arrives

GYEONGJU, South Korea, Oct. 29 (UPI) — U.S. President Donald Trump arrived in South Korea Wednesday, where he said he wasn’t able to “work out timing” for a meeting with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.

Trump made the remark during a bilateral meeting with South Korean President Lee Jae Myung in the city of Gyeongju, where the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit is being held, after earlier saying he “would love” to meet Kim during his trip.

“I know Kim Jong Un very well. We get along very well,” Trump said. “We really weren’t able to work out timing.”

Trump met Kim three times during his first term — in Singapore in 2018, in Hanoi in 2019 and briefly at the Demilitarized Zone later that year. Speculation had swirled that the two could meet again this week in the DMZ truce village of Panmunjom to restart talks over the North’s nuclear weapons program.

“I know you are officially at war, but we will see what we can do to get that all straightened out,” Trump said to Lee Wednesday. The 1950-53 Korean War ended in a ceasefire but not a peace treaty.

“We’ll have other visits, and we’ll work very hard with Kim Jong Un and with everybody on getting things straightened out because that makes sense,” Trump added.

Lee expressed regret over the missed opportunity and said that he hoped Trump would have a chance to play the role of “peacemaker” on the Korean Peninsula.

“As I mentioned many times, you have wonderful capabilities and skills as a peacemaker,” Lee told Trump. “Chairman Kim has not really accepted your good intention and your gesture, so this time it did not happen. But I believe that we’ve been planting good seeds for a better future.”

Earlier on Wednesday, North Korean state media reported that the country had test-fired sea-to-surface strategic cruise missiles in the Yellow Sea, its latest provocation before Trump’s visit. A week earlier, Pyongyang claimed that it had successfully tested a “new cutting-edge weapons system” involving hypersonic missiles,

At a welcoming ceremony at Gyeongju National Museum, Lee presented Trump with the Grand Order of Mugunghwa, South Korea’s highest decoration to honor his “achievements in paving the way toward peace on the Korean Peninsula.”

Trump is the first U.S. president to receive the honor.

Lee also gave his counterpart a replica of a golden crown from the Silla Dynasty, which ruled from 57 BC to 935 AD.

The crown “symbolizes the long-standing peace of the Silla period, as well as a new era of peaceful coexistence on the Korean Peninsula and shared growth that Korea and the U.S. will build together,” the South’s presidential office said in a statement.

After the ceremony, bilateral discussions were expected to include trade, investment, economic and security cooperation and alliance modernization, the office said.

Trump’s nearly weeklong trip through Asia has focused on making trade deals and bolstering economic ties with countries in the region. He signed a trade agreement with new Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi on Tuesday and inked deals with Cambodia, Malaysia, Thailand and Vietnam at the Association of Southeast Asian Nations summit in Kuala Lumpur over the weekend.

The most anticipated engagement of Trump’s visit will be on Thursday, when he is scheduled to meet with Chinese President Xi Jinping in the port city of Busan before heading back to Washington.

The meeting, their first since 2019, comes as the two superpowers are locked in a trade war. Chinese and U.S. economic officials agreed on a framework for a trade agreement on Sunday on the sidelines of the ASEAN summit in Kuala Lumpur, U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said on NBC’s Meet the Press.

In keynote remarks on Wednesday at an APEC CEOs luncheon, Trump said he expected a deal to be finalized during his meeting with Xi.

“We’re going to be, I hope, making a deal. I think we’re going to have a deal. I think it will be a good deal for both,” Trump said. “The world is watching, and I think we’ll have something that’s very exciting for everybody.”

USS Gravely’s arrival comes as US military build-up in the region has increased tensions between Washington and Caracas.

A United States warship has arrived in Trinidad and Tobago, an island nation close to Venezuela, as tensions between Washington and Caracas continue to mount.

The USS Gravely, a guided-missile destroyer, reached the Trinidadian capital Port of Spain on Sunday with members of the US Marines on board, ahead of planned joint military exercises.

The warship has advanced weapons systems and can operate helicopters. Its recent activities include a deployment for counter-narcotics operations.

Its arrival near Venezuela comes as the administration of US President Donald Trump continues to increase the US’s military presence in the Caribbean, where it has in recent weeks conducted controversial, deadly strikes against boats that Washington claims are involved in drug trafficking.

The standoff between the two countries escalated further on Friday, when the Pentagon confirmed that it was deploying the USS Gerald R Ford, the world’s largest aircraft carrier, to the region.

Venezuela’s President Nicolas Maduro, who was re-elected last year in what the US has dismissed as a fraudulent election, accused Washington of “fabricating” a war against him.

Without providing any evidence, the US president has accused Maduro of being the leader of the organised crime gang Tren de Aragua.

Reporting from Port of Spain on Sunday, Al Jazeera’s Julia Galiano said the Trinidadian government wanted to assure its people that they shouldn’t be worried by the warship’s arrival.

The country’s defence minister told Al Jazeera on Saturday that joint military operations were held regularly and that the US vessel’s presence was not a prelude to war.

However, Galiano said that locals had expressed “a lot more reservation” about the warship.

“People we spoke to today, for example, in the Sunday market, told us that they were frightened about what this could mean for their country,” she said.

Trinidadians who spoke to news agencies expressed similar concerns.

“If anything should happen with Venezuela and America, we as people who live on the outskirts of it … could end up getting a lash any time,” 64-year-old Daniel Holder told the AFP news agency.

“I am against my country being part of this,” he added.

Javed Ali, an associate professor at the University of Michigan who specialises in national security, told Al Jazeera on Sunday that the US’s actions in the region involved “the projection of a significant amount of military force” to put pressure on the Maduro regime.

“It is so difficult to know what the White House is thinking,” he noted, adding that the US military presence is not big enough to launch an invasion of Venezuela.

“Looking at how the US has conducted wars in the past, it would not be with a small footprint like this,” Ali said.

As part of its anti-drug operations, Washington deployed eight navy ships, 10 F-35 warplanes and a nuclear-powered submarine to the region in August, its largest military build-up in the area since its 1989 invasion of Panama.

On Saturday, Venezuela’s Defence Minister Vladimir Padrino said his country had begun coastal defence exercises to protect itself against “large-scale military threats”.

Oct. 17 (UPI) — Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and President Donald Trump began discussing Ukraine‘s defense against Russia Friday afternoon at the White House.

The two presidents are meeting to discuss a possible allocation of long-range Tomahawk missiles and other weapons to help Ukraine in its defense against Russia, according to NBC News.

Trump also is expected to discuss his Thursday phone conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin while meeting with Zelensky.

The White House visit is Zelensky’s third since Trump became president in January and is the first to discuss the possible deployment of weaponry capable of striking deep inside Russia and targeting that nation’s energy infrastructure, The HIll reported.

Trump and Putin agreed to a tentative summit in Budapest, Hungary, sometime in the near future.

Zelensky said Moscow was “rushing” to resume negotiations after Trump suggested Monday that he was thinking of sending the ball into Russia’s court by threatening to send Ukraine the missiles unless the war was brought to a conclusion.

“We hope that the momentum of curbing terror and war, which worked in the Middle East, will help end the Russian war against Ukraine,” Zelensky wrote in a post on X.

