All eyes are on the Strait of Hormuz.

The longer it remains closed, the greater the damage to the global economy.

Iran continues to block tankers from shipping close to 20 percent of the world’s oil supply.

That is roughly twice the disruption the world suffered during the energy shock of the 1970s.

Big oil shocks have historically led to considerable economic turmoil, high inflation, stagnation and recession.

Oil and gas prices are already surging, and economies are expected to slow.

From American consumers to Chinese factories and European households, people across the world are already feeling the effect.

A building in the northern Israeli city of Nahariyya caught fire on Monday after a rocket attack launched from Lebanon.

METALLICA’S James Hetfield is engaged to his stunning girlfriend Adriana Gillett, four years after his divorce from his wife of 25 years.

The musician, 62, proposed to his other half underwater while swimming with sharks in an elaborate proposal.

She took to her Instagram to share the exciting news along with some pretty cool pictures.

In the snap, both can be seen wearing snorkelling gear in the water as James holds up a sign that reads: “Adriana Gillett will you marry me?”

A second picture shows a huge fish as they get up close to the sea creatures during their expedition.

Adriana captioned it: “The BEST birthday trip surprise. Swimming with whale sharks on Friday the 13th with the most unique, special and romantic proposal a Pisces could ever imagine.

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“In a sea full of fish, we caught each other. Thank you God for putting us together.”

Fans rushed to the comments section to send the couple their well-wishes as they enter this amazing new chapter.

One person gushed: “This ROCKS and makes me so happy!! Congratulations Addy & James!!”

Another enthused: “YES!!!! Fantastic!!! It’s been incredible to see the beautiful journey you both have been on and continue to travel. Much love and congratulations to you both!!!”

Somebody else commented: “Congratulations to the two of you! We are so happy for you.”

Yet another said: “Congratulations! No surprise, you two are one in a million.”

While a fifth follower added: “What a whale of a tale this is!!! Congratulations you two!!!”

The couple began dating in 2023 following his divorce from Francesca Tomasi the previous year.

The pair had been married since 1997 and have three children together – Cali, Castor and Marcella.

They filed for divorce in 2022, citing irreconcilable differences.

The guitarist has been open about his battles with addiction over the years and was forced to enter rehab in 2019.

This led to Metallica having to postpone their tour dates in Australia and New Zealand.

Sharing a statement on social media at the time, the band penned: “We are truly sorry to inform our fans and friends that we must postpone our upcoming tour of Australia and New Zealand.

“As most of you probably know, our brother James has been struggling with addiction on and off for many years.

“He has no, unfortunately had to re-enter a treatment program to work on his recovery again

“We are devastated that we have inconvenienced so many of you, especially our most loyal fans who travel great distances to experience our shows.”

The iconic heavy metal band was formed in Los Angeles in 1981 by James and drummer Lars Ulrich.

The current lineup is comprised of the founding members along with longtime lead guitarist Kirk Hammett and bassist Robert Trujillo.

They’ve released 11 albums over the last four decades and are one of the most commercially successful bands’ of all time.

While the UK has plenty of unique places for a staycation, there’s one city that people go back to again and again. With so much to do for travellers of all ages it’s easy to see why it remains at number one.

It can be great fun to explore an exotic location several hours away and experience a new culture and scenery, but many of us don’t have the time or budget to take long-haul holidays.

That’s why it’s worth considering locations closer to home. Even if they are on your doorstep, visiting them as a tourist can give you a whole new perspective on a place.

That’s why Expedia has put together a list of the top UK holiday destinations for 2026. Although the city grabbing the number one spot may not come as a great surprise, there are some interesting locations in the top ten.

London topped the list for domestic destinations, and even if you already visit the capital a lot, it’s worth considering as a city break. While many visitors stay in the centre of London, it’s a huge, sprawling city full of colourful neighbourhoods, so simply staying a little further out can completely change your perspective.

Avoid the hotels in tourist central and consider staying in an area such as Hackney Wick or Ladbroke Grove, both of which made it onto The Telegraph’s list of London’s 10 coolest neighbourhoods. Not only will you save money on hotels, but you can also live like a Londoner while still enjoying easy transport links to tourist attractions.

A trip to London also doesn’t need to mean the usual visits to Big Ben and Buckingham Palace. If you enjoy those things, that’s great, but new attractions are being opened all the time. In late 2026, the London Museum in Smithfield will open in a former Victorian market, making the most of the grand building. It’ll include underground exhibition spaces and performance venues.

V&A East opens April 18 in Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, just a short walk from the popular V&A East Storehouse. It will include two free galleries showcasing “contemporary global culture” as well as temporary exhibition spaces. Its first temporary exhibition will be The Music Is Black: A British Story and the café will serve dishes inspired by East London’s diverse communities.

Even well-established landmarks such as the British Museum are always offering new exhibitions and things to do. In September, the much-anticipated Bayeux Tapestry Exhibition will arrive at the museum, allowing visitors to see the incredible 68-metre-long medieval masterpiece up close.

If you prefer attractions that are a little livelier, then the new Gameshow LIVE! might be one for you. Opening in spring, it bills itself as the “world’s first interactive gameshow”. Up to 200 players can join in, and the attraction will include all the elements you expect from a classic game show, from buzzers to dramatic lighting. It’ll certainly outshine your local pub quiz.

On Expedia’s list at second place was the classic tourist destination Edinburgh, while third and fourth place went to Manchester and Liverpool. Birmingham was perhaps a surprise addition at number five, and the West Midlands city managed to beat York and the Lake District in the rankings.

Expedia’s top ten UK destinations for 2026 – full list

1. London
2. Edinburgh
3. Manchester
4. Liverpool
5. Birmingham
6. York
7. Glasgow
8. Lake District
9. Devon
10. Cardiff

Have a story you want to share? Email us at webtravel@reachplc.com

SACRAMENTO — A corporate tax policy that costs California billions in lost tax revenue each year could be coming to an end as the state struggles to backfill federal cuts and resolve a looming budget deficit.

The proposed legislation, Assembly Bill 1790, would repeal the so-called “water’s edge” tax break, a filing option that allows multinational corporations to exclude the income of their foreign subsidiaries from state taxation.

