ABSOLUTELY

There are plenty of affordable flights from UK airports and the average temperature in October is 20C

Travel guru Simon Calder has revealed his top pick for an autumn getaway – the delightful seaside town of Cassis in southern France. He highlighted that there are plenty of budget-friendly flights from UK airports and the average October temperature is a pleasant 20C.

Cassis is also ideal for those who enjoy exploring on foot, making it a perfect choice for pensioners seeking an affordable and accessible holiday destination. The travel expert enthused: “I just came back from Côte d’Azur on Friday, and it was absolutely magical, particularly the lovely town of Cassis. Beautiful port, very close to St Tropez. It’s just a gorgeous place, the food is great!”.

“You can even take a bus from Marseille that costs £3 and takes you around one of the greatest drives in the world,” reports the Express.

Travel blogger Sam shared on her blog theblondescout that Cassis was “one of the nicest surprises” during her time living in France.

“This small fishing town is colourful, quaint and next to one of the most extraordinary landscapes I have ever witnessed: the dramatic limestone inlets that make up the Calanques between Cassis and Marseille.”

She further noted that Cassis is a small town, so it is “very walkable and easy to get around”.

Gorgeous Italian city is 30 minutes from Venice but without the huge crowds

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“All of the streets are picture-perfect and have that colourful French Riviera vibe! Our favourite little square was at the bougainvillaea-filled Place Baragnon.”, she said.

Travel expert Simon Calder also recommends the Algarve, in southern Portugal, as a stunning and “very affordable” seaside destination that’s not too busy at this time of year.

Warren Buffett will step down as CEO of Berkshire Hathaway (BRK.A 0.39%) (BRK.B 0.30%) at the end of the year. But before he does, the conglomerate he’s run for nearly 60 years will make at least one more big acquisition.

The Oracle of Omaha and soon-to-be CEO Greg Abel expect to close on a deal to acquire the petrochemicals business OxyChem from Occidental Petroleum (OXY 0.32%) in the fourth quarter. Berkshire will pay $9.7 billion in cash, which will barely make a dent in the $340 billion sitting on the company’s balance sheet. Still, it represents the largest purchase for Berkshire since Allegheny Corp. in 2022.

The deal is an exceptional example of Warren Buffett’s investing style, which relies on being in a good position to act when great opportunities present themselves. Here’s what Berkshire Hathaway is getting in the deal, and why it’s an absolutely genius move.

Image source: The Motley Fool.

What is Berkshire buying?

OxyChem is a leading petrochemical company, one of the largest producers of caustic soda, potash, chlor-alkali, and PVC. It’s a global operation with 23 facilities worldwide, and Greg Abel described the acquisition as “a robust portfolio of operating assets, supported by an accomplished team.”

However, the industry is facing pressure. Weak pricing for caustic soda and PVC led to disappointing pre-tax earnings in the second quarter of just $213 million. Management revised its outlook for the business for full-year pre-tax income low to between $800 million and $900 million for this year.

Occidental’s management expects the supply side pressure on pricing to mitigate next year. In management’s first quarter earnings call, it said it expects to generate “$1 billion in incremental pre-tax cash flow from non-oil and gas source in 2026, with further expansion in 2027.” Part of that improvement is from modernization of OxyChem facilities.

In the meantime, though, Berkshire is swooping in to buy the assets when the entire industry is near a cyclical trough. The $9.7 billion price tag is estimated to be around 8 times OxyChem’s 2025 EBITDA expectations. That’s roughly in line with other chemical stocks like Eastman Chemical and Dow, but the entire industry is seeing lower earnings multiples due to the same headwinds pushing profits lower at OxyChem.

If the industry turns around as Occidental’s management expects, Berkshire could be getting a heck of a bargain. But the way it’s acquired the business makes it an even better deal for Berkshire and its shareholders.

The cherry on top for Berkshire

The big reason Occidental was willing to sell OxyChem despite expectations that it will see significantly improved earnings and cash flow over the next few years is because it needs cash. The oil and gas company took on additional debt to acquire CrownRock in August of 2024.

The increase in debt on Occidental’s balance sheet was always meant to be temporary. When it announced the acquisition, management said it plans to divest assets and use excess cash flow to reduce its debt levels back below $15 billion. While it’s been aggressive in using excess cash to pay down debt, the company still had $24 billion worth of debt on its balance sheet as of the end of the second quarter.

The cash infusion from Berkshire is set to net $8 billion after taxes. Of that, $6.5 billion will go toward paying down debt, with the other $1.5 billion going to Occidental’s coffers. Combined with debt pay down from excess free cash flow, management expects to meet its sub-$15 billion target.

The debt reduction indirectly benefits Berkshire as well. The conglomerate owns a 28% stake in the business. The stronger balance sheet should support projects to maximize its vast resources in the Permian Basin while improving its free cash flow position with reduced debt burden. That should support long-term growth for the business.

One other aspect of the deal provides tremendous benefits to Berkshire and its investors. Instead of using Berkshire’s preferred shares of Occidental to acquire OxyChem, Buffett and Abel managed to convince the company to take cash. That means Berkshire will continue to collect its 8% annual dividend on the $8.5 billion in preferred shares it continues to hold. That’s a much better yield than the company’s getting on its short-term Treasury bills.

Occidental says it plans to start redeeming those preferred shares in August of 2029, giving Berkshire shareholders at least three more years of extra-high yields. That’s just the cherry on top for Berkshire shareholders, who finally saw Buffett put some of Berkshire’s growing cash pile to work.

Another senior U.S. Army officer has spoken out about the service’s need for Shahed-136 like long-range, expendable drones. The need for the U.S. to procure exactly these kinds of relatively simple, comparatively very cheap and adaptable drones, built at scale, is something that TWZ has recently made a detailed case for.

When asked by Howard Altman of TWZ about a possible Army requirement for Shahed-like drones, the answer from Maj. Gen. James (Jay) Bartholomees, commanding general of the Hawaii-based 25th Infantry Division, was unequivocal.

“Absolutely,” Bartholomees said, speaking this week at the Association of the U.S. Army’s (AUSA) annual symposium. “We are behind on long-range sensing and long-range launched-effect strike.”

Bartholomees confirmed that the United States Indo-Pacific Command (USINDOPACOM), the unified combatant command responsible for the Indo-Pacific region, is “learning from what is happening in Ukraine,” where the Pentagon’s tardiness at widely adopting lower-end drones for its own offensive operations has been highlighted.

