Month: May 2026

May 22 (Asia Today) — HD Construction Equipment said Friday it signed an agreement with Ukraine’s Mykolaiv regional government to expand cooperation on postwar reconstruction.

The memorandum of understanding was signed Thursday at HD Hyundai’s Global R&D Center in Pangyo, south of Seoul. Attendees included Mykolaiv Gov. Vitaliy Kim, HD Hyundai Vice Chairman Cho Young-cheul and HD Construction Equipment President Moon Jae-young.

The agreement expands cooperation that began in 2023, when HD Construction Equipment worked with the Mykolaiv regional government on construction equipment donations and training.

The two sides agreed to broaden cooperation to include equipment supply, a local training center, service and maintenance support, financing systems and energy infrastructure restoration.

HD Construction Equipment has continued reconstruction talks with Ukrainian government and local officials since the war began. In 2023, Ukraine’s first deputy infrastructure minister, Vasyl Shkurakov, visited the company’s Ulsan campus, leading to further discussions on rebuilding projects.

The company later donated five major pieces of equipment, including excavators and forklifts, to Mykolaiv. The equipment is still being used for emergency recovery and infrastructure restoration work.

HD Hyundai said it plans to pursue a groupwide reconstruction cooperation model combining its construction machinery and energy capabilities.

“We will build a cooperation system that can make a practical contribution to Ukraine’s reconstruction, going beyond simple equipment supply,” Cho said.

— 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=20260522010006601

An unfinished nine-storey building collapsed near Manila early on Sunday, with 19 workers feared trapped beneath the rubble. At least 24 people have been rescued by emergency crews.

Kylie Minogue’s sister Dannii is no stranger to the spotlight, but the popstar has another sibling fans aren’t familiar with

Kylie Minogue fans are more than acquainted with her sister Dannii, but who is the pop icon’s other sibling?

The celebrated singer, 57, has just opened up about her rise to global stardom in new Netflix documentary show Kylie. Tracking her career from soap star to chart-topper, the series features interviews with those closest to the Australian celebrity.

However, her brother Brendan only makes a brief appearance in the show. In Episode 1, Kylie’s brother is shown during a scene where the Minogues gather around for a bonfire. Fans will also spot her sister Dannii, mum Carol, dad Ronald in the segment.

So who exactly is the mysterious Minogue sibling?

Who is Kylie Minogue’s little-known brother?

Kylie’s younger brother is 55-year-old camera operator Brendan Minogue.

He prefers to stay out of the spotlight but has been spotted in his sister’s other projects, including the 2001 special An Audience with Kylie Minogue.

While little is known about the Minogue brother, it seems the three siblings shared a positive childhood.

In her Netflix show, Kylie reflects on their upbringing fondly. “I was raised without any putdowns, without ever hearing ‘You can’t do this, you can’t do that,'” she explains. “We were just encouraged to do what we loved.”

The singer has also cited Brendan as part of her solid support system. In an interview with the BBC, she confessed: “When it’s not going well, that’s who I turn to – Mum, Dad, my brother and my sister.”

She revealed in the same interview that Brendan taught her a stress-relief technique that was crucial during the start of her career.

It’s called the foofer valve, she said, adding: “When the emotion has got to come out, or you’ve got to have a big cry or a moan, you let out a noise, tsssssh, like a kettle letting off steam, and you’re like, ‘Oh, I feel so much better’.”

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This lets members watch live and on-demand TV content without a satellite dish or aerial and includes hit shows like Stranger Things and The Last of Us.

As well as a glimpse into her family life, the three-part Netflix doc offers insight into the pop icon’s decorated career.

A synopsis teases: “Featuring footage from home movies, personal photographs, and new interviews with Kylie herself, the documentary shows the woman behind the hits. It examines how she’s faced public scrutiny, personal loss, and illness with grit and grace, earning respect far beyond her own fandom.”

Kylie is streaming now on Netflix

WASHINGTON — Green Party presidential hopeful Ralph Nader said that Native American activist Winona LaDuke will again be his vice presidential running mate.

LaDuke, 40, is a Harvard graduate from the White Earth Indian Reservation in Minnesota. A farmer and author, she started the White Earth Land Recovery Project 10 years ago and is known for her work recovering lands taken from Minnesota’s Objibway tribe.

Maggie Graham scored in stoppage time to lift host Houston past Angel City for the Dash’s first victory in 51 days.

Graham fired a shot from just outside the box after a series of one-touch passes up the middle of the field. Houston (4-5-2) ended a six-game winless streak.

Kat Rader put Houston on the board in the 17th minute. Angel City (4-5-1) tied it nine minutes later on Maiara Carolina Niehues’ penalty kick.

