A British woman who left the UK for the USA has spoken about how one incident forced her to re-evaluate her whole life in the country

A woman who moved from Yorkshire to the United States at the age of 22 has spoken about how one moment in her new home country caused her to re-evaluate everything.

Kari Wells, who built a career on the American cable channel Bravo, moved to Aspen, Colorado where she met her now husband Duncan with whom she has two children.

Later, the pair moved to Atlanta, Georgia, which is where things took a turn when she was robbed in October 2019 by two gunmen.

In the ensuing robbery, Wells was knocked out when she was hit on the back of her head by one of the gunmen. Despite surviving, the robbery would have a major impact on her with Kari telling the Telegraph she later received treatment for Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) that in turn led to her writing her book ‘From Attitude to Gratitude’.

Speaking to the publication, she said that the incident was a “literal way” of being forced to “re-evaluate” her life. She explained: “It’s like I was juggling it all, and I was so busy that I wasn’t really living my life. I was on this treadmill, missing out on a lot of great things.

“The aftermath was more traumatising than the event because you go into this state… something that I cannot even explain.”

During her recovery, Wells convinced her husband to make several changes to their home including parking their car across their gate that they secured with cable ties.

Furthermore, the pair also moved back to where they’d first met in Aspen, Colorado. The incident also brought into even sharper relief for Wells the “insanity” of gun violence in the USA.

Although Kari is one of many people who has moved from the UK and Europe to the USA, in recent years there has been a growing trend in the opposite direction with Americans now moving to the UK and Europe.

According to data from the Brookings Institution reported in The Wall Street Journal, the USA saw negative net migration for the first time in nearly a century in 2025 with more people leaving than arriving last year for the first time since 1935 and the peak of the Great Depression.

Although this massive moment has happened during US President Donald Trump’s second term, in a phenomenon some have dubbed ‘The Donald Dash’, others say the situation is more complex than one person becoming leader.

Other examples include economic changes and the rise of remote working meaning more people can work from anywhere on the planet and don’t have to be tethered to their job by geography.

Gun violence is also a factor with Berlin-based employee of a Texas real estate investment firm Chris Ford using an example of active shooter drills, reports the Independent.

This, he said, was one major difference between life in the USA and life in European nations such as Spain and the Netherlands: “You don’t face the prospect of your five-year-old going into a kindergarten and doing an active shooter drill. The wages are higher in the U.S. but the quality of life is higher in Europe.”

For emotional support, you can call the Samaritans 24-hour helpline on 116 123, email jo@samaritans.org, visit a Samaritans branch in person or go to the Samaritans website.

IF you want the beauty of the Amalfi coast but without the hefty price tag, then there is an alternative to consider.

The pretty fishing village of Camogli in northern Italy has beautiful multi-coloured houses and has even been dubbed a gem of the Italian Riviera.

Camogli sits on the Ligurian Riviera and its main stretch of beach is lined with pretty pastel buildings – much like towns on the Amalfi Coast.

Spiaggia di Camogli is the village’s pebbled beach that is lined with restaurants, cafes as well as sunloungers and parasols.

It’s quite a famous spot so it can get quite busy, especially on the weekend when there are daytrippers from Portofino.

One visitor who recommends visiting in low season said: “Camogli seafront always offers a bit of magic.”

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Another added: “Lovely town, one of the cutest that I have visited in Liguria. Better than most Cinque Terre villages since it has a proper beach!”

One secluded bay that is a must-visit is called San Fruttuoso di Camogli.

On the shore is a 10th-century abbey, crystal-clear water, and the underwater “Christ of the Abyss” statue.

It is only accessible by boat or scenic hiking trails – so it takes a bit of effort to see this one.

Fans of snorkelling should head to another spot called Punta Chiappa.

It’s a narrow rock formation popular for diving and snorkelling because of the amount of marine life seen in the water like snappers and amberjacks.

Visiting Camogli over destinations on the Amalfi Coast could save you money too.

Global booking platform Omio named the village as a cheap and lesser-explored Italian spot.

Doing the maths, Omio worked out that a round-trip from London to Amalfi’s Positano, which requires a changeover in Naples, costs £230.

A round-trip from London to Camogli, which has a stopover in Genoa, costs £74.

So the cost of a round-trip in July to Camogli rather than the Amalfi coast Omio could save up to £156.

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Summers on the Amalfi coast are known for being hot and dry – Positano can reach highs of 33C.

It’s a tad cooler in the north of Italy and Camogli has average highs of 27C in July and August.

Another multi-coloured town along the coastline that you might want to tag onto your trip is Boccadasse.

Like Camogli, it has pastel-coloured houses built on top of cliffs and was a former fishing village.

It’s said to look like it’s ‘frozen in time’, and sits outside the city of Genoa and is a 30-minute drive from Camogli.

You’ll get the best views of the coastline if you walk along Corso Italia which connects Boccadasse to Genoa.

Boccadasse is also has independent restaurants that you’ll want to pop into and try Ligurian specialities like focaccia and pesto-based pasta dishes are served.

For more on Italy, check out this Italian paradise that has British Airways flights and found pretty towns away from the crowds.

And Head of Sun Travel Lisa Minot reveals more about the sleepy Italian island village she visited with 40p beers and £1.80 bottles of wine.

NASA’s Artemis II astronauts were seen being helped across the deck of a US navy recovery ship, after splashing down on Earth from their mission around the moon.

Rudolph Walker’s love life away from EastEnders is just as dramatic as Patrick Trueman’s

Rudolph Walker is an EastEnders legend – but what do we know about his off-screen love life?

The actor joined the BBC soap way back in 2001 as Patrick Trueman – and it didn’t take him long to become a firm favourite with fans. The character has also played a part in several big storylines

From his many romances, marrying Yolande (Angela Wynter) and the recent murder of son Anthony (Nicholas Bailey), Patrick’s time in Walford has not been short of drama.

Away from the TV sets, though, Rudolph’s love life has been just as dramatic as his Walford alter ego. From being married three times to ending up homeless after a divorce, here’s a look inside the talented actor’s romances.

Rudolph was first married to Lorna Ross in 1968. The pair welcomed two children together, daughter Sheona and son Darren.

However, in the early 90s, Rudolph and Lorna went their separate ways. The pair remained on good terms, though, as years later, when Rudolph’s second divorce left him penniless and homeless, she helped him out through the tough times.

“Bless her. We are still extremely good friends. It didn’t take me out of what I was experiencing, but it cushioned a lot,” he told the Mirror.

Rudolph went on to find love again with Dounne Alexander, whom he married in August 1998. Dounne is the founder of Gramma’s, a collection of herbal pepper sauces that have been sold in shops such as Harrods and Fortnum and Mason over the years.

She was also awarded an MBE due to her work with the Joining Hands In Health campaign. In the mid-2010s, though, Rudolph and Dounne called it quits. However, the legal costs of his second divorce took their toll on Rudolph, and he spent two years broke and homeless.

“It was painful. It was extremely difficult. I just didn’t have any financial means. I was literally starting from scratch again in my 70s, with nowhere to live. It was a time of great pain and loneliness,” he shared.

The TV star went on: “Some days on my way to the studio, I would pull up at the side of the road, have a cry. I suppose it was a sort of double life.

“Questions of: ‘Who am I? Why am I in this position?’ There was no way the public watching me as Patrick every other night were aware that was what was happening.”

After Dounne, Rudolph began a romance with Evangeline Vincent, and the pair married in 2016. The couple is still together to this day.

EastEnders airs Monday to Thursday at 7:30pm on BBC One.

WASHINGTON — Last September, the Department of Homeland Security started advising unaccompanied immigrant children that they could either self-deport or expect to face long-term detention.

But a federal judge in Los Angeles on Mondayordered the government to stop using such “blatantly coercive” language, ruling that the new advisals, as they are known, violated a 40-year-old court order that bans immigration agents from pressuring unaccompanied children to give up asylum claims and leave the U.S.

According to court documents, the legal advisal was given to recently detained immigrant children. Unaccompanied children are those in the country without a parent or legal guardian.

The minors were told they had the option to return to their country, that doing so would result in no administrative consequences and that they still could apply for a visa in the future.

But the children also were told that if they chose to seek a hearing with an immigration judge or indicated that they were afraid to leave the U.S., they could expect to be held at a detention facility “for a prolonged period of time.”

Those who turned 18 while in custody would be turned over to Immigration and Customs Enforcement for deportation, they were told. The advisal, though generally passed on verbally, was written out in court documents by lawyers representing the immigrant children, which the government did not dispute.

“If your sponsor in the United States does not have legal immigration status, they will be subject to arrest and removal,” the advisals continued. “The sponsor may be subject to criminal prosecution for aiding your illegal entry.”

