A 15-YEAR-OLD girl was stranded in Rome and missed six weeks of school because of confusing new passport rules.
The new dual nationality rules meant that she was unable to return home for over a month.
Passport rules for those with dual citizenship changed in February 2026Credit: Alamy
The British girl had been visiting her grandmother in Italy in April of this year.
When it was time to return home, she was turned away at the airport because she didn’t have a valid British passport.
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The new passport rules that came into play in February mean that British nationals have to carry a valid British passport to return to the UK – they can no longer use their foreign passport.
An alternative is to have a “certificate of entitlement” costing £589.
Rowan Somerville, the father of the 15-year-old stranded in Rome, sought help from the Home Office and the Foreign Office.
But he told The Guardian: “The embassy, the Home Office and the Foreign Office bounced us from one to another.
“They are playing with people’s lives, a child’s education. It is loathsome.”
Rowan Somerville said that the Home Office couldn’t give his daughter a temporary passport because she didn’t have a British passport in the first place.
The girl’s school and local MP Joe Powell contacted the Home Office and the FCDO who eventually issued an emergency travel document.
Joe Powell said that “changes to Home Office rules resulted in her being stuck in Rome and missing six weeks of school.”
Rowan Somerville (left) contacted the Home Office and FCDO to get his daughter homeCredit: Richard YoungSince February, those with dual citizenship must use a valid UK passport to enter the countryCredit: Getty
Joe Powell added: “Thankfully, we were able to help and she’s now at home and back in school, but unfortunately this was not an isolated case.”
A Home Office spokesperson told Sun Travel: “This individual was granted an Emergency Travel Document in May, enabling them to return to the UK.
“We also remained in contact regarding a passport application, and once the required information was received and checks were concluded, a passport was issued within eight days.
“Since 25 February 2026, all dual British citizens have needed to present either a valid British passport or Certificate of Entitlement when travelling to the UK.
“Without one, carriers cannot verify British citizenship, which may lead to delays or refused boarding.” were concluded, a passport was issued within eight days.”
There are thought to be as many as 1.2million people who can no longer use their foreign passport to enter the country.
Despite the rules being outlined on the Gov.uk website, they are continuing to catch people out.
In another case, a woman who has lived in the UK for 28 years, but had been staying in Copenhagen attempted to return to the UK with her six-week- old and 23-month-old for a friend’s wedding.
But the family was refused boarding because her two children only had Danish passports which meant they didn’t have valid travel documents for returning to the UK.
Barco, who did not play in the game, came on to the pitch at full-time and was hugging team-mates near Bellingham when the England midfielder walked over and slapped him.
It sparked a small melee as players from both sides got involved before Bellingham walked away.
It is not known what prompted the reaction, but footage showed Barco running on the pitch after Enzo Fernandez’s 85th-minute equaliser and celebrating in front of the England players.
Lautaro Martinez headed the winner for Argentina in the second minute of stoppage time, ending the hopes of an England side who had taken an early second-half lead through Anthony Gordon’s goal.
Barco, 21, who plays for French side Strasbourg and previously had a spell at Brighton, has featured once at the tournament as a second-half substitute in a 3-1 group win against Jordan.
The first half of Wednesday’s match in Atlanta was feisty with 19 fouls, as American referee Ismail Elfath struggled to keep control.
Bellingham, who has scored six goals in the tournament, also had a confrontation with Argentina captain Lionel Messi in the fourth minute after England midfielder Elliot Anderson had been fouled.
“We were really just discussing a foul, actually,” Bellingham is reported to have said. after the match.
“It wasn’t anything bad. I’m sure everyone will do their thing and make it a big deal, but it was nothing.”
July 16 (UPI) — Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth has announced that all service members aged 30 and older will undergo mandatory screening for testosterone deficiency during their annual health assessments, as the Trump administration continues to emphasize traditional masculine ideals in its public presentation of the U.S. military.
The former Fox News host announced the new policy in an online video statement, saying the new testosterone-screening program is to ensure all U.S. soldiers “have the right testosterone levels to operate at your absolute best.”
“We owe our warriors the absolute best medical care in the world, and this program delivers on that obligation,” he said.
According to a Department of Defense statement, while mandatory for all active-duty and reserve personnel over the age of 30, younger service members may also request screening during their periodic health assessments.
Hegseth said if treatment for a deficiency is recommended, it is up to the service member to decide whether to undergo testosterone replacement therapy.
“This initiative — it’s not about artificial enhancement. It’s about restoring and optimizing your natural capabilities, protecting your longevity and ensuring you have the biological foundation required to sustain the fight,” he said.
Testosterone is produced in the testicles and helps maintain men’s bone density, fat distribution and muscle strength and mass, among other functions, according to the Mayo Clinic, which said that after the age of 30 or 40, men’s testosterone levels decline at a rate of about 1% a year.
Testosterone replacement therapy seeks to alleviate issues caused by low levels of the hormone, though the Mayo Clinic states that its unclear if such treatment would benefit older men who are otherwise healthy.
The announcement comes as testosterone and testosterone-replacement therapy has been a focus of the Trump administration.
Last month, the Department of Health and Human Services announced it had requested to remove labeling from testosterone-replacement therapy that stated the safety and effectives of the treatment in men with age-related have not been established.
It also comes as Hegseth has sought to cultivate a more traditionally masculine image and culture within the U.S. military, implementing President Donald Trump‘s ban on transgender services members and imposing male physical standards for combat positions, a move critics say could reduce the number of women serving in those roles.
He has also sought to instill a “warrior ethos” in the military and routinely refers to service members as warriors. The Trump administration also refers to the Department of Defense as the “Department of War,” though a permanent change to the department’s name requires congressional approval.
Some Democrats were quick to point out that testosterone-replacement therapy is a form of gender-affirming care, which the Trump administration and Republicans have sought to restrict and ban.
“This, by the way, is gender-affirming care,” Rep. Pramila Jayapal, D-Wash., said during a congressional hearing held shortly after Hegseth’s announcement.
“And, by the way, male members of this committee, watch what you vote for. Do you really want the government getting into your business, taking your testosterone levels and determine whether or not you have enough testosterone? Are you male enough to be in Congress?” she said, mocking the policy.
The US military has continued strikes against Iran, hitting targets further to the country’s north as well as close to capital Tehran for the first time in the latest round of violence.
US Central Command (CENTCOM) said early on Thursday it struck several military sites and assets in a bid to “further degrade Iran’s ability to threaten innocent mariners” in the Strait of Hormuz. The unit also said it disabled an oil tanker in the passageway.
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At least 35 people have died, and more than 300 have been wounded in the latest wave of attacks that began last Wednesday after CENTCOM launched strikes on Iranian port cities close to the Strait of Hormuz. The US says the attacks are in retaliation for Iran hitting three commercial ships in the Strait.
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said it targeted US military assets in neighbouring Gulf countries.
Here’s what has happened in Iran and the US on Wednesday and Thursday and what both sides are saying:
Where did the US hit?
CENTCOM said in a statement early on Thursday that US air strikes targeted Iranian command centres, air defence sites, missile and drone capabilities as well as coastal surveillance facilities.
Multiple locations were hit, CENTCOM said, including Bandar Abbas on Thursday.
An earlier wave of strikes late on Wednesday hit coastal defence and cruise missile sites on Greater Tunb Island in a 90-minute bombing wave, CENTCOM added. The small, strategically located island sits near the Strait of Hormuz and is believed to hold a naval base, although details are not publicly available. It is also believed to be a point from which the Iranian military has disrupted shipping routes.