Houston was without goalkeeper Jane Campbell after she sustained a head injury Wednesday against San Diego. In her place, Caroline DeLisle made her first career NWSL start.

May 23 (UPI) — Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth delivered a graduation speech to graduating West Point cadets Saturday, and told them they are “ready” for war.

“West Point is set apart. It’s special. It’s above politics,” Hegseth said at the U.S. Military Academy in West Point, N.Y., Saturday. “Success here is based on merit. It’s how you perform that matters.”

He accused former “foolish and feckless leaders” of pushing identity politics on the academy.

“The battlefield does not grade on a curve, and you can’t throw your pronouns at the enemy,” The Hill reported Hegseth said. “Combat is the ultimate test, and our best Americans must ace it.”

He said previous “woke and weak leaders” tried to transform the school into “woke Princeton.” Hegseth got a bachelor’s degree from Princeton.

“They embraced the [diversity, equity and inclusion] craze and tried to introduce diversity and inclusion studies,” Hegseth said. “They hired professors who advocated for anti-American ideologies right here in these halls, but no more.

“You are fit, not fat. You are disciplined, not distracted,” Hegseth told the cadets.

While he didn’t mention the war in Iran, he told the graduates that they “are stepping into the arena at a time when the stakes could not be higher.”

“We’re sending you to lead, we’re sending you to forge warriors, and we are sending you, perhaps, to war, and you are ready,” he said.

On stage were also Rep. Steve Womack, R-Ark., Rep. Pat Ryan, D-N.Y., Army Secretary Dan Driscoll and other military officials.

Last year, President Donald Trump delivered the graduation speech.

This marks the second time that Romanian director Cristian Mungiu has won the prestigious Palme d’Or prize.

Fjord, a thought-provoking drama about a Christian family in Norway from Romanian director Cristian Mungiu, has won the best film prize at the Cannes Film Festival.

Mungiu won his second Palme d’Or at a star-packed closing ceremony at the festival on Saturday.

The ⁠drama starring Sebastian Stan and Renate ⁠Reinsve is centred around ⁠the clash ⁠of values that ensues when a religious family ‌relocates from Romania to a Norwegian ‌village.

It tells the story of evangelicals who move to Norway, but soon after have their children taken from them by child services for spanking them. Mungiu has called it a tale of “left-wing fundamentalism.”

The movie is based on true events and is notable for how it questions the supposedly progressive values of the Norwegians depicted in the film, as well as the child welfare system.

“This is a message about tolerance, inclusion, and empathy. These are wonderful values that we all cherish, but we need to put them into practice more often,” Mungiu told the audience.

Mungiu becomes just the 10th filmmaker to win the Palme d’Or twice. His, 4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days, a Romanian abortion drama, won the award in 2007.

Russian war drama Minotaur, by Andrey Zvyagintsev, which depicts a callous businessman caught up in Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, won the Grand Prix second prize.

“Put an end to the carnage, the whole world is waiting for it,” Zvyagintsev, who now lives in exile in France, told the audience in a message addressed to Russian leader Vladimir Putin.

Belgium’s Virginie Efira and Japanese actor Tao Okamoto shared the best female performance award for their roles in nursing home drama, All of a Sudden, by Japan’s Ryusuke Hamaguchi.

Belgian duo Emmanuel Macchia and Valentin Campagne from gay World War I drama, Coward, also shared the male best actor award for their roles in the Lukas Dhont-directed movie.

Rwandan filmmaker Marie-Clementine Dusabejambo won the Camera d’Or for best first film for her genocide drama, Ben’Imana, which she dedicated to “the women of my country”.

EASTENDERS star Jacqueline Jossa confronted estranged husband Dan Osborne over his holiday romance with a stunning Brazilian bikini model.

The 33-year-old actress challenged ex-Towie star Dan, 34, about his relationship with fitness influencer Etila Santiago after he arrived back from his US trip with a pal last week.

The Sun on Sunday can reveal that Dan has grown close to the model, 33, after bonding with her over fitness and their mutual support of Arsenal — and has vowed to see her again soon.

But Jacqueline, who plays Lauren Branning on the BBC1 soap, was alerted to the rendezvous after she and her pals noticed Dan and Etila posting matching sunset and poolside photos on social media.

It comes after Jacqueline and Dan, who have two daughters, Ella, 11, and Mia, seven, split in March after 13 years together. Dan is living in a separate home.

A source said: “Dan started chatting to Etila on Instagram before his trip to Miami as he saw they both had a passion for fitness.

“They met up a few times during his trip and really hit it off, spending a lot of time together hanging out and chatting. He fell in love with the city and is hoping to go out and visit Etila again.

