mistake

WE all know to take good care of your passport, but what happens if someone steals it?

One couple missed out on their holiday and lost thousands of pounds when their passport was stolen at a busy train station.

Talking to The Telegraph, Reverend Bruce Johnson and Sarah Johnson said they had their passports stolen in London St Pancras.

The couple were heading to Amsterdam when they discovered their travel bag with their documents had been nabbed.

Usually, Brits can opt for a premium one-day service for passport renewals if there is a problem with their documents, for example if it is damaged.

But, this service cannot be used when a passport is lost or stolen.

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In this case, it requires extra checks from the “Lost, Stolen and Recovered” team at HM Passport Office.

The quickest option for anyone with a stolen passport is the one-week Fast Track service.

As the couple were heading on their holiday on the same day, their plans were completely ruined.

Rev Bruce Johnson told the publication: “After speaking to the Home Office plus the Dutch embassy, they wouldn’t accept our other forms of ID, such as driving licences.

“So we had to go home – and lost the whole holiday.”

Eurostar refunded the couple’s tickets, but the loss of everything else from accommodation to train and taxi fares and replacement passports has cost them £2,219.

The couple’s travel insurance policy did not cover passport theft either.

Having a passport stolen is not uncommon – the Passport Office reported that almost 370,000 passports were reported as lost or stolen in the UK in 2025 by November.

This is 62 per cent more than all of 2024.

Advice on the GOV.UK website reads: “You must cancel a lost or stolen passport as soon as possible.

“This will reduce the risk of anyone else using your passport or your identity. You can report a lost or stolen passport for someone else if they cannot do it themselves.”

Advice from the Post Office reveals that if your passport has been stolen, you won’t be able to get a replacement quickly.

It says: “You usually can’t use the one-day Premium Service to replace a lost or stolen passport. This is only for renewing an existing adult passport, where you still have your old one.

“In rare cases, such as a serious illness or bereavement, you may be able to get urgent help. If this applies to you, you’ll need to contact HM Passport Office directly to discuss your situation.

“If you need a replacement quickly, the 1 week Fast Track service is usually the fastest option.”

For the one-week fast track, the earliest time you can get an appointment is the day after you apply.

The new passport is delivered by courier a week afterwards.

This costs £192 for an adult passport and £156.50 for a child passport.

If you want to find out more about other passport rules, head here.

If you’re taking your little ones on a plane this summer, there are some helpful ways to feel prepared, as an easyJet pilot has shared the mistake that parents can easily make

An easyJet pilot has revealed the biggest mistake parents can make when flying with their children.

Jetting off abroad is always exciting, with the promise of touching down at that sought-after holiday destination you booked months in advance. While the flight might provide a little pre-holiday respite for many travellers, with their favourite series downloaded on Netflix or their current read in hand, it can be a whole different experience for parents.

Understandably, children can become restless on flights, particularly if they’ve set off early in the morning or late at night, and even if the journey is just a few hours. In their eyes, they’re in a compact space, unable to run around freely, in a new environment with some loud noises and a change in air pressure.

Parents can certainly have their hands full when flying with kids. But there are some nifty ways to help make the journey smoother, including being organised with what the kids need.

Speaking exclusively to the Mirror, easyJet Captain Matt Clutterbuck, said: “When my kids were young, we tried to be as organised as possible, having only the things we needed with us in our under seat bags and we start packing away everything but the essentials when the flight is descending so there’s less to deal with (and forget) when you get off – especially cuddly toys!”

On his own experience of seeing little jetsetters board the plane, the pilot, who is based at London Luton Airport, shared: “When I’m at work I always enjoy meeting our young travellers, so next time you fly with us, please say hello.

“Our cabin crew have Little Traveller’s logbooks so young passengers can keep a record of their travel adventures, and it’s a great way to keep kids occupied while flying. Ask for one next time you are on board, and they can ask the Captain to sign it every flight.”

The easyJet pilot also revealed the destination he’d recommend for family travel. “I think our favourite family holiday destination is Turkey,” Matt said.

“With amazing food, culture and people, we have always had a brilliant time there. It is a very family-oriented culture, and they always make a fuss of the children.”

Last month, the airline and package holiday provider partnered up with Life360, the family connection and safety app, to offer easyJet customers free Teddy Trackers when jetting off on their holidays. The aim of the scheme is to help families keep track of their children’s favourite toys via the Life360 app during their holiday, as 87% of parents said they fear their child losing a toy when travelling, while 49% said they had encountered the heartbreaking ordeal.

On the Teddy Trackers initiative, Matt shared: “I think this campaign will not only help children, but parents too. One of the biggest stresses on our holidays was making sure both kids had their cuddly toys with them. It seemed we were constantly doing a teddy roll call to make sure they hadn’t been left in a shop, on a bench or in a restaurant, and we weren’t alone because nearly 4 in 5 parents say their child’s favourite toy travels with them on most, if not every, family holiday.

“Hundreds of thousands of cuddly toys will travel on holidays this summer, so parents will have that extra peace of mind knowing that their child’s cuddly toy can be tracked, putting an end to the heartbreak of losing them. Hopefully, the Teddy Trackers offer parents extra peace of mind, helping ensure these special companions always find their way home and offer comfort to children knowing their beloved companion will be easily traceable if lost.

“The trackers are now available for free at London Gatwick, Manchester, Edinburgh and Belfast International.”

