Month: April 2026

French President Emmanuel Macron said he welcomed the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz and the Lebanon ceasefire, as the US and Iran declared the key waterway open. His comments came as European leaders discuss a post-war Hormuz maritime force.

Claudia Winkleman explains it was a very emotional moment when she left Strictly Come Dancing with Tess Daly last year

They will be watching the new series of Strictly Come Dancing together. But Claudia Winkleman says she and Tess Daly decided to bow out from the BBC show because they worried about becoming complacent in their roles.

No one ever doubted the pair loved BBC’s ballroom series. But speaking in-depth about their decision to leave, Claudia says she started to see signs that they needed to go ahead with their pact to quit at the same time.

“You want to leave on a high,” says Claudia. “And you want to leave when you are loving it. We were tiny cogs in this huge sparkly, glittery thing. We were tiny as we had props guys holding Eiffel Towers, the amazing band, the dancers, the costume and hair and make-up and everything else and the lighting.

“We thought it was time to leave. Years earlier they said Gloria Estefan was playing in Blackpool and we were like ‘I cant believe it’. I phoned my husband and said ‘I have to practice the Conga’.”

By then end of their run though, even big names and learning new dances were commonplace. She explains: “We thought it was time to leave. You know, not that I was not excited at the end, but both of us were a bit like ‘Oh yeah…cool. Alright, so then I do that…(routine)’.

“It deserves ‘new’ (change). But what shocked me was, we did the last live show. All week was like ‘We are fine’ but I could not stop crying as it has been my entire life. You know sometimes when you decide something like ‘Let’s move house’. Then you pick up the final box. Not that you have done something wrong but it just feels big.”

For Strictly’s launch in 2026, it will be all change in terms of hosts but also with some things still be the same. Claudia and Tess will be together, but snuggled up away from the cameras.

“Tess and I have already planned. We are having jacket potatoes and I am having the salmon. She is coming to ours, her and Vern(husband Vernon Kay). I am not joking. I am going to set her up with a nightie and we are going to watch and support and love it.”

For many years now, pretty much every TV show Claudia Winkleman has touched turned to gold.

Her Strictly Come Dancing stint on the main show for 15 years, hosting The Traitors and now huge spin off hit Celebrity Traitors too, as well as smaller shows like The Piano which won critical acclaim for Channel 4.

For her other major project The Traitors, Claudia says it requires very different skills compared to fronting Strictly, where she says a lot of the credit should go to Tess.

“Tess did all the heavy lifting on Strictly and I am grateful for it. But on Traitors I had to be strict. I was worried about that. I am in life a cheerleader like if my kids fill the dishwasher I am like ‘Lets film it’. So I am a cheerleader and I am able do that on Traitors when they do the missions. I want to feed them chocolate as I am on their side.

“But I have to get a bit strict like when my kids have not done their homework. I love the game so much so that is how I have to be. The producers did tell me to push it.”

Whilst she will continue to front the series, she admits it has made her more thoughtful about lying and deceit in real life.

“Traitors makes me cry. I am not that harsh. I want the traitors to win and the faithful to get them in equal measure. Also it is a lot of money if it is for charity or for them individually.

I have learned a lot of things that I wish I had not. It has made me realise there is no such thing as gut instinct. It is all about what you tell yourself afterwards. And I have learnt you can know the truth but you can persuade people to follow you and that makes me heartbroken. Will I do a children’s version? No.”

After referencing her kids, Claudia, at a charity Q&A event, is asked more about her own family.

She has been married to film producer Kris Thykier since 2000, and they have three children: Jake, Matilda, and Arthur. But there appears to be no risk of nepo babies in the Winkleman household.

With a grin Claudia says: “I told them to nepo up. One wants to work in hospitality, one wants to be a doctor and one wants to be a chemist. I said ‘I can navigate you work experience’ and they were like ‘No thanks mum.’ They are not interested in film (husband’s work) like they say ‘Not unless it comes in a test tube’. So no. That is not what they have asked for.”

Claudia was giving a rare interview to TV director Ben Winston at St John’s Wood Synagogue in London in aid of Lira Winston Fellowships, which focus on identifying and nurturing Jewish school educators

Asked about her thoughts on rising anti semitism, she said: “How do I navigate the industry? The industry itself does not feel anti-Semitic to me. That is my experience. But the growing anti-Semitism and the growing Islamophobia and racism that we see everywhere is really, really terrifying I suppose.

“I don’t want to say terrifying in front of my kids, but it is worrying. And that is why it is so important that we have got to look after each other and people from other communities.”

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WASHINGTON — Democrats who once saw retaking the U.S. Senate as a long shot in 2026 have newfound hope thanks to an unpopular president and a California donor machine that has snapped into action.

Californians provided the most out-of-state cash to Democrats in nearly every hotly contested race, and in several cases gave more than in-state donors, according to a Times analysis of campaign finance filings covering the first three months of 2026.

Sen. Jon Ossoff of Georgia, who took in more than $14 million overall, received nearly as much from California backers as from supporters in his home state among donors who contributed at least $200 and whose identities were disclosed.

James Talarico, a Democratic Senate candidate in Texas, has raised a staggering $27 million so far this year, with California donors contributing just under $1.2 million to back his campaign — second only to Texas supporters among those donors whose names were disclosed.

Donors who give less than $200 are not required to be identified in campaign finance reports and made up a significant share of the donors to Ossoff’s and Talarico’s campaigns.

Republicans currently have control of the Senate with 53 of the chamber’s 100 seats. This year 35 seats are at play, including special elections in Florida and Ohio.

GOP still winning a key cash race

While more of the seats up for grabs are in Republican hands, polling showing the potential for tight races in several of them has given Democrats hope that they might be able to shrink or reverse their deficit in November.

Top Democratic candidates have out-raised their GOP rivals in the most competitive Senate races, but Republicans are winning the cash race among big-money committees that can accept checks far larger than the $7,000 cap on donations to candidate committees.

Those Democratic candidates have continued a tradition of relying on donors in the country’s most populous state to bankroll their campaigns.

“California has been a rich gold mine for many a candidate and continues to be that,” said Michael Beckel, director of money in politics reform at Issue One, a bipartisan advocacy group.

Democratic Senate candidates in a few races raised more from California donors than from donors in their home states, according to campaign finance reports filed Wednesday.

Democratic former Rep. Mary Peltola of Alaska, who is challenging incumbent Republican Sen. Dan Sullivan, brought in nearly $900,000 from California donors who had contributed at least $200. Alaska donors contributed just over $520,000 to Peltola in the same time period.

Two of the three leading Democratic hopefuls in Michigan’s open Senate race, Rep. Haley Stevens and physician Abdul El-Sayed, reported taking in more from California donors than from donors in Michigan. California was the second biggest bank of support for the other top Democratic contender, state Sen. Mallory McMorrow.

And in Nebraska, independent Dan Osborn, who is challenging incumbent Republican Sen. Pete Ricketts, took in $80,000 more from disclosed California donors than from Nebraskans.

Dozens of California donors gave to at least five Senate candidates across the country, according to The Times’ analysis of the filing data.

Burbank playwright and screenwriter Winnie Holzman has donated to Democratic candidates in nine key races and said she has been inspired to give to them — and other candidates and political groups — because of concerns about the policies of President Trump’s administration and what she sees as its violation of the law.

“This isn’t just about who is in the Senate,” said Holzman, who wrote the script for the play “Wicked” and co-wrote its movie adaptations. “But if enough Democrats were in the Senate right now, there would be a lot more ability to push back on this.”

The impressive fundraising hauls by Democrats come with a significant caveat.

The two most prominent political committees that support Republican Senate candidates — the party-affiliated National Republican Senatorial Committee and the Senate Leadership Fund super PAC, have both outraised rival Democratic groups by a significant margin this cycle.

For the NRSC, an $11.5-million fundraising advantage since the start of 2025 has translated to a modest $2-million advantage in cash in the bank through the end of February compared with the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee.

But the Senate Leadership Fund, which can accept unlimited amounts of cash from donors, had $91.6 million more to spend at the end of March than the Democratic rival Senate Majority PAC.

And the pro-Trump super PAC MAGA Inc. had a stunning $312 million in the bank at the end of February.

Money raised by candidate campaign committees does, however, bring some advantages over money raised by other committees. Most significantly, candidates are able to buy advertising at cheaper rates than other political committees.

That is an important distinction in a year when advertising spending in Senate races is expected to top $2.8 billion.

The Senate map

While political analysts expect that Democrats will likely perform well in congressional races — with early signs pointing to a strong possibility that the party regains control of the House — winning control of the Senate would be a much taller order.

“The Senate is going to be won or lost in red states,” said Kyle Kondik, managing editor of Sabato’s Crystal Ball at the University of Virginia’s Center for Politics.

