A high-profile shooting incident that targeted United States President Donald Trump at the White House Correspondents’ Association dinner has raised security concerns about the country’s role as cohost of the FIFA World Cup 2026.

US authorities said on Sunday that the gunman accused of trying to storm the dinner was targeting Trump and members of his administration.

The suspect — who was armed with a shotgun, a handgun, and multiple knives — rushed a US Secret Service checkpoint at the Washington Hilton hotel and managed to shoot a law enforcement officer, although the suspect himself was not struck by gunfire.

The incident is seen as a major breach of security by football fans around the globe, millions of whom will follow their teams at the World Cup tournament, which the US will cohost June 11-19 with Canada and Mexico.

Here’s what fans and experts are saying about the incident and how it could affect their safety at the World Cup:

Will the Trump shooting impact World Cup security?

With the US hosting the majority – 78 of 104 – fixtures, it is expected to see an influx of five to 10 million football fans from around the world, many of whom have expressed concerns for their teams’, as well as their own, safety following the targeting of Trump.

“Their [US] own security service allowed a single person with a shotgun into the most secure building in the world, and missed every shot at him. How are the players going to be safe?” a fan wrote in a social media post.

Others questioned how fans and other members of the public will be safe during the tournament if the country’s president has come under attack.

This is not the first time Trump has been involved in an attempted assassination; he was injured in a shooting at a campaign rally in Pennsylvania in July 2024, and in September 2025, a suspect was convicted of plotting to kill Trump while he was playing golf in Florida a year earlier.

However, security analyst Massimiliano Montanari believes the shooting in the US capital will have “no impact” on security preparations for the World Cup.

“It’s undeniable that this shooting creates additional concerns, but with or without this shooting, the US Secret Service is keeping the highest level of attention on the president,” Montanari told Al Jazeera.

“The world is in a moment of immense pressure; several international turmoils are happening at this time, and the shooting will not change the perception of fans coming to the US,” he added.

“The US has very strong security and counterterrorism experience; I’m sure all necessary measures are in place.”

FIFA did not respond to Al Jazeera’s request for comment on World Cup security in the aftermath of the shooting in Washington.

How will Trump’s presence affect security and fan experience at the World Cup?

Fans critical of the US and its lax gun laws, which lead to hundreds of mass shootings across the country each year, say the latest security breach highlights the country’s failure to control gun violence.

Comments on social media ranged from fans questioning the US as a host to calling for the matches in the country to be cancelled altogether due to security risks.

Mass shootings are a common occurrence in the US. In 2026, the country has seen more than 126 incidents which have resulted in more than 3,100 deaths and 5,300 injuries so far, according to Gun Violence Archive, a non-profit research group.

Some critics also wondered if Trump’s likely presence at World Cup games will endanger fans and negatively impact their experience at the tournament.

“I presume Donald Trump will attend the World Cup at some point as the President of the host nation,” Kate Wilton, a social media user, noted in a post on X. “If he’s an assassination risk, surely him attending is a security risk to all those attending?”

US President Trump shares a close relationship with FIFA President Gianni Infantino and was present at the World Cup draw on December 5, 2025.

Later that month, Trump’s attendance at the US Open men’s tennis final delayed the start of the match, as hordes of tennis fans struggled to get through security checkpoints.

What does ICE presence at World Cup mean for fans?

The White House shooting also invoked a broader conversation regarding national security in the US, which has seen immigration-related crackdowns across various states.

The Trump administration’s push for mass deportation, as well as its efforts to tighten legal immigration pathways, have spurred concerns about whether the World Cup’s international audience might be targeted by US immigration authorities.

In February, US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) acting Director Todd Lyons confirmed to a committee in the House of Representatives that his agency would be on the ground for World Cup events. When questioned about visitor concerns, he declined to commit to pausing ICE operations at the matches.

“Fans should be treated as guests and clients of the event, not as a potential threat or as criminals,” Montanari, who heads the International Centre for Sport Security (ICSS), said of the border patrol agents’ presence.

He emphasised that any security officials on the ground must be deployed as discreetly as possible.

“Major global sporting events like the World Cup must remain sporting events and not security events,” he explained, adding that the elements of safety, security and service must work cohesively.

Montanari emphasised that at the previous World Cup in Qatar, where he is currently based, fans were not discriminated against for their nationalities or backgrounds, something that upcoming iterations of the event must emulate.

“I think at any World Cup, the key success factor will be the level of international or regional cooperation; no country can deliver a safe major sporting event without that.

“Securing an event is not just about securing venues, but protecting the overall community, and this involves strong partnership with the government, the business community, and civil society — a holistic effort everyone has to put together.

Last week, the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) and Amnesty International, along with more than 120 civil society groups, issued a “travel advisory” for foreigners attending the 2026 FIFA World Cup in the US due to the “deteriorating human rights situation in the US and the absence of meaningful action and concrete guarantees from FIFA, host cities, or the US government”.

The US Senate has taken the first steps towards reopening the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) – which has been partially shut down since mid-February after Democrats demanded immigration-enforcement policy changes following fatal shootings of two protesters by federal agents. The Senate approved a budget framework that would fund immigration enforcement agencies, despite opposition from the Democrats.

A UK zoo, spanning across 130 acres and home to around 30,000 animals, has been named as the best in the UK – and visitors can even spend the night at their safari style hotel

The UK’s best zoo has been named – and it’s in perfect timing ahead of the summer holidays.

Zoos have long been a beloved family day out, offering visitors the chance to admire a wide range of animals up close or to take part in unique experiences. Today, there are thought to be more than 300 licensed zoos, safari parks, and aquariums in the UK, many of which focus on animal care, education, research, and the protection of endangered species.

But there’s one zoo that has garnered particular attention. Spanning a whopping 130 acres and home to around 30,000 animals and more than 500 threatened species, it’s notably one of the biggest zoological parks in the UK.

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Chester Zoo has been officially crowned the best zoo in the UK by Tripadvisor, thanks to its consistently positive reviews from millions of visitors. The travel guidance platform found that the conservation zoo, in Upton-by-Chester, Cheshire, had a whopping 11,666 ‘excellent’ review ratings, and was also featured in Europe’s top 10 zoos and aquariums for 2026.

Not only does it provide a fantastic day out, but it’s also a nationally renowned conservation and education charity that is dedicated to preventing animal extinction. Some of its protected animals include the Sumatran orangutan, Sumatran tiger, Jaguars, Greater one-horned rhino, Sun bear, warthog, and Okapi, to name a few.

When visitors can tear themselves away from these incredible animals, there are gardens to explore, play areas, various eateries, including an on-site pub and restaurant, along with a virtual reality experience. It welcomes millions of visitors each year, and many praise Chester Zoo for its conservation efforts.

One fan wrote on TripAdvisor earlier this month: “Have been visiting this zoo since 1961 with the yearly school trips, to taking my children and now my grandchildren – I have visited many different zoos in many different countries and places, and still Chester Zoo beats them all hands down. The new African area and the lodges are amazing. The staff are all so friendly and knowledgeable – well worth a visit.”

Another shared: “Such an amazing day, was great to see the new Red Panda and due to the great weather all of the other animals were out. Lunch at the pub was amazing as it always is.”

“Forever my favourite zoo, as someone who’s visited many across the world! The emphasis on conservation is amazing and so important, staff are also lovely and very happy to chat and educate about the animals,” a third noted.

Its status as the best in the UK follows the opening of the largest UK zoo habitat, Heart of Africa, last year. The incredible expansion spans 2.5 acres, which accounts for more than 17 football pitches, and is home to 57 renowned African species.

