Lando Norris speaks up ahead of Hungarian Grand Prix with drivers feeling new regulations have cramped their speed.

Formula One has been driven too much by business decisions and needs to remember it is a sport, according to McLaren’s world champion Lando Norris.

With drivers chafing ⁠at new regulations that have cramped their speed, particularly at last weekend’s Belgian Grand Prix, the Briton told reporters ahead of Sunday’s Hungarian round that Formula One could do better.

“It’s a business,” said the Briton. “Everyone wants to make money, so in order for Audi ⁠and other teams to come in we had to change these things. It’s a shame. It should never have been like that. But that’s how businesses work.”

Audi have entered the sport this season after taking over Swiss-based Sauber, with the German carmaker encouraged by new rules that have increased the electrical element of the power unit to near-parity with the internal combustion engine. The rules have been ‌tweaked for 2027 to reduce the electrical contribution.

“Formula One will always be great,” said Norris, whose car has a Mercedes engine. “It can just be better.

“Us as drivers just know it better than everyone else. The thing that’s a shame is that Formula One is too heavily led by the fact it’s a business nowadays and not how can you make the sport the best possible. It’s ‘how can you just make the most money as a business?’

“And that’s just not what it should simply be. That’s not how a sport should be run. The fact we have hybrids, 50-50 and all that, that’s just because ⁠more teams wanted to come in it and because you make more money.”

Norris said the ⁠Liberty Media-owned sport was also divided between fans who followed Formula One before the arrival of the popular Netflix docu-series “Drive to Survive” and those who have been drawn to it since.

“I think the fans you have nowadays, because they’re a lot more personality-based … and not simply of Formula One as a whole ⁠sport, I think there’s less interest in basically how the actual race goes, and more just ‘has the driver done well or not?’” he added.

“I think that’s just how the fans have changed over ⁠time, and that’s completely fine. But the biggest voice should always be ours ⁠as drivers … We have the best idea of how racing should be, how it can be, what’s possible, what’s not.

“We would just want the best for everything, the best for the fans, the best viewing, the best racing for us, the most fun to drive. And at the minute, we don’t … we have very, very ‌little say, and a lot more of it’s done because if you can have Audi and other teams in it, it’s a bigger win than the drivers being happy.”

A Formula One spokesman responded to Norris’s comments by saying drivers were listened to more ‌than ‌ever.

“The sport on track is, and always will be, the priority,” he said. “Everyone has benefitted from the commercial success of Formula One, the drivers included. Decisions are made for the best strategic outcome for everyone: the fans, teams and partners.”

Norris was ⁠fastest in final ⁠practice for the Hungarian Grand Prix on Saturday.

Last year’s race winner lapped the Hungaroring circuit with ⁠a best time of 1:17.939, 0.117 seconds quicker than Ferrari’s Lewis Hamilton.

Formula One championship leader Kimi ⁠Antonelli was third fastest, 0.129 seconds off the pace and ahead of Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc, McLaren’s Oscar Piastri and Mercedes teammate George Russell.

Red Bull’s Max Verstappen was seventh on the timesheets, ‌with teammate Isack Hadjar eighth but 1.004 off the pace.

Twenty firefighters were taken to hospital after a blaze ripped through an industrial unit and spread to a fertiliser store, triggering a major explosion.

The fire service declared a major incident on Friday, as more than 100 firefighters tackled the flames at Highlands Farm, near the village of Rettendon, Essex.

Three fire engines and two fire service cars were destroyed in the blaze.

Speaking at a media conference on Saturday, Rick Hylton, Essex’s chief fire officer, praised the “remarkable professionalism, courage and commitment” of the fire crews.

Eighty years ago, though the Arsenal of Democracy had vanquished the Axis and weathered a withering Depression, the recovering American people found themselves rich in bills but short on laughs. Enter Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis, who debuted together on July 25, 1946.

Unlike Laurel and Hardy, Abbott and Costello, or Hope and Crosby, who relied on tightly scripted setups, this disparate yet kindred duo captured America’s heart by being viscerally, uproariously and unpredictably wild.

Martin and Lewis were the founding fathers of an anarchic, side-splitting brand of comedy that combined pratfalls, ad-libbed wordplay and a sustained demolition of the fourth floor. Orson Welles observed that the duo’s combustible zaniness was so hilarious that it made you wet your pants.

The boys cavorted about the stage, kibitzing with bandleaders and the audience alike. In between trading impromptu quips, Martin and Lewis overturned tables, cut ties, sheared suits and spritzed seltzer on one and all.

The suave, dashingly handsome Italian crooner clowning around with his gawky, rubbery Jewish buddy brought the house down every time. It was nonstop, jocular pandemonium: Commedia dell’arte 2.0.

“Saturday Night Live,” Second City, David Letterman, Jerry Seinfeld and Adam Sandler all owe a debt to the artists who started life as Dino Crocetti and Joseph Levitch.

Martin and Lewis created a novus ordo seclorum, in its way innovating like America’s founders, spawning a new comedic order of the ages.

Their alchemy was as ineffable as it was infectious. Variety’s first review of the act noted, “All they do cannot be detailed, but virtually every bit of it is good for solid laughs.” Carl Reiner similarly declared: “I saw what I thought was the funniest ad-libbed thing I had ever seen. It was a riot, and we never stopped laughing.”

In their own madcap way, Dino and Jer epitomized Cicero’s notion that comedy is the imitation of life, the mirror of custom and the image of truth.

Martin and Lewis became the monarchs of all media, conquering radio, nightclubs, television and the silver screen. In 1948, they appeared on Ed Sullivan’s first television show, “Toast of the Town.” From 1950 to 1955, the Martin-and-Lewis-hosted “Colgate Comedy Hour” frequently bested Sullivan in the ratings.

When Hollywood beckoned, the boys answered the call, cavorting, cutting up and reconfiguring reality on the silver screen. They starred in 16 films, bringing their boisterous bromance to capacity-crowd movie theaters.

Though their big-screen adventures could not capture the comedic chaos of their stage act, Martin and Lewis transformed even the most pedestrian screenplay into box-office gold. As film critic Ciara Maloney explained, “Their brilliance shines through the weakest material: the ineffable, bewitching something between them — an intimacy, an immediacy, an ingenuity — frozen in amber for those of us who would never see it in the Copacabana.”

The essence of this duo was the outré interplay between the Prince and the Putz, the Leading Man and the Monkey. Though he was the comedian by trade, Lewis fully credited Martin as the “genius” of the pairing: “He kept the center. He was the spine of the act. And the monkey was constantly attached to that spine, on the spine, next to it.”

From “Sailor Beware” to “The Stooge,” “Living It Up” and “Artists and Models,” theirs was a comedy partnership that came to symbolize America. It is little wonder that presidential historian Tevi Troy called the 1950s “The Martin and Lewis Decade.”

However, many Americans didn’t see these two celebrities as distant icons. Film critic Jenna Ipcar has described how “a perfect comedy duo will make their audience feel like a lucky participant instead of just a passive observer, a welcome guest in a secret world.” Martin and Lewis embodied that ideal.

The boys’ bittersweet final performance took place at New York’s Copacabana on July 25, 1956. Exactly 10 years after their debut in Atlantic City, N.J., Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis had pioneered a new brand of comedy, soothed postwar America’s psyche and made a nation laugh again.

Rosario A. Iaconis, chairman of the Italic Institute of America, writes about Italy and its cultural influence. He is at work on a novel about Harry S. Truman.

WNBA veteran Brianna Turner said on social media this week that the Indiana Fever fired a male staff member for sexual harassment last season and encouraged players not to speak about the matter.

Turner, who played for Indiana last year and is now a member of the Las Vegas Aces, provided no other details about any alleged incidents. The Fever issued a statement Thursday but did not directly address Turner’s allegations.

“Protecting our players and employees and maintaining a respectful, professional workplace is our top priority,” the Fever said in its statement. “Our policy is to take concerns seriously, investigate thoroughly, and act promptly when appropriate to protect the people in our organization and ensure everyone is treated with professionalism and respect. Fostering trust and safety in that process means we do not comment on personnel matters involving former employees.”

Turner made her comments Wednesday in an X thread in which she defended the right of transgender women to participate in women’s sports. “So many takes about them are based on fear mongering and bigotry,” Turner wrote.

Her posts came a day after an ESPN article quoted Fever guard Sophie Cunningham, Turner’s former teammate, saying she wants “to protect young girls in a locker room, or young girls in sport who shouldn’t have to go against biological men.”

