Month: April 2026

Deep in Kielder Forest, on the northern side of the vast Kielder Water stands Silvas Capitalis, a giant, two-storey timber head, one of the most striking of the 20 sculptures tucked between the pines. It’s an eerie sight, almost shocking; its mouth ajar, as if astounded by all it sees. It’s my first visit to Kielder, and my face has been wearing a similar expression since I stepped out of the car at the lakeside trying to take in the scale of the landscapes unfolding around me.

Kielder doesn’t look like England – at least, not the England I know. For a start, it’s vast; 250 sq miles (648 sq km), with 158m trees, mostly sitka spruce conifers planted by hand. And even though it’s a plantation, there’s a wilderness feel that reminds me of Finland or Canada; a great swathe of nature at its most intense. It’s a working forest, involving 500 full-time jobs (not including tourism) and 2026 marks the centenary of the very first plantings, when the UK was in need of timber reserves after the demands of the first world war.

The desolate moorland around Kielder Castle had been identified as a suitable site for a new forest by Roy Robinson, who was instrumental in the creation of the Forestry Commission in 1919. “He was a visionary,” says Alex MacLennan, part of the Kielder team for more than 20 years. “It was hard farming country, but perfect for forestry. Originally, there were eight villages planned, to house the timber workers. But three decades later, when the first trees were ready to be felled, mechanisation and new tools such as chainsaws meant they only needed three.”

All of which means development in the forest is minimal; the main tourist area is at the Kielder Waterside, where 50 unobtrusive lodges are tucked between the trees, some of which were damaged when Storm Arwen roared in five years ago and tore down a million trees across the forest and the wider Northumberland national park. “It’s given a very different feel to the place,” says Gary Storey, general manager of Waterside, “and a chance to replant with different species, native to the UK – silver birch, oak, aspen, wild cherry – something other than the sitka spruce.”

The careful management of Kielder has made it a benchmark for forestry in the UK, not least for the low-impact tourism that has been carefully folded in. Aside from Kielder Waterside, there are a handful of places to stay, including Calvert Kielder, which in addition to offering self-catering lodges, specialises in respite care breaks packed with forest-based, accessible activities. There are also remote spots with facilities where camper vans can park up for £15 a night and a campsite (two-person pitch £20). “We’re not Center Parcs, and we’re never going to be,” says Liz Blair, director of the Kielder Partnership, when we chat over coffee. “But we’re working to make sure it’s accessible and welcoming for everyone, however you want to enjoy it.”

Many people who visit, including me, set off along the Lakeside Way; a 26-mile (42km) route that encircles Kielder Water, linking the sculptural works and immersing walkers and cyclists in the dense forest. When I visit, the silence that hangs between the trees feels almost thick enough to touch; only broken by the occasional rat-a-tat of a woodpecker, calling out for a mate.

But if Kielder is quiet by day, at night it becomes almost unworldly; a pitch-black void, bereft of almost all signs of life, save for the bright stars of England’s first dark sky park (the Northumberland international dark sky park). Driving up to the observatory, I’m glad to have my sister Caroline beside me in the car, keeping up a flow of chatter as the 2-mile off-road route winds further and further into the silent forest.

It’s the Northumberland dark skies festival when we visit, and we settle in for a fascinating (if slightly science-heavy) talk on exoplanets (planets outside our solar system) before braving the bitter cold to walk across to the telescope room. Sadly, it’s cloudy, but it’s still an extraordinary place, staffed with a mix of professional astronomers and passionate volunteers.

Kielder is a place of superlatives; England’s biggest forest, the UK’s largest human-made lake by capacity, the darkest skies – along with quite possibly the most terrifying mountain bike trails in the country. The Deadwater Double Black Downhill opens officially on 1 May, a rock-strewn, ledge-filled, vertiginous route that I wouldn’t want to walk, let alone cycle. It’s one of several new initiatives planned to celebrate the centenary, including a new Room on the Broom trail for kids, based on the book by Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler; the Kielder celebration weekend (4-6 Sept); and the reopening of Kielder Castle in the summer after extensive renovations.

The forest may be vast, but it’s just one part of the Northumberland national park; the least populated and least visited of the UK’s 15 national parks. Coming from the built-up south-east, there’s an extraordinary beauty in the stark, untouched landscapes – a stillness, a peace, unmatched by anywhere closer to home. The history is pretty impressive too; we dip into the ruined Roman fortress at Vindolanda, take a windswept walk along Hadrian’s Wall and warm up with a fabulously hearty lunch of Cumberland sausage, mustard-mash and thick onion gravy at the centuries’ old Twice Brewed Inn.

But nothing quite matches my late afternoon judder up to the top of Deadwater Fell in Alex’s Forestry Commission van. Standing at the very peak, 571 metres (1,900ft) above sea level, it feels as if I can see for ever; a 360-degree widescreen vista, from the Cheviot Hills in the north-east to the peaks of the western Lake District, the snow-capped Pentland Hills rising up towards Edinburgh, like great white meringues. It’s genuinely awe-inspiring. I’m just glad I don’t have to mountain-bike back down.

This trip was supported by Visit Northumberland, Visit Kielder and Crabtree & Crabtree cottages. Birks Stable Cottage sleeps six, from £472 for a three-night break

A Utah judge ruled Tuesday that reality TV star Taylor Frankie Paul can have supervised visits with the 2-year-old son she shares with Dakota Mortensen until another hearing for a protective order later this month.

