July 6 (UPI) — A woman who once dated Senate candidate Graham Platner says that he forced her to have sex with him about five years ago.

Jenny Racicot, 41, said she had an on-and-off relationship with Platner for more than two years, Politico reported. She said he was intoxicated when he entered her home in Maine one night in 2021 and assaulted her while she told him repeatedly to stop.

“I remember him grabbing my pelvis and being really forceful of me,” she told Politico. “I remember the specific moment where I thought to myself, like, ‘This is no longer my choice.’ “

Platner, a Democrat, denied the accusations Tuesday, saying any claim of non-consensual behavior is “categorically untrue” and that the allegations are “troubling, serious and false.”

He said, however, that he is “mindful of the political reality (the allegation) will inflect” and that he is taking “time to reflect on the best path forward.”

He is the Democratic nominee running against Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine. The party has until July 13 to replace him with another candidate if he withdraws, The New York Times reported.

Racicot previously told The Times that Platner came to her house in 2021 while drunk and said his behavior was “reckless” and “unsettling.” She did not elaborate at that time. Politico published the new interview Monday.

The Platner campaign also issued a statement saying that the candidate “vigorously denies” the allegations, which it called “coached and coordinated by out-of-state establishment operatives.”

“For a year, opponents of this campaign have thrown everything they can at Graham —calling him a Nazi, a war criminal, a communist,” the campaign statement said. “None of it has been true, and this is no different.”

Politico said it interviewed Racicot three times over the past two weeks, interviewed another person she confided in and reviewed documents including emails between Racicot and her therapist and messages between Racicot and an acquaintance she warned about Platner.

Collins said in a statement that the “allegations are appalling,” The Times reported.

Other Democratic candidates and politicians, including Rep. RoKhanna, D-Calif., a supporter of Platner’s, called on him to drop out of the race Monday.

End Citizens United, an organization that looks to reduce the role of large campaign donations in politics, rescinded its endorsement of Platner and called on him to end his campaign.

FIFA’s decision to suspend the one-match ban on United States striker Folarin Balogun, allowing the team’s leading goal scorer to play in their crucial last-16 World Cup match against Belgium, has stirred a controversy hours ahead of the USA vs Belgium last-16 match.

The row and ensuing uproar deepend on Monday when US President Donald Trump confirmed asking FIFA to review its decision against Balogun, with FIFA utlimately making a U-turn on the player’s suspension from the crucial fixture.

Was FIFA’s decision the result of an unfair power move from President Trump, or was it a warranted correction to a red card that should not have been issued in the first place?

It depends on who you ask.

Football fans of the cohost nation appear to be divided on the controversy.

While there is near consensus that the red card Balogun received against Bosnia and Herzegovina was harsh, not everyone agrees with Trump’s intervention.

“I think it’s bull****,” Cesar Espino, who was watching the Spain vs Portugal round-of-16 match at a pub near downtown Washington, DC, told Al Jazeera hours ahead of kickoff in the USA-Belgium game.

“I feel like if you win it’s a stain because Balogun is one of our top players.”

He added that the decision will make the USA “more unlikeable”, adding to the list of controversies for the host nation, including travel bans and the restrictions against the Iranian team during the group stage.

But 23-year-old Oscar Ramirez argued that the issue is more nuanced than the USA gaining an unfair advantage “because of the nature of the red card”.

“I think most people, including myself, believe the red card was unfair; it was unjust,” Ramirez said.

“I think you’ll have some people who will be like, we should keep the rules no matter what. And you’ll have some people who will be like, that card shouldn’t have happened in the first place.”

The USA fan admitted jokingly that he is biased, so he supports the decision.

“I’m American, and I want our best chances. And without him, we don’t have a good chance,” Ramirez  said.

FIFA responds

Balogun, the USA’s top scorer in the tournament with three goals, received the red card for a studs-up contact near the ankle of Bosnia and Herzegovina’s Tarik Muharemovic.

The USA striker was looking at the ball, so the incident appeared unintentional. Nonetheless, Balogun was sent off after an onfield VAR review, triggering an at least one-match suspension.

A FIFA board subsequently suspended the penalty without providing an explanation.

Trump, who enjoys close relations with FIFA President Gianni Infantino, confirmed on Monday that he requested a review of the suspension.

“All I did – I asked for a review because I didn’t think it was a foul,” Trump said.

He also suggested that the US conducted research on the referee who issued the card, calling the official “very suspect”.

“If you like I can provide you with the past,” he told reporters.

FIFA has insisted that the decision was taken by a judicial panel that operates independently with Infantino denying that his conversation with Trump may have influenced the process.

“During our conversation, I explained that there was an ongoing legal process involving FIFA’s independent judicial bodies and that the case would be decided in due course by the competent bodies,” the FIFA president said in a statement.

“That is how FIFA’s system works, and it is a principle that I will always uphold.”

Despite that assertion, US Senator Ted Cruz thanked Trump earlier for “getting rid of that ridiculous red card”.

The controversy has infuriated Belgian football officials. But in the US, some politicians and commentators lauded Trump for his intervention.

“I admit that I’m not the biggest soccer fan, but I’m glad President Trump urged FIFA to do the right thing. Good for President Trump, good for Folarin Balogun, good for the USA,” Republican Senator Tom Cotton wrote on X.

For his part, Fox Sport analyst Alexi Lalas said lifting Balogun’s suspension was surprising but welcome news.

“What happened here is America stood up for itself,” Lalas, a former USA player, told Fox News.

“The powers that be when it comes to the United States Soccer Federation did what they needed to do within the rules and regulations that exist in order to give ourselves the best possible chance of being successful.”

Mamdani invokes Mourinho

But CBS Sports commentator  Nico Cantor said the episode set a “dangerous precedent” that undermines the authority of the referees making decisions based on their interpretations of the rules.

“For as much as I believe Balogun didn’t deserve the red, it’s an interpretable decision,” he wrote on X.

“Anything can now be questioned after the fact. And it’s up to FIFA’s ‘judicial body’ – whoever that is, wherever they are – to call make critical decisions as they see fit.”

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani had also called the red card “cruel”, but he refused to comment on FIFA’s decision to suspend the suspension.

Instead, he posted a GIF of Real Madrid coach Jose Mourinho saying, “I prefer not to speak. If I speak – big trouble.”

Back in Washington, DC, US fan Lucas Faria said it was “crazy” that the suspension was overturned, but he added that the decision is unlikely to derail trust in the World Cup because it is already loaded with controversy.

Faria told Al Jazeera that the tournament has been a Trump-Infantino show.

“The tickets have been outrageous. It’s been an outrageous tournament so far. This is just an obvious thing,” he said.

Faria added, however, that the US team should not be judged for FIFA’s decisions.

“It’s not on them,” he told Al Jazeera.

The Chase Around The World sees Bradley Walsh and the Chasers take on the challenge all over Europe, as six teams of two work to win £100,000.

Bradley Walsh has offered a tantalising glimpse into just how “heated” ITV’s brand new The Chase spin-off becomes.

Hot on the heels of the smash-hit gameshow‘s success, the broadcaster has unveiled an exciting new format that’s sure to delight fans of Race Across The World.

The Chase Around The World sees Bradley and The Chasers tackle the challenge across Europe, as six pairs of contestants battle it out for a whopping £100,000 prize.

With the opening episode set in Rome, competitors must tackle quiz questions, puzzles and cryptic clues to navigate their way around the city and track down Bradley at the finish line, passing through some of the Italian capital’s most iconic landmarks, including the Colosseum and the Trevi Fountain.

The last-placed team in each city will face a head-to-head showdown against two Chasers, needing to outsmart them to secure their spot in the competition, reports Bristol Live.