Even in the best-case scenario for Democrats, to retake control of the chamber they would probably need to win in at least two states such as Iowa, Alaska, Ohio or Texas, all of which went to Trump in the 2024 presidential election by double-digit margins.

With the vast sums likely to be raised — and spent — by both sides, Kondik said that fundraising can reach a point of diminishing returns.

“You’d rather have more than less, obviously, but the actual effect is pretty debatable,” he said.

And history shows that fundraising prowess doesn’t necessarily translate to electoral success in November.

Take the example of Texas Democrat Beto O’Rourke.

In his 2018 challenge of incumbent Republican Ted Cruz, O’Rourke brought in more than $80 million, more than double Cruz’s fundraising haul of $35 million.

But it wasn’t enough to put the then-congressman from El Paso over the top.

O’Rourke lost the race by about 2.5 percentage points.

The PFA Scotland Premiership Team of the Year for the 2025-26 season is dominated by Motherwell and Hearts players.

Fourth-placed Motherwell lead the way with five, while table-topping Hearts have four.

Celtic midfielder Benjamin Nygren, who has scored 19 goals in all competitions, and Rangers defender Emmanuel Fernandez make up the XI voted for by footballers through their union.

Motherwell goalkeeper Calum Ward, defender Paul McGinn, midfielders Elliot Watt and Elijah Just plus forward Tawanda Maswanhise, the league’s top scorer with 17 goals, have all been selected.

They are joined by Hearts defenders Craig Halkett and Harry Milne as well as forwards Lawrence Shankland and Claudio Braga, who have 33 goals between them in all competitions.

The individual PFA Scotland nominees will be revealed later this month, with the winners announced on 3 May.

PFA Scotland Premiership Team of the Year for 25-26: Calum Ward (Motherwell), Paul McGinn (Motherwell), Craig Halkett (Hearts), Emmanuel Fernandez (Rangers), Harry Milne (Hearts), Benjamin Nygren (Celtic), Elliot Watt (Motherwell), Elijah Just (Motherwell), Tawanda Maswanhise (Motherwell), Lawrence Shankland (Hearts), Claudio Braga (Hearts).

Arsenal travel to Manchester City knowing their Premier League could be eradicated by next Wednesday.

Mikel Arteta has urged spluttering Arsenal to embrace the “huge privilege” of facing Manchester City in a potentially decisive showdown in the Premier League title race.

Arteta’s side are six points clear of second-placed City ahead of their blockbuster clash at the Etihad Stadium on Sunday.

But City have a game in hand on the Gunners and a victory for Pep Guardiola’s men would tilt the balance of power in their favour heading into the final weeks of the season.

Adding to the drama of the do-or-die battle, Arsenal are enduring an untimely loss of form after losing three of their last five games in all competitions.

They were beaten by City in the League Cup final, suffered a shock FA Cup quarterfinal exit at second-tier Southampton and slumped to a home league defeat against Bournemouth.

The Gunners were well below their best once again on Wednesday when they edged past Sporting Lisbon, drawing 0-0 to secure a 1-0 aggregate victory in the Champions League quarterfinals.

But, despite criticism of Arsenal’s perceived mental weakness under pressure, Arteta is convinced his players have the right character to take a huge step towards winning the Premier League.

“We have earned the right to be in this position and to be challenging, with an opportunity to win against arguably the best team and best manager this league has ever seen,” Arteta told reporters on Friday.

“That is a huge privilege. We see this as a big opportunity for us. Who is more privileged to be in this position?

“I don’t know how Pep and Man City are feeling, but I feel very privileged to have earned the right to be in this position to play such a big and great game.”

Arsenal are chasing a first English title since 2004 after finishing as runners-up for the last three seasons.

In 2023 and 2024, they squandered substantial leads that allowed City to pip them to the title.

But Arteta knows that beating City this weekend would put Arsenal in a virtually unassailable position of strength.

“Winning at this stage, then you are a bit closer,” he said.

“There are six games to go. Obviously, it is a really important one for both teams.

“It will incline the balance a little bit, but winning a game in the Premier League is so tough for everybody.”

Arsenal ‘prepare to win’ against Man City

Arteta has challenged Arsenal to learn from the pain of their League Cup loss to City in a rematch with even higher stakes.

“The pain we felt afterwards, [we need] to use that the right way on Sunday,” he said. “To learn from that game and the things that we want to change for the next one.”

Arteta refused to deny a report that a fire was lit at the club’s training ground this week in a motivational ploy after he told his team to play with “pure fire” against Sporting.

“Every game we use different themes to try and prepare for the game in the best possible way, and that depends on what we do,” he said.

“The best ones are the players’ initiative; those are the ones I love the most.”

Arsenal have failed to win any of their past 10 league games at the Etihad Stadium, losing seven of those meetings, in a barren run stretching back to 2015.

Arteta dismissed suggestions that he could tell Arsenal to play for a draw to maintain their six-point lead over City.

“We prepare every game to win, that is why we are where we are, and we are going to continue to do the same,” he said.

Pope Leo XIV has stepped into a more assertive global role, adopting a sharper and more direct tone on international issues during his recent Africa tour. After maintaining a relatively cautious profile in the early months of his papacy, Leo has begun openly criticising war, inequality, and global power imbalances. His remarks have drawn repeated criticism from Donald Trump, particularly over his condemnation of the U.S.-Israeli war involving Iran.

Shift in Tone and Leadership Style:
Leo’s recent speeches mark a clear departure from traditional Vatican restraint. Speaking in African देशों such as Cameroon and Algeria, he has issued strong warnings about global injustice, accusing powerful actors of undermining peace and violating international norms. This more confrontational approach reflects a deliberate effort to position the papacy as an active moral voice in global affairs.

Clash with Political Power:
The pope’s remarks have brought him into direct conflict with Trump, who has publicly criticised Leo’s views on foreign policy. This exchange underscores a broader tension between moral authority and political leadership, particularly as the pope challenges the conduct of powerful nations in ongoing conflicts.

Moral Authority on the Global Stage:
Observers suggest Leo is consciously embracing a more visible and influential role, using his platform to highlight the human cost of war and inequality. His decision to deliver strong messages while visiting regions affected by poverty and conflict adds weight and immediacy to his statements, reinforcing his image as a global moral leader.

Breaking with Vatican Convention:
Traditionally, the Vatican has balanced moral advocacy with diplomatic neutrality to preserve its role as a mediator. Leo’s more direct criticism signals a shift in that balance, prioritising clarity and urgency over cautious diplomacy. This approach echoes, but may exceed, the tone of predecessors such as Pope Francis, who also spoke out on global injustices but often with more measured language.

Personal Experience and Perspective:
Before becoming pope, Leo formerly Robert Prevost spent decades in Peru, where he witnessed conflict, poverty, and political instability firsthand. These experiences appear to inform his willingness to speak bluntly about violence, corruption, and the failures of global leadership.

Analysis:
Pope Leo’s emergence as a more forceful voice reflects a strategic and moral recalibration of the papacy’s role in global politics. By speaking more directly, he aims to assert the Church’s relevance in an increasingly volatile world, particularly at a time when traditional diplomatic mechanisms appear strained.

However, this approach carries risks. Greater outspokenness may enhance moral clarity but could also limit the Vatican’s ability to act as a neutral mediator in conflicts. The public clash with Trump highlights how easily moral interventions can become entangled in political disputes.

Ultimately, Leo’s leadership signals a shift toward a more activist papacy, one that prioritises direct engagement with global crises over cautious neutrality. Whether this strengthens the Church’s influence or complicates its diplomatic role will depend on how effectively he balances moral authority with geopolitical realities.

With information from Reuters.

A LOVE Island star has been forced to address backlash from fans, who slammed his business’s “shocking customer service.”

Sean Stone shot to fame after appearing on series 11 of the summer dating show before he most recently made a comeback on All Stars in January.

The 26-year-old, dubbed the “Candyman,” has owned sweet business, Sweet Delivery since 2019.

His business journey started in the back of his VW Polo, where he sold pick and mix out of pizza boxes in his local area, Hertford.

But now, it seems the TV star has faced a slew of backlash from fans who are simply not happy with the business’s customer service.

Taking to TikTok Sean was forced to apologise for his business’s mishaps.

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He said: “Our customer service has been shocking. I sincerely apologise for this. Recently we’ve had a large amount of orders come through the door, where to be honest we had a system in place for our customer service but there was not enough time and effort put into that.

“However, I have got some exciting news we now have a dedicated staff member that will be working Monday to Friday on all your customer queries.”

Despite the addition of a new staff member, fans are still waiting to hear back on their orders.

Sean continued: “Now I know there’s some of you still waiting to hear back from us; I do kindly ask as annoyed as you may be please send us another email.”

The Islander then confessed: “If I’m being honest it’s been an eye-opener for myself to see how important customer service is. I do apologise to anyone being upset and frustrated that they haven’t received their order yet.

“I’m making a change and it’s going to be an amazing change moving forward.”