Meanwhile, Iranian media reported attacks in Bandar Abbas, Qeshm Island, Sirik, Chabahar, Konarak, Rask, Khondab, Khorramabad and Semnan.
A hospital in Ahvaz was forced to evacuate 211 patients after reportedly being hit in the strikes.
Air defences were activated in Tehran and neighbouring Pakdasht and Parchin on Thursday. The Iranian military said an MQ-9 drone was downed over the city of Andimeshk.
CENTCOM, in a separate statement on Thursday, said it was enforcing a naval blockade reimposed on Tuesday by disabling a “non-compliant” oil tanker that was attempting to sail towards Iran’s Kharg Island using Hellfire missiles.
How has Iran responded?
Iran’s army claimed retaliatory attacks on US military assets in Kuwait and Bahrain on Thursday.
Kuwait: The Iranian army said in a statement it targeted radar systems, the Patriot defence system and fuel tanks belonging to US forces at the Ali Al Salem airbase in Kuwait. In an earlier statement, it said it hit a radar and gathering point for US soldiers in Kuwait, as well as US communications systems and fuel depots in Jordan’s al-Azraq airbase.
Bahrain: Drones also targeted US Super Hawk radars and Patriot defence systems at the Sheikh Isa airbase in Bahrain, the army added.
Jordan: Meanwhile, Jordan said it intercepted eight Iranian missiles on Thursday.
Iraq: Iraqi authorities said five drones attacked the city of Erbil, with two crashing near a US base and one shot down near the US consulate. Iran’s army has not claimed the attacks.
What are both sides saying?
Iran’s parliament speaker and lead negotiator, Mohammad Ghalibaf, said on Wednesday Iran is prepared for a fuller military confrontation if the US does not live up to the terms of the interim deal. The country is fighting an “existential” battle, he added.
The IRGC has, meanwhile, threatened to halt all energy exports from the Middle East over the US’s naval blockade, which was reimposed on Tuesday.
“The export of oil and gas from the region will be either for everyone or for no one,” it said in a statement.
Speaking at the US Army War College in Pennsylvania on Wednesday, President Donald Trump reiterated his claims that Iran was pushing to strike a peace deal behind the scenes but did not provide details.
“They don’t like what we’re doing, and they do want to settle. We’ll find out whether or not we settle with them, or we just finish it off,” he said.
However, in a rare show of gratitude on Wednesday, Trump thanked Iran via his Truth Social platform for the release of Dena Karari, an American citizen the US says was “wrongfully” jailed in the country since 2024.
Meanwhile, US Vice President JD Vance, in an interview with podcaster Joe Rogan released on Wednesday, defended the war on Iran but added that an agreement was needed between the two sides to end the conflict.
Fronted by First Dates star Fred Sirieix, the travel show titled Fred’s Ultimate Hotels will see the star explore the world’s most luxurious hotels.
The hospitality expert is swapping the restaurant floor for the open road to spotlight some of the most breathtaking places to stay.
From the regal splendour of The Royal Mansour in Marrakech and the stunning Royal Madikwe safari lodge in South Africa, to the timeless grandeur of Raffles Singapore, Fred will travel the globe checking into the world’s most spectacular hotels.
He will take viewers behind the scenes to reveal the people, precision and passion that create world-class service. During his stay, he uses own Five Fs: First Impressions, Facilities, Flawless Service, Fine Details and Feeling.
But this is far more than a luxury travel series. In every episode, Fred experiences each hotel from both sides of the reception desk.
First checking in as a guest to enjoy everything the property and destination have to offer, he then swaps five-star luxury for staff uniform, working alongside the teams responsible for creating seamless guest experiences.
Speaking about the new show, Fred said: “People often think the secret to a great hotel is the building, the food or the luxury.” Of course, those things matter but for me, it’s always about the people.
“The welcome, the attention to detail and the passion of the staff are what turn a wonderful hotel into an unforgettable experience.”
Every episode ends with Fred presenting his Hospitality Hero Award to one exceptional member of staff. Fred remarked: “It was an incredible privilege to work alongside some of the world’s best hospitality teams and to see first-hand the pride they take in what they do.
“I hope viewers will discover some extraordinary places, but more importantly meet the remarkable people who make them so special.”
Jannine Waddell, Executive Producer at Waddell Media, said: “Fred is the perfect host for this series. As one of the world’s leading hospitality experts, he knows exactly what it takes to deliver truly exceptional five-star service.
“But what makes Fred so special is that he’s never afraid to roll up his sleeves and get back to the job he loves. Whether he’s checking in guests, working front of house or supporting the team behind the scenes.
“He has enormous respect for the people whose passion and dedication create unforgettable experiences.”
Fred’s Ultimate Hotels is due to air on Channel 4 later this year.
Najai Turpin, a 23-year-old middleweight boxer from Philadelphia and a contestant on NBC’s upcoming reality series “The Contender,” has committed suicide, Philadelphia police said Tuesday.
Turpin died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head at 4 a.m. Monday morning while sitting in his Chevy Lumina, parked around the corner from his house in West Philadelphia, said police Sgt. Ron McClane. He allegedly had had a fight with his girlfriend, who, an NBC spokeswoman said, was with him when he shot himself.
But, in true showbiz fashion, “The Contender” will go on.
Scheduled to premiere on March 7, “The Contender” features 16 boxers vying for $1 million. Mark Burnett, an accomplished producer in reality television with such hits as “Survivor” and “The Apprentice,” is the executive producer. Actor Sylvester Stallone and former boxing champ Sugar Ray Leonard will serve as hosts and boxing mentors.
Turpin, who had a record of 13-1, including nine knockouts, worked at a restaurant cleaning seafood. According to NBC’s “Contender” website, he would work his day shift, train for two hours and then report for another shift at the restaurant until midnight.
NBC spokeswoman Rebecca Marks said the network did not anticipate editing the show to remove Turpin. “The Contender” not only features the boxers in the ring, it also spotlights their personal lives.
Turpin’s girlfriend and their 2-year-old daughter, Anje, are also featured.
“Our thoughts and prayers are with his family and friends as we extend our most sincere condolences during this tragic time,” NBC said in a statement Tuesday. “Mark Burnett will dedicate an episode as a tribute to Najai’s memory and has said he will set up a trust fund for the family.”
All of the episodes for the boxing reality series have already been filmed except for the live finale, set for May. Turpin will be featured on at least one episode and will appear in others, but NBC won’t say how many episodes because it would give away the story line.
“The Contender” website describes Turpin as “extremely soft-spoken, polite and a very motivated and focused fighter.” After Turpin’s mother died five years ago, he began taking care of his younger brother, sister, niece and nephew.
Turpin’s death isn’t the first time television has found itself grappling with true reality. In the Swedish version of “Survivor,” the first member of the cast committed suicide after he was the first person voted off the island. That reality show, called “Expedition Robinson,” was not produced by Burnett. Since then, Burnett has conducted psychological tests on the participants in all of his shows. All the boxers in “The Contender” had undergone extensive psychological testing.
“The Contender” has been fraught with problems since the series was announced last year. Burnett and Stallone were embroiled in a legal battle with Fox’s rival unscripted series, “The Next Great Champ,” after NBC unveiled their plans for “The Contender.”
Burnett, Stallone and DreamWorks cited alleged theft of concept and violations of California boxing laws and went to court to block the premiere of “The Next Great Champ.” But the judge nixed their attempts to stop the Fox series.
Despite the publicity, “The Next Great Champ” was pulled from the schedule due to poor viewership soon after premiering in early September.
“The Contender,” which was initially set for November, was pushed back to this year.
Argentina players held up a banner declaring ‘Las Malvinas son Argentinas’ after beating England to reach the World Cup final. The message refers to the disputed Falkland Islands, reviving the sovereignty dispute and raising questions over FIFA’s ban on political displays.