“A tiny minority of the population identifies as trans, yet they are always a trending topic unfortunately. I’m in my 8th season as a WNBA player,” wrote Turner, who did not mention Cunningham in her posts. “To date there’s been one out trans player in the league. They caused zero problems.”

She continued: “An issue that has caused problems though? Last year on my WNBA team a male staff member was fired for sexual harassment, but we were encouraged to keep quiet about it. That is an issue. Sexism, misogyny, homophobia, and racism are all issues.”

Turner spent her first five seasons with Phoenix, then one with Chicago before going to the Fever last year. For those just becoming familiar with her and her beliefs this week, Turner reposted something she wrote a couple years ago.

“If you are new here, I am a vocal ally of the trans community,” Turner wrote on X in 2024. “If that bothers you, don’t hesitate to mute or block me. I don’t have the capacity or patience to debate with internet strangers as to why they should be considerate of marginalized communities.”

In April, Turner penned an opinion piece for USA Today in which she harshly criticized the newly adopted policy by the International Olympic Committee that excludes transgender women athletes from competing at the Olympics, starting with the 2028 Los Angeles Games.

“Policies that single out transgender women and athletes with intersex variations do not protect women’s sports,” Turner wrote. “They manufacture a scapegoat while the real challenges to women’s sports go unaddressed: unequal funding, limited access to training and facilities, pay disparities, male-dominated leadership, gender-based violence and harassment across race, sex, sexual orientation and gender identity.”

On Wednesday, Cunningham said she has nothing against the transgender community but stands by the comments she made in the ESPN article.

“When it comes to just protecting young girls in sport and women in sport, I feel very strongly about that,” Cunningham told reporters. “That’s why you have Title IX. That’s why you have some of the greats in women’s sports. If Title IX and women’s sports weren’t protected, then you wouldn’t hear about any type of women in sport.”

Last year, President Trump signed an executive order, “Keeping Men Out of Women’s Sports,” that looked to ensure that entities receiving federal funding abide by Title IX in alignment with his administration’s view that a person’s sex is the gender they were assigned at birth.

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt spoke Thursday in support of Cunningham and her opinions on the matter.

“We want to protect women and girls,” Leavitt said, “and the backlash she is receiving from Democrats and left-wing figures across the country is astonishing.”

EXPLAINER

The UN General Assembly voted 144-10 to grant Turk a new four-year term, despite objections from the US, Israel and Russia.

Volker Turk has been elected as United Nations human rights chief for another four-year term, despite strong objections from the United States, Russia and Israel.

The United Nations General Assembly vote on Friday means Turk, who has served in the role since 2022, will become the first person to serve two full terms as the UN rights chief since the position was created in 1993.

Who is Turk and why has his reappointment caused controversy?

Who is Volker Turk?

Turk, an Austrian lawyer, joined the United Nations in 1999 and went on to work in the organisation’s refugee agency. This included posts in Malaysia, Kosovo, Bosnia and Herzegovina and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

He later worked in senior roles at UN headquarters in New York, including as assistant secretary-general for strategic coordination under UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres. The two are believed to have a close relationship.

In his role as UN rights chief, Turk has been highly critical of both Israel’s genocidal war on Gaza and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. He has also been vocal on conflicts and rights abuses in Afghanistan, Sudan, Bangladesh, Myanmar and Nicaragua.

How was he reappointed?

The UN General Assembly overwhelmingly backed a proposal by Guterres to give Turk another four-year term with 144 votes in favour, 10 against and 13 abstentions.

Earlier, the assembly shot down a US proposal to delay the vote until the end of next week as well as a Russian bid to extend Turk’s term until the end of the year only.

How has Turk angered the US, Russia and Israel?

The role of UN human rights chief is inherently controversial because it requires public criticism of governments of UN members for alleged rights violations.

Turk’s outspoken criticism of policies in Israel, Russia and the US has put him at odds with all three countries.

Turk has repeatedly criticised Israel’s genocidal war on Gaza, its deadly assault on Lebanon, and a “shameful” lack of accountability for its rights abuses in the occupied Palestinian territory.

Turk has also described Russia’s war in Ukraine as “senseless” and a “blatant affront to the UN Charter and the whole body of international law”.

On the US, he has raised concerns about the war on Iran and the “dehumanisation” of immigrants under President Donald Trump, citing routine “abuse and denigration of migrants and refugees”.

Israel’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs criticised Turk’s record, saying that under his leadership the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights has “erased the atrocities of October 7, misused funds, and betrayed UN neutrality in favor of corrupt political radicalism”.

Russia’s ⁠Deputy Ambassador to the UN Dmitry Chumakov accused Turk of bias and making unfounded allegations against Russia.

What objections were raised to Turk’s reappointment?

Guterres, whose own term is due to end at the end of this year, has faced criticism for how he managed the reappointment. Critics say the vote was rushed and the selection of a rights chief should have been left to his successor.

The UN secretary-general, whose term expires in December, sent letters to regional groups at the UN earlier this month informing them of his intention to reappoint Turk, and held the vote just weeks later.

The US Department of State criticised the vote for being rushed and said it was “another example of the UN’s inherent corruption and incompetence”.

The US also accused Turk of turning “a blind eye to real atrocities and instead pursued a radical ideological agenda”. US Deputy Ambassador Jeff Bartos claimed before Friday’s vote that reappointing Turk would prove that the General Assembly “is dysfunctional”.

Israel’s Foreign Ministry called Guterres’s push for a second term for Turk a “moral failure,” saying that the choice should be left to his successor.

UN spokesperson Stephane Dujarric said Guterres had followed UN rules and engaged “in a very transparent manner” in appointing Turk, including by holding prior consultations with member states and regional groups.

What other criticism has Turk faced?

Turk’s critics say he could have done more to publicly follow up on a report issued by his predecessor, former Chilean President Michelle Bachelet, that said China’s detention of Uighurs and other mostly Muslim ethnic groups in Xinjiang may amount to crimes against humanity.

Turk also has stopped short of joining independent UN rights experts who have accused Israel of genocide against Palestinians in Gaza.

Turk’s office said he had used both private engagement with Beijing and his public advocacy to support human rights in China.

Tuberculosis is a leading cause of death in the Philippines, killing an estimated 98 people each day.

The infectious disease is particularly grave in remote communities, where medical services are limited and delayed diagnosis and treatment can be fatal.

But a Filipino doctor is determined to change that with modern innovations.

Dr Heidi Sampang uses drones to fly samples and speed up testing.

The technology can help save lives by expediting the delivery of essential medical supplies in a country with thousands of mountainous islands.

101 East meets the medical teams using drones to fight tuberculosis in the Philippines.

OLIVIA Attwood has put a new spin on getting closure, a day after her former husband was spotted with his ex-girlfriend.

The TV star, who split from Bradley Dack in January, threw a lavish soiree on the roof of her building to launch her new drink venture.

And on hand was a tattoo artist, who Olivia asked to ink her wedding ring finger – timely given her ex’s public jaunt with his former flame Emily.

The former Mrs Dack seemed nonplussed, however, looking glam as the tattoo was inked onto her digit as she sipped cocktails in the sunshine.

She was filmed during the process, asking the camera: “Who has a tattoo artist on their penthouse launch for their own drinks launch?”

She was then seen looking around and pointing to herself.

COUPLE CAMEO

Pete Wicks will join Olivia Attwood on ITV series as he’s seen in flirty clip

OPENING UP

Olivia Attwood thanks pals for ‘keeping her alive’ as she reflects on divorce

Olivia’s bold statement is another sure fire sign that she has moved on from Bradley, whom she split from in January due to a “breach of trust” on his part.

Last week her new beau Pete Wicks “hard launched” their romance on Instagram after months of speculation that they had gone from friends to lovers.

Pete will even appear on Olivia’s show The Price Of Perfection, when it returns to ITV2 for a fourth season next month.

In March, The Sun exclusively revealed that Bradley, 32, had reconnected with his ex-girlfriend, Emily Rose Moloney.

They were eventually pictured together for the first time this week, seen returning to her flat in South-East London.

While The Sun went on to exclusively reveal that the couple’s TV wedding was never legally binding, Olivia, 35, had been open about her heartache in the immediate aftermath of their split.

In a new advert for Olivia’s show The Price Of Perfection, Pete and Olivia are seen flirting up a storm in scenes from the upcoming season.

The series – which returns to ITV2 on August 4th – will feature Pete in at least one scene, as the pair chat together in the studio of their KISS FM radio show.

Pete is seen asking Olivia what she’d change about him, with her picking his eyes – much to his dismay.

A LUMINESCENT school of blue marlin, majestic angelfish, cute little seahorses . . . 