Ahead of the new series airing, host Bradley shared: “I would describe it as The Chase… but around the world! It’s out and about. It was very different doing it on location, in these incredible places, instead of being in a studio. I’ve been locked in Elstree Studios for 17 years!

“The locations were unbelievable. I loved it, I really did, but then again, I wasn’t chasing around, literally chasing around, the cities we were in.”

Speaking about how close the competition becomes, he revealed: “The competition really heated up, you could see the contestants thinking, ‘Right, this is what we’ve got to do. This is how to play this game.’

“There were times when some were over-taking others, some were slipping back. And, a couple of times, which is really quite interesting and what I liked, they literally saw each other on the street, or in a place where they were getting a clue.”

Teasing one emotional moment, he went on: “In one city the couple that came in last were devastated, and I mean devastated. One of them couldn’t even bring themselves to look at me. They were so upset.

“But then they get the chance to play against The Chasers and they went and beat them! So they stayed in the contest and were able to play in the next round at the next city – it was brilliant to see! I mean, it was really great.

“All of a sudden you’re saying, ‘All right, well forget that now. You’re now moving onto the next city. You’re still in the race.’

“It was great to watch because their despair turned into such joy. It’s a great dynamic, and it’s a very simple but effective end to this type of show.”

The series will transport viewers from Rome to Barcelona, Lisbon to Paris, Zurich in the Alps and finally in Athens, with an ITV spokesperson previously teasing: “It was an amazing odyssey of quiz and a really exciting series, something very different, giving you all the quiz you love from the main show but also some real live action at the same time, but also some real jeopardy and excitement as they race across each city.”

The contestants taking part include a mother and daughter who brand themselves the “Not so Dumb Blondes”, sisters, a newly-engaged couple, a father and son, a father and daughter who have previously appeared on The Family Chase and were hoping for a redemptive arc, and two friends working in Parliament who had only known each other for six months before taking on the adventure.

The Chase Around The World starts Thursday, July 16, at 9pm on ITV1, ITVX, STV and STV Player, and continues weekly on ITV1 and ITVX

A woman who previously dated Maine Senate candidate Graham Platner said he drunkenly forced her to have sex after she told him to stop, according to a Politico report released Monday.

Platner denied the allegation and said he would be considering next steps for his campaign.

“Regardless of the inaccuracy of the reporting but mindful of the political reality it will inflict, we’re taking the time to reflect on the best path forward,” he said in a video released on social media.

Jenny Racicot, who lives in Maine, told Politico that Platner entered her home in 2021 while drunk and assaulted her. Racicot said she had been in an on-and-off relationship with Platner, but she cut off contact with him after that night and told him the incident wasn’t consensual. A voicemail left at a number listed for Racicot seeking comment did not receive an immediate response.

An email and phone message from the Associated Press seeking comment were sent to Platner’s campaign on Monday.

“Any accusation of non-consensual behavior is categorically false,” Platner said in his video.

As of Monday, Platner had canceled a handful of campaign town halls planned in Maine.

Several lawmakers and groups that have supported Platner, including Sen. Bernie Sanders and the organization he founded, Our Revolution, as well as Rep. Ro Khanna, did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

Khanna has supported Platner through several scandals but said last month on CBS’ “Face the Nation” that “if there was evidence of violence, I would not support him. If there was evidence of sexual assault, I’d have zero support for him.”

Platner secured the nomination to become Maine’s Democratic Senate candidate last month, but state law does include a provision for Democrats to replace him ahead of the general election.

According to the statute, party officials may select a new nominee if a candidate who won the primary withdraws by 5 p.m. July 13. The replacement candidate must be named by July 27.

The Associated Press generally does not name victims of sexual assault, but in this case Racicot spoke in an interview with Politico.

Kruesi writes for the Associated Press.

International aid teams have played a key part in Venezuela’s ‘miracle rescues’, days after twin earthquakes struck, but now they’re preparing to leave. Thousands of people are still searching for their relatives amid the rubble, as frustration continues to build towards the government response.

Joy Oga, a pregnant woman in her second trimester, was harvesting yams on her farm in Kwanta/Dooshima area when armed men attacked. The 31-year-old farmer had gone out with three others from her community on June 16 to harvest the farm she had been unable to reach since her village was invaded in September 2025. She never finished the harvest. 

“I went to the farm to pack yams when I was attacked,” Joy told HumAngle. 

Joy had farmed in her village in Chanchanji, Takum Local Government Area, in Taraba State, northeastern Nigeria, for five years, and farming is her only means of livelihood. After enduring months of hardship in a displacement camp in Chanchanji town, she was eager to resume farming as soon as she and other residents were asked to return home. On the day of the recent attack, she was there to also clear the land for a new planting season. 

Joy said the attackers, whom she claimed were herders, confronted her and the other people that were with her, and immediately started hacking them with the machete. She ran back to the community with a cut on her face, wrist, and legs.  

The attack came barely two months after a peace deal was struck between the Fulani and Tiv communities of southern Taraba, and has raised questions about the restoration of peace and the fate of residents who rely on farming for survival in the area. 

In April, a peace dialogue organised by the Taraba State government, northeastern Nigeria, brought together leaders of the Fulani and Tiv ethnic groups to put an end to the series of clashes that claimed lives and properties in communities within southern Taraba. The Fulani in the area are predominantly nomadic herders, while the Tiv are mostly farmers. During the dialogue in Jalingo, the state capital, both parties agreed never to raise arms against one another. 

The government also instructed displaced residents across the affected areas to return home. Weeks later, some residents began to exit the displacement camps in Chanchanji and Amadu for their hometowns after months of facing terror attacks, mass displacement, and food shortages. Three committees were set up by the government to manage the displaced persons’ return, inter-boundary and migration control, and boundary assessment and settlement. 

A multitude of motives

Southern Taraba has witnessed recurring violence involving farming and pastoralist communities for more than two decades. The area comprises five Local Government Areas (LGAs): Donga, Ibi, Takum, Ussa, and Wukari. Researchers say the conflict is driven by a complex mix of competition over land and water, population growth, the proliferation of small arms, weak law enforcement, and criminality. While these clashes are often described as “farmer-herder conflicts”, several studies caution that they increasingly involve organised armed groups whose activities go beyond disputes over grazing routes. Indigenous Tiv communities in Taraba and neighbouring Benue State also say the attacks are a strategic move to take over their lands and resources. 

A security expert, who has also worked as a police officer in the area, told HumAngle that the crisis goes beyond ethnicity. “This is terrorism, because the attackers come into town, destroy property, and run back. They do not have a settlement around that area, and whenever they come to Chanchanji, it does not only affect one tribe — it affects other tribes living in Chanchanji too,” the source, who pleaded anonymity, noted. 

He argued that terrorists are exploiting the unresolved ethnic clash between both parties to infiltrate the area, particularly in ungoverned spaces, adding that if it were purely an ethnic conflict, only the Tiv and Fulani would be affected; since every tribe in the area suffers during the attacks, he believes it is more accurate to describe the situation as terrorism.

Other claims about the motive of the attacks have been circulating; one of them originated from the deceased leader of a criminal gang that operated along the border between Benue and Taraba. Before his death in the hands of the Nigerian Military in September 2020, Terwase Akwaza, known popularly as Gana, a notorious criminal gang leader in Benue, claimed during an interview that armed groups posing as herders had approached him and asked him to carry out attacks in “about three states they want to [capture], being Plateau, Taraba, and Benue.” Joy, like many other residents, believes that the attacks were carried out by these armed groups.

