Pakistan has welcomed Sikh pilgrims from India in the first major crossing since their deadly conflict in May closed the land border between the nuclear-armed neighbours.

More than 2,100 pilgrims were granted visas to attend a 10-day festival marking 556 years since the birth of Guru Nanak, founder of the Sikh faith, a decision that was in line with efforts to promote “interreligious and intercultural harmony and understanding”, Pakistan’s high commission in New Delhi said last week.

In May, Islamabad and New Delhi engaged in their worst fighting since 1999, leaving more than 70 people dead. The Wagah-Attari border, the only active land crossing between the two countries, was closed to general traffic after the violence.

On Wednesday, the pilgrims will gather at Nankana Sahib, Guru Nanak’s birthplace west of Lahore, before visiting other sacred sites in Pakistan, including Kartarpur, where the guru is buried.

The Kartarpur Corridor, a visa-free route opened in 2019 to allow Indian Sikhs to visit the temple without crossing the main border, has remained closed since the conflict.

Four days of conflict erupted in May after New Delhi accused Islamabad of backing a deadly attack on tourists in Indian-administered Kashmir, allegations Pakistan denied.

Sikhism is a monotheistic religion founded in the 15th century in Punjab, a region spanning parts of present-day India and Pakistan. While most Sikhs migrated to India during partition, some of their most revered places of worship are in Pakistan.

‘Cycle of terror’ spikes as Higher Planning Council set to advance plans to build 1,985 new settlement units in occupied West Bank.

Israeli forces and settlers have carried out 2,350 attacks across the occupied West Bank last month in an “ongoing cycle of terror”, according to the Palestinian Authority’s Colonization and Wall Resistance Commission (CRRC).

CRRC head Mu’ayyad Sha’ban said on Wednesday that Israeli forces carried out 1,584 attacks – including direct physical attacks, the demolition of homes and the uprooting of olive trees – with most of the violence focused on the governorates of Ramallah (542), Nablus (412) and Hebron (401).

The research, compiled in a CRRC monthly report titled Occupation Violations and Colonial Expansion Measures, also noted 766 attacks by settlers. The commission said they are expanding settlements, which are illegal under international law, as part of what it called an “organised strategy that aims to displace the land’s indigenous people and enforce a fully racist colonial regime”.

The report said settler attacks reached a new peak with most targeting the Ramallah governorate (195), Nablus (179) and Hebron (126). Olive pickers received the brunt of attacks, according to the report, which said they were the victims of “state terror” that had been “orchestrated in the dark backrooms of the occupation government”.

It described instances of Israeli “vandalism and theft” carried out in cahoots with Israeli soldiers that have seen the “uprooting, destruction and poisoning” of 1,200 olive trees in Hebron, Ramallah, Tubas, Qalqilya, Nablus and Bethlehem. During the violence, settlers have tried to establish seven new outposts on Palestinian land since October in the governorates of Hebron and Nablus.

For decades, the Israeli military has uprooted olive trees, an important Palestinian cultural symbol, across the West Bank as part of efforts by successive Israeli governments to seize Palestinian land and forcibly displace residents.

The spike in Israeli violence comes amid expectations that Israel’s Higher Planning Council (HPC), part of the Israeli army’s Civil Administration overseeing the occupied West Bank, will meet to discuss the construction of 1,985 new settlement units in the West Bank on Wednesday.

The left-wing Israeli movement Peace Now said 1,288 of the units would be rolled out in two isolated settlements in the northern West Bank, namely Avnei Hefetz and Einav Plan.

It said the HPC had been holding weekly meetings since November last year to advance housing projects in the settlements, thus normalising and accelerating construction on land taken from Palestinians.

Since the beginning of 2025, the HPC has pushed forward a record 28,195 housing units, Peace Now said.

In August, far-right Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich drew international condemnation after saying plans to build thousands of homes as part of the proposed E1 settlement scheme in the West Bank “buries the idea of a Palestinian state”.

The E1 project, shelved for years amid opposition from the United States and European allies, would connect occupied East Jerusalem with the existing illegal Israeli settlement of Maale Adumim.

The Israeli far right’s push to annex the West Bank would essentially end the possibility of implementing a two-state solution to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict as outlined in numerous United Nations resolutions.

United States President Donald Trump’s administration has been adamant that it won’t allow Israel to annex the occupied territory.  US Vice President JD Vance, while visiting Israel recently, said Trump would oppose Israeli annexation of the West Bank and it would not happen. Vance said as he left Israel, “If it was a political stunt, it is a very stupid one, and I personally take some insult to it.”

But the US has done nothing to rein in Israel’s assaults and crackdowns on Palestinians in the West Bank as it trumpets its Gaza ceasefire efforts.

The Latin Recording Academy has added even more names to its already star-studded lineup of artists slated to perform at the 26th Latin Grammy Awards, which will be held Nov. 13.

Among the acts announced are album of the year nominee Bad Bunny, breakout Argentine duo Ca7riel & Paco Amoroso, song of the year nominee Karol G and San Bernardino-based música mexicana powerhouse group Fuerza Regida

Also added to the performers list was Mexican musical icon Marco Antonio Solís and Puerto Rican band Chuwi, who was featured on Bad Bunny’s latest album, “Debí Tirar Más Fotos.”

Next week’s show will mark the first time Bad Bunny has performed on the Latin Grammy stage since 2021, when he sang “Maldita Pobreza” from his 2020 album “El Último Tour Del Mundo.” It also will be the first time that Fuerza Regida and Ca7riel & Paco Amoroso perform on the Latin Grammy stage.

Album of the year nominee Rauw Alejandro, legendary rocker Carlos Santana, ranchero/mariachi album nominee Christian Nodal and country darling Kacey Musgraves were among the acts previously announced as performers at the Las Vegas awards show.

Other artists slated to take the stage at the show’s 26th iteration include 22-time Latin Grammy winner Alejandro Sanz; the Argentine singer Nathy Peluso; Tejano band Grupo Frontera; former best new artist winner Joaquina and Venezuelan singer-songwriter Elena Rose.

Additional artists set to perform at the MGM Grand Garden Arena are música Mexicana acts Carín León, Pepe Aguilar and Los Tigres del Norte; sad sierreño singer-songwriters Iván Cornejo and DannyLux; Latin pop icon Gloria Estefan and Colombian rock band Morat.

