Month: July 2026

In a speech to the nation Thursday evening, President Trump said Americans deserve secure elections, and he claimed to be using federal authority to prevent them from being “stolen.”

In fact, one of the strongest security features of U.S. elections is the fact that they aren’t conducted at the federal level. America votes in more than 10,000 different election jurisdictions, each with different rules set by state and sometimes local governments.

That structure makes the nation’s elections extraordinarily complicated — and also safe from widespread fraud. And when misconduct does happen — rarely — security protocols frequently catch it.

Decentralized elections date back to the nation’s founding

America’s highly decentralized system of voting exists because the nation’s Founding Fathers gave authority over elections to the states, rather than the federal government. While Congress has the power to regulate elections — and has used that authority to pass such laws as the Voting Rights Act — the Constitution makes clear that states have primary authority to set the “times, places and manner” for elections.

There also is no national election agency that administers the presidential contest, something that’s different from many other countries. And when it comes to doing the day-to-day work of running an election, the responsibility falls to officials at the local level — usually a clerk or election supervisor — with help from staff and volunteers.

While differences in election laws can get confusing, election security experts say this structure is a strength. That’s because to pull off stealing a presidential election — as Trump falsely claims was done to him in 2020 — it would require large numbers of election workers in the most competitive counties across the country who are willing to risk prosecution, prison time and fines while working with officials from both parties willing to look the other way. And everyone somehow would have to keep quiet — a highly unlikely scenario.

There are also shared practices and security measures in place across the country that together work to ensure that only eligible voters can cast a ballot and only one ballot is counted for each.

Voter fraud can happen, but it’s rare and there are safeguards to catch it

Most Americans by now have probably heard stories about someone casting multiple ballots, or voting in the name of dead relatives, or stealing mail ballots from mailboxes.

When these incidents happen, they are often caught and prosecuted.

Voting more than once, tampering with ballots, lying about your residence to vote somewhere else or casting someone else’s ballot are crimes that can be punished with hefty fines and prison time. Non-U.S. citizens who break election laws can be deported.

For anyone still motivated to cheat, election systems in the United States are designed with multiple layers of protection and transparency intended to stand in the way.

For example, for in-person voting, most states either require or request voters provide some sort of identification at the polls. Others require voters to verify who they are in another way, such as stating their name and address, signing a poll book or signing an affidavit.

For absentee voting, all states require a voter’s signature, and many states have further precautions, such as having bipartisan teams compare the signature with other signatures on file, requiring the signature to be notarized or requiring a witness to sign.

That means even if a ballot is erroneously sent to someone’s past address and the current resident mails it in, there are checks to alert election workers to the foul play.

AP review found there was too little voter fraud to tip the 2020 election

Trump has spent six years insisting he won the 2020 election, a campaign he lost to former President Joe Biden.

An Associated Press review in 2021 dug into every potential case of voter fraud in the six battleground states that Trump disputed. It found fewer than 475 cases — a number that would have made no difference in that race.

Allegations from Trump of massive voting fraud have been refuted by a variety of judges, state election officials and an arm of his own administration’s Homeland Security Department. In 2020, then-Attorney General William Barr, a Trump appointee, told the AP that no proof of widespread voter fraud had been uncovered. “To date, we have not seen fraud on a scale that could have effected a different outcome in the election,” he said at the time.

Swenson writes for the Associated Press.

The final weekend of the 2026 FIFA World Cup is here, with France and England playing for third place on Saturday before defending champion Argentina takes on 2010 winner Spain for the title on Sunday.

Here’s everything you need to know about the last two matches of the 39-day, 48-team tournament in North America (all times Pacific).

Saturday’s third-place game

France vs. England

France star Kylian Mbappé smiles during a World Cup semifinal match against Spain on Tuesday.

(David Ramos / Getty Images)

Where: Hard Rock Stadium, Miami Gardens, Fla.
Time: 2 p.m.
TV: Fox, Telemundo | Streaming: Fox One, Peacock

The buzz: This is a game neither team really wants to play. The disappointment of missing the final is fresh and the weather report calls for temperatures in the high 80s with 68% humidity and a chance of thundershowers — a brutal South Florida summer day. The $2-million difference in prize money between third and fourth place isn’t likely to make any of that more palatable. Still, the game will have meaning for France since it will be the final match for coach Didier Deschamps, the winningest World Cup manager in history. And captain Kylian Mbappé, tied with Argentina’s Lionel Messi for most goals in the tournament (8), has a chance to become the first player to win consecutive Golden Boots. England is playing in the consolation final for the second time in three World Cups; it lost to Belgium 2-1 in 2018. But this one will probably sting even more since the Three Lions were five minutes away from their first final in six decades before collapsing against Argentina. This could be the last World Cup game for England’s Golden Generation of Harry Kane, Jordan Pickford, John Stones and Jordan Henderson.

Sunday’s championship game

Spain vs. Argentina

Argentina star Lionel Messi celebrates after a win over England in the World Cup semifinals on Wednesday.

(Buda Mendes / Getty Images)

Where: MetLife Stadium, East Rutherford, N.J.
Time: Noon
TV: Fox, Telemundo | Streaming: Fox One, Peacock

The buzz: Argentina has a chance to become the first repeat World Cup champion since Brazil in 1962, which would give Messi another grand achievement in his sixth and likely final World Cup. Messi enters the weekend as the all-time leader in goals, assists and games played in tournament history. But unbeaten Argentina hasn’t made things easy, with its winning goals in the four knockout-round games coming in the 92nd minute or later. Spain, the reigning European champion, will be playing to put a second star on its jersey to match the one it won in 2010. La Roja, with the sixth-youngest roster in the World Cup, got to the final on the strength of spectacular defense led by Unai Simón, who has six clean sheets in seven games. Mikel Oyarzabal is the team’s leading scorer with five World Cup goals. The teams had one common opponent in this tournament, tiny Cape Verde, a World Cup debutante. It played Spain to a scoreless draw in its opener, then held Argentina to a 1-1 standoff into extra time before falling.

A video showing two plainclothes ICE agents tackling a man at the Las Vegas airport before walking away after bystanders intervened has reignited criticism of the agency’s arrest tactics. ICE later said he was arrested at Los Angeles Airport for overstaying his visa.

Umm al-Khair, occupied West Bank – The Palestinian villagers of Masafer Yatta, a collection of hamlets in the southern West Bank, feel Israel’s military and settlers closing in on them on a daily basis.

In one of those villages, Umm al-Khair, the presence of a newly established illegal settlement outpost nearby is the latest evidence that they are being replaced in their own land.

Salem and Ikhlas al-Hathaleen live with their eight children in a modest home covered with sheet metal. The land around their home had been somewhere the family could use for agriculture and grazing. But the illegal outpost, an extension of the nearby settlement of Carmel established last September, was set up on that land, roughly 20 metres (66 feet) away from their house.

Ikhlas explains that her old morning routine used to involve taking the family’s sheep out of their enclosure, providing them with food and water, milking them, and allowing them to graze.

The tasks were simple – but that is no longer the case.

Now, thanks to the new Israeli outpost, reaching the enclosure – which lies just behind the house – has become difficult, and at times, impossible.

According to Ikhlas, the family was initially prevented for four consecutive days from reaching the livestock enclosure and then was only allowed to access it once, while accompanied by Israeli soldiers, in order to provide food and water for the animals. They were then prevented from accessing the enclosure for two days. This pattern of occasional visits interspersed with days of not being allowed to access the animals has continued, and Ikhlas says they have only been able to check on the animals three times in July.

“I look every morning to see whether the sheep are still alive,” Ikhlas says. “I only wish I could reach them and take care of them like I used to.”

Struggle for a bathroom

It is not just sheep enclosure that is a struggle to get to for the al-Hathaleen family.

Even the family’s bathroom, which is a freestanding structure a few metres away from their home, has become difficult to reach.

Ikhlas explains that settlers in early July placed obstacles near the bathroom, including barbed wire and children’s playground equipment, all in an effort to make access harder, particularly for children and the elderly.

She adds that the situation has become more complicated since the Israeli army declared the area around the bathroom a closed military zone. As a result, the family – including the children, the youngest of whom is a year old – have been forced to use a neighbour’s toilet, despite the risks involved in reaching it.

The route requires crossing a road used by settler vehicles, Ikhlas says, adding that her five-year-old daughter Swar was injured after being hit on the road last August.

For Ikhlas, it is not just an issue of reaching a toilet or the family’s livestock, but about a family’s ability to live with dignity and have a normal life inside their own home.

“We will not leave our land,” she says. “Even if we have to live in a tent or under a tree, we will stay here.”

Growing settlements

Umm al-Khair has faced an increasing tide of settler attacks since October 2023, when Israel’s genocidal war on Gaza began, as well as a simultaneous escalation in Israeli attacks in the occupied West Bank.

Jewish settlers, seeking to capture more land from Palestinians in the West Bank, have become a particular menace, with little pushback from the Israeli state – and often encouragement, particularly in light of the presence of far-right settler leaders, such as Itamar Ben-Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich, in the highest ranks of government.

Settlements continue to expand rapidly across the occupied West Bank and occupied East Jerusalem, making any hope for a Palestinian state on these lands increasingly remote.

An Israeli court issued an order last October that the new illegal outpost next to Umm al-Khair be evacuated, but after the Israeli army did nothing to implement the order, it was cancelled.

