Month: May 2026

FOR cheap all-inclusive holidays, one destination in Europe has just been revealed as most affordable spot for summer this year.

TravelSupermarket has found that one spot along the Bulgarian coastline that’s the ideal for spot families with pretty beaches and hotels with aqua parks.

Follow The Sun’s award-winning travel team on Instagram and Tiktok for top holiday tips and inspiration @thesuntravel.

Making a change for 2026, TravelSupermarket has totted up the prices and found that Bulgaria has knocked Tunisia off its perch for cheapest destinations this summer.

A week in the Bourgas Area averages out at just £553per person.

The Bourgas Area is along the Black Sea coast in southeastern Bulgaria – and a few places might be familiar to Brits.

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The major city of the region is Burgas, but most will recognise the name Sunny Beach.

It’s Bulgaria’s largest holiday resort with almost five miles of golden sandy coast and plenty of nightlife.

On TravelSupermarket, all-inclusive holidays to Sunny Beach in the week beginning June 15 cost as little as £249pp.

In July during the summer holidays, all-inclusive breaks increase to around £529pp.

One favourite spotted by Sun Travel is to the DIT Evrika Beach Club Hotel which is perfect for families with young children.

The hotel has multiple swimming pools and even an aqua park with flumes.

It has six bars, five restaurants and plenty of entertainment throughout the day and during the evening.

A seven-night all-inclusive break for a family of four departing on June 22 costs £562per person.

Other popular spots in the area include the historic town of Sozopol and Nessebar.

Nessebar is known for its history, seaside and charming cobblestone streets.

On the approach is The Windmill of Nessebar, which was built in the 19th century and is a symbol of the town’s rich maritime history.

Here, the average price of an ice cream is £1.20, a family meal is priced around £28, and a three course dinner for two costs just £22.

In a surprise change of events, Tunisia, which was last year’s number one cheapest destination has dropped out of the top 10 entirely.

Meanwhile Rhodes, Majorca and Dalaman are all cheaper than they were last summer, with savings of up to £91 per person.

The pretty island of Menorca takes second place at an average of £588 per person, with Turkey‘s Bodrum Area close behind in third at £591.

Turkey‘s Antalya Area follows in fourth at £604, and Greek favourite Rhodes rounds out the top five at £608 per person.

Chris Webber, Head of Holidays and Deals at TravelSupermarket, said: “Bulgaria taking the crown this year is a real moment. The Bourgas Area — home to Sunny Beach and Burgas — has long been one of the most affordable spots on the Black Sea, but seeing it leapfrog Tunisia to top the all-inclusive rankings shows just how much value it’s offering British holidaymakers right now.

“It’s also striking that Tunisia, which held the top two spots last summer, doesn’t make the top 10 this year — a reminder that the cheapest destinations can shift year on year.

“The good news for anyone heading back to old favourites is that Rhodes, Majorca and Dalaman are all still in the top ten, and are noticeably cheaper than they were last summer.”

TravelSupermarket analysed all-inclusive holidays between 1–20 April 2026 for trips departing May–September 2026, across all star ratings, durations and traveller groups.

The Bob Baker Marionette Theater was about to debut its first new production in 45 years, and it was uncertain whether one of the show’s signature new puppets would even work. A pelican, with an oversized bucket-like beak, was in need of last-minute maintenance.

This gangly bird, designed to hop, skip, soar and sing to Clarence Henry’s mid-’50s rhythm and blues hit “Ain’t Got No Home,” was supposed to surprise the audience, as its elongated bill is actually hiding a frog. Getting the pelican-frog duo to perform in unison was a feat of mechanical artistry for the team, not to mention the choreography needed by the puppeteer.

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And in the minutes before showtime, director Alex Evans was trying to stay calm. In such moments, he would say later, he only need remind himself of an old adage in the puppet arts.

“Puppets,” he says, “break all the time.”

With that, he was ready to embrace the unknown.

“I always say I love the chaos of live theater,” Evans says. “We got to believe in this thing.”

“Choo Choo Revue,” the latest in a long line of song-and-dance productions, is arriving at a momentous time for the Bob Baker Marionette Theater. Just last month the troupe announced its intent to purchase its venue on Highland Park’s York Boulevard for $5 million, doing so as it was gearing up for performances at the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival. The latter went viral, a fact Evans attributes to many of the first week shows of “Choo Choo Revue” selling out.

An organist plays while people file into the premiere of “Choo Choo Revue” at the Bob Baker Marionette Theater.

In many ways, “Choo Choo Revue” is a statement piece. Evans, who also serves as co-executive director with Mary Fagot, wants to place the spotlight on the theater’s current crop of artists, fabricators and collaborators. While the show pays tribute in many ways to the theater’s legendary namesake founder, perhaps most notably in its use of his vintage record collection, it’s time, Evans says, for the Bob Baker Marionette Theater’s next generation to shine.

Evans was instrumental in the decision to shift the team away from the previously announced production of “Arabian Nights,” a project once spearheaded by Baker, who died in 2014. Just ahead of the arrival of the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic, the theater had gone so far as to print an “Arabian Nights” program, and had finished sets and puppets ready to go.

“Choo Choo Revue” is the first new Bob Baker Marionette show since 1981’s “Hooray LA!”

During the forced closure, however, the team began to rethink its future. “It was a deep-breath time to do some internal thinking about who we are and what we want to prioritize,” says Evans, who joined the company in 2007 as a volunteer and became a staffer in 2009.

“The first new show in 40 years — us finishing one of Bob’s shows would have been deeply personal and meaningful, but it would have kept the narrative, internally and externally, that this was one person’s vision,” Evans says. “‘Choo Choo’ is the culmination of so many different ideas and people. It was purposefully about opening the floodgates, that Bob Baker could be more than just the person of Bob Baker.”

It wasn’t a sure thing the Bob Baker Marionette Theater would even reach this milestone. For much of the past decade — since about the death of the theater’s patriarch — the narrative surrounding the theater was one of survival.

In 2019, the Bob Baker Marionette Theater needed a lifeline. Forced out of its edge-of-downtown home of more than 55 years, the beloved troupe with its thousands of handcrafted puppets — a saucy black cat in heels, a fish out of water that can’t help but wiggle — ultimately found a new location in a Highland Park theater, where it signed a 10-year lease.