After Gana’s death, his allies fractured into rival factions, with the most prominent ones being led by Fullfire and Chen. Despite attempts by community leaders urging these groups to cease fire, they have continued to operate violently in the region.

On the allegations from both parties about the hiring of militias, the security expert acknowledged that “in an environment where there is crisis, there are people who try to bring up some things to justify their actions”, adding that parties might exaggerate casualties or incidents.

A blow on both sides?

Benjamin Kwazza, who also survived the June 16 attack, told HumAngle that the attackers were tactical, targeting their heads and necks with the intention of causing instant death. “They pursued us, and along the line when they got us, they started to cut my neck,” he said, adding that he sustained a deep neck wound. 

When Joy, Benjamin, and the others returned to the village, residents organised a search party, but the attackers had already fled. 

The following day, June 17, two other farmers were attacked on their farmland in the same community. While the other farmer managed to escape untouched, Terkura Mathew was brutalised and left in his pool of blood. Locals found him and brought him back to the village. His condition remains critical. 

HumAngle reviewed videos and photographs of the June attacks, which showed visible wounds sustained by survivors, including deep cuts and injuries consistent with machete assaults. 

Bello Mbela, the Taraba State chairperson of Tabital Pulaaku International, an organisation that serves as a unified voice for Fulani communities across the continent, explained that the southern Taraba crisis is a blow to both sides. Tabital Pulaaku represented the Fulani community during the signing of the peace deal in Jalingo. 

According to him, Fulani people who live around Southern Taraba communities like Kofai Amadu, Tor Damisa, Kurmi and other areas are always caught up in the violence, which has led to loss of lives, cattle, and properties, with many who are currently displaced.  

Bello said the most recent incident occurred in February. “In Kofai Amadu under Takum Local Government Area (LGA), several women and children. The children were grazing when they were attacked, and their necks were snapped,” he stated. 

The Tabital Pulaaku leader also stressed that the herder communities in the region were set ablaze by aggrieved locals multiple times. “Also, around Kurmi LGA, there were rape cases. When a young woman sets out, she’s captured, threatened with a knife and raped.  Especially those who go to hawk Fura da Nono,” Bello claimed. 

Although he did not provide visual evidence of the alleged violence, he said attacks against herders and their families often go unreported and undocumented. “We do not record their deaths. We bury them instantly and keep moving. Most of the deaths are common among the elderly, disabled, pregnant women, and children,” he told HumAngle. 

Bello added that the affected herder communities are afraid of seeking shelter in temporary displacement camps in the towns due to fear of being profiled. Hence, they retreat farther into the bush for safety when their homes are razed. “Some of them come to Jalingo where they are sheltered by the Muslim council,” he said. 

Similarly, farming communities report a similar pattern of targeted abuse. Uzaki Peter, a local leader in Bachula, a community in southern Taraba that was displaced by attacks, told HumAngle that farmers have been experiencing a series of fresh attacks since they resumed farming in June. According to him, locals were adamant about returning home despite the hardships in the camp, but the peace meeting in April gave many hope. 

HumAngle learnt that locals and herders lived together in the region for years until clashes started recurring in 2025. “We always meet with the herders. They were telling us there is no problem. We should invite our people to come back. So, we started feeling like there was a solution, so our people started going back,” he said. However, Bachula is currently experiencing the same pattern of attack that occurred last year, according to Uzaki. “They will come and attack you. If you have a phone, they will collect it, and if you have money, they will collect it. They were sleeping with our women who were going to the farm,” the community leader said. 

Despite the peace dialogue 

Bello, who was present during the peace dialogue, told HumAngle that both parties have been trying to abide by their agreement that no party must attack the order. However, new cases are coming up. “In May, two women went to the Chanchanji area and did not return. They were killed.”

He explained that the incident sparked outrage and nearly led to fresh clashes. Since there was a peace dialogue, the issue was reported to the police station, and an investigation began. To date, none of the perpetrators has been caught. 

“If someone goes to the bush to graze alone, he does not return,” Bello gave another instance, stating that they are probably killed because such incidents took place in the past. 

When HumAngle reached out to James Lashen, the Taraba State Police Command’s Public Relations Officer, regarding the recent attacks in the region, he said that Kwanta/Dooshima and other areas in Chanchanji that are constantly under attack fall under “ungoverned spaces”.

“Taraba is the third largest in landmass in this country after Borno and Niger,” he stated, explaining that the landmass affects security response and patrol. “But for now, Chanchanji, Amadu and other areas, there is peace. There is a sustained patrol. We would like to embark on a convoy patrol due to the length of the road. You know, from Takum to Wukari, it is a long distance. And that is where they normally perpetrate. But for now, we have already taken charge of that area. For now, no incidents are taking place there,” he asserted. 

When asked about the recent incidents in the area, despite his assurance of peace, Lashen said it is quite common during the farming season and that it is the responsibility of the Divisional Police Officers to report to the command. However, he noted that he had yet to receive a report of the incident in Kwanta/Doorshima or Bachula at the time of our communication. 

The PPRO stressed that the Taraba State Police Command has ensured displaced communities returned home. “Everybody has been back. Policemen are stationed there. We have posted tactical teams there in that area. Everybody has gone back to his house,” the officer said. 

However, some residents disagree. Uko Moses, a farmer and resident of Peva, another affected area in the region, told HumAngle that the Peva community remains deserted to date, and locals are still in displacement camps in Amadu and Chanchanji town due to recurring attacks and unresolved tension. He also noted that areas such as New Gboko, Demavaa, and other southern Taraba communities remained abandoned. 

“Those who try to access their farmlands are being hurt on a daily basis,” Moses said. 

According to him, food, clothing, and healthcare are the basic challenges faced by displaced people still in camps due to fear of returning home. Also, children have been out of school for over nine months. “We depend on the government, humanitarian organisations, and philanthropists. The insecurity has made us become beggars,” he stated. 

To cushion the suffering of displaced persons in the displacement camps, HumAngle learned that Kefas Agbu, the Taraba State Governor, donated bags of rice and other relief items across the camps in March. Also, Benue State Governor Hyacinth Alia visited the displaced and assured those living along the Benue border that they would soon be able to return home.  

“His words were full of hope. According to him, it will not take long for the people to return to their communities and continue with their daily business.” Moses spoke of the Benue State Governor’s promise.

However, locals remained in the displacement camps, and despite the hardship, Moses said they prefer to stay in the camps rather than come home where their safety is not guaranteed. 

“The security architecture there is very poor. In some of the villages, there are no checkpoints close by or police stations built there,” he said. 

Uzaki, the Bachula caretaker, echoes Moses’s security concerns in the area. “Yesterday [June 16], I reported a case of three people. They were admitted to the hospital, and the day before yesterday [June 15], I reported a case involving two people. They are also here. And today [June 17] two have been brought out that have been matcheted,” he said. 

Lashen, the police spokesperson, said officers in the region cannot be everywhere. “So that is why we always engage with the stakeholders within the community to talk to their people. Because the police cannot be everywhere. Because of this landmass,” he said. 

Herder communities are also grappling with another crisis. According to the Tabital Pulaaku leader, herders are often segregated in local healthcare facilities when it comes to receiving treatment for injuries sustained during clashes. “Some of them are even arrested on the spot. This has made some of them stop accessing healthcare centres and rely on home treatment, which leaves them dead,” he said. 

What now?

During a summit in 2025, the Federal government described Taraba state as “a cornerstone of Nigeria’s agricultural and industrial future”, owing to its agricultural potential. The state was also hailed as a major producer of export-grade tea, coffee, and livestock for the meat industry.