The local Palestinians have little ability to push back against the Israeli settlers – if they do, they are at risk of being attacked more forcefully by the settlers, who have weapons, or arrested by soldiers.

Khalil al-Hathaleen, the head of Umm al-Khair’s village council, says that settlement expansion in the area has accelerated in recent years, including the establishment of the new illegal outpost, as well as the opening of roads for settlers, and expanding the areas under the control of existing settlements – all of which rely on expropriating Palestinian land.

Khalil explains that as a result, the number of livestock owned by Umm al-Khair’s residents has dropped from 3,000 to about 700, as a result of the difficult conditions facing herders and the growing challenges in accessing grazing areas.

He adds that more than 1,000 olive trees have been cut in the area, 50,000 square metres (538,000sq feet) of agricultural land taken over, and demolition orders issued against 14 homes and structures.

“For the people of Umm al-Khair, losing access to their land does not only mean losing property,” Khalil says. “It means losing an entire way of life that has existed for generations.”

Hisham al-Sharbati, a researcher at the Jerusalem Legal Aid and Human Rights Center, says the organisation has been monitoring the situation in Umm al-Khair for years, and that challenges facing residents have intensified alongside settlement expansion in the area.

“The humanitarian impact is visible in every detail of daily life – from difficulties accessing sources of income to restrictions affecting homes and basic facilities,” he says, adding that the actions of Israel and its settlers directly contravene international law.

Children in fear

Ahmed al-Hathaleen, another resident of Umm al-Khair, works to track Israeli abuses in the village.

“I have a special folder on my phone called ‘Umm al-Khair File’,” he says, adding that it contains about 1,500 video clips and 1,200 photographs that he has collected since April 2025.

“Photography and video have become a way to tell our story and show people what is happening here,” he says.

Ahmed, who is 31 years old, says that it is the children – and he has three of them – who are most affected by the situation, with some experiencing nightmares as a result of the surrounding environment.

Sahm Khalil al-Hathaleen is one of those children. He says children in the community have lost much of their normal childhood, especially their right to education and safe spaces to play.

The 12-year-old boy says that he just wants to go to school and play without fear, but that is impossible in the current situation they face.

“The children here just want to live like other children,” he says.

Sahm sees some of those other children living normal lives – the children from the nearby Israeli settlements. While they play, he describes being woken up in the middle of the night scared whenever he hears a sound outside.

“Fear,” Sahm says, “has become part of our daily lives.”

The Hairdresser Mysteries seems to have won over TV viewers as it launched to favourable reviews on BBC One

A new BBC detective series has left fans “obsessed” as it launches with positive reviews.

The Hairdresser Mysteries made its debut on Friday, 17 July at 2pm. Written by playwright Jim Cartwright, the series centres on Lily Petal, a talented hairdresser whose obsession with all things 1970s is matched only by her flair for styling.

After leaving the fast-paced world of an upmarket London salon, she relocates to a small hairdressing shop in a quiet northern market town in search of a slower pace of life. However, that plan quickly unravels when a string of suspicious deaths begins unfolding around her new home.

Before long, Lily finds herself solving crimes instead of simply cutting hair, with sharp-minded assistant Clary Coombs by her side. Their unlikely detective team is completed by the town’s resident busybody, Wincey, and enthusiastic Police Constable Adam, who all become caught up in a series of investigations.

Leading the cast is Sally Phillips as Lily, the fashionable salon owner whose knack for uncovering clues proves just as useful as her skills with a pair of scissors. The 56-year-old actress is widely recognised for playing Shazza throughout the Bridget Jones film series.

Taking on the role of Clary is Charlotte Jordan, whose character’s intelligence and eye for detail make her an invaluable partner in Lily’s amateur sleuthing. The 32-year-old actress is best known to television audiences for portraying Daisy Midgeley in Coronation Street, a role she held between 2020 and 2025.

Promoting the show on Instagram, actress Charlotte penned: “The Hairdresser Mysteries’ drops on @bbcone and @bbciplayer today with the schamazinggg @sallysmack @isunetra and @bencastlegibb.

“Welcome to Blosson Vale. Where everyone’s a little bit odd…and someone usually ends up dead. New episodes every Friday for the next six weeks.”

After seeing her post, fans couldn’t get enough and headed straight to the comment section to share their thoughts. One social media user wrote: “So obsessed, already need another series!!”

Another wrote: “LOVING IT SO FAR!! Lily and Clary are already an ICONIC duo!!”

Fans on X, formerly known as Twitter, also shared similar sentiments, with one writing: “I guess a lot of us were just watching because it was Charlie Jordan’s first job after Corrie and she was brilliant.”

The Hairdresser Mysteries airs Fridays at 2pm on BBC One.

If you’ve been on a plane, you would have noticed a certain passenger habit, and maybe you’re someone who does it. But a travel expert has revealed why it can do more harm than good

Regardless of the flight, be it long-haul or short-haul, I always see passengers make the same infuriating mistake – but it can be hazardous.

We all know the feeling; we’ve just landed, the seatbelt sign has been turned off, and we’re eager to disembark the plane and get through airport border control as soon as possible. Some travellers have the added pressure of trains and pre-booked taxis to catch, while others have family waiting for them in the arrival hall or vital flight connections to their final destination.

It’s understandable that passengers want to leave the plane as soon as possible, but this can result in a mass of people crowded together in the narrow aisles. Time after time, I see travellers scrambling around the cabin, getting out of their seats, grabbing their suitcases from the overhead lockers and standing in the plane aisle -before the plane doors have even opened.

It can take up to 20 minutes, sometimes more, for travellers to start leaving the plane, depending on the location, aircraft, and overall process, and during that time, it can get progressively congested. Instead of remaining in their seats with ample space, passengers are shoulder to shoulder in the aisle, bags lodged between their knees and arms stretching above people’s heads, with the risk that at any moment, a personal item could be dropped on an unfortunate nearby traveller.

While there’s nothing stopping them from getting out of their seats when the plane is parked at the gate, and the captain has turned off the fasten seat belt sign, it can cause absolute mayhem. I understand if you’ve got places to be, but overcrowding the aisle and selfishly filling it with your suitcases won’t make departing the plane any quicker or easier, and it frustrates me every time.

Not only can it cause disorder in the aircraft, but it can also be more dangerous than just an annoying passenger habit. “Even when an aircraft has safely arrived at the gate, and the seatbelt signs have been switched off, standing up immediately can still create avoidable risks, “Gavin Lapidus, company director at eShores, exclusively told the Mirror.

The travel expert at the luxury tour operator explained: “While many travellers are eager to leave the aircraft as soon as it lands, standing up immediately rarely gets anyone off the plane faster. Instead, it increases the likelihood of trips, falls, bumps, and luggage-related injuries.

“Waiting until the row ahead begins moving allows passengers to disembark more safely and efficiently, while reducing risks for both fellow travellers and cabin crew.”

Gavin added: “From a crew perspective, passengers crowding the aisle before the doors are opened can make it more difficult to carry out essential post-landing procedures. Flight attendants need clear access throughout the cabin and must be able to respond quickly if an issue arises. A congested aisle can slow communications, impede movement, and create additional hazards.”

So once the queue to leave the plane starts moving, by all means, get out of your seat and prepare to grab your bag from the overhead lockers. But until then, be patient. Aimlessly waiting in the aisle before the doors open won’t speed up the process, especially when you still have to wait for the passengers in front to leave; it really isn’t worth it.

Do you have a travel story to share? Email webtravel@reachplc.com

AN AMBITIOUS new project linking two major cities could cut travel time significantly for drivers.

The project hopes to also boost local economies and better protect the environment.

A 14-mile tunnel has been proposed beneath the Peak District Mountains to make it easier to link Manchester and Sheffield.

The Norway-inspired dual carriageway would send traffic underground and potentially cut driving time by as much as 30 minutes.

In addition to this, the Woodhead railway line between the two cities would be restored after decades of being inactive.

The fast line between Manchester and Sheffield was closed to the public in the 1970s and then entirely in 1981.

CATCH ‘EM ALL

Pokemon launches new attraction at 27 destinations across the UK this summer

EAT UP

10 of the craziest McDonald’s in the world from massive playparks to nightclubs

Future Works, a group of infrastructure experts, believe this tunnel can be done for just under £2bn and improve the links between key northern cities.

Michael Dnes, the co-founder of Future Works, said he had guilt about not getting this product off the ground years ago when he worked for the Department for Transport.

When he left in 2024, he looked to Norway for a way to get the plan up and running for cheaper than £10bn, the cost of a similar shelved government scheme.

A spokesperson for Future Works, said: “High demand for the route means that the project could pay for itself, without the need for Westminster funding.

“Scandinavian tunnels are often owned by local councils, who recover the costs through tolls. Equally, northern pension funds have hundreds of billions in investment capital that could be mobilised to build the project.

“They aim to create a shovel-ready scheme, and to bring this through the planning system faster than the 10+ year processes that have become the norm in UK planning.

“Work could begin before the end of the decade, with the road and railway open in the mid-2030s.”

A growing number of tourists are finding their most exciting holiday moments down a supermarket aisle, and social media is full of holidaymakers showing off their hauls. So, which European destinations have the best supermarkets

What do you most look forward to when you step off a plane? From sightseeing to days at the beach, we all have holiday moments that we dream about all year-round. But recently holidaymakers have taken to social media to show off their videos not of stunning scenery, but supermarket aisles.

