Videos show the aftermath of an Israeli attack on Beirut’s southern suburbs, with multiple explosions reported. Israel says it targeted Hezbollah headquarters, while Lebanese media says residential apartments were hit. The attack comes just days after US President Donald Trump told Benjamin Netanyahu that Beirut was off limits as Washington pursues a deal with Iran.
Three tunnels form part of the complex under the city
The tunnel runs right under a European city.
A European city has an extensive network of tunnels beneath it. The Blanka Tunnel Complex is the longest city tunnel in Europe and runs for a total length of 5,502 meters.
The tunnel sits under Prague and is the longest road tunnel in the Czech Republic. It connects the area west of Prague Castle with the Trója district in the North-east of the city.
Three tunnels, consisting of the Bubenečský, Dejvický, and Brusnický, make up the complex, which was designed to relieve heavy traffic from the history city centre. In its first 49 months since opening, it was used by 139 million cars.
Today, it is estimated that 88,000 vehicles use the tunnel every day. The Blanka Tunnel Complex opened on September 19, 2015, but it was a long time coming.
Construction launched in 2006, but it was planned since 1993. The tunnel was due to open in 2011, but the biggest and most expensive project in Prague was delayed by four years.
It cost 43 billion crowns, which is £1.5 billion today and doesn’t include all construction costs. During the construction of the tunnel complex, there were three landfalls.
The incident occurred twice in the Stromovka park, creating a hole measuring 15 to 25 meters. Another landfall happened in the garden area of the Ministry of Culture in Hradčany.
Since opening, the Blanka Tunnel Complex has undergone continuous maintenance. There is 24/7 monitoring by a dedicated control centre that works night shifts to service lights, ventilation systems, cabling and drainage.
Last year, the tunnel marked its 10th anniversary. Prague Daily News said: “It relieved congestion in the city centre, reduced journey times, and took vehicle traffic underground.
“Since its opening, around 780 million vehicles have passed through the tunnel.
“The Dejvický Tunnel has borne the greatest load with more than 271 million vehicles, followed by the Brusnický Tunnel with almost 266 million and the Bubenečský Tunnel with 236 million vehicles.
“Although Blanka has been in regular operation for years, the approval process for part of the project is still not fully concluded.
“A formal decision by the Administrative Court has meant that the relevant section continues to operate only under provisional use.
“Observers, however, expect a final acceptance soon.”
People gather during a protest in a street in Mogadishu, Somalia, on Thursday after fighting erupted between opposition-led protesters and Somali state security forces during a planned protest against the federal government’s mandate extension for President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud. Photo by Said Yusuf Warsame/EPA
June 4 (UPI) — The Somalian military and opposition militias opposed to an extension of President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud’s term by the country’s parliament skirmished Thursday in its capital.
After the opposing sides set up positions within Mogadishu late Wednesday, gunfire and fighting broke out in the city ahead of planned demonstrations today, The Guardian and The New York Times reported.
Mohamud was due to leave office May 15, but the country’s parliament voted to extend his term by one year, prompting opposition leaders — including former President Sharif Sheikh Ahmed and former Prime Minister Hassan Khayre — to announce demonstrations against what they said is a constitutional crisis.
Ahmed said that government forces had targeted his home intending to kill him because he has spoken out against the extended term and is leading resistance to it.
Ahmed and Khayre each have their own security, as do other clans throughout the country, and the alleged targeting of the leaders by government military forces led to ongoing skirmishes that have left Mogadishu residents fleeing for their safety.
Ahmed, in a video statement, said that government forces had “encircled and attacked my house.”
“I am never scared of their aggressive attack — I will fight back,” he said.
Khayre said in a statement that the government had deployed anti-tank weapons and drones in the attack, endangering civilians in the area.
At a press conference Thursday, Col. Mahdi Omar Mumin said that government forces staged “an operation in which security agencies neutralized armed militia members who yesterday attacked police forces in the Hodan District,” Somalia’s Ministry of Defense said in a statement on X.
“The militia had caused harm to Somali civilians and disrupted security in the capital,” the ministry said.
Mohamud and members of the parliament who support him said the effort is to move from indirect elections to individuals voting specifically for their chosen candidates.
Opposition members have said they fear the change could prevent many people in the country from having a voice in the government and potentially enable greater power for Mohamud.
THE best 100 beaches in the world have been named – and two can be found in the UK.
Announced by Corona, the 2026 Corona Beach 100 has revealed the best spots around the world from well-known spots to hidden coves.
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Two UK beaches have been named as some of the best in the worldCredit: AlamyFistral Beach Newquay made the listCredit: Alamy
Three criteria were analysed – Beachside Culture, Connection to Nature and Scenic Aesthetics.
A new entry on the list this year is Barafundle Bay in Pembrokeshire.
The first Welsh beach to make the list, it was praised for its “remote and dramatic landscape, as it is “accessible only by clifftop walk through a medieval archway.
It wrote: “Barafundle Bay feels hidden even when people talk about it.
“Reached only by a clifftop walk along the Pembrokeshire coast, this crescent of pale sand sits tucked between limestone cliffs with nothing built around it.
“No road, no cafés, no signal, just seabirds overhead, cold clear water below, and the kind of quiet that makes you slow down without realising it.”
And returning to the list this year was Fistral Beach in Cornwall, praised for being a “social and cultural hotspot” by being the UK’s surfing capital after hosting the first British Surfing Championships in 1966.