I’m spotting almost everything I’d hoped to while snorkelling in the Caribbean Sea — though, sadly, the leatherback turtles haven’t come out to play today.

But when I dive down just a few feet deeper, I see something you wouldn’t expect.

A man sitting with a typewriter at a desk. A princess emerging from a giant nutmeg pod. And a group of 26 children holding hands in a circular formation.

These are just some of the remarkable sights at the world’s first underwater sculpture park off the coast of Molinere Bay in Grenada.

Spectacularly different from anything you’re used to seeing beneath the waves, it’s almost ghostly — but mesmerising to explore.

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Each sculpture relates in its own way to Grenadian culture; together, acting as artificial reefs that promote the growth of coral, they deliver a powerful message of revival.

After the island’s coral reefs were devastated by a hurricane in 2004, the sculpture park was built to lure tourists away from those fragile natural atolls.

But the concrete creations are also attracting new marine life. I’m staying on Grenada for a few days to learn about the country’s attempts to encourage “voluntourism” after its most recent destructive hurricane in 2024.

So you can enjoy a blissful Caribbean holiday while getting hands-on to really immerse yourself in the culture and community.

Whether you’re willing to plant mangroves, join a hunt for the invasive lionfish or harvest the crops at an organic farm, you become more than a tourist, helping to rebuild and reinvigorate so the likes of those shy, endangered turtles can survive.

This is a small island nation, so sustainability is critical.

From my taxi driver to the hotel staff, everyone living here seems to be in on that commitment — they’re proud of their home and passionate about flourishing here while staying true to their roots.

Which, as I quickly learn, includes a love of food, rum and reggae.

My eco-resort, True Blue Bay, comes alive every Wednesday with a street-food festival and epic carnival party until the early hours.

It’s all fuelled by a knockout rum punch.

A tour of distillery Clarke’s Court shows us how they make this national spirit using centuries-old methods to create exotic flavours including passionfruit and coconut.

And the Belmont Estate chocolate factory hand-sort their cocoa beans to fulfil their “tree to bar” ambition before hand-wrapping their chocs.

During visits to both places, what stands out is their commitment to using time- honoured techniques so they can continue to employ the locals rather than replacing people with modern machinery.

Then there are the smells . . . from fermenting molasses while making rum to the cocoa beans being turned while drying in the sun.

From the moment you set foot on Grenada, you know why it’s called the Isle of Spice. You can’t walk far without catching a waft of nutmeg, cinnamon, ginger or turmeric.

A trip to a spice market in the colourful capital of Saint George’s delivers a mouth-watering lesson in flavour as we sample the raw ingredients for everything from nutmeg jam to hot sauce.

Even the local, custom-made cola is flavoured with a nutmeg syrup.

So wherever and whenever you eat, your tastebuds are dancing to a great Grenadian beat.

Breakfast is a Caribbean concoction of coconut bakes, fried breadfruit or cocoa and cinnamon pancakes and cocoa tea.

Lunch can be callaloo soup (a green leafy veg like spinach) or the beloved national dish “oil down” — a stew made with salted meats, breadfruit, green bananas, callaloo, turmeric and coconut milk.

And it is dinners of straight-from-the-sea tuna, conch, mahi-mahi fish or jerk chicken.

When it comes to pudding, trust me and order the cinnamon ice cream. All local ingredients, grown or caught, are fresher than the short, spontaneous downpours.

It is no wonder Grenada was named by the World Food Travel Association in 2021 as the planet’s first “culinary capital”, recognising its gastronomy, organic farming and regenerative food tourism.

Nowhere is more dedicated to those beliefs than my second hotel, the family-owned Blue Horizons Garden Resort — an off-grid, eco-forward destination with a farm-to-table commitment and everything sourced from their own estate.

They catch 90 per cent of rainwater to use for everything from cleaning laundry to watering plants. It’s all geared towards a restful, relaxing, sustainable break.

And yet it lacks none of the mod cons you’d expect from a Caribbean resort.

A five-minute walk away is the locals’ pride and joy: the beautiful Grand Anse beach.

From sunbed renters there to fruit sellers at the side of the roads and the waiting staff in the restaurants, everyone is friendly and warm like the Caribbean sun; you sense genuine hospitality rather than the politeness of customer service.

A little further is the tranquil Morne Rouge beach.

Even the Mona monkeys seem pleased to see us on a visit to Grand Etang National Park, where local guide Leon — aka “the monkey whisperer” — calls them down from the trees so we can feed them bananas.

There, surrounded by lush, vivid-green rainforest, you feel the island’s connection to the natural world; nurture for nature in a place refusing to succumb to commercialism.

Grenada is clearly still committed to the authenticity that arguably no longer exists on its more touristy neighbouring islands.

Rather than variety being the spice of life, in Grenada the variety of spice is life.

And even if you just buy some local nutmeg after enjoying the sun, sea and service, you’ll help the wonderfully welcoming, climate-conscious people on this lovely island.

Which leaves a great taste in the mouth.

Dear Dave Roberts: I was totally disgusted to see you at the Dodgers’ White House ceremony pandering to Trump. As far as I was concerned, you made a complete fool of yourself. I’m sure many Dodgers fans were equally horrified with your behavior.

Susan Stann
Temecula

Today’s visit to the White House was baseball, not politics. It was a boost for MLB, not columnists who try to be political hacks with personal bias. If the hacks or detractors listened to the references it was all about achievement in what the team did to win. The Dodgers are part of the entertainment industry which annually draws maybe a billion fans or more and certainly billions of dollars. The hacks and detractors will not be convinced otherwise but if you line up any 50,000 fans at a game, you will see a positive vote for the privilege of going to the White House. Baseball wins, sports wins, the entertainment industry wins, and America wins. Boo the hacks and the ignorant detractors.

Bill Koury
La Cañada

Dave Roberts justifies his appearance with Donald Trump because it is a “baseball tradition” that should be honored.

I didn’t hear him protesting to uphold other baseball traditions such as banning Black players from baseball, not having designated hitters, or starting with a runner on second base in extra innings.

Traditions come and go. It seems Mr. Roberts traded his moral compass for a trip to the White House lawn.

David Griffin
Westwood

In my dreams Dave Roberts says, “Nope, not gonna go to the White House. If they want to fire me, let ‘em.” Dream on.

Jay James
Pico Rivera

I will suggest the nuclear option. The Dodgers should never again visit the White House. No matter who is president.

Dennis Doherty
West Los Angeles

India’s young protesters are mocking their government. And the jokes are landing.

As thousands of demonstrators take to the streets in the Indian capital, they are waging a parallel campaign online, flooding social media with memes, parody videos and self-deprecating jokes.

In doing so, they are also beating Narendra Modi – the powerful but image-conscious prime minister – at his own game.

Modi built his political brand through social media. Now protesters are using that same platform to mock his administration, ridicule pro-government television news coverage, transform confrontation with police into viral content and seize control of the online narrative.

The campaign has taken the protests demanding accountability and education reforms beyond the streets, broadening its reach and intensifying pressure on a government wary of appearing to yield to a rapidly growing youth movement.

Strava streaks and Subway Surfers

The “Cockroach” movement’s digital campaign has been largely powered by humour.

Clashes with police have become viral content. Videos showed protesters joking about keeping their Strava streaks alive — a reference to the fitness tracking app used by runners — as they ran from police baton charges.

Others edited footage of themselves dodging police barricades to mimic the popular endless runner mobile game Subway Surfers.

Some women have borrowed influencer culture, posting “get ready with me” videos before marches and “fit check” posts featuring helmets, goggles and other homemade protest gear. Other protesters have created spoof videos mocking pro-government television anchors and their dramatic style of broadcasts that have labelled the protesters “anti-national” and “foreign-funded conspirators”.

Several protesters spoke to The Associated Press on the condition of anonymity for fear of reprisals from authorities.

One 25-year-old protester said the memes are more than comic relief; they are a way of coping. She sees them as a generational trait.

Unlike older generations, who learned to endure hardship, hers has little patience for “simply putting up with it,” she said.

“If our phone data runs out, we can’t even bear that. So we’re definitely not going to tolerate this,” she said, referring to Monday’s police crackdown on protesters in the capital.

‘We find speeches boring’

The street protests erupted a month ago, fuelled by anger over a string of exam scandals, including the illegal sharing of entrance exams for the national medical programme.

Young people say the scandals have jeopardised their futures and eroded trust in the education system. They blame Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, who resigned on Saturday.

But the demonstrations have expanded into wider anger over government accountability, spreading to other cities.