TikTok is full of videos of Brits excitedly heading to supermarkets at their holiday destinations. One is captioned “Nothing beats the feeling of the first supermarket trip in Spain”, showing a man excitedly dancing in the aisles, while another shows a tourist visiting the supermarket chain Mercadona with the caption “Me, as soon as I land in Spain”.

This newfound appreciation for a chore that’s usually seen as mundane at home has lead to travel deals site Superbreak.com releasing a Gourmet Grocery Index the top ten destinations in the UK and Europe for grocery tourism in 2026. It looked at aspects of food shopping such as the amount of supermarkets and independent food shops, cost of a food shop, retail value, and the packability of its most popular food type.

Taking the number one spot is a city that’s a cultural capital, known for its colourful buildings, hilly streets, and apparently, its well-stocked supermarkets too. Lisbon in Portugal took the top spot thanks to its sheer choice of food shops, from old-school conservas, boutiques that specialise in tinned fish, to traditional delis and markets, as well as popular chain supermarkets.

Portugal is also frequently named as one of the areas offering the cheapest cost of living in Western Europe. While tourists from the UK sometimes find other European countries expensive for food shopping, Portugal has been named as 20-40% cheaper than shopping at home.

A popular item to take back to the UK is tinned fish, which scored the perfect packability score due to being difficult to damage in transit, pressure sealed, and shelf-stable, making it an excellent gift to take home. However, it’s worth noting that fish in brine or oil will count as a liquid if taking it in your hand luggage.

Visitors to Lisbon should look out for mercados municipais, local neighbourhood markets that are often found in large, historic buildings that have held market stalls for years. Mercado de Campo de Ourique is one of the larger options, reachable by tram, and also has a selection of sit-down places to have lunch or a coffee. Loja das Conservas is a great place to pick up souvenirs. This colourful shop has dozens of varieties of tinned fish in retro-style packaging that makes for fun gift.

If you’d like to experience shopping the same way as locals, the biggest supermarket chain is Continente, and there are small and large branches throughout Lisbon. There’s also Pingo Doce, which tends to be smaller branches that specialise in fresh foods and have popular in-store bakeries.

Coming second on the list was Barcelona, which is famous for Mercat de la Boqueria, named the best market in the world, and Florence in Italy which is full of specialist food stores where you can buy authentic local ingredients.

Just one UK destination made the list. Coming in at number ten were the Exmoor coast destinations of Lynton & Lynmouth which made the list due to the large number of independent farm shops and artisanal food makers on a per-capita basis, providing an excellent staycation spot for foodies looking to shop somewhere new in the UK.

Before packing supermarket items to bring back to the UK, travellers should make sure the items can handle high-altitude cabin pressure changes and rough baggage handling without bursting or cracking. If you’re on a hand-luggage only fare, make sure it meets the airport’s liquid requirements. If you can spill, spread, pump, or pour it then it’s likely to count as a liquid.

Keep journey timings in mind and whether your item will be able to be out of the fridge until you get home. And keep in mind that there’s still a ban on bringing meat and cheese products from the EU into the UK. All dairy products, plus meat including pork, beef, and lamb cannot be brought home with you, although fish and poultry items are fine.

Top 10 grocery hotspots for 2026

1. Lisbon, Portugal
2. Barcelona, Spain
3. Florence, Italy
4. Madrid, Spain
5. Paris, France
6. Rome, Italy
7. Bologna, Italy
8. Porto, Portugal
9. San Sebastian, Spain
10. Lynton & Lynmouth, Devon, UK

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

Hi, and welcome to another edition of Dodgers Dugout. My name is Houston Mitchell. Here we are at the All-Star break. How did that happen so fast? And how crazy is baseball? Arizona is 49-47, 11½ games out of first. The Angels are tied for the worst record in baseball (38-59) and are also 11½ games out of first.

The Dodgers begin the second half of the season with a 61-36 record, leading the NL West by 11½ games over Arizona. Yes, they lost their last three games going into the break, but those things happen. The first few games after the break (at Yankees, at Philadelphia, at Mets) won’t be easy, so we will see where things stand after that.

How does their record compare to years past at the break?

2026
61-36, .629
lead NL West by 11½ games
Record after break: ?

2025
58-39, .598
led NL West by 5½ games
Record after break: 35-30, .538
won NL West by 3 games

2024
56-41, .577
led NL West by 7 games
Record after break: 42-23, .646
won NL West by 5 games

2023
51-38, .573
second in NL West, a half-game behind Arizona
Record after break: 49-24, .671
won NL West by 16 games

2022
60-30, .667
led NL West by 9½ games
Record after break: 51-21, .708
won NL West by 22 games

2021
56-35, .615
second in NL West, two games behind San Francisco
Record after break: 50-21, .704
second in NL West, one game behind Giants

2020
Covid-shortened season

Now let’s look at the main players on the team. We will include their slash numbers (AVG/OB%/SLG%) and their career slash numbers.

We will list them in order of OPS+.

Shohei Ohtani
2026: .293/.403/.549, 162 OPS+
Career: .282/.377/.580, 160 OPS+

The discussion of whether pitching is hurting his hitting has mostly come to a halt. But maybe it is hurting his knee? That’s a huge thing to keep an eye on in the second half.

Tommy Edman
2026: .343/.421/.478, 150 OPS+
Career: .261/.314/.407, 99 OPS+

It’s highly unlikely that Edman hits this well the rest of the season (he’s had only 78 plate appearances), but the Dodgers are certainly better with him on the roster.

Freddie Freeman
2026: .290/.375/.487, 138 OPS+
Career: .299/.386/.510, 142 OPS+

He is still as steady as ever. When was the last time you said “Wow, that was a bad at-bat by Freeman?” It never seems to happen.

Max Muncy
2026: .259/.354/.488, 132 OPS+
Career: .232/.354/.475, 125 OPS+

Unsung star of the first half, even if he did make the All-Star team. He’s quite the steal at only $10 million. And his defense has gotten better too.

Dalton Rushing
2026: .254/.337/.475, 123 OPS+
Career: .232/.303/.409, 97 OPS+

Has has filled in quite well for Will Smith.

Andy Pages
2026: .270/.336/.471, 122 OPS+
Career: .264/.317/.448, 112 OPS+

Remember the Pages who seemed to break wrong on every fly ball his rookie year? That Pages no longer exists.

Miguel Rojas
2026: .290/.335/.420, 109 OPS+
Career: .261/.314/.364, 87 OPS+

He is not playing like a guy who is retiring at the end of the season. You could make a case for this being his best year ever.

Will Smith
2026: .249/.338/.382, 100 OPS+
Career: .263/.357/.470, 126 OPS+

Looking at his numbers, you have to wonder if he had any other nagging injuries before he went on the IL because of a neck problem. Playing catcher is hard, folks.

Kyle Tucker
2026: .244/.341/.375, 100 OPS+
Career: .270/.356/.493, 135 OPS+

You have to figure the Dodgers were hoping for more than a league average hitter for $60 million a season. I always wonder if deep down, a guy such as Rojas says to himself, “That guy is making $60 million and I’m making $6 million?”

Teoscar Hernández
2026: .243/.319/.387, 96 OPS+
Career: .260/.316/.479, 118 OPS+

The consistency just isn’t there anymore. The last two seasons he has been decidedly average as a player.

Mookie Betts
2026: .235/.293/.416, 95 OPS+
Career: .288/.366/.509, 134 OPS+

He may never be the hitter he once was. Then again, he’s hitting .288/.335/.475 since June 9.

Alex Call
2026: .250/.358/.321, 92 OPS+
Career: .243/.343/.365, 100 OPS+

A perfect example of a fourth outfielder.

Hyeseong Kim
2026: .259/.323/.328, 82 OPS+
Career: .271/.318/.361, 90 OPS+

Many fans are still enamored with him, but until he develops a better eye at the plate and a more consistent swing, he’s going to spend a lot of time in the minors.

Alex Freeland
2026: .234/.313/.318, 77 OPS+
Career: .221/.307/.315, 75 OPS+

Another Dodgers top prospect who hasn’t panned out … yet. Remember Miguel Vargas, who looked about as bad as Freeland with the Dodgers and was on the AL All-Star team this year? Perhaps they can use that as a factor at the trade deadline.

Starting rotation

Shohei Ohtani
2026: 8-2, 1.79 ERA, 234 ERA+
Career: 47-22, 2.83 ERA, 151 ERA+

Strangely, the Dodgers have a hitter with the same name. I wonder if they ever get them mixed up.

Justin Wrobleski
2026: 10-2, 2.69 ERA, 155 ERA+
Career: 16-9. 3.76 ERA, 110 ERA+

Get this: He has pitched this well and might not even be in the postseason rotation if Tyler Glasnow and Blake Snell return.

Tyler Glasnow
2026: 3-0, 2.72 ERA, 154 ERA+
Career: 46-36, 3.69 ERA, 112 ERA+

Glasnow has been in the majors for 11 seasons and pitched more than 100 innings only three times, and in one of those seasons, he pitched over half of those innings in relief.