The latest government measure aimed at curbing digital harm comes after an under-16 social media ban was announced last month.
Published On 16 Jul 202616 Jul 2026
The United Kingdom has proposed an overnight social media curfew for older teenagers as part of the government’s latest push to protect minors from digital harm, though users will be permitted to bypass the restrictions.
The Labour administration announced the plans on Wednesday, outlining a six-hour default lockout from midnight to 6am for 16- and 17-year-olds on platforms such as Instagram, TikTok and YouTube.
Under the proposal, highly engaging mechanisms, such as autoplay videos and infinite scrolling, would also be deactivated by default for this age group to encourage better sleep and focus.
The initiative follows a June announcement by outgoing Prime Minister Keir Starmer, who unveiled a blanket ban on social media for children under 16 slated to take effect in 2027.
While the younger cohort faces a strict prohibition on major networks, ministers chose a softer approach for older adolescents.
The UK’s restrictions reflect a rapidly growing global crackdown on young people’s social media access. Australia made waves in December by enacting a world-first ban on social media for under-16s, which its government is already looking to tighten following studies showing that many teenagers easily bypass the restrictions.
The ban, which came into force on December 10, made Australia a global test case for countries trying to curb children’s access to social media.
A teenager holds her smartphone displaying the Instagram logo in Brussels on July 7, 2026 [Nicolas Tucat/AFP]
Defending the voluntary nature of the curfew, UK Secretary for Online Safety Kanishka Narayan rejected criticism that teenagers would simply disable the restrictions. He told Sky News that the government wanted to avoid outright bans for older teenagers, aiming instead for a “smooth slope” into adulthood.
“We want to empower our teenagers,” Narayan said, citing data from a pilot scheme and previous voluntary platform trials where more than 90 percent of teenagers kept the restrictive default settings active.
“The evidence base is clear, the motivation is very clear, and I wouldn’t do the disservice to teenagers of saying they’re all going to switch it off.”
However, political opponents and child safety advocates expressed scepticism about the policy’s efficacy.
Laura Trott, the education spokesperson for the opposition Conservative Party, dismissed the plans as illogical.
“Either they think 16- and 17-year-olds should be on social media or they don’t, but curfews they can simply switch off won’t achieve anything,” Trott said, according to the Associated Press news agency.
The National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children, a prominent UK children’s nonprofit, welcomed the development, but warned that it was a temporary fix.
Chief executive Chris Sherwood cautioned that unless the government implements “further, stronger measures”, the policy will act only as a “sticking plaster” that fails to address the deeply addictive algorithms driving excessive screen time.
The proposals must still be formally legislated. Because they represent some of the final legislative steps of Starmer’s administration, the responsibility of implementing them is expected to fall to his anticipated successor, Andy Burnham.
Local residents living in the Lake District National Park have complained of visitors leaving litter and leaving tents behind after illegally wild camping on the banks of lakes
“Some people have no social conscience and do not care about the impact of their behaviour on the environment or other people. We see litter on the fells, on lakesides and thrown out of cars onto grass verges. We even saw someone having a BBQ sat right next to a sign prohibiting it on Ullswater last year,” one unhappy local wrote in this year’s survey.
Another added: “I’m from the Lakes and have always appreciated the tourism and what it does for the area. However, I feel we have now got to the stage where tourism is over capacity and negatively impacting the area and the quality of life for residents and animals. Frequent traffic jams, poorly parked cars, and most upsetting of all, litter. Today we came across a discarded used nappy and a tampon. My children and I frequently go out with our litter pickers. It really saddens me to see the Lake District in environmental decline.”
It is difficult to know quite how acute the problem is. The surveys collect anecdotal evidence and solid figures on littering and anti-social behaviour are hard to come by.
What is undeniable is the shifting demographic of those coming. In 2018, 52% of visitors to Cumbria were under 50. By 2022, that’d risen to 74%.
Surprisingly, overall visitor numbers were down at the last count (2024) compared to both 2023 and the pre-Covid year of 2019. Roughly five million fewer people visited in 2024 than in 2019.
Jeremy Smith is head of campaigns and engagement at Friends of the Lake District. He believes that relations between visitors and locals have been tense since the Covid years, in part due to the changing nature of the tourists coming.
“With the increase in the number of people taking holidays in the UK, in terms of behavior, what may have been happening in Ibiza and Cyprus has been domesticated in places like the Lake District,” he told the Mirror.
Local laws were tightened earlier this year in response to resident complaints. Those causing environmental damage by littering, starting fires, or committing anti-social behaviour linked to camping or the “inappropriate use” of motorhomes can now be fined up to £100, under Westmorland and Furness Council public protection orders.
Wild camping rules are a little more complex. It isn’t legally permitted without landowner consent, but is widely tolerated if strict ‘Leave No Trace’ guidelines are followed. These require visitors to camp only above the highest fell wall (around 400m+), well away from roads and towns, stay for just one night, and never light a fire.
According to some locals, the rules are being flouted regularly.
“The path by the shore had a tent pitched in the middle of it, and when I politely pointed this out to the occupants, they swore at me aggressively,” one survey respondent wrote.
“People do not like to be questioned about leaving litter, loose dogs, motorbikes, it’s a sense of entitlement to do just as they like. There are very few authority figures, such as police or wardens. It should not be up to pensioners to police the park.”
Despite Anthony Gordon’s 55th-minute goal, Argentina fought back with two goals in the final minutes, taking Lionel Messi to his third World Cup final.
Appearing on BBC Breakfast on Thursday, July 16, an England fan spoke to presenters Naga Munchetty and Charlie Stayt about witnessing the devastating loss in the stadium.
Andy Payne travelled across the United States to watch every match with his wife Kirsty, and admitted she was left “destroyed”.
He said: “This is my third World Cup semi-final, and Kirsty’s second, and to say the least, we’re used to this disappointment. We came so close today, I thought we were going to do it.
“We’ve had a fantastic trip, England have played brilliantly well. Thomas Tuchel might get a lot of criticism for today but everything done so far has been great.
“We just couldn’t do it today, every single time England just don’t quite get there but that’s life.”
He went on: “As always with England, there’s tension. Frankly, what Tuchel has done is put his best team out, the best players he had who weren’t injured of the 11 went out. And this is the first time he didn’t change things early, it was late, it was getting on.
“When we saw the goal, my view and other people in the ground were the same, was this is a goal that is decided on one goal. We thought we’ve got one goal, we might get two, we’ve got them, we’ve done this.
“And unfortunately, I think Tuchel looked at his team and went, ‘well how am I going to improve this team?’ because the players that weren’t on the field either weren’t the best players or were injured.”
Talking about the atmosphere in Atlanta Stadium, Andy agreed it was “the most extraordinary place to be”.
He went on: “For me, it was the best atmosphere bar one. The Azteca where we beat Mexico, but listen, I’ve seen England play Argentina now in 1986… I was there, we were outnumbered that day. 1998, I was there, we were hugely outnumbered by Argentinians.
“Today we were hugely outnumbered, the atmosphere was unbelievable. Every single England fan who was there was behind the team.
“None of the England fans who were in that ground boo’ed the players. We were disappointed, of course, we lost the game from 1-nil up with six, seven minutes to play.
“We fell short, and that’s England really, isn’t it? But all the people around me were as disappointed as I was, but we’ve had a good tournament and the team spirit was unbelievable.
“And we gave those boys a good send-off at the end. They came to us and they saluted us and we saluted them.
“It’s not a matter of life or death, it’s a game of football.”