Then came the pandemic, when the theater relied heavily on community fundraising to cover its rent. California, and Hollywood in particular, has a rich puppetry tradition. Bob Baker Marionette Theater likes to refer to itself as the largest ongoing puppet theater in the U.S. The oldest puppet space in the country resides up north in Oakland at amusement park Children’s Fairyland. And in 2020, Bob Baker found it had many fans, asking at one point to raise $365,000 over the course of a year. It did so in four weeks.

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1. L Castro twirls a marionette. 2. The audience gives a round of applause after the premiere of “Choo Choo Revue.” 3. People stand in line for the premiere of “Choo Choo Revue” at the Bob Baker Marionette Theatre. (Carlin Stiehl/For The Times)

Old favorites, including the theater’s famed black cat marionette, make appearances in “Choo Choo Revue.”

But it was the long process of buying its home, namely the belief that it would be in Highland Park to stay, that gave the company the confidence that it could go forward with a new show. The obvious question, of course, is why it took 40 years for a completely fresh Bob Baker experience. Evans gives a long answer, pointing to numerous hurdles, be it the shift in locations, the cost of preserving its historic puppets and collection, as well as just managing priorities.

“It’s not necessarily a financial hurdle,” Evans says, noting “Choo Choo Revue” cost $300,000, with about half of that sum dedicated to the creation of new puppets and scenery.

“I think it was more about priorities,” Evans says. “Like, do we get the staff healthcare first, or do we do a new show first? So we got the staff healthcare. Or do we give the stage better lighting.”

As for how and why the team settled on “Choo Choo Revue” as its first production since 1981’s “Hooray LA!,” Evans says not to overthink it.

“It made me giggle,” he says. “It was a jumping off point to imagination. ‘Choo Choo Revue,’ by name itself, I thought to giggle.”

The show is a fantastical representation of a cross-country train trip, filled with adorable puppet trains.

A meticulously detailed log with windows, for instance, or a car that seems to balance natural, mountainous wonders on its back. They’re colorful playthings, at least until the background scenery starts depicting various locomotive styles. Puppeteers will whisk train cars out into the open, each often housing a fantastical creature — a moose, for instance, who takes a break from knitting to prance around to a rendition of the on-theme traditional blues ditty “Midnight Special.”

Behind it all are tens of thousands of hours of handcrafted proficiency. Each new puppet is a work of art. Take, for instance, a swarm of bats that seemed to glow in the dark (the creatures, created for “Choo Choo Revue,” made their debut during last year’s Halloween season).

The Bob Baker Marionette Theater created more than 100 new puppets for “Choo Choo Revue,” including a pelican hiding a frog in its beak.

Or an intricately detailed cicada band. They’re each playing tiny instruments — one a half-open sardine can, another a stringed matchbook. Their wings deserve a close inspection, as the translucent curved fixtures are inspired by stained glass windows. There are trees that ski, and train whistles with big lips and high heels, modeled after harmony group the Andrews Sisters. Wait till the latter toot off their tops, as each of the 100 new puppets is full of surprises.

“We get a bunch of different artists together, and we all brainstorm,” Evans says of the creation process. “Like, ‘Let’s all think for a second about anthropomorphizing trains.’ We did a series of sketches and showed them to each other. I honestly probably have a thousand different fascinating ideas for train movement.”

On opening night, the crowd claps along to the numbers, cheering with delight at each new piece of whimsy that rolls or soars onto the floor-level stage. And as for the showstopping pelican, the frog erupts out of its beak right on cue, a moment that indeed inspires a round of laughter and childlike awe.

As the imaginary train whisks the puppets around the country, the show manages to build anticipation just by making the crowd wonder what comes next. Say, for instance, a fluffy Sasquatch, or a crooner of a moon in pajamas singing an old-timey lullaby to all the little ones seated cross-legged on the floor.

Puppeteer Ginger Duncan twirls a marionette named Comedy.

Much of “Choo Choo Revue,” like the yawning, serenading moon, is rooted in the music of the past. That was a decision made to ensure the show feels in line with earlier Bob Baker works. Yet Evans says the team is emboldend after Coachella to start tackling more contemporary songs at its Highland Park headquarters. The crowd at the Indio festival, for instance, went wild for the puppets swooning to Ben Platt’s cover of Addison Rae’s hit tune “Diet Pepsi.”

“Honestly, if we had done Coachella last year, it would have pushed ‘Choo Choo’ further,” he says, noting he initially feared pop music could distract. “I didn’t think it could work in a way that wouldn’t throw you out of the show.”

And yet Evans doesn’t want to get ahead of himself. He nearly teared up at the end of the “Choo Choo Revue” premiere, saying the following afternoon that seeing this show come together after multiple years was second only to his 2025 wedding in terms of creating an “overwhelming feeling of pride, love and care.”

“Choo Choo Revue” culminates in a look toward the future. That’s when a sleek, silver, oversized high-speed bullet train arrives on the scene.

It can be read as a metaphor.

While the nonprofit is still seeking donor help — at the premiere, Fagot said the company now has secured $4.7 million toward its $5 million goal of buying the theater and it also hopes to raise an additional $2 million for building upgrades — its future is more secure than it has been at any time over the past decade.

At long last, the Bob Baker Marionette Theater can relax and look toward new horizons.

Evans, for instance, can’t help himself excitedly tease a potential next Bob Baker show. He says twice in the interview that the Olympics are on the troupe’s mind.

“We’ve got two years,” he says. And now the permanent home to house it.

The AHLA said hotels spent years preparing and have made “significant investments” based upon official projections.

A study commissioned by Fifa,, external released last year, predicted that in the US the World Cup could create 185,000 jobs, adding $17.2bn (£12.7bn) in gross domestic product.

The hotels were planning for an influx of international travellers, who book longer stays with a higher spend.

But the AHLA said fewer overseas fans “threatens the broader economic impact” with just over three weeks until the opening game on 11 June.

The AHLA said the large-scale bookings made by Fifa in all cities “shaped revenue forecasts, staffing plans and preparations”.

It said this booking policy “manufactured artificial demand” and masked the fact that tourist flow is going to be lower than predicted.

Up to 70% of rooms reserved by Fifa in Boston, Dallas, Los Angeles, Philadelphia and Seattle have been cancelled, the AHLA said.

In a statement Fifa rejected the AHLA’s claims and said it had followed agreements made with hotel chains.