Yoshinobu Yamamoto
2026: 9-6, 2.85 ERA, 147 ERA+
Career: 28-16, 2.72 ERA, 151 ERA+

It has been a quiet season from him so far, but a very good season. Considering all the arm injuries in baseball, it’s amazing his arm didn’t fall off this year after his usage in the postseason.

Eric Lauer
2026: 3-0, 3.12 ERA, 134 ERA+
Career: 49-44, 4.20 ERA, 99 ERA+

Once again, the Dodgers find a pitcher on the scrap heap, make an adjustment, and he becomes a solid pitcher.

Emmet Sheehan
2026: 4-6, 4.81 ERA, 87 ERA+
Career: 14-10, 4.17 ERA, 101 ERA+

A big disappointment so far. If any of the 12 million starting pitchers on the IL for the Dodgers was healthy, you have to figure they might get a shot.

Roki Sasaki
2026: 3-5, 5.33 ERA, 78 ERA+
Career: 4-6, 5.06 ERA, 82 ERA+

He starred briefly while in the bullpen last postseason, but overall, you have to wonder why the Dodgers don’t let him figure things out in the minors.

Blake Snell
2026: 0-1, 12.00 ERA, 39 ERA+
Career: 81-63, 3.17 ERA, 129 ERA+

Snell is like Bigfoot. You think he might exist, but he’s seen only rarely and pictures of him are blurry. The search continues.

Bullpen

Alex Vesia
2026: 1-1, 2.27 ERA, 3 saves, 185 ERA+
Career: 20-14, 2.85 ERA, 16 saves, 145 ERA+

This is Vesia’s sixth season in the Dodger bullpen, and he has had only one mediocre season, in 2023. He comes in, get the job done, gets the team pumped up and leaves. Every team needs a Vesia.

Edgardo Henriquez
2026: 4-1, 2.29 ERA, 1 save, 183 ERA+
Career: 6-2, 2.34 ERA, 3 saves, 180 ERA+

No one gets too excited when Henriquez comes into a game, but he sure has been effective.

Will Klein
2026: 3-4, 2.41 ERA, 2 saves, 174 ERA+
Career: 5-5, 3.45 ERA, 2 saves, 123 ERA+

Career ERA before joining Dodgers: 11.05. ERA with the Dodgers: 2.39. At the beginning of the season, we mentioned something like what Klein did in Game 3 of last year’s World Series could catapult him into a long, solid major league career. So far, so good.

Tanner Scott
2026: 1-3, 2.56 ERA, 13 saves, 164 ERA+
Career: 33-31, 3.62 ERA, 91 saves, 121 ERA+

Yes, he has had a rough game or two this season, but overall he has been a dependable closer.

Brock Stewart
2026: 0-0, 2.79 ERA, 155 ERA+
Career: 10-5, 4.40 ERA, 2 saves, 97 ERA+

It is hard to draw any conclusions on Stewart since he has pitched only 13.1 innings for the team since it acquired him at last year’s trade deadline for James Outman.

Jack Dreyer
2026: 3-1, 3.03 ERA, 139 ERA+
Career: 6-3, 2.97 ERA, 4 saves, 139 ERA+

Henriquez, Klein, Dreyer. Three guys who draw little notice but have been stalwarts in the bullpen this season.

Blake Treinen
2026: 4-1, 3.52 ERA, 1 save, 120 ERA+
Career: 49-42, 2.93 ERA, 83 saves, 142 ERA+

He had three great seasons with the Dodgers, but it has been hit and miss since then.

Kyle Hurt
2026: 3-1, 4.88 ERA, 1 save, 86 ERA+
Career: 3-2, 4.05 ERA, 1 save, 105 ERA+

On the IL again, which shouldn’t come as a surprise considering his name. Kyle hurt? Yes.

Evan Phillips
2026: 0-0. 6.00 ERA, 78 ERA+
Career: 16-12, 3.39 ERA, 46 saves, 126 ERA+

He has pitched only three innings since his return from the IL, so it’s too soon to draw any conclusions on how well he has recovered. He was really, really good before the injury.

And finally …
Of course, this doesn’t include players such as Kiké Hernández and Edwin Díaz, who played very little this season but are expected back after the All-Star break.

Overall, a solid team. There’s no one where you can say “That guy is terrible.” There may be a player or two who is overpaid for their production, but even those guys aren’t terrible. And that’s how you end up with the best record in baseball at the All-Star break.

Leaders

Remember sitting down with the Sunday newspaper and turning to the page that listed all of the hitters and pitchers and their stats? The Times and almost every other paper stopped running that years ago. Let’s do a little of it now by listing the top five in key categories in the NL and where the top Dodger is at the break. Remember, to qualify for rate stats, you have to have 3.1 plate appearances or one inning pitched for each game your team has played.

Batting average
1. Otto Lopez, Miami, .334
2. Luis Arráez, San Francisco, .330
3. Nick Gonzales, Pittsburgh, .308
4. Xavier Edwards, Miami, .303
5. Jung Hoo Lee, San Francisco, .302
12. Shohei Ohtani, .293

On-base%
1. Juan Soto, New York, .412
2. James Wood, Washington, .410
3. Shohei Ohtani, .403
4. Bryan Reynolds, Pittsburgh, .400
5. Pete Crow-Armstrong, Chicago, .386
10. Freddie Freeman, .375

Slugging %
1. James Wood, Washington, .575
2. Juan Soto, New York, .562
3. Kyle Schwarber, Philadelphia, .559
4. Luis Garcia Jr., Washington, .554
5. Shohei Ohtani, .549

Runs
1. James Wood, Washington, 89
2. Bryan Reynolds, Pittsburgh, 68
3. Brice Turang, Milwaukee, 66
4. Shohei Ohtani, 65
5. Matt Olson, Atlanta, 64

Doubles
1. Otto Lopez, Miami, 26
2. Rafael Devers, San Francisco, 25
3. Matt Olson, Atlanta, 24
t4. Six tied with 23, including Freddie Freeman

Home runs
1. Kyle Schwarber, Philadelphia, 32
2. James Wood, Washington, 28
3. Hunter Goodman, Colorado, 27
4. Matt Olson, Atlanta, 25
t5. Shohei Ohtani, 22
t5. Jordan Walker, St. Louis, 22

RBIs
1. Jordan Walker, St. Louis, 74
2. Luis Garcia Jr., Washington, 68
3. CJ Abrams, Washington, 67
3. Alec Burleson, St. Louis, 67
5. Andy Pages, 66

ERA
1. Jacob Misiorowski, Milwaukee, 1.62
2. Chris Sale, Atlanta, 2.20
3. Eduardo Rodriguez, Arizona, 2.29
4. Chase Burns, Cincinnati, 2.54
5. Max Meyer, Miami, 2.58
7. Justin Wrobleski, 2.69
9. Yoshinobu Yamamoto, 2.85

Strikeouts
1. Jacob Misiorowski, Milwaukee, 167
2. Cristopher Sanchez, Philadelphia, 144
3. Jesus Luzardo, Philadelphia, 136
4. Paul Skenes, Pittsburgh, 130
5. Braxton Ashcraft, Pittsburgh, 128
13. Yoshinobu Yamamoto, 106

Saves
1. Mason Miller, San Diego, 25
t2. Jhoan Duran, Philadelphia, 24
t2. Riley O’Brien, St. Louis, 24
4. Paul Sewald, Arizona, 22
5. Raisel Iglesias, Atlanta, 19
t7. Tanner Scott, 13

Up next

Friday: Dodgers (Roki Sasaki, 3-5, 5.33 ERA) at New York Yankees (Gerrit Cole, 3-4, 4.04 ERA), 4:05 p.m., SportsNet LA, AM 570, KTNQ 1020

Saturday: Dodgers (Emmet Sheehan, 4-6, 4.81 ERA) at New York Yankees (*Ryan Weathers, 3-7, 4.15 ERA), 5:08 p.m., Fox, AM 570, KTNQ 1020

Sunday: Dodgers (Yoshinobu Yamamoto, 9-6, 2.85 ERA) at New York Yankees (Cam Schlittler, 9-5, 2.05 ERA), 4:20 p.m., NBC, Peacock, AM 570, KTNQ 1020

All times Pacific

*-left-handed

In case you missed it

Plaschke: Who says they don’t need him? Dodgers need to trade for Tarik Skubal

Most pressing question for Dodgers in the second half: Can Shohei Ohtani stay healthy?

Shohei Ohtani wins two ESPYs … and Mike Tyson learns the Dodgers superstar is a guy

Dodgers’ Mookie Betts has six Gold Gloves. And now a baseball glove company

Shaikin: To seize 2028 Olympics spotlight, does MLB really need draconian participation rules?

And finally

Kevin Costner on the legacy of Vin Scully. Watch and listen here.

Until next time …

Have a comment or something you’d like to see in a future Dodgers newsletter? Email me at houston.mitchell@latimes.com. To get this newsletter in your inbox, click here.

July 17 (UPI) — Japanese lawmakers adopted measures Friday to bolster the dwindling ranks of the country’s royal family but ignored public backing to permit female succession to the Chrysanthemum Throne in favor of allowing the family to adopt distantly related male kin.

The first major change to the law in almost 80 years legalizes the adoption of males born to former imperial branch families descended from emperors, provided they are 15 or older, as well as allowing female royals to marry outside the family without forfeiting their imperial status.