It added: “Facing the full force of the Atlantic, it’s where you go to chase sets, drink tea with cold hands, and feel like you’re part of something.
In Europe, Agia Anna on Naxos island in Greece was praisedCredit: GettyOne Croatia beach was listed, which was Zlatni Rat Beach on the island of BolCredit: Getty
“The beach delivers all year, with consistent swell, golden sands, and a surf scene that’s as seasoned as it is welcoming.
“From world-class comps to waist-high rollers, Fistral doesn’t need sunshine to shine — just wind, water, and the right kind of restlessness.”
Europe featured heavily on the list as well.
When it came to Greece, Agia Anna Beach in Naxos and the famous pink Elafonissi Beach in Crete made the cut, as well as Sarakiniko Beach on Milos.
For Spain, there was Aiguablava Beach, as well as Ibiza’s Casa Salada and Majorca’s Cala Mondragó.
Beaches across Italy, France and Croatia were also included, as well as other holiday spots such as Turkey, Morocco and Thailand.
Russia pounded Ukraine’s capital overnight on Saturday with drones and ballistic missiles, including a powerful hypersonic Oreshnik missile, killing at least four people and damaging residential buildings. Footage shows people sheltering underground, while firefighters work above.
ALBANIA’S capital Tirana has just been ranked the third cheapest city for a weekend break in 2026.
And when it comes to the accommodation, it pips the rest on the affordability scale.
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The hilltop town of Kruje, just a few miles outside TiranaCredit: GettyThe city’s Skanderbeg SquareCredit: Getty
But its low prices are just the start. It’s great for food, bars and quirky sightseeing . . .
WHY SHOULD I GO?
THE city is one of Europe’s most underrated destinations. It has a fascinating history, which has been marked by periods of occupation and a harsh dictatorship that lasted until the 1990s.
This has left its mark on the city skyline, which is a striking mix of brutalist, communist-era buildings and quirky architecture, including Tirana’s Rock — a 26-storey building uniquely shaped like a face.
Plus, with round-trip flights from just over £30 — and only taking three hours — and temperatures that reach 34C in summer time, visiting is a no-brainer.
THE centre is very walkable, with wide, tree-lined boulevards that criss-cross the main squares and key attractions.
For a comprehensive introduction to the city, join the on-foot Tirana Free Tour, which departs five times a day from outside the Opera House.
You will likely begin at Skanderbeg Square — the city’s main central plaza, named after Albania’s national hero.
From here, you will be within easy reach of several attractions — The National Historical Museum, Et’hem Bej Mosque and Opera House.
If you want to venture farther afield, Kruje is an historic town 12 miles north of Tirana. Buses from the main terminal cost less than £1, or you can get a taxi for around £25.
The town is home to medieval castle ruins and has a bazaar packed with beautiful Albanian rugs and cashmere, which make perfect souvenirs.
The mountain backdrop is a showstopper, too.
ANYTHING FOR THE BUCKET LIST?
A MUST-visit is the House of Leaves — former HQ of the country’s secret police.
It is now a museum exploring the extensive surveillance and spying that Albanians endured during the dictatorship.
And for cracking views, don’t miss a cable-car ride through Dajti National Park, a short taxi ride north of the city centre.
There are a wide array of activities at the top of the mountain, including mini-golf and a shooting gallery, but those seeking a more relaxing experience should visit just before sunset to witness the stunning golden hour.
For some proper R&R, head to Ritual Spa and Hammam.
A traditional byrek – filo pastry stuffed with meat or cheeseCredit: GettyTirana Skanderbeg Square from aboveCredit: Getty
Hidden behind an unassuming door on the second floor of an apartment building, the space opens up into a beautifully curated sanctuary complete with wellness areas, including a sauna, steam room and salt room.
Treatments are cheap, too, with facials from £22 and hour-long massages for under £40.
WHERE SHOULD I EAT?
ALBANIAN food is a hearty, homely blend of Mediterranean and Balkan flavours.
Oda restaurant in the Zona 1 area of the city is properly authentic, serving stuffed peppers, slow-baked lamb with yoghurt and flaky homemade pastries filled with cheese and spinach.
You can dine outdoors under the shade of pomegranate and lemon trees while a roaming folk band brings the garden to life with traditional music.
For budget-friendly bites, try the street-food stalls at the New Bazaar in the Pazari i Ri neighbourhood.
Be sure to get your hands on a byrek — a filo pastry stuffed with meat or cheese that you can pick up for less than £1.
I FANCY A DRINK…
A WANDER through the lively streets of the Blloku neighbourhood will reward visitors with stylish speakeasy-style bars.
During the dictatorship, this area was reserved for the communist elite and ordinary Albanians were not allowed to enter.
But today, it’s the epicentre of nightlife in Tirana — and everyone is welcome.
Start at Mugo, a chic bar with a low-lit, leafy garden, serving cocktails dressed with sugared fruit and edible flowers, all for under £10. Nunu, just across the road, is equally indulgent.
Then continue along Pjeter Bogdani Street for a ready-made bar crawl, where casual drinking spots spill out on to the pavement and pints come in at under £4.
For a proper Albanian night out, head to Ava Club, where DJs mix Balkan tracks with electronic beats and crowds whip white handkerchiefs through the air — a lively tradition that gets the whole place buzzing.
WHERE SHOULD I STAY?
FOR a central base, stay in the Tregu Cam district, or Blloku if you want somewhere a bit livelier. Budget, mid-range and boutique options are available in both districts.