“Putin is definitely not braver than Hamas or any other terrorist. The language of force and justice will definitely work against Russia as well. We already see that Moscow is rushing to resume dialogue, just hearing about ‘Tomahawks,'” he added.

However, Trump appeared to back away from the Tomahawk issue following a call with Putin on Thursday, saying he had concerns about running down U.S. stocks.

“We need them too … so I don’t know what we can do about that,” Trump said.

The lunchtime Oval Office meeting comes a day after Trump hailed “great progress” made during a phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Delegations from both sides were due to meet next week to prepare for a summit between the two leaders in Hungary.

The contact, the first direct communication with Putin since August, was initiated by Moscow, two days after Trump said he was considering supplying Kyiv with Tomahawk missiles.

The missiles have a 1,500-mile range, which would enable Ukraine to strike Moscow and St. Petersburg.

On Thursday, Zelensky met with representatives of U.S. defense and energy companies, including Raytheon, which makes the Tomahawks, and Lockheed Martin.

He said they discussed ramping up the supply of air defense systems, the Patriot missile system in particular, Raytheon’s production capacity, cooperation to strengthen Ukraine’s air defense and long-range capabilities, and the prospects for Ukrainian-American joint production.

Ukraine’s energy resilience was the main topic of discussion with the energy firms in the face of an increasing Russian tactical focus on hitting Ukraine’s energy infrastructure as winter approaches.

“Now, as Russia is betting on terror against our energy sector and carrying out daily strikes, we are working to ensure Ukraine’s resilience,” Zelensky said.

GREENBELT, Md. — John Bolton arrived at a federal courthouse Friday to surrender to authorities and make his first court appearance on charges accusing the former Trump administration national security adviser of storing top secret records at home and sharing with relatives diary-like notes that contained classified information.

The 18-count federal indictment Thursday also suggests classified information was exposed when operatives believed to be linked to the Iranian government hacked Bolton’s email account and gained access to sensitive material he had shared. A Bolton representative told the FBI in 2021 that his emails had been hacked, prosecutors say, but did not reveal that Bolton had shared classified information through the account or that the hackers had possession of government secrets.

The closely watched case centers on a longtime fixture in Republican foreign policy circles who became known for his hawkish views on American power and who served for more than a year in Trump’s first administration before being fired in 2019. He later published a book highly critical of Trump.

The third case against a Trump adversary in the past month will unfold against the backdrop of concerns that the Justice Department is pursuing the Republican president’s political enemies while at the same time sparing his allies from scrutiny.

“Now, I have become the latest target in weaponizing the Justice Department to charge those he deems to be his enemies with charges that were declined before or distort the facts,” Bolton said in a statement.

Even so, the indictment is significantly more detailed in its allegations than earlier cases against former FBI Director James Comey and New York Attorney General Letitia James. Unlike in those cases filed by a hastily appointed U.S. attorney, Bolton’s indictment was signed by career national security prosecutors. While the Bolton investigation burst into public view in August when the FBI searched his home in Maryland and his office in Washington, the inquiry was well underway by the time Trump had taken office in January.

Sharing of classified secrets

The indictment filed in federal court in Greenbelt, Maryland, alleges that between 2018 and this past August, Bolton shared with two relatives more than 1,000 pages of information about his day-to-day activities in government.

The material included “diary-like” entries with information classified as high as top secret that he had learned from meetings with other U.S. government officials, from intelligence briefings or talks with foreign leaders, according to the indictment. After sending one document, Bolton wrote in a message to his relatives, “None of which we talk about!!!” In response, one of his relatives wrote, “Shhhhh,” prosecutors said.

The indictment says that among the material shared was information about foreign adversaries that in some cases revealed details about sources and methods used by the government to collect intelligence.

The two family members were not identified in court papers, but a person familiar with the case, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss nonpublic details, identified them as Bolton’s wife and daughter.

The indictment also suggests Bolton was aware of the impropriety of sharing classified information with people not authorized to receive it, citing an April news media interview in which he chastised Trump administration officials for using Signal to discuss sensitive military details. Though the anecdote is meant by prosecutors to show Bolton understood proper protocol for government secrets, Bolton’s legal team may also point to it to argue a double standard in enforcement because the Justice Department is not known to have opened any investigation into the Signal episode.

Bolton’s attorney, Abbe Lowell, said in a statement that the “underlying facts in this case were investigated and resolved years ago.”

He said the charges stem from portions of Bolton’s personal diaries over his 45-year career in government and included unclassified information that was shared only with his immediate family and was known to the FBI as far back as 2021.

“Like many public officials throughout history,” Lowell said, “Bolton kept diaries — that is not a crime.” He said Bolton “did not unlawfully share or store any information.”

Controversy over a book

Bolton suggested the criminal case was an outgrowth of an unsuccessful Justice Department effort after he left government to block the publication of his 2020 book “The Room Where It Happened,” which portrayed Trump as grossly misinformed about foreign policy.

The Trump administration asserted that Bolton’s manuscript contained classified information that could harm national security if exposed. Bolton’s lawyers have said he moved forward with the book after a White House National Security Council official, with whom Bolton had worked for months, said the manuscript no longer had classified information.

In 2018, Bolton was appointed to serve as Trump’s third national security adviser. His brief tenure was characterized by disputes with the president over North Korea, Iran and Ukraine. Those rifts ultimately led to Bolton’s departure.

Bolton subsequently criticized Trump’s approach to foreign policy and government in his book, including by alleging that Trump directly tied providing military aid to Ukraine to that country’s willingness to conduct investigations into Joe Biden, who was soon to be Trump’s Democratic 2020 election rival, and members of Biden’s family.

Trump responded by slamming Bolton as a “washed-up guy” and a “crazy” warmonger who would have led the country into “World War Six.”

Tucker and Richer write for the Associated Press. Durkin Richer reported from Washington.

John Bolton, Donald Trump’s former national security adviser, has arrived at a federal court to surrender to authorities on charges of mishandling classified information.

The 18 charges stem from allegations he shared or retained sensitive materials, including some characterised as top secret.

Bolton served during Trump’s first administration but parted with the White House contentiously, and has become one of the president’s most vocal public critics.

The indictment makes Bolton, 76, the third of the US president’s political opponents to face charges in recent weeks. Bolton has said he would defend his “lawful conduct”.

Prosecutors have accused Bolton of using personal messaging apps and email to illegally transmit sensitive information.

“These documents revealed intelligence about future attacks, foreign adversaries, and foreign-policy relations,” prosecutors wrote.

Responding to the charges, Bolton said he would defend his “lawful conduct.”

He added he had “become the latest target in weaponizing the Justice Department to charge those he [Trump] deems to be his enemies with charges that were declined before or distort the facts.”

Thousands of mourners gathered at a stadium in Kenya for a state funeral for opposition leader and former prime minister, Raila Odinga. His flag-draped coffin was carried by uniformed officers ahead of the service, which was attended by President William Ruto.

SHARM EL SHEIKH, Egypt — President Trump arrived in Egypt on Monday for a global summit on Gaza’s future as he tries to advance peace in the Middle East after visiting Israel to celebrate a U.S.-brokered ceasefire with Hamas.

