breaks

Angel Reese broke the WNBA single-game rebounding record with 26 while also breaking the league’s season record for rebounds as the Atlanta Dream beat the Sparks 78-71 on Monday night.

Reese surpassed Chamique Holdsclaw’s record of 24 rebounds, set on May 23, 2003 for Washington.

The Dream star has 458 rebounds this season, seven more than A’ja Wilson’s mark set in 2024. Atlanta still has six games remaining in the regular season.

“I’m just in awe watching her rebound,” teammate Allisha Gray said. “That’s a talent.”

Reese finished with 11 points. She secured her WNBA-leading 27th double-double of the season on a basket with 13.9 seconds left in the game.

The Dream have won four straight games — all on the road — and have beaten the Sparks nine straight times.

Gray led Atlanta (25-13) with 20 points. Rhyne Howard added 18 points to eclipse 3,000 for her career. Gray set an Atlanta record for field goals in a season with 247.

Nneka Ogwumike had 27 points and 16 rebounds for the Sparks (13-25). Dearica Hamby and Cameron Brink each scored 15 points.

Atlanta trailed 37-36 at halftime before starting the third quarter on a 9-2 run. The Dream also began the fourth on a 9-2 run to make it 71-57 with 6:57 left.

Up next for the Sparks: host Washington on Friday.

YOU don’t need a huge holiday budget to jet off on an amazing European city break.

With flights from £13.99 each way and hotel rooms from under £40 a night, a weekend escape to Spain, Italy, or France can easily cost less than a big night out at home.

Whether you fancy sipping €3 (£2.50) wine by the river in Porto, grabbing fresh beachside tapas in Malaga, or drinking in views from a 360-degree rotating bar in Tirana, you can do it all while on a budget.

Here are the best bargain European city breaks you can book right now for under £18 a flight, with ridiculously cheap hotel stays to match.

Lyon, France

Bag a cheap city break to Lyon where you can sip a drink on a floating bar at the River Banks, wander Renaissance-era cobblestone streets in Old Lyon, and sample some of the best food in France.

Known as the food capital of France, it isn’t hard to find somewhere good to eat here – even on a budget.

Head to Marronniers Street at lunchtime and take your pick of Bouchons, which are traditional, local restaurants serving high-quality authentic meals for as little as €10 (£8.50).

You can fly to Lyon with Wizz Air from £17.99 each way. Sometimes the return flight from Lyon can be as low as £13.99.

The People Lyon offers rooms from £37 a night. The building used to be a secondary school, and has now become a vibrant spot for people to sit and enjoy views of the Fourvière Basilica.

Milan, Italy

While famous for high fashion and luxury, Milan is surprisingly easy to do on a budget if you know where to look.

The city’s aperitivo culture is ideal for inexpensive light snacking and drinking – especially in the vibrant, canal-side district of Navigli.

Soak up world-class architecture for free by wandering through the mall Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II, admiring Sforzesco Castle, and of course taking in the views of the famous Milan Cathedral.

With super cheap flights, an affordable metro system and plenty to do for free once you’re there, you can book a city break to Milan knowing it won’t dent your wallet.

You can fly to Milan with Ryanair from £14.99 each way.

The Glam Hotel Milano has rooms from £50 a night, and is a modern hotel directly opposite the train station.

Malaga, Spain

Far more than a typical getaway to the Costa del Sol, Malaga is a vibrant, sun-soaked city full of Andalusian culture.

Dining out is wonderfully cheap, with beachside bars serving fresh sardine skewers for only a few euros, alongside plenty of low-cost tapas spots.

Sightseeing costs next to nothing thanks to free Sunday afternoon entry to art museums and historic sites like the Alcazaba fortress.

Pair that with beach days and scenic hikes to the Gibralfaro viewpoint, and you’ve got yourself a very affordable few days away.

You can fly to Malaga with Wizz Air from £17.99 each way.

Rooms at funky capsule hotel Futurotel Malaga start from £59.

Porto, Portugal

Cheap wine, unique architecture, amazing city viewpoints – Porto is the ideal pick for a walkable city break packed with affordable things to do.

Spend a day strolling through the Ribeira District where medieval colourful houses and charming cafes line the riverfront.

Another top free sight is to watch the sun set behind the huge steel Dom Luis I Bridge from the Jardmin do Morro, to the sound of local street musicians.

As for cheap wine, pop into neighbourhood tascas for a bite to eat and a drink – here you can enjoy local wine by the jug for €3.50 (£3)!

You can fly to Porto with Ryanair from as little as £13.99 each way.

The ever-reliable ibis budget Porto Gaia has rooms from £55 a night.

Tirana, Albania

Tirana is easily one of Europe’s most underrated and budget-friendly capitals, buzzing with pastel-painted buildings and an amazing coffee culture.

You can explore giant, Communist-era nuclear bunkers turned underground art museums at Bunk’Art, or catch a cheap cable car ride up Mount Dajti for sweeping views across the valley.

Nights are best spent in the trendy Blloku district – a neighbourhood once off-limits to locals as it was an restricted zone for communist regime leaders – now it’s open to everyone with lively cocktail lounges and traditional grill houses that serve up dishes and drinks for pocket change.

You can fly to Tirana with Wizz Air from £17.99 each way.

The four-star Sky Hotel Tirana has rooms from £38 per night, and is home to the largest rotating bar in the Balkans.

The revolving rooftop bar completes a 360° turn every hour, giving you sweeping city and mountain views alongside your meal.

Dublin, Ireland

When you can hop over to Dublin on a £14.99 hour-long flight, this might just be the quickest and easiest city break to tick off in a weekend.

While Temple Bar is certainly worth a visit to walk its pretty cobbled streets and grab a pic outside the famous red pub, save your pint of Guinness for elsewhere.

Head to South William Street to find cheaper beer at spots like Pygmalion and Grogan’s, where all the atmosphere comes from taking your pint back out into the street to listen to buskers.

For an affordable yet delicious lunch, head to Pablo Picante. Dublin has a huge burrito culture, and this Mexican chain offers well-stuffed wraps that will keep you full all day from €10.75 (£9.20).

You can fly to Dublin with Ryanair from £14.99 each way.

Stay at the Wetherspoons-owned Keaven’s Port Hotel from £82 per night. The hotel sits on Camden Street, which packed with some of the city’s best bars, pubs and clubs.

Alicante, Spain

With year-round warmth and 300 days of sunshine per year, Alicante is a solid bet when it comes to booking a sunny Spanish city break.

Spend your days wandering the whitewashed, flower-filled lanes of Barrio Santa Cruz, or taking in sweeping Mediterranean views from the hilltop Santa Barbara Castle for free.

Eating well can be remarkably cheap if you visit Mercado Central for fresh tapas, or tuck into authentic regional paellas at backstreet neighbourhood bars.

You can fly to Alicante with Ryanair from £14.99 each way.

You can book a stay at the Travelodge Alicante Puerto from £39 per night, which is conveniently located a short walk from Alicante Harbour and the Explanada de España.

Aug. 22 (UPI) — A Chinese humanoid robot on Saturday ran a 100-meter sprint in 9.32 seconds, surpassing the world record set by Jamaican legend Usain Bolt.

The robot, named Lightning and produced by robotics company Honor, reached a peak speed of 14.5 meters per second during a test run.

Lightning is one of 2,000 robots participating in the second World Humanoid Robot Games in Beijing.

The robot’s sprint on Saturday was .26 seconds faster than Bolt’s world record of 9.58 seconds, set 17 years ago at Berlin’s World Athletics Championships.

Another robot cleared 2.88 meters at the standing high jump, higher than the 2.45-meter world record set by Cuban athlete Javier Sotomayor in 1993.

The Beijing games also include competitions in tablet tennis, long jump and weightlifting.

China remains the world’s largest producer of humanoid robots.

The Trump administration in July banned imports of humanoid robots into the United States, citing “unacceptable risks” to national security.

“China firmly opposes the U.S. overstretching the concept of national security and going after Chinese companies,” Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning told reporters.

“Protectionism does not make the U.S. more competitive and will only hurt the interests of U.S. companies and consumers,”

We now have our first look at the Ancillary Surface Craft (ASC), a new medium landing craft for the U.S. Marine Corps. Australia-headquartered firm Birdon announced last year that it would be supplying two of these vessels to the Marines to help the service further refine its concepts for future distributed island-hopping operations.

The Marine Corps Warfighting Laboratory (MCWL) released pictures yesterday of what appears to be the first ASC, based on the hull number (ASC-1), in Bayou La Batre, Alabama. The photographs of the vessel, also sometimes referred to as the Ancillary Surface Connector, were taken last week during a distinguished visitor day event. Marine Corps personnel, as well as representatives from the Australian Army and industry, were in attendance.

It is unclear whether or not the Marines have formally taken delivery of ASC-1 and when the second example might be set to arrive. TWZ has reached out to the Marines and Birdon for more information.

“The [distinguished visitor day] event provided an opportunity for senior leaders, Marines, allied partners and industry personnel to observe the ASC’s capabilities and discuss its potential to support distributed maritime operations and sustainment in contested littoral environments,” according to the caption accompanying one of the pictures. “The ASC is being developed through U.S.-Australian industry collaboration to support experimentation and inform future amphibious modernization.”

“The ASC is a significant step towards achieving a capability organic to the Marine Corps for maneuver in the littorals without reliance on large high value Naval assets,” it continues. “This craft, coupled with smaller landing craft, will demonstrate the capability needed by the Corps to maneuver medium, light, and ultra-light tactical vehicles from shore-to-shore and distribute all classes of supply to disbursed forces in archipelagic regions.”

The overall design of the vessel reflects what was seen in a rendering that Birdon released last year when it first announced that it would be supplying the two ASCs to the Marines. However, that rendering did show the vessel with at least two remote weapon stations armed with 30mm automatic cannons, at least one .50 caliber M2 machine gun on a traditional deck mount, and an angular mast structure on top of the pilot house, features that are not present in the images that have now been released of ASC-1.

There is a pole-like mast, as well as rotating maritime navigation radar and what looks to be a searchlight, on top of ASC-1’s pilot house. The actual vessel also has truncated catwalks around the pilot house, as well as an additional boxy structure with ventilation slats on top, compared to what is depicted in the rendering. It is very possible that Marine ASCs could gain additional features as time goes on.

Birdon has previously said that the ASC can carry up to 40 troops and 54 tons of cargo in its open main deck area. The vessel is also reportedly 150 feet long and 30 feet across, with a bow ramp that drops down for loading and unloading right onto a beach.

“To ensure safe landings on uncharted beaches, Birdon worked with a specialist sonar company to develop and integrate an advanced forward-looking sonar system, allowing operators to detect obstacles and assess beach gradients well ahead of the vessel,” the company also said of the ASC in a press release last year. “The vessel is designed to beach and de-beach in gradients significantly shallower than existing landing craft can support, providing enhanced, safe amphibious operations capability.”

