Southampton’s appeal against being thrown out of the Championship play-off final for spying has been rejected.

The match will now go ahead on Saturday between Hull City and Middlesbrough (15:30 BST kick-off), with a place in the Premier League on the line.

An EFL independent disciplinary commission on Tuesday evening expelled Southampton from the play-offs and reinstated Middlesbrough, who had lost 2-1 to the Saints on aggregate in the semi-finals.

Southampton appealed against their removal, calling it “manifestly disproportionate to every previous sanction in the history of the English game”. However, the EPL has rejected Saints’ appeal and upheld the punishment.

“A league arbitration panel has tonight dismissed Southampton Football Club’s appeal against the independent disciplinary commission’s sanction following the admittance of multiple breaches of EFL regulations,” the EFL said on Wednesday.

“The determination means that the original sanction of expulsion from the Championship play-offs remains in place, as does the four-point deduction to be applied to the 2026-27 Championship table and the reprimand in respect of all charges.”

The decision is final and there is no further right of appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport.

Southampton issued a statement calling the decision “an extremely disappointing outcome”.

It added: “While we fully acknowledge the seriousness of this matter and the scrutiny that has followed, the club has consistently believed the original sporting sanction was disproportionate, a view that has been widely shared by many in the football community over the last 24 hours.

“While tonight is a painful moment, this football club will respond with humility, accountability and determination to put things right.”

Earlier on Wednesday, Southampton chief executive Phil Parsons said the club could not “accept a sanction which bears no proportion to the offence”.

Parsons pointed to a £200,000 fine issued to Leeds United in 2019 for spying on Derby as evidence of precedent.

However, when Leeds were punished seven years ago, regulation 127 – which expressly forbids observing an opponent within 72 hours of a game – did not exist. It was introduced as a result of Leeds’ wrongdoing.

BRITS are not confident in identifying some of the UK’s most famous landmarks – including Hadrian’s Wall, the White Cliffs of Dover and the Angel of the North.

A poll of 2,000 adults found 59 per cent struggled to name well-known sites across our native country, compared to 41 per cent who identified them correctly.

While 94 per cent could correctly recognise the Statue of Liberty in New York, 36 per cent were not able to name iconic landmarks closer to home, such as Hadrian’s Wall or St Paul’s Cathedral (35 per cent).

Angel of The North (20 per cent) and the White Cliffs of Dover (18 per cent) were also among those left unidentified.

However, 62 per cent admitted they want to learn more about British landmarks and local history.

The research was commissioned by Travelzoo, which is celebrating all the great places to see in the UK.

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The club for travel enthusiasts has teamed up with TV personality and keen explorer, Julia Bradbury, who said: “I have been lucky enough to visit almost every corner and coastline of our amazing country.

“From rugged peaks to gently rolling hills, fairy tale villages and vibrant cities.

“We have so much diversity packed into our island, I can’t imagine ever being bored exploring it, and I encourage others to discover the incredible places right on their doorstep too.”

The study also found cost was the biggest barrier to exploring local landmarks (43 per cent), followed by lack of time (34 per cent) and transport logistics (30 per cent).

Three in 10 (31 per cent) believe people are more likely to visit international attractions over UK landmarks.

When asked to place landmarks geographically, 38 per cent were unsure where Stonehenge was located, whereas 66 per cent could not correctly identify the region for Hadrian’s Wall, and 33 per cent struggled with Giant’s Causeway.

More than four in 10 respondents who had children (43 per cent) did not think their child could correctly name well-known UK landmarks off the top of their head.

Parents believed their children would be more likely to recognise the Statue of Liberty (74 per cent) and the Eiffel Tower (75 per cent) over Stonehenge (63 per cent) and The Angel of The North (42 per cent).

In addition, 81 per cent believe children need to learn more about UK landmarks and local heritage.

More than a third (34 per cent) said they would not know where to begin when it comes to exploring what is on their doorstep.

Almost three in 10 (29 per cent) believe they have visited more countries outside of the UK than they have counties across the country.

That may be set to change, as a fifth said they are planning to spend more time holidaying in the UK this year compared to previous years.

Ease and reduced stress compared with travelling abroad was cited as the main driver behind choosing a UK trip this year (27 per cent), followed by shorter travel times (25 per cent) and cheaper to stay in the country (22 per cent).

The coast topped the list of staycation destinations, chosen by 61 per cent, according to the OnePoll.com figures.

As a nation, Brits are willing to travel for short-break destinations, with journeys averaging almost four hours for a one to three-night getaway.

Cat Jordan, for Travelzoo, said: “These findings show there’s a real appetite to connect with what’s on our doorstep, but many people don’t always know where to start.

“In a country with so much to discover, it’s easy to overlook just how much is at our fingertips.

“With so much history, coastline, and culture spread across the UK, you don’t need a passport for it to feel like a proper break.”

WASHINGTON, May 20 (UPI) — As sports betting and prediction market platforms like Kalshi and Polymarket grow in popularity, U.S. senators on Wednesday weighed the need to regulate use of the platforms by minors.

One main issue senators raised during a hearing by the Senate Commerce Subcommittee on Consumer Protection, Technology and Data Privacy was how prediction markets use social media to advertise their platforms to underage users, putting them at risk of a gambling addiction.

“Young people are being inundated with advertisements on social media. Their favorite influencers and sports figures are introducing minors to betting,” said Sen. Marsha Blackburn, R-Tenn., who chaired the hearing.

“This is not safe. It needs to stop, and advertising to minors is disgusting,” Blackburn said.

The “No Sure Bets: Protecting Sports Integrity in America” hearing was intended to discuss the prevalence of sports betting and its impact on the integrity of matches.

It followed a unanimous Senate vote last month to ban its members and their staffs from trading on prediction market platforms, and the senators seemed determined to do more. Issues surrounding gaming continue to be a hot topic in Congress, where more than 10 active bills are related to prediction markets.

Some recent high-profile scandals surrounding prediction market platforms have also drawn attention to the industry, including the arrest of U.S. Army soldier Gannon Van Dyke last month. He was charged with using classified information to profit from a Polymarket wager related to the capture of Venezuelan president Nicolás Maduro in January.

In the same month, Kalshi fined and suspended from its platform three congressional candidates for betting on the outcomes of their own elections.

In the hearing, Sen. John Hickenlooper, D-Colo., criticized prediction markets like Kalshi for hiring social media influencers to promote their platforms to adolescent users.

“I think it’s specifically dangerous for minors to get into sports betting, and especially on prediction markets. That’s why almost all the states say [the legal betting age] is 21, not 18,” Hickenlooper said.

“Prediction markets let users as young as 18 bet on sports, but they also market their products to younger, more vulnerable audiences who are in many cases adept at getting around the platform precautions.”

A study released in January by Common Sense Media found that more than one-third of adolescent boys aged 11 to 17 admitted to engaging in gambling over the past year. Almost 60% of those who have been gambling said that they were exposed to gambling content through social media.

Kalshi, in an email, denied advertising to minors and pointed to recently implemented consumer protection measures, including requesting a selfie from the user to supplement documents verifying their age.

Hickenlooper grilled Patrick McHenry, a former U.S. representative now acting as senior adviser to the Coalition for Prediction Markets, on the guardrails to ensure underage users could not access their platforms.

McHenry pointed to the Commodity Futures Trading Commission, which oversees prediction markets and regulates them as a form of financial derivative rather than an avenue for gambling.

“The CFTC is a cop on the beat. It has the capacity to oversee this market, just as they’ve done with a broader commodities marketplace that has been around and well-versed for decades,” he said.

The Commodity Futures Trading Commission’s jurisdiction over prediction markets has been a contentious topic, since users can trade event contracts related to sports, weather, politics and more.