A recent study by socio-political science researchers in the country’s northeastern region found that the majority of the population in IDPs camps and those killed, injured and displaced due to the conflict are farmers. While the rate of the clashes is said to be high, the impact on food insecurity in the region is also high due to the magnitude of the attacks on farming communities. 

Felix Ashe, a farmer from Chanchanji, told HumAngle that the most recent attacks in the area occurred on farmland, prompting locals to abandon their farms. He says hunger now shapes the lives of many who usually depend on farming for survival. 

“We planted yams, groundnuts, benniseed and so on. The yam that was planted last year was not able to be harvested, and those who tried to harvest them are being attacked,” he said. 

In the Peva and Amadu communities, which are known as agrarian areas, Moses said locals are facing food scarcity. “Seriously, we are living at the mercy of God, because predominantly, we are farmers and we started receiving these unprovoked attacks since last September, and till today, we are still receiving attacks. We don’t have access to farms, and farm produce has been destroyed. We are facing the challenge of hunger,” Moses said. 

If the attacks persist, local farmers in the region say they fear for their future. 

“The most important thing we need now is peace. That is the restoration of peace in the area. If we’re able to get peace, everything will come back gradually,” Moses said. 

While peace efforts are being made, the Tabithal Pulaaku leader said most of the herders around the affected Southern Taraba communities are still displaced, while some remain missing. Through stakeholder engagements and awareness-raising campaigns, Bello said leaders of the Fulani community are sensitising locals to shun violence and embrace peace to resolve the crisis. 

To permanently break the cycle, the security expert calls on the government to move beyond temporary peace declarations and to continue engaging local leaders and stakeholders from both ethnic groups, formally entrusting them with responsibility for maintaining peace among their people. He strongly advocates for the establishment of modern ranches and clearly designated grazing routes for herding communities. 

“They don’t have a route to follow with their cattle, so they follow people’s farmlands, and that causes a lot of issues. There should be a dedicated path for them,” he said. “The herders should maintain their particular axis and also, people should be notified not to go there and farm.”

He also emphasised the need for a visible security presence in those areas and for constant patrols. “The security agencies should be well equipped and motivated to be very active at work,” the expert added.

IT MAY be sizzling at the moment – but set your sights on winter breaks to bag some real value.

Now is the best time to book a Christmas getaway, says Sophie Swietochowski, with prices as low as they go for the next few weeks. You can try out these top deals . . . 

WINTER SUN IN EGYPT

THOSE wanting to spend Christmas on the beach in luxury lodgings should set their sights on Hurghada.

It’s around a five-hour flight, temperatures will reach 23C and you’ll be waited on hand and foot.

You can score a cracking deal with easyJet if you book before July 21, using the code FOOTBALL26.

There’s £100 off a seven-night B&B getaway to the 4H Cook’s Club El Gouna with a new price from £876pp based on two sharing and including flights from Bristol on December 19.

TIME TO GO

I went to the new historical live-action theme park in the UK with NO rides

WAT-ER RUSH

The UK’s best leisure centres that are more like waterparks

See easyjet.com/en/holidays.

SANTA IN LAPLAND

IF bucket list is what you’re after, that’s what you’ll get when you whisk the kids off to Finnish Lapland.

Who wouldn’t dream of seeing Santa Claus on Christmas Day?

The Suomo resort will take your breath away, with its thick woodland coated in fresh snow, and cosy wooden lodges where you can hunker down with some wine or a board game around a roaring fireplace.

Along with feeding the reindeer, little ones will get to join the elves filtering through letters and go husky sledding or tobogganing, all while wrapped in their snowsuit and boots — free for all guests.

The four-night package costs from £1,890pp based on a family of four sharing and includes all of the experiences mentioned above, plus flights from Stansted on December 23.

You’ll stay in the Scandi-decorated Arctic Circle Hotel with all meals included and a meeting and gift from Santa.

See canterburytravel.com.

MICKEY IN PARIS

DISNEY doesn’t come cheap, no matter what time of year you visit, but if you book now you can bag seriously good deals over Christmas.

Disney Enchanted Christmas brings the magic from November 7 to January 6 and this season, for the first time, the joy will spread beyond Disneyland Park as you celebrate in Arendelle style in World Of Frozen.

Queen Anna, Elsa ,Olaf and friends, will welcome guests into the Kingdom of Arendelle at Disney Adventure World, plus there are carol singalongs and character meet-and-greets.

Three nights’ room-only in Disney’s Santa Fe hotel is from £745.96pp based on a family of four sharing, flying from Heathrow on December 23.

This price includes four days’ worth of park tickets for the whole family.

See disneyholidays.co.uk.

AMSTERDAM MARKETS

SOME cities simply come alive in winter ­— and Amsterdam is undoubtedly one of those.

The frosted canals of the Netherlands city are lit up by old-fashioned lampposts and pokey cafes serve up piping- hot mugs of Choco- mel spiked with rum to give it some extra warmth.

The Christmas markets will be in full force in the lead-up to the big day.

But these are not your stereotypical tat stalls — everything here if authentically Dutch.

Don’t forget to sample the oliebollen — warm doughballs dunked in powdery icing sugar.

Check in at the 4H Leonardo Museumhotel Amsterdam City Centre which is slap-bang in the heart of the action.

Four nights’ room-only costs from £485pp based on two people sharing and including flights from Liverpool on December 23.

See onthebeach.co.uk.

SKIING IN ANDORRA

Few scenes are more spectacular at Christmas time than those from the top of a snow-drenched ski slope, the sun reflecting off the mountain-scape.

Crystal Ski has some great deals at the moment, including this one to Andorra. The resort of Grandvalira is perfect for both pros and beginners, with one of the largest ski domains in Europe, home to a whopping 215 km of interconnected slopes, meaning there’s great variety.

These pistes are often praised for their world-class ski schools that exceed many others in Europe, plus it’s a little more affordable than the Alps.

Seven nights’ half board at the 4* Residence Pas de la Casa Alaska is from £825pp based on two people sharing including flights from Gatwick on December 20.

See crystalski.co.uk.

Coronation Street fans think Kevin Webster could be about to rekindle his longstanding romance Abi amid the family tragedy, almost a year after it emerged she had had an affair with the man he thought was his long-lost brother but then turned out to be his long-lost nephew

Kevin Webster could be about to rekindle his romance with Abi – almost a year after they separated. The mechanic has been played by Michael Le Vell since 1983 and has been central to many of the soap’s biggest storylines, many of them involving his ex-wife Sally (Sally Dynevor), and their daughters, Rosie (Helen Flanagan) and Sophie (Brooke Vincent).

They called time on their marriage in 2010 after Kevin had an affair with Molly Dobbs and although they have been on relatively good terms since, Sally married Tim Metcalfe in the years that followed and Kevin later tied the knot with Abi Franklin in 2021.

But it all went wrong when Carl Webster turned up towards the end of last year, who was initially stated to be Kevin’s long-lost brother before it was revealed he was in fact his long-lost nephew, and he and Abi had begun an affair.

On the latest episode of the world’s longest-running TV soap, Abi was faced with horror when she had to rush her young son Alfie, who is the product of her affair with the late Imran Habeeb, for treatmentand it became apparent that mould was causing him to suffer severe respiratory issues.

Abi has been living in one of the flats at Weatherfield Precinct, and her landlord is newcomer Idris Sharma, the cousin of established character Alya (Sair Khan). When Abi was delivered the bad news by the doctor in the hospital, she said through tears: “It means it’s not just an infection. There’s something really wrong. I’m going to lose him!” and instantly turned to Kevin for comfort.

