WASHINGTON — More than 60 days into his war with Iran, well past public deadlines he had set for its end, President Trump sat through a briefing from U.S. Central Command outlining yet another set of options for a fresh round of strikes.

On offer Thursday were unpalatable choices for a president eager to move on from the conflict he started. Renewed U.S. attacks risk inflaming the war beyond Trump’s control, undermining a fragile ceasefire for which American allies fought hard. But the very need for such a briefing underscored how difficult a position the president has found himself in.

A legal deadline for congressional authorization arrived Friday that threatens to increase pressure on the administration — and underscore lagging support for the most unpopular U.S. war in modern times. Global oil prices remain above $100 a barrel entering the midterm election season. And a diplomatic breakthrough with Tehran appears nowhere in sight.

Signs pointed to another U.S. military buildup in the region this week that could portend a fresh round of fighting. A U.S. Defense official familiar with the matter said the U.S. military has used the weeks-long pause to replenish its munitions. So, too, have the Iranians, who have reportedly increased their efforts to dig out stockpiles of missiles and drones buried by U.S. and Israeli strikes.

“Amateurs look at strategy; pros look at logistics,” said Robert Pape, a professor of international relations at the University of Chicago. “I have seen more buildup of force — actual firepower, with the addition of a third aircraft carrier, and logistics — than we’ve seen since the beginning of the war in February. So there’s been a notable change in the past week.”

The logistical surge appears to be a stream of Boeing C-17 military transport aircraft making their way to the region, alongside the addition of a third aircraft carrier. Only two carriers were in place when Trump first launched the war Feb. 28.

“That’s a pretty good sign that they’re mobilizing,” Pape added. “These are strategic and operational indicators. I would imagine they’re looking for a sharp knock.”

More than 10,000 Marines from expeditionary units are now in theater, giving Trump the option to launch limited ground operations, such as seizing a small stretch of coastline or initiating an assault on Kharg Island, the hub of Iran’s oil industry.

Occupying Iranian territory could provide the Trump administration with leverage in negotiations with Tehran. But it would also carry significant domestic political risks. A clear majority of Americans — including many Republicans — oppose a ground war.

More troops would be necessary to hold ground for any substantial period of time, experts said.

“I do have the impression, from some of the briefings that I have received as well as other sources, that an imminent military strike is very much on the table,” Sen. Richard Blumenthal, a Democrat from Connecticut, told CNN.

Departing Washington for the weekend, Trump told reporters that a “very disjointed” Iranian government, torn internally over whether to agree to a nuclear deal with the Americans, had put his administration “in a bad position,” uncertain whom to negotiate with or whether any agreement it might strike would be enforced.

“Right now we have negotiations going on. They’re not getting there,” Trump said. “They want to make a deal, but I’m not satisfied with it. So we’ll see what happens.”

And yet, the longer talks continue, the more pain Americans can expect to feel as global energy and fertilizer prices continue to skyrocket over disrupted commercial shipping traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, affecting the costs of pocketbook items ranging from food and fuel to airfare.

Trump hopes a brief new round of powerful strikes, potentially targeting Iranian infrastructure, will force Iran’s hard-liners to support a negotiated settlement — a gambit that could backfire, after an inaugural volley of strikes in the war killed off the government’s moderate voices, empowering the militant leadership of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.

“Do we want to go and just blast the hell out of them and finish them forever, or do we want to try and make a deal?” Trump asked, speaking with reporters on the South Lawn. “I mean, those are the options.”

In a letter addressed to Congress, Trump dismissed a 60-day deadline for congressional authorization for the war set forth in the War Powers Act, claiming the ceasefire with Iran had effectively stopped the clock on the administration’s legal responsibilities. Democrats argue that an ongoing U.S. blockade of Iranian ports constitutes an act of war that, absent a formal diplomatic agreement, requires congressional approval.

Speaking with reporters, Trump offered a less nuanced explanation.

“It’s never been used, it’s never been adhered to,” Trump said of the act. “Every other president considered it totally unconstitutional, and we agree with that.”

The internal debate over resuming the war comes after Pentagon officials informed Congress this week that the conflict, dubbed Operation Epic Fury, had cost taxpayers $25 billion thus far.

Pete Hegseth, the president’s secretary of Defense, defended the effort at a congressional hearing Wednesday, telling lawmakers that the United States was “absolutely” winning the war.

“Militarily,” Hegseth said, “on the battlefield, it’s been an astounding military success.”

He declined to say whether he had advised the president to launch the war in the first place.

Zanardi returned to motorsport after his crash, winning four times for BMW in the World Touring Car Championship from 2005-09.

In addition to his handcycling success at the Paralympics, he became a 12-time world champion and won the men’s para-cycling race at the New York marathon in 2011.

Zanardi suffered serious head injuries in 2020 when he lost control of his handbike during a road race in Tuscany and crashed into an oncoming truck.

Formula 1’s governing body the FIA said, external Zanardi’s “journey from life-changing accident to Paralympics gold medallist made him one of sport’s most admired competitors and an enduring symbol of courage and determination”.

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni said, external her country had lost “a great champion and an extraordinary man, capable of turning every trial of life into a lesson in courage, strength, and dignity”.

She added: “Alex Zanardi knew how to get back in the game every time, facing even the toughest challenges with determination, clarity, and a strength of spirit that was truly exceptional.

“With his sporting achievements, with his example, and with his humanity, he gave all of us much more than a victory: he gave hope, pride, and the strength to never give up.

“On behalf of myself and the government, I extend my heartfelt thoughts and the sincerest closeness to his family and to all those who loved him.

“Thank you for everything, Alex.”

A foodie left people floored after sharing the price of his three-course meal at a Benidorm restaurant. Harry shared his story after he sampled what was on offer at a popular eatery

Thousands flock to Benidorm each year for a spot of sun-soaked fun, but one man recently left people gobsmacked after sharing the price of his meal abroad. He popped into a well-known establishment to enjoy a three-course meal, and people were floored when they caught a glimpse of his bill.

Harry, known as Harry Tokky on TikTok, regularly documents his travels and escapades in Benidorm, keen to showcase everything Spain has to offer. He recently turned heads after sharing a dining experience that left followers speechless when they discovered what he’d forked out at a local restaurant during his time there.

He posted footage of himself tucking into his food before delivering an honest verdict. It’s not the first time the cost of eating out has caught people’s attention at the beloved holiday hotspot.

Harry said: “Today I’m here at Uncle Ron’s, locally famous for the €1 pint, and what might be the cheapest Sunday roast in Benidorm. What are we waiting for? Let’s go and get ourselves a Sunday roast.

“Just ordered myself a chicken roast at a mental price of €12 (£10.36). Do you think that’s cheap? Because I do.”

In the caption, he clarified this covered three courses, writing: “Would you pay €12 for a three-course Sunday roast in Benidorm?”

When the food arrived, he appeared thoroughly impressed, raving about the generous portion size and noting it came with a hearty amount of gravy on the side.

He added: “I can’t get over the fact that this is all €12. We’ve even got a bit of stuffing there as well.

“As far as value goes, I mean you’re not going to get better value than this I don’t think anywhere else in Benidorm. I mean, look at the size of it.

“Fantastic. Would you pay €12 for this roast dinner? Because I certainly would.”

Warning: Below video contains language some may find offensive

The footage got tongues wagging, with many viewers left gobsmacked by what a steal it was.

One wrote: “Had one Sunday. It was absolutely lovely. €12 for dinner and pudding.”

Another chimed in: “€13 with a pint – Holy Moly!” A third remarked: “Love Uncle Ron’s.”

While a fourth also added: “Brilliant bar. Uncle Ron’s is great.”

For those yet to make a visit, Uncle Ron’s in Benidorm is well-regarded for serving up incredibly wallet-friendly roast dinners. Over the years, it’s typically been priced at around €12 for multiple courses.

You’ll find it situated on Calle Londres in the new town. It’s a firm favourite for pub grub, boasting live music, reasonably priced drinks and a laid-back atmosphere.

THE sun tickles my face as I gaze across the North Sea on a bright April day. 

And I can safely say that this amazing spot on Sweden’s west coast radiates a stillness that could relax even the busiest soul. 

Varberg, a 40-minute train ride from Gothenburg, is emerging as a proper wellness spot. 

One where holidaymakers come to escape life’s rigours and experience authentic Sweden, without the modern-day malls and restaurant chains that have taken over many major cities across Europe. 

Here, old-fashioned practices and a fuss-free way of life are still very much the norm — and I couldn’t wait to try them out. 