But for something basic yet reliable and very well located, look to the Tirana International Hotel, which has affordable rooms, an on-site casino, two restaurants and a bar.
GO: TIRANA
GETTING THERE: Wizz Air flies from London Luton to Tirana from £31.80 return. See wizzair.com.
STAYING THERE: The 4H Tirana International Hotel has double and twin rooms from around £80 per night on a B&B basis. See tiranainternational.com.
Tragic flooding has swept through communities in Douala, Cameroon’s economic capital. On Monday, May 18, the disastrous incident caused a five-year-old child to drown as heavy torrential rains led to severe flooding in the country’s economic hub.
The child was swept away in the Banya-Sable area, located in Douala’s 5th district.
“Trapped by the rapidly rising waters, the child was carried off by a strong current. The body was recovered a short time later and taken by the parents to the Ad Lucem hospital, where the death was confirmed,” said Nana Paul Sabin, an eyewitness.
The flooding affected the 5th, 4th, 3rd, and 2nd administrative districts, as well as residential and administrative areas such as Bonapriso and Bonanjo in Douala’s 1st district.
“The floods caused significant disruptions and blockages in traffic, and in certain locations, the water levels rose alarmingly due to drainage issues,” a resident from Douala’s 3rd district stated.
In response, the Douala Urban Council issued a statement urging residents to exercise caution in their daily activities. The council advised individuals in high-risk areas to limit non-essential travel, avoid flood currents, stay clear of unstable structures, and be especially vigilant with children.
“The Douala Urban Council also emphasises the importance of keeping drainage pathways clear and encourages civic responsibility to help preserve lives,” the communiqué read.
It also noted that technical teams have been deployed to address the aftermath of the heavy rainfall.
“Let us stay alert, united, and responsible,” the statement concluded.
Severe flooding in Douala, Cameroon’s economic capital, resulted in the tragic drowning of a five-year-old. Heavy torrential rains led to significant inundation across multiple districts, causing traffic disruptions and raising concerns over drainage systems.
The Douala Urban Council has advised caution, urging residents to avoid floodwaters and unstable structures, particularly in high-risk areas. Efforts are underway with technical teams addressing the flooding aftermath while emphasizing civic responsibility to maintain drainage paths and enhance safety.
A federal judge has ordered the Trump administration to bring a Colombian woman back to the U.S. from Congo, after she was deported to the African nation that had refused to accept her.
The deportation of Adriana Maria Quiroz Zapata “was likely illegal,” U.S. District Judge Richard J. Leon ruled Wednesday.
Zapata, 55, who has diabetes and a thyroid condition, “has been sent to a country that refused to accept her because they cannot provide sufficient medical care,” the ruling said. “As a result, she faces a daily risk of medical complications, up to and including death.”
Black spots began to grow on Zapata’s back and foot while she was in detention, her skin started to peel and her nails blackened, according to a declaration that Zapata submitted in court, and which was provided to the AP by her lawyer.
“She’s not doing well and does worry that she’s going to die,” her lawyer, Lauren O’Neal, said.
Zapata entered the U.S. from Mexico in August 2024 and was taken into Immigration and Customs Enforcement custody. Since being deported, she has lived in a hotel in Kinshasa, Congo’s capital. The hotel gates are locked, O’Neal said. Zapata and other deportees are rarely allowed out, and only with supervision, she said.
Zapata was among thousands of immigrants living legally in the U.S., waiting for rulings on asylum claims, when they were suddenly issued deportation decrees that ordered them expelled to countries where most had no connections.
More than 15,000 third-country deportation orders were issued in the White House push for ever more immigrant expulsions, advocacy groups say, though only a fraction of the orders have been carried out.
Few details are known about the agreements to accept these deportees, though the U.S. has signed them with a range of countries, including Ecuador, Honduras, Uganda, Cameroon and Congo. Advocacy groups estimate only a couple of hundred third-country deportations, at most, have been carried out.
Despite U.S. President Donald Trump’s public expectations that incoming Federal Reserve Chair Kevin Warsh will cut interest rates, one investment expert believes the central bank may actually be forced to move in the opposite direction.
Renewed clashes between rival gangs in Port-au-Prince have forced hundreds to flee their homes, forcing some families to the streets. Gang violence has now displaced more than 1.4 million people across Haiti. Gangs control an estimated 90% of the capital after the former president was assassinated in his home in 2021.
SUN, sea, sand and an Irish bar – it sounds like a dream and less of a reality to most of us living in the UK.
But for Sean and Aine Rice, this is actually the case, and the two are set to star in an upcoming episode of Channel 4‘s Escape to Florida.
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Sean and Aine Rice made the moved from Northern Ireland to FloridaCredit: Sean and Aine RiceThey’ve turned their home into a mini-resortCredit: Sean and Aine Rice
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When it comes to swapping life in the UK for a sun-soaked destination, it seems that most nowadays are heading to the likes of Portugal or far-flung Australia.
But Sean and Aine Rice who are from Northern Ireland, headed the other way across the Atlantic and settled in the USA.
The couple first called New York their home, but in the year 2000 moved to the ‘Sunshine State’ where they settled in Brandon near Tampa before heading to Apollo Beach.
Talking to Sun Travel, Sean revealed just why he loves Florida so much and reveals that of course, the weather plays a big part in it.
He said: “Any day in the year is good day in Florida, we get great weather throughout the year.