The whirlwind trip, which included a speech at the Knesset in Jerusalem earlier in the day, comes at a fragile moment of hope for ending two years of war between Israel and Hamas.

“Everybody said it’s not possible to do. And it’s going to happen. And it is happening before your very eyes,” Trump said alongside Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi.

More than two dozen countries are expected to be represented at the summit. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was invited but declined, with his office saying it was too close to a Jewish holiday.

Despite unanswered questions about next steps in Gaza, which has been devastated during the conflict, Trump is determined to seize an opportunity to chase an elusive regional harmony.

“You’ve won,” he told Israeli lawmakers at the Knesset, which welcomed him as a hero. “Now it is time to translate these victories against terrorists on the battlefield into the ultimate prize of peace and prosperity for the entire Middle East.”

Trump promised to help rebuild Gaza, and he urged Palestinians to “turn forever from the path of terror and violence.”

“After tremendous pain and death and hardship,” he said, “now is the time to concentrate on building their people up instead of trying to tear Israel down.”

Trump even made a gesture to Iran, where he bombed three nuclear sites during the country’s brief war with Israel earlier this year, by saying “the hand of friendship and cooperation is always open.”

Trump is on a whirlwind trip to Middle East

Trump arrived in Egypt hours late because speeches at the Knesset continued longer than expected.

“They might not be there by the time I get there, but we’ll give it a shot,” Trump joked after needling Israeli leaders for talking so much.

Twenty hostages were released Monday as part of an agreement intended to end the war that began on Oct. 7, 2023, with an attack by Hamas-led militants. Trump talked with some of their families at the Knesset.

“Your name will be remembered to generations,” a woman told him.

Israeli lawmakers chanted Trump’s name and gave him standing ovation after standing ovation. Some people in the audience wore red hats that resembled his “Make America Great Again” caps, although these versions said “Trump, The Peace President.”

Netanyahu hailed Trump as “the greatest friend Israel has ever had in the White House,” and he promised to work with him going forward.

“Mr. President, you are committed to this peace. I am committed to this peace,” he said. “And together, Mr. President, we will achieve this peace.”

Trump, in an unexpected detour during his speech, called on the Israeli president to pardon Netanyahu, whom he described as “one of the greatest” wartime leaders. Netanyahu faces corruption charges, although several hearings have been postponed during the conflict with Hamas.

The Republican president also used the opportunity to settle political scores and thank his supporters, criticizing Democratic predecessors and praising a top donor, Miriam Adelson, in the audience.

Trump pushes to reshape the region

The moment remains fragile, with Israel and Hamas still in the early stages of implementing the first phase of Trump’s plan.

The first phase of the ceasefire agreement calls for the release of the final hostages held by Hamas; the release of hundreds of Palestinian prisoners held by Israel; a surge of humanitarian aid to Gaza; and a partial pullback by Israeli forces from Gaza’s main cities.

Trump has said there’s a window to reshape the region and reset long-fraught relations between Israel and its Arab neighbors.

“The war is over, OK?” Trump told reporters traveling with him aboard Air Force One.

“I think people are tired of it,” he said, emphasizing that he believed the ceasefire would hold because of that.

He said the chance of peace was enabled by his Republican administration’s support of Israel’s decimation of Iranian proxies, including Hamas in Gaza and Hezbollah in Lebanon.

The White House said momentum is also building because Arab and Muslim states are demonstrating a renewed focus on resolving the broader, decades-long Israeli-Palestinian conflict and, in some cases, deepening relations with the United States.

In February, Trump had predicted that Gaza could be redeveloped into what he called “the Riviera of the Middle East.” But on Sunday aboard Air Force One, he was more circumspect.

“I don’t know about the Riviera for a while,” Trump said. “It’s blasted. This is like a demolition site.” But he said he hoped to one day visit the territory. “I’d like to put my feet on it, at least,” he said.

The sides have not agreed on Gaza’s postwar governance, the territory’s reconstruction and Israel’s demand that Hamas disarm. Negotiations over those issues could break down, and Israel has hinted it may resume military operations if its demands are not met.

Much of Gaza has been reduced to rubble, and the territory’s roughly 2 million residents continue to struggle in desperate conditions. Under the deal, Israel agreed to reopen five border crossings, which will help ease the flow of food and other supplies into Gaza, parts of which are experiencing famine.

Roughly 200 U.S. troops will help support and monitor the ceasefire deal as part of a team that includes partner nations, nongovernmental organizations and private-sector players.

Superville and Megerian write for the Associated Press. Megerian reported from Washington. AP writers Will Weissert and Seung Min Kim in Washington contributed to this report.

The visit comes as the UK and US prepare to sign a landmark technology agreement aimed at boosting cooperation between the two countries.

United States President Donald Trump has arrived in the United Kingdom for his second state visit, describing it as a “great honour” to be hosted by King Charles III at Windsor Castle.

The US president landed at the London Stansted airport on Tuesday evening, where new UK Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper was among those greeting him as he stepped off Air Force One.

Trump, accompanied by First Lady Melania Trump, is expected to stay overnight at Winfield House, the official residence of the US ambassador in Regent’s Park, before travelling to Windsor Castle on Wednesday for a ceremonial welcome and a state banquet.

Thousands are expected to protest during his stay, though he has no public-facing engagements planned.

Speaking to reporters before landing, Trump said: “My relationship is very good with the UK, and Charles, as you know, who’s now King, is my friend. It’s the first time this has ever happened where somebody was honoured twice. So, it’s a great honour.”

The visit comes as the UK and US prepare to sign a landmark technology agreement aimed at boosting cooperation between the two countries’ multi-trillion-dollar tech sectors.

Trump is expected to be joined by a delegation of US executives, including Nvidia chief executive Jensen Huang and OpenAI’s Sam Altman, Reuters reported.

Meanwhile, Sky News reported that BlackRock plans to invest $700m in British data centres as part of a series of announcements tied to the state visit.

The UK was the first country to sign a bilateral trade agreement with the Trump administration in May. Under that deal, Washington pledged to reduce tariffs on aluminium and steel from 25 percent to zero, though the changes have yet to take effect.

Trump has hinted at possible tariff relief for UK steel ahead of talks with Prime Minister Keir Starmer at Chequers, the prime minister’s country residence, on Thursday.

“I’m there also on trade. They want to see if they can refine the trade deal a little bit. We’ve made a deal, and it’s a great deal, and I’m into helping them,” Trump said.

TORONTO — The smile is beatific, blissed out, even at an ungodly hour on our Zoom call from France. A week later, when I finally meet 43-year old filmmaker Oliver Laxe in person at a private Toronto celebration for his new movie “Sirât,” he radiates serenity. He’s the happiest (and maybe the tallest) person in the room.

“One of the first ideas that I had for this film was a sentence from Nietzsche,” he says. “I won’t believe in a God who doesn’t dance.”

Laxe goes to raves — “free parties,” he clarifies, indicating the ones you need to hear about via word of mouth. He’s thought deeply about what they mean and what they do to him. “We still have a memory in our bodies of these ceremonies that we were doing for thousands of years, when we were making a kind of catharsis with our bodies.”