Throwing myself straight into the action, I head to the town’s Kallbadhuset — which translates as “cold bathhouse” — perched on the sea and reminiscent of a Disney castle.  

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Plunging into the water, I brace myself for the rush of cold — and the brief dip certainly wakes me up.  

Luckily, I can follow it up with a visit to the spectacular sauna, warming my limbs while I soak up the stunning view of the town’s pier. 

Of course, cold plunges are not the only perk of being by the sea.  

Varberg and its surrounding towns in Halland County are a haven for seafood lovers. One of the best places to sample it is Spiseriet.

Translated, it means “the place to eat” — and it certainly does its name justice.

Having worked at a string of Michelin-star restaurants throughout Gothenburg, charismatic host Peter Hallden and chef Martin Anneflod decided to open their own place in the picturesque Johnssons Gard. 

Diners sit in a renovated former stable and choose from a ridiculously fresh menu of classic Swedish grub.  

My Norwegian langoustines, Peter informs me, were in the sea four hours earlier, having been collected from nearby fishing village Traslovslage.

Make sure to try the falafel, too, made from local fava beans and pesto rustled up from local nettles. It is Michelin-star quality, but with a home-cooking feel to it and without the extortionate price tag. 

If you do want to push the boat out, however, then Restaurant Ang by the Astad Vineyard is a great spot to sample Michelin-star dining.  

At just over £100pp, its eight-course tasting breakfast is less eye-watering in price than its dinner and will keep you full for hours.  

Star dishes include waffle with a side of caviar, thick hash brown with fava beans and a breakfast cheesecake. 

Attention to detail is the name of the game here and doses of morning caffeine are served with a difference. Kenyan coffee beans are soaked in local lingonberries for 18 hours before being served as what looks like juice, but tastes like a refreshingly fruity iced coffee. 

After gorging on several hearty courses, I’m properly fuelled for my hiking trip in Steninge, 45 minutes south of Varberg. This area is filled with glorious trails, although Steninge, home to the Steningedalens nature reserve, has some of the best. 

An excellent path winds along the Hallandsleden coast, enabling ramblers to take in sensational views of the sea. Or if you prefer to cycle, stretching parallel to the coastal path is bike trail Kattegattleden.  

The 240-mile route begins in Helsingborg and weaves past idyllic farm shops, guesthouses and fishing villages as well as sandy beaches. 

Along the way is Steninge Kuststation, where I stop for vegetarian Swedish meatballs, mash and local lingonberries. If you think Ikea’s meatballs are good then these will knock your socks off. 

Co-owned by Frida Fernbrant and Martina Gustafsson, the guesthouse is a perfect overnight stop for cyclists — with tastefully decorated old-fashioned rooms, sea views, homely food and an outdoor stage for live music. 

Back at my base, the Varbergs Kusthotell resort helps me properly unwind and rest my weary legs.  

The modern facility sits just 52 steps from the sea, with spa facilities open late so that guests can enjoy an after-dinner swim. 

Three outdoor pools arc around the main spa building, which houses an indoor swimming facility in addition to two luxurious hot tubs. 

As I watch steam from the heated pool rise into the still night air, I can’t help but feel totally at ease. 

Wellness breaks don’t get much better than this.

PM Keir Starmer says the phrase ‘globalise the Intifada’ should be ‘completely off limits’.

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer says some pro-Palestine marches could be banned and people who use the phrase “globalise the Intifada” could be prosecuted.

In an interview broadcast by the BBC on Saturday, Starmer advocated for tighter language restrictions at pro-Palestine marches, adding that in some cases, rallies could be prohibited altogether.

“I’m a big defender of freedom of expression, peaceful protests,” he told the BBC. “But when there are chants like ‘globalise the Intifada’, that’s completely off limits.”

“Clearly, there should be tougher action in relation to that,” he added.

Discussions had been taking place with the police for some time about what further action could be taken, he added. Asked whether he sought to completely bar some rallies, Starmer said he thought that would be appropriate in some cases.

‘Likely to be arrested’

Starmer’s comments come after he earlier this week called the chant “globalise the Intifada” a case of “extreme racism” and said those who use it “should be prosecuted”.

Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley also told the BBC that people who use the phrase are “likely to be arrested”.

Supporters of the slogan say it reflects a call to expand the pro-Palestine movement into a global campaign.

Starmer has come under pressure after a spate of anti-Semitic incidents, including this week, when two men were stabbed in the north London suburb of Golders Green, which is home to a large Jewish community.

A 45-year-old British national who was born in Somalia was remanded in custody when he made his first appearance in court on Friday, accused of attempted murder.

Starmer visited the scene of the attacks and a Jewish volunteer ambulance service on Thursday and was booed by some locals, who accused him of not doing enough to protect them. They also denounced pro-Palestinian activists holding marches in British cities.

On Thursday, the UK increased its security alert level to “severe” – the second highest – in part because of the attack in Golders Green.

British authorities have repeatedly faced criticism for cracking down on pro-Palestine activism during Israel’s genocidal war on Gaza.

Last month, British police arrested more than 500 people during a mass vigil in central London to oppose the ban on campaign group Palestine Action.

“I think Britain has now descended into a non-democratic situation and I think that is very dangerous [for] free speech,” one demonstrator taking part in the vigil told Al Jazeera.

The collapse of the US-based budget carrier due to a doubling in jet fuel prices will cost thousands of jobs.

Low-cost US carrier Spirit Airlines has said that all of its flights have been cancelled as it started an “orderly wind-down of operations,” after a potential White House bailout fell through.

“Spirit Aviation Holdings, Inc., parent company of Spirit Airlines … today regretfully announced that the Company has started an orderly wind-down of operations, effective immediately. All Spirit flights have been cancelled, and Spirit Guests should not go to the airport,” the airline said in a statement in the early hours of Saturday.

Spirit had 4,119 domestic flights scheduled between May 1 and May 15, offering 809,638 seats, according to the latest data from Cirium.

The collapse of the carrier due to a doubling in jet fuel prices during the two-month-old Iran war will cost thousands of jobs. It is also a blow to US President Donald Trump, who had proposed $500m to save Spirit despite opposition from some of his closest advisers and many Republicans in Congress.

Spirit had reached a deal with its lenders that would have helped it emerge from its second bankruptcy by late spring or early summer. But those plans derailed after the US war on Iran triggered a spike in jet fuel prices, upending Spirit’s cost projections and complicating its bankruptcy exit.

A Spirit board meeting had ended without an agreement to rescue the company, a person close to the discussions told the Reuters news agency late on Friday.

“Unfortunately, despite the Company’s efforts, the recent material increase in oil prices and other pressures on the business have significantly impacted Spirit’s financial outlook,” Spirit said in a statement announcing its “orderly wind-down”.

Trump on Friday said the White House had given Spirit and its creditors a final rescue proposal, after talks hit an impasse over a $500m financing package that would have helped the airline keep operating through bankruptcy.

“If we can help them, we will, but we have to come first,” Trump told reporters. “If we could do it, we’d do it, but only if it’s a good deal.”

Spirit’s restructuring plan assumed jet fuel costs of about $2.24 a gallon in 2026 and $2.14 in 2027, but prices had climbed to about $4.51 a gallon by the end of April, leaving the carrier unable to survive without new financing.

Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy told Reuters he had tried to get many airlines to buy Spirit but found no takers. “What would someone buy?” Duffy asked. “If no one else wants to buy them, why would we buy them?”

A creditor close to the deal said, “The Trump administration made an extraordinary effort to try and save Spirit, but you can’t breathe life into a corpse. Given that, the company should make its intentions clear for the sake of its customers and employees.”

No US carrier of Spirit’s size – it accounted for 5 percent of US flights at one point – has liquidated in two decades. Spirit helped keep fares lower in markets where it competed against major carriers.

Its collapse shows how the Iran war’s fuel-price shock has exposed weaker airlines. Across the globe, airlines have been increasing prices to reflect the high cost of jet fuel and some airlines have also cut flights.

German airline Lufthansa last month said it cancelled 20,000 flights in a bid to protect itself from the soaring cost of oil.

On Friday, Indian carrier Air India also said it has increased fuel surcharges on all flights and said it will cut 100 flights a day across domestic and international routes.

KIRSTEN O’Brien hung up her headphones at BBC Berkshire after revealing a new gig.

The kids’ TV presenter will be joining the BBC Radio 2 team for a very different role.

On her last day at the station, she was surprised by fellow 90s stars Dick and Dom.

She shared BBC Berkshire’s tweet, with a selfie of her and the boys and wrote: “Bit of news! Love that the lads surprised me today, I’m sad to be leaving BBC Berkshire as I’ve had a ball, but I can’t wait to get stuck in doing the traffic reports on BBC Radio 2 from Monday!”