This year’s list of top nominees include Bad Bunny (12), Edgar Barrera (10), Ca7riel & Paco Amoroso (10), Rafa Arcaute (eight), Natalia Lafourcade (eight) and Federico Vindver (eight).

Bad Bunny’s 12 nominations this year will bring his total career nods to 52. With her eight nominations this year, Lafourcade looks to bolster her collection of 18 trophies from the awards show — the most wins for any female artist.

Nabbing eight more nominations, Edgar Barrera continues to pad his stats as the awards show’s most nominated person of all time with 72 nods, along with 24 wins. Spanish artist Alejandro Sanz received four nods this year, which brings his career total to 51.

This month’s show will be the debut of the new Visual Media field and its new category, Music For Visual Media, which will honor scores for film and television. Also added to this year’s awards is the category for best roots song.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander had 30 points and 12 assists and the defending champion Oklahoma City Thunder extended their season-opening winning streak to eight games with a 126-107 victory over the Clippers at Intuit Dome on Tuesday night.

Isaiah Joe added 22 points and Cason Wallace and Aaron Wiggins each had 12 to help the Thunder overcome an early surge by the Clippers to set a franchise record for consecutive victories to start a season.

Gilgeous-Alexander, who played for the Clippers in his rookie season before he was traded to the Thunder, was nine of 14 from the floor and four of five from three-point range.

James Harden scored 25 points and John Collins added 17 for the Clippers. They were without Kawhi Leonard (ankle) and Bradley Beal (knee) on the second night of a home back-to-back.

Derrick Jones Jr. scored 16 points as the Clippers lost consecutive home games after winning the first three in their own building.

After trailing by as many as 13 points in the first half, the Thunder took the lead for good at 81-78 on a three-pointer from Aaron Wiggins with 3:34 remaining in the third quarter. Oklahoma City closed the quarter on an 8-2 run to take a 94-86 lead.

The Thunder put the game away with a 11-0 run to open the fourth quarter for a 105-86 advantage. It was an extended 17-0 run going back to consecutive three-pointers from Isaiah Joe and Gilgeous-Alexander to end the third.

Australia’s upcoming social media ban for children under 16 years old will include the online forum Reddit and livestreaming platform Kick in addition to seven other well-known sites, according to the country’s online safety commissioner.

The social media ban will go into effect on December 10 and will also restrict access to Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, Threads, TikTok, X and YouTube, Communications Minister Anika Wells said on Wednesday.

“Online platforms use technology to target children with chilling control. We are merely asking that they use that same technology to keep children safe online,” Wells said.

“We have met with several of the social media platforms in the past month so that they understand there is no excuse for failure to implement this law,” Wells told reporters in Canberra.

“We want children to have a childhood, and we want parents to have peace of mind,” she said.

Social media platforms have had 12 months to prepare for the ban since Australia passed its landmark online safety legislation in November last year.

Initial discussions focused primarily around Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, TikTok, X and YouTube, but the list was later expanded, and Wells said the list could continue to change.

While more than 140 Australian and international academics signed an open letter to Prime Minister Anthony Albanese last year opposing the age limit ban as a “blunt” instrument, Canberra’s move is being closely watched by countries that share concerns about the impacts of online platforms on children.

“Delaying children’s access to social media accounts gives them valuable time to learn and grow, free of the powerful, unseen forces of harmful and deceptive design features such as opaque algorithms and endless scroll,” eSafety Commissioner Julie Inman Grant said.

Inman Grant said she would work with academics to evaluate the impact of the ban, including whether children sleep or interact more or become more physically active as a result of the restrictions on using social media.

“We’ll also look for unintended consequences, and we’ll be gathering evidence” so others can learn from Australia’s ban, Inman Grant said.

Critics have questioned how the restrictions will be enforced because users cannot be “compelled” to submit government IDs for an age check, according to a government fact sheet.

Discussions are under way with platforms about how to comply with the new rules, the commissioner said, while failure to comply could lead to civil fines of up to 49.5 million Australian dollars (US$32.1m).

TikTok investigated over youth suicide

News that Australia would add more names to the list of banned platforms came as French authorities said they had opened an investigation into the social media platform TikTok and the risks of its algorithms pushing young people into suicide.

Paris prosecutor Laure Beccuau said the probe was in response to a parliamentary committee’s request to open a criminal inquiry into TikTok’s possible responsibility for endangering the lives of its young users.

Beccuau said a report by the committee had noted “insufficient moderation of TikTok, its ease of access by minors and its sophisticated algorithm, which could push vulnerable individuals towards suicide by quickly trapping them in a loop of dedicated content”.

TikTok did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The Paris police cybercrime unit will look into the offence of providing a platform for “propaganda in favour of products, objects, or methods recommended as means of committing suicide”, which is punishable by three years in prison.

The unit will also look into the offence of enabling “illegal transactions by an organised gang”, punishable by 10 years in prison and a fine of 1 million euros ($1.2m).

With more than 1.5 billion users worldwide, TikTok, owned by China-based ByteDance, has come under fire from governments in Europe and the United States in recent years.

Concerns raised over the platform have included content encouraging suicide, self-harm or an unhealthy body image as well as its potential use for foreign political interference.

A TikTok spokesman told the French news agency AFP in September that the company “categorically rejects the deceptive presentation” by French MPs, saying it was being made a “scapegoat” for broader societal issues.

This picturesque island off of the coast of Northern Ireland stands out for its unique charm and natural beauty, as it sits completely isolated from the rest of the UK

Tucked away and untouched by mass tourism, this remote island provides the perfect retreat for anyone wanting to reconnect with nature and breathe in the crisp coastal air.

Rathlin Island boasts an incredible array of wildlife, making it an idyllic destination in Northern Ireland for birdwatching and walking, with a tranquillity that only a community of just 150 residents could provide. And yet, they share their home with tens of thousands of seabirds.

The Rathlin Seabird Centre provides a magnificent vantage point to watch the delightful antics of puffins, razorbills and kittiwakes in their natural surroundings. Additionally, seals are frequently spotted basking on the rocks, whilst Irish hares and mink can be seen wandering across the terrain.

One visitor shared their experience on TripAdvisor, saying: “The beautiful and peaceful place. Very little tourism, but it’s not needed; everything is basic, normal everyday life. It’s so simple just to walk the island.

“We have done this on several occasions and walk to each lighthouse. I recommend getting the bus to the bird sanctuary, as it’s quite a walk and very hilly. The scenery is like you will never have seen before.”, reports Belfast Live.