While all this was going on, Idris had become aware of what was going on and recruited teenager Brody Michaelis, whom he has taken under his wing, to deal with the situation. Paying the teenager to bundle a man named Isaac into the back of his car, they pulled up at an unknown location and Idris told him: “You know why you’re here. You put a kid in hospital.

“I don’t let people live like animals. Thanks to you, I’m the bad guy. And for my loss of reputation, you pay. And if I have to come and find you, believe me, it’ll be ten times worse. Think on that.” With Brody still keeping tightly hold of him, Idris drove off and later paid the teenager for his help.

But unbeknownst to to Idris and Brody, Abi had watched the whole kidnap and informed Sally, who is currently acting as a foster mother towards Brody, about what she saw.

Brody, whose father is in prison for murder, told Idris that the whole thing wasn’t really for him but the dodgy landlord continued to pressure him into things.

Reacting to the dramatic scenes, viewers predicted that Abi, who lost her son Seb when he was murdered in an unprovoked attack and also has a few children in the care system, will get back together with Kevin however her latest melodrama turns out.

Taking to X, one fan said: “Honestly, with Kev and Abi being on good terms I’m surprised she hasn’t moved back in with him. Abi can’t lose another kid ffs!”

Another said: “The fact it’s has been 9 months and Abi still hasn’t changed her name back to Franklin, and now they are having her move back into number 13 with Kev and carl supporting her. I am praying they don’t do what I think they are going to do #corrie.”

“I’m surprised dopey Kev hasn’t taken Abbeh back already,” a follower commented, as a Twitter user added: “I wonder if this new storyline for Abi and Alfie will lead to Kevin and Abi getting back together.”

Coronation Street airs weeknights at 8:30pm on ITV1 and ITV

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WASHINGTON — President Trump on Sunday posted a falsified image of former President Obama and his wife, Michelle Obama, waving before boarding an Air Force One that had been spray-painted with graffiti.

It came months after another post by the president that showed the couple as primates in a jungle. That one was deleted after stiff, bipartisan backlash.

The latest image shows the Obamas smiling and waving at the top of stairs alongside a baby blue and white presidential plane with graffiti painted on it that included the Democrat’s campaign slogan “Yes We Can,” “Obama” and “BLM,” short for Black Lives Matter. The post also shows graffiti in Arabic on the plane that says the phrase “alhamdulillah,” which means “praise be to God” or “thank God.”

The use of graffiti is a coded message to remind people of crime and urban decay and has been used in racist messaging against Black people in the past.

Trump has a yearslong record of intensely personal criticism of the Obamas, and of using incendiary, sometimes racist, rhetoric. That includes everything from feeding the lie that Obama was not born in the United States to crude generalizations about majority-Black countries and posts that have sparked anger on his Truth Social website.

The president’s post of the Obamas as primates came in February, during the first week of Black History Month. It was removed following widespread criticism from civil rights leaders and Republican senators. Trump refused to apologize, however, and a staffer was later blamed for making the post.

This time, the presidential plane is a sensitive topic since Trump last week took his maiden voyage on a new Air Force One — a retrofitted Boeing 747-800 worth $400 million gifted by Qatar. The aircraft’s trademark light blue hull that helped Air Force One blend into the sky was replaced with Trump’s preferred color scheme: a navy-blue belly with red and gold stripes.

After giving a speech on the National Mall in Washington to mark Independence Day and the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence on Saturday night, Trump had no public events Sunday and spent the day at his golf club in Virginia. He’s scheduled to leave Monday for Turkey to attend a summit with NATO allies.

The White House did not immediately respond to a message seeking comment. Nor did a spokesperson for the Obamas.

Sunday’s post also followed one from last month when Trump shared an doctored image of Obama’s new presidential library in Chicago so that it looked like the building had a large bag of garbage on top and was surrounded by a wasteland. “The Obama Library ten years from now will be a ‘Mecca’ for those who hate America! President DJT,” he wrote then.

Trump has frequently criticized the Obama library in public comments, and he posted the library image twice on his social media platform.

The Air Force One image was part of a series of Sunday posts Trump made on Truth Social, including a past picture that appeared to show Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni grinning and gazing upward at Trump under the words “RESTRAINING ORDER NEEDED.”

That, too, could touch off a new firestorm at this week’s meetings in Turkey, since Trump had suggested that Meloni asked “over and over” for a photo with him during the recent Group of Seven summit.

Trump’s comments prompted Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani to cancel a subsequent, planned trip to Washington, while Meloni called Trump’s account “completely fabricated,” saying “Italy and I never beg.”

Weissert writes for the Associated Press.

The Football Association is considering whether to appeal against England defender Jarell Quansah’s red card during the World Cup victory over Mexico.

Quansah was sent off in the 54th minute of Sunday’s 3-2 win following a high challenge on Jesus Gallardo.

As it was classed as serious foul play, the Bayer Leverkusen defender could face a two-game ban.

The FA is considering its options after United States star striker Folarin Balogun had a red card overturned following intervention from US President Donald Trump.

Trump asked Fifa to review Balogun’s one-match suspension after he was sent off for a foul on Bosnia-Herzegovina defender Tarik Muharemovic in the last 32.

The 25-year-old was set to miss his side’s last-16 tie against Belgium on Tuesday, but Fifa made the shock decision to suspend the automatic one-match ban for 12 months.

That led to widespread criticism within the game, including from European football’s governing body, Belgium and England boss Thomas Tuchel.

The World Cup does not allow appeals for red cards but Fifa officials invoked the article 27 clause in their rules to suspend Balogun’s ban.

That clause had never been used before at the World Cup.

It effectively allows Fifa to make whatever decision it wants without having to meet any other criteria.

It could spark a host of appeals, with the Athletic reporting, external France are challenging Michael Olise’s yellow card during their victory over Paraguay.

BBC Sport has approached the French Football Federation for comment.

The US authorities claimed Balogun’s red card was unfair because there was no intent.

But intent was taken out of football’s laws many years ago, and only the result of a challenge is meant to be considered.

Balogun’s red card itself was not rescinded – Fifa rules do not allow that. Effectively, the US striker, who has scored three goals for the co-hosts this tournament, received a sin-bin against Bosnia.

While the red card could be viewed as harsh as it was clearly accidentally, usually that type of studs-down-the-back-of-the-ankle challenge would result in a sending off.

Quansah’s was different as he was sliding in, but similar in that the aspect for which he was sent off was an accidental studs-up challenge.

July 6 (UPI) — A confusing situation played out Monday in the British royal family, as a representative for Prince Harry first said the prince had accepted an invitation to stay at the royal residence for one night — only for royal authorities to announce that he was not welcome after all.

Representatives for both Prince Harry, the duke of Sussex, and Buckingham Palace had different stories about the events leading up to the about-face, BBC News reported.

Prince Harry arrived Monday for a weeklong stay in Britain, with his family possibly arriving later this week.

The prince’s camp said Buckingham Palace withdrew an offer that had been formally accepted. The palace, however, said it offered accommodation to the prince, who did not confirm if he would accept and then declined the offer, only to change his mind later that day. By then, the palace said, it was too late to make arrangements, The Guardian reported.

Prince Harry, his wife, Meghan Markle, and their children, Archie, 7, and Lilibet, 5, live in California. The prince and his wife stepped back from the role of senior royals in 2020.

Tension between the prince (the younger son of King Charles III) and other members of the royal family has continued, although Harry and King Charles met last year for a conversation. This trip was expected to be the first time his children met their grandfather since 2022.

Harry is in Britain to promote various charities and the 2027 Invictus Games for injured military personnel and veterans around the world. The games are expected to take place in Birmingham, where the prince will travel later this week.