“Birdon’s ASC design also features a cutting-edge fuel delivery and transfer system that allows for efficient vessel-to-vessel or vessel-to-land fuel transfer, supporting extended operational range and flexibility in challenging environments,” the release added.

The ASC is broadly in line, at least in terms of general dimensions, with other existing medium landing craft designs on the market globally. As a point of comparison, the new Landing Craft Utility (LCU) 1700s that the Navy is in the process of acquiring from Austal are around 139 feet long and 31 feet wide, but have a higher stated payload capacity (350 combat-equipped troops or 170 tons of cargo). Birdon itself is also developing a new Landing Craft Medium (LC-M) for the Australian armed forces, renderings of which show a similar, but larger design compared to the ASC.

As noted, the Marines’ stated plan is to use the two ASCs to help with the development of its still-evolving expeditionary and distributed concepts of operations, collectively referred to as Expeditionary Advance Base Operations (EABO). A central aspect of EABO is to rapidly position and reposition relatively small units between what could easily be far-flung forward locations, especially small islands dotted across parts of the Pacific. These so-called ‘stand-in forces’ would be readily deployable as a deterrent ahead of a potential conflict, and then be better placed to act if needed. The distributed nature of the EABO concept would also create targeting challenges for opponents and, by extension, reduce the vulnerability of friendly forces.

As TWZ wrote after Birdon’s initial announcement about the ASC in May 2025:

“Not having to rely on large traditional Navy amphibious warfare ships to conduct these maneuvers in littoral environments, where established port facilities are also likely to be absent, is essential to the EABO concept. Depending on the exact distribution of Marine forces and the distance between operating locations in a particular area, vessels like the ASC-M could be used to move personnel and materiel between sites and/or act as ‘connectors’ between larger ships and the shore.”

“For years now, the Marines have also been working with the Navy on plans for the latter service to acquire a fleet of at least 18 and up to 35 Medium Landing Ships, or LSMs, to support the EABO construct. However, concerns about the costs of prospective designs and other issues have continually pushed back the LSM program schedule, with the first of those vessels now not set to arrive until the end of the decade at the earliest.”

In December 2025, the Navy did announce that it had selected Dutch shipbuilder Damen’s LST-100 design to be the basis of a new class of LSMs, and that it was hoping to accelerate the delivery schedule for those ships. However, the first LSM is still only now scheduled to arrive in 2029. At that time, the Navy also told us it was planning to buy at least one LSM of a separate design from Bollinger Shipyards, which could be based on the Israeli Logistics Support Vessel (ILSV) developed for Israel. The ISLV is itself a derivative of the open-ocean-optimized subclass of the General Frank S. Besson class Logistics Support Vessel (LSV) now in service with the U.S. Army as part of its obscure watercraft fleet, which you can learn more about here.

There may be a possibility for the Marine Corps to acquire more ASCs, or a further evolution of the design, depending on how experimentation with the initial examples proceeds. The partnership with Australia on this effort also underscores the potential for that country, as well as other U.S. allies and partners, to further leverage this work.

In 2024, Birdon announced another deal to provide a heavy landing craft, called the H260, based on a design the company had already been working on for the Australian military, to the Marines, at least for testing and evaluation. The current status of that effort is unclear. The Marines have already been using chartered stern-landing ships for years now to inform the LSM program and otherwise help refine littoral logistics requirements in support of EABO.

Vessels like the ASC and the LSM are just some of the components the Marines envision as supporting the logistics ecosystem necessary to enable its future distributed operations. The service is also acquiring a new family of cargo-carrying uncrewed aerial vehicles, as well as small uncrewed surface vessels, as part of those plans.

The first new ASC for the Marines has now been built, if not formally delivered, and will only help the surface further prove out its expeditionary and distributed operations vision.

Update: 1:02 PM ET –

The U.S. Marine Corps has confirmed the “technical acceptance” of the first ASC.

“Technical specifications validated during the acceptance process highlight the craft’s exceptional ruggedness and operational utility. Engineered for demanding ocean transits, the ASC is fully operational in Sea State 5 and designed to survive extreme conditions up to Sea State 7,” according to a release from the Marine Corps Warfighting Laboratory. “To ensure safe navigation through uncharted, very shallow littoral waters, the craft is equipped with advanced forward-looking sonar that enables maneuverability across the battlespace. Furthermore, it can transport up to 46 tons of cargo and 40 combat-loaded Marines while executing vital shore-to-shore maneuver, mobility, and sustainment.”

The release also reiterates that the ASC represents a capability that would be complementary to the future LSMs, using its “very shallow draft to deliver logistical support to the ‘last tactical mile’ into landing sites beyond the reach of larger vessels, including shallow-gradient, unimproved, and unsurveyed shorelines where standoff would otherwise leave cargo stranded offshore.” ASC-type vessels and LSMs together will “give a Stand-in Force a route from an intermediate staging base to the beach without dependence on a port, a pier, or a causeway.”

“To support Expeditionary Advanced Base Operations (EABO), our forces must remain highly mobile and sustained without relying on fixed, vulnerable ports,” Col. Kenny Jones, Science and Technology Division Director at the MCWL, said in a statement. “This prototype allows MCWL to immediately execute hands-on experimentation, test tactical concepts, and put real hardware in the hands of Marines. By exploring the ASC’s traditional bow-first beaching physics alongside other experimental platforms, we are actively reducing programmatic risk and perfecting the requirements for the future naval fleet.”

“Following the technical acceptance of the ASC, the craft now moves into limited technical assessments (LTA) with Birdon America craft masters and engineers partnered with Australian Army crewing support and Marine Corps Warfighting Laboratory oversight and assessments,” the MCWL release adds. “Initially, the craft will be operated by a hybrid crew pairing Marines with seasoned contracted mariners. This approach ensures that American service members are thoroughly trained as the Marine Corps prepares for an expanded role in the independent operation of small surface craft.”

Contact the author: joe@twz.com

Love Is Blind UK is back on Netflix with eight fresh episodes for fans to binge watch

Love Is Blind UK star Jack Bradshaw has spoken out about disappearing from the show without warning his fiancée.

The hit Netflix experiment is back for its third season with a fresh batch of singles hoping to find love in the famous pods. As always, the contestants go on a string dates without ever laying eyes on each other.

Once they are ready to commit to one person, they leave the pods and get engaged. From there comes a series of relationship milestones including moving in together and meeting each other’s families.

Chef Jack, 30, proposed to Faye Domaille after sparking a strong connection in the pods. But the couple hit an unexpected hurdle when Jack “vanished” from their shared apartment the morning after Faye’s 29th birthday party.

Faye soon realised that Jack’s phone location had been turned off, leaving her concerned about his whereabouts. “He’s literally vanished,” Faye said.

Jack has now explained his actions, admitting he went on a walk because he was “panicking” about formally meeting Faye’s parents later that day.

He told Tudum: “I started panicking and stressing about meeting Faye’s parents properly and being back on camera again. It felt like the walls were closing in on me. I needed to get out, disconnect, and just have some time by myself. “

The Cornwall-based star was also overwhelmed by living in the heart of Canary Wharf and needed a moment to breathe, so he turned his phone off and headed out.

“In Canary Wharf, I’m in this glass box, 43 stories up in the air,” he said.

“Can’t relax there. Go out to get fresh air and there are skyscrapers everywhere. There are cars, police cars, people. I’m walking along just stressing myself out.”

Although it felt like the right move at the time, Jack claims he felt “overwhelming guilt” when he finally turned his phone on and saw a several messages from his partner.

He said: “Faye is worried sick, and I get this overwhelming feeling of guilt about how I let her down. I wasn’t used to having somebody there who cares that much about me.”

Jack confessed: “Just seeing how one selfish decision in your mind can affect somebody…. And that’s the only way I can describe it. It was selfish. I was looking after number one.”

The first eight episodes of Love Is Blind season three are now streaming on Netflix, with the final three instalments set to air next Wednesday, August 26.

Love Is Blind: UK Season 3 is streaming on Netflix

HAYDEN Panettiere’s on-off boyfriend Brian Hickerson has broken his silence on the actress’ sudden death from a suspected overdose.

The Nashville star died on Sunday afternoon at her South Carolina Airbnb, where she was staying with Brian and his brother Zach Hickerson.

An investigation is currently ongoing into what led to the 36-year-old’s death, and the Drug Enforcement Administration has joined the team.

Brian, 37, has spoken out for the first time since the incident through his attorney, Sloan Ellis, from the Ellis Hinton law firm.

“Hayden’s death remains under investigation, and it is important to allow that investigation to proceed,” Brian’s attorney told The U.S. Sun on Thursday.

“As has been publicly reported, police confirmed there were no signs of foul play.”

SECRET STRUGGLE

Hayden got ‘nitrous oxide & booze’ delivered to hotel 3 months before death

The statement concluded, “Out of respect for Hayden’s loved ones and the ongoing investigation, there will be no further comment at this time.”

Brian was spotted on Wednesday in Greenville, South Carolina, close to where Hayden died, wearing a hat, sunglasses, and a hoodie.

He’d been keeping a low profile since his brother discovered Hayden unconscious in a chair in the living room, where she was later declared dead, per a police report obtained by The U.S. Sun.

Police said that while Zach was very emotional upon the discovery, Brian apparently didn’t shed a tear until Hayden was officially declared dead.

Brian also told cops that the Remember the Titans star regularly took a “bag of medication.”

All eyes have since been on Brian’s family, as more questions surface about Hayden’s unexpected passing.

Hayden’s estranged mother, Lesley Vogel, slammed Brian in an interview with NBC News on Tuesday, saying, “This person in her life that we have been trying to get rid of for quite some time was with her at her death, and that was Brian Hickerson.”

It wasn’t a secret that Hayden and Brian had a tumultuous, years-long relationship since meeting in 2018.

Brian was arrested for domestic violence and served 45 days in jail in 2021 for hitting Hayden with a closed fist.

He pleaded no contest to two felony counts of injuring the former child star.

However, they appeared to have reconciled as Brian has been staying with Hayden in her Los Angeles apartment for the last two years, The U.S. Sun exclusively reported.

The Heroes star’s neighbors have also raised alarm about the pair’s relationship and were even warned by the Homeowner’s Association to call the police if they saw Brian on the property last August.

Hayden’s neighbor, Mia Terrazzas, claimed to Inside Edition that notices were distributed on the property urging residents to be wary of Brian.

Mia also said she herself even called 911 numerous times over disturbances involving Brian inside Hayden’s unit.

Hayden’s history with addiction is also of great concern, as sources claimed she sought out whippets and booze just months earlier at a Nashville hotel, despite her efforts to get clean.

Lisa Hayden-Johnson was jailed after fabricating her son Matthew’s illnesses

Lisa Hayden-Johnson has defended her actions in a new Channel 4 documentary.