Last summer, Chester Zoo also revealed its new hotel, The Reserve, which boasts 51 luxury African-themed lodges, offering a UK safari getaway. Every visit to Chester Zoo, whether it’s for a day or an overnight stay, helps to fund the zoo’s charitable conservation work.

Following its accolade, Jamie Christon, CEO of Chester Zoo, said: “We’re over the moon to be named the UK’s top zoo by Tripadvisor. This recognition is built entirely on genuine reviews from our visitors – and that means the world to us. I’m very proud of everyone who makes our national conservation zoo such a special place.

“Every visit to Chester Zoo directly supports our vital conservation work, both here at home and around the world, and the past year alone is a reminder of just how much that work matters. We’ve developed the world’s first vaccine for a deadly virus that threatens Asian elephants globally, we’ve officially pulled a tiny species of snail back from the brink of extinction, and right here on our doorstep, we’ve been planting thousands of new trees to create important new woodland habitat. None of that happens without the people who come through our gates – and we’re enormously grateful to every one of them.”

For more information or to book tickets to Chester Zoo, visit their website.

Do you have a travel story to share? Email webtravel@reachplc.com

With everything going on in the world right now, more people are, unsurprisingly, choosing to holiday at home. And with great cities, amazing coastlines and glorious landscapes there’s a lot to choose from. We want to hear about your favourite holidays in the UK, whether it was an urban break, under-the-radar coastal resort or a long distance hike.

The best tip of the week, chosen by Tom Hall of Lonely Planet wins a £200 voucher to stay at a Coolstays property – the company has more than 3,000 worldwide. The best tips will appear in the Guardian Travel section and website.

Keep your tip to about 100 words

If you have a relevant photo, do send it in – but it’s your words we will be judging for the competition.

We’re sorry, but for legal reasons you must be a UK resident to enter this competition.

The competition closes on Monday 4 May at 10am BST

Have a look at our past winners and other tips

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The longest sea crossing connects three major cities

Stretching 34 miles across the Pearl River Delta, the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau Bridge holds the record as the longest sea crossing ever constructed, connecting the southern Chinese cities of Hong Kong, Zhuhai and Macau. The 55km structure took nine years to build at a cost of approximately £15bn.

It has dramatically cut journey times between the three cities, transforming what was once an hour-long ferry trip into a drive of roughly 40 minutes. The bridge forms part of a broader initiative to strengthen transport links across the Greater Bay Area, a region the Chinese government is nurturing into a major economic powerhouse.

By connecting Hong Kong and Macau more directly with cities in Guangdong province, the crossing is designed to boost trade and movement throughout the region. Its construction incorporates several key elements, including a series of long-span bridges, man-made islands and connecting roads.

The main section features three navigation channel bridges – Jiuzhou, Jianghai and Qingzhou.

This was constructed to permit large vessels to pass through one of China’s most heavily trafficked shipping zones.

Engineers were required to contend with challenging conditions, including regular typhoons and a demanding marine environment, reports the Express.

The bridge employs single-column piers embedded in the seabed to minimise disruption to water flow and reduce the impact on local wildlife, including the Chinese white dolphin.

The three principal bridges feature cable-supported structures, each boasting a distinctive tower design.

These were designed to provide the crossing with a uniform yet diverse aesthetic, especially considering its prominence from land, sea and air.

The Jiuzhou Bridge maintains its original sail-shaped towers after modifications during the detailed design stage.

Engineering consultancy Arup played a role in various aspects of the scheme, including preliminary design work, artificial island construction and significant road and tunnel connections on the Hong Kong and Macau sides.

Further infrastructure associated with the crossing encompasses boundary crossing facilities and links such as the Tuen Mun-Chek Lap Kok Link, assisting in incorporating the bridge into the broader transport network.

Since its inauguration, the bridge has emerged as a vital route within the region’s transport infrastructure, demonstrating both the magnitude of China’s infrastructure objectives and the practical requirement for quicker links between its major urban centres.

MSE, founded by Martin Lewis, has shared the handy trick online

Money Saving Expert (MSE) has shared a handy trick that could help you get more items on board your next flight. This means you may not need to pay for extra luggage.

On its website, the financial experts have said that anyone flying with easyJet may be able to boost their luggage allowance in a post-security “loophole”. MSE wrote: “If you don’t want to pay for a second bag, there is a loophole to get one on for free.

“It lies in post-security shopping. In addition to your standard hand luggage allowance,easyJet allows you to take one shopping bag on board.” It directs people to the easyJet website, where it notes under ‘Accessories’ that passengers are “allowed to bring some extra things into the cabin. e.g. umbrella, overcoat, crutches, walking stick, one standard bag of goods bought at the airport.”

MSE, founded by Martin Lewis, continued: “It’s worth noting that easyJet says this must be “one standard bag of goods bought at the airport” – and of course, we’re not suggesting you purchase unnecessarily. But if you do have a carrier bag from duty-free or similar, it’ll give you some room for manoeuvre when you walk through the departure gate.

“Some passengers report they’ve been able to stuff the odd item which won’t fit in their hand luggage into it, or even a handbag – others say they’ve successfully boarded with a carrier bag they brought with them specially.” Currently, each easyJet passenger, including children and infants, may purchase up to three checked (hold) bags. A standard checked bag allows 23kg, and you can add extra weight in 3kg increments up to a maximum of 32kg per bag.

If you’re travelling with family or friends on the same booking and flight, you can combine your total weight allowance. This allowance can be distributed across all booked bags, provided no single bag exceeds 32kg. The maximum total dimensions (length + width + height) must not exceed 275cm.

This means it’s good news for travellers. If you’ve picked up a few extras after passing through security, you may now have space to bring a bit more on board.

THINK crystal clear waters, dolphin spotting and independent boutiques – well, the UK’s best seaside destination has all of this.

Less than three miles from its popular and busier neighbour – Tenby – you’ll find Saundersfoot in Pembrokeshire, Wales.

Follow The Sun’s award-winning travel team on Instagram and Tiktok for top holiday tips and inspiration @thesuntravel.

Named the best seaside spot in the UK by Time Out, it said: “Saundersfoot is one of Pembrokeshire’s most energetic spots” adding that it has a “lively spirit”.

One of the top things to do in the village is of course heading to the beach, which stretches more than half a mile long.

The Blue Flag beach is a popular spot for families as it has shallow water and boasts a lot of fun activities such as canoeing, windsurfing and swimming.

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The beach has also previously been named as one of the cleanest beaches in the world by TripAdvisor.

You might even be lucky enough to catch a glimpse of dolphins or a grey seal from the beach.

At one end of the beach you’ll find the harbour, which dates back to 1829 and was built as an industrial port to export coal from local mines.

Today, the harbour is a tourist hub for Saundersfoot, with a number of places to grab a bite to eat as well as a ship you can play crazy golf on.

If you like history, make sure to walk around the entire harbour, as at the end you’ll see Saundersfoot Lighthouse, which was built in 1848 to mark the entrance to the harbour.

From the harbour you can also hop on a boat trip with Saundersfoot Sealife Adventures to see local wildlife and Caldey Island for an hour and a half.

Each trip costs around £25 per adult and £20 per child.

Just steps away from both the beach and the harbour, you’ll find Hwyl Outdoor Sauna where you can enjoy a sauna session from just £9 per person.

Spread across a couple of roads, again just steps from the beach, there’s also the high street with independent boutiques, cafes and art studios.

Back in 2024, The Telegraph even noted how Saundersfoot is a “little-known hip town” that is the “perfect bolthole for those who want to see West Wales’s sights and lively towns but also enjoy quiet, sunset-watching downtime in the evening”.

From the village, you can head on a number of walks as well along the Pembrokeshire Coast Path, where you will see amazing views of the coastline.