The Iranian-designed Shahed-136 long-range one-way attack drone, which is being mass-produced in Russia as the Geran, has become Moscow’s primary standoff weapon with which it bombards Ukraine on a daily basis.

While the U.S. military is lagging behind, Bartholomees said there’s good news on this front, too.

“I think we can catch up very rapidly,” Bartholomees said. “The formations that we built are ready for those capabilities to land.” Those formations include a launched effects company that the 25th Infantry Division is currently standing up. This will join the launched effects platoon that already exists within its multifunctional reconnaissance company.

As an initial experiment, the launched effects company will be created within the 25th Infantry Division’s artillery unit.

“We absolutely need to build this capability quickly,” Bartholomees continued. “We need to test it in our region; we also need to work with our allies and partners to do the same.”

Referring again to the Shahed, Bartholomees noted that, because this kind of drone “is very cheap, easy to produce, and easy to put together,” it makes it “exactly the type of capability that we would love to have for our allies and partners in the region.” Not only would long-range, expendable drones of this kind help regional allies and partners protect their sovereign territory, but they would also be relevant to defend their maritime spaces, something Bartholomees described as “a unique problem set.”

When asked where the U.S. Army was in relation to Russian efforts in the field of long-range one-way attack drones, Bartholomees admitted that “We are behind in that sense, we need to push faster, all the services, frankly, are on this chase to move faster.”

He did, however, note that there are some “defeat mechanism concerns” that have put something of a brake on the development of at least certain types drones.

Bartholomees identified the importance of the work being done within divisional innovation labs, specifically the work on a nascent long-range one-way attack capability.

“We’re building our own drones,” Bartholomees said. “We’re already starting to produce one-way attack, fixed-wing [but] the longer range obviously gets harder and harder to do, that’s where you need more airworthiness expertise.”

It should be noted that, with its focus on long range and cost effectiveness, a drone in the mold of the Shahed is of particular relevance to a future contingency in the Indo-Pacific theater in which the 25th Infantry Division would likely be engaged.

The Shahed-136 has a range of around 1,000 miles, depending on variant and payload. The extreme challenges of the Pacific call for strike weapons with long range. In fact, TWZ has advocated in the past for an extended-range one-way attack drone, which would be especially useful for reaching from the Second Island Chain to the Chinese mainland — a one-way trip of roughly 2,000 miles.

Bartholomees said he agreed with Lt. Gen. Charles Costanza, commander of the Army’s V Corps, which has a presence on NATO’s eastern flank, who also discussed drones and counter-drone capabilities at AUSA before talking further with Howard Altman of TWZ.

“We aren’t moving fast enough,” Costanza continued. “And it really took Russia’s invasion of Ukraine [in 2022], and the way they’re innovating, and Ukrainians are innovating, to realize, hey, we need to move fast.”

When asked specifically if the U.S. military needed a capability broadly in line with the Shahed drone, Constanza responded: “I think we do.”

Returning to Bartholomees, he argued that the rapid pace of drone development in the Ukrainian war is, in no small part, due to the result of an existential threat, which means the Ukrainian industrial base is “pushing incredibly hard for the sovereignty of their entire nation.”

“I have no doubt that we can push further, faster to get there,” Bartholomees, pointing to the partnership the Army is forging with the Marine Corps and Air Force, in this regard.

Of course, as we have argued repeatedly in the past, the United States could also find itself facing an existential threat, including an adversary that has a much larger arsenal of long-range, expendable drones. Namely, China.

At the same time, the need for huge numbers of long-range guided weapons that can pierce China’s anti-access bubble is coming to the forefront at a time when existing stockpiles are clearly below the required threshold. This is a reality that is meanwhile driving the development of a wide array of lower-cost, long-range weapons. These include low-cost jet-powered cruise missiles, but these are still significantly more expensive and complex than a Shahed-136 clone and/or they lack range in comparison.

Currently, there are a handful of smaller companies in the United States that are pitching a Shahed copy, or something very similar. While this is a useful starting point, it should be recalled that Russia is already mass-producing these kinds of weapons and is now understood to be building 5,000 a month.

Thankfully, we are finally seeing some much-needed change when it comes to the U.S. military’s plans for fielding its own lower-end drones.

With senior officers like Bartholomees and Costanza making the case for long-range one-way attack drones, we might also start to see some more urgency here, too.

Contact the author: [email protected]

Strictly Come Dancing’s Karen Carney has shared her heartbreak after another star was booted off the series

After performing a Thunderbirds themed routine for Movie Week, Ross King became the second celebrity to be eliminated from Strictly Come Dancing.

He failed to impress the judges as he faced Balvinder Sopal in the dreaded dance-off.

Fellow Strictly Come Dancing star Karen Carney took to Instagram to share their heartache over Ross’ exit.

Alongside a snap of her with Ross in their Movie Week outfits, Karen penned: “Absolutely gutted. Since the beginning of this show @therossking has been a rock for me and is one of the most genuine and funny people I’ve ever met.

“Have loved every minute of our @bbcstrictly journey and will miss you loads but know I’ll have a mate for life.”

Speaking on the Strictly results show, Ross said about his time on the show: “I have loved every single minute of it.

“I would like to say thank you to everyone who has supported us, all the people who voted – they’ve been amazing.

“I want to thank everyone here in this room, backstage, the judges, the crew – every single person here has made me so, so welcome.

“And, I want to thank a very special lady who has been with me through it all and has been absolutely everything: she’s been a mentor, teacher, carer and I could not have wished for a better partner, and I could not have wished to be on a better show. Thank you judges for all your remarks.”

Meanwhile, Jowita shared: “Thank you so much for all of your work. For everything you have done during rehearsals.

“We laugh a lot – but we also cried! Thank you so much, and I hope I’m going to be a little part in your life forever.”

Both Jowita and Ross will appear on It Takes Two on Monday in their first TV interview after their elimination.

Ross also shared a number of snaps from his time on the show on Instagram as he reflected on his journey.

Strictly Come Dancing returns on Saturday 18 October at 6:30pm, with the results show on Sunday 19 October at 7:15pm on BBC One and BBC iPlayer

Jet2 CEO Steve Heapy has criticised the Spanish left-wing government for allegedly attracting rich travellers to the country, saying it goes against its ‘socialist utopia’

An airline chief has slammed Spain’s government, accusing it of courting hypocrisy by supposedly targeting wealthy tourists to visit the country.