U.S. District Judge Michael W. Fitzgerald said that “such a threat disturbingly mirrors” the testimony of Jose Antonio Perez-Funez, a plaintiff in a 1980s class-action lawsuit challenging the tactics of immigration officers.

Perez-Funez, who was 16 when he was arrested near the Mexican border, testified in 1985 in Los Angeles federal court that he agreed to self-deport because federal officers said he would face lengthy detention if he didn’t return to El Salvador.

Perez-Funez’s case originally led the court to establish due process safeguards for immigrant children, giving them the right to speak with a relative or attorney before signing forms that waive their pursuit of legal protection.

“The Government was thus already on notice that such a statement delivered in this environment is precisely the kind of inappropriate persuasion the Injunction sought to prevent,” Fitzgerald wrote.

Fitzgerald, a judge in the Central District of California, also denied a request by the federal government to end the permanent court-mandated safeguards for immigrant children.

In response to a request for comment, U.S. Customs and Border Protection provided a statement, attributed to a spokesperson who wasn’t named, that the agency is following the law and protecting children. The agency said the advisal document explains to unaccompanied children their options available under federal law.

“Many unaccompanied minors are brought to the border by smugglers and face real risks of exploitation, which is why providing a clear, lawful advisal is essential,” the statement said. “It ensures they understand their rights and options — and for many who were trafficked or coerced, returning home to their family is the safest path.”

Unaccompanied children are first held by Homeland Security before being turned over to the Office of Refugee Resettlement, which is within the Department of Health and Human Services, for long-term housing. Federal law requires ORR to provide them with a legal consultation within 10 days.

“It is difficult to imagine a scenario more coercive than the one faced by [unaccompanied immigrant children] in the 72 hours before they are transferred into ORR custody, particularly for noncitizen children who likely do not know whether they possess any rights at all,” Fitzgerald wrote in his order.

In declarations to the court, children wrote that they felt threatened by the government’s advisals. One minor, identified as D.A.T.M., said the threats to prosecute their parents and of long-term detention caused them to sign voluntary departure papers.

Mark Rosenbaum, an attorney at the pro bono law firm Public Counsel, helped secure the 1986 court order. He said his legal team discovered Homeland Security had changed the advisals only after a government attorney notified him in November that the agency was going to seek to end the court-mandated safeguards.

“I consider this a war on children — the most vulnerable population,” he said.

The government has until Thursday to decide whether it will appeal the judge’s ruling. Regardless, Rosenbaum said, his goal is to establish more aggressive monitoring of unaccompanied children’s cases to ensure their rights aren’t violated again.

Should Lynn need any inspiration, he need not look far across the office.

Wales men’s head coach Steve Tandy helped his side end a three-year Six Nations losing streak with a final-round victory over Italy last month, while performances in defeat offered plenty of encouragement.

It is hoped the women can turn a similar corner in their campaign.

“I’ve worked really closely with Steve Tandy, I’ve been into his camp, it’s an open environment,” said Lynn.

“That’s what we’re about, supporting each other as a nation.”

Wales captain Kate Williams said: “We can be inspired by them [Wales men], but we’re not limited to what they’re doing as well.

“We’re looking internally about what we can do and finding confidence in ourselves to then be able to put out our own performance and write our own story.”

Inspiration has also been drawn from other Welsh sporting stars, including boxer Lauren Price who retained her world titles in Cardiff last weekend.

“Something like Saturday night inspired me massively,” Lynn said.

“We are one Wales and we are such a proud nation, that for me was who we are and what we’re about.”

The airline has responded to passenger concerns online after a 14-hour delay

EasyJet has issued an alert after passengers say they were left waiting hours and hours for their flight due to a major delay. The budget airline is popular nationwide for its wide range of flights and affordable fares.

However, as with any airline, unforeseen circumstances can lead to delays, resulting in passengers waiting longer to board their plane. In a recent online post, one EasyJet passenger claimed they had waited 12 hours, with another two hours to go, because their flight was “delayed”.

Explaining the situation and asking EasyJet for input, the passenger, called Gillian Telfer, took to X to say: “@EasyJet, our flight to Glasgow from Rome was due to depart today at 11.55am. We were told that due to a technical issue there would be a delay.”

They added: “It is now 00.20am and we have an estimated flight at 2am. There are many families here all desperately tired.”

Responding to the post in a fresh alert on its official X account today (April 11), a spokesperson for the airline said there are “many factors” that may delay a flight, including “safety reasons”. They explained: “Hi Gillian, thank you for reaching out. I’m sorry to hear that your flight to Glasgow from Rome was delayed.

“Unfortunately, many factors come together that can lead to our flights being delayed. This may be for safety reasons and required regulatory approvals. Thanks, Anga.”

Flight delays can last for many hours since airlines have very strict schedules. Just one small problem can cause a ‘ripple effect’ that affects many other flights.

According to the UK Civil Aviation Authority, if your flight is delayed for several hours, you are typically entitled to assistance regardless of the cause. If the delay is two hours or more, passengers are entitled to food and drink vouchers.

For delays that last three hours or more, passengers may be entitled to financial compensation, especially if the delay was within the airline’s control, for instance, a technical fault. If a delay lasts overnight, however, passengers are entitled to hotel accommodation and transport between the airport and hotel.

A statement on the EasyJet website reads: “The best place to keep up to date on the status of your flight with real-time information is via our Flight Tracker, which can also be accessed via our mobile app. If your flight is more than two days in advance, please sign in by using your booking reference and last name or your account details.”

The airline says that if a delay is longer than five hours, passengers can change their flights for a later date, subject to seats being available. Alternatively, they can cancel their delayed flight and apply for a full refund.

Visit EasyJet’s Disruption Help Hub to find out more. For information on your entitlements, visit EasyJet’s notice of rights page.

A bill laying out plans to return the Indian Ocean archipelago, home to the US-UK Diego Garcia base, has been paused.

The United Kingdom is setting aside a bill to return the Chagos Islands to Mauritius amid a lack of support from United States President Donald Trump.

“We have always said we would only proceed with the deal if it has US support,” a UK government spokesperson said in a statement, according to the Reuters and AFP news agencies on Saturday.

This followed reports in the UK media that said a bill laying out plans to cede sovereignty of the 60-plus Indian Ocean islands had been dropped from the next parliamentary agenda.

Last May, the UK and Mauritius jointly announced a deal that would return full sovereignty of Chagos to Mauritius, which is some 2,000 kilometres (1,200 miles) away from the archipelago.

Britain would then pay to lease Diego Garcia – the largest island and a strategic location in the middle of the Indian Ocean between Asia and Africa, which is home to the military base – on a 99-year lease to preserve US operations there.

But Trump opposed the move, calling it an “act of great stupidity” in January.

“Diego Garcia is a key strategic military asset for both the UK and the US. Ensuring its long-term operational security is and will continue to be our priority – it is the entire reason for the deal,” the UK government spokesperson added in his statement.

“We are continuing to engage with the US and Mauritius.”

The statement added that the UK “continue[s] to believe ⁠the agreement is the best way to protect ⁠the long-term future of the base”.

‘Big mistake’

After Trump’s initial opposition, he appeared to momentarily back down in February after speaking with UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, saying Starmer had made the “best deal he could make”.

But he then attacked the prime minister again on Truth Social weeks later.

“He is making a big mistake,” Trump wrote, adding that ceding the Chagos Islands would be “a blight on our Great Ally”.

Over the last six weeks, relations between Trump and Starmer have been further strained by the US-Israel war on Iran.

The UK is now leading a coalition of more than 30 countries to protect vessels in the Strait of Hormuz, without US participation in the initial talks.

Britain has controlled the Chagos since 1814, including after Mauritius gained independence in the 1960s. The Diego Garcia base has played a key role in US military operations in Vietnam, Iraq and Afghanistan.

Chagossians – thousands of whom were forcibly evicted to make way for the base – have brought compensation claims to British courts, culminating in a 2019 International Court of Justice recommendation that the archipelago be returned to Mauritius.

Scientists from NASA have hailed the Artemis II mission to send astronauts around the moon as a ‘fantastic feat’ but said there was more work to do, after the crew was safely brought back to Earth on Friday.

Saturday Kitchen was back on screens for another episode but, before the show went live, host Matt Tebbutt suffered an unfortunate accident.

Matt Tebbutt has revealed he suffered a painful injury just moments before he appeared on Saturday Kitchen.

The beloved BBC show returned to screens on Saturday morning (April 11) with Matt back at the helm. Joining Matt on the programme were chefs John Chantarasak, Niklas Ekstedt and Thomasina Miers.

Chart-topping singer Jack Savoretti also made an appearance – in which viewers had to vote on whether he would have his version of food heaven or food hell. Drinks expert Helen McGinn was on hand too, to discuss some booze.

However, just minutes in and Matt revealed things took a worrying turn moments before the show went live, after he suffered a painful injury.