Thanks to the distinctive shape of this small island, it features three stunning lighthouses, each with its own character. Next to the seabird centre stands the West Lighthouse, renowned for being Ireland’s only upside-down lighthouse and an essential stop on any visit.

The East Lighthouse, Rathlin’s oldest, stands tall on the edge of a cave that is steeped in history. It’s said that this very cave was the refuge of Robert the Bruce in 1306 after his defeat in Scotland.

Legend tells us that while hiding away, he found inspiration from a spider to continue his fight for Scottish independence. This tale has forever linked him with the island, and many visitors come to pay their respects at the cave, gazing out towards Scotland from Rathlin.

One satisfied visitor said: “The scenery is mind-blowing, and taking the bus up to the lighthouse and bird sanctuary was fantastic. So much to see, and not just puffins. Lots of other nesting birds, plus the old upside-down lighthouse. Just very cool.”

Another tourist wrote: “A perfect day on an idyllic and unspoilt island. From start to finish… from the scenic crossing to the cold drink at McCuaig’s bar overlooking the swimmers and paddle boarders in Church Bay (at the end of a long walk on a sunny day), Rathlin has everything you could desire.”

However, the only way to reach Rathlin Island is by ferry from Ballycastle Harbour. You have two options: a passenger-only ferry that takes about 25-30 minutes, or a larger ferry that accommodates both people and cars, which takes up to 45 minutes.

Cecile Kohler, 41, and her partner, Jacques Paris, 72, had been jailed on charges of spying for France and Israel.

Iran has released two French nationals imprisoned for more than three years on spying charges their families rejected, French President Emmanuel Macron has said, though it remains uncertain when they would be allowed to return home.

Expressing “immense relief”, Macron said on X on Wednesday that Cecile Kohler, 41, and her partner Jacques Paris, 72 – the last French citizens officially known to be held in Iran – had been released from Evin prison in northern Tehran and were on their way to the French embassy.

He welcomed this “first step” and said talks were under way to ensure their return to France as “quickly as possible”.

The pair were arrested in May 2022 while visiting Iran. France had denounced their detention as “unjustified and unfounded”, while their families say the trip had been purely touristic in nature.

Both teachers, although Paris is retired, were among a number of Europeans caught up in what activists and some Western governments, including France, describe as a deliberate strategy of “hostage-taking” by Iran to extract concessions from the West.

Iranian Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei said they had been granted “conditional release” on bail by the judge in charge of the case and “will be placed under surveillance until the next stage of the judicial proceedings”.

French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot told France 2 TV they were in “good health” at the French ambassador’s residence but declined to give details on when they would be allowed to leave Iran.

Their Paris-based legal team told the AFP news agency in a statement that the release had “ended their arbitrary detention which lasted 1,277 days”.

The release comes at a time of acute sensitivity in dealings between Tehran and the West in the wake of the US-Israel 12-day war in June against Iran and the reimposition of United Nations sanctions in the standoff over the Iranian nuclear programme, which the country insists is purely for civilian purposes.

Some Iranians are concerned that Israel will use the sanctions, which are already causing further economic duress in the country, as an excuse to attack again, as it used the resolution issued by the global nuclear watchdog in June as a pretext for a war that was cheered by Israeli officials and the public alike.

The French pair’s sentences on charges of spying for France and Israel, issued last month after a closed-door trial, amounted to 17 years in prison for Paris and 20 years for Kohler.

Concern grew over their health after they were moved from Evin following an Israeli attack on the prison during the June war.

Kohler was shown in October 2022 on Iranian television in what activists described as a “forced confession”, a practice relatively common for detainees in Iran, which rights groups say is equivalent to torture.

Her parents, Pascal and Mireille, told AFP in a statement that they felt “immense relief” that the pair were now in a “little corner of France”, even if “all we know for now is that they are out of prison”.

France had filed a case with the International Court of Justice (ICJ) over their detention, saying they were held under a policy that “targets French nationals travelling in or visiting Iran”.

But in September, the ICJ suddenly dropped the case at France’s request, prompting speculation that closed-door talks were under way between the two countries for their release.

Iran has said the duo could be freed as part of a swap deal with France, which would also see the release of Iranian Mahdieh Esfandiari.

Esfandiari was arrested in France in February on charges of promoting “terrorism” on social media, according to French authorities.

Scheduled to go on trial in Paris from January 13, she was released on bail last month in a move welcomed by Tehran.

Barrot declined to comment when asked by France 2 if there had been a deal with Tehran.

Among the Europeans still jailed by Iran is Swedish-Iranian academic Ahmadreza Djalali, who was sentenced to death in 2017 on espionage charges his family vehemently rejects.

Pickpocketing is a major issue in popular tourist cities such as Barcelona, but it’s not Spain that tops the list as the prime location for this slick-fingered crime

While Barcelona is infamous for its high levels of pickpocketing, it’s not Spain that takes the crown as the prime hotspot for this nimble-fingered crime. Despite pickpocketing being a major issue – particularly for tourists – in Barcelona, the problem is rampant across Europe and beyond, with one European holiday destination dubbed the “worst” for light-fingered theft.

In tourist-heavy areas, holidaymakers must be extra vigilant with their belongings, especially in airports, train stations, underground systems, hotel lobbies or even while strolling down certain streets. UK travel insurance firm Quotezone.co.uk revealed last year that it had pinpointed where travellers were most likely to fall prey to pickpockets, singling out a location visited by 3.5 million Brits each year.

Tourists have corroborated the research with reviews on one particular visitor hotspot warning of “a lot of pickpockets in the area”. Data gathered by Quotezone showed that Italy was the prime spot where tourists are likely to be separated from their possessions by nimble-fingered thieves.

Rome’s iconic Trevi Fountain has been flagged as a hotbed for pickpocketing, with the landmark boasting over 100,000 reviews – and hundreds of mentions of “pickpockets” on TripAdvisor, reports the Express.

As a site that becomes packed from spring through to summer, visitors are cautioned to “be careful” at this “beautiful” Roman landmark.

One disgruntled holidaymaker took to TripAdvisor to vent: “You have to elbow your way to the front of the fountain. Many people gather in front and sit for hours, so sitting is almost impossible.

“We didn’t spend more than 15 minutes. Be aware of pick pockets, as you are body to body in front and around the fountain.”