Much of that expansion has been driven by the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), a satirical group that started the movement two months ago. Through memes, humour and satire, it has given younger Indians a new way to express their frustration with the government and helped turn a single-issue campaign into a broader youth movement.

At the main protest site in New Delhi, that influence was hard to miss.

Some protesters marched in Spider-Man masks and Batman costumes, carrying tongue-in-cheek placards. Other protest signs echoed the irreverent tone of social media, with memes and pop culture references woven into the demonstrations.

One poster featuring the education minister asked: “When will AI take his job?” Another captured the movement’s spirit with the slogan: “Every joke is a [tiny] revolution.”

Some slogans and posters took on an overtly profane and risque tone. A 23-year-old student said the protesters were simply speaking the language of their generation.

“We find speeches boring, we are the summary generation. We have a habit of consuming things in a short span of time, so we are using the same ways to put our message across,” she said.

Jokes now target Modi

For Modi, who is entering his 13th year in office, the protests present an unusual challenge.

His image is built on strength and decisiveness, but he risks alienating young people if he responds too forcefully. Nearly half of India’s population is under 25, making young voters one of the country’s most influential electoral groups.

But the protests have broken a longstanding taboo: mocking Modi himself.

Jokes about Modi were rare during earlier protests, when his government was criticised for suppressing dissent. But now, even he has become a target of taunts.

Modi’s gestures, pauses and mannerisms have been turned into viral edits that turn his own words into political jokes.

When Modi released a late-night, selfie-style video on Thursday addressing the protesters, he promised swift legal action against those responsible for leaking academic or job exams.

But many internet users edited the clip with parody voiceovers and references to his past promises they said had gone unfulfilled.

One video went particularly viral.

Modi’s original address began with him referring to the protesters as “friends”. A parody video kept that opening, and abruptly cut to three young girls staring into the camera and responding: “No, we are not.”

A 21-year-old student said there is no better way to challenge Modi than by using social media that helped build his political brand.

“We are just answering him in his language,” he said.

Helicopters played a major role in this year’s Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) sinking exercise (SINKEX), with at least three allied rotorcraft types employing weapons against retired U.S. Navy vessels. U.S. Army AH-64 Apache attack helicopters fired Spike NLOS (Spike Non-Line of Sight) missiles at the guided missile cruiser ex-USS Mobile Bay, a Royal New Zealand Navy SH-2G(I) Seasprite struck the amphibious assault ship ex-USS Peleliu with an AGM-119 Penguin missile, a Royal Australian Navy MH-60R Seahawk launched an AGM-114N Hellfire missile against a target ship, and an Italian Navy SH-101 helicopter launched a Marte anti-ship missile.

Collectively, the engagements underscored how helicopters are emerging as key contributors to distributed maritime strike, complementing fighters, warships, submarines, and land-based missile batteries with precision-guided anti-ship weapons.

The Apache strike, conducted July 11, saw AH-64s assigned to the 16th Combat Aviation Brigade, 7th Infantry Division, Multi-Domain Command–Pacific engage the former Ticonderoga-class cruiser ex-USS Mobile Bay during the live-fire SINKEX. The Army’s previous demonstration of an Apache destroying a much smaller boat with a Spike NLOS was something TWZ was first to report, but employing the weapon against a full-sized cruiser during the world’s premier maritime exercise marks another significant milestone in the service’s expanding maritime mission.

The Apache’s participation in RIMPAC reflects the Army’s steadily growing role in maritime operations across the Indo-Pacific. Long associated with close air support and anti-armor missions, the AH-64 is increasingly being tasked with engaging naval targets. This is something that has also played out in recent combat operations against Iran.

Spike NLOS has emerged as one of the key tools enabling that mission. The Israeli-developed missile provides an operator-in-the-loop datalink that allows course corrections and aimpoint refinement throughout much of the missile’s flight. That capability makes it particularly useful against moving or time-sensitive maritime targets, where target discrimination and battle damage assessment can be especially challenging.

AH-64 fires Spike NLOS during integration tests at the U.S. Army Yuma Proving Ground in 2023:

Spike missile integrated into AH-64 at Yuma Proving Ground

Compared with the AGM-114 Hellfire and AGM-179 Joint Air-to-Ground Missile (JAGM), Spike NLOS dramatically extends the Apache’s reach while retaining the flexibility to engage both land and maritime targets.

According to manufacturer Rafael, the latest version of Spike NLOS has a maximum range of roughly 20 miles, giving it a substantial stand-off advantage over the Hellfire and JAGM. The variants of those weapons currently fielded on U.S. Army Apaches have maximum ranges of less than 10 miles, though they are typically employed at considerably shorter distances in operational use. At the same time, extended-range versions of both missiles have been demonstrated, with Hellfire tested at approximately three times its standard range and JAGM at roughly double its baseline reach.

The Royal Australian Navy’s contribution highlighted another facet of the growing helicopter anti-ship mission. An MH-60R Seahawk embarked in the Arleigh Burke class destroyer USS Wayne E. Meyer conducted a live AGM-114N Hellfire engagement against a target ship. While Hellfire lacks the standoff reach of Spike NLOS and is primarily associated with engaging smaller surface vessels, it remains a highly capable maritime strike weapon and is a standard part of the MH-60R’s surface warfare arsenal.

Imagery released by the New Zealand Defense Force showed a Royal New Zealand Navy SH-2G(I) Seasprite embarked aboard the Anzac class frigate HMNZS Te Mana launching an AGM-119 Penguin anti-ship missile against the decommissioned amphibious assault ship ex-USS Peleliu. According to the NZDF, the missile penetrated the hull before detonating inside the vessel, inflicting significant internal damage and compromising its integrity.

The Italian Navy also revealed that an SH-101 helicopter embarked aboard the multirole combat ship Giovanni delle Bande Nere launched a Marte anti-ship missile during RIMPAC 2026, although it did not specify which target the missile was fired against.

Together, the Apache, Seahawk, Seasprite, and SH-101 illustrated just how diverse helicopter-based maritime strike has become. Although each of the weapons described above is optimized for different targets and mission profiles, all three point toward helicopters assuming an increasingly prominent role in coalition anti-surface warfare operations.

The U.S. Army’s maritime application for Spike NLOS aligns closely with the Army’s Multi-Domain Operations concept, which increasingly envisions aviation units contributing to sea-denial missions alongside their more traditional roles. Apache crews have repeatedly demonstrated maritime strike capabilities during exercises across the Pacific, and RIMPAC provides one of the largest and most complex venues yet to refine those tactics alongside allies and partners.

Beyond the Army’s work with Spike NLOS, the U.S. Marine Corps has been experimenting with arming its AH-1Z Viper attack helicopters with small cruise missiles, dramatically expanding their reach and giving them the ability to strike ships from well beyond the range of traditional helicopter-launched weapons. Above all else, it’s yet another example of the attack helicopter’s changing role in the maritime environment.

Although helicopters featured prominently, they represented just one layer of the larger SINKEX strike package.

Video released this week also showed a U.S. Navy F/A-18F Super Hornet carrying AGM-158C Long Range Anti-Ship Missiles (LRASM), along with live launches from U.S. Army M142 High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS) and Japan Ground Self-Defense Force Type 12 coastal defense missile batteries. U.S. Navy P-8 Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft were also seen supporting the event. Based on the imagery that has been published, submarines were also involved in the SINKEX strikes. Full details of which weapons and platforms ultimately sent which retired ships to the bottom remain unclear, and TWZ has asked officials for additional information.

As well as the decommissioned Ticonderoga class guided missile cruiser, the Tarawa class amphibious assault ship ex-USS Peleliu also served as a SINKEX target. As we have discussed previously, the pair represented two very different classes of major warship, providing participants with valuable opportunities to employ and evaluate a wide range of anti-ship capabilities.

Live-fire events like RIMPAC’s SINKEX remain among the most valuable aspects of the exercise, providing opportunities that are difficult to replicate in synthetic training environments. They allow participating forces to observe weapon performance against full-sized ships, refine targeting procedures, and integrate air, sea, and land-based fires while operating within a coalition framework.

RIMPAC 2026 brings together 30 nations, more than 30 surface ships, five submarines, 15 national land forces, over 206 aircraft, and approximately 30,000 personnel operating in and around the Hawaiian Islands from June 24 through July 31. Now in its 30th iteration since beginning in 1971, RIMPAC remains the world’s largest international maritime exercise, designed to improve interoperability while strengthening the partnerships that underpin maritime security and freedom of navigation across the Indo-Pacific.

