Published On 15 May 202615 May 2026
Early signs point to the United States and China moving towards a relationship focused on pragmatic areas of common interest following US President Donald Trump’s trip to China, according to analysts, setting aside the turmoil that marked 2025.
Trump was in Beijing for three days this week to meet with Chinese President Xi Jinping, accompanied by a delegation of American CEOs, including the heads of Apple, Nvidia, BlackRock and Goldman Sachs.
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The meeting between the two leaders came just over six months after they agreed to pause the US-China trade war for a year on the sidelines of a multilateral summit in South Korea. While a frequent critic of China’s economic policies at home, Trump appeared to get along with Xi in person throughout his trip and lavished praise on the Chinese leader.
“It’s an honour to be with you, it’s an honour to be your friend, and the relationship between China and the USA is going to be better than ever before,” Trump told Xi on Thursday.
The White House readout of the Trump-Xi meeting on Thursday stressed areas of common ground, stating that the leaders had “discussed ways to enhance economic cooperation between our two countries” by “expanding market access for American businesses into China and increasing Chinese investment into our industries”.
Notably absent from the statement was any mention of China’s export controls on rare earths, critical materials used across the tech, defence and energy sectors. China controls nearly the entire industry, and it has moved to restrict US access.
William Yang, senior Northeast Asia analyst at the Crisis Group, told Al Jazeera that Trump’s remarks showed he would likely try to compartmentalise US-China relations into areas where the two sides can work together without being overshadowed by geopolitical concerns.
Xi, while less effusive, also spoke of his desire to move towards a new US-China framework based on “constructive strategic stability”, meaning that the US and China should try to “minimise competition, manage differences and allow stability to be the foundation of the bilateral relationship”, according to Yang.
Both leaders appear to have sidestepped other controversial issues, such as the status of Taiwan, a 23 million-person democracy claimed by Beijing but unofficially backed by Washington.
Xi told Trump during their meeting that Taiwan was the “most important issue” in the US-China relationship, and that mishandling it could lead to “clashes and even conflicts” between the two sides. Beijing objects to Washington’s ongoing military support of Taiwan and has pressed the US to take a more explicit line on Taiwan’s political status.
Although the US does not recognise the government in Taipei, it maintains a deliberately vague policy on China’s territorial claims. Despite the controversy, neither the Chinese nor the US readout mentioned whether Trump discussed Taiwan or the future of arms sales – suggesting he either disagreed with Xi or avoided the topic.
Analysts like Yang say it is still too soon to know whether Trump will heed Xi’s remarks by blocking or delaying a $14bn arms deal reportedly in the works for Taiwan. The deal would need Trump’s sign-off to move forward, according to US legislators.
Xi was equally circumspect on Iran and the Strait of Hormuz, which has been shuttered since the US and Israel launched a war on Iran on February 28.
Trump has previously pushed China to encourage Iran to reopen the strait, through which a fifth of the world’s oil and gas passed each year before the war, because of its close relationship with Tehran. China and Iran signed a 25-year “strategic partnership” in 2021, and Beijing buys 80 to 90 percent of Iran’s oil annually.
Trump raised the points again in his meeting with Xi in Beijing, according to the US readout, which said the two leaders “agreed that the Strait of Hormuz must remain open to support the free flow of energy”.
“President Xi also made clear China’s opposition to the militarisation of the Strait and any effort to charge a toll for its use, and he expressed interest in purchasing more American oil to reduce China’s dependence on the Strait in the future. Both countries agreed that Iran can never have a nuclear weapon,” the readout said.
The Chinese readout of their meeting on Thursday did not include mention of Iran or its nuclear programme.
Chucheng Feng, founding partner of Hutong Research based in Beijing, told Al Jazeera that the omissions reflect that Xi and Trump still disagree on key issues, including Iran, but that the overall message from the summit was a desire to move forward.
“For Beijing, the most important thing is to find a floor for the relationship, to set up and enhance guardrails so that no surprises or uncontrolled escalations suddenly emerge. For that, item-by-item disagreements are largely secondary,” he said.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy strongly condemned Russia after a missile strike on a residential apartment building in Kyiv killed at least 24 people, including three children.
The attack occurred during one of the heaviest aerial bombardments on the Ukrainian capital this year and further intensified international concern over the continuing war between Russia and Ukraine. Rescue operations continued for more than a full day before emergency workers completed searches through the destroyed structure in Kyiv’s Darnytskyi district.
The strike formed part of a broader wave of Russian drone and missile attacks across Ukraine that officials say targeted multiple regions over consecutive days.
Zelenskiy visited the destroyed apartment building on Friday, laying red roses at the site and meeting rescue workers who had spent more than twenty eight hours searching for survivors beneath the rubble.
In remarks shared through social media, the Ukrainian president praised emergency responders for their continuous efforts and accused Russia of deliberately destroying civilian lives.
According to Zelenskiy, the missile strike effectively destroyed an entire section of the residential building. Ukrainian officials stated that initial analysis suggested the attack involved a recently manufactured Russian Kh 101 cruise missile.
The Ukrainian leader once again appealed to international allies for stronger air defence support and increased pressure on Moscow.
Kyiv authorities declared Friday a day of mourning in memory of the victims. Flags across the capital were lowered to half mast, and public entertainment events were cancelled or postponed.
The Interior Ministry reported that rescue teams removed approximately 3,000 cubic meters of rubble during the operation. Hundreds of emergency personnel participated in the search efforts.
Officials confirmed that 24 bodies were recovered from the site, while approximately 30 people were rescued alive. Nearly 50 individuals were injured, and hundreds required psychological support following the attack.
The deaths of children among the victims further intensified public grief and anger across Ukraine.
Ukrainian authorities stated that Russia launched more than 1,500 drones along with dozens of missiles during attacks carried out over two consecutive days this week.
The strikes extended beyond Kyiv and affected western regions of Ukraine located far from active frontline combat zones. Officials reported that six people were killed during attacks in western Ukraine on Wednesday.
The scale of the aerial assault highlights Russia’s continuing ability to conduct large coordinated attacks despite prolonged international sanctions and battlefield losses.
Moscow did not immediately comment specifically on the apartment building strike. Russia consistently denies deliberately targeting civilians, although residential buildings, hospitals, schools, and energy infrastructure have repeatedly been damaged throughout the conflict.
The conflict has increasingly involved reciprocal long range attacks by both sides.
Russian regional officials stated that Ukrainian drone strikes killed four people, including a child, in the Russian city of Ryazan. Authorities reported damage to apartment buildings and an industrial facility during the incident.
Ukraine has expanded drone operations against targets inside Russia over the course of the war, aiming to disrupt military infrastructure, industrial production, and logistical operations linked to Moscow’s military campaign.
These developments reflect the increasingly transnational nature of the conflict, with civilian populations on both sides facing growing security risks.
The attack on Kyiv underscores the severe humanitarian consequences of the war, which began with Russia’s full scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
Millions of Ukrainians have been displaced since the start of the conflict, while repeated strikes on civilian infrastructure have damaged homes, hospitals, schools, transportation systems, and energy networks across the country.
International organizations and human rights groups have repeatedly raised concerns about civilian casualties and the destruction of non military targets during the war.
At the same time, the prolonged conflict has placed enormous economic and psychological pressure on Ukrainian society as cities continue to face the threat of missile and drone attacks.
The deadly strike on Kyiv demonstrates how the war between Russia and Ukraine continues to evolve into a prolonged campaign involving large scale aerial warfare and attacks far beyond frontline battle zones.
For Ukraine, the attack reinforces the urgent need for stronger air defence systems capable of intercepting missiles and drones before they reach urban areas. Zelenskiy’s renewed appeals to allies reflect growing concerns that Ukraine’s defensive capabilities remain under intense strain as Russia increases the scale and frequency of aerial assaults.
For Russia, sustained missile and drone attacks appear aimed at weakening Ukrainian morale, exhausting defence systems, and increasing pressure on the government through continued civilian disruption.
However, such attacks also carry significant international consequences. Civilian casualties, especially involving children and residential buildings, strengthen global criticism of Moscow and may encourage additional military and financial support for Ukraine from Western allies.
The conflict additionally illustrates the changing character of modern warfare, where advanced missiles, drones, and long range strikes allow both sides to target infrastructure and urban centers far from traditional battlefields.
Despite ongoing diplomatic discussions in various international forums, there remains little indication of a near term political settlement. Instead, the war increasingly appears locked in a prolonged phase of escalation, attrition, and humanitarian suffering.
The strike on Kyiv therefore stands not only as a tragic individual event but also as a broader symbol of the continuing devastation caused by one of the most consequential conflicts in modern Europe.
With information from Reuters.
Jesy Nelson has celebrated her twins turning one with a lavish double birthday bash.
The singer posed with daughters Ocean Jade and Story Monroe surrounded by balloons and pastel party decorations at the sweet celebration.
But the former Little Mix star has also been reflecting on her emotional first year as a mum, sharing a touching video montage of her journey with daughters Ocean Jade and Story Monroe.
Ocean Jade and Story Monroe Nelson were diagnosed with SMA1, a rare genetic condition that causes progressive muscle weakness and movement difficulties.