Another tourist, also reviewing on TripAdvisor, described a “beautiful fountain” but warned that the area was “extremely crowded”, cautioning others to “beware of this area” due to “lots of scams and pick pockets”.

According to research by Quotezone, Italy tops the list as the prime hotspot for pickpockets, closely followed by France, with the Eiffel Tower in Paris being particularly notorious.

Currently, Google reviews of the Eiffel Tower reveal over 800 visitors citing pickpockets as a problem – and the area is swamped with tourists throughout the year.

One Google reviewer shared their experience, describing the Eiffel Tower as “enormous and breathtaking”, but they also issued a warning.

The visitor penned: “It’s a very popular place, so expect big crowds; people from all over the world gather here to admire the monument and take in the scenery.

“Because of that volume of visitors, be mindful of your belongings. Pickpockets operate in crowded tourist spots, and there are street hustles and game scammers who may try to distract you or pressure you into playing quick ‘games’ that aren’t fair.”

The reviewer added: “Keep bags zipped and close, avoid carrying valuables in easily accessible pockets, and politely decline invitations from anyone hawking games or insisting you join impromptu activities.”

Quotezone’s comprehensive European pickpocketing index has revealed Italy as the top spot, with France coming in second and Spain taking third place. These rankings are based on mentions of “pickpockets” or “stolen” per million visitors.

The researchers reached their conclusions by analysing the number of mentions of “pickpocketing” or “stolen” on traveller review websites for Europe’s top destinations, compared to the number of visitors to each country.

Greg Wilson, founder and CEO of Quotezone.co.uk, warned: “Theft can happen anywhere, and tourist hotspots are convenient places for criminals to target holidaymakers’ wallets and purses while they are busy taking in the sites.

“Many holidaymakers are unaware that some of the most popular destinations for Brits have some of the highest incidents of pickpocketing in Europe.

“Our research revealed some surprising results with Italy having the most pickpocketing mentions, yet France and Spain have much larger volumes of tourists.”

According to data from Quotezone, the “worst” European countries for pickpocketing are:

1. Italy
2. France
3. Spain
4. Germany
5. Netherlands
6. Portugal
7. Turkey
8. Greece
9. Poland
10. Republic of Ireland

Coronation Street fans believe Becky Swain may have bugged Carla Connor’s home in a bid to get dirt on her and split her and Lisa Swain up, with her intent on getting her family back

Viewers are concerned for Carla Connor on Coronation Street, with fears that Becky Swain is targeting her.

While it’s clear Becky is trying to oust ‘love rival’ Carla from her ex Lisa Swain’s life, in a bid to win her back, new scenes have teased she could be planning something sinister. A scene on Monday night left fans baffled, and alarmed after Becky made an odd comment.

Becky was winding Carla up, trying to tell her Lisa was still in love with her and that they would get back together. Carla very calmly made it clear to Becky that Lisa only had eyes for her, and they would stay together as Becky’s old life was gone.

It seems Becky is a little delusional though, smugly telling Carla that “it was all in the eyes” and that Lisa kissed her, even wearing a top she bought her years ago. Carla was stunned at just how wrong Becky was getting it all, reminding her that she and Lisa were together in their new home, and that Becky was her past.

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It’s then that Becky started making jibes at Carla’s own past, referencing stuff about her exes and her alcohol issues. It’s stuff Becky and even Lisa were not around for, and Becky shouldn’t really know about.

She is a police officer so perhaps she did some digging, but chances are she’s not allowed at the police station. Perhaps Betsy told her about the stuff, if she knows any of it.

Becky also made a comment in a different scene, this time to Lisa where she commented that if Carla wasn’t around, they’d be back together. The way Becky said it was almost the same as what Carla had said to Lisa prior.

It left fans wondering if Becky had bugged Carla’s house, and was listening into conversations. One fan posted online: “Oh so Becky’s bugged No.6 then… ‘if she wasn’t around…you don’t have to say it, it’s enough for me just to know’. HOW DO YOU KNOW?????

“And using that very specific wording that… the same that Carla used the night before?? That can’t just be coincidence?” Another fan agreed: “Ohhhh, you could be into something with this!!”

A third fan said: “Oh she has defo planted bugs 100% there is no way she said that line the exact way Carla said it as a coincidence.” A fourth fan added: “That is why we have the bedroom set? Scene of her watching them and listening in.”

The comments kept being repeated, with one fan said: “Exactly… How else would she know those words plus knowing full well Carla said this to Lisa, she heard it.” A final tweet said: “Wouldn’t be surprised.”

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This was Newcastle’s first European campaign since 1977.

It was also their first since the ban on English clubs playing on the continent after the Heysel Stadium disaster had been lifted in 1990.

There was still a reasonable police presence in Bilbao on what was a national holiday.

Supporter Karl Pedley recalled how Newcastle fans were accompanied into San Mames by “full riot police, some of whom were armed”.

However, just a few minutes into the game, he noticed how “a number of them had sat down with their helmets and pads off, and were enjoying what we were doing”.

There was no edge, even after Newcastle were defeated 1-0, and Athletic fans invaded the pitch and sprinted towards the away end to applaud the travelling support.

Newcastle supporters responded by chanting “Athletic! Athletic! Athletic!” – but that was not the end of the matter.

“The police held us back for a short while and took us down a long concrete staircase into the main road,” Pedley said. “All we could see at the bottom was this mass of red and white.

“They brought us down in single file and let us go. We thought ‘oh, here we go.’ But all the Athletic fans wanted to do was shake your hand, pat you on the back and take you to a bar. It was as if they were like ‘adopt a Geordie’.

“I don’t think there was anyone in a Newcastle United shirt who didn’t get fed and watered that night. They were just really appreciative that we were enjoying their city.”

Chants were exchanged as Newcastle fans taught Athletic supporters – among others – “walking in a Keegan wonderland” and “he gets the ball and scores a goal, Andy, Andy Cole”.

Shirts and scarves were even swapped and this remains, possibly, the only occasion where a number of Newcastle supporters wore red and white, which are also the colours of bitter rivals Sunderland.

One such Athletic shirt remains a cherished memento from an away day that Newcastle fan Philip Long will never forget.

“It’s still in the wardrobe with a couple hundred of my Newcastle tops,” he said. “I’ll never let go of it.”

Nov. 5 (UPI) — European lawmakers have agreed to a fifth disbursement of $2 billion for Ukraine, supporting its financial stability and government as its defense against a Russian invasion nears its fourth year.