Paul appeared remotely for the hearing Tuesday with on-again, off-again ex-boyfriend Mortensen — the father of Paul’s third child, Ever — regarding his request for a restraining order. Paul had temporarily lost custody of their son when a temporary protective order was awarded to Mortensen last month. Paul and Mortensen are known for their roles on the Hulu reality TV series “Secret Lives of Mormon Wives.”

Third district court commissioner Russell Minas decided on supervised visitation after Paul’s legal team voiced concern over Mortensen’s alleged lack of credibility and his attorneys raised worry over her “volatility,” citing separate incidents from May 2025 and February. Paul was granted up to eight hours a week of visitation.

“I have concerns going both ways, quite frankly,” Minas said, noting Mortensen’s alleged “pushing of buttons to get reaction” and Paul’s “troubling” reactions to the aggravation.

The embattled exes are also ordered to appear remotely at a court hearing April 30 to go over the “merits and entry” of Mortensen’s protective order against Paul. Prior to Tuesday’s hearing, Paul filed her own protective order against Mortensen.

Mortensen filed for his protective order following two incidents in February that involved “grabbing, scratching, shoving, and striking” that allegedly left Mortensen with marks on his neck, according to police documents.

Around the same time, the cast of “Mormon Wives” paused filming for Season 5 and, subsequently, the release of a video of a separate dispute in 2023 led to the shelving of Season 22 of ABC’s “The Bachelorette,” which featured Paul as its heroine. In the video, recorded by Mortensen on his cellphone, Paul can be seen screaming and throwing metal chairs, one of which struck one of her children who witnessed the altercation, according to the criminal indictment. Police body camera footage from that incident was documented in the first season of “Mormon Wives.”

That 2023 incident resulted in Paul being arrested; she eventually pleaded guilty in abeyance to aggravated assault, reducing her sentence, so long as she follows the terms of her probation. A final review hearing scheduled for early August could mark the end of that probation, but it’s unclear if the new allegations — police are also investigating a third domestic violence claim from Mortensen against Paul that took place in 2024 — will affect that.

How the outcomes of these various court decisions will affect “The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives” and the unaired season of “The Bachelorette” is yet to be seen. It has not been announced whether the dating series will eventually air, or if and when “Mormon Wives” will resume filming — and whether Paul will continue on as a cast member. (Both Hulu and ABC are owned by Disney.)

The judge’s order this week is the latest development in the fallout from the domestic violence investigation involving Paul and Mortensen.

Last week brought more collateral damage to Disney’s reality TV universe with the news that Mortensen’s storyline would be edited out of the new season of “Vanderpump Villa,” which follows former Bravo star Lisa Vanderpump and her staff at various luxury European estates. The third season of “Mormon Wives” featured the fallout from an explosive crossover with “Vanderpump Villa” that resulted in “Mormon Wives” stars Demi Engemann and Jessi Ngatikaura getting embroiled in drama with staff member Marciano Brunette, who alleges he had intimate connections with both women. The fourth season of “Mormon Wives” revisits the crossover, with some of the women’s spouses and exes, who call themselves #DadTok, partaking in their own “Villa” getaway that fuels more drama, including between Mortensen and Paul.

Season 3 of “Vanderpump Villa,” which starts streaming April 16, is expected to capture that stay, except now without Mortensen’s storyline. But he isn’t totally off screens. Mortensen is set to appear in “Unwell Winter Games,” a YouTube reality competition series produced by Alex Cooper, that premiered Monday.

Kawhi Leonard scored 34 points, hitting six three-pointers, and the Clippers recovered after blowing a 23-point lead to beat rookie Cooper Flagg and the Dallas Mavericks 116-103 on Tuesday night.

It was Leonard’s 55th straight game with 20 or more points in the Clippers’ first win in three tries against the Mavs this season.

Leonard played in his 62nd game, and he’ll have to appear in the final three games of the regular season to reach 65 and be eligible for postseason awards such as league MVP and All-NBA honors.

Darius Garland added 22 points, Derrick Jones Jr. had 11 points and 10 rebounds and Brook Lopez had 11 rebounds for the Clippers.

After scoring 96 points in his previous two games, Flagg had 25 points and nine rebounds. The Mavs made 25 of 26 free throws, with Max Christie hitting 10 of 10. AJ Johnson had their lone miss late in the game. Marvin Bagley III had 21 points and nine rebounds off the bench.

The Mavs tied the game in the third and then took just their second lead, 80-77, on a basket by Ryan Nembhard. Leonard scored seven of the Clippers’ final 11 points to send them into the fourth leading 89-84.

The Clippers scored 17 consecutive points to start the game. They extended the lead to 23 points on Lopez’s three-pointer. They shot 68% from the floor and went into the second ahead 39-26.

The Mavs responded with a 21-8 run to tie it 47-47 on Bagley’s three-pointer. Flagg was limited to one basket in the second.

From there, the Clippers closed with an 18-8 spurt to lead 65-55 at halftime. Leonard scored their final seven points on a three-pointer, a basket off his offensive rebound and two free throws.

Up next for the Clippers: vs. West-leading Oklahoma City Thunder on Wednesday to complete a back-to-back.

Iranians have commemorated the victims of the US strike on a girls school in Minab, that killed 168 people on the first day of the US-Israeli war on Iran. The vigil was held hours before the US and Iran agreed to a two-week ceasefire.

Aubrey Plaza is pregnant!

Plaza and “Girls” star Christopher Abbott are expecting their first child together. Representatives for Plaza confirmed to People that the pair are set to become parents in the fall. The couple, who have kept their romance under wraps, were spotted together at the Khaite Fall/Winter 2026 fashion show during New York Fashion Week in February.

