United States President Donald Trump has drawn mockery after he complimented the president of Liberia for speaking English “beautifully”, even though it is the country’s official language.
“Such good English, where did you learn to speak so beautifully?” Trump asked Joseph Boakai during a meeting with five African leaders at the White House on Wednesday.
“In Liberia?” Trump asked. Boakai seemed to chuckle before responding: “Yes sir.”
Alex Vines, head of the Africa Programme at the London think tank, Chatham House, told Al Jazeera: “President Trump’s limited knowledge of Africa was on show with his comment on President Boakai’s quality of English.”
Liberia was founded in 1822 as a colony for freed Black American slaves as white Americans sought to address what they saw as a problem – the presence of Black people in the United States once slavery ended.
Here is a potted history of the African nation:
Where is Liberia and how populous is it?
The country of five million people is located on the Western African coast and is bounded by Sierra Leone to the northwest, Guinea to the north, Ivory Coast to the east and the Atlantic Ocean to the south and west.
Liberia was founded in 1822 and became a republic in 1847. It is now Africa’s oldest republic and is seen by many as a symbol of African self-determination. Along with Ethiopia, it is the only African nation that was never colonised during Europe’s scramble for the continent.
There are officially 16 ethnic groups that make up Liberia’s Indigenous African population, with the largest being the Kpelle.
(Al Jazeera)
How, why and when was Liberia founded?
As the abolitionist movement against slavery gained ground in the US in 1822, a group of 86 formerly enslaved people arrived in Liberia’s present-day capital, Monrovia, the country’s largest port.
Jehudi Ashmun, a white American, was leading efforts by the American Colonization Society (ACS) to resettle free people of colour in Africa. While some chose to emigrate willingly, the organisation is known to have pressured or coerced others into relocating.
ACS was established by white Americans who believed that the presence of free Blacks in America posed a threat to the nation, as they might incite those who remained in slavery to rebel. Some also believed in the “inferiority” of Black people and thought them unable to achieve equality in American society. The organisation’s goal was, therefore, to establish a colony in West Africa that would take them in.
Liberia was proclaimed an independent republic in 1847, becoming the first African republic to achieve such status and be recognised by Western nations. Joseph Jenkins Roberts, an African American who had emigrated to Liberia in 1829 and become a politician, was elected the first president of the new country.
JJ Roberts, President of Liberia, 1847 [Library of Congress/Corbis/VCG via Getty Images]
While Indigenous leaders resisted American attempts to purchase land, the newborn country was created after a US Navy officer coerced a local ruler to sell a strip of land to ACS. Its capital was named Monrovia after the US’s fifth president, James Monroe, who had procured government money for the project.
It is estimated that, in total, about 12,000 formerly enslaved Black Americans immigrated to Liberia between 1820 and 1861.
Who makes up the population?
African Americans and their descendants, known as Americo-Liberians, dominated the government of Liberia thanks to their ties with the US government, through which they were able to conduct trade, until a military coup ended their influence in 1980.
Despite being a minority of about 5 percent of the total population in Liberia, from the start of the republic, they mostly excluded the Indigenous African population from any meaningful participation in the political life of the country.
Indigenous people who had migrated from western Sudan in the late Middle Ages constitute a majority of the population. A smaller portion also migrated from neighbouring western African states during the anti-slave-trade campaign and European colonial rule in the 1800s.
In more recent years, it has opened its doors to refugees from neighbouring countries, especially from the Ivory Coast, where civil war broke out in 2002 and 2011.
What is the official language of Liberia?
English is Liberia’s official language, though more than two dozen Indigenous languages are spoken there as well.
Americo-Liberians, who dominated political power until the military coup in 1980, imposed English as the commonly spoken language when they founded the republic in 1847.
Other languages spoken by Liberia’s Indigenous ethnic groups fall under three main groups, all belonging to the Niger-Congo language family: the Mande, Kwa and Mel languages.
A member of a burial team holds bullet casings and a bullet while searching to exhume the remains of former Liberian President William R Tolbert, assassinated during a coup in 1980, and those of 13 officials from his government, in Monrovia, Liberia, on February 20, 2025 [Carielle Doe/Reuters]
What caused the civil wars in Liberia?
Liberia has endured two major civil wars in more recent decades. The country’s conflicts were deeply rooted in ethnic divisions.
Samuel Doe, a member of the Indigenous Krahn ethnic group, led a military coup in 1980, which overthrew the Americo-Liberian government and put an end to its political dominance marked by ethnic inequalities. Liberian President William R Tolbert was assassinated during the coup.
However, Doe ushered in a period of authoritarianism and human rights abuses that led to the First and Second Liberian Civil Wars.
The first war erupted in 1989, when Charles Taylor, a descendant of freed American slaves, launched an armed rebellion against Doe, which killed more than 200,000 people and displaced millions.
A second war broke out in 1999 when a rebel group, Liberians United for Reconciliation and Democracy (LURD), began a military offensive to topple Taylor’s government with the support of neighbouring Guinea.
The conflict spilled over into Guinea and Sierra Leone but subsided in 2003 with the intervention of international peacekeeping forces and Taylor’s resignation and exile.
Taylor was accused of human rights violations and indicted by a United Nations-sponsored war-crimes tribunal in 2003. He received a sentence of 50 years in prison.
What is the situation now?
Liberia has mostly experienced political stability since the second civil war ended. It held democratic elections in 2017, marking the first peaceful transfer of power since 1944.
Boakai was elected president in 2023 with 50.64 percent of the vote for a six-year term, defeating former international football star George Weah.
Vines, from Chatham House, said: “Ethnicity is less important in Liberia today and Americo-Liberians are a lot less dominant.”
“Liberians still perceive close ties with the US,” especially because of deep connections with many Green Card holders, Vines said, but the significant cut of USAID funding to the African continent earlier this year came as a shock.
During Wednesday’s White House meeting with Trump, Boakai described Liberia as “a longtime friend of the United States”.
“We believe in your policy of making America great again,” he told Trump at the meeting before advocating for US investment in his country. “We just want to thank you so much for this opportunity.”
People wait to vote at a polling station during the presidential and parliamentary elections in Monrovia, the capital of Liberia, on October 10, 2023 [Harry Browne/Anadolu via Getty Images]
Why did Trump meet the leaders of Liberia and other West African nations?
The five countries whose leaders met Trump – namely Liberia, Gabon, Guinea-Bissau, Mauritania and Senegal – possess untapped natural resources, including rare earth minerals. The US president saluted them as “very vibrant places with very valuable land, great minerals, great oil deposits and wonderful people”.
Vines said Boakai’s presence at the White House was “opportunistic”, as the Liberian president was already on a trip to the US, rather than a reflection of deep historical ties between the two nations.
Africa has become a battleground for global influence in the US-China geopolitical rivalry, but Trump is known for his apparently dismissive remarks about the continent.
During his first term as president, Trump caused outrage after criticising immigration to his country from El Salvador, Haiti and the African continent, which he reportedly dubbed “s***hole countries”.
The current Trump administration is also known to be seeking to deport people who have outstayed their visas or are otherwise in the US illegally to West African countries willing to receive them.
According to some media reports, a plan was presented at Wednesday’s meeting, but it remains unclear what Trump offered in exchange and whether any leaders were willing to accept his offer.
Liberians are expressing confusion and anger after United States President Donald Trump praised the English skills of their country’s President Joseph Boakai.
“Such good English,” Trump said to Boakai at the White House on Wednesday, with visible surprise. “Such beautiful English.”
English has been the West African nation’s official language since the 1800s. But Trump did not stop there.
“Where did you learn to speak so beautifully?” he continued, as Boakai murmured a response. “Where were you educated? Where? In Liberia?”