Kirsten hosted the 10am-2pm slot on the Berkshire-based station and on her final show, she told listeners: “It’s eight years I’ve been here.

“I started at the old place at Caversham Park, doing a bit of covering, did the news, of course, some breakfast, and then the last two years doing brilliant things on this mid-morning show.

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“I’ve really, really enjoyed it. I’ve done all sorts while I’ve been here. I’ve visited everywhere from Reading Uni to the tip.

“I was thinking back about where I’ve been. My kids have grown up since when I first started, they weren’t sleeping.

“We were talking to sleep experts about helping me out. And now, of course, I just get them for stories.

“They provide endless content for me. Mark as well, whose life plays out on the radio, poor fella.

“So, I’ve always said I’ve come in here for a bit of a rest, a chat, to hear your stories as well and a bit of a laugh, and it’s been absolutely brilliant.”

Brigitte Tetta will be taking over Kirsten’s slot.

Kirsten was met with messages of support from listeners, with one writing: “Will be great to hear your voice on BBCRadio2. Always brings a bit of nostalgia from the CBBC and SMart days!”

A second added: “Heard you with Sara Cox a couple of weeks ago and you were great!”

“Congratulations Kirsten best wishes for the new adventures ahead,” echoed another.

“Wooooaahhhh, what?! I did not have this on my Bingo card for 2026! Fantastic, Kirst!! Huge congrats,” wrote a forth.

One said how they’d been impressed with her joining Trevor Nelson last week.

Another suggested there needed to be a SMart reboot.

Kirsten O’Brien became a familiar face of children’s television in the late 1990s and 2000s, where she started her career as a CBBC presenter.

She became known for her on-screen partnership with Otis the Aardvark.

In 1999, she landed the SMart gig, which saw her also take on SMarteenies and Smile.

Whilst she didn’t work with Dick and Dom (Richard McCourt and Dominic Wood), they were all part of the CBBC presenting gang and were close pals.

Supervisor Kathryn Barger was the only supervisor against it. She pointed to the fact that the tax was a “general” tax, meaning the money won’t be earmarked for healthcare costs. That means politicians have final say over how the money gets spent rather than voters, she said.

Some cities within L.A. County say they’re also rattled over the tax, unleashing a stream of opposition letters against the tax. The California Contract Cities Assn. argues a sales tax hike would “disproportionately burden the very residents the County seeks to protect.” Shoppers near the county line, they warn, likely would start crossing it to shop.

Some of these cities say they have the trust issues when it comes to county ballot measures. When voters approved Measure B in 2002 to fund the county’s trauma center network, an audit years later found the county couldn’t account for whether the money actually had been spent on emergency medical services. And some cities feel they never got their fair share of funds from Measure H, the homelessness services tax measure passed in 2017.