Males adopted into the imperial family will be permitted to succeed Emperor Naruhito over female members of the royal family, including his popular 24-year-old daughter, Princess Aiko, who remains excluded from the succession.

The children of female royals who marry commoners will remain forever commoners and be recorded on the Basic Resident Register in line with the majority of ordinary Japanese citizens.

The move tabled by Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s ruling conservative Liberal Democratic Party coalition drew criticism from the opposition over concerns not enough parliamentary time had been allocated to debate the issues and their push to maintain a succession where only males descended from the paternal line can ascend the throne.

The revision, part of the LDP-Japan Innovation Party coalition’s manifesto, expands the three male heirs who could succeed 66-year-old Naruhito to include unmarried males of 11 former branch families who may now legally become part of the imperial family, which is down to just 16 members.

Prior to the revision, the survival of Naruhito’s line hinged on his nephew, Prince Hisahito, producing a male heir.

The other two immediate heirs to Naruhito are his brother, Crown Prince Fumihito, and his uncle — but they are aged 60 and 90-years-old, respectively.

The throne has been passed down through the male line for all of its history, said to be more than 26 centuries, although there is doubt over whether some of the earlier emperors were real; several of those whose existence has been confirmed were female.

Anduril’s YFQ-44A Fury Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) has live-fired a munition at a simulated target for the first time in a test conducted from Edwards Air Force Base in California. The launch of the AIM-120 Advanced Medium Range Air-to-Air Missile (AMRAAM) is also a first for any U.S. CCA-type drone. This is an important step forward in the development of Fury and for the U.S. Air Force’s CCA program.

The YFQ-44A is one of two drones in development as part of the first phase, or Increment 1, of the Air Force’s CCA program. The other is General Atomics’ YFQ-42A Dark Merlin. Last month, the service announced orders for production versions of both designs, which will form a mixed initial operational CCA fleet.

“The live-fire test was performed in coordination with the 412th Test Wing’s Air Dominance Combined Test Force, a team consisting of active-duty military, government civilians, and government contractors, who worked to refine and validate the models required for a safe live-fire execution,” according to a press release the Air Force put out today. “This latest milestone continues the rapid pace of developmental testing for safe and effective CCA operations.”

The Air Force’s release also says the AIM-120 missile was fired “in secluded airspace over the Mojave Desert” at what is described as a “digital target.” In its current configuration, the YFQ-44 carries stores externally on either of two hardpoints, one under each wing.

“We executed the first weapons shot from YFQ-44A, an important milestone in turning CCA into an operational capability,” Mark Shushnar, Anduril’s Vice President of Autonomous Airpower, also said in a statement. “This was more than a simple weapons release test – it demonstrated an end-to-end, beyond-line-of-sight strike against a simulated target. YFQ-44A took off from Edwards Air Force Base, our Lattice software ingested a target track, an operator tasked the aircraft to engage the target, and YFQ-44A fired an AIM-120 as instructed.”

Lattice for Mission Autonomy: An Unfair Advantage for Unrivaled Deterrence

The Air Force had announced in February that the CCA program had entered the weapons integration and captive carry testing phase. A picture of a YFQ-44A carrying an inert AIM-120 was released at that time. To date, General Atomics YFQ-42A has not been seen carrying a munition, inert or live. The Air Force and General Atomics have said the YFQ-42A is on track to conduct a live-fire launch later this year, according to Breaking Defense.

“This [new live-fire] event is part of a deliberate, phased test progression that began with inert carriage evaluations earlier this year,” per the Air Force’s release today. “The initial inert weapons captive carry flights focused on collecting in-flight data to verify the aircraft’s handling. Subsequent evaluations validated the data link integration between the aircraft and the weapon system, ensuring operator commands were executed precisely by the platform in a simulated environment.”

“Moving from inert carriage earlier in the year to this weapon release demonstrates program maturity, allowing us to validate our digital integration models with actual data,” Air Force Gen. Dale White, Direct Reporting Portfolio Manager for Critical Major Weapon Systems, also said in a statement. “These tests provide operational validation that Collaborative Combat Aircraft can execute the weapon employment sequence autonomously within pilot-defined parameters, accelerating capability delivery to the warfighter.”

The Air Force is not the first to conduct a live-fire munitions launch from a CCA-type drone. In December 2025, a Turkish Kizilelma drone launched a pair of domestically-produced Gökdoğan air-to-air missiles. One of those missiles was fired at a physical target drone. You can read more about the test here.

Bayraktar #KIZILELMA | GÖKDOĞAN Füzesi Atış Testi

Later in December 2025, the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF), in cooperation with Boeing, test-fired an AMRAAM from an MQ-28 Ghost Bat drone, as you can read more about here. The missile successfully engaged an Australian-made Phoenix jet-powered target drone.

Uncrewed MQ-28 Ghost Bat showcases its combat capability

The U.S. Air Force has long said that air-to-air combat will be the main mission for its initial CCA fleet. The drones will also help increase the sensor reach of crewed fighters they’re teamed with. These drones, as well as other designs acquired through future iterative development cycles, could take on additional missions down the line. The Air Force sees CCAs, in general, as providing vital extra capacity, or ‘mass,’ during future operations, especially potential high-end fights against opponents such as China. By extension, they will also help reduce risk to crewed platforms and open up new tactical possibilities.

“This live-fire test is an important next step in the development of Collaborative Combat Aircraft,” Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Ken Wilsbach said in a statement today. “We’re one step closer to delivering capabilities to the warfighter.”

With the Air Force aiming to begin fielding its first CCAs before the end of the decade, we can expect weapons and other testing to continue ramping up.

Contact the author: joe@twz.com

AS a travel writer and a mum of a seven-year-old boy who frequently solo parents on trips abroad, there is no gadget or toy that makes my life easier when travelling than the Yoto player. 

From plane journeys to passport control queues, coach transfers to quiet moments by the pool that allow me to read a few pages of my long-ignored book, the little machine is worth its weight in gold. 

But let’s face it, they aren’t cheap. The Mini Yoto Player costs £59.99 and then you have to pay around £7.99 to £9.99 for every story card.

Still well worth it, in my opinion, but a pain on the purse strings nonetheless. 

So it’s music to my ears, and doubtless millions of other parents to learn that Yoto have released seven hours of free audiobooks for kids this summer holidays, which they’re calling their ‘summer travel audio collections.’ 

Created for kids ages 3-14 and divided into two themed listening experiences – On the Road and A World of Adventure – the collection blends stories, music and educational content curated specifically for travel days.

Read More On Family Travel

HOL YES

Huge changes to flight rights from kids seats to cabin bags but only on some planes

SAVE BIG

UK theme parks and attractions offering FREE return visits and 89p kids tickets

The On the Road collection includes: Journey Jams – upbeat music for family singalongs and long drives for kids aged 3-10, Biggest Ideas: Garrett Morgan, Inventor of the Traffic Signal – that introduces kids to the inventor behind traffic lights for kids aged 6-10, and Yoto Classics: The Wind in the Willows  for kids aged 8-14. 

The A World of Adventure collection includes: 5-Minute Stories from Around the World – bite-sized global tales for kids aged 4-7, Songs for Little Explorers – playful music and discovery-themed songs for kids aged 3-10, and Yoto Classics: Treasure Island – the classic pirate adventure reworked for younger listeners, for kids aged 8-14.

Yoto Content Director, Jess Tarrant said: “Travelling with kids can be a lot of fun, but it can also be overwhelming. We know parents are constantly looking for ways to keep kids entertained while reducing screen fatigue during long travel days. 

“Yoto was built for moments exactly like this: helping kids stay engaged, curious, and independent whether they’re in the backseat, at the airport gate, or winding down after a busy day of adventure.”

Yoto’s free summer travel playlist collections are available until September 1 through the Yoto App.

Yoto also has a new free Daily Draw Along collection, themed around rail and holidays, in partnership with Trainline.

The Draw Along collection acts like a creative travel companion for children, with each episode guiding them through a different scene inspired by trains, holidays and the things they might spot along the way.

Young travellers can design their own dream train or an under-the-sea train, head off on a mountain trail or a rollercoaster adventure.

Available until September 1 via the Discover section of the free Yoto app, the collection features 12 guided drawing episodes.

They’re inspired by what children may see or experience as they travel, and you don’t even need a Yoto player to use these guides.

Things took a hilarious turn during one instalment of Channel 4’s Come Dine With Me as one guest pointed out a ‘stolen’ ingredient

A host on Come Dine With Me was savagely called out by one of his guests, as they believed he had stolen an unexpected item for one dish.

The much-loved Channel 4 programme, which sees four or five amateur cooks from the same local area take turns hosting a three-course dinner party in their own homes, was back for the last instalment of the week.

On Friday July 17’s episode, which is a repeat that was set in Cardiff, it was the turn of chiropractor Pete to impress his guests Angharad, Claire, Charlotte and David, with his dishes which included a lemon posset and Glamorgan sausages.

While at the dinner table, Pete also provided “edible flowers” for his guests but the host was unfortunately left red-faced when he was questioned about where he sourced the flowers.

Angharad asked of her flower: “Where did you get this from then?” Pete replied: “This I cropped from near Llandaff Cathedral.” But Angharad was not convinced by Pete’s tale.

She bluntly replied: “You stole it!” Trying to justify where he got it from, stating that he retrieved the flowers from a pathway, David chipped in that he often walked his dog in that direction.