The exchange took place during a meeting in the White House between Trump and five West African leaders, amid a pivot from aid to trade in US foreign policy.
Liberia has had deep ties with Washington for centuries, stemming from the drive to relocate freed slaves from the US.
Foday Massaquio, chairman of the opposition Congress for Democratic Change-Council of Patriots, said that while the remarks were typical of Trump’s engagement with foreign leaders, what some saw as a condescending tone was amplified by the fact that the leaders were African.
“As a matter of fact, it also proves that the West is not taking us seriously as Africans,” he said. “President Trump was condescending; he was very disrespectful to the African leader.”
Kula Fofana, spokesperson for Boakai’s office, told the Associated Press news agency: “I believe that as journalists, it is important to focus on the substantive discussions at the summit.”
“We find it a good thing that President Trump is commending our president for his way of speaking and the clarity he provided during the meeting,” she added. “However, we look forward to achieving the substantive request specifically engaging in a stronger bilateral relationship with the United States.”
Sara Beysolow Nyanti, Liberia’s foreign minister, said on X that “President Trump’s comment on Boakai’s ‘beautiful English’ simply acknowledged Liberia’s familiar American-rooted accent and no offence was taken”.
“Our linguistic heritage is deeply American‑influenced, & this was simply recognised by Donald Trump. We remain committed to strengthening Liberia‑US ties, built on mutual respect, shared values, and meaningful partnership,” the minister said.
US President Donald Trump participates in a multilateral lunch with visiting African Leaders in the State Dining Room of the White House in Washington, DC, the US on July 9, 2025 [AFP]
Close relationship in the past
But for others, Trump’s comments added to the sense of betrayal that became palpable in Liberia in recent months.
Earlier this month, the Trump administration dissolved the US Agency for International Development (USAID) and said it was no longer following what it called “a charity-based foreign aid model”.
That decision sent shock waves across Liberia, where US support made up almost 2.6 percent of the gross national income, the highest percentage anywhere in the world, according to the Center for Global Development.
Liberians thought they would be spared from Trump’s cuts because of the countries’ close relationship. Their political system is modelled on that of the US, along with its flag. Liberians often refer to the US as their “big brother”.
Liberia was one of the first countries to receive USAID support, starting in 1961. Its street signs, taxis and school buses resemble those in New York.
“Liberia is a longstanding friend of the USA, therefore Trump should have understood that we speak English as an official language,” said Moses Dennis, 37, a businessman from Monrovia. He added that Boakai did not go to Washington for “an English-speaking competition”.
The Liberian flag, above, is modelled on the US flag [File: Luc Gnago/Reuters[
‘Condescending and ridiculing’
Dennis’s views were echoed by Siokin Civicus Barsi-Giah, a close associate of Liberia’s former President George Weah.
“Liberia is an English-speaking country,” he said. “Former slaves and slave owners decided to organise themselves to let go of many people who were in slavery in the United States of America, and they landed on these shores now called the Republic of Liberia.”
For him, the exchange was “condescending and ridiculing”.
“Joseph Boakai was not praised. He was mocked by the greatest president in the world, who is leading the greatest country in the world,” he said.
Some, however, said that given Trump’s style, Wednesday’s remarks were meant as praise.
“To some, the comment may carry a whiff of condescension, echoing a longstanding Western tendency to express surprise when African leaders display intellectual fluency,” said Abraham Julian Wennah, director of research at the African Methodist Episcopal University. “In postcolonial contexts, language has long been weaponised to question legitimacy and competence.”
But if one looks at “Trump’s rhetorical style”, the remarks were “an acknowledgment of Boakai’s polish, intellect and readiness for global engagement”, Wennah added.
Cost-cutting measures at ITV have resulted in a huge change for its daytime scheduling as 220 jobs are at risk and hit shows and presenters are facing a major shakeup
23:49, 08 Jul 2025Updated 23:56, 08 Jul 2025
Richard Arnold’s future at ITV has been revealed
ITV is set to make a huge change to their daytime scheduling, with jobs being put at risk – however, one star is reportedly safe from the cuts. The big changes have left staff, as well as viewers, unsure of what the future holds for their favourites on the channel.
They have decided to overhaul Loose Women and Lorraine as part of new cost-saving measures. From 2026, Lorraine Kelly’s morning programme will be shortened to a 30-minute slot, airing from 9.30am to 10am instead of its current hour-long format. It will also only be broadcast for 30 weeks out of the year, meaning the stand-in hosts who currently replace Lorraine when she is on holiday will be out of a job. Loose Women is also facing significant changes, and will soon only be airing “on a seasonal basis for 30 weeks of the year” according to ITV bosses.
Richard Arnold has worked on Good Morning Britain since 2014
The risks to jobs has left some fans wondering if their favourites could be axed. Thankfully, for those who love a bit of showbiz gossip from Good Morning Britain’s guru Richard Arnold, they have nothing to worry about.
He has reportedly kept his job amid the sweeping changes at ITV as some 220 staff face redundancies. Richard has fronted the entertainment news on the ITV morning show since it launched in 2014.
According to reports, he has been told he is safe along with his team, who are known as “RAP” for Richard Arnold Producers. A source told The Sun: “Richard is one of ITV daytime’s best-loved faces never mind on GMB.
“Viewers enjoy his slots and he remains very much part of the furniture.” Richard’s Good Morning Britain co-stars Andi Peters and Jeff Brazier haven’t had as much luck, however.
The pair have been lucky enough to call flying to far-out luxury locations part of their job, yet it won’t be for much longer. They would often pop up in some far flung location, encouraging viewers to try their luck and be in with a chance of winning thousands of pounds on shows, including Lorraine, This Morning and Loose Women.
Yet, ITV will, reportedly, no longer be shelling out for presenters such as Andi and Jeff to sun themselves on sun-kissed beaches while working for the broadcaster in its latest cost-cutting exercise.
This year alone, Andi has broadcast from the Maldives, Australia, Cape Town and Florida while Jeff has jetted off to Thailand, Sri Lanka and Malta.
Kevin Lygo, Managing Director of ITV’s Media and Entertainment Division, announced the changes in May, where he had said the changes were necessary to “generate savings”.
He said: “Daytime is a really important part of what we do, and these scheduling and production changes will enable us to continue to deliver a schedule providing viewers with the news, debate and discussion they love from the presenters they know and trust as well generating savings which will allow us to reinvest across the programme budget in other genres.
“These changes also allow us to consolidate our news operations and expand our national, international and regional news output and to build upon our proud history of trusted journalism at a time when our viewers need accurate, unbiased news coverage more than ever.”
“Some staff believe Loose Women and Lorraine in particular will enter a death spiral… it’s just so sad. Just a handful of people will be working on each of those two programmes which has huge ramifications for how they are going forward.”
The Mirror has contacted ITV and Richard’s representatives for comment.
Portugal offered little resistance in Spain’s Group B opener, but Belgium proved a different challenge, twice equalising after going behind.
But each time the Red Flames responded, Spain replied instantly to restore their lead and regained complete control when Esther Gonzalez netted their third.
The rest of the game was spent largely in Belgium’s half, with Mariona Caldentey, Claudia Pina and Alexia Putellas scoring in the final half an hour to round off a successful evening for Spain in Thun.
After having 12 shots in a hard-fought first half, Montse Tome’s side stepped up a gear after the break to take their shot tally to 33.
“They have a bit of everything,” Corsie said. “They have players that are dynamic, they have players that are exceptionally talented individually, one v one.”
Their second-half performance left Belgium manager Elisabet Gunnarsdottir saying she “wanted to cry” when she entered the dressing room.