Jet2 CEO Steve Heapy believes this contradicts the nation’s ‘socialist utopia’ principles. Speaking at the Association of British Travel Agents’ annual conference – taking place on the Spanish island of Mallorca – he branded tourism officials’ desire for affluent holidaymakers as “absolutely disgraceful”.

Mr Heapy addressed the government’s campaign “Think you know Spain? Think again”, which the airline boss has argued is calling for a different, richer type of tourist to visit the country.

“When you boil down what they’ve said, ‘we want a different type of customer’. They basically want rich people, which doesn’t fit given Spain is supposed to be a socialist utopia,” the Jet2 boss said.

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“I don’t think it’s very fair. I don’t think holidays should be something for the rich and privileged. I think holidays should be something for everyone. And if a prerequisite to going on holidays is being rich, I think that’s absolutely disgraceful.”, reports the Express.

The promotional material comes after widespread demonstrations against tourism across Spain, with protesters telling visitors to “go home” and even dousing them with water pistols. Earlier this year, Mr Heapy revealed Jet2 “had people ringing the call centre and going into travel agents, asking questions like ‘is Spain safe’, ‘are we still welcome in the resort’.”

He noted this is “becoming a big issue, unfortunately, and perception becomes truth.”

The Spanish government is using adverts to encourage tourists to enjoy slower, more sustainable holidays, showcasing attractions such as wineries, luxury medieval castle hotels, surf camps, truffle tasting, and “gastronomic experiences with seasonal produce”.

The campaign’s website states: “There is another way to travel. Calmer, more aware, more personal. In Spain you will want to stop in every village and landscape to discover its culture and connect with the environment.”

Mr Heapy admitted that several of Spain’s top tourist hotspots are grappling with issues stemming from poor tourism management. He largely blamed this on unregulated short-term rentals, especially through platforms like Airbnb.

He proposed that hosts operating without the correct licences or tax registration should face hefty fines – up to €250,000 (around £217,000) – and potential prison time if fines remain unpaid. Jet2, Britain’s biggest package-holiday airline, transported nearly 18 million passengers last year, according to The Telegraph.

In recent years, more destinations and their tourism boards have spoken of wanting ‘high-value tourists’. The term has emerged in response to mass tourism and the problems that it can cause for local populations.

High volumes of holidaymakers on cheap package holidays can put strain on public services and push up house prices, while not adding as much to the local economy as some would like.

Shifting a destination’s tourism model from one that attracts mass-market visitors to a smaller group of richer travellers is not easy, however, as perceptions of a place tend to stick, and facilities take time and money to improve.

The Spanish Tourism Board declined to comment.

Holiday-maker Jason Hall was heading home after a nine-day break in Cyprus with his 13-year-old daughter when they found themselves ‘abandoned’ at the wrong airport

A holidaymaker vowed to boycott an airline after he and his daughter were left ‘abandoned’ overnight.

Jason Hall, 54, had been enjoying a nine-day getaway with his 13-year-old daughter in Cyprus, and they had been due to land at Birmingham Airport at 5.30pm on August 6. But, after a small aircraft crash-landed on the runway, their flight was diverted to Cardiff Airport, arriving at 6.10pm.

Passengers on the aircraft were promised that return transport would be arranged for them – but, according to Jason, that did not take place. He has gone on to slam the company’s ‘shocking’ after-care.

Jason, of Clayton, told StokeonTrentLive: “I can’t complain about the holiday – it was lovely. Coming back was where the trouble started. We were promised that we’d be provided with coach travel back to Birmingham – I didn’t mind, these things happen sometimes.

“We spent an hour-and-a-half collecting our bags because they weren’t expecting two massive 300-passenger TUI planes in. But once we’d got our things, we couldn’t see a single member of TUI staff in the whole airport. We left for the car park, and there were around 450 people stood waiting for these coaches.”

READ MORE: Ryanair passenger ‘stunned’ to receive ‘worst food ever’ on flightREAD MORE: ‘I had to leave my son, 5, at home during my holiday after my simple admin error’

He continued: “Eventually, a member of staff from Cardiff Airport – not a member of TUI staff – came out to tell us that three coaches had already been and gone. But if you think that a coach can hold roughly 50 people, that was nowhere near enough for the 600 of us who had landed.

“There were young families, children, kids in wheelchairs, all sorts of people left with no way of getting home. We stood in the car park for around an hour waiting for some sort of direction. Then everybody’s phone went off at the same time. It was an email from TUI informing us that they could not get us home and that we’d need to make our own arrangements.”

Passengers left stranded at Cardiff Airport were told that the airline was ‘having issues sourcing transport’ and encouraged passengers to pay for their own travel arrangements. TUI promised customers it would compensate them in full for any extra costs after their journey.

“We were all just abandoned by TUI,” Jason explained. “There were students and people who didn’t have the money to pay for this up front. Some people were getting local taxis that were costing £350. Others were getting Ubers which were costing £450. Within half an hour, you couldn’t even book one. They’d all gone.

READ MORE: ‘Jet2 gave me a broom cupboard for a hotel room in holiday from hell for bizarre reason’

“I made a decision to get a nearby hotel room for me and my daughter, as I didn’t want to make her sleep in the airport. We got a little room down the road for £85. We couldn’t physically get home. There were no taxis and you couldn’t get a train until the next day.

“The next morning, we went to the station and caught four different trains. We went from Cardiff to Bristol, Bristol to Birmingham New Street, and Birmingham New Street to the airport. When we finally arrived back to the car, I’d got a parking fine.”

Jason’s disastrous journey home led him to miss a day’s paid work as well as the £85 hotel bill, £100 in train fares, and the £60 parking ticket. But he claims TUI refused to compensate his costs in full.

He added: “They only offered to pay for my train fares. I explained the rest of my additional costs, but they just weren’t interested. They made out as if I should have just gone straight back, but that wasn’t possible. The duty of care and customer service was just non-existent.

READ MORE: Mum and kids driven ‘out of our minds’ as they’re ‘stranded’ after TUI cancellation

“It was absolutely shocking. I’ll never use them again. They’re fine so long as everything runs smoothly. But as soon as there’s some kind of incident, it seems they just don’t want to look after you at all. The bare minimum is ensuring they can get you to your destination – not just abandon you somewhere else.”

TUI has since repaid Jason in full.