Narrated by Jesy herself and set to soft piano music, the clip featured a poem about parenting children with disabilities and the difference between the motherhood she expected and the reality she has experienced.
The poem compares raising a child with additional needs to planning a dream trip to Italy, only to unexpectedly land in Holland instead.
Widely shared by parents of disabled children, the emotional piece explains that while life may not turn out how you first imagined, it can still be filled with beauty, love and joy.
It has become a well-known piece of writing within disability and parenting communities for its message about embracing a different path.
Jesy accompanied the video with a heartfelt caption which ended: “Happy Birthday my Ocean and Story you are my whole heart and soul I love you more than you will ever know.”
The 34-year-old described her girls as “tiny little super humans” and “he strongest, most resilient little fighters I’ve ever known” in a heartfelt caption.
The twins’ dad is rapper and singer Zion Foster, who began dating Jesy in 2022 and got engaged to the former Little Mix star last year.
However, the couple later split following the devastating diagnosis of their daughters’ SMA1 condition, though they have remained close and are continuing to co-parent together
WAITING times in airports have increased since the introduction of EES – but one destinations has had travellers queueing for up to six hours.
Portugal is a beautiful country for a family break, but the lengthy queues mean that some are spending longer lining up in the airport than they do on the plane.
Follow The Sun’s award-winning travel team on Instagram and Tiktok for top holiday tips and inspiration @thesuntravel.
EES delays and travel chaos have dominated the news, and some airports in Portugal in particular have passengers waiting in very long queues.
One travel blogger posted on Instagram: “Last week a family I advised landed in Lisbon and stood in line for 6 hours and 40 minutes. Their toddler slept on a suitcase. They missed their transfer to the Algarve.
“EES (the EU’s new biometric entry system) is now live. Faro processes 7x more summer traffic than its capacity. Luggage handlers are striking April through June. And the airport you choose to land in will define your first 24 hours in Portugal.”
The flight time between the UK and Lisbon is up to three hours, so some British travellers are standing in the airport for longer than they’re on the plane.
Queues through Lisbon Airport have been causing frustration amongst many travellers.
One Brit wrote just yesterday on X: “Warning if you are flying to Portugal any time now, actually spent longer queuing than the actual flight, was a shambles with half the machines not working, and further queues to passport control.”
Another said leaving Lisbon Airport was the “one of the worst passport control experiences” with hours of waiting.
The EU’s EES (entry/ exit) system has increased the queuing time for inward and outward passengers by four and even five times as much, according to The Resident.
It’s not just Lisbon either; Faro Airport in the south is experiencing lengthy delays too with some saying that they’ve queued from the terminal to airside.
One big reason for the delays that Lisbon and Faro airports suffer from is caused by what’s called ‘bottlenecking’.
Essentially it’s airport congestion from when lots of flights land at the same time, or delays cause lots of passengers to be in one place at the same time.
They occur mostly at security checkpoints, passport control, boarding gates, and baggage handling areas resulting in lengthy queues.
One of our own Travel Reporters experienced the situation herself in Lanzarote when multiple flights landing at the same time ended up in a three-hour queue through the airport.
The queues have been getting so bad that airlines like Ryanair have even called for EES to be suspended until September – after the peak summer travel period.
While you can’t avoid EES queues, there are ways to make them less uncomfortable.
Make sure to check out our tips from where to sit on the plane to the best time to take a flight.
Vivica A. Fox dreamed of being a model, but in order to receive her mother’s blessing to move to Southern California, where the jobs were, she had to promise her one thing: She’d go to college.
So that’s what she did. At 18, Fox left her hometown of Indianapolis for Huntington Beach, where she attended Golden West College and got an associate’s degree in social sciences. On weekends, she’d drive up to L.A. for auditions, getting her first taste of show business while dancing on Don Cornelius’ iconic television series “Soul Train” and later nabbing her first acting gig as Dr. Stephanie Simmons on “Young and the Restless,” a role she recently reprised after more than 30 years.
In Sunday Funday, L.A. people give us a play-by-play of their ideal Sunday around town. Find ideas and inspiration on where to go, what to eat and how to enjoy life on the weekends.
“The rest is kind of history,” says Fox, who went on to star in other hit films including “Kill Bill: Vol. 1,” “Two Can Play That Game,” “Soul Food” and “Set It Off,” which celebrates its 30th anniversary this year.
Her latest project, “Is God Is,” hits theaters Friday. Directed by Aleshea Harris, who wrote the award-winning play of the same name, the film follows twin sisters as they embark on a vengeful quest to find their abusive father, who left them for dead. Fox plays God, the twins’ mother, a burn victim and domestic abuse survivor who gives her daughters a simple yet chilling instruction: “Make your daddy dead. Real dead.” Harris handpicked Fox for the role.
“I just was so honored,” Fox says. “Then when I got the script and dove into it a little bit more, I was like ‘Ooh, this is a way no one has ever seen me. This is going to be challenging.”
She adds, “I was like, ‘Wow. We don’t get things like this,’ so it was honestly, for me, a no-brainer.”
Sundays are the one day of the week where Fox can “do me,” she says. Here’s how she’d spend it in L.A.
This interview has been lightly edited and condensed for length and clarity.
6:30 a.m.: Quick coffee run
I’m usually up by 6:30 or 7 a.m. I’m an early bird because I’m so used to either having to be on set or when my publicist, B.J., was living on the East Coast and I’d have to respond to answer his emails in a timely manner. Once I’m awake and settled, I’d get some Starbucks. I’d order a venti white chocolate mocha with an extra shot of espresso, no whipped cream. I used to order kale bites, which I’d eat with the meat from the sausage and egg sandwich, but they discontinued them so now I just get the sandwich.
8 a.m.: Float in hot springs
I’d head to the Beverly Hot Springs. I would get a body care treatment. It’s awesome because they rub you from head to toe with body oil, then they wash your hair and give you a cucumber and yogurt mask. After that, I would get a facial and float in the water. It is one of the only spas with natural, alkaline hot springs in L.A., so the water is just heavenly.
2 p.m.: Margarita and caviar fries with a view
After that, I would meet with a friend, more than likely B.J., at the rooftop restaurant at Waldorf Astoria. The reason why I love going there is because of the view. On a beautiful, clear day, you can see all of Los Angeles. It has a 360 view that is absolutely incredible. I would start off with the caviar fries and a spicy margarita with a tajin rim. Then I would do either the salmon with spinach or if it was a super cheat day, I’d have a cheeseburger.
4 p.m.: A Broadway show or a sports game
I’d probably go home and take a short nap. But if my godson, Quentin Blanton Junior, is in town, I’d go see him perform at the Hollywood Pantages Theatre. He’s playing little Michael in “MJ: The Musical” at the Pantages Theatre. [Editor’s note: We interviewed Fox before the show ended earlier this month]. I’m so proud of him. But if he’s not performing, I’d go to a Chargers or Lakers game. I’m a sports junkie. I’m from Indiana. We grow up on football and basketball. I’ve always loved the Lakers. I remember going to the games back in the day in Inglewood because I used to live there. I used to walk to the games. That was the golden era of Magic and all those guys, then Kobe and them moved up to Staples, which is now Crypto.
9 p.m.: Nightcap before bed
I’d end my Sunday with a night cap at the Delta Club at the Lakers game. I’d have a glass of wine before heading home, then I’d drink a Lacroix to hydrate. I try to be in the bed definitely before midnight.
FAMILY holidays abroad aren’t easy on the wallet, with the costs of your hotel, dinners, and days out to water parks and attractions piling up.
So for many parents, a hotel with its own water park is the ultimate holiday holy grail.
It’s the difference between spending money on expensive day trips, versus a week where the kids are entertained on-site, from breakfast until bedtime.
But finding a resort with that “wow factor” that is also actually affordable is easier said that done.
To skip the stress, travel insiders at top holiday companies have selected some of their best 2026 summer holiday deals, and we’ve put together ten of the most exciting all-inclusive gems across Europe and beyond.
From fairytale castle resorts in Turkey to a sparkling-new jungle-themed aqua park in Egypt, here are travel companies’ top picks for all-inclusive water park hotels for the summer – that the kids are bound to love.
Travel experts from Loveholidays hand-selected the following deals in cost-friendly Tunisia, Bulgaria and Turkey.
Plus, all of these breaks are within the school summer holidays.
The Skanes Serail and Aquapark is a huge, rainbow-coloured resort that’s perfect for an action-packed holiday in the sun.
Loveholidays called the resort “a superb choice for families looking for an action-packed holiday in the sun”.
“With its on-site waterpark, children’s pool and mini-club, there’s plenty to keep younger guests entertained throughout the day.
“Set on a private beach with sun loungers and parasols provided, this hotel offers a fantastic blend of beachside relaxation and aquatic fun.”
Take your pick of giant swirly water slides that land you straight in the refreshing pool, or make use of the hotel’s private beach, spa and sports courts.
There’s 224 comfy air-conditioned rooms here, plus three restaurants, a poolside bar and even a beachside barbecue for when you get hungry.
