leaves

By closing one door, Kamala Harris has left another ajar.

Running for California governor in 2026, which she ruled out Wednesday, would almost certainly have precluded another run for the White House in 2028 — something Harris explicitly did not rule out.

There were significant hurdles to attempting both.

To have any chance of being governor, Harris would have almost certainly have had to swear off another presidential bid, convincing California voters that the state’s top political job was not something she viewed, blithely, as a mere placeholder or springboard to the White House.

There also would have been the practical difficulty of running the nation’s most populous state, a maw of endless crises and challenges, while at the same time pursuing the presidency. No California governor has ever done so successfully, though several tried.

Harris’ much-anticipated decision, announced in a written statement, was not a huge surprise.

Unlike others — Pete Wilson, Gray Davis, Arnold Schwarzenegger, to name a few — Harris has never burned with a fever to be California governor. She had a clear shot at the position in 2016, but opted instead to run for the U.S. Senate, in part because the role seemed like a better launching venue for a try at the White House.

Privately, several of those closest to Harris questioned whether she had much appetite to deal with the myriad aggravations of being governor — the stroking and hand-holding of recalcitrant lawmakers, the mind-numbing drafting of an annual budget, the endless march of disasters, both natural and man-made.

Not least, many wondered whether Harris would be content returning to the small stage of Sacramento after traveling the world as vice president and working in the rarefied air of politics at its peak.

There is every possibility that Harris will retire from public life.

Sean Clegg, a longtime Harris advisor, noted the Democrat has spent more than two decades in elected office. “I think she’s interested in exploring how she can have an impact from the outside for a while,” Clegg said.

For her part, Harris said she looked forward “to getting back out and listening to the American people [and] helping Democrats across the nation who will fight fearlessly.”

Doesn’t sound like life in a cloister.

If Harris did run for president, she’d start out as a nominal front-runner, based on her universal name recognition and deep nationwide fundraising base — advantages no other contestant could match. But she won’t scare away very many opponents; the Democratic field in 2028 will probably be a large and expansive one, as it was the first time Harris ran for president in 2020. (And notably crashed and burned.)

Charlie Cook, who has spent decades as a nonpartisan political handicapper, said he would view Harris “as a serious contender, but no more so than a handful of other people would be.”

Normally, Cook went on, her status as the party’s most recent vice president would give her a significant, if not overwhelming, edge. “But I think the desire/need to turn the corner and get some separation from Biden probably strips away any advantage that she would have,” Cook said.

Harris got a small taste of the Biden burden she could carry in the 2028 campaign when two of her prospective gubernatorial rivals — former Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa and former Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra — suggested she was complicit in covering up Biden’s mental and physical frailties.

“She could say she didn’t know,” Villaraigosa taunted in a May interview. “They can’t prove that she did. But last time I looked, she had lunch with him pretty regularly. … She had to have seen what the world [saw] over time and particularly in that debate. The notion that she didn’t? Come on. Who’s going to buy that?”

A strategist for one potential presidential rival suggested Democrats were eager to turn the page on Biden and, along with him, Harris.

“There’s a lot of respect for her taking on the challenge of cleaning up Biden’s mess in 2024,” said the strategist, who asked to remain nameless to avoid compromising an as-yet-unannounced candidate. “But I think it’s going to be a hard sell. She lost to Donald Trump, who was convicted of 34 felony counts and run out of D.C. in shame. There is some blame there for his return.”

Should Harris make a third try for the White House, it raises the intriguing possibility of facing her fellow Californian, Gov. Gavin Newsom, who has been effectively running for president for the last several months. The two, who came up together in the elbows-out world of San Francisco politics, have had a decades-long rivalry, sharing many of the same donors and, once upon a time, the same set of strategists.

If the two ran, it would be the first time since 1968 that a pair of major Californians faced off for their party’s presidential nomination.

That year, Gov. Ronald Reagan made a late, failed attempt to overtake Richard Nixon, the former vice president and U.S. senator from California.

At it happened, Nixon had waged an unsuccessful 1962 run for California governor after leaving the White House. While that failure didn’t stop him from eventually winning the White House, it certainly didn’t help. In fact, Nixon left California and moved to the East Coast, taking a job at a white-shoe law firm and using New York City as his political base of operations.

Harris’ announcement Wednesday promised “more details in the months ahead about my own plans.” She said nothing about relocating or leaving California behind.

Sheffield Wednesday boss Danny Rohl has left the crisis-hit Championship club by mutual consent.

The 36-year-old’s departure, less than two weeks before the season starts, is the latest development in a chaotic summer.

The Owls are under a number of embargoes because of financial issues, including players being paid late in both May and June, and owner Dejphon Chansiri is looking to sell the club.

Rohl had looked set to leave last month when he did not return to take pre-season training but eventually came back in early July.

The club have confirmed that coaches Sascha Lense, Chris Powell, Neil Thompson and Sal Bibbo have all also left and BBC Radio Sheffield understands that Henrik Pedersen, who took pre-season training before Rohl’s return, is likely to be named his successor.

One mum took to TikTok to share her disappointment with the accommodation at the Skegness Butlin’s holiday park, sharing clips of the filthy room – including a dead bug on her bed

Butlin’s has apologised after one family checked in to a “grimy” and “damp” room in need of “a massive deep clean”.

Mum Jasmine took to TikTok to share her disappointment with the accommodation at the Skegness holiday park, sharing clips of the filthy room with her 19,000 followers.