“All room releases were conducted in line with contractually agreed timelines with hotel partners – a standard practice for an event of this scale,” a Fifa spokesperson said.

“In many cases, room releases were made ahead of established deadlines to further accommodate requests from hotels.

“Throughout the planning process, Fifa’s accommodations team maintained consistent discussions with hotel stakeholders, including room block adjustments, agreeing to rates, confirming room types and regular reporting, supported by townhall and ongoing communication.”

Prices spiked after the draw was made, as soon as fans knew which cities their teams would be in.

There has been a gradual fall since then, reportedly by a further 20% in recent weeks.

But this could be too late to entice fans back.

Hotel prices in cities like Boston are still more than $300 (£224) a night, and most fans are working to a lower budget.

Chris Hancock, an England fan who has been to four World Cups, told BBC Sport that his group of five are travelling on an accommodation budget of $75 (£56) per person per night.

They will hire a car in each city and book a mix of hotels and Airbnb accommodation between 45 minutes to an hour away.

“We always tend to stay out of town a little bit and cut the cost that way, so we’re not in the middle of Dallas, Boston or New York,” Hancock said.

“If you’re out of the city centres where everything’s happening, you can get some cheaper deals.

“We’re working within that budget. And at the minute we should be well under that.”

The AHLA told BBC Sport it “expects occupancy to strengthen in June and July”.

“We know that many fans are still waiting on tickets and schedules to become clearer before finalising plans,” a spokesperson said.

“We believe bookings will pick up in the weeks ahead. Hotels are ready to welcome guests and ensure that they have the best possible experience.”

Airbnb says the World Cup is on course to be the “biggest hosting event in Airbnb’s history”, overtaking the 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games in Paris.

Hotels might need to rely on making gains in the knockout rounds, when fans have to make bookings at short notice.

But the World Cup seems unlikely to bring in the revenue that was being predicted.

May 20 (UPI) — In its eighth war powers resolution vote since the United States went to war with Iran, the U.S. Senate has advanced legislation seeking to curb President Donald Trump‘s ability to engage in conflict with Tehran.

Senate Democrats have repeatedly used War Power Resolution privileges to force votes on ending Trump’s use of military force in the Middle Eastern country without congressional approval and have vowed to continue to do so for as long as necessary.

In its eighth vote on the resolution Tuesday, Democrats were able to court enough Republican votes to advanced the measure in a 50-47 result, with three lawmakers not voting.

The Democratic victory is largely procedural, as it discharges the resolution from committee for floor consideration, limited debate and a final vote on whether to send it to the House for consideration.

The Democrats have slowly cobbled together a handful of Republican votes as the war and its effects on the economy drag on.

Republican Sen. Bill Cassidy of Louisiana cast the deciding vote to push the legislation over the threshold on Tuesday, days after thee 15-year-veteran lost the Republican primary to Rep. Julia Letlow, whom Trump endorsed in turning against Cassidy for voting to convict him during his second impeachment trial in 2021.

“While I support the administration’s efforts to dismantle Iran’s nuclear program, the White House and Pentagon have left Congress in the dark on Operation Epic Fury,” he said in a social media statement, referring to the Defense Department name for its military operation against Iran.

“In Louisiana, I’ve heard from people, including President Trump’s supporters, who are concerned about this war. Until the administration provides clarity, no congressional authorization or extension can be justified.”

Since the war began on Feb. 28 with the joint U.S.-Israeli attacks on Iran, Democrats have been accusing the Trump administration of waging an unlawful war, stating the Constitution mandates that only Congress can authorize such military force.

The president is required to end the use of U.S. forces after 60 days unless Congress authorizes the action or extends the deadline, which was May 1.

Trump argues the resolution effort is moot, stating the conflict is over, and pointing to the fragile cease-fire announced in April.

The cease-fire “gives you additional time,” he told reporters earlier this month, describing the Democrats behind the legislative effort as “not patriotic people.”

Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va., the sponsor of Tuesday’s bill, said he was grateful that “enough of my colleagues stood up for the Constitution and listened to their constituents.”

“President Trump’s deeply unpopular war of choice in Iran has imposed a tremendous cost on the American people — including deaths and injuries of our service members and soaring gas prices,” he said in a statement.

The vote, he continued, sends “a strong message” to the Trump administration “that the American people aren’t interested in more war in the Middle East.”

The other three Republicans to vote in favor of the resolution were Sens. Susan Collins of Maine, Lisa Murkowski of Alaska and Rand Paul of Kentucky.

Sen. John Fetterman of Pennsylvania has been the lone Democrat to consistently vote with the Republicans on this war powers measure.

Fans claim the brutal thriller from MobLand writer is as good as Homeland

New episodes of a ‘ gripping’ spy thriller fans say is just as good as Homeland are coming soon.

The Agency made its debut near the end of 2024 and is finally returning with new episodes. According to its synopsis, the series follows Martian, a covert CIA agent ordered to abandon his undercover life and return to London Station.

When the love he left behind reappears, romance reignites. He soon finds that she is in trouble and he will do anything to try to save her, even past the point of treachery. The only way out is deeper in. A knife-edge Martian must walk if he is to save love, life, and his mission.

Boasting a stellar cast, the line-up includes X-Men actor Michael Fassbender as Martian. He is joined by The Last of Us actor Jeffrey Wright, Richard Gere, The Crown’s Dominic West, and Downton Abbey’s Hugh Bonneville to name a few.

Billed as a fresh take on the critically acclaimed hit French drama Le Bureau des Légendes (The Bureau), it was co-created by award winning writer Jez Butterworth who also penned all episodes of crime drama MobLand.

It is now confirmed that Season 2 will arrive on June 21. Its first season is streaming now for viewers to catch up on Paramount+. The service can be accessed either via its own dedicated app, or via an add-on subscription through the Prime Video platform.

An explosive new trailer was also released by the streamer ahead of the second season’s release. It looks to crank up both the tension and action on offer as Fassbender’s character embarks on a dangerous and desperate mission.

The Agency comes approved from notable audiences. In an interview a few months after it was made available, Lauren Cohan who plays Maggie in The Walking Dead and its spin-off, gave it her backing.

Asked for her own streaming recommendations at the time she admitted: “I’m also watching The Agency with Michael Fassbender and it’s on Paramount Plus. It’s great, it’s, it’s a really good show.”