The European Council, the collegiate body of the 27-member bloc, adopted a decision Monday to disburse the funds under its Ukraine Facility, the EU’s main framework for sustaining Ukraine’s economy, governance and reconstruction.

The disbursement comes after Kyiv’s successful completion of nine steps required for the money to be released and one outstanding step from the fourth disbursement of $3.6 billion in August.

“The funding aims primarily to bolster Ukraine’s macro-financial stability and support the continued operation of its public administration,” the council said in a statement.

The Ukraine Facility was adopted in February 2024 and came into force the next month to provide Ukraine with up to $57.4 billion in stable financing in the form of grants and loans through 2027.

Up to $36.7 billion of the funds are earmarked for reforms and investments established in the Ukraine Plan, which will also accelerate Kyiv’s EU accession.

Under the Ukraine Facility, the EU has disbursed about $6.8 billion in bridge financing, $2.1 billion in pre-financing and now five installments of $4.8 billion, $4.1 billion, $4 billion, $3.6 billion and $2 billion on Tuesday.

The disbursement came as the European Commission, the executive branch of the bloc, published a report assessing that Ukraine has made progress in its accession process.

President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine said in a statement that the report “is the best assessment to date — proof that even as we defend against Russia’s full-scale aggression, Ukraine continues to reform and transform according to European standards.”

“Ukraine’s progress on the path to the EU is achieved by efforts of millions of our people,” he said.

“We are committed to working together to strengthen Europe and our shared values.”

The 16th-century monks of Évora knew life was short. As if to ram home the point, they decorated an entire chapel with bones dug up from the town’s overflowing cemeteries. The sign outside the Chapel of Bones roughly translates as “We bones in here wait for yours to join us”. Cheerful lot, those monks. Columns, walls, arches – all are covered in skulls, tibias, fibulas, clavicles. Rapt, I can’t stop staring, then start to chuckle when I see skulls curving round frilly frescoes of cherubim on vaulted ceilings, a whimsical touch of chintz among the ghoulishness.

Évora has me in its grip even before I come to the Chapel of Bones. This former royal city of Portuguese kings and capital of the Alentejo region has so many architectural and cultural treasures wedged within its historical centre that it’s often referred to as a living museum. But in a museum, you generally have to keep your voice down: here in Évora, there’s the buzz you get with 11,000 university students roaming round a Unesco world heritage site old town that’s encased within medieval walls.

I feel a pang of envy when I visit the 16th-century College of the Holy Spirit within the University of Évora, which is open to the public willing to pay €3 and take pot luck as to which of the ridiculously beautiful classrooms are free at that moment. My guide, Andre Birken, came to Évora from Germany as an Erasmus student years ago and decided to stay. Chilly northern Germany or laid-back southern Portugal, where even in late October it’s still 23C? Bit of a no-brainer, he tells me. He shows me classrooms decorated in the azulejo tiles for which Portugal is renowned, and where, if the lecture gets dull, you can lose yourself in bucolic blue-and-white scenes.

The ancient Romans, rather than the Greeks, left their mark on Évora in a more monumental style, including an enormous aqueduct that’s one of the first things visitors see as they approach the city. Rising in the centre of the old town are the 14 graceful Corinthian columns of the Roman temple built for emperor Augustus around the 1st century AD (and not, as is commonly assumed, dedicated to the goddess Diana). Surrounding it are buildings that typify most of the architecture here – low-slung, whitewashed, trimmed in ochre and usually sporting wrought-iron balconies. One of them is my hotel, a 15th-century former convent turned into the Pousada del Convento Évora. Every cobbled lane in the old town has this same style of architecture, and I find its uniformity immensely pleasing and harmonious – the white reflecting the sun, the mustardy ochre reminding me of the landscapes of the Alentejo around me, whose brownness is dotted with olive groves and cork forests.

And vineyards, of course, all of them blazing with autumnal colours. Alentejo is one of Portugal’s major wine regions, and its subregion of Baixo Alentejo will be 2026’s European Wine City. About 10 minutes’ drive from Évora is Fitapreta Winery, the brainchild of the innovative Portuguese winemaker António Maçanita and the British viticulturist David Booth. In 2015, Maçanita bought an old fortified manor house that had been in the same family since the 14th century, resurrecting ancient grape varieties, planting new vineyards and sticking to organic production. It’s an idyllic spot for a leisurely wine-tasting, followed by an even more leisurely lunch.

Within the modern winery (its facade clad in cork in a nod to Portugal’s millions of cork forests), André Alves leads me through a tasting of five of the winery’s 22 varieties – all indigenous. A deliciously bone-dry rosé (amusingly named Freshly Squeezed), a fresh-tasting orange-type wine that technically wasn’t an orange wine (A Laranja Mecânica) and the very elegant red Enxarrama all made me wish I had room to stash these in my luggage.

This is only the preamble. Sommelier Francisco Cunha of the winery’s A Cozinha do Paço restaurant then guides me into the part of the manor house that was originally the chapel, and whose galleried upper floor is one of the many atmospheric spots where they serve a seven-course lunch that deserves some serious Michelin attention. Braised fennel and a gorgeous sheep’s milk cheese sauce with turbot, and the famed black pig of the Alentejo paired with a cauliflower cream quenelle were exquisite.

In fact, excellent food is a given in Alentejo. At Enoteca Cartuxa near the Roman temple, they serve their own wines to go with plates of thin buttery slices of cured black pig and chorizo; not to mention the sublime Monte da Vinha sheep’s milk cheese that’s as gooey and as good as an Époisses. The venerable Restaurante Fialho comes out with classic Alentejo dishes done expertly: pigs’ cheeks braised in red wine melt in the mouth, and pork and clams unite in a piquant red peppery stew.

Évora’s food and wine alone make it a worthy holder of the 2027 European Capital of Culture title, even without its architectural marvels. Then again, Évora Cathedral is magnificent, with a typical mishmash of architectural styles, from romanesque and gothic to Renaissance and baroque. From here, it’s almost a rite of passage to walk down the narrow pedestrianised Rua Cinco de Outubro and its souvenir and craft shops wedged into white and yellow houses. Yes, it’s touristy, but delightful nonetheless, with cork handbags and ceramics actually made in Portugal.