“I could make a 10-minute video on all of the issues in here but here’s some of them,” she captioned the clip. “Even walking up to the room I felt grimy. This is the Butlin’s comfort room. This is my sign to not blindly book something hahaha.”

She went on to give a tour of the room – which they couldn’t stand to sleep in for more than one night – showing dirt throughout, including in the shower and the bin.

In her voiceover, Jasmine said: “I was meant to book the apartment but I didn’t realise. When I first walked in there and I saw there’s only two rooms and one bathroom in the middle, I thought, ‘Where’s the rest of it?’.

“I am going to emphasise that was not Butlin’s fault at all though to be fair – it was my fault. So anyway I don’t know if the videos can do it justice because the smell when I walked in there was just absolutely wild.

“This isn’t the cleaner’s fault or anything like that – it’s the turnover rate is the issue. These rooms need massive deep cleans because a quick once over is not going to help.”

“I didn’t even want to shower in there – in fact, I didn’t shower in there. I ended up going to the swimming pools to have a shower.

“We spent one night in this room and the beds were so damp – my daughter even woke up asking why the bed was so wet.

“I can’t explain the smell. I know I keep saying it but it was horrific. The mould was over the windows, there were cobwebs up the walls… This was a dead bug on our bed and then our daughter got poo on her hand walking out and I was like ‘nah, that’s it, 100% I am going.’

“The stuff kids can do here is amazing though – I will not fault Butlins for that. It is just a shame about the room.”

When The Mirror contacted Butlin’s, a spokesperson for the holiday park said: “We’re sorry and disappointed to see the cleanliness issues the guest experienced with their accommodation. This certainly isn’t the high standards we expect our guests to receive when they holiday with us. We carried out a full reclean and offered a gesture of goodwill which was accepted.”

Others shared similar experiences in the comments, with one person writing: “This looks so much cleaner than our room [laughing emoji].”

Another person said: “Skegness I had the most horrible room haven’t ever gone back. It was a hot year window broke couldn’t open it, bedding didn’t get changed stuff left under the bed etc was horrible.”

However, another visitor insisted they had only ever had positive experiences at the holiday park, writing: “Which Butlin’s is this?? We’ve always been to skeg one and never had a room like this. That’s grim.”

READ MORE: Yo-yo dieter, 66, looks ‘unrecognisable’ on dog walks after four stone weight loss

Coronation Street’s Audrey Roberts, played by Sue Nicholls, recently celebrated a birthday on the soap and fans have been left shocked after realising the actress’ real age

Coronation Street viewers have been left stunned after discovering the actual age of Sue Nicholls, who portrays beloved character Audrey Roberts.

Audrey first appeared on the cobbles back in 1979 as Gail Platt’s mum (Helen Worth), and has since become an absolute favourite amongst fans, featuring in numerous major storylines.

Throughout the decades, audiences have experienced both heartache and happiness alongside Audrey, witnessing her wedding to Alf Roberts (Bryan Mosley) in 1985 and mourning his devastating passing in 1999.

READ MORE: Coronation Street’s Antony Cotton pays devastating tribute to colleague as they die age 38

READ MORE: Coronation Street star bows out in sad scenes as fans call for U-turn

Fans have also watched Audrey evolve into a great-grandmother to characters such as Bethany Platt (Lucy Fallon), whilst seeing her collaborate with grandson David Platt (Jack P Shepherd) at Audrey’s hair salon.

More recently, she was left heartbroken when daughter Gail departed the cobbles last year following 25 years on the street, embarking on a fresh chapter in France with husband Jesse Chadwick (John Thompson), reports Leicestershire Live.

During this week’s episodes, Audrey marked her 85th birthday with a special meal at The Bistro, surrounded by her family including grandchildren Sarah (Tina O’Brien) and David.

Yet fans have been absolutely flabbergasted upon learning actress Sue’s true age.

On a Corrie Facebook fan page, discussing character Audrey’s recent birthday festivities, one person posted: “Aw, happy 85th birthday Audrey!”.

Another fan responded: “She looks good for her age, Sue who plays her is 81 in real life.” A third viewer exclaimed: “No way!”. Meanwhile, a fourth admiring fan declared: “She’s barely aged.”

Before her time on Corrie, Sue had a hidden singing career and landed her first soap role in the legendary Crossroads.

In 1968, she released a track titled ‘Where Will You Be?’, which climbed to number 17 in the UK Music Charts, and it’s said that she also performed in a cabaret club in Vienna during her younger years.

She became a familiar face on our telly, featuring in ‘The Rise and Fall of Reginald Perrin’ alongside Leonard Rossiter from 1976-1979, and as Nadia Popov in ‘Rentaghost’ from 1981-1984.

Coronation Street airs Monday, Wednesday and Friday at 8pm on ITV1 and ITVX

An Ineos Grenadiers staff member has left the Tour de France after being asked to speak to the International Testing Agency about doping allegations relating to the 2012 season.

David Rozman is one of the team’s soigneurs, a role which involves working as an assistant to riders and providing a range of services from logistics to massages.

Ineos Grenadiers, then known as Team Sky, won the 2012 Tour de France, with Britain’s Bradley Wiggins claiming the yellow jersey, and the team went on to win six of the next seven editions of the race.

Ineos Grenadiers confirmed Rozman has received an interview request, external from the ITA after initially being contacted in April.