Talking to Helen, Matt revealed: “So I burnt my lips in rehearsal. Does it look like I’ve got fillers?” Helen replied: “It doesn’t look bad at the moment,” to which Matt shared: “I’ve got a blister there. It only hurts when I talk.”

Helen then said: “It’s going to hurt later.” Matt quipped: “Shall I not talk?” Giggling, Helen added: “I don’t know if you can get away with that!” Trying not to move his sore lips, Matt said: “Tell us about the wine,” as Helen laughed and replied: “I’ll give you a straw later.”

Matt quipped back: “I’ll dribble it all out, like you’ve been at the dentist.” Touching his sore lip Matt continued: “That’s what I feel like.”

It comes after Matt returned to Saturday Kitchen last month after spending some time in Australia. Earlier in March, audiences saw The One Show’s Alex Jones take the presenter’s chair as she was accompanied by Mike Reid, Adejoké Bakare, Bryn Williams and special guest Phil Wang.

While Matt appeared on the programme the previous week, the BBC star confirmed it was a pre-recorded episode as he posted updates from Australia with his Instagram followers.

Nevertheless, the 52-year-old presenter was back in charge once more in March as he paused to commend Alex for stepping in.

He remarked: “Before we go on with our usual nonsense, we should say how well Alex did last week. Well done, Alex Jones.”

Saturday Kitchen airs every Saturday at 10am on BBC One.

A few years ago, some were predicting the demise of Spanish-language television.

Most of the Latino population growth over two decades has come from U.S. births, outpacing the arrival of immigrants. The thinking was that because most U.S.-born Latinos speak English and can consume a wide array of media, Spanish-language TV would recede in relevance.

But Telemundo has defied such forecasts to become one of the nation’s hottest news outlets.

The NBCUniversal-owned, Spanish-language network, a longtime underdog, has been notching viewership gains in advance of its highly anticipated coverage of this summer’s FIFA World Cup championships.

Last year, Telemundo increased its audience for its evening news, anchored by Julio Vaqueiro, by 11% over the previous year, according to Nielsen data. Its Los Angeles station, KVEA Channel 52, has surpassed entrenched giants Walt Disney Co.’s KABC and Univision’s KMEX, attracting more viewers for its local evening and late-night newscasts.

The Miami-based division has a strong social media presence. Its Telemundo Noticias (News) account boasts 16 million followers on TikTok, topping ABC News, CNN and Fox News.

Cultural and demographic shifts have helped fuel Telemundo’s rise. After more than a decade of immigration declines, border crossings surged during President Biden’s tenure — a tide that turned with President Trump’s return to the White House. Instead, Trump brought a torrent of significant news events, including immigration raids that reverberated through Latino communities.

“We are growing because we are telling the stories that are important to our audience,” Gemma Garcia, Telemundo’s executive vice president for news, said. “We are very audience-driven.”

When U.S. military forces seized Venezuela’s then-president Nicolás Maduro in January, Telemundo quickly flew its main news anchor, Vaqueiro, to report from Colombia, which borders Venezuela. The network interrupted its usual Sunday night fare for a news special that scored solid ratings.

Vaqueiro, 38, has become the fresh face of Spanish-language news after Jorge Ramos, who achieved prominence as a forceful advocate for Latino immigrants during his 40 years on the air, signed off from rival Univision in late 2024.

The younger journalist brings a softer tone to his reports. He was promoted to Telemundo’s main news anchor in 2021 after several assignments, including working at KVEA in L.A. He loves stepping out from behind the anchor desk in Miami to cover big stories.

Telemundo news anchor Julio Vaquiero

(Telemundo)

Vaqueiro traveled to frigid Minneapolis earlier this year after the deadly Immigration and Customs Enforcement shootings. He broadcast from anti-ICE protests and stopped by a church to interview a pastor and volunteers organizing a food drive for immigrants too afraid to go outside.

“We’re very focused on being out there and reporting on the ground,” Vaqueiro said in an interview. “Being close to our audience, that’s a big part of what we are doing at Noticias Telemundo.”

Another key to Telemundo’s momentum has been its commitment to the Spanish language.

Media companies a decade ago raced to engage young, bilingual Latinos by launching start-ups, including a joint venture between ABC News and Univision called Fusion that flopped.

Now Telemundo is the one with cool cred.

Call it the Bad Bunny effect: While the Puerto Rican artist’s Super Bowl halftime show in Spanish befuddled scores of viewers, millions of other fans, deeply proud of their Latino roots, were thrilled by his performance celebrating everyday workers.

“With Bad Bunny’s rise and the Super Bowl, it felt like a shift in values towards the Spanish language,” said Mark Hugo Lopez, Pew Research Center’s director of race and ethnicity research. “It has become a source of cultural pride … and it seems to be impacting the ways in which English-speaking Latinos also think about their identity.”

Bad Bunny performed the Super Bowl halftime show in Spanish in February.

(Eric Thayer / Los Angeles Times)

That increased affinity suggests that Spanish isn’t going away anytime soon.

“Our data has shown that Latinos say it’s important that Latinos in the future speak Spanish here in the United States,” Lopez said.

A slow build to a news leader

Telemundo’s rise was a slow build, coming nearly a quarter-century after NBC bought the network for nearly $2 billion.

Years of effort took root after NBCUniversal agreed in 2011 to spend big for the U.S. Spanish-language media rights to the FIFA World Cup, dethroning Univision, which had long televised the prestigious soccer event. This year, Telemundo is poised “to deliver the largest coverage in Spanish-language media history,” the network said in a statement.

It will provide live coverage for all 104 matches, including on the Telemundo and Peacock streaming apps.

Being part of NBCUniversal has brought other benefits, too, particularly as Telemundo’s main competitor, Univision, has struggled under a succession of ownership groups.

NBCUniversal integrated its English and Spanish-language news units at its television stations. In Los Angeles, KVEA’s newsroom is in the same building on the Universal lot as KNBC-TV Channel 4. The same managers run both divisions.

“All of these things have evolved,” said Millie Carrasquillo, a Hispanic media consultant and former Telemundo research senior vice president. “It’s an alignment of the audiences, an alignment of how technology is evolving — and also the way that news is being delivered.”

Telemundo’s national newscast, anchored by Vaqueiro, averages 1.2 million viewers, its largest audience in years.

But audiences, particularly younger ones, are less likely to watch TV news, so network executives have tapped the potential of TikTok, Instagram and YouTube to boost their reach.

On TikTok, Telemundo reporters broadcast live from outside the U.S. Supreme Court last week as justices heard oral arguments on Trump’s push to end birthright citizenship for babies born to parents who are in the country unlawfully. Telemundo featured live coverage of the traditional Easter egg roll at “La Casa Blanca” (the White House) and frequent reports about NASA’s Artemis II mission, which scored millions of views.

“Radio and television hasn’t gone away,” said Mari Castañeda, University of Massachusetts Amherst’s Commonwealth Honors College dean. “But Telemundo has recognized that [cellphones] are where most of their audience is located and they leaned into that.”

Social media posts are easy to share, serving as a viral expansion of the network’s audience.

“Telemundo has emerged as a leader because it has modernized,” added Castañeda, a native of La Puente in Los Angeles County.

The U.S. Latino population nearly doubled between 2000 and 2024, rising from 35 million to 68 million, according to the Pew Research Center. Since the Great Recession, the growth has largely come from U.S. births, and the median age of U.S.-born Latinos is about 21.

The trend line bent during the Biden years as U.S. births roughly equaled the arrival of immigrants, Lopez said.

“Immigrants are still a very large part of the Latino story,” he said.

Noticias Telemundo anchor Julio Vaqueiro talks to a child living in a makeshift migrant camp along the Rio Grande near the Ciudad Juarez-El Paso border on Feb. 28, 2024.

(Telemundo)

‘This is a country we really love’

Telemundo’s brightest star — Vaqueiro — was born in San Juan del Río, north of Mexico City and came to the U.S. when he was 26 with his wife, who was also born in Mexico.

“We have three American kids,” Vaqueiro said. “All we know as a family is the U.S. This is a country that we really love and we’re grateful to it.”

In many ways, Vaqueiro’s journey is the story of U.S. Latinos.

“He’s Mexican but he’s also a U.S. Latino and he understands the context and issues that communities are feeling,” said Castañeda. “There’s a sense of authenticity and care that comes through.”

Vaqueiro wrote a book, “Río Bravo. México, Estados Unidos y el regreso de Trump, (Rio Grande: Mexico, the United States, and the Return of Trump),” to explore the political mood during a period of tumult and often tense relations between the countries.

Telemundo strives to stay out of the political fray, Garcia said.

“We don’t think about politics,” Garcia said. “We cover what is happening within our community, and now more than ever, we are on top of our community’s stories.”

Vaqueiro added: “We have to be very careful reporting the facts and verifying every information that comes to us.”