“I really believed in what we were doing and loved seeing my players give everything they had,” Gunnarsdottir said.
“They [Spain] understand the game on a different level to anything we will see at this tournament.
“They’re so good about making decisions around the box. If you give them time around the box, or give them space, they use it.”
With Patri Guijarro dominating play from the base of Spain’s midfield, and Putellas and either Aitana Bonmati or 18-year-old Vicky Lopez in front, Spain are able to camp outside the opposition’s box.
And if they fail to squeeze the ball through to one of their forward players, they are ready to have a go themselves.
“Patri underneath that midfield two, she instructed everything – I thought she was excellent,” Corsie said.
WASHINGTON — President Trump on Monday placed a 25% tax on goods imported from Japan and South Korea, citing persistent trade imbalances with the two crucial U.S. allies in Asia.
Trump provided notice of the tariffs to begin Aug. 1 by posting letters on Truth Social that were addressed to the leaders of both countries. The letters warned both countries to not retaliate by increasing their own import taxes, or else the Trump administration would further increase tariffs.
“If for any reason you decide to raise your Tariffs, then, whatever the number you choose to raise them by, will be added onto the 25% that we charge,” Trump wrote in the letters to Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba and South Korean President Lee Jae-myung.
The letters were not the final word from Trump on tariffs, so much as another episode in a global economic drama in which the U.S. president has placed himself at the center. His moves have raised fears that economic growth will slow to a muddle, if not make the U.S. and other nations more vulnerable to a recession. But Trump is confident that tariffs are necessary to bring back domestic manufacturing and fund the tax cuts he signed into law Friday.
The S&P 500 stock index was down nearly 1% in Monday afternoon trading, while the interest charged on the 10-year U.S. Treasury noted had increased to nearly 4.39%, a figure that could translate into elevated rates for mortgages and auto loans.
Trump has declared an economic emergency to unilaterally impose the taxes, suggesting they are remedies for past trade deficits even though many U.S. consumers have come to value autos, electronics and other goods from Japan and South Korea. But it’s unclear what he gains strategically against China — another stated reason for the tariffs — by challenging two crucial partners in Asia who could counter China’s economic heft.
“These tariffs may be modified, upward or downward, depending on our relationship with your Country,” Trump wrote in both letters.
Because the new tariff rates go into effect in roughly three weeks, Trump is setting up a period of possibly tempestuous talks among the U.S. and its trade partners to reach new frameworks.
Trump initially sparked hysteria in the financial markets by announcing tariff rates on dozens of countries, including 24% on Japan and 25% on South Korea. In order to calm the markets, Trump unveiled a 90-day negotiating period during which goods from most countries were taxed at a baseline 10%.
The 90-day negotiating period technically ends before Wednesday, even as multiple administration officials and Trump himself suggested the three-week period before implementation is akin to overtime for additional talks.
Administration officials have said Trump is relying on tariff revenues to help offset the tax cuts he signed into law on Friday, a move that could shift a greater share of the federal tax burden onto the middle class and poor as importers would likely pass along much of the cost of the tariffs. Trump has warned major retailers such as Walmart to simply “eat” the higher costs, instead of increasing prices in ways that could intensify inflation.
Trump’s team promised 90 deals in 90 days, but his negotiations so far have produced only two trade frameworks.
His trade framework with Vietnam was clearly designed to box out China from routing its America-bound goods through that country, by doubling the 20% tariff charged on Vietnamese imports on anything traded transnationally.
The quotas in the United Kingdom framework would spare that nation from the higher tariff rates being charged on steel, aluminum and autos, still British goods would generally face a 10% tariff.
The United States ran a $69.4-billion trade imbalance in goods with Japan in 2024 and a $66-billion imbalance with South Korea, according to the Census Bureau.
According to Trump’s letters, autos would be tariffed separately at the standard 25% worldwide, while steel and aluminum imports would be taxed 50%. The broader 25% rates on Japan and South Korea would apply to goods not already covered by the specific sectoral tariffs.
This is not the first time that Trump has tangled with Japan and South Korea on trade — and the new tariffs suggest his past deals made during his first term failed to deliver on his administration’s own hype.
In 2018 during Trump’s first term, his administration celebrated a revamped trade agreement with South Korea as a major win. And in 2019, Trump signed a limited agreement with Japan on agricultural products and digital trade that at the time he called a “huge victory for America’s farmers, ranchers and growers.”
WASHINGTON — President Trump’s decision to hike tariffs once again on some of America’s largest trading partners rattled markets on Monday, dashing hopes on Wall Street that the White House would cut any significant trade deals, as it had promised, by the middle of this week.
In a series of letters sent to foreign leaders, and promptly posted by the president to his social media platform, Trump said the new rates amount to the cost of doing business with “the extraordinary Economy of the United States, The Number One Market in the World, by far.” Under the new policy, Japan, South Korea, Malaysia and Kazakhstan will face 25% import duties starting Aug. 1, while goods from Laos and Myanmar will face a 40% tariff, according to the letters.
South Africa’s president also received a letter, stating goods from the country imported to the United States would face duties of 30%.
Markets recoiled at the news, with the Dow Jones industrial average dropping 1.4%, the Nasdaq falling 1.2% and the Standard & Poor’s 500 sinking 1.2%.
The move essentially returns U.S. tariff rates on those countries to those Trump first announced on April 2, on what he called Liberation Day, but that he ultimately abandoned over widespread Wall Street panic that began spooking the bond market.
Trump hit pause on the crisis by announcing a 90-day suspension of the higher tariff rates, a period set to expire Wednesday. But the White House press secretary, Karoline Leavitt, said Monday that Trump would extend the deadline to the end of the month.
Several senior officials in the Trump administration had promised a slew of trade deals would follow the April episode — “we’re going to run 90 deals in 90 days,” said Peter Navarro, the president’s top trade advisor. Yet the administration has failed to secure a single detailed trade deal, instead announcing three frameworks of understanding with the United Kingdom, China and Vietnam.
“The president is taking a very deliberate approach to correcting this wrong of many decades, of many past presidents — I think he should be commended for the time and the effort that he’s putting into this,” Leavitt told reporters at a press briefing.
“The fact that he has announced a framework with China, a trade deal with the U.K., a trade deal with Vietnam and many others to come in just six months is truly historic, and it’s a testament to this president and his trade team,” she added.
In his letters to foreign leaders, Trump warned that any effort by their governments to retaliate would be met with escalation.
“If for any reason you decide to raise your Tariffs, then, whatever the number you choose to raise them by, will be added onto the 25% that we charge,” he wrote.
Leavitt said more letters would be sent in the coming days. She also stated that additional trade deals could be announced soon. “We are close,” she said.
Scott Bessent, the Treasury secretary, told CNBC in an interview that his inbox was “full last night with a lot of new offers” for trade deals ahead of the now-defunct Wednesday deadline.
“We’ve had a lot of people change their tune in terms of negotiations,” Bessent said. “So it’s going to be a busy couple of days.”
The stock market reaction to Trump’s Liberation Day tariffs, which hiked rates on countries all around the world, was an historic rout, eviscerating trillions of dollars in value, with the Standard & Poor’s index bleeding 12% in just four days.
Markets recovered within weeks, after Trump reversed course, with the S&P hitting a record high on July 3.
Good Morning Britain presenter Kate Garraway left ITV viewers distracted on Friday
Good Morning Britain star Kate Garraway left fans distracted as they all said the same thing on Friday (July 4).
On today’s episode of the popular ITV programme, Kate and her co-host Rob Rinder delivered the latest news from across the UK and globally.
They provided updates from Liverpool following the tragic car crash that claimed the lives of the club’s striker, Diogo Jota, and his younger brother. They also discussed the Home Office’s new initiative aimed at safeguarding town centres from crime and anti-social behaviour.
