you can save on your holidays, flights, accommodation and days outCredit: GettyTravel reporter Cyann Fielding has found all the best websites to save you cash on your holiday.Credit: Cyann Fielding
Whether you’re chasing a last-minute break, a cheap stay or discounted tickets, here’s how to do it for less and keep more cash in your pocket.
Websites
Secret Flying
The Secret Flying website hunts out super-cheap deals and “error fares” – bargain flights caused by pricing glitches – and links you straight to booking sites like Skyscanner.
It’s free to use and lists offers by region, but you’ll need to be flexible on dates and destinations to bag the best ones.
The biggest bargains sell out fast, so it’s worth signing up for alerts to stay one step ahead.
Holiday Hypermarket
Holiday Hypermarket is owned by the TUI group and is the discount website for TUI holidays where they guarantee that you won’t find a TUI, Marella or Crystal holiday cheaper anywhere else.
With up to 70 per cent off brochure prices, they sell a lot of last minute breaks – but with the same TUI flights, hotels and transfers.
Luxury Escapes
A website that offers high end holidays at affordable prices is Luxury Escapes.
They negotiate directly with hotels to get good deals on holiday bundles, including flights, accommodation and extras like free cocktails, massages and childcare.
Hostelworld
If you’re looking for something cheap and cheerful and don’t mind bunking up with other people then Hostelworld is a useful tool.
It will help you to search for hostels in the destination you’re heading to and compare prices.
It can also find hostels with private rooms too if you don’t want to share.
Cashback sites
While it might not save youmoneyon you’re current holiday – it could save you some cash on the next one.
At Quidco you can get at as much as 3.75 per cent on an EasyJet holiday (which works out at as £11 back on a £300 trip)
Or there is hotels.com, which gives you seven per cent cashback (£14 if you book a hotel for two nights at £200).
Other brands include TUI, British Airways, Trainline and Skyscanner. so it is worth checking if you can claim anything before you book.
Apps
02 Priority
If your phone contract is with O2, then you really should download Priority.
In addition to entering competitions to win holidays, you can often get discounts on holiday packages, concerts, and events.
For example, you can get four tickets to Vue cinemas for £18 or two for £9.
Or save £220 when you spend £2,000 with lastminute.com.
MiXR.
The MiXR. app shows local pubs, clubs and bars where you can reserve a table and pre-book food or drink packages.
But it can also get you savings.
Each time you spend money on your linked card at a partnered bar or pub, you’ll get points.
Get to 5,000 points and you’ll have a £5 voucher (each £1 you spend you get 50 points).
There are also offers on the app including 25 per cent off Camden Hells beer.
Apps such as MiXR. and Dusk can save you on drinks outCredit: Getty
Dusk
Dusk dubs itself ‘the free drink app’ and it isn’t lying.
The app shows you which bars and pubs in your area have deals on and the exact route to get there.
If you scroll, you’ll find specific venues have a sticker on them offering a free drink.
For example, it could say ‘free espresso martinis on Monday at 3pm’, which means you can get that drink for free if you visit that specific venue at the given time.
Some of the venues are marked with yellow stars which means you can earn points too.
Once you’ve collected a number of points you can exchange for drinks.
For example, 200 points gets you a free bottle of prosecco at Be At One, 500 points can get you 50 per cent off at Karaoke Room and so on.
You can use Dusk in a number of cities across the UK including London, Manchester, Birmingham, Liverpool, Brighton, Leeds, Newcastle, Nottingham, Cambridge, Oxford, Cardiff, Sheffield, Bath, Exeter, Norwich, Bournemouth, Hull and York.
Eat Club
Having only launched in the UK last year, Eat Club is now available in London and Manchester.
The app shows you nearby restaurants that have spare tables, great for last-minute plans.
You can also get great discounts, such as up to 50 per cent off of your bill.
There are also some apps that will save you money on food, such as Too Good To Go and Eat ClubCredit: Getty
Too Good To Go
Too Good To Go is an app that prevents food waste by selling off items leftover at the end of the day.