“Following recent media allegations, David [Rozman] has now received a request from the ITA to attend an interview,” Ineos Grenadiers said.

“Accordingly, he has stepped back from race duties and has left the Tour.

“Rozman was informally contacted in April 2025 by a member of ITA staff, who asked him about alleged historical communications.

“Although the ITA assured David at the time that he was not under investigation, Ineos promptly commissioned a thorough review by an external law firm.

“The team has acted responsibly and with due process, taking the allegations seriously whilst acknowledging that David is a long-standing, dedicated member of the team.

“The team continues to assess the circumstances and any relevant developments, and has formally requested any relevant information from the ITA. To date the team has received no evidence from any relevant authority.

“Both David and the team will of course co-operate with the ITA and any other authority.”

Earlier in July, the Irish Independent reported that in 2012, Rozman had exchanged messages with convicted German doping doctor Mark Schmidt.

A documentary by German TV company ARD also linked Ineos to Schmidt but did not name the staff member involved.

In 2021, Schmidt was sentenced to four years and 10 months in jail after being convicted of administering illegal blood transfusions to athletes within cycling and a number of other sports as part of Operation Aderlass.

When contacted by BBC Sport, the ITA said its investigations are “conducted confidentially” and “outcomes may only be shared if and when it yields the pursuit of one or more anti-doping rule violations.”

BBC Sport has also contacted Ineos Grenadiers for comment.

A couple shared their experience visiting a popular tourist attraction in Capri, Italy, that’s great for thrill-seekers – but is panic-inducing for those looking for a more tranquil getaway

A holidaymaker has filmed the exhilarating moment they visited the Blue Grotto, a sea cave in Capri in southern Italy. A TikTok clip by The Rojos, a couple who frequently document their travel escapades, captures a boatman navigating a tiny rowing boat through the cavern’s cramped, low-arched opening.

The first-person footage shows the tourists lying flat as they confront the claustrophobic passage, with the tour guide crying out: “Oh my God, mamma mia.” After entering the grotto, the vessel’s front tip almost grazes the craggy ceiling overhead. The boatman carefully uses a metal chain to manoeuvre the craft through the cave, forced to crouch beneath a massive boulder alongside him.

After this, he tells The Rojos to sit up to take in shimmering azure waters set against the cavern’s shadowy walls.

According to Capri.com, the vivid blue colour of the water is caused by sunlight passing through an underwater opening located directly beneath the entrance to the cave.

The TikTok post’s caption reads: “Getting into the Blue Grotto is not for the faint hearted!!” At the time of writing, the clip has racked up a staggering 23.2 million views, 1.4million likes and 12,300 comments.

Several viewers admitted the video left them feeling ‘panicked’, with one declaring: “My claustrophobic self had a panic attack through the screen.”

Another chimed in: “Absolute panic rising inside me.” A third confessed: “Ok I might be too claustrophobic even for this video let alone the real experience.”

However, others were more intrigued by the cave. One person said: “My claustrophobia could never but this is lowkey cool.” Another simply called it “beautiful but scary.”

The Blue Grotto, a stunning natural sea cavern spanning 60m in length and 25m across, can only be visited when the sea is calm enough.

The entrance to the cave is a mere two metres wide and just about a metre high.

Visitors are ferried in by small rowboats that carry no more than four people at a time, who must lie flat as the boatmen navigate them into the grotto.

Adverse weather conditions like choppy waters and gusty winds often mean the grotto is off-limits.

The spectacle of light reflecting from the water, casting an electric blue illumination, is a major draw for tourists.

The cave’s famous silver reflections seen in the water are created by tiny bubbles that cling to the surfaces of objects beneath the surface.

Entry to the Blue Grotto will set you back 18EUR (£15.60), with tickets available at the ticket booth.

Capri.com suggests that the cavern’s renowned glow is most vivid between noon and 2pm.

The site also notes that after 3pm, there may be shorter queues, though the risk of rough seas increases, potentially leading to closure.

Visitors are advised to check the sea conditions before purchasing tickets.

BBC Breakfast was briefly interrupted on Wednesday as Jon Kay made an important announcement

BBC Breakfast star Jon Kay left his co-star concerned as he announced breaking news on Wednesday (July 16).

During today’s edition of the hit morning show, Jon and his co-host Sally Nugent kept audiences informed with the latest happenings from the UK and globally.

Weather forecasts were provided by Carol Kirkwood, while Hugh Ferris covered the sports news.

The broadcast was abruptly paused when Jon revealed a significant development concerning the UK economy.

“We’ve just had the latest update on how quickly prices are rising in the UK,” he disclosed, before passing over to Peter Ruddick for more details, reports the Express.

“Yeah, another reminder of the continuing price pressure on households this morning, John,” Peter remarked.

“In the past few moments, we found out that inflation, the way we measure the rising cost of living, was 3.6% in June. We have been expecting these figures to be 3.4%, the same rate as in May, so these figures this morning are quite concerning.”

He elaborated: “What this means is that on average, prices were 3.6% higher last month than they were in June last year.

“But remember that these figures are just an average. Some things will be going up in price by more than that sum and by less.”

Highlighting specific impacts, Peter mentioned that food prices saw a 4.5% increase, marking the steepest rise since February of the previous year, with staples like bread, meat, milk, and cheese driving the surge.

He summed up: “These figures this morning are a headache, mainly, of course, for households still struggling with the rising cost of living. But also for the Bank of England, which tries to keep inflation nearer 2%.