“The tax bills of the wealthiest, most powerful corporations in the world are at all-time lows,” Assemblymember Damon Connolly (D-San Rafael), one of the primary sponsors of the bill, told The Times. “Meanwhile, we’re struggling to fund programs that feed children — I think everyone understands that now is the time for long-term budget solutions.”

Republican Sen. Roger Niello, vice chair of the Senate Budget and Fiscal Review Committee, said the bill to repeal water’s edge won’t receive support from GOP lawmakers. He said the legislation would lead to double taxation, meaning the same income would be taxed twice by different countries, and compared taxing corporations’ foreign profits to enacting tariffs.

“California already has the reputation of being not particularly business friendly,” said Niello (R-Fair Oaks). “This would really just compound that.”

A spokesperson for Gov. Gavin Newsom did not respond to a request for comment about the governor’s views on the proposal. Newsom, however, has largely shunned new tax increase proposals.

Legislation to increase taxes requires a two-thirds approval vote instead of a simple majority. Democrats in California hold a supermajority in both the Assembly and Senate, meaning the bill could still pass without Republican support, but it would require backing from the progressive and moderate wings of the party.

Kayla Kitson, a senior analyst at the California Budget and Policy Center, said the measure has a decent chance of winning support among moderate Democrats due to the state’s budgetary woes.

“The stakes are really high this year,” she said. “With any tax policy, it’s certainly hard to get folks beyond the progressive community on board, but there are a lot of discussions happening behind closed doors given the challenges that the state knows it’s going to have to deal with in the next few years.”

When filing taxes, a multinational corporation in the United States can currently choose between two methods. Worldwide reporting takes into account all of the corporation’s global profits or losses, while the water’s edge option allows the U.S.-based parent company to exclude the income of foreign subsidiaries. This can help corporations that own profitable foreign companies pay less taxes in the United States.

California is scrambling for solutions as the state is facing an estimated $18-billion budget deficit and fallout from federal cuts that slashed healthcare. A Republican-backed tax and spending bill signed last year by President Trump shifted federal funding away from safety net programs and toward tax cuts and immigration enforcement.

Carl Davis, a research director for the Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy, said the idea is picking up momentum nationwide, with states like Maryland, Minnesota and New Hampshire also considering a repeal in recent years, due to a growing awareness about profit shifting — a loophole in the water’s edge tax break that some corporations use to reduce their tax burdens by shifting profits made in a high-tax country into tax havens.

“Folks are outraged when they hear that these companies are pretending that they are earning their profits in the Caymans or in Switzerland and are skipping out on paying U.S. taxes as a result,” he said. “That feels insulting to a lot of people who are paying the taxes they owe every day.”

During an informational hearing at the Legislature last month, Rowan Isaaks, an economist with the nonpartisan Legislative Analyst’s Office, said the state does not know the extent to which corporations use profit shifting, which makes it impossible to determine exactly how much revenue California would gain by eliminating the water’s edge tax exemption. But he estimated it would bring in “single digit billions” for the state each year.

“While there would be revenue gains, the Legislature also faces a trade-off between broadening the tax base but also managing additional uncertainty,” said Isaaks, explaining it could increase budget volatility because foreign income is more sensitive to global economic conditions.

Issaks added that the Legislative Analyst’s Office has found no strong evidence that companies would flee California if the water’s edge tax break was repealed.

Jennifer Barton, director of the legislative services bureau for the California Franchise Tax Board, told legislators that mandating worldwide reporting wouldn’t be difficult for the state from an administrative standpoint, only requiring some additional outreach or educational efforts.

California Tax Foundation visiting fellow Jared Walczak said that the water’s edge option exists for a reason and that it would be unfair to mandate worldwide reporting. “The vast majority of the activity abroad is true economic activity abroad,” he told lawmakers. “Companies don’t just exist in the United States; they have sales, they have manufacturing, they do things abroad.”

A survey last year from the nonpartisan Pew Research Center found 63% of adult Americans believe large corporations or businesses should pay more in taxes, while 19% want corporate taxes to be lower and 17% believe corporate tax policy should remain the same.

Tech companies appear to be particularly aggressive with profit shifting. Six U.S. multinational corporations — Apple, Cisco, EBay, Facebook, Google and Microsoft — may have underpaid their U.S. corporate income taxes by $277 billion over varying periods from 2009 through 2022, according to a report from the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities.

Repealing the water’s edge tax break isn’t the only tax-related proposal being considered as the state seeks to increase revenue. The Billionaire Tax Act is a controversial proposed state ballot initiative that would levy a one-time, 5% tax on the state’s billionaires to help offset federal cuts. Newsom is among its critics.

Davis believes it will continue to be a hot topic regardless of the bill’s outcome this year.

“There is very good reason to think this [repeal] is going to happen at some point,” he said. “This is a debate that is certainly not going away.”

Kerr would love to add a Commonwealth gold to his Olympic medals and his world and world indoor golds.

“What else would you want from a season really, every four years, in Scotland in front of a home crowd, going after a gold medal in the mile distance as well, that is why it is a massive priority in the season,” he explained.

“That is what I grew up thinking about, for me that is what my family spoke about, it is how we were when we were getting our first Scotland vests in cross country and on the track and on the road.

“That is what we always used to discuss when we were sitting on the bus going to these championships. ‘Who is going to the Commonwealth Games? What is everyone’s goals for the Commonwealth Games?’

“And to know that it is in Scotland, it is just pretty special so why would I give up that opportunity for something else? When you look back on your career these are the kind of moments that you are like, ‘that was awesome, that was a huge moment’ regardless of the result, you have got to enjoy it.”

Kerr expects his ambition to be matched by his fellow Scottish runners.

“I haven’t pulled on the Scotland vest since the Commonwealth Games in 2022,” he explained. “It is not something that happens really often.

“I know it will be a priority for Jake Wightman, I know it is a priority for Neil Gourley – that is who they are, it is who I am and that is the system we grew up in so I think all of us just have that ingrained in us.”