The Devon woman has spoken out for the first time since being released from prison. She was jailed in 2010 for three years and three months after admitting cruelty and perverting the course of justice.

It came after she falsely claimed that her son Matthew suffered from a range of illnesses including diabetes, food allergies, cerebral palsy and cystic fibrosis.

Matthew’s supposed health battle attracted widespread media attention. The youngster went on to appear on various TV shows and was famously introduced to the Duchess of Cornwall, now Queen Camilla.

The young boy, now aged 25, was also subjected to medical interventions before doctors grew suspicious about his alleged health problems. Now, both mother and son are telling their sides of the story in new Channel 4 three-part series, Love You to Death.

A synopsis for the show states: “Young Matthew’s health problems worry medics and his mum Lisa. But when doctors’ efforts to improve Matthew’s condition don’t work, suspicions are raised and the police are called in to investigate.”

In the first episode, which aired on Wednesday (August 19), Lisa refutes the infamous ‘most evil mum’ title she earned as a result of the story.

She says: “I’ve never had the opportunity to [tell her story]. The newspaper articles are so incorrect. How can I be ‘Britain’s Most Evil Mother?'”

She goes on to add: “The only thing I was guilty of was putting my son first and fighting his battle, which is what I did. And I don’t regret that.”

Matthew, who will feature in the second episode of the series, spoke to the BBC about how it felt to hear his mother’s perspective.

He said: “It was a lot of disappointment but I think also frustration as almost two decades on, there is still a lack of accountability from her side.

“When I could see, even after two decades… she still holds the same story and believes that she did the best by me… that obviously isn’t right.” Matthew’s older sister, Laura, also speaks out in the documentary.

Love You To Death Episode 1 is streaming now on Channel 4

ISLA Fisher has revealed she ended up in hospital with a broken toe after falling over in her £820 Louboutin heels.  

The actress, 50, took to Instagram to share snaps as her night out took a turn for the worse, documenting her experience with medics. 

Confessions of a Shopaholic star Isla still managed to look every inch the star despite her surroundings and flashed her pins in a sparkly minidress. 

Ever the professional, she was still wearing one of her pricey heels while a doctor checked her toe over. 

Alongside her upload, Isla wrote: “They said ‘break a leg’. I broke a toe.” 

Fans rushed to comment on the post, with one writing: “Broke a toe, she’s ready.”

ISLA BE BACK

Isla Fisher cosies up with footballer as she dates again after Sacha split

SMILER FISHER

Isla Fisher, 50, wows in red dress following split from Sacha Baron Cohen

Another said: “Sounds like that toe needs a spa weekend.”

And a third added: “You still look amazing.”

Earlier this year The Sun revealed Isla was dating South African ex-player Larry Cohen, 38, following her divorce from Sacha Baron-Cohen.

Meanwhile Ali G comic Sacha, 53, who finalised a £120million divorce from Isla last June after 13 years of marriage, was seen swapping numbers with US influencer Kelsey Calemine, 27, in Los Angeles, last year.

Isla has three children with Sacha — Olive, 18, Elula, 15, and Montgomery, ten — and previously spoke candidly about their split and having to forge a new identity as a single woman.

She told New Beauty magazine: “I’m not going to lie, it’s been a really challenging time. 

“I definitely feel like there’s something about the divorce club that anyone in it understands in a way other people don’t.”

DENVER — Dodgers manager Dave Roberts called right fielder Kyle Tucker into the visiting manager’s office at Chase Field a week and a half ago, just to catch up.

Roberts had run into Tucker’s wife Samantha and their 5-month old baby that morning in Arizona. And he saw it as a good time to check in.

“When you start to struggle and you internalize … you find yourself going dark, and that’s a lonely place,” Roberts said Tuesday, before the Dodgers’ 7-6 win against the Rockies. “So I think that for me, trying to proactively pull conversations out of him, talk about life, talk about baseball, it just kind of opens things up, and I think that it’s freeing.

“He’s a cerebral guy by nature, internalizes a lot. But still, for me, he’s with a new ballclub, he’s scuffling, so I want to get that out of him.”

Scuffling is a mild way of describing Tucker’s struggles this season. He described it as the “first time in [his] life” that he’s had a season with so many offensive false starts. After being named an All-Star in each of his previous four seasons, Tucker is on pace for the worst offensive year since his 2018 debut season with the Astros.

On Tuesday, he finally ended his career-high hitless streak at seven games, with a double up the right-field line in the fourth inning (although he grounded out once and struck out twice in his other plate appearances). He’d gone 26 straight at-bats without a hit.

So much about Tucker’s year has been head-scratching.

Take his plate discipline, for example. Traditionally known for his strike-zone control, Tucker’s chase rate has been up this season. But even when he trimmed it to 21.6% in July (not as low as the last two years but even with his 2023 season), his production at the plate didn’t respond accordingly.

One of the biggest mysteries has been his extreme home/road splits. Entering Tuesday, he had a solid .822 OPS on the road and a paltry .558 OPS at Dodger Stadium.

Asked about the contrast earlier this week, he said he didn’t have a theory.

“If I knew, I’d probably have figured it out by now,” he said. “But that’s just kind of how it’s gone.”

Recently, his woes have followed him into the outfield. The day after he failed to reel in a flyball in the right-field corner at Dodger Stadium, he had a far worse drop Monday at Coors Field.

In the seventh inning of the Dodgers’ 11-5 victory against the Rockies, Tucker seemed to camp right under a shallow fly. But as it fell, he twisted and put one knee down before dropping the ball.

“There’s indecision, and catching a baseball at your ankles kind of speaks to where his head is at right now,” Roberts said. “It’s not from lack of effort, or care. It’s just right now, I think he’s kind of fighting. So we’ve got to keep supporting him.”

Tucker isn’t the only player who’s struggling. Mookie Betts has been hot and cold at the plate. Teoscar Hernández hasn’t been slugging the way he’s accustomed to. And before arriving in Colorado, the team was in a collective slump.

Tucker, however, is in the first year of a four-year, $240-million contract. And so far the Dodgers haven’t seen the version of him that elevated the Cubs’ offense in the first half of last year and was a steady part of the Astros’ lineup during a run of sustained success.

“Whether it’s my first year or 10th year with a team, I think it’d be frustrating regardless,” Tucker said. “But it’s not like I’m frustrated just because I’m playing at home or anything. Whether it’s on the road or at home, it would be frustrating, just not helping the team win games.”

He slid into his most recent slump during the Dodgers’ last homestand, but the Colorado altitude didn’t immediately work its magic when the team went back on the road.

During Monday’s SNLA broadcast, analyst Eric Karros suggested sending Tucker to Arizona for a reset.

The less extreme version would be sitting Tucker for several games in a row.

“I’m not at the point where it’s like a three-day, three-game reset situation, something like that,” Roberts said Tuesday afternoon.

He did, however, give Tucker a day off Saturday, saying he saw Tucker’s frustration as he continued to struggle offensively at Dodger Stadium. And Tuesday, he said he hadn’t decided whether to start Tucker against Rockies left-handed starter Kyle Freeland the next day.

“It’s tough because, I mean, I feel like I’ve tried just about everything,” Tucker said. “And every time I feel like I’m turning a corner, I get hit with a roadblock. But, you can’t stop. You just got to keep going, try and at least pick out the positives, and just try and ride with that. Just keep on moving to the next day and hope for something to build.”

HAYDEN Panettiere’s estranged mother has broken her silence after the actress’s sudden death at 36.

The Nashville star was found dead in a South Carolina apartment on Sunday afternoon from a suspected overdose.

Lesley Vogel spoke out about her daughter’s death and Hayden’s rekindled relationship with her ex, Brian Hickerson, who was reportedly at the scene when she died.

“This person in her life that we have been trying to get rid of for quite some time was with her at her death, and that was Brian Hickerson,” Lesley told NBC News on Tuesday.

“I think Hayden was an amazingly talented person in so many departments, and I think young people who grow up in the entertainment industry — it is a struggle, and it’s a very challenging industry, and it’s not unusual for them to sadly find the wrong path,” she added.

Lesley also told the outlet, “I think it becomes very difficult to be true to yourself, and I think Hayden sadly lost her way, and I wish it were different. I wish she had stayed true to herself because she had many incredible attributes.”

“I just feel that she’s with her brother and they’re at peace,” she said, speaking of Hayden’s younger brother Jansen, who died at 28 in February 2023 from an enlarged heart and aortic valve complications.

Hayden confirmed in May that she had not been in contact with her mother for some time.

“Unfortunately, we don’t have a relationship right now,” the Heroes star told Us Weekly while promoting the release of her memoir, This Is Me: A Reckoning.

“But that doesn’t mean that I don’t leave the door open for the opportunity to present itself one day. It’s hard for me to say, but I’ve chosen to be brutally honest.”

Hayden also discussed her difficult relationship with her mother during a sit-down with Jay Shetty on his podcast.

“Everything was business,” the former child star said earlier this year.

“I became the confidant and the assistant and the therapist and the shoulder to cry on and everything but her child.

“I said to her, ’I don’t want us to work together anymore. I just want you to be my mom.’

“I remember being hopeful. But I also wasn’t expecting the reaction that I got, which was, ‘You owe me.’ And that’s all she said. And she walked out.”

Lesley previously addressed the estrangement, claiming it was her choice to distance herself from her daughter.

“After 20 years of trauma, I took the advice of professionals and chose the no-contact route,” Lesley told Page Six after the release of Hayden’s memoir.

“As many parents of entertainment children [know], we are all too familiar with the painful observation of watching the self-destructive paths they sometimes choose.

“No parent hopes for this scenario; we want our children to be the best of themselves and live a peaceful, joyful life!”

Hayden had been spending more time with her off-again, on-again boyfriend, Brian, who was reportedly staying with her at the time of her death.

According to TMZ, the couple were back together but hiding their romance since Hayden’s team found their relationship “bad for business.”

Hayden had opened up about their previous split in her memoir and her other struggles, like addiction, grieving her brother’s unexpected death, as well as her severe postpartum depression.

The Remember the Titans star’s mental health battles led to her giving custody of her 11-year-old daughter, Kaya, to her ex-fiancé Wladimir Klitschko.

Hayden reportedly planned to reunite with Kaya, who lives with her father in Ukraine, before her tragic death.

WLADIMIR Klitschko has broken his silence following the sudden death of his ex-fiancé Hayden Panettiere.

The beloved US actress, who was nominated for two Golden Globes, died on Sunday, her heartbroken family confirmed.

In a moving tribute posted on Instagram, Wladimir, 50, said: “Our family is going through a time of profound shock and grief.

“The announcement of Hayden’s tragic death saddens me deeply.”

The retired Ukrainian boxing champion had a daughter with Hayden during their nine year on-and-off relationship.