And with a price that works out to around just £72.71pp per night, that’s a great deal for an all-inclusive mega resort stay.
Loveholidays offer a 7-night stay from 26 July, including return flights from London Southend, for £509pp.
This four-star stay sits in the lively resort of Sunny Beach, Bulgaria, and makes for an ideal family holiday base.
Loveholidays decribed the hotel as a top pick “for families looking for a budget-friendly holiday in the sun”.
“Located in the vibrant Sunny Beach resort, this welcoming property offers excellent facilities for children including a kids’ club and playground, making it an ideal base for memorable family holidays.”
There’s plenty for kids here, including an adventure playground, kids club and activities like beach volleyball and an indoor games room.
There’s an outdoor pool for both adults and kids, the latter with a mini splash park and waterslides.
The golden sands of Sunny Beach are just a five-minute walk away.
Plus the hotel provides loungers and parasols so you don’t have to scramble for a spot.
Loveholidays offer a 7-night stay from 23 July, including return flights from London Luton, for £559pp.
This luxurious-looking, four-star all-inclusive resort comes with its own private beach and a giant, palm-lined pool with two big water slides.
Loveholidays named the hotel “a superb choice for families looking for a beach holiday in Turkey”.
“Set just a stone’s throw from a private sandy and shingle beach, this resort offers excellent facilities for children including a kids’ club and playground.
“With its all-inclusive package and range of amenities, it provides everything needed for a memorable family getaway.”
The hotel grounds themselves are beautifully-decorated with blooming purple Bougainvillea.
On the beach you’ll find plenty of loungers and thatched parasols facing the glimmering Black Sea.
Loveholidays offer a 7-night stay from 4 August, including return flights from London Gatwick, for £599pp.
Travel experts from On the Beach chose resorts for Sun readers in sunny Sharm el Sheikh, Belek in Turkey and Salou, Spain.
Rixos hotels are known for their ultra-all-inclusive luxury, and their spot in Sharm El Sheikh is no exception.
On the Beach labelled the Rixos Radamis “a top luxury family resort with premium all-inclusive service and access to one of Egypt’s best upscale aqua park experiences”.
Better yet, they have has just opened up their new 35,000sqm Aquamania Jungle Park in March of 2026.
This new aqua park has 28 water rides, including the thrilling RocketBLAST water coaster, tube rides and plenty of themed splash zones.
And when it comes to keeping the kids entertained, this resort has far more than your standard kids club.
Rixy Kids Town is an immersive mini town where kids can act out their dream jobs as detectives, scientists, chefs and more in interactive activities.
On the Beach offer a 6-night stay, including return flights from London Luton, for £633pp.
This massive five star-rated resort really lives up to its name, The Land of Legends.
On the Beach named this resort “the best overall waterpark hotel because it combines a huge aqua park, thrilling slides and a full theme park experience all in one resort”.
This hotel complex not only has its own huge water park, but even its own theme park with rollercoasters, a 5D cinema and luxurious spa.
This resort has one seriously epic water park, towered over by Magicone, a giant water slide that swirls you into what looks like a black hole before shooting you down into a massive, lagoon-like pool.
Plus the entertainment doesn’t stop there, with kids’ circus shows, boat parades and even free entry into the largest theme park in Turkey on-site.
On the Beach offer a 6-night stay from 4 July, including return flights from London Stansted, for £778pp.
If you let a child design the ultimate holiday resort, it would probably look exactly like the Granada Luxury Belek.
On the Beach called the resort “one of the best family resorts in Turkey thanks to its massive on-site aquapark, lazy rivers and huge variety of pools and slides”.
This massive Turkish resort is home to the Wonderland, a giant fairytale-themed water park.
The water park has plenty of spectacular slides that you enter from a spectacular castle, a wave pool, lazy river, 12 adult pools and five kids’ pools.
There are also three pristine artificial beaches on site, for when you’re done splashing around and want to soak up some sun.
Pair this with an on-site Chocolatier, large, family-friendly rooms with swim-up pools, and themed bars like the Wizard Bar and Street Bar Disco – and you’ve got yourself the dream family holiday destination.
On the Beach offer a 6-night stay from 4 July, including return flights from London Stansted, for £568pp.
Immerse yourself in this Western-themed hotel in sunny Salou, a resort designed to feel like an American Wild West frontier town.
This pick from On the Beach is “perfect for families who want both rollercoasters and water slides, with direct access to PortAventura’s famous theme and water parks”.
A stay here includes unlimited access to PortAventura Park, where you can take on over 40 rides and rollercoasters.
You’ll also get entry to Caribe Aquatic Park, a tropical garden paradise of thrilling slides and waterfalls.
And if that’s not enough, you’ll get day tickets to Ferrari Land, too – home to Red Force, the tallest and fastest rollercoaster in Europe.
To top it all off, one child stays free with this deal from On the Beach.
On the Beach offer a 6-night stay, including return flights from Birmingham, for £475pp.
A holiday deals expert from comparison site Travel Supermarket selected the following deals on the Turkish Riviera and the east coast of Majorca.
This family-friendly resort on the beachfront of the Turkish Riviera has a huge outdoor freshwater pool, plus its own on-site splash park with eight water slides.
Jacob Lewis, guest travel expert at TravelSupermarket, says: “You essentially get two water parks for the price of one here.
“You get the hotel’s own slide-packed aqua park, plus free access to the enormous Eftalia Island complex down the road, where 14 huge slides, a lazy river and pirate-themed splash pools will keep kids of every age happy.”
You’ll never have the same meal twice here. There are six dining spots including two massive buffet options, plus international favourites like Italian and Chinese restaurants.
There are also five bars, including one on the beach, a pool bar and a disco.
Not only is there plenty to see and do on-site, but the hotel offers a free shuttle service to the local sandy beach.
You’re also only a two-minute shuttle away from ANOTHER aqua park at Eftalia Island – and this one has 14 water slides. The best part is that this hotel’s all-inclusive offer extends to the facilities at Eftalia Island, too.
Travel Supermarket offer a 7-night stay from 11th August, including return flights from London Gatwick, for £620pp.
This aparthotel and splash park in Sa Coma, Majorca is a massive playground for families.
Jacob Lewis, guest travel expert at TravelSupermarket, says: “This one’s a great shout for bigger families watching the budget – it’s got its own massive Splash World water park that only hotel guests can use, so there’s no queueing behind day-trippers.
“Plus there’s roomy apartments that sleep up to six. If and when the kids have finally had enough of the slides, a free shuttle whisks you down to Sa Coma’s gorgeous white-sand beach.”
Here you’ll find two giant pools, plus water slides ranging from winding fast rides for adults, to mini slides for little ones to make a splash.
Make the most of your all-inclusive package with trips to the on-site pizzeria and barbecue restaurant, or fill up on favourites at the buffet.
For a fun-filled day out, hop on the miniature train into the town centre for souvenir shopping and beach-side strolls.
Travel Supermarket offer a 7-night stay from 4 August, including return flights from Manchester, for £769pp.
For a family holiday that feels like real affordable luxury, try this glamorous resort in Ibiza that’s steps away from a water park.
The four-star TUI BLUE Aura has a luxurious feel with a tranquil infinity pool, boho-inspired rooms and dining spaces – and a fantastic water park just next door.
Standing out from the crowd, this hotel features sensory rooms for kids and a curated itinerary of family activities.
Instead of your standard kids club, expect daily experiences like cooking workshops and garden games designed for all ages.
Other hotel highlights include Parent & Tot swim classes, Swim Fit for adults and wellness activities like yoga and meditation sessions.
When you’re ready for some more excitement, walk over to the water park for free-entry access to speedy water slides, tubing and a pirate play zone for the little ones.
TUI offer a 6-night stay from 9 July, including return flights from London Gatwick, for £873pp.
Prices correct at the time of publication.
The carriage has turned back into a pumpkin, the ballgown is once again just tattered clothing and all the horses have gone back to being mice.
The Ducks’ Cinderella run through the NHL playoffs came to an end Thursday in a 5-1 loss to the Vegas Golden Knights in Game 6 of their second-round Stanley Cup playoff series. And the end came well before midnight, with goals by Mitch Marner and Brett Howden in the first 8½ minutes giving Vegas a commanding lead before many in the late-arriving weeknight crowd had made it to their seats at the Honda Center.
The Golden Knights will move on to the Western Conference final with the Colorado Avalanche next week while the Ducks will move on to summer. But it’s the team’s latest start on the offseason since 2017, the last time the Ducks made it to the second round of the playoffs. So even if the glass slipper didn’t fit this time, the Ducks have reason to celebrate.
“I think our team, we learned, myself included, just how to play in those games,” said winger Troy Terry, the only remaining link to the Ducks’ last playoff team. “That’s kind of the difference in some of these games, a team like Vegas, learning how to manage those close games. It stings right now, but I think I speak for everyone that we’ll be hungry going into the summer.
“It was fun to play in this. It’s been a long time.”
Ducks center Leo Carlsson passes the puck as Vegas’ Shea Theodore defends during the second period.