Do you have a travel story to share? Email webtravel@reachplc.com

BEIRUT, Lebanon, Aug. 14 (UPI) — Hezbollah leader Sheikh Naim Qassem lashed out at the Lebanese officials Friday for accepting the June 26 U.S.-brokered framework agreement with Israel and failing to secure any gains after seven rounds of negotiations.

He called for an end to “the humiliation” and urging the officials to reverse “the sinful mistake.”

Qassem said in a speech broadcast by Hezbollah-run Al Manar TV that the initial agreement, a conditional and phased process aimed at ending the state of war, amounted to “Israeli dictates” that gave Israel “everything it wants,” while the Lebanese authorities relinquished their sovereignty.

He called for “reversing the sinful, disgraceful and humiliating mistake,” which raises question marks about “what these officials are doing.”

Lebanese President Joseph Aoun decided to engage in direct talks with Israel in what he believed was the only viable path to ending the war, despite Hezbollah’s staunch opposition. Aoun was betting that U.S. President Donald Trump alone could pressure Israel to withdraw its troops and help Lebanon restore its sovereignty.

The war broke out when Hezbollah opened a support front for Gaza on Oct. 8, 2023, and resumed fighting in solidarity with Iran on March 2 this year, triggering a massive Israeli retaliation that significantly degraded the Iran-backed group and caused widespread destruction in southern Lebanon and other parts of the country.

Israel, which reduced some 70 border villages in southern Lebanon to rubble and rendered them uninhabitable while occupying a 6-mile “buffer zone,” insists that it will not withdraw its troops unless Hezbollah is completely disarmed.

The framework agreement, reached by Lebanese and Israeli negotiating teams under pressure from Washington, provides for a phased Israeli withdrawal from occupied parts of southern Lebanon to allow the Lebanese Army to “restore effective sovereign authority,” beginning with its deployment in two initial pilot zones.

The initial accord also addressed plans to disarm Hezbollah, Iran’s main proxy and once its most powerful regional non-state armed actor.

Despite the Lebanese Army’s deployment in the village of Zawtar al-Gharbieh — the first pilot zone in southern Lebanon — Israel continued to carry out strikes, destroy homes and demolish Hezbollah tunnels and military infrastructure.

Qassem pointed out that Israel would not have carried out “all this aggression and genocide without the Americans.”

Addressing Lebanese officials, he asked them to “name a single achievement from the seven rounds of negotiations. Israel got everything it wanted and everything it sought.”

He accused the officials of failing to withdraw from the negotiations with Israel, saying that what is happening “amounts to surrender, which we do not accept.”

Qassem credited Iran for progress, saying that the Iran-U.S. negotiations in Islamabad brought about the return of displaced people to southern Lebanon and a cease-fire that reduced the escalation, rather than the direct negotiations.

He said the war was “an existential war of aggression,” and that his group would “stand firm and defeat the Israeli project” and that those betting on surrender were “betting on a mirage.”

EXCLUSIVE: The Chase star shared his Achilles’ Heel after backlash to a wrong answer ahead of a new spin-off, The Chase Around The World.

The Chase star Shaun Wallace has confessed the “worst mistake” he made on the show.

The ITV personality has returned to screens with his co-stars including Anne Hegerty and The Chase host Bradley Walsh for a new spin-off series.

Once again, he’s putting quiz fanatics to the test but this time, it’s all around Europe.

The Chase Around The World sees six teams racing across European landmarks in a bid to win £100,000 prize.

Shaun described the spin-off as “reality television meeting with a quiz” as he admitted everyone “is pushed out of their comfort zone”.

Ahead of the series airing, The Dark Destroyer recalled one of his worst quizzing moments, as he revealed some topics he knows nothing about.

He shared: “As I always say, it takes courage to be a contestant on a quiz. Whether you get one or whether you get seven, it takes courage to put yourself forward, to sit in a chair to be thoroughly examined.”

Speaking to The Mirror and other press, Anne added: “There are times when someone, maybe just one person, gets through to the final Chase, and they set five or something, and if it’s me, the first thing I’ll say when I come out is, ‘Look, you’re the one that got through, everybody else got caught, you didn’t’.”

Recalling his own error, Shaun admitted “Every Achilles has a heel”.

He went on: “I’ve never watched The Simpsons, remember that time they asked me the colour of Marge Simpson’s hair? I said orange. The abuse I got on Twitter would make you want to quit the show.”

Shaun went on to say that like with soaps, he’d just guess an answer, and he was asked another Simpsons question where he had no choice but to do the same thing.

“They then asked me, who is the eldest Simpsons child, for £50,000?” he said.

He went on: “I know there’s three, Maggie, Lisa and Bart, and it took me six seconds to work out which one is it.”

Shaun ended up saying it was Lisa, and losing the huge sum. He added: “Questions are only easy if you know the answer, so one thing about us as quizzers is we’re brilliant quizzers, but we’re human, we make mistakes.”

Shaun, who won Mastermind in 2004 before The Chase, continued: “I use my transferable skills as a barrister, I think on my feet, I’m fearless. I’ve appeared in the Court of Appeal, I’ve done Old Bailey trials, so to answer the question in the final Chase or Mastermind grand finals is not going to phase me, but the one thing which has stood me well is my steadfast dedication to preparation because the more you prepare, the more chances you can be successful.

“And it’s not a chore… when we’re researching, it might seem like we’re going back to school. No, we’re doing it because we love it.”