“However, Jac’s mates notified her about Dan’s movements having suspected who he was with online. So when he was back in the UK, she asked him about it.

“It’s obviously very sensitive as they are co-parenting, but Dan is a single man now. Jac is upset as she still feels there’s a chance her and Dan could rekindle their marriage.”

Etila, who used to compete in bikini bodybuilding competitions, recently broke her engagement with bodybuilder fiance Tyler Manion.

After his trip to Miami, fitness enthusiast Dan shared several photos of himself topless on Instagram.

He wrote in the caption: “Happiness is found in 3 things: Letting go of what was. Enjoying what is. And having faith in what will be.”

Jac and Dan met at an awards ceremony in 2013 and tied the knot at a Cheshire manor house in 2017.

Dan also has an 11-year-old son with his ex, Megan Tomlin.

After Mia’s birth in 2018, Jacqueline posted: “I couldn’t ask for a better family, filled with strong women! My girls are my absolute world and I can’t actually get over how lucky I am.”

But her marriage has been rocked by cheating allegations against Dan.

The former Celebrity Big Brother star was suspected of having a fling with Love Islander Gabby Allen in April 2018, after they were seen cosying up on a yacht in Marbella.

A month later, it was reported that a then-pregnant Jacqueline had confronted a mystery girl over allegedly having sex with Dan just months after their wedding.

Dan was accused in September 2018 of having a threesome with Celebrity Big Brother model Chloe Ayling and US reality TV star Natalie Nunn, which he denied.

Six months later, he was snapped kissing Love Island star Alexandra Cane.

Later in 2019, Jacqueline threatened to leave I’m A Celebrity after campmate Myles Stephenson told her he believed Dan had cheated on her with his ex, Gabby.

She told producers she did not want to continue without talking to Dan and she was allowed to leave temporarily to send him a voicemail and receive one back.

She then walked out on Dan in 2020 after she confronted him over a flirty message to Gabby, who apparently did not respond.

Dan confessed to having made “mistakes”.

He said: “I’ve done things I shouldn’t have done.”

Dan and Jacqueline’s representatives were asked to comment.

The travel industry is on edge after Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin reiterated his threat to withdraw U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers from airports in so-called sanctuary cities in a move that could jeopardize international flights.

The U.S. Travel Assn. said that Mullin confirmed he is considering withdrawing the officers in a meeting where the trade group was pressing its concerns about other proposals the Trump administration is considering that could hamper travel. The travel association and major airlines quickly condemned the idea, and even Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said it doesn’t make sense to him.

“U.S. Travel believes such a move would have devastating consequences for the travel industry and communities that depend on international visitation,” the industry group said Friday in a statement.

Details of the meeting were first reported by the Atlantic.

Duffy said at a congressional hearing this week that he wasn’t familiar with Mullin’s remarks, and he’d like to learn more about the context and maybe ask Mullin a question about what he meant. But Duffy said it would be a bad idea to start restricting travel based on political views. After all, he acknowledged, at some point Democrats will be in charge and “you will all switch spots at one point — hopefully not too soon, Mr. Chairman.”

“We have people from around the world and around the country that need to be able to fly into all different kinds of places. We shouldn’t shut down air travel in a state that doesn’t agree with our politics,” Duffy said.

So it’s not clear how much support this idea has within the administration, though President Trump has previously threatened to withhold funding from sanctuary cities.

There is no strict definition for sanctuary policies or sanctuary cities, but the terms generally refer to jurisdictions that limit cooperation with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. And courts have rejected the idea of pulling funding from them in the past.

In Trump’s first term in office, in 2017, courts struck down his effort to cut funding to the cities.

It’s not clear exactly which cities and airports Mullin might target, but the Justice Department last year published a list of three dozen states, cities and counties that it considers to be sanctuary jurisdictions. They include California, Los Angeles, San Francisco and San Diego County.

The Airlines for America trade group was quick to say the idea would hurt the economy and disrupt travel.

“Reducing CBP staffing at major airports would have a devastating effect on the airline and tourism industries, causing a significant operational disruption to carriers, travelers and the flow of international cargo.”

Funk and Yamat write for the Associated Press.

SOUTHERN SECTION SOFTBALL PLAYOFFS

SATURDAY’S RESULTS

Semifinals

DIVISION 1

La Mirada 5, La Habra 1

JSerra 2, Norco 0

DIVISION 2

Whittier Christian 11, St. Paul 6

Mater Dei 4, San Clemente 2

DIVISION 3

Great Oak 4, North Torrance 3

Riverside Prep 4, Dos Pueblos 2

DIVISION 4

Oxnard 1, Monrovia 0

Mission Viejo 5, Burbank Burroughs 3

DIVISION 5

Grace 16, Patriot 10

Northwood 15, Covina 3

DIVISION 6

Irvine 16, Granite Hills 2

Arroyo 11, Hesperia Christian 4

DIVISION 7

Ramona Convent 17, Faith Baptist 9

Edgewood 6, Cathedral City 0

DIVISION 8

San Bernardino 25, Workman 3

Arroyo Valley 18, Capistrano Valley 7

Note: Finals May 28-30 at Bill Barber Memorial Park, Irvine (times TBA).