Questioning whether the flowers were clean enough to eat, Claire said: “I hope you washed those!”

This later led to Pete’s guests discovering that he failed to make his own pastries for one of his dishes. But despite calling him out, all the guests agreed that Pete’s food and hospitality was top-notch.

The Cardiff-based episode, which was first broadcast last year, caused quite a stir.

One social media user took to Facebook at the time and wrote: “I love when guests get upset that the host didn’t make their own pastry. Who makes their own pastry? Shortcrust maybe, but I think using store-bought puff & fillo pastry is totally ok!”

Another added: “Competitors do make their own puff, shortcrust pastry but not filo, it is very fiddly I think.”

At the end of the show, the guests found who was the winner of the week and received a cool £1,000 prize.

Come Dine With Me airs weekdays at 6:30pm on Channel 4

No asset manager had ever crossed the $15 trillion (€13tn) threshold before BlackRock confirmed the milestone in results published on Wednesday.

ADVERTISEMENT

ADVERTISEMENT

The rise was driven by market gains and new client money.

Clients handed the New York-based giant a net $192 billion (€167bn) in the second quarter of 2026, capping a record first half in which inflows reached $321 billion (€280bn), more than double the same period a year earlier.

To illustrate the sheer scale of BlackRock’s assets under management, the firm manages more money than the projected nominal annual economic output of every country except the US and China, and nearly three times that of Germany.

However, assets under management represent a stock of investments, while GDP measures economic output over a year.

The surge in assets came during a quarter that was lucrative too.

According to BlackRock’s second-quarter earnings release, revenue climbed 31% year on year to $7.1 billion (€6.2bn), while adjusted earnings per share reached $13.91, comfortably beating expectations.

BlackRock shares jumped about 7% on the day of the release.

“Market fundamentals are strong and well supported, with higher margins and earnings momentum catalysed by new technology,” CEO Larry Fink said in a statement.

“Our momentum is accelerating, and I’ve never been more optimistic about the growth ahead,” Fink added.

Where the trillions actually sit

The first thing to understand is that this is not BlackRock’s money.

It is the pooled savings of pension funds, insurers, governments and ordinary investors, which the firm manages for a fee. Most of the money is invested in shares.

Equities account for $8.9 trillion (€7.7tn), or 58% of the total.

Bonds and other fixed-income investments make up a further $3.4 trillion (€2.9tn), or 22%. Multi-asset strategies that combine different investments hold $1.3 trillion (€1.1tn), or 9%, while cash-management products, such as Treasury bills, account for another $1.1 trillion (€960bn), or 7%of the total.

The headline-grabbing alternative investments, including infrastructure, private credit, private equity and property remain a sliver at $449 billion, roughly 3% of assets, but they generate about 15% of BlackRock’s base fees.

Commodity and currency products hold $152 billion (€132bn), while crypto-linked funds, launched in 2024, manage about $49 billion (€42bn).

The way the money is invested matters as much as the asset mix.

Some 41% of the total sits in exchange-traded funds (ETFs). Fink noted that the iShares ETF range crossed $6 trillion during the quarter, roughly double its size three years ago.

Ports, pensions and politics

BlackRock’s scale has increasingly brought it into deals with geopolitical implications. The dispute over ports at either end of the Panama Canal is one of the clearest recent examples.

After US President Donald Trump claimed China was effectively running the waterway, Hong Kong’s CK Hutchison agreed in March 2025 to sell 43 ports, including terminals at either end of the canal, to a consortium led by BlackRock. The proposed deal was valued at $22.8 billion (€19.9bn) and welcomed by Washington as a step towards restoring US influence over the ports.

Beijing objected and pressed for state-owned Cosco to be included. The sale has yet to be completed.

Panama meanwhile annulled Hutchison’s canal concessions in February, handing interim operations to Maersk and MSC, whose terminals arm counts BlackRock’s infrastructure unit GIP among its shareholders, while talks on the wider portfolio continue.

Meanwhile, Panama’s Supreme Court annulled Hutchison’s concessions to operate container terminals at either end of the Panama Canal in January. The government transferred interim control of the ports to Maersk and MSC in February, while talks over the wider portfolio continued. BlackRock’s infrastructure business, Global Infrastructure Partners, is a shareholder in MSC’s ports division.

Larry Fink’s proximity to the White House was on display again in May, when he travelled to Beijing as part of the corporate delegation accompanying Trump during his meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping.

Fink joined chief executives including Tesla’s Elon Musk and Apple’s Tim Cook on a visit dominated by trade and technology.

The firm’s reach extends into American retirement policy as well.

An executive order signed by Trump last year directed regulators to broaden access to private-market assets through the country’s 401(k) pension plans. BlackRock had championed the shift and stands to benefit as it develops private-market products for retirement savers, which typically carry higher fees than index funds.

Having always loved the idea of running her own bookshop, Mirror writer Julia Banim spent the night at Read and Rabbit in Loftus, which offers guests the opportunity to try their hand at bookselling

It’s always been a bit of a daydream of mine to run a quirky bookshop, ideally in a suitably pretty location.

So imagine my delight when I learned about Read and Rabbit, a sweet pink bookshop nestled in the quaint village of Loftus, on the very edge of the breathtakingly poetic North York Moors National Park.

It’s here where literary-minded holidaymakers can stay above the shop in the cosiest of surroundings. Best of all, in between curling up with a book and exploring the many charms of the local area, guests can try their hand at running the shop themselves, tallying up change, and greeting customers looking for a good read, and indeed, a good rabbit.

If you’ve been waiting around for your romcom moment, then let this be your sign. I simply couldn’t resist.

Read and Rabbit is the baby of Marta Eleniak, a friendly and likeable host with an encyclopedic knowledge of local haunts. She tells the Mirror: “I love creating experiences for people. Of all the things that I’ve done in my life, it’s when I’ve organised holidays for other people and done things that made them smile, that’s kind, where I feel I’m in my element. It’s like my calling, really, creating experiences for others.”

Before clocking on for my bookshop shift, Marta and I stop by the nearby Cattersty Sands beach, a hidden gem offering enough tranquillity to dislodge even the most stubborn writer’s block. Those with pets will also be pleased to know that it’s dog-friendly.

A relative newbie to Loftus, Marta fell for the area while looking for somewhere new to live, ideally in a friendly, affordable community with woods to walk in and plenty of rolling hills.

While chatting about her search on a Facebook group, a fellow member suggested their hometown of Loftus, with its waterfalls and proximity to the sea. Marta was immediately sold.

Having familiarised myself with lovely Loftus, it was onto my shift. The bookshop itself is a real treasure, with creative displays and even a fun ‘Harry Potter experience’ that young bookworms, and perhaps those not so young, will no doubt enjoy.

Marta learned that the centuries-old shop, previously an artist’s pottery studio, was up for sale through the local walking group, and while she initially had no intention of buying, when she saw it in person, it was love at first sight. It was then that things started to come together.

With this new ‘run a bookshop’ experience, guests staying in the self-catering accommodation have free rein to run Read and Rabbit, should they choose to. If they decide to do so, the only rules are that they open on at least one of the core days between 10 am and 2 pm on Saturday and on one midweek day.

That aside, guests are free to do as they wish and can spend time organising the books, changing up the window displays, and even offering workshops. For those looking for a bit more of a transformative stay, Marta offers buddy-up sessions to help people overcome writers’ block.

For Marta, Read and Rabbit is about more than selling books. From spending time online, she’s come across people who don’t necessarily have many friends in the offline world, and feels a brick-and-mortar bookshop offers that all-important sense of physical connection that’s so often missing in today’s society.

Marta says: “When I was researching bookshops, lots of people who had bookshops said the positive is that bookshops are just happy places for so many people. If you’re neurodivergent, it’s often a place where you feel quite happy and at ease.

“I just thought, I want to make it a happy place for people. And I want to have fun, quirky stuff there that makes people laugh. So even if they come in and something just makes them laugh, and they don’t buy anything, that’s good enough for me.”

There’s a comforting feel to the place, and indeed, Marta herself, that seems to prompt people to open up. While peaceful, Read and Rabbit also gets its fair share of eccentric and interesting customers, including those from North Yorkshire’s thriving artistic community. Often, they’ll stop and chat, sharing their stories, a laugh, and any problems that might be troubling them, big or small.

Profits from book sales go towards creating affordable events for people, with Marta noting: “Meditation is great, but not everybody can afford £10 or whatever it is for a meditation session.” I’m soon getting a feel for the place and the wider village, selling everything from adorable children’s books to humorous cards.

Now, I’ve worked in the trenches of retail before and can assure future guests that this is a far more relaxed experience. As Marta herself put it: “It’s a bit like when you’re a kid, and you play shop, but you actually get a whole shop to play with, but it’s real.”

For lunch, I enjoy a delicious takeaway pie and brownie from the award-winning Willow Cake Shop, a much-loved local establishment that looks like a bakery straight out of a fairytale. It’s a sizeable portion, but I don’t leave so much as a crumb.

After we close for the day, Marta and I take a walk in the local woods, of which there are plenty. Outdoorsy readers will be spoiled for choice with ancient woodland to explore, with plenty of Tolkien-esque trees and dramatic waterfalls to fire up the imagination.

Afterwards, we head into nearby Staithes, a wonderfully atmospheric fishing village with labyrinthine cobbled streets, a rugged coastline, and the saltiest sea air.