A spokesperson for TUI UK & Ireland said: “We would like to apologise to all customers impacted by this unexpected flight diversion, which was unfortunately out of our control. We always strive to provide our customers with the best possible travel experience, and we understand that this situation impacted the end of their holiday.

“We have been in direct contact with all customers, including Mr Hall, and have arranged refunds for out-of-pocket expenses.”

Mary McHale was due to fly from Dublin to Brussels but her brother-in-law tragically died the day before and she now claims that she has been denied a £380 refund

A woman says she is “fuming” with Ryanair for a lack of “empathy” claiming the airline refused a £380 refund after she cancelled a booking due to a family bereavement.

Mary McHale was due to fly from Dublin to Brussels for a girls weekend away in December last year but sadly, one day before she was due to fly, her brother-in-law Alan McHale, passed away suddenly, aged 61. The 54-year-old claims she reached out to Ryanair immediately to request a cancellation and was told via online chat that she needed to provide a death certificate before the flight took off.

She claims she couldn’t get her hands on a death certificate that soon and was also busy supporting her husband, Colin, 55, in his grief, which led to Ryanair refusing her £380 refund.

READ MORE: Drunk Jet2 thug causes holiday flight to be diverted after spitting on passengerREAD MORE: Donald Trump’s rage at UN escalates as he tells Europe: ‘Your countries are going to hell’

“I’m absolutely fuming,” Mary, from Dublin, told Need to Know. “There’s no empathy. It didn’t matter how sad my case was, they weren’t interested. I’ll never fly with Ryanair again. Alan passed away suddenly three days before I was due to fly.

“The funeral service would be on the morning of the holiday. There was no way I was leaving my husband. A death certificate is a very official document and we couldn’t get it in time. Even if we could, there was no way I was going to ask the family for it while they were grieving so I could get a refund.

“I tried to appeal to Ryanair and said it wasn’t physically possible to get the certificate. We didn’t get it until January.” Mary says battling Ryanair while grieving only added to her heartbreak and made an already difficult time even more stressful.

She said: “Alan had Motor Neurone Disease and ended up getting an infection and pneumonia so it was quite sudden in the end. We were trying to organise the service. I couldn’t ask my sister-in-law for it while she was grieving her husband.

“I was grieving too. This was the last thing we needed. It was so stressful and I’m so frustrated by it. I didn’t even mention it to the family because I didn’t want to make them feel any worse. I kept chasing Ryanair up but they stopped talking to me and closed the case. There needs to be a management review. There need to be some discretion.”

In a online chat message, a Ryanair worker allegedly told her: “I wish to inform you that Ryanair tickets are non- refundable. This is clearly stated in our Terms and Conditions, agreed to at the time of purchase.

“Changes to flight dates, routes, times and customer names can be made online or by contacting our Customer Services Department prior to the initial date of travel. Change fees and possible fare difference will apply.

“I sympathise with your circumstances but I am not in a position to process your refund request and recommend that you contact your travel insurer with regard to this matter.”

In a follow-up message she claims was told: “Whilst I have noted your continued dissatisfaction, I regret that the position remains unaltered. As per our previous correspondence, as the Terms and Conditions state clearly.

“You must make your claim before the date of the flight and provide a copy of the death certificate”, therefore I cannot accede to your refund request.”

A Ryanair spokesperson said: “All Ryanair air fares are non-refundable.

“This passenger was correctly advised that she is not entitled to a refund for her Dublin to Brussels return flights (18 December 2024) as per Ryanair’s T&C’s, which this passenger agreed to at the time of booking.”

Though artificial intelligence has been the hottest trend on Wall Street, it’s far from the only catalyst responsible for sending the benchmark S&P 500 (^GSPC -0.13%) to new heights. Investor excitement surrounding stock splits in high-profile businesses has played a close second fiddle.

A stock split allows a publicly traded company to cosmetically adjust its share price and outstanding share count by the same factor. These changes are “cosmetic” in the sense that they don’t impact a company’s market cap or its operating performance.

Image source: Getty Images.

Typically, investors keep their distance from businesses enacting reverse splits and gravitate to those announcing and completing forward splits. The latter is designed to lower a company’s share price to make it more nominally affordable for retail investors who can’t buy fractional shares through their broker. Companies that complete forward splits are usually out-innovating and out-executing their competition.

As of the closing bell on Sept. 12, three magnificent businesses had announced and completed forward splits this year. Whereas the benchmark S&P 500 has risen by roughly 12% on a year-to-date (YTD) basis, Wall Street’s trio of stock-split stocks has crushed it!

O’Reilly Automotive: up 36% YTD

Though it wasn’t the first to complete its split, auto parts supplier O’Reilly Automotive (ORLY -0.85%) kicked off stock-split euphoria in 2025 by announcing its intent to conduct a 15-for-1 forward split in mid-March. O’Reilly sought shareholder approval for its largest-ever stock split and was granted it, which paved the way for its split taking effect before the opening bell on June 10.

While shares of the company have jumped 36% on a year-to-date basis, they’re up closer to 67,000% since its initial public offering (IPO) in 1993.

O’Reilly Automotive has a few important tailwinds working in its favor. On a macro basis, S&P Global Mobility recently reported that the average age of vehicles on U.S. roadways jumped to 12.8 years in 2025. For context, this is up from an average of 11.1 years in 2012. With consumers hanging onto their cars and light trucks longer than ever before, they and their mechanics will be turning to auto parts retailers like O’Reilly to keep these vehicles in tip-top shape.

Additionally, O’Reilly has reworked its distribution system to ensure that drivers and mechanics have access to the parts they need. O’Reilly entered the year with 31 distribution centers and close to 400 hub stores. These hub stores feed from the distribution centers and ensure that outlying retail locations have access to more than 153,000 stock keeping units (SKUs) delivered same-day or on an overnight basis.

From an investment standpoint, O’Reilly’s greatest gift might just be its stellar capital-return program. Since initiating a share repurchase program in January 2011, O’Reilly has spent $26.6 billion to buy back almost 60% of its outstanding shares. For companies with steady or growing net income, buybacks can provide a big boost to earnings per share (EPS).

Image source: Getty Images.

Fastenal: up 32% YTD

A second stock-split stock that’s come close to tripling the year-to-date return of the broad-based S&P 500 is wholesale industrial and construction supplies company Fastenal (FAST -1.07%). Shares are up 32% YTD, but more than 150,000% since its August 1987 IPO.