The Chase Around The World airs Thursdays at 9pm on ITV1, ITVX, STV and STV Player.

WASHINGTON — A Republican senator whose support will be necessary to advance Todd Blanche’s nomination for attorney general said Thursday that Blanche must meet with accusers of convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein to earn his vote.

Sen. Thom Tillis had indicated during Blanche’s confirmation hearing Wednesday that he was leaning toward backing the acting attorney general’s nomination. But after an Epstein accuser testified a day later, Tillis said he expects a meeting to occur before he’s “willing to vote out of this committee.”

Epstein’s case and the Justice Department’s handling of millions of files related to his sex trafficking investigation have been a persistent political headache for the Trump administration.

After missteps by then-Atty. Gen. Pam Bondi that enraged President Trump’s base, Blanche as deputy attorney general oversaw a massive review and release of millions of files related to the investigation into the disgraced financier with connections to wealthy and powerful people.

Shortly after Tillis’ remarks, Blanche arrived at a Senate office building, where Blanche told reporters he had hoped to meet with Epstein accusers but “it didn’t work out.” Blanche said they were trying to find another time later Thursday or another day to schedule the meeting.

“The Department of Justice will always meet with victims or their representatives, and if those victims or their representatives have evidence that anybody committed a crime — whether it has to do with Jeffrey Epstein or anybody else — we will of course move forward and investigate and prosecute,” Blanche said.

Without Tillis’ support, Blanche’s nomination won’t make it through the Senate Judiciary Committee, which questioned Blanche for hours on Wednesday about the Epstein files as well as the creation of a fund to compensate Trump’s allies, a tax immunity deal for the president and a slew of other issues.

Another Republican on the committee who says he has not made up his mind on whether to support Blanche, Sen. John Cornyn, conveyed concerns that the Trump administration has yet to commit in writing that the fund is dead and that it could therefore conceivably be resurrected.

One Epstein accuser, Dani Bensky, told lawmakers earlier Thursday that women harmed by Epstein repeatedly asked to meet with Blanche “through multiple channels and he never responded.”

“We deserve to be heard directly, not dismissed and ignored,” Bensky said.

Blanche has pushed back on suggestions that the Justice Department has been dismissive of the late financier’s accusers, saying Wednesday that officials have spoken with more than 30 representatives of the women over the course of its sweeping review of the files.

Blanche has also defended the department’s staggered release of the Epstein files, a process beset by problems, including redaction errors that left exposed nude photos showing the faces of potential victims.

Blanche said during his confirmation hearing Wednesday that he takes responsibility for mistakes that were made, but noted that department lawyers were given a “herculean task” to quickly review millions of files for release. Blanche said department lawyers took pains to protect the women involved, and quickly fixed any errors that were found.

“I am sorry that in about 1% of the documents, mistakes were made,” Blanche said Wednesday. “But what I will say on top of that is we put tons of resources to rectifying those mistakes immediately, including pulling down documents within minutes of being informed that there were mistakes.”

The political firestorm over the Epstein files dogged the Trump administration for much of last year, with lawmakers eventually passing a measure that compelled the release of a massive trove of documents in the government’s possession related to its investigation.

The Justice Department began releasing the documents in late December, which included photos, call logs, grand jury testimony and interview transcripts. The release did little to tamp down skepticism from conspiracy theorists and online sleuths, who have long pushed allegations of a government cover-up, without evidence.

Richer and Cappelletti write for the Associated Press.

The Dodgers suffered a deflating 9-3 loss to the Arizona Diamondbacks at Dodger Stadium on Friday to start their final series before the All-Star break.

But if there was a silver lining to the Dodgers rough performance, it was that superstar Shohei Ohtani looked fine at designated hitter after being scratched from his scheduled start because of irritation in his left knee.

Ohtani, will not participate in next week’s All-Star Game in Philadelphia, hit a leadoff home run off Diamondbacks starter Eduardo Rodriguez.

“I found out yesterday morning,” Roberts said of Ohtani’s injury. “So if there’s a chance that we could kind of be proactive and get it drained and do whatever we need to do to try to manage it, along with the rest for the All-Star break, we were gonna do that.

“But obviously the way he’s swinging the bat hasn’t really affected performance,” Roberts added. “We have certainly curtailed the stealing bases. But he feels good, obviously, and he’s gonna be DH’ing the next three games.”

The Diamondbacks took advantage of the Dodgers’ bullpen game — and three defensive errors.

Right-handed pitcher Kyle Hurt opened and surrendered two runs on three hits through 1⅔ innings.

Arizona’s Ketel Marte and Geraldo Perdomo opened the game with base hits. Corbin Carroll grounded into a force out at second, moving Marte to third, before Gabriel Moreno singled on a liner to right that scored Marte. Carroll then scored on an errant throw to third from Kyle Tucker that went into the Dodgers’ dugout.

After Ohtani hit his 21st homer of the season, Andy Pages hit a tying 419-foot blast to left-center for his 17th homer.

But that was all the Dodgers (61-34) would score against Rodriguez, who gave up seven hits and struck out five over six innings to improve to 8-3.

Dalton Rushing walks back to the dugout after grounding out to end the game in the Dodgers’ 9-3 loss to Arizona on Friday.

(Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)

Arizona’s bullpen then held the Dodgers to just two hits — both coming in the ninth inning off Drey Jameson.

Will Klein (3-4) took the loss after surrendering one run through 1⅔ innings.