BASEBALL

CITY SECTION

AMIT 14, Panorama 1

Arleta 10, Grant 3

Bell 11, Legacy 1

Birmingham 9, El Camino Real 1

Bravo 4, Eagle Rock 3

Chatsworth 1, Cleveland 0

Downtown Magnets 14, Collins Family 4

Fulton 10, Reseda 0

Garfield 12, South East 1

Hollywood 21, Contreras 10

Jefferson 15, Angelou 2

LACES 12, LA University 1

LA Marshall 2, Franklin 1

LA Wilson 5, Lincoln 3

Northridge Academy 12, Canoga Park 2

Palisades 11, Fairfax 1

RFK Community 8, Mendez 1

San Pedro 21, Gardena 3

SOCES 21, East Valley 1

South Gate 9, Huntington Park 0

University Prep Value 17, Camino Nuevo 5

Van Nuys 12, Vaughn 11

Venice 8, LA Hamilton 1

Wilmington Banning 8, Rancho Dominguez 4

SOUTHERN SECTION

AAE 9, Silver Valley 3

Alhambra 12, Montebello 5

Alta Loma 7, Los Altos 5

Anaheim Canyon 6, Brea Olinda 2

Apple Valley 6, Oak Hills 1

Aquinas 8, Woodcrest Christian 2

Arlington 5, Moreno Valley 1

Ayala 11, Claremont 1

Baldwin Park 13, Azusa 7

Banning 21, Cathedral City 0

Beckman 10, San Juan Hills 6

Beverly Hills 11, YULA 3

Buena Park 9, Tustin 4

California 8, Whittier 3

Capistrano Valley Christian 4, Western Christian 3

Carpinteria 7, Channel Islands 6

Castaic 14, Canyon Country Canyon 2

Cerritos 10, Whitney 0

Chaparral 4, Murrieta Mesa 1

Charter Oak 16, Covina 1

CIMSA 11, ACE 4

Corona del Mar 6, Edison 5

Corona Santiago 7, Corona Centennial 6

Costa Mesa 7, Laguna Hills 2

Damien 11, Chino Hills 1

Dana Hills 8, Aliso Niguel 0

Desert Mirage 10, Desert Hot Springs 6

Dos Pueblos 10, Oxnard 5

Edgewood 8, Pomona 0

Esperanza 7, Troy 1

Fillmore 15, Malibu 11

Flintridge Prep 17, Chadwick 2

Fountain Valley 11, Marina 1

Gahr 1, Downey 0

Garden Gove Santiago 7, Santa Ana Valley 0

Glendora 7, Bonita 3

Glenn 9, Pioneer 6

Hemet 19, Vista del Lago 0

Hesperia 9, Serrano 5

Hoover 17, Glendale 7

Huntington Beach 8, Newport Harbor 1

JSerra 9, Santa Margarita 6

Jurupa Valley 4, Norte Vista 3

La Habra 6, Santa Ana Foothill 2

Lakewood 2, Long Beach Jordan 1

La Mirada 9, Bellflower 0

Lancaster 3, Highland 1

La Palma Kennedy 9, Segerstrom 6

La Puente 6, Workman 5

La Sierra 12, Rubidoux 2

Long Beach Poly 11, Compton 8

Maranatha 7, Cerritos Valley Christian 2

Mary Star of the Sea 29, Verbum Dei 1

Mayfair 15, Dominguez 0

Millikan 16, Long Beach Cabrillo 1

Mission Viejo 7, Capistrano Valley 5

Monrovia 7, San Marino 6

Moorpark 8, Oak Park 4

Muir 10, Pasadena 2

Murrieta Valley 8, Great Oak 3

Norco 7, Corona 2

Northview 10, Hacienda Heights Wilson 0

Oaks Christian 8, Calabasas 7

Ocean View 7, Fullerton 4

Orange County Pacifica Christian 15, Webb 0

Orange Lutheran 3, Servite 1

Orange Vista 6, Citrus Hill 2

Oxnard Pacifica 2, Buena 0

Pacific 13, Entrepreneur 3

PACS 10, Valley Torah 5

Palmdale 15, Eastside 1

Paloma Valley 11, Heritage 5

Paraclete 5, Bishop Montgomery 2

Placentia Valencia 10, Santa Ana 5

Portola 1, Irvine University 0

Quartz Hill 15, Antelope Valley 0

Ramona 10, Patriot 5

Rancho Christian 31, Lakeside 1

Rancho Verde 6, Canyon Springs 4

Redlands East Valley 7, Beaumont 0

Redondo Union 10, Mira Costa 4

Ridgecrest Burroughs 2, Sultana 1

Rio Mesa 7, Ventura 4

Riverside King 5, Eastvale Roosevelt 2

Riverside North 2, Perris 1

Riverside Poly 9, Liberty 1

Riverside Prep 15, University Prep 3

Rolling Hills Prep 18, Lennox Academy 4

Rosemead 3, Mountain View 2

San Marcos 10, Santa Barbara 5

San Jacinto Valley Academy 11. San Jacinto Leadership 1

Santa Monica Pacifica Christian 12, Animo Leadership 6

Schurr 2, Bell Gardens 1

Sherman Oaks Notre Dame 2, Alemany 0

Sierra Canyon 10, Loyola 0

Sierra Vista 8, Nogales 4

Simi Valley 6, Camarillo 1

South El Monte 12, Pasadena Marshall 7

St. Anthony 5, Cantwell-Sacred Heart 3

St. John Bosco 6, Mater Dei 3

St. Monica 9, Bosco Tech 6

Temecula Valley 3, Vista Murrieta 2

Tesoro 4, Trabuco Hills 0

Thousand Oaks 5, Agoura 4

Twentynine Palms 4, Coachella Valley 3

Upland 5, Los Osos 3

Valencia 14, Golden Valley 1

Valley Christian Academy 19, Coast Union 0

Valley View 17, Hillcrest 1

Villa Park 2, Cypress 0

West Covina 4, Rowland 2

Westlake 15, Newbury Park 4

West Ranch 10, Hart 2

Whittier Christian 6, Heritage Christian 1

Woodbridge 18, Sage Hill 2

Yorba Linda 4, Sonora 1

Yucca Valley 8, Indio 1

INTERSECTIONAL

SLOCA 12, Del Oro 3

SOFTBALL

CITY SECTION

Animo Venice 8, Middle College 3

Birmingham 2, Chatsworth 0

Bravo 10, LA Wilson 0

Chavez 5, Sun Valley Poly 1

Eagle Rock 12, Franklin 5

El Camino Real 11, Cleveland 0

Fairfax 32, Canoga Park 15

Granada Hills 16, Taft 2

Granada Hills Kennedy 4, San Fernando 1

Jefferson 27, Los Angeles 4

LA Hamilton 6, Westchester 2

LA University 9, Palisades 7

Lincoln 9, LA MArshall 1

Marquez 20, Maywood CES 5

North Hollywood 16, Reseda 6

Santee 21, West Adams 6

South Gate 20, South East 10

Sylmar 19, Monroe 2

Venice 20, LACES 0

Verdugo Hills 8, Arleta 6

SOUTHERN SECTION

Anaheim 13, Santa Ana Valley 2

Aquinas 4, Ontario Christian 1

Archer 16, Oakwood 2

Baldwin Park 11, Azusa 9

Bolsa Grande 25, Westminster La Quinta 10

Buena 7, Oxnard Pacifica 3

Buena Park 7, Santa Ana Calvary Chapel 2

Cathedral City 16, Banning 14

Cerritos 13, Bishop Montgomery 3

CIMSA 17, ACE 2

Citrus Hill 22, Perris 2

Covina 9, Rowland 0

Cypress 5, La Palma Kennedy 2

Dos Pueblos 1, Oxnard 0

Downey 7, Lakewood 6

Edgewood 12, Pomona 0

El Segundo 5, South Torrance 2

Fullerton 26, Placentia Valencia 0

Ganesha 26, Bassett 0

Garden Grove 7, Segerstrom 3

Glendora 5, Bonita 2

Hemet 27, Moreno Valley 0

Heritage 22, Lakeside 3

Hesperia 8, Serrano 7

Hillcrest 10, Rancho Verde 0

Indio 19, Yucca Valley 4

JSerra 3, Orange Lutheran 1

La Canada 11, San Marino 4

La Sierra 6, Rubidoux 4

Long Beach Poly 3, Santa Ana Foothill 2

Mayfield 14, Westridge 1

Miller 12, Indian Springs 4

Mission Viejo 4, San Juan Hills 3

Monrovia 16, South Pasadena 6

Newport Harbor 19, Capistrano Valley Christian 2

Northview 15, West Covina 1

Oak Hills 15, Apple Valley 5

Oaks Christian 15, Newbury Park 1

Orange 7, Rancho Alamitos 2

Pacific 21, Entrepreneur 16

Paloma Valley 8, Canyon Springs 0

Palos Verdes 10, Wiseburn-Da Vinci 0

Rancho Christian 23, Vista del Lago 0

Redondo Union 8, Peninsula 3

Rio Mesa 4, Ventura 1

Riverside North 11, Liberty 10

Riverside Poly 12, Arlington 1

Riverside Prep 4, University Prep 1

San Jacinto Valley Academy 16, San Jacinto Leadership 2

San Marcos 12, Foothill Tech 3

Santa Ana 13, Costa Mesa 5

Santa Monica 15, Culver City 5

Sierra Vista 10, Nogales 1

Simi Valley 11, Royal 1

South El Monte 16, Pasadena Marshall 2

Sultana 15, Ridgecrest Burroughs 5

Temple City 27, Blair 4

Torrance 7, West Torrance 0

Tustin 15, Godinez 0

Valley View 18, Orange Vista 10

Walnut 10, Diamond Bar 5

West Ranch 13, Canyon Country Canyon 12

INTERSECTIONAL

Legacy 5, Mayfair 0

CHOOSING which island to visit in Greece can be hard – so why not head to Greece’s last ‘secret’ island no crowds?

Koufonisia is a pair of islands – Ano Koufonisi, which is inhabited, and Kato Koufonisi, which isn’t inhabited and is more rugged.

If you head to Ano Koufonisi, you’ll still only find a few hundred locals and most people get around via water taxis or walk along the scenic paths that crisscross over the island.

According to Greeka.com, the two-square-mile Koufonisi boasts “unreal turquoise waters, glittering sand, a laid-back atmosphere” and has even been compared to the “Greek Maldives”.

The most popular beach is Ammos, which sits at the edge of the main town – or Chora, as it is known in Greece.

If you want something more romantic though, make sure to visit Natural Pool, which sits between Platia Poundra and Pori.

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One recent visitor said: “It’s like nature’s own infinity pool, perfect for a refreshing dip.”

You can also head to The Devil’s Eye, which is a small, low-roofed cave with a hole in the rock floor where currents in the water will suck the sea in and out, often creating a loud noise.

A third spot near Pori is Gala Beach, which translates to ‘milk’ in Greek and where you will see the water turned to white as it hits against the limestone cave walls.

The beach is hidden away in a collapsed sea cave, and to get to it, you have to walk through a rocky passage.

In the main town, which has the same name as the island, you will find lots of places to stay, but mainly guesthouses.

For example, you could stay at Apollon Studios, which looks like it has been ripped out of the Mamma Mia films.

You can catch a ferry from the main town to other islands as well, such as Amorgos or Donousa.

You can make a day trip to the wilder twin, Kato Koufonisi, and in fact, the entire island has one taverna called Venetsanos where you can try fish and goat stews.

Nero Beach can also be found on Kato Koufonisi, which compared to the beaches on Ano Koufonisi’s beaches is more rugged and natural.

To get to Ano Koufonisi, you’ll need to fly to Santorini and then hop on a ferry to the island, which takes less than two hours.

For more places to explore in Greece, here are our top five Greek islands with white-washed houses and pretty beaches as Emily in Paris heads to Greece.

A HISTORIC UK lido is reopening today after undergoing a major £7.6million revamp.

Swimmers in the seaside town will be able to take a dip in the outdoor pool for the first time in four years.

Closed since 2022, Hilsea Lido in Portsmouth, has been renovated for public use by local council, with funding from the government.

The refurbishment, which started in 2024, was prompted by health and safety risks of the 90-year-old structure.

The grand reopening will take place today (Saturday, May 2), with an ice cream parlour and food van now based on site.

Works also include the reinforcement of its base and walls, the replacement of old pool equipment, and the restoration of the original shallow lagoons.

SPLASH OUT

UK’s biggest freshwater lido to reopen this week as temperatures to hit 26C

SPLASH OUT

Iconic English lido is reopening this week after four years – and a £7m upgrade

New showers and toilets, including a Changing Places toilet, and a sauna were added as part of the upgrades.

Formerly a saltwater pool, the 220-foot lido will now feature unheated chlorinated fresh water.

A long-term sustainable heating solution is part of future plans for the lido.

Hilsea Lido will be run by Sea Lanes Brighton, a group of local businesses and open-water swimming enthusiasts, alongside South Downs Leisure.

The multi-million pound development was further financed by a Levelling Up fund, meaning any outdated equipment and facilities have been replaced, such as the pool base and walls.

Speaking ahead of the opening, Judit Kollat, the lido’s general manager, told the BBC: “As Hilsea Lido celebrates its 90th birthday, we are proud to be leading the next chapter in its history.

“It is more than a pool, it’s a place with history and heart.

“We aim to create a vibrant hub for the local community, a centre for both mental and physical wellbeing. The lido will offer something for everyone.”

Harry Smith, director of Sea Lanes, the new operators of the lido, said: “We’re excited to open the doors, welcome everyone back, and start a brand‑new chapter for Hilsea Lido.”

Duncan Anderson, CEO of South Downs Leisure, which assisted the project, added: “It’s hugely exciting and a new chapter for the whole of the Portsmouth. 

“When you talk to people in the local area, they’ve all got memories of Hilsea Lido and I think they can’t wait to get back and splash in this pool again.”

The lido served as a training centre for the Team GB diving team ahead of the 1936 and 1952 Olympics, and it also featured as a filming location for The Who’s 1975 film Tommy.

Who: Manchester United vs Liverpool
What: Premier League
Where: Old Trafford, Manchester
When: Sunday, May 3 at 3:30pm (14:30 GMT)
How to follow: We’ll have all the build-up on Al Jazeera Sport from 11:30 GMT in advance of our live text commentary stream.