Those writing novels populated with old-timey smugglers, crashing waves, and secrets shared in lantern-lit taverns will adore Staithes. Do make sure to check out the Cod and Lobster, which offers excellent fresh seafood and unparalleled views over the harbour.

Lungs filled with sea air, I settle into my accommodation at Read and Rabbit, a charmingly unique set of rooms with plenty of literary touches, from typewriters to, of course, plenty of books. With two rooms to choose from, I went for the larger one with the window seat overlooking the street.

The kitchen is well stocked, with Marta kindly leaving out fresh local eggs and oranges to pop in the press for juice. I particularly love the colourful roof garden, the perfect spot for a morning cuppa. I sleep well and spend the first hour or so reading happily by the window, rain tinkling on the pane outside.

When things brighten up a bit, I say a reluctant goodbye to Read and Rabbit, and head over to nearby Saltburn, a Victorian seaside town famed for its historic pier and surfing. Saltburn has a relaxed, youthful feel, while still maintaining its timeless British seaside feel.

Fish and chips are, of course, a must, and so I stop by The Seaview Restaurant, a popular local haunt where there are queues on an ordinary Monday afternoon. The delicious and generous servings are made all the more special by the sparkling ocean views.

With Wuthering Heights fever having gripped the nation earlier this year, it’s clear that Yorkshire’s wild literary culture is having a moment. Should you want to explore beyond the crowds at Whitby and Howarth, then overlooked yet well-positioned Loftus, and in particular Read and Rabbit, offers the perfect opportunity to do so.

You can find out more about staying at Read and Rabbit here.

Do you have a story to share? Email me at julia.banim@reachplc.com

POKÉMON fans better listen up as there is about to be a shedload of attractions across the UK for you.

This summer, National Trust‘s Summer of Play will feature at 142 locations across the UK, with 27 featuring Pokemon Play Zones.

In each Pokémon Play Zone, visitors can take part in Pokémon challenges, as well as Pokémon Trading Card Game Mega Evolution (where a Pokémon can become more powerful) trails at 15 locations.

If you have Pokémon Go, there are also specific National Trust Pokéstops and Gyms to find.

At a select number of locations, families will be able to book Pikachu meet and greets too.

At all of the National Trust’s 142 Summer of Play locations, families will be able to pick up a Pokémon x National Trust sticker book too.

Read more on travel inspo

ALL IN

I found the best value all inclusive London hotel… just £55pp with free food & booze

STAYCAY

Our travel experts’ best-kept-secret UK holiday spots for summer – from £37 a night

The experiences are all included with your admission and there is no need to pre-book.

At Clumber Park in Nottinghamshire, for example, visitors can enter the Pokémon Play Zone, where they will find a straw bale maze arena to practise their training moves before taking on five themed challenges.

Clumber Park will also have football, cricket, sensory play and creative sessions.

Or at Dunham Massey in Cheshire, there are giant deckchairs to chill out on as well as lawn games and circus skills workshops.

You can try out different Mega Evolution Pokémon activities including striking your best Pokémon pose and attempting ‘the floor is lava’.

Other activities that are part of the Summer of Play include bug hunting, den building and team races.

Carl Greenman, the National Trust’s Programming and Production Manager, said: “There’s such a natural fit between Pokémon and Summer of Play — both are about encouraging families to have fun together and explore the world around them.

“By bringing a globally loved brand, celebrating its 30th anniversary this year, into the places we care for, we’re helping more families discover them as spaces for play, adventure and shared experiences.”

Away from the football itself, one of the major stories out of the 2026 World Cup has been the conditions that players – and fans – have faced during matches.

It wasn’t just the heat – humidity, lightning, and rain have all impacted games.

While England did benefit from some fixtures being played in air-conditioned stadiums with roofs, such as in Atlanta against DR Congo, other conditions were less forgiving. Those included the stifling humidity and soaring temperatures in Miami for their quarter-final against Norway.

The much-discussed altitude of Mexico’s Azteca stadium for England’s round of 16 match against the co-host nation was perceived to be a major hurdle for the squad to overcome. That was before you took into account Mexico’s fearsome home record and notoriously raucous atmosphere at the ground.

Despite this, England adapted well and never seemed to be struggling due to the external factors imposed on them during games – or at least, managed to struggle less than their opponents.

While pre-tournament training camps to adjust to the conditions will have helped with preparation, it is testament to the players’ mental and physical strength that they managed to persevere in oppressive conditions better suited to opponents accustomed to playing in extreme weather. That could stand them in good stead for the more familiar conditions that will be present at Euro 2028.

Kashmir clashes have killed 31 since June, leading UN rights chief Volker Turk to appeal for calm

The United Nations human rights chief has called for an independent investigation into deadly unrest in Pakistan-administered Kashmir.

On Friday, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Turk, urged Islamabad to launch “prompt, thorough and impartial investigations” into all civilian and security force deaths. At least 31 people have been killed in clashes since last month, in the run-up to regional elections at the end of this month.

The unrest has involved the Jammu Kashmir Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC), an umbrella group of traders and activists.

While the movement initially formed to protest against rising food prices and utility tariffs, the current flashpoint centres on a legal dispute over legislative seats reserved for Kashmiri refugees. The JAAC demands the abolition of those seats, arguing they allow non-residents to alter local political outcomes.

UN officials expressed alarm over Pakistan’s decision to classify the JAAC as a proscribed “terrorist” organisation under domestic anti-terrorism laws.

The global body warned that utilising anti-terror mechanisms to criminalise peaceful assembly and enforce widespread internet blackouts raises severe freedom of association concerns.

The crisis has amplified the long-running diplomatic feud between nuclear-armed neighbours India and Pakistan, which have both claimed the disputed Himalayan territory in full since their independence in 1947.

According to the Pakistani newspaper Dawn, the crisis hit a deadly new peak on July 14 during intense clashes in the Poonch division, where security forces attempted to clear roadblocks ahead of a planned JAAC “long march” to Muzaffarabad. The escalation resulted in nine deaths – seven civil activists and two law enforcement officers.

Defending the state actions during the violence, Poonch Divisional Commissioner Waheed Khan told Reuters that protesters had blocked a security convoy and attacked officials. “Police and security officials responded in self-defence.”

In New Delhi, the Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said in an official statement released on Wednesday that the unrest was a “direct consequence of Pakistan’s decades-long systemic exploitation” of the region.

Turk has appealed for immediate calm, pushing for “meaningful and inclusive political dialogue” over security-led measures to defuse deep-seated grievances regarding regional autonomy and inflation.

A very large and interesting-looking vessel is taking shape at a shipyard in southeastern China. What can be seen of it so far points strongly to it being the largest naval resupply ship anywhere in the world. A vessel like this would be valuable for supporting the Chinese People’s Liberation Army Navy’s (PLAN) growing blue water ambitions. It would be particularly important for enabling the PLAN’s conventionally-powered aircraft carriers, their air wings, and their escorts, to operate for sustained periods of time far from Chinese shores and friendly ports.

The ship is being built at a yard on Longxue Island, which is situated just southeast of the city of Guangzhou. A review of satellite imagery from Planet Labs indicates that it has been under construction since at least Febraury. A subsidiary of the China State Shipbuilding Corporation (CSSC) operates this facility. That firm is currently known as the CSSC Offshore and Marine Engineering Company (COMEC). It was previously called Guangzhou Shipyard International (GSI).

COMEC/GSI’s public portfolio is focused on large commercial vessels, including oil and liquid natural gas (LNG) tankers and cargo ships. It also builds specialized civilian designs, such as semi-submersible heavy lift ships and platforms designed to support offshore wind turbine construction.

In recent years, the yard has become well known for the construction of unique and unusual vessels with clear military or at least dual-purpose applications. This includes what may be a one-of-a-kind ostensibly civilian ‘research carrier,’ jack-up barges designed to connect together to support amphibious operations, and a stealthy trimaran drone ship. Soviet-designed Zubr class heavy hovercraft, which China has built examples of domestically under license, are also regularly seen there.

The ship being built on Longxue Island that is now drawing attention is approximately 885 feet (270 meters) long and is 121 feet (37 meters) across its widest (also known as the beam), based on available satellite imagery. There is a superstructure at the bow end with clear wings for a large bridge and a mast on top. There is also a separate superstructure at the stern end with exhaust stacks situated in front of it.

In May, CSSC also released a picture of the COMEC/GSI yard showing the ship from the stern as viewed from near ground level. The image, which was reportedly included in a social media post marking the change in solar terms in the traditional Chinese calendar, shows a large hangar with two at the rear of the stern superstructure. A large flight deck and hangar are also taking shape at the stern.

A Planet Labs satellite image taken on July 2, seen at the top of this story and in parts throughout, also shows two large openings on the right side of the superstructure at the stern. These might be for launching and/or recovering small boats, including lifeboats. These could also just be apertures for crew walkways or other workspaces.

However, it is what is seen in between the two superstructures that may be the most notable aspect of the ship. There are several pillar-like vertical structures positioned relatively close to both sides of the hull. This is in line with what is typically seen on naval vessels configured to conduct at-sea refueling and replenishment of other stores. The flight deck and hangar at the stern would also allow for vertical replenishment via helicopters.