And just outside of the village, you can visit Folly Farm Adventure Park and Zoo which is home to a number of animals, rides and a recently updated play area.

The Pirate Adventure has a castle and a number of accessible play areas, including low level options for wheelchair users.

You can also opt to stay at the holiday park onsite, which in November was named one of the best family campsites in South Wales by the Campsites.co.uk awards.

There are other places to stay in and around Saundersfoot though, including Sunnyvale Holiday Park.

The holiday park has 53 caravans ideal for families and is less than a mile from Saundersfoot Beach.

Facilities at the park include a games room, kids play area, hot tubs, pet-friendly options and an indoor pool.

A two-night stay in August costs from £300.

For more ideas on UK staycations, here are some cheap last-minute UK holidays still available for the May bank holiday weekends.

Plus, UK staycations are set for record high in 2026 – here’s our top holiday wish list from trendy beach resorts to historic cities.

German chancellor warns the US risks becoming bogged down in another quagmire similar to Iraq and Afghanistan.

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz says the United States is being “humiliated” in its war with Iran, warning that Washington lacks a clear path out of the conflict as Tehran gains the upper hand.

Speaking to students in the German town of Marsberg on Monday, Merz said the situation has exposed a deeper strategic problem for the US as he drew comparisons with past military debacles.

“The problem with conflicts like this is always you don’t just have to get in – you have to get out again. We saw that very painfully in Afghanistan for 20 years. We saw it in Iraq,” he said.

Merz said Iranian officials were “obviously negotiating very skilfully” and appeared “clearly stronger than one thought”, adding that “an entire nation is being humiliated by the Iranian leadership”, particularly by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.

Merz urged a rapid end to the war, warning that the fallout was already hitting Germany’s economy.

“It is, at the moment, a pretty tangled situation,” he said. “And it is costing us a great deal of money. This conflict, this war against Iran, has a direct impact on our economic output.”

The German leader said Berlin remains ready to deploy minesweepers to help secure shipping routes through the Strait of Hormuz, a vital artery for global petroleum supplies, but stressed that such steps depend on a cessation of hostilities.

Merz made the comments as concerns are growing across Europe over the wider impact of the conflict, including energy disruptions and economic instability.

Earlier, German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul warned that nuclear threats continue to shape the security environment, even as Berlin reaffirmed its commitment to nonproliferation.

“As long as nuclear threats against us and our partners continue, we will need a credible deterrent,” he said before meetings at the United Nations on the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons.

France and Germany have recently moved to deepen cooperation on nuclear deterrence, reflecting mounting anxiety in Europe over both the Iran war and broader regional instability.

SHERIDAN Smith has today revealed how she was once kicked off a plane for being “too drunk”.

The I Fought The Law actress, 43, also revealed how she annoyed the cabin crew so much, they “left her behind” in Florida.

Talking on Alan Carr‘s Life’s a Beach podcast, the host asked the much-loved star: “Have you missed flights before and all that?”

Replying, Sheridan, who is currently starring in BBC One’s The Cage, said: “Yeah. I went to Florida to watch my mate boxing.

“And they wouldn’t let me on the flight Alan.”

The Chatty Man star then asked her: “Why? Too drunk. Oh, God.”

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A mortified Sheridan then admitted: “I was too drunk. But I don’t drink now, so I can say this now.

“I can say it now and I can look back and laugh.

“But at the time, it was a nightmare because everyone else got on the flight.

“Oh, my God. I was left there!”

Meanwhile, in the same chat with Alan, Sheridan also made a saucy confession.

The star revealed she had a fling with a hunky stuntman when she filmed the drama The Castaways.

The actress played Erin, a woman who goes to Fiji to investigate the disappearance of her sister Lori, in the 2023 drama that aired on Paramount+ and was filmed in Greece.

Now she has confessed that she had a romance with Alex Anlos while filming, and it came after she split with the father of her child, Jamie Horn.

Spilling the tea, she told host Alan: “I did have a holiday romance actually. I was filming in Greece and the stuntman – I’m giving so much away – he taught me to swim, so he was holding me.

“And the next thing we did have a bit of a romance – it’s an exclusive!

“It’s so romantic and it’s the heat and the bodies are all out!”

At the time of filming, Sheridan posted a picture with Alex, which she shared on her Instagram stories.

In the cosy snap, the pair were all smiles as they posed for the behind the scenes picture.

She had penned over it: “Hanging out after stunt rehearsals with @that_stunt_dude Greece. This guy has made me look bad ass.”

Sheridan also shared another photo of them both on her feed as she captioned it: “Love filming here in Greece. With my set bff @that_stunt_dude. I was a non-swimmer till we met!”

The Gavin and Stacey star split from fiancé Jamie in 2021 after three years together.

The pair had welcomed their son Billy in May 2020 and had got engaged back in 2018, shortly after meeting on dating app Tinder.

SACRAMENTO —  Xavier Becerra seems like the type of steady, trustworthy fellow you’d like your daughter to marry. But she’s attracted to a charming party animal.

Then the flashy dude does something really stupid and repulsive. Daughter is jarred into her senses and decides to size up the unexciting but reliable guy.

That’s how I’m seeing the suddenly captivating contest to succeed termed-out Gov. Gavin Newsom.

OK, it’s not a perfect analogy. Becerra is 68, been happily married for 37 years and the couple have three grown children. But the principle’s the same: He’s the safe choice. The hot other character merely fooled lots of people for a while.

Becerra is suddenly getting a hard look because the fast-stepping, front-running Democrat Eric Swalwell revealed himself to be totally unworthy of public office.

Five women accused the married Bay Area congressman of sexual misconduct, including rape. He denied the allegations but apologized to his wife for past “mistakes in judgment.” Donors, endorsers, staffers and voters immediately fled his campaign. And he quickly slunk away.

And Becerra surged.

Why?

“People are looking for something stable,” Becerra answered when I asked. “Everybody likes pizzazz and glitter. Then all of a sudden their hero falls from grace. And they look for who they can trust.”

Dan Schnur, who teaches political communications at USC, UC Berkeley and Pepperdine, says: “Democrats had a near-death experience with Swalwell. They don’t seem to be in the mood to take more risks.”

Schnur calls Becerra “this year’s version of Joe Biden’s 2020 campaign.” He’s the safe choice. “Sometimes being ‘none of the above’ is good enough.”

Since Swalwell’s collapse, the once-floundering Becerra has had a meteoric rise in the polls.

A survey conducted for the state Democratic Party showed Becerra rising by 10 points from single digits to tying Tom Steyer, a billionaire hedge fund founder turned climate warrior. Close behind was former Orange County Rep. Katie Porter.

Those three are now the leading Democratic competitors for a slot on the November ballot. The top two vote-getters in the June 2 primary, regardless of party, will advance to the general election.

Republican former Fox News host Steve Hilton was leading the entire field in the poll, followed closely by Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco.

Steyer and Porter are both liberals in their ideology and personalities. Neither are flamethrowers, but they‘re fiery. In contrast, Becerra also is an ideological liberal, but with a low-key demeanor that might cause one to mistake him for a political moderate.

San José Mayor Matt Mahan is clearly a Democratic centrist. But in this era of intense polarization, moderation may be a hard sale. At least, it has been so far for Mahan.

Among those six Democratic and Republican candidates, Becerra boasts by far the most outstanding political resume.

He was U.S. secretary of Health and Human Services under President Biden. Before that as state attorney general, California’s mild-mannered “top cop” showed his aggressiveness by suing the first Trump administration 123 times and winning the vast majority of cases. He also served 12 terms in Congress from Los Angeles and became part of the Democratic leadership. And he served one term in the state Assembly.

That’s an impressive list. But Schnur says Becerra was “the least impressive” candidate in a 90-minute televised debate last week.