“Even when the extreme heat arrives, Florida is catered for it, so you suffer from the humidity too much.”
Their Apollo Beach home has an outdoor kitchen and boat dockCredit: Sean and Aine Rice
Sean has lived in the States for 40 years, and Aine for 27 – together they share two sons and a two-year-old granddaughter.
Both confess that moving to Florida might be a little different now from when they bought their Floridan family home 26 years ago.
Sean told us: “It was extremely cheap back then, you certainly got a lot more house for your buck back in the day.
“Our first house was around £125,000, and it’s around doubled or tripled in price now.”
Inside the couple can still enjoy the sunny viewsCredit: Sean and Aine Rice
The couple now live in Apollo Beach which is south of Tampa and is referred to as a ‘boater’s paradise’.
It has over 55 miles of canals and direct access to Tampa Bay with plenty of wildlife swimming around the bay like dolphins and manatees.
There are some disadvantages to life in Florida though as Sean and Aine found in 2024 when their home was severely flooded by Hurricane Helene.
But the couple took repairing their house in their stride and have completely transformed it.
Outdoor living and being on the water is a huge bonus to living in FloridaCredit: Sean and Aine Rice
Sean told us: “Home is what you make it, and we turned ours into a mini resort.
“Originally it was a 1,700 square foot house with over 200 feet of water front and we’ve really modernised it.
“We’ve got our own dock, an outdoor shower, a driving range, putting green, space for our kayaks, we have an outdoor kitchen, and we plan on putting a sauna out there too.
“It’s somewhere you can hang out and relax, and there are palm trees that keep you out of the sun.
“We want to enjoy all the elements and the only time we really have to leave is to go shopping – it’s pretty cool.”
As for work, the pair run the Salty Shamrock, an Irish pub in the heart of Apollo Beach.
The pair live down the road from Tampa and two-hours from the Orlando theme parksCredit: Alamy
It serves up classic American meals as well as Irish classics like chicken pot pie, sausage and mash and seaside favourite, fish and chips.
The pub hosts live events and celebrate St Patrick’s Day when it comes around in March.
There’s plenty to do as well, especially when it comes to daytrip.
He said: “When we can, we like to jump on the boat to Fort Myers, have lunch, a few drinks – I’m an avid golfer and there are hundreds of golf courses in Florida.
“I love old Florida too which are the swamps and the everglades with the alligators out there.
“We’re also two hours from Orlando where the theme parks are, and we’re close to Tampa – there’s lots more to do there now especially when it comes to the food scene.
“But mostly, I love to fish on the water.”
Aine agreed adding: “There’s always something to do here, especially if you’re an outdoorsy person from fishing to boating, exploring the state parks or playing sports – I love pickleball at the moment.”
Now they have an outdoor shower and are planning to add a saunaCredit: Sean and Aine Rice
She continued: “I never feel guilty about being indoors when the sun is out like I did in Ireland – there’s a real urge to be outside and I enjoy it very much.”
The couple return to Northern Ireland multiple times a year, so what do they miss the most about their home country?
Aine said: “I miss family and a sense of community because that’s what I feel is missing in Florida, which is why we’ve created that with our bar.”
Sean added: “The people – Irish people are unique, when tourists ask me about Ireland, I say rent a car, get lost and talk to everyone.
“We travel a lot, but I’ve never experienced any place quite like Ireland. I love the coast of Donegal and how rural it all is and that it hasn’t been commercialised.
“I always look forward to going back.”
For keen golfer Sean, there’s also a putting greenCredit: Sean and Aine Rice
For anyone keen to make the move from the UK to the US, Sean has some advice to pass on.
He said: “Florida is a great place to live, as long as you do your homework.
“I’d say to come here, you do need some sort of career in mind, or get transferred with a sister company. For someone to come out and just ‘wing it’, it would be a huge uphill battle
“It can be quite the culture shock too in the likes of Apollo Beach – it’s much less fast-paced than New York or London.
“Remember that you don’t get things like free health care, and schools are very different from the UK too.
“And down in Florida, we have a lot of Spanish and Cuban neighbours, so I’d encourage anyone moving here to try and learn Spanish – although I’ve never have.
“Life in Florida has its ups and downs of course, but I’d recommend it to this day.”
Jamaat Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM) and Tuareg separatists continue their attacks against Mali’s military government.
By Al Jazeera Staff and News Agencies
Published On 1 May 20261 May 2026
Al-Qaeda-linked rebel fighters have reportedly set up checkpoints around Mali’s capital, Bamako, and seized the town of Tessalit in the north.
Reuters reported on Friday that Jamaat Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM) has called on Malians to rise up to “bring down the junta”, and adopt Islamic law.
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The latest developments come days after a series of attacks by JNIM and Tuareg separatists from the Azawad Liberation Front (FLA) resulted in the killing of the country’s defence minister, Sadio Camara.
Videos shared on social media by local accounts on Friday show armed fighters inside the Amachach base in Tessalit, with several military vehicles seen driving around.
Video verified by Reuters shows fighters driving through the town and raising the FLA flag.
Media outlets close to the Azawad armed movement, which seeks the independence of northern Mali, said the scenes show fighters in control of the base following the withdrawal of elements of the army and Russia’s African Corps, according to their description.
Russia is the principal foreign backer of Mali’s military-run government.
JNIM said on Thursday that it had captured the base of Hombori in central Mali and taken over two checkpoints near Bamako, after earlier threatening to completely besiege the city.