Political divisions course through Latino communities, including in South Florida where Telemundo is headquartered.

“We’ve always known that Latinos are not a monolith,” Vaqueiro said. “This is a complex community that is constantly growing. It’s diverse: geographically, culturally and generationally.”

Interest in news has swelled since Trump began his second term. Ratings are also up for ABC’s “World News Tonight with David Muir,” which is drawing 8.4 million viewers per telecast this season, outpacing NBC, Fox News and CBS.

In national news, Univision still tops Telemundo. In local news, Telemundo’s KVEA has continued to build on its lead this year, although KMEX remains competitive and Disney’s KABC remains dominant among English-language stations.

“I just hope that we meet the moment,” Vaquerio said. “This is a critical moment for Latinos who are navigating very difficult times under a lot of pressure.”

He has another goal, too.

“I want to lift Latino voices who are moving forward — opening new businesses and graduating from college,” Vaqueiro said. “I want to talk about the positive side of this community that brings huge contributions to the United States.”

Orange Lutheran (12-3) is the midseason No. 1 team in Southern California high school baseball.

The Lancers completed a four-game sweep at the Boras Classic South on Friday night, winning the championship game 4-1 over Norco.

Orange Lutheran’s pitching depth was impressive all week.

Ricardo Hurtado had a single and a home run and Brady Murrietta added two hits. Starting pitcher Blake Killinger was able to contain hot-hitting Norco (15-2), giving up five hits and one run in 5⅓ innings. Jacob Melendez hit his fourth home run for Norco since becoming eligible on March 27.

Orange Lutheran has won two prestigious tournaments in the same year — the Boras Classic South and the National High School Invitational in North Carolina. Perhaps the Southern Section’s computer rankings will reflect that feat after the Lancers were ranked No. 51 in this week’s Southern Section power rankings.

Orange Lutheran will face Northern California champion, St. Mary’s, next Saturday in the Boras Classic championship game at Santa Clara University.

Corona 7, Newport Harbor 5: A five-run fourth powered the Panthers. Joseph Flores Jr. had a two-run home run and Anthony Murphy added two hits and two RBIs for the Panthers.

Los Osos 4, JSerra 3: A four-run seventh helped Los Osos overcome a 3-0 deficit. The big hit was a three-run home run by Dominic Rodriguez.

St. John Bosco 2, Fountain Valley 1: James Clark had two hits, including an RBI single.

Ayala 6, Gahr 4: Easton Sarmiento contributed two hits, including a home run. Luke Payne threw 3⅔ innings of scoreless relief.

Mater Dei 6, Aquinas 5: The Monarchs opened a 6-0 lead and hung on. Ezekiel Lara had a three-run home run.

San Diego Patrick Henry 4, Huntington Beach 3: Ely Mason had two hits and two RBIs for Huntington Beach.

Arcadia 5, Corona Centennial 0: Andrew Cooper threw the shutout, giving up three hits. Jordan Vogel had a triple and single.

Royal 5, Moorpark 1: Dustin Dunwoody struck out 12 in 6⅔ innings.

Banning 9, San Pedro 2: AJ Herrera threw a three-hit complete game. He also had three hits.

El Camino Real 13, Cleveland 1: JJ Saffie had three hits and three RBIs and Jackson Sellz added three hits and two RBIs. Hudson December gave up one run in five innings.

Birmingham 4, Taft 3: The Patriots scored three runs in the sixth and one in the seventh to win a West Valley League game. Carlos Acuna hit the tie-breaking home run in the seventh. Aidan Martinez hit a three-run home run in the sixth and also struck out four in 1⅓ innings of relief. Nate Swinson had a two-run home run for Taft.

Granada Hills 6, Chatsworth 2: Max Szczech had a three-run double for the Highlanders.

Bell 4, South Gate 3: Gustavo Ramirez finished with three hits in an Eastern League win.

Garfield 6, Legacy 3: Doubles by Omar Martinez and Nathan Gaytan in the third sparked the Bulldogs.

Sierra Canyon 6, Sylmar 3: Carl McMullan contributed two hits and two RBIs for Sierra Canyon. Matthew Torres homered for Sylmar.

La Mirada 5, Servite 3: Ian Aguayo hit a two-run home run for La Mirada.

Etiwanda 19, Warren 9: Adam Ornales must have been a little tired after scoring six runs and getting three hits in Etiwanda’s win.

La Habra 2, Cypress 1: Bobby Brooks threw a complete game for La Habra.

Villa Park 12, El Dorado 2: Dominic Gutierrez hit a grand slam and Justin Lopez had four hits for Villa Park. Xavi Cadena contributed three hits for El Dorado.

Calabasas 10, Agoura 9: The Coyotes scored four runs in the bottom of the seventh, with Trevor Chang winning it on an RBI single.

Loyola 6, Providence 1: Jack Murray had a two-run home run for Loyola.

Softball

Orange Lutheran 11, Huntington Beach 0: Rylee Silver contributed three hits and also struck out six in five scoreless innings.

Norco 8, Eastvale Roosevelt 5: Coral Williams finished with 15 strikeouts for Norco.

An early-morning strike hits a group of civilians in ​​Bureij camp as drones attack a tent in Khan Younis displacement site.

At least seven Palestinians have been killed, and others wounded, in Israeli strikes across the central and southern Gaza Strip.

An Israeli drone fired two missiles close to a police post in Bureij refugee camp in central Gaza, Mahmoud Bassal, a spokesman for Gaza’s civil defence rescue service told the AFP news agency on Saturday.

Medical sources confirmed the early morning attack to Al Jazeera, saying the strike hit a group of civilians in the “Block 9” area of Bureij. Several people were killed and seriously wounded, they said.

Ambulance crews faced difficult conditions as they worked to transport the bodies and those injured to nearby hospitals, the sources added.

The al-Aqsa hospital in central Gaza told AFP it had received six bodies and seven wounded people, including four in critical condition. The nearby al-Awda hospital said it received one fatality and two wounded people.

Separately, in the southern Gaza Strip, Nasser Medical Complex said it received three wounded people following an Israeli drone strike against a tent of displaced people in the town of Bani Suheila, located east of Khan Younis.

Al Jazeera’s correspondent on the ground also reported Israeli artillery shelling and heavy tank fire near Bani Suheila and east of Gaza City.

Israel’s genocidal war on Gaza has killed more than 72,300 people since it began in October 2023, according to the Gaza Ministry of Health, including at least 738 since the so-called ceasefire went into effect last October.

The tally includes at least 32 deaths since the start of April alone – among them Al Jazeera journalist Mohammed Wishah, who was killed in an attack west of Gaza City earlier this week.

United Nations human rights chief Volker Turk on Friday condemned Israel’s recent violence in the Gaza Strip, saying that “the unrelenting pattern of killings” reflects Israel’s “sweeping impunity”.

“For the past 10 days, Palestinians are still being killed and injured in what is left of their homes, shelters and tents of displaced families, on the streets, in vehicles, at a medical facility and a classroom,” Turk said.

West Bank raids, arrests continue

Meanwhile, in the occupied West Bank, Israeli settlers and forces stormed homes and villages throughout the morning, continuing an escalating campaign to expand their illegal settlements.

The Palestinian Wafa news agency reported that Israeli forces arrested seven people east of Qalqilya and separately descended upon Bir al-Basha, near the city of Jenin, where they detained various residents and interrogated them.

In al-Maniya, southeast of Bethlehem, Israeli settlers fanned out across the streets, shone spotlights inside homes and provoked residents.

Another group of settlers set fire to a house in the village of Duma in the Nablus governorate, according to village council head Suleiman Dawabsheh.

Residents managed to control the fire and prevent it from spreading, Dawabsheh said.

Israeli media outlets have reported the recent secret approval of 34 new illegal West Bank settlements, adding to 68 that have been endorsed since Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government rose to power in 2022.

Various foreign governments and organisations, including the European Union, Turkiye, Sweden and the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation, have condemned the move as a flagrant violation of international law.

Benin will elect a new president on Sunday in a race that is shaping up to favour the chosen successor of the governing party, which has been in power for the past decade.

Outgoing President Patrice Talon, 67, is barred under the constitution from running again after two terms in power, and will step down with a legacy of mixed results: economic growth, but also a clampdown on the opposition and critics.

The small West African nation with a population of 14 million has also seen increasing numbers of attacks in its north as Sahel-based armed groups expand their territories towards the Atlantic coast.

Benin is sandwiched between its bigger neighbour, Nigeria, to the east and Togo to the west. The coastal country has increasingly gained attention as a tourist destination as more people from the African diaspora flock to its windy beach towns.

A former French colony, Benin retains French as its official language. Fon, Yoruba, Bariba, and Fulfulde are among the largest local languages spoken in the country.

Here’s what to know about Sunday’s election:

What’s happening?

About eight million eligible voters will choose a president for the next seven years.