US-based Kerr’s last major outing ended in disappointment in Japan with a pulled calf muscle resulting in him finishing a distant last in the 1500m final at the World Championships in September.

Despite having limited race time since then, Kerr believes he is in good shape for 2026.

“Chatting about going after a world indoor title not that many months afterwards is a very proud moment for me and my team,” he added.

“To be honest, I am as fit or fitter than I have been in an indoor season in the past.

“Indoors is an odd time of year for athletes – some people do it, some people don’t and I like to do it normally but I am very proud of the position I am in.

“That is to do with coaching as well, Danny [Mackey] has done a great job with the coaching side of things.”

March 17 (UPI) — Israel said Tuesday it killed Basij paramilitary force commander Gholamreza Soleimani in an overnight airstrike in Tehran.

Specifics on the strike were scant, but The Times of Israel reported the Israel Defense Forces targeted Soleimani at a camp he had recently established in Tehran after the paramilitary’s headquarters were destroyed.

Established in 1980, the Basij is a volunteer paramilitary reserve force under Iran’s influential Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, according to the U.S. Defense Intelligence Agency. The force — which the website for Iran’s supreme leader says consists of millions of members — was sanctioned by the United States for human rights abuses in 2011 and designated as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist in 2018.

Soleimani was appointed in 2019 to lead the Basij, which has been accused of helping suppress protests inside Iran through violence, mass arrests and force against demonstrators.

“The elimination of Soleimani adds to that of dozens of senior commanders from the armed forces of the Iranian regime who have been eliminated during the operation, and constitutes an additional significant blow to the regime’s security command-and-control structures,” the IDF said in a statement on Telegram.

“The IDF will continue to operate with determination against commanders of the Iranian terror regime.”

Iran has yet to respond to the report as of Tuesday morning.

The IDF said it conducted a wave of strikes Monday targeting military infrastructure in the Iranian cities of Tehran, Shiraz and Tabriz.

Its warplanes dropped dozens of munitions on security force command centers in Tehran, including those belonging to the Basij, the IDF said in an earlier Tuesday statement.

“The completed strikes are part of an ongoing effort focused on deepening the damage to the Iranian terror regime’s core systems and weakening its capacity to threaten the State of Israel,” it said.

Later Tuesday, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu‘s office published a photo on social media showing him on the phone, accompanied by a caption saying he was “ordering the elimination of senior regime officials.”

The Bird Cage Theatre has stood inside Knott’s Berry Farm for 72 years — albeit not always soundly. Long framed by a tin roof and a tent, the theater had a reputation for discomfort, as it was a source of punishing heat and the occasional mouse sighting.

“It was hot, it stunk and it was dirty,” says Payden Adams, the park’s VP of entertainment.

Still, though it has long felt like an endangered species, the Bird Cage Theatre is one of Southern California’s most historic revival houses, a place for vaudeville-style, fourth-wall-breaking shows that deviate from the expected theme park fare. To quote the theater’s most recent production, its entertainment can be “flirtatious and a little bit saucy.”

Knott’s Berry Farm’s Bird Cage Theatre is modeled after a historic venue in Tombstone, Ariz.

(Kyusung Gong / For The Times)

Opened in 1954, the Bird Cage Theatre has specialized in vaudeville-style melodramas.

(Knott’s Berry Farm)

And now, against all odds, the Bird Cage is getting a second life. Knott’s Berry Farm recently completed a renovation designed to keep it thriving for another 72 years. Gone is the tarpaulin roof: The Bird Cage is now a fully enclosed, soundstage-like structure. And blessedly, it has modern air conditioning.

The theater reopened this past weekend with “The Great Bank Robbery,” a 30-minute-plus show in which audiences are encouraged to boo, hiss and swoon over the characters, a Bird Cage tradition since 1954. Characters are caricatures, be it a villain that feels plucked from a cartoon western, complete with a purring raccoon for a sidekick, to a greedy wannabe politician of a bank manager. Though set in Ghost Town with period garb, there are modern flourishes, such as tongue-in-cheek nods to the theme park’s attractions and a damsel in distress who ultimately proves to be anything but.

Though it once operated as a daily theater, the Bird Cage is today most active during holidays and seasonal events, such as the park’s annual Boysenberry Festival, which also began this weekend. Popular summer show “Miss Cameo Kate’s Western Burle-Q- Revue” is a 20-minute cabaret-style performance, complete with a torch song and a slightly risqué cancan finale.

When it’s running, the Bird Cage is a must-see attraction. Live theater in theme parks can feel like a moving target, as conventional wisdom often argues that today’s smartphone-addled guests are after thrills and more attention-grabbing, interactive experiences. But when it works, such as during the over-the-top silliness of “The Great Bank Robbery,” or at Universal Studios’ “Waterworld”-themed stunt show, it can offer guests some of the most memorable, personal moments at the parks.

The Bird Cage Theatre reopened this past weekend with the show “The Great Bank Robbery.”

(Kyusung Gong / For The Times)

“You’re not wrong, especially when it comes to attention spans. We experience that,” says Adams, who oversaw the theater’s restoration. “The way we’ve pivoted and navigated is just ensuring our shows are tight and clean. It might be a little over 30 minutes, but audiences are engaged. In melodramas, we ask the audience to participate, and we can train them how to participate beforehand. When you see characters, even when they’re heightened or over-the-top, people still connect with them.”

The Bird Cage Theatre first opened in the summer of 1954, its facade a near-replica of the original Bird Cage in Tombstone, Ariz. That the family-focused Knott’s would nod to the Arizona locale is an oddity in and of itself, as the actual theater had a bawdy reputation. Stories today speak of a place that initially opened with grand ambitions but eventually succumbed to gambling and prostitution.

At Knott’s, the theater was built around existing structures, although park founder Walter Knott, according to the book “Knott’s Preserved” by Chrstopher Merritt and J. Eric Lynxwiler, often talked about completing it as a full tribute to the Arizona space. That never really happened.

Knott’s re-created the original wallpaper of the Bird Cage Theatre for its remodeling.