While long-range anti-ship missiles launched by fighters, warships, submarines, and coastal batteries remain central to modern naval warfare, this year’s RIMPAC SINKEX also demonstrated that helicopters are increasingly indispensable members of the maritime strike team. Whether armed with Spike NLOS, Hellfire, Penguin, or Marte missiles, allied rotorcraft showed they are increasingly expected to contribute directly to the joint force’s anti-ship kill chain. For a region where distributed operations and coalition interoperability are becoming ever more important, that evolution is likely only to accelerate.

Contact the author: thomas@thewarzone.com

DESTINY’S Child were famously mocked in the noughties and compared to the reality show Survivor, with the group’s line-up changes likened to being ‘voted off the island’. 

But Destiny’s Child’s shift from four to three members had nothing on the Sugababes, whose members at one point didn’t include a single one of the original three: Mutya Buena, Keisha Buchanan and Siobhan Donaghy. 

Mutya and Keisha, both 41, and Siobhan, 42, successfully won back the rights to the group’s name in 2019 and seem to have found the winning formula for reunions, releasing a string of new music and even headlining shows at The O2 Arena last year. 

But now the girls are facing competition from their former bandmates, as The Sun can exclusively reveal Heidi Range and Amelle Berrabah are plotting a comeback. 

Our source said: “Amelle and Heidi never fell out. The group just stopped and they were all ready for a break at the time. 

“But Amelle has been performing solo solidly since 2024 and has been suggesting for some time now that Heidi should join her. It’s taken some persuasion but Heidi finally feels ready to get back to doing what she loves.” 

star’s ordeal

Sugababes’ Keisha Buchanan reveals she was ‘KIDNAPPED’ from school aged 16

ABOUT YOU NOW

Sugababes’ Keisha looks incredible as she strips to bikini in Dubai

It’s often suggested by die-hard Sugababes fans that the group didn’t achieve commercial success until Heidi, 43, replaced Siobhan in 2001. 

Following her arrival, Sugababes scored their first number one with Freak Like Me and enjoyed a string of hits in the years that followed. 

Amelle became part of the line-up in 2005 – replacing Mutya – and the group went on to release arguably their biggest hit so far, About You Now, which has sold more than a million units in the UK alone.

Final founding member Keisha was then replaced by Jade Ewen in 2009 and two years later they went on an indefinite hiatus. 

But in 2024, Amelle confirmed to The Sun she was ready for them to get back together, despite being unable to use the Sugababes name. She said at the time: “It could be something. I’d never say no to it.” 

For Jade, 38, the Sugababes is firmly in her past, but we understand Amelle and Heidi have been inspired by comments from fans urging them to make a comeback. 

In May, Heidi returned to the stage for the first time in 15 years at Mighty Hoopla, where she performed alongside her All Saints pals Nicole and Natalie Appleton. 

Our insider said: “Heidi didn’t realise how much she missed the feeling of being on stage until then. 

“She’s in no way bitter about not being included in Mutya and Keisha’s Sugababes return and respects that Siobhan walked so she could run. 

“But the demand from fans since Mighty Hoopla has been intense and now Heidi and Amelle are planning out performances of their own. Afterall, they co-wrote most of Sugababes hits so why shouldn’t they?

“Amelle and Heidi legally won’t be able to be billed as Sugababes for any live shows but nobody can stop them from using the music.”

As for Mutya, Keisha and Siobhan? The Sun understands they know they can’t stop Amelle and Heidi but are already anticipating some potentially awkward run-ins. 

“They’re not worried,” a source said. “Keisha and Mutya have said on record many times that they’ve got no bad feelings towards Heidi and Amelle. But the thought of being booked for the same festival is something they’re trying not to think about. 

“Who knows, though? Maybe they’ll give the fans what they want and come together as a five-piece for a one-off performance. Stranger things have happened.” 

The Sun has reached out to representatives for Sugababes, Heidi and Amelle for comment. 

GONE are the days of dingy caravans in the drizzling rain – because the UK’s hottest holiday parks feel more like multi-million pound mega resorts.

Today, the best coastal holiday parks have been transformed into massive, all-action playgrounds that easily rival an overseas holiday.

We’re talking huge parks boasting their own on-site Wetherspoons for cheap family meals, massive indoor waterparks the kids will love and even theme parks right on your doorstep.

Best of all, you don’t need to blow your savings to get in on the action.

We’ve rounded up the ultimate action-packed resorts across the UK, with stays starting from an unbelievable £3.06 per person, per night – which, let’s face it, is probably cheaper than a pint at that on-site Spoons.

Here are the best mega holiday parks to book right now for a budget-friendly family staycation.

Hopton Holiday Village, Norfolk

Haven’s Hopton Holiday Village in Norfolk is hard to beat – especially since it holds the current title for AA’s Holiday Park of the Year.

Fresh from a massive makeover, the park now has its very own Wetherspoons pub – The White Clover – as well as a newly-upgraded pool complex that has literally doubled in size.

This holiday park sits on the golden sands of Hopton-on-Sea, and is just 12 minutes down the road from the legendary Golden Mile of Great Yarmouth.

There you can grab a bag of hot, sugary donuts and stroll the pier, drop spare change into traditional two pence machines, or even tackle Pleasure Beach’s legendary wooden rollercoaster – one of only two in the UK.

When it comes to activities on-site, this site packs in everything from crazy golf and Segway tours, to a heated indoor pool complete with high-speed flumes and slides.

Once the day is done, you can head straight to the buzzing lounge bar to grab a drink and catch the fun-filled Seaside Squad entertainment.

Unity Beach, Somerset

You don’t just get a holiday park stay at Unity Beach in Somerset – you get a holiday park, theme park and a newly-revamped waterpark rolled into one.

Brean Theme Park is the UK’s largest free-entry theme park, and it packs in over 40 attractions – from outdoor rollercoasters and classic dodgems to a splashing log flume.

This summer also sees the reopening of the upgraded Unity Splash waterpark, which included both indoor and outdoor splash zones, waterslides, and rubber ring rides.

Kids can burn energy at the trampoline park, indoor soft play, crossbow shooting, or even axe throwing.

Not the mention you’ve got the epic, seven-mile stretch of Brean Sands beach right on your doorstep.

Trecco Bay, Porthcawl

As the UK’s biggest holiday park – and one of the largest in Europe – Trecco Bay is a colossal coastal playground.

Situated in the seaside town of Porthcawl, here you’ve got a classic promenade, a seaside funfair, and a choice of stunning Blue Flag beaches right on your doorstep.

But there’s no need to leave site when you’ve got a NERF gun battlefield, bumper zorbing, pirate-themed crazy golf, and a Make a Bear station and more to pick from.

Plus the pool complex has high-powered aqua jets that twist you through the water, as well as inflatable jet skis and mini aqua paddler boats for little ones.

Even the pickiest of eaters can find something here, with top-tier high-street brands like Burger King, Papa Johns, Thunderbird Fried Chicken, and Costa Coffee ready to refuel the whole family.

Craig Tara, Ayrshire, Scotland

Haven’s flagship Scottish resort, Craig Tara, is a colossal playground built for non-stop family fun.

This holiday park is home to Splashaway Bay, one of Scotland’s biggest indoor waterparks, which has its own lazy river, multi-lane slides and an enormous tipping bucket.

Kids can race down a speed-tracking flume to see their name on the daily leaderboard, or zip down a twisting waterslide lit up with vibrant neon lights.

Over in the Lighthouse Harbour Adventure Village, brave kids can scale the aerial ropes course or take a literal leap of faith from the six metre-high platform ‘The Jump’.

And if that’s not enough, you’ve got the Airspace sports hall, which is loaded with a climbing wall, electronic target zones, and a giant soft play arena.

Toddlers are just as well looked after, with dedicated baby sensory rooms and their own interactive splash zone.

This holiday park makes for the ultimate rainproof staycation, where the unpredictable Scottish weather won’t affect your holiday plans.

Littlesea Holiday Park, Weymouth

If you’re after jaw-dropping sea views and a relaxing, slower-paced park, Haven’s Littlesea Holiday Park is a top choice.

With its own tranquil stretch of sand on Dorset’s Jurassic Coast, Haven Littlesea overlooks the serene Fleet Lagoon and has natural wonders like the stone arch of Durdle Door right on your doorstep.

On-site, kids can get their hands dirty with guided nature walks and bug hunts, plus there’s also creative pottery classes and lively games of beach bingo.

New additions to the park include the Football Fun Factory and The Tiger Club Show, making its return from the 90’s era of Haven entertainment.

As for food and drink, families can tuck into a pizza at Papa Johns, grab a burger from The Smash Shack, or tuck into some delicious fish and chips from Cook’s.