This takes me to Évora’s historical heart, Praça do Giraldo, an expansive square filled with cafe terraces, arcaded shops, more of those lovely wrought-iron balconies and a huge 16th-century marble fountain that instantly grabs your attention. This is the spot for lazy and mild autumn mornings with a coffee and a pastel de nata custard tart or a cheesy tart called queijada de Évora, before heading off in search of more of the town’s oddities.

One in particular catches my eye: the row of very cute houses built under the 16th-century aqueduct Água de Prata, in the north-western part of the old town. I need more time here, yet I end up following the tourist trail out of Évora for a morning in the hilltop village of Monsaraz, right by the Spanish border. Here, in this all-white village, where craft boutiques and wine shops attract the tourists, it feels less real, more toytown. It’s all very pretty, and I even get a closer look at the beaches of Alqueva, western Europe’s largest artificial lake, just outside the village.

But I was missing Évora, which manages to hold on to its mellowness despite the growing number of tourists. I recall a chat with my guide, Andre, who mentioned the number of people who take day trips from Lisbon (only 90-odd minutes away) and tour groups who stop for a night or two. But they need four, five days, maybe a week, he says, to get the most out of it. I’m inclined to agree, as these too-short days fly by and I don’t get round to following the nature trails out of the town, or visiting all of the museums, or having another lazy coffee and eating a pastel de nata in the sunshine. Those monks were right: life really is too short.

The trip was provided by Kirker Holidays, which has three-night breaks at Pousada Convento Évora in November from £819pp, including breakfast, car hire and flights, although rail options are also available. Further information: visitalentejo.pt

Bayern Munich remain top of the league standings after staging a road win over reigning champions Paris Saint-Germain.

Bayern Munich have made it 16 wins from 16 games this season to underline their credentials as early UEFA Champions League favourites, beating holders Paris Saint-Germain 2-1 away as Luis Diaz scored two goals and was shown a red card.

The Colombian winger struck twice on Tuesday before being sent off for a violent tackle on Achraf Hakimi on the stroke of half-time.

PSG, who reduced the arrears through Joao Neves, dominated possession after the break but failed to make it fully count and slipped to their first defeat in the competition since last season’s quarterfinal second leg against Aston Villa.

The result kept Bayern top of the 36-team league on a maximum 12 points with PSG in third, three points adrift and with more injury concerns after Hakimi and Ousmane Dembele were replaced early.

“Most importantly I hope that it’s not too bad for Hakimi. We went through this in the US [at the Club World Cup against PSG] with [Jamal] Musiala,” Bayern coach Vincent Kompany said at a news conference.

“What I tell players is that when there’s some hype, don’t believe it. We’ve won 16, but from tomorrow onwards, it’s back to zero. Nobody has won the Champions League today.”

His PSG counterpart, Luis Enrique, echoed that point of view, saying: “Today’s standings mean nothing. What matters is February, March, April, May.”

“It’s always hard to lose at home. We need to assert ourselves and play better. We faced a well-organised team, especially physically. We couldn’t get our game going,” PSG captain Marquinhos said.

“There are still some positives to take from this match. The team remain ambitious, but we have to do better. They were superior to us. In the second half, we were on top, but it was after the red card.”

Ten-man Bayern hold on for dramatic victory

Dembele made his first Champions League start of the season, but his night was short-lived, the France forward being replaced by Lee Kang-in after 25 minutes.

PSG, who had beaten Bayern 2-0 in the Club World Cup quarterfinals in July, came out flying with their trademark high pressing but were caught cold in the fourth minute when Diaz smashed home after Lucas Chevalier had parried Michael Olise’s effort.

Dembele thought he had levelled midway through the half, only for his goal to be ruled out for offside as PSG pressed but looked unusually fragile at the back.

Moments later, Manuel Neuer pulled off a spectacular save to deny Bradley Barcola, who had raced to a pinpoint long ball from Fabian Ruiz.

Bayern stayed a step ahead, and after Serge Gnabry struck the post, Diaz pounced on a sleepy Marquinhos to steal the ball and slot home a second in the 32nd minute.

Diaz’s evening ended abruptly just before half-time when he was shown a straight red card for a brutal lunge on Hakimi, who limped off in tears with a suspected ankle injury.

Long possession spells ensued for PSG in the second half, but the hosts lacked a cutting edge until the 74th minute when substitute Neves reduced the arrears with a spectacular scissor kick from Lee’s cross.

Neves came close to levelling a few minutes later with a header as PSG further increased the pressure. Despite the hosts’ late flurry, Bayern held firm.

HER sixth album Brat topped the charts and won her five Brit Awards, but Charli XCX feared her label was going to drop her over it because it is so out there.

In a new interview, she explained: “I think when I was making it, I wasn’t thinking about the response at all.

“I actually made this record being like, ‘OK, I’m just going to do this one for me.

“And maybe I’m going to get dropped by my label and that’s fine’.

“That was kind of the headspace that I was in.

“There’s a lot of luck with timing and the way that culture is moving.

TAKING SWIPES

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“I think when I released this record, it’s like people were wanting something that felt very real and messy.

“And I think that’s just the way that culture was swinging.”

Charli previously suggested she was going to have a lengthy break from music following the success of the record, released in June last year, but she has now teased that she’s working on “inherently different” tracks.

The Guess singer continued: “I’m really interested to see what comes next in pop culture, especially in the music space, what people are ­craving.

“I really like to work in contrast. I think whatever I do next will just inherently be different to Brat because that’s what feels natural.

“I’m exploring a lot of stuff with strings at the moment, which I’m really enjoying and I haven’t really worked in that space before.”

And with a series of movies on the way — including Faces Of Death and I Want Your Sex, Charli said she is committed to becoming an actress.

Speaking to Gwyneth Paltrow on her Goop podcast, she said: “I’ve been making music since I was 14.

“And don’t get me wrong, I love making music, but I think there was just a point where I was kind of like, OK, I really need to exercise my creativity in a different way.

“I don’t actually really listen to that much music ever. I never really have.

“But what I am doing is I’m always watching films.”

And Charli also reflected on the prospect of starting a family, having mused on her indecision about ­becoming a mother on her song I Think About It All The Time, which was on the Brat album.

The Brit, who wed The 1975 drummer George Daniel in July, said: “There is, I think, still a bit of stigma perhaps around women who don’t really want to have ­children, you know, and I think for me it’s like I’m always swinging between the two.

“Right now, I’m on the side of, like, actually I’m not sure that that is for me, but that could go back.”

BENSON BACK

BENSON BOONE shook off illness and returned to the stage for a killer sold-out show at London’s O2 Arena.