Plaza, who’s become Hollywood’s favorite weirdo since splashing onto the scene as April Ludgate in the mockumentary sitcom “Parks and Recreation,” met Abbott when they worked together in 2020. The two starred in the psychological thriller “Black Bear,” and then joined forces once more in 2023 for the off-Broadway revival of “Danny and the Deep Blue Sea.” Abbott may be best known for stealing the hearts of “Girls” fans when he portrayed Charlie Dattolo on the HBO megahit.

In “Danny,” the pair portrayed volatile lovers, and they raved about working with each other while chatting with the New York Times ahead of the production’s premiere. “He cares but he also doesn’t care; it’s the best recipe for me for a scene partner,” Plaza said.

“It’s fun and it’s also good and it’s also safe. I like to just throw things out the window also and laugh and mess around and not take it so seriously. It’s a hard combo to come by.”

“We’re both unafraid to be ugly and weird and strange,” Abbott added. The two also agreed that although they aim to entertain the audience, they both hoped to entertain each other.

Plaza — who is known for her deadpan delivery not only on screen but also while giving interviews on red carpets and the late-night circuit — has become known for dropping lines tailor-made for internet culture. In 2011, she notoriously told Jay Leno that she was too awkward for dating. “I’m kind of like all or nothing,” she said. “Either put a baby inside of me or leave me alone.”

The big baby news arrives for the “White Lotus” star a year after the death of husband Jeff Baena, an independent filmmaker who directed Plaza in “The Little Hours.” Baena, who died at 47 in January 2025, had been separated from Plaza for a few months before his death.

When major champion Gary Woodland walks on to the first tee of Augusta National on Thursday he will be checking where the security is as much as where he needs to land his opening drive.

The 2019 US Open champion has organised extra security to help him deal with the anxiety and stress that playing golf can cause him since he had brain surgery in 2023.

He announced last month that he had been dealing with post-traumatic stress disorder since the operation to remove part of a brain tumour, although the mental health condition was only diagnosed about a year ago.

In late March he won the Houston Open – his first victory since becoming a major champion seven years ago – to qualify for this week’s Masters.

With the added pressure of playing in a major and in front of larger crowds – Woodland will play the opening two rounds alongside world number one Scottie Scheffler and Scotland’s Robert MacIntyre – he is naturally taking a cautious approach this week and, just as at PGA Tour events, has organised extra security.

“The whole deal for me is it’s visual,” he said. “If I can see somebody, then I can remind myself that I’m safe constantly.

“So I have a good idea now where security is on every hole. The big deal for me, my caddie knows too, so he can constantly remind me.”

The 41-year-old American, who is playing in his 13th Masters tournament, never knows what might cause an episode.

“I don’t have control when this thing hits me, and it’s tough,” Woodland added.

“It can be a fan. It can be a walking scorer. It can be a camera guy running by me, just any startlement from behind me can trigger this pretty quickly.

“Knowing where the security is, is a constant reminder that I’m safe.”

A five-star Haven holiday park is packed with family-friendly activities, and best of all it has direct beach access with a long stretch of sand to enjoy

The UK has loads of great holiday parks to choose from, and they’re a practical option for families who’d like cost-effective accommodation, plenty of activities, and a lively atmosphere.

If you’re looking for a staycation for May half-term or the summer holidays, then this may be the perfect option for families with school aged kids. Set on a beautiful sandy beach, this holiday park has a 5-star rating from the AA, who called it “a very popular park with many guests returning every year”.

Perran Sands Holiday Park in Cornwall sits on 500-acres of grassland and sand dunes, and if you walk through the grassy paths you’ll reach the vast sandy beach that stretches over three-miles. The sand is soft and fine, and when the tide is out rockpools full of tiny sea creatures are uncovered. The park even offers surfing lessons for those who’ve always wanted to try catching a wave.

The sea can be quite choppy at Perran Sands, and although there is a lifeguard on duty at peak times, you may prefer to take a dip in the pool instead. On chilly days holidaymakers can enjoy the indoor pool with its own flume ride, while in the summer months, the outdoor pool is a great place to cool off. There’s also an outdoor lazy river where swimmers can float around and enjoy the sunshine.

Back on dry land, guests can book a round of crazy golf, enjoy the NERF Training Camp, hire go-karts, or take part in fun outdoor activities such as den building. In the evenings, entertainment includes appearances from Haven’s seaside squad. There are also lots of options for dinner, including the Surf Bay Café which has a Cornwall-style interior including its own campervan, and a brand new branch of popular US-chain Slim Chickens.

Like most Haven parks, Perran Sands has a number of accommodation options. You can book a 4-night break in a saver caravan from £49, and other budget-friendly options include yurts and geo-domes, some of which are right on the seafront. The park also has lodges, chalets, and three-bedroom beach houses which offer sea views and sun decks.

Walk along the seafront for about half and hour and you can visit nearby Perranporth. This charming seaside town is full of souvenir and surf shops, relaxed pubs, fish and chip shops, and tearooms. About a 20-minute drive away is Newquay, famous for its beautiful beaches and for being a surfers paradise.

Visit Newquay Zoo, a compact but fun zoo in the gardens of Trenance Park, or explore the 16th-century Trerice manor house. The Blue Reef Aquarium is also popular with families thanks to its wide range of colourful sea creatures on display, while the Oasis Fun Pools offer indoor and outdoor slides, rapids, and more.