Al Jazeera’s Ali Hashem reveals details of Iran’s position on the potential peace agreement with the US. US President Donald Trump earlier revealed the two countries were close to an Memorandum of Understanding.

SHE is regarded as the Queen of Pop.

But it seems that Madonna also has royal standards when it comes to travel. I can reveal that the Like A Prayer hitmaker brought her own private chef on to a British Airways flight last month.

She jetted from Los Angeles to London’s Heathrow with former foot- baller boyfriend Akeem Morris.

Her chef plated her up some sushi before they took off for the 11-hour flight to England.

A source said: “Madonna is strict about her lifestyle and avoids processed foods.

“She has the luxury of taking her private chef when travelling. He knows exactly what she eats to ensure she is sufficiently nourished when travelling between timezones.”

ETERNAL WAIT OVER

Louise reveals she’s working on new music after being inspired by Madonna

POP CARNAGE

Bitter feud brewing as Madonna targets Charli XCX with shady Instagram post

Madge is understood to follow a strict macrobiotic diet which is favoured by A-listers including actress Gwyneth Paltrow.

She avoids sugar, caffeine, alcohol and processed items, instead favouring fruit, veg and protein.

Functional nutritionist Pauline Cox previously told The Sun: “Madonna has a carefully planned diet that allows her to carry on performing at a high level.

“She eats complex carbohydrates — brown rice, beans and oats — for slow energy release.”

I previously told how Madonna turned night owl for a new music video, shooting between 5pm and 2am.

She is set to premiere the ten-minute film at the Beacon Theatre at the Tribeca Festival in New York in the US on June 5.

It is built around the first six tracks from her album, Confessions II, out on July 3.­

ELLIE KNUCKLES DOWN

ELLIE GOULDING let her hair down as she returned to the stage for the first time after giving birth to baby number two in March.

Wearing a baggy white tee, leather shorts and diamond knuckle-duster, inset above left, for her show at Radio 1’s Big Weekend in Sunderland, the singer revealed that her five-year-old son Arthur was watching.

She said: “So, guys, this is kind of a big deal, because my son is watching me for the first time today.”

Ellie also sang her new song Black Prada Dress.

Great to have you back, Ellie.

BBC RADIO 1 host Charlie Hedges has pleaded for Harry Styles to return to the Live Lounge.

The DJ, who hosts Dance Anthems, revealed how she was presenting a 24-hour show when the former One Direction star was in the building.

She told Biz on Sunday: “Harry was confirmed to be in the Live Lounge however it was the same day that I’d decided to do a 24-hour Radio 1 dance day. So I missed Harry Styles.

“I stitched myself up because it was my idea to do the 24-hour show. I can’t blame anyone. I am fuming.”

Meanwhile Charlie – who is in Sunderland for Radio 1’s Big Weekend – revealed Lewis Capaldi is one of her favourite guests.

She said: “He is probably the funniest man I have ever met in my entire life, let alone being an incredible performer.”

ZARA McDERMOTT cheered on boyfriend Louis Tomlinson from the side of the stage yesterday.

It comes after she was pictured hugging Joey Essex and sent the internet into meltdown.

An onlooker said: “Zara was all smiles.”

SAM SO WIRED

HUNKY electrician Sam Workman is hoping to make sparks fly in the Love Island villa.

The lad, from Dudley, is lined up for the next series of the ITV dating show in Majorca, which kicks off on June 1.

A source said: “Sam is ready to use his electrician charm in the villa.

“He has also been hitting the gym to make sure he’s villa ready.”

Sam has started his summer in style and was spotted at Coachella Festival in California, US, in April.

Hopefully Sam finds himself a festival sidekick in the villa.

STORM OFF, YAS

SHE signed up with top modelling agency Storm Management after leaving Love Island last year.

But I can reveal that Yasmin Pettet has left the company that has launched the careers of supermodels Kate Moss and Cara Delevingne.

A source said: “Yasmin loved working with Storm and learned a lot from the agency. However her career is going in another direction.”

The agency posted a snap of Yasmin – who finished third with Jamie Rhodes on the dating show – on their Instagram last year to announce the new signing.

It read: “Yasmin’s fearless, edgy aesthetic positions her within the new wave of British It girls: challenging conventions and breaking the mould.”