(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
This team, after all, wasn’t supposed to be at the ball this long. Fourteen players on its roster had never been to the postseason before; most of them had never even played for a winning team in the NHL before. But the team’s youth and inexperience proved to be a strength, not a weakness.
They didn’t know they weren’t supposed to win in the playoffs, so they did, dispatching the Edmonton Oilers — who made the last two Stanley Cup finals — in the first round and outplaying the veteran Golden Knights, a playoff team in eight of the franchise’s nine seasons, throughout much of the second round.
Rookie Beckett Sennecke, just 20, had four goals and an assist in the six games with Vegas. Winger Cutter Gauthier, just 22, led the team with 12 points in his first trip to the playoffs. Defenseman Olen Zellwenger, also 22, had a goal and assist in his first two playoff games and Olympic gold medalist Jackson LaCombe, 25, led the team in ice time — and was third in points with 10 — in his first postseason.
That’s the core of the team going forward and the playoff experience they got this spring will be invaluable.
“We’ve got a super young core here,” Sennecke said. “We’re a fast team and we play with a lot of skill, a lot of pace. … The next few years are exciting.”
Ducks left wing Alex Killorn moves the puck ahead of Vegas right wing Keegan Kolesar in the first period.
(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
“It doesn’t make this any easier,” added center Mikael Granlund, at 34 the second-oldest Duck to play Thursday. “Tonight was kind of the story of the season. In the first period we’re down three goals. In the regular season, we were able to come back. But in playoffs, it’s not easy.
“So yeah, there’s a lot of good signs in this team, but at the same time, it’s never easy.”
However, the fairy godmother’s spell wore off early in Game 6, which was just 62 seconds old when Vegas went ahead to stay.
Marner opened the scoring with a spectacular breakaway goal, skating on to William Karlssson’s two-line pass as he entered the offensive zone and beating LaCombe up the center of the ice to the crease. When he got there, he pulled up, turned his back to goalie Lukas Dostal, then shoved the puck just inside the right post for his seventh goal of the playoffs.
Howden doubled the lead with a shorthanded goal 7½ minutes later, finding miles of space just to the right of the goal and banging in a pass from Marner that split LaCombe and Alex Killorn. The goal was Howden’s eighth of the playoffs, temporarily giving him the NHL postseason lead, while the assist gave Marner 18 postseason points, also best in the league.
“I thought we had a really good vibe going in and felt good about guys being excited,” Ducks coach Joel Quenneville said. “Couple of quick goals, and we certainly lost a lot of our excitement. That was tough.”
When Shea Theodore scored off a faceoff seconds into a power play late in the period, it gave the Golden Knights a 3-0 lead at the intermission with the goals coming on a power play, the penalty kill and with the teams at even strength.
The Ducks led the NHL with 26 comeback wins during the regular season, but against the poised and patient Golden Knights the deficit was too big. The Ducks left the ice to a chorus of boos after the period, though they came back to dominate the second period, getting the only score at 12:46 when Mikael Granlund notched his fifth goal of the playoffs on a power play, lining a snap shot into the side netting from the middle the left circle.
But the Ducks would get no closer, with Vegas icing the game on two third-period goals from Pavel Dorofeyev, who had four goals in the final two games. The first came off a turnover from the Ducks’ John Carlson deep in his defensive end 2:52 into the final period and the second on a shot from a difficult angle to the right of the goal that ricocheted in off Dostal with 6:28 left in the Ducks’ season.
The two goals gave Dorofeyev nine for the playoffs, passing Howden for the league lead.
“They worked for what they got,” Quenneville said of the Golden Knights. “They deserve to move on.”
May 15 (UPI) — The House Ethics Committee has launched an investigation into Rep. Chuck Edwards over allegations of creating a hostile work environment and engaging in sexual harassment.
Little information about the probe was made public.
In a brief statement issued Thursday, the committee said it was “reviewing allegations that Representative Chuck Edwards may have created or fostered a hostile work environment and engaged in sexual harassment in violation of the Code of Official Conduct or any other applicable standard of conduct.”
The committee said that its investigation and public disclosure do not indicate a violation has occurred.
Edwards told The Hill that he welcomes the investigation and plans “to comply fully with the committee.”
“I am confident the investigation will expose the facts, not politically motivated fiction,” he said.
The announcement follows recent reports that the committee was investigating Edwards, with Axios having been the first to report on the development.
Specifics of the allegations were not clear, but Politico earlier this week reported that he allegedly had an improper relationship with a subordinate as well as allegedly engaged in sexually harassment.
The investigation comes on the heels of two high-profile House resignations last month over sexual misconduct allegations.
Rep. Eric Swalwell, D-Calif., stepped down amid accusations of sexual misconduct and abuse, while Tony Gonzales, R-Texas, resigned after admitting he had an affair with a former aide who died by suicide.
Amid growing concern and anger about alleged abuses by members of the lower chamber, House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-Ky., and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., announced Wednesday the creation of a bipartisan partnership between their parties’ women’s caucuses to combat workplace sexual misconduct in Congress.
Reps. Teresa Leger Fernandez, D-N.M., and Kat Cammack, R-Fla., were designated to lead the effort as respective chairs of the Democratic and Republican Women’s Caucuses in the House.
“To state the obvious, all women should feel comfortable and safe working in the halls of Congress,” Johnson said in a statement, adding that he is happy Cammack and Leger Fernandez “will lead this bipartisan partnership to find ways we can continue to make Capitol Hill safer for women and all staff.”
THE GREAT British break might not be so great very soon after it was announced that the overnight ‘holiday tax’ is set to be pushed forward.
Included in the King’s Speech was the dreaded new levy on staycations and one Butlin’s boss has hit back saying it will have big ‘consequences’ for families.
Follow The Sun’s award-winning travel team on Instagram and Tiktok for top holiday tips and inspiration @thesuntravel.
Plans to introduce the ‘Overnight Visitor Levy‘ for staycations in England was first announced late last year, and was spelled out again in the King’s Speech two days ago.
Essentially, the government’s plan is introduce levy overnight accommodation like hotels, B&Bs, campsites or holiday homes.
It would allow local authorities in England to charge visitors an additional fee on overnight stays which is similar to systems already used in parts of Europe.
According to UK Hospitality, the new tax could add £100 to a two-week family stay based on £2 per person per night.
Unsurprisingly, the plans have not been met with positivity.
Matt Rake who is a resort director at Butlin’s in Bognor Regis – said the tax would have “consequences”, especially for working families.
He said: “It’s disappointing that the government is pressing ahead with the holiday tax despite how clear businesses, consumers and the hospitality sector have been about the potential consequences.
“In the Spring, the government said families being able to pay for a holiday should never be too much to ask, yet today they’ve confirmed the introduction of a measure that will hurt working families hard.
“We know how important domestic tourism is for Bognor Regis and the local businesses here. Holidays and short breaks support jobs and investment across our community throughout the year.”
He added that in a recent poll, 73 per cent of people would reduce or cut back on holidays in England if extra costs were introduced.
The ‘holiday tax’ was formally announced in the Autumn Budget in November 2025.
And two hundred bosses from firms including Butlin’s, Haven and Parkdean Resorts have written to the Chancellor hitting out at the plans.
United States President Donald Trump concluded his final round of discussions with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing while attempting to present the visit as a major economic success. The summit came at a sensitive moment for both countries as tensions over trade, Taiwan, artificial intelligence technology, and the Iran conflict continue to shape relations between the world’s two largest economies.
Trump emphasized trade agreements and commercial cooperation during the visit, hoping to strengthen his political standing ahead of important midterm elections in the United States. China, however, used the occasion to deliver clear warnings regarding Taiwan and to criticize the ongoing Iran conflict, signaling that major strategic disagreements remain unresolved despite the positive diplomatic atmosphere.
During meetings at the Zhongnanhai leadership compound in Beijing, Trump promoted what he described as successful trade negotiations between Washington and Beijing. He stated that both sides had reached agreements that would benefit their economies and help stabilize commercial relations after years of tariff disputes and economic uncertainty.
The United States announced several proposed agreements involving agricultural exports, beef, and energy sales to China. Officials also discussed mechanisms to manage future trade disputes and identified billions of dollars in potential goods trade between the two countries.
One of the most closely watched announcements involved aircraft manufacturer Boeing. Trump claimed China had agreed to purchase 200 Boeing aircraft, marking China’s first major order of American commercial planes in nearly ten years. However, investors reacted negatively because markets had anticipated a significantly larger agreement. Boeing shares declined after the announcement, reflecting disappointment over the scale of the deal.
The summit also failed to produce a breakthrough regarding advanced artificial intelligence technology exports. Expectations had been growing that restrictions on the sale of advanced AI chips from NVIDIA to China might ease, especially after company chief executive Jensen Huang joined the trip. No major agreement emerged on that issue.
While Trump focused publicly on economic achievements, China used the summit to voice frustration over the war involving Iran. Beijing stated that the conflict should never have started and called for diplomatic efforts to restore peace.
The Iran crisis has become a major international concern because of its impact on global energy markets. Rising instability in the Middle East has pushed oil prices upward and increased fears about disruptions to energy supplies traveling through the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most critical shipping routes.