It’s almost the opposite of what you expect to hear on the fall festival circuit, when directors with big ideas make their cases for the significance of the art form. But the body, the return to something purely sensorial, is Laxe’s big idea.

Steadily, “Sirât” has become, since its debut at Cannes in May, a growing favorite: not merely a critic’s darling but an obsession among those who’ve seen it. (The film will have an awards-qualifying run in Los Angeles beginning Nov. 14.) A dance party in the desert set at some vaguely hinted-at moment of apocalypse, the movie is something you feel, not solve. Its pounding EDM beats rattle pleasurably in your chest (provided the theater’s speakers are up to snuff). And the explosions on the horizon shake your heartbeat.

“I really trust in the capacity of images to penetrate into the metabolism of the spectator,” Laxe says. “I’m like a masseuse. When you watch my films, sometimes you’ll want to kill me or you’ll feel the pain in your body, like: Wow, what a treat. But after, you can feel the result.”

An image from the movie “Sirât,” directed by Oliver Laxe.

(Festival de Cannes)

Laxe can speak about his influences: cosmic epics by the Russian master Andrei Tarkovsky or existential road movies like “Zabriskie Point” and “Two-Lane Blacktop.” But he is not a product of a typical grad-school trajectory. Rather, it’s his escape from that path after growing up in northern Spanish Galicia and studying in Barcelona (he tried London for a while) that’s fascinating.

“I was not good,” he recalls. “I didn’t find I had a place in the industry or in Europe. I was not interested. I had bought a camera, a 16-millimeter Bolex, and I knew I was accepting that my role was to be a kind of sniper that was working in the trenches but making really small films.”

At age 24, Laxe moved to Tangier, Morocco, where he would live for 12 years at a monastic remove from the glamour of the movies, collaborating with local children on his films. The experience would grow into his first feature, 2010’s “You Are All Captains,” which eventually took him all the way to the prize-winning podium at Cannes, as did his second and third films, all of which came before “Sirât,” his fourth.

“Slowly, the things we were making were opening doors,” he says. “In a way, life was deciding, telling me: This is your path.”

Path is what “Sirât” means in Arabic, often with a religious connotation, and his new movie takes a unique journey, traversing from the loose-limbed dancing of its early scenes to a train’s tracks stretching fixedly to the end of the line. There’s also a quest that gets us into the film: a father and son searching among the ravers for a missing daughter, potentially a nod to “The Searchers” or Paul Schrader’s “Hardcore,” but not a plot point that Laxe feels especially interested in expounding on.

“Obviously I have a spiritual path and this path is about celebrating crisis,” he says. “My path was through crisis. It’s the only time when you connect with your essence. I just want to grow. So that’s why I jump into the abyss.”

“My path was through crisis,” says director Oliver Laxe of his steady rise. “It’s the only time when you connect with your essence. I just want to grow.”

(Christina House / Los Angeles Times)

Laxe tells me he didn’t spend years perfecting a script or sharpening dialogue. Rather, he took the images that stuck with him — trucks speeding into the dusty desert, fueled by the rumble of their own speaker systems — and brought them to the free parties, where his cast coalesced on the dance floor.

“We were telling them that we were making ‘Mad Max Zero,’ ” he recalls, but also something “more metaphysical, more spiritual. A few of them, I already knew. There are videos of us explaining the film in the middle of the dance floor with all the people dancing around. I mean it was quite crazy. It’s something I would like to show to film schools.”

Shot on grungy Super 16, the production drove deep into craggy, sandblasted wastelands, both in Morocco and mountainous Spain, where the crew would make hairpin turns along winding cliff roads that would give even fans of William Friedkin’s legendary 1977 misadventure “Sorcerer” anxiety.

“It was my least dangerous film,” Laxe counters, reminding me of his “Fire Will Come,” the 2019 arson thriller for which he cast actual firefighters. “We were making the film in the middle of the flames, so I don’t know. I’m a junkie of images and I need this drug.”

There is a Herzogian streak to the bearded Laxe, a prophet-in-the-wilderness boldness that inspires his collaborators, notably longtime writing partner Santiago Fillol and the techno composer Kangding Ray, to make the leap of faith with him. But there also seems to come a point when talking about “Sirât” feels insufficient, as opposed to simply submitting to its pounding soundscapes, found-family camaraderie and (fair warning) churning moments of sudden loss that have shaken even the most hardy of audiences.

“The film evokes this community of wounded people,” he says. “I’m not a sadistic guy that wants to make a spectator suffer. I have a lot of hope. I trust in human beings, even with their contradictions and weaknesses.”

For those who wish to find a political reading in the movie, it’s there for them, a parable about migration and fascism but also the euphoria of a headlong rush into the unknown. “Sirât” is giving odd comfort in a cultural moment of uncertainty, a rare outcome for a low-budget art film.

Its visionary maker knows exactly where he is going next.

“I got the message in Cannes,” Laxe says. “People want to feel the freedom of the filmmaker or the auteur. What they appreciate is that we were jumping from a fifth floor to make this film. So for the next one —”

Our connection cuts out and it’s almost too perfect: a Laxian cliffhanger moment in which ideas are yanked back by a rush of feeling. After several hours of me hoping this was intentional on his part, the director does indeed get back to me, apologetically. But until then, he is well served by the mystery.

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and his daughter, Kim Ju Ae, have arrived by train in Beijing to attend China’s largest-ever military parade marking Japan’s surrender in World War II. It will be Kim’s first major multilateral event during his 14-year rule.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has arrived at the White House for a crucial meeting with Donald Trump and European leaders to discuss ways to end the war in Ukraine. The US president already met with Russia’s Vladimir Putin for a one-on-one discussion last week.

Aug. 8 (UPI) — President Donald Trump‘s deadline for Russia to end its ongoing war in Ukraine or face stiffer U.S. economic sanctions arrived Friday.

Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin had been pushing for trilateral negotiations with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.

Moscow announced Thursday that Putin and Trump would hold a meeting about cease-fire talks in the coming days.

“It’s gonna be up to him (Putin),” Trump responded Thursday when asked about the looming deadline.

“We’re going to see what he has to say. It’s gonna be up to him. Very disappointed.”

There was no official word from Washington as Trump’s deadline arrived Friday.

U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff arrived in Moscow this week and has met with Putin. Officials have described those talks as constructive, while Trump this week called them “highly-productive.”

Russian and U.S. negotiators were reportedly close to a deal, Bloomberg News reported Friday, citing sources close to the matter.

The deal would reportedly allow Russia to keep the territory it has gained thus far since it invaded Ukraine in February of 2022.

Last month, Trump announced he would enact “severe tariffs” if Russia failed to reach a peace deal with Ukraine within 50 days. Those sanctions were to encompass 100% secondary tariffs on countries doing business with Moscow, including those buying Russian oil.

Weeks later, Trump said he would shorten that 50-day window to reach a deal.

“I want to be generous, but we just don’t see any progress being made,” Trump told reporters at the time.

Trump this week imposed new tariffs on India in response to that country’s continued purchases of oil from Moscow.

July 31 (UPI) — President Donald Trump‘s suspension of reciprocal tariffs ends Friday and the United States has only managed a small portion of his goal for new trade deals.