Thornwick Bay, Yorkshire

Haven’s AA 5 Gold Star-awarded Thornwick Bay sits right on the edge of the dramatic Flamborough Headland, giving you instant access to a breathtaking beach backed by moss-topped cliffs.

This coastal hotspot is a paradise for little explorers, who can spend their mornings rock pooling, hunting for fossils, and poking around hidden sea caves.

You don’t even have to head to the ocean to get out on the water, thanks to a private on-site lake where you can hire pedalos, go kayaking, or try stand-up paddleboarding.

Indoors, the Activity Barn packs in climbing walls, archery coaching, and slime-making workshops, plus there’s an indoor pool complex complete with a multi-lane waterslide.

When it’s time to refuel, you can grab a box of Chopstix noodles or head to the Lighthouse Bar & Restaurant where the kids can play in the garden’s sandpit.

Top it all off with a giant scoop from Bertie’s Ice Cream, and your next summer staycation is completely sorted.

Devon Cliffs, Exmouth

Devon Cliffs is one of Haven’s biggest resorts, sloping right down to its very own award-winning private beach, Sandy Bay, where dramatic red cliffs meet the sea.

This coastal holiday park boasts a massive indoor pool with a speedy four-lane slide, alongside a sea-kayaking and paddle-boarding school right on the shore.

Back up on the cliffs, families can tackle a high ropes course, bounce on bungee trampolines, race mini 4x4s, or hurtle down high-speed rubber ring tube slides.

Eating on a budget is a breeze too, thanks to the park’s on-site Wetherspoons, The Red Rocks.

Parents can also escape for a seaside pint to the beach bar, or grab a bite to eat in the South Beach Cafe for sunsets and sea views.

There’s also two live entertainment venues hosting everything from classic bingo to nostalgic 90’s tribute shows.

NEW YORK — Miguel Rojas’ off day in Washington started early. Before visiting the White House, he and fellow World Series hero Will Klein and manager Dave Roberts met with members of Congress on Thursday morning.

“Other than going to the White House, there were a lot of people from California, senators from California that are not just people who work for the government, but they’re Dodgers fans as well,” Rojas said Friday before the Dodgers’ series opener against the Mets. “So it’s pretty cool to give people that watch games and support us throughout the year [an opportunity] to get to see us.”

Sen. Alex Padilla (D-Calif.) posted on X, “Think we can do this every year, @Dodgers?” with three photos — one of himself with their back-to-back World Series trophies, another posing with a World Series ring on his finger, and a group shot that included Rojas, Roberts, Klein and Dodgers president Stan Kasten.

Rep. Luz Rivas (D-North Hollywood), whose district includes several San Fernando Valley neighborhoods, posted on social media that she thanked Rojas for hitting his tying home run in Game 7of the World Series.

“Thank you to Miguel and the team for stopping by Capitol Hill,” she posted on X. “We can’t wait to welcome them back again next year (with a THIRD trophy, perhaps?…).”

The Dodgers’ visit to the White House on Thursday frustrated the portion of their fan base that wanted their team to stand up against the president’s anti-immigration policies.

Only two players on the active roster who were part of the 2025 World Series team did not attend: shortstop Mookie Betts, who told reporters he’d rather spend time with his family, and reliever Edgardo Henriquez, who declined to comment via Dodgers PR.

“This is something that I don’t really think about [being] political,” Rojas said of visiting Capitol Hill and the White House. “…I’m representing the Dodgers, and I’m going to these events just because I’m part of the Dodgers, and the Dodgers are deciding to go there. And I feel, as a professional, your job doesn’t just stop when the game is over. You have to do some things outside the field that sometimes are tied to success and to the things that you do on the field. So, for me, it’s a privilege to get the opportunity to go to a place where you will never be if you don’t have success in sports.”

Roberts, who has also talked about separating the visit from politics, kept his review brief.

“It was good,” he said. “It was an honor to be there.”

Ohtani update

Dodgers two-way star Shohei Ohtani is scheduled to throw a bullpen session Saturday, his second since receiving an injection in his left knee at the beginning of the All-Star break.

“That’s the beauty of where we’re at right now,” Roberts said. “We’re not going to push him. There’s constant conversation going on each day. But the main thing is with Shohei and this pitching thing is to remain nimble.”

Even if Ohtani’s bullpen goes well, Roberts said he probably won’t be ready to return to the rotation next week.

“That’s too early,” Roberts said. “I feel good that it won’t be next week.”

July 24 (UPI) — SpaceX on Friday had a successful 13th flight test of Starship, the space vessel and rocket duo that is expected to help NASA return humans to the moon.

Starship lifted off from SpaceX’s Starbase in Texas around 6:45 p.m. on a suborbital trajectory — just barely getting to space while performing a number of key maneuvers — before a soft splashdown in the Indian Ocean.

Both SpaceX and its owner, Elon Musk, said in posts on X that the test was a success, most notably because of the significant improvement in performance for the ship’s heat shield during reentry.

They also said it was notable that after mimicking the way Starship will eventually land upright, the vessel did not explode upon landing in the Indian Ocean and was still transmitting telemetry data and video.

The test of Starship’s third iteration had been pushed back several times because of weather concerns, which would have interfered in parts of the SpaceX team’s test goals.

The flight was the second for the third version of Starship and its Super Heavy V3 booster, and accomplished — with updated systems — a similar set of test objectives as the 12th flight, SpaceX said.

“A key objective for the flight test is to get clear imagery from the ground of Starship’s heatshield as it flies at a higher dynamic pressure during ascent, which won’t be possible with today’s weather conditions,” SpaceX said in an update on X after scrubbing Thursday’s launch attempt.

“Visibility is forecast to be ideal for a Friday attempt,” the company said.

SpaceX said that upgrades to Starship for the 13th flight test have included changes to the vessel’s startup sequence and adjustments to Raptor engines on both its booster section and the ship itself.

The upgrades were meant to address issues with a small number of engines during boost back and relighting in space during the 12th flight test.

Starship also will be carrying 20 Starlink V3 satellites into space during the test flight, which SpaceX said “aim to greatly expand the network’s capacity and user speeds.”

Telegram has removed accounts linked to a Hausa-language network that openly sold child sexual abuse material across northern Nigeria, following an inquiry by HumAngle, but the platform has not explained how the network survived repeated suspensions over three months before our investigation was published.

In an email response to HumAngle, a Telegram spokesperson confirmed that moderators had “processed the content reported and removed anything they could identify as breaching our terms.” The platform also provided a formal statement defending its broader moderation record, saying it had removed more than 305,000 groups and channels related to child sexual abuse material in 2026 alone.

“The distribution of CSAM  is explicitly forbidden by Telegram’s terms of service and we use industry-leading moderation techniques to remove it,” the statement read.

The response came hours after HumAngle published an investigation documenting a network of Hausa-language Telegram channels, X accounts, and TikTok profiles selling access to child sexual abuse material through paid VIP groups priced at up to ₦100,000, distributing non-consensual intimate videos of women, and advertising sexual services using photographs stolen from unsuspecting social media users. The investigation, published on July 23, traced two central operators identified through payment records as Fatima Mahmud, who used the name “Teema” or “TeemaTV,” and Khadijah Adamu, who operated under the identities “Khadeeja Deejah,” “Deejah,” “Nanadady,” and “Deharjah.”

Before publication, HumAngle sent Telegram a detailed request for comment, summarising the findings and posing specific questions about the platform’s moderation of Hausa-language content and its capacity to detect coordinated networks of replacement channels. The reply arrived hours after publication.

Alongside the statement to HumAngle, Telegram said it scans all media uploaded to its public platform against a hash database of previously removed Child Sexual Abuse Material (CSAM), supplemented with datasets from the Internet Watch Foundation and the Indian Cybercrime Coordination Centre. The platform added that it processes CSAM reports from authorities and NGOs around the world.

Those measures, if applied consistently, should in theory have flagged material within the network HumAngle documented. But the investigation found that administrators avoided posting child sexual abuse material directly on public channels, instead using screen records and screenshots of media catalogues as proof of possession before directing paying customers into private conversations. That structure, common across similar networks documented by investigations in India, Sudan, Malaysia, and Brazil, appears designed to stay one step ahead of hash-matching tools that identify known material rather than advertisements for it.

What was taken down

HumAngle’s own review found that most, although not all, of the accounts and channels documented in the original investigation had been taken down. Fatima Mahmud’s administrator account, @teematv2, was no longer active, along with several of her channels, including @teematv7 and @teematv9, and other successive replacements identified during the monitoring period. 