The Prediction Markets Are Gambling Act, which Sen. Adam Schiff, D-Calif., introduced in March, seeks to ban prediction markets from listing contracts that resemble sports bets, arguing that such contracts are considered gambling and should be subject to state regulation.

The agency argues that sports event contracts were treated as “swaps,” a term used to describe events that have potential economic consequences.

But Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, pushed back against the classification of sports contracts on prediction markets as financial derivatives.

“What is the economic consequence of whether a pitcher throws a ball or strike?” he asked.

Another bill specifically targeting digital gambling advertisements to minors was introduced Monday. Sens. Richard Blumenthal D‑Conn., and Katie Britt, R‑Ala., are advocating the Gaming Advertisement to Minors Enforcement Act, which would implement a federal ban on sports betting ads on social media platforms for minors.

The deal, valued at more than $300m, gives Murdoch control of a storied magazine and a podcast division with a reach valued by advertisers.

Media scion James Murdoch has agreed to acquire New York Magazine and the Vox Media Podcast Network in a deal that will significantly expand his portfolio and stands to boost his influence over news and entertainment.

“This acquisition reflects both our interest in the forward edge of culture and our deep commitment to ambitious journalism,” Murdoch, the younger son of media mogul Rupert Murdoch, said in a statement on Wednesday announcing the transaction. His company Lupa Systems will buy both properties from Vox Media.

The deal, valued at more than $300m, gives Murdoch control of a storied magazine known for its coverage of culture, politics and fashion, and a podcast division whose reach, among a demographic coveted by advertisers, rivals that of cable television news networks, according to several people with direct knowledge of the acquisition. The politics news site Vox.com is also included.

Murdoch and his wife Kathryn Murdoch were intimately involved in courting key talent from Vox, specifically Kara Swisher and Scott Galloway, stars of the popular Pivot podcast, as well as several other programmes on the company’s podcast network.

“I like James and Kathryn,” Swisher said in a phone interview. “Unlike many other media owners these days, they’re savvy about the business and willing to take smart risks.”

Vox’s podcast division was valued much higher than New York Magazine in the transaction, two of the people said, spotlighting the importance of making sure top programmes were locked in. Pivot, for example, has three years remaining on its contract, which will continue under Murdoch. Swisher met with the investor and his wife Kathryn several times before the deal came together.

“In a company like Vox, if its talent doesn’t like something, it’s not gonna happen,” Galloway said in an interview. He added, “James is the only Murdoch that this deal could have happened with.”

Several years ago, James was locked in a fierce dispute with his father over the editorial direction and future control of the family’s media empire. In 2019, he founded Lupa after stepping down as chief executive of 21st Century Fox. In 2020, he resigned from the board of News Corp, the publishing arm of the family’s media empire, citing “disagreements over certain editorial content”.

Vox’s podcast and publishing assets will operate as a subsidiary of Lupa Systems, which also owns Art Basel, which hosts annual events in Paris, Miami, Hong Kong, and Doha, and Tribeca Enterprises, the media and entertainment company cofounded by Robert De Niro and Jane Rosenthal.

Vox Media CEO Jim Bankoff will join Lupa Systems and will continue to lead the brands under the Vox Media label, he said in a note to the company’s staff, adding the deal is expected to close in four to six weeks.

New York Magazine’s publications include The Cut, Vulture and Intelligencer, with a digital audience of tens of millions and more than 400,000 paying subscribers currently.

The acquisition does not include other Vox Media brands such as Eater, Popsugar and The Verge. These brands, along with SB Nation and The Dodo, will become an independent company under a new corporate name.

James’s father, Rupert Murdoch, once owned New York Magazine from the late 1970s till he sold it in 1991.

VENEZUELA Fury may have just bagged a £5million wedding gift from her Gypsy King dad Tyson – but the teenager’s first marital home is a far cry from the millionaire lifestyle she grew up in.

The Fury dynasty toasted the teenager’s lavish wedding, which included Peter Andre performances, towering cakes, and a dress with a 50ft train, this weekend. But now, the 16-year-old bride and new husband Noah Price, 19, have moved into a £46,995 static caravan that had been sitting unsold for months – after furious buyers blasted the company’s homes as “absolute s**t”.

And in true Fury fashion, the story behind their first home together is every bit as dramatic as the wedding itself.

The young couple snapped up the two-bedroom caravan, named Manor House, exactly as it stood on the forecourt of East Yorkshire firm Carabuild – with no bespoke upgrades, luxury add-ons or personalised touches.

At 42ft long and 14ft wide, the caravan spans 588 square feet – roughly the same size as a large London studio flat.

That means Venezuela, who has spent her entire life surrounded by unimaginable luxury, is swapping Tyson and Paris Fury’s jaw-dropping £8million mansion for a static home that is 21 TIMES smaller.

Tyson’s sprawling estate stretches across 12,286 square feet, sits on historic land over 200 years old and boasts all the lavish trappings you’d expect from one of Britain’s richest sporting dynasties.

Yet now his eldest daughter is embracing traditional traveller life with husband Noah – and it seems the pair are doing it the old-fashioned way.

A source previously told The Sun: “Venezuela wants to start her married life in the traditional style of a traveller, just like her parents did.

“She has lived in luxury since she was born, but is willing to swap her home comforts to go and live in a static caravan.”

The source added: “She thinks it did her parents no harm and is looking forward to taking care of all the domestics while Noah goes out to work. Her parents approve.”

And it seems Venezuela took that traditional vision very seriously.

Because the caravan itself had been sitting unsold for months before Venezuela and Noah bought it.

Carabuild, which describes itself as a “bespoke manufacturer of luxury static caravans and lodges”, first advertised the home back in January with an asking price of £46,995.

By February, it still hadn’t shifted.

The firm posted another sales video online showing off the caravan’s “oak exterior” and “cream and gold” interior while urging potential buyers to get in touch.

Then in March came what insiders described as an increasingly desperate push to finally get rid of it.

In a social media plea, the company wrote: “Springtime offer. Be in this home for Easter. Available right now from stock. No waiting, no travelling, no stress.”

But while the videos attempted to paint a picture of luxury traveller living, furious online reviews underneath told a different story.

One furious customer blasted: “Stay well clear of this man Zane from Carabuild.

“Once he has your deposit, you never see him again.

“The homes are absolutely sh*t flat packs.”

The disgruntled reviewer continued: “Cheap made kitchen, cheapest of the cheapest, trust me, I am not joking.

“Please stay away from this company.”

Others accused the firm of poor insulation, broken radiators and “paper-thin walls”.

One scathing Google review read: “If I could give lower than one star, I would.”

Another raged: “Don’t give them a pound.”

Despite the controversy surrounding the company, Venezuela and Noah still chose the static home as the place they would begin married life together.

Carabuild proudly revealed the newlyweds had bought the home.

Sharing a video of the caravan to their Facebook page, the company wrote: “Congratulations to the new Mr and Mrs Price.

“We had the pleasure of designing and building Venezuela Fury and Noah Price’s very first marital home.”

It marks the latest chapter in what has become one of the most talked-about celebrity weddings of the year.

Venezuela – the eldest daughter of boxing superstar Tyson Fury and wife Paris – married Noah in a lavish traveller wedding on the Isle of Man earlier this month.

The wedding itself was pure Fury extravagance.

There were 20,000 flowers, a towering 12ft wedding cake, 18 bridesmaids, vintage cream wedding cars and a surprise performance from Peter Andre.

Venezuela wore a dramatic fishtail gown imported from Italy, complete with a staggering 50ft train – paired, brilliantly, with white Crocs.

Netflix cameras filmed the entire thing for the family’s hit reality series At Home With The Furys.

Tyson, emotional throughout the day, called himself a “big softie” as he walked his daughter down the aisle before later joking in his speech: “I told you – you shouldn’t have done it!”