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Plenty of viewers agree with the actor as one fan dubbed The Agency “bold, intense and gripping.” While another went so far as to claim that it is “as good as Homeland”.

Someone else posted online: The Agency is a must watch for anyone a fan of spy thrillers. First of all, the cast is absolutely amazing. It stars Michael Fassbender, Jeffery Wright, Richard Gere and Katherine Waterston. That cast right there is reason enough to give this a try and on top of that it’s a really good show too.”

One advised that it is perhaps not one for a casual viewing and would need some concentration. They said: “This is one of the better new shows so far this year. The Agency is a show where you can’t be playing on your phone, cooking dinner or doing something else, it requires your undivided attention. It’s a show that never gets stale. I can’t remember ever being bored, even for one episode. I loved every second of every episode.”

Another fan agreed by adding: “The writing is spectacular and brought to life by several A-listers. This is not a series you can watch while playing games on your phone. The series develops multiple, complex plots, many of which come together in later episodes and some that are well developed (and brutal at times).”

While some noted there is a slow build-up of tension as it begins, that doesn’t mean people make way through all episodes at record pace. One person said: “This is a great series – amazing performances from all the cast The special effects are great and the dialogue is spot on, hopefully there will be a second season. I binged it in one day.”

The Agency is streaming on Paramount+.

Nick Kurtz had three hits and five RBIs, Brent Rooker and Zack Gelof homered and drove in three runs apiece as the Athletics beat the Angels 14-6 on Tuesday night.

The Athletics scored 12 of their runs with two out.

Kurtz, the reigning American League rookie of the year, sparked a six-run third inning with an RBI single, keyed a two-run sixth with a two-run single and added a two-run double in a four-run eighth.

Reliever Justin Sterner (2-3) escaped a first-and-third, two-out jam in the fourth and earned the win for the AL West-leading A’s, who snapped a three-game skid.

Mike Trout hit his 12th homer of the season, a solo shot, and finished with two RBIs for the last-place Angels, who have lost 22 of 28 games since an 11-10 start.

Angels starter Reid Detmers (1-5) was tagged for eight runs and eight hits in 5 2/3 innings. The left-hander retired seven straight batters to open the game, five by strikeout, before Jeff McNeil and Darell Hernaiz singled in the third.

Shea Langeliers flied out before Kurtz punched an RBI single to center to extend his on-base streak 42 games, the sixth-longest in franchise history. Colby Thomas followed with a two-run double, Rooker added an RBI single, Henry Bolte hit a ground-rule double, and Gelof had a two-run single for a 6-0 lead.

Trout led off the bottom of the third with his 43rd career homer against the A’s. That tied him with Rafael Palmeiro and Alex Rodriguez for the most since the A’s moved to California in 1968. Trout also scored his 600th Angel Stadium run on the play, the most in franchise history.

The Angels pulled within 6-4 in the fourth on Trout’s bases-loaded walk and Vaughn Grissom’s two-run single, which knocked A’s starter Jacob Lopez out of the game. But Sterner got Jorge Soler to fly out, ending the inning.

The A’s, who pounded out 15 hits, pulled away with eight runs over the final four innings, with Kurtz driving in four, Gelof hitting a solo homer in the seventh and Rooker a two-run shot in the eighth.

China’s Xi Jinping has welcomed Russian President Vladimir Putin to Beijing. The two leaders praised their strong ties, and spoke about the importance of maintaining their ‘comprehensive partnership’.

Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto unveiled ambitious economic growth and fiscal deficit targets for 2027 while promising reforms aimed at restoring investor confidence and strengthening state institutions. The announcement comes after months of market concerns over government spending plans, policy uncertainty, and weakening confidence in Southeast Asia’s largest economy.

Government Sets Ambitious Economic Targets

Prabowo outlined a growth target of 5.8 percent to 6.5 percent for next year while aiming to lower the fiscal deficit to between 1.8 percent and 2.4 percent of gross domestic product. The government also expects inflation to remain under control and pledged to improve food security and attract greater investment.

Investor Confidence Faces Pressure

Indonesia has faced growing scrutiny from investors and rating agencies this year. Credit rating outlooks were downgraded due to concerns about policymaking credibility, fiscal discipline, and transparency. Market fears intensified after discussions around possible changes to the country’s long standing fiscal deficit ceiling and rising state spending commitments.

Commodity Control Plan Sparks Market Concerns

Prabowo confirmed plans to establish a new state agency to oversee exports of major commodities including coal, palm oil, and nickel. The government says the move is intended to reduce revenue losses and strengthen national control over natural resources, but investors worry it could disrupt pricing systems and reduce private sector profitability.

Private Sector Role Remains Important

Despite increasing state involvement in strategic sectors, Prabowo stressed that Indonesia still welcomes private companies and small businesses as partners in economic development. He called for cooperation between the government and the private sector to achieve long term prosperity.

Analysis

Indonesia’s latest economic strategy reflects a balancing act between ambitious state led development goals and the need to maintain investor confidence. While the government aims to accelerate growth and strengthen control over key resources, markets remain cautious about rising fiscal risks and unpredictable policy changes.

The proposed commodity export agency could significantly reshape Indonesia’s role in global resource markets because the country is one of the world’s largest exporters of coal and palm oil. However, stronger government intervention may create uncertainty for foreign investors and commodity traders.

At the same time, maintaining fiscal discipline will be critical as Prabowo moves forward with large welfare programmes and economic reforms. The success of his agenda will likely depend on whether the government can reassure markets while delivering growth, stability, and stronger institutional credibility.

With information from Reuters.

DAME Joan Plowright left nearly £3million to her children after she died last year.

The award-winning actress, who was married to Lord Laurence Olivier, left the sum to her three children.

She was known for her Golden Globe award-winning performances in TV biopic Stalin and Enchanted April, for which she was also nominated for an Academy Award.

The British actress died in January last year surrounded by her family at Denville Hall in Northwood.

Documents have now revealed that she had £2,814,901 in her estate at the time of her death – £2,711,847 after expenses.

Dame Joan’s fortune is to be divided between her three children Julie, Richard and Tamsin.

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Some of her personal items have been left to her friends, including singer Tracey Ullman.

Other gifts were left for fellow actress Dame Maggie Smith, who died four months prior, and Norma Heyman.