The app is partnered with a number of brands including Greggs and Pizza Express.
If you jump onto the app and use the map function, you will find stores near you that have bags of food to sell for a few quid before the end of the day.
Having used the app numerous times, I usually pay around £3.50 for a bag that contains over £20 worth of food.
I have even used it in New York, when finding a budget lunch option seemed impossible.
Unidays
If you are a student or recent graduate, you should sign up to an account with Unidays.
It is free to joing, you’ll just need your student email and then you can make savings such as getting two Cineworld tickets for £13 and 30 per cent off Hilton hotel stays.
If you are a student, there are a couple of student apps where you can get discountsCredit: Getty
Student Beans
Similar to the above, Student Beans is a discount app for anyone studying. With a student email you can benefit from discounts such as 25 per cent off of National Express travel and 10 per cent off of Ryanair flights.
Cheapskate London
Cheapskate London is a free newsletter released each Monday that shares the best free and cheap things to do across the capital.
Previous free events include educational talks, family activity sessions at museums, and even building your own wormery.
Accor
If you subscribe to the Accornewsletter, you will typically get 10 per cent off hotel stays.
You’ll also get exclusive offers and personalised deals.
Nectar
If you shop at Sainsbury’s and don’t have a Nectar account then you’re really missing out.
When you do your weekly food shop, you’ll rack up points which you can then use on your holiday.
For example, you can spend your points on Eurostar journeys, British Airways flights and more.
Loyalty programmes such as Nectar allow you to build points to use against things such as flightsCredit: Getty
Avios
Avios are loyalty points that you can collect and use mainly with British Airways for flights, hotels and upgrades.
You can earn them by flying with British Airways or its partners, as long as you have an account.
If you build up enough points, you can purchase flights and pay only a small cash fee for admin such as tax and fees.
Marriott Bonvoy
Marriott Bonvoy’s hotel loyalty programme is free to join and covers around 10,000 destinations across the globe.
Members earn points with each stay and then the points can be redeemed on free nights at Marriott Bonvoy hotels.
Hilton Honors
Hilton Honors is free to join, and much like Marriott Bonvoy, is the hotel’s loyalty programme.
Members earn points on stays and everyday activities which can then be redeemed on free stays and experiences as well.
Members tend to get 10 points per £1 spent.
Hotel chains often have their own loyalty programmes that offer 10 per cent discountsCredit: Getty
Paid-for memberships
The Nudge
Costing just £5 per month The Nudge is an insider’s guide to London and often reports on the latest openings in the capital.
The discounts are easy to find on the app and include deals like 40 per cent off at Greek seafood restaurant Kimu in Marylebone or 50 per cent off food at The Culpeper in Spitalfields.
There are also discounts on events such as 50 per cent off of tickets to Burger Fest in Richmond and even pampering treatments like £50 off facials at Skinwork in Soho or 40 per cent off access to Lowlu open-air sauna in Kentish Town.
The Nudge will also run member events such as exclusive supper clubs.
Blue Light
If you work in the NHS or the emergency services, you probably already know about Blue Light.
Blue Light, which costs £4.99 for a two-year membership, gets you discounts at major brands, restaurants and entertainment venues as well as £100 off your TUI holiday or 15 per cent off Away Resorts.
You can even get a discount on airport parking, such as five per cent at London Gatwick.
Railcard
Railcards aren’t just for youngsters, there are all sorts of railcards you can get.
In general, they will get you a third off most rail fares and cost between £30 and £35 each year.
Different railcards include 16-25-year-olds, 26-30-year-olds, Senior (over 60 years old) and Disabled Persons.
There’s also a Family and Friends Railcard which gets adults a third off their rail fare and then 60 per cent off kids’ rail fares if they are aged between five and 15 years old.
And if you are heading off on a number of staycations, make sure you have a railcardCredit: Alamy
Trusted Housesitters
Accommodation costs can bump up the total cost of your holiday, but there is a way around this.