Stock splits might as well be part of Fastenal’s corporate culture. The 2-for-1 split that was announced in April and effected prior to the start of trading on May 22 marked the ninth time in 37 years Fastenal had completed a split.

Fastenal is a company that benefits immensely from the disproportionate nature of economic cycles. This is to say that while economic downturns are normal, healthy, and inevitable, they tend to be short-lived. The average economic expansion since the end of World War II has stuck around five years, which is fantastic news for a company whose growth tends to ebb-and-flow with the health of the U.S. economy and cyclical industries.

Fastenal’s ongoing success is also reflective of its closeknit ties to its most-promising clients. During the second quarter, more than 73% of its net revenue traced back to contract sales, which are multisite, local, regional, and government customers that offer significant revenue potential. Being able to place its inventory solutions on-site helps integrate Fastenal’s products into the supply chains of its most important customers.

Lastly, innovation has been key to Fastenal’s six-digit percentage rally since its debut. The company’s managed inventory solutions, such as its internet-connected wireless vending machines and inventory tracking bins, help its clients save money and ensures that Fastenal has a good bead on the supply chain needs of its customers.

Interactive Brokers Group: up 44% YTD

However, the top-performer among stock-split stocks in 2025 is automated electronic brokerage firm Interactive Brokers Group (IBKR 0.45%), which has rallied 44% YTD and 438% over the trailing half-decade.

Unlike O’Reilly Automotive and Fastenal, Interactive Brokers made history when it completed a 4-for-1 forward split before the opening bell on June 18. This marked its first split since becoming a public company in May 2007.

One of the top tailwinds for Interactive Brokers Group is the stock market being in an uptrend. When the S&P 500 is hitting new highs, investors have a tendency to want in on the action. This typically means trading more, adding more money to the platform, and potentially using margin. Bull markets for the S&P 500 often create an excellent operating environment for Interactive Brokers.

Another factor fueling this outperformance is the company’s investments in technology and automation. Though these investments came at a cost, they’re allowing Interactive Brokers to offer higher interest rates to customers on cash kept in their accounts, as well as lower borrowing rates for margin. These are attractive perks that are clearly resonating with investors.

The final piece of the puzzle is that every meaningful key performance indicator for Interactive Brokers is pointing significantly higher. During the June-ended quarter, customer accounts and customer equity on the platform jumped 32% and 34%, respectively, with daily active revenue trades (a measure of trading activity on the platform) climbing 49%! It’s not hard to see why Interactive Brokers Group is leading the way in 2025.

IAN BOTHAM’S glamorous granddaughter delighted fans with her latest Instagram post.

Imani-Jayne, 24, has English cricket royalty for a grandad.

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And she has begun to build a fanbase of her own, boasting more than 8,000 followers on Instagram.

In her latest post, Imani-Jayne showcased a stunning blue dress.

Giving a shout out to where she got her outfit, she tagged Stonnington Hire.

Imani-Jayne’s post received several gushing comments.

One fan wrote: “You’ve outdone yourself here!!”

While a second called her “absolutely stunning”.

A third swooned: “Wow absolutely beautiful.”

And another added: “Wowza.”

Imani-Jayne is a former Miss Yorkshire and has competed for Miss England.

The Yorkshire lass has enjoyed some brilliant holidays of late.

Last month she visited Mallorca.

And more recently Imani-Jayne headed to Portugal.

See more of Imani-Jayne’s glamorous life below…

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A PARENT was left baffled after she was scorned by her child’s school for ‘failing snack time’.

The mum received a passive-aggressive note which accused her of breaking the “classroom policy”.

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She shared a snap of the letter and told her followers: “Day 1 of school and I’ve already failed snack time.

“Strong start, mom,” she added.

Her child had taken pretzels into class, which, according to the note, is one of three foods that are banned from school grounds.

The note read: “Your child’s snack of pretzels today did not meet our 4K classroom snack policy.

“Please make sure to send only fruits, vegetables, meat, cheese or yoghurt for their snack.

“Goldfish, popcorn and pretzels are not allowed for 4K students.

“If your child was without another snack, they were offered a classroom snack in place of this non-approved snack.

“Thank you for helping keep our 4K students safe due to severe classroom allergies.

The teacher added: “If you have any questions, please let me know. Thanks!”

The post was reshared by an influencer, and the identity of the parent and the school in question is currently unknown.

The controversial note sparked conversation in the comment section, with one saying: “Those snack restrictions are insane.”

“Please make a charcuterie board and send it,” joked another.

“Please send a rotisserie chicken,” said a third.

“Please send only perishable snacks so your 5yo lets it rot in their bag all day until snack time, thanks,” echoed another.

One wrote: “Good morning darling, please remember to take your snack time ribeye with you. Have a great day!”

The post was also shared on Reddit, where one person argued: “Speaking as a teacher: I hate teachers who are militant about snacks.

“So many families are just barely holding on, and you’re going to crawl up someone’s a** about food?”

Whilst many of the people who saw the post made a joke out of the situation, allergies are an incredibly serious matter.

Benedict Blythe died when he was just five years old after accidental exposure to cow’s milk protein in 2021.

Benedict had asthma and several allergies, including eggs, nuts, kiwi fruit and milk.

His parents had worked with the school to put together an allergy action plan in case of a reaction.

The school was responsible for storing oat milk in the staff fridge, which was labelled with the child’s name, and pouring it into Benedict’s cup in the classroom before handing it directly to him.

However, the jury inquest found that, on the day of his death, that process was not followed because his milk had been poured in the staff room rather than the classroom.

His parents were called to pick him up after he vomited and later “collapsed”.

Benedict was rushed to hospital but tragically couldn’t be saved and died later that day.

This year, his sister, Etta, six, took a petition to Downing Street to campaign for higher food safety regulations in schools.

She was joined by five other primary school students who took placards and the letter to Whitehall.

They called for Benedict’s Law to be implemented across the country to end the “postcode lottery” of allergy safeguards in schools.

Etta and friends joined other children affected by allergies to stand in front of No 10 and knocked on the door to hand over the petition signed by more than 13,000 people.

It comes following July’s jury inquest into Benedict’s death at Peterborough Town Hall, which found that Barnack Primary School, between Stamford and Peterborough, did not follow all the measures in place to prevent the fatal anaphylactic reaction.

It also found there were risks of contamination and delays in administering the adrenaline pen.

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JOCKEY Trevor Whelan has confirmed he has broken his leg in three places after his ‘absolutely awful’ York fall.