Find out more about Perran Sands and book your break here. Of course it’s not the only tempting offering in Cornwall; there are a wealth of different sites where families can find bargain breaks too. Away Resorts for example has a St Ives Bay site with private access to a three-mile-long sandy beach, while Parkdean Resorts has budget-friendly midweek breaks as well as new all-inclusive packages for families wanting to stretch their holiday budget that little bit further.

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

April 7 (UPI) — An Iran-backed militia freed an American journalist it kidnapped last month in a prisoner exchange with the Iraqi government, Iraqi and militia officials announced Tuesday.

The militia, Kataib Hezbollah, confirmed the release of Shelly Kittleson in response to negotiations with Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia’ al-Sudani. Kataib Hezbollah representative Abu Mujahid al-Assaf said Kittleson was released “on the condition that she leaves the country immediately.”

“This initiative will not be repeated against in the coming days,” Assaf said. “We are in a state of war resembling that imposed by the american enemy against Islam, and in such situations, many considerations are set aside.”

Kataib Hezbollah abducted Kittleson in late March and set her free in a swap involving multiple members of the militia, Iraqi security officials told The New York Times. The Washington Post reported that it was believed Kittleson was held at Turf al-Sakhar, a stronghold of the militia about 40 miles north of Baghdad.

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said he extends his department’s appreciation to those who had assisted in securing her release, which he framed as a reflection of the Trump administration’s steadfast commitment to the safety and security of American citizens, no matter where they are in the world.”

“We are relieved that this American is now free and are working to support her safe departure from Iraq,” he said in a statement.

The National Press Club said it was “relieved” to learn of Kittleson’s release and hoped for her safe departure from Iraq.

“Today’s development is a welcome update for all those who believe in the ability for journalists to report safely and freely,” club president Mark Schoeff Jr. said in a statement.

“Her ordeal underscores the growing threats journalists face today as they do their jobs and report the truth.”

Kataib Hezbollah is a U.S.-designated terror organization and has links to Iran’s Quds Force, part of Iran’s military. It’s the second kidnapping of a foreign national by the group in Iraq in recent years.

In September, the group released Elizabeth Tsurkov, an Israel-Russian citizen and Princeton University student, after more than two years of captivity.

Kittleson worked as a freelancer reporter for more than a decade in the Middle East.

Amid an escalation of regional violence in response to the war in Iran, the U.S. government urged all American citizens living in Iraq, Bahrain, Jordan, Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates and Qatar to leave as soon as possible.

According Sebastian Gorka, deputy assistant to Trump, 106 Americans held in foreign countries have been released since January 2025.

“No man, or woman, left behind,” he said on X.

DEVELOPING STORYDEVELOPING STORY,

Israeli prime minister’s office welcomes US decision to suspend attacks on Iran, but says the two-week truce does not apply to Lebanon.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office has announced that Israel backs the United States’s decision to suspend strikes against Iran for two weeks, but said the truce “does not include Lebanon”.

In a statement on X on Wednesday, Netanyahu said Israel supported US President Donald Trump’s efforts to ensure “Iran no longer poses a nuclear, missile and terror threat to America, Israel, Iran’s Arab neighbors and the world”.

He said the US has told Israel that it is committed to achieving these goals in the upcoming negotiations in Pakistan’s Islamabad on Friday.

But the two-week ceasefire “does not include Lebanon”, he added.

Netanyahu’s statement comes after Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif announced that the US, Iran and their allies “have agreed to an immediate ceasefire everywhere including Lebanon and elsewhere”.

Sharif said the move was “effective immediately”.

Lebanon was drawn into the war on March 2 after Iran-aligned Hezbollah launched attacks on Israel.

Hezbollah said the attacks were in retaliation for Israel’s killing of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on February 28 as well as its near-daily violations of a ceasefire it agreed in Lebanon in November of 2024.

Israeli attacks on Lebanon have since killed more than 1,500 people and displaced more than 1 million people. The Israeli military has also launched an invasion of southern Lebanon and said it aims to seize more territory for what it calls a buffer zone.

There’s been no immediate comment from Hezbollah or Lebanon.

Lil Tjay’s attorney is denying that the rapper was involved with Offset’s shooting.

Dawn M. Florio, the rapper’s apparent attorney, posted a statement on Instagram on Tuesday slamming “false rumors” that Lil Tjay was involved at the incident that occurred Monday at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Hollywood, Fla.

“Lil Tjay has not been shot, nor has Lil Tjay been charged with any shooting,” the statement says. “Any reporting to the contrary is false. We encourage people to consult trusted news sources, and to verify the accuracy of any reporting, before reflexively sharing or repeating baseless rumors.”

The Seminole Police Department previously told The Times that one of the two individuals arrested Monday in connection to the incident related to Offset’s shooting was Tione Jayden Merritt. The 24-year-old is known professionally as Lil Tjay. Merritt was booked into a Broward County jail on charges of disorderly conduct and operating a vehicle without a valid license.

As of Tuesday morning, charges had not been filed against the second detainee.

According to police, the incident began as a fight near the hotel valet. After Offset was shot, he was transported to Memorial Regional Hospital in Hollywood and was listed as in stable condition.

Born Kiari Cephus, Offset gained prominence as a member of rap trio Migos along with fellow Georgia rappers Quavo and Takeoff. The group was founded in 2008 and together until Takeoff was fatally shot in 2022. Offset shares three children with estranged wife Cardi B.

Times staff writer Clara Harter contributed to this report.

SACRAMENTO — Gov. Gray Davis sat in his campaign office in West Los Angeles, reading scribbled updates from aides and phoning supporters.