Russia’s African Corps said in a statement that the JNIM statement about the abandonment of the Hombori base was “not true”.
It said that its helicopters delivered ammunition and other items to Malian military personnel at a base in Hombori on Thursday, “after which soldiers of the Malian Armed Forces injured in battles with terrorists were evacuated”.
It noted that JNIM and AFL “continue to regroup, conduct reconnaissance of the bases of the units of the African Corps of the Russian Armed Forces and the Malian Army, and propaganda work is actively underway aimed at reducing the morale of the Malian Army”.
Al Jazeera’s Nicolas Haque, reporting from Dakar in Senegal, reports that the absence of a response from the Malian military to the rebel advances is surprising, and that four major military camps in the north of the country are now in the hands of armed groups.
“That’s a big development,” Haque said. “It seems that Malian forces are not even putting up a fight up north.”
Mali’s military leaders seized power in coups in 2020 and 2021, with a brief period of civilian rule in between. Official authorities are yet to issue a statement on the latest reports at the time of writing.
WE ARE just six weeks away from the start of the World Cup and the UK’s capital is getting THREE fan attractions for watching the matches.
Launching across three London venues, Kick Off Club will open three new World Cup fanzones.
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Kick Off Club will have three fanzones across LondonCredit: Kick off club
Follow The Sun’s award-winning travel team on Instagram and Tiktok for top holiday tips and inspiration @thesuntravel.
One will be at the Outernet on Tottenham Court Road, another will be at Electric Brixton in South London and the third will be at Colour Factory in Hackney Wick.
Each fanzone won’t have food for sale, but you will be able to get drinks, including drinks packages.
Outernet fanzone
At the Outernet fanzone, fans will find London’s largest indoor screen.
Japan reemerges as global finance hub amid reforms, rising yields.
Japan is reasserting itself in global finance, shedding its long-standing image as a passive anchor of ultra-low rates. Nowadays, it’s moving back toward the center of international capital flows.
Three reinforcing dynamics are driving this transition: monetary normalization, sustained corporate governance reform and a renewed wave of foreign investor interest.
The gradual end of negative yields marks a structural turning point. As the gap between Japanese and US interest rates narrows, yields on long-term Japanese Government Bonds (JGBs) are rising. This is prompting a recalibration of global asset allocation strategies. This evolution is occurring alongside a broader regional reassessment, as geopolitical uncertainty encourages investors to rebalance exposure across Asia.
At the same time, reforms led by the Tokyo Stock Exchange are reshaping corporate behavior. A stronger emphasis on capital efficiency, shareholder returns and transparency has supported equity market performance and attracted nonresident inflows. Analysts expect fiscal support and a moderately reflationary environment to underpin earnings growth through 2026.
An On-The-Ground View
“The reforms have certainly been successful, but Japan’s political stability and robust regulations are also drawing attention to Tokyo,” says Tokio Morita, Executive Director of FinCity.Tokyo.
Morita notes growing interest in programs that help asset managers and fintech firms establish local operations, as well as initiatives that have supported around 15 foreign entrants and improved global communications between more than 60 Japanese firms and overseas investors.
This renewed momentum comes amid a fragile global backdrop. Total global debt reached $348 trillion in 2025. Yet, Japan’s debt-to-GDP ratio has edged down modestly relative to peers, even as headline public debt remains elevated. Emerging markets, by contrast, face more than $9 trillion in refinancing needs in 2026. This reinforces Japan’s role as a comparatively stable capital provider. As major central banks, including the Fed and the ECB, move deeper into easing cycles, Japan’s more differentiated policy path underscores its re-emergence as an independent force.
Tokyo is once again positioning itself as a market global investors cannot afford to overlook.
Weekly insights and analysis on the latest developments in military technology, strategy, and foreign policy.
The U.S. Air Force has shared new details about how it will modify a subset of HH-60W Jolly Green II combat search and rescue (CSAR) helicopters to perform the so-called Air Force District of Washington (AFDW) mission set. AFDW HH-60Ws will be tasked with ferrying VIPs around the nation’s capital, as well as supporting continuity of government plans. In the latter role, the Jolly Green IIs will be poised to spirit senior U.S. officials and lawmakers to safety at a moment’s notice to ensure the federal government can continue to function even in the event of an attack or a similarly serious contingency. HH-60Ws were just in the news recently in relation to their primary CSAR mission, having taken part in efforts to rescue the crew of an F-15E Strike Eagle shot down in Iran.
The Air Force currently uses a fleet of aging UH-1N Twin Huey helicopters based at Andrews Air Force Base (technically now part of Joint Base Andrews) to perform AFDW missions. The service had initially planned to replace them with new MH-139A Grey Wolf helicopters, but revealed last year it was considering using HH-60Ws for this role instead. The Air Force’s proposed budget for the 2027 Fiscal Year, which was rolled out earlier this week, confirms that it is officially moving ahead with plans to supplant the UH-1Ns at Andrews with Jolly Green IIs. The service is still procuring and fielding MH-139s, primarily to help provide security around Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) silos.
A stock picture of UH-1N Twin Hueys assigned to the 1st Helicopter Squadron at Andrews Air Force Base. USAFOne of the US Air Force’s new MH-139A Grey Wolf helicopters. One of the service’s UH-1Ns in a configuration used to provide security around ICBM silos is seen in the background. USAF The first AFGSC MH-139A at Malmstrom Air Force Base in Montana, with a UH-1N seen flying in the background. USAF
“26 HH-60Ws will replace the UH-1Ns at Air Force District Washington (AFDW) to execute continuity of operations / continuity of government missions in the National Capital Region,” according to the Air Force budget documents. The term National Capital Region (NCR) refers to a larger area that surrounds Washington, D.C., proper.