BBC Breakfast airs daily from 6am on BBC One and iPlayer.
Steve Cherundolo, who took LAFC to two MLS Cup finals in four years as manager, was named Thursday as head coach of the U.S. Under-23 Men’s National Team that will compete at the 2028 L.A. Olympics.
A three-time World Cup veteran and member of the National Soccer Hall of Fame, Cherundolo, 47, had 30 caps with three U.S. junior teams before making his senior debut in 1999. He went on to play 87 times for the senior national team and played 15 seasons at Bundesliga club Hannover 96, making 415 appearances.
Cherundolo, who grew up in San Diego, transitioned into coaching in Germany at the youth level, then returned to the U.S. in 2021 to lead the Las Vegas Lights, then LAFC’s affiliate in the USL Championship. A season later he replaced Bob Bradley as the head coach at LAFC.
In his first season in MLS, he guided the club to an MLS Cup victory and won the Supporters’ Shield, breaking the record for most victories by a first-year manager with 21. He also had the most wins (29), most points (96) and best winning percentage through 50 games of any coach in league history, won a U.S. Open Cup and took LAFC to the CONCACAF Champions Cup final before leaving the club last November, saying he was returning to Germany with his family.
“Throughout his career, Steve Cherundolo has been a proven winner, an elite talent developer, and a great ambassador for American soccer,” Dan Helfrich, U.S. Soccer’s chief operating officer and the man who led the coaching search, said in a statement. “The 2028 Olympics present a critical platform to develop our next generation of players.”
Cherundolo’s main responsibility as the new head coach for the U.S. U-23 Men’s National Team will be to build a roster for the 2028 Summer Olympics.
“Representing the United States at the Olympic Games is one of the greatest honors in sports, and I’m grateful for the opportunity to lead this team,” Cherundolo said in a statement. “I believe we have an exciting group of players with tremendous potential, and I’m looking forward to building an environment where they can challenge themselves, grow together, and represent our country with pride.
“Our responsibility is to compete with courage, humility, and a clear identity, one that reflects the values of U.S. Soccer and gives our supporters a team they can be proud of.”
July 15 (UPI) — The U.S. House of Representatives on Wednesday voted to defeat an amendment cutting military aid to Israel by billions of dollars, although more than 100 Democrats voted for the measure.
Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., proposed the amendment, which was attached to a spending bill. It would have cut $3.3 billion in aid, much of which would have gone to Israel’s military. The amendment failed by a 104-314 vote, with Massie and 103 Democrats voting for it. Ten Democrats voted only “present,” with 98 voting against it.
Even defeated, the measure’s support was a rebuke to the Israeli government of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and its attacks on Gaza. The government faces accusations of genocide against the Palestinian people.
However, some Democrats said the measure was designed to spread division among their party and called it “deeply flawed” even if they voted for it.
Rep. Katherine Clark, D-Mass., House minority whip, voted for the measure, while also saying that it was “not an attempt to have a serious and necessary debate” about military aid to Israel but “more stunts from congressional Republicans who would rather score cheap political points than lead.”
Still, Clark said, “It is clear that the status quo is not tenable.We should not provide a blank check for military aid to any country that does not comply with U.S. law, interests and values. The Netanyahu government has failed to meet that standard.”
Clark is the second-highest ranking House Democrat. The top Democrat in the House, Rep. Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., and Democratic Caucus Chairman Rep.Pete Aguilar, D-Calif., both voted against the measure. Jeffries said he would not try to get other Democrats to oppose the bill but encouraged them to vote their conscience.
Rep. Greg Casar, D-Texas, the leader of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, encouraged support for the measure before the vote, saying voters are looking for leaders who will question blind U.S. support for Israel.
“Think about this for just a moment,” Casar said after the vote. “Starting today, a majority of Democrats in this building refused to vote to send billions of dollars in weapons to the Israeli military. That sends a strong message to Netanyahu that the days are over of an unaccountable blank check to his wars and his war crimes, at least from the Democratic Party.”
National Assembly President Jorge Rodríguez had dismissed talks on electoral reforms days ago. (Archive)
Caracas, July 15, 2026 (venezuelanalysis.com) – The Venezuelan National Assembly (AN) and a group of former opposition lawmakers who served in the 2015–2020 legislature, led by Dinorah Figuera, announced the launch of a joint working agenda on August 1 aimed at “strengthening democracy” in the country.
National Assembly President Jorge Rodríguez, who is also the Venezuelan government’s lead negotiator, made the announcement on Tuesday via an official statement, reporting that both sides had agreed to “jointly confront the consequences of the twin earthquakes that have plunged the country into mourning.”
“Only in unity can we move forward with the reconstruction while keeping the peace,” the text read.
For its part, the opposition group said in a separate statement that the initiative constitutes a “roadmap to promote stability, democracy, and national recovery,” with the goal of beginning “the construction of a new stage that will lead to a Venezuela of progress and freedoms.” According to the document, the agenda will prioritize “strengthening democratic institutions, reinforcing the electoral system, and restoring guarantees for political participation.”
Figuera told media that the talks will involve 10-team delegations from both sides and claimed that the opposition faction will be involved in choosing new electoral authorities and Supreme Court justices, as well as in reforms to existing electoral laws.
She confirmed that the opposition has already selected several participants, including lawyers Juan Miguel Matheus and Sergio Vergara, businessman Jorge Millán, and former National Assembly Vice President Marco Aurelio Quiñones. No members of the Venezuelan government delegation are presently known.
Figuera took over the opposition-majority 2015–2020 National Assembly in 2023, despite its period having ended two years earlier. The legislature repeatedly renewed its own mandate as it maintained “recognition” from Washington as Venezuela’s legitimate authority. The anti-government group likewise retained control over several Venezuelan state assets frozen by the US and allies.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio reposted the 2015–2020 National Assembly’s roadmap through his X account. US authorities had endorsed the talks when they were first announced in June. Since the January 3 US military strikes and kidnapping of President Nicolás Maduro, Rubio has insisted on a “three-phase plan” that ends with a political “transition.”
The announcement of impending talks contrasted with Rodríguez stating on Saturday that the country “was not in the right frame of mind” to discuss issues related to the National Electoral Council (CNE), the Supreme Court (TSJ), or elections.
“We are concerned about people who have suffered the unimaginable. It would be disrespectful and insensitive for politicians to meet now to decide who should be appointed to the CNE or the TSJ. There will be time for that,” Rodríguez said.
Instead, he urged opposition leaders to work together on responding to the earthquake emergency, including reforms to the country’s housing laws and identifying land for the new constructions.
Just six days before the devastating earthquakes of June 24, Figuera traveled to Caracas with Washington’s backing to head negotiations with the Venezuelan government. During that June 18 visit, she met with Jorge Rodríguez and opposition leaders before traveling to the United States for additional discussions.
Her return took many opposition figures by surprise, as only weeks earlier María Corina Machado, speaking at a meeting of opposition politicians in Panama, had announced her intention to personally lead negotiations with the government over a future electoral process. The far-right leader announced a closed-door meeting with political allies on Wednesday to discuss the upcoming negotiations between the acting Delcy Rodríguez government and a separate opposition faction.
Amid these political developments, Acting President Rodríguez also appointed Johann Álvarez on July 14 as Venezuela’s new Chargé d’Affaires to the United States, tasking him with “representing the country’s interests and advancing a new stage of dialogue, cooperation, and mutual respect.”
Álvarez most recently served as Venezuela’s Minister of Foreign Trade and Superintendent of the country’s Special Economic Zones (SEZs). He replaces Félix Plasencia, who was chosen by Rodríguez to head the Foreign Ministry after merging it with the Foreign Trade Ministry.