“He talked in very vague generalities,” the former political operative says, but adds: “In the middle of the other candidates’ drama and emotional outbursts, he seemed very calm and safe.”

Some pundits and pols have been calling on Becerra to show more fire. But that’s not him. He’s guarded and understated. It’s how he’s wired. If he attempted a personality change, it probably wouldn’t work. There’s a risk of it seeming contrived and phony.

But Becerra should be more specific on issues. Exactly how would he make life better for Californians?

His basic answer when asked how he’d solve a given problem pestering California is essentially: Trust me. I’ll meet with all sides and figure it out.

That’s not just a cop-out. It’s his pragmatic modus operandi.

That reserved style prompted this shot during the debate from Porter, who tends toward specificity:

“Mr. Becerra, you have all these lovely plans. But there are never any numbers, any revenue plan, any details. … The how, the why and how much, it’s all missing.”

Becerra responded with some rare emotion: “That’s very rich to hear from someone who’s never had to actually run a government.” The former Cabinet secretary said he’d balanced four federal HHS budgets that were larger than the California state budget.

I asked Becerra about some issues last week. Here’s partly what he said:

Housing costs: Expedite building by streamlining more regulations. “We’ll continue to have rules, but let’s make them smart rules.”

Gas prices: Keep more refineries from closing. “Let them know they can operate and produce and not lose money. That’s an easy one.”

High-speed rail: ”We’re going to build the bullet train, but not this bullet train. It’s too expensive. Sit everybody down and come out with a position.”

Banning new gas cars by 2035: Is Newsom’s goal realistic? “Seeing what I see, no. We can’t make it by ‘35, but we can make it.”

But let’s be honest. Elections usually turn more on likability than policy positions.

“Decency may be a quality that goes a long way” in the governor’s race, says longtime Democratic strategist Darry Sragow. “In part that’s because of the Swalwell revelations and also because of Trump, who’s not decent. Decency may be what people are looking for.”

But Democrats are riled up by Trump and they’re also demanding backbone and fight.

Many are eyeing Becerra as someone perhaps worth partnering up with. A bit more passion from him could help sustain their interest.

What else you should be reading

The must-read: The congressional landmine stirring fears about the midterm election — and a Trump power grab
Brace yourself: Voter ID controversy headed for California with initiative on November ballot
The L.A. Times Special: How a Trump-endorsed Republican could become California’s next governor

Until next week,
George Skelton

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Founded back in 1995, the team played in the then newly opened Manchester Arena as a tenant and became inaugural champions of the Ice Hockey Superleague in 1996. They also set a British ice hockey attendance record when 17,245 fans watched their game against Sheffield Steelers the following season, which still stands.

Water sustains life, but what happens when it is weaponised? In the ongoing US-Israel war on Iran, desalination plants supplying millions in the Gulf have become targets. This reflects a growing pattern: water infrastructure is increasingly vulnerable as global scarcity intensifies. The United Nations warns of looming “water bankruptcy” driven by climate change and rising global demands, including AI data centres.

Presenter: Stefanie Dekker

Guests:

Kaveh Madani – Director, UNU Institute for Water, Environment & Health

Zeina Moneer – Environmental policy and climate programmes expert

Taiwan has downplayed the impact of new Chinese sanctions targeting European defense companies involved in arms sales to the island. The measures, announced by China, restrict exports of dual use goods to seven firms, marking a rare move against European entities over Taiwan related issues.

Despite the escalation, Taiwan’s Defence Minister Wellington Koo said the sanctions would not disrupt the island’s ability to procure military equipment.

China’s Expanding Use of Sanctions

Beijing has increasingly used economic and trade restrictions to respond to foreign involvement in Taiwan’s defense. While similar sanctions have frequently targeted U.S. arms manufacturers, extending them to European companies signals a broader willingness to pressure multiple partners simultaneously.

The move reflects China’s ongoing effort to isolate Taiwan internationally and deter military cooperation with the island.

Limited European Military Role

Europe’s direct role in arming Taiwan has historically been limited. Major defense exports such as fighter jets have not been supplied for decades due to concerns about damaging relations with China.

However, smaller scale cooperation and component level trade have continued, making these sanctions symbolically significant even if their immediate practical impact is modest.

Diversified Supply Strategy

Taiwan relies heavily on the United States for its defense needs, but it has also worked to diversify procurement channels in recent years. According to Koo, this strategy ensures that disruptions from any single source, including sanctioned European firms, can be mitigated.

Growing support from parts of Central and Eastern Europe, particularly after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, has also provided Taiwan with additional diplomatic and logistical avenues.

Geopolitical Context

The sanctions come amid heightened global tensions and shifting alliances. China views Taiwan as its own territory and strongly opposes any foreign military assistance to the island.

At the same time, Taiwan’s security concerns have intensified, prompting it to strengthen international partnerships and defense preparedness.

Analysis

China’s decision to target European companies represents an escalation in its economic statecraft, aiming to widen the cost of supporting Taiwan beyond the United States. While the immediate impact on Taiwan’s military capabilities appears limited, the move could have a chilling effect on future European involvement.

Taiwan’s confidence reflects its reliance on U.S. support and its broader diversification strategy. However, repeated sanctions and pressure campaigns could gradually narrow its options, especially if European firms become more risk averse.

For Europe, the sanctions pose a strategic dilemma between economic ties with China and growing political alignment with Taiwan and its partners. For China, they reinforce its stance on sovereignty while testing how far it can push back against international support for Taiwan without triggering broader backlash.

Overall, the episode underscores how economic tools are increasingly being used in geopolitical competition, even when their direct material impact remains limited.

With information from Reuters.

Vernon, who has two daughters with former Strictly host Tess Daly, explained that “your babies will always be your babies” and highlighted a horrifying scenario for parents

Vernon Kay has opened up about a family change he and his wife “don’t want” as he confessed that their dynamic is changing. Vernon, who is married to former Strictly Come Dancing host Tess Daly, shared his thoughts while reflecting on his evolving relationship with their two daughters, Phoebe, 21, and Amber, 16.

The couple exchanged vows at St Mary’s Church in Horwich back in 2003 and now reside in Buckinghamshire with Amber, while Phoebe has headed to New York to pursue her studies. Vernon and Tess, like many parents, have spoken about their daughters spreading their wings and becoming “independent”, yet it appears that, deep down, neither parent is truly ready to let go.

Vernon revealed he has had to figure out how to “enter their world” — a world with certain “pitfalls” that he and Tess never encountered — including one particularly alarming modern-day concern. In a recent interview, he noted that “your babies will always be your babies”, while acknowledging that today’s world brings with it an issue of which they are “acutely aware”.

Vernon told The Times: “Now that Phoebe is 21 and Amber is nearly 17, our relationship with them is changing. We talk about encouraging them to leave the nest and be independent, but we don’t really want them to. You have to learn to enter their world and that world has pitfalls that just didn’t exist for us.

“When Phoebe started going out, we became acutely aware of drink spiking. I think that just didn’t happen in the Nineties.” Last month, Phoebe shared her relocation to the Big Apple via TikTok, posting a clip of herself dancing against the New York skyline, including views of the Empire State Building.

She wrote: “NYC has my hearttt! Lucky to call it home for a while.” Her parents travelled to the US earlier this year to visit her, with Tess documenting the trip on Instagram, featuring snaps of a pancake breakfast and visits to art galleries. Tess, who lived in New York during the 1990s, said: “I love NYC. Maximised every minute on a whirlwind half-term trip and fell in love with this magical city all over again.”