With Trusted Housesitters, you can head to someone’s home and stay there while they are away and all you need to do is look after their pet.
It operates in 180 countries and essentially is a win-win system as the person going away needs a pet sitter and you want somewhere to stay.
Members pay an annual fee to use the platform, which range from £99 to £199.
Dis-loyalty
Dis-loyalty is a travel and food membership that costs £12 a month to join.
In return, you’ll earn points and get discounts on hotel stays, such as 50 per cent off newly opened hotels.
You can also grab a free hot drink each day at one of the membership’s participating locations.
Days Out with the Kids
Days Out with the Kids is the perfect site if you are looking for inspiration during the weekends or school holidays.
The website is partnered with over 8,500 attractions across the UK, and offers members access to exclusive discounts.
The membership costs £4.99 per month, but according to the website, it saves families an average of £12.99 per trip.
Hols from £9.50
If you want to head to a holiday park in the UK or Europe, The Sun’s Hols from £9.50 has over 20 holiday parks to choose from.
To benefit from the £9.50 deal, you have to collect five codewords printed in the paper over a set period of time and enter them on the Sun Holidays website.
Alternatively, to avoid needing a passcode you can join Sun Club for £1.99.
For more offers on holidays travel companies have revealed the cheapest places to book – with week-long holidays from £189.
Mohamed Salah has become the latest player to sustain an injury weeks ahead of the World Cup, adding to his team’s and supporters’ woes as Egypt return to the tournament after missing out on the previous edition.
Salah suffered a hamstring injury during Liverpool’s 3-1 win over Crystal Palace in the English Premier League on Saturday, with a top Egyptian football official confirming the forward will miss the rest of his club’s season.
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The Egyptian talisman is not the only player to have suffered a blow ahead of the global tournament, and joins an increasing list of major players spending the rest of the club football season on the sidelines.
With the World Cup kicking off in less than two months in Canada, Mexico and the United States, several players find themselves in a race against time to overcome injuries and prove their fitness.
Title contenders and former champions Spain, Brazil and Germany will be among those hoping some of their key players recover in time for the tournament, which begins on June 11.
Here are some of the big names who have sustained injuries ahead of the World Cup:
Mohamed Salah: Egypt
The Egyptian and Liverpool forward was in pain as he limped off the field and held his hamstring after being substituted in the league game.
While his club manager Arne Slot refused to say whether Salah would miss the rest of Liverpool’s season, his national team’s director confirmed that the 33-year-old will be out for four weeks.
“We have to wait and see how his injury is and if he is able to return to play,” Slot told reporters after the match.
“What I do know about Mo is that throughout all of these years, he has taken such good care of his body that he will have the minimum time required to recover from an injury,” he added.
However, Egyptian football official Ibrahim Hassan confirmed that Salah’s club season was over.
“He has suffered a hamstring tear and will require four weeks of treatment,” Hassan told the Reuters news agency.
Hassan said Salah would be fit for the World Cup, where Egypt face Belgium, New Zealand and Iran in Group G.
Salah is no stranger to pre-World Cup blows, having injured his shoulder before the 2018 edition in the Champions League final. He missed the Pharaohs’ opening game, but recovered for the remaining two group matches and scored two goals in a campaign that ended at the group stage.
Egypt at World Cup 2026: Belgium (June 15), New Zealand (June 21), Iran (June 26)
Lamine Yamal: Spain
All eyes will be on the award-winning football prodigy, but his World Cup debut has been thrown into doubt after a hamstring injury in his left leg (biceps femoris muscle).
Barcelona announced that Lamine Yamal’s domestic season in Spain is over, but the international forward should be fit to represent Spain at this summer’s World Cup.
The 18-year-old’s participation is still doubtful since it could take four to six weeks to recover as he follows a “conservative treatment plan”.
Yamal was an integral part of the Spain side that lifted the Euro 2024 title with their 2-1 win against England. Then just 16 years of age, he showed speed and guile on the ball that marked him as one of the hottest properties in global football.