Trump has pushed back his self-imposed deadlines on multiple occasions during his second term but said in a post on social media on Wednesday that Friday’s deadline will not be extended.

A day after the post, Trump announced a 90-day pause on new tariffs on Mexico as trade negotiations continue.

The United States has reached preliminary trade deals with at least five countries, though these framework agreements lack some publicly disclosed details. Trump has also announced an agreement with the European Union for a 15% tariff on most goods from the 27-nation bloc.

The European Union is the largest trade partner of the United States, exchanging about $605 billion in goods annually. The easing of tariffs on the European Union does not extend to the 50% tariffs on steel that Trump imposed earlier this year.

Trump’s tariff gambit sparked immediate economic turmoil with the hope that it would reset global trade in favor of the United States. He claimed to have made 200 deals in April, though details about those deals were never shared, and the administration called “90 deals in 90 days” a possibility.

While the administration is set to fall significantly short on its lofty goals, Trump has lauded the success of his tariff policy.

“We are very busy in the White House today working on Trade Deals,” Trump posted on Wednesday. “I have spoken to the Leaders of many Countries, all of whom want to make the United States ‘extremely happy.'”

Trump announced Wednesday on social media that negotiations continued this week with South Korea. The United States is imposing a 25% tariff on South Korean goods but Trump said South Korea has made an offer to “buy down” that tariff rate.

The agreement materialized on Thursday. The United States will reduce the tariff on South Korea to 15% based on South Korea agreeing to $350 billion in investments “owned and controlled” by the United States and selected by Trump.

China is among the United States’ biggest trade partners and a primary target of Trump’s tariff policy dating back to his first term in office. In June, Trump announced that the United States and China had come to an agreement over the trade of rare earth minerals.

As part of the agreement, China would export rare earth minerals to the United States and both countries would reduce their tariffs for 90 days. The rare earth minerals discussed are a crucial component in energy sources for mobile devices like smartphones as well as electric vehicles.

China is subject to a 34% reciprocal tariff that has been suspended until Aug. 12. The tariff is on all products, including those originating from Hong Kong and Macau. In response, China has increased tariffs on the United States by more than 120% since Trump took office.

July was the busiest month in terms of trade announcements, starting with a deal reached with Vietnam on July 2. According to Trump, Vietnam will pay a 20% tariff on all goods exported to the United States and 40% on goods that are transhipped through Vietnam to the United States.

U.S. exports to Vietnam face no tariff.

As Trump discussed trade with Vietnam, he cast doubt that an agreement would be reached with Japan. He imposed a 24% tariff on the ally nation.

According to the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative, the United States and Japan traded $227.9 billion in goods in 2024. The United States exported about $79.7 billion to Japan, an increase of more than 5% over 2023. The United States also imported about $148.2 billion in goods, or about a $971 million increase.

“Japan will continue to engage vigorously in sincere and honest discussions toward the realization of an agreement that will benefit both Japan and the United States,” said Kazuhiko Aoki, Japan’s deputy chief cabinet secretary.

Trump met with the leaders of five African nations — Senegal, Liberia, Guinea-Bissau, Mauritania and Gabon — in July to discuss increased trade activity.

“We’re shifting from aid to trade,” he said. “In the long run, this will be far more effective and sustainable and beneficial than anything else that we could be doing together.”

Trump said at the time there was a possibility that the five countries would be exempted from reciprocal tariffs. No agreements have been officially announced since the meeting took place.

A similar deal with Indonesia was announced days later by the president. Trump said he reached an agreement that would see Indonesia pay a 19% tariff on U.S. exports while dropping most tariffs on the United States.

Trump added that the agreement includes a commitment by Indonesia to purchase $15 billion in U.S. energy, $4.5 billion in agriculture products and 50 Boeing jets.

According to the White House, the United States and Indonesia seek to eliminate barriers for digital trade as part of their agreement. Indonesia is also committed to improving its labor standards by removing provisions that prevent workers and unions from collective bargaining.

The Philippines has followed suit with cutting tariffs on U.S. products, according to Trump. The United States and the Philippines reached an agreement last week.

The United States will lower its tariff on imports from the Philippines from 20% to 19%.

The United States and the Philippines traded about $23.5 billion in goods in 2024.

TEMPLEGATE takes on Friday’s racing from Glorious Goodwood confident of success after banging in a 28-1 treble on Thursday.

Back a horse by clicking their odds below.

FIFTH COLUMN (2.30 Goodwood, nap)

John Gosden has a nice three-year-old on his hands in this son of Kingman. He showed promise last season and got off the mark in a Kempton maiden on comeback in April. That form was quickly left behind with a smooth handicap success at Sandown – before an excellent effort in the Britannia at Royal Ascot. He was only seventh in that hot contest but he was first home in his group getting the worst of the draw. He clocked a personal best when winning at Newmarket last time and relishes this mile trip. He goes on any ground so it won’t matter what the weather does.

BIG MOJO (3.05 Goodwood, nb)

Likes it here and can show his class in the King George Qatar Stakes.

DIEGO VENTURA (1.55 Goodwood, treble)

He is just about the only runner in the field who is proven in testing conditions – and looks set to get just that.

Templegate’s TV verdicts

1.20

KYLE OF LOCHALSH is fancied to go three better than last year’s fourth and land this marathon prize.

He’s on the same mark, handles any ground and shaped with promise on his reappearance.

He’s much more lightly raced than 12 months ago and looks primed to peak.

Aggagio loves it round here and was impressive under Ashley Lewis last time but stamina beyond 2m remains a question mark.

Align The Stars hasn’t quite fired this year but ran well in a strong Royal Ascot handicap and is lurking on a handy mark.

He has a good record here but came up short in this last year.

Tashkhan is classy and thrives in deep ground should it rain, with similar comments applying to Zinc White.

Sheradann has been knocking on the door and shapes as though this trip will suit.

Irish raider Mordor is interesting as this stamina test could bring improvement.

1.55

DIEGO VENTURA is just about the only runner in the field who is proven in testing conditions.

James Doyle’s mount has been running well at Listed level in France and scored over seven furlongs at Longchamp in May.

He then went well at Epsom before going down in a bunch finish at Chantilly last time.

Conditions will be ideal and he has more to come.

Cosmic Year has shown his best on good ground as he showed when second in the Irish 2,000 Guineas which is strong form.

The ground may not be ideal but this is a fair drop in class which makes him a player.

King Of Cities has been placed on tacky ground and sees out this trip well.

He has yet to win this season but could go well under Ryan Moore.

Seagulls Eleven was a solid second to non-runner Opera Ballo at Newmarket last time.

He’s unproven on this ground and needs a step forward.

2.30

FIFTH COLUMN can take another step up for the Gosdens.

His only defeat this season came when a strong-finishing seventh in the Britannia at Royal Ascot, where he won his group and shaped like the best horse on the far side.

He confirmed that when winning stylishly at Newmarket last time, and a 3lb penalty might not be enough to anchor this improving three-year-old who can beat his elders.

Skukuza is the main threat.

He’s officially 8lb well in after two smooth wins at The Curragh, including a Listed last time, and is clearly thriving.