Meanwhile, Vernon’s BBC Radio 2 co-star recently issued an apology to Tess on air. Vernon has been suffering from a bad back and has been struggling to keep on top of household jobs. In the segment, he informed colleague Gary Davies about his intentions to visit a chiropractor and how he’d been “getting the garden ready”.

Vernon explained: “Chiropractor this afternoon… I think I’ll be a little bit better, but the thing is we’re pre-summer, aren’t we? So, at the moment, I’m getting the garden ready. Done a bit of lawn mowing and I’ve got a list as long as my arm of jobs to do, but I can’t do them with a bad back! I don’t want to get anyone in either.”

Gary joked that this was a convenient excuse, prompting Vernon to quip: “To keep my feet up… and do absolutely nothing!” Gary said: “Sorry, Tess, sorry!” Offering a further glimpse into his relationship with Tess, Vernon revealed: “She sent me a message this morning on the train, ‘Why is half the lawn done?’.”

When questioned whether he’d taught Tess how to tackle the mowing herself, Vernon stated: “That’s my job – no, that’s my job. That’s my job, I love it. Put my headphones in and away we go!”

Meanwhile, Vernon has shed light on a “horrendous” hidden struggle while presenting The One Show alongside regular host Alex Jones.

Speaking with Ellie Brennan on Radio 2 , Vernon disclosed how his stomach had begun rumbling, explaining: “Did you watch The One Show last night? Did you notice that Alex and I had the giggles? Just out after filming Watchdog. They take it very seriously at The One Show. It’s a consumer rights programme, so it’s very serious, and my tummy, because I hadn’t eaten lunch, decided to pop up and say hello.”

He continued: “I literally – and it’s the first time in, I’d say 25 years, since I was working with June Sarpong – that I’ve done a live television link biting my lip to try to stop myself laughing as I’m introducing something really, really serious. It was horrendous.”

Vokes started his professional career with Bournemouth but joined Wolverhampton Wanderers in 2008.

He scored eight goals across all competitions in his debut campaign at Molineux as Wolves gained promotion to the Premier League.

The forward went on to have loan spells with Leeds United, Bristol City, Sheffield United, Norwich City, Burnley and Brighton & Hove Albion before securing a permanent switch to Burnley in 2012.

He was part of two promotion-winning squads at Turf Moor – helping Sean Dyche’s side reach the Premier League in 2014 and 2016.

The frontman spent seven years with the Clarets before having two campaigns with Stoke City in the Championship.

Vokes left the Potters to join Wycombe Wanderers in 2021 and then signed for Gillingham in the summer of 2025 – scoring three times in 35 appearances for the fourth tier side this season.

Vokes, a Southampton fan, added: “I remember watching my team, the Saints, down at The Dell, dreaming of one day making just one appearance in professional football.

“Never did I dream I would be fortunate enough to have played across all four divisions and represent some amazing clubs.”

Former President Moon Jae-in on Monday urged North Korean leader Kim Jong-un to resume inter-Korean talks, calling it the “fastest and safest” way to overcome the current deadlock.

Moon made the call during a ceremony held at the National Assembly to commemorate the eighth anniversary of the Panmunjom Declaration, a landmark agreement signed by Moon and Kim during their summit at the truce village of Panmunjom in April 2018.

“I ask you to return to the spirit of the April 27 Panmunjom summit and open the door to dialogue, and to work together with the Lee Jae Myung government to once again build a vision of ‘peace and prosperity on the Korean Peninsula’ and to live as a proud member of the international community,” Moon said. “Inter-Korean dialogue is the fastest and safest breakthrough to overcome the current deadlock.”

Moon also stressed that Pyongyang cannot be ensured “genuine security” by continuing to bolster its military capabilities and opting for isolation.

“Engaging in communication and expanding exchanges with the outside world, instead, is the most effective way to safeguard security,” he added.

On U.S.-North Korea relations, Moon expressed hope that Kim will take the “bold step of sitting down” with U.S. President Donald Trump as Trump earlier voiced his willingness to engage in talks with the North.

“I hope you use the improved inter-Korean ties as a bridge toward dialogue between North Korea and the U.S. as you did eight years ago,” he said.

Moon then urged Trump to demonstrate his decisiveness to help bring back the North to the negotiating table, saying the Korean Peninsula issue is a “key national interest” of the United States that must never be pushed down its list of priorities.

“There is no other way but to seek a diplomatic solution to resolve the North Korean nuclear issue and bring peace to the Korean Peninsula,” he added.

Lee has offered to resume stalled talks with the North since taking office in June last year, but Pyongyang has rebuffed his peace overtures.

Copyright (c) Yonhap News Agency prohibits its content from being redistributed or reprinted without consent, and forbids the content from being learned and used by artificial intelligence systems.

The ongoing Iran war has reshaped global energy dynamics, shifting influence away from OPEC toward the United States. Traditionally, OPEC and key producers like Saudi Arabia acted as “swing suppliers,” adjusting output to stabilize markets.

However, disruptions caused by the closure of the Strait of Hormuz have left millions of barrels stranded, limiting OPEC’s ability to respond and opening space for the United States to take on that stabilizing role.

Collapse of OPEC’s Leverage

The near shutdown of Gulf energy routes has forced major producers to cut output significantly. Even Saudi Arabia’s alternative export routes have proven insufficient to offset the scale of disruption.

This has weakened OPEC’s traditional power, which relied heavily on spare production capacity to manage supply shocks and influence prices.

Rise of U.S. Energy Dominance

The United States has stepped in decisively, leveraging its position as the world’s largest oil producer. Since surpassing both Saudi Arabia and Russia in output in 2018, the U.S. has built unmatched capacity to influence global markets.

Exports have surged to record levels, with both crude and refined products flowing to regions hit hardest by supply shortages, particularly in Asia. This rapid response has helped cushion the global economy from a deeper energy crisis.

Strategic Tools Beyond Production

Washington’s influence extends beyond production alone. The government has released oil from its Strategic Petroleum Reserve, providing an additional buffer against supply shocks.

It has also used sanctions policy as a flexible tool, selectively easing restrictions on Russian and Iranian oil to increase global supply when needed, while tightening measures to maintain geopolitical pressure.

Economic and Political Impact

For U.S. producers, the crisis has generated substantial financial gains through higher export revenues. At the same time, Washington’s actions have helped stabilize global markets, reinforcing its role as a central player in the energy system.

However, these moves carry political risks, including potential contradictions between economic goals and foreign policy objectives.

Limits of U.S. Power

Despite its growing influence, the United States cannot fully replicate OPEC’s traditional role. Unlike centralized producers, the U.S. oil industry operates within market constraints, limiting the government’s ability to directly control output.

Policies such as export restrictions could theoretically impact global prices, but would also risk damaging domestic production systems and relations with international partners.

Analysis

The Iran war has accelerated a structural shift in global energy power. The United States has effectively become a “swing supplier,” not through coordinated production cuts like OPEC, but through a combination of market scale, strategic reserves, and policy flexibility.

This transformation highlights a new model of energy influence, where rapid responsiveness and financial depth replace centralized control. While OPEC remains relevant, its ability to dominate global supply dynamics has been significantly weakened under current conditions.

At the same time, U.S. dominance introduces new complexities. Balancing domestic political pressures, international alliances, and market stability requires careful calibration. The use of sanctions as a supply management tool also raises questions about long term consistency in foreign policy.

Ultimately, the shift signals a more fragmented and dynamic energy landscape. The United States may not control the market in the traditional sense, but its ability to shape outcomes quickly and at scale makes it the most influential actor in the current crisis.

With information from Reuters.

For years, the NFL has playfully scoffed at conspiracy theories its drama is scripted.

Now, the league has hired some of the best writers in the entertainment industry to do just that.