One channel, @teematv8, remained accessible after the takedowns, however. On X, Fatima’s account also remains active.

Within the wider network, HumAngle also identified accounts tied to Khadijah Adamu, including @Deekano and @realsadiyaharka, as well as channels operating as @arewagidanharka1 and @gidanharkaxx. HumAngle shared these identifiers with Telegram directly, while noting that the ecosystem documented in the original investigation was larger than what could be fully captured during three months of monitoring, and that additional accounts likely remain. At the time of publishing this report, Khadija Adamu remains active.

What the response does not address

Telegram’s statement points to a large-scale, ongoing moderation effort. They sit, however, alongside a specific finding from the original investigation: the network, monitored for three months, rebuilt through replacement accounts faster than individual removals could disrupt it, with no public indication that Telegram’s existing systems had identified it as a coordinated network rather than a series of isolated violations. 

Telegram did not address HumAngle’s questions about what proactive measures exist to detect coordinated replacement networks, the moderation capacity the platform applies to Hausa-language content specifically, whether any of the documented channels had been previously reported before HumAngle’s inquiry, or whether the platform coordinates with Nigerian authorities such as the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) when CSAM-related accounts are removed.

HumAngle’s requests for comment to X and to NAPTIP remain outstanding at the time of publication.

An ITV star has revealed a difficult filming stunt left her being ‘hauled’ out of water.

An ITV star has opened up about filming a difficult scene.

Ahead of the new series of Van Der Valk airing, star Maimie McCoy recalled filming a difficult stunt in water, where she was unable to move and had to be “hauled” out.

The All Creatures Great and Small actress is returning to her role as Inspecteur Lucienne Hassell opposite Marc Warren’s Commissaris Piet van der Valk in the fourth series of Van der Valk.

A loose reimagining of the 1972 series, and based on Nicolas Freeling’s crime thriller novels, the detective drama tracks Dutch detective Van Der Valk and his team as they crack three further murders in Amsterdam.

Shot on location in and around the city, the latest series promises to be more explosive than ever, with Maimie sharing what shooting certain scenes was truly like, reports Yorkshire Live.

In a press pack ahead of the new series airing, Maimie revealed one moment where she had to be hauled out of water.

She explained: “There’s quite a little community where I swim down in the Amstel. So I did suggest it, thinking we’d just be shooting in the summer again. And then they were like, ‘We’ll be shooting at the end of October.’

“And there was a lot of panic about how cold it would be and I was like, “I’m good, I’m hardy.” And then I went in the day before we shot it and thought, ‘This is a bit colder than I was expecting.’

“But we did a great scene. It’s at the beginning of episode two. Lucienne is totally away from everybody and just having a moment of reflection for herself.

“It’s almost a meditation to her and a real calm away from the job that they’re doing. I think it’ll be a lovely contrast.

“But they had to haul me out of the water, because I was fine swimming, and then I realised that I had no body strength left.“

The new series features Van Der Valk and his team taking on three mysteries, with the first following the death of a whistleblower under police protection, and the second uncovering the death of an environmental campaigner on the eve of a global conference, with a famous singer who was thought to have died by suicide considered as a suspect.

The series finale has Van Der Valk’s team hunting down the truth behind a scientist searching for a potential breakthrough in cancer treatment being found dead, and the possible link to a pharmaceuticals billionaire.

Teasing the new episodes, writer Chris Murray shared: ““We are 100% series that this is the best series of Van Der Valk we’ve done so far.

“Three strong, contrasting, resolving films flooded with our distinctive team dynamic but this time with the added spice of Piet’s combative ex-girlfriend turning up at the same time as one of our team has to confront their own mortality.”

Marc Warren added: “Chris Murray, the writer and showrunner, when we did the first scene this season, he said it felt like slipping on a comfortable jumper. We just fitted into it very easily.

“There’s a general feeling of knowing where we’re at and being very relaxed and comfortable with it. But maybe there’s a few more smiles. I felt very relaxed with it. I don’t think about it too much.”

He went on: “What it felt like, and I felt it really strongly in episode one, it felt like a bigger show. It seemed like we had more crew and there was more going on. In episode one particularly it was quite an intricate show, lots of cars and explosions and stunts, and it felt like the whole show had gone up a level. It’s a very impressive episode.”

Van Der Valk returns on Sunday, August 2, at 8pm on ITV

Need to know

Ryanair is targeting passengers who use large rucksacks or wheelie bags that exceed their free under-seat allowance. If you do not purchase ‘Priority Boarding’, your bag must fit under the seat in front of you (max 40x 30 x 20 cm)

All you need to know about Ryanair’s £79.99 hand luggage charge update

1. The £79.99 hand luggage charge, which has been causing a stir online, is a new baggage enforcement crackdown by Ryanair directly colliding with landmark new EU flight rules that aim to ban carry-on fees entirely.
2. Ryanair is targeting passengers who use large rucksacks or wheelie bags that exceed their free under-seat allowance. If you do not purchase ‘Priority Boarding’, your bag must fit under the seat in front of you (max 40 x 30 x20 cm). If it does not fit in the sizing gate, you will face an airport gate bag fee.
3. While standard pre-booked cabin bags cost between £6 and £36, being caught at the gate triggers a post-booking penalty that can reach up to £75 to £80.99 to put the bag in the aircraft hold.
4. Ryanair CEO Michael O’Leary has doubled down on checking oversized bags. Ground handling crew bonuses for finding non-compliant bags are increasing, and the monthly bonus cap has been entirely removed to catch passengers “scamming the system”.
5. This enforcement push comes right as the European Parliament passed an air passenger rights update. New EU legislation will make it mandatory to include one overhead cabin bag and one personal item in the basic advertised airfare, eliminating hidden luggage fees. Airlines, search portals, and travel agents must display the full ticket price inclusive of hand luggage from the very beginning of the booking process.
6. O’Leary has furiously criticised the European Union‘s move. O’Leary claims the EU has “miss-sold” the regulations and that bundling overhead bags will make European airlines look less competitive globally. Ryanair warns that banning separate cabin bag fees will simply force base ticket prices up across the board, making travel more expensive for people who prefer to fly light.
7. The current cabin bag rules and gate fees remain fully in force. The new EU rules are a confirmed proposal expected to transition into law next year. Until the official transition period concludes, you will still be charged at the gate if your luggage exceeds the strict sizer dimensions.

READ MORE: Ryanair CEO says airports shouldn’t serve booze until 12pm to stop ‘misbehaviour’

YOU’LL need plenty of Gaul to brave the rides at Parc Asterix.

As an experienced theme park fan, I thought I’d seen it all but some of the rollercoasters at this theme park, north-east of Paris, left me feeling like a Roman soldier on the wrong end of a clobbering from Obelix.

I took my wife and our daughters, aged five and three, and I must confess I wasn’t sure what to expect.

Despite having been a fan of the Asterix comics growing up, I had no idea France had its own theme park dedicated to the combative Gaul.

But in fact, Parc Asterix predates Disneyland Paris by three years, and in the past decade or so has really ramped up its offering to compete.

And sacre bleu, does it ever!

HOL NO

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WALK ABOUT

New 34-mile coastal path linking two pretty English villages opens today

The park is divided into areas themed around parts of the ancient world, including Rome, Greece, Egypt and Gaul itself, with Londinium on the way in 2028.

Rides include Cetautomatix, a spinning chariot coaster; Trace du Hourra (Trail of Hooray) which is like a juddering luge track; and the bone-shuddering Tonnerre 2 Zeus (Zeus’s Thunder) wooden coaster, which left me feeling elated but also like I’d been in some sort of crash.

There is also a clutch of river rapids and log flumes, refreshing on a hot day, including one called Le Grand Splatch (I’ll let you work out the translation), although it was actually the Menhir Express — menhirs being the enormous boulders beloved by Obelix — that left me thoroughly drenched and giggling.

Despite the play parks and small rides for toddlers, I did feel that at three, my youngest Alyssa was a bit too ­little to get the most out of it. My five-year-old, Bronwyn, had more ride options but I think from seven up would get the best experience.

One thing to also take on board is that Parc Asterix is proudly French, and a smattering of the language is useful, especially for the shows, although even if you don’t understand a word, attractions such as the 4D cinema Attention Menhir! are certainly a hoot.

We stayed at Les Quais de Lutece — one of three themed hotels and counting on site — designed to look like a fort on the ancient River Seine, and it made a great base for exploring the park, with early entry to the park to beat the crowds.

Being so close was also helpful for the late-night drone, laser, water and fireworks show over the park’s lake, which was a memorable way to ­finish the day.