Originally, the duke of Sussex’s entire family was going to travel to both London and Birmingham, but the government declined his request for a security detail outside royal residences. Meghan and the children may meet the prince in Birmingham for the second half of the trip. It was not clear if they would meet the king.

The Allied Democratic Forces (ADF), an armed group in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), has resorted to targeting people for abductions amid reports of shrinking funding to sustain their terrorist operations. The ADF is publicly affiliated with the Islamic State’s Central Africa Province (ISCAP), an administrative division of the Islamic State, an infamous global terrorist group.

The ADF has an operational presence in eastern DRC and Uganda, but its activities have recently reduced due to funding. The local terrorist organisation is reported to have been receiving funding support from the Islamic State, which is one of the world’s most violent jihadist groups. Domiciled in the Beni and Lubero areas of North Kivu, as well as in Irumu, Djugu, and Mambasa in Ituri and surrounding regions, the group is trying to maintain violent operations.

The group now survives on several illicit practices, such as kidnapping, tax collection, and banditry, according to sources knowledgeable about the group’s inner operational methods. The Islamic State, the main financier of the ADF, is currently facing sustained counterterrorism campaigns from foreign powers in many parts of Africa.

In Lubero, Irumu, and Mambasa, the sources noted that the ADF has introduced a special circulation tax called “Dubius.” Individuals and vehicles must provide proof of payment to move freely. Cocoa producers are also obligated to demonstrate payment for a tax known as “Amani na Upendo” or “Cocoa Deliverance.” Those who cannot afford to pay these taxes are punished or killed.

Eastern DRC has since recorded multiple instances of mass abductions involving civilians along the Komanda-Luna highway and near the Mamove axis. These abductions were often followed by the execution of individuals who could not pay the ransom. Abducted civilians were targeted based on their presumed ability to pay ransoms. During their captivity, they were forced into labour, and subsequently released after negotiating ransoms ranging from US$2,000 to $5,000.

The alarming trend of kidnappings for ransom by the ADF in DRC is similar to tactics employed by terrorist groups in Nigeria, where such abductions have become increasingly prevalent. In Nigeria, groups like Boko Haram and various terrorist groups have used kidnapping as a revenue source amid diminishing external support and intensified security operations against them. The motivations mirror those of the ADF. Victims in both DRC and Nigeria have been targeted not only for their perceived wealth but also due to their vulnerable positions.

SCISSOR SISTERS added some Spice to their set supporting Duran Duran – by inviting Melanie C to join them on stage.

Gushing over landing Sporty Spice as a special guest at the BST Hyde Park Festival on Sunday, frontman Jake Shears said: “We love Melanie C, she’s always been the loveliest person.

“She loves what she does, she’s a killer singer, so we’re so happy she could join us.

“We’re all big show ponies!

“We’ve had a blast.”

Jake told the audience he still can’t believe the group are still going strong and selling out arenas this far into their career, adding: “It’s been 25 years for us this year, and we’ve gone from literally singing along to CDs to being a fully fledged band in that time.

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“Showmanship takes a long time to learn, as does enjoying yourself on stage.

“Our favourite moments on stage are when we achieve a sense of, ‘What the hell is going on here?’”

Reflecting on their sometimes chaotic live shows, Jake spoke of a particularly memorable performance with the late Dead or Alive singer Pete Burns.

He recalled: “One of our best collaborations has to be in the early days with Pete.

“He was such a special, special human being.

“He was a fierce, amazing character – in stilettos – and we like that, we like a little bit of chaos.

“That show was dangerous, scary, and fun.

“We look back at those times and feel like that was another era, those are people that are gone now.

“It’s very special to know we could do that with someone we looked up to before even becoming a band.”

CAUGHT LIVE: LONDON ROCKED BY METALLICA

FOR a band 45 years into their career, Metallica were still full of life as they tore through the final night of their three-year M72 World Tour.

The rockers turned London Stadium into a theatre on Sunday with an in-the-round stage in the centre of the venue as part of their “no repeats” weekend.

They also played there on Friday night but vowed there would be an entirely different setlist.

That meant they didn’t play many of their hits, but still had plenty of material to keep going for over two hours.

The gig fell on the one-year anniversary of the Back To The Beginning concert at Birmingham’s Villa Park, which the band performed at and where Black Sabbath frontman Ozzy Osbourne played for the final time.

Honouring the late rocker as his widow Sharon watched on from the crowd, they covered the Sabbath epic, Electric Funeral.

Ending on their biggest UK hit Enter Sandman, it was clear Metallica are still at the top of their game.

★★★★☆

Thanks a bunch, Sara

SARA COX kicked off her tenure as the host of the Radio 2 breakfast show by blasting out Lizzo‘s About Damn Time just after 6.30am.

Full of beans, she was congratulated on air over her new job by Hollywood star Tom Hanks, before leaving the studio with flowers just after 10am.

It sounds like Sara’s taking it old school with a new feature called SurpRise And Shine, where she will phone up listeners who have to answer with a specific phrase to win a special prize – either orange socks with her face on or a Sara-branded toothbrush.

One person who definitely wasn’t listening to Sara’s debut though was sacked host Scott Mills.

His husband Sam Vaughan posted a rare story on Instagram which showed he had snubbed the show and was tuning in to Heart Radio instead.

Can’t say that I blame him . . . 

Hot Tyla, so cool

IF this heatwave carries on, I might have to start dressing like TYLA just to stay cool.

The South African singer took to the stage at Afro Nation festival in Portugal at the weekend wearing this miniscule white top and the tiniest of black miniskirts.

She is gearing up to release her second studio album A*Pop on July 24, which includes her recent singles Chanel and She Did It Again featuring Zara Larsson.

I’ve got a sneaking suspicion we can expect a tour announcement in the not-so-distant future, too.

Tyla was forced to cancel her first headline tour in 2024 due to injury, but she was back on stage last year and is earning rave reviews for her festival sets.

I’m keeping my fingers crossed it isn’t long until she’s back here in the UK.

Shania ends in Styles

HARRY Styles had a smile on his face and the Three Lions on his chest before taking to the stage for the 12th and final night of his record-breaking Wembley Stadium residency.

He posed backstage with Shania Twain, who has been opening for him at the shows, which have been seen by almost one million fans.

Writing on Instagram after the concert – where fellow singer Kylie Minogue and actress Rosamund Pike were spotted in the audience – Shania said: “Thank you again @harrystyles for the memories. You have the greatest fans! Leaving London with an overflowing cup – happy and grateful.”

MADONNA’s Confessions II is now outselling the rest of the Top Five combined in the UK album charts, as it races to become her first No1 record in 14 years.

It came out on Friday and is also on track to land two singles in the Top 40 – Danceteria and her Sabrina Carpenter collab, Bring Your Love.

WASHINGTON — The leaders of Europe are bracing for another turbulent summit with President Trump this week as NATO members gather for their annual meeting in the Turkish capital.

European diplomats view Trump’s decision to attend as a positive sign of his continued commitment to the alliance. But the president’s grievances with several European governments over their refusal to join the U.S. war with Iran have cast a pall over a summit already strained by Trump’s wavering support for the continent.

The secretary-general of the transatlantic alliance, Mark Rutte, told reporters on Monday that Trump had aired his resentments in a recent phone call. But Rutte countered with a mix of flattery and countervailing facts that has thus far kept Trump engaged.

While Trump has accused European leaders of denying U.S. forces access to allied bases for takeoffs and refueling during the war, Rutte noted that about 5,000 sorties supporting Operation Epic Fury launched from European airfields. And last Friday, France and Britain committed to a joint military mission with Oman to support freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz — “an extremely important development,” Rutte said.