China’s position reflects both economic and strategic interests. Beijing relies heavily on stable energy imports and also views Iran as an important geopolitical partner that can balance American influence in the Middle East. Analysts believe China is unlikely to pressure Tehran aggressively because maintaining strong relations with Iran supports Beijing’s broader strategic goals.
Although Trump stated that he and Xi shared similar views on Iran, Chinese officials avoided publicly endorsing Washington’s approach. This difference highlighted the continuing gap between the two powers on international security issues.
Despite the friendly diplomatic setting, Taiwan emerged as one of the summit’s most serious areas of tension. Xi warned that mishandling the Taiwan issue could lead to conflict, reinforcing Beijing’s longstanding position that the island is part of China.
Taiwan remains one of the most dangerous flashpoints in global politics. China has repeatedly stated that it does not rule out the use of military force to bring Taiwan under its control, while the United States continues to support Taiwan’s defensive capabilities under American law.
American officials maintained that United States policy toward Taiwan had not changed. Secretary of State Marco Rubio emphasized that Washington continues to support regional stability while maintaining its established position on Taiwan.
The issue remains highly sensitive because any military escalation involving Taiwan could severely disrupt global trade, semiconductor production, and international security across the Indo Pacific region.
One of the summit’s most important outcomes may simply be the continuation of the fragile trade truce reached during earlier talks between the two leaders. Previous negotiations had temporarily paused extremely high tariffs and reduced tensions over rare earth mineral exports that are essential for modern technology manufacturing.
However, uncertainty remains about whether the current trade arrangements will continue beyond the end of the year. American officials indicated that no final decision had been made regarding the future of tariff suspensions and broader economic cooperation.
This uncertainty reflects the deeper structural rivalry between the United States and China. While both countries benefit economically from stable trade relations, they remain competitors in technology, military influence, and geopolitical leadership.
Human rights issues also appeared during the summit. Trump reportedly raised the case of Hong Kong media businessman and democracy advocate Jimmy Lai, who was sentenced to prison under Hong Kong’s national security law.
American officials expressed hope that Lai could eventually be released, while China maintained that Hong Kong affairs are internal matters and rejected foreign criticism.
The discussion demonstrated that human rights disputes continue to complicate relations between Washington and Beijing even during periods of economic cooperation.
The Trump Xi summit demonstrated the increasingly complex nature of United States China relations. Both sides attempted to project stability and cooperation, particularly on trade and economic matters, yet major disagreements remained visible beneath the surface.
Trump sought to frame the visit as proof of economic leadership and diplomatic success. However, the relatively modest scale of announced agreements and the lack of major breakthroughs on technology exports limited market enthusiasm.
China, meanwhile, used the summit to reinforce its strategic priorities. Beijing signaled that Taiwan remains a non negotiable issue, defended its relationship with Iran, and resisted external pressure on human rights matters.
The summit ultimately reflected a broader reality in global politics. The United States and China are deeply interconnected economically, but they are also strategic rivals competing for influence across multiple regions and industries. Cooperation may continue in trade and commerce, but tensions over security, technology, and global power are unlikely to disappear soon.
With information from Reuters.
BRITNEY Spears has been accused of barking, waving a knife around and lighting up a cigarette inside a restaurant by concerned fellow diners.
The Princess of Pop, 44, was said to be in “rough shape” as she arrived at the Los Angeles tavern with witnesses claiming even her own team were helpless to stop her from causing havoc.
Representatives for the Toxic singer have hit back at the reports calling them “completely blown out of proportion”.
They told PEOPLE: “Britney was enjoying a quiet dinner with her assistant and bodyguard.
“She was simply telling the story about how her dog was barking at the neighbors.”
The vehement denial comes after one dinner guest spoke out about Spears having an “outburst” inside the restaurant.
Read more in Britney Spears
US entertainment journalist Jeff Sneider told Page Six he and a friend turned up at Blue Dog Tavern in Sherman Oaks at around 7pm on Wednesday night.
Spears then walked in a few minutes later hiding behind a big pair of sunglasses.
Pictures show the blonde popstar in a light blue top standing up by the tills before being taken to her seat.
Sneider then claims: “The woman sat down and proceeded to make a lot of woofing or barking noises and just throw a lot of outbursts.”
Spears was accused of constantly leaving her seat and moving around the restaurant erratically.
Her table then ordered food with bar staff bringing out a burger and chips and placing it in front of the Grammy Award winner.
At this point, Sneider alleges Spears stood up while holding a serrated knife which came with her food.
He admitted it looked as if Spears had forgotten she was holding the blade and that no one on his table felt threatened.
But one woman sitting in the restaurant did appear to be in some distress.
Sneider claims the scared diner thought Spears “was going to stab” her.
The journalist did go on to confess: “When she eventually left, I turned around and was like, ‘holy s**t that was crazy!’ to the entire section.”
Britney’s reps said the claims about the knife have been massively exaggerated.
“At no point did she put anyone in danger with a knife,” they said.
The Oops!…I Did it Again star was simply using the knife to cut her burger in half, they assured fans and critics alike.
Back in 2023, fans were concerned for Spears’ safety after she posted a video to her social media of her playing with two knives while in a bikini and boots.
Shortly after the latest alleged knife debacle, Spears lit up a cigarette inside the restaurant near to the door, according to witnesses.
Staff quickly told one of the people she was with that she had to put it out, they added.
Spears wasn’t asked to leave the restaurant at any point but did reportedly leave a mess on the table after “picking” at her food.
No alcohol was seen on Spears’ table with orange juice believed to have been her drink of choice, according to guests.
The popstar’s team added in their statement: “This constant attack on everything that she does and this is exactly what happened 20 years ago when the media tried to depict Britney as a bad person.
“This is ridiculous and it needs to stop now.”
It comes just days after Spears escaped jail by pleading guilty to reckless driving after being hit with a DUI in March.
A judge sentenced Britney to 12 months’ probation, along with one day of jail time already served.
The acclaimed artist checked herself into rehab after her initial arrest following gentle encouragement from her sons.
BEIJING — A conciliatory President Trump on Friday hailed success in his state visit to China, claiming a tonal reset with Xi Jinping despite departing Beijing with few concrete achievements.
The visual spectacle around Trump’s visit was itself considered a breakthrough by the two sides, who expressed an eagerness entering the talks to move on from a yearslong stretch of deteriorating relations.
But Trump’s homage and deference to Xi were a striking display of an often commanding president adapting to a new power dynamic, understanding China’s rise and its emerging role in the world.
Trump deployed a charm offensive throughout his stay here, confident in the impact of his personal touch on world leaders, often seen patting Xi on the back and repeatedly calling him his friend.
Yet in private, tensions gripped negotiations that touched nearly every major issue on Trump’s agenda, from trade relations to the U.S. war in Iran.
“He’s all business,” Trump said from Beijing in an interview with Fox.
China agreed to buy 200 Boeing jets and spend billions on American agricultural products, U.S. officials said — modest deals that fall short of restoring Chinese investment levels to their pre–2025 highs, before Trump launched a trade war that aggressively targeted Beijing.
Nevertheless, Trump referred to the trade agreements as “fantastic,” and said Xi had also pledged to purchase U.S. energy going forward. Beijing did not confirm any such agreement.
Nor did the Chinese Foreign Ministry comment on any commitment to help the United States reopen the Strait of Hormuz, effectively shuttered by Iran since the Trump administration launched a war against the Islamic Republic earlier this year.
Chinese President Xi Jinping and President Trump participate in a friendship walk through Zhongnanhai Garden Fridah in Beijing.
(Evan Vucci / Pool / Reuters via Associated Press)
“We feel very similar on Iran, we want that to end,” Trump said Friday. “We don’t want them to have a nuclear weapon. We want the straits opened, and we want them to get it ended, because it’s a crazy thing — they’re a little bit crazy.”
At the beginning of the summit, Xi warned the Trump administration that the longstanding U.S. position of strategic ambiguity on Taiwan had set the two nations on a collision course, Chinese state media reported. But departing Beijing, Marco Rubio, the president’s national security advisor and secretary of state, said that Washington’s position on Taiwan remained “unchanged.”
Their second day of meetings was held at Zhongnanhai, an imperial garden and lake district that has served as the secretive seat of power for the Chinese Communist Party since the revolution of 1949.
The two men strolled quiet pathways dotted with Chinese roses and ornamental archways before taking tea and lunch in Xi’s private quarters. Trump was offered rose seeds to bring home for the White House Rose Garden, the Chinese said.
“This has been an incredible visit,” Trump told reporters at the compound. “A lot of good has come of it.”
It was not the first time that Xi has hosted a president at the historic compound. In 2014, the Chinese leader, still relatively new to the presidency, hosted President Obama overnight at Zhongnanhai, where the two met in private over dinner.
President Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping tour Zhongnanhai Garden.
(Evan Vucci / Pool / Getty Images)
It was another smoggy day for Trump in the Chinese capital, although cooler than Thursday, when Xi greeted Trump at the footsteps of Tiananmen Square with a lavish state welcome. There, Xi hosted Trump and his delegation at the Great Hall of the People for a day of meetings and a banquet dinner of Peking duck and pan-fried pork buns.