Manchester United host old rivals Liverpool for a game that could prove crucial in the battle for Champions League qualification.

United have improved considerably ⁠under caretaker boss Michael Carrick, who took charge following Ruben Amorim’s dismissal.

They sit third in the table, three points ahead of Liverpool, and need two more points to secure a top-five finish and a spot among Europe’s elite next season.

Liverpool come into the match on the back of three successive Premier League wins.

United boss Carrick relishes ‘special’ Liverpool rivalry

Carrick believes Manchester United against Liverpool is always a “standout” fixture even though neither of the clubs are challenging for the Premier League title this season.

“Certainly one of my favourite games, without doubt it’s a standout game,” the United boss said. “There’s big games and big rivalries that we have with other teams, but certainly this one is right up there.

“The history, the ups and downs the past has produced in these types of games and the excitement and entertainment, and the emotion, which is a huge part of it. It makes it a really special game.”

The former United midfielder said the club had made great strides since last season, when they finished a miserable 15th in the table, 42 points behind champions Liverpool.

“I just think this probably shows the improvements of the group, really, and getting stronger,” he said.

“And to be coming into this game in such a good position, on the back of good results, and trying to achieve and moving forward.

“So, fully aware of the situation in the league and how close it is between us. But that’s not something, really, we’ve focused on going into this game. I think it’s a one-off game.”

Fernandes and the art of the assist as record beckons

Manchester United captain Bruno ⁠Fernandes is one assist away from the single-season record of 20 shared by Thierry ⁠Henry and Kevin De Bruyne.

Carrick believes Fernandes should be rewarded with the league’s Player of the Year award for his performances this season.

“Hopefully he does [win it],” Carrick said after Monday’s 2-1 win over Brentford.

“He deserves it for the impact he has had and the moments he’s created, whether it’s creating or scoring or having other influence within the group. He’s had a big season.”

Salah ruled out of United game but will return before end of season

Liverpool forward ⁠Mohamed Salah will miss ⁠Sunday’s game due to a muscle injury, but manager Arne Slot confirmed on Friday that he was expected to return before the end ⁠of the season.

Salah was forced off during Liverpool’s 3-1 win over Crystal Palace last week with a hamstring concern, prompting fears it could end his campaign and potentially his Anfield career, with the Egyptian ⁠set to leave at the end of the campaign.

Liverpool said on Wednesday the injury was not as serious as initially feared and that Salah should feature again before the campaign concludes.

“As we know from Mo [Salah], he is always working incredibly hard when he is fit but also when he is injured to be back ‌as soon as possible,” Slot told reporters.

“We expect him to be back for the final part of the season but not for Sunday [against Man Utd].

“In all ways, it is a big relief that his injury is minor, so he is able to play for us and at the World Cup. If ever there was a player that deserves a big send-off, it is definitely Mo.”

‘I have seen ‌how good they are’

Slot praised Carrick for improving United and stressed the importance of the game.

“We ⁠are aware of the fact that it is a very big game, not only because we play United but also to qualify for Champions League and ⁠to get the highest possible position in the league table,” ⁠Slot said.

“We always know that they are really good but now they are showing it in the league table. It might be a bit of an advantage that they only play once a week.

“When we have played them every time, I have seen ‌how good they are and now they have, especially under Michael Carrick, become more consistent in their results.”

Head-to-head

The two clubs have met on 243 occasions, with Manchester United winning 92 games to Liverpool’s 82, while 71 of the matches ended as draws.

Last five encounters:

• October 19, 2025: Liverpool 1-2 Man Utd (Premier League)
• January 05, 2025: Liverpool 2-2 Man Utd (Premier League)
• September 01, 2024: Man Utd 0-3 Liverpool (Premier League)
• April 07, 2024: Man Utd 2-2 Liverpool (Premier League)
• March 17, 2024: Man Utd 4-3 Liverpool (FA Cup quarterfinal)

What happened in the last game between the two sides?

Harry Maguire scored a late winner as United beat Liverpool 2-1 at Anfield in October to inflict a then fourth straight defeat on the champions.

Bryan Mbeumo put United in front after two minutes and although Cody Gakpo equalised in the 78th minute, Maguire grabbed his club’s first win at Anfield since 2016 with an 84th-minute header.

United’s team news

Carrick said forward Matheus Cunha had returned to training after a recent injury setback and should feature and he also said he was hopeful that Luke Shaw would be fit enough to play.

Matthijs de Ligt is still working his way back to full fitness and will not be involved against Liverpool.

Predicted starting XI:

Lammens (goalkeeper); Dalot, Maguire, Heaven, Shaw; Casemiro, Mainoo; Mbeumo, Fernandes, Cunha; Sesko

Liverpool’s team news

Goalkeeper Alisson Becker is still out with an injury, but Slot said he is “very close” to being able to train with the squad again.

Deputy keeper Giorgi Mamardashvili is also sidelined for several weeks after sustaining a knee wound in the Merseyside derby win over Everton in April, so third-choice stopper Freddie Woodman is set to continue in goal after impressing in the 3-1 win over Crystal Palace last weekend.

Along with Salah, Conor Bradley, Giovanni Leoni and Hugo Ekitike are also unavailable due to injury – with the latter set to miss the World Cup with a ruptured Achilles tendon.

Left-back Milos Kerkez is a doubt as he has been nursing a knock.

Predicted starting XI:

Woodman (goalkeeper); Jones, Konate, Van Dijk, Robertson; Gravenberch, Mac Allister; Szoboszlai, Wirtz, Gakpo; Isak

The Himalayan nation restores centuries-old statue, stolen in the 1980s, to its original temple in capital Kathmandu.

A centuries-old Buddha statue stolen from a Nepali temple has been reinstalled in its original location, one of several artefacts returned from foreign museums and collectors in recent years.

The statue, dating to the 13th century, was carried in a palanquin back to its pagoda-style temple in the capital, Kathmandu, to the sound of traditional music on Friday.

“I feel so happy, we all do. Our god is coming back,” temple-goer Sunkesari Shakya, 67, told the AFP news agency, recalling the day the statue was stolen, wreaking “havoc” in the community.

In a ceremony attended by a visiting United States envoy, the statue, which returned from New York in 2022, was placed back on its original stone plinth. The event coincided with the festival of Buddha Jayanti, marking the birth of the founder of Buddhism.

A replica that locals had been worshipping instead was moved to another area of the temple.

The statue was taken from the temple in the 1980s and later emerged at Tibet House US, a cultural centre in New York, where it was gifted by an unknown monk, according to Nepal’s Department of Archaeology.

Sergio Gor, Washington’s special envoy to South and Central Asia, told AFP, “One of the things we are focusing on is to be able to bring back some of these incredible artefacts that decades past got into the wrong hands.”

“We are trying to right a wrong from the past,” said Gor, who was on a three-day visit to Nepal.

Many in the Himalayan nation of 30 million people are deeply religious, and the country’s Hindu and Buddhist temples, as well as heritage sites, are an integral part of everyday life.

But many sites are bereft of centuries-old sculptures, paintings, ornamental windows and even doors, which were often stolen after the country opened up to the outside world in the 1950s.

Many pieces were taken with the help of corrupt officials to feed art markets in the US, Europe and elsewhere, although their export remains illegal.

About 200 artefacts have been returned to Nepal, according to the Archaeology Department, including wood and stone carvings, paintings, scriptures and idols of gods and goddesses. At least 41 artefacts have been placed back in their original locations.

“This is very important. Our statues are not just objects of art but part of a living heritage,” conservation expert Rabindra Puri told AFP.

Puri said there was growing momentum to return stolen artefacts. More than 400 are officially listed as missing, but experts estimate the actual number to be in the thousands.

Authorities are specifically seeking to return more artefacts from the US, France, Germany and the United Kingdom.

A child sexual assault case filed against Aerosmith frontman Steven Tyler will proceed to trial in Los Angeles County Superior Court.

The singer is accused of grooming, sexually assaulting and impregnating 16-year-old Julia Misley in the 1970s. The suit, first filed in 2022 in Torrance, claims he “used his role, status, and power as a well-known musician and rock star” to exploit Misley. The complaint also argues Tyler admitted to the alleged crimes in his own memoir, “Does the Noise in My Head Bother You?,” where he refers to her as his “teen bride.”