Candidates will need to secure at least 50 percent of the votes; otherwise, a run-off will be called on May 10 between the top two candidates.

There are only two candidates, however.

The main opposition party, the Democrats, failed to get enough lawmakers to sponsor a candidate, so it is not on the presidential ballot. It earlier failed to win any seats in legislative elections in January.

Reporting from a governing party campaign event in the commercial capital, Cotonou, this week, Al Jazeera’s Ahmed Idris said the mood there was lively, but that it did not represent feelings in all of Benin after the main opposition party was sidelined.

“Most supporters of President Talon feel that this is a walkover …The only question will be whether the voting population will turn out in huge numbers. The last election we had only 50 percent,” he said.

Who is running?

Romuald Wadagni: The 49-year-old is presently the country’s finance minister and is the candidate of the governing alliance between the Progressive Union Renewal (UPR) and the Republican Bloc (BR).

A former Deloitte executive, he is expected to take a comfortable lead on Sunday, having been endorsed by current leader Talon, with whom he says he has a “father-and-son” relationship.

Wadagni, in his campaign, has touted the benefits of continuity that would come with his win. He has highlighted achievements under Talon, like tripling the national budget and posting the cotton-exporting country’s highest GDP growth rates in more than two decades.

He is also proposing new development hubs and expanding healthcare access.

Under Talon, “I had the honour of managing one of your most precious assets: your money,” Wadagni told supporters on the campaign trail in March. “I will do the job with the same seriousness and dedication,” he said.

On Friday, the final day of campaigning, he told supporters in Cotonou: “We are going to move forward, go even further with what began before your very eyes,” referring to a decade of economic transformation in the country.

Paul Hounkpe: The 56-year-old is the only opposing candidate.

A former teacher, he represents the Cowry Forces for ⁠an Emerging Benin party (FCBE).

He was formerly the culture minister under the government of ex-leader Thomas Boni Yayi of The Democrats. He also ran as a vice presidential candidate in the 2021 elections.

He is seen as a moderate, and has pledged to reduce the price of basic products and to secure the release of opponents imprisoned under Talon’s administration.

Hounkpe has campaigned on the perceived sidelining of citizens despite economic growth and flashy tourism projects under the current government.

What are the key issues?

Continuing Talon’s economic legacy

Economic growth sustained for a decade has been among Talon’s strongest achievements, and Beninese will be looking for a president who can sustain or improve on that.

Benin’s economy grew 7 percent in 2025 according to the International Monetary Fund, making it one of the region’s steadiest economies.

That’s driven by investments in trade, agriculture and infrastructure, including port expansions in Cotonou.

On the other hand, benefits have not been equally distributed across the country as poverty remains widespread in rural areas, especially in the poorer north.

Rising insecurity and political stability

Benin made headlines in December after a group of military officers attempted but failed to seize power. About 100 alleged coup planners are still in jail awaiting trial.

The coup leaders’ key complaints were the deterioration of security in northern Benin, where al-Qaeda and ISIL(ISIS)-affiliated armed groups from neighbouring Sahelian countries have increasingly launched attacks on communities. They said soldiers were “neglected” on the front lines.

Benin’s north is close to the tri-border area, a hotbed for armed violence. Lack of security cooperation with Niger and Burkina Faso, both now led by military leaders, has worsened the situation.

An attack by the al-Qaeda-backed Jama’at Nusrat al‑Islam wal‑Muslimin (JNIM) on Benin military posts last year killed 54 soldiers. Last month, another 15 were killed.

Candidate Wadagni has promised to defend the north by creating municipal police forces to guard border towns.

Shrinking democratic space

Talon has also been accused of dragging the country back into an era of autocracy, especially after authorities shut down cost-of-living protests in April 2024.

Beninese treasure the country’s reputation as one of West Africa’s most stable democracies in recent times, but critics say that has changed under Talon, and opposition groups accuse him of using the justice system to undermine other parties.

A constitutional reform in November extended presidential terms from five to seven years. It also established grounds for the president to nominate candidates to the Senate, which further raised the bar for opposition parties to enter parliament.

In January’s parliamentary election, Talon’s two allied parties controlled all 109 seats in the National Assembly.

Rights groups like Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International have meanwhile accused Talon’s government of cracking down on dissent through arbitrary detentions, restrictions on demonstrations, and pressure on independent media.

A POPULAR DJ has expressed regret after his Coachella set was cancelled due to high winds.

The Italian-American DJ Anyma — whose given name is Matteo Milliera — apologised to fans after Coachella bosses put a pin in his live show.

The festival issued a statement about the cancellation on its official social media.

“Due to strong winds affecting Anyma’s stage build, he is unable to perform tonight,” it began.

“Coachella and Anyma have made this decision together your safety as the priority.”

In the comments section Anyma added: “I’m sorry everyone. We’ve done everything in our control to build the show I’ve worked an entire year on. Safety always comes first and we’re working on a solution now.”

desert queens

Love Island stars glam up for Coachella as Millie Court & Chloe Burrows party

DESERT PARTY

Coachella 2026 live stream FREE – schedule and how to watch full festival sets

There was no mention of whether his set will be rescheduled at the music festival but he is also planned to hit the stage on Saturday night.

Anyma was set to perform on the main stage at midnight about 90 minutes after Sabrina Carpenter headlined on Friday night.

His DJ set is described as an immersive 360 digital art and music experience whose performances invite the audience to interact with the art and music.

He has recorded music with some of the world’s biggest artists including BlackPink’s Lisa, Lana Del Rey and Ellie Goulding.

Anyma alos forms one half of electronic music duo Tale of Us and he has 3.5million followers on Instagram.

Justin Bieber, Sabrina Carpenter and Karol G are among the pop stars taking over the stage at the 2026 Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival.

The anticipated desert party kicked off on April 10, and runs until April 19 at the Empire Polo Club in Indio, California.

Friday performances at Coachella this year were headlined by Sabrina Carpenter and also featured The XX, Teddy Swims, KATSEYE, Devo and Turnstile.

Justin Bieber will headline both Saturdays, April 11 and 18, featuring The Strokes, Addison Rae, Interpol, SWAE Lee and SOMBR.

And finally, Karol G, Young Thug, BIGBANG and FKA Twigs will take over the stage on Sundays, April 12 and 19.

Music lovers can skip the flight and watch the livestream from their sofa via the festival’s official YouTube channel.

Coachella 2026 will stream in its entirety on the streaming platform, with separate channels for each stage.

A federal judge on Thursday dismissed a lawsuit from the U.S. Department of Justice seeking Massachusetts’ state voter rolls, marking the latest setback in a wide-ranging effort by the Trump administration to collect detailed data on the nation’s voters.

The ruling from U.S. District Court Judge Leo Sorokin marks at least the fifth time a judge has rejected similar attempts by the Justice Department. Sorokin, an appointee of former President Barack Obama, said the U.S. attorney general’s office did not take the necessary steps required to access voter rolls, as outlined in federal law.

“Put simply, the statute requires a statement of why the Attorney General demands production of the requested records,” Sorokin wrote. That statement has to be factual, “not just a conceivable or possible basis.”

In an emailed response, the Justice Department said it “does not comment on ongoing litigation.”

It has said it’s seeking the voter data as part of an effort to ensure election security, but Democratic and Republican officials in several states have refused, saying the demand violates state and federal privacy laws. Some have raised concerns that federal officials will use the sensitive data for other purposes, such as searching for potential noncitizens.

During a hearing last month in Rhode Island, a Justice Department attorney told a federal judge that the department was seeking unredacted voter roll information so it could be shared with the Department of Homeland Security to check citizenship status. Homeland Security over the past year has beefed up the Systematic Alien Verification for Entitlements, or SAVE, program, for just this purpose.

“Our intention is to run this against the DHS SAVE database,” Department of Justice attorney Eric Neff told U.S. District Judge Mary McElroy during a March 26 hearing challenging the federal government’s authority to access the voter data.

The Justice Department has sued at least 30 states and the District of Columbia seeking to force release of the data, which includes dates of birth, addresses, driver’s license numbers and partial Social Security numbers.

At least 12 states have either provided or promised to provide their detailed voter registration lists to the department, according to the Brennan Center: Alaska, Arkansas, Indiana, Louisiana, Mississippi, Nebraska, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas and Wyoming.

In the Massachusetts case, the the judge found that the Justice Department failed to follow the requirements for demanding the voter rolls set by a 1960 civil rights law.

That law, enacted as part of an effort to end racial discrimination in elections, says state voter records must be made available for inspection by the U.S. attorney general if the office includes a statement outlining why the information is being demanded and how it will be used.

The department’s letter demanding Massachusetts’ voter data made no reference to the Civil Rights Act and didn’t cite any concerns about the way Massachusetts complied with federal voting laws, the judge said. Most importantly, it didn’t include any factual basis for the demand, Sorokin wrote.