The American singer had to cancel his gig in Birmingham on Saturday after struggling with his voice but he was on song on Monday when he sailed through tracks including Sorry I’m Here For Someone Else, Young American Heart and Mr Electric Blue along with a cover of Coldplay‘s Sparks.

Welcoming out his friend and photographer McLean Long to the stage armed with a T-shirt cannon, Benson said: “Every night I sing one song that is a cover song.

“I love this song very much, so we’re going to have a friend come out and help us figure out which song we’re singing.”

Another poignant moment in the evening came when Benson performed In The Stars, which he wrote as a tribute to his great-grandmother who died aged 96.

Benson said: “I think the loveliest thing about this song is this is a song about me, about my life.

“My experiences, somebody that I know, something I felt, something I went through, but when you listen to it it’s no longer about me, it’s about you.”

RITA’S A PINK LADY

THERE was no missing Rita Ora in this pink dress at the Music Industry Trusts Awards, but it was Jessie J who stole the show with an amazing rendition of Whitney Houston‘s I Have Nothing.

Speaking at the ceremony on Monday night, Jessie referenced her breast cancer diagnosis and said: “This is one of my favourite songs to sing. There is no hiding in this song. It’s very exposing.

“This year has changed my whole world – my perspective, what battles I’m going to pick.

“You know, death comes knocking at your door and you kind of dance and f***ing kick it away.

“It just changes everything.

““I will say this, I don’t care how old you are or how long you have been doing this, enjoy your f***ing life.

“Be kind to each other.”

Ashley Tabor-King, founder of Global Media, whose radio stations include Heart and Capital, was honoured on the night, with video messages from Ed Sheeran and Taylor Swift.

Rita flew in especially from Los Angeles to perform, and Olly Murs was there for a night out after becoming a dad for a second time.

“Albert is nine weeks old now,” Olly said.

“Another one next year? We are happy with two at the moment.

“Who knows, in a few years’ time we will see.

“I have got time next year to spend a bit more time with the family.

“It has been a busy few years.”

KATY HAS A POP AT BLOOM

KATY PERRY is returning with a new single tomorrow and it sounds as though it will hint heavily at her split from Orlando Bloom.

The Roar singer announced the track Bandaids last night, following a tricky year which saw her break-up with the English actor after almost a decade, and start dating ex-Canadian PM Justin Trudeau.

Insiders have claimed she worked on it with top writer and producer Cirkut, who worked on her No1s Part Of Me and Roar, as well as Greg Kurstin, who co-wrote Adele’s heartbreak singles Hello and Easy On Me.

Last night, Katy played the latest show on her Lifetimes tour in Paris, ahead of the end of the 91-show jaunt next month.

I’M imploring the BBC to put cash behind another series of Daisy May Cooper‘s brilliant TV series This Country.

Daisy told Fearne Cotton on her Happy Place podcast: “It’s difficult and we get asked all the time.

“If we got paid enough to do another series, we’d f***ing do it but that’s all it comes down to.”

Tim Davie, sort it out.

OASIS GET ONE OVER TOUTS DOWN UNDER

OASIS have scored another victory over the vile ticket touts – this time in Australia.

Thanks to the Major Events law in Victoria, ­scalpers were shut out of their three sold-out shows there.

The rules in the Australian state means that anyone flogging tickets for more than ten per cent above face value at an event ­protected by the Major Events Act faces a fine of up to £270,000.

In a statement, Noel and Liam Gallagher‘s management team told me: “It’s great to see Victoria’s Major Events declaration doing exactly what it’s meant to – Viagogo can’t list our Melbourne shows – and that’s a huge win for real fans.

“When government and the live industry work together, we can stop large-scale scalping in its tracks.

“We’d love to see other states follow Victoria’s lead so fans everywhere get a fair go.”

The success of the law means that the 180,000 tickets sold for the shows in Victoria went to genuine fans for the right price.

The brothers will play two more shows in Australia this week, with back-to-back sold-out gigs in Sydney on Friday and Saturday, before they take their Oasis Live 25 tour to South America.

COLDPLAY OFF TO CHURCH

IF you missed out on Coldplay tickets earlier this summer then fear not.

The band’s Chris Martin and Jonny Buckland have announced a one-off, intimate show on Wednesday, December 3, in aid of War Child and Crisis.

But it will be even harder to get in than catching one of their ten nights at Wembley, as it will take place at Hackney Church in East London, with a public ballot for 150 pairs of tickets is now open online.

Last year Chris and Jonny’s Hackney Church performance raised £350,000 for charity.

I’m sure kind-hearted fans will dig deep again this year.

ED-ING WHERE IT BEGAN

ED SHEERAN headed back to Dublin for a special ­concert to celebrate his songs which had clocked up more than one billion streams.

And he had plenty to pick from, with the star performing hits including Thinking Out Loud, Castle On The Hill, I See Fire and Galway Girl.

The gig saw the 2,000 fans packed into Industries Hall at the Royal Society Dublin going wild – and I got to join them after my lovely friends at Spotify flew me out on Monday.

Speaking at his Billions Club Live set, Ed said: “The reason I wanted to do it in Dublin is this is the place where I decided I wanted to be a singer- songwriter when I was a kid.

“It’s a special place for me with my family but it’s also a ­special place for me musically.

“I feel like this is where it all began.”

Ed also used his time on stage to remind the crowd that he last headlined Glastonbury back in 2017, which makes me think he’s a sure-fire bet to return to Worthy Farm in 2027 to ­mark ten years.

Watch this space.

FESTIVE FEELS

John Lewis reveals tear-jerker Xmas ad set to nostalgic 90s house track

TRAFFIC CARNAGE

Major motorway shut with TWO-HOUR delays after crash between lorry & van

ARIANA GRANDE was forced to miss the world premiere of Wicked: For Good in Brazil last night after a safety issue with her private jet.

She was on board her plane to fly to Sao Paulo yesterday but had to get off when a fault was found, leaving her “beyond devastated” because there was no other way to make the journey in time.