Earlier this week, a judge dismissed most of the case, citing the statute of limitations in Massachusetts, where the pair lived during their three-year relationship. But they allegedly crossed state lines while Tyler toured the country with his band, including to California, according to the complaint. Because of California’s Child Victims Act — a 2020 statute that allowed a “lookback window” where alleged victims can file lawsuits regardless of a statute of limitations — a portion of the case will still be tried.

“This is a massive win for Steven Tyler. Today, the Court has dismissed with prejudice 99.9% of the claims against Mr. Tyler in this case,” Tyler’s lawyer, David Long-Daniels, said in a statement to The Times. “The court has decided that only one night, 50-plus years ago, out of a three-year relationship is allowed to remain.”

New York has a similar statute that was recently employed by singer Casandra “Cassie” Ventura in her case against Sean Combs. She filed a sex-trafficking and sexual assault lawsuit against the music mogul in 2023, in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York, just days before the expiration of a lookback window.

The lawsuit against Tyler, who previously appeared as a judge on “American Idol,” claims he and Misley first met at an Aerosmith concert in 1973. According to the document, he “performed various acts of criminal sexual conduct upon Plaintiff that night.” At the time, Tyler was in his mid-20s and Julia was 16.

The alleged encounter was the first of many, the lawsuit claims. In 1974, Tyler was named Misley’s legal guardian and took her on tour with the band.

According to the complaint, he described the nature of the relationship in his 2011 memoir, writing, “She was 16, she knew how to nasty … with my bad self being twenty-six and she barely old enough to drive and sexy as hell, I just fell madly in love with her. … She was my heart’s desire, my partner in crimes of passion. … I was so in love I almost took a teen bride. I went and slept at her parent’s house for a couple of nights and her parent’s fell in love with me, signed paper over for me to have custody, so I wouldn’t get arrested if I took her out of state. I took her on tour with me.”

The lawsuit also describes Misley’s alleged pregnancy with Tyler’s child, which ended in a “pressured” abortion.

In previous court documents, Tyler has denied the allegations and attempted to get the case dismissed.

“This reflects years of resilience and courage by Ms. Misley, driven by an unwavering pursuit of truth and justice. It is time for justice and for Tyler to be held accountable by a jury,” Misley’s attorney, Jeff Anderson, said in a statement.

The trial is scheduled for August.

Kenneth Mejia, 35, is a certified public accountant who lives in Westlake. In 2022, he won the most votes of any controller candidate in city history, despite lacking name recognition and running against a sitting city council member, Paul Koretz.

Mejia, who is of Filipino ancestry, became the first Asian American to hold citywide elected office in Los Angeles.

He’s well-known online, and his two corgis, Killa and Kirby, are a constant presence in his campaign as well as on the official controller’s website. He points to his audits of city spending on homelessness, police, housing and animal services.

“We said we were going to provide more financial transparency and accountability and oversight, and we’ve done that,” Mejia said in an interview.

The controller’s waste, fraud and abuse team began investigating a homeless service provider after receiving a phone call alleging fraud. Mejia said it became the catalyst for a federal investigation into Alexander Soofer, who in January was charged with wire fraud amid allegations that he took $23 million in public funds meant for homeless people.

“Because of the work that we do, it also forces agencies to better look at their internal controls, to hold service providers accountable,” Mejia said. “These events can lead to systemic change, and that’s what it did.”

Zach Sokoloff, 37, lives in Westwood with his wife, two kids and two rescue dogs. He was born and raised in the Westwood area. He graduated from Yale University, received a master’s in education policy and administration from Loyola Marymount University and an MBA from Harvard University before teaching algebra at a middle school in Boyle Heights and a high school in Watts.

Since joining Hackman in 2018, he has worked on multibillion projects transforming legacy studio lots. The company is considered one of Hollywood’s largest landlords.

Sokoloff points to his experience managing large-scale projects as key to navigating the city’s budget and bureaucracy. He said he would work collaboratively across different departments.

“Angelenos are tired of reports. They want results, and so my approach balances accountability and collaboration,” Sokoloff said.

An earlier version of this article was published on 4 April.

Hardly anyone was talking about Charlton Athletic being title contenders before the Women’s Super League 2 season.

So it is no surprise manager Karen Hills feels it would be “one of the greatest achievements of her career” if they were to gain promotion.

With one game remaining, her side sit at the top of the WSL 2 with 42 points, one point ahead of title rivals Birmingham City and Crystal Palace.

Charlton face Birmingham in a massive game on Saturday, 2 May at 15:00 BST, with Crystal Palace taking on relegated Portsmouth at the same time.

As the WSL expands from 12 to 14 teams next season, the top two in WSL 2 will automatically secure promotion to the WSL, while the team finishing third will face bottom-of-the-table WSL side Leicester in a play-off on Saturday, 23 May.

Charlton have led the way for the majority of the campaign, but their form has dipped significantly with three defeats in their past four matches.

With one of the lowest budgets in the league, competing against big spenders Newcastle United and Birmingham, as well as Crystal Palace, it has already been a remarkable campaign for the Addicks.

“If you’d have told me in pre-season this is where we would be at this point, I’d have bitten your hand off,” Hills told BBC Sport.

“These players deserve to be where they are. The amount of work that they’ve put in, the way that they’ve played and the way that they’ve executed everything we’ve asked of them, they deserve all the accolades and the achievements.

“If we were to be promoted then I believe it’s probably one of the greatest achievements in my career.

“Just in terms of where the league is at this moment, what other teams have spent and the calibre of players. I think it would be an unbelievable achievement.”

Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander is set to ‘level with’ the public as jet fuel shortages continue to affect airlines

British holidaymakers are set to be warned by ministers to prepare for potential flight cancellations. The anticipated warning follows concerns from airline bosses about possible jet fuel supply shortages affecting the UK from as early as next month.

Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander is reportedly preparing to “level with” the public this weekend about the likelihood of disruption and cancellations this summer. She is also expected to outline contingency measures designed to minimise the fallout – as six tourist hotspots have reportedly been identified as being at risk of cancellations.

Government officials are drawing up plans to advise against long-haul travel to specific destinations should tensions in Iran escalate dramatically. Countries including Vietnam, Pakistan, Bangladesh, the Philippines, Myanmar and Ethiopia could be affected, sources told the Times.

Ministers are also set to highlight the “positives” of staycations as anxiety mounts over overseas bookings. A number of major European carriers have recently sounded the alarm about looming jet fuel shortages in the coming weeks, citing disruption to their primary supply route through the Strait of Hormuz.

According to UKOilWatch, Britain currently holds just 34 days’ worth of jet fuel reserves. Roughly three-quarters of Europe’s jet fuel originates from the Middle East and passes through the Strait of Hormuz off Iran. Heathrow Airport confirmed on Wednesday that it anticipates passenger figures for the remainder of the year will be impacted by Middle Eastern tensions.

Lufthansa Group plans to axe 20,000 flights over the next six months in a bid to conserve fuel. Meanwhile, other carriers including Virgin Atlantic have introduced a fuel surcharge, and British Airways has cautioned passengers about potential “pricing adjustments” to their tickets.

Sir Keir Starmer, the Prime Minister, also suggested this week that Brits might need to reconsider “where they go on holiday”. Government ministers insist the UK isn’t currently facing jet fuel shortages, as alternative supply sources remain available.

Michael O’Leary, chief executive of Ryanair, Europe’s largest airline, revealed to The Times that competitors are “desperately” hunting for flights to axe, with cancellations expected to begin within weeks. According to the newspaper, leading fuel suppliers are informing airlines that the UK has the “most limited visibility” across Europe regarding jet fuel availability, largely due to its heavy dependence on Middle Eastern imports.

These suppliers reportedly anticipate May will be manageable. Yet they warn that “mid to late June as the potential start of disruptions” if the Strait of Hormuz near Iran remains closed.

Ryanair and Jet2 reassure passengers

O’Leary explained: “There is a modest improvement in the supply situation through to the end of May, early June, but then nobody would give us any undertakings what happens in mid-June or thereafter.”

He confirmed Ryanair wouldn’t be slashing flights. However, he predicted that other prominent European carriers more “exposed” to soaring costs would likely begin scrapping routes, saying: “They are all desperately trying to take out marginal flights or any growth because they don’t have the fuel for it.

“We were worried there would be disruption to around 10 per cent of our flights but some of those worries have eased because other European airlines have taken out lots of capacity.” It comes as Jet2 has revealed that holidaymakers are increasingly making last-minute bookings following the outbreak of the Iran war, with growing concerns about the conflict’s impact and potential disruptions to jet fuel supplies.

The company reported that summer passenger bookings are currently up 6.2%, driven by growth in both its airline and package holiday operations. However, highlighting rising unease amongst travellers, it noted that the “booking profile has become increasingly close to departure” as a result of the Middle East conflict.