And it is feared veteran rider Jim Crowley has suffered a similar injury after he also smashed into the turf.

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Both riders fell in yesterday’s big race of the day at the northern track.

Crowley, who was on the William Haggas-trained favourite Almeraq, appeared to clip heels.

That sparked a chain reaction that saw Whelan fall from Tiger Bay in the Listed six furlong sprint.

There was a big delay to racing as both riders were initially treated on the track before being rushed to hospital.

Incredibly, both horses were up and OK after the horrendous flashpoint, which viewers described as being ‘absolutely awful’.

Whelan confirmed on X the extent of his injuries – and it is believed Crowley has suffered much the same.

The jockey posted: “Thanks for all the get well messages much appreciated.

“I’ve broken my leg in three places and due for an operation on it as well.”

More to follow.

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Find our detailed guide on responsible gambling practices here.

Football clubs in crisis like Sheffield Wednesday and Morecambe can “absolutely” be saved from the brink of collapse, says Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy.

The future of both clubs remains uncertain after a torrid summer of issues including delayed wage payments for players and staff, registration embargoes and in the case of Morecambe, suspension from the National League.

In July, a bill to establish an independent football regulator became law, granting it powers to oversee the men’s game in England’s top five divisions. However, the regulator will not be launched until later this year.

When it is operational, Nandy says the regulator will be able to make a difference.

“These clubs belong to their fans. They are nothing without their fans and we are on their side and we will always fight for them,” Nandy told BBC Breakfast.

“Nobody should have to go through this. When Bury collapsed, we were absolutely clear that that had to be the last time that ever happened to anyone again. It’s happened to far too many people since.”

Bury were expelled by the English Football League in 2019 while in League One after a takeover bid collapsed.

“Owners need to recognise that they have a responsibility to be the custodians of a club and hand it on in good shape to the next generation,” she added.

“They’re hugely important to the economic life of a town, which I know from my own experience.”

Nandy highlighted Wigan Athletic, the team she supports, as a club who were saved from the brink of collapse in 2021, but have experienced further financial challenges.

“Wigan went right to the wire, we were within hours of HMRC pulling the plug because taxes haven’t been paid, players were about to walk, the wages haven’t been paid and at the final hour we managed to achieve a resolution.

“So I’ve absolutely said that to the fans groups and to the local MPs do not give up.”

DUNELM has slashed to half price off an “absolutely brilliant” suitcase that is perfect for flights this summer.

It comes in a range of sized that can be put under the seat, in the overhead locker, or as checked-in luggage.

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The Elements Two-Tone Hard Shell Suitcase be bought for £17.50 to £25, depending on the size, which is down from £35 to £50 at Dunelm.

They come in two colourways, an Olive green, or Fuschia, making the suitcase easy to spot on the conveyor belt.

There are three size options, from the smallest “cabin” size, to medium and large.

The suitcase includes four spinner wheels, that can be used with a push button trolley system.

It comes in a strong hard shell, with sturdy handles and zip insert that has an elastic clip closure to hold your belongings in place.

The product dimensions are H 55cm x W 40cm x D 20cm, at 2.5kg for the cabin case.

This means it can be taken on as a free, small carry-on bag that fits under the seat on EasyJet and BA flights, or in the overhead locker on Ryanair and Jet2 flights.

The medium case measures H 67cm x W 44.5cm x D 25cm, at 3.1kg.

And the large case is H 76cm x W 50cm x D 28.5cm, weighing 3.8kg.

The dimensions are particularly important to note, after a leaked email showed staff across major airports in the UK would receive payments for every bag confiscated from easyJet passengers ahead of boarding.

Ryanair boss Michael O’Leary has also considered bigger bonuses for staff who identify passengers with oversized bags.

The suitcase from Dunelm received an overall rating of 4.3 stars from customers.

One reviewer described it has an “absolutely brilliant case and so light to carry.

Another raved: “Loved my suitcase with the bright colours couldn’t miss it on the belt!

“It’s easy to push along and the inside is great too, I had a lot of looks and people saying what lovely colours.”

It comes as Dunelm also knocked 50 per cent off one of its fancy garden decor ornaments.

The Artificial Boxwood Ball Tree has now been slashed to £24.50 from its original price of £49.

The retailer has also been providing great bargains on furniture, scanning for up to 90 per cent off.

One bar stool was priced down to £10.32 from £103.20.

JEREMY Clarkson has revealed Diddly Squat farm will have to close for two months after an “absolutely dreadful” TB outbreak.

The TV star, 65, told how his farm was affected in a statement on social media yesterday.

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‘Nobody helped’

‘Taken by surprise’

A travel fan has shared her love for the “most underrated country in the world” with holidaymakers, as the stunning spot has plenty of things to see and do for less than £500

A holidaymaker is urging travel enthusiasts to visit what she calls the “most underrated country in the world” promising a wealth of activities and an experience that won’t break the bank at under £500. Hannah, a young traveller who regularly shares her top travel tips on her TikTok account @hannahshols, has been captivated by numerous destinations but holds a special place in her heart for Malta.

Nestled below Italy and above Tunisia, this gem of a location is just over a three-hour flight from the UK. On a trip to the diminutive nation with friends, Hannah found that they each spent slightly more than £400 for flights, a five-night hotel stay with access to a rooftop pool, breakfast included, as well as baggage and transfers.

READ MORE: Pet owners rush to claim free flea treatment as UK heatwave sees pests rise

Her TikTok video showcasing the adventure amassed over one million likes. She enthused: “Malta is by far the most underrate country I think I’ve ever visited.”

She continued: “Even though Malta is the 10th smallest country in the world, it is definitely giving big country energy.” The video highlights the destination’s captivating sea views, abundant shops and restaurants, historical landmarks, and stunning gardens.

Reflecting on her September visit last year, Hannah shared why the trip was so memorable: “One thing I loved about Malta was that it was like nowhere I’d ever been before. It’s got such strong Arabic and Roman influences.”

She concluded with heartfelt praise: “It was just absolutely beautiful and everyone we met just seemed so proud to be Maltese.”

The travel influencer recommends a trip to the capital city of Valletta for those visiting Malta. Hannah and her group primarily explored the city on foot or used the bus service, which she described as “super convenient and cheap”.

She suggested: “Just spend a day in Valletta, roaming around, street dining, going to the boutique shops, wandering in and out of the gardens, seeing the cannons being fired at the saluting battery, and checking out the harbour front.”