After Brock Stewart gave up a two-run home run to Tim Tawa in the fourth, Arizona (47-47) tacked on two more runs in the fifth after the Dodgers’ second error.

Stewart walked Perdomo to start the frame. Then, Carroll grounded into a fielder’s choice in front of the plate and reached first safely, with an errant throw by Rushing allowing Perdomo to reach third. Moreno grounded out to third to drive in Perdomo. A balk by Edgardo Henriquez followed by a wild pitch allowed Carroll to score.

Arizona extended its lead in the sixth after Tawa hit an RBI single to left and Perdomo drove in a run on a groundout to first. Tawa ended his four RBI performance with a run-scoring single in the eighth.

Reliever Alex Vesia threw a scoreless ninth inning for his fifth consecutive scoreless outing to cap a night the Dodgers probably would like to forget.

Dodgers should not visit the White House

From Bill Plaschke: Surely they hear the chants. They must hear the wonderful chants.

“Let’s go, Doyers! Let’s go, Doyers!”

Surely they see the faces? They can’t miss the gloriously diverse faces.

All shades, all colors, 4 million faces surrounding them with resounding support and unrequited love.

The Dodgers do know they play in Los Angeles, right?

Then why in the hell do they insist on embracing the person trying to tear this city apart?

This is an old issue, it’s been written before, it’s been debated ad nauseam, but it’s happening again and remains as sickening as ever.

The Dodgers are going to celebrate their 2025 World Series title with President Trump at the White House on July 23, it was confirmed Thursday.

Just like last season.

Seriously.

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Dodgers scheduled to visit White House in late July to celebrate 2025 World Series win

World Cup spurs grass/artificial turf NFL debate

From A.J. Perez: FIFA’s natural grass transformation of SoFi Stadium and six other NFL stadiums with artificial surfaces for this summer’s World Cup reignited the debate over grass versus synthetic turf.

Las Vegas Raiders owner Mark Davis long ago took a side in the fight.

“I just always felt that football should be played on grass,” Davis told The Times. “That’s for safety purposes, No. 1. I want it to look like a game was played even if it’s an indoor field. You see grass stains and everything else. I wasn’t going to a stadium without it being grass once I knew that capability was there. Obviously, it added a lot of cost, but it’s worth it.”

FIFA spent millions to lay new grass atop all 11 NFL stadiums and most of the other five stadiums that hosted World Cup games in Mexico and Canada — and some NFL players see this summer’s temporary changeover as the league’s touch-grass moment.

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The world came for soccer. What it discovered about America in 1994 was something else.

Steve Cherundolo will lead U.S. men’s soccer team that will compete in 2028 Olympics

Thursday’s World Cup results

France 2, Morocco 0

Today’s World Cup TV schedule

All times Pacific
Noon, Belgium vs. Spain, Fox, Telemundo

World Cup quarterfinals schedule, results

All times Pacific
All games on Fox and Telemundo

France 2, Morocco 0

Friday
Belgium vs. Spain, noon

Saturday
Norway vs. England, 2 p.m.
Switzerland vs. Argentina, 6 p.m.

Semifinals schedule

Tuesday
France vs. Belgium or Spain, noon

Wednesday
Norway or England vs. Switzerland or Argentina, noon

Third-place match

Saturday, July 18, 2 p.m.

Championship match

Sunday, July 19, noon

Kawhi Leonard trade is put on hold

From Steve Henson: The Toronto Raptors put the brakes on acquiring Kawhi Leonard from the Clippers, announcing Thursday that the trade is on hold until the NBA investigation into whether the Clippers circumvented salary cap rules is complete.

“The NBA league office informed us that as a result of the ongoing investigation involving the Clippers, we would assume the risk of any potential outcome of the investigation impacting Kawhi,” the Raptors said. “In light of this, we will wait until the league’s investigation is complete.”

The teams last month finalized a trade to send Leonard to Toronto for forward Brandon Ingram, shooting guard Gradey Dick, two first-round draft picks, a pick swap and two second-round picks. Leonard spent the last seven seasons with the Clippers after leading the Raptors to the 2019 NBA championship.

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UCLA lands big name

From Steve Galluzzo: UCLA coach Mick Cronin won a spirited recruiting battle for one of the top European prospects, landing wing player Nikola Kusturica on Thursday.

Kentucky, Michigan and Gonzaga had courted Kusturica, a 6-foot-9 Serbian who is among the top 17-year-old players in Europe. Recruiting websites listed Kusturica as a five-star prospect, and college basketball analysts at Field of 64 and other outlets project Kusturica could be a top-five 2028 NBA draft pick.

UCLA announced it received a signed grant-in-aid agreement from Kusturica, who will join the Bruins for the upcoming season.

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No charges filed against Rams’ Alaric Jackson

From Austin Knoblauch: Rams offensive lineman Alaric Jackson is not facing charges related to his arrest last month on suspicion of domestic violence, the Los Angeles City Attorney’s office confirmed.

“Charges are not filed against the respondent at this time, however, the case stays open throughout the length of the statute of limitations. It can be re-evaluated if there are further developments,” said Ivor Pine, a spokesperson for the Los Angeles City Attorney’s Office.

Pine said the matter has been assigned for a City Attorney hearing, a pre-filing diversion that is an alternative to misdemeanor prosecution.