“And a headache for the government, yet more pressure on the Chancellor Rachel Reeves, Jon, as we look ahead to a very big budget speech in the autumn.”

The Chancellor, responding to the latest economic data, acknowledged that she understands “working people are still struggling with the cost of living”.

She further stated: “That is why we have already taken action by increasing the national minimum wage for three million workers, rolling out free breakfast clubs in every primary school and extending the £3 bus fare cap.”

Reeves conceded that “there is more to do” but affirmed her commitment to “deliver on our Plan for Change to put more money into people’s pockets”.

BBC Breakfast airs daily on BBC One at 6am

Bargain Hunt star Irita Marriott was left consoling a guest on her Discovery+ show The Derbyshire Auction House

Bargain Hunt star Irita Marriott left a guest in tears as their item sold for more than “100 times its value”.

The BBC antiques expert was presenting her Discovery+ series, The Derbyshire Auction House, when she stumbled upon a heartfelt story with guest Helen and her son Ben.

While searching their home for hidden gems, Helen brought forward a set of family photos which held original signed shots from acclaimed photographers that dated back to 1975.

They included works from Graham Smith and Sirkka-Liisa Konttinen, whose works are now displayed in the Tate Gallery and the Victoria and Albert Museum, reports the Express.

In a heartbreaking twist, it was revealed that the photographs were being auctioned to fund the care of Helen’s husband, Alan.

Alan was suffering from dementia at the time and needed full-time care, though he sadly died before the episode went to air, with the money being used to pay for his funeral.

The cherished pictures once adorned the hallway of their home, thanks to Alan’s former role in promoting cinema and photography.

The photographs were sold individually, with one estimated at £80 to £120. This quickly sparked a fierce bidding war, with the picture ultimately fetching a staggering £12,000.

After learning the price that the photograph had sold for, Helen was moved to tears.

Following the auction, Irita reflected on the difficult situation, noting: “It can’t be easy for them. These items are things that they’ve lived with all their lives.

“Now that Alan’s gone into care, it’s probably going to be really sad to see them go.”

Helen’s son, Ben, also expressed his shock at the auction outcome, remarking, “I was absolutely gobsmacked at the values people were willing to bid for what we thought were just nice pictures… that we saw on the wall every day. Absolutely brilliant.”

The Derbyshire Auction House is streaming on Discovery+

A British expat proved just how far a fiver can get you in Benidorm after finding a ‘hidden gem’ in the Old Town where you can fill up on beer and tapas without breaking the bank

A British woman who has lived in Benidorm for 40 years found a “hidden gem” bar – and the price of beer and tapas was “outstanding”.

Michelle Baker used to run a newspaper in the holiday hotspot for two decades and she now shares valuable information on her Benidormforever Facebook page. And it was here that the mum, who has raised her children in Spain, revealed her latest find. After strolling through the Old Town, Michelle discovered Rumbo Bar, which she said has been there since 1968, and was recently taken over by Juani and Nico.

Writing on her page, she said: “Regular followers know I’m a HUGE supporter of the small bars, and in the Old Town yesterday I stumbled across this little gem; Bar Rumbo.”

She added: “Realising their location is just off the busy square that overlooks the little Mal Pas beach is slightly hidden, the couple have put their heart and soul into making their pet friendly pub as welcoming as possible, with quirky decoration, a selection of board games and they’ve some outstanding offers too.”

And as for the incredible prices, Michelle explained how a beer and two tapas cost just €4.90 (approx £4). A glass of wine meanwhile is just €2.20 while a coffee is priced at €1.50. For something fancier, the owners also sell two cocktails for €10.

Michelle pointed out that the air conditioned space provided a “peaceful escape” from the raucous part of Benidorm.

Explaining why she was keen on highlighting it, she said: “I love to point out the hidden places in the hope more of you will support them before they are all swallowed up by the big boys; your choice to pop in for a round or two of drinks makes all the difference to their day and it shows in their eagerness to please their customers.”

Speaking to Michelle during her pleasant visit, Juani joked that he had no music playing in the bar, but being a musician, he sometimes sings to customers.

He added: “What we really want is for people to feel welcome and meet new friends and they do. Once they find us they come back night after night.”

After posting on her page, one person replied: “In all the years visiting Benidorm I have never seen this bar and we always stay and eat, drink in the old town. I will certainly be looking for it next time we visit.”

Another said: “We used to live above the Rumbo bar it’s a lovely little bar I know the original owner and his son who took over. Miss living in the old town such good memories.”

A third went with: “I don’t want to be in a bar full of English people I know that sounds bad but it’s how I like to spend my time when over in old town.”

Cara, who runs The Magic Geekdom channel, said she was “blown away” after her first ever visit to Leeds and she believes the Yorkshire city is extremely overlooked by outsiders

An American YouTuber has been left utterly enchanted by one UK city and labelled it a “hidden gem” after visiting for the first time. Cara, the face behind The Magic Geekdom channel, couldn’t contain her excitement when she arrived in Leeds.

She explained: “This was my very first time in Leeds and it completely blew me away! I didn’t know much about the city going in, but after a full day exploring its stunning arcades, fascinating museums, delicious food spots, and lively streets, I can honestly say Leeds is one of the most overlooked cities I’ve visited so far in the UK.

“From beautiful architecture to incredible markets and independent shops, this city has so much to offer.”