And despite the glitz, glamour and eye-watering spending, the newlyweds appear determined to keep one foot firmly planted in traditional traveller culture.

The young couple will settle in East Yorkshire once they return from their lavish £30,000 honeymoon in Marbella – another gift paid for by Tyson and Paris.

And the honeymoon wasn’t the only present the pair received.

Tyson also gifted the newlyweds a traditional gypsy wagon as a sentimental nod to their roots.

Meanwhile, some family members were said to be stunned after Tyson and Paris reportedly handed the young couple £5million to help kickstart their married life.

“Some family members thought it was a lot of money for a young couple,” one insider told The Sun.

“But it’s up to Tyson and Paris.”

For now, though, despite the millions, the honeymoon and the reality TV cameras, Venezuela and Noah are preparing to start married life in the very caravan that buyers warned people to avoid.

WASHINGTON — Republicans are unhappier with President Trump’s handling of the economy than they were a few months ago, but they’re largely continuing to stand behind him as the war with Iran continues, a new AP-NORC poll finds.

About 6 in 10 Republicans approve of how Trump is handling the economy, according to the poll from the Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research. That’s down from about 8 in 10 in February, before the war began.

The poll comes as the Mideast war fuels higher gasoline prices, while the U.S. and Iran struggle to move toward a permanent ceasefire. Trump’s hold on the GOP remains strong, as he demonstrated Tuesday when his handpicked candidate defeated Rep. Thomas Massie, a critic of the president, in a primary election challenge. The findings highlight Trump’s continued strength within the Republican Party, even as economic frustration grows.

Ariel Gutierrez, a 55-year-old Republican in Wisconsin, usually requires his teenage children to pay for their own gas. But with spiking gas costs, he’s helping out his 15-year-old, who’s just learning to drive.

“The whole Iran issue has just exacerbated it,” he said. “Maybe we were seeing it in groceries before, but now — with this push on gas and travel and all that — that is how people want to live the leisure part of their lives … and it is directly impacting us there now. And yes, that is, I believe from Trump’s policies, not from his predecessors.”

Trump remains unpopular outside his base. Most Americans continue to disapprove of Trump’s approach to both Iran and foreign policy. His overall approval rating in the new poll stands at 37%, up slightly from 33% in April. Nearly all Democrats disapprove of his performance as president, as do about 7 in 10 independents.

The economy remains a struggle

About one-third of U.S. adults approve of how Trump is handling the economy. That’s in line with an AP-NORC poll conducted in late April, but down slightly from the start of his second term, when 40% of U.S. adults approved.

The economy was a strength for Trump in his first term, but he’s struggled with skepticism about his handling of the issue since his return to the White House last year, after repeatedly promising to bring prices down. His second-term economic approval has fallen among Republicans, in particular. While a majority, 63%, still approve, that’s down from 79% in February, a few weeks before the war with Iran began.

Richard Baumgartner, a 77-year-old Republican from Las Vegas, believes higher costs are a necessary side effect of the war, which he supports.

“Unfortunately, because of the war, the economy is a little bit off-kilter,” Baumgartner said. “I think it’ll fall back into place after things resolve over there. Temporary price increases — it’s unfortunate, but it’s something that has to be confronted in a situation like this where you have a very serious problem.”

Trump regains some strength on immigration

Although economic promises were pivotal to Trump’s reelection, so were his goals of stricter immigration enforcement — and this issue may be reemerging as an asset.

Immigration emerged as one of Trump’s strengths early in his second term, with about half of U.S. adults saying they liked his approach, but approval of his handling of the issue dipped to 38% in January and February, after months of aggressive immigration enforcement that led to the shooting deaths of two U.S. citizens in Minneapolis.

Now, just under half of U.S. adults, 45%, approve of how he is handling that issue.

Brenda Theiss, an independent from Cullman, Ala., doesn’t like everything Trump is doing. But she gives him credit for being willing to disrupt the status quo to reduce the flow of immigrants who are in the country illegally, compared with Democratic Presidents Obama and Biden.

“I liked Obama; I voted for Obama — but Trump was the only one that did something. All of the other presidents sat back and went, ‘Well, there’s nothing we can do,’” the 73-year-old said. “He’s closing the border. He did it. Biden didn’t do it. For that, I give him one hundred.”

Over the last few months, the Trump administration has appeared to recalibrate its approach on immigration, moving away from aggressive, public-facing tactics toward a quieter approach to enforcement.

Immigration remains one of Trump’s stronger issues among Republicans. About 8 in 10 approve of his handling of the issue, which is roughly 10 points higher than the share who say he’s doing a good job as president.

Few approve of Trump on Iran or issues abroad

Trump’s handling of the war with Iran remains unpopular.

Only about one-third of U.S. adults approve of how he is handling Iran. Roughly two-thirds of Republicans approve, though an AP-NORC poll conducted last month found that younger Republicans are more likely to disapprove of Trump’s performance on the issue than older ones.

Similarly, about one-third of Americans approve of Trump’s approach to foreign policy. Though Trump has zeroed in on a more aggressive international approach this year — including capturing the leader of Venezuela and threatening Cuba — Americans’ views of his overall handling of foreign policy have not shifted significantly in recent months.

Amanda Wylie, a 22-year-old who lives in Athens, Ga., says Iran is one of the few issues where Trump doesn’t have her support.

“I feel like we’re wasting resources over there at this point and not for the benefit of the American people,” said Wylie, who identifies as a Republican-leaning independent. “Especially if everyone is worried about gas prices and the ultimate goal of this is to prevent Iran from having a nuclear weapon. Yes, that’s important, but at what cost?”

Sanders and Thomson-Deveaux write for the Associated Press. The AP-NORC poll of 1,117 adults was conducted May 14-18 using a sample drawn from NORC’s probability-based AmeriSpeak Panel, which is designed to be representative of the U.S. population. The margin of sampling error for adults overall is plus or minus 3.8 percentage points.

Real Madrid are confident of signing Rodri from Manchester City amid Pep Guardiola’s departure, Bayern Munich plan a shock move for John Stones, while Atletico Madrid want Marc Cucurella.

Pep Guardiola’s impending exit from Manchester City opens the door for 29-year-old Spain midfielder Rodri to join Real Madrid this summer. (Marca – in Spanish), external

Bayern Munich are considering a shock move for England defender John Stones with the 31-year-old set to leave Manchester City at the end of the season. (Mail), external

Atletico Madrid are weighing up moves for Manchester City‘s 31-year-old Portugal midfielder Bernardo Silva and Chelsea‘s 27-year-old Spain defender Marc Cucurella. (Sky Sports), external

Inter Miami are closing in on the signing of Manchester United‘s Brazil midfielder Casemiro with the 34-year-old set to leave the club at the end of the season. (Athletic) , external

Liverpool‘s 33-year-old Brazil goalkeeper Alisson wants to join Juventus this summer even if the Serie A side fail to qualify for the Champions League. (Gazzetta – in Italian), external

Barcelona have agreed personal terms with 28-year-old England forward Marcus Rashford as they look to make his loan deal permanent, but are yet to agree a transfer fee with Manchester United. (Sport – in Spanish), external

Liverpool have formally registered their interest in 20-year-old Hoffenheim winger Bazoumana Toure but they face competition from Manchester United, Aston Villa and Newcastle who also admire the Ivorian. (Teamtalk), external

Manchester United are monitoring Borussia Dortmund left-back Julian Ryerson, 28, with the Norway international being lined up as a possible replacement for Noussair Mazraoui. (Sky Sports Germany), external

Manchester United could take advantage of Southampton’s Spygate controversy by moving for 22-year-old Northern Ireland midfielder Shea Charles. (Mirror), external

Liverpool could make a move for 21-year-old Norway winger Antonio Nusa should a deal for his RB Leipzig team-mate Yan Diomande become too difficult. (Football Insider), external

Fenerbahce have emerged as a surprise contender to sign 33-year-old Egypt forward Mohamed Salah from Liverpool this summer. (Caught Offside), external

Chelsea are weighing up a move for Bayer Leverkusen centre-back Edmond Tapsoba, 27, with the Burkina Faso international having previously worked under incoming boss Xabi Alonso. (Teamtalk), external

Borussia Dortmund are unlikely to bring Manchester United‘s 26-year-old England winger Jadon Sancho, who is on loan at Aston Villa, back to the club for a third spell. (Bild – in German), external

The incident came last month when unarmed Rivet Joint plane was securing NATO’s eastern flank in international airspace, according to the British Defence Ministry.