Fans in the comments of his apology video were very divided.

One fan penned: “Honestly this kind of accountability is really refreshing to see, and it’s clear you’ve taken the feedback seriously and put steps in place to fix things…”

Another fan wrote: “Are you for real! How can you not realise customer service is important it’s what makes and breaks a business.”

A third person said: “Well said Sean, holding your hands up is always the best way.”

Meanwhile, a fourth fan added: “I think you just blew up faster than you thought you would.”

Sean returned from the Love Island villa back in February and after a short break in Paris with his new girlfriend Lucinda Strafford, who he met on the show, he has been back to business.

Lucinda, 26, and Sean coupled up on day 18 of the show and after backlash from their co-stars they managed to finish in fourth place.

The loved up couple have gone from strength to strength despite Sean living in Hertford and Lucinda living in Brighton.

This text provides a historical overview of Women’s Day in Gabon, specifically highlighting the political legacy of Rose Francine Rogombé. As a legal professional and member of the Gabonese Democratic Party, Rogombé made history by serving as the nation’s interim president following the death of longtime leader Omar Bongo in 2009. The article details her transition from the President of the Senate to the head of state, a role she held until democratic elections took place later that year. Beyond this biographical profile, the source serves as a news digest featuring various global headlines ranging from Middle Eastern conflicts to political shifts in Hungary. Collectively, the material honors a pioneering female  … 

WASHINGTON — The Senate approved a short-term renewal until April 30 of a controversial surveillance program used by U.S. spy agencies, following a chaotic, post-midnight scramble in the House to keep the authority from expiring.

The measure cleared the Senate by voice vote, without a formal roll call, as Congress raced to meet a Monday deadline. It now heads to President Trump, who had pushed for a clean 18-month extension, for his signature.

GOP leaders in the House rushed lawmakers back into session late Thursday with a series of back-to-back votes that collapsed in dramatic failure, before they quickly pushed ahead the stopgap measure as they race to keep the surveillance program running past Monday’s expiration date.

First they unveiled a new plan that would have extended the program for five years, with revisions. Then they tried to salvage a shorter 18-month renewal that Trump had demanded and Speaker Mike Johnson had previously backed. Some 20 Republicans joined most Democrats in blocking its advance.

Shortly after 2 a.m. they quickly agreed to the 10-day extension, which was agreed to on a voice vote without a formal roll call. It next goes to the Senate, which is gaveling for a rare Friday session, as Congress races to keep the surveillance program running.

“We were very close tonight,” said Johnson after the late-night action.

But Democrats blasted the middle-of-the-night voting as amateur hour. “Are you kidding me? Who the hell is running this place?” said Rep. Jim McGovern, D-Mass., during a fiery floor debate.

At the center of the standoff that has stretched throughout the week is Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, which permits the CIA, National Security Agency, FBI and other agencies to collect and analyze vast amounts of overseas communications without a warrant. In doing so, they can incidentally sweep up communications involving Americans who interact with foreign targets.

U.S. officials say the authority is critical to disrupting terrorist plots, cyber intrusions and foreign espionage.

Surveillance program fight is a debate over privacy and security

Its path to passage has teetered all week in a familiar fight, as lawmakers weigh civil liberties concerns against intelligence officials’ warnings about national security risks.

Opponents of the surveillance tool point to past misuses. FBI officials repeatedly violated their own standards when searching intelligence related to the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the Capitol and racial justice protests in 2020, according to a 2024 court order.

Trump and his allies had lobbied aggressively all week for a clean renewal of the program, without changes.

A group of Republicans traveled to the White House on Tuesday, and on Wednesday CIA Director John Ratcliffe spoke directly with GOP lawmakers. House Majority Leader Steve Scalise said Thursday there had “been negotiations late into the night with the White House and some of our members.”

“I am asking Republicans to UNIFY, and vote together on the test vote to bring a clean Bill to the floor,” Trump wrote on Truth Social this week. “We need to stick together.”

The result of days of negotiations

Thursday’s proceedings came to a standstill as lawmakers retreated behind closed doors and Johnson reached for an agreement to resolve the standoff.

Shortly before midnight GOP leaders announced a new proposal, a five-year extension, with revisions. The changes were designed to win over skeptics of the surveillance program who have demanded greater oversight to protect Americans’ privacy.

Among the changes are new provisions to ensure that only FBI attorneys can authorize queries on U.S. persons, and to require the Office of the Director of National Intelligence to review such cases, said Rep. Austin Scott, R-Ga., during the debate.

But the final product, a 14-page amendment, did not go far enough for some holdouts in either party.

With Johnson controlling a slim majority, he has little room for dissent. As the Republicans fell short on both efforts before the short extension, a handful of Democrats stepped in to try to help them advance the longer extensions, but most Democrats were opposed.

“We just defeated Johnson’s efforts to sneak through a 5-year FISA authorization tonight,” said Democratic Rep, Ro Khanna of California. “Now, they will have to fight in daylight.”

Cappelletti and Mascaro write for the Associated Press.

Carlos Alcaraz and Novak Djokovic have withdrawn from next week’s Madrid Open as their clay-court preparations for next month’s French Open continue to be disrupted by injury.

World number two Alcaraz is struggling with a wrist problem and the 22-year-old Spaniard was forced to pull out of this week’s Barcelona Open with the issue.

Alcaraz said delivering the news he was unable to participate in the tournament in Madrid, which is due to start on 21 April, was “incredibly difficult”.

“Madrid is home, one of the most special places on the calendar for me, and that’s why it hurts so much not to be able to play here for the second year in a row,” the seven-time Grand Slam winner said in an Instagram post.

“It hurts especially not to be able to be in front of my fans, in a tournament that’s so special to me. Thank you for your continued support, and I hope to see you soon.”

Alcaraz is facing a race to be match-ready for the French Open, which he is bidding to win for a third consecutive time.

The tournament at Roland Garros takes place from 18 May to 7 June.

Djokovic, a 24-time Grand Slam winner, has not played since he was beaten by Jack Draper in the fourth round at Indian Wells last month.

The 38-year-old Serbian skipped Masters 1000 events in Miami and Monte Carlo with a shoulder injury and is not yet fit to return to action.

“Madrid, unfortunately I won’t be able to compete this year. I’m continuing my recovery in order to be back soon,” he said on Instagram.

Britain’s Draper is also in a race to be fit for the French Open having retired during his first match in Barcelona this week with a knee injury.

April 17 (UPI) — Pope Leo XIV held a mass on Friday in Douala, Cameroon, in a stadium with an estimated 120,000 people, marking Catholicism’s growth in Africa.

The pope discussed poverty, violence and corruption in his address to the people of Cameroon, where about 30% of the population is Catholic.

About 20% of the world’s Catholic population lives in Africa.

“Do not give in to distrust and discouragement,” the pope said. “Reject every form of abuse or violence, which deceives by promising easy gains but hardens the heart and makes it insensitive. Do not forget that your people are even richer than this land, for your treasure lies in your values: faith, family, hospitality and work.”

More than 37.7 million people live in poverty in Cameroon. The pope shared the story of Jesus multiplying loaves and fish, saying the “miracle” happened when they were shared.

“Yet this alone is not enough,” he said. “The food that sustains the body must be accompanied, with equal charity, by nourishment for the soul. A nourishment that sustains our conscience and steadies us in dark hours of fear and amid the shadows of suffering.”

The mass was held at Japoma Stadium on the third day of the pope’s 10-day tour of Africa. He will next visit Angola and later Equatorial Guinea during his trip.

Pope Leo spent Thursday in Bamenda, Cameroon, the epicenter of the Anglophone Crisis or Ambazonia War, an armed conflict between the government and separatist groups that has waged for nearly a decade.

The Army is accelerating procurement of 30x113mm XM1225 Aviation Proximity Explosive (APEX) rounds for its fleet of AH-64 Apache attack helicopters. The move comes as the service is looking to enhance the aircraft’s burgeoning role as a counter-drone platform, something The War Zone has covered frequently. These shells, fired by the Apache’s chin-mounted M230 cannon, will add to its drone-killing arsenal, giving it a cheaper and more plentiful engagement option than some of the alternatives. You can read all about the XM1225 APEX round in our previous coverage here.

Seeing a growing need for these rounds, the Army went to Northrop Grumman, which makes them, and asked them to boost production, said Maj. Gen. Clair A. Gill, commander of the U.S. Army Aviation Center of Excellence at Fort Rucker, Alabama. He was speaking during the Army Aviation Association of America’s Army Aviation Warfighting Summit in Nashville, Tennessee, which TWZ was in attendance.

“We had had 600 rounds total,” Gill explained. “They produced 1,000 already this month and can produce another 1,000 and will ramp their rate up to probably five times that.”

The company could not immediately comment about this effort.