Jet2 confirmed it has strong protection against fuel cost increases triggered by the Iran war for the crucial summer period. It said it is “maintaining frequent dialogue with our fuel suppliers and airport partners on fuel supply”.

British refineries have meanwhile been instructed to maximise jet fuel production as part of government contingency measures amid concerns that the Iran war could lead to aircraft being grounded. Energy minister Michael Shanks said the government is closely monitoring UK jet fuel stocks and liaising with airlines, airports, fuel suppliers and international partners.

“UK airlines typically buy fuel months in advance, and aviation fuel suppliers hold bunkered stocks. The UK imports jet fuel supplies from a range of countries not reliant on the strait, including the United States,” Shanks stated in a ministerial announcement. “Airlines UK have stated that ‘UK airlines continue to operate normally and are not experiencing issues with jet fuel supply.’ The government continues to work with partners to monitor and mitigate potential disruptions,” Shanks added.

May 1 (Asia Today) — South Korea’s exports rose 48% from a year earlier in April, staying above $80 billion for the second consecutive month, government data showed Friday.

Exports totaled $85.89 billion, the second-highest monthly figure on record after $86.6 billion in March, according to the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy.

The increase was driven by strong semiconductor shipments, which surged 173.5% to $31.9 billion on rising demand tied to artificial intelligence. Chip exports exceeded $30 billion for the second straight month and set an April record.

Daily average exports, adjusted for working days, rose 48% to $3.58 billion, staying above $3 billion for a third consecutive month.

Auto exports fell 5.5% to $6.17 billion due to logistics disruptions from the Middle East, U.S. tariff effects and expanded overseas production. Exports of electric and hybrid vehicles continued to grow.

Petroleum product exports rose 39.9% to $5.11 billion by value due to higher oil prices, though shipment volume dropped 36% because of export controls on gasoline, diesel and kerosene.

Petrochemical exports increased 7.8% to $4.09 billion, while shipment volume fell 20.9% as companies expanded domestic supply.

Computer exports jumped 515.8% to $4.08 billion, and wireless communication device exports rose 11.6% to $1.62 billion.

By destination, exports to China rose 62.5% to $17.7 billion, marking six straight months of gains. Shipments to the United States increased 54% to $16.33 billion, while exports to the Association of Southeast Asian Nations rose 64% to $15.41 billion.

Exports to the European Union increased 8.5% to $7.19 billion. Shipments to the Middle East fell 25.1% to $1.27 billion due to logistics disruptions.

Imports rose 16.7% to $62.11 billion. Energy imports increased 7.5% to $10.61 billion, while non-energy imports rose 18.8% to $51.51 billion.

South Korea posted a trade surplus of $23.77 billion in April, extending its surplus streak to 15 months.

— Reported by Asia Today; translated by UPI

© Asia Today. Unauthorized reproduction or redistribution prohibited.

Original Korean report: https://www.asiatoday.co.kr/kn/view.php?key=20260501010000017

US President Donald Trump says the latest Iranian peace proposal includes demands he ‘can’t agree to’.

United States President Donald Trump has voiced frustration with Iran’s latest peace proposal, saying “they’re asking for things I can’t agree to”, and cautioning against ending the conflict too early, only for tensions to resurface “in three more years”.

At the same time, Washington has warned that ships paying tolls or fees to Iran to transit the Strait of Hormuz could face US sanctions, signalling a tougher stance on maritime activity linked to Tehran.

Meanwhile, a new Washington Post-ABC News-Ipsos poll shows 61 percent of Americans believe Trump’s use of military force against Iran was a mistake.

Here is what we know:

In Iran

• Fourteen soldiers were killed on Friday during operations to defuse unexploded ordnance in the northwestern Zanjan province, local media reported.
• Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei urged his people to wage economic battle and “disappoint” its enemies, as the war with the US and Israel and years of sanctions take a toll.
• The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Navy said it would enforce “new rules” over waters near its coast, aiming to turn them into a “source of security and prosperity” for the region.

War diplomacy

• The US Department of State imposed new measures on entities linked to Iranian petroleum exports, including China-based Qingdao Haiye Oil Terminal, accusing it of importing millions of barrels of sanctioned crude and enabling billions in revenue for Tehran. Beijing rejected the move as unlawful “unilateral sanctions”.
• The State Department said it cleared more than $8.6bn in military sales to Israel, Qatar, Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates.

In the US

• Trump said he was unhappy with Iran’s new proposal for peace talks, which Iran’s state news agency IRNA said was delivered via mediator Pakistan. “They’re asking for things that I can’t agree to,” he said.
• Analyst Sultan Barakat said Iran and the US are “really desperate” to end the war in a way that allows them to “save face”.
• Trump told top US lawmakers that hostilities in Iran had ended, after coming under pressure from Congress to seek authorisation for the conflict as it headed into its third month.
• The US Treasury Department slapped new sanctions on three Iranian foreign currency exchange firms to try to stem the flow of Tehran’s “financial lifelines”.
• The USS Gerald R Ford left the Middle East after taking part in operations against Iran, a US official said, according to reports. Two other aircraft carriers – the USS Abraham Lincoln and USS George HW Bush – are among 20 US ships still in the region.
• Mark Cancian of the Center for Strategic and International Studies said US military capability “has not changed” as Washington returns to its typical posture of two carrier groups.
• “The Ford carrier group had left the United States last June, and its deployment has been extended twice. The crew and the ship are tired, so the United States is sending the group home,” he added.

In Lebanon

• Lebanon’s Ministry of Public Health said 12 people were killed on Friday in Israeli strikes on the country’s south, including in a town where Israel’s army had issued a forced displacement order despite a ceasefire.
• Lebanon’s parliament speaker, Nabih Berri, said Israel is using the ceasefire as cover to intensify attacks.

JUST weeks after Mimii Ngulube revealed she was in a fresh relationship, The Sun can reveal the identity of her hunky new man.

The Love Island winner hard-launched her other half by sharing a TikTok dance clip with him this week, but fans have been wondering who the man behind the screen really is.

Mimii’s new boyfriend, Denzel, keeps a much lower-profile than the reality star and has just 2.3K followers on Instagram – with little about him on the internet.

The pair have been getting close over recent months, and a source tells The Sun that the smitten couple are “really happy” after making their romance official.

They revealed: “Mimii and Denzel are really happy together.

“She keeps a fairly low profile compared to a lot of the Love Island winners, so for her to hard launch him on her socials means she is definitely smitten.

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“He is a good guy, with good values. He is very religious, as is Mimi, so they have that in common.

“Friends have commented how she hasn’t been this happy in ages and it’s great to see her with such a huge smile on her face.”

In March, Mimii first revealed that she was seeing someone new as she dubbed Denzel “Mr. Mimii”.

However, she kept details to a minimum, other than revealing he treated her to some luxury birthday gifts.

But in Mimii’s latest TikTok, fans finally got a glimpse into the romance as she danced whilst Denzel was spotted busting a move in the frame behind her.

However, she still refrained from naming or tagging Denzel, who has around 2,000 followers on Instagram and is thought to hail from Kent.

Mimii won Love Island in 2024 with her ex Josh Oyinsan.

However, the pair split shortly after appearing on the show as they failed to make things work outside of the villa.

Whilst the ITV2 show may not have found her lasting love, Mimii has, however, maintained friendships with several her co-stars.

Showing they approve of her new romance, a number of Mimii’s fellow Love Islanders commented on her new TikTok with Denzel.

“Ugh YES You’re GLOWING,” wrote Uma Jammeh.

While Matilda Draper wrote: “love this for u”.

Sarina Hosseiny said she had never heard of Qassem Suleimani, an Iranian general assassinated by the U.S. in 2020.

That is, not until this year, when threatening comments cropped up on social media claiming that she and her mother were relatives of Suleimani and were terrorists who should be deported.

The 25-year-old, who studies fashion at Los Angeles Trade Technical College, now sits in an immigration detention facility in Texas, alongside her 47-year-old mother. And other L.A. Iranian Americans helped put her there.

Sarina Hosseiny, 25, shown in an undated photo, is a student at Los Angeles Trade Technical College now held at an immigration detention facility in Texas, alongside her 47-year-old mother.

(Courtesy of Hosseiny family)

“They were sending me death threats. Literally saying like, they were gonna find me and kill me and my mom and all this stuff,” Hosseiny said in a phone interview from the facility last week. “All I’ve ever posted is that I was against war and just innocent people dying.”

In recent weeks, as the war in Iran continues, the U.S. State Department has detained five L.A. area-based Iranian nationals, including Hosseiny and her mother — all of whom are green card holders — and moved to strip them of their residency.