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He added: “She left this world far too soon. Hayden was, although no longer my partner, an important part of my life and the mother of our daughter, Kaya.

“To our daughter Kaya, I will always speak of her mother with respect and make sure she remembers the person she was.

“I extend my deepest condolences to Hayden’s parents, her friends, and her fans, who are also grieving today.

“Young and talented people like Hayden should not leave this world so soon.”

Wladimir met Hayden in 2009 and the pair – who had a 14-year age gap – were later engaged in 2013 but split up in before tying the knot.

Hayden had publicly spoken about her difficulties with mental health and addiction, but had been sober since 2020 after spending weeks in rehab.

A serious bout of postpartum depression led to her giving up custody of her daughter, Kaya, 11, in 2018.

In an interview with parenting outlet Mome published in July, Hayden described the heart-breaking decision.

She said: “It wasn’t a decision I made lightly, nor was it a decision I even wanted to make.

“I was going through a really challenging time in my life… I knew I needed to be able to put her first so that I could get the help I needed and be the mum she needed me to be.”

The mother-of-one, who would have turned 37 on Friday, had complained of back pain in the months before her death, sources told TMZ.

Confirming the tragic news, her dad Skip Panettiere said: “It is with profound sadness that we share the tragic passing of our beloved Hayden.

“She was an incredible light and a force of nature who brought immeasurable love and joy to all who knew her – and to the millions who watched her on screen.”

Police were reportedly responding to an “incident” involving the actress when they found her, with investigations still ongoing.

Hayden had recently been dating Brian Hickerson in an on-again, off-again relationship.

US media reported both Hayden and Brian, had flown out of Los Angeles on Saturday.

The pair were together from 2018 to 2020 when Hickerson was arrested, convicted and jailed for domestic violence against the actress.

He served only one day of a 45-day jail term and the couple reconnected in 2021.

At the time, Brian said: “We have a long history together, and the first step in my recovery as an abuser is making amends.”

Hayden, born in New York, first hit the screens as an 11-month-old child when her mum took her to star in several TV commercials.

Her first acting gig came when she was four-years-old on the American soap opera One Life to Live.

The diminutive actress would stay in the TV and film industry for her entire life.

Her film debut came at the age of nine, as the narrator and voice of Princess Dot in the 1998 animated Pixar flick A Bug’s Life.

She was nominated for a Young Artist Award and a Grammy Award on the back of the film’s box office success, which made her the fifth-youngest Grammy nominee ever.

Away from Hollywood, Hayden is best known for her leading roles on TV.

She starred in 73 episodes of Emmy-award winning Heroes between 2006 to 2010 as cheerleader Claire Bennet.

Hayden later earned two Golden Globe nominations as Juliette Barnes on Nashville where she featured in 128 episodes from 2012 to 2018.

Hayden also lent her voice to video games including hit series Until Dawn.

Her sudden death comes months after her candid autobiography, This Is Me: A Reckoning, detailed her experiences with postpartum depression, drug addiction and recovery.

In her final interview while promoting the book, Hayden declared she had “a lot more life to live”.

The tell-all book had recently become a New York Times bestseller.

IF YOU are thinking about where to go on your next holiday, then you might want to consider Albania.

New research has found that Albania is among Europe’s fastest-growing holiday destinations.

In fact, according to Thomas Cook, bookings are up a staggering 293 per cent year-on-year.

And it isn’t surprising as Albania has loads to explore including pretty beaches with crystal clear waters, a quiet capital city and cheap wine.

Recently, even the cast of TOWIE were in the country, filming the latest series of the popular reality TV show in Drimadhë – a small village near the Llogara National Park on the Ionian coast.

Brits wanting to head to the under-the-radar country, can fly direct from London, Birmingham, Manchester, Edinburgh and Liverpool during the summer.

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Head to Tirana

The capital of Albania is Tirana and despite being the capital, you won’t find heads of crowds here.

The city can reach 35C in the summer and is even one of the sunniest cities in Europe with more than 2,500 hours of sunshine each year. Pints in the city cost as little as £1.50 too.

Travel reporter Cyann Fielding who visited the city recently, said: “One thing I really love about the city is it still feels completely undiscovered by Brits, lacking crowds and the typical souvenir shops on each corner that tend to come with that.

“In the heart of the city, visit Skanderbeg Square, where you’ll be able to get a clear view of the surrounding architecture – a mix of traditional Albanian villas and Soviet grey concrete buildings.

“If you want to earn your pint, climb the city’s very own pyramid, which has spectacular views of the mountains that border the capital.

“Make sure to also look out for ‘pillbox’ bunkers which are littered across the city – many of which have been turned into vibrant and quirky bars and cafes.”

You could stay at Hotel Elisa Tirana, Affiliated by Meliá with a spa, cafe and bar, for seven nights from £360 per person.

Maldives of Europe

Albania is also home to the so-called ‘Maldives of Europe’ in Ksamil, which earns the nickname from its pretty beaches with soft sand and crystal clear water.

You can head to Ksamil Beach, where you will also find the hand of Ksamil, which is a set of stairs up to a platform that is the palm of hand, hanging over the water.

If one beach isn’t enough, you can also head to Lori Beach ans Paradise Beach, which aren’t a long walk from Ksamil Beach. On Lori Beach you can also rent sunbeds and umbrellas.

In the town itself you will find a number of bars and spots to grab a bite to eat as well.

You could stay at the four-stay Ventus Hotel right by the beach for a week costing from £171 per person.

UNESCO World Heritage sites

If you prefer exploring history, Albania has some beautiful historical towns such as Berat and Gjirokastra – which are both UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

Berat dates back 2,400 years and is known as the City of a Thousand Windows with boxy white houses and numerous Byzantine churches from the 13th century.

Gjirokastra, on the other hand, can be found in the Drinos River Valley and is known for its ornate 17th century houses.

Known as the ‘City of Stone’, visitors can explore a 13th century citadel as well as an old bazaar, traditional marketplace.

You could stay at the Te Gjyshi at Grandfather Hotel for seven nights costing from £199 per person.

Durres

Less than an hour from Tirana, you could head to the city of Durres.

In the city, you’ll find the Durres Amphitheatre, which is one of the largest Roman amphitheatres in the Balkans.

Make sure to also head to Durres Beach, which boasts a long stretch of golden sand as well as shallow waters ideal for families.

Stop by one of the restaurants along the seafront as well, to try out a catch-of-the-day grill, often with mussels and squid.

You could stay at the four-star Hotel Alion in Durres, Albania from £165 per person, including flights.

Golem

Golem is a great destination for beach lovers, thanks to being sat on a long stretch of the Adriatic coastline.

This pretty spot is also less than an hour drive from the airport.

Visitors can head along the seafront and find a boardwalk full of cafes, bars, restaurants and shops.

Golem is also the perfect place to try out different water sports such as banana boat rides.

You could stay at the four-star Martiness Hotel in Golem for seven nights from £299 per person.

IT’S easy to spend a crazy amount of money on holidays. But it doesn’t have to be that way – you just have to know where to look.

Luckily, we’ve done all the hard work for you. Forget paying hundreds of pounds just to fight over sunbeds in overpriced resorts like Ibiza and Mykonos – THIS is where to go instead.

We’ve found holiday destinations that give you the same glorious sunshine, golden sand beaches and gorgeous hotels for much, much less.

Think 86p beers, £3 cocktails, flights under 15 quid and entire holidays for the cost of a family meal out.

From dirt-cheap Portugal holidays to five-star Turkish getaways, here’s the foreign holiday destinations where your cash stretches the furthest.

The Algarve, Portugal

Brits looking for maximum bang for their buck this summer should set their sights on The Algarve.

This golden section of Portuguese coastline was crowned Europe’s best-value beach destination in the 2026 Post Office Family Holiday report.

The report compared a list of common holiday costs in 22 European destinations, looking at the price of things like meals out, drinks and everyday holiday items – and The Algarve came out on top.

This cheap holiday hotspot boasts affordable family-friendly hotels plus plenty of cheap flights from airports across the UK.

You can book a flight to Faro for only £14.99 each way with Ryanair, from airports such as Liverpool, Edinburgh and London Stansted.

And according to Wise’s Cost of Living report, a meal out for two here can cost as little as £8.55, while a beer can cost you as little as 86p.

The destination boasts dramatic cliff-backed beaches perfect for exploring by kayak or paddle-board, such as Praia da Marinha with its famous limestone arches, and Benagil Beach with a circular ‘hole in the roof’ cave.

Whether you’re planning to hit the strip in bustling Albufeira or sip cheap coffees in charming coastal towns, your spending money will stretch miles further in this Portuguese region.

Book a holiday: The Algarve

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Golden Club Cabanas in Tavira has a giant outdoor pool lined by palm trees that looks like a tropical oasis.

Here you’re close to the Ria Formosa natural park, where you can go kayaking, bird-watching over the salt marshes, or simply find a beach bar to enjoy a cocktail with a view.

We found a seven night self-catering stay from September 19, with return flights from London Stansted, for £195pp.

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Turkey’s Turquoise Coast

Holidays to Turkey are looking remarkably cheap this summer, hitting rock-bottom prices that almost look too good to be true.

The good news is, they’re not – and there’s good reason as to why holidays to Turkey are currently so cheap.

The Sun’s Head of Travel, Lisa Minot, said: “There’s never been a better time to grab a bargain break to Turkey.

“With uncertainty over the Middle East conflict, holidaymakers have been looking at the Western Med over the Eastern Mediterranean destinations like Turkey, Cyprus and Egypt.

“But everything is operating normally in all three countries – Foreign Office travel advice has not changed and it is perfectly safe to visit.

“But the reticence of some has led to a fall in demand and with that, prices have started tumbling too.

“On the ground, everything remains the same – only the prices you’ll pay are very attractive as hoteliers and tour operators tempt us to travel.

“With beautiful Mediterranean coastal resorts offering great value, now is the time to grab yourself a sunshine bargain.”

Key spots on the Turkish Riviera that balance bargain prices with beautiful views include Marmaris, with its long seafront promenade, and Bodrum, often dubbed the St Tropez of Turkey.

Book a holiday: Turkey

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The Solivia Hotel is a sprawling five-star property in Antalya, with a Blue Flag private beach and four swimming pools.

The food and drink is all inclusive done right. There’s an extensive buffet in the main restaurant, plus a beach snack bar, pool bar, unlimited ice cream hour and Turkish coffee on tap.

Book a seven-night, all-inclusive stay at the five-star Solivia Hotel, with return flights from London Luton, from £555pp.

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Bulgaria

89p beers, £279 all inclusive holidays and flights under £15 – how could you go wrong?

Bulgaria is one of the most budget-friendly holiday options out there for Brits, and the Bourgas Area was even named the cheapest all inclusive holiday destination in 2026 by Travel Supermarket.