The specialized APEX ammunition works by detonating only when it is close to an object, then it explodes in a spray of shrapnel. This is critical to shooting down drones, which are small, independently moving targets. These rounds could also be used against surface targets like personnel, soft-skinned vehicles, and small boats, where they would provide unique area effects compared to the Apache’s standard impact-detonating, high-explosive ammunition.

Earlier this year, we reported that Apaches live-fire tested the ammo last December at the service’s sprawling Yuma Proving Ground (YPG) in southern Arizona. 

“The Apache Attack Helicopter AH-64 has reached a new milestone in battlefield capability with the successful live fire test” of the APEX ammunition, the Army said in a February news release. “In December 2025, the Apache demonstrated its first-ever air-to-air engagement using 30mm proximity ammunition against unmanned aircraft systems targets at various ranges, showcasing the precision, versatility, and lethality of this advanced ammunition.”

The Army added that the Apex cartridge “is designed to counter modern threats, including UAS, exposed personnel and small boats, without requiring modifications to the Apache’s M230 Area Weapon System or fire control system.”

The M230LF Bushmaster Chain Gun | XM914

As we have pointed out in the past, these rounds require little additional training for Apache crews, because their ballistic properties are nearly identical to the M789 high-explosive dual-purpose (HEDP) rounds already fielded, which use an impact/grazing fuze to command detonation.

An additional benefit is that self-destructing proximity fuzed rounds mitigate some of the dangers of attacking drones with ammunition that will keep traveling for long distances if it doesn’t hit a target. This is a frequent occurrence with standard high-explosive or incendiary cannon rounds.

While the Israeli Air Force pioneered the counter-drone role for the AH-64 for years, the U.S. Army has formally codified it and added new capabilities in the process. A five-fold boost in procurement is a strong indication that the Army sees the value of the APEX rounds for these missions.

Contact the author: howard@thewarzone.com.

Subscribers to the recently new service have a new title to check out but it is not for everyone

Fans are going to love this new dark romantic comedy-drama film.

The movie Pillion only hit cinemas last year, but it has already been released on at least two platforms. Not only is it available to those with a standalone subscription to the latest service, HBO Max, but it can also be accessed by those with Sky Cinema or a Movies Pass on the NOW platform.

According to its synopsis, the film follows Colin, a timid man who meets Ray, an enigmatic, impossibly handsome biker who sweeps him off his feet. He soon initiates him into a submissive relationship.

This challenges Colin’s mundane existence and prompts personal growth through their unconventional dynamic. Harry Melling, best known for playing Dudley Dursley in the original Harry Potter films, takes on the role of Colin, while True Blood, Succession, and Murderbot actor Alexander Skarsgård plays Ray.

Upon its initial release, the film was a big hit with critics, earning a near-perfect 99% on Rotten Tomatoes. One review claimed: “Pillion is a bold, bawdy film told through small looks and big feelings. It broke my heart and put it back together again.”

Although another warned, “Pillion isn’t a film for everyone. But those who know what it means to grovel for their beloved…will find in a subject for analysis in Pillion’s erratic relationship and outlandish romance.”

Another agreed but also highlighted how it handles its subject matter. The reviewer penned: “While the cringe is strong (and deliberate) in many scenes of Pillion, Lighton makes it clear that kink isn’t an embarrassing detour for Colin — it’s how he comes to know himself. For him, in a very real sense, submission becomes empowering.”

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Fans who have already seen the film have been left just as impressed. One person shared their views online, saying: “Unforgettable film in so many ways. Yes, it’s explicit, but that isn’t the lasting footprint of this film. I left the cinema having been enlightened, embarrassed, happy, and so very sad.

“It’s a masterclass in the subtlety of truly great acting where so few words are needed to elicit such emotion from an audience. There won’t be Oscar nominations as it’s a small, independent film with a small budget, but there really, really should be.”

While someone else commented, “A beautiful, unflinching look at queer BDSM life. While it might not be for some (the faint-hearted), it is soulful enough to warrant consideration of anyone capable of empathetic, non-discriminatory understanding of joy in all relationships, and ultimately how fleeting and precious it is.”

One person added their verdict and posted: “It is a rare film, dealing with a theme seldom explored in cinema and, above all, very raw. I have seen some opinions suggesting that the ending was unpleasant. For me, the ending was one of the best parts.”

Pillion is streaming on HBO Max, Sky Cinema and NOW for those with a movies pass.

American sanctions on the Venezuelan Central Bank (BCV) have been relieved, generating a flurry of speculations over what is next for the financial sector and the broader economy. After the big news, Delcy Rodríguez announced the resignation of BCV President Laura Guerra on Thursday night. Guerra is the sister of Nicolás Maduro’s first wife, and the aunt of Nicolasito Maduro Guerra.

At least for now, the central bank will be led by Guerra’s former deputy, Luis Pérez-González, a name that is as underwhelming as any of his predecessors. Pérez has been a member of the BCV board since April 2025. Before that, his experience in monetary policy was nil. He was in charge of Carbones del Zulia and of “Monitoring and Control of Eco-mining Development” in Maduro’s Ministry of Mining. You can find him playing Frank Sinatra songs in his spare time.

It doesn’t look like this will be Delcy’s permanent pick.

Before diving into the immediate and medium term effect that recent developments could have, it is worth highlighting what the BCV’s actual purpose is and the spectacular failure that has driven the institution to near irrelevance. 

Ironically, Venezuelan law mandates the BCV to ensure price stability and preserve the value of the currency. We don’t have to go far back to remember the multiple zeros stripped from the bolívar after one of the longest hyperinflationary episodes in modern history, directly contradicting its constitutional mandate. After all, this is a central bank that went years without publishing any data, and when it resumed, it released incomplete figures, forcing economists to reconstruct years of missing information. It is the same BCV that despite its constitutional mandate did not make any counterbalance to the completely irresponsible fiscal policy of the Chávez and Maduro era, shattering any sort of credibility it may have had. 

Nevertheless, reviving the BCV is crucial to the reintegration of the financial sector into the wider Venezuelan economy. In the near term, the effects of sanctions relief will likely be most visible in exchange rate auctions. Greater transparency and reliability in these operations will help reduce the gap between the official and the black market rates. This would directly affect daily life, reducing price distortions and helping stabilize inflation expectations for ordinary Venezuelans. It would also reopen the door to multilateral institutions and international markets, particularly renewed engagement with the International Monetary Fund, which is a necessary step toward debt restructuring and access to credit.

However, there is no on and off switch in terms of trustworthiness, and the BCV is supposed to be in the credibility business.The effectiveness of any central bank relies on its independence from political pressures and ability to communicate a coherent monetary policy, not just on the technical capacity of who runs it. Undermining that independence is what ultimately kills the effectiveness of any policy it may attempt to implement. 

Delcy needs to set up an independent central bank to satisfy the economic discourse, attract investment, and control inflationary pressures. Doing so will require establishing the first institution capable of challenging the administration from within.

This is true everywhere, as hard fought-battles are being waged around the economic world on this matter. From Trump’s challenges to Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell, which unsettled financial markets, to standout regional cases like Peru, where the central bank has been single-handedly supporting the economy despite near-permanente political turmoil. These examples highlight just how crucial central bank independence is to real economic stability.

Restoring trust in the BCV goes beyond who runs it, but the naming of the new president is one of the most crucial decisions that the interim administration of Delcy Rodríguez will have to make. Whoever is chosen will be scrutinized by both ordinary Venezuelans and international investors to gauge the commitment of Rodríguez to carry out the necessary economic reforms. Someone that falls short of being able to implement true independence and restore confidence in the system will just undermine all the political speech of the economy first that is currently being put on display. 

The paradox is that Delcy needs to set up an independent central bank to satisfy the economic discourse, attract investment, and control inflationary pressures. But doing so will require establishing the first institution capable of challenging the administration from within. This is where the political and economic reality clash.

The decision comes with a level of urgency, as patience is starting to run out in an internal political climate that is heating up. Trade unions and pensioners have recently taken to the streets to demand higher wages and benefits. Appointing someone close to the previous administration will increase frustration and complicate the weak equilibrium that Rodríguez has built around the promise to rebuild the economy.  

The interim government is attempting to make itself useful to the American overlords by convincing them that they have the ability and willingness to commit to economic reform. Failure to follow through with an independent BCV board could strain the relationship further and make it even harder to justify. Now that sanctions have been lifted and oil money is flowing through US-backed accounts, it is time for the interim authority to live up to their side of the bargain, as Delcy risks losing the little goodwill her administration has left.  

Attention is now focused on who will be appointed to lead the BCV, and whether that choice signals a genuine shift toward institutional autonomy or a continuation of past policy constraints.

You must pack this essential travel item in your suitcase before your next holiday to take your pool lounging to the next level – and a game-changer at an all-inclusive

Packing one item in your suitcase on your next holiday could help make relaxing by the pool even more enjoyable.