Ted Lasso star Waddingham’s character is a secret assassin called Judith, who is forced to reveal her identity to her best friend, Debbie (Octavia Spencer).
Also working in Judith’s organisation is Sam, who is in charge of assigning her tasks and tracking her whereabouts, which is easier said than done.
Sam faces many challenges throughout the series as he also has a close bond with Queenie (Savannah Steyn) – the daughter of one of Judith’s oldest acquaintances.
Here is all you need to know about the star behind Sam and where you would have seen him before.
Who plays Sam in Ride or Die?
Sam is played by Calam Lynch, a 31-year-old British actor with a very famous Irish family.
He was born in Warwickshire to Irish actors Niamh Cusack and Finbar Lynch and studied classics at Oxford University, graduating in 2017.
Initially interested in football, he did not discover a passion for acting until speaking to his cousin, the actor Max Irons.
He went on to star in stage productions during his time at university and landed a role in the war film Dunkirk during his final year.
What else has Calam Lynch been in?
Fans will kick themselves when they realise where they have seen Lynch before, as he starred in one of Netflix’s biggest shows.
He played Eloise Bridgerton’s (Claudia Jessie) love interest, Theo Sharpe, in the second season of Bridgerton.
Theo was working at the print shop when Eloise came looking for information about Lady Whistledown, as she’d figured out his shop was where her pamphlets were being printed.
He denied knowing anything, but the pair shared some sweet moments as Eloise kept returning to the shop.
Sadly, Eloise put an end to it all when she said she did not want Theo to face consequences for her actions.
Away from Bridgerton, the star has also had main roles in Sweetpea, Miss Austen and Outrageous.
This double act of “Lancashire” locations is my final celebration of Britain’s bypassed towns. My native county has dominated my life of late, and one key question asked in these columns has been: can you holiday right at home?
The French author Xavier de Maistre believed you could fit a journey inside a single room. And in Instructions on How to Climb a Staircase the Argentine-French writer Julio Cortázar turned a walk upstairs into a quest. An entire county offers enough adventures to fill a life.
Touring seldom-trod places, I’ve witnessed a lot of regeneration and redevelopment, demolition and disappearance. Preston, my closest city, has a £45m leisure complex, a revamped museum and a new bridge over the River Ribble, with lots more planned. St Helens, my childhood town – proudly in historic Lancashire, but administered as Merseyside, and now part of the Liverpool city region – looks and feels like a drawing board at the moment. But both are changing for the better, if you look beyond the frayed fabric of their townscapes.
Preston
St Walburge’s church, Preston. Photograph: Paul Melling/Alamy
At first, I was struck by the city’s low-slung eastern edges, as if land had been cleared. It was simply that areas have been Americanised – all squat, boxed retail, yawning carparks, and ring roads. It left me feeling flat. But Preston began to grow on me the minute I stood beneath the extraordinary hypodermic spire of St Walburge’s church – the tallest parish church in the UK, designed by Joseph Hansom (of cab fame), and a testament to the strong Roman Catholic presence in “Priest’s Town”. Looking up signifies hope; doing it is primitive cognitive therapy.
Then I discovered the imposing Harris museum and gallery, which reopened after a £19m refurbishment last September. It’s become the place to go for art, local history, textiles, fashion, ceramics, coffee, library books – the ultimate rainy-day or, indeed, heatwave refuge. It’s a regional treasure (and perhaps the Ashmolean and British Museum might like to return the complete Cuerdale hoard, the largest Viking hoard found in England, unearthed beside the River Ribble).
I used the Harris a lot while doing jury service at the crown court and turned my walks to town from the park-and-ride into sightseeing tours. Highlights include the brutalist bus station and Guild Hall, built for an unrealised new town; the monument to the 1842 martyrs gunned down by infantry and coppers during the General Strike; the Victorian market hall and court and Miller Arcade; Winckley Square with its park and Georgian terraces; St Wilfrid’s, St John’s Minster, the Saint Alphonsa Syro-Malabar Cathedral.
Preston’s brutalist bus station. Photograph: Radharc Images/Alamy
Made a city in 2002, Preston has long been a place of power and influence. It’s where the cotton-town trail through east Lancashire begins, geographically and chronologically. Richard Arkwright, father of the factory system and co-creator of the water-powered spinning frame, was born here in 1732. Centenary Mill was built for the empire-spanning textile firm Horrockses, Crewdson & Co – its magnificent chimney was mammon’s shameless challenge to the churches; an annexe off the yard contains a magical emporium of antiques, and fixtures and fittings culled from mouldering mansions.
Industry, one way or another, led to many of Preston’s other inventions. Temperance and teetotalism, spearheaded by the nearby Walton-le-Dale’s Joseph Livesey, son of a clothier, were partly reactions to urban “immorality”. Professional football was what professional workers wanted on Saturdays. Preston North End was a founder member of the English Football League. Deepdale, on the same site since 1875, is one of England’s oldest grounds. Dick, Kerr Ladies, founded in 1917, was one of the first women’s teams.
In fine fettle … the interior of the Black Horse pub. Photograph: Kevin Walsh/Alamy
I respect the temperance movement, but love the Black Horse – to me, Preston’s most beautiful old pub, with etched windows, fixed snug-like seating, gorgeous tiling and a rare ceramic bar. Trad spaces have been complemented by new food venues, with the cool Korean restaurant Kimji, authentic Spanish dishes at Pintxos and modern British at Aven.
When they hacked up counties in the 1974 local government overhaul, they accidentally made Preston a future “capital” of sorts. It’s beginning to live up to the billing.
Reflection Court on Canal Street, St Helens. Photograph: Radharc Images/Alamy
Till now, I had never been inside St Helens Minster, though I was born nearby. In my defence, it was just the parish church till May of this year, when the name was changed to reflect its role as mother-church of the whole community.
The town began here, with four ancient rural manors ranged around a chapel of ease where wayfarers could rest and pray. Windle, Parr, Sutton, Eccleston; old names that contain even prettier-sounding villages: Clinkham Wood, Thatto Heath, Nutgrove. St Helens was once fields. Then it was shops, pits and workplaces. Now it’s something else.
Two big things are unfolding to that end. One looks small on a map but is mightily symbolic. Conservation work is progressing at No 7 Cannington Shaw Bottle Shop. Built in 1886, there were originally nine such shops – factories – making up the largest glass bottle production site in the world. This lovely redbrick circular building, with a classic conical roof, is the sole survivor, occupying a rare patch of rough land beside a big Tesco and Saints’ flashy rugby league arena. Once tons of molten glass were heated here, with glassblowers scooping up gobs to skilfully inflate, shape and place in a mould to create bottles.
On the first Saturday of every month, No 7 Cannington Shaw Bottle Shop now hosts artisan craft markets, with a bar and food stalls. After serving as an air raid shelter and storage depot, the site was abandoned and was only spared demolition by happy accident. John Tabern, director of the project, says: “As an ex-glassman, it’s extremely important to me. I’m proud of St Helens and want people to know its story. But we must monetise it with gigs and markets and all those things.”
No 7 Cannington Shaw Bottle Shop. Photograph: Liam Bluck/Alamy
The other thing is large on the map, equally important, if less evocative. Following blitz-level demolition, a large area east and south of the town hall is being given a new bus station, homes, offices, a hotel, green spaces, piazzas and “revitalised retail spaces”.
They’re always knocking things down here. But the Gamble building will soon house a smart new library, youth space and offices. This and the town hall are solid examples of redbrick Victoriana. The Beecham’s building, built in 1887, cost a fortune at the time and is topped by a coquettish clock tower. Its founder, Thomas Beecham, began selling laxatives to costive Wiganers; St Helens, like a crucible, allowed his business to flourish. The smart St Helens college faces the former HQ and the marriage of old and new works well.