 Gawn Grainger, Anne Bell and Nicholas Grace were also recipients.

The star left £5,000 each to Clive McColl, Jean Wilson, Janet Macklam and Helen Johnson.

She requested that a sword used by Edmund Kean in Shakespeare’s Richard III which was given to her husband by Sir John Gielgud should be lent to the British Library or another appropriate British charity.

Dame Joan added that this was unless her children found it could be “properly be permanently preserved for exhibition or inherited by an actor generally thought to be as great as its previous owners”.

The actress had a 60-year career on stage and screen. She starred in the 2018 British documentary film Nothing Like a Dame alongside Maggie Smith and Judi Dench, as well as 101 Dalmatians with Glenn Close in the ’90s.

Dame Joan was also know for her role in Love You To Death with River Phoenix, and was a star of the West End and Broadway before her international movie success.

A family statement said: “It is with great sadness that the family of Dame Joan Plowright, the Lady Olivier, inform you that she passed away peacefully on January 16 2025 surrounded by her family at Denville Hall aged 95.

She enjoyed a long and illustrious career across theatre, film and TV over seven decades until blindness made her retire.

“She cherished her last 10 years in Sussex with constant visits from friends and family, filled with much laughter and fond memories.

“The family are deeply grateful to Jean Wilson and all those involved in her personal care over many years.

“Joan is survived by her loving family: Tamsin and Wilf, Julie-Kate and Dan, Richard, Shelley, Troy, Ali, Jeremy, step-granddaughter and great granddaughter Kaya and Sophia, and great grand-daughter soon to arrive.

“The family ask you to please respect their request for privacy at this time.

“We are so proud of all Joan did and who she was as a loving and deeply inclusive human being.

“She survived her many challenges with Plowright grit and courageous determination to make the best of them, and that she certainly did.

“Rest in peace, Joan…”

Dame Joan’s wedding to Lord Olivier in 1961 was the sensation of the year.

Their marriage was an enduring one until the theatre great’s death in 2007 at the age of 86. She became his carer through a series of chronic illnesses, including cancer.

From the 1950s to the 1980s, Plowright racked up dozens of stage roles in everything from Chekhov’s The Seagull to Shakespeare’s The Merchant of Venice.

Dame Joan stunned in Eugene Ionesco’s The Chairs and George Bernard Shaw’s totemic two female roles Major Barbara and Saint Joan.

“I’ve been very privileged to have such a life,” Plowright said in a 2010 interview with The Actors Work.

“I mean it’s magic and I still feel, when a curtain goes up or the lights come on if there’s no curtain, the magic of a beginning of what is going to unfold in front of me.”

She was awarded the title of dame by Queen Elizabeth II in 2004.

“Further tests, specialist reviews and medical processes are still ongoing, and my doctors are continuing to assess my condition.

“On medical advice, I am not currently medically cleared to train or play at the required level, and I will be stepping away from those duties while I focus fully on my health, treatment, and rehabilitation.”

MND affects nerves in the brain and spinal cord, which tell your muscles what to do.

This leads them to weaken and stiffen over time and usually affects how you walk, talk, eat and breathe.

Scientists are not sure what causes MND, but it is likely to be a combination of the genes – or biological traits – you get from your parents when you are born, and other lifestyle factors.

Fellow former Queensland player Carl Webb died of MND at 42 in 2023, while former England rugby league half-back Rob Burrow died in 2024, five years after diagnosis.

Former Scotland rugby union international Doddie Weir died in November 2022, and World Cup-winning former England international Lewis Moody was diagnosed in September 2025.

“Thank you for the support I’ve received over what has been an incredibly difficult and uncertain period in my life,” said Arrow.

“Over recent months, my symptoms have affected different parts of my everyday life.

“I want to sincerely thank everyone at the South Sydney Rabbitohs for the personal support they have shown me and my family throughout this process.

“The South Sydney Rabbitohs, my team-mates, staff, and everyone behind the scenes have made an incredibly hard situation much easier to face.

“What I need right now isn’t sympathy or sadness. What I need is support, understanding and privacy while my family and I navigate this difficult time.

“This is only part of my story, and when the time is right, I’ll share more. But for now, I ask everyone to respect my privacy while I continue working with my doctors and my family.”

Arrow made his NRL debut in 2016 for the Broncos, before joining the Titans in 2018. He joined South Sydney in 2021, for whom he made 98 NRL appearances.

“We all know how difficult the past few months have been for Jai, but we also know that he will fight this illness with the same bravery, passion and character that was the hallmark of his playing career,” said Rabbitohs CEO Blake Solly.

“Jai and his family will always be Rabbitohs and they will be part of this club for many years to come.”

Taijul Islam’s six-for helps Bangladesh bowl out the visitors for 328 in their first home series win over Pakistan.

Bangladesh have sealed a historic home Test series win over Pakistan after handing the visitors a 78-run defeat in their second Test in Sylhet.

Spinner Taijul Islam took six wickets to lead the spirited home side’s series win on the fifth day of the match on Wednesday.

Pakistan, who started the day on 316-7 while chasing a record 437, were bowled out for 328 in the first session after Mohammad Rizwan hit a valiant 94.

It was Bangladesh’s first Test series win at home against Pakistan and their second successive sweep after their 2-0 triumph on Pakistani soil in 2024.

Wicketkeeper Rizwan kept Pakistan in the hunt for an unlikely win with a 166-ball stay after the visitors had slumped to 162-5 on day four.

Rizwan put on an eighth-wicket partnership of 54 with overnight partner Sajid Khan, who made 28.

Taijul broke through to dismiss Sajid for his 18th Test five-wicket haul, and Shoriful Islam had Rizwan caught in the next over to end Pakistan’s resistance.

Taijul took the final wicket of Khurram Shahzad to return figures of 6-120 and trigger Bangladesh celebrations.

The left-arm spinner also took 3-67 during Pakistan’s 232 in the first innings.

Bangladesh wicketkeeper Litton Das scored 126 in their 278 in the first innings.

Veteran batsman Mushfiqur Rahim scored 137 in the second to guide Bangladesh to 390, with contributions from Mahmudul Hasan Joy (52) and Litton (69).

Bangladesh, led by Najmul Hossain Shanto, won the opening Test by 104 runs.

HAVING racked up nearly 60 countries in just a couple of decades, it’s fair to say I’ve been on a LOT of flights.