(Kyusung Gong / For The Times)

And yet over the years the Bird Cage won over audiences thanks to programming from Vaudeville veterans. Early on, students from nearby colleges would appear at the space, including Steve Martin, whose signed photograph graces a celebrity wall in the Bird Cage’s introductory hall. Donna Mills and singer Rick Nelson have graced the Bird Cage’s horseshoe-shaped stage, as have Dean Jones and Skip Young.

It was, to say the least, a quirky place to perform. “Knott’s Preserved” tells of a show in which a mouse once sat at the base of the stage, and quotes Martin as reminiscing over performances affected by the weather. “When it rained, no one could hear each other because the rain was beating so hard on that tarp,” Martin said.

None of that should be a problem anymore, although returning guests will likely feel they’re in a familiar space. Though the Bird Cage has been outfitted with modern lighting capable of new theme park tricks and projections, the rig is hidden among curtains designed to re-create the look of the original tent. Lights, in bird cage enclosures, still hang above the audience seating area, which has room for about 250 guests.

The Bird Cage Theatre at Knott’s Berry Farm now has a properly enclosed roof and air conditioning.

(Kyusung Gong / For The Times)

And along the way a few discoveries were made. Adams says that when they began stripping away wooden walls added sometime in the 1970s, they found the Bird Cage’s original wallpaper, a scarlet-red strip that surrounds the space with flower-adorned bird cages. Not all of it could be salvaged, so Knott’s meticulously re-created the look. With the new-old wallpaper intact, Adams estimates that guests can count about 11,055 bird cages throughout the theater.

The original pieces will be preserved in the park and gifted to important Bird Cage players. Adams jokes, “If you have a mailing address for Mr. Steve Martin, I have a gift to send him.”

SOPHIE Habboo has been left sobbing after her husband Jamie Laing’s Mother’s Day present backfired.

The couple welcomed their baby boy Ziggy in December and this year marks Sophie’s very first Mother’s Day.

However, things didn’t end up going so well when Jamie presented his wife with a photo album of their son.

The former Made in Chelsea took to TikTok to share a video to capture the moment in question.

In the short clip, Sophie, 31, is seen bawling her eyes out as Jamie, 37, asks: “Wait, why are you upset?”

As she holds her head in her hands, she emotionally expresses: “He’s never going to be that small.”

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SOBBING SOPHIE

Sophie Habboo sobs after Jamie Laing’s Mother’s Day present ‘backfires’

He captioned the post: “Reminder… Don’t make your wife a photo album of your newborn baby for Mother’s Day.”

Fans flocked to the comments section as one said: “So valid. You blink and they aren’t the little baby you brought home.”

Another person commented: “That’s the baby bond burrowing it’s way through all the tired days, the hard times and the cray cray. It’s painfully beautiful.”

Somebody else penned: “Bless her, we all know this feeling but the best is yet to come as his little personality develops.

“The days are long but the years are short so just treasure every second.”

Yet another follower gushed: “That’s so sweet. Bless your heart Sophie you’re such a lovely mum.”

While a fifth social media user added: “This was me yesterday, sending you a big hug Sophie.”

The pair announced the arrival of their first child back in December as they took to Instagram to share the news.

Alongside a photo of their baby boy, Jamie wrote: “Ziggy, you have our whole hearts.”

They were flooded with messages from fans and famous pals as Rylan Clark said: “Congrats you two xxx.”

“Congratulations guys,” weighed in Strictly judge Motsi Mabuse. “A new journey begins.”

“You did it mama,” wrote Jessie J.

“Oh my goodness so many congratulations. So excited for you and this amazing new chapter for you all! Biggest hugs,” added This Morning regular Alice Liveing.

Sophie recently opened up about her motherhood journey while attending the Brit Awards with Jamie earlier this month.

During an interview with Chloe Burrows for KISS FM, she was asked: “Is there anything you’re not loving about being a new mum?”

The new mother responded: “The constant mum guilt.”

“You just feel guilty for being here, but then feel guilty… yeah, that’s not good.”

While Jamie added: “The hardest thing about having a baby is the burping.”

Rolling her eyes, Sophie chimed in: “The mums do everything.”

But to that, Jamie claimed: “I mean, this is a joke.”

Moments later, Sophie then shared: “I have the better instincts.”

Stunned by his wife’s claims, Jamie clapped back and snapped: “No, I have better instincts.”

Joking around, the Made in Chelsea icon laughed: “I feel him. I can feel him right now.”

HOUSTON — In their first meeting of the season on Christmas Day, Lakers coach JJ Redick said the Lakers were “punked” by the Houston Rockets and vowed not to let it happen again.

On Monday, the Lakers displayed their toug to hness in a 100-92 win over the Rockets at Toyota Center.

Even when they missed 14 comsecutive shots at one point in the fourth quarter, the Lakers showed their resilience with a gritty defensive effort that kept them in the game. The Lakers scored only 17 points in the fourth, but they held the Rockets to just 12 points en route to their sixth consecutive win.

“They’re a really good basketball team and they make you either play hard and match their physicality, and how they muck the game up, or you can lay down,” Redick said. “And we didn’t lay down tonight. Had a deficit there in the third quarter. Our guys just kept playing.”

Luka Doncic led the Lakers with 36 points, six rebounds and four assists. LeBron James scored 18 points and Austin Reaves had 15 points.

But three big baskets from Deandre Ayton (seven points, 11 rebounds) and a big three-pointer by Marcus Smart (11 points) helped the Lakers open their six-game trip with a win.

Sitting third in the Western Conference, the Lakers (43-25) will take a 1½-game lead over the Rockets (41-26) into their rematch on Wednesday night.

“Obviously, we have another one on Wednesday, but it was a very important game,” said Doncic, who shot 14 for 27 from the field. We’ve been playing very good. Our defense has been pretty good, so just gotta continue that way.”

The Lakers threw double teams at Houston’s Kevin Durant all game, limiting him to 18 points and forcing him into seven of the Rockets’ 24 turnovers.

Durant shot only 16 times yet made eight. He was one for three in the fourth quarter and had just as many turnovers as points (two) in the final 12 minutes. One of those turnovers was on an eight-second violation.