In court documents, the Justice Department said it was demanding the data to check for “Massachusetts’ possible lack of compliance” with federal voter registration list requirements. It also said the Civil Rights Act was designed to be an investigatory tool to identify federal election law violations and argued that the U.S. attorney general can’t be required to prove a violation before seeking evidence of one.

“These arguments miss the point,” Sorokin wrote.

Massachusetts Atty. Gen. Andrea Joy Campbell called the ruling a decisive win for voters and the rule of law.

“The privacy of our voters is not up for negotiation, and I will continue to defend the integrity and security of our elections from the Trump Administration’s cruel and harmful agenda,” she said in a news release.

Four federal judges in other states have dismissed similar lawsuits from the Department of Justice.

A federal judge in Michigan found the laws cited by the Justice Department do not require the disclosure of the voter records sought by the federal government. A federal judge in California said the administration “may not unilaterally usurp the authority over elections,” which the Constitution gives to the states and Congress. A federal judge in Oregon said the federal government was not entitled to unredacted voter registration lists containing sensitive data.

A federal judge in Georgia dismissed a Justice Department lawsuit because he found it had been filed in the wrong city. The federal government then refiled the lawsuit in the city specified by the judge; that case is ongoing.

The Justice Department has appealed the Oregon, California and Michigan dismissals.

Boone writes for the Associated Press. Boone reported from Boise, Idaho. AP writer Kimberlee Kruesi in Providence, R.I., contributed to this report.

Friday’s Results

BASEBALL

CITY SECTION

Angelou 21, Los Angeles 7

Bell 4, South Gate 3

Bravo 12, LA Wilson 4

Canoga Park 11, Panorama 0

Chavez 15, VAAS 1

El Camino Real 13, Cleveland 1

Fairfax 6, Westchester 4

Franklin 11, Eagle Rock 0

Fulton 3, Northridge Academy 0

Garfield 6, Legacy 3

LACES 4, Palisades 1

LA Roosevelt 13, Huntington Park 1

LA University 11, LA Hamilton 4

Monroe 9, Grant 3

Santee 14, Diego Rivera 1

SOCES 14, AMIT 2

Vaughn 12, Arleta 1

Wilmington Banning 9, San Pedro 2

SOUTHERN SECTION

AAE 12, ACE 2

Anaheim 5, Bolsa Grande 4

Anza Hamilton 8, San Jacinto Leadership 4

Arcadia 5, Corona Centennial 0

Arlington 3, Moreno Valley 2

Ayala 6, Gahr 4

Azusa 8, Garey 2

Calabasas 10, Agoura 9

California 6, El Rancho 1

Charter Oak 10, Rowland 4

CIMSA 22, Lucerne Valley 11

Citrus Hill 11, Orange Vista 10

Colony 16, Don Lugo 7

Cornerstone Christian 19, NSLA 0

Corona del Mar 9, Rancho Mirage 1

Costa Mesa 6, Garden Grove 3

Crossroads Christian 26, Packinghouse Christian 1

Diamond Bar 4, Bonita 3

Dos Pueblos 6, Marina 3

Eastside 9, Antelope Valley 5

El Modena 7, Brea Olinda 3

Estancia 4, Loara 1

Etiwanda 19, Warren 9

Gabrielino 11, Mark Keppel 3

Gardena Serra 12, Rolling Hills Prep 1

Golden Valley 7, Grace 1

Great Oak 4, Chaparral 3

Hemet 15, Vista del Lago 4

Hesperia 5, Apple Valley 4

Indian Springs 5, San Bernardino 3

Irvine 12, Portola 7

Jurupa Valley 4, La Sierra 3

Katella 4, Fullerton 2

Knight 12, Palmdale 8

La Canada 5, South Pasadena 0

La Habra 2, Cypress 1

La Mirada 5, Servite 3

La Serna 7, Santa Fe 1

Lakewood 12, University Prep 1

Los Amigos 10, Garden Grove Santiago 5

Los Osos 4, JSerra 3

Magnolia 15, Western 1

Mesa Grande Academy 12, Public Safety 6

Northwood 4, Laguna Beach 3

Oakwood 17, Hoover 6

Ontario Christian 6, Woodcrest Christian 1

Orange 10, Rancho Alamitos 0

Orange Lutheran 4, Norco 1

Palos Verdes 4, Sana Monica 3

Patriot 15, Rubidoux 3

Ramona 4, Norte Vista 1

Rancho Christian 16, Lakeside 2

Ridgecrest Burroughs 21, Oak Hills 7

Riverside Poly 6, Liberty 5

Riverside Prep 17, Big Bear 3

Royal 5, Moorpark 1

San Marino 13, La Salle 3

Santa Ana 2, Whittier 1

Savanna 10, Westminster La Quinta 6

Silver Valley 1, Victor Valley Christian 0

Simi Valley 14, Oak Park 1

Sonora 8, Esperanza 2

St. Bernard 10, St. Paul 9

St. Bonaventure 14, Fillmore 2

St. John Bosco 2, Fountain Valley 1

St. Margaret’s 4, Sage Hill 2

Sultana 10, Serrano 8

Sunny Hills 2, Yorba Linda 1

Temecula Valley 8, Murrieta Mesa 2

Trabuco Hills 6, Ocean View 3

Tustin 7, Buena Park 6

Viewpoint 6, Beverly Hills 3

Villa Park 12, El Dorado 2

Vista Murrieta 13, Murrieta Valley 6

West Covina 6, Bishop Amat 1

Woodbridge 1, Irvine University 0

INTERSECTIONAL

Coalinga 5, Firebaugh 2

Eastvale Roosevelt 16, Central 0

Ganesha 11, Arroyo Grande 5

Legacy Christian Academy 22, Alpaugh 2

Lompoc Cabrillo 6, Village Christian 3

Maranatha 7, Righetti 4

Mesa Grande Academy 12, Public Safety Academy 6

Millikan 21, Pitman 0

Morro Bay 7, Bishop Montgomery 4

Nevada Union 17, Lompoc 10

Paloma Valley 3, Heritage 1

Riverside North 17, Perris 0

Rosamond 9, Boron 4

San Luis Obispo 20, Gridley 1

Santa Maria St. Joseph 2, Ventura 1

Terra Nova 8, Cathedral 7

Troy 5, South East 1

Westlake 4, San Ramon Valley 1

SOFTBALL

CITY SECTION

Angelou 12, Santee 6

Birmingham 20, Cleveland 0

Chatsworth 13, Taft 2

Chavez 16, Sun Valley Poly 9

Fairfax at Palisades, postponed

Granada Hills 7, El Camino Real 3

LA University 16, LACES 3

North Hollywood 11, Van Nuys 1

San Fernando 8, Granada Hills Kennedy 2

Venice 14, LA Hamilton 1

Verdugo Hills 10, Arleta 8

SOUTHERN SECTION

AAE 16, Riverside Prep 3

Aquinas 11, Woodcrest Christian 1

Ayala 7, California 3

Bolsa Grande 11, Magnolia 0

Bonita 12, Monrovia 2

Canyon Springs 13, Moreno Valley 2

Chaminade 9, Oaks Christian 6

Charter Oak 15, Rowland 2

CIMSA 23, Lucerne Valley 4

Citrus Hill 16, Vista del Lago 15

Cornerstone Christian 27, NSLA 3

Flintridge Prep 19, Westridge 0

Fullerton 10, La Palma Kennedy 0

Garden Grove Pacifica 10, El Modena 8

Heritage Christian 13, Buena Park 6

Jurupa Valley 17, La Sierra 4

Los Amigos 20, Loara 16

Miller 19, Entrepreneur 0

Oak Hills 14, Hesperia 4

Oak Park 21, Fillmore 4

Ontario Christian 4, Arrowhead Christian 3

Orange 8, Savanna 5

Orange Lutheran 11, Huntington Beach 0

Orange Vista 9, Riverside North 1

Oxnard 3, Righetti 2

Patriot 12, Rubidoux 2

Ramona 26, Norte Vista 2

Rancho Alamitos 19, Western 3

Ridgecrest Burroughs 5, Serrano 4

Riverside King 16, Corona Santiago 0

Riverside Poly 7, Liberty 5

Riverside Prep 16, AAE 3

River Springs CSM 25, Redlands Adventist Academy 4

Santa Ana Foothill 22, Troy 0

South Torrance 3, North Torrance 0

Temple City 9, La Canada 5

Thousand Oaks 9, Dos Pueblos 5

Valley View 15, Arlington 5

Ventura 6, Foothill Tech 0

INTERSECTIONAL

Bishop Conaty-Loretto 14, Orthopaedic 3

Buchanan 10, San Marcos 7

Enochs 7, Alemany 1

Paloma Valley 10, Rancho Verde 0

FANCY a weekend exploring a new city in Europe?