Two Russian jets have “repeatedly and dangerously” intercepted a British Royal Air Force surveillance aircraft in April over the Black Sea, according to the United Kingdom’s Ministry of Defence.

The ⁠⁠Rivet Joint aircraft was unarmed and carrying out routine surveillance in international airspace over the Black Sea, securing NATO’s eastern flank, the ministry said in a statement on Wednesday. There was no immediate reaction from Russia.

“This incident is another example of dangerous and unacceptable behaviour by Russian pilots, towards an unarmed aircraft operating in international airspace,” Defence Minister John Healey said in the statement. “These actions create a serious risk of accidents and potential escalation,” he added.

It was repeatedly intercepted ‌‌by a Russian Su-35 aircraft, which flew close enough to trigger emergency systems on the British plane, it said. A Russian Su-27 conducted six passes, flying six metres (less than 20 feet) from the Rivet Joint’s nose.

Defence and foreign ministry officials this week formally complained to the Russian embassy about the air incident, Wednesday’s statement added.

It said the incident was the most dangerous Russian action ⁠⁠against a UK surveillance plane since ⁠⁠2022, when a nearby Russian plane released a missile over the Black Sea, in what Moscow later called a technical malfunction.

The intercepts came days after Healey announced that the Royal Navy had tracked and “seen off” three Russian submarines on an alleged monthlong “covert operation” in Atlantic waters “north of the UK” near vital undersea cables and pipelines.

Healey made details of the monitoring operation public on April 9.

“Let me be very clear: This incident will not deter the UK’s commitment to defend NATO, our allies and our interests from Russian aggression,” he warned on Wednesday.

The UK monitoring mission involved about 500 personnel and saw UK aircraft fly more than 450 hours while a navy frigate covered several thousand nautical miles.

A defence review last year concluded that Russia poses an “immediate and pressing” threat to the nation.

The victory of Chris Rabb in a US House of Representatives primary in Pennsylvania represents a boost to Democrats’ progressive flank, a movement that has come under heavy pressure in recent years.

Running to represent a district stretching across Philadelphia, widely considered the “bluest” in the country, Rabb handily defeated his top competitors. The state lawmaker carried about 44 percent of the vote, compared with about 30 percent for State Senator Sharif Street and 24 percent for paediatric surgeon Ala Stanford.

With no Republicans on the ballot in the primary, Rabb is expected to skate to victory in the midterm.

While all candidates sought to highlight progressives’ bona fides in the race, Rabb skewed farthest left, railing against the political machinery that has long played kingmaker in local politics.

He also broke from his opponents on US policy towards Israel. He has pledged to join 12 current members of Congress in signing a resolution recognising the Nakba and has urged his competitors to describe Israel’s actions in Gaza as a “genocide” on the campaign trail.

In one exchange with voters, Stanford appeared to say that using the term “genocide” was “harmful”. Street, whose victory would have made him Philadelphia’s first Muslim member of Congress, has also been criticised for a lack of clarity on the issue.

In a statement, Kendra Brooks and Nicolas O’Rourke, cochairs of the Pennsylvania Working Families Party, said the race was a weathervane for Democrats.

“The question in this race was not whether we would elect a Democrat, but what kind of Democrat we would choose,” they said.

“The people of Philadelphia made their choice clear: bold, working-class leadership, and an end to the broken status quo.”

Indeed, the race in many ways mirrored internal strife for Democrats, kicked into overdrive following the party’s routing in the 2024 election.

Street, the former chair of the Pennsylvania Democratic Party, and Stanford, who was endorsed by outgoing Representative Dwight Evans, have largely been viewed as representing the party’s longstanding establishment.

Underscoring that perception, earlier this Month, Axios reported that Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro had urged building unions supporting Street not to run attack advertisements against Stanford, over concerns it would boost Rabb’s chances.

Rabb, meanwhile, had been endorsed by a series of progressive stalwarts, including Representatives Ocasio-Cortez, Representative Ilhan Omar and Senator Chris Van Hollen and progressive groups, including Justice Democrats and the Sunrise Movement.

The Socialist Democrats of America, who endorsed Rabb early on in the race, have been largely credited with leveraging their ground operation before the primary win.

“We will be with Congressman Rabb every step of the way in the fight to abolish ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement), free Palestine and win Medicare for All,” the group said on Wednesday.

Progressives targeted

Rabb’s win represents a sign of hope for progressives, who have been heavily targeted in primary races, particularly for their criticism of Washington’s longstanding support for Israel.

In 2024, both Cori Bush of Missouri and Jamaal Bowman of New York, members of the so-called Progressive “squad” in Congress, lost their primary races amid a massive influx of spending by AIPAC and pro-Israel lobby groups. All told, AIPAC and affiliated groups spent about $25m to unseat the pair.

Progressives have so far seen a mixed bag this primary season. Analilia Mejia saw an early surprise victory when she defeated former Representative Tom Malinowski in February.

Malinowski, who has long portrayed himself as a centrist, was targeted by AIPAC in the 11-way race, in a strategy that has been viewed as a major backfire for the pro-Israel lobby. Instead of boosting a pro-Israel candidate, AIPAC’s targeting indirectly buoyed Mejia, a staunch critic.

In Texas, pro-Palestine pastor and civil rights leader Frederick Haynes III also won his primary race. Haynes was also endorsed by the Justice Democrats, an organisation launched in 2017 to support progressive candidates. The group has endorsed 15 candidates so far this year.

Three other progressive candidates, Junaid Ahmed and Kat Abughazaleh in Illinois, and Nida Allam in North Carolina, lost their primaries amid a massive onslaught of opposition spending from pro-Israel and artificial intelligence-aligned groups.

Still, Justice Democrats spokesperson Usamah Andrabi said Rabb’s victory was an energising sign before a slate of competitive races in June.

Also in Pennsylvania, incumbent Representative Summer Lee easily sailed to victory in her Democratic primary race in Pittsburgh.

“The sky is the limit,” Andrabi told Al Jazeera, “and it is clear that the Democratic base is desperate for a new generation of leadership that not only takes on Republican extremism but takes on the Democratic establishment and their corporate backers all at once.”

Battlelines draw

Tuesday’s primaries across six states saw the battle lines for the midterm election in November further drawn.

The vote will determine which party controls the US Senate and the US House of Representatives, which will set the pace for US President Donald Trump’s second term in office.

Most notably on the Republican side, US Representative Thomas Massie lost his primary race to Trump-backed challenger Ed Gallrein, in what was the most expensive House primary race in history.

Massie had broken with Trump on the investigation into billionaire financier Jeffrey Epstein, the war in Iran, and US support for Israel. His loss indicated Trump’s enduring hold over the party.

But it remained to be seen if that influence would extend to the general election, with Trump’s approval ranking tanking in recent months amid the war with Iran and its knock-on economic fallout. Polls have shown the president’s support has been particularly hard hit among independents, who typically do not vote in primaries.