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Ducks keep Leo Carlsson

The Ducks have matched the Philadelphia Flyers’ offer sheet for center Leo Carlsson, keeping their rising young star at an extraordinary cost.

The Ducks announced their decision Thursday on the 21-year-old Carlsson, who is now the NHL’s highest-paid player under the five-year, $90-million deal extended by the Flyers one week ago.

“It’s going to be a special feeling, having this pressure,” said Carlsson, who wasn’t told the Ducks were matching the offer sheet until shortly before the decision was made public. “I always wanted to be a Duck. It’s my home, too. I’m just super excited to be back.”

Although he didn’t produce points at a rate commensurate with his new salary during his first three seasons, almost everyone believes Carlsson can become one of the best centers in hockey, so his deal might eventually look downright affordable.

He scored 67 points in 70 games last season despite being limited for a lengthy stretch by a leg injury, and he added 11 points in 12 games during his first postseason experience.

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Angels lose to Rangers

Wyatt Langford lined a shot off the wall in left field to bring home Alejandro Osuna in the ninth inning, lifting Texas to a 7-6 victory over the Angels after the Rangers blew a five-run lead Thursday night.

Langford struck out three of his first four times up as the designated hitter after getting activated from the 10-day injured list in his return from a left hamstring strain.

Osuna led off the ninth with a single and went to second on pinch-hitter Nicky Lopez’s sacrifice bunt. Langford lined a 1-and-1 fastball from former Texas closer Kirby Yates (0-4) over Jose Siri’s head for the winning single.

Jo Adell had a tying, pinch-hit single to cap a five-run seventh a night after homering twice in the Angels’ 13-1 victory.

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Angels box score

MLB standings

This day in sports history

1926 — Bobby Jones wins the U.S. Open golf tournament for the second time with a 293 total.

1951 — Britain’s Randy Turpin defeats Sugar Ray Robinson in 15 rounds to win the world middleweight title and give Robinson his second loss in 135 bouts.

1960 — UEFA European Championship Final, Parc des Princes, Paris, France: Viktor Ponedelnik scores in extra time as Soviet Union beats Yugoslavia, 2-1.

1971 — Lee Trevino rebounds from a double-bogey on the next to last hole with a birdie on the final hole to win the 100th British Open by one stroke over Lu Liang-Huan. Trevino, who won the U.S. Open a month earlier, is the fourth golfer to win both championships in the same year, joining Bobby Jones (1926, 1930), Gene Sarazen (1932), and Ben Hogan (1953).

1976 — Johnny Miller shoots a 66 in the final round to beat 19-year-old Spaniard Seve Ballesteros by six strokes to take the British Open. Ballesteros, who starts the final round two strokes ahead of Miller, shoots a 74 and ends tied for second place with Jack Nicklaus.

1992 — The Major Soccer League, the only major nationwide pro soccer competition in the United States, folds after 14 seasons.

1999 — Team USA wins the Women’s World Cup over China in sudden death. The Americans win 5-4 in penalty kicks, with defender Brandi Chastain kicking in the game winner.

2010 — Paula Creamer wins her first major tournament, never giving up the lead during a steady final round of the U.S. Women’s Open. Creamer shoots a final-round 2-under 69 for a 3-under 281 for the tournament.

2010 — Spain wins soccer’s World Cup after an exhausting 1-0 victory in extra time over the Netherlands. In the end, it’s Andres Iniesta breaking free and scoring a right-footed shot from 8 yards just past the outstretched arms of goalkeeper Maarten Stekelenburg.

2011 — The United States advances to the semifinals after one of the most exciting games ever at the Women’s World Cup in Dresden, Germany. The U.S. beat Brazil 5-3 on penalty kicks after a 2-2 tie. Abby Wambach scores a thrilling goal to tie it in the 122nd minute, and goalkeeper Hope Solo denies the Brazilians again.

2016 — Andy Murray wins his second Wimbledon title by beating Milos Raonic 6-4, 7-6 (3), 7-6 (2) on Centre Court.

2016 — Brittany Lang wins her first career major at the U.S. Women’s Open when Anna Nordqvist touches the sand with her club in a bunker for a two-stroke penalty in the three-hole aggregate playoff. The penalty occurs on the second hole of the playoff and is not delivered to the players until they were on the final hole after officials review replays in the latest controversy at a USGA event. Lang seals the win with a short par putt on the final playoff hole, while Nordqvist makes bogey to lose by three shots.

2017 — An independent review of the scoring in Manny Pacquiao’s contentious WBO welterweight world title loss to Jeff Horn confirms the outcome in favor of the Australian. A Philippines government department asked the WBO to review the refereeing and the judging of the so-called “Battle of Brisbane” in Australia on July 2 after Horn, fighting for his first world title, won a unanimous points decision against Pacquiao, an 11-time world champion. The WBO said three of the five independent judges who reviewed the bout awarded it to Horn, one awarded it to Pacquiao and one scored a draw.

2021 — Ashleigh Barty of Australia wins Wimbledon defeating Karolina Pliskova of the Czech Republic 6-3, 6-7, 6-3.

2022 — Wimbledon Men’s Tennis: Novak Đoković wins 4th straight and record equaling 7th Wimbledon singles title with a 4-6, 6-3, 6-4, 7-6 win over Nick Kyrgios of Australia; Đoković now has 21 Grand Slam titles.

Compiled by the Associated Press

This day in baseball history

1917 — Ray Caldwell of New York pitched 9 2-3 innings of no-hit relief as the Yankees beat the Browns 7-5 in 17 innings in St. Louis.