A few hours earlier, Sen. Dianne Feinstein, the San Francisco Democrat, had ruled out a run in the recall election, inspiring enormous relief in the Davis camp. Then, as rumors circulated that a pair of Democrats were poised to put their names on the Oct. 7 special election ballot, a political bombshell struck: Arnold Schwarzenegger was launching a Republican candidacy.

“He was surprised, but he’s a seasoned enough professional that he just doesn’t ride the roller coaster on these things,” said Davis campaign manager Larry Grisolano, one of those with the governor at the Pico Boulevard office on Wednesday evening.

“In politics, you learn to expect unusual things to come your way, and he rolls with them.”

After a dizzying week, the 60-year-old Davis confronts an uphill struggle that seems to rival, if not surpass, his improbable 1998 feat when he came from last place to win the Democratic nomination for governor and then the election.

By all accounts in the Davis camp, the governor has taken the surprising news of Schwarzenegger’s entry into the race, and the less surprising Democratic candidacies of Lt. Gov. Cruz Bustamante and Insurance Commissioner John Garamendi, in typical Davis style: calm, dispassionate, disciplined and focused on what he needs to do to defeat the recall effort.

A few weeks ago, as the recall campaign gained momentum and talks over a state budget remained deadlocked, “he was a little down,” said David Doak, a longtime Davis campaign advisor. “He’s pretty steady, but you could tell.”

Now, though, “I think his mood is better since he has sort of confronted this thing and said, ‘Let’s go get ‘em,’ ” Doak added. “This guy is not a quitter. He may not always look it or act like he’s tough, but internally he’s tough.”

In a conversation with at least one aide, Davis told a joke that drew comparisons of his seemingly hopeless political plight with that of Democratic President Harry Truman, whose defeat was widely — and erroneously — predicted heading into the 1948 election against Republican Thomas Dewey.

In the two days since the Schwarzenegger news broke, Davis has held political discussions by telephone with former President Clinton. Recently, the two have been talking three or four times a week, aides said. They met for about 40 minutes in Chicago on Monday, where Davis sought and received commitments of financial and logistical support from the AFL-CIO.

Schwarzenegger’s bombshell and Bustamante’s decision to get in the race whipped the news media into a frenzy on Wednesday. But the response was more measured inside the suites of the Davis headquarters, aides said.

In white shirt and tie, Davis spent several hours cloistered in his office there, calling state senators, advisors and supporters and meeting with Grisolano and others. Davis tried but failed to reach Senate President Pro Tem John L. Burton (D-San Francisco), a frequent Davis critic.

Art Pulaski, leader of the California Labor Federation, talked briefly with Davis and found him as calm “as he always is.”

“He was like, OK, new reality,” said Steve Smith, who is directing the Davis campaign.

While Davis was phoning around the state, Smith and other campaign officials were calling and fielding calls from supporters in the labor movement, environmental groups, women’s organizations and other groups.

Occasionally, Smith and others would slip Davis notes, letting him know the latest news and rumors they were hearing about other Democrats getting in the race, he said.

“At one point we were all using our cell phones because the incoming calls were just burying our phone system,” Smith said.

Davis left sometime after 9 p.m. His campaign staff worked the phones, plotted strategy and prepared talking points for Thursday media appearances by supporters until around midnight, said Peter Ragone, communications director for the Davis campaign.

Before leaving the office, Ragone — who handled press relations during Andrew Cuomo’s failed gubernatorial campaign in New York and Al Gore’s Florida recount effort — called his wife in San Francisco and summed up the day.

“I’ve had a lot of extraordinary days in politics. This one might have been the most extraordinary of all,” he recalled saying.

While the media frenzy continued in Los Angeles, Davis aides met in the early evening with about 50 administration officials, including resources secretary Mary Nichols and appointments secretary Michael Yamaki, at the California Nurses Assn. offices in Sacramento to bolster morale and answer questions.

“It was pretty sober, but with bursts of feistiness,” said Davis spokesman Steven Maviglio, who attended the meeting. “People were still in shock over Arnold’s announcement. There were shouts and yells like, ‘We’re going to fight this.’ People who worked for this guy for five years are beside themselves that all their hard work could be reversed because the governor made some difficult decisions that made him unpopular.”

While throngs of television cameras and screaming fans converged on Schwarzenegger’s Thursday appearance at the Norwalk offices of the Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder, where he took out papers for his candidacy, Davis attended the memorial service for slain Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Deputy Stephen Sorensen in Lancaster, answered questions from reporters and addressed the California School Employees Assn.’s annual conference in Anaheim.

Back at headquarters, Doak set the day’s tone during the senior campaign staff’s morning strategy call: “We’re going to beat this thing,” he growled.

Much of Thursday’s campaign analysis focused on how the changed set of candidates would affect voter turnout, a crucial element for Davis, who must push the “yes” vote for a recall below 50% to keep his office, campaign advisors said.

As Schwarzenegger kept up his media blitz on morning TV talk shows Friday, Davis spent much of the day on the phone, seeking campaign donations and discussing health and environmental issues with his Sacramento advisors.

On Friday night, Davis talked about his mood in a taped interview on HBO’s “Real Time With Bill Maher.”

“It’s not a lot of fun,” he said of the effort to recall him from office. “But I try not to let negative emotions consume me, because I am privileged to be the governor.”

For all the talk of Davis’ impending political demise, there was no sense of panic in the governor’s inner circle.

“People’s moods run the gamut,” Doak said.