The arrests have exposed a rift in the Iranian American community, which has grown increasingly polarized in recent years, leading to online smear campaigns and at times violence.

In L.A., home to the largest concentration of people of Iranian descent outside Iran, a vocal segment has joined forces with Trump-aligned far-right conservatives, including Laura Loomer, to wage campaigns against other Iranians they believe should not be allowed to live here.

Many in the local community fled Iran after the Islamic Revolution in 1979 and cheered the recent U.S. military attacks on their native country. Some have turned on Iranian Americans who have expressed antiwar opinions, interpreting that stance as support for the current government.

A poster in support of Iran’s former crown prince, Reza Pahlavi, hangs in a window of the Gallery Eshgh, which sells artwork and clothing reflecting Iranian culture on Westwood Boulevard in Los Angeles in April 2026.

(Kayla Bartkowski / Los Angeles Times)

The tensions are interpersonal, with arguments at family gatherings and friendships strained or shattered. But much of the conflict also takes place online, as when a San Diego-based “mommy influencer” — who normally posts images of herself and her three young children in a luscious backyard shucking nuts, arranging tulips and peeling pomegranates — urged her Instagram followers to contact Loomer so that “the deportation of [the Islamic Republic’s] lackeys can be arranged.”

Anger at the Iranian government has been channeled toward family members of current or former officials, with online petitions describing them as living luxuriously in the States even as ordinary Iranians face repression from a brutal government back home.

Agoura Hills residents Seyed Eissa Hashemi and Maryam Tahmasebi, both psychology professors, were detained by immigration authorities in early April — as was their son, Seyed Mobin Hashemi. The elder Hashemi, the State Department said, is the son of Masoumeh Ebtekar, who gained fame as a spokeswoman for militants who stormed the U.S. Embassy in Tehran in 1979 and became a reformist politician pushing for environmental protections and women’s rights.

The petition that led to the family’s detention amassed more than 140,000 signatures, with many identifying themselves as members of the Iranian diaspora in the U.S., Australia or elsewhere. The creator of the petition on Change.org, a user who also published petitions targeting five other families, did not respond to a request for comment.

The Times was not able to reach Hashemi or the family’s attorney. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on social media when announcing their detentions that the Obama administration had granted visas to the family members, who have been lawful permanent residents since June 2016.

The Department of Homeland Security declined to respond to questions about Hosseiny and her mother’s case. White House spokesperson Abigail Jackson also declined to comment. The State Department and Loomer did not respond to requests for comment.

Jamal Abdi, president of the National Iranian American Council, said that some of the sentiment comes from real grievances about corruption in Iran, such as the banker who embezzled millions before fleeing to Canada. But he said that rumors have been weaponized to muffle voices opposing U.S. and Israeli military aggression in Iran and exploited by the Trump administration to exercise a show of strength at home during a flailing war.

The flags of pre-revolution Iran are prominently displayed in the Jordan Market, a purveyor of Persian groceries on L.A.’s Westwood Boulevard, in April 2026.

(Kayla Bartkowski / Los Angeles Times)

“This witch hunt has become really pervasive, and it’s not new,” Abdi said. “What seems to be new is there’s an administration who is willing and eager to entertain this McCarthyism and actually punish people based on what the mob is calling for.”

In the section of Westwood known as “Tehrangeles,” support for Reza Pahlavi, the exiled crown prince and son of the late shah, is apparent. A campaign to install him as Iran’s leader intensified in January, as protests ripped through the country. Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was killed in a U.S.-Israeli attack in February.

“Make Iran Great Again” signs and posters of a stern-faced Pahlavi are plastered on nearly every window. Iran’s flag before the 1979 revolution — green, white and red with a lion and a rising sun — flutters from many overhangs.

In early March, as the U.S. widened its assault on Iran, crowds from the diaspora rallied in the neighborhood, dancing and celebrating even as the death toll in Iran grew and reports said a missile strike had killed more than 100 schoolchildren.

In Westwood these days, many are more tepid in their support for the war than at the outset and are hesitant to speak openly, whether because of potential backlash here in the U.S. or repercussions for relatives in Iran.

Iranians who don’t back a return to a monarchy under Pahlavi or American and Israeli intervention have gotten “a hell of a lot of backlash,” said Narges Bajoghli, an associate professor of Middle East studies at John Hopkins University. Bajoghli cited a groupthink dynamic stoked by popular Persian-language media such as Iran International, as well as U.S.-funded counter-propaganda programs during Trump’s first term.

After Aida Ashouri, a human rights lawyer who is running for L.A. city attorney, posted a video explaining why she opposes the U.S. war in Iran, the comments came rolling in.

“Please deport this woman,” one user wrote, tagging Rubio and Immigration and Customs Enforcement. “She is constantly spreading suspicious anti war propaganda.”

Aida Ashouri, who is running for L.A. city attorney, poses for a picture at Astralab on April 24, 2026.

(Etienne Laurent / For The Times)

Ashouri, a U.S. citizen, spent her childhood frequenting businesses in Westwood, but she no longer feels comfortable there, fearing some sort of altercation. Some businesses removed her campaign posters from their windows after the war began, she said.

“It’s 100% impacting my campaign. It’s hard to connect with the Iranian community now, even though I’m Iranian,” she said.

The State Department has said it revoked the green cards of Iranians it targeted in recent weeks, including Hosseiny and her mother. Immigration experts said it’s not so simple, as a legal process has to play out, during which the green cards remain valid.

Even so, Muzaffar Chishti of the Migration Policy Institute said that the executive branch has vast discretion in immigration law, particularly when invoking national security justifications, and defense attorneys may face an uphill battle.

Aaron Reichlin-Melnick, a senior fellow at the American Immigration Council, said he is “personally troubled by the idea that we need to deport someone because of who their grandparent is.”

“The government doesn’t usually outsource its investigatory processes to external people,” he said, referring to Loomer and others. “There’s still a lot of questions about how these people are being found and targeted.”

After Hosseiny and her mother, Hamideh Soleimani Afshar, were arrested by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents on April 3, the State Department asserted that they were the Iranian general’s grand-niece and niece. Afshar had denounced America as the “Great Satan” and shown “unflinching support for the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps” while “enjoying a lavish lifestyle in Los Angeles,” the State Department said.

Social media posts, showing Soleimani Afshar posing for glamour shots and photos of Hosseiny in a similar vein, were published by numerous news outlets.

Loomer took credit on April 4 for the two women’s arrests, writing on X that over several months she had “quietly been documenting” their social media activity and shared the information with the Department of Homeland Security and the State Department.

Within hours, however, Hosseiny and her mother’s connection to the slain general was disputed, with his daughter writing on social media that they had “no relation whatsoever” to her family. A review of family documents, as first reported by Dropsite News, shows that Afshar’s father had no brothers and that the general is from a different province than Afshar’s family.

Hosseiny said her mother has been sharply critical of the U.S. and Israel’s military assault in Iran. But Hosseiny “always thought that in America, people have freedom.”

She said that her mother’s health has deteriorated as she battles severe autoimmune-related anemia and that her mother’s home and car were broken into, amid the stream of online hate.

After four weeks in detention, Hosseiny said, she is “still in disbelief.” Her friends have been raising funds for her legal defense.

Times staff writer Cierra Morgan contributed to this report.

LeBron James scored 28 points as the Los Angeles Lakers beat the Houston Rockets to set up a Western Conference semi-final play-off against reigning NBA champions Oklahoma City Thunder.

James also added seven rebounds and eight assists to help the Lakers to a 98-78 victory, which secured a 4-2 series win against the Rockets.

The Lakers had led the series 3-0 and finally closed out the best-of-seven contest in convincing style away at Houston, whose top scorer was Amen Thompson with 18 points.

“A lot of our guys, quite frankly, have not been in this position, have not been in a close-out situation, especially on the road, so it was important for me to go out and set the tone,” said 41-year-old James.

Lakers coach JJ Redick was full of admiration for the performance of James, who is the first player to take part in 23 consecutive NBA seasons and is also the league’s record points scorer.

“To me, he’s had the greatest career of any NBA player,” said Redick. “You can argue all you want; I don’t care to postulate on who’s the greatest of all time.

“He’s one of, if not the greatest of all time, and for him to do it again and answer the bell again, it’s baffling in some ways.”

The Lakers face a tough task against the Thunder, who finished top of the Western Conference and secured a 4-0 series win against the Phoenix Suns in the first round of the NBA play-offs.

The first game of their best-of-seven series is in Oklahoma on Tuesday.