1932 — The Philadelphia A’s defeated Cleveland 18-17 in an 18-inning game in which John Burnett of the Indians had a record nine hits. Jimmie Foxx collected 16 total bases, and Eddie Rommell of the A’s pitched 17 innings in relief for the win, despite giving up 29 hits and 14 runs.

1934 — Carl Hubbell struck out Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig, Jimmie Foxx, Al Simmons and Joe Cronin in succession, but the AL came back to win the All-Star game 9-7 at the Polo Grounds as Mel Harder gave up one hit in the last five innings.

1936 — Philadelphia’s Chuck Klein hit four home runs in a 9-6 10-inning victory over the Pirates, and it wasn’t in the cozy Baker Bowl. He hit them in Pittsburgh’s spacious Forbes Field, including the game-winning three-run shot in the 10th off Bill Swift. Klein almost homered in the second inning when he sent Pirates outfielder Paul Waner to the wall in right to haul in a long fly ball.

1947 — Don Black of the Cleveland Indians pitched a 3-0 no-hitter over the Philadelphia A’s in the first game of a twin bill.

1951 — The NL hit four homers en route to an 8-3 triumph at Detroit, giving the league consecutive All-Star victories for the first time.

1968 — The American League and National League agreed to split into two divisions in 1969. The twelve teams in each league will be divided and play a best-of-five games League Championship Series to determine the pennant winner.

1982 — Larry Parrish of the Texas Rangers hit his third grand slam in seven days, off Milt Wilcox in the first game of a doubleheader against Detroit. The Rangers beat the Tigers 6-5. Parrish had hit his first on July 4 and his second on July 7.

2001 — Cal Ripken upstaged every big name in the ballpark, hitting a home run and winning the MVP award in his final All-Star appearance to lead the American League over the Nationals 4-1. Derek Jeter and Magglio Ordonez connected for consecutive home runs as the AL won its fifth in a row.

2007 — Seattle’s Ichiro Suzuki went 3-for-3 with an inside-the-park home run to lead the American League to a 5-4 victory over the National League in the All-Star game.

2009 — Jonathan Sanchez pitched the majors’ first no-hitter of the season, recording a career-high 11 strikeouts in San Francisco’s 8-0 win over the San Diego Padres. The only runner the Padres managed came on an error by third baseman Juan Uribe in the eighth.

2012 — San Francisco’s Melky Cabrera and Pablo Sandoval keyed a five-run blitz against Justin Verlander in the first inning that powered the NL to an 8-0 romp over the American League in the All-Star game.

2013 — David Ortiz doubled in his first at-bat to become baseball’s career leader in hits as a designated hitter and hit a two-run homer an inning later, leading Boston Red Sox to an 11-4 victory over Seattle. Ortiz entered the night tied with Harold Baines for the most hits as a DH.

2014 — Derek Jeter, playing his final regular-season game in Cleveland, went 2 for 4 in the 1,000th multi-hit game of his career. Cleveland scored nine runs in its last two innings at bat to rally past New York with a 9-3 win.

2019 — The independent Atlantic League introduces a “robot umpire” to call balls and strikes at its annual all-star game in York, PA.

2022 — In the 8th inning of their game against the White Sox, Tigers outfielder Robbie Grossman drops a routine fly ball hit by Luis Robert and is charged with his first error since June 13, 2018, ending the longest errorless streak by any player at any position in major league history after 440 games. Worse, the error proves costly as Robert later comes around to score in a 4-2 ChiSox win.

2023 — Vladimir Guerrero Jr. wins the annual Home Run Derby, held this year at T-Mobile Park in Seattle, WA, by defeating Randy Arozarena in the final round. His father, Hall of Famer Vladimir Guerrero, had won the event in 2007, and Vladito had finished runner-up in his first participation as a rookie in 2019.

Compiled by the Associated Press

Until next time…

That concludes today’s newsletter. If you have any feedback, ideas for improvement or things you’d like to see, email me at houston.mitchell@latimes.com. To get this newsletter in your inbox, click here.

I headed down to East Sussex to undertake the hike crowned as Britain’s most beautiful and ‘eye-catching’ trail — then everything went wrong.

A hiker I am not. But when my husband told me the only thing he wants for his birthday this year is to be outdoors and go for a hike – a hiker I became. Begrudgingly.

The location for my (destined to be comical) exploits? The Seven Sisters Cliff Walk in East Sussex. ‘Walk’ being an under exaggeration.

Fair disclaimer before you read on – this story is basically a 900-word ode to my unsurpassable levels of fitness. *Cue Rocky theme song*

Whether I would be a picture of grace or not, at least the destination we picked was sure to be stunning, having recently been named one of the most beautiful and ‘eye-catching’ hiking trails in the world.

The new study by online running shoe retailer SportsShoes.com assigned each hiking trail an ‘eye-catching’ score using eye-tracking technology, ultimately giving us the world’s top 10 most beautiful hikes. The Seven Sisters Cliff Walk ranked ninth on the list.

We set off for the hike on what somehow turned itself into a glorious day amidst an endlessly rainy week and fervently thanked our stars for big little mercies. Then we missed our train and the order of the universe was restored.

We eventually made it to our seaside destination of Seaford – an hour and a half after the initial expected arrival – and set off on our hike. The wind was knocked out of my lungs the second my eyes gazed upon Britain’s most famous chalk cliffs. They were eye-catching alright.