“The hull form is broad and slab-sided, with a full midsection optimised for volume rather than speed alone. This is a characteristic associated with large fleet auxiliaries designed to carry fuel, dry stores, and ammunition for carrier strike groups,” according to a report on this ship from Jane’s back in April.

The ship’s design language also follows modern PLAN standards. Its layout, in broad strokes, is very similar to that of the Type 901 replenishment ship in PLAN service now. The PLAN also operates smaller Type 903 replenishment ships that have a roughly similar configuration, as well.

Overall, the new ship under construction at the COMEC/GSI yard looks very much like a Type 901, but substantially scaled up. The Type 901 is quite large already, with a length of around 787 feet (240 meters) and a beam measuring just under 102 feet (31 meters). It also said to displace some 45,000 tons with a full load. As another point of comparison, the U.S. Navy’s newest John Lewis class replenishment oilers are just under 746 feet (227.3 meters) long and have roughly a 105-foot (32.2-meter) wide beam, according to the official fact sheet.

What other, more specific features and capabilities the new ship might have remains to be seen. What kind of armament it might have, even just for localized self-defense, is unknown. The Type 901 has four 30mm H/PJ-13 Gatling-type guns in turrets to provide close-in defense.

At-sea replenishment, in general, is a critical capability for any major navy that desires to conduct sustained blue water operations without having to rely on friendly ports. Even during peacetime in the broad expanses of the Pacific, port facilities of any kind, let alone ones capable of supporting large warships, can be few and far between and under direct threat.

For the PLAN, there is the added demand for at-sea replenishment support that comes from operating a growing fleet of so-far conventionally-powered aircraft carriers. Those carriers require steady streams of gas for their air wings on top of the fuel and other support needed to keep them sailing at all.

The PLAN is also conducting more regular operations involving full carrier strike groups with conventionally-powered escorts that also need refueling and other support to keep up. During combat operations, replenishment ships also bring vital additional supplies of munitions to forward-deployed vessels.

It really cannot be overstressed how important at-sea replenishment is to modern blue water naval operations. This was underscored just earlier this year by challenges the U.S. Navy faced in keeping its conventionally-powered warships in the Middle East fueled amid Iranian attacks on friendly ports.

“So traditionally, for 25 years, we’ve been at war in the Middle East and that war was effectively fought in the parking lot of a giant gas station,” Robert Hein, Director of Maritime Operations for the U.S. Navy’s Military Sealift Command (MSC), said during the Navy League’s annual Sea-Air-Space exposition in April. “Iran has effectively shut down that gas station. So we’ve had to come up with really creative ways of, ‘how do we replenish the fleet?’”

You can read more about the “tanker treadmills” the Navy instituted in response, as well as other steps the service is taking now to bolster its at-sea replenishment capabilities and capacity, here.

Replenishments At Sea

It is worth noting here that America’s aircraft carriers are now all nuclear-powered, which eliminates their need to be refueled at sea. However, they still need gas for their air wings and other support to conduct sustained forward operations. Their escorts are all conventionally-powered, as well. As an aside, China may now be in the process of building its first nuclear-powered aircraft carrier.

Other fighting in the Middle East in recent years has also rammed home the vital importance of at-sea rearming capabilities for the U.S. Navy, especially methods for reloading vertical launch system cells on warships that it currently does not possess. Last year, in the midst of operations against Yemen’s Houthis, the service acknowledged that its warships were having to leave their stations in and around the Red Sea for weeks at a time to rearm in ports.

There may be a possibility that the ship under construction at the COMEC/GSI yard could be something other than a huge new at-sea replenishment ship, but this seems extremely unlikely. As noted, the ship has an array of distinct features that are exactly what one would expect to see on a replenishment vessel, and an overall configuration in line with that of the Type 901.

The new ship’s large size, both in terms of length and width, will offer far more internal volume for fuel, munitions, spare parts, food, and everything else needed to keep a carrier strike group operating far out to sea. China has a growing number of other ships that will require blue water support, too. This includes its massive Type 076 amphibious assault ship, which is expected to carry a substantial air wing, as well as a growing number of smaller Type 075 types.

Chinese PLA Navy’s First Type 076 Amphibious Assault Ship “Sichuan” Conducts First Sea Trial

The appearance of this ship at the COMEC/GSI also comes as the PLAN continues to modernize and expand its fleets across the board, in scale and scope, with a clear eye toward more regular and sustained blue water operations. China has been investing heavily in establishing a network of naval port facilities around the Pacific and elsewhere globally to help support these activities, as well. As noted, having to rely on friendly ports is not always desirable or even possible, especially during a conflict when the countries in question may be neutral parties.

The steady flow of warships and other naval vessels, many of them very large, from shipyards across China underscores the PLAN’s broader ambitions. As TWZ regularly points out, this has created an increasingly worrisome disparity between Chinese and U.S. naval shipbuilding capacity, or lack thereof in the latter case. The U.S. government has been trying to reverse this trend, including by leveraging foreign shipbuilders, but significant challenges remain.

Satellite imagery shows significant progress on the new ship of interest at the COMEC/GSI yard since the start of this year. More insights into the design and capabilities of what is likely to be the world’s largest dedicated naval replenishment vessel should emerge as that work wraps up.

Loose Women presenter Kaye Adams confirmed the ITV daytime show will be off air for several weeks.

ITV is undergoing a scheduling shake-up as Loose Women is set to be off air for several weeks.

During the programme on Friday, July 17, presenter Kaye Adams made an announcement and confirmed when the show would return.

The Scottish presenter was back on Loose Women alongside GK Barry, Oti Mabuse and Kelle Bryan, as they marked the end of the week, and the end of the programme for a short break.

Kate shared: “we’re done for the summer. We will not be gone for long though, we’ll be back in September. For now, have a fabulous weekend, a fabulous summer and we’ll see you very soon!”

The scheduling change follows a wave of budget cuts which impacted Good Morning Britain and Lorraine, alongside Loose Women.

It was revealed months ago that Loose Women would now only broadcast for 30 weeks rather than its customary 52, reports the Express.

During the shake-up, Lorraine Kelly’s show has been reduced to 30 minutes, and also operates on a seasonal schedule only.

The biggest change that faced Loose Women was the fact live audiences were scrapped, as well as several behind-the-scenes job.

Presenter Nadia Sawalha previously shared her devastation that warm-up performer Lee Peat was dropped, saying: “I am totally devastated by this fact, I can’t get over it at all. Not only because the audience is so important for the show, but also my dear friend Lee who I work with every day.”

Coleen Nolan also shared her concerns for the cast and crew, calling those redundancies “heartbreaking” and “devastating”.

Loose Women also relocated in January to a basement studio of a former private members’ club in Covent Garden, sharing the venue with This Morning and Lorraine.

Announcing the changes last year, Kevin Lygo, Managing Director of ITV’s Media and Entertainment Division, previously said: “Daytime is a really important part of what we do, and these scheduling and production changes will enable us to continue to deliver a schedule providing viewers with the news, debate and discussion they love from the presenters they know and trust as well generating savings which will allow us to reinvest across the programme budget in other genres.

“These changes also allow us to consolidate our news operations and expand our national, international and regional news output and to build upon our proud history of trusted journalism at a time when our viewers need accurate, unbiased news coverage more than ever.”

Loose Women can be streamed on ITVX

Rising fuel costs are pushing millions of Brits to ditch long drives and holidays abroad in favour of UK summer holidays closer to home.

Staycations are becoming even more local in 2026 – as fuel prices impact summer plans. A survey of 2,000 adults who have enjoyed a UK holiday revealed millions are planning to make the most of their nearby areas – venturing just 85 miles – rather than destinations further away.

According to the findings, one in four of those arranging to go away have switched a foreign holiday for a UK break. But 62% confessed the expense of travel and petrol has been a key factor in bringing this year’s staycation even nearer to home.

A third are reserving a seaside getaway, 27% fancy a countryside camping retreat, and 23% will be savouring day trips from home.

David Howells, camping and travel expert at Halfords which commissioned the study, said: “Summer holidays don’t always have to involve a week-long stay somewhere on a plane, but this year we’re seeing a real shift towards people rediscovering what’s on their doorstep.

“With travel costs front of mind, many are rethinking what a summer break looks like and embracing the charm and convenience of staying closer to home.”

Beyond petrol costs, 32% have had to shorten the duration of their trip, while a further 32% will have to scale back on activities and dining out once they are there.

Nevertheless, the research also discovered there is a bright side as 35% said taking a break nearer to home will lessen the overall stress of it, and 31% can be more adaptable with their plans.

What’s more, 65% said staycationing closer to home will still feel like a ‘proper’ holiday to them, according to the OnePoll.com data.

However, loading up the car appears a distant prospect as those planning a getaway don’t currently possess the necessary essentials such as roof boxes or bars (69%), tents (59%), or folding chairs (23%).

A fifth need to splash out on new purchases specifically for their forthcoming UK holiday, with items like camping stoves (30%), sleeping bags (23%), and cool boxes (23%) on the shopping list.

David Howells added: “It seems people are clearly making more considered choices this summer and cutting back on time away and extras once they get there to keep costs under control.

“However, looking at it more positively, staycations near home are giving people the freedom to be more flexible – whether that’s changing plans last-minute or fitting trips around everyday life.

“A UK break still delivers that all-important sense of escape, proving you don’t have to travel far or spend big to enjoy a proper holiday”.