In Georgia, two Republicans, Congressman Mike Collins and former football coach Derek Dooley, will advance to a run-off election on June 16 in the US Senate race. The winner will take on Democrat Jon Ossoff in one of the closest-watched races of the season.

Meanwhile, Democrat Keisha Lance Bottoms, the former mayor of Atlanta, won the party’s primary in the gubernatorial race. Two Republicans, Rich Jackson and Burt Jones, meanwhile, will head to a run-off.

The race is set to be consequential, with election administration – and the redrawing of congressional maps – in the state looming large in 2024 and potentially set to play a key role in the 2028 race.

Lupa Systems, the media and tech holding company owned by James Murdoch, is set to acquire nearly half of Vox Media.

As part of the deal, Murdoch’s company will own Vox Media’s podcast network, Vox.com and New York Magazine, once an asset of his father, industry giant Rupert Murdoch. Terms of the deal were not disclosed, but the price tag was reportedly over $300 million, the New York Times reported citing people familiar with the deal. The goal of the investment is to bring “influential journalists, top-rated podcasts, and digital brands with large social footprints” to Lupa and help grow its media portfolio, the company announced Wednesday.

“This acquisition aligns well with our existing holdings and investments and reflects both our interest in the forward edge of culture and our deep commitment to ambitious journalism and agenda-setting conversations,” Murdoch said in a statement.

The three new assets will function as a subsidiary of Lupa Systems and will keep the name Vox Media. The deal includes New York Magazine’s popular verticals like The Cut, Vulture and Intelligencer, as well as Vox’s most successful podcasts like “Today, Explained” and “Pivot with Kara Swisher and Scott Galloway.” Jim Bankoff, Vox Media’s current CEO, will continue to lead the company.

The other Vox Media properties, which Murdoch did not purchase, include websites like Eater, The Dodo and The Verge. These platforms will be run under an unnamed new company by the current president of Vox Media, Ryan Pauley.

This investment strengthens Lupa Systems’ position in the evolving media landscape. The business has other holdings including the parent company of Tribeca Film Festival, the owner of Art Basel, Robert DeNiro and Jane Rosenthal’s entertainment company Tribeca Enterprises, and Bodhi Tree Systems, an investment platform behind a popular Indian streaming service.

This is one of the largest deals Murdoch has closed since he and his family resolved a $3.3-billion dispute last year. The conflict centered on the future of the family’s media empire, which includes Fox News, The New York Post and The Wall Street Journal. In the settlement, James Murdoch received roughly $1 billion and his elder brother, Lachlan, assumed power over the family’s assets.

Before the legal blowout, Murdoch previously served as the chief executive of major global media companies like 21st Century Fox and Europe’s Sky Group.

The billionaire told the New York Times that, with this new acquisition, he didn’t want a “daily news business.” He wanted “longer-form, thoughtful journalism that can really speak to the culture.”

NEW LONDON, Conn. — President Trump told the U.S. Coast Guard Academy’s graduates on Wednesday that they show “unbelievable heroism and exceptional selflessness” but that the cadets will “be tested further” as they embark on their military careers.

Trump’s remarks to the class of 2026 were the first time he has given a commencement address at one of the nation’s military academies after sending U.S. troops to fight a new war.

He told the cadets that they will be America’s “first defenders” and “first responders.”

“You’ve all been tested. You’ll be tested further and probably at higher levels as your career goes on,” Trump said.

During his address, Trump quickly touched on the war with Iran, now in its 12th week, as a sign of U.S. success from “the hottest country anywhere in the world.”

“The only question is, do we go ahead and finish it up or are they going to be signing a document? Let’s see what happens,” Trump said.

The Republican president had threatened to launch renewed strikes on Iran this week as talks with Tehran seemed to have stalled and a fragile ceasefire appeared to be teetering. But Trump on Monday said he was giving Iran a few more days because “serious negotiations” were underway.

He has not offered details and has in the past backed away from following through on threats to Iran, citing breakthroughs in talks that have not publicly materialized.

Earlier Wednesday, he told reporters that he’s “in no hurry” to strike a deal to wrap up the war because of political concerns and the November midterm elections.

The commencement was held on a day with scorching heat and there was little shade available as the crowd waited for the ceremony to begin.

At least one person required medical attention after passing out. Others pleaded with organizers for elderly attendants to sit in the shade under tents. Chilled water bottles were distributed freely but quickly became warm.

Trump, who spoke at the academy’s graduation in 2017 during his first term, said he was proud to be the first president to give two commencement addresses at the school.

“We’re going to have to try it maybe a third time, too, to keep that record intact,” Trump said Wednesday.

The president and vice president traditionally speak at one of the military service academies every year. Vice President JD Vance is set to give the commencement address on May 28 at the U.S. Air Force Academy.

Before he flew to Connecticut, Trump told reporters that his message to the cadets would be, “Just enjoy your life.”

“You know, you don’t really realize how important Coast Guard is until you have a hurricane,” Trump said as he praised the maritime service.

Price and Kruesi write for the Associated Press. Price reported from Washington.

Kansas City Chiefs receiver Rashee Rice was taken into custody Tuesday and ordered to serve 30 days in jail after violating the terms of his probation stemming from a 2024 vehicle crash that left multiple people injured.

A spokesperson for the Dallas County District Attorney’s Office said in an email to The Times that Rice had tested positive for THC, the primary psychoactive chemical in marijuana. The fourth-year player out of Southern Methodist will remain in the Dallas County jail until June 16.

Based on that timeline, Rice will miss the Chiefs’ voluntary team workouts May 26-28 and June 1-3 and mandatory minicamp June 9-11.

“We are aware of the reports and have been in touch with the league office,” a Chiefs spokesman told the Associated Press, declining further comment. An NFL spokesperson told The Times that the league is “aware of the report” and also declined further comment.

Also on Tuesday, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported that Rice underwent surgery on his right knee last week to remove loose debris that was causing inflammation. Rice is expected to be ready for training camp this summer, according to Schefter.

The Chiefs did not immediately respond to The Times’ request for comment regarding Rice’s reported surgery.

Rice was sentenced to 30 days in jail last July after pleading guilty to third-degree felony charges of collision involving serious bodily injury and racing on a highway causing bodily injury. He was, however, granted flexibility as to when to serve his jail time and had not served it yet.

After his recent probation violation, the district attorney’s office spokesperson said, Rice was ordered to serve that jail time immediately.

On March 30, 2024, according to prosecutors, Rice was driving a Lamborghini Urus SUV at 119 mph when made “multiple aggressive maneuvers around traffic” and struck other vehicles, then fled the scene on foot without checking on anyone in the other vehicles.

He was suspended for the first six weeks of the 2025 season for violating the NFL’s personal conduct policy.

In 28 games with the Chiefs, Rice has 156 receptions for 1,797 yards and 14 touchdowns. He is entering the final year of his rookie contract.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

May 20 (UPI) — Barney Frank, a former Massachusetts congressman who was instrumental in overhauling the country’s financial regulations and was one of the first openly gay members of Congress, died at his home in Maine. He was 86.

Frank had entered hospice care last month with congestive heart failure, The New York Times reported.

Rep. Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., worked with Frank in Congress for decades. Pelosi called him “a real mentor” and said she learned a lot from him.

“He has been about idealism and pragmatism to get the job done,” she told NBC News.

Frank served in the House of Representatives for more than 30 years and led the House Financial Services Committee from 2007 to 2011. One of the successes for which he was best known was the Dodd-Frank Act of 2010, which he co-sponsored with Sen. Chris Dodd. The act, a response to the 2008 financial crisis, tightened regulations on Wall Street, preventing banks from taking part in the riskiest behaviors and protecting consumers.