Furthermore, the country continues to appear year after year as a top affordable destination for families in the Post Office Family Holiday Report.

Plus, according to data from Wise, a meal out at an inexpensive restaurant averages £8.82, a cappuccino just 88p, and a beer as little as 89p.

You can even find cheap flights to spots like Plovdiv, Sofia and Burgas from £18 each way on Skyscanner.

Now you know just how cheap this holiday hotspot is – where abouts should you actually stay?

Sunny Beach continues to reign as one of the most affordable spots, with bargain waterparks and hotels, plus a nightlife scene where prices have barely budged.

But there’s a lot more to Bulgaria than Sunny Beach.

If you want a quieter beach break, Sozopol’s golden sands and wooden townhouses offer a far more relaxed feel than Sunny Beach – without bumping up the price tag.

Just 15 minutes outside of Sunny Beach, Nessebar boasts a UNESCO-protected old town with cobbled streets and ancient ruins, plus romantic cliffside dining where meals cost a fraction of Mediterranean prices.

Prefer a city break? Sofia and Plovdiv are excellent choices. Sofia boasts dirt-cheap metro rides, grand architecture, and bargain nightlife, while Plovdiv’s trendy Kapana district lets you sip 88p coffees surrounded by ancient Roman ruins.

Book a holiday: Bulgaria

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The Sunny Day Club hotel is an ideal spot for families, sitting in a quieter, northern patch of Sunny Beach.

The buzzy bars, shops and restaurants of Sunny Beach are just a short bus ride away, with a convenient bus stop directly outside the hotel.

Book a seven-night, room-only stay at Sunny Day Club from September 17, with return flights from London Luton, from £179pp.

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Albanian Riviera

If you’re craving vibey beach clubs, cheap cocktails, white sands and glimmering turquoise waters – Albania‘s your best bet.

This underrated holiday destination has jaw-dropping coastlines, dirt-cheap drinks, and a five-star feel without the price tag.

And it’s worth booking yourself a holiday here before too many people catch on, too.

Ksamil has even been called the “Maldives of Europe” thanks to its powdery white sands, crystal-clear lagoons, and plush beach clubs.

Another affordable spot is Durres, which is packed with boujee beach clubs and bars.

Head to Sunset Bar for front-row seats to the Adriatic coast and cocktails for a dirt-cheap 300 LEK (£2.75).

Here you can kick back on plush striped sofas, sip a cocktail, and soak in the legendary local sunsets.

Another cheap cocktail bar that actually feels high-end is Illyrian Garden, which has a 360-degree rooftop garden serving drinks from 500 LEK (£4.60).

Book a holiday: Albania

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The 5-star Royal G Max hotel has a private stretch of soft sand beach, a large spa with a sauna and hot tub, plus several swimming pools.

If you like a sun lounger holiday where you can lazily drift between the pool and the sea in a glamorous setting, this is it.

Book a seven-night, all-inclusive stay at Royal G Max from October 13, with return flights from London Luton, from £449pp.

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Agadir, Morocco

Agadir bagged the top spot as the cheapest destination for a seven-night summer holiday in 2026, according to research from Loveholidays.

The holiday booking site analysed package deals running between June 1 and August 31, with the Moroccan hotspot coming out on top.

According to their booking data, week-long holidays here averaged just £230 per person for a week away.

Agadir is a sunshine-drenched resort guaranteeing year-round heat, plus a six-mile stretch of beach and a vibrant old town bustling with colourful souks.

It’ s an extraordinarily cheap option thanks to plenty of budget airline routes and affordable package holiday deals from sites like Loveholidays and On the Beach.

Plus you can book a flight to Agadir from as little as £20.99 each way with Ryanair.

On top of wallet-friendly flights and accommodation, Morocco’s low local cost of living means dining out, watersports, and day trips can cost a fraction of the price compared to traditional European hotspots.

The average price of a meal out at an inexpensive restaurant here, according to Wise, is only £3.99.

Book a holiday: Agadir

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For a stress-free family getaway, stay in an apartment at the Appart Hotel Igoudar.

Enjoy a spacious apartment with a well-stocked kitchenette and private terrace, and spend days soaking up the sun on a lounger and taking dips in the outdoor pool.

The building is a beautiful example of Moorish architecture and makes for both a relaxing and authentic Moroccan stay.

Loveholidays offer a five-night, room-only stay at the Appart Hotel Igoudar from September 27, including return flights from London Stansted, for £129pp.

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Costa Blanca, Spain

Spain‘s Costa Blanca remains a reliably cheap option for a sunny holiday abroad – plus the quick and easy 2.5 hour flight goes by in a flash.

Spots like Torrevieja and Guardamar del Segura are traditional Spanish towns where costs stay low.

Guardamar has a 6.8 mile-long, white sand beach, while Torrevieja is home to bubblegum-pink salt lakes like the Laguna Rosa and Blue Flag beaches like the palm-lined stretch of Los Naufragos.

But it wouldn’t be the Costa Blanca without Benidorm, which continues to reign as the final boss of budget breaks.

Holiday Expert Rob Brooks ranks Benidorm among the top destinations for Brits to bag a cheap holiday – and a cheap beer, too.

He said: “If there’s one destination refusing to let the £1 pint disappear quietly, it’s Benidorm.

“People love to moan that the strip isn’t as cheap as it used to be, and to be fair, they’re almost right.

“But every time I go looking for a proper value holiday, Benidorm still cleans up – and there’s one legendary venue everyone mentions: Uncle Ron’s.

“They’re famously flying the flag for the €1 pint long after everyone else moved on, making it the ultimate first pitstop to prove the old-school Benidorm spirit is alive and kicking.”

Book a holiday: Costa Blanca

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What kid would say no to a pirate island-themed mega resort in sunny Spain?

The Magic Pirates Island Resort in Benidorm has a mega kids pool called Battleship Lagoon, with play boats and jets, plus more relaxed pools for grown-ups with hot tubs and Balinese beds.

Best of all, a stay here gives you free unlimited entry to the Aqua Natura waterpark right next door, as well as free access to Terra Natura Zoo.

Book a five night stay with breakfast from October 10, including return flights from London Luton, for £287pp. (Kids stay free – restrictions apply).

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High Potential’s lead actress has spoken out about the toughest time of her career

The star of High Potential, Kaitlin Olson, has said she was filming two shows at the time when she ‘collapsed’.

The actress has spoken out about the most difficult time she endured while filming, recalling the scary moment on set.

For those still unaware, High Potential is a crime drama remake that sees Olson take on the role of single mother, Morgan. Not only is she juggling her hectic home life, but she has an exceptional mind.

With an unconventional knack for solving crimes, it leads her to an unusual and unstoppable partnership with a by-the-book seasoned detective. Now she is working full time with the LAPD to help them on their toughest cases.

It is based on the original Belgian French production HPI. Fans have been eagerly awaiting the third season of High Potential, which is expected to debut in early 2027.

In the meantime, Olson has not been too far away from our screens, appearing in the new season of It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia, reprising the character of Dee Reynolds, whom she has played since it first aired back in 2006.

She also returned in her guest role for the last instalment of Hacks. Sadly, between filming this and High Potential last year, Olson’s father become seriously ill.

Vanity Fair reports that Don Olson went into hospital for surgery to repair an aortic aneurysm that was discovered. Unfortunately, there were complications from the surgery and he suffered an inflammatory response in his lungs, causing them to fill with fluid.

He was sent to intensive care for further treatment. Olson told the publication that she learned of his condition while filming High Potential.

She admitted she did something she has never done before and left the set. She said: “I literally just got in the car and drove home, called them on the way, and was kind of shut down for a little bit.”

Olson ended up flying back and forth between Oregon and Los Angeles to be alongside her family, while also trying to film two shows back to back.

More bad news followed her first day back on set for Hacks. She revealed: “Honestly, at this point, it’s a blur. I collapsed in the line producer’s arms. I said, ‘I have to go.’ And he said, ‘Go.’”

Her dad had contracted pneumonia and slipped into a coma. Doctors said that they did not expect him to make a full recovery although he regained consciousness.

It was clearly a traumatic time for the star. Looking back she said: “I’d have to stop and take phone calls and wipe away tears and come back and then try and be funny. And it felt so weird. I felt guilty, because I was legitimately having fun. That was confusing.”

Her father was cared for at home from December last year until his death in May. However, before he died, he did see his daughter’s final bow in Hacks, and now the episode will forever remain ‘very special’ as a result.

High Potential is streaming on Disney+

For almost 40 years, a stamp of approval from Oprah Winfrey has been the ultimate status symbol, and a near-guarantee of commercial success — just ask Dr. Oz and Dr. Phil.

Winfrey’s talk show launched in 1986 and became a sensation. The talk show raked in Daytime Emmy awards, and the host’s sway with the audience was undeniable. Winfrey’s influence was, and still is, so potent that marketing pros called the boost in sales following an endorsement “the Oprah Effect.” Books have shot to the top of bestseller lists, brands such as Spanx and Ugg have become household names and multiple television personalities have been launched, including two controversial health professionals whose endorsements from Winfrey haven’t exactly aged well for some fans.

During a recent interview with the Television Academy’s Emmy Magazine, Winfrey addressed her ties with the conservative TV personalities, saying “People criticize me for Dr. Phil and Dr. Oz, because of their politics or their views.”

In the ’90s, Phil McGraw was a licensed psychologist who co-founded a trial consulting firm and was hired to help Winfrey when she was sued in Texas for questioning the safety of beef on her show amid a mad cow disease epidemic happening in the U.K. According to disgruntled cattlemen, the “Oprah Effect” doesn’t just have the power to boost sales, it can drop them too.

Winfrey won the case in 1998, and was so impressed by McGraw that she invited him onto her show and he subsequently landed a weekly segment. A few years later, he launched his own talk show with Winfrey’s backing.

“Dr. Phil, he was so practical, so down to earth, so real. And he would ride in the car with me every morning on the way to trial, where I’m literally sitting on trial for six weeks. I felt that he was so instrumental in helping me. I thought, ‘Oh, you could help a lot of people. You should come on my show,’” she told the outlet.

Dr. Oz came into the fold, Winfrey said, by way of introduction from her best friend, fellow television personality and news anchor Gayle King.

“He explained practical things like colon cancer and bowel movements,” Winfrey told Emmy Magazine. “I thought he had the language for explaining medical things in a way that was helpful to me. I thought it would be helpful to many other people. And that is how they ended up on the show.”

Dr. Mehmet Oz made his debut on “The Oprah Winfrey Show” in 2004, and in the next few years he made more than 60 appearances, offering health advice to viewers. In 2009, he followed in Dr. Phil’s footsteps and launched his own talk show, with Winfrey’s production company backing the venture.