Having done my due diligence much in advance, I had already been informed by countless reviews online that the ‘cliff walk’ was easy to moderate difficulty. Each and every one of the reviews was a lie. The difficulty level was hard, high, expert, nightmare.

The very first hill ascent left me winded, and when I reached the top of the ‘first’ sister of the Seven, I looked at my husband and called an emergency meeting. I loved him and happy birthday, but we would be taking shortcuts.

One look at my red, panting face and he quickly agreed, lest our outdoorsy hike turn into an emergency room visit. Good call on his part.

While I’m on this self-flagellating shame-spiral, it’s probably a good time to mention that I danced at an almost professional level for over a decade of my life. That girl was nowhere to be seen on this hike.

After taking a few embarrassing pauses while fit-as-hell pensioners passed me by, we finally descended the first hill, made our way to Cuckmere Haven, and braced ourselves for our next adventure (read: obstacle), The River Crossing.

With an unspoken agreement passing between us not to take the detour, my husband and I made our way to the flowing stretch we had to cross, and silently began taking off our shoes and socks. Nothing would stop me from undertaking this adventure (except for a very strong current, or really high water, or too much of a crowd – you get the gist).

Jokes aside, it was the part of the hike I was most excited about, so I was crossing this river come hell or high water. Pun intended and all that.

Holding onto each other for dear life, we made our way across the (extremely sharp and pointy) rocky river crossing and finally collapsed on the other side. It may well have been the most memorable, and fun, part of the hike. Would I do it again? Probably. Would I moan and whine doubly throughout? Definitely.

At that point it was time for a well-deserved pint, so off we headed towards the Cuckmere Inn for a scrumptious birthday lunch. After devouring my first ever Sunday Roast and finishing it off with a banoffee cheesecake, the greatest hiker in the world, aka me, got ready for the second leg of our ‘cliff walk’.

A short bus ride to Birling Gap later, we were back at the foot of a daunting cliff, and I, once again, questioned my commitment to our vows as I begrudgingly made my way up another hill that was not ‘easy’ or ‘moderate’ to climb.

Like the Big Bad Wolf in Three Little Pigs, I huffed and puffed my way up towards the Belle Tout Lighthouse, which, spoiler alert, was not pretty enough to be the reward for this monster mountain I had just climbed.

Another descent and one more seemingly endless and exhausting descent later, we got our first glimpse of the Beachy Head Lighthouse and clifftop and all was forgiven.

After spending an adequate amount of time ooh-ing and ahh-ing over the stunning, drop-dead gorgeous beauty we were surrounded by, we made our way towards The Beachy Head pub for our final pint (Pimms for me) of the day.

As the sun finally began to set on the day, we started walking towards the bus stop that would take us to Eastbourne Station so we could catch our train back to London.

It was on this walk that I began to realise something was horribly, terribly wrong. My entire right foot began feeling taut and stiff, and the shooting pain behind my kneecap rendered me limp.

What started as a slight wobble in East Sussex turned into a full blown limp by the time we reached London. Holding on for dear life, I made my way back to my apartment, each step more painful than the last, as I cursed my pro-athlete levels of fitness.

EastEnders star Natalie Cassidy has been in the public eye for decades, but there’s one project she wishes she never did.

EastEnders legend Natalie Cassidy has revealed the one project she regrets doing during her career.

The actress has remained in the public eye for decades, having joined the BBC soap aged just 10.

Best known for her portrayal of Sonia Fowler, fans have watched her depart and return to the soap numerous times, with her latest exit occurring last year.

Since then, she’s appeared in the BBC documentary series Natalie Cassidy: Caring Together, in which she undertakes training to become a qualified carer.

This isn’t her only venture beyond her EastEnders role, as she released a workout video back in 2007 called Then And Now, reports the Daily Star.

Yet, discussing the making of the fitness video with Ed Balls and Susanna Reid on Good Morning Britain, she admitted it’s a major regret.

She told the two ITV presenters: “Huge mistake, I never thought about my weight before that time.

“I was very happy-go-lucky, didn’t get on a scale, didn’t do anything. I was offered that job, go and do it, earn loads of money and lose loads of weight.

“I did that job, lost loads of weight and put it all back on again. It was really hard, which is why this campaign, what I’m doing at the moment, is really important to me.”

Natalie revealed to the GMB presenters that she doesn’t think people discuss their feelings about weight with genuine honesty, as Ed questioned what someone ought to have said to her when she was contemplating the DVD all those years ago.

She replied: “That it will change, you’ll start having food noise. I felt very alone after the DVD. I felt very alone. The job finished, and I was on my own. I wish I had someone to talk to, somewhere to go, wherever that would be.”

Susanna pointed out that people appear to be in a rather bewildered place currently when it comes to weight, given that a body positivity movement emerged just before weight loss drugs.

Natalie added: “The culture changes and shifts every 10 years; we have those ups and downs. But, I think what I’m saying is, it’s about being able to talk to somebody, be it a friend, family member, whoever, about how you’re feeling.

“How things are making you feel. It’s not just about getting on the scale and seeing a number and keeping that within you, feeling depressed all day and worrying about what you’re going to eat. We should have conversations about it.”