Greek Order ran a screamer in the Royal Hunt Cup on his first start back from the US and again shaped well at Sandown behind Arisaig who is a contender here.

He’s a big player if things fall right. Ebt’s Guard has run well here before and wasn’t beaten far in the Royal Hunt Cup.

3.05

BIG MOJO can follow up last year’s Glorious Goodwood win in the King George Qatar Stakes.

Mick Appleby’s flyer ran a cracker at Newmarket last time and looks up to this level.

Aussie Asfoora will show her true colours here after a poor Ascot run, while She’s Quality lives up to her name.

Here’s my guide to the field, where I rate them one (worst) to five (best):

ASFOORA 4

FOOR star. Aussie raider won the King Charles III at Royal Ascot last year was just denied in this. Had excuses this year and could bounce back.

BIG MOJO 5

BIG chance. Won Molecomb here last year and has progressed at three. Unlucky in the Commonwealth Cup and ran a huge race in the July Cup. Strong claims back at 5f.

CELANDINE 2

HARD Cel. Chased home Big Mojo in last year’s Molecomb and beat Time For Sandals over 6f at York. Needs to prove she enjoys 5f as much.

CLARENDON HOUSE 1

DON for. Has run well over this C&D before but was poor at Epsom last time and needs more at this level.

FROST AT DAWN 3

HOT Frost. Won 6f Listed race earlier this season and showed real speed when second in the King Charles III at Royal Ascot. Can go close again.

JM JUNGLE 2

JUNGLE fever. Won over C&D at this meeting in 2023 and landed the Epsom Dash in June. Ran well in Listed last time but not up to this.

KERDOS 3

TAKE Ker. Fifth in this race last year and good run in the King Charles III. Likes tacky ground and cheekpieces may help.

KHAADEM 3

KHA motors. Won this in 2022 and has landed two Group 1s. He’s unbeaten in two runs here and looks a big place price.

MANACCAN 1

DANGER Man. Solid Listed performer over this trip but has been struggling for a while.

NIGHT RAIDER 3

NIGHT shifts. Unbeaten in four AW starts including a Listed 6f at Newcastle. Turf form not as hot but it’s early days.

SHE’S QUALITY 4

QUALITY pays. Ran a stormer when second in a hot Group 2 at Haydock in May. Sandown didn’t suit last time and this test looks much more suitable.

SPARTAN ARROW 2

BLUNT arrow. Has improved since sporting cheekpieces and took a French Listed prize latest. Goes well here and track/trip suits but this is much tougher opposition.

TIME FOR SANDALS 3

TIME trial. Surprise winner of the Commonwealth Cup over 6f at Ascot. Could improve again but drop in trip an unknown.

TOWN AND COUNTRY 1

TOWN and out. Few miles on the clock and is a Listed winner over this trip. Progressive but needs a lot more in this company.

3.45

SOCIALITE can get the party started.

Charlie Hills’ four-year-old can take this prize with a bold front-running show.

He quickened smartly to win at Windsor on handicap debut, shaping as though this extra furlong would suit.

Lightly raced, progressive and effective on any ground, he could prove tough to pass from a handy draw.

Liberty Lane is the main danger, with a soft-ground Cambridgeshire win and a Listed success here this year marking him out as a serious player.

Haunted Dream won this race last year and had excuses at Royal Ascot. He’s a big threat back at this track.

Godwinson is thriving after wins in the Lincoln and at Newcastle. He’ll be right there if liking this longer trip.

Fox Legacy is flying and isn’t written off provided the rain stays away.

Templegate’s tips

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A humanitarian aid convoy has reached Syria’s Druze-majority Suwayda province as the United Nations warns that the humanitarian situation remains critical after last week’s deadly clashes displaced thousands and left essential services in ruins.

Clashes in Druze-majority Suwayda province, which began on July 13 and ended with a ceasefire a week later, initially involved Druze fighters and Sunni Bedouin tribes, who have been fighting for decades. Later, government forces joined the fighting on the side of the Bedouin armed groups.

State television reported on Monday that a Syrian Red Crescent convoy had entered Suwayda, showing images of trucks crossing into the region.

State news agency SANA said the 27-truck convoy “contains 200 tonnes of flour, 2,000 shelter kits, 1,000 food baskets” as well as medical and other food supplies.

The effort was a cooperation between “international organisations, the Syrian government and the local community”.

UN warns of critical situation

Although the ceasefire has largely held, the UN’s humanitarian agency, OCHA, said that the humanitarian situation in Suwayda province “remains critical amid ongoing instability and intermittent hostilities”.

“Humanitarian access, due to roadblocks, insecurity and other impediments … remains constrained, hampering the ability of humanitarians to assess need thoroughly and to provide critical life-saving assistance on a large scale,” OCHA said in a statement.

It stated that the violence resulted in power and water outages, as well as shortages of food, medicine, and fuel.

Local news outlet Suwayda24 reported that “the humanitarian needs in Suwayda are dire”, saying many more aid convoys were needed for the province.

It said demonstrations demanding more humanitarian aid were held in several locations on Monday.

On Sunday, Suwayda24 published a warning from local civil and humanitarian groups of a “humanitarian catastrophe” in Suwayda, adding that the province “is under a suffocating, escalating siege imposed by the authorities” that has led to a severe lack of basic supplies.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said that government forces were deployed in parts of the province, but goods were unable to enter due to the ongoing closure of the Suwayda-Damascus highway, as government-affiliated armed groups were obstructing traffic.

SANA quoted Suwayda’s provincial Governor Mustafa al-Bakkur on Sunday as saying that aid convoys were entering Suwayda province normally and that “the roads are unobstructed for the entry of relief organisations to the province”.

Deadly clashes displaced thousands

The clashes killed more than 250 people and threatened to unravel Syria’s post-war transition.

The violence also displaced 128,571 people, according to the UN’s International Organization for Migration.

During the clashes, government forces intervened on the side of the Bedouin, according to witnesses, experts and the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitor.

Israel intervened and launched air attacks on Syria’s Ministry of Defence buildings in the heart of Damascus.

Israeli forces also hit Syrian government forces in Suwayda province, claiming it was protecting the Druze, whom it calls its “brothers”.

Russia, Turkiye call for respect of Syria’s territorial integrity

Following the Israeli attacks, Russia’s President Vladimir Putin stressed the importance of Syria’s territorial integrity in a call with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Putin, an ally of former Syrian leader Bashar al-Assad, also said that political stability in the country must be achieved through respect for “all ethnic and religious groups’ interests”, a Kremlin statement said.

A senior Turkish official also called for sustained de-escalation and an end to Israeli military attacks in Syria, stressing the need to support Damascus’s efforts to stabilise the war-torn country.

“From now on, it is important to ensure continued de-escalation and Israeli non-aggression, support for the Syrian government’s efforts to restore calm in Suwayda and to prevent civilian casualties,” Deputy Foreign Minister Nuh Yilmaz told the UN Security Council during a meeting on Syria.

“Israel’s disregard for law, order, and state sovereignty reached new heights with its recent attacks on the presidential complex and the Defence Ministry,” Yilmaz said. “The situation has partially improved as a result of our collective efforts with the US and some other countries.”