You don’t have to spend a fortune or hours flying to have an amazing holiday.

Luckily there’s loads of amazing and affordable European cities right on our doorstep – and with cheap and speedy flights, you can tick them off more easily than you’d think.

With delicious street food, cheap beers and plenty of local history, these European city breaks will give you a short haul holiday to look forward to – all for less than £100 per person.

We’ve found destinations you can visit for two nights from £99 or under, including popular capital cities you can tick off your bucket list – plus all of the best things to see and do there.

So whether you want to explore hidden ruin bars in Budapest, catch sunsets at the beach in the Algarve, or visit quirky art galleries in Madrid, these breaks have something for everyone.

Here are 10 European gems where £99 covers both your flights and hotel, leaving you with more to spend when you land.

Prices were correct at time of publication.

Madrid – £99pp

For a sunny city break that’s big on style but easy on the wallet, Madrid is a total winner.

Spain‘s capital has masses of world-class art and architecture to explore.

To tick off some of the top sights, take in the regal beauty of the grand Palacio Real (The Royal Palace of Madrid), or visit the 15th-century Plaza Mayor to get into the real heart of Madrid.

The magnificent views don’t stop there. Make sure to take a visit to the 125 hectare El Retiro Park, where a visit to the stunning glass Crystal Palace won’t cost you a penny.

Art lovers can also hit the so-called Golden Triangle of galleries for free if they time it right.

The world-famous Prado offers free entry from 6 – 8pm from Monday – Saturday, whilst the Reina Sofía opens for free from 7pm Monday – Saturday (excluding Tuesdays).

The Thyssen-Bornemisza completes the trio, with free entry on Mondays and on Saturdays from 9pm.

Then, when hunger hits, skip the tourist traps and join the locals on Calle de la Cava Baja – one of the area’s most lively streets – for a tapas crawl, or grab a legendary calamari sandwich at La Campana for around €4.

Getting around is a breeze, too. While the city is incredibly walkable, the speedy Metro offers a 10-trip pass for just €7.30 (£6.36), plus kids under four travel for free.

Berlin – £89pp

Effortlessly cool and cost-friendly, Berlin is packed with things to see and do that won’t cost you a penny.

You can walk through the giant monument Brandenburg Gate, walk the 1,316 metre-long open-air East Side Gallery, or catch a free lunchtime concert at the Berlin Philharmonie at 1pm on Wednesdays.

For the largest open space in the city, head to Tempelhofer Feld. It’s a massive former airport where locals enjoy cycling, skating, jogging and cooking together in the BBQ zone. It’s the ultimate free hangout in the heart of the city.

Going for a night out in Berlin is a must. If you like your music loud and your beer cheap, go to Clash in Kreuzberg. It’s a legendary gritty spot with alternative music and affordable pints.

Prague – £99pp

Visit Prague for a city with a fairytale feel that won’t blow your budget.

To see the city at its best, set an early alarm to walk Charles Bridge at sunrise before the crowds arrive, or wander the sprawling Prague Castle courtyards and the peacock-filled Wallenstein Palace Gardens for free.

To sample some of Prague‘s best budget-friendly food, hunt down a deli for a traditional open-faced chlebíček sandwich for about CZK 30 (£1.09) or grab a massive slab of smažený sýr (fried cheese) from a street stall for around CZK 135 (£4.80).

One of the best ways to see the city is to hop on Tram 22. It’s essentially a sightseeing tour that goes past the National Theatre and right up to the gates of Prague Castle.

A standard 30-minute ticket costs 36 CZK (£1.28).

Budapest – £99pp

If you’re after a holiday with a high-end feel that won’t break the bank, Budapest is for you.

Hike up Gellért Hill for a panoramic sunset, or explore the fairytale lower turrets of Fisherman’s Bastion for free.

You’re not short of options when it comes to street food in Budapest. Head to the Great Market Hall to grab a massive, garlic-rubbed lángos (deep-fried flatbread) from 900 HUF (£2.04).

Plus no visit to Budapest is complete without trying a cylinder-shaped chimney cake, which you can buy from vendors across the city for around 1,000 HUF (£2.27).

A relaxing trip to the thermal baths is another must when in Budapest. Dandar is the cheapest option, and even cheaper if you visit on a weekday. An adult ticket costs 3,500 HUF (£8.08) during the week compared to 4,000 HUF (£9.23) on weekends and public holidays.

When night falls, dive into the legendary Jewish Quarter ruin pubs like Szimpla Kert, where you can grab a local pint amidst a maze of quirky, recycled decor.

Krakow – £99pp

Krakow is a European city that’s known for its affordability and great nights out – what more could you want from a city break?

Head to Wawel Royal Hill, where the castle courtyards and the fire-breathing dragon statue are free to visit, before crossing into the Kazimierz district to see its bohemian courtyard cafes and street art.

Plus you can visit the Rynek Underground Museum on a Tuesday for free entry, or take a walk through the Planty Park, a belt of vibrant green that surrounds the Old Town where the medieval defensive walls used to be.

For a lunch that costs less than a coffee back at home, hit a Milk Bar like Pod Temidą for a huge plate of pierogi for 29 zł (under £5.89), or grab a zapiekanka (a pizza-like giant baguette) in Plac Nowy for around £3.

Drinks are a steal too, with local beers in the city’s famous cellar bars still priced around £2.20.

Lloret de Mar, Spain – £77pp

Who can say no to a sun-soaked weekend away in Spain from just £77pp?

Follow the Camino de Ronda coastal path for a cliffside trail that leads to hidden, turquoise coves like Trons Bay and the peaceful Fenals Beach.

For even more beautiful views, explore the Santa Clotilde Gardens, where Renaissance-style terraces overlook the sea, or visit the colourful Sant Romà Church in the town centre.

When you get hungry, avoid the beachfront tourist traps and look for a Menu del Día in the backstreets, where you can get three courses and authentic dishes including seafood or paella from just €10 (£8.71).

The nightlife here is legendary for a reason – you can find bars offering cocktails for £5 and beers for under £3 at your pick of spots along the strip.

And if you’ve got time after all of those adventures, take the local Dolfi boat taxi to the nearby medieval town of Tossa de Mar for €30.40 (£26.46) return. It’s a scenic coastal cruise and a day trip to a castle overlooking the beach all in one.

Salou, Spain – £92pp

Big on thrills and little on costs, Salou is the crown jewel of Spain’s Costa Dorada.

For the best coastal views, walk the Camí de Ronda and dip into glimmering turquoise coves like Cala Crancs.

For an exciting day out, PortAventura World is renowned for its theme parks with rollercoasters and water parks with giant slides all in one place. You can grab a day pass from TUI for £37 per adult and £32 per child.

For a spectacular and free evening activity, head to the Jaume I Promenade to catch the Cybernetic Fountains – a vibrant display of water, music, and laser lights.

The nightlife here is famous for its value, with bars along the Carrer de Saragossa offering pints for €2 (£1.74) and free shots to get the party started.

For a slice of history, take a short bus ride to the nearby city of Tarragona where you can explore its UNESCO-listed Roman amphitheatre by the sea, and cool off with a gelato in the historic Old Town.

Le Raincy, France – £96pp

Le Raincy is a lesser-known French destination just 30 minutes from the Gare du Nord in Paris.

Its crown jewel is the Notre-Dame du Raincy – a modern church built entirely of concrete that shines with light thanks to its stunning floor-to-ceiling stained glass. Plus it’s completely free to visit.

Here you can wander the leafy, tranquil streets of this so-called garden city, a slice of peace and quiet away from the pace of central Paris.

For an authentic and affordable lunch, grab a freshly-baked baguette and some local cheese from a boulangerie on Avenue de la Résistance.

In the evenings there are plenty of cosy bars to dip into, like Le 40, where you can enjoy a glass of French wine and some charcuterie without the “tourist tax” of the city centre.

Lastminute.com offer a 2-night stay at Zenao Appart’hôtels Le Raincy Thiers, including return flights from Birmingham, for £96pp.

San Antonio, Ibiza – £95pp

If you want the White Isle experience without the price tag, San Antonio is the way to go.

Start evenings on the legendary Sunset Strip, where crowds gather on the rocks to watch everything from the sun dipping into the Mediterranean to a world-class DJ.

Or head to the Kumharas beach bar and market for a hippy vibe with live music, again perfect for watching the sunset.

Cocktails here will set you back €14 (around £12), but for the stunning views and beach club atmosphere, it’s very affordable compared to elsewhere in Ibiza.

To get your steps in and culture fix at the same time, follow a free street art tour through the town’s backstreets.

The nightlife in the West End is where the real savings are, with many bars offering “pre-club” drink deals that are a fraction of the £15+ you’d pay for inside the big venues.

Albufeira, Portugal – £95pp

Albufeira is one of the most affordable holiday destinations in the Algarve, and it’s equally as beautiful as it is budget-friendly.