In recent years, Dr. Phil has aligned himself with MAGA, and in October 2024 he spoke at Donald Trump’s Madison Square Garden presidential campaign rally. Last year, he embedded with Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials during raids, including in Chicago, where he and his crew taped arrests.

In 2020, when Dr. Phil celebrated a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, he thanked Winfrey in his speech, saying she has mentored him and moved him forward in life. “No doubt about it… You cannot understand the power of the O factor,” he said. “There would be no Dr. Phil without Oprah, so blame her if you’re going to blame somebody.”

Similarly, Dr. Oz aligned himself with the MAGA and Make America Healthy Again movements. He ran for senate in Pennsylvania in 2022 with an endorsement from Trump. After losing, he joined the Trump administration as the administrator for the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.

Since McGraw and Oz became vocal allies of the Trump administration, news stories involving them have spawned a thread of replies and reposts with comments pointing the finger at Winfrey for platforming the men many moons ago.

“Oprah spun off Dr. Phil, Dr. Oz, and gave oxygen to Suzanne Somers’ and Jenny McCarthy’s toxic messages. Her impact on the public discourse around medical advice was pretty uniformly terrible. I am not a fan,” reads one post on X.

“If it weren’t for Oprah, this quack Dr. Phil would be a nobody. Oprah has a lot to answer for,” reads another.

And, “Dr. Phil and Dr. Oz are the two worst things Oprah ever foisted on the public.”

Winfrey may have platformed the men decades ago, but her stance is clear today: “Everybody has their own path in life, and it has not one thing to do with me, and I don’t have one thing to do with them. At the time, the reason and intention behind me giving them their breaks was I thought they had valuable information to share that had been meaningful to me.”

Abdul El-Sayed made history this month in Michigan by becoming the first Muslim nominated by the Democratic Party to run for the U.S. Senate. But elation among many of his fellow Muslim Americans was tempered by awareness of persisting and widespread anti-Muslim sentiment across much of the nation.

Some Republicans, including President Trump, swiftly began referring to the nominee by his full name, Abdulrahman Mohamed El-Sayed, while depicting him as a danger to America. “Every single Muslim holding public office in America is a Trojan horse, and a threat to both national security and our republic,’’ said U.S. Rep. Nancy Mace, R-S.C., in a post on X.

El-Sayed says such attacks betray a weakness in those who launch them.

“We all pray for the same things. … We want what’s good for our kids and our families,” he told MS NOW after his primary victory. “They’re going to use Islamophobia, because their ideas are tired.”

The vitriol extends far beyond the political class. Tensions related to anti-Muslim sentiment have heightened in several communities around the country, where some residents have bitterly opposed proposals to build new mosques.

“American Muslims have made incredible political and societal progress in recent years,” said Edward Ahmed Mitchell, national deputy director of the Council on American-Islamic Relations, or CAIR. He cited increased visibility in entertainment and sports and the election of Democrat Zohran Mamdani as New York City’s first Muslim mayor.

“But there also is a very concerted backlash to this progress,” Mitchell said. “You’ve seen this in the resurgence of anti-Muslim hate and rhetoric, the targeting of mosques.”

A Dallas suburb is a flashpoint

McKinney, Texas, a large suburb in the Dallas-Fort Worth area, is one of the flashpoints. Despite angry anti-Islam remarks at a heated city council meeting on Aug. 4, the council voted unanimously to approve a site plan for the McKinney Islamic Association’s proposed new mosque, classroom building and gym.

Among those urging the council to give the plan fair treatment was George Fuller, a former mayor of McKinney, a nonpartisan position. Opponents of the mosque project booed him, and some shouted “traitor” as he left the council chamber. One woman could be seen on video physically accosting him.

“I have never witnessed so much hate, anger and lack of humanity in our beautiful community gathered in one place as I did today at City Hall,” Fuller later wrote on Facebook.

During the hearing, which lasted more than four hours, the speakers included U.S. Rep. Keith Self, a Republican whose district includes McKinney. To loud applause, he urged the council to reject the mosque proposal.

“I know you’re in the accommodation phase, but the intimidation phase follows quickly,” Self said. “Child marriage. Honor killings. Don’t tell me it can’t happen here.”

Fuller also went to the microphone, evoking the broader phenomenon of divisive political rhetoric.

“Sadly, we live in a time when some have discovered that the easiest way to gain attention or win elections is not by offering solutions but by manufacturing fear, dividing communities, demonizing neighbors and turning misinformation into a political strategy,” he said.

In North Carolina, anger flares over approval for a new mosque

The scenario was similar in Mooresville, North Carolina, when town commissioners held a public comment session on Aug. 3 about a proposed mosque that had already been approved, with early phases of construction underway.

Angry residents at the meeting voiced hostility to Islam and assailed the commissioners for not being more forthcoming about the project as it took shape over previous months. One speaker cited violence in Nigeria by Islamist extremists as a reason for concern in Mooresville. Another depicted Islam as “a political regime with the ultimate goal of takeover in regions and nations.”

CAIR’s regional manager, Al Rieder, issued a statement denouncing “the hateful and conspiratorial anti-Muslim rhetoric” that surfaced at the meeting and expressed concern about the safety of Muslims in the area about 25 miles north of Charlotte.

“Muslims are your neighbors, your doctors, your teachers, your local politicians, your police,” he said.

A few hours after the public meeting, the town commissioners released a summary of the mosque project, which calls for a two-building Islamic center on a parcel acquired in 2019 by a local Muslim organization.

The commissioners said that the parcel is in an area zoned to allow religious assembly and that the mosque proposal was handled the same way as a proposal for a new church.

“All decisions must be based on adopted ordinances, objective standards and legal requirements, which do not allow for different rules for different religious groups,” the commissioners said. “We encourage all members of our community to remain respectful in their discussions and interactions as this project moves through the appropriate processes.”

In Oklahoma, Muslim leaders fight against the rebuff of a new mosque

A mosque controversy has been raging for many months in Broken Arrow, Oklahoma, Tulsa’s largest suburb.

Back in January, at a stormy meeting attended by hundreds of people, the city council voted 4-1 to reject a rezoning proposal by the region’s Islamic Society to build Broken Arrow’s first mosque. Before the vote, dozens of residents voiced anti-Muslim views while opposing the project.

Council members who rejected the mosque had raised concerns about its potential impact on infrastructure such as roads, sewers and flood plain management.

But the Islamic Society is persisting with its quest. On Aug. 3, it filed a lawsuit against the mayor and four councilors, alleging that the vote reflected “a wave of bigoted opposition from members of the community and local politicians.” The lawsuit contends that the council violated state and federal laws governing religious land use, treating the mosque proposal differently from other comparable rezoning requests.

“They did not want a mosque in their city. They did not want Muslims here,” said Meghan Murphy, an attorney with CAIR’s Legal Defense Fund, at a news conference announcing the lawsuit. ”So they made up a reason, and in doing so they violated the law.”

Some see a terrorism threat while others see baseless scaremongering

Opposition to mosque construction isn’t a new phenomenon: In Murfreesboro, Tennessee, an effort launched in 2010 to block a mosque project dragged on for more than three years. The mosque was built anyway as the case moved through the courts, but members of the Muslim community faced public protests, vandalism, arson and a bomb threat during that span.

The latest anti-mosque campaigns coincide with a broad wave of anti-Muslim rhetoric from Republican officeholders over the past year. In Congress, several bills were introduced targeting sharia, the moral and spiritual framework that guides Muslims in prayer and ethical conduct. Some Republicans say they’re concerned about growing Muslim populations in major cities and potential ties to terrorism — fears that CAIR and other civil rights groups say are unfounded and being exploited for political purposes.

Republican governors in Texas and Florida have endorsed efforts to shut down CAIR, saying it has ties to terrorism. CAIR has denied the allegations and filed lawsuits calling the governors’ efforts unconstitutional.

Muslim American leaders view the vitriol as political scaremongering.

“Every election year, we expect a rise in anti-Muslim hate,” said CAIR’s Mitchell. “It’s been worse this year than it has been in years.”

Crary writes for the Associated Press.

OLIVIA Dean broke down in tears while singing her song ‘Let Alone The One You Love’ live on stage.

The singer, 27, performed in Boston earlier this week as part of her ‘The Art of Loving’ tour but became overcome with emotion during the poignant track.

The moment was shared on TikTok, with Olivia looking stunning in a gorgeous red dress with a lace detailing.

As she belted out the track, she struggled to keep her emotion in as she began to cry.

She wiped the tears away from her face as the audience cheered loudly for her.

Olivia continued singing as she attempted to hold it together during the performance.

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The song in question was released in September last year as part of her critically acclaimed studio album of the same name as her tour.

The track delves into the painful realisation that a partner is trying to stop your personal growth.

It explores the heavy emotional toll of romantic disappointment, capturing the grief of choosing self-love over a relationship where you feel small or disposable.

The lyrics include: “Though I’ve tried to hold on, and, if you knew me at all, you wouldn’t try to keep me small.

“Who would do that to a friend, let alone the one you love?”

Fans flocked to TikTok to share their thoughts as one asked: “Who hurt her?”

Another person demanded: “OK s**t just got real. Who hurt my baby?”

Somebody else commented: “NAAAH she’s singing it like she’s talking to someone.”

Yet another penned: “It’s okay, I cry during her songs too.”

While a fifth added: “These lyrics are real as f**k and that pain is DEEP!”

It comes after she turned down the chance to headline Glastonbury next year – where Harry Styles is topping the bill.

She was romantically linked to the former One Direction star two years ago, although they always denied they dated.

She is said to be opting to work on new music in 2027 instead and hopes to perform at the music festival in 2028.

An insider told The Sun: “Olivia’s team had conversations with Glastonbury about headlining in 2027 and she was extremely flattered.

“But after some reflection, she said she wants to take some time to work on new music next year, with a rough plan to return when her third album is ready.

“Of course, if she did it next year, her name would be right next to Harry’s and she just wants to move on from that now.

“She’s happy for him to have his moment, but she doesn’t feel like next year is hers.”

Tom Segura is finally addressing the news that he and Christina Pazsitzky are divorcing.

In July, news broke that the comedy power couple were calling it quits after nearly two decades of marriage, and last week Pazsitzky shared her feelings on the matter during an episode of “Your Mom’s House,” the wildly successful comedy podcast the two launched together in 2010. On Wednesday — a week after Pazsitzky’s episode dropped — Segura stepped in to host the show and share his side of the story.

“My first podcast here in a while,” Segura began the episode, guest co-hosted by fellow comedian Ryan Sickler. “I know that a lot of people obviously heard the news and saw last week’s episode where Christina hosted.”

Segura said although he doesn’t feel like he needs to say much on the matter, it did bother him that fans called him out with jabs like, “I can’t believe you would make her go address this alone.” Segura said that assumption couldn’t be further from the truth and that the former couple had been recording separate episodes since they split earlier this year.