“I think people who are maybe closer to the stuff every day, it goes up and down. I’ve always been confident we’re going to win. You get a lot of these campaigns where you don’t see any way where you can get where you want to go. This one, you look at it and there’s some things out there you can say that move people.”

No one was suggesting that Davis would easily escape his predicament, but the campaign’s message in public and private was that, even with other Democrats on the ballot, Davis could achieve the 50% “no” vote he needs to defeat the recall.

To Davis strategists, Schwarzenegger is a less potent threat than Feinstein or former Los Angeles Mayor Richard Riordan, who took his name out of contention Thursday.

They also propose that the more crowded the candidate field gets, the better Davis looks as a rational choice.

“Gray’s been written off and underestimated his entire political career,” said Garry South, the governor’s longtime campaign strategist.

“He has persevered through lots of adversity. I think he has a very good chance of beating this recall, which happens to fly in the face of conventional wisdom. He is a very tough competitor and he doesn’t give up.”

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta says his side “had a point to prove” following back-to-back defeats and praises his side’s reaction, as Kai Havertz’s stoppage-time winner secures a first-leg advantage in their Champions League quarter-final against Sporting.

MATCH REPORT: Sporting CP 0-1 Arsenal

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April 7 (Asia Today) — South Korea’s Labor Ministry launched a joint inspection Tuesday after a foreign worker was seriously injured at a manufacturing plant in Hwaseong, where a high-pressure air gun was allegedly used, causing internal organ damage.

The Ministry of Employment and Labor said it began a combined labor and occupational safety inspection of the facility following media reports of the incident.

Authorities plan to examine whether the worker was subjected to assault or workplace harassment, as well as possible violations of labor laws, including unpaid wages. The probe will also review compliance with safety regulations under the Industrial Safety and Health Act.

Officials said they will investigate whether the company attempted to conceal the workplace injury or failed to implement required safety measures.

If serious violations are confirmed – including abuse, harassment or major industrial safety breaches – the ministry said it will pursue strict measures such as revoking or restricting employment permits and seeking criminal prosecution.

The victim filed for workers’ compensation benefits Tuesday with the Korea Workers’ Compensation and Welfare Service, and the ministry said it will ensure the claim is processed promptly.

Separately, the ministry has been conducting broader inspections this month targeting workplaces employing large numbers of foreign workers. The inspections focus on sites suspected of labor violations, including those with frequent worker turnover, prior complaints, or records of serious accidents.

As part of the inspections, authorities are conducting surveys and interviews with foreign workers to assess workplace conditions, including potential abuse or harassment.

Labor Minister Kim Young-hoon said all workers, regardless of nationality or immigration status, are entitled to safety and dignity.

“We sincerely apologize to the injured worker and colleagues who witnessed the incident,” Kim said. “We will thoroughly investigate the case and take strict action against any violations of the law.”

— Reported by Asia Today; translated by UPI

© Asia Today. Unauthorized reproduction or redistribution prohibited.

Original Korean report: https://www.asiatoday.co.kr/kn/view.php?key=20260407010002131

Celebrations have erupted in Iraq’s capital, Baghdad, following the announcement of a two-week ceasefire between Iran and the United States. Iraq had been pulled into the war with pro-Iran armed groups and US forces carrying out attacks on each other.

Sony Pictures Entertainment plans to lay off a few hundred employees globally in a move to restructure its business.

The cuts, announced Tuesday afternoon, are set to affect employees who work across Sony’s film, TV and corporate divisions the company said, declining to specify how many would lose their jobs.

Sony said the cuts reflect a shift in business strategy under its new chief executive, Ravi Ahuja.

“As we lean into those priorities, we need to operate with greater focus, speed, and alignment to strengthen our differentiated capabilities,” said Ahuja in a statement. “To support our growth, we are aligning our organization with where the business is going — not where it has been. That requires changes to how we are structured and where we invest.”

Ahuja, who was promoted just over a year ago, added that the company is ”reducing roles in certain areas while increasing focus and investment in others that are most critical to our future.”

Sony plans to focus on franchise strategy and brand extension with game shows, as well as develop more anime, experiences and invest in content that will connect with a younger audience. This includes more game adaptations and growing its YouTube capabilities.

One of the studio’s biggest franchises is the “Spider-Man” universe, which includes both live-action films starring actors like Tom Holland and the Oscar-winning animated “Spider-Verse” movies. The studio is set to release the latest live-action installment, “Spider-Man: Brand New Day,” this summer. The previous movie “Spider-Man: No Way Home” was a major win for Sony as it generated $1.9B globally.

Sony Pictures operates under its Japanese parent company Sony Group Corp, alongside other subsidiaries like Sony Music Group and Sony Electronics. The film studio was established in 1987 and maintains a strong presence in Culver City.

Recently, the studio acquired the “Peanuts” comic in a $457-million deal, reupped the “Reading Rainbow” for a YouTube audience and is working on PlayStation adaptations for video games like “Helldivers” and “God of War.”

The company has also combined its game-show group with its nonfiction TV department and is slowing down areas of its business that have low growth, like the VFX and virtual production studio, Pixomondo.

The layoffs are the latest to hit Hollywood, which has been hard hit by the exodus of film and TV jobs to other states and countries, a cutback in the number of films being released and media consolidation. Last year, Paramount cut 10% of its workforce after it was acquired by David Ellison’s Skydance Media.

SACRAMENTO — A federal judge appears willing to block a $6.2-billion merger of two large TV station groups as he evaluates whether Nexstar Media Group’s takeover of a rival violates U.S. antitrust laws.