In her video, Cara expressed surprise at the aesthetic appeal of Leeds, telling viewers: “I don’t know why, I wasn’t expecting this much gorgeousness in the buildings around here but there is a lot of pretty things to look at here.”

Highlighting Leeds City Museum as a prime example of the city’s allure, she mentioned that before visiting, she sought recommendations, with the Royal Armouries Museum topping the list.

After exploring the free-to-enter museum, Cara concluded with admiration: “What a great museum, something that I was not expecting to love but then ended up being very fascinated by many different aspects of the museum.”

Instead of solely delving into arms and military history, she spiced up her day with a jaunt on a boat and savoured a pint at Whitelock’s Ale House in Leeds, the city’s oldest pub.

Eager to soak up local Yorkshire flavour, she opted for a crisp pint of Kirkstall Pale Ale. Her adventure continued through the city’s arcades, where she eagerly anticipated Queen’s Arcade but found it her “least favourite” due to its less impressive appearance compared to Thornton’s Arcade.

She found County Arcade to be “much more opulent” than the rest, describing it as “beautiful and very posh” yet her preference leaned towards the more understated.

During her exploration, she offered a unique take: “Here is an observation I’ve made here that I’ve never made anywhere else.

“I think in most places, buskers have mapped out times or areas and I think here in Leeds it is just a free for all because there are people everywhere doing all kinds of things with microphones and it is kind of hard to hear any of them at any given time.

“But I think that adds to the experience a little bit.”

The video, available for viewing here, prompted one viewer to comment: “As a Manchester lad that has lived in Leeds for 14 years I can say it is different, it has it’s own vibe. It’s full of amazing people. And a place I am proud to call home.”

Replying, Cara said: “It definitely has a vibe.”

Another person said: “Lived in Leeds all my life. You’ve shown off the city beautifully.”

A third added: “My son went to Leeds uni for three years, i love this city and he loves it so much he’s moving back to Leeds this September to work. There is so much there plus its close enough to the Yorkshire dales and Cumbria which is even better!”

MINNEAPOLIS — Minnesota state Sen. John Hoffman, who was shot nine times by a gunman posing as a police officer who authorities say went on to kill another lawmaker, is out of the hospital and is now recovering in a transitional care unit, his family said.

“John has been moved to a rehab facility, but still has a long road to recovery ahead,” the family said in a statement Monday night.

The family released a photo showing a smiling Hoffman giving a thumbs-up while standing with a suitcase on rollers, ready to leave the hospital.

Hoffman and his wife, Yvette, were awakened around 2 a.m. on June 14 by a man pounding on the door of their home in the Minneapolis suburb of Champlin who said he was a police officer. According to an FBI agent’s affidavit, security video showed the suspect, Vance Boelter, at the door wearing a black tactical vest and holding a flashlight. He was wearing a flesh-colored mask that covered his entire head.

Yvette Hoffman told investigators they opened the door, and when they spotted the mask, they realized that the man was not a police officer. He then said something like “this is a robbery.” The senator then lunged at the gunman and was shot nine times. Yvette Hoffman was hit eight times before she could shut the door. Their adult daughter, Hope, was there but was not injured and called 911.

Boelter is accused of going to the homes of two other lawmakers in a vehicle altered to resemble a squad car, without making contact with them, before going to the home of former Minnesota House Speaker Melissa Hortman and her husband, Mark, in nearby Brooklyn Park. He allegedly killed both of them and wounded their dog so seriously that he had to be euthanized.

The chief federal prosecutor for Minnesota has called the lawmaker’s killing an assassination.

Yvette Hoffman was released from the hospital a few days after the attacks. Former President Biden visited the senator in the hospital when he was in town for the Hortmans’ funeral.

Boelter, who remains jailed without bail, is charged in federal and state court with murder and attempted murder. At a hearing Thursday, Boelter said he was “looking forward to the facts about the 14th coming out.”

Prosecutors have declined to speculate on a motive. Friends have described him as an evangelical Christian with politically conservative views.

It will be up to Atty. Gen. Pam Bondi to decide whether to seek the federal death penalty. Minnesota abolished its state death penalty in 1911.

Karnowski writes for the Associated Press.

Good Morning Britain presenter Susanna Reid returned to the BBC on Sunday

Susanna Reid has left fans “confused” with her BBC return after 11 years.

The 54-year-old presenter’s career began as a news producer at BBC Radio Bristol, before she transitioned into a reporting role on BBC News 24.

Susanna later secured a presenting position on BBC Breakfast, where she worked alongside Bill Turnbull and Charlie Stayt. In 2010, she left the show to join Sunday Morning Live.

Following appearances on The Andrew Marr Show, Susanna moved to ITV to host Good Morning Britain, which replaced Daybreak.

Susanna currently co-hosts the programme with a rotating line-up of presenters, including Richard Madeley, Ed Balls, and Martin Lewis, reports the Manchester Evening News.

At the weekend, Susanna returned to the BBC after 11 years to participate in a panel discussion on Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg.

Following her appearance, she took to Instagram to post a photo of herself on set, alongside panellists Daniel Kebede and James Harding.

“SUNDAY! Always fantastic to be on @bbclaurak back at the BBC, this morning with @danielkebede and James Harding,” the caption read.

Susanna went on to reassure her followers that she’d be back on Good Morning Britain on Monday (July 7), saying, “Back @gmb tomorrow!”

Fans were thrilled to see her return to the BBC Studios, with many expressing their shock in the comments section.

“A nice surprise in the morning!” one person wrote.