Kate and Rob also chatted with Sophie Ellis-Bextor about her newest album, and previewed the Oasis comeback tour, which kicks off in Cardiff tonight, reports the Manchester Evening News.
Good Morning Britain viewers were left distracted on Friday (July 4)(Image: ITV)
However, several viewers found themselves distracted at the beginning of the show when they noticed that Kate was donning the same outfit that featured in a recent ITV fashion segment.
They introduced Stephanie to the catwalk, who had begun job hunting after being self-employed. She was also preparing for her stepdaughter’s wedding, and was hoping to find the perfect ensemble for the event.
Gok styled Stephanie in a matching blazer and trousers from Monsoon, adorned with a vibrant leafy print.
The £90 blazer and £80 trousers were complemented with a £49.99 Mango clutch bag, and £22 sandals from River Island.
Gok Wan hosted a fashion segment on Thursday’s This Morning(Image: ITV)
“It’s got to be about comfort, you’re going off to a wedding. You’re going to be doing everything from dancing, sitting, standing… A pyjama suit is very on trend at the moment,” Gok explained.
Kate’s outfit on GMB caught viewers’ attention this morning, sparking a flurry of social media posts as ITV fans noticed the connection.
One viewer pointed out on X (formerly Twitter): “Kate’s outfit is the one Gok dressed one of his makeover models in on This Morning yesterday!”
Another chimed in: “I’m sure Kate’s outfit was used on a makeover on #ThisMorning the other day?”
A third complimented: “That outfit really suits Kate. It’s the one from This Morning’s fashion segment yesterday.”
Good Morning Britain airs weekdays on ITV1 and ITVX at 6am
WASHINGTON — President Trump announced a trade deal with Vietnam on Wednesday that would allow U.S. goods to enter the country duty-free.
Vietnamese exports to the United States, by contrast, would face a 20% levy.
On his Truth Social platform, Trump declared the pact “a Great Deal of Cooperation between our two Countries.’’
In April, Trump announced a 46% tax on Vietnamese imports — one of his so-called reciprocal tariffs targeting dozens of countries with which the United States runs trade deficits. Trump promptly suspended the reciprocal tariffs for 90 days to allow for negotiations like the one with Vietnam. The pause expires Tuesday, but so far the Trump administration has reached a trade agreement with only one of those countries — the United Kingdom. (Trump has also reached a “framework’’ agreement with China in a separate trade dispute.)
“Vietnam has been very keen to get out from under this,’’ said Mary Lovely, senior fellow at the Peterson Institute for International Economics. “This is forcing a smaller country to eat it, basically. We can do that. It’s the big countries that everybody’s keeping their eyes on.’’ She doubts that Trump will be able to impose such a lopsided agreement on big trading partners such as the European Union and Japan.
The United States last year ran a $122-billion trade deficit with Vietnam. That was the third-biggest U.S. trade gap — the difference between the goods and services it buys from other countries and those it sells them — behind the ones with China and Mexico.
In addition to the 20% tariffs, Trump said the U.S. would impose a 40% tax on “transshipping’’ — goods from another country that stop in Vietnam on their way to the United States. Washington complains that Chinese goods have been dodging higher U.S. tariffs by transiting through Vietnam.
In May, Vietnam approved a $1.5-billion project by the Trump Organization and a local partner to build a massive golf resort complex near Hanoi, covering an area roughly the size of 336 football fields.
Vietnam was a beneficiary of American efforts to counter China’s influence. Companies looking to diversify supply chains away from China flocked to Vietnam.
In 2023, it became the only country to host both former President Joe Biden and Chinese leader Xi Jinping on state visits. That year, the U.S. upgraded Vietnam to its highest diplomatic status — comprehensive strategic partner — placing it on par with China and Russia.
Wiseman and Ghosal write for the Associated Press. Ghosal reported from Hanoi, Vietnam.
Dick Van Dyke was reportedly under the weather Saturday and couldn’t host his recurring Vandy Camp fan event with his wife at the couple’s namesake theater at Malibu High School.
Introducing herself as “not the Van Dyke you were expecting,” Arlene Silver explained, via People, that “when you’re 99½ years old, you have good days and bad days … and unfortunately, today is not a good day for him.”
Van Dyke and makeup artist Silver, who married in 2012 when he was 86 and she was 40, usually helm the celebrations together, along with their musical group the Vantastix.
Silver told the audience that she had to wear her “big girl pants and hold the reins without Dick here as the safety net.”
Fans were disappointed but undaunted as the show — described by Silver as a “whimsical, vintage circus” — did go on.
“All of the people at the event were so kind and amazing. Many had flown in from around the world and country. I did fly in from the Bay Area,” one fan, Christy Vaca, wrote on Saturday night on Facebook. “It turned into everyone sending amazing messages to Dick Van [Dyke] who was watching at home. He means so much to us all.
“It was really Heartbreaking.”
Last time we checked in with the “Mary Poppins” star, he was being rescued by neighbors during the Franklin fire, which started in Malibu in early December 2024 and burned for nine days.
“I’m out there laying on the ground trying to undo this fire hose, and the fire’s coming over the hill,” Van Dyke said a few days after the fire started. “What I did was exhaust myself. I forgot how old I am, and I realized I was crawling to get out.”
Neighbors managed to get the beloved entertainer, wife Silver and a number of their pets into a vehicle and out of danger, he said. Cat Bobo was missing, but he turned up when they returned home the next day. Thousands of people had to evacuate.
The neighbors “carried me out,” he said, “and came back and put out a little fire in the guesthouse and saved me.” Van Dyke’s home was spared. Twenty structures were destroyed and 28 were damaged in the fire, according to Cal Fire.
The Van Dykes did not evacuate a month later during the tremendously destructive Palisades fire, Silver said on social media in January.
“Keeping Dick warm and entertained has been the two things that have been my top priority, so, you know, we don’t have power […] or regular electricity, so we don’t have Wi-Fi,” she said, via Page Six. At the time of her Instagram live, they were cooking and charging their devices courtesy of her small camper-trailer.
“I don’t know of any other person of, you know, senior citizen age that would put up with this,” she added, calling her husband a “trouper.”
Former Grey’s Anatomy star Sandra Oh has opened up on the possibility of returning to the long-running medical drama
Grey’s Anatomy star Sandra Oh has shared her thoughts on a potential return to the show, and it’s not good news.
Sandra is most recognised for her role as cardiothoracic surgeon Cristina Yang in the long-running medical drama.
Cristina was part of the original group of interns, alongside Meredith Grey (Ellen Pompeo), Alex Karev (Justin Chambers), Izzie Stevens (Katherine Heigl), and George O’Malley (TR Knight).
During her tenure on the show, Cristina was at the centre of numerous high-profile storylines.
Her relationship with Preston Burke (Isaiah Washington) notably concluded on their wedding day in the third series, she was left shaken following the hospital shooting at the end of the sixth series, and was aboard the plane that crashed in the eighth series, reports the Mirror US.
Sandra Oh played Cristina Yang on Grey’s Anatomy(Image: Getty Images)
After ten series, Cristina departed Grey Sloan Memorial Hospital for a job in Zurich, Switzerland. She took up a position at the Klausman Institute for Medical Research, a hospital established by her former mentor and ex-fiancé, Preston.
Since then, Sandra has starred in a variety of popular films and TV shows, including Killing Eve, The Chair and Turning Red.
More than a decade after her departure from Grey’s Anatomy, fans are still holding out hope for Cristina’s comeback. However, Sandra has now addressed the possibility, and it’s not the news fans were hoping for.