The NFL is going Hollywood, looking to expand its audience with theatrical motion pictures and its first scripted streaming series. This isn’t just about using the names and logos of real NFL teams, but diving headlong into storytelling about the league in the form of upcoming movies — one about John Madden, another a Christmas Day release about an unlikely hero for the New York Giants — and “The Land,” a dramatic Hulu series centered on fictional characters and the Cleveland Browns starring Christopher Meloni, Mandy Moore and William H. Macy.

It’s the next step in the partnership between the NFL and Skydance Sports, the forming of a premier content studio aimed at creating must-watch storytelling and attracting everyone from hardcore football fans to people who otherwise have no real interest in the game.

The NFL has long contended it’s the world’s greatest reality show and the numbers support that. According to Sportico, NFL games were 84 of the top 100 most-watched television shows last year. And the year before, it was 93 of 100.

“When you have an audience as big as the NFL’s, there are a lot of different demographics to service and engage even more deeply,” said Jason Reed, who heads Skydance Sports. “Those movies work as a fan service. They service towns, fans of those franchises, and they really connect. What they also do is pick up this other group of people who maybe wouldn’t watch a football game.”

Pulling back the curtain on the league is a challenge. The NFL isn’t likely to sanction unflattering content, at least not much of it, yet the goal is to make the stories as realistic as possible. How will the writers handle issues such as concussions, drug use or domestic violence? That was addressed in a presentation at last month’s owners meetings by JW Johnson of the Haslam Sports Group, who oversees the business strategy of the Browns.

“We don’t want this to be — no offense to our friends at ESPN — a ‘Playmakers’ situation,” said Johnson, referring to the popular but short-lived series on the Cougars, a fictional football team, that explored mature themes and was canceled after one season after pressure from the NFL. “We want this to be a really fan-friendly show that also has the authenticity of what happens in a locker room and on the field. We’re very comfortable with it.”

David Corenswet as “John Tuggle” and Isabel May as as “Katie” in Mr. Irrelevant: The John Tuggle Story,” from Paramount Pictures.

(Sarah Enticknap / Paramount Pictures)

Dan Fogelman, creator of “This is Us,” and a lifelong football fan, had long envisioned writing a dramatic series based on his favorite sport. That led to “The Land,” which began production last fall and does not have an official premiere date.

“We’re not making this stuff up out of thin air,” said Fogelman, who also created the Hulu series “Paradise,” a post-apocalyptic political thriller. “The characters are flawed and they do bad things, but the NFL has been great about that. I was worried up top, and it just hasn’t been an issue because we’re not out there looking to be salacious. We’re not trying to do ripped-from-the-headlines, crazy, exaggerated versions of reality. We want things that really happen, done accurately and in a cinematic way.”

To that end, he brought in actual NFL players as consultants to help with the storylines and make sure the details make sense.

“We had a bunch of NFL players come and visit us in our little office, and we’re on the second floor,” he said. “Some of my heroes were in that room. I was genuinely concerned the floor was going to fall through.”

Enter NFL Films, which for more than six decades has turned a violent sport into an art form, filling the frame with meticulous focus on a Matthew Stafford spiral — and without the benefit of a second take. Those camera operators are heavily involved in the production of both the upcoming movies and the streaming series.

“That’s our whole thing,” Reed said. “How do we support great filmmakers and make sure they know how to access the resources and expertise that NFL Films has developed over 60 years, and combine those two together? That, to me, is the secret sauce of the venture.”

What’s more, what the father-and-son combination of Ed and Steve Sabol created in NFL Films provides an incredible library for future projects.

“The well is infinite,” said Jessica Boddy, vice president of commercial operations and business affairs for NFL Films. “We’ve only scratched the surface.”

For Fogelman, “The Land” is scratching a creative itch he’s felt since childhood.

“I’ve wanted to do this show for 20 years,” he said. “I’m a failed athlete myself. My connection with my father growing up — he worked a lot — was I grew up in Pittsburgh as a Steelers fan and also migrated to New Jersey, where we became Giants fans. My dad would let me watch games with him if I was quiet and didn’t act goofy. We would also throw the football back and forth.

“Now, many decades later, my father is 83, and our connection is that we talk every Monday after Giants games. He now talks with my son and me. For me, football has been very much in the fabric of my life and my relationship with my friends. This has been something I’ve been chasing for a very long time.”

GREECE has slapped a sunbed ban on 251 of its beaches meaning tourists will have to ditch the loungers for a simple towel.

The rule aims to limit overtourism on the beaches as well as tourist developments, such as hotels and sunbeds for hire, to keep the beaches in their natural state.

So for tourists heading to the 251 beaches on the list, they’ll need to stick to either a towel or just sitting on the sand.

And some spots have even stricter rules – on beaches that are part of the Natura 2000 programme, you won’t see hotels cordoning off areas as a ‘private beach’ section, instead they will be open to everyone.

There will also be no changes to how the beach looks, so no concrete piers, sea walls or paved paths.

Essentially, anything that messes with the natural state of the beach, is not allowed.

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So, if you want a beach bar and to rent an umbrella, you’ll need to head elsewhere.

A release from the Greek Environment Ministry stated that the ban “seeks to effectively protect beaches that have particular aesthetic, geomorphological or ecological value, as well as to preserve the types of habitats and the species of flora and fauna found on these beaches”.

The Ministry added: “In particular, the number of shorelines and beaches within areas included in the National List of Areas of the European Ecological Network Natura 2000 is increasing and in which the granting of simple use, as well as any other action that may endanger their morphology and their integrity in terms of their ecological functions, is now prohibited.”

The ban follows Greek authorities dealing with a number of incidents in recent months on the protected beaches.

According to local reports, riot police recently took down a number of shacks on the island of Gavdos, just south of Crete.

One of the beaches included on the list is Elafonissi Beach found on the southwest coast of Greece as it is a protected Natura 2000 nature reserve.

Its not the easiest to get to – visitors must head across a shallow lagoon.

It was named the second best beach in the world by TripAdvisor‘s Travellers‘ Choice Awards Best of the Best 2026 and also 15th best in Europe in the World’s Best Beaches 2025 awards.

The beach is known for its pink sand, which gets its colour from crushed seashells – though removing any of the shells or sand is forbidden.

One recent visitor said: “One of the most beautiful natural paradises in the world.”

Other beaches include Kalamaki Beach near Athens, Tobruk Beach near Heraklion and several beaches on the island of Samos.

If you are heading to Greece and are not sure what beaches the ban applies to, download the Gov.gr MyCoast app, where you can see a map of all the 251 beaches.

If you are thinking of going on holiday to Greece, there’s one city that’s better in spring with funiculars, sunset rooftops and wine tastings.

Plus, there’s a stunning Greek island that will pay you to move there and give you a house.

Hold everything. Hollywood’s Lexington Park will not be getting a new playground after all, and that’s both good news and bad news.

To explain, let me take you back to April 15, when I tagged along with Sabine Phillips on her weekly three-hour inspection of the neighborhood’s chronic trash problem. Phillips, a housekeeper by trade, was hired by one of her clients a few years ago to help clean up their streets.

So each Wednesday, Phillips went out on her yellow Huffy cruiser and routinely logged 50 or more illegally dumped items and reported them to the city’s 311 system for pickup. And each Saturday, she filled up to four or five big bags with smaller bits and scraps of debris.

Near the end of my three hours with Phillips, who got help that day from volunteer Keith Johnson, we visited the Lexington pocket park. There were no kids there, and there never are, Phillips said. That’s because of the glass and needles in the sand, drug activity, sporadic violence, gang tags on the slide and homeless camps.

A guy from the Recreation and Parks Department showed up and said the park was in line for a possible upgrade that could cost as much as $300,000. In my April 18 column, I questioned the wisdom of investing in a playground that would remain unsafe unless there was a plan to address all the aforementioned issues.