Reflection Court, the old Pilkington’s headquarters on Canal Street, has a streamlined brick facade, influenced by the architecture of the Dutch modernist Willem Marinus Dudok. The former Pilkington’s complex at Alexandra Park on the edge of town was built by modernist architects Jane Drew and Maxwell Fry – who collaborated with Walter Gropius and Le Corbusier. Everything seems to be earmarked for apartment conversions.
I leave town via the Book Stop community bookstore, which I have “shares” in and where I gave a talk on my recent Lancashire book earlier this year. With no prompting from me, the manager titled it “Don’t Call Us Merseyside”. The newer “Liverpool City Region” is equally unpopular. I pass a church that, as a child, I thought was huge and ominous. Renowned architectural historian Nikolaus Pevsner wasn’t overly keen on St Mary’s Lowe House Catholic church, but I like the competing Byzantine dome and gothic tower. It’s as if the architect couldn’t make up his mind. The brickwork is black – the patina of two centuries of factory fumes. I pass the Turks Head pub, routinely lauded by Camra, and FC St Helens, where the rugby league team played in the 1880s.
The Camra-lauded Turks Head pub. Photograph: PSC-Photography/Alamy
Finally, I come to St Helens cemetery and crematorium. I have been here too often this past couple of decades. St Helens was built on furnaces; this one is still busy. I head to an area beyond the neat ranks of modern gravestones, walking on a path that, from the sky, is heart-shaped. In the wooded corner stands St Helens most ancient structure: Windleshaw Chantry, dating from 1415, when this was open countryside.
Beneath it is a large tomb, with a flat tablet full of abbreviated words. Spelled out, they say, “Here lie the remains of Jean Baptiste François Graux de la Bruyere – He was the first Who brought to Perfection A Work of very considerable Magnitude And Importance To the Commercial Interest of the British Nation.” This immigrant from Picardy, who died in 1787, aged 48, is thought to be the hero who brought glass-making to St Helens. I’m sure he’d be pleased that the town is at last celebrating his legacy. Things to see and do: World of Glass, The Book Stop, North West Museum of Road Transport, the Dream sculpture, Café Laziz
Erling Haaland and SoFi Stadium, ladies and gentlemen. Your breakout stars of the World Cup.
We’ve all fallen for the blond forward who has rowed Norway to its first World Cup quarterfinal berth — and also for SoFi Stadium.
Or “Los Angeles Stadium,” FIFA’s designation for the $5.5-billion architectural masterpiece that welcomed the world to Inglewood.
I cover Rams and Chargers games there regularly, but the World Cup changed how I feel about the place. It has more soul now, more character.
There is more history attached, “core memories,” as Kevin Demoff, president of parent company Kroenke Sports & Entertainment, put it.
The exultation when the United States went up 1-0 in the seventh minute of its tournament-opening, 4-1 victory over Paraguay? “That’s now a core memory of this stadium,” Demoff said.
So is the proud Iranian diaspora showing up en masse to mostly support Team Melli twice, in draws with New Zealand and Belgium.
And the goal by LAFC’s Stephen Eustáquio in the second minute of second-half stoppage time to lead Canada to a 1-0 victory over South Africa in its first knockout game.
And Spain’s taut, 2-1 victory over Belgium in Friday’s high-stakes quarterfinals match.
FIFA might say these sensational scenes put L.A. — our tiny hamlet of more than 18 million people — “on the map.”
What they did was put SoFi Stadium on everyone’s radar as one of the world’s foremost football stadiums.
Jose Ovalle, a 34-year-old from Reynosa, Mexico, has watched matches at Estadio Azteca in Mexico City and Estadio BBVA in Monterey, both sites of World Cup action this summer.
“They’re amazing stadiums — a lot of history, so much history,” Ovalle said Friday. “But [SoFi Stadium] is one of the top stadiums in the world.”
Spain midfielder Fabián Ruiz, left, celebrates after scoring past Belgium goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois, right, in the World Cup quarterfinals at SoFi Stadium on Friday.
(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
Nah, said New Zealand coach Darren Bazeley: “This is the best football stadium I’ve ever been in.”
Swiss center back Manuel Akanji plays for Inter Milan and roots for the Atlanta Falcons. It was a big deal for him to play at their home field, Mercedes-Benz Stadium, in last year’s FIFA Club World Cup.
“It’s really nice, but this is the best,” Akanji said after Switzerland defeated Bosnia-Herzegovina in group play at Sofi Stadium. “This is the best I’ve seen overall among all the stadiums I’ve ever been to. It’s amazing.”
Eight matches, five group stage games, two round-of-32 knockout affairs, Friday’s quarterfinal and a partridge in a pear tree — it was a monthlong run that was everything SoFi Stadium’s team could have wished for when it began preparing to host eight years ago. And more.
“I don’t think you can envision the passion of national team fans,” Demoff said. “We’ve seen so many great events here, NFL games, concerts, but the pride of a national event and seeing people come to Los Angeles and the U.S. for the first time, and seeing this building for the first time…
“There’s something magical about 30,000 Bosnians in blue singing, marching from the airport to here. You can’t properly envision that, no matter how many times you’ve been here.”
People raved about sight lines and sound. They admired the architecture and the infinity screen and the way the canopy kept things cool. In line to buy merchandise Friday, Orange County’s Nick Valencia looked around and mused: “Wow, humans made this.”
Players had the run of the place on real grass, not the artificial turf in place for NFL games. (Don’t expect that to change, Demoff said, noting that upkeep would be doubly challenging at SoFi Stadium with two NFL teams using the field.)
Soccer fans amplified their positive reviews online, where the only complaint having to do with SoFi Stadium was that FIFA decided to give the World Cup final to the archaic-by-comparison MetLife Stadium — a.k.a. “New York/New Jersey Stadium” — instead.
The stadium popped in person and on TV, its distinctive, futuristic shape making it immediately recognizable in a way that not every stadium is.
Vibes were good among volunteers and visitors from around the world and every corner of the United States — and among stadium staffers, who won raises in a late-breaking contract agreement that resulted in increases to more than $30 per hour.
The Rams’ house — and Chargers’ — was full almost every match, with four sold-out crowds of 70,492 and an eight-game total of 561,656.
People paid thousands of dollars for tickets and got their money’s worth at the world’s most-expensive stadium, a modern marvel that’s only getting better with age.
Dodger Stadium is dripping in lore, from Kirk Gibson’s legendary walk-off home run in 1988 to more history, like Shohei Ohtani playing perhaps the greatest game ever last postseason.
Staples — er, Crypto.com Arena — is where Kobe Bryant dropped 81. Decathlete Rafer Johnson lit the Olympic flame in 1984 at the Los Angeles Coliseum. And we all can picture Brandi Chastain ripping off her top in her iconic celebration after scoring the game-winning penalty kick in the 1999 Women’s World Cup at the Rose Bowl.
“We may not have the Brandi Chastain moment from ‘99,” Demoff said. “But we’ve had so many great moments off this tournament that I think will be replayed over and over and over again.”
There are more moments to come, with SoFi Stadium slated to host Super Bowl LXI in February and then, in 2028, to stage the Olympic Opening Ceremony and the Olympic swimming competition.
“Where the U.S. scored the opening goal,” Demoff said, “is going to be the middle of the Olympic swimming pool. I think that contrast blows people’s minds. It certainly blows mine.”
And for the past month, Los Angeles’ stadium blew the world’s mind.