Hannah also endorsed the Gozo, Comino and Blue Lagoon cruise. This full-day maritime excursion departs from Sliema and offers the chance to see both islands in a single day, along with various landmarks.

According to Hannah, the cost for her and her friends was “around £29 each”. Her video attracted over 1,000 comments, with many echoing her sentiments about the country. A local resident expressed, “I am from Malta and I am so happy that you loved our little island.”

Another user exclaimed: “Malta is stunning, I would go back in a heartbeat,” while someone else remarked, “Genuinely one of my favourite European destinations ever- never gets boring.

“Omg I live in Malta, it’s so underrated,” another commenter posted.

How to get to Malta

A variety of airlines including Air Malta, Easyjet, British Airways, Ryanair, and Jet2 operate direct flights from the UK to Malta. The most frequented route is from London Heathrow to Malta International Airport, located in the capital city of Valletta.

Flights can also be booked from Bournemouth, Liverpool, Norwich, Belfast, Manchester, Bristol, Edinburgh, Birmingham, Leeds, Nottingham, and Glasgow.

Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents arrested two women on Tuesday outside a West L.A. courthouse after a hearing in a local criminal case, marking the first instance in recent weeks of the Trump administration using a tactic that has drawn condemnation from the legal community.

Adriana Bernal, 37, was detained by ICE agents after appearing in the Airport Courthouse on La Cienega Boulevard late Tuesday morning, according to Jennifer Cheng, public information officer for the L.A. County Alternate Public Defender’s Office.

Video from the scene shows law enforcement agents, most in all black clothing, leading a woman toward a black truck outside the courthouse with tinted windows as one onlooker screams, “Oh my god, oh my god,” repeatedly. The agents had previously been waiting in the 3rd floor courtroom where Bernal and two other defendants were scheduled to appear, according to Cheng.

“Our client walked out of the courtroom and was followed by these individuals. Once our client was outside the building, these individuals (who were not in any uniform), handcuffed her, put her into dark a colored SUV and drove away,” Cheng said in an e-mail to The Times. “We were absolutely blindsided by what happened. These purported ICE agents detained our client without notice or explanation. We received no advance communication, no opportunity to advise our client, and no information.”

Advocates, defense attorneys and even some prosecutors have long sounded the alarm about the problems that could arise from ICE using state criminal courts as staging grounds for federal immigration enforcement. When ICE engaged in similar behavior across California, Oregon, New Mexico and Colorado in 2017, during Trump’s first term in office, prosecutors in some states reported having to drop cases because undocumented immigrants would no longer serve as witnesses.

An ICE spokesperson did not respond to a request for comment.

L.A. County’s Presiding Judge Sergio C. Tapia II said the courts did not receive advance notice of the arrest operation and confirmed ICE had not taken enforcement actions inside county courthouses yet this year.

“Federal immigration enforcement activities inside courthouses disrupt court operations, breach public trust, and compromise the Court’s constitutional role as a neutral venue for the peaceful resolution of disputes,” Tapia said in a statement. “These actions create a chilling effect, silencing victims, deterring witnesses, discouraging community members from seeking protection and deterring parties from being held accountable for their crimes or participating in legal proceedings critical to the rule of law.”

Bernal was slated to appear for an early disposition hearing in a case where she and two other defendants were charged with organized retail theft, grand theft and possession of burglary tools, according to court records.

One of Bernal’s co-defendants in the case was also detained by ICE agents, according to two sources with knowledge of the case, who requested anonymity because they were not authorized to speak to the media.

Cheng said the alternate public defender’s office is “looking into whether local law enforcement or members of the District Attorney’s Office played a role in what happened,” though she admitted to having no evidence to support the idea that prosecutors tipped off ICE.

L.A. County Dist. Atty. Nathan Hochman said his office had no advance notice of ICE’s actions and would not notify federal officials about the immigration status of anyone they are prosecuting.

“As a general proposition, I don’t want anyone deported until I’ve got them sentenced. And if they’re sentence is jail or state prison I want them to serve their sentence,” he said in an interview. “That is the punishment they receive for committing crimes in my county. It doesn’t help that objective to get them through the criminal justice system, get them punished in our system, by having them deported before they’re done with what’s going on here.”

Hochman described the defendants in the case as part of broader organized retail theft “organization” with members from South America.

While ICE once directed its agents to avoid making arrests in so-called “sensitive locations” including schools, places of worship and hospitals, Trump shifted that policy shortly after he took office, rescinding the 2011 Obama-era memo that restricted such actions.

ICE officials have previously claimed courthouse arrests were necessary to keep agents safe from dangerous criminals — since those entering state courts must pass through metal detectors and are presumably unarmed.

But a recent Times study of statistics collected by the Deportation Data Project shows that 69% of the approximately 722 people arrested during the first week of the Trump Administration’s California immigration raids had no criminal record.

The California Supreme Court previously rebuked the federal government during Trump’s last presidency for “stalking courthouses” and using the justice system as “bait,” effectively punishing undocumented people for showing up to court.

In recent months, the Trump administration has been routinely arresting people at regular immigration hearings and federal court appearances.

Cheng said Tuesday’s actions by ICE were a dangerous escalation by the agency in Los Angeles.

“We have seen throughout our community how ICE agents often detain and seize people simply because they fit a particular profile, without any regard to the person’s immigration status, or the status of any immigration process that a person is currently going through,” she wrote. “When there is widespread fear that ICE is going to snatch you if you go to court – whether you are charged with a crime, a victim of crime, or a witness to crime, people will stop going to court.”

Times Staff Writer Andrea Castillo contributed to this report.

IOWA CITY, Iowa — A powerful U.S. senator on Tuesday called on the Trump administration to fix a growing backlog and longtime management problems at the program that promises benefits when police and firefighters die or become disabled in the line of duty.

Republican Chuck Grassley of Iowa, chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, said the Public Safety Officers’ Benefits program is failing the spouses and children of deceased and disabled first responders and needs new leadership. He said the mismanagement has caused significant hardship for grieving families, who often experience yearslong delays in processing and approving claims.

“This is absolutely unacceptable,” he wrote in a letter to Attorney General Pam Bondi, in which he suggested she consider replacing longtime program leader Hope Janke.

Grassley’s letter comes days after The Associated Press published an investigation detailing the claims backlog at the program, which provides a nearly $450,000 one-time payment to the families of deceased and disabled officers and firefighters in addition to education benefits.