MARRIED MILEY’S WEBBED BLISS

MILEY CYRUS is a married woman, according to her mother.

The revelation came at the singer’s Hollywood Walk of Fame ceremony in LA on Friday, where Miley wore this webbed maxi dress.

Onlookers witnessed Tish call Miley’s fiancé Maxx Morando, who proposed in winter 2025, her “husband”.

As Miley’s mum herded together family and friends for photographs, she looked over at Maxx, drummer for the rock band Liily, and declared, “We’re gonna bring the husband.”

Maxx then posed next to Miley and kissed her on the cheek.

Tearful Miley lavished praise on her father Billy Ray even though he wasn’t present to see her being honoured with the Hollywood Walk of Fame star.

The singer, who was also joined by designer Donatella Versace and actress Anya Taylor-Joy, declared, “My dad used to say a skyscraper starts with a jackhammer” as she vowed her career is fuelled by making her art immortal.

With tears on her face, Miley continued: “To my family, my future family, parents, my mom, my siblings, my friends, my collaborators, thank you for loving and supporting not only the choices that I make, but my fears, and then facing them with me.

“Today is something that I’ll never forget and I’m always going to cherish.”

AD SUITS YOU, TOM

HE had viewers swooning over him in his suits in The Night Manager – and now Tom Hiddleston is cashing in on his style.

The actor has shot a top-secret Ralph Lauren collaboration, which will be unveiled later this year.

Thor star Tom has been a mainstay at the American label’s events lately, including sitting front row at Milan Fashion Week and attending the post-runway dinner party where he sat pride of place next to Ralph’s son.

A source said: “Tom has a busy filming schedule, but he managed to squeeze in this ad as he was delighted to be asked.

“He loves the brand and plans to wear it on red carpets and at awards dos.” Tom, who is engaged to Fresh Meat actress Zawe Asthon, gushed about fashion earlier this year.

Speaking to Esquire he said: “There’s a certain element of respect when you wear a suit. Not just for yourself, but for the people you’re in the company with.

“I admire the craft of it all, and there’s something about how tailoring can honour shape and athleticism as a man. I love texture. I love the idea of getting dressed up.

“I love the construction of it and the details add up to a whole that I find pleasing.

“My tan shoes match my watch strap, and my pocket square gives a flourish.”

AIR WE GO… OFF TO AMERICA

SHE’S kept her head down since appearing in the Jeffrey Epstein files earlier this year, but I can reveal that Donna Air is quitting the UK.

The ex-Byker Grove actress is returning to her acting roots and hoping to land some roles in the US.

This follows The Sun on Sunday story in February revealing her links to the paedophile businessman. Plus, earlier this month, Donna lost her dad Trevor to cancer.

Posting on social media she wrote: “I’ve packed up my home, and I’m off to pastures new.”

A source said: “It’s been a tough year for Donna. She wants a change of scene and a fresh start. She is hoping to audition for some roles in America and see what comes her way.”

STARS OUT FOR THE BBC

A HOST of top stars from music, films and telly are backing the BBC after filming a new ad promoting the licence fee.

Chris Martin, Daisy Ridley, Cate Blanchett, Ruth Jones and Claudia Winkleman have remade the 1986 advert starring comic John Cleese, titled What Have The BBC Ever Given Us?

The original was a parody of his and Monty Python’s sketch from 1979 film The Life Of Brian.

The ad was filmed at a top-secret location in London earlier this month with scenes from Glastonbury festival and Wimbledon.

A source said: “The BBC has come under a lot of heat lately so this is its rallying cry to boost morale among the public.”

SCARLETT MOFFATT has revealed that she is expecting a baby boy.

The reality star and partner Scott already have a son, Jude.

She said: “I was born to be a boy mum. I’m so excited. All my family and friends knew I wanted another boy.

“My preference was a boy, to give Jude a brother. I’m just so happy for him.”

Kaunas, Lithuania’s second-biggest city, offers plenty of surprises, as I found out during a trip to the city in May

Wandering through the streets of a lesser-known European city that days earlier I knew very little about, a piece of street art featuring three grandmas wearing reflective sunglasses caught my eye.

‘Silence, please!’ was the clear instruction accompanying the mural as, full of curiosity and intrigue, I tentatively stepped inside the entrance of a colourfully-painted courtyard of apartments to take a peek.

I saw a couple of tourists grabbing phones from their coat pockets, working their way around the vibrant little snicket and snapping photos. A small but exciting place to stumble upon, it felt like something of a hidden secret.

And one I came across in Kaunas, Lithuania’s second-biggest city. It is a place that has long lived in the shadow of its postcard-pretty capital Vilnius, located an 80-minute drive away, but one full of little surprises.