“He’s one of the greatest players we’ve ever seen play,” James said. “Obviously you got to try to show him different looks, try to keep him off-balanced and when he shoots, hope he misses. So, I thought we did a good job of having a game plan but also just switching up our pitches.

“You can’t show a great like that too many of the same coverages throughout the whole game. He’ll get a feel for it.”

Doncic got off to what has become his typical first-quarter starts, scoring 16 points on seven-for-10 shooting. But Houston took a 58-51 lead at halftime after taking control of the boards in the second quarter. The Rockets turned six offensive rebounds into 13 points.

The Lakers also had a hard time scoring, shooting only 32% from the field and 13% (one for eight) from three-point range in the quarter.

After trailing by as many as 10 points in the third quarter, the Lakers surged and took an 83-80 lead heading into the fourth. After what happened in L.A. back in December, the Lakers were determined not to let Houston run away with the game.

After taking an 85-80 lead, the Lakers struggled to find consistent offense until Ayton checked back into the game with 4:52 left. Ayton scored on a tip shot to give the Lakers an 89-88 lead, then scored off a pair of offensive rebounds in the final 90 seconds to help keep the Lakers ahead for good. He finished with six points and five rebounds in the fourth quarter.

“He was amazing,” James said. “I mean, just the fact that he was sitting over there for as long as he did and stayed locked in on the game and came in and finished the game. He was able to get a tip-dunk, a couple of jump hooks around the rim, and a couple of rebounds. He helped us finish the game.”

Note: Lakers backup center Maxi Kleber did not play as he continues to recover from a lumbar back strain. “He’s basically been shut down for five days to sort of heal,” Redick said. “He’s not with us right now, and we hope he’s able to join us later on in the trip.”

South Korea had 81 products that led global exports in 2024, including memory chips, solid state drives (SSDs) and face masks, a report showed Tuesday.

The report published by the Korea International Trade Association (KITA) showed that the value of 81 Korea-produced items accounted for the largest share of global export value in their respective categories.

China was at the top with 2,087 items with the largest export market share, followed by Germany at 520 items, the United States at 505, Italy at 199 and India at 156.

South Korea had 19 items ranked between second to 10th in terms of export market share, KITA said, noting the country is likely to increase its number of globally leading products in the future.

The country’s top selling items included memory chips, electrical transformers, SSDs, lead-acid starter batteries for automobiles, rubber for automotive components and sheet masks.

Notably, Korea reclaimed the top spot for memory chips from China for the first time in five years in 2024, thanks to strong demand for high bandwidth memory (HBM) and other advanced products made by Korean companies, KITA said.

In the tanker segment, Korea lost the top spot to China on the latter’s strategy of securing large volumes of low-value vessels but is expected to retake the position in 2025 on the back of the recent boom in Seoul’s liquefied natural gas (LNG) ship orders, it added.

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

Afghan authorities say a Pakistani attack killed hundreds of civilians; Islamabad rejects claim as ‘false’.

Families have gathered outside a drug treatment centre in the Afghan capital, Kabul, looking for their loved ones after it was hit in a Pakistani air strike, which Taliban authorities said killed 408 people.

The attack on Kabul’s Omar Addiction Treatment Hospital took place at about 9pm local time (16:30 GMT) on Monday.

Baryalai Amiri, a 38-year-old mechanic, was at the 2,000-bed facility on Tuesday to look for his brother, who was admitted about 25 days ago.

“We are not given the proper information,” Amiri told the AFP news agency, as rescuers picked through the rubble nearby. “So far, we don’t know where he is.”

Afghanistan and Pakistan have been in conflict for months, with Islamabad accusing its neighbour of harbouring armed groups that have mounted deadly cross-border attacks.

The latest round of violence that began last month⁠, two days before the world’s focus shifted sharply to the US-Israel war on Iran, is the worst ever between the neighbours.

The two nations share a 2,600km (1,600-mile) border. The conflict had ebbed amid attempts by friendly countries, including China, to mediate and end the fighting before flaring up again.

Pakistan denied Afghan claims that its latest attack targeted civilians, instead insisting that it carried out precision strikes on “military installations and terrorist support infrastructure”.

“Pakistan’s targeting is precise and carefully undertaken to ensure no collateral damage is inflicted,” the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting said. Islamabad dismissed the claim as “false and aimed at misleading public opinion”.

The health authorities said there were about 3,000 patients from across Afghanistan at the clinic at the time of the attack, which triggered panic in Kabul just after residents had broken their daily Ramadan fast.

The United Nations special rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Afghanistan, Richard Bennett, said he was “dismayed” by reports of the air raids and civilian casualties.

“I urge parties to de-escalate, exercise maximum restraint & respect international law, including the protection of civilians and civilian objects such as hospitals,” he posted on X.

‘It was like doomsday’

A spokesman for Afghanistan’s Ministry of Interior Affairs said on Tuesday that the attack killed 408 people and injured 265.

Witnesses said they heard three explosions just as people in the hospital were completing evening prayers. Two of the bombs struck rooms and patient areas, they said.

“The whole place caught fire. It was like doomsday,” 50-year-old Ahmad told the Reuters news agency.

“My friends were burning in the fire, and we could not save them all,” he said, giving only his first name as he was under treatment at the facility.

Ambulance driver Haji Fahim told Reuters that he arrived at the site shortly after the air raids.

“When I arrived [last night], I saw that everything was burning, people were burning,” Fahim said on Tuesday. “Early in the morning, they called me again and told ⁠me to come back because there are still bodies under the rubble.”

The clinic was established in 2016 and has treated hundreds of people, also providing them with vocational training, such as tailoring and carpentry, to make them employable, according to local media reports.

A BELOVED Australian musician has died at 65.

Eurogliders founder Bernie Lynch died after battling with throat cancer.

His death was announced this morning by fellow band member Grace Knight, who gave an emotional tribute.

Brit-born Grace wrote: “It’s with the heaviest heart I’m posting this to let everyone know that Bernie passed away last Thursday evening in palliative care in Perth.

“Some of you will be aware that Bernie was diagnosed with throat cancer in early 2024 and underwent treatment.