Another added: “Nice to see you back on the BBC,” while a third said: “Yes I watched it just because you were back.”

A fourth fan echoed the sentiment, saying: “I was confused this morning thinking it was Monday already when I saw you. Then realised I had BBC One on and there was no Ed.”

The Sunday morning political show delved into voter perspectives a year on from Keir Starmer’s Labour triumph in the general election.

Susanna sparked a lively discussion among the audience when she suggested that the Prime Minister might benefit from a stint on I’m a Celebrity to enhance his public image, much like Nigel Farage did with his 2023 reality TV appearance.

A viewer, clearly exasperated by Susanna’s comments, vented on X (formerly Twitter): “According to Susanna Reid, Starmer should go to I’m a Celebrity. We are doomed.”

Good Morning Britain airs weekdays on ITV1 and ITVX at 6am

People have been left scratching their heads after trying this tricky brainteaser that only 1% of people can answer successfully – do you have what it takes to solve it?

If you can solve this baffling riddle, you could be able to consider yourself among the top 1% of brains in the country – as a staggering 99% will fail to get the answer correct.

Solving brainteasers is a fantastic way to boost your cognitive function and give your brain a much-needed workout, which is as important for your body as regular exercise is for keeping you physically fit. Puzzles can improve your problem-solving skills, improve your pattern recognition, and can even help to stave off the onset of some degenerative diseases such as dementia – so they’re definitely worth a go if you have a spare couple of minutes.

This particular puzzle was set by the question writers on the ITV game show The 1% Club. In the show, the questions start off easy, with ones that 90% of people can solve, and go all the way down to the dreaded 1% question that’s deemed so difficult that 99% of people fail to get it right.

And one recent 1% question that was asked on the show was later shared on TikTok, where it left people scratching their heads as they struggled to solve it.

The question was this: What new word links the capitalised words below?

“My SON TED ate raw FOOD and got SICK, then went to BED with me by his SIDE.”

You’ll need to think outside the box for this one. There are numerous ways the words could be “linked”, and you’ll need to work out what the connection is. Do they all have something in common? Can they all have letters added to the beginning or the end to create new words?

Don’t worry if it looks confusing. The puzzle is designed to be complicated, and there’s no shame in not being able to solve this one. Part of the fun of completing these brainteasers is learning what the pattern is, so that the next time you take one of these on, you’ll know what to look for!

If you think you can give this one a crack, though, keep studying it for as long as you need. Contestants on the show only get a short 30 seconds to solve each question, but you don’t have to be that strict with yourself unless you really want to show your skills.

Whenever you’re ready to see the answer, scroll down to find out if you were right.

Answer

The answer is the word “sea”. Each capitalised word in the sentence can be preceded by the word “sea” to make a new word, such as season, seated, seafood, seasick, seabed, and seaside.

Several people in the comments of the TikTok video were tripped up by the confusing question, with some coming up with strange answers that were far from accurate.

One person said: “Son and Ted are both human (they can get sick), Food and Sick (also connect because bad food can cause sickness, Bed and Side (can also be connected with health), the issue is Sickness is not a new word!”

Another simply responded: “Bedside.”

However, many others believed the answer was “obvious”, with some even saying they couldn’t see why the question was deemed too difficult for all but 1% of people.

Naim Qassem says his group will not surrender or lay down weapons in response to Israeli threats, despite pressure on the group to disarm.

The Hezbollah chief says the Lebanese group remains open to peace, but it will not disarm or back down from confronting Israel until it ends its air raids and withdraws from southern Lebanon.

“We cannot be asked to soften our stance or lay down arms while [Israeli] aggression continues,” Naim Qassem told thousands of supporters gathered in Beirut’s southern suburbs on Sunday for Ashura, an important day in the Shia Muslim calendar.

Ashura commemorates the 680 AD Battle of Karbala, in which Prophet Muhammad’s grandson, Imam Hussein, was killed after he refused to pledge allegiance to the Umayyad caliphate. For Shia Muslims, the day symbolises resistance against tyranny and injustice.

The Beirut area, a Hezbollah stronghold, was draped in yellow banners and echoed with chants of resistance as Qassem delivered his speech, flanked by portraits of his predecessor, Hassan Nasrallah, who was killed by Israel in September last year.

Israel launched a wide-scale assault on Lebanon on October 8, 2023 – a day after Palestinian group Hamas, which counts Hezbollah as an ally, stormed the Israeli territory, killing some 1,100 people and taking about 250 others captive.

The Hamas attack was immediately followed by Israel’s bombing of the Gaza Strip, which has killed more than 57,000 Palestinians, most of them women and children. The Israeli genocidal campaign was accompanied by a brutal blockade on entry of food and medical aid, bringing the enclave’s 2.3 million residents to the brink of starvation.

Israel’s simultaneous attack on Lebanon escalated into a full-scale war by September 2024, killing more than 4,000 people, including much of Hezbollah’s top leadership, and displacing nearly 1.4 million, according to official data. A United States-brokered ceasefire nominally ended the war in November.

However, since the ceasefire, Israel has continued to occupy five strategic border points in southern Lebanon and has carried out near-daily air strikes that it says aim to prevent Hezbollah from rebuilding its capabilities. Those strikes have killed some 250 people and wounded 600 others since November, according to Lebanon’s Ministry of Health.

“How can you expect us not to stand firm while the Israeli enemy continues its aggression, continues to occupy the five points, and continues to enter our territories and kill?” Qassem said in his video address.