Frank was one of the first U.S. politicians to come out as gay voluntarily — in a 1987 interview with the Boston Globe, a statement he followed with “So what?” He became the first member of Congress to marry a same-sex partner when he wed Jim Ready in 2012. Ready survives him.

“I think the key to our having made the enormous progress we made in defeating anti-gay prejudice had to do with all of us coming out and people discovering the gap between between our reality and the way we were painted,” Frank said in an interview last month with NBC News.

Frank was also known for championing civil rights and women’s rights and advocating for issues including environmental protection and abortion rights.

“I’m a left-handed gay Jew,” he often said, The New York Times reported. “I’ve never felt, automatically, a member of any majority.”

Frank’s first book, Frank: A Life in Politics from the Great Society to Same-Sex Marriage, was published in 2015. His second, The Hard Path to Unity: Why We Must Reform the Left to Rescue Democracy, is expected to be published in September.

In Frank, he wrote that he’d been good at his job but in retirement, he was ready to be “good at life.”

Nine American destroyers stand at the vanguard of the U.S. Navy’s efforts to integrate laser weapons into the battlefield of the future. Lasers and other directed energy (DE) weapon systems went from an elusive dream to reality over the past decade, which TWZ has covered extensively. We’ve now compiled the most complete public accounting of the warships equipped with operational systems today, where they’re deployed, and what they can do.

The U.S. military is moving aggressively to reduce reliance on expensive single-use munitions, and laser weapons are oft-touted as part of a long-term solution. The recently released FY2027 budget reflects the urgency, with billions appropriated for scaled directed energy research and development (R&D) programs. “DE capabilities offer an inexpensive cost-per-shot alternative to conventional systems, increased magazine depth, and enhanced defense-in-depth,” budget documents state. The volume of high-end munitions expended during Operation Epic Fury, previous engagements with Iran, and the fight in and around the Red Sea against the Houthis, not to mention the near half-decade-long war in Ukraine, has sparked debate around the status and depth of U.S. stockpiles, driving renewed interest and investment in low-cost, reusable alternatives.

Countering swarms of cheap Iranian drones and missiles during extended combat operations presents a new challenge for America’s Arleigh Burke class destroyers, which are limited by how many missiles can be packed into 90 or 96 vertical launch system (VLS) cells and can only be reloaded at friendly ports with proper gear. Lasers, in contrast, do not face the same constraints, although the services have faced significant hurdles in fielding operational systems in the past.

The Navy has armed nine guided-missile destroyers with shipboard solid state lasers (SSLs) for self-defense since we reported on the first in November 2019. “The Navy has placed directed energy systems on nine ships and is working to expand testing and employment in the fleet,” a U.S. Navy official confirmed to TWZ. However, the official declined to discuss current operations when asked if the systems were employed against Iranian forces in the Middle East.

While the U.S. has several SSL programs in various stages of testing and development, two primary systems are operational on warships today: the Optical Dazzling Interdictor, Navy (ODIN), and the High Energy Laser with Integrated Optical-dazzler and Surveillance (HELIOS). TWZ has covered both systems in detail before, which you can read about here and here.

ODIN, the first SSL scaled across multiple destroyers, features a low-powered laser designed to work as a “dazzler” to blind or confuse the electro-optical and/or imaging infrared seekers on incoming weapons, such as one-way attack drones, throwing them off course. The system can also neutralize cameras and sensors used for intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) deployed aboard enemy ships, submarine masts, crewed aircraft, and drones. Initially, ODIN was installed on eight ships, but one unit was transferred for training to Naval Surface Warfare Center Port Hueneme from USS Kidd (DDG-100), which is completing a two-year maintenance availability in Everett, WA.

Two ODIN-enabled destroyers are on combat deployments in the U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) area of responsibility (AOR). USS Spruance (DDG-111), part of the five-ship Abraham Lincoln Carrier Strike Group and the independently deployed USS John Finn (DDG-113) are operating in the Indian Ocean supporting ongoing operations against Iran. USS Gridley (DDG-101), the only other ODIN-equipped DDG underway, is in the South Atlantic Ocean escorting aircraft carrier USS Nimitz (CVN-68) to her new homeport at Norfolk. The four other destroyers are at their respective homeports in San Diego and Yokosuka, as depicted in the graphic at the top of this post.

The far more powerful but less numerous HELIOS system, integrated solely on USS Preble (DDG-88), is a 60-kilowatt (kW) class laser weapon capable of knocking down smaller unmanned aerial systems (UAS) and burning holes in fast inshore attack craft (FIAC), as well as functioning as a dazzler like ODIN. The system, which also carries the designation Mk 5 Mod 0, provides a low cost-per-shot capability to address anti-surface warfare and counter-ISR threats, while fully integrating with the Aegis Combat System. Lockheed Martin has previously discussed scaling the power rating up to 150kW.

Preble, the only destroyer currently equipped with HELIOS, is forward-deployed and at homeport in Yokosuka, Japan. During a demonstration last year, Preble successfully disabled four incoming drones. Funding for additional tests and maintenance was included in the FY2027 budget.

The Navy has also installed other experimental high-energy laser directed energy weapons on ships in the past, such as the Laser Weapon System Demonstrator tested aboard USS Portland, and test-fired a LOCUST laser from an aircraft carrier for the first time last year. The latest budget request supports R&D for several programs, including a containerized 150kW Joint Laser Weapon System (JLWS) for cruise missile defense, the Joint Beam Control System (JBCS) technology to develop a 300-500kW laser, and upgrades for the High Energy Laser Counter Anti-Ship Cruise Missile Project (HELCAP).

Regardless, while laser weapons are very attractive for all the reasons listed earlier in this article, their application remains limited by various factors. Laser weapons capable of downing drones and disabling small boats have a range measured in single miles, at best, so they are only capable of providing close-in defense. This is further impacted, and heavily so, by atmospheric conditions. They also need to have their beam dwell on the target for extended periods of time in order to burn a hole in it. As a result, their ability to rapidly engage targets, and especially at range in all weather conditions, is very limited. Thermal and power supply restrictions also impact their ability to make rapid follow-up shots. Finally, lasers remain finicky pieces of technology and are full of delicate components, which has impacted reliability in the field.

Still, even with all these limitations, these systems are improving and their range, reliability, and power will increase over time. As a result, they will only become a more important part of naval warfare in the coming years, with hopes that their ability to rapidly down faster-flying missiles isn’t too far over the horizon.

Contact the author: ian.ellis-jones@teamrecurrent.io

HIS fans have been speculating that something isn’t quite right between Jake Quickenden and his wife Sophie Church over the past couple of days.

And now his pals have ­confirmed to me that the couple, who married in 2022 and have two children together, have formally separated.

Former X Factor star Jake, who has also appeared on I’m A Celeb and Dancing On Ice, and Sophie are understood to have told their close friends and family about their decision to split.

“Jake and Sophie have ended their marriage but they remain incredibly amicable,” a pal told me.

“There is still a huge amount of love and respect between them.

“Their main priority has always been, and continues to be, their children, and they are fully committed to being the best parents possible.

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“Over time, they started to grow apart and Jake and Sophie have had some long and honest conversations about this.

“While they might not be together any more, they are still on great terms and are looking to the future, co-parenting together. Maintaining a happy and supportive family unit together is their focus now.”

Jake and influencer Sophie got together in 2018.

They dated for three years before he popped the question during a holiday to Rhodes in 2021.

Jake spoke about his love for Sophie in the days following their wedding in Ibiza a year later, saying: “I thought it was an angel walking down the aisle.”

He went on to admit they wrote their own vows, joking: “I was saying, ‘I won’t leave empty wrappers in the cupboard any more’. I said, ‘I’ll still love her when she makes a noise when she eats like a squirrel’.

“I said at the end, ‘I think there’s only one true love and you’re my soulmate’.”