The AP found dozens of families are waiting five years or more to learn whether they qualify for the life-changing payments, and more are being denied. As of late April, nearly 900 claims had been pending for more than one year, more than triple the number from five years ago, with a small number languishing for a decade.

Grassley cited a Government Accountability Office report issued last year that detailed deficiencies in the program’s management dating back to 2009. He said the program had failed to make changes recommended by outside reviewers but that “government bureaucrats” such as Janke have never been held accountable.

Janke has not responded to AP emails seeking comment, including one Tuesday. A request for comment to the DOJ wasn’t immediately returned.

DOJ officials said earlier this year that they are adopting several recommendations from the GAO, including improvements to make the program’s electronic claims management system more user-friendly. They say they are responding to a surge of claims after Congress has made more categories of deaths and injuries eligible for benefits.

Grassley demanded the DOJ provide updates and documents within two weeks related to the status of those changes.

Texas widow Lisa Afolayan, who is still fighting the program for benefits 16 years after her husband died while training for the Border Patrol, welcomed Grassley’s oversight of the program.

“We need movement. We need change and not only for my family,” she said. “They’ve lost sight of why the program was started.”

Foley writes for the Associated Press.

DYSON fans are rushing to QVC to get their hands on one of the brand’s coveted vacuums for a bargain price.

The cost of the V12 Detect Slim Absolute has been slashed by £150 and it’s now just £399.

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Dyson V12 Detect Slim Absolute, £399 (was £549)

This Dyson deal at QVC sees a neat 27% hoovered off the usual price of £549.

What’s more, you can get an extra £5 off your first order if you enter the promo code FIVE4U.

Dyson discounts aren’t that frequent, so this is definitely a deal to look at if you’re in the market for a new vacuum – especially if you’ve got pets.

The V12 is designed for homes with animals, so it makes short work of that pesky, ever-present dog and cat hair.

You can use the Motorbar head to deep-clean debris and hair from carpets (it detangles as it goes, so the brush doesn’t end up clogged).

Alternately, there’s the Fluffy Optic head for hard floors and a handy (if strange-looking) hair screw tool for ground-in pet hair and debris.

This cordless wonder gives up to 60 minutes of cleaning on a full charge, and offers spin speeds up to 125,000rpm.

What’s more, the vacuum automatically adjusts suction depending on what it’s picking up, and increases power where it’s needed.

And the filtration system seals in up to 99.99% of allergens and microscopic particles: perfect if you’re suffering from hay fever this summer.

The Sun Shopping’s Aaron Dowler put this big-brand vac to the test, and in his Dyson V12 Detect Absolute Slim review, gave it an 8-out-of-10 verdict.

“The Dyson V12 Detect Slim impressed me with its performance, especially its lightweight design,” Aaron says.

“The laser detection technology worked beautifully on hard floors, and the attachments were versatile enough to tackle pet hair and upholstery.”

QVC shoppers are smitten too, with one customer writing: “It is incredible what it collects.

“We have two short-haired dachshunds, two adults, wool carpets and rugs in our house.

“[It’s] so easy and lightweight to hoover stairs compared to [the] Dyson Ball Upright we also have, which now never gets used.”

Another says: “I absolutely love, love, love it! It’s so easy to use, easy to empty and clean, and I can do the whole house so quickly.

“I use it every day and am gobsmacked at what it picks up… Even my husband said the house smells clean. It really is wonderful.”

All reasons this handy household tool made it into our pick of the best cordless vacuum cleaners.

If you’re keen, just be sure to jump on this deal before it comes to an end.

Dyson V12 Detect Slim Absolute, £399 (was £549)

Owner of a hungry kitty? Shoppers are rushing to Amazon to pick up a multipack of Whiskas wet pouches that’s now 44% cheaper.

For more options from the likes of Shark, Halo and Gtech, head to our best vacuum cleaners article.

US President Donald Trump has said he is “not happy” with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin, following Moscow’s largest aerial attack yet on Ukraine.

In a rare rebuke, Trump said: “What the hell happened to him? He’s killing a lot of people.” He later called Putin “absolutely crazy”.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky earlier said Washington’s “silence” over recent Russian attacks was encouraging Putin, urging “strong pressure” – including tougher sanctions – on Moscow.

At least 12 people were killed and dozens injured in Ukraine overnight Sunday after Russia fired 367 drones and missiles – the highest number in a single night since Putin launched a full-scale invasion in 2022.

Air sirens warning of incoming drones and missiles sounded again in many regions of Ukraine early on Monday.

At least three people, including a child, were injured in the north-eastern city of Kharkiv, Mayor Ihor Terekhov said.

Speaking to reporters in New Jersey late on Sunday, Trump said of Putin: “I’ve known him a long time, always gotten along with him, but he’s sending rockets into cities and killing people, and I don’t like it at all.”

Asked about whether he was considering increasing US sanctions on Russia, Trump replied: “Absolutely.” The US president has repeatedly threatened to do this before – but is yet to implement any restrictions against Moscow.

Shortly afterwards, Trump wrote in a post on Truth Social that Putin “has gone absolutely crazy”.

“I’ve always said that he wants all of Ukraine, not just a piece of it, and maybe that’s proving to be right, but if he does, it will lead to the downfall of Russia!”

But the US president also had strong words for Zelensky, saying that he “is doing his country no favours by talking the way he does”.

“Everything out of his mouth causes problems, I don’t like it, and it better stop,” Trump wrote of Zelensky.

Despite Kyiv’s European allies preparing further sanctions for Russia, the US has said it will either continue trying to broker these peace talks, or “walk away” if progress does not follow.

Last week, Trump and Putin had a two-hour phone call to discuss a US-proposed ceasefire deal to halt the fighting.

The US president said he believed the call had gone “very well”, adding that Russia and Ukraine would “immediately start” negotiations toward a ceasefire and “an end to the war”.

Ukraine has publicly agreed to a 30-day ceasefire.

Putin has only said Russia will work with Ukraine to craft a “memorandum” on a “possible future peace” – a move described by Kyiv and its European allies as delaying tactics.

The first direct Ukrainian-Russian talks since 2022 were held on 16 May in Istanbul, Turkey.

Aside from a major prisoner of war swap last week, there was little or no progress on bringing a pausing in fighting closer.

Russia currently controls about 20% of Ukrainian territory. This includes Crimea – Ukraine’s southern peninsula annexed by Moscow in 2014.