Fleeing the miserable British weather and flying off somewhere sunny is something many of us eagerly anticipate as soon as we secure some annual leave, or when the children break up from school. We Brits adore visiting destinations like Spain, Greece, and Turkey for reasonably priced all-inclusive breaks where we can bask in the sunshine poolside and let our worries fade away.

However, if you’re arranging a trip this summer, one woman on social media has insisted you shouldn’t even contemplate travelling without packing one crucial item that could make those poolside days even more pleasurable – particularly if you’re booking to stay at an all-inclusive resort.

In a clip on TikTok, Josie Mills filmed herself with a tray of cocktails in small plastic cups that she had collected from the bar on her all-inclusive break.

Typically, you’d need to keep standing up to fetch a fresh drink, or risk them becoming warm in the heat if you collect multiple beverages at once – but Josie has a trick that can conserve your energy and keep your drinks chilled.

All you need to do is ensure you’ve packed a Stanley cup or other insulated drinking vessel. These will keep your beverages ice cold for hours and can contain far more liquid than the small cups the hotel provides you.

She captioned her video: “This is your sign to pack your Stanley so your all-inclusive drinks stay ice cold all day and saves you going to the bar every five minutes.”

Those commenting on Josie’s video who had brought their insulated tumblers on getaways agreed the tip was certainly worthwhile, as it can be a “godsend” in sweltering weather, even if you opt to fill it with chilled water rather than cocktails. Numerous people revealed they had even taken their cups straight to the bar and requested them to be filled.

One person said: “Just take your cup to them, they’ll mix the cocktail straight in there for you. Saves faffing with the little cups!”

Another added: “I do this every time. Save the plastic and just give them your cup, they’re happy to do it.” A third said: “We did this and it was a godsend in high 30 heat.”

While Josie’s suggestion was intended for guests staying at all-inclusive resorts who receive their beverages at no additional charge, you can do this at most hotels – though it will cost more. You can also fill your tumbler with water if you anticipate spending extended periods by the pool, as this will help maintain your hydration in the heat.

How to stay safe in the sun on holiday

If you’re intending to lounge poolside in the sunshine during your break, you should ensure you’re following proper sun safety measures. This includes applying sunscreen and making certain you’re adequately covered during the hottest periods of the day.

According to the NHS, you should make sure you: For further guidance on protecting yourself from the sun’s rays, head to the NHS website.

• Spend time in the shade between 11am and 3pm
• Never burn
• Cover up with suitable clothing and sunglasses
• Take extra care with children
• Keep babies younger than six months out of direct sunlight
• Use at least factor 30 sunscreen – make sure to use enough and reapply frequently

For more detailed information on staying safe in the sun, visit the NHS website.

BRITS will soon be able to bag a bargain as easyJet is launching new flights to a sunny African destination for less than £37.

The budget airline will launch new flights to Morocco from the UK this winter.

The routes will include one from Newcastle to Marrakech starting November 3 and operating two times a week on Tuesdays and Saturdays.

The flights for this route are already on sale and cost from £36.99.

And then there will also be a new route between Birmingham and Agadir, with flights coming on sale this spring.

In the meantime though, the two destinations will reach temperatures of up to 36C this week.

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Flights to Marrakech cost as little as £19 per way for the remainder of April, and for Agadir, flights cost as little as £15 per way for the remainder of April.

What to do there

Marrakech is known as the ‘Red City’ thanks to its iron-rich coloured buildings and is home to bustling souks and palaces.

For example, you could head to Bahia Palace, which is a 19th-century building with 160 rooms and beautiful mosaics.

Make sure to see the courtyard which spans across 1,500-square-metres and is paved with Italian Carrara marble.

Jemaa el-Fnaa is then the main square in the city and during the day boasts a market.

From the square, you can also venture to Souk Cherratine known for leather goods and Souk Haddadine, home to a number of blacksmiths.

If you fancy a bit of an adventure, head to Agafay Desert which is about 45 minutes away.

It is a top spot for seeing an orange-glowing sunset and going on quad-biking adventures.

When visiting the city, make sure to stay in a riad, which is a traditional courtyard house that has been converted into a boutique hotel in Morocco.

Lisa Minot, The Sun’s Head of Travel, has visited the city and said: “Tourism is booming in the city and while the streets are as colourful and chaotic as ever, the influx of visitors has brought some gorgeous new bars, restaurants and stunning hotels.”

Marrakech will reach temperatures of up to 35C next week.

On the other hand, if you fancy visiting Agadir, you can explore a six-mile beach.

Deputy Travel Editor Kara Godfrey said: “At Taghazout Beach, hordes of eager surfers took to the sea before I’d even finished my morning coffee.

“As a novice surfer, I opted to watch those riding the waves, while my companion made friends with the stray dogs and hawkers selling Moroccan breads.”

After a stroll along the beach, make sure to visit Souk El Had, which is one of North Africa’s largest markets with over 6,000 stalls.

And over at the Medina, you will find a number of artisan workshops selling traditional Moroccan items including colourful carpets and pottery.

Last month the destination was named the most affordable break for this summer.

According to loveholidays, a week in Agadir would cost as little as £33 per person per night between June and August.

Agadir will reach temperatures of up to 36C next week.

Easyjet will also offer package holidays to both destinations from both UK airports too.

News of the new routes comes as the airline officially launched a new permanent three-aircraft base in Marrakech this week.

It marks the airline’s first-ever base in Africa and has created 100 new jobs.

Kenton Jarvis, CEO of easyJet, commented: “We couldn’t be happier to launch our base in Morocco for our 20th year of operations in the country and to mark the milestone of 20 million passengers flown over that time.

“This is a milestone for our development in the region, providing more travel opportunities than ever before for our airline and holidays customers, while contributing to the local economy through tourism and the jobs we are creating.”

In other destination news, these are the most family-friendly destinations for 2026 – including affordable hotels with rooftop pools and kids’ clubs.

Plus, here are the seven holiday destinations Brits are booking instead of other spots due to ongoing Iran conflict.

Reporting from Sacramento — California cities and counties won’t be allowed to tax soda for the next 12 years after Gov. Jerry Brown signed fast-moving legislation Thursday.

The bill, which was first unveiled Saturday evening, prohibits local governments from imposing new taxes on soda until 2031. It comes after a deal was struck between legislators and business and labor interests who agreed to remove an initiative from the Nov. 6 statewide ballot that would have restricted cities and counties from raising any taxes without a supermajority vote of local citizens.

In a signing statement, Brown said soda taxes “combat the dangerous and ill effects of too much sugar in the diets of children.” But he added that mayors across the state called him to support the deal because they were alarmed by the tax initiative.

Brown also reacted strongly to another part of the initiative, which would have restricted the state’s ability to raise certain fees without a two-thirds vote of the Legislature.

“This would be an abomination,” Brown wrote.

Many lawmakers shared Brown’s mixed emotions toward the soda tax ban.

During debate on the legislation, Assembly Bill 1838, legislators said they reluctantly voted to impose the moratorium because the ballot measure, for which signatures were gathered by a political campaign financed by more than $7 million from the beverage industry, would have been worse for state and local government coffers.

Assemblyman Kevin McCarty (D-Sacramento) said he was against both the soda tax ban and how the beverage industry used the threat of an initiative to force the Legislature’s hand, but ultimately supported it.

“I think this is a terrible decision that we’re making,” McCarty said during a state Capitol hearing on the bill Thursday morning.

Sen. Scott Wiener (D-San Francisco) voted against the deal, but said he understood the choice his colleagues were making.

The beverage “industry is aiming basically a nuclear weapon at governing in California and saying if you don’t do what we want, we’re going to pull the trigger and you are not going to be able to fund basic government services,” Wiener said. “This is a pick-your-poison kind of situation, a Sophie’s choice. What the Legislature is doing is perfectly reasonable.”

Coverage of California politics »

Minutes after Brown signed the soda tax ban, proponents formally withdrew their initiative from the statewide ballot. The deadline to do so was Thursday.

The initiative wouldn’t have banned local soda or other tax increases. But it would have made them much harder to pass. It would have required all local tax hikes to pass by a two-thirds supermajority vote, making it significantly more difficult for cities and counties to raise revenue for a variety of projects.

Currently, any local sales, hotel-room or other tax increase needs a simple majority of local ballots that are cast — provided that the money goes to a city’s day-to-day operating budget. Roughly half of the local tax measures approved by voters since 2012 — raising hundreds of millions of dollars annually — did not receive supermajority approval, according to the state’s nonpartisan Legislative Analyst’s Office.

Public health advocates have been pushing for soda taxes across the United States for years, saying that higher prices would reduce consumption amid growing rates of obesity and diabetes while also generating more revenue for local governments. By contrast, the beverage industry has argued such taxes make it harder for low-income residents to buy groceries and unfairly single out soda as the cause of health problems.