Although it hasn’t worked out, I’m glad to hear they’re still on good terms.

MGK’s swipe after Yung’s ticket rap

THEY were once close friends and collaborated on Acting Like That and Body Bag in 2020 and 2019’s I Think I’m Okay but Machine Gun Kelly has now declared war on Yungblud.

The US nonentity took a swipe after Doncaster rocker Yung spoke out about the ­rising cost of live music tickets.

In a video posted on Instagram, Yungblud – who cancelled several dates of his North American tour last year – said: “Live music has become inaccessible, that’s a fact. Artists are cancelling all the time based on lack of ticket sales, because it is an issue, it’s completely unaffordable for people.”

But MGK lashed out: “You cancelled a tour because you couldn’t sell tickets, blamed it on mental health then got paparazzi’d at Nobu the next day Pinocchio. Your tour tickets are the same price as every other artist. Shut the f* up you ­silver-spooned preachy w**r.”

Taking the higher ground, a rep for Yungblud – real name Dominic Harrison – replied: “He genuinely hasn’t got time to engage in this.”

Dom should now let his music do the talking. His last three studio albums went straight to No1, and earlier this year he landed a Grammy for his rendition of pal Ozzy Osbourne’s 1972 hit Changes.

MGK, meanwhile, has never hit the top spot here . . . 

Kylie strikes chord with pal Chris

KYLIE MINOGUE has revealed Coldplay frontman Chris Martin helped bring her new song Light Up to life by sending her a voice note.

I joined a handful of Kylie’s biggest fans at Spotify’s Listening Lounge in London ahead of the launch of her new Netflix docuseries simply titled Kylie, which dropped yesterday.

She explained: “I was coming out from the studio on the phone to Chris while I was working on [album] Tension.

“I told him some of the lines I had, and he asked if he could put some chords to them. Within half an hour, I had a voice note back from him.”

She added: “I can’t imagine Chris is ever very far away from a guitar or drums.”

As well as her new music, fans are finding a new resonance in Kylie’s older tracks following the docuseries – particularly 2023 release Story.

In the Netflix show, Kylie reveals that the closing track from her Tension album was actually about her second cancer diagnosis in 2021.

She sings: “I didn’t let the world know, I was fighting a big fight. Fighting a dark light. Raging hard on the inside.”

Kylie is one of life’s fighters.

Madge point

MADONNA has taken a swipe at Charli XCX after the Guess singer said she reckons dance floors are “dead.”

On her new song Rock Music, Charli sings: “I think the dance floor is dead, so now we’re making rock music.”

Madge’s dance-heavy new album, Confessions On A Dance Floor: Part II comes out on July 3, and she certainly doesn’t agree.

Her original Confessions On A Dance Floor in 2005 was one of the top albums that year and one of the best-selling records of the 21st Century.

So in response, Madge posted this snap on Instagram last night and wrote: “If your dance floor feels dead, maybe you’re playing the wrong music.”
Ouch.

All dolled up

THE PUSSYCAT DOLLS might have been forced to cancel their US tour but they want us to know it is business as usual.

Kimberly Wyatt, Nicole Scherzinger and Ashley Roberts came together in pink outfits to perform at a Huda Beauty event in London.

It was the first official comeback performance ahead of their shows later this year.

They hit Europe and the UK in September.

Frank in new goal

HE co-wrote one of the world’s best football songs with 1996 classic Three Lions, and now Frank Skinner is at it again.

Ahead of Euro 2028, Frank has written a new poem to kick-start BT’s partnership with the competition.

“If you properly care, then you’re properly there,” the poem reads.

“Belfast, Cardiff, Edinburgh, West Bromwich, ready to cheer, to revere and pay homage to our teams and our dreams, our fists punching the air or clenched in despair.”

Let’s hope it’s not the latter.

UNA HEALY has quit alcohol because she was sick of having a “rotten hangover”.

The Saturday’s star, who is five months sober, said on Instagram: “I’ve been asked, ‘Is it hard? Is it tough?’ Well, it is hard.

“Sometimes you feel like you’re missing out but you’re not missing out on that rotten hangover.

“If it’s one day without feeling like s**t because of drink, then bring it on.”

MIAMI — Federal prosecutors on Wednesday announced charges against former Cuban President Raúl Castro in the 1996 downing of civilian planes operated by Miami-based exiles as the Trump administration escalated pressure on the socialist government.

The indictment was related to Castro’s alleged role in the shootdown of two small planes operated by the exile group Brothers to the Rescue. Castro, now 94, was Cuba’s defense minister at the time. The charges included murder and destruction of an airplane.

Acting Atty. Gen. Todd Blanche and other top Justice Department officials made the announcement in Miami at a ceremony to honor those killed in the shootdown.

President Trump has been threatening military action in Cuba ever since U.S. forces captured the Cuban government’s longtime patron, Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro. After ousting Maduro, the White House ordered a blockade that choked off fuel shipments to Cuba, leading to severe blackouts, food shortages and an economic collapse across the island.

Since Maduro’s capture, Trump has ratcheted up talk of regime change in Cuba after pledging earlier this year to conduct a “friendly takeover” of the country if its leadership did not open its economy to American investment and kick out U.S. adversaries.

Trump’s first administration indicted Maduro on drug-trafficking charges and used that to justify removing him from power during a surprise military raid in January that whisked the Venezuelan leader to New York to face trial.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Wednesday urged the Cuban people to demand a free-market economy with new leadership that he said will chart a new course in relations with the U.S.

“In the U.S., we are ready to open a new chapter in the relationship between our people,” Rubio, the son of Cuban immigrants, said in a Spanish-language video message. “Currently, the only thing standing in the way of a better future are those who control your country.”

Cuba’s deputy foreign minister, Carlos F. de Cossío lashed out at Rubio on X, saying he “lies so repeatedly and unscrupulously about Cuba and tries to justify the aggression he inflicts on the Cuban people.” Rubio “knows full well that there is no excuse for such cruel and ruthless aggression.”

Raúl Castro believed to wield power behind the scenes

There’s no indication Castro will be taken into U.S. custody anytime soon.

He took over as president from his ailing older brother Fidel Castro in 2006 before handing power to a trusted loyalist, Díaz-Canel, in 2018.

While he retired in 2021 as head of the Cuban Communist Party, he is widely believed to wield power behind the scenes, underscored by the prominence of his grandson, Raúl Guillermo Rodríguez Castro, who previously met secretly with Rubio.

Last week, CIA Director John Ratcliffe traveled to Havana for meetings with Cuban officials, including Castro’s grandson. Two other senior State Department officials met with the grandson in April.

“The symbolic nature is absolutely crucial,” said Lindsey Lazopoulos Friedman, a former prosecutor at the U.S. attorney’s office in Miami who handled national security cases and crimes involving Cubans.

“Even though Raúl Castro will likely stay and die in Cuba, you can use the indictment as a pressure point, a tactical advantage, to extract other concessions like the release of prisoners or to keep Russia out,” she added.

The investigation into Castro stretches back to the 1990s

Starting in 1995, planes flown by members of Brothers to the Rescue, a group founded by Cuban exiles, buzzed over Havana dropping leaflets urging Cubans to rise up against the Castro government.

The Cubans protested to the U.S. government, warning that they would defend their airspace. Federal Aviation Administration officials also opened an investigation and met with the group’s leaders to urge them to ground the flights, according to declassified government records obtained by George Washington University’s National Security Archive.

“This latest overflight can only be seen as further taunting of the Cuban Government,” an FAA official wrote in an email to her superiors after one intrusion in January 1996. “Worst case scenario is that one of these days the Cubans will shoot down one of these planes.”

But those calls went unheeded and on Feb. 24, 1996, missiles fired by Russian-made MiG-29 fighter jets downed two unarmed civilian Cessna planes a short distance north of Havana just beyond Cuba’s airspace. All four men aboard were killed.