HIGH SCHOOL GIRLS VOLLEYBALL

CITY SECTION PLAYOFFS
TUESDAY’S RESULTS
Semifinals

OPEN DIVISION
#1 Venice d. #5 El Camino Real, 25-13, 19-25, 25-21, 25-22
#2 Palisades d. #6 Taft, 25-17, 17-25, 25-23, 25-19

DIVISION I
#1 LA University d. #4 LA Marshall, 3-2
#3 Granada Hills Kennedy d. #2 Grant, 15-25, 25-17, 25-21, 16-25, 15-8

WEDNESDAY’S SCHEDULE
(Matches at 7 p.m. unless noted)
Semifinals

DIVISION II
#5 North Hollywood at #1 East Valley
#6 Maywood CES at #2 Mendez

DIVISION III
#12 New West Charter at #1 Panorama
#3 Chavez at #2 Sun Valley Poly

DIVISION IV
#13 Fairfax at #1 Marquez
#7 South East at #3 Huntington Park

DIVISION V
#9 Santee at #5 Legacy
#11 Sotomayor at #7 Jefferson

FINALS SCHEDULE
Friday, Nov. 7
At Southwest College
Division V — 5:15 p.m.
Open Division — 7:30 p.m.

Saturday, Nov. 8
At Birmingham High
Division IV — 10 a.m.
Division III — 12:30 p.m.
Division II —3:15 p.m.
Division I — 6 p.m.

Southern Gaza witnesses raids, intensive artillery shelling as Israel continues its attacks, violating the ceasefire.

Tori Spelling and Dean McDermott are putting their married days behind them. The estranged pair settled their divorce Monday, two years after going their separate ways.

The “Beverly Hills, 90210” star and McDermott have entered a “written agreement regarding their property and their marriage,” according to a declaration filed Monday in Los Angeles County Superior Court. Details about that agreement, including custody and visitation, were not disclosed but court documents confirm the parents of five consider their divorce as an “uncontested” matter.

Court documents reveal that Spelling, 52, checked boxes requesting child support and spousal support “should be ordered” pending the judge’s approval. She also requested her legal fees to be covered.

Spelling and Canadian actor McDermott, 58, separated in June 2023 after 17 years of marriage. The TV star, born Victoria D. Spelling, filed her petition for divorce in March 2024, citing irreconcilable differences. The exes married in May 2006 and share children Liam, Stella, Hattie, Finn and Beau, who range in age from 8 to 18. When she filed her petition, Spelling requested sole physical custody of the children and joint legal custody and visitation rights for McDermott.

The “True Tori” star got candid about her decision to file for divorce during an episode of her “misSPELLING” podcast, telling listeners she was cautious about her split with McDermott taking an acrimonious turn and reflecting on how their relationship went the distance, despite outside skepticism early on. Before tying the knot, Spelling and McDermott were previously married to actor Charlie Shanian and actor-singer Mary Jo Eustace, respectively.

“And we got together and people were like, ‘Oh, I give it six months,’ and we always say, ‘Oh, we made it 18 years.’ It shouldn’t have made it 18 years and I think he would say the same thing,” she said last year. “If he and I had a real heart-to-heart, it would’ve been over a lot sooner.”

During the podcast episode, she spoke about their rocky relationship, recalling “red flags” and moving on with the marriage despite them.

McDermott had also spoken candidly about his marriage to Spelling months after news of their separation broke.

“All Tori’s ever done to this day is want me to be happy and healthy and I inflicted a lot of damage and pain on that woman,” he told the Daily Mail in November 2023. “It’s going to be living the rest of my life making amends because I took something that was really beautiful and I just tore it down year after year, day after day.”

Amid their divorce, the former spouses seemingly remained friendly. Spelling told People last year she and McDermott are “good friends” and that he remains “one of my biggest supporters.” Earlier this year, she honored McDermott with a Father’s Day post.

“Happy Father’s Day to my baby daddy and rad co- parent,” she captioned a pair of family photos.

Times editorial library director Cary Schneider and former staff writer Nardine Saad contributed to this report.

Tottenham say they are supporting Destiny Udogie after confirming the Italy defender was allegedly threatened with a gun by a football agent.

On Monday, BBC Sport reported an unnamed Premier League footballer was targeted in London on 6 September.

Another man is also alleged to have been blackmailed and threatened by the same individual during the incident in question. No injuries were reported.

The Metropolitan police, who are investigating, said a 31-year-old man was arrested on 8 September on suspicion of possession of firearms with intent, blackmail and driving without a licence. He has been bailed while enquiries continue.

In a statement on Tuesday, Spurs said: “We have been providing support for Destiny and his family since the incident and will continue to do so. Given this is a legal matter, we cannot comment any further.”

The 22-year-old Udogie joined Spurs from Udinese for £15m on a five-year deal in the summer of 2022, before immediately returning to the Serie A club on a season-long loan.

He returned to Tottenham for the start of the 2023-24 campaign and has made 76 appearances for the club.

The Italian has played 10 times this season, including Tuesday night’s 4-0 win over Copenhagen in the league phase of the Champions League.

Nov. 4 (UPI) — President Donald Trump tapped Jared Isaacman to lead NASA on Tuesday just months after withdrawing his nomination of the billionaire entrepreneur to lead the space agency.

Trump announced the reversal in a social media post praising Isaacman who has twice flown to space on private missions.

“Jared’s passion for Space, astronaut experience, and dedication to pushing the boundaries of exploration, unlocking the mysteries of the universe, and advancing the new space economy, make him ideally suited to lead NASA into a bold new era,” Trump wrote.

However, Trump did not explain his aboutface on Isaacman, who saw his nomination withdrawn in May just ahead of the Senate’s confirmation vote. At the time, Trump cited a “thorough review of prior associations” as the reason for withdrawing Isaacman’s nomination.

Isaacman is a commercial astronaut who has ties to SpaceX, a space transportation and aeronautics company headed by business titan Elon Musk. Trump withdrew Isaacman’s nomination the same day Musk left the White House after his stint running the Department of Government Efficiency.

Musk’s departure precipitated a very public rift with Trump, who later took to social media to call his former political ally a “train wreck” who had sought to have “one of his close friends run NASA.” That close friend, Trump wrote in his post, was a “blue-blooded Democrat who had never contributed to a Republican before.”

Since withdrawing Isaacman’s nomination, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy has been serving as interim NASA administrator.

Isaacman, for his part, responded with a post on X thanking Trump and expressing gratitude to the “space-loving community.”

“To the innovators building the orbital economy, to the scientists pursuing breakthrough discoveries and to dreamers across the world eager for a return to the Moon and the grand journey beyond–these are the most exciting times since the dawn of the space age– and I truly believe the future we have all been waiting for will soon become reality,” he wrote.