But at the same time, I’ve been cursed with the double whammy of being unable to sleep on public transport, and old knee injuries that swell up on planes. Not ideal for a Travel Editor.

So when it comes to choosing a seat on a plane, I think I’ve got it down to a fine art.

(Sadly the days of constantly flying business class everywhere are over).

When faced with spending 11 hours in economy, there is actually a great seat that I found I slept better in, even compared to premium economy.

Not all planes have this seat, so it is worth using something like SeatMap when you know what kind of plane you are flying with.

DOUBLE TAKE

Unusual double decker plane seats that could make economy travel MUCH better

NO GO

Passengers are fuming about new plane seat dividers that could end in flight ban

But my favourite seat is the one behind the bulkhead row on either the left or the right side of the plane.

Some of the bulkhead rows only have two seats on either side of the centre, due to the layout of the aircraft door.

That means the seat behind these by the window has a crazy amount of legroom, but is more tucked away than the bulkhead.

Bulkhead seats, while often the best for legroom in economy, also come with the downside of lots of passenger traffic of people using the toilet or stretching their legs.

But this tucked away seat is a gem when it comes to economy.

In fact, I think it can be even better than premium economy, especially when you factor in the price.

I paid around £65 to pick this seat, whereas Premium Economy seats can be hundreds of pounds more expensive.

Not only that, but a lot of Premium Economy seats have built in arm rests you can’t lift.

If I lucked out with no one next to me on this seat, I could even lift the arm rests and have a double set to myself.

As a non-sleeper, I managed to get about five hours on and off of sleep, something unheard of for me normally on planes.

Not all planes will have this seat, so if it doesn’t I still recommend paying for the bulkhead seat if they are still available.

Here’s a plane hack you should NEVER try for better seats – unless you want to annoy other passengers.

President Lai says Taiwan’s future is up to its people as the island faces Chinese and US headwinds.

Taiwanese President William Lai Ching-te said the future of Taiwan should not be decided by “foreign forces” but is instead in the hands of its 23 million citizens.

Speaking on the second anniversary of his inauguration on Wednesday, Lai said his goal as president continued to be maintaining peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait – the 180km (112-mile) waterway dividing Taiwan from China – and to prevent “external forces” from altering the island’s political status quo.

The president said he was still willing to engage with Beijing, which cut off communication with Taipei in 2016, but only through “orderly exchanges” based on the principles of “equality and dignity”.

Taiwan is a responsible member of the international community, not a “party that undermines stability”, he also said, in an apparent swipe at Beijing.

China’s Taiwan Affairs Office on Wednesday accused Lai of inciting “cross-strait confrontation” by supporting “Taiwan independence” in remarks coinciding with his anniversary.

The office’s spokesperson, Zhu Fenglian, said Lai “peddles separatist fallacies” while using a narrative of “democracy versus authoritarianism” to describe the Taiwan-China relationship.

Zhu also accused Lai of ignoring the wellbeing of the Taiwanese public to pander to “external forces attempting to ‘seek independence through foreign aid’ and ‘seek independence through force’.”

Lai has faced a tumultuous 24 months as president, with pressures from both inside and outside Taiwan, including from traditional ally the United States.

The opposition-controlled legislature cut down a signature special defence budget from $40bn to $25bn, and this week tried and failed to impeach him over a tax revenue dispute.

He has a 38 percent approval rating, according to a poll conducted earlier this month by news network TVBS, which, while low, is still better than his 32 percent approval rating during his first year in office.

His disapproval rating has also fallen from 55 percent to 44 percent.

Lai said on Wednesday that his government would take other measures to make up the shortfall in Taiwan’s defence spending.

As president, Lai has also had to contend with uncertainty from the US, Taiwan’s longstanding unofficial ally, amid growing pressure from China, which has staged five rounds of military exercises around Taiwan since his May 2024 inauguration.

US President Donald Trump said last week that US arms sales to Taiwan could be used as a “very good negotiating chip” with Beijing.

Trump’s remarks followed a meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing, where the Chinese leader called on Trump to take a stronger stance on Taiwan’s political status.

The US has for decades maintained a deliberately ambiguous stance on the issue.

Lai was also forced to delay a state visit to Eswatini, formerly known as Swaziland, Taiwan’s only diplomatic ally in Africa, in April when several countries denied him access to their airspace due to alleged Chinese pressure. He later made the trip through a circuitous route on board Eswatini King Mswati III’s private jet.

First look images have been released for Channel 4’s new drama Number 10, written by Doctor Who and Sherlock creator Steven Moffat and starring Rafe Spall as the Prime Minister

Channel 4 has unveiled first look images from its upcoming drama Number 10, featuring Rafe Spall in the role of Prime Minister.

The newly-released photographs also showcase Coronation Street’s Katherine Kelly as Chief of Staff and Emmerdale’s Jenna Coleman as Deputy Chief of Staff, appearing alongside the Chief Mouser to the Cabinet Office.

Jenna, Katherine and Rafe lead an impressive ensemble cast that includes Akshay Khanna, Abigail Lawrie, Laura Haddock, Jing Lusi, Pierro Niel-Mee, Rick Warden, Joe Wilkinson, Robyn Cara, Richard Rankin and Rhiannon Clements, amongst others.

The official synopsis for the programme states: “Set in the only terrace house in history with mice and a nuclear deterrent, it’s the only knock-through in the world where a hangover can start a war.

There’s a Prime Minister in the attic, a coffee bar in the basement and a wallpapered labyrinth of romance, crisis and heartbreak in-between, reports Wales Online.

“The government will be fictional and unspecific, but the problems will be real. We’ll never know which party is in power, because once the whole world hits the fan it barely matters.”

“This is a show about the building and everyone inside. Not just the Prime Minister upstairs, but the conspiracy theorist who runs the cafe three floors below, the man who repairs the lift that never works, the madly ambitious ‘advisors’ fighting for office space in cupboards. Oh, and of course, the cat.

“A drama about one of the most famous addresses in the world, Number 10 is all of Britain in a house: it’s British history under one roof. It’s how we all got into the mess we’re in. It’s also our only hope of getting out of it.”

Former Doctor Who showrunner Steven, who also co-created Sherlock and Dracula, said of his new project: “For me, it’s all about famous doors! The doors to the TARDIS, the door to 221B Baker Street, and now the most famous door in the world – Number 10.”