Nick Barnes-Batista, communications director for L.A. City Councilmember Hugo Soto-Martínez, wrote to tell me his office was unaware of any playground projects planned for that park.

A spokesperson for Recreation and Parks told me that despite what was said by the employee I met in the park, there is no “immediate playground replacement project on the books.” But the department is “working closely” with the councilman’s office “to identify funding sources and to work with the community on broader park improvements and/or uses.”

OK, so it’s good news that taxpayer funds won’t be plowed into a park that could well be lost to the neighborhood almost immediately, due to all the aforementioned problems.

But it’s bad news and sad commentary that a park in the densely populated heart of the city will remain unusable for the foreseeable future.

The more important consideration, though, is the question of what’s being done to prevent the illegal dumping of furniture, mattresses and other items that sit curbside and often end up as the building blocks of new homeless encampments.

There’s a concentration of social service agencies in the neighborhood, said Stefanie Keenan, a longtime neighborhood volunteer and activist. She’s the one who hired her housekeeper to help look after the neighborhood, and she insists there is not enough enforcement of existing laws to address problems that are both a nuisance and a public safety threat, given the crime and all-too-frequent fires.

A woman pushes her walker past debris in Council District 13 in Los Angeles on Friday.

(Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times)

Soto-Martínez agreed to talk to me about all of this on Friday morning, when he dropped by the Bresee Foundation, a nonprofit with a range of enrichment activities for youngsters and families in the largely low-income immigrant community, as well as homelessness prevention programs. Staff and volunteers, recruited with support from the council office, were about to head into nearby streets with shovels, brooms and trash bags.

Soto-Martínez acknowledged his district’s many challenges, told the gathering that the strength of a community is its people, and thanked them for their service.

The councilman, a former labor leader who joined the growing progressive wing of the L.A. City Council in 2022 with support from the local chapter of Democratic Socialists of America, has three challengers in the June 2 primary (Colter Carlisle, Dylan Kendall and Rich Sarian). He told me the city has to do a better job of educating people about illegal dumping and how to report it. A related challenge, he said, “is how quickly can we get to it. And that is a budget issue because we’ve cut so many positions on trash pickup.”

Soto-Martínez said his office used discretionary funds to hire two crews from the L.A. Conservation Corps for trash pickup. On homelessness, he said, he has a team strategizing to address the needs, and a medical team that works the streets, and a tiny home village is in the works.

But the housing shortage is a major challenge, he said, and when it comes to entrenched homelessness, “we’re now starting to deal with much more difficult cases.” Namely severe mental illness and serious addiction, both of which generally come under county jurisdiction.

“We created another team that goes out every single day. We door-knock, email and phone-bank people who are at risk of eviction,” Soto-Martínez said, adding that homelessness has declined by 25% during his three years in office.

So what is his message to constituents who say they don’t see enough progress?

“We ask them to give us patience and grace,” he said. “There’s a lot of examples like this, where we’re not just dealing with one thing. We’re dealing with four or five things.”

All of that is true, but the patience he asks for is wearing thin among some constituents.

“We need to find common ground and work together,” Soto-Martínez said. “You know, they see trash as an issue, and they’re doing it their way and we’re doing it our way. But how can we team up and do it together? You know, we’re happy to build those networks out, and under many of the issues they describe, I’m not disagreeing. … We all have the same goal.”

L.A. City Councilmember Hugo Soto-Martínez gives a pep talk to volunteers before they leave to clean their neighborhood streets of garbage and debris.

(Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times)

When Soto-Martínez departed for another appointment, the volunteers took to the streets, filling trash bags. They worked their way up Vermont, and a Bresee employee told me he works the same streets every day, trying to clear a path for “safe passage” as students walk to and from school.

As I said in the earlier column, it’s an inspiration to see people step up for their communities, whether out of pride or frustration. And it’s also reasonable to expect more from City Hall.

I drove over to Western and Sierra Vista, met up with Keenan, and told her about my conversation with Soto-Martínez. She said lax city policies and frequent non-response to citizen pleas for help have created the unsolved problems residents deal with daily. She said city officials have to do a better job of helping homeless people off the streets and preventing further deterioration of neighborhoods.

She was encouraged by a message she got from a representative of Mayor Karen Bass’ office who wants to tour the neighborhood with her.

We walked west on Sierra Vista and came upon a dumped sofa, some cabinets, mattresses, and a man who has been living in a curbside encampment for months. He sat near his belongings, which spilled into the street.

Why hasn’t this been addressed? Keenan wondered aloud. She has decided to stop paying her housekeeper to help address the neighborhood’s needs, and she predicted things will only get worse because of it.

I drove over to the Lexington pocket park, which Soto-Martínez called a priority, among many other priorities. Friday was a holiday — Armenian Genocide Remembrance Day. With schools closed, the park would have been a great little neighborhood asset.

But the entrance was closed, with a lock on the gate, and two tarped dwellings were set up against the iron fencing of the empty park.

steve.lopez@latimes.com

Chief executive Mark Darbon says the R&A are having “ongoing dialogue” with Muirfield with a view to returning The Open Championship to the Gullane course for the first time since 2013.

Darbon also says there are “challenges” with bringing the event back to Turnberry.

Royal Lytham & St Annes will host The Open in 2028, with this year’s 154th tournament taking place at Royal Birkdale and next year’s staging at The Old Course at St Andrews.

Muirfield, a 16-times Open venue, will host this year’s Women’s Amateur Championship from 22-27 June.

“We’ve got a great ongoing dialogue with Muirfield,” Darbon said.

“There are some things we need to overcome to facilitate a modern Open Championship – the practice ground is one of those, along with a few on-course infrastructural points.”

On US President Donald Trump’s Turnberry, which hosted the last of its four Opens in 2009, Darbon commented: “We really like the golf course.

“But there are challenges around staging a modern Open – primarily road, rail and accommodation infrastructure.”

The Scottish Open has signed a deal to stay at The Renaissance Club in East Lothian until 2030, with the tournament played in the week before The Open to allow players time to adapt to seaside links courses.

April 27 (UPI) — Cole Allen was due to be arraigned in federal court in Washington, D.C. on Monday, accused of carrying out a shooting at the White House Correspondents’ Association Dinner on Saturday, at which President Donald Trump, the First Lady and many of his cabinet were present.

U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia, Jeanine Pirro, told a news conference that a suspect would be formally charged with an initial two counts — using a firearm during a crime of violence and assaulting a federal officer using a dangerous weapon.

“The defendant will be arraigned on Monday in federal district court. But make no mistake, there will be many more charges based upon the information that we are learning in this very fluid situation,” said Pirro.

“It is clear, based upon what we know so far, that this individual was intent on doing as much harm and as much damage as he could,” added Pirro, who said she was present when the shooting started at the event at the Washington Hilton hotel on Saturday night.

Beyond that, Pirro said investigators were working to discover the suspect’s possible motivation for the alleged attack and would not be drawn on whether he was specifically targeting Trump, or whether he was cooperating with law enforcement.

“At this point, what we know is the individual charged the checkpoint with a firearm in his hand. We know he was running in the direction of the ballroom that the president was in as well as other cabinet members. So what his specific motivation was, we can’t say at this point. However, as we continue to investigate that, we’ll continue to work towards that,” she said.

Monday’s hearing is expected to be short — only for the judge to make Allen aware of his legal rights and for Pirro’s office to apply to remand Allen in custody.

The suspect has yet to be officially named by authorities but NPR said two people familiar with the investigation, who were not authorized to speak publicly, identified him as Cole Tomas Allen, 31, of Torrance, Calif.