At last year’s summit, held in The Hague, all NATO member states — with the exception of Spain — agreed to spend 5% of their GDP on defense by 2035, marking a significant increase in historic spending goals for modern Europe. The pledge is divided into two categories, with 3.5% of spending allocated to core military requirements, and the rest committed to a broad set of security-related investments.

Trump’s tough love on the alliance “is, I think, bringing NATO closer together,” the secretary general told reporters.

“You could argue that he is the first president of the U.S. since Eisenhower who was able to come to this situation where the Europeans and the Canadians will spend the same as the Americans” on security, Rutte said. “This equalization was a wish for 50, 60 years, and now it’s happening — I think in large part due to his leadership.”

NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte speaks to reporters Monday ahead of the NATO summit in Ankara, Turkey.

(Hussein Malla / Associated Press)

In a video message posted on social media Monday, Trump’s ambassador to NATO, Matthew Whitaker, said the summit this week would serve as a “report card” to determine whether countries were beginning to fulfill their commitments from last year.

He offered a note of optimism and suggested the president’s goal is to enhance, rather than undermine, the alliance.

“The United States will be here, but we also need our allies to be here. We cannot do it alone, and the American taxpayer should no longer bear the burden,” Whitaker said.

A White House schedule for Trump’s trip lists bilateral meetings with Rutte and the leaders of Turkey, Syria and Ukraine, in between alliance-wide meals and conferences.

Ukraine will remain at the top of the agenda, Trump told reporters Monday, expressing hope that the war could soon come to an end after four brutal years of fighting.

Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has caused the greatest loss of life in Europe since World War II, resulting in more than 1 million casualties, including an estimated 600,000 dead. Since Russian President Vladimir Putin launched his full-scale invasion in 2022, following his covert invasions of Ukraine’s Crimean peninsula and eastern regions in 2014, Russian forces have captured roughly 12% of Ukraine’s territory.

The war has settled into a deadly stalemate since a 2023 Ukrainian counteroffensive failed to break Russian defensive lines. While Russian forces have occasionally advanced, they have only managed to hold marginal gains along the front, at tremendous cost.

In recent weeks, however, expanded Ukrainian drone and missile capabilities have shifted the dynamic, striking military production sites deep inside Russia and targets near Moscow, bringing the war more directly into the Russian public consciousness and raising questions in the Russian capital whether the war effort is sustainable.

Ukraine’s boldness has impressed the Trump administration, Alexander Stubb, the president of Finland, told the Financial Times this week.

“I think he does feel pressure,” Trump said of Putin, addressing reporters in the Oval Office before departing for Turkey on Monday.

The president referred to an ongoing U.S. effort to end the war, a goal that has remained elusive for Trump since returning to office.

“I think we’re getting much closer than people realize,” he said. “President Putin wants it to end, I will tell you that. Very strongly. Had a good call. And President Zelensky actually wants it to end now.”

“We’re going to be going to NATO, and we’re going to be talking about it,” Trump added. “And I think we’re going to get it ended. It’s been terrible.”

Announcement comes days after Peru’s electoral agency certified right-wing Fujimori as winner in razor-thin race.

Left-wing candidate Roberto Sanchez has conceded to Keiko Fujimori in Peru’s presidential race, days after the electoral authority declared her the victor in last month’s run-off.

The statement on Monday caps an election season marred by logistical issues at polling sites, long vote counts and allegations of fraud.

Sanchez and his party said they “recognised ⁠⁠that the ⁠⁠National Elections Board had officially proclaimed the ⁠⁠electoral results”. Sanchez had said in June he would not recognise a Fujimori presidency and would instead launch “a movement of popular and patriotic resistance”.

Fujimori and Sanchez had progressed to the June 7 run-off after outpacing 33 other candidates in the April general election.

In the final vote count, certified by the National Jury of Elections (JNE) last week, Fujimori defeated Sanchez by a razor-thin margin, winning about 9,223,000 votes to 9,173,000 for Sanchez.

Sanchez, a member of Peru’s Congress, had fostered support among rural and indigenous Peruvians, following closely in the footsteps of former president Pedro Castillo, who was impeached and arrested in 2022 after attempting to dissolve Congress.

He even wore the same style of wide-brimmed straw hat, common in the northern Andean region, as Castillo on the campaign trail.

Among other platforms, he called for the overhaul of Peru’s constitution to grant greater recognition and autonomy to the country’s varied ethnic groups.

He had also called for state oversight of natural resources and for increased taxes on the highest earners.

As the run-off vote count stretched on for weeks, 57-year-old Sanchez repeatedly alleged voting irregularities and fraud. Election monitors countered the claims, saying no proof had emerged.

Fujimori ran on a tough-on-crime platform, but vowed to unite the country after her win.

She was among several right-wing candidates supported by the administration of US President Donald Trump, which has taken a militaristic approach to fighting organised crime in Latin America.

The 51-year-old is the daughter of former President Alberto Fujimori, who was jailed for human rights abuses before he died in 2024.

Peru has seen years of political churn, with Fujimori set to become Peru’s ninth president in 10 years when she takes office later this month.

She begins amid a period of government transformation, with the country set to reconstitute its legislature into two bodies, the Senate and the Chamber of Deputies.

The Senate was dissolved in the 1990s by Fujimori’s father, creating a unicameral system that critics charged made impeaching a president too easy and common.

South Africa’s government has been accused of not doing enough to crack down on xenophobic attacks.

The safety of African immigrants in South Africa is deteriorating, Nigeria’s foreign minister has warned, after two Nigerians were killed in disputed circumstances during anti-immigrant protests.

“There are no signs that the situation is improving,” Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu said on Monday, while announcing more evacuation flights.

The minister demanded South African authorities investigate the deaths of two Nigerians, Musa Yunana Joe and Charles Iroegbu, killed amid “the ongoing xenophobic protests and attacks on migrants”.

South African police said Joe’s killing did not appear to be related to the protests, but could not immediately comment on Iroegbu’s death.

Nigeria’s foreign ministry says Joe was killed in front of his shop in the northeastern city of ⁠⁠eMalahleni by unidentified criminals on June 28 , while Iroegbu was killed by South African police during interrogation in Pretoria on the same day.

In a statement on Sunday, the ministry said: “We wish to place the Government of South Africa on ‌‌notice that if the situation continues to persist, all options remain on the table, some of which will be activated if the uncultured and provocative trend of intolerance… against foreigners is not addressed”.

South African foreign ministry spokesman Chrispin Phiri said the government had asked Nigeria’s High Commission to submit “any actionable information to our law enforcement authorities, which will enable a thorough, objective investigation in accordance with the rule of law”.

Weeks of anti-immigrant marches

There have been weeks of protests against undocumented migrants, with many South Africans blaming workers from other African countries for taking their jobs and putting a strain on their social services.

South Africa’s government has been accused of not doing enough to crack down on the violence, which has claimed the lives of several foreigners and seen shops owned by immigrants looted and torched.

Mozambique said that five of its citizens were killed in xenophobic attacks in late May. South Africa ⁠⁠said the number was only two.

Ghana and South Africa were embroiled in a diplomatic row last week, following the killing of a Ghanaian national. The South African government said the death of Bashiru Isak was not linked to anti-immigrant protests.

Hundreds of Nigerians, among tens of thousands of foreigners, have already left South Africa, once a popular destination for documented and undocumented African immigrants due to its relatively strong economy.

Uganda’s High Commission in Pretoria announced on Monday that a fourth group of Ugandan nationals were voluntarily repatriating.

South Africa has had a longstanding violent crime problem that precedes the outbreak of xenophobic violence.