Raúl Castro faced earlier indictment

Guy Lewis, who was a federal prosecutor, uncovered evidence linking senior Cuban military officials to cocaine trafficking by Colombia’s Medellin cartel. Following the shootdown, the investigation expanded, and prosecutors pursued charges against Raúl Castro for leading a vast racketeering conspiracy by Cuba’s armed forces.

“The evidence was strong,” Lewis said in an interview.

In the end, the Clinton administration indicted four individuals, including the MiG pilots, the head of the Cuban air force and the head of a Cuban spy network in Miami — the only one to see the inside of a U.S. prison — for providing valuable intelligence about the flights.

The incident led the U.S. to harden its position against Cuba, even though the Cold War had ended and the Castros’ support for revolution across Latin America was a fading memory.

But Castro himself was spared as the Clinton administration — which had quietly sought to expand relations with Cuba prior to the incident — raised foreign policy concerns about such a high-profile indictment.

“Raúl was definitely one who slipped through the noose,” Lewis said. “The crime is notorious. Three U.S. citizens and one legal permanent resident were killed in a premeditated orchestrated murder. That should never be forgotten.”

Goodman and Richer write for the Associated Press. Richer reported from Washington.

The players’ campaign, which began in late 2025, is being spearheaded by former WTA chairman and chief executive Larry Scott.

The American will be in Paris on Friday for a meeting with French Open tournament director Amelie Mauresmo and FFT president Gilles Moretton.

Meetings are also planned with representatives of the All England Club (AELTC) and the US Tennis Association later in the fortnight.

The players’ action is designed to put pressure on the AELTC, with prize money for Wimbledon not due to be announced for another three weeks.

Last year, the Wimbledon prize fund rose by 7% to £53.5m – double the amount on offer a decade earlier.

Players look enviously, however, at the revenues generated by the Grand Slams and feel entitled to a larger slice of the cake.

The AELTC’s financial statement for the year to July 2025 showed revenue of £427m and profit after tax of £39.7m.

Players have asked the Slams to pay 22% of their revenue in prize money by 2030.

They are also asking that tens of millions of dollars are paid towards pension, healthcare and maternity benefits, and that they are consulted more widely on scheduling and other key decisions.

At this month’s Italian Open, world number one Aryna Sabalenka said she believes players will “at some point” boycott one of the majors.

World number three Iga Swiatek felt that would be a “bit extreme”, but defending French Open champion Coco Gauff said she would support strike action “if everyone were to move as one and collaborate”.

Men’s world number one Jannik Sinner also claimed players are not getting the respect they deserve when it comes to prize money at the majors.

An FFT statement on Wednesday read: “We regret the players’ decision, which impacts all of the tournament’s stakeholders: the media, broadcasters, the FFT and the entire tennis community, all of whom follow each edition of Roland Garros with great enthusiasm.

“The French Tennis Federation recognises the importance of the players’ contribution to the tournament’s success, and wishes to maintain close ties with them.”

The French Open takes place from 24 May to 7 June.

Oscar-winning Spanish director Pedro Almodovar called Donald Trump, Benjamin Netanyahu and Vladimir Putin ‘monsters’ during a press conference at the Cannes Film Festival on Wednesday, where he wore a Palestine solidarity pin.

Israeli attacks on Lebanon continue despite the ‘ceasefire’ that was recently extended until the beginning of July.

At least eight people have been killed in Israeli attacks on southern Lebanon, in the latest violation of an ongoing “ceasefire” agreement, according to Lebanon’s state-run National News Agency (NNA).

Israeli fighter jets struck in the village of Doueir on Wednesday, killing five people and injuring two others, NNA reported. Several homes were flattened in the attack, the agency said.

Another Israeli attack killed two people near a hospital in the village of Tibnin, while one person riding a motorcycle was killed in a drone attack on the village of Burj Shemali in the Tyre district, NNA said.

The Red Cross said it recovered the body of one person on the outskirts of the town of Shebaa in the Nabatieh governorate.

Israeli attacks across Lebanon continue despite the United States-mediated “ceasefire” that was recently extended until the beginning of July.

The fresh wave of Israeli attacks came hours after at least 16 people were killed in Israeli air attacks across southern Lebanon on Tuesday. The Health Ministry said three women and three children were among the victims.

Moreover, the Lebanese armed group Hezbollah said its forces clashed with Israeli troops trying to advance to the centre of the village of Haddatha late last night.

The group also reported clashes with Israeli forces in the town of Biyyada and the municipality of Rashaf.

Attacks on eastern Lebanon ongoing

Israeli forces continue to expand their military campaign beyond the country’s south into the western Bekaa Valley.

“For weeks, the Israeli army has been targeting Muslim Shia majority villages in the western Bekaa Valley where Hezbollah has support,” Al Jazeera’s Zeina Khodr reported. “They lie on the road that links the southern front-line villages to the east of the country.”

Yousef Hasan, displaced from the town of Yuhmor, called Israel “an expansionist state that kills women and children”.

“They don’t believe in borders. For them, the border is as far as Israeli soldiers can reach. It is a state that occupies others’ lands,” Hasan told Al Jazeera.

Since March 2, Israel has killed 3,073 people in Lebanon and injured 9,362 others, and displaced more than 1.6 million, about one-fifth of the country’s population, according to Lebanese authorities.

Israeli forces have also destroyed entire villages in southern Lebanon, prompting comparisons with the devastation caused by Israel’s genocidal war against the Palestinians in Gaza.

The Netflix show has found itself in the top 10 in multiple countries, bringing in over 13 million views this week

A controversial Netflix show dubbed “super dark” continues to break records in over a dozen countries worldwide.

The Roast of Kevin Hart livestream was finally released on Netflix earlier this month (May 10), having been hosted by Shane Gillis during Netflix is a Joke Fest. Featuring savage punchlines from the likes of Dwayne Johnson, Pete Davidson and Katt Williams, the show continues to divide fans.

Running for just under three hours, a Netflix synopsis reads: “Kevin Hart is in the hot seat and ready for all the smoke as roastmaster Shane Gillis and a dais of A-listers unleash a raw and ruthless night of laughs.”

Despite its controversy, the show has found its way onto Netflix’s Top 10 list, breaking records to sit in top place in 15 countries this week. According to Netflix’s Tudum, from May 11 to May 17, The Roast of Kevin Hart sits in first place in the Top 10 Shows with 13.5 million views.

But views continue to be divided as one person wrote on Rotten Tomatoes: “It’s no different than any other roast.. it’s light but super dark gut wrenching comedy. It’s an enjoyable watch.”

Another said: “This is the edgiest, funniest roast I’ve seen. It was not afraid to push the boundaries of comedy, something we need more of. I applaud the boldness and vision. I’d love to see more like this.”

A third added: “Omg!!! This was a proper roast, crying laughing, whilst walking around the room saying No! No! No! He didnt just say that.”

However, some viewers were unimpressed as one person wrote: “Easily the worst roast ever done. I love Shane, but he was so bad and unfunny. The Rock was the only one that did okay, everyone else was pretty poor. Just awful.”

Another said: “The cringe was high with this one. The few funny moments still didn’t make the 3 hrs worth it.”

A third penned: “Total waste of time. 3-4 funny jokes in 3hrs. Skip!”

Over on Reddit, one viewer stated: “Overall I enjoyed lots of the jokes but many felt like they were simply seeking to push the discomfort to extremes for the sake of edginess rather than for the sake of smart humour. It felt desperate to shock.

“I understand roast culture but this event had an edge I haven’t seen before and there seemed to be an air of discomfort amongst some people.”

The Roast of Kevin Hart can be streamed on Netflix.