Spain at World Cup 2026: Cape Verde (June 15), Saudi Arabia (June 21), Uruguay (June 27)
Marc-Andre ter Stegen and Serge Gnabry: Germany
The 33-year-old first-choice goalkeeper for Germany has spent more time recovering than playing this year after a severe hamstring injury in February sent him into rehabilitation.
German national team coach Julian Nagelsmann told Marc-Andre ter Stegen in March that his chances of playing for the national side were “very slim” and that he had to speed up his recovery to be fit for the tournament in June.
The four-time champions could rely on Oliver Baumann in Stegen’s absence.
Meanwhile, Germany’s Serge Gnabry took to social media this week to announce he would be “supporting the boys from home”. The 30-year-old suffered a torn adductor muscle in his right thigh that also ruled him out of Bayern Munich’s remaining Bundesliga season.
Germany at World Cup 2026: Curacao (June 14), Ivory Coast (June 20), Ecuador (June 25)
[Al Jazeera]
Estevao, Rodrygo and Eder Militao: Brazil
Brazil and Chelsea forward Estevao has also been ruled out of the remaining Premier League season after suffering a hamstring injury that left the teen in tears as he was taken off the pitch.
Chelsea’s interim coach Calum McFarlane expressed his hope for the 19-year-old to make it to the Brazilian squad, though he cautioned there was no guarantee yet.
Estevao joined Chelsea from Palmeiras last year and has scored eight goals this season. He was expected to be part of Carlo Ancelotti’s squad for the World Cup after scoring five times in his last six international appearances.
Unlike Estevao, Brazil forward Rodrygo has been decisively ruled out of the World Cup squad due to a torn meniscus and anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) in his right knee.
“One of the worst days of my life, how much I always feared this injury,” the 25-year-old wrote in a social media post after the setback in March.
Rodrygo made five appearances for Brazil at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.
Yet another blow to Brazil comes from a hamstring injury sustained by Eder Militao during Real Madrid’s 2–1 win over Deportivo Alaves.
The 28-year-old defender is set to undergo surgery, and according to reports, will not be available for Brazil’s World Cup campaign as previously expected.
Brazil at World Cup 2026: Morocco (June 13), Haiti (June 19), Scotland (June 24)
Hugo Ekitike: France
France striker Hugo Ekitike has also been ruled out of the World Cup entirely after tearing his Achilles tendon in April during the Champions League defeat to Paris Saint-Germain.
He recently underwent surgery, which Liverpool manager Arne Slot said went well, although recovery and a return to the pitch for the 23-year-old could take as long as 2027.
France at World Cup 2026: Senegal (June 16), Iraq (June 22), Norway (June 26)
Wataru Endo and Takumi Minamino: Japan
A question mark lingers over the participation of Japan captain and Liverpool defender Wataru Endo, who has not played since sustaining an ankle injury at Sunderland in February. Liverpool manager Slot recently provided an update, saying the 33-year-old midfielder may return just in time for the end of the season.
Teammate Takumi Minamino is also in the same situation after rupturing his ACL in December.
Japan at World Cup 2026: Netherlands (June 14), Tunisia (June 20), Sweden (June 25)
As the 2026 Stagecoach Country Music Festival rides off into the sunset, enjoy the last day of the performances from the comfort of your home. The festival will be livestreaming most of the performances, so you’ll be able to watch Post Malone and Warren Zeiders from the couch. You can also take a trip down memory lane with Hootie & the Blowfish, Brooks & Dunn and Third Eye Blind. Close out the festival by watching Loud Luxury, DJ Pauly D and Ludacris onstage.
The festival will be livestreamed on Amazon Music, Prime Video and Twitch. On Sirius XM’s The Highway (Channel 56), you can listen in to exclusive interviews and live performances. Their station Y’Allternative will also be covering the festival on Sunday.
Here are updated set times for the Stagecoach livestream Sunday performances (times presented in PDT):