I’ve left the biggest rides until last, and I’ve been showing people back home the “POV” videos on YouTube to show how impressive they are.

First we were steered towards the Pegase Express, and as it was dark I hadn’t seen in advance what awaited us.

Assuming that as Bronwyn passed the height limit it would be fine for her, I soon realised I’d miscalculated and as she clung to me, even I was wondering if I’d ­bitten off more than I could chew.

A rollicking rollercoaster took us up to Medusa’s temple, where the Gorgon lost her temper and sent her snakes chasing us BACKWARDS down another twisty-turny track.

Once she’d recovered, Bronwyn enjoyed the far gentler Vol d’Icare (Flight Of Icarus) rollercoaster much more and asked to go back on it two further times over the weekend.

Definitely for bigger thrillseekers only was the Goudurix, a barrelling coaster that at one stage had the most loops in Europe.

Same with the OzIris, which was probably the most exhilarating ride — a Nemesis-style leg-dangling coaster.

Finally — having saved the very best until last — there’s the Toutatis, and just looking at this one made me gulp.

It’s France’s tallest, fastest rollercoaster, which launches you forwards at speeds of up to 66mph and features a backwards element, an ingenious switch-track, and a vertical arch that you only get up and over on the second attempt before going straight down the other side.

So there’s only one question you have to answer to see if you’re ready to take on Parc Asterix:

Are you a menhir or a mouse?

The tournament director of the Canadian Open says changes need to be made to the “demanding schedule” of players after Jannik Sinner and Novak Djokovic pulled out of the Masters 1000 event.

Sinner, who beat Alexander Zverev to win the Wimbledon title this month, said he had withdrawn from the ATP tournament, which takes place from 2-13 August in Montreal, to prioritise his health.

Carlos Alcaraz will also be absent from the Canadian Open as he continues his recovery from a wrist injury that has kept him out since April.

“We are obviously very disappointed that Jannik and Novak won’t be joining us in Montreal this year, especially after they also withdrew from last year’s tournament in Toronto,” said the Canadian Open’s tournament director Valerie Tetreault.

“We respect their decisions and understand that, with such a demanding schedule, players’ health must remain the priority.

“That said, we believe the frequency of these last-minute withdrawals in the last few years raises a broader issue for our sport.

“Masters 1000 events are among the flagship tournaments on the tour, and fans rightfully expect to see the world’s best compete.

“We are already in discussions with the ATP to ensure this matter received serious consideration.”

The Canadian Open takes place before the Cincinnati Open, which is also a Masters 1000 event, and prior to the start of the US Open – the final Grand Slam of the year – on 30 August.

Seven of the existing nine Masters 1000 events – the sport’s highest level below the Grand Slams – are now staged over 12 days and concerns over the congested tennis calendar, which stretches across 11 months of the year for the top players, have regularly been voiced.

Britain’s Jack Draper and Emma Raducanu recently pulled out of Wimbledon on the eve of their home Grand Slam because of injury.

Draper, who withdrew with a long-term arm injury, said he felt the amount of injuries suffered by leading players is “pretty worrying”.

In September 2024, Alcaraz said: “They are going to kill us in some way.”

“We firmly believe adjustments are needed in the near future to better protect the integrity of our Masters 1000 events while remaining mindful of the realities players face,” added Tetreault.

Earlier this year, women’s world number one Aryna Sabalenka and Iga Swiatek pulled out of the Dubai Championships, a WTA 1000 event, two days before it started.

Tournament director Salah Tahlak said players who made late withdrawals from tournaments should be docked points, while Sabalenka said criticism of her was “ridiculous” and that she may not play at the tournament again.

Taiz, Yemen – Um Yousef knew that living on the front line in Taiz was dangerous. The area had been quieter for the past few years thanks to a general de-escalation of the war in Yemen, but it still lay between territory controlled by Yemeni government forces and Houthi rebels.

Destroyed buildings mark the city’s front line areas, evidence of the brutal fighting that has lasted for more than a decade.

But Um Yousef felt that she didn’t have a choice. A single mother of four children in her 40s, she couldn’t afford the typical market rate of about $130 for a three-bedroom house in the central Yemeni city. Her husband died years ago while working abroad, so she was the sole breadwinner for the family in a country where poverty has increased sharply since the war began more than a decade ago.

“There is a huge demand for houses, and all my efforts failed while I was living in a single room with my children,” recalled Um Yousef, who asked to use a pseudonym for security reasons. “It was very difficult to stay in that one room.”

After eight months of moving from one area to another, and even searching on the outskirts of Taiz, she ultimately decided that her only option was a home near the front line. Yes, it was dangerous, but with little money coming in, the home she found for about $13 a month couldn’t be ignored.

In January 2025, the family made the move. Two months later, her 11-year-old son came into the house from playing outside with blood pouring out of his mouth – he’d been shot.

Sniper danger

“I couldn’t understand what happened – I didn’t hear any gunfire,” Um Yousef said.

She still doesn’t know the exact cause of the shooting, but many of the casualties near Yemen’s front lines are the result of sniper fire.

Taiz is particularly dangerous in this regard. The front line going through the city is one of the few in the country in an urban area. The city’s geography, hilly and with a mountain overlooking it, offers numerous vantage points for snipers.

A United Nations monitoring project found that 66 percent of all civilian casualties from sniper shootings in Yemen last year were in Taiz. Of the 21 cases recorded, nine were children.

Thankfully, Um Yousef’s son’s injuries were not as serious as first feared. After being immediately taken to hospital, he received medical treatment and was discharged the next day.

The incident woke Um Yousef up to the reality of where she had brought her children to. But she still can’t afford to move. Instead, she has had no choice but to stay and learn ways to reduce the risk.

“Residents here take precautions I wasn’t aware of, like turning off lights at night in rooms visible from a distance, and keeping children from playing in open areas,” she explained. “They have to play behind the houses instead. I’m aware of these things now and follow them to keep my children safe.”

Damaged homes

Taiz governorate is the most populous in Yemen, with a population of almost 4.5 million and more than 400,000 internally displaced people, according to Khalid Alwan, director of the local statistics office.

“More than 10,000 houses were completely or partially damaged by the conflict in Taiz, and there are many more we couldn’t reach to count,” Alwan told Al Jazeera. “Reconstruction is expensive, and most residents cannot afford to repair their homes even if they are in safe areas. This further worsens the housing crisis in the city.”

He noted that while some humanitarian organisations have repaired partially damaged homes in safe areas, these efforts are a drop in the ocean compared with the sheer number of affected properties.

The Nahda Makers Organisation (NMO) is one such group rehabilitating homes in several Yemeni governorates. To date, NMO has repaired 2,389 houses in Taiz, Lahj, Hodeidah, Aden and Abyan governorates – the vast majority of them in Taiz.

While this initiative has helped some families return to safe areas, the overall need remains overwhelming, with an estimated 4.8 million displaced people across the country still unable to return.

Housesitting

Mohammed Saeed has been living in the al-Thawrah neighbourhood of Taiz near the front line since 2023. He believes the war has taken a heavy toll on society, with soaring rents being one of its worst consequences.

“I’m not happy living here as we frequently hear the sounds of gunfire at night. Even if we aren’t targeted, just hearing it is enough to terrify us,” the 53-year-old told Al Jazeera. “In the beginning, my children couldn’t sleep when they heard the shooting, but now they’ve adapted. Adapted to what? Adapted to living in a dangerous area.”

Mohammed, who is unemployed and cannot afford rent, lives in a house for free in exchange for guarding it. Because the neighbourhood is near the front lines, many residents here do not pay rent.

“Nowadays it is calm, but if there is any escalation, we will be trapped in the crossfire,” Mohammed said. “I hope I can find a job that enables me to rent a house in a safe place and leave this one.”

Khalid Abdulhadi, 46, is one of the people who could afford to leave. He was born in the al-Kamb neighbourhood of Taiz city and owns a house there. However, he fled during the heavy fighting in 2018 and has not returned, as the proximity to the front line makes it far too unsafe.

“It is not the right decision to return and live in a dangerous area,” he told Al Jazeera. “Even though I am paying rent while owning my own home, going back could cost me my life.”

Khalid, who works as an accountant for a local company, said some of his neighbours did return and one of them lost their son, shot dead by a sniper.

He has allowed a family he knows to live in his house free of charge, knowing that they are impoverished and willing to guard the property. But he has decided to stay far away.

“I would prefer to live in a safe camp for displaced families rather than a dangerous house,” he said.

“We lost everything during this war; our lives are all we have left, so we must protect them.”