At the conclusion of a two-hour hearing in Sacramento on Tuesday, U.S. District Court Chief Judge Troy L. Nunley signaled he was preparing to issue a preliminary injunction that would prevent Nexstar and Tegna from combining operations amid an ongoing legal challenge.

Nunley said he would draft a written order, which is expected by Friday.

Previously, Nunley had issued a temporary restraining order to pause the merger.

Last month, Nexstar raced to finalize its blockbuster purchase of Tegna — despite a lawsuit filed by California Atty. Gen. Rob Bonta and seven other state attorneys general. The state officials, all Democrats, claimed the massive merger would give Nexstar too much control over local TV stations, ultimately hurting consumers by diminishing the diversity and quality of their newscasts.

California Deputy Attorney General Laura Antonini argued that when news consolidates, it results in a loss of diverse viewpoints.

“That’s extremely harmful to democracy and to the citizens of this state,” she said at the hearing.

President Trump has championed the Nexstar-Tegna merger, suggesting it would diminish the clout of the major TV networks, including those he often gripes about: ABC and NBC. Nexstar, based in Irving, Texas, owns dozens of network affiliate stations.

Nexstar, which also owns KTLA-TV Channel 5 in Los Angeles, already is the nation’s largest station group. The deal was expected to reshape the local television industry by extending Nexstar’s reach to 265 television stations, up from 164.

If the acquisition is finalized , Nexstar stations would cover 80% of the U.S. population, exceeding a 39% ownership cap set by Congress.

El Segundo-based DirecTV separately sued, alleging the combination of the nation’s two largest television station groups would do irreparable harm to its pay-TV business by raising prices and potentially increasing programming blackouts.

Representatives of Nexstar, DirecTV and Bonta’s office declined to comment after Tuesday’s hearing.

During the hearing, Nexstar attorney Alexander Okuliar, argued against an injunction, saying the plaintiffs had failed to demonstrate that the merger posed an immediate threat to the public. He said DirecTV and the attorneys general had only offered proposed financial harms.

In court documents, the state attorneys general and DirecTV alleged the deal would give Nexstar multiple TV stations in dozens of markets. That raised concerns about layoffs in an industry that has sustained significant downsizing in recent years as viewers and advertisers migrate to streaming options and social media platforms like TikTok.

Nexstar could “shut down local newsrooms in dozens of markets, reducing the amount, variety, and quality of local broadcast news that Americans rely on for trusted information about their communities,” DirecTV alleged.

For example, Nexstar owns the Fox station in Sacramento, while McLean, Virginia-based Tegna owns the ABC affiliate.

Okuliar pushed back, saying there was no evidence that local newsrooms would be shuttered.

“One of the reasons for this deal is to protect local broadcasters, to protect local journalism,” he told the judge.

Nexstar contends the deal would strengthen TV station economics, allowing stations to bolster their news gathering and expand the number of newscasts. The company cited dozens of awards won by Nexstar journalists, including in Oklahoma City.

In addition to Bonta, the plaintiffs include state attorneys general in Colorado, Connecticut, Illinois, New York, North Carolina, Oregon and Virginia.

Nearly two dozen lawyers attended the hearing on behalf of the other plaintiffs. Eight lawyers represented Nexstar and Tegna.

Nexstar Chief Executive Perry Sook and Chief Operating officer Michael Biard also attended.

In its complaint, DirecTV argued that it would suffer financial harm because Nexstar would use its increased heft to demand significantly higher fees for the rights to carry its network-affiliate stations, which carry local news, primetime shows and professional sports, including NFL football. Such programming disputes can lead to blackouts which infuriate customers.

Nexstar’s lawyers disputed such allegations, telling the judge the merger would ultimately increase the value of content. The company suggested the deal could lower prices for distributors like DirecTV, which has about 10 million customers nationwide.

Nunley recently combined the DirecTV and state attorneys general lawsuits into one.

The judge, who was elevated to the federal bench by President Obama, had already expressed concerns about the merger.

In his March 27 order granting the temporary restraining order, Nunley said DirecTV had demonstrated that it could prevail at a trial due to the merits of its arguments.

He then instructed Nexstar to “immediately cease all ongoing actions relating to integration and consolidation of Nexstar and Tegna.”

Instead, the Tegna unit must continue to operate independently as “an ongoing, economically viable, and active competitor,” the judge wrote.

The Nexstar-Tegna merger took on political overtones in early February after Trump threw his weight behind it, writing in a post on Truth Social that the proposed union was among the “good deals,” because it would provide competition against “THE ENEMY, the Fake News National TV Networks.”

“GET THAT DEAL DONE!” Trump wrote.

The state attorneys general sued to block the merger on March 18, when the transaction was still pending at the U.S. Justice Department, which is tasked with conducting anti-trust reviews, and the Federal Communications Commission, which oversees TV station licenses.

The DOJ and FCC blessed the deal the following day.

Within an hour, Nexstar announced that it finalized the transaction and that Tegna had been disbanded.

“It’s very rare to do what Nexstar did here,” DirecTV’s attorney Glenn Pomerantz said.

Nexstar had asked the judge to require the plaintiffs to post a $150 million bond to compensate it for damages it would suffer from any delays in closing the deal.

England head coach Thomas Tuchel made the journey to Madrid on his latest World Cup reconnaissance mission and was richly rewarded by a thrilling Champions League tie between Real Madrid and Bayern Munich.

Tuchel’s eyes were trained on Real Madrid pair Trent Alexander-Arnold and Jude Bellingham, as well as captain Harry Kane in his role as Bayern’s prime goalscorer.