Thirty cities and states attempted to pass soda taxes before Berkeley became the first to succeed in November 2014, charging a penny-per-ounce tax. Since then, three other Bay Area cities — San Francisco, Oakland and Albany — have passed soda taxes. The soda tax ban leaves those measures intact, but prohibits others that would have taken effect this year. Earlier this week, Santa Cruz city officials voted to put a 1.5-cent-per-ounce soda tax on the November ballot, an effort that will be blocked under the new state legislation.

California Legislature nears deal to temporarily ban soda taxes »

Activists were stunned by the quick action on the soda tax ban. Carter Headrick, director of state and local obesity policy initiatives at the American Heart Assn., said using a ballot initiative to leverage lawmakers to prohibit soda taxes in communities across California was “blackmail.”

“I don’t think the [beverage industry] ought to be forcing legislators to be taking away the rights of people to vote,” Headrick said.

Some lawmakers attacked the deal because they supported the initiative. Sen. Jeff Stone (R-Temecula) said that Thursday’s decision subverted the will of Californians who wanted to keep their taxes low.

“This bill tells 1 million people that signed this petition to make it harder to raise their taxes that their voices don’t matter,” Stone said.

The American Beverage Assn., which represents soda companies and other nonalcoholic drink manufacturers, contributed 85% of the initial $8.3 million raised by backers of the ballot measure.

A spokesman for the association said that the legislation would keep grocery prices lower and that the industry was working to find alternatives to reduce sugar consumption.

“We believe the legislation approved today will allow us to work toward these goals,” association spokesman William M. Dermody Jr. said in a statement.

Labor interests added momentum to the eleventh-hour soda tax ban legislation, saying the initiative would be far more damaging to the state.

“A temporary pause on further local soda taxes gives California the opportunity to work on a statewide approach to the public health crisis of diabetes,” Alma Hernandez, executive director of SEIU California, said in a statement.

liam.dillon@latimes.com

Twitter: @dillonliam

UPDATES:

6:30 p.m.: This article was updated with comments from a beverage industry spokesman.

3:55 p.m.: This article was updated with Gov. Jerry Brown approving the soda tax ban and details about the withdrawal of a local tax ballot initiative.

This article was originally published at 12:45 p.m.

Kaylyn “KK” Alves had been talking all day about her favorite moment in any Dodgers game: when Teoscar Hernández greets his teammates at the entrance to the dugout with a shower of sunflower seeds after a home run.

KK, 14, could name Hernández’s favorite flavor of seeds — ranch — and had thought through the potential downsides of throwing flavored seeds instead of original — the seasoning posed a risk for the eyes.

So, when Hernández met KK on the field Tuesday before the Dodgers’ game against the Mets, he had a suggestion for a pregame activity.

“Do you want to be part of the celebration?” he asked, gesturing toward the dugout. “Come on, let’s go.”

KK, her parents and her sister visited Dodger Stadium this week for an experience coordinated by the Make-A-Wish Foundation of America. KK, who was diagnosed with epilepsy at the age of two, is an avid Dodgers fan from Northern California.

Those at the game Tuesday saw her throw out the first pitch to Freddie Freeman, her favorite player. In addition to the sunflower seed celebration with Hernández, KK’s wish — the 1,000th granted since Make-A-Wish and Fanatics partnered in 2023 — included a tour, field passes for batting practice, and extra time with Freeman before the game.

Kaylyn “KK” Alves throws out the first pitch before Tuesday’s game against the New York Mets at Dodger Stadium.

(Gary A. Vasquez / Los Angeles Dodgers)

“To see my kid meet her hero, basically — it’s indescribable,” said KK’s father, David.

KK inherited her Dodgers fandom from her dad, who was originally an A’s fan but made the switch when infielder Max Muncy did. It became a family passion.

David watched KK light up when they walked out to the field Tuesday and spotted Freeman going through his ground ball routine. And the day kept getting better. Freeman walked over and gifted KK a jersey with his number and her name on the back.

“It was amazing,” KK said. “He’s the sweetest.”

Freeman then led the family to the media room and took a seat next to KK at the podium. She asked him about his growing family — Freeman and his wife Chelsea have three sons and announced in March that they are expecting a baby girl.

Kaylyn “KK” Alves prepares to throw sunflower seeds with Dodgers left fielder Teoscar Hernández to mimic the team’s home run celebration before Tuesday’s game at Dodger Stadium.

(Gary A. Vasquez / Los Angeles Dodgers)

Freeman asked KK about her interests. She grew steadily more talkative, nerves subsiding, as they talked about puzzles and video games. She even ran her thoughts on the seed celebration by Freeman.

“I’ve had sunflower seeds go all the way down my back, and into my shirt, and it’s quite uncomfortable,” Freeman said. “But if you’ve got sunflower seeds down your shirt, it means you’ve hit a home run, so you can take it.”

An hour and a half later, KK experienced just that, walking through a shower of sunflower seeds thrown by Hernández. Then they traded places and she returned the favor, both smiling ear to ear.

Frenchman Herve Renard, who won AFCON with Zambia and Ivory Coast, departs Saudi role despite World Cup qualification.

Frenchman Herve Renard has been relieved of his duties as Saudi Arabia coach, less than two months before the start of the FIFA World Cup 2026 in North America.

The 57-year-old had returned for a second spell as Saudi coach at the end of 2024, having led them at the last World Cup four years ago in Qatar.

“That’s football … Saudi Arabia have qualified for the World Cup seven times, including twice with me,” Renard told the news agency AFP on Friday.

“And there’s only one coach who has led them through both the qualifiers and the World Cup; that’s me, in 2022. At least there will be that sense of pride.”

Renard, a two-time Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) winner with Zambia and the Ivory Coast, was in charge of Saudi Arabia from 2019 to 2023 before being replaced by Italian coach Roberto Mancini.

From 2023 to 2024, he served as coach of the France women’s team and reached the quarterfinals of both the 2023 Women’s World Cup and the 2024 Paris Olympics.

Ex-Morocco coach Renard was later brought back by Saudi Arabia to succeed Mancini, as the Italian left his role after an underwhelming 14-month stint.

Former Greece international Georgios Donis is reportedly being lined up as the man to take over from Renard. A source close to the negotiations told AFP that talks are under way between the federation and Saudi club Al Khaleej, where Donis has been in charge since 2024.

Saudi Arabia are in Group H at the 2026 World Cup, alongside two former champions, Spain and Uruguay, and debutants Cape Verde. All their group games are scheduled to be played across the United States.

The Arab nation has made six World Cup appearances, with a round of 16 finish in 1994 in the US their best result thus far.

The Saudi team suffered a group-stage exit in the last World Cup in 2022, but made headlines worldwide with a shock 2-1 group win over eventual champions Argentina.

Saudi Arabia is also due to host the 2034 World Cup.

⁠Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola ⁠has called Sunday’s Premier League clash with leaders Arsenal a final, saying defeat would end his side’s title hopes before the much-anticipated showdown at the Etihad Stadium.

City trail Arsenal by six points but have a game in hand, ⁠and victory would cut the gap while ramping up the pressure as the race enters its decisive phase.

Guardiola, however, said there was little room for error, acknowledging that anything less than three points would leave his team facing too steep a climb.

“Yes, obviously,” the Spaniard added on whether he sees ⁠the game as a final. “If we lose, it is over.”

Despite the fine margins, Guardiola said City are confident, stressing that belief is crucial at this stage of the season.

“If you could buy confidence in a supermarket, we would buy it immediately. It is one of the most important aspects,” he told a news conference. (Our confidence) is good. We are ready,” he added.

“A month ago, because we dropped points in moments, I thought we would not be here. (But) we ‌saw the calendar and said, ‘OK, we play Arsenal at home for a chance. It is six points. It is not a short distance, but we have a chance to do it.’

“That is the situation we are in. It depends on our behaviour, and everything will be said on Sunday. Our fans have sold out. Everything is perfect to play a game.”

Guardiola said Nico O’Reilly, who scored twice in City’s 2-0 League Cup final win over Arsenal, is fit after he left last weekend’s game at Chelsea clutching his left hamstring.

Solid Man City form sows unease among Arsenal fans

That thrilling victory was part of a solid City run of form, including a 4-0 throttling of Liverpool in the FA Cup ⁠quarterfinals. They have not lost a league game since mid-January.

City’s results have begun to sow unease among Arsenal ⁠fans.

“If we play like the second half (of the League Cup final) during 95 minutes and they play like the second half, we are going to win. Well, maybe not, because football is unpredictable,” Guardiola said.

“I know (Arsenal manager) Mikel (Arteta). They are going to adjust something, and we have to prepare to do it. In the end, it is more simple. It ⁠is how your players individually win the me-against-you.”

Guardiola insisted City must still raise their level if they are to sustain a title push through the final weeks.

“We need to get even better,” he said. “The first half against ⁠Chelsea (a 3-0 win on Sunday) was not bad but not great. The first 30 minutes ⁠against Liverpool was not good either. The first 30 minutes against Arsenal in the final, they were better.