1 of 2 | An Iranian woman on Wednesday walks next to a huge anti-U.S. billboard featuring U.S. President Donald Trump in a coffin, accompanied by a sentence in Persian that reads, “We kill Trump.” It is displayed at the Enghelab Square in Tehran, Iran. Photo by Abedin Taherkennareh/EPA
July 15 (UPI) — The United States attacked Iran on Wednesday, and Iran struck U.S. assets across the region into Thursday morning, marking the fifth straight day of strikes between the two nations as they fight over the Strait of Hormuz.
U.S. Central Command launched two waves of attacks seeking to degrade Iran’s ability to threaten vessels transiting the vital chokepoint between Iran and Oman.
“Once again, we remind the honorable people of Kuwait that the United States is committing these crimes against Muslim Iran from your soil,” the elite military unit responsible for protecting Iran’s Islamic regime said in a statement.
The IRGC-aligned Fars News Agency reported early Thursday that U.S. bases and facilities in Bahrain, as well as in Kuwait, were being struck. It separately said it was attacking U.S. assets at the Al-Azraq Base in Jordan.
The extent of potential damage could not be independently verified. However, the Kuwait Army said its air defenses were confronting drone attacks, and the Jordanian Armed Forces said they downed eight Iranian missiles early Thursday. Bahrain’s Ministry of Interior urged residents to find shelter as sirens blared, suggesting an incoming attack.
CENTCOM said in a statement that its second wave ended at 9 p.m. EDT, hitting command centers, air defense sites, coastal surveillance facilities and missile ad drone capabilities.
In announcing the strikes hours earlier, CENTCOM had said they were “targeting Iranian military capabilities used to threaten vessels freely transiting through the Strait of Hormuz.”
“The U.S. military is holding Iran accountable at the commander in chief’s direction,” the post said.
The U.S. attacks followed earlier strikes on Greater Tunb Island in the Strait of Hormuz, a key site for Iran’s coastal defenses and missile storage, during a 90-minute wave. The U.S. military also said it fired on the Curacao-flagged Belma vessel transiting international waters toward Iran.
CENTCOM accused it of violating a military blockade of Iran’s coast that Trump reimposed Tuesday afternoon to deny Iran maritime trade.
The IRGC said Ahvaz, a southwestern Iranian city, had come under U.S. attack, with missiles reportedly hitting near Baghaei Hospital, which treats children with cancer, requiring all but the most ill patients to be transferred to another medical facility.
Iran’s Parliament Speaker Bagher Ghalibaf told state media that Iran had “no reason” to abide by any deal with the United States if it did not benefit from it, but he left the door open for possible diplomacy, stating: “We must utilize diplomacy and negotiation to achieve and stabilize our national interests.”
While the war began in late February with President Donald Trump seeking to dismantle Iran’s nuclear and conventional weapons programs while encouraging regime change, the current chapter of the war is over the Strait of Hormuz. U.S. President Donald Trump is fighting to restore freedom of navigation through the waterway, down which about one-fifth of global energy supplies flow. Tehran is fighting to preserve its ability to restrict passage through the chokepoint as leverage and has previously suggested it could charge vessels that transit it.
The U.S. attacks came as Trump told reporters that Iran’s leaders “better behave” on Wednesday, one day after he threatened that the United States would strike bridges and power plants if Iran did not return to the negotiating table.
“They want to settle so badly,” Trump said later Wednesday at a defense summit in Pennsylvania. “They don’t like what we’re doing, and they do want to settle. We’ll find out whether or not we settle with them or we just finish it off.”
US President Donald Trump’s nominee to serve as the nation’s top intelligence official, Jay Clayton, evaded directly stating that Trump lost the 2020 election. During his Senate confirmation hearing Clayton said only that Biden had been ‘certified’ as president, adding ‘I am not an election denier’.
As the game began, the camera panned to the live audience who were watching the match unfold in Atlanta. However, BBC viewers were quick to notice a famous face in the crowd who was there to support the England squad.
Taking to X, one person said: “WAS THAT LOUIS TOMLINSON IN THE AUDIENCE. IT WAAASSSSS AAAAA.” Another wrote: “Louis Tomlinson is there. Oh my god.” Someone else commented: “LOUIS TOMLINSON SPOTTED AT THE #WorldCup”
A third shared: “Louis Tomlinson blessing our screens at the England game tonight was everything I needed.” While a fourth person wrote: “I’m already satisfied with the match cause I saw Louis Tomlinson in the crowd #WorldCup #England.”
The former One Direction star wasn’t the only famous face who was spotted in the crowd, either, as Rolling Stones legend Mick Jagger was also there to support the team.
Elsewhere during the game, Argentina fans have caused outrage with viewers as they were heard booing during England’s national anthem before kick-off began, although the Three Lions supporters retaliated with boos of their own.
Recently, Thomas Tuchel came under fire for his comments made after the 2-1 match against Norway, as he made critiques on the technical side of England’s performance.
When an interviewer asked Jude Bellingham what he thought of his manager’s remarks, he replied: “Yeah, well… whatever. Whatever. It’s difficult out there. It’s a tough shift.”
Discussing the comments, Thomas Tuchel told The Guardian there is no issues between them as he said: “Our comments come from the same place – from being competitive and having the edge when competition is on.
“He [Bellingham] was just confronted with a critique of my side. I [also] called him a world-class player. I said he had world-class actions again to decide the match. I said the mentality is outstanding of this team. All of that was not part of the question.
“I would maybe also bite back when I come from 120 minutes, score two goals and give literally everything that is in my body. It’s just a very normal reaction for a player of his mindset. So no problem.”
The World Cup final airs on Sunday, July 19, on BBC One from 8pm
Democrat Xavier Becerra holds a commanding lead in the California governor’s race in a new poll, which also shows broad voter support for a ballot proposition to reform the state’s landmark environmental law to speed up housing and infrastructure.
The survey by the Public Policy Institute of California, released Wednesday night, focused primarily on questions related to climate change and environmental policies.
The results show Californians have a strong distaste for building data centers for artificial intelligence technology, and largely favor the state’s efforts to protect the environment and cut emissions — with some exceptions.
The survey showed Becerra with a big lead over Republican Steve Hilton in the race to replace term-limited Gov. Gavin Newsom. Becerra, a longtime Democratic officeholder, received support from 61% of likely voters, compared with 36% for Hilton, a populist conservative who once advised a British prime minister.
Gubernatorial candidate Steve Hilton speaks at the National Assn. of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials conference in L.A. on Wednesday.
(Myung J. Chun / Los Angeles Times)
The results are not surprising in a state where Democratic voters significantly outnumber Republicans. The GOP has not won a statewide election since 2008.
Just 2% of likely voters said they were unsure which candidate to support in the November election. The poll results skewed heavily partisan, with more than 9 in 10 Democratic and Republican voters picking their party’s respective candidate. Most independent voters leaned toward Becerra, 60%, over Hilton, 34%.
The results are similar to data from a poll conducted just before the June 2 primary election that asked voters to pick between the two candidates. In that survey, 52% said they supported Becerra and 31% were for Hilton.
In a statement Wednesday, Hilton characterized the race as “wide open,” contending that Becerra’s support was weaker than the poll’s headline figures would indicate.
“Instead of a 36-year career politician, we need a positive, energetic problem-solver with business experience and plans to make our state ‘Califordable’ — that’s me,” Hilton said.
Becerra spokesman Jonathan Underland said in a statement that “Californians got to know Xavier Becerra during the primary, and they’re ready to make him their next governor. We’re keeping our eyes on the prize — hitting the trail every day ’til November to turn that support into votes.”