The Blue Peter presenter was a familiar face on our TV screens in the 90s and early 2000s

A Blue Peter icon has carved out an entirely new career path away from kids’ TV.

Katy Hill shot to fame in the late 90s across some of the biggest TV and radio programmes around.

She fronted much-loved children’s show CBBC Blue Peter from 1995 to 2000 and spent five years taking on incredible stunts, including flying with the RAF’s Red Arrows team, a feat no civilian had achieved before.

Riding high on her success and widespread popularity, she moved across to BBC One’s Live and Kicking until 2001. The star then presented Top of the Pops, Football Fever, BBC’s Holiday and her very own weekend show on Capital FM.

Katy was also a regular contributor to glossy publications such as Cosmopolitan Hair and Beauty, Hello! and Closer.

In 2004, she claimed second place on Channel 4’s The Games. As her career progressed, she hosted programmes for Heart Radio, penned weekly blogs and stepped in as a stand-in presenter on ITV’s Daybreak.

During an appearance on Good Morning Britain last year, Katy shared her lifelong passion for presenting, saying: “I wanted to present that show since I was five.

“It was because this was the ’70s, right, you guys know this? There had been no girl power. That was the place I saw girls jumping out of planes, flying fast jets and fast cars. Generally, it’s pretty cool. I was like: ‘That’s the job for me!'”

However, nowadays, Katy, 55, is far less visible on our television screens, having transitioned into life coaching after establishing her own business.

Describing herself as an ‘Internationally Certified Success and Confidence Coach’, she regularly shares motivational content across social media. Katy also runs her own newsletter, The Limitless List, which delivers inspiring quotes and uplifting messages.

Alongside her television work, she now provides programmes, live groups and one-to-one coaching sessions to support her members.

Katy’s Instagram bio reads: “The shy kid who refused to play small and spent 30 years on TV! Now empowering women like YOU to UNLOCK your CONFIDENCE and CLAIM the SUCCESS you deserve!”

Katy is happily married to Trey Farley, her former co-presenter on Live and Kicking. The couple have been blissfully married for over two decades and share two children, daughter Kaya and son Akira.

In July 2023, Katy and Trey celebrated their 20th wedding anniversary, with the former television presenter sharing a touching tribute to her husband on social media.

She posted photographs from their wedding day and wrote: “20 Years of US! 20 Years of Mr and Mrs Farley! What a ride we’re on @rocaflix … nobody else I’d rather be doing LIFE with! Happy 20 babe! Let’s make more amazing memories! X (Ours was the Hans Zimmer version – obvs!)”

Prior to marrying Trey, Katy was previously wed to her childhood sweetheart, Andrew Frampton. They tied the knot in 1999 but separated in 2001.

Six months after Nicolás Maduro’s military removal by US forces, the political situation in Venezuela can be summarized very schematically.

Under the 1999 Constitution, on July 3, Maduro’s absence became absolute. Under this assumption, Article 233 of the Constitution states that presidential elections must be held within 30 consecutive days following July 3. Meanwhile, Delcy Rodríguez remains as acting president, filling Maduro’s absolute absence.

The elections would be the final part of the third phase of the plan that Trump administration officials and Marco Rubio in particular often mention.

However, we know that elections will not be held in the short term, as there is a consensus that a new National Electoral Council (CNE) and conditions of electoral integrity are necessary. That is because, in theory, the first two phases outlined by the US government—stabilization and recovery—should first be completed.

So, how can the Venezuelan opposition push for free elections someday?

To do so, Venezuelans must first determine who within the Venezuelan opposition should lead the charge.

Naturally, it would be María Corina Machado. However, there is evidence that the Trump administration does not want her to be that lead person. I am not saying the White House does not want Machado to be a presidential candidate, but that everything seems to suggest that the Trump administration does not want her to lead the process toward those elections. Which is a different matter.

No political actor can achieve anything significant without the support, or at least the acquiescence, of the US.

Therefore, if the US government does not want Machado to lead the political process that will lead us to free elections, who is the US government backing? It has only given two indications so far.

One, somewhat farcical even in terms of US foreign policy, was that Trump invited Enrique Márquez, a satellite political leader, to the State of the Union address. It was a message to say that the US president does not want Machado leading the process that would lead to free elections.

The other was the return of Dinorah Figuera, president of the 2015 National Assembly Delegated Commission, to Venezuela, at the invitation of the US, where she was received at the airport by US embassy personnel. Upon arrival, Figuera met with Chargé d’Affaires John Barrett and National Assembly president Jorge Rodríguez. In this way, the Trump administration emphasized its vision of who would be the opposition’s interlocutor.

Finally, after the earthquakes, there was a third, even clearer message: to disavow Machado’s trip to Venezuela.

At this point, it is worth remembering that at this moment in Venezuelan political history, no political actor can achieve anything significant without the support, or at least the acquiescence, of the US. Like it or not, the result of the January 3rd operation is that we find ourselves under a tutelage of both the regime and the opposition.

Given this reality, where should we push for the Venezuelan transition?

The 2015 National Assembly, with US support, could dedicate itself to building the electoral roadmap together with the 2026 National Assembly.

If the Trump administration doesn’t want Machado to lead the process toward free elections, and the last clear signal it sent was to involve the 2015 National Assembly, perhaps that’s the path we should follow.

From what we understand, the idea of ​​involving the 2015 National Assembly, through 6 or 12 of its members, is to work with the 2026 National Assembly to build an institutional roadmap leading to elections, specifically the appointment of a new board for the CNE, and perhaps the formation of a new Supreme Court of Justice (TSJ).

It is known that this option generates deep distrust in Machado, who attempted to thwart it, apparently unsuccessfully, with the Panama Manifesto, in which she declared, among other things, that she should lead the negotiations with the interim regime. However, it seems that if a definitive break with the Trump administration is not desired, Machado and the 2015 National Assembly should reach agreements.

The first could be that the 2015 National Assembly, with the support of the US government, dedicates itself to building the electoral roadmap together with the 2026 National Assembly. Naturally, Machado’s opinion would be taken into account at all times. This should lead to the appointment of a new CNE board and a new TSJ. Then, the electoral legislation and administrative regulations would have to be reformed to create conditions that allow for truly free elections. Machado’s opinion would also be taken into account at all times.

Finally, a primary election could be held within the opposition, allowing opposition voters to express their views. It is likely that Machado will be re-elected as the opposition candidate. This way would open an acceptable option for those who control this process: an electoral path around the 2015 and 2026 National Assembly elections, and then presidential elections in which, predictably, María Corina Machado will win.

After winning their third league title in four years, Larne kick-start their European campaign with a trip to San Marino to face Tre Fiori in the first round of the Champions League qualifying matches on 7 July, before the home game the following week.

The San Marino Champions, who won the Campionato Sammarinese by one point last campaign, have had a busy off season with 11 players leaving the club and eight new signings.

Larne will take confidence that, in 2020, Linfield faced Tre Fiori with the Blues progressing to the next round of Champions League qualifiers with a 2-0 win in Nyon.

The Inver Reds have now competed in Europe for the last six years and, two seasons ago, made history by beating Lincoln Red Imps to qualify into the Conference League.

“The players want to get back there and experience it again, as the six individual games are a fantastic experience,” Gary Haveron said.

“When you are in the knockout stages, the next game could be your last one and there is a lot at stake but, once you make group stages, you could plan your schedule around the individual games. Every single one of the games was a huge event and a big moment in the club’s history.

“Every time you step foot on the pitch in Europe, you are trying to create history for the club and the country and I think Larne have done that really well.”

If they lose this tie, Larne’s European adventure will not be over as they will drop into the third round of the Uefa Conference League.