In a chat with Deadline, the 53-year-old actress expressed appreciation for the show’s fans, but also stated that she had “to be true” to herself.
Sandra left the show after ten seasons(Image: Getty Images)
“What I have noticed, this is ten years out from leaving the show, is the deep appreciation that I have for the people who appreciate Cristina,” Sandra said.
“It is that love that has made me go, ‘Oh, the fans really, really, really want it,’ and for the first time, that’s when I started opening up the idea.”
However, she added: “For me, I think to really be true to the people who enjoy your work, you have to be true to yourself. So, at this point, I don’t think so.”
This sentiment echoes what Sandra expressed last year when probed about reprising her role as Cristina.
Season 22 is set to premiere later this year(Image: Getty Images)
“I love that you asked me that, because Cristina Yang is, of course, near and dear to my heart. [But] I will say, not anytime soon, my love,” she had previously shared with Entertainment Tonight.
“I hope people feel like I did my job, which is that I brought to life a character and she had a growth over ten seasons, and that it was true. She was ready to move on, and so have I.”
The season 21 finale of Grey’s Anatomy aired in May, culminating in a nail-biting cliffhanger as a mother threatened to blow up a gas tank unless Amelia Shepherd (Caterina Scorsone) performed surgery on her child.
The explosive conclusion left viewers on the edge of their seats, with the destinies of several characters up in the air. Fans are eagerly awaiting the premiere of season 22 later this year to discover the aftermath of the devastating blast.
A UK airport has closed for good after 95 years to make may for thousands of homes – despite fears the area is “contaminated”.
The privately-run airport shut on June 6 after a developer served notice on the operator of the site.
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Nottingham City Airport also provides a landing zone for the air ambulance
The Vistry Group, which owns Tollerton Airfield In Nottingham, plans to build 1,600 homes and a school at the site.
Home to Nottingham City Airport and a number of other businesses, the site also provides a landing zone for the air ambulance.
Vistry served notice on operator Truman Aviation to vacate the site, but said it would continue to provide a landing zone for the air ambulance during the initial phase of development.
The site’s closure follows a year-long battle from campaigners against Vistry.
Campaigners believe that more than 1,200 aircraft containing radioactive materials were burnt and buried at the ex-RAF base leading to contamination.
Concerns were raised after campaigners found evidence that theex-RAFbase in Nottinghamshire had been used after the Second World War to dismantle hundreds of Lancaster Bombers and other aircraft that contained glow-in-the-dark dials made out of radium -226.
Site owner Brian Wells, who was sent notice to vacate the area in March, previously said developers were “determined to have everywhere shut down for when they came to planning”.
“We agreed we’d have two to five years here before they would take over,” he told NottinghamshireLive. “They even suggested they could keep one runway open for us.
“But the main board of developers say they’ve had enough of all these people protesting and decided to shut it down sooner rather than later.”
David Lammy confirms first batch of Brits have left Tel Aviv by RAF plane amid boiling tensions in the Middle East
He added that “it’s very sad” how things have developed much quicker than hoped for, and said the closure will mean “numerous redundancies”.
The airfield dates back to the 20th century, when it was home to several flying clubs, and then as a commercial airport until the late 1940s.
During World War 2 it was acquired by the Air Ministry and became RAF Tollerton.
What would happen if the site is contaminated?
Campaigners for the airport have referred to other cases where ex-RAF airfields like Tollerton were used as “burn, bash, and bury” sites and then deemed potentially hazardous.
If the grounds were disturbed, an extensive clean-up process would have to be done.
An example of this is Dalgety Bay, Fife, Scotland, a stretch of coastline used for the same purposes as Tollerton AIrfield.
Traces of radium-226 found in the ground required a two-year clean-up project at the site. Other examples include RAF Newton, RAF Carlisle and RAF Kinloss.
A spokesperson for the Environment Agency said: “Our Environment Agency officers advised Rushcliffe Borough Council (the planning authority) in May 2024 that a condition of planning permission is that developers have a plan in place to identify and deal with the risks associated with potential contaminants.
“In addition, we have advised that the site will need to be assessed for potential contaminants at routine stages as the development progresses.”
Rushcliffe Borough Council has confirmed applications for the site include initial land contamination assessments.
A spokesperson for Rushcliffe Borough Council said: “We are aware of the previous uses of the wider site, including the airfield and the potential for land contamination associated with these uses.
“Both current applications for the site include initial land contamination assessments”.
Jessica Morgan-Helliwell, 26, and her Louise Church, 48, are ‘Bakery Tourists’- trying posh treats at artisan bakeries from Australia to Prague and Marrakech
Jessica and Louise head out for a new baked treat each weekend
A mother and daughter duo have embarked on a sweet adventure, scouring the globe for the ultimate pastry experience as self-proclaimed ‘Bakery Tourists’.
From Australia to Prague and Marrakech, Jessica Morgan-Helliwell, 26, and Louise Church, 48, been indulging in artisan bakeries’ posh treats for the past two years.
Their shared passion for pastries and bakes drives them to visit at least one new artisan bakery every weekend, meticulously planning their trips abroad around these culinary hotspots. Under the social media handle @loveeatdrinktravel, they share their discoveries with the world.
Among their standout finds are the cherry bomb pastry at Prague’s Artic Bakehouse and the almond croissant cookie at Brooki Bakehouse in Brisbane. However, despite exploring renowned bakeries in London, Marrakech, and beyond, Jess and Louise confess that their all-time favourite spot lies just eight miles from home.
Their crowning jewel is the hot cross bun croissant at Little Valley Bakery in Swansea, South Wales. “They had croissants with the iconic hot cross bun cross on top, and a buttery raisin filling – and it did actually taste like a hot cross bun. It was really unique,” Louise raved.
The duo have travelled across the world in search of a perfect bake
Jess echoed her sentiments: “It had buttery spiced frangipane, flaky croissant layers, and that iconic hot cross bun cross.”
Jess attributed their pastry obsession to their long-standing love affair with baked goods. This passion has taken them on an extraordinary journey, uncovering hidden gems in their own backyard and around the world.
We’ve got Italian heritage – my great-great grandparents are from Italy, so we love trying Italian bakes and food. “We go to all kinds of different places and try new things along the way,” Jess said.
“We look at social media a lot for inspiration – I think that can be a really good way of finding new places to go. We always have an eye on the local area as well – we’ve got a lot of bakeries that have opened close to us recently.
“If we’re going abroad, we always have a look to see what’s about. We’ve just got back from Prague, and social media was a big part of looking into where to go. We’ve been doing social media content creating for about two years now, and going to all the local restaurants.
“We found that we were always looking for new places to go, so we thought we’d start documenting it ourselves – that’s where @loveeatdrinktravel came from.”
Bakery enthusiasts Jess and Louise are always in search of establishments that innovate on beloved classics, stressing that presentation is nearly as crucial as flavour.
Louise added: “We’re constantly looking for places to go – we never sit still! We love adventuring, so we’re always planning where we’re going on our next trip. We always try and go somewhere new on the weekends if we can.
“We’re planning our next trip abroad in a few weeks, to Marrakech, so we’re already looking at places to try there. We go to London a lot – London is about three hours from where we live in South Wales, so we plan our trips around where we want to try.”
Louise’s prime pick is a classic almond croissant, whereas Jess swears by a tangier treat, having hailed a recent raspberry croissant as “one of the best things I’ve ever tasted.”
Louise noted: “On social media, people tend to love the pastry and bakery finds more than anything else at the minute. I think a lot of people are interested in unique bakes as well – something different from the norm and aesthetically pleasing. I think people eat with their eyes, so it’s good to find somewhere the pastries look really tasty.”