The two men will have future opportunities to meet, with Trump inviting Xi to Washington for a state visit at the White House in September.
“He’s a man I respect greatly,” Trump said.
The Dodgers beat the San Francisco Giants 5-2 on Thursday night, reclaiming first in the National League West after San Diego lost to Milwaukee. The Dodgers also escaped a third straight series loss at home ahead of their weekend road series against the Angels.
Designated hitter Will Smith, whom Dodgers manager Dave Roberts described earlier in the day as “unflappable,” hit from the leadoff spot and homered to right-center field in the first inning to set the tone for the series-splitting win.
The decision to put Smith in the leadoff spot allowed Roberts to maximize the 31-year-old’s plate appearances without moving other players after Shohei Ohtani was held out of the lineup.
The Dodgers (26-18) are trying to lighten Ohtani’s workload after his recent struggles at the plate. It’s the first time a healthy Ohtani has been out of back-to-back batting orders, except for the paternity list, since the universal designated hitter rule was implemented in 2022.
Though the Dodgers outlasted the Giants (18-26) without Ohtani’s help, the team’s compounded mistakes almost cost it a win.
In the second inning, the bottom of the lineup strung together two hits to score Max Muncy, who reached on a walk. However, after Miguel Rojas softly hit a ground ball to Giants starter Landen Roupp, Teoscar Hernández found himself stranded in no-man’s land after running toward home from third — there was no force play at the plate.
Rojas, who stood on the basepath, slammed his helmet down in frustration after Smith struck out to end the inning.
Will Smith gets a face full of sunflower seeds from teammate Andy Pages after hitting a leadoff home run in the first inning for the Dodgers on Thursday.
(Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)
Rojas wasn’t the only one upset. Dalton Rushing was shown on the game broadcast breaking his bat in the dugout and slamming his leg guard on the back bench after striking out in the fourth inning. Dodgers starter Emmet Sheehan shared some words of encouragement with the catcher and patted him on the back.
Sheehan’s night was relatively uneventful before the fifth. He put together three hitless innings before San Francisco’s Rafael Devers hit a one-out single to left field.
From there, things got worse. In the fifth, Jung Hoo Lee hit an inside-the-park home run when Hernández misread the ball off the left-field wall in foul territory, allowing the ball to roll past him. Rojas’ relay throw was too high for Rushing to catch, and Lee slid into home to become the first Giants player to hit an inside-the-park homer at Dodger Stadium.
But the Dodgers responded in the sixth. After Max Muncy reached base on a force out at second and was moved over to third on a single from Hernández, Alex Call delivered a pinch-hit, two-run single to right field. Rojas then blooped a ball over the infield to drive in Call.
Sheehan finished his night after six innings, giving up two earned runs, two hits with six strikeouts and two walks. With combined efforts from relievers Tanner Scott, Alex Vesia and Edgardo Henriquez, the Dodgers shut down the Giants the rest of the way.
EXPLAINER
The US and Chinese leaders agreed during talks in Beijing that the Strait of Hormuz should remain open to ensure global energy supplies.
Published On 15 May 202615 May 2026
United States President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping discussed the Strait of Hormuz during talks in Beijing, with the White House saying Xi agreed the strategic waterway “must remain open to support the free flow of energy” as tensions over the Iran war continue to roil global markets.
Meanwhile, Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi urged fellow BRICS nations at a meeting in New Delhi, India, to condemn the US-Israel war on Iran as a violation of international law, insisting Tehran would “never bow to any pressure”.
At the same time, a third round of direct talks between Lebanese and Israeli negotiators is under way in Washington, DC, aimed at ending hostilities, even as Israeli attacks continue across towns and villages in southern Lebanon.
Here is what we know:
When European Jewish settlers embarked on brutal ethnic cleansing to establish Israel in 1948, they thought the Palestinian population would be the least of their problems. In fact, Zionist leaders like David Ben-Gurion believed that “the refugee problem would resolve itself”.
There was deep-seated conviction among Zionists that the Palestinians lacked an identity, and they would just flee to neighbouring Arab countries and assimilate. They would not come back to claim their stolen land.
But what happened was the exact opposite.
Decade after decade, the Palestinian national cause grew stronger. Today, few survivors of the Nakba of 1948 remain, but the national commitment to Palestinian rights and historical justice is as strong as ever. That is because the older generations did not teach the younger ones to forget the trauma and move on; they taught them to remember and to keep the keys to their ancestral homes in their minds.
The “refugee problem” did not “resolve itself” not just because of Palestinian determination and resilience, but also because the Israeli policies of violence and dispossession backfired.
Israel’s theft of land and resources and violent displacement of Palestinians was the starting point for every Palestinian generation to reject and resist occupation.
As Israel succeeded in usurping more and more Palestinian land, it failed miserably in controlling the Palestinian consciousness.
Despite continuous Israeli efforts to turn refugee camps into isolated enclaves, recruit agents and collaborators to undermine unity, and introduce international bodies to redefine the refugee issue as a purely humanitarian one, it failed to dismantle the Palestinian national cause.
Those who were dispossessed and violated – the Palestinian refugees – became the most ardent carriers of the idea of resistance. Refugee camps became the centres of peaceful and armed struggle. These camps gave birth to prominent Palestinian thinkers, doctors, educators and leaders, who spread one message: the rejection of the Israeli occupation and the insistence on Palestinian rights.
Palestinian refugees were the drivers of the first Intifada of 1987 and the second Intifada of 2000. They were at the centre of any subsequent mobilisation to resist the Israeli occupation.
The colonial project saw no option but to ratchet up its brutality. Repeated massacres, mass imprisonment and relentless efforts to uproot communities did not achieve subjugation. This approach failed and the Gaza Strip – where 80 percent of the population are refugees – stands as the clearest evidence of that failure.
After the launch of its genocidal assault on Gaza in October 2023, the Israeli government repeatedly described the war as “existential”. If Israel itself acknowledges today that the fourth generation of Palestinians, the descendants of the survivors of the Nakba, represent a threat to its existence, then this is in itself an admission of the collapse of Ben-Gurion’s prediction and the strategic failure of the Israeli project to eliminate the Palestinian people.
But Israel has not just failed, it has also become trapped. It is stuck in the paradox of the futility of its own brutal power. The more violence, mass killings and displacement it carries out and the more it reproduces the Nakba, the more determined the Palestinian people become to resist. Repression is not uprooting Palestine, it is helping it take deeper root.
The Gaza genocide is perhaps the best illustration of this deadly paradox. More than 72,000 Palestinians have been massacred, more than 170,000 injured, and 1.9 million displaced. Most homes have been damaged or destroyed.
What is the result of all this? When a Palestinian child is born today in a tent and grows up without most of his family, without a school, a playground, proper healthcare, or a home, he or she won’t need a complex historical narrative to understand who is responsible for this and what needs to be done to achieve justice.
But the self-defeating impact of Israeli brutality is not limited to Palestine alone. Israel’s genocide has backfired on a global scale. It has allowed the Palestinian cause to grow beyond the confines of a marginal, left-wing issue into one that increasingly attracts attention across the political spectrum in the West but also elsewhere in the world.
Activists and ordinary citizens of different political convictions now stand in solidarity with the Palestinian cause. Many do so, despite facing retribution, arrest and prosecution for their support of Palestinian rights.
The Palestinian cause has also become an influential factor in local elections in many countries, including the United States and United Kingdom, where support for the Israeli occupation and genocide can cost candidates an electoral win.
As a result, the Palestinian issue has grown beyond a regional struggle to become a defining moral question for people across the world.
This has left the occupation locked in a permanent confrontation with what cannot be defeated: memory. The more it tries to erase the Palestinian cause, the more it is etched in the Palestinian and global consciousness.
If he had been alive today, Ben-Gurion would have been dismayed to learn that Zionism secured its own defeat the moment it embarked on the Nakba.
The views expressed in this article are the author’s own and do not necessarily reflect Al Jazeera’s editorial stance.
THEIR podcast was supposed to be a safe space for unfiltered conversations about relationships and families, but instead, it’s become a cause for concern for Louise Thompson and Ryan Libbey’s fans.
This week, things reached boiling point as Louise, 36, and her fiancé, 35, giggled about children going to school without being potty trained or being able to eat on their own on the He Said, She Said podcast. Listeners branded the conversation “disgusting and disappointing”, and now insiders tell us how the bubble is about to burst for the Made In Chelsea star.
Our source explained: “Louise has, of course, been through a hell of a lot in her life and is entitled to an opinion, but she has really hit a nerve with this one.
“She seems to have forgotten that she is in an incredibly privileged position with a healthy four-year-old son and lots of time and money, which of course all play a part.
“It’s a real shame she didn’t think before she started laughing because it would have upset a lot of people.
“It’s very surprising considering how much work she has done for mothers in the past.”
In a clip, which has now been deleted from social media, Louise and Ryan discuss the number of children who are attending school without being potty-trained.
Outraged by the stats, Louise insisted: “I think a basic human right is to teach your child before the age of four how to use the loo and how to wipe their bum.”