“I’ve been wanting to write about the mad house that runs the madhouse for years, and I’ve never had so much fun doing the research. If you want to do a workplace comedy drama, this one is the boss of them all.”

Discussing his latest role, Rafe said: “Number 10 is a sensational piece of writing, equal to its peerless author, Steven Moffat. I’m delighted to be playing the Prime Minister, in a funny, real and thrilling piece of TV.”

Jenna added: “I thought it was about time I visited another British institution with Steven Moffat. I’m very much looking forward to moving into Number 10 with Steven’s cracking scripts.”

Number 10 is expect to air on Channel 4 this year

Limestone stretches on all sides like an inland ocean – appropriately enough, since the shimmering white rock has its ancient origins in coral, shells and the skeletons of sea creatures. We advance carefully, stepping on clints (blocks of rock) and avoiding grykes (the deep fissures between them). It’s a warm, dry day and, even if it were not, limestone drains better than most types of terrain. For a long while, it’s broad, flat and hallucinatory and then, suddenly, the rocky sea collapses like a waterfall and we’re at the edge of a huge fault. The words Yorkshire Dales might evoke pretty villages and walled-in sheep fields, but this landscape is raw and wild, the kind of natural realm WH Auden celebrated in his poem In Praise of Limestone, and the kind that prompts geological speculation and inward ruminations. To cap it all, there are just three of us and nothing much and no one else all the way to the far horizons.

It’s my first decent yomp of the spring. I’ve come here with two walking pals on the egregiously under-promoted direct train that connects Rochdale and Manchester with the national park and Yorkshire’s Three Peaks. While the Leeds-Settle-Carlisle service – which recently celebrated its 150th birthday – is deservedly famous, the Yorkshire Dales Explorer, which started in June 2024, is much less celebrated. It’s also far less frequent. Trains travel between Leeds and Settle, continuing to Carlisle or Morecambe, 20 times a day Monday to Saturday, 11 times on Sundays. Trains between Manchester Victoria and Settle run on Saturdays only and just once in the morning each way and once in the late afternoon.

We alight at Horton-in-Ribblesdale, the penultimate station before the terminus at Ribblehead, where rises the magnificent viaduct. Both stops are great for walkers, but ours takes us immediately into the heart of the Three Peaks. Pen-y-ghent is behind us as we leave the station, Ingleborough ahead and, to the north, on our far right, is Whernside. All have summits of about 700 metres and if you’re super fit, you can do them in one day – even between the two train services if you want a challenge. The men’s running record is 2hrs 46mins 3secs, set by Andy Peace, of Bingley Harriers, in 1996. Victoria Wilkinson, from the same club, set the women’s record, 3hrs 9mins 19secs, in 2017. It’s more than 23 miles (37km), and trained, fit walkers can manage it in 8-10 hours.

Ours is a less daunting mission: walking on a plateau between the peaks down to Settle, for a pub lunch. It’s still an adventure in the sense that there are very few marked footpaths on the OS app (OL2 is the Ordnance Survey printed map), but this is open access land and so you find your own route. We use cairns to navigate, climbing from the station platform at about 250 metres to the Moughton trig point at 427 metres, where we get a sweeping view of the Yorkshire Three Peaks and Bowland Fells to our south and west, and a chance for a cuppa. I hear my first skylarks of the season, but the air is also filled with the unmistakeable gurgling croak of ravens. Shake holes break up the limestone pavement and you have to be alert to these sudden depressions, but the only significant obstacle is getting down the scars, where the elevation suddenly drops tens of feet. At Long Scar we pause to plot a path and to take in the vertical edge, and in the middle distance, the Norber Erratics – 100-plus boulders transported long ago by glaciers and abandoned wantonly above the village of Austwick.

But the edge is enthralling. You can imagine this formation as an underwater cliff, aeons ago, though glaciation, weather and uplift have played their part in creating the static drama. It could be a rift in the Patagonian steppe or a Yorkshire-tinted section of Arizona’s Monument Valley. We sight an obelisk and head for that and soon find ourselves at the edge of another drop, Moughton Scar, where we descend again, passing a massive quarry; here the material hewed out of the strata is a tough gritstone called greywacke, the colour of cement.

It’s green and agricultural the rest of the way, and while we’re hitting the 10-mile stage of the walk, it’s fine to have wobbly legs now we’re off the tricky pavement. Wild garlic is bursting through, newborn lambs are dozing, and daffodils are sprouting around the tiny hamlet of Feizor, where there’s a teashop that used to be for walkers but now seems to pull in mainly car tourists.

We plough on, over two small rises, and finally on to the banks of the Ribble, which begins its long, meandering journey close to where we began. Settle is full of bikers, shoppers and sightseers, but there are also pints and late lunches in the pubs. We’re contented and have earned our pies. We can either get the late train back or hop on the number 11 minibus to Clitheroe. Those travelling from farther afield have the backup option of later trains to Leeds or Lancaster.

Ours was an ideal first long walk if you’re getting back into exercise after the wet winter. If you want to use the train to attempt the Three Peaks, I’d recommend splitting up the hikes over a weekend. Horton to Pen-y-ghent and then on to Ribblehead, 10 miles all told, is a nice day’s jaunt. You can do Whernside and Ingleborough on the following day, covering a similar distance, ending back at Horton. There’s a choice of campsites and a pub with rooms – the Station Inn – at Ribblehead.

The three hills have different qualities. Pen-y-ghent is a proper big lump, with a dramatically steep southern face that requires a short scramble. Ingleborough is a similar shape, but more haughty and spread out, almost mesa-like in its flat-topped appearance. Whernside is a long-elevated whale-back ridge, running north to south.

I can see the Three Peaks from my kitchen window, 22 miles away as the raven flies. The day before our hike, it had rained at home. But it had snowed on the top of the peaks, making them look out of place. They bear the full brunt of cold westerlies and are higher than anything nearby, and consequently create a micro-season of their own. Bear that in mind if you’re aiming to bag them on your next weekend outing.

At Besiktas Park on Wednesday, Emery will stand on the touchline for his sixth Europa League final in 12 years.

He lost the 2019 final to Chelsea while at Arsenal, where his 18-month reign was seen as a failure.