“We will not be a part of legitimising the occupation in Lebanon and the region. We will not accept normalisation,” he added, in an apparent response to Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar saying his government was “interested” in such a move.

Qassem said Hezbollah’s weapons would not be on the negotiating table unless Israel “withdraws from the occupied territories, stops its aggression, releases the prisoners, and reconstruction begins”.

“Only then,” he said, “will we be ready for the second stage, which is to discuss national security and defence strategy.”

On Saturday, Israeli drones carried out four strikes on southern Lebanese towns, killing one person and wounding several others. Most of the Israeli attacks have targeted areas near the border, but Israeli warplanes have also hit residential neighbourhoods in Beirut’s southern districts, causing panic and mass evacuations.

Qassem’s speech came as the US envoy to Turkiye and Syria, Tom Barrack, was expected in Beirut on Monday. Lebanese officials say the US has demanded that Hezbollah disarm by the end of the year. Israel has warned it will continue striking Lebanon until the group is disarmed.

But Lebanon’s President Joseph Aoun has repeatedly called on the US and its allies to rein in Israel’s attacks, noting that disarming Hezbollah is a “sensitive, delicate issue”.

Burnley have signed defender Kyle Walker from Manchester City on a two-year contract.

The right-back completed his medical on Friday and will work again with head coach Scott Parker, who he played alongside at Tottenham Hotspur for two seasons.

The 35-year-old made 15 appearances in the first half of last season for City before joining AC Milan on loan in January, but the Italian club decided not to make his move permanent.

Walker won 17 trophies during his time at Etihad Stadium and was part of the squad that won the Treble in 2023.

He signed for City in the summer of 2017 and made 319 appearances for the club.

Burnley were promoted back to the Premier League last season following their relegation in 2024.

Walker is their fifth signing of the summer, following the arrival of defender Axel Tuanzebe, left-back Quilindschy Hartman, goalkeeper Max Weiss and French winger Loum Tchaouna.

More to follow.

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.

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.

On yesterday’s (July 3) This Morning, fashion guru Gok Wan hosted a makeover reveal alongside presenters Cat Deeley and Ben Shephard.

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.

“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

The police said gunmen opened fire in the River North neighbourhood. At least three victims are in critical condition.

Four people in the United States have been killed and at least 14 others wounded when gunmen opened fire on a crowd outside a lounge in downtown Chicago, according to police.

According to authorities, the mass shooting took place around 11:00pm (04:00 GMT) on Wednesday, when shots were fired from a vehicle travelling along Chicago Avenue in the city’s River North neighbourhood.

Chicago police reported that 13 women and five men, all between the ages of 21 and 32, were struck by the gunfire. Among the dead were two men and two women.

As of Thursday, at least three victims remained in critical condition. The injured were transported to local hospitals.

Police said the driver fled the scene immediately, and no arrests have been made. Chicago Police Superintendent Larry Snelling urged the public to submit anonymous tips to help detectives identify the suspects.

Local media reported that rapper Mello Buckzz, also known as Melanie Doyle, was hosting a private event at the lounge Wednesday evening to celebrate the release of her new album.

Snelling said police were trying to determine a motive and that the venue, Artis Lounge, is closed “until we get to the bottom of this”. He did not identify the number of attackers involved in the incident but said police found two different calibres of casings and were still reviewing footage.

“Clearly, there was some target in some way,” Snelling said. “This wasn’t some random shooting.”

Artis Lounge confirmed they were working with authorities as the investigation continued.

‘I can only describe it as a warzone’

In the hours after the shooting, Buckzz asked for prayers and expressed her anger and sadness on social media.

“My heart broke into so many pieces,” the artist wrote on Instagram Stories.

In her posts, the rapper revealed that many of those injured were her friends, and that she had been in a relationship with one of the men who was killed.

“Prayers up for all my sisters god please wrap yo arms around every last one of them,” Buckzz wrote across several Instagram Story slides. “Feel like everything just weighing down on me … all I can do is talk to god and pray.”

Chicago pastor Donovan Price, who works with communities affected by violence, described the scene as a “warzone”.

“Just mayhem and blood and screaming and confusion as people tried to find their friends and phones. It was a horrendous, tragic, dramatic scene,” he told The Associated Press.

The shooting took place days before the Fourth of July weekend, when Chicago and other major cities often see a surge in gun crimes. In recent years, however, Chicago has seen an overall decrease in gun violence.

During the last Fourth of July weekend in Chicago, more than 100 people were shot, resulting in at least 19 deaths. Mayor Brandon Johnson said at the time that the violence “has left our city in a state of grief”.

Neil Druckmann is leaving “The Last of Us.”

Druckmann, the co-creator of the hit HBO series and writer of the game on which it is based, announced Wednesday that he would be stepping away from the show ahead of its third season. Season 2 of “The Last of Us” concluded in May.

“I’ve made the difficult decision to step away from my creative involvement in The Last of Us on HBO,” Druckmann said in a statement posted on Naughty Dog’s Instagram account. “With work completed on season 2 and before any meaningful work starts on season 3, now is the right time for me to transition my complete focus to Naughty Dog and its future projects, including writing and directing our exciting next game, Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet, along with my responsibilities as Studio Head and Head of Creative.

“Co-creating the show has been a career highlight,” the statement continued. “It’s been an honor to work alongside Craig Mazin to executive produce, direct and write on the last two seasons. I’m deeply thankful for the thoughtful approach and dedication the talented cast and crew took to adapting The Last of Us Part I and the continued adaptation of The Last of Us Part II.”