Clearly amused, Louise is heard giggling as she explained: “One in four children are sent to school before they’re potty trained, which means that the teachers are having to change their nappies and then wipe their bum. 88% of kids are going to reception, unable to eat and drink on their own.”
Looking horrified, Ryan replied: “They’ve got nappies on, and they can’t feed or drink themselves.”
Musing on why she thinks it might be the case, Louise said: “Maybe it’s like a bit of a cop out there, like, oh my child’s crying, and they’re being a bit difficult, I can’t be bothered with the hassle.
“I think that people are so distracted these days with screens that they can’t be bothered to dedicate the time.”
But shockingly, they then revealed that their own son Leo was potty-trained by Ryan’s parents while they were on holiday without him.
He admitted: “My parents pretty much broke the back on the potty training for us with Leo because we went away for a week and he went to his grandparents and they got him out of nappies in a week. It was quite convenient to be honest.”
A recent survey found that one in four children who started reception in 2025 were not toilet-trained. The stats did not count delays that may be related to disabilities or special educational needs.
It’s a highly sensitive topic, and understandably, the comments have sparked a huge debate.
Reality star, entrepreneur and mum-of-three Lateshya Grace has been vocal in her upset. She shared: “Mocking children for wearing nappies, struggling with toileting, feeding, communication, or developmental delays is honestly disgusting.
“So many families are already dealing with enough without hearing people laugh at situations they clearly don’t understand. Not every child develops the same, and many children facing these challenges have disabilities, additional needs or medical conditions that are nobody else’s business to judge.
“Calling parents “lazy” because their child needs extra support is such an ignorant and privileged take. Most parents in these situations are doing everything they possibly can behind closed doors while fighting battles people never even see.”
Lateshya continued: “Deleting the clip without properly addressing it or apologising doesn’t take away from the damage caused either.
“Children deserve compassion, patience and understanding, not to be mocked for content or podcast conversation. Please educate yourselves before speaking on topics that affect vulnerable children and families.
“You should be ashamed of yourself. Some people honestly don’t even deserve a platform.”
Her thoughts were echoed by lots of parents online as the clip went viral, despite their best efforts to remove it.
Holly Steer, who runs the Instagram account autismandourworld, dedicated a whole post to the podcast.
She wrote: “Platforms that should be used to promote kindness, compassion, and understanding are instead being used to mock and ridicule children with special needs, and to blame parents for developmental delays that are often far more complex than people realise.”
Her own harrowing story and her past work have only added to her fans’ confusion.
Indeed, Louise has dedicated much of the past few years to improving maternity care after her own life-threatening situation, which means she now wears a colostomy bag.
In 2021, she suffered a near-fatal birth with son, Leo, after an emergency C-section led to catastrophic bleeding. She later required a stoma bag and revealed how she suffered PTSD from the traumatic labour.
She also suffers from lupus, a chronic autoimmune condition that has left her with exhaustion and joint pain, and said she was diagnosed with hydrosalpinx – a condition where a fallopian tube becomes blocked and swells with watery fluid.
Others also pointed out that Louise’s own brother – fellow TV star Sam – was recently diagnosed with ADHD and ASD, adding: “I really expected more from a person who has a brother who is neurodivergent.”
And she won’t be getting much sympathy from her former Made In Chelsea co-stars either, after she made it clear how she had moved on after the show.
After attending the Baftas this weekend, Louise took a swipe at the likes of ex Spencer Matthews and her one-time arch nemesis Lucy Watson as she failed to acknowledge them.
Posing with Millie Mackintosh at the awards, she also shared a throwback with her former cast mates, and wrote: “Here are some photos of Millie and I (and other cast members) attending the BAFTAs in 2013, when we won a Bafta for Made in Chelsea… THIRTEEN years ago.”
Our insider said: “Louise has made it quite clear that she’s got very little interest in some of her old castmates. After what she went through having her son, she made a decision to distance herself from MIC drama, and it’s fair to say there’s no love lost with some of them.”
Just last week, Louise met the then Health Secretary Wes Streeting to discuss her petition to appoint a maternity commissioner and improve care for mothers and babies. She left feeling “genuinely optimistic”.
Some NHS practitioners have expressed concerns about her appraisal of the service, which they believe could be damaging to expectant mothers.
One midwife, who has worked for the NHS for ten years, expressed upset about “being blamed for women’s traumas” and pointed out that there have been issues with funding and resources for more than twenty years, which is something midwives have been fighting for day in, day out.
Louise is clearly playing an important part in advocating for change, but whether her fans will be able to forgive her faux pas is yet to be seen.
Sandisk Corporation (SNDK) has issued a formal warning advising shareholders to reject an unsolicited mini-tender offer from Tutanota LLC to purchase up to 100,000 shares of its common stock at $1,150.00 per share. This volume represents less than 0.07% of SanDisk’s
“So this is where Officer Nick Angel [Simon Pegg] chased that swan.” As a fan of Hot Fuzz, I was excited to explore the cathedral city of Wells in Somerset, where much of the film was shot. This charming, compact and walkable city is awash with medieval architecture and magnificent buildings, such as the gothic cathedral, with one of the oldest working clocks in the UK (late 14th century) and the Bishop’s Palace and Gardens. Within easy reach of the Mendip Hills, Cheddar Gorge and the Wookey Hole Caves, Wells makes for a low-key alternative to tourist-soaked Bath.
Alison
The Ardnamurchan peninsula, which includes the most westerly point in mainland Britain at Corrachadh Mòr, is stunning. With my partner, I spent a night wild camping by the shell-sand beach at Sanna Bay, surrounded by the machair grassland and wildflowers. It was absolutely stunning. We walked to Ardnamurchan lighthouse, spotted some dolphins, and swam in the sea in cold but crystal clear waters. The simplicity of the trip and not having to check in at any accommodation was a plus. I would recommend it to everybody.
Jox
Guardian Travel readers’ tips
Every week we ask our readers for recommendations from their travels. A selection of tips will be featured online and may appear in print. To enter the latest competition visit the readers’ tips homepage
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North Berwick in East Lothian always feels like a proper holiday without needing a passport. Take the early train, walk straight down to the beach, then continue past the harbour towards the Scottish Seabird Centre, where the light over the Firth of Forth changes by the minute. If the tide is out, the views are cinematic with the sand stretching so wide. On clear early evenings Bass Rock turns gold and you wonder how somewhere so close to Edinburgh can still feel quietly remote.
Michelle
I visited Beer in east Devon last summer with three friends, all of us women in our 40s, and our six children aged between four and 11. It couldn’t have been a better choice. We stayed at the lovely large YHA hostel, which was relaxed, welcoming and ideal for families. The kids were charmed by the stream running through the village and spent hours rock-pooling on the beach, discovering tiny crabs and sea anemones. We also enjoyed the clifftop walk to Seaton with its incredible views. Don’t miss Woozie’s Deli for fresh treats – perfect for picnics by the sea.
Tara
We cycled the Northumberland coast from Newcastle to Berwick over four days. We visited Dunstanburgh and Bamburgh, two of the most impressive castles in the country, the mining museum at Woodhorn and the RNLI Grace Darling Museum in Bamburgh, and swam from huge, empty beaches. Cycling over the causeway to Lindisfarne was the highlight, an incredible place to visit and awesome watching the road disappear under the sea (after we’d made it back to the mainland).
Ian
Ravenspoint community hostel on Loch Èireasort, south of Stornoway and home to nesting sea eagles and sea otters, feels remote even by Outer Hebridean standards. I shared the hostel kitchen with a father and daughter cycling the Hebridean Way, and a psychiatrist who seemed genuinely quite unsettled by the vastness of the landscape stretching all around. The hostel has a rich history – it is owned by the Co-Chomunn na Pairc, one of the original community co-operatives established in the 1970s, and the profits from it, the shop and tea rooms all go back into keeping vital services open for visitors and locals alike year-round.
Eleanor
Sharing my obsession with Happy Valley, my teenage son agreed to a long weekend in Hebden Bridge. Armed with a list of filming locations, we scouted around Sowerby Bridge and Hebden, getting a buzz from the scenes we recognised. We climbed up to Heptonstall to visit Sylvia Plath’s grave, caught a film at the independent Picture House, and hiked along the river and on to the moors beyond Hardcastle Crags. An early morning run along the canal and the best pizza in town topped it off.
Lucy
Ayrshire is beautiful, bucolic, full of family-friendly activities and often overlooked by Munro-baggers heading north to the Highlands. It has excellent local produce, coastal splendour and bountiful historic attractions. Start at Dumfries House with its marvellous gardens, enormous treetop adventure area and interactive water play (much of it free!). Visit the ruins of clifftop Dunure Castle, then stroll along the sandy Croy Bay to Culzean Castle, with its own gardens, play area and spectacular views of Arran and Ailsa Craig. Then pootle up to the Coo Shed for fab local ice-creams, before rounding off your day with some outstanding fish and chips from the Wee Hurrie on Troon harbour.
Dan Ashman
My wife and I went for a weekend break in Trefriw on the River Crafnant in north Wales. It’s a peaceful village with lively pubs. We stayed at the Fairy Falls hotel, a perfect base for exploring the surrounding river and mountain walks, and for viewing the cascades.