But he has more triumphs in the competition than any other manager; three with Sevilla – in 2014, 2015 and 2016 – when they beat Liverpool – before a penalty shootout victory over Manchester United with Villarreal in 2021.

Emery, though, insists that will mean nothing come kick-off against their Bundesliga rivals.

“I am not a king in this competition,” he said. “I am now here with Aston Villa in a new chapter. Everything I did is done and of course it’s there in that moment but with it I am not winning.

“I need to win [in Turkey] with the players we have now, with Villa now. So now it’s a new way, a new moment, and hopefully a new era.

“If you are not respecting the opponent, you are closer to losing. If you are not respecting Europe, like we did during the process, we are not here. This is the strong mentality we had before.

“We have a huge challenge, a huge challenge. Are we thinking about the next party on Friday? No, no.”

The former Paris St Germain boss has managed 115 games in the Europa League, winning 71, and his best win rate in the competition is his 85.7% with Villa.

Those wins are a competition record. And since the start of 2023-24, no side has won more European matches than Villa’s tally of 26.

Emery – bizarrely overlooked in the Premier League’s Manager of the Season nominations – spoke to his players on Saturday morning, a debrief following Friday’s 4-2 win over Liverpool which sealed Champions League qualification.

He also reminded them about the journey the club has been on since he replaced Steven Gerrard in late 2022 – a Europa Conference League semi-final, a Champions League quarter-final and two top-five finishes.

Emery has needed a way with words at times, refusing to lay into his players at half-time during the abject defeat by Tottenham at the start of the month.

It was something the squad appreciated, a fatherly touch of reminding them of what they have achieved together.

“I am afraid of dying.” From Bukavu to Kinshasa, concern is spreading among residents and street vendors as Ebola cases rise. In cities hundreds of miles apart, people are wearing face masks and calling for stronger protections from the latest outbreak in DR Congo.

The daughter of mosque security guard Amin Abdullah is remembering him as the “absolute best dad in the world.” Family and community members gathered Tuesday to honour Abdullah, who was killed while confronting gunmen during the attack on a San Diego mosque.

Vinnie Jones says one career moment is way above all others

Vinnie Jones believes winning the FA Cup will be written on his gravestone. Footballer and actor Jones, 61, was part of the Wimbledon team that stunned Liverpool in 1987 with their victory at Wembley. A new Netflix documentary looks at his extraordinary career working as a hod carrier and playing semi-pro football to becoming a Premier League star and then a Hollywood actor.

Looking back, Vinnie said: “I think the biggest achievement is the FA Cup. The odds, you know? Leeds was magnificent, but we built a good team and that was “shit or bust”—we had to get up that season. But Jack and the Beanstalk was a great story of mine as a kid, and that’s what we did at Wimbledon when we beat Liverpool.

“I remember the first round being 1-0 down against Mansfield away. Fast forward a few months, and you’ve beaten one of the greatest teams in the last 50 years. 1-0 in front of a hundred thousand people. It was some achievement. It will probably be on my gravestone, I should think.”

READ MORE: ITV heading to New York with Strictly Come Dancing winner to host World Cup – whilst BBC stay in SalfordREAD MORE: England players warned not to watch new BBC drama about Gareth Southgate

Vinnie is still making movies and also now has his own reality TV show In The Country, detailing his life after taking on 2,000 acres of West Sussex countryside, but it hasn’t all been plain sailing. His wife Tanya died in 2019 with cancer, having beaten the disease several times in the past.

Asked if his attitude in life was all about proving people wrong, he said: “Not prove people wrong, but to keep trying to get to the summit. When you get to the ledge, there’s another ledge and another ledge. I don’t really know where the summit is, to be honest. So I’ll go to the next ledge and the next ledge. Hopefully one day I’ll get there and go, “There’s no more ledges.

“We’re happy in life right now. I’ve got a couple of great movies and TV shows. It’s been a long road; the last six years has been a long road for me. You can’t stay on the same ledge. You’ve got to look up.”

Vinnie admits in the doc he has a “big ego” but also that he had periods in his life when he struggled due to trouble he got into but also heavy drinking, with no one to talk to about his problems. He recalls how he considered suicide when he took a shotgun into the woods near his home and was struggling with his mental health.

He says in the film: “I was on the bed and I was just curled up like the baby position and I was like, enough. I can’t keep doing this to people, can’t do it to the family. So far, I thought I could go for a walk up the wood…. I took the gun, walked up the wood, and then all stupid things go through your head. And the easiest thing to do was just to stop it right there and then, that would be it.

“And then I sort of came round, like being knocked out I suppose like in boxing, when you come around and miss all the scream and the shouting and everything is slow motion and you’re kind of back, you go right f*** this.”

Later in the film he adds: “I’ve taken as many knocks as I’ve given, but I’ve grabbed every opportunity that’s come my way. Be someone, make your mark. I’ve made my mark.”

Asked what people should take away from his story in the documentary, Vinnie says: “I can remember back when I was cutting the grass at the Masonic School in Bushey, just looking up and thinking: give me one chance, one chance, wherever it is, third division, fourth division, please, I want to be a professional footballer. You’re saying that every day. And then all of a sudden, a bolt of lightning or a flash or a spark gives you that chance.

“Talk to the universe and be straight with the universe. Ask for what you want and don’t let it down when it gives you that chance. That’s what it is. There’s a reason why the chance to win the lottery is a billion to one. To build on your dreams is up to us. I think we’re the bricklayers and the carpenters of our own dreams.”

Asked about mistakes in his life, he said: “The biggest regret is not giving up drinking probably 20 years beforehand. I tried it but never stuck at it. I think I’d have achieved a lot more without the booze. When I first went to Wimbledon on that trial, I never had a drink for a year. I wanted to be the fittest I could be. And then I fell into the culture.”

He added: “I wasn’t a drinker or a smoker growing up; it was just football. It was all part of being part of the Crazy Gang. I think I’d have been a lot better player if I hadn’t drunk through my career. But when you’re a young lad from a building site and the next minute you’re playing in front of 50,000 people, you never think it’s going to end.

“Older people say, ‘I hope you’re putting money away because this won’t last forever,’ but they’re talking to a brick wall. You think it’s going to last forever.” Thankfully for Vinnie he found a new career and big paydays in films including Lock Stock and Two Smoking Barrels.

* Untold UK: Vinnie Jones is on Netflix from Tuesday May 26.

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