“You cannot pretend that these kind of teams will be 90 or 95 minutes perfect, but this one aspect is not about the future, present or past, it’s about confidence, which is an incredible aspect.”

Asked if City are underdogs, Guardiola played down the label. “I understand ‌your message, but maybe we’re not,” he said. “They have been the best so far, but we want to challenge them.

“I said today to the players, it is just a football game, and we have to approach it like a football game. If you get distracted by emotions, that is ‌how ‌you lose focus.”

Guardiola said City remain proud to still be challenging on multiple fronts, even if Sunday’s result could prove decisive.

“We will see what happens,” he said. “But it is never over until it’s over, and we are still here. I am proud to be there, still challenging them.”

There’s a couple somewhere in Los Angeles who unknowingly inspired the second season of “Beef.”

Lee Sung Jin, the creator of Netflix’s anthology drama that swirls in the consequences of class struggles, resentment and the absurdity of life’s curveballs, once again found himself inspired by a tense interaction playing out before him. A road rage incident at a stoplight in Hollywood a few years ago, triggered by Lee’s delayed response to a green light, became the catalyst for the first season. An early idea to write about a men’s doubles partnership gone awry lost its luster after “Challengers,” Luca Guadagnino’s drama about a love triangle between tennis pros, came out. But a heated argument coming from a house in Lee’s neighborhood became the next spark that lit a narrative fuse.

“I told the story to people — it caused a little stir in the neighborhood,” he says. “And what I found fascinating was the different reactions. When I told younger folks, I’d get, ‘Did you call the police? Should you go check on them again?’ Very concerned, having an ideological view on relationships. When I told the story to older friends and couples, they were just kind of like, ‘Who among us hasn’t?’ I thought the idea of juxtaposing these couples at different stages felt like ripe ground.”

The overheard in L.A. moment inspired the eight-episode season,

Carey Mulligan and Oscar Isaac square off with Charles Melton and Cailee Spaeny in Season 2 of “Beef.”

(Netflix)

The twist-filled, darkly comic thriller kicks off when a young couple, Ashley and Austin (Cailee Spaeny and Charles Melton), who work at a Montecito country club, witness the explosive altercation between their boss Josh (Oscar Isaac) and his wife, Lindsay (Carey Mulligan), an interior designer, the night before the club’s new Korean billionaire owner, Chairwoman Park (Youn Yuh-jung), takes over. She has her own mess to tend to involving her husband (Song Kang-ho), a doctor whose health is affecting his work on patients. The calamities each couple faces spin out into a web of favors and coercion in this tale of broken systems and characters going to great lengths to get what they want.

“The idea of cycles felt interesting,” he says. “A lot of shows and movies cover marriage through the lens of one couple, you don’t really see that multigenerational juxtaposition.”

Speaking from his office on the Raleigh Studios lot in Hollywood, Lee discussed the season’s Montecito setting, the financial anxiety that drives the story and the four-legged breakout star of the show. These are edited excerpts from the conversation, which includes many spoilers.

Why did you want to set this season in Montecito?

Just writing what I know. My goddaughters — their parents are my best friends. They live in Montecito. The dad is my oldest friend in LA. He has a membership to Montecito Club, which is where we shot the exterior of our show. I was house-sitting for him during the writing of all this. He let me use his membership. I remember when he told me about the membership, I was like, “You pay how much? That’s insane, dude.” But then you start using the membership. This idea of hedonic adaptation — how humans so quickly adapt to this new comfort, this new stimulus — it felt like an interesting thing. I was observing how all the members seemed to be mostly boomers and Silent Gen; then all the workers were Gen Z and millennial. I thought: What a perfect metaphor for society right now. No matter how hard the Gen Z and millennials work, they’re never going to get to be members of this club because, as Austin says, “everyone grabbed the bag before they could.” That’s what made me want to set it at a Montecito country club.

Oscar Isaac as Josh Martin and Carey Mulligan as Lindsay Crane-Martin. Cailee Spaeny as Ashley Miller and Charles Melton as Austin Davis. The second season of “Beef,” follows the two California couples from different socioeconomic backgrounds — though both are struggling — as they spiral into a high-stakes feud. (Netflix)

That feeling of survival and resentment and entitlement really looms over this season. There’s speeches about love, but also capitalism. The anxiety about finances is so prevalent right now.

We certainly didn’t set out to make a season about capitalism. But if you’re constantly trying to chase truth as writers, I don’t know how you say anything in the modern era, in 2026, and not have capitalism be a huge variable because it permeates every aspect of life. It’s like going to get gas. Gas is almost $7 right now. You have to fill your tank and there goes $140? That’s crazy. And relationships face so much stress — everyone is being hit by all these curveballs and trying to keep your head above water — how can you enjoy each other?

It became very obvious to us that if you’re going to write a season about marriage and love to these two couples, financial implications have to be a big factor. There’s a lot of talk about the disappearance of the American dream right now. Birth rates are declining. No one’s owning homes anymore. But then you also see headlines about everyone’s scamming. CVS has everything locked down. You’re like, “Yeah, no wonder.” Everything’s connected. We wanted to really show how that survival instinct, the desperation, is starting to come for everyone. I don’t think it’s going to get easier, especially with AI moving on the horizon, and with leaders who refuse to put checks and balances in place.

Part of Ashley’s story is using the video of the fight between Josh and Lindsay as blackmail to get health insurance so she can afford treatment for her endometriosis. And that moment where she’s waiting in the ER for hours and it’s not until she collapses that they realize she needs emergency surgery — her big concern is whether she has to pay the deductible.

I wrote that episode in a literal day because it was based on an experience I had in an ER with my daughter’s mother. She had this illness fall upon her. We spent 12 hours at the ER and, the whole time, I had my Notes app out and was just writing down everything I saw. Almost everything in that scene is stuff that happened in real life. Our healthcare system is absolutely insane. It’s, again, unhinged capitalism and … felt like it really unlocked so much of the season.

There’s a moment where Josh has to sell some of his prized possessions to pay a gambling debt. Have you been there, needing to sell things to cover your financial obligations?

I’ve been there multiple times. I obviously struggled to find my way for a long time, even after becoming a writer. If you’re in a writing partnership, in a staff job on a show — first of all, this is what the guild has been fighting, trying to get these longer-term employment windows because these jobs sometimes are only … maybe eight to 12 weeks. You’re splitting a staff salary in two [if you’re in a partnership], and you probably haven’t qualified for health insurance by the end of that run. Sure, you’re a working writer, but I remember [by the time I landed at] “Always Sunny in Philadelphia,” my first real writing job, I had amassed so much debt, half of which were from parking tickets. I just didn’t have the money to pay these tickets, and so I just let them run rampant. So, yeah, I’ve been there. There’s this one guitar that I loved; it was the first guitar I bought with my own money after college — it was a Fender Telecaster. I think I bought it for $1,200. I ended up selling it for $300. I’ve sold collectibles. I’ve sold anything that had gold in it. I’ve scrapped to just find anything because you’re desperate.

Song Kang-ho as Dr. Kim, Youn Yuh-jung as Chairwoman Park in “Beef.” Recalling the opportunity to direct the pair, Lee says: “It just makes me feel like a little kid again. It stops feeling like work and starts feeling like play.”

(Netflix)

You directed this season. Is there a moment that stands out with this cast?

A peak of my career that I think about daily is the moment in Korea where we were shooting at Amorepacific. It’s one of the most beautiful buildings in Seoul. I’m shooting the scene between the great Youn Yuh-jung and the great Song Kang-ho — two of not only my favorite Korean actors, but favorite actors period. They have never been in a scene together in any Korean film ever. They’ve been in a movie together, but never acted together. And here we are making Korean history by having them shoot that breakfast scene and, while I’m in the middle of shooting that scene, director Bong Joon Ho surprises us on set. He comes over laughing, pulls up to me, looks at my monitor, gives me stage fright, then elbows me and says, “You sure you want to frame it like that?” He was teasing. Then we started shooting the scene, it’s all in Korean, and I look back at video village and Bong’s just doubled over in laughter. He is just cracking up. Younger me, and present me, is looking around like: Here I am in Korea, in this building I’ve always wanted to shoot in, two of the greatest living actors and the greatest living director — what is happening? What a crazy sentence to say. It just makes me feel like a little kid again. It stops feeling like work and starts feeling like play.

How did you want race and identity to figure into this season, particularly through Austin?

Charles was the first piece of the whole thing. After Season 1, I got to go to Korea multiple times. I shot a music video for one of the members of BTS. I was experiencing Austin’s journey of being courted by this level of Korea that I’d never been exposed to before and feeling warm and allured by it — I’m having dinners with K-pop idols, like what is happening? So, I knew I wanted to have that element of elite Korea involved. The writers and I discussed a lot whether it should be a Korean American that’s being pulled. We had covered a lot of Korean American ground in Season 1, [but] one of the things we didn’t get to cover is the half-Korean experience. Several of the writers on staff are either half-Asian or half-Korean. We don’t want to repeat things, but let’s do explore a half-Korean character who is about to have a child suddenly get this pull toward Korea.