Seamus
Exploring the Hadrian’s Wall area stands out for us among our UK trips, not only for the places we visited but also because we travelled by train, bus and on foot. This meant the holiday began once we’d boarded the first train, not just once we’d arrived at our accommodation. We stayed at the Sill youth hostel, arriving there using the AD122 bus from Hexham station. This bus stops at several Roman sites between Hexham and Haltwhistle – we used it to visit Housesteads, “Britain’s most complete Roman fort”. Another highlight was the Vindolanda fort and museum around a mile and a half from the Sill.
Sharon Pinner
WASHINGTON — House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries had warned Republicans they would come to regret the congressional redistricting fight, and when Democrats counterpunched last month with a redrawn Virginia map, he had made his point.
The net tally of seats gained and lost was essentially a wash.
“F— around and find out,” said Jeffries after the election victory.
But in a matter of days, the race for control of the House — and the speaker’s gavel — was dramatically reset by back-to-back court rulings that wiped out the Democratic gains in Virginia and now threaten to erode Black representation by Democrats in the Deep South.
The shifting political prospects have been a wake-up call for Democrats, who have been favored to win back the House this November, riding the wave of President Trump’s dipping approval ratings, and a test for Jeffries as the party faces an enlarging map of Republican-friendly seats.
The leader’s aligned outside group has spent some $60 million, much of it on Virginia alone, a hit to the Democrats’ resources as they confront Trump’s Republicans.
“It sort of crystallizes the election is now a contest between one side that has the money and the maps, and the other that has the voters and the candidates,” said Jesse Ferguson, a Democratic strategist and former deputy director of the House Democrats’ campaign arm.
Jeffries, who is in line to make history as America’s first Black speaker of the House, acknowledged the Democrats may need to flip twice as many Republican seats — a total gain of six rather than just three — to win the majority in the aftermath of the redistricting fights.
But he insisted that Democrats were on track to pick up seats, as they did in 2018 during Trump’s first term, because Republicans are relying on redistricting — rather than policy solutions — to win elections.
Trump Republicans “don’t give a damn” about Americans’ financial struggles, Jeffries said, paraphrasing the president’s own remarks.
During a closed-door meeting on Wednesday with House Democrats, Jeffries described the work ahead in almost existential terms for the country.
He said the court rulings against the Voting Rights Act and the Virginia measure were “disgusting.” And he warned his colleagues that Republicans would proceed with “diabolical intensity” in their campaigns to regain control of the House, which Democrats will not only have to match but “we have to exceed it with righteous intensity at all times.”
“Failure is not an option,” he told the Democrats, according to a person in the room granted anonymity to disclose the private remarks. “We have to win, and we are going to win.”
Never easy, the race to the House majority was also not expected to be this complicated. Republicans hold a slim majority, among the most narrow in modern House history, and midterm elections tend to favor the party out of power, as a check on the White House.
But when Trump said last summer that Republicans were “entitled” to five more GOP seats from Texas, it sparked a redistricting crusade that led Jeffries to respond in kind.
Rather than take what they call the high road, Democrats said they decided to fight back, believing they could not fully count on the nation’s institutions — in this case, the courts — to provide a check on the GOP power play.
Jeffries flew to Austin to join the Texas Democrats fighting the redistricting plan in their state and stood with those same lawmakers in Chicago where they fled to deny statehouse Republicans a quorum. He joined the private meetings of California Democrats as they launched their counter attack, a voter initiative that put five more seats in the Democratic column. The Democrats picked up a seat in Utah.
And on it went.
“We had to very quickly make a decision, set a course and take a risk,” said Rep. Jared Huffman, D-Calif., recalling the closed-door talks last summer. “There was no guarantee this was going to work out.”
The Virginia measure became a turning point, Jeffries’ biggest swing yet, putting Democrats essentially at parity, if not a potential upper hand in the number of seats gained, and shifting Old Dominion more securely into the party’s column.
He rallied some 1,000 churchgoers in Richmond ahead of Election Day as voters headed to the polls.
House Speaker Mike Johnson on Wednesday called the Democratic play for Virginia a “crazy overreach” that was rightly rejected by the state’s high court.
“Fortunately, the plan failed spectacularly,” Johnson said.
While Democrats said they expected the Supreme Court to gut the Voting Rights Act, the Virginia Supreme Court’s decision to toss last month’s election results blindsided many of them.
Jeffries joined a call with furious Virginia Democrats over the weekend who said they were more determined than ever to win the Republican seats outright, regardless of their loss over the map changes.
The overall tally after nearly a year of redistricting battles is still shifting as Republican legislatures in the South rush to redraw their maps in the aftermath of the ruling in the Voting Rights Act case, many of them preparing to eliminate districts held by some of the most senior Black lawmakers in Congress.
Rep. James Clyburn, the veteran Democratic legislator from South Carolina whose own seat is at risk, blamed the justices, not Jeffries, for the outcome in Virginia and elsewhere.
“What the hell, he can’t control the courts,” Clyburn said, vowing to run for reelection regardless of where his district is drawn. “Don’t put that on Jeffries. We won the vote.”
Jeffries acknowledged that this year’s maps are almost set, and pivoted to 2028 when he said Democrats will redouble their efforts to confront the GOP redistricting battle ahead of the next election.
“We know this unprecedented assault on Black political representation, the likes of which we have not seen since the Jim Crow era, the ghost of the Confederacy” will continue, he said. “The challenge that is in front of us is ensuring that there is a decisive and overwhelming response in advance of 2028.”
Mascaro writes for the Associated Press.
What next for Jordan James? The midfielder was the brightest spark in an awful year for Leicester City, where he cleaned up at the end-of-season awards.
Still only 21, James is due to return to French club Rennes following his year-long loan spell with the Foxes but there are suggestions that another move to English football is likely.
James’ contribution at Leicester suggests he would be an asset for any Championship club – while he may have earned a shot at the Premier League.
Ethan Ampadu is already shining at the highest level having enjoyed a fine season with Leeds, where he is under contract until the summer of 2027.
It has been reported that while the club have an option to extend the deal by 12 months, they are keen to tie Ampadu to a new longer-term deal to ward off any potential suitors.
There are other less prominent Wales players whose futures will also be on the agenda this summer, with Swansea City boss Vitor Matos revealing he will have a conversation with Ollie Cooper.
Kai Andrews, meanwhile, may not be expecting much of an opportunity at Coventry City next season following their promotion to the top division.
The teenager has spent the second half of 2025-26 on loan with Hibernian but has struggled for regular game-time with the Scottish Premiership club.
Fellow youngster Charlie Crew, of Leeds, is another player who could be looking for another move after his season-long loan spell at Doncaster Rovers was cut short.
The entrance of the Olive Better Gwanghwamun store in Seoul is seen Friday. Photo by Hyojoon Jeon / UPI
May 14 (Asia Today) — CJ Olive Young said its wellness curation platform Olive Better has attracted 1.8 million new members within 100 days of launch, underscoring growing global demand for South Korea’s expanding K-wellness market.
The company said Wednesday that foreign customers now account for nearly half of sales at some key Olive Better locations, signaling rising international interest beyond traditional K-beauty products.
Olive Better, launched Jan. 30, currently features about 560 brands and roughly 13,000 products, according to the company.
Foreign customer sales initially accounted for about 7% of revenue after launch but have recently climbed to nearly 50% at some stores.
Industry analysts say Olive Young is broadening its consumer base from cosmetics into health and wellness products as global consumers increasingly seek Korean lifestyle and wellness trends.
Wellness products reorganized by lifestyle use
Olive Better reorganizes health products based on consumption methods and wellness goals to improve accessibility for consumers.
The platform offers “wellness shots” designed for quick consumption as well as gummy-type health supplements sold individually, expanding product flexibility and customer choice.
As of late April, more than half of the top 30 best-selling products in stores came from those categories, the company said.
Olive Young added that smaller wellness brands are also expanding product lines after joining the platform, helping them broaden consumer reach within the growing market.
The retailer recently launched a new private-label wellness brand called “All the Better,” offering about 50 products at relatively affordable prices to lower barriers for first-time wellness consumers.
Expansion planned in major shopping districts
Olive Young said it plans to strengthen wellness-focused curation across both online and offline channels.
Its online platform will be redesigned to help consumers search products more easily by function and purpose, while offline expansion will focus on major commercial districts with heavy tourist and younger consumer traffic, including Myeong-dong and Seongsu in Seoul.
The company plans to open 10 additional wellness-focused stores within the year and is also reviewing plans for hybrid stores combining Olive Young and Olive Better concepts.
An Olive Young official said the company was applying operational experience built through K-beauty expansion to the wellness sector while confirming global growth potential.
“K-wellness competitiveness will continue to grow through discovery of emerging domestic brands and market innovation,” the official 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=20260514010003820
“Designating an area as a bathing water before it is suitable for bathing and without a plan in place to clean it up risks confusing the public, who will rightly believe it is safe to swim there,” a spokesman for Water UK, which represents the water companies, told the BBC.