“I am heartbroken and don’t know how to proceed without him.”

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Grace and Bernie wed after a long relationship in the 80s.

Although they separated after just a year of marriage, the pair maintained their friendship and musical collaboration for four decades.

She added: “I can’t imagine what our lives would have looked like had we not crossed paths with each other.”

Perth musician Bernie was the guitarist, singer and songwriter behind the legendary 80s band Eurogliders.

The group were best known for hit songs Heaven (Must Be There) and We Will Together.

Heaven climbed to the heights of number two on the Australian charts in 1984 and claimed a trophy for Best Single at the Countdown Music Awards.

Bernie had been diagnosed with throat cancer in 2024 and briefly returned to the stage after successful treatment.

But the disease was found to have spread to his bones and organs and he begun to deteriorate.

The singer took to the stage for his last gig with Eurogliders in November in Sydney.

Tributes from fans flooded in, with one calling Bernie “an artistic genius”.

Another wrote that “Bernie’s prodigious song writing talent will be his everlasting legacy”.

They added: “I was thinking of you guys listening to my favourite playlist (incl No Action and Another Day) this morning.

“This news saddens me. RIP Bernie.”

One distraught fan said: “Rip Bernie and condolences to you Grace and Euroglider families.

“Grew up with your music and still listen to it today.”

BRITISH Airways has cancelled all flights to Dubai until June as the ongoing crisis in Iran continues to affect travel.

The flag carrier confirmed yesterday that they have suspended operations until May 31.

This includes to the UAE city of Dubai, as well as Amman in Jordan and to Bahrain.

British Airways usually operates around 20 flights a week to Dubai so thousands of passengers are expected to be affected.

Flights to Doha have been suspended until the end of April.

And the airline has cancelled the rest of their Abu Dhabi flights for the season, meaning they won’t restart until October 25.

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An spokesman said: “Due to the continuing uncertainty of the situation in the Middle East and airspace instability, and to provide more clarity to our customers, we’ve extended the temporary reduction in our flying schedule in the region.

“We’re keeping the situation under constant review and are directly in touch with affected customers to offer them a range of options.

“Since the situation in the Middle East began, we’ve helped thousands of customers return home and operated eight relief flights from Muscat in Oman.”

British Airways confirmed that they are operating more flights via other international hubs in replacement of Dubai, which is one of the world’s busiest airports.

This includes four more flights via Singapore and three more flights via Bangkok.

Passengers affected will be able to rebook with another airline, or move their travel to a different date.

Otherwise full refunds are being given to anyone with bookings up to May 31.

The ongoing Iran crisis is still causing chaos for travellers, not just those in the Middle East.

Virgin Atlantic has already ended its Dubai flights for the season early, which were due to conclude on March 28.

Emirates and Qatar Airways have launched limited flights again from Dubai and Doha, respectively.

However, Dubai Airport as forced to suspend flights again yesterday after a drone strike hit a fuel tank.

A number of flights were cancelled in response, with some airlines forcing to turn back after take off.

The Sun’s Travel Expert has answered all of your holiday questions here.

And here are the European destinations seeing huge demand following the conflict.

Northern Ireland manager Michael O’Neill says that Chris Atherton’s switch to the Republic of Ireland is “disappointing, but we have to accept it”.

Atherton made history in September 2022 when he became the youngest senior footballer in the United Kingdom at 13 years and 329 days old, when he featured for Glenavon in the League Cup in Northern Ireland.

The 17-year-old moved from Glenavon, who he had been with since the age of four, to Chelsea’s academy in July 2025 before signing a professional contract in October.

Atherton represented Northern Ireland at under-16 and under-17 level, and was a youth ambassador at the announcement in Nyon for the UK and Ireland’s successful bid to host Euro 2028 in October 2023, but has now changed allegiance to the Republic of Ireland.

Speaking at his squad announcement for the World Cup play-off semi-final in Italy, O’Neill said “every player has the right to make that choice”.

“He’s a young player that had been initially in the Republic of Ireland set-up,” he continued.

“He came back to be part of our set-up and I think Chris played maybe 17 times for representative teams for us.

“But every player has the right to make that choice, and obviously he’s made that choice.”

O’Neill also referenced the decision of Omari Kellyman, who is on loan at Cardiff City from Chelsea and switched to England from Northern Ireland in 2023.

Northern Ireland have also benefited from changes of allegiance, as Jamie Donley and Ronan Hale switched from England and the Republic of Ireland respectively in the past 12 months.

“We can’t handcuff them to a decision that they made initially,” O’Neill added.

“They have the right to make that choice once in their career, and Chris has decided to make that choice.

“We can only wish him well”.

March 17 (UPI) — U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio has designated a Jewish Iranian-American imprisoned for nearly a year in Iran as wrongfully detained, according to his family.

Kamran Hekmati, a jeweler and longtime resident of Great Neck, N.Y., was detained by Iranian authorities at Tehran’s Imam Khomeini International Airport on May 17, according to the Bring Kamran Home website.

He was in the country for a family matter, and was detained while attempting to return to the United States. The website states he was formally arrested on July 28, less than two weeks after the United States bombed Iran’s nuclear facilities.

His family told UPI in a statement that they were notified on Monday of Rubio’s designation, an official recognition that the United States believes Hekmati is being held in Iran on false charges.

“We are so grateful to President [Donald] Trump and Secretary Rubio for their designation of Kamran Hekmati as a wrongful detainee,” Shohreh Nowfar, Hekmati’s cousin, said in a statement provided to UPI by Global Reach, a U.S. nonprofit that advocates for Americans imprisoned abroad.

“It reassures us that our government has our back in the effort to get Kamran home safely.”

UPI has contacted the State Department for comment and confirmation. Its Office of the Special Presidential Envoy for Hostage Affairs becomes involved once an American citizen is determined to be wrongfully detained.

Hekmati emigrated to the United States following the 1979 revolution.

According to his website, Hekmati was charged with allegedly visiting Israel within the last 10 years based on photos found on his phone of a trip he took to the country for his son’s bar mitzvah. He was sentenced to two years in Iran’s notorious Evin Prison. Advocates said the trip took place 13 years ago.