READ MORE: People spending more time on phones on holiday than when they’re at workREAD MORE: Ten airlines cancelling and grounding flights this summer because of the fuel crisis

Between the wars, while Vilnius was under Polish control, Kaunas was the country’s temporary capital. In that time, it found itself producing one of Europe’s richest collections of architecture, which was recognised by UNESCO in 2023.

As I wandered through the confines of the Yard Gallery, I soon realised Kaunas was worthy of far more than just a quick stop-off. It has a creative soul I had not encountered in many other places during my travels.

The free-to-enter open-air street display was started by artist Vytenis Jakas who, having noticed some had become alienated, wanted a way to bring neighbours together and commemorate the lives of former Jewish residents.

Walls bloom with street art, with the powerful words of John Lennon’s Imagine immortalised on one, and a giant elephant and seagull stopping you in your tracks on another. There are more understated features, like mirror mosaics, stained-glass windows, and photograph memorials to past residents. It felt distinctly lived in, with cars parked outside, refuse bins and clothes lines draped around the murals.

My stop in Kaunas being fleeting, it was time to join Lithuania Travel and visit one of the country’s oldest and largest art museums, M.K. Čiurlionis National Museum of Art, devoted to the local genius.

I explored the cosmic and dreamscape-like fantasy world of the artist and composer’s sounds and images, which told the story of his more than 300 paintings and 400 musical compositions.

The Trail of Angels virtual reality experience was an unexpected pleasure. Via a headset, I found myself immersed in the paintings, swirling around on a fully-rotating chair, floating through symbolic forests. What felt gimmicky on paper beforehand proved to be unexpectedly moving and peaceful.

It is not just art, but food, which has a firm place in the city’s creative ambitions.

I took a stroll along the length of Liberty Avenue, Kaunas’ most prominent and longest pedestrian street, flanked with trees, shops and cafes, and the awe-inspiring neo-Byzantine Catholic Church of St Michael the Archangel.

In the church’s shadow is Sija, a barely five-month-old restaurant which is set to have its food featured in the Michelin Guide – despite its infancy and only having four members of staff.

Inside, I met owner and chef Rakas Vasiliauskas and partner Greta Rutkauskaite, whose vision is to celebrate exclusively Lithuanian cuisine.

So much so, even lemon, pepper and oil are omitted. I tried a trout, presented with cucumbers, kefir and purple potato. A particularly tasty dish that showcased the best of local ingredients without the typical theatrical fuss.

Elsewhere, DIA restaurant left a lasting impression with its luxurious decor, mirrored ceilings and a full-blown tree acting as a centrepiece to one table. But its food was even more memorable.

Lamb, accompanied by pea-mint puree, cuttlefish tuile, chicken jus, pea pods, baby carrots and baby potatoes, came together to create an exquisite dining experience I will not forget in a hurry.

There is a feel of history and reinvention in Kaunas, with every restored facade or repurposed courtyard offering a frequent reminder of where it has been and where it is going. It is perhaps the mural of the sunglasses-wearing grans which captures the spirit of the city most, acting as a symbol for a place which has endured, adapted and emerged with its sense of humour and style still intact.

Book it

UK flights from London Luton Airport to Kaunas with Wizz Air start at £19.99 per person.

It will be JSerra taking on La Mirada for the Southern Section Division 1 softball championship next weekend in Irvine after both teams won their semifinal games on Saturday.

JSerra, behind 14 strikeouts from Liliana Escobar, defeated No. 2-seed Norco 2-0 to advance to its first championship game. Annabel Raftery hit a solo home run and Magenta De Arte added an RBI single.

Alison Ortega threw a complete game with seven strikeouts in La Mirada’s 5-1 win over La Habra. Freshman Rylee Thurmond had three hits.

Whittier Christian 11, St. Paul 8: A grand slam by Danni Lopez in the seventh powered the Heralds to victory in a Division 2 semifinal game. Whittier Christian will face Mater Dei in the final.

Mater Dei 4, San Clemente 2: Tulutululelei Salue hit a two-run home run and Aly Carrillo added a solo home run for the Monarchs in a Division 2 semifinal.

Great Oak 4, North Torrance 3: Regan Spillers delivered a walk-off RBI single in the bottom of the seventh inning in a Division 3 semifinal. Isabella Paun finished with three hits. Great Oak will face Riverside Prep, a 4-2 winner over Dos Pueblos.

Oxnard 1, Monrovia 0: Sophomore Destinee Herrera threw the shutout, striking out eight with no walks, in a Division 4 semifinal. Oxnard will face Mission Viejo, a 5-3 winner over Burbank Burroughs.