Spend days exploring the whitewashed alleys of the Old Town, or wandering through rock tunnels to reach the golden sands of Praia dos Pescadores.

Plus the Pau da Bandeira viewpoint makes for the ultimate postcard-like photo of the coastline.

When night falls, the neon-lit strip in Montechoro is the place for bargain hunters, with happy hour pints at spots like Rock Time starting from just €1.95 (£1.70).

When it comes to transport, avoid the pricey taxi ranks and use the Giro local bus network to reach spots like the spectacular Praia da Falésia, with its red cliffs and endless golden sands.

A QUAINT English town not too far from a major city is having a major comeback.

Morpeth near Newcastle is on the up with Visit Northumberland even dubbing the town the “traditional trendsetter”.

And according to The Times, “Morpeth itself is the ultimate comeback queen”.

This is because the town has seen a number of new openings including a £21million leisure centre with a spa and a four-court sports hall.

For a spot of shopping, visitors can head to Sanderson Arcade, which is home to over 30 shops, as well as cafes and restaurants.

Make sure to head to the farmers’ markets in the town too, which is held on the first Saturday of every month between 9am and 3pm.

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If you fancy a tipple while visiting the town, you can head to The Electrical Wizard Wetherspoons pub, which gets its name from a flamboyant 20th century entertainer called Dr Walford Bodie.

At one point, he was the highest paid entertainer in the world and inspired the likes of Harry Houdini and Charlie Chaplin.

The pub is located inside the old Coliseum Cinema where he often used to perform in the 1930s, hence the name.

Even though the town is up-and-coming, it still has a lot of history to explore.

For example, the very meaning of Morpeth derives from the Old English, meaning ‘murder path’.

The rather grim name is believed to be given to the town as a result of a treacherous road to Scotland that passed through the area.

According to Bradley Hall property experts, “walking through the town feels like stepping back in time”, thanks to its castle and the 13th-century Chantry, which is home to the Bagpipe Museum which boasts 120 pipes from across Europe.

Not much of Morpeth Castle remains today, but you can visit the site.

Back in 1516, Margaret Tudor – sister of Henry VIII and widow of James IV of Scotland – stayed there for four months when fleeing Scottish enemies.

The original castle was destroyed by King John in 1216 and later rebuilt but all that stands of the former motte and bailey castle is the gatehouse, which is now a holiday rental.

Prices to stay are rather steep, but Sun Travel did find a stay for two nights between December 21 and 23 for £658 – which is around £47 per person per night as the gatehouse sleeps up to seven people.

For families there is Whitehouse Farm Centre, where kids can feed lambs and head on tractor rides as well as enjoy a new soft play.

Tickets to the farm cost from £15.45 per adult and £14.45 per child.

Surrounding the entire town, you can head on a number of pretty countryside walks as well, such as in Northumberland National Park.

And of course Northumberland’s best beaches aren’t too far away such as Druridge Bay Beach and Cambois Beach.

You could extend your trip to the town too by visiting many of the attractions in the local area.

You can reach Morpeth by hopping on a Lumo train from London King’s Cross, stopping at just Stevenage and Newcastle before reaching the town.

The route also heads further than Morpeth if you fancy exploring Scotland, as the final stop is Edinburgh.

A single ticket costs as little as £54.90 with the journey taking just over three hours.

For more pretty towns to visit, in the Cotswolds ‘Golden Triangle’ you will find some of the UK’s prettiest towns – and you might bump into loads of celebrities.

Plus, the pretty town on Mamma Mia! island has a ‘glowing’ cave and barely any crowds.

US Vice President JD Vance has landed in Pakistan for talks with Iranian officials on a deal to end the US-Israeli war on Iran.

A new and not immediately recognizable launcher has emerged on the U.S. Navy’s Arleigh Burke class destroyer USS Carl M. Levin. Last year, launchers for Coyote counter-drone interceptors appeared in the same general location on two other Burkes, the USS Bainbridge and the USS Winston S. Churchill. The Navy is currently known to be exploring several other options for integrating lower-cost anti-drone interceptors on various warships to bolster their defenses against this ever-growing threat. The new launcher could also be for deploying other kinds of munitions, drones, and/or decoys.

The Carl M. Levin and its new launcher can be seen in the background of a picture that the U.S. Marine Corps released on April 8, which is seen in parts throughout this story. The image was taken on March 29 at Pearl Harbor in Hawaii. The Levin, also known by the hull number DDG-120, is homeported there. A Japanese-language blog called OSINFO was the first to notice the launcher in the image and posted it to social media.

The new launcher is seen installed on the deck at the aft end of the Levin’s superstructure, between the destroyer’s port-side torpedo tubes and its rear Mk 41 Vertical Launch System (VLS) array. From what we can see of the launcher itself, it appears to have multiple cells. Whether or not it can rotate or is fixed in place is not perfectly clear, but the latter seems likely, especially given what appears to be a circular mount. It looks like it would swivel upwards for firing.

What the launcher fires and what purpose it serves are unknown. It was not seen on Levin at least as of December 2025. A cursory search at the time of writing does not now show it on any other Burkes, and it is not known whether the Navy currently plans to field it more widely on that class or any others. TWZ has reached out to the Navy for more information.

One distinct possibility is that this is a launcher for the White Spike counter-drone interceptor from Zone 5 Technologies. The launcher that Zone 5 has shown so far for White Spike is a four-cell design that is different from the one now installed on the USS Carl M. Levin. At the same time, it is also very similar in many respects, both in terms of form and likely function. The trapezoidal shape of its front is an especially prominent similarity as well as its overall configuration.

Zone 5 White Spike Counter UAS drone interceptor flight tests

White Spike has been under evaluation as part of a project called Counter Unmanned Aerial Systems – NEXT, or Counter-NEXT, which the Pentagon’s Defense Innovation Unit (DIU) has been running since 2024. Its appearance on a Navy destroyer now would make sense given that Counter-NEXT has had a particular eye toward naval applications.

Anduril’s Roadrunner-M counter-drone interceptor has also been under evaluation as part of Counter-NEXT. However, the launchers that Anduril has publicly shown so far for those interceptors do not align with what is seen on the Levin. Furthermore, Roadrunner-M is designed to be launched vertically and recovered in the same way for reuse if it does not actually prosecute a target in the course of a mission, as you can read more about here.

Last year, the U.S. Navy had said that it planned to integrate launchers for Anduril’s Roadrunner-M counter-drone interceptors, as well as Raytheon’s Coyote, on an unspecified number of Arleigh Burke class destroyers. As already noted, the launcher on Levin is in the same general spot as the Coyote launchers that have been installed on the USS Bainbridge and the USS Winston S. Churchill.

There is certainly demand from the Navy for more counter-drone capabilities for its ships, in general, which grew substantially in the wake of the service’s experiences during operations in and around the Red Sea in recent years. The latest conflict with Iran has only further underscored the still-expanding scope and scale of uncrewed aerial threats.

Lockheed Martin has also previously shown a concept for installing four-cell launchers capable of firing AGM-179 Joint Air-to-Ground Missiles (JAGM) in the same general location at the aft end of an Arleigh Burke class destroyer. As its name indicates, JAGM was originally developed for use against surface targets, but Lockheed Martin has been looking to evolve it into the counter-drone space. JAGM is derived from the AGM-114 Hellfire. The millimeter-wave radar-guided AGM-114L variant, in particular, has already emerged as a counter-drone weapon in recent years, including for shipboard use. JAGMs fired from warships could also be used for close-in defense against other targets, including swarms of small crewed or uncrewed boats.

There is still a possibility that the launcher now integrated on the USS Carl M. Levin could have other purposes beyond the counter-drone role.

A launcher for drones, including types configured as loitering munitions or decoys, could be another possibility. In recent years, the Navy has notably been experimenting with long-endurance drone-like decoys to help lure incoming anti-ship cruise missiles away from friendly ships and otherwise confuse opponents. In February, DIU put out a call for containerized drone launcher designs that could be employed at sea or on land. TWZ has previously laid out a detailed case for the many benefits that could come along with integrating launchers for swarms of drones configured to perform a variety of different tasks onto Navy ships.

Levin‘s new launcher could be used to fire shorter-range decoys and/or other kinds of countermeasures, as well.

Broadly speaking, the Navy has a long history of integrating new and improved capabilities, including weapon systems and countermeasures, on small numbers of Burkes. In some cases, those modifications have then begun to make their way onto more ships of the class, or have otherwise informed larger upgrade programs. The Arleigh Burke class is set to be the workhorse of the Navy’s surface fleets for years to come, and the ships will require continual updating as new threats and other developments emerge.

Whatever its purpose, the new launcher at the aft end of the USS Carl M. Levin is the latest example of how the capabilities of the Navy’s Burkes continue to evolve.

Contact the author: joe@twz.com