Hekmati was detained amid growing tensions between the allies, the United States and Israel, and Iran. Iranian authorities formally charged him two weeks after the Trump administration bombed Iran’s nuclear facilities.

He was again charged by Iran in December as tensions rose in the Middle East. Tehran authorities accuse him of meeting with agents of Mossad, Israel’s intelligence agency.

He is reportedly a bladder cancer survivor but requires regular medical testing and preventive medical procedures to guard against its recurrence.

“Kamran appears to be caught up in Iran’s traditional approach of detaining Americans to obtain political concessions from the U.S.,” his advocacy website states.

The announcement comes months after Reps. Tom Suozzi, a Democrat, and Claudia Tenney, a Republican, both from New York, urged Rubio in an early December letter to secure Hekmati’s release and to designate him as wrongfully detained.

Rubio designated Iran a state sponsor of wrongful detention on Feb. 27, a day before the United States and Israel launched their ongoing war with Tehran.

Iranian-American journalist Reza Valizadeh — arrested by Iran’s elite Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps in September 2024 and sentenced to 10 years in prison — was also officially designated as wrongfully detained in May.

Nowfar told UPI that the wrongfully detained designation made clear “that the senior-most people in the White House know that Kamran, Reza and the others are being held by the Iranians and conveyed to the Iranians that they will be held accountable for their safety.”

All the build-up and live updates from the first 2026 Women’s Asian Cup semifinal between China and Australia.

HOLLYWOOD actor Timothée Chalamet missed out on Oscars glory — and had to endure a string of jibes during the ceremony.

The Marty Supreme star was the butt of jokes having angered the arts world by stating nobody cared about ballet and opera.

And his comments came back to haunt him as Academy Awards host Conan O’Brien said: “Security is very tight tonight. There’s concerns about attacks from the ballet and opera communities.”

He waded in again later, saying to Timothée: “We’re vibing, right?”

He then told viewers: “He doesn’t think so.”

Alexandre Singh, who won Best Live Action Short Film for Two People Exchanging Saliva, also took a pop during his speech and said: “We believe art can change people’s souls.

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“Maybe it takes ten years, but we can change society through art, through creativity, through theatre and ballet — and cinema.”

Timothée, 30, also had to sit through a musical number from movie Sinners, with ballerina Misty Copeland — who had also criticised the star for his cultural views — dancing during the song.

Timothée was nominated for the Best Actor Oscar but lost to Sinners star Michael B. Jordan.

The backlash was sparked by his comment: “I don’t want to be working in ballet, or opera, or things where it’s like, ‘Hey, keep this thing alive, even though no one cares about this any more.”

He quickly added, “All respect to the ballet and opera people out there”, but the damage was done.

His remarks were widely rebuked, with Italian tenor Andrea Bocelli mocking the star by publicly inviting him to one of his opera performances.

Onlookers told The Sun Timothée and girlfriend Kylie Jenner, 28, walked out of the ceremony for an hour amid the drubbing.

They said: “Timothee and Kylie were replaced by seat fillers for an hour.

“It seems like he had enough of being the butt of the jokes.

“They only came back just before the Best Actress and Best Actor categories were announced.”

Timothée was seen leaving the Vanity Fair after-party in the early hours of yesterday morning with Kylie, who is part of the Kardashian reality TV family.

Kylie’s ex-partner, rapper Travis Scott, the father of her two children Stormi, eight, and Aire, four, also later appeared to mock Timothee’s defeat by sharing a photograph of Michael wiping away tears as he accepted his award.

Timothée attempted to shrug off the loss at the Vanity Fair do, where he was also joined by Kylie’s sister, Kendall, and half-sister, Kim Kardashian.

Timothée and Kylie, who have dated since 2023, had been sipping champagne with stars including Rolling Stones singer Sir Mick Jagger, Australian actress Nicole Kidman and British-born star Naomi Watts.

An onlooker at the party said: “Timothée was swarmed by well-wishers as he arrived.

“He kept his sunglasses on for most of the night and tried to be low-key, but he stood out like a sore thumb in his white suit.

“Kylie and him stayed for a while but then left together without being seen.

“It was the Irish exit he wanted — and needed.”

Who won on Hollywood’s biggest night?

One Battle After Another ran away with the night with six Oscars, while Sinners, which was nominated for a record-breaking 16 awards, came away with four. See the full winners list below:

Best Picture: One Battle After Another

Best Actress: Jessie Buckley, Hamnet

Best Actor: Michael B. Jordan, Sinners

Supporting Actress: Amy Madigan, Weapons

Supporting Actor: Sean Penn, One Battle After Another

Directing: One Battle After Another, Paul Thomas Anderson

Adapted Screenplay: One Battle After Another, Paul Thomas Anderson

Original Screenplay: Sinners, Ryan Coogler

Documentary Feature: Mr. Nobody Against Putin

Documentary Short: All the Empty Rooms

Animated Feature: KPop Demon Hunters

Animated Short: The Girl Who Cried Pearls

Cinematography: Sinners, Autumn Durald Arkapaw

Costume Design: Frankenstein, Kate Hawley

Film Editing: One Battle After Another, Andy Jurgensen

International Feature: Sentimental Value – Norway

Life Action Short: 

The Singers (TIED)

Two People Exchanging Saliva (TIED)

Makeup and Hairstyling: Frankenstein, Mike Hill, Jordan Samuel and Cliona Furey

Original Score: Sinners, Ludwig Goransson

Original Song: Golden, KPop Demon Hunters

Production Design: Frankenstein, Tamara Deverell and Shane Vieau

Sound: F1, Gareth John, Al Nelson, Gwendolyn Yates Whittle, Gary A. Rizzo and Juan Peralta

Visual Effects: Avatar: Fire and Ash, Joe Letteri, Richard Baneham, Eric Saindon and Daniel Barrett

Casting: One Battle After Another, Cassandra Kulukundis

NSB are also an official partner school with Northampton Saints.

This year, they provided the most players from any school to Saints’ under-18s.