Sharing about their local gems, Louise revealed: “There’s a local bakery to us – Little Valley Bakery – and around Easter time, they were doing hot cross bun croissants. They had croissants with the iconic hot cross bun cross on top, and a buttery raisin filling – and it did actually taste like a hot cross bun. It was really unique.”
Louise’s prime pick is a classic almond croissant, whereas Jess swears by a tangier treat
Despite their adventures, several of Jess and Louise’s cherished bakeries, including Little Valley Bakery and Refinery in Swansea, are conveniently located nearby, leading them to plan a new TikTok series featuring the families behind some of their favourite haunts.
“A lot of Italian families moved to South Wales during the war and started cafes that do homemade cannolis and traditional pastries – so we want to try as many as we can find and talk to the families about what it’s been like to be in the cafe business for so long,” Louise.
However, after two years of globetrotting and content creation, Jess and Louise agree that the highlight of their journey is the chance to spend quality time together, all while indulging in scrumptious sweet treats.
“We absolutely love doing it – and it’s a great way of spending time together as well,” Jess shared. “We go to all kinds of different places and try new things along the way – I think it’s really nice.”
Having left showbusiness, Noel Edmonds is enjoying a new life in New Zealand, where he focuses on energy, healing crystals and being in tune with the cosmos…
Noel Edmonds’ Kiwi Adventure starts on ITV(Image: ITV)
Ever wondered what happened to Noel Edmonds? For decades, he used to rule the radio waves and Saturday night telly, then suddenly he disappeared. Cut to Noel in his swimming trunks standing under an icy cold shower saying gratitudes, with a few sheep wandering around in the background.
In 2018, Noel turned his back on showbusiness and moved 11,500 miles away with his wife Liz to New Zealand. “I think I might have found my paradise,” he says in Noel Edmonds’ Kiwi Adventure, which starts tonight (June 20) on ITV at 9pm. The couple have spent the last two years building a business in the quiet town of Ngatimoti. River Haven, with the strapline ‘Positively Together’, boats a vineyard, coffee cart, general store, and a restaurant and pub, called The Bugger Inn.
Noel and his wife Liz Davies at their haven in New Zealand(Image: ITV)
On their 800 acres of land, Noel also wants to create a wellness sanctuary and even New Zealand’s first energy garden, whatever that is. “I am John Wayne, I am Clint Eastwood!” says Noel, delighted to be holding a power tool. He’s clearly still a showman. This three-parter follows the challenges, from being accepted by the locals, to bad weather, the absence of tourists and everyone else going bust.
But most fascinating is the insight into Noel’s complete dedication to energy and healing. Lying under a quartz crystal healing bed, the 76-year-old talks about his ‘light bulb moment’ about his health – “We are all body energy systems”. He dedicates his good health to six things – nutrition and good food, good ‘structured’ water, pulsed electro magnetism, tranquil exercise, vibe (his term for ‘visualisation of body energy;) and meditation. Throw in some cold showers and ice baths (we see him with his shirt off A LOT), saunas and a hyperbaric oxygen chamber three times a week and “I am rocking,” he says.
There is much talk of the matrix and universal energy. The couple even has a big clock permanently set to the specific time Noel and Liz met – she was his make up artist on Deal or No Deal. Noel says: “Liz was sent to me. She is an Earth angel. The sustenance of her energy is my life blood. You will never pull us apart because we are one. I believe it’s a gift from the cosmos. This was the time of my life.” Noel also opens up about the negative press he has received, saying: “I do actually care what people think about me. Criticism does hurt. I’m hugely sensitive.” And he explains that he left Britain because the country changed so much. He says: “I missed a quieter country. We’re not trees, so we can move.”
Noel Edmonds’ Kiwi Adventure is airing on ITV tonight at 9pm.
There’s plenty more on TV tonight – here’s the best of the rest..
ALISON HAMMOND’S BIG WEEKEND, BBC1, 8.30pm
In the last of this brilliant series, which will surely be commissioned for a second round, Alison spends the weekend with world champion boxer Tony Bellew. Visiting his house in Southport, Alison learns that Tony and his wife, Rachael, are in the middle of big house renovations. He opens up about life after retirement, sharing his struggles with boredom, missing the thrill of fights and the toll his boxing career has taken on his health.
Tony reveals that due to the number of punches he’s taken to the head, his memory has been affected, and he fears that there may be more health implications to come. He also shows Alison the ropes and puts her through her paces in the ring, revealing that he owes his life to his boxing gym. After taking on Tony on the pads, Alison and Tony head to Goodison Park, not only the home of Tony’s beloved football team but the site where he won his world championship title.
NOT GOING OUT, BBC1, 9pm
For old school Friday night comedy, with a relentless stream of gags, surely this wins every time. Lee Mack, a veteran of the one-liner, plays Lee, who constantly finds himself in ridiculous, farcical situations, causing his wife Lucy (Sally Bretton) to spend the entire episode rolling her eyes.
In this instalment (Mack’s favourite episode), Lee brings a battered box back from the tip, with no idea what is in it. “When I was a kid, going through the bins was like flicking through the Argos catalogue,” says Lee as he rips the box open. But gets a shock when he opens it in front of Lucy and finds what looks like a dead body, but actually turns out to be a robotic sex doll. “It can’t be human, the face looks like it’s silicon,” says Lucy. “Have you not seen Love Island?” quips Lee. What follows is the usual caper as Lee starts to realise what he’s actually dealing with.
EMMERDALE, ITV1, 7.30pm
After a restless night, Robert bumps into Victoria outside Keepers. He clearly wants to avoid opening up to her about his time in prison. After she finally sits him down in Keepers for a chat, Vic’s left worried that Robert still thinks he can win Aaron back. After Charity makes clear that she’s definitely accompanying Sarah to her cancer operation, Sarah eventually expresses her gratitude. Paddy enlists Bob’s help as he tries to get Bear to open up about what’s burdening him.
CORONATION STREET, ITV1, 8pm
Debbie breaks the news to Ronnie and Leanne that she needs to cancel the awards ceremony as there’s a flood at the hotel, but Leanne offers to host it at Speed Daal. Todd finds Theo in the living room repeatedly snapping the elastic band on his wrist. Millie tells them that living with her mum is stressing her out, but when Theo suggests she stays with them a bit longer, will Todd agree? Dee-Dee and James clash over Laila.
Formentera is the smallest of the Balearic Islands, but it is home to some of the most beautiful beaches in Europe, and has everything that Majorca and Ibiza has to offer
The golden beaches and turquoise waters of Formentera island(Image: Anton Petrus via Getty Images)
Tucked away in the Balearic Islands, this tiny gem boasts all the allure of Majorca and Ibiza, from stunning beaches to vibrant restaurants and parties, yet remains blissfully crowd-free.
As the smallest of the Balearics, Formentera spans a mere 32.14 square miles, with a slender width of just one and a half miles at its narrowest point. Measuring 12 miles in length and four miles in width, its compact size belies the wealth of untouched white beaches and crystal-clear waters that have earned it a reputation as one of Europe’s most coveted destinations.
Dubbed “one of the jewels of Spain”, Formentera is home to a mere 11,389 residents, according to the latest population census in January 2023 – a far cry from the 159,180 inhabitants of its more populous neighbour, Ibiza.
One of the island’s most unique charms is its lack of an airport. While this may present a minor inconvenience for some, it means that visitors must take a scenic ferry ride from Ibiza, which typically lasts between 30 and 40 minutes.
During peak season, departures are frequent, with sleek catamarans capable of carrying over 200 passengers setting sail every half hour, reports the Express.
Regular passenger services from mainland Spain have also contributed to the island’s growing popularity, yet Formentera remains mercifully free from the crowds that flock to its more famous neighbours.