THIS is the hilarious moment Donald Trump’s golf caddy appears to drop his ball into a prime spot before he takes his shot.

A video clip has emerged which shows two golf caddies alongside the US President as he drives a golf cart around Turnberry’s Ailsa course, in Scotland.

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He donned a white USA baseball cap and was joined by his son Eric.

Trump, 79, is seen being escorted down to the course, with a convoy of 20 other carts following close behind.

The caddies go ahead of the US leaser and one appears to try and secretly place a golf ball on the ground.

The President then gets out and claims to have made the shot himself.

Trump waves for cameras on the third green at the southeast end of the course before the party moves on.

One person who watched the footage circulating on X wrote: “Caddy did that so smoothly. Can only imagine how many times he’s done it.”

“I want to know how he finds caddies to do that for him,” added another.

This comes as the US President arrived aboard Air Force One at around 8.30pm on Friday for his five-day private visit to Bonnie Scotland.

After waving to the crowds, he was welcomed by Scottish Secretary Ian Murray before being whisked to his luxury Turnberry resort 20 miles down the Ayrshire coast.

Villagers waved as the convoy passed through nearby Kirkoswald and later arrived at the resort at around 9.30pm.

And he wasted no time in taking to the green after being seen teeing off at the luxury resort.

Several protests were planned, with opponents of Mr Trump gathering in both Edinburgh and Aberdeen earlier this week.

The Stop Trump coalition has planned what it has described as being a “festival of resistance”.

Activists also shut down the Forth Road Bridge in South Queensferry as part of a huge protest ahead of Trump’s visit.

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Climate campaigners from Greenpeace confirmed that 10 activists abseiled from the massive 156m bridge to block an INEOS tanker.

A large number of police and military personnel were seen searching the grounds at the golf resort to ensure Mr Trump’s safety before he teed off.

A high-profile security operation was in full swing with land, sea and air coverage from police and security services while a number of guests were checked over.

Secret service agents with sniffer dogs checked bushes as snipers were positioned on a platform on the edge of the course and the roof of the hotel.

Uniformed and plain clothes cops guarded all access points to the course, including roads, footpaths and the beach.

Amid the search, a few golfers were also spotted at the course, enjoying an early-morning game.

A number of onlookers had gathered at the entrance to Turnberry hoping to catch a glimpse of the game.

But they were not let anywhere near.

Police also had road closures in place, with limited access for locals and members of the media.

Upon his arrival, Mr Trump told reporters: “There’s no place like Turnberry. It’s the best course in the world.”

As well as visiting Trump Turnberry, Mr Trump will later head to Aberdeenshire and visit his golf resort in Balmedie.

During his stay, he will officially open his second course at Menie, named in honour of his late mother, Mary Anne MacLeod.

His visit is expected to last until Tuesday, July 29.

The President is also scheduled to meet Scottish First Minister John Swinney and Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer during his trip.

After landing in Scotland, Mr Trump said the “invasion” of migrants is “killing” Europe and told the leaders to “get their act together”.

But when asked about illegal immigration, Mr Trump said a “horrible invasion” was taking place in Europe which needs to stop.

He said: “On immigration, you better get your act together.

“You’re not going to have Europe anymore, you’ve got to get your act together.

“As you know, last month we had nobody entering our country – nobody, [we] shut it down.”

He added: “You’ve got to stop this horrible invasion that’s happening to Europe.”

Mr Trump, who made a crackdown on illegal immigration a major policy in his second term at the White House, boasted: “Last month we had nobody entering our country.”

A massive £5million security operation has been rolled out to ensure his safety, with around 6,000 police officers drafted in from across the UK to support the efforts.

We previously told how police and security services assessed fears that Trump could be assassinated during his visit to Scotland after he survived an attempt at a rally in Pennsylvania last year.

David Threadgold, General Secretary of the Scottish Police Federation, said “a huge amount of threat assessment and intelligence gathering” took place ahead of the visit.

US president says chances of reaching a trade deal with the EU are ’50-50′ ahead of his August 1 tariff deadline.

United States President Donald Trump has arrived in Scotland, where he is set to meet with European and British leaders for trade negotiations and visit his golf courses.

Trump landed in the United Kingdom late on Friday, where he will hold talks with Prime Minister Keir Starmer and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.

Before departing from the White House, the US president told reporters that he would discuss the trade deal between Washington and London with Starmer and “maybe even improve it”.

Von der Leyen said earlier on Friday that she had a “good” call with Trump.

“We have agreed to meet in Scotland on Sunday to discuss transatlantic trade relations, and how we can keep them strong,” she said in a social media post.

Shortly after coming into office, Trump imposed tariffs on imports from across the world, and he invited countries to negotiate bilateral deals with the US to avoid or lessen any further trade barriers.

The UK agreed to a trade agreement with the US in June that expanded access to American goods in the British market.

The deal also set the tariffs on the first 100,000 UK vehicles exported to the US annually at 10 percent.

But the US trade war with the European Union has, by contrast, intensified. Earlier this month, Trump announced 30 percent tariffs on EU imports starting on August 1.

European leaders have expressed willingness to negotiate a deal while also threatening to impose their own trade measures against the US.

Trump said on Friday that the prospects of securing a trade deal with the EU are at a “50-50 chance, maybe less than that”.

“It’ll be a deal where they have to buy down their tariffs,” he said.

Beyond economic negotiations, Trump is expected to visit his golf courses in Aberdeen and Turnberry in Scotland, where he said he will host Starmer for dinner.

The US president – whose mother was Scottish – is expected to face protests as he moves around Scotland.

A group dubbed the Stop Trump Coalition has announced plans on Saturday for protests that it described as a “festival of resistance”, featuring environmental and antiwar advocates.

“Donald Trump may shake hands with our leaders, but he’s no friend of Scotland,” Alena Ivanova, a campaigner with the group, said in a statement.

“We, the people of Scotland, see the damage he has done – to democracy and working people in the US, to the global efforts to tackle the climate crisis, to the very principles of justice and humanity.”

The daily newspaper The National, which advocates for Scottish independence, described Trump’s visit in a front-page headline as: “Convicted US felon to arrive in Scotland”.

Trump’s visit to Scotland comes as he faces mounting pressure at home over his ties to the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

In the UK, Starmer will meet Trump amid growing calls – including from within his own Labour Party – for London to recognise a Palestinian state amid the Israeli-imposed starvation crisis in Gaza.

Earlier on Friday, Trump dismissed an announcement by French President Emmanuel Macron that Paris will recognise Palestine’s statehood.

“Here’s the good news: What he says doesn’t matter,” Trump told reporters. “It’s not going to change anything.”

Katharina Bost tested the so-called ‘airport theory’ London Stansted Airport, where she got to the airport just 45 minutes before her flight was due to take off to see if it was enough time

Going to the airport can be a stressful experience for some people, but others find it a breeze. You’re either a last-minute dasher, trusting in the cosmos that you’ll whizz through security without a hitch. Or, alternatively, you’re the type who prefers to arrive well ahead of the recommended two hours (or three during peak times like school holidays). If your travel companion wouldn’t object, you might even fancy arriving four hours early, indulging in a manicure, treating yourself to a matcha (or something stronger), and perusing the bookshop.