Authorities believe the suspect acted alone in the incident in which a Secret Service Uniformed Division officer was allegedly shot and no one else has been arrested.

The Secret Service officer, who was wearing a bullet proof vest, was treated in the hospital and released.

Trump said Sunday that a suspect arrested in connection with the shooting had written an anti-administration “manifesto” that allegedly stated he was targeting members of the Trump administration.

He said that, based on the contents of the document, the suspect was “a sick guy” and anti-Christian.

“When you read his manifesto, he hates Christians. That’s one thing for sure. He hates Christians, a hatred. And I think his sister or his brother actually was complaining about it. You know, they were even complaining to law enforcement. So he was, he was a very troubled guy,” said Trump.

The suspect reportedly sent the manifesto to members of his family minutes before that incident occurred, along with an apology, who then raised the alarm

The New London Police Department in Connecticut confirmed being contacted about two hours after the alleged attack at around 10:49 p.m. EDT on Saturday “by an individual who expressed concern about the incident that occurred at the White House Correspondents’ Association Dinner earlier in the evening.”

Allen was a mechanical engineering graduate from the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena and also had a master’s degree in computer science from California State University Dominguez Hills in Carson City, according to the Los Angeles Times.

His LinkedIn profile states that he was a member of Caltech’s Christian fellowship, as well as the Nerf club.

More recently, he was working developing video games and as a part-time private tutor teaching math and biology.

Allen’s voting registration record denotes “no party preference” and the only known record of any political donation in the past 10 years dates from 2024 when he gave $25, via an online fundraising platform, to former Vice President Kamala Harris’ presidential campaign in the Nov. 2024 election.

Everything travellers need to know about online check-in rules and bag drop deadlines for Ryanair, EasyJet and Jet2 in 2026

With the two May bank holidays fast approaching, numerous travellers will be plotting to make the most of the long weekends by jetting off on getaways. Among the most popular airlines operating at UK airports are Ryanair, Jet2 and EasyJet, and passengers flying with these carriers are being urged to familiarise themselves with the latest check-in regulations.

There are specific policies and rules that holidaymakers need to be aware of, including various timing requirements to avoid missing their flights. Due to longer queues at passport control following the rollout of EES (Entry/Exit System) for passengers travelling to non-Schengen destinations, travellers are advised to factor in additional time when arriving at and departing from overseas airports.

Check-in desks have designated closing times for passengers to drop off their luggage before shutting. For anyone heading abroad with bags to check in, here are the current rules for Ryanair, Jet2 and EasyJet you’ll want to get to grips with to avoid last-minute panic.

Ryanair’s latest check-in rules

Ryanair has overhauled how check-in and boarding passes operate in a bid to streamline airport procedures. The most significant upcoming change is that check-in and bag drop desks will close earlier, coming into effect from November 10, 2026. The current deadline means desks typically open two hours before and close 40 minutes before your scheduled departure.

In November, desks will close 60 minutes before departure across all airports. The airline is introducing this change to allow passengers more time to clear security and passport control, particularly owing to potential delays from the new EU Entry/Exit System (EES), reports the Liverpool Echo.

Should you fail to check in online up to two hours before your scheduled departure time, you may still check in at the airport up to 40 minutes before departure, however you will be charged an airport check-in fee. See Ryanair’s table of fees. “We urge all passengers to check in online before arriving at the airport to avoid these fees,” the airline says.

Towards the end of last year, Ryanair switched to 100% digital boarding passes via the Ryanair App, with exceptions for certain destinations such as Morocco and Turkey, which still require printed passes. If you have checked in but are unable to access your digital pass, staff can provide a free replacement.

You can check in via the Ryanair.com website or through the mobile App. Once logged in, select check-in and input your travel document details. For your safety and security, and for the safety and security of your fellow passengers and crew, the check-in process must be completed by you personally, by a passenger on your booking, or by someone with personal knowledge of you and your luggage.

If you have pre-reserved a seat, online check-in is available up to 60 days before your scheduled departure. Bear in mind that both your outbound and return flights must fall within that 60-day window. If you haven’t reserved a seat and one is being randomly allocated to you, check-in opens 24 hours before your flight and closes two hours before departure.

Airport check-in is also an option, though you’ll be charged a fee per passenger for the additional service – refer to Ryanair’s table of fees for full details. Should you have already checked in but are unable to display your boarding pass on the app upon arriving at the airport, you will be issued a replacement boarding pass free of charge.

Jet2’s latest check-in rules

Online check-in through Manage My Booking is available from 28 days up to six hours before departure via Jet2’s website or app. You’ll need to either print your boarding passes, download them to your device, or check in at the airport no later than three hours before your scheduled departure.

At the airport, Jet2 check-in desks typically open at least two hours and 30 minutes before your scheduled departure, and potentially up to three hours beforehand. Jet2 says: “Please arrive at the airport in good time, as our check-in desks will close 40 minutes before your scheduled departure time. By this point, you must have completed the check-in process.” If you have checked luggage, you must arrive at the check-in desk by the time stated on your itinerary, or at least two hours before your flight departs. You are also required to be at the boarding gate no later than 30 minutes before the scheduled take-off time.

Jet2 is unable to provide online check-in for flights departing from Turkey. It says: “You can still complete the process and get your pre-allocated seats, but you’ll need to visit our airport check-in desks to collect your boarding pass before you go to security.”

In line with European Regulations, passengers are prohibited from carrying certain items into security-restricted areas or aboard an aircraft. To view the complete list of banned items, visit the Jet2 website. At select UK airports, Jet2 provides a Twilight Check-in service, allowing passengers to drop off their luggage at the airport the evening prior to departure, provided their flight is scheduled before noon.

Due to the EU Entry/Exit System (EES) which launched on April 10, 2026, travellers should allow additional time at the airport for the mandatory biometric registration process. Once you have checked in online, amendments to your booking, such as adding extra baggage or changing names, cannot be made without contacting customer services directly.

EasyJet’s latest check-in rules

Passengers can check in online from 30 days up until two hours before departure, downloading or printing boarding passes for all their flights. A passport or identity card may be required, and EasyJet might ask travellers to verify their contact information.

The airline doesn’t accept PDF scans of boarding passes on mobile devices, as airport security personnel cannot scan them. Passengers must use either the official app version or a clearly printed paper copy. Lost boarding passes can be reprinted, and when printing, the entire pass must be legible.

Should any booking amendments be made – such as adding hold luggage or altering flight times – passengers must check in again and obtain a fresh boarding pass. EasyJet says: “If you have any technical problems whilst checking in, please don’t give up and do try again later. If you continue to have difficulty, please ask our ground crew for help when checking in at the airport: this must be done before the bag drop closing time.”

The airline emphasises there are crucial timings for travel. Passengers need to have all documentation prepared and allow sufficient time to navigate the airport to arrive punctually for their flight. Those running late may be refused travel by EasyJet, resulting in a missed flight. All timings are calculated from your flight’s scheduled departure time. Unless EasyJet informs you otherwise, these timings remain valid even if your flight is delayed, as the airline states it always endeavours to recover any lost time. You can view the complete list of crucial timings on the EasyJet website.

A statement on the website reads: “Please note – airport times may change after you’ve booked. For example, if there’s major disruption or new airport procedures such as increased security. We’ll send any updates using the contact details we have for your booking, so please check with the booker that we have the correct details. Please also check our Flight Tracker for the latest updates about your flight.”

Arrival times differ by airport, but general deadlines are calculated from your scheduled departure:

• Bag drop opens: Usually two to three hours before departure.
• Bag drop closes: Strictly 40 to 60 minutes before departure, depending on the airport.
• Gate closes: Promptly 30 minutes before departure.