Four players will also be offered first-team academy contracts this year.

“The boys have to manage their time really well,” says assistant first team coach Adam Baker.

“When we get into sixth form and into that first-team setting, we will try and put them through a programme that matches up with an academy programme, so if they go into that pathway, they are fully aware and prepped as to what that day-to-day life looks like.”

However, NSB aren’t the only state school making an impact.

They beat Campion School from Essex in the Continental Tyres School Cup semi-finals.

It was a compelling contest which went down to the wire, with two state schools playing high-octane rugby in front of a passionate crowd of over a thousand people.

The Rugby Football Union has a network of rugby managers to try to embed the game in state schools.

Twenty-two of the best state schools compete in the ACE (Academy, Colleges and Education) League. England internationals George Martin, Joe Heyes and Harry Randall all came through that route.

The programme is designed to support players who may not attend traditional rugby-playing schools, providing daily coaching, competitive fixtures, and opportunities to train alongside academy players.

Northampton Saints have two state school partnerships which play in the ACE League: Moulton College in Northampton and Sigma Sixth Colchester, located at Philip Morant School and College.

“Growing state school rugby is a one step at a time process,” said Beaumont.

“This is over 10 years of hard work. But it can be done.

“My advice to other schools is find a way to get more numbers in training, organise a game.

“Put a tournament on, you don’t need posts. Make it a habit. Get kids playing.

“Rugby needs every state school to push and develop rugby. This is the perfect time. State school rugby could be really special.”

One of NSB’s biggest stars is their 18-year-old captain Jack Lewis, who plays in the back row.

He has been at NSB for the past two years and in the Saints academy since he was 14.

This year he made his debut for Northampton Saints. Now he’s preparing to lead his school for the final time in a Twickenham final.

“NSB taught me how to act, it’s the closest thing to a professional environment,” he said.

“A lot of people work hard behind the scenes, they sacrifice their time. It’s given me so much as a player and a student.

“I’ve never played at Twickenham, it would be a great achievement if we could lift the cup there. We want to show what NSB stands for.”

March 17 (UPI) — On this date in history:

In 1762, New York City staged its first parade honoring the Roman Catholic feast day of St. Patrick, the patron saint of Ireland. It was led by Irish soldiers serving in the British army. In 2002, President George W. Bush became the first sitting U.S. president to take part in the event, more than six months after the Sept. 11, 2001, terror attacks on the city.

In 1776, the Continental Army under Gen. George Washington forced British troops to evacuate Boston. The Boston area marks Evacuation Day along with its St. Patrick’s Day parade each year.

In 1901, 71 paintings by the late Dutch painter Vincent van Gogh were shown at the Bernheim-Jeune gallery in Paris and caused a sensation across the art world.

File Photo by Bill Greenblatt/UPI

In 1917, Russia appeared headed toward a republic following the end of the 300-year-old rule of the Romanoff family.

In 1958, the U.S. Navy launched the satellite Vanguard 1 into orbit around Earth.

In 1959, the Dalai Lama fled Tibet for India.

File Photo by John Eggitt/UPI

In 1969, Golda Meir, a 70-year-old former Milwaukee schoolteacher, was elected first female prime minister of Israel.

In 1974, the oil-producing Arab countries agreed to lift a five-month embargo on petroleum sales to the United States. The embargo, during which gasoline prices soared 300%, was in retaliation for U.S. support of Israel during the October 1973 Middle East War.

In 1990, Lithuania rejected the Soviet Union’s ultimatum to renounce its declaration of independence a week prior. The Soviets implemented sanctions against Lithuania and conducted a military operation in 1991 before other Soviet republics eventually declared their independence.

In 1992, South African Whites, by a margin of 68.7% to 31.2%, voted to end minority rule. Nelson Mandela was elected two years later as the first president in a fully representative democratic election.

In 2003, as war with Iraq seemed a certainty, U.S. President George W. Bush gave Iraqi President Saddam Hussein and his sons 48 hours to leave the country. The ultimatum was rejected.

In 2024, Russian President Vladimir Putin won a fifth term in office, making him the longest-serving leader of the country in about two centuries. A Russian election watchdog called the election unconstitutional.

File Photo by Maxim Shipenkov/EPA-EFE

The popular airline has made the big announcement to relaunch the daily flights as part of its winter expansion, serving travellers and residents of both countries

British Airways have made a huge announcement that they are relaunching daily flights to a popular city for UK passengers – ahead of a couple of huge worldwide sporting events.

The airline will be returning to Melbourne after a 20-year hiatus.

BA made the announcement on Tuesday, March 17 that flights will be starting in January 2027.

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The flights will commence flights to Melbourne from January 9, 2027, launching in time for the Australian Open and the Melbourne Grand Prix. Flights will operate year-round from London Heathrow, via Kuala Lumpur, on a daily basis.

Passengers will be able to choose from First, World Traveller (economy), World Traveller Plus (premium economy), and Club World (business class) in both directions.

Return fares start from £1,130 (including taxes and carrier fees) and are on sale from today.

The UK airline halted all services from Melbourne Airport in March 2006 with other companies being relied on for people to make the London-Melbourne journey.

Melbourne Airport Chief Executive Officer Lorie Argus said the announcement underscored Melbourne’s place as Australia’s largest and best connected 24-hour gateway.

“We are thrilled to welcome British Airways back to Melbourne Airport and we’re incredibly excited about what this extra choice means for travellers and exporters,” she said.

“British Airways is one of the world’s most recognisable airlines and in its more than 100 years of flying has earned a well-deserved reputation for excellence and reliability.

“With the largest choice of airlines flying to the UK and Europe, 24-hour operations and the shortest minimum connection time of any Australian airport, Melbourne Airport is now the clear choice for Europeans heading to Australia or Australians looking to travel abroad.

“London is one of the world’s great global cities and a critical hub for business, tourism and education, while Melbourne was last week voted Time Out’s “best city in the world” as well as being home to the largest British expat community in Australia, so there will be no shortage of two-way demand.”

The move is part of a significant planned expansion to BA’s network for winter 2026, with the addition of Colombo in Sri Lanka as well.