Carey Mulligan as Lindsay acting alongside Jones, the dog who plays Burberry, in “Beef.” “Jones is the best dog actor I’ve ever worked with,” Lee says. “A24 is making Burberry merch. There’s going to be a Burberry shirt.”

(Netflix)

There are some pretty gross, petty and violent acts of revenge. One is Ashley swirling her period blood in Josh and Lindsay’s pitcher of orange juice. The other takes place during a flight — Lindsay wiping gunk from the toilet seat and transferring it to the rim of the cup Ashley drinks from. Please explain how you arrived at these acts. Were there any left on the cutting room floor?

Episode 4 was pouring out of me. And I remember I got to the point where Ashley snooping through the house [where Lindsay and Josh live]. Initially, I had her scratching up the trophy. She opened Josh’s pomade and blew a snot booger into it. I was thinking of juvenile things. But I had the thought of her going to the kitchen and having the thing that happened to her being the expression of her revenge. I remember I was so nervous to show the [writers’] room. The way I wrote it, I had her crouching over the pitcher and Anna Moench, as the main female writer on the show, was like, “Sonny, I don’t think you know this works.” So, we revised it. That’s how the OJ one happened. With Episode 7 [and the toilet seat], we wanted to have a bodily episode on a plane, and there’s just such limited ways to get revenge on a plane. But given the OJ drink — there’s so many mirrors between the two couples, we thought it’d be fun to mirror that with a drink from Lindsay to Ashley. The only place to do that on a plane is bathroom. We shot it on stage with a fake toilet and Carey was almost vomiting. She came to me after that scene, and she goes, “Sonny, in all my years in this business, that is the most vile, disgusting thing I’ve ever had to do.”

The final moments of the finale jumps eight years. Did you always know you wanted a time jump? And did you always know Ashley and Austin were going to repeat the cycle?

The Ashley and Austin side, I knew the inverse graph for both characters would be very satisfying — to me, at least. I didn’t know whether that happened in a time jump or not. That’s something we discovered later. There was great debate in the room. I had a couple writers plead with me, “Why aren’t you ending with the kiss? It’s so sweet. It’s so good. I feel so good at the kiss. Can we just end it at the kiss?” I took it very seriously, but then it felt very similar to Season 1’s ending. Taking two people who start apart and they finally discover that connection but too late. I didn’t want to leave with the same feeling. How we can make it different is the “what happens next?” Life comes at you fast. He’s [Josh] still in prison. She’s [Lindsay] got to move on. Once I started heading down that thought experiment, I’m like, “Whoa, you could do a whole coda showing the literal theme of the show, the cycles, that’s where we can show Ashley and Austin becoming Josh and Lindsay.” That’s where we show, even though they found a connection, it’s lost between Josh and Lindsay — even if they’re still hanging on to the past a little bit. You show Troy and Ava still together [laughs] — they have it all figured out. Then you show the billionaire who, even with all the money in the world, is crying at the graveside of her first love, filled with regret.

We didn’t see where Eunice (Seoyeon Jang) ends up.

I wanted to leave it open. I’m very curious what people think. She really put her neck out there. Austin burned her bad. I don’t know where Eunice is at but it’s probably not good.

Charles Melton as Austin Davis in “Beef.”

(Netflix)

We can’t talk about “Beef” without discussing the needle drops. When you have Austin listening to Billie Eilish’s “What Was I Made For?” it was over for me.

The needle drops are usually pre-picked even before we shoot. The source music that’s playing diegetically, usually we discover in the edit. Before, as scripted, it had him scrolling Instagram and it was [the song playing on] his Instagram feed — you know how those Reels have music overlayed on a POV? It just wasn’t that funny to me in the edit. He’s so down and out and I wanted to find different source music in there. One day, I told my editor, “Can you rip ‘What Was I Made For?’ And can you just temporarily do it where, as she opens the door, he’s like, pressing the volume up, being like ‘sh— … sh— …’ [intending to make the volume go down]?” Our AE [assistant editor] did the ADR temporarily of the “sh—, sh—,” filmed it on my phone and I texted it to Finneas [O’Connell, the show’s composer, who is Eilish’s brother and collaborator] being like, “Hey, is it cool if we do this?” And he was dying laughing. [O’Connell also makes a cameo in the season.]

Ahead of Season 1, you gifted the writers “The Sopranos Sessions” and also assembled a Letterboxd list of films that served as reference points. What guidance did you provide for Season 2?

I sent another Letterboxd playlist. For inspo, we got “Handmaiden,” “Phantom Thread,” “Force Majeure,” “Eyes Wide Shut,” “The Informant.” For some reason, I have “Margaret” on there, the [Kenneth] Lonergan film. I also had “Michael Clayton,” “Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?” “Burn After Reading,” and lastly, it’s a deep cut, there’s this movie called “Like Crazy,” starring Felicity Jones and Anton Yelchin.

Also, can we take a moment for Burberry’s acting?

Oh my god, Jones! Jones is the best dog actor I’ve ever worked with. He would hit his mark. He would listen. He would look at people when he’s supposed to be looking. It was his first time acting. Crushed it. A24 is making Burberry merch. There’s going to be a Burberry shirt.

There’s a charming pub that even people who live an hour away don’t know about – but it’s a brilliant place to have a pint on a Friday night

There’s nothing that says ‘quintessentially British’ quite like a pub. Whether we’re talking big name chains or beautiful low-beamed watering holes with roaring fireplaces, you’d struggle to find a Brit who doesn’t have a favourite local.

One pub that’s definitely stood the test of time is The Puffin. Tucked away on Osea Island, just off the coast in Essex, this quirky pub is only open on Friday nights – and there aren’t any official last orders.

Osea Island gets cut off from the mainland for about 20 hours every day, has almost no shops, and only a handful of residents. Still, even the most isolated of destinations needs a good pub, and The Puffin provides.

This beautiful 300-year-old building is located in the island’s main village, a stone’s throw from plenty of holiday homes. Naturally, I had to check it out when I headed to Osea for a weekend. The Puffin is packed with charm; think authentic low beamed ceilings and an Inglenook fireplace that completely oozes character.

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Just a word of caution; the pub’s low ceilings definitely add to the building’s character but they are really, really low. If you’re tall like me, take heed; it’s easy to bump your head when you enter!

Still, I loved the overall decor; the signs and artwork all over the walls of the pub, the pictures of dogs, photos of the island and fun little posters too. There are also gorgeous leather sofas, and piles of old-looking books against the walls. The cosy interior probably wouldn’t fit more than 30 people inside at once, but this adds to its charm in my opinion.

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The bar felt chaotic – but I mean that in the best way possible. Considering the pub is isolated from the mainland most of the time, there was an incredible variety of drinks on offer – and I was particularly impressed by the number of local gins and spirits available. Of course no pub is complete without a decent beer selection, but that’s covered too; there were a fair amount of beers on draught, but the majority are bottled.

I opted for a spiced rum and coke, while other people ordered beers, local gins or soft drinks; again, I was really surprised at the wide range of spirit and mixer options available in such a tiny pub.

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Another nice touch was that there were bowls of peanuts and crisps available for customers for the entirety of my visit. Overall, it really felt like I’d been transported back in time to a medieval cosy pub with all the benefits of modern comforts, food and drink.

I also had the pleasure of having a chat with Calvin, who runs the pub, and was more than willing to share various stories from the island and its famous visitors. Calvin has been running the pub for about three years; he lives on Osea for five days a week, then stays at home in Heybridge for the other two.

His favourite thing about the job? Being able to chat to everyone who comes in, be that locals, tourists or even massive celebs. Jude Law, Stormzy, Aaron Taylor Johnson, Sean Paul, KSI and the Sidemen and even Example are just some of the famous faces who’ve reportedly visited the pub – and apparently at one point I was stood in the same spot where Martin Freeman had enjoyed a pint. Given that Osea is owned by music producer Nigel Frieda, it’s not surprising that it’s a haven for the A-list.

What’s particularly notable about The Puffin is its irregular opening times; it’s open every Friday and some bank holidays, but other than that, it’s only open on request for events. Calvin added there isn’t really a closing time either; it just shuts once the last punter leaves.

Ultimately, it turned out to be one of the best pubs I’ve visited; not because of the food and drink, but because of the overall atmosphere.

There were groups of people chatting on sofas, people drinking pints next to the bar and laughing with Calvin, and the whole place has an old-timey vibe, with the fireplace adding that extra touch of cosiness. If I make another trip to Osea, it’ll definitely be on a Friday at opening time!

You can find out more on oseaisland.co.uk and selfcatering.co.uk