The baseline HH-60W is a member of the extended H-60/S-70 Black Hawk family produced by Sikorsky, now a wholly-owned subsidiary of Lockheed Martin. The Jolly Green II has a number of distinct features in line with its primary CSAR mission, including a nose-mounted radar, an in-flight refueling probe, and a main cabin with a configuration optimized for the recovery of personnel, including individuals who may be injured. It also has provisions for mounted machine guns for self-defense, as well as launchers for decoy flares and chaff. The first HH-60Ws began entering Air Force service in 2022.
Up close with the HH-60W Combat Rescue Helicopter at Nellis AFB for The War Zone.
The AFDW “modifications include possible removal of components including, but not limited to, the following: Rescue Team Seat, Isolated Personnel Litter, Gun System, Chaff/Flare Buckets, and Doors/Floor Armor,” per the Air Force’s latest budget request. “In addition, this effort may include, but not limited to, the following modifications to the baseline HH-60W: ARC 210 Gen 6 radios, Infrared Countermeasure (IRCM) system, and alternate seating arrangement.”
Mention here of an IRCM system is worth highlighting. The integration of a built-in infrared countermeasure system onto the HH-60W, in general, has been a particular point of interest for the Air Force for years now. Various IRCM system designs are available on the open market today, all of which are intended to provide added protection against heat-seeking anti-air missiles. For helicopters, these systems provide a particularly valuable extra layer of defense against threats posed by shoulder-fired surface-to-air missiles, also known as man-portable air defense systems (MANPADS).
As TWZ has pointed out in the past, it has also been curious that HH-60Ws did not come with an IRCM capability from the start, given the explicit dangers the helicopters have been expected to face when performing CSAR missions. The AN/AAQ-45 system was even previously integrated into the Air Force’s older HH-60G Pave Hawks, which the Jolly Green IIs are replacing.
Wild footage from a USAF C-130 fueling two helicopters over Iran shared by telegram channels. The cars & the dialect are Iranian and from southwest. pic.twitter.com/K9cufOOY26
A separate Air Force contracting notice put out earlier this month also provides additional details about the planned AFDW cabin configuration for the HH-60W.
“The AF [Air Force] will remove several components from the baseline 60W to allow for the installation of passenger seats for AFDW. Seating is required for 11 passengers,” that notice explains. “Seating must meet applicable crash and safety requirements including emergency egress.”
The “reconfiguration of [the] interior layout to accommodate [the] seating” will also be done in a way that allows for “preserving critical CSAR equipment (rescue hoist, defensive weapons, medical stations)” that the helicopters will still need for their new role.
Graphics depicting how the HH-60W’s cabin can be configured now for CSAR missions. Lockheed Martin
Just in terms of general speed, range, and payload capacity, the HH-60W will offer a major boost in capability over the UH-1Ns that perform AFDW missions today. The Jolly Green IIs also offer advantages in this regard over the smaller and lighter MH-139s.
In addition, the Air Force has not indicated any plans to eliminate the HH-60W’s aerial refueling capability as part of the AFDW modifications. Neither the UH-1N nor the MH-139 is capable of being refueled in flight.
Combat Rescue Helicopter Successfully Executes Major Test Milestone: Aerial Refueling
All of this could be particularly valuable during continuity of government taskings in the very busy and otherwise complex skies over the NCR. The airspace around Washington, D.C., is also the most densely defended and heavily monitored anywhere in the United States. This was all highlighted in the fatal mid-air collision involving an Army UH-60 Black Hawk and a PSA Airlines Bombardier CRJ700 regional jet in January 2025. The Black Hawk, assigned to a unit at Davison Army Airfield in Virginia, had been conducting a continuity of government training flight.
The flights could come at any time, including in the dead of night, and, depending on the circumstances, might face a host of other complex environmental factors and other challenging conditions. Power outages could put additional emphasis on the need to use night vision goggles, which impose limits on situational awareness. Attacks involving nuclear, chemical, or biological weapons would prompt the need to wear other bulky protective gear. In the outright rush to evacuate key personnel, the airspace would be filled with large numbers of aircraft, as highlighted by large COG exercises the 12th Aviation Battalion regularly conducts involving dozens of its helicopters.
As is made clear here, Air Force HH-60Ws would not be the only helicopters zooming around the NCR during a continuity of government scenario, either. Marine Helicopter Squadron One (HMX-1), best known for operating helicopters in the Marine One role, would also be involved. Helicopters belonging to the U.S. Park Police, as well as various other law enforcement and civilian agencies, would also have a role to play. You can read more about this here.
Military and police helicopters land at the US Capitol this evening.
As mentioned earlier, the AFDW mission set also includes performing more routine VIP airlift sorties on a daily basis.
There is a question of what modifying 26 HH-60Ws for the AFDW role might mean for the operational capacity of the rest of the CSAR-focused fleet. The Air Force’s 2027 Fiscal Year budget request does not show any plans to procure additional Jolly Green IIs to meet this new need in the nation’s capital. Years ago, the service already made the decision to scale back purchases of HH-60Ws, down from an original program of record for 113 of the helicopters. The total planned fleet size now looks to be 91, per the recently released budget documents. Without the acquisition of more Jolly Green IIs, this would mean that roughly 30 percent of the entire fleet is set to be re-roled away from the dedicated CSAR mission.