Druckmann was a key creative behind the acclaimed 2013 video game “The Last of Us.” The story of a man and a girl crossing a postapocalyptic landscape had been something on his mind for years before he joined the video game studio Naughty Dog, which he now leads. Set in a world ravaged by a fungal pandemic that turns human hosts into zombie-like creatures, “The Last of Us” showed that a big-budget violent action shooter could be a canvas for complex themes and storylines.

The television series, which premiered in 2023, was co-created by Druckmann and Mazin, an Emmy Award winner for HBO’s limited series “Chernobyl.” Starring Pedro Pascal and Bella Ramsey as Joel and Ellie, respectively, the first season was embraced by critics and audiences alike and went on to win eight Emmys (out of 24 total nominations). The show’s second season, which adapts the story from the follow-up 2020 video game, “The Last of Us Part II,” aired earlier this year. “The Last of Us” Season 3 will continue the story from “Part II,” from the perspective of Kaitlyn Dever’s Abby.

Naughty Dog’s next game, “Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet,” in development now for the PlayStation 5, will star Tati Gabrielle (who portrayed Nora in “The Last of Us” Season 2) as Jordan A. Mun, an interplanetary bounty hunter stranded on a mysterious remote planet. Most of its details — including a release date — have yet to be revealed.

The Ankler first reported the news of Druckmann’s exit.

BBC Radio Leicester’s Foxes commentator Owynn Palmer-Atkin:

The agreement between Leicester City and Ruud van Nistelrooy to terminate his deal at the club should not come as a surprise to many.

This always felt like a case of when, not if.

Relegation from the Premier League, five wins from 27 games in all competitions and record runs without a goal at home – it doesn’t scream success for the Dutchman.

However, the timing and behaviour around the decision have to be questioned at the very highest level.

It’s been over a month since the end of the season and double that since relegation back to the Championship was confirmed. In every press conference, Van Nistelrooy told the media that no conversations about his future had started. I think he knew his fate.

But that does not make it acceptable.

Fans have a right to question the timing, too. Leicester City are clearly grappling with financial issues; they may well have been waiting for the new Profit and Sustainability Rules (PSR) financial year on July 1.

But the agreement underpinning this agreement can always have a date in July. Which begs the question, why was this decision not made earlier? The fans deserve an explanation for that.

This is another critical moment for the club. The search for a fourth manager in 12 months, the pre-season beginning on Monday and the Championship opener six weeks from this weekend.

They have to get the next appointment right.

EXCLUSIVE: BBC bosses are risking a fallout with legendary rocker Neil Young, 79, just days before his Glastonbury gig over potential coverage of his performance on Saturday

BBC bosses risk falling foul of rock legend Neil Young just days before his Glastonbury gig. The Heart of Gold singer, 79, is one of the biggest names on the bill but it is still unclear how much of his Saturday performance will be on TV. Young is still wrangling with the BBC about coverage. Insiders suspect he will agree to letting just a handful of songs go out on TV or BBC iPlayer. Whether they will be live or part of an edited highlights package is still unclear. A BBC schedule of live sets released to the public omits Neil Young, while mentioning headliners such as Charli xcx and Doechii who play other stages on Saturday.

Bosses will have to tread carefully after the star pulled out of the festival earlier this year citing concerns about the BBC’s “corporate control”. He said in January: “We were told that BBC was now a partner in Glastonbury and wanted us to do a lot of things in a way we were not interested in.

“It seems Glastonbury is now under corporate control and is not the way I remember it being.”

A BBC spokeswoman said: “We aim to bring audiences as many performances as possible from the Pyramid Stage, and our schedules and plans continue to be finalised, right up to and during the festival.”

Young has made principled stands recently. He blocked his music from Spotify for two years, saying a podcaster on the platform had spread vaccine misinformation.

This year, he has also refused to let Ticketmaster use dynamic pricing for his forthcoming tour. When Young played Glastonbury in 2009 only five songs were televised.

Speaking at the time Mark Cooper, then executive producer of the BBC’s Glastonbury coverage, said: “Neil Young’s career has been conducted on his own terms.

“They believe in the live event and retaining its mystery and that of their artist. They have decided to make one song available online over the weekend to give a flavour of his set. That’s Rockin’ in the Free World and that’s their decision.

“You probably won’t find too many Neil Young performances available freely on TV or online.”

Elsewhere in the Glastonbury controversy, Prime Minister Keir Starmer called for Kneecap to be pulled from the line-up. The band was due to perform in the 2025 festival, but the PM doesn’t think it would be appropriate due to recent events.

He made the statement after Kneecap member Liam Óg Ó hAnnaidh appeared in court as he was charged with a terror offence. The incident was relating to the musician allegedly displaying a flag and making remarks in support of the proscribed terrorist organisation Hezbollah at a concert in November last year.

Liam Ó hAnnaidh goes by the stage name Mo Chara and was bailed until later in the summer, which means he is able to play at Glastonbury. The festival will kick off on June 25 up until June 30.

When asked by The Sun if he thinks Kneecap should perform at the annual festival, Starmer said: “No, I don’t. I think we need to come down really clearly on this.

“I won’t say too much, because there’s a court case on, but I don’t think that’s appropriate.” The band are scheduled to perform on the West Holts Stage on Saturday.

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