Spain’s Formentera island is small but very attractive(Image: Rafael Elias via Getty Images)
The island’s limited road network, connecting only the key areas, adds to the sense of seclusion and tranquillity that pervades this hidden gem.
From May to September, Formentera bursts into its prime – a landscape exuding warmth and splendour. While it doesn’t reach the scorching heights of Majorca’s low 30s in August, average temperatures linger delightfully in the mid-to-high 20s during the peak summer months of July and August.
This European gem is esteemed for its stunning coastal lines, with Ses Illetes topping the list as Formentera’s crowning beach treasure, nestled in the northern part of the island with its expansive sandy stretches and inviting waterfront eateries.
Plaja de Migjorn unfurls almost 4 miles of rugged rock and sand coastline, celebrated as the untamed heart of Formentera’s seaside.
Not to be missed is Es Cavall d’en Borras: a stone’s throw from the port of La Savina, this haven boasts powdery white beaches and crystal-clear waters alongside breathtaking views of deserted islets like Es Vedrà and Es Vedranell, crowned by the island’s famed sunsets.
The in-vogue Beso Beach restaurant offers more than just exquisite meals — its iconic bench with a view, adorned with the words “no hay verano sin beso” (“there is no summer without a kiss”), has become a photographer’s muse.
In contrast to its sister isles, Formentera’s nightlife adopts a more subdued tempo, with its limited yet vibrant clubs and bars designed in the spirit of Ibiza’s legendary scene, including hotspots such as Rigatoni Club Formentera and Pachacha.
Formentera has been a cradle of human activity since the Bronze Age, with records dating from around 2000 to 1600 BC. The isle boasts significant ancient remnants and megalithic structures such as the Naveta des Cap de Barbaria, a burial chamber erected in 1700 BC.
These historical sites are accessible through pathways, inviting visitors to delve into the eras of bygone civilisations and their enduring heritages.
On Tripadvisor, accolades for Formentera and its stunning beaches abound. Regarding Ses Illetes, one person said: “Any trip to Formentera would be improved by visiting this outstanding and beautiful beach,” while another lauded Platja de Migjorn, calling it an “amazing beach, very relaxed, not busy and easy to find your own space”.
The Repair Shop experts Julie Tatchell and Amanda Middleditch, also known as the Teddy Bear Ladies, opened up about how they deal with emotional moments on the show
13:07, 08 Jun 2025Updated 13:07, 08 Jun 2025
The Repair Shop’s beloved Teddy Bear Ladies, Julie Tatchell and Amanda Middleditch, chatted with Alan Titchmarsh about handling the show’s tear-jerking moments.
Amanda confessed that she often sheds tears away from the camera, believing that viewers wouldn’t appreciate seeing the experts getting teary on air.
She also revealed her tactic for controlling her emotions on set, which involves embracing guests after a reveal to help stifle her tears.
Alan sympathised, sharing his own challenges with emotional content: “I get told off often enough on this programme for losing it when I see a sentimental clip. What’s it like?”
Amanda gave a glimpse behind the scenes, mentioning: “There is always a stash hidden, so we can grab a tissue if we need one,” reports Gloucestershire Live.
Amanda said they cry off camera as it doesn’t make good TV
Acknowledging the intensity of their work, she added, “It is so emotional,” and noted that the production team limits showing the experts’ emotional reactions because “I think they keep the emotional clips of us to a minimum because it doesn’t make good TV if we are all blubbing. It can get really emotional in that barn.”
After watching a particularly poignant segment from the show, Alan enquired how they maintain composure during such reveals.
Amanda explained her approach: “That’s why I tend to shuffle around to give her a bit of a hug because it gives me something to focus on.”
Julie and Amanda on Love Your Weekend
Julie admitted her vulnerability, saying: “You could see I was about to lose it, I think it was quite clear.”
“It is hard,” Amanda continued, “But we are quite fortunate. We kind of play off each other, so usually, different things trigger us.”
She concluded by highlighting their supportive dynamic: “So one will sense that the other one is starting to go, and will kind of take over the conversation.”
Julie and Amanda have been fixtures on The Repair Shop since its inception in 2017. Despite always being seen together, they’re not family but rather close mates with a shared passion for toy restoration.
Love Your Weekend with Alan Titchmarsh is available to watch on ITVX.
He’s been the winner of seven major PDC titles – but admits as time goes on, he may be forced to pick and choose events.
Gerwyn Price reveals darts rival who rattled him most and it led to awkward moment on stage
The Iceman continued: “I would never give up totally.
“But the Pro Tours and Europeans, depending on how many it’s going to be at that time, because it’s getting more and more every year, but I’ll stop doing those.
“I would never give my Tour Card up. I’d still do events and if they invite me to the Premier League and World Series, I’ll still do them.
“But none of the lower events and just stop the travelling.”
Darts’ hectic pro schedule has become a major talking point among the sport’s elite.
Nathan Aspinall recently branded the calendar “absolutely obscene”.
The Asp fumed: “For us to take a weekend off, I have to pull out events.
“So I’m losing ranking money because I just need a few days off.
“And I’ve done that over the last couple of weeks because I was in a tight position in the Premier League, I really wanted to make the playoffs.”
When “Good Night, and Good Luck” arrived on Broadway this spring, it initially provoked a surprising amount of cynicism. There were complaints that the adaptation by George Clooney and Grant Heslov was basically a reproduction of the 2005 film, which chronicled CBS newsman Edward R. Murrow’s heroic crusade against Sen. Joseph McCarthy’s communist witch hunts.
The sky-high cost of tickets was another source of criticism. Was Broadway pricing itself beyond the reach of its core audience? Reports of “Good Night, and Good Luck” shattering box office records served to remind those who couldn’t afford a ticket that they were being left behind by a theater culture that was siding with the haves over the have-nots.
In a Broadway season that featured Denzel Washington and Jake Gyllenhaal in a rudderless “Othello” and Kieran Culkin in a “Glengarry Glen Ross” revival that might have been stronger without him, “Good Night, and Good Luck” was a convenient target for anti-Hollywood sentiment.
When I arrived at the Winter Garden for a Saturday matinee in April, I can’t say my expectations were especially high. I admired the film but hadn’t seen it in nearly 20 years. The broodingly elegant production, sharply directed by David Cromer and starring a quietly committed Clooney in the role of Murrow (played in the film by David Strathairn), was not only one of the most stirring offerings of the Broadway season but also one of the most necessary.
I left the theater wishing I could buy tickets for my friends and family. That won’t be necessary — thankfully for my credit cards — because CNN will be broadcasting a live performance of “Good Night, and Good Luck” from the Winter Garden on Saturday (4 p.m. PDT). It’s apparently the first time a Broadway play will be shown live on television, and the timing could not be better.
As media companies face a campaign of intimidation from the Trump administration, the figure of Murrow, standing tall in the face of demagogic adversity, is the courageous example we need right now.
I don’t know how different the experience will be watching at home, but “Good Night, and Good Luck” made me reflect on what theatergoing might have been like in ancient Greece. Athenian citizens would gather at an open-air theater as a democratic privilege and responsibility. Playwrights addressed the polis not by dramatizing current events but by recasting tales from the mythological and historic past to sharpen critical thinking on contemporary concerns.
Clooney and Heslov aren’t writing dramatic poetry. Their more straightforward approach is closer to documentary drama, but the effect is not so disparate. We are affirmed in the knowledge that we are the body politic.
CNN will broadcast the penultimate performance of “Good Night, and Good Luck” on the eve of the Tony Awards. The production is up for five Tonys, including one for Clooney in the lead performance by an actor in a play category. But however the awards shake out, Clooney is already a winner. Like Murrow, he reminds us that conscience can still be a defining feature of the American character.