“It is more cost effective to modify previously procured HH-60Ws contained in back up inventory than to procure additional MH-139A aircraft,” an Air Force spokesperson had told Air & Space Forces Magazine last year when asked about the Air Force’s evolving plans for the AFDW mission set.
As it stands now, per the service’s latest budget request, the Air Force is looking to kick off formal development of the AFDW configuration for the HH-60W in Fiscal Year 2027, which begins on October 1 of this year. The goal is then to start refitting Jolly Green IIs for this role in the 2028 Fiscal Year.
Once modified, the specifically configured HH-60Ws will then begin taking over critical AFDW missions from the aging UH-1Ns at Andrews.
WASHINGTON — The Justice Department will adopt firing squads as a permitted method of execution as the Trump administration moves to ramp up and expedite capital punishment cases, officials said Friday.
The Justice Department is also reauthorizing the use of single-drug lethal injections with pentobarbital that were used to carry out 13 executions during the first Trump administration — more than under any president in modern history. The Biden administration had removed pentobarbital from the federal protocol over concerns about the potential for unnecessary pain and suffering.
The moves were announced as part of a broader push to step up federal executions after a moratorium under the Biden administration. Only three defendants remain on federal death row after Democratic President Biden converted 37 sentences to life in prison, though the Trump administration has so far authorized seeking death sentences against 44 defendants.
“The prior administration failed in its duty to protect the American people by refusing to pursue and carry out the ultimate punishment against the most dangerous criminals, including terrorists, child murderers, and cop killers,” Acting Atty. Gen. Todd Blanche said in a statement. “Under President Trump’s leadership, the Department of Justice is once again enforcing the law and standing with victims.”
The federal government has not previously included firing squad as a method of execution in its protocols, according to the Death Penalty Information Center. Five states currently allow executions by firing squad: Idaho, Mississippi, Oklahoma, South Carolina, and Utah.
The pentobarbital protocol was adopted by William Barr, attorney general during Trump’s first term, to replace a three-drug mix used in the 2000s, the last time federal executions were carried out before Trump’s first term in office.
Atty. Gen. Merrick Garland in the final days of the Biden administration withdrew the pentobarbital lethal injection policy after a government review of scientific and medical research found there remains “significant uncertainty” about whether its use causes unnecessary pain and suffering.”
In 2020, under Barr’s leadership, the Justice Department published a rule in the Federal Register to allow the federal government to conduct executions by lethal injection or use “any other manner prescribed by the law of the state in which the sentence was imposed.”
A number of states allow other methods of execution, including electrocution and inhalation of nitrogen gas.
The Trump administration, in a report released Friday, said the Biden administration “got the standard and the science wrong.” The Biden administration’s findings, among other things, “failed to address the overwhelming evidence” that a person injected with pentobarbital “quickly loses consciousness — rendering him unable to experience pain,” the report said.
Currently on death row are are Dylann Roof, who carried out the 2015 slayings of nine Black members of Mother Emanuel AME Church in Charleston, S.C.; 2013 Boston Marathon bomber Dzhokhar Tsarnaev; and Robert Bowers, who fatally shot 11 congregants at Pittsburgh’s Tree of Life synagogue in 2018, the deadliest antisemitic attack in U.S history.
You know you’re in a city that takes its fashion seriously when even the Virgin Mary is dressed head to toe in couture. A short walk from Antwerp’s old town, with its ornate medieval guild houses and cobblestone streets, is the baroque church of St Andrews. Like many of the city’s Catholic churches, it has beautiful stained glass windows, an exuberantly carved wooden pulpit and more artworks by Flemish masters than you can shake an incense stick at. But we’re here to pay homage to an art form of a different kind.
In a quiet chapel, an elegant 16th-century wooden statue of the Madonna is clothed not in her usual blue cloak, but a dress of pale gauzy fabric, trimmed with a collar of white pigeon feathers, custom made by renowned Belgian fashion designer Ann Demeulemeester. It’s a bold statement but one that’s entirely in-keeping with a city where a love of fashion seems woven into the fabric of everyday life.
The Virgin Mary dressed by Ann Demeulemeester in St Andrew’s Church. Photograph: Joanne O’Connor
It wasn’t always so. In the 19th century this impoverished neighbourhood was known as the “parish of misery”– a reputation that endured well into the 1980s when a young designer named Dries van Noten took the plucky decision to open a shop on Nationalestraat, across the road from his grandfather’s tailor shop. Almost four decades on, the beautifully restored art nouveau building, with its curved windows, marble floor and chandeliers, is at the centre of Antwerp’s vibrant Fashion District (rebranded, presumably, because “Misery District” was a harder sell for the tourist board).
“You have to understand that there was nothing here at all before this shop opened. It changed everything,” says Yentl, a guide who is leading my daughter and I on a walk around some of the area’s key fashion sites and shopping streets.
Van Noten and Demeulemeester are both members of the “Antwerp Six” – a group of bright young graduates of the city’s Royal Academy of Fine Arts who exploded on to the international fashion scene in the late 1980s. Along with their peers, Walter van Beirendonck, Dirk Bikkembergs, Dirk van Saene and Marina Yee, they are credited with injecting new life into a fashion scene which had been dominated for decades by Paris, Milan and London.