He will have left with suspicions confirmed about Alexander-Arnold, as well as concrete evidence from Bellingham and Kane that they are surely indispensable when England’s World Cup campaign kicks off against Croatia in Arlington on 17 June.

Champions League nights at the Bernabeu are always special occasions, with supporters swarming around the magnificent arena hours before kick-off and thousands of fans clad in white gathering on Plaze de los Sagrados Corazones to welcome Real Madrid’s team bus.

To add to the drama, a warm Madrid afternoon suddenly turned to blackened skies and a deluge to set a spectacular stage for this meeting of European heavyweights.

As a classic unfolded, the game held contrasting fortunes for those Tuchel had under his microscope.

Alexander-Arnold is perhaps the most intriguing case study of the trio Tuchel was scrutinising, lavishly gifted and playing at the club most regard as the world’s biggest, and yet seemingly with no part to play in England’s summer strategy.

The 27-year-old, who moved from Liverpool last summer, has had a rocky introduction to life at Real and also suffered the ignominy of being left out of Tuchel’s 35-man England squad for friendlies against Uruguay and Japan.

And then, if that was not painful enough, when Tuchel called on replacements, he ignored Alexander-Arnold in favour of Ben White, not a regular at Arsenal this season and someone who had gone into self-imposed exile after the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.

For Alexander-Arnold to change Tuchel’s mind at this late stage will not be easy, and his mixed display here may have confirmed misgivings about him rather than enhanced his prospects.

In a poor first half display, Alexander-Arnold not only wasted possession far too often, but also almost gifted Bayern a goal with pass straight to Michael Olise. He was then caught napping by former Liverpool team-mate Luis Diaz as the forward put Bayern in front.

Tuchel has voiced his concerns about Alexander-Arnold’s defending and this was it in full view. And yet he then showed why he has admirers who find his exclusion from Tuchel’s plans puzzling.

As Real finally woke up with Bayern leading 2-0, it was Alexander-Arnold who delivered a series of dangerous set-pieces before firing in an inviting low cross for Kylian Mbappe to pull a goal back.

This was Alexander-Arnold in microcosm, and was not the sort of performance to have Tuchel shuffling the names already formed in his mind for World Cup selection.

The inconsistent nature of his performance is confirmed by his pass completion rate of 69.2%, the lowest of anyone in the match.

Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi says ‘if attacks against Iran are halted,’ then Iran agrees to the terms of the two-week ceasefire with the US, announced by Donald Trump. Al Jazeera’s Mohamed Vall explains the response from Tehran and how the Strait of Hormuz will be opened.

Tehran says the negotiations will be based on its 10-point proposal, which calls for control over Strait of Hormuz and lifting of all sanctions.

Iran has agreed to a two-week ceasefire with the United States, with its National Security Council saying talks with Washington will begin in the Pakistani capital, Islamabad, on Friday, based on Tehran’s 10-point proposal.

The statement on Wednesday came after US President Donald Trump said he was calling off a threat to end Iranian civilisation and “suspend” attacks on the country for two weeks.

Trump said the truce was contingent on Iran agreeing to the “complete, immediate and safe opening” of the Strait of Hormuz, the narrow waterway that connects the Gulf to the Arabian Sea and through which a fifth of the global oil supply passes.

Iran’s partial blockade of the strait – imposed in the aftermath of the US and Israel’s attacks on February 28 – has disrupted global trade, driving up oil prices and causing fuel shortages across the world.

Iran’s retaliatory attacks have also reverberated across the Gulf and drawn in Lebanon’s Hezbollah and Yemen’s Houthis, both of which have launched attacks on Israel, significantly widening the conflict.

Trump said in his Truth Social statement that the US has received a 10-point proposal from Iran, “and believe it is a workable basis on which to negotiate”.

He said the US and Iran have agreed on “almost all of the various points of contention” and that the two-week period will allow the agreement to be “finalised and consummated”.

Iran’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Abbas Araghchi, speaking on behalf of the Iranian National Security Council, confirmed Tehran’s decision to halt the fighting.

“If attacks against Iran are halted, our powerful armed forces will cease their defensive operations,” he said in a post on X.

Araghchi said that safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz will be possible in coordination with Iran’s Armed Forces, and that the decision was taken in light of Trump’s acceptance “of the general framework of Iran’s 10-point proposal as a basis for negotiations”.

For his part, Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said the warring sides had agreed to an “immediate ceasefire everywhere including Lebanon and elsewhere”.

The move is “EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY”, he wrote on X.

Sharif thanked the US and Iran and extended an invitation to “their delegations to Islamabad on Friday, 10th April 2026, to further negotiate for a conclusive agreement to settle all disputes”.

According to Iran’s National Security Council, its 10-point proposal calls for Iranian dominance and oversight of the Strait of Hormuz, which it said would grant it a “unique economic and geopolitical position”.

The proposal also calls for the withdrawal of all “US combat forces” from bases in the Middle East and a halt to military operations against allied armed groups across the region. It goes on to demand “full compensation” for war damages, as well as the lifting of all sanctions by the US, the United Nations Security Council and the International Atomic Energy Agency.

The proposal also calls for the release of frozen Iranian assets abroad and the ratification of any final agreement in a binding UN Security Council resolution.

The council said that while Tehran has agreed to talks, it does so “with complete distrust of the American side”.

It said Iran will allocate two weeks for these negotiations and that the time period “can be extended by agreement of the parties”.

The council added that Iran stood ready to respond with “full force” as soon as “the slightest mistake by the enemy is made”.

There has been no comment from Israel.