“Everything that people know is not new to us,” he said. “It’s been many, many months.”

Last week, Pazsitzky cried during what she dubbed the “divorce episode” of “Your Mom’s House” and told guest co-host Duncan Trussell that the pair tried to work it out for several years for the sake of their children and family. “We gave it all we could, but we just couldn’t work things out,” she said. “We are no longer a couple.”

Segura said Pazsitzky’s episode happened to be the first after TMZ caught wind that the pair had split, so she addressed it first. “It was never like, ‘Hey, you go handle this.’ It was just the the timing … and we both decided to record separately.”

Segura said the split had been a long and horrible experience. “It’s, emotionally, a roller coaster. Your emotions change often many times in a day. If anyone’s ever been through it, you don’t feel the same all the time, and it’s really tough on you. Like personally, it’s really tough.

“Having it be public is awful,” he continued, adding that the former couple hoped to keep the high-profile split private. “It’s a private matter.”

Segura continued that he’s not the type of guy who’s an “open book” with his personal life, and that he understands the public’s interest in their divorce, whether they are trolls or heartbroken fans. “I totally get it,” he said. “I also wanted to reiterate that we’re not combative. We talk every day. I support Christina and everything she does. She supports me, and our focus, as you would imagine, is just on our children. We’re just trying to provide the best life we can for them, and we’re trying to take care of them.”

The comedian, who has previously used his marriage as source material in his stand-up comedy, told listeners that he wouldn’t be doing interviews, podcasts or press about the split and planned to focus on his work and co-parenting with Pazsitzky. “This is me addressing what it is and how it’s been, and it’s been terrible. And I don’t feel like I need to keep talking about this. … As disappointing as it is, it is what it is.”

Fred. Olsen has launched the special offer on selected fly cruises visiting Spain, Greece, Italy, the Canary Islands and more this autumn and winter

Summer holiday season is well under way – and for those returning from abroad already dreaming of their next trip, there’s the option to book a getaway in autumn and winter when there are fewer crowds. For travellers looking to visit multiple destinations without the fuss of several bookings, a cruise is a top option with a number of money-saving deals now on offer.

Fred. Olsen has launched offers on selected fly cruises, offering holidaymakers the chance to skip the sea days and discover their destination sooner with flights from London or Manchester. Whether jet-setters want to soak up the sunshine in the Canary Islands or explore the picturesque coastlines of the Mediterranean, there’s plenty of options for swapping out the chilly UK weather for somewhere warmer.

The popular cruise line, favoured for its smaller ships which mean the fleet can visit ports that bigger cruise liners can’t reach, is offering passengers £150 on board credit per cabin to spend on selected fly cruises this year. This offer ends on September 30 and is in addition to half price flight offers on some trips – terms and conditions can be found here.

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The first cruise to be included in the offer is the Wonders of the Mediterranean holiday, a 21-night exploration of iconic landmarks and lesser-known ports starting from Limassol, Cyprus on November 9. Priced from £3,099 per person, the next stop after Cyprus is Alexandria in Egypt, followed by Marmaris and Istanbul in Turkey, then visits to Greece, Malta, Italy, Spain, Gibraltar, Morocco, and finally Tenerife.

Also in the £150 credit deal is the Mediterranean Icons voyage from £4,299 per person, offering the chance for UK holidaymakers to escape the dreary winter weather for a whole month by setting sail on November 9 for a 31-night adventure. Also beginning in Limassol, this cruise adds an extra 10 nights on to the aforementioned Wonders of the Mediterranean trip, following the stop in Tenerife with visits to Las Palmas and Lanzarote in the Canary Islands, then Funchal, Lisbon and Matosinhos in Portugal.

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Fred. Olsen is offering holidaymakers up to £150 credit per cabin to spend on board selected fly cruises in 2026.

Alternatively, holidaymakers can opt to go Country-Hopping from Greece to Tenerife, and take advantage of half price flights as well as the £150 to spend on board. Beginning in Piraeus, Greece and priced from £1,499 per person, this 11-night cruise sails on November 19 to stop off in Malta, Italy, Spain, Gibraltar and Morocco, before finishing in the Canary Islands at Santa Cruz de Tenerife.

Another winter sun option is the Mediterranean & Canary Islands Warmth trip, which is on offer with a half price flight at the start of the cruise as well as the £150 credit. Also starting in Piraeus, Greece on November 19 before embarking on a 21-night adventure around the Mediterranean via Malta, Italy, Spain, Gibraltar and Morocco, followed by stop-offs across the Canary Islands in Tenerife, Las Palmas and Lanzarote, before finishing in Portugal, this cruise is priced from £2,399 per person.

Rounding off the year is the Canaries Escape with the Fleet Fiesta, which also has a half price flight deal at the start of the cruise on top of the £150 per cabin spend. Priced from £1,329 per person and beginning in Santa Cruz de Tenerife on November 30 before embarking on a 10-night tour of the Canary Islands and Portugal, this holiday is centred around the festivities that come with the reunion of the Fred. Olsen fleet in Las Palmas.

For more last-minute fly cruise deals, TUI’s Marella Cruises is also offering trips with flights included in their price as a budget-friendly family option. Among the cheapest options are the Highlights of the Mediterranean cruise beginning from Majorca and stopping off across Corsica, Italy and Spain, which is on offer for £985 per person, and the Grecian Discovery holiday sailing from Cyprus to mainland Greece, Santorini, Turkey and Crete, now priced from £994 per person.

Meanwhile, Ambassador Cruise Line also has special offers on selected Caribbean fly cruises sailing this year. For those who can’t wait to get away, the earliest departure date is on the Atlantic Horizons and Caribbean Discovery cruise, which is priced from £1,499 per person with the option to get 50% off flight upgrades and free coach transport.

Back at Fred. Olsen, holidaymakers who want to plan ahead for next year can also choose from more than 20 fly cruises scheduled for 2027. The shortest option is the Scenic Greek Island Hopping trip from £1,349pp, while the longest is the Scenic Shores & Ancient Wonders of the Mediterranean from £3,899pp which lasts a whopping 33 nights.

Fred. Olsen has earned a rating of 4.6 out of five stars on Trustpilot based on more than 15,000 reviews. One of the newest reviews reads: “Fantastic suite with extras included. Great, friendly and efficient staff. Many varied activities available. Food was exceptional. Boat size was enough and the atmosphere was lovely and friendly.”

Another passenger fed back recently: “Cabin was spacious with plenty of storage. All the staff were superb and went the extra mile to look after everyone. Food was exceptional everywhere on the ship. It never felt crowded as everyone was doing their own thing all over in the numerous areas to relax. Our first cruise and no doubt we will do it again.”

And a third echoed: “Probably the cleanest ship we’ve ever been on! Staff were excellent with a good variety of food. Definitely will return!”

Regarding fly cruises, some customers felt that the schedule had room for improvement, with one writing: “Sadly the Fred. Olsen pre arranged flight back to the UK was too late in the day. It should have been arranged for early afternoon, which would have allowed us to arrive in Manchester by 6pm rather than 10pm.”

While a different reviewer suggested: “For guests joining the ship at various locations along the way a morning flight would be better, this would enable guests to settle in before evening meal and be refreshed for any excursions they have booked the following day.”

Libya’s National Oil Corporation warns it may halt operations at the country’s largest operating refinery if drone attacks continue.

Firefighters in Libya are battling a massive blaze at the Zawiya refinery following a drone attack, with the country’s national oil company warning it may declare a force majeure and shut down operations if attacks continue.

Libya’s Ambulance and Emergency Service said in a statement on Tuesday there were no “serious injuries” from the fire, with most patients treated for smoke inhalation.

Footage verified by Al Jazeera showed huge flames and thick black ‌smoke billowing over the facility, the largest operating refinery in Libya with a refining capacity of 120,000 barrels per day.

It is located about 40km (25 miles) west of the capital, Tripoli.

The National Oil Corporation (NOC) said in a statement on Facebook that the fire broke out on Monday evening at tank number 402-T, belonging to the Brega Oil Company.

It said the tank, which contained about 4.5 million litres (1.2 million gallons) of gasoline, was “directly targeted, resulting in a severe fire before the tank completely collapsed”.

The NOC said the attack followed drone strikes on a water desalination plant at the refinery on Sunday and on a naphtha reservoir on Saturday.

The company declared a “maximum emergency” in the region and urged authorities to launch an investigation and bring the perpetrators to justice.

There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the attacks, and the company did ‌not say who they believed was behind them.

In a statement hours later, the NOC said the refinery was “still being subject to sabotage attacks” with a drone targeting an oil blending and filling ⁠plant operated by the Zawiya Oil Refining Company.

It said the drone fell near its main oil tank and a pipeline network used to produce oils for the domestic market, without causing any casualties or damage.

“The company’s board of directors also confirms that if these attacks continue, it will have to declare a state of force majeure and suspend operations at the refinery,” it warned.

The Brega Oil Company, meanwhile, appealed to “all parties to stop the fighting and stay away from oil facilities and depots”. It said “oil facilities are vital infrastructure and owned by all Libyans” and that “protecting them is a national responsibility that does not tolerate any negligence”.

The attacks highlight the continuing security challenges in Libya, where rival administrations and armed groups have retained influence despite a ‌2020 ⁠ceasefire that halted major warfare. The country split in 2014 after a NATO-backed uprising that toppled longtime leader Muammar ⁠Gaddafi in 2011.

Two governments are currently vying for power: the United Nations-recognised administration in Tripoli, led by Prime Minister Abdul Hamid Dbeibah, and a rival in the east backed by military commander Khalifa Haftar.

In a statement, the Tripoli-based government said Dbeibah held a meeting earlier in the day with key officials, including the interior minister and the chiefs of some armed groups in the capital, “to follow up on the latest security developments”.

Dbeibah “stressed the need to deal firmly with any transgressions or actions that threaten security or harm vital facilities and installations”, the statement said.

Separately, a Libyan parliamentary panel condemned the attack and called for stronger protection of oil installations.

“The House of Representatives’ Energy and Natural Resources Committee condemns in the strongest terms the criminal attack targeting the Zawiya Refinery, one of the most vital facilities in the oil and gas sector that is a cornerstone of the national economy,” it said in a statement.

“So close to glory.”

That’s how Iván Barton described the moment he heard his last name called during the 2026 World Cup referee assignment meeting. It wasn’t to ask a question or to correct some administrative detail.

The next sentence changed his career forever: “Barton, your match is France vs. Spain. … After that, I didn’t hear anything else. I didn’t even know who my assistant referees would be.” The World Cup semifinal — one of the biggest matches a referee can officiate — had just been entrusted to the Salvadoran.

“It’s like going into shock, but a good kind of shock. ‘This is happening — it’s really happening.’ Reaching a semifinal is coming within a hair’s breadth of glory, because after a World Cup final, there’s nothing left,” Barton said.