However, thanks to the ‘airport theory’ circulating on TikTok, which many experts advise against trying, more individuals are attempting to emulate the former category, aiming to reach the airport with just enough time to spare.

Katharina Bost tested this theory at London Stansted Airport, claiming she arrived at 6.45 pm for a flight scheduled to depart at 7.30 pm. This gave her a mere 45 minutes to complete all necessary tasks, including navigating the dreaded security queue.

By 6:48pm, Katharina found herself in the bustling airport security line. However, passengers must have been swift as by 6:50pm, she was ready to explore the fragrances and cosmetics in duty-free.

She took full advantage of the perfume testers available, spritzing herself generously before boarding her flight.

At 7.04pm, she expressed her craving for a “needed a matcha,” leading her to pop into Joe and the Juice for her favourite brew.

By 7.09pm, she had her matcha in hand, sipping it as she strolled towards the airport gate.

She reached the gate at 7.14pm, and by 7.22pm, she was strapped in and ready for take-off, looking quite chuffed with herself.

However, some commenters questioned the authenticity of the timestamps provided in her video, wondering how she managed such a seamless airport experience, something they’d never encountered before.

One person commented: “There’s no way security took 15 minutes unless you got fast-track”. A fast-track pass allows you to bypass most of the queue and rejoin further down the line.

A woman retorted: “The longest time I’ve ever spent in an airport security queue is about 15 minutes tbh”.

“You went through fast-track security, and then your plane was delayed,” another accused her.

A TikTok user confessed: “I’d be having a panic attack cutting it this fine,” while another admitted: “I’d literally be running”.

“It took me an hour to get through security at Stansted a few weeks ago, on a random Saturday afternoon,” someone grumbled.

Stansted Airport advises: “Always follow your airline’s guidance on how early you need to be at the airport before your flight.

“As a general guide, you will need to have checked in and be ready to go through security at least 2 hours before your flight departure time.”

July 4 (UPI) — American tariffs on dozens of countries will come into effect next Wednesday as scheduled, although several deals could still be worked out before then, President Donald Trump confirmed Friday.

“They’ll range in value from maybe 60% or 70% tariffs to 10% and 20% tariffs, but they’re going to be starting to go out sometime tomorrow. We’ve done the final form, and it’s basically going to explain what the countries are going to be paying in tariffs,” Trump told reporters after landing at Joint Base Andrews.

Trump first announced the so-called reciprocal tariffs of different sizes in April before issuing a 90-day pause which expires on July 9. The levies are separate from a 10% “baseline” U.S. tariff on all countries.

Since then, U.S. officials have reached a deal with Britain and later agreed to a temporary trade truce with China to allow for further negotiation.

Earlier this week, Trump announced a deal with Vietnam that will see the Southeast Asian country pay a 20% tariff on “any and all goods.” He also said a deal with Japan seems “unlikely” at this point.

Malaysia, India and the European Union are among the more than 50 nations that have so far failed to reach an agreement with American negotiators.

Trump said Friday, his administration will start sending letters immediately to every country that has yet to make a deal with the United States, informing it of the exact percentage it will pay when the tariffs kick in. Letters will continue until the pause ends next week.

The tariffs are calculated using a formula that takes into account the trade imbalance between the trading partner and the United States.

India faces a 26% tariff, while South Korea’s rate is 25%. Japan’s rate is slightly lower at 24% and European 20% against the 27 member states making up the European Union.

Trump said Friday, smaller countries could expect to see their U.S. tariffs kick in last, with first payments scheduled for the start of August.

“It’s a lot of money for the country, but we’re giving them a bargain,” Trump told reporters Friday.

European Union officials said this week they are not hopeful of reaching a comprehensive deal before the deadline.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen called reaching such a deal over a short 90-day period “impossible.”

“What we are aiming at is an agreement in principle,” Von der Leyen told reporters earlier this week, adding a framework deal was the best thing to aim for with less than a week remaining before the deadline.

Emmerdale fans will see the arrivals of two new characters next week, both causing trouble on the ITV soap, with danger, betrayals, discoveries and secrets under threat

There’s plenty of carnage coming up on Emmerdale, with two new faces, secrets under wraps and a brutal attack.

One iconic character faces death after a violent attack, with him rushed to hospital in a life-threatening condition. Someone is double crossed, and it could have serious repercussions.

A character is nervous over their recent near-kiss with someone else as he fears it could be exposed, while a feud rumbles on too. Kicking things off, there’s a horrifying twist for Paddy Kirk next week.

Paddy, who has been on the soap for decades, is brutally attacked and left lifeless, as his dad Bear races to save him. Amid a time of conflict between the father and son, Bear battles to save his son’s life when the vet is injured badly by a dog.

Paddy is trying to rescue a sheep caught in the fence on the land of new farmer Celia, only to be caught and bitten by an aggressive dog. Bear manages to save him, but he’s left traumatised by the incident. As Paddy’s loved ones gather at the hospital, he emerges from surgery.

READ MORE: EastEnders Shane Richie addresses Alfie ‘exit’ and teases huge Zoe Slater twist

But he and wife Mandy Dingle are reeling when Bear launches a verbal attack on his son’s character. Taking the words to heart, a heartbroken Paddy sobs silently before struggling in the fallout. Soon he heads for Celia’s farm to confront her about the attack but it doesn’t go well.

He blames Bear for this and the pair are further apart than ever before. Telling his dad to move out, he’s clear he wants nothing to do with him but will this be it for them amid Bear’s own mystery worrying storyline?

Celia isn’t the only new arrival to the show next week, as newcomer Ray, a new villain, also makes his mark. As Ross Barton and his brother Lewis Barton’s secret weed hustle continues, Mack Boyd makes a horrifying decision amid his own involvement in the plot.

With Moira Dingle still facing financial issues and struggling to keep the farm, with Mack still thinking he’s to blame, they consider whether to sell the weed to a dealer for a huge sum of money. When Lewis refuses, Mack goes behind their backs and agrees to sell up to Ray.

Lewis assumes his brother Ross has betrayed him and their relationship falls apart as Mack feels guilty over what he’s done. Mack is left desperate though without the brothers on board, as he struggles to meet the dealer’s demands.

So when all the plants go missing from the barn, Ross accuses Mack of stealing it and selling it all to Ray but he protests his innocence. So who has taken the weed and where is it now?

Vinny Dingle also faces turmoil next week after he recently tried to kiss his pal Kammy Hadiq. While Kammy has said he won’t tell anyone including Vinny’s fiancée Gabby Thomas, Vinny can’t help but fear it will be exposed.

He’s avoiding his pal so when Gabby invites Kammy to their engagement party, Vinny is in turmoil. Finally next week Sarah Sugden supports her grieving grandfather Cain Dingle who’s upset when the whole family is barred from his son Nate Robinson’s funeral by Tracy.

Emmerdale airs weeknights at 7:30pm on ITV1 and ITVX, with an hour-long episode on Thursdays. * Follow Mirror Celebs and TV on TikTok , Snapchat , Instagram , Twitter , Facebook , YouTube and Threads .