Support for CEQA reform
A ballot measure aimed at reforming the California Environmental Quality Act to speed up construction notched a strong showing in the poll.
Nearly three-quarters of likely voters, including majorities of Democrats, Republicans and independents, said that they would vote for Proposition 45. The measure would shorten windows for environmental review, public comment and legal challenges for certain housing, transportation, water infrastructure and other projects.
“At this early stage in the campaign, California voters are feeling more aligned with Democratic candidates on the environment, and it shows in the polling,” said PPIC survey director Mark Baldassare. “But strong support for Proposition 45 reveals their desire to balance environmental priorities with housing and infrastructure needs.”
Strong data center opposition
The poll found large majorities of Californians do not want new data centers to support the AI boom built in their area; 44% of adults say they “strongly oppose” such projects, and 29% “somewhat oppose” them.
The majority opposition holds across political parties, geographic regions, gender, race and income. It’s especially pronounced in the Inland Empire, where plans for a 950,000-square-foot data center came to a halt after fierce resident pushback. Three-quarters of people surveyed in that region said they oppose building new data centers.
“Every day, we are hearing about how local communities across the nation are responding to plans for data centers,” Baldassare said. “Californians have weighed in and they share this growing concern.”
Support for environmental policies — except if they cost more
The poll also shows strong, if somewhat qualified, support for California’s efforts to reduce climate-warming greenhouse gas emissions and protect the environment.
Three-quarters of adults said policies to reduce greenhouse gas emissions have been a good thing overall, and 65% said they support California leaders’ efforts to make their own environmental policies separate from the federal government.
While most respondents — 62% — said they favor a law requiring 100% of the state’s electricity to come from renewable energy sources within the next two decades, just 38% said they were willing to pay more for electricity sourced from renewables.
“With energy prices spiking and affordability a growing concern, Californians are just not willing to pay more for renewable energy,” Baldassare said. A near-unanimous majority, 96%, said the cost of energy — including gasoline, natural gas and electricity — is a problem.
Newsom’s move to ban the sale of new gas-powered vehicles in the state by 2035 also appears to have fallen out of favor. Two-thirds of Californians oppose the policy, a significant slip in approval from 2021, when a PPIC survey showed 49% supported the move.
Still, majorities of likely voters — 53% and 51%, respectively — said they approve of Newsom’s and the state Legislature’s handling of environmental issues.
At 28%, President Trump’s approval rating on the environment was much lower. In his second term, Trump has moved to slash environmental regulations, including easing pollution regulations on coal-fired power plants and pushing for oil drilling off California’s coast.
“Given this ratings gap, it’s not surprising that Californians want to see the state take the lead on climate change policy,” Baldassare said.
The survey polled 1,578 California adults, 1,003 of whom were likely voters, in English and Spanish from June 29 to July 6 and had a margin of error of 3.8 percentage points in either direction.
Seven years after gaining fame as UCLA’s “perfect 10 gymnast” and 13 years since last competing at an elite level, Katelyn Ohashi has returned to gymnastics with new goals and the same outlook.
“I want to have fun with it,” Ohashi said on a video conference Thursday, less than two weeks after making her return to competitive gymnastics at the American Classic. “I want to see how far I can go with it, and how far I can push myself.”
Still only two competitive routines into her comeback, Ohashi said the idea of competing in a home Olympics at the 2028 Los Angeles Games is “a beautiful thing to think about.”
She is plotting her own path. The 29-year-old’s first elite meet since 2013 was on June 27, when she tied for third on beam and performed a floor routine with light tumbling passes. She will compete at the U.S. Classic on July 18 with hopes of qualifying for the U.S. championships, which determines the national team roster.
Katelyn Ohashi performs during the “Gold Over America Tour” at Crypto.com Arena on Sept. 25, 2021.
(Katharine Lotze / Getty Images)
Competing on only beam and floor, Ohashi needs to reach 26.80 points in her routines to qualify for the national championships. The meet in August would be her first U.S. championship as a senior gymnast. Gymnasts typically make senior debuts at 16 years old. More than a decade older than some of her competitors, Ohashi can’t help but giggle at how circuitous her path has been.
“It’s really funny, also,” Ohashi said through laughter, “because, like, I’m pretty much a senior citizen.”
The deadline for a female gymnast’s Olympic dreams used to be 16 years old, Ohashi was told. But watching Simone Biles, Suni Lee, Jade Carey and Jordan Chiles win team gold at the Paris Olympics inspired Ohashi. The team, which also included 16-year-old Hezly Rivera, was the oldest U.S. women’s gymnastics team in the Olympics since 1952. Every gymnast who competed in the team final was in her 20s.
In 2024, the then-27-year-old Biles was the oldest U.S. female gymnast to qualify for the Olympics since 1952. When Ohashi recently called her longtime friend about her plan to return to elite gymnastics after a 13-year retirement, Biles “thought I was crazy,” Ohashi said.
“Which,” Ohashi continued, “most people, I think, might.”
Ohashi has nothing left to prove. In her first senior international competition at 15, she beat Biles for the 2013 American Cup all-around crown — the last time Biles lost an all-around title. After injuries derailed her promising elite career and the sport’s abusive culture robbed her of her joy, Ohashi reached superstar status while rediscovering her love of the sport with UCLA. She won a team NCAA title and the floor individual title in 2018. As a senior, her perfect 10 floor routine garnered 500 million views, landed her in Rolling Stone magazine and drew sold-out crowds to almost all of UCLA’s meets.
Since her final college routine in 2019, Ohashi was loving her retired athlete life. She did speaking appearances, traveled and published a book of her poetry. She enjoyed all the time and freedom she had.
She still missed the gym.
“I have not been able to replicate the feeling or the joy, sensations, adrenaline that gymnastics or competing brings,” Ohashi said.
Staying connected in the sport by participating in Biles’ “Gold Over America Tour” in 2021 and 2024, Ohashi would often joke of a comeback. Calculating her age and looking toward an Olympics in the city that helped her fall in love with gymnastics again, Ohashi knew that if the joke was ever going to become real, it had to be soon.
So Ohashi started working with a personal trainer, lifting weights for three hours a day for four days a week. In January, she moved back to her hometown of Seattle, in part to be closer to her family, and started training with Cale Robinson at Pacific Reign Gymnastics in Woodinville, Wash.
Most skills came back seamlessly, even ones she hadn’t executed in competition since she was 16. The first month felt great. Then fatigue started setting in. Ohashi loved that challenge.
Former UCLA star gymnast Katelyn Ohashi performs during the “Gold Over America Tour” at Crypto.com Arena on Sept. 25, 2021.
(Katharine Lotze / Getty Images)
Because Ohashi, who suffered a back fracture and injuries to both shoulders during her elite career, can’t do as many reps as she did as a teenager, she makes each one count more now. Between training her upgraded skills, she focuses on conditioning and religiously attends physical therapy sessions.
Still early in her comeback, Ohashi said she’s “physically getting there.” She is mentally stronger than ever.
“There are still those hard days, but it’s a lot easier when I know that I’m doing it for me, and me only,” Ohashi said. “And only I can push myself on those days.”
Ohashi wants to push past the baseline she set at the American Classic, where her two-event total was 24.65 points. The meet, which was staged in a gym with one set of bleachers and fans sitting on mats, was an intimate warm up for the arena stage Ohashi will take at the U.S. Classic in Hartford, Conn.
Ohashi walked into her first elite meet in 13 years next to Carey, who, at 26, is trying for her third Olympics. Entering the gym, Ohashi giggled that so many of the judges from a decade ago were still there. She recognized so many coaches. She was greeting everyone and waving. Carey looked at her in shock and asked what she was doing.