Referee Iván Barton issues a yellow card to France’s Adrien Rabiot during a World Cup semifinal match against Spain on July 14 in Arlington, Texas.

(Lars Baron / Getty Images)

There’s one detail in that scene that captures the magnitude of the moment. While waiting for the meeting to begin, Barton was checking the airline’s app on his phone. His ticket was still scheduled for a return flight to El Salvador the next day. He had already started packing, convinced that his World Cup was over.

“I was already mentally preparing to fly back to El Salvador the next day,” Barton recalled. “When I heard ‘Barton,’ I thought, ‘What happened?’ Then they said, ‘Spain vs. France, semifinal.’ I didn’t even hear the names of my assistants.”

The first thing he did after that was call his wife.

“That’s when the tears of joy came,” he said. “It was also a moment to thank God for what was happening and immediately start preparing for the match.”

For the first time, both World Cup semifinal matches were officiated by CONCACAF referees. Barton officiated the France-Spain match, while American Ismail Elfath refereed the England-Argentina match. The confederation described both appointments as an unprecedented event for the region.

Barton said he fulfilled a dream working during the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, but he and other CONCACAF referees were determined to show their ability to call the most important games.

“Qatar meant making a dream come true. Making it to 2026 was a huge challenge because the bar had been set very high,” Barton said. “There were high expectations. We approached it with a great sense of responsibility and humility.”

When the tournament ended, the feeling was different from that of his first World Cup.

“I feel happy, very proud to have placed our little El Salvador flag practically at the very top of world soccer,” he said. “That’s what fills me with the most pride. We continue to open doors not only for my country, but also for the entire region and for CONCACAF refereeing.”

The red card that made history

Among the four matches Barton officiated, the Turkey-Paraguay game went down in history at the 45+3-minute mark.

During a confrontation between Miguel Almirón and Turkey’s Mert Muldur, the Paraguayan star covered his mouth while speaking aggressively to his opponent.

Barton had to review the play via VAR, and as stipulated by the new amendment to Law 12, the incident resulted in a red card, since the situation had elements of confrontation and the gesture served to conceal provocative, derogatory or inflammatory communication.

The review confirmed his interpretation.

Referee Iván Barton issues a red card to Miguel Almirón for covering his mouth while confronting another player during a World Cup match.

(Dean Mouhtaropoulos / Getty Images)

Almirón became the first player sent off in a World Cup under this new provision.

For Barton, however, the story isn’t simply about a player covering his mouth.

“People get confused. It’s not just the act of doing it; it’s doing it in a confrontational situation against an opponent. That’s what changes the picture,” Barton explained.

Clarity is important.

The amendment aims to prevent players from hiding insults or other abuse — including discriminatory remarks — behind their hand, arm or jersey.

In Almirón’s case, Barton believed the conditions were met.

“In that match, it was clear that it had occurred during a confrontational situation in which the players were facing off,” Barton explained. “Seeing it on the VAR footage was clear. It was evident, and at no point was there any doubt about the decision that had to be made.”

The incident occurred shortly before halftime, when Paraguay was leading 1-0. The red card left Paraguay with 10 players for the entire second half, but the team went on to win the match 1-0.

For Barton, the red card illustrates something he believes the public still misunderstands: VAR does not eliminate the need for the referee to interpret the rules.

“VAR isn’t there to eliminate 100% of errors,” he said. “Errors will always be part of soccer because there are many issues open to interpretation, and that’s what the referee is there for — to interpret them.”

Breaks that changed the pace of the matches

There was another major change fans protested during the World Cup — the hydration breaks.

FIFA decided that during the 2026 World Cup, there would be a three-minute break midway through each half, regardless of the temperature or stadium conditions. The referee was required to stop the match around the 22nd minute of each half.

The decision was motivated by concerns about player welfare in some of the hottest venues and a committee agreed it would be best to use the breaks universally rather than whenever the weather conditions required it to assure no teams were hampered by not getting breaks, but the debate did not go away.

In some cases, the breaks interrupted the flow of the game just as a team was starting to take control.

Barton understands that criticism, but he also doesn’t believe the break necessarily has a favorable or unfavorable effect on a team.

“Team A is attacking, attacking, attacking Team B. Obviously, it won’t be beneficial for Team A because they’re at their peak. For Team B, it will be,” he said.

The scenario can change in the second half.

“And what if, in the second half, the roles are reversed and it’s Team B that’s attacking Team A? For Team A, it’ll be beneficial. It’s very relative. I don’t think you can generalize whether it’s positive or not because it depends on the circumstances of the game.”

There’s also a difference between analyzing the break from the spectator’s perspective and doing so from the field.

As a referee, Barton found an immediate benefit.

“For us as referees, it’s beneficial because having a break to rest a bit, regain our strength and get feedback from our colleagues to see if anything needs adjusting — well, of course that’s positive,” said Barton. “In the United States, summers are extreme and it often becomes very difficult to say, ‘In this game, yes; in this game, no,’ because that undermines the consistency that the application of a rule must have.”

The stars’ last names don’t change the rule

What happens when the player who needs to be disciplined is named Kylian Mbappé, Lionel Messi, Lamine Yamal or James Rodríguez?

In a stadium, those names carry weight. On the lineup sheet, according to Barton, they don’t.

“As a referee — contrary to what many people might think — you detach yourself from many situations, from the noise, from the pressure,” he said.

That doesn’t mean the referee is unaware of who’s on the field. According to him, it means he can’t let a player’s name influence his decision.

“On the field, there are no big names, no big teams. You see 11 players against 11 players,” Barton said.

The Salvadoran had already officiated games featuring Messi during his career in various tournaments and at the 2026 World Cup, he faced some of the most renowned soccer players on the planet.

“At no point do we think, ‘I’m not going to speak to him firmly or show him a card because it’s this player.’ No, absolutely not,” Barton stated.

The rules must apply equally to everyone.

“If you see an incident, a foul or something someone did, you make a decision regardless of who it is,” Barton said.

Barton explains the relationship in a way that makes it clear it’s not about ignoring the players’ status in the sport. It’s about understanding that, for those 90 minutes, roles are clearly defined.

“Obviously, we respect them for what they’ve achieved, for what they represent in soccer, but when it comes to applying the rules of the game, we see 11 players against 11 players — and that’s it,” he said.

Taking El Salvador to the biggest stage

Barton speaks little about himself and a lot about his country. Every assignment, he explains, ceases to be an individual endeavor.

“The higher you climb a mountain, the stronger the wind blows. The harder it is to maintain your balance,” he said.

His philosophy has changed little since he began his career.

“I haven’t achieved these things on my own. There’s a huge team behind me. … My family, CONCACAF, FIFA, the people who have always supported me,” Barton said.

The Salvadoran acknowledges that, during international competitions, he often finds that there are still people who don’t even know where El Salvador is located.

“When you get to competitions at this level, there are people who can’t even locate our country on a map,” Barton noted. “Serving as a means for others to learn about El Salvador and ensuring that representation is dignified is one of my greatest responsibilities.”

There’s a common perception among fans that FIFA assigns the matches each referee will officiate from the very beginning of the tournament.

Instead, each assignment depends on the performance shown during the previous match.

France captain Kylian Mbappe and Spain captain Rodri pose with referee Iván Barton and match officials before a World Cup semifinal.

(Florencia Tan Jun / Getty Images)

“First, you have to earn a spot in the World Cup. Then you have to earn the privilege of officiating a match. And after that, it depends entirely on how you perform in that match,” Barton said. “It’s just like the teams. No one is guaranteed to advance. Game by game, you prove whether you deserve to stay in the competition.”

After each match, there are technical sessions during which every major match decision is analyzed.

“We have debriefing sessions to review what we did well and what we need to improve,” he said. “We also work with a technical staff that conducts tactical analyses of the teams to prepare for the different scenarios a match might present.”

Although the semifinal against France and Spain holds a special place in his heart, Barton recalls other World Cup moments that will likely stay with him forever.

“The four walkouts before the matches were impressive. Hearing the World Cup anthem and walking out of the tunnel was always special,” he said.

“When the final whistle blew in the semifinal, I felt like I’d written my name into soccer history by representing my country. It was one of the most sublime moments of my career.”

Unlike many public figures, Barton decided to stay virtually off social media before and during the World Cup.

“Our minds are what we choose to feed them. If we feed them garbage, we’ll end up thinking that way,” he said.

Barton only opened official accounts after the tournament — and, according to him, not out of personal interest.

“There were too many fake profiles impersonating me,” Barton said. “I’m not swayed by flattery, just as I’m not affected by insults. … I’ve faced the most attacks in my own country, not abroad,” Barton confessed.

Even so, he insists on always responding with the same message.

“Behind the referee is a human being. There’s a father, a husband, a son,” he said. “It’s fine to criticize the work, but don’t cross the line into personal attacks.”

A TV boss has broken his silence on Ariana Grande quitting a hit drama show – after revealing her plan to step back from public life.

Ariana was originally annouced to be on series 13 of American Horror Story but she later exited the project to prioritise her Eternal Sunshine tour.

This comes at the same time she revealed she would be stepping back from fame at the end of her tour.

The AHS creator, Ryan Murphy, has now discussed her exit and told The Hollywood Reporter: “I love Ariana Grande. We’re great friends.

“I had an idea and I came to her and she, very immediately, said, ‘I’m not sure because I think I’m going on tour.

“I don’t think the tour had been announced, and she had obviously just finished the Wicked movie.”

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Ryan also revealed that he welcomed the star to appear in another season which she gladly accepted.

He added: “You have to be respectful. Who is busier than Ariana Grande? No one. She had told me at the time, ‘I have this album that’s dropping.’ It was really, truly a scheduling conflict.”

Ryan also revealed that Ariana is a big fan of horror and did Scream Queens for him and explained that he would always want to work with her.

He said: “I love her, and I support her. It was a very big swing, but I might bring that back for another season, per Ariana’s availability. I think the world of her.”

Last week, a rep for Ariana shocked fans by releasing a statement confirming she was stepping back from public life.

The announcement followed her pulling out of the starring role in a West End adaptation of Sunday In The Park With George, alongside her Wicked co-star Jonathan Bailey.

A representative had told People Magazine: “Ariana will be taking a step back from visibility after she completes the Eternal Sunshine Tour.”

However, Ariana has one last surprise in store for fans as she prepares to kick off her ten-date residency at the O2 Arena next weekend.

We were told the Thank U Next singer will film the London shows for a concert special, to be released at a later date.

It’s due to spark a bidding war with streaming giants battling it out for the rights.

Ariana’s last album, Eternal Sunshine, was born out of heartbreak and written as her marriage to American estate agent Dalton Gomez broke down.

Following the split from Wicked co-star Ethan in June after three years, Ariana has headed back to familiar ground and is dating her ex, dancer Ricky Alvarez.