May 23 (UPI) — The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Saturday added two more airports that travelers to the United States can be routed through for Ebola screening when entering the country.

The enhanced travel screening announced earlier this week by the CDC and the Department of Homeland Security is meant to screen people for the virus on entry to the country if they have been in the Democratic Republic of Congo, South Sudan or Uganda.

The outbreak, which started in the DRC and has spread to neighboring South Sudan and Uganda, is estimated to have 750 suspected cases and 177 suspected deaths, the World Health Organization on Friday said, adding that the “real scale of the outbreak is likely far larger.”

The CDC first issued restrictions on Thursday for Americans returning to the United States to be screened at Washington Dulles International Airport in Washington, D.C., before continuing on to their final destinations.

The two additional airports will be Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, which started to accept travelers at 11:59 p.m. EDT on Friday, and George W. Bush Intercontinental Airport in Houston, which will start to accept travelers on Tuesday, May 26, at 11:59 p.m. EDT, the CDC said on Saturday.

“These travelers will have their air travel re-routed to arrive at select airports,” CDC officials said in the update.

The enhanced health screening includes being escorted to a designated screening area; completing a questionnaire about their travel history and symptoms; having their temperatures checked using non-contact thermometers; and observation by CDC staff for signs of illness.

“Travelers with fever or other symptoms that could be Ebola will receive additional evaluation by a CDC public health officer,” the agency said.

“If the assessment shows that a traveler may be sick with Ebola, the traveler will be transferred to a hospital for further medical evaluation,” it said.

The WHO on Friday raised the national risk assessment during the outbreak in the DRC to “very high,” but officials said that global risk for infection with the Bundibugyo strain of the Ebola virus, for which there is no approved vaccine.

WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreysus during a meeting on Friday thanked the efforts of neighboring nations in Africa who have assisted during the outbreak, as well as the various regional and global health agencies that also have done so.

Although the United States last year pulled out of the WHO, the U.S. State Department said on Saturday that it has activated a dedicated Ebola Response Task Force that is led by “senior experts with direct experience managing prior Ebola outbreaks” in 2014 and 2018.

The department also has deployed a Disaster Assistance Response Team and provided $32 million in assistance to U.S. partners in the region, it said in a press release.

[kicker]

ITV viewers were quick to issue the same complaint about Danny Dyer and Emily Atack’s new gameshow Nobody’s Fool

ITV viewers have ‘switched off’ new gameshow Nobody’s Fool after voicing identical complaints.

Fronted by actors Danny Dyer and Emily Atack, the quiz-based series features ten strangers battling it out for a whopping £100,000 prize fund. Unlike the majority of gameshows, this programme isn’t about how intelligent contestants are, but rather how intelligent others perceive them to be.

Each participant tackles a general knowledge quiz in private, with their correct answers contributing money to the prize. Having completed the quiz, players can opt to lie or tell the truth about their performance.

The genuine tension of the game emerges during the eviction task, where contestants must pinpoint the person who contributed the least to the prize fund based purely on their impressions of their fellow players.

Victory hinges on persuading the other contestants that you’re clever enough to remain in the game, even if that means double-crossing them, reports the Daily Star.

Despite its fascinating premise, viewers were swift to condemn the new programme for allegedly “ripping off” BBC’s The Traitors.

Taking to X, formerly Twitter, one viewer wrote: “So this #nobodysfool is 100% a rip off of #Thetraitors.”

As devotees of the BBC gameshow will recognise, The Traitors is similarly a game of deception, which relies on players’ perceptions of one another. The Traitors is also set in a castle, while Nobody’s Fool takes place in a manor.

Someone else drew the same parallel, writing: “Budget version of The Traitors #NobodysFool,” while a third contributed: “#NobodysFool so this is another traitors/ fortune hotel rip off.”

Others were swift to switch off the programme. “Nope 2 minutes in and off #nobodysfool,” remarked one, while someone else noted: “Nodding off already. Surely not another itv flop.”

Despite the harsh judgements, however, some ITV audiences are prepared to give the gameshow an opportunity. One commended: “I’m liking #NobodysFool so far not a bad opening.”

While a second concurred: “#NobodysFool seems okay at the moment.”

And yet another viewer offered a measured assessment, declaring: “Too many shows these days are trying too hard to replicate The Traitors – and failing miserably. #NobodysFool however is decent so far and already a lot better than #TheNeighbourhood.”

Nobody’s Fool is streaming now on ITVX

Mulivai Levu helped UCLA remain the comeback kings of college baseball, hitting a walk-off, three-run home run to seal a 7-5 win over rival USC on Saturday and a spot in the Big Ten tournament championship game.