The Antwerp Six pictured in 1987. Photograph: Philippe Costes
Their story is being told in a major new exhibition at MoMu, Antwerp’s world-class fashion museum, just a few doors along from Van Noten’s flagship store. The retrospective, which runs to January 2027, marks the 40th anniversary of the group’s first foray to London in 1986, when they piled into a rented van and caught a ferry from Ostend to show their debut collections at the British Designer Show in Olympia. The young Belgian designers won over the international fashion press and buyers alike with their talent, originality and chutzpah – creating their collections on a shoestring, often from upcycled materials, championing self-expression over marketability, hosting fashion shoots in abandoned car parks, and making their own flyers and posters.
Though it suited the foreign press to label them as the Antwerp Six (far easier than typing out all of those long Flemish names), they were never a collective and it’s gratifying to see that the exhibition has given each designer their own individually curated space. From the avant garde exuberance of Van Beirendonck’s colourful creations to the dark drama of Demeulemeester’s monochrome palette, the displays are as thought-provoking and imaginative as the clothes they showcase, combining film projections, recorded interviews, a moving conveyor belt of mannequins and an evocative soundtrack.
Ganterie Boon, which has been selling handmade gloves since 1884. Photograph: Joanne O’Connor
Emerging from the exhibition into the spring sunshine, it’s clear that the legacy of this pioneering group extended far beyond the catwalk and lives on in the city. On Nationalestraat contemporary designers rub shoulders with kilo stores where second-hand clothes are sold by weight. At Labels Inc you can browse pre-loved pieces from established Belgian designers such as Raf Simons and Martin Margiela or check out the featured collections from the city’s latest crop of fashion graduates. Nearby Kammenstraat and Steenhouwersvest are lined with vintage stores, streetwear brands and independent labels such as Arte Antwerp, which specialises in sleek, urban menswear inspired by graphic design, art and architecture. Even if you wouldn’t know a Bikkembergs bag from a Belgian waffle it’s impossible not to be inspired.
“The Antwerp Six taught people how to be entrepreneurs and to follow their inner voice,” says designer Tim van Steenbergen, who did his apprenticeship with Dries van Noten, and then went on to found the social enterprise and sustainable fashion label ReAntwerp. “They showed that if you want to do things differently, you can.”
Launched as a response to the vast amount of textile waste produced by the fashion industry, ReAntwerp sells a range of beautifully tailored, limited-edition classics, from shirts to trench coats, using leftover fabric from designers such as Van Noten and Christian Wijnants. The enterprise also provides training, employment and support to refugees, who make the clothes in the on-site atelier. “I wanted the clothes to have as much meaning and value for the people who make them as the people who buy them,” says Van Steenbergen. “We have worked with refugees from Afghanistan, Syria, Pakistan, Palestine, Brazil and Costa Rica. Our common language is textiles.”
It’s a fitting motto for a city whose wealth was built, in part, on the textile trade. In the 16th-century Antwerp was Europe’s largest river port, with cargos of English wool and Italian silks, as well as diamonds from India, spices from Portugal and sugar from the West Indies, being shipped up and down the River Scheldt. Riches from this trade were poured into the elaborate guild houses and civic buildings which surround the Grote Markt, the city’s showpiece square. The story of Antwerp’s port is told at the MAS museum, housed in a strikingly modern 10-storey building in the dockside Eilandje district. Don’t miss the panoramic views across the river and sprawling dockyards from the roof terrace, or the chance to snack on street foods from around the world at the Wolf Sharing Food Market, in an old warehouse with a waterside terrace.
The Brabo fountain and ornate guildhalls of Grote Markt, Antwerp’s main square. Photograph: Bruno Silva/Alamy
Not only was golden age Antwerp a great commercial hub, it was also an artistic and intellectual powerhouse, home to painters such as Anthony van Dyck, Pieter Bruegel the Elder, Clara Peeters and Peter Paul Rubens. You can see a collection of their works at the Royal Museum of Fine Arts but nothing compares to the impact of seeing four of Rubens’ huge altarpieces, in situ, at the imposing Cathedral of Our Lady.
The artist’s house and studio are now closed for major renovation work but, after a long day’s sightseeing and shopping, it was a relief to sit quietly among the displays of tulips and spring flowers in the Italian-style formal gardens which are still open to the public. We also stumbled upon some extraordinary family portraits by Rubens at the Plantin-Moretus Museum, the former home and workplace for nine generations of a family who completely revolutionised printing. The first atlas, countless scientific books and beautifully illustrated Bibles passed through the wooden printing presses here, some of which date back to the 1600s. With its dark panelled walls, leaded windows and creaking floorboards, it’s an atmospheric and fascinating place, where time seems to have stood still.
There’s just time for one last bolleke beer and a shrimp croquette in the sun-trap square next to our hotel, the charming Hotel t’Sandt, before we have to check out and hop on the tram to Antwerp’s central station for the 45 minute train ride to Brussels, where we’ll catch our Eurostar train home. The hotel, which is in a beautifully restored 17th-century mansion with polished wooden floors, a spiral staircase and beamed ceilings, has lived through many previous incarnations: banana warehouse, custom house, soap factory and sculptor’s studio. Today it makes a perfect base for exploring the city; friendly, stylish and wears its history well … much like Antwerp itself.
The Antwerp Six exhibition runs at MoMu until 17 January 2027. Admission is €13 per adult and free for under-18s. The trip was provided by Visit Antwerp. Double rooms at the Hotel ’t Sandt start from €217 a night