Per 100g: calories, 308 fat, 10.2g sugar, 4g salt 1.09g
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Aldi’s pizza cooked in 12 minutes
It cooked nicely in 12 minutes and was big enough to feed four people.
The base was deliciously crispy and the cheese and tomato topping tasted authentically Italian.
I haven’t tried this flavour from Aldi before, but absolutely will in the future – my winner – and less than half the price of Pizza Express, that’s dinner sorted.
Taste: 10/10 Value: 10/10 Overall rating: 10/10 Out of 30: 30
Per 100g: calories, 238 fat, 7.7g sugar, 3.9g salt 1.09g
8
Asda’a pizza offered good value for money
It cooked well in just over 12 minutes and the generous size means it would satisfy four people, especially if you add a couple of sides.
The topping was plentiful and the fact that you’re getting a lot of pizza for your money means that this is a good staple for a family if you’re unsure what to serve up for dinner.
Taste: 9/10 Value: 7/10 Overall rating: 8/10 Out of 30: 24
Saturday afternoon out west and evening back east, as citizens faced off against ICE agents in the streets of Los Angeles, “Good Night, and Good Luck,” George Clooney’s 2005 dramatic film tribute to CBS newsman Edward R. Murrow, became a Major Television Event, broadcast live from Manhattan’s Winter Garden Theater, by CNN and Max. That it was made available free to anyone with an internet connection, via the CNN website, was a nice gesture to theater fans, Clooney stans and anyone interested to see how a movie about television translates into a play about television.
The broadcast is being ballyhooed as historic, the first time a play has been aired live from Broadway. And while there is no arguing with that fact, performances of plays have been recorded onstage before, and are being so now. It’s a great practice; I wish it were done more often. At the moment, PBS.org is streaming recent productions of Cole Porter’s “Kiss Me, Kate!,” the Bob Dylan-scored “Girl From the North Country,” David Henry Hwang‘s “Yellow Face” and the Pulitzer Prize-winning mental health rock musical “Next to Normal.” Britain’s National Theater at Home subscription service offers a wealth of classical and modern plays, including Andrew Scott’s one-man “Vanya,” as hot a ticket in New York this spring as Clooney’s play. And the archives run deep; that a trip to YouTube can deliver you Richard Burton’s “Hamlet” or “Sunday in the Park With George” with Mandy Patinkin and Bernadette Peters is a gift not to be overlooked.
Clooney, with co-star Anthony Edwards, had earlier been behind a live broadcast of “Ambush,” the fourth season opener of “ER” as a throwback to the particular seat-of-your-pants, walking-on-a-wire energy of 1950s television. (It was performed twice, once for the East and once for the West Coast.) That it earned an audience of 42.71 million, breaking a couple of records in the bargain, suggests that, from a commercial perspective, it was not at all a bad idea. (Reviews were mixed, but critics don’t know everything.)
Like that episode, the “live” element of Saturday’s broadcast was essentially a stunt, though one that ensured, at least, that no post-production editing has been applied, and that if anyone blew a line, or the house was invaded by heckling MAGA hats, or simply disrupted by audience members who regarded the enormous price they paid for a ticket as a license to chatter through the show, it would presumably have been part of the broadcast. None of that happened — but, it could have! (Clooney did stumble over “simple,” but that’s all I caught.) And, it offered the groundlings at home the chance to see a much-discussed, well-reviewed production only a relatively few were able to see in person — which I applaud on principal and enjoyed in practice — and which will very probably not come again, not counting the next day’s final performance.
Glenn Fleshler, left, plays Fred Friendly in the stage production, a role that George Clooney performed in the film version of “Good Night, and Good Luck.”
(Emilio Madrid)
The film, directed by Clooney and co-written with Grant Heslov (who co-wrote the stage version as well), featured the actor as producer and ally Fred W. Friendly to David Strathairn’s memorable Murrow. Here, a more aggressive Clooney takes the Murrow role, while Glenn Fleshler plays Friendly. Released during the second term of the Bush administration, the movie was a meditation on the state of things through the prism of 1954 (and a famous framing speech from 1958 about the possibilities and potential failures of television), the fear-fueled demagoguery of Wisconsin Sen. Joseph McCarthy, and Murrow’s determination to take him on. (The 1954 “See It Now” episode, “A Report on Sen. Joseph McCarthy,” helped bring about his end.) As in the film, McCarthy is represented entirely through projected film clips, echoing the way that Murrow impeached the senator with his own words.
It’s a combination of political and backstage drama — with a soupcon of office romance, represented by the secretly married Wershbas (Ilana Glazer and Carter Hudson) — even more hermetically set within the confines of CBS News than was the film. It felt relevant in 2005, before the influence of network news was dissolved in the acid of the internet and an administration began assaulting the legitimate press with threats and lawsuits; but the play’s discussions of habeas corpus, due process, self-censoring media and the both-sides-ism that seems increasingly to afflict modern media feel queasily contemporary. “I simply cannot accept that there are, on every story two equal and logical sides to an argument,” says Clooney’s Murrow to his boss, William F. Paley (an excellent Paul Gross, from the great “Slings & Arrows”). As was shown here, Murrow offered McCarthy equal time on “See It Now” — which he hosted alongside the celebrity-focused “Person to Person,” represented by an interview with Liberace — but it proved largely a rope for the senator to hang himself.
Though modern stage productions, with their computer-controlled modular parts, can replicate the rhythms and scene changes of a film, there are obvious differences between a movie, where camera angles and editing drive the story. It’s an illusion of life, stitched together from bits and pieces. A stage play proceeds in real time and offers a single view (differing, of course, depending on where one sits), within which you direct your attention as you will. What illusions it offers are, as it were, stage magic. It’s choreographed, like a dance, which actors must repeat night after night, putting feeling into lines they may speak to one another, but send out to the farthest corners of the theater.
Clooney, whose furrowed brow is a good match for Murrow’s, did not attempt to imitate him, or perhaps did within the limits of theatrical delivery; he was serious and effective in the role if not achieving the quiet perfection of Strathairn’s performance. Scott Pask‘s set was an ingenious moving modular arrangement of office spaces, backed by a control room, highlighted or darkened as needs be; a raised platform stage left supported the jazz group and vocalist, which, as in the movie, performed songs whose lyrics at times commented slyly on the action. Though television squashed the production into two dimensions, the broadcast nevertheless felt real and exciting; director David Comer let the camera play on the players, rather than trying for a cinematic effect through an excess of close-ups and cutaways.
While the play generally followed the lines of the film, there was some rearrangement of scenes, reassignment of dialogue — it was a streamlined cast — and interpolations to make a point, or more directly pitch to 2025. New York news anchor Don Hollenbeck (Clark Gregg, very moving in the only role with an emotional arc) described feeling “hijacked … as if all the reasonable people went to Europe and left us behind,” getting a big reaction. One character wondered about opening “the door to news with a dash of commentary — what happens when it isn’t Edward R. Murrow minding the store?” A rapid montage of clips tracking the decay of TV news and politics — including Obama’s tan suit kerfuffle and the barring of AP for not bowing to Trump’s Gulf of America edit and ending with Elon Musk’s notorious straight-arm gesture, looking like nothing so much as a Nazi salute — was flown into Clooney’s final speech.
Last but not least, there is the audience, your stand-ins at the Winter Garden Theatre, which laughed at the jokes and applauded the big speeches, transcribed from Murrow’s own. And then, the curtain call, to remind you that whatever came before, the actors are fine, drinking in your appreciation and sending you out happy and exhilarated and perhaps full of hope.
A CNN roundtable followed to bring you back to Earth.