It was No. 1 seed UCLA’s 27th comeback win of the season and the second consecutive game Levu’s hit sealed a victory during the Big Ten tournament played in Omaha, Neb.

On Saturday night, Levu hit a walk-off sacrifice fly to seal UCLA’s comeback 4-3 win over Purdue in the conference tournament quarterfinals.

UCLA improved to 50-6, a record that Levu said gives the team confidence it will find a way to win.

“It’s the power of friendship right there. We’re all well connected,” Levu said during an interview Saturday on the Big Ten Network. “… We just don’t give up. We’re never out of it, we’re never doubting ourselves. We know what kind of lineup we’ve got, we’ve just got to use it.”

USC’s Augie Lopez hit a double and the rest of the Trojans were active early, building a 3-0 lead in the third inning. Levu hit an RBI single in the bottom of the third to cut the deficit. Dominic Cadiz had an RBI single in the fourth before pitchers held both teams scoreless in the fifth and sixth innings.

Dean West hit a two-run home run in the seventh to give UCLA its first lead at 4-3, and both teams were scoreless in the eighth.

In the ninth, Adrian Lopez and Augie Lopez managed to score runs for USC, taking a 5-4 lead. Top Trojans reliever Adam Troy got No. 1 MLB draft prospect Roch Cholowsky to fly out.

Then Levu entered the batter’s box with two outs and hit the home run that sent USC (43-15) back to Los Angeles for a break before the NCAA tournament brackets are revealed Sunday night.

“They’re rivals on the field, but those are our boys off the field,” Levu said of the Trojans. “They’re good guys and they’re good team. We’ll probably see them again later on in the playoff run. Props to them, it was a great game, they made it very interesting. I’m just glad we won.”

May 23 (UPI) — The White House was locked down on Saturday evening after a man approached one of its checkpoints and opened fire at the executive mansion before being shot by the Secret Service.

Around 6 p.m. a man near 17th Street and Pennsylvania Avenue approached a White House entrance, pulled a firearm from his bag and started firing at the entrance, the Secret Service said in a statement.

Members of several media organizations, some who were reporting live, reported hearing what they thought were gunshots before the Secret Service told them to seek shelter inside the James S. Brady Press Briefing Room.

“Secret Service Police returned fire, striking the suspect, who was transported to an area hospital where he was pronounced deceased,” Anthony Guglielmi, chief of communications for the Secret Service, said in the statement.

“During the shooting, one bystander was also struck by gunfire,” Guglielmi said. “No injuries were sustained by officers.”

The bystander is in serious condition, CBS News reported.

The Secret Service said that President Donald Trump, who has been working at the White House all day amid negotiations to end the Iran war, was in the White House during the shooting, “however no protectees or operations were impacted.”

Reporters on the North Lawn reported that they heard what they thought was gunfire and ducked before Secret Service agents told them to “sprint to the press briefing room” to take cover.

Both the Secret Service and FBI quickly confirmed that both agencies were investigating reports of gunfire near the White House.

The White House was briefly locked down, and The Washington Post reported that its security gates remained locked hours after the incident.

The White House checkpoint the man fired at is located at 17th Street and Pennsylvania Avenue, which is near the Eisenhower Executive Office Building.

Although the suspect approached the White House, Fox News reported that he never actually got inside the general perimeter of the executive mansion.

Rapper Rob Base, one-half of the hip-hop duo Rob Base & DJ E-Z Rock, died on Friday after a battle with cancer. He was 59.

“Rob’s music, energy, and legacy helped shape a generation and brought joy to millions around the world. Beyond the stage, he was a loving father, family man, friend and creative force whose impact will never be forgotten,” a statement on Base’s Instagram read.

The statement also expressed gratitude to Base, who was surrounded by family as he died, for “the music, the memories and the moments that became the soundtrack to our lives.”

Rob Base was born Robert Ginyard in May 1967. He was best known for his collaborations with DJ E-Z Rock. The two were lifelong friends, meeting in fifth grade while living in Harlem. Their song “It Takes Two” was released in 1988 by Profile Records. The song became a breakout single for the duo and peaked at No. 3 on the Billboard U.S. dance club songs chart, with The Times calling “It Takes Two” “the rage of the rap underground.”

The duo followed up the hit with the release of the singles “Joy and Pain” and “Get On the Dance Floor.” Base released his solo album, “The Incredible Base,” in 1989.

Base was an ardent supporter of the rap genre, explaining to The Times in 1989 the nuance of the music.

“People outside rap don’t understand it. There’s all sorts of subtle things — key things — happening over and above the beat in rap songs. The fans want new stuff all the time,” Base said.

Base had two children, De’Jené Ginyard and Robert Ginyard Jr. His wife, April, died in 2013.