Good Morning Britain is available to watch weekdays on ITV from 6am

A travel journalist who travelled to Italy said they were nearly caught out by a rule introduced in the city of Venice to improve cleanliness

A travel journalist who visited Venice said they nearly lost £86 after breaking a rule they didn’t know about. Joey Handler, a travel journalist, spent six days in Italy travelling around the iconic European country, visiting various popular cities en route.

However, in one of their latest pieces, they admitted they had five regrets from their time in Italy which formed part of a two week trip around Europe.

Reflecting on the trip, back in October 2022, the Joey touched on how at one point in Venice they were stopped by the authorities for doing an act they thought was innocuous.

Joey said the incident occurred after she had completed a walking tour and went for some lunch. Eventually, after passing full restaurant after full restaurant she said she cut her losses and bought an ice cream before deciding to sit down.

However, it was the sitting down that was the problem. The Business Insider journalist explained: “I eventually cut my losses and stood in line for gelato before sitting on a shaded step to enjoy it.

“As I was about to take my first bite, the nearby authorities waved their hands up and down at me — a gesture I could only take to mean ‘get up’. And there I was, committing an etiquette violation that, according to the City of Venice, may result in a fine of 100 to 200 euros.”

As well as being informed by the local authorities about the rule, tourists and others can also be informed by the local government website. On this rule, they said: “Do not consume food and drink sitting on the ground, do not sit or lie down on banks and foundations, monuments, bridges, steps, puteals and high-water walkways

“Fine: 100 to 200 euros DASPO – Urban banning order (offenders will be immediately banned from the place where the offence was committed).”

This means that offenders could be fined anywhere between £86.74 and £173.48 if they’re caught. On why such rules, which include not swimming in the canals, dumping rubbish, walking around in a swimsuit, feeding pigeons and seagulls, not cycling, and not bivouacking in public areas, are in place, the local authority say is to preserve the environment.

They explained: “Current regulations enforced by the Venice City Council Municipal Police forbid certain behaviour, in order to preserve urban cleanliness and landscape, and also for reasons of safety and public hygiene.

“The violation of such regulations involves the application of administrative fines – from €25 to €500.”

This isn’t the only charge people can face if they travel to Venice with tourists als facing an entrance fee which was introduced in 2024 by the city. This fee is around €5 (£4.34) and originally applied on peak days between April and July before being expanded.

However, the new mayor of Venice Simone Venturini, has talked about the possibility of increasing this to €50 (£43.37). He told Corrier della Sera: “If today it ranges from €5 to €10, my proposal is to increase it to €30 to €50.”

Whilst move was in part a reaction to the sheer number of tourists, opponents have warned it risks not being true to the city itself. Former mayor Massimo Cacciari went further and called for the scheme to be removed altogether: “There is no other city in Italy or Europe where you have to enter with a ticket, as though it was a museum.

“It is barbarous, uncivilised and, in my opinion, against the constitution. It is simply obscene. I thought that Venturini would be more intelligent than his predecessor and would scrap the fee.”

GUADALAJARA, Mexico — Three and a half years after its biggest failure on the World Cup stage in half a century, the Mexican national team needed only two games to advance to the knockout round of this year’s tournament as winner of Group A.

Mexico’s defense held off a spirited final push by South Korea, earning a 1-0 win on Thursday night at Guadalajara Stadium in front of a fiery announced sellout crowd of 45,522.

Goalkeeper Kim Seung-gyu made a mistake in the 50th minute, failing to stop what appeared to be a simple cross and bobbling the ball. That allowed Mexico’s Luis Romo to easily tap the ball into the net and claim a 1-0 lead.

South Korea put pressure on the Mexican team throughout the game. Late in the scoreless first half, Jae-sung Lee came close to giving South Korea the lead. Mexico coach Javier Aguirre hoped his team would shake off nerves following the emotional opener at Azteca Stadium and show more bite in its second game against South Korea, but his team didn’t have much power behind its attack during the game’s first 45 minutes.

Mexico goalkeeper Raúl Rangel blocks a shot from South Korea’s Son Heung-min during their World Cup match at Guadalajara Stadium on Thursday.

(Natacha Pisarenko / Ap Photo/natacha Pisarenko)

The crowd in Guadalajara grew frustrated and began booing the Mexican national team’s performance at the end of the first half.

Mexico, however, won back their cheers when it capitalized on South Korea’s costly mistake and converted it into a goal.

El Tri earned a win without any other goals thanks, in part, to a great night by goalkeeper Raúl Rangel, who stopped a header by Cho Gue-sung in the 87th minute. Captain Edson Álvarez helped turn away South Korea’s attack late, holding up relatively well despite having left ankle surgery during the past year.

LAFC star and South Korea captain Son Heung-min fired one shot over Mexico’s goalkeeper in the first half, but Álvarez cleared it off the line before the referee ruled Son was offsides.

South Korea finished controlling possession 58% of the time, but it only earned two shots on target.

Mexico was coming off a comfortable 2-0 victory over South Africa, while the South Koreans had defeated the Czech Republic 2-1, marking their first World Cup opening-match win since 2010.

During the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, Mexico was eliminated in the group stage for the first time since 1978, breaking a streak of seven consecutive appearances in the knockout rounds. However, playing on home soil, the team’s goal is to emulate El Tri’s achievements in 1970 and 1986, when they reached the quarterfinals — the country’s best World Cup finish.

Due to the new 48-team format, Mexico would need to win two knockout-round matches and reach a sixth game to realize its goals.

Mexico’s Luis Romo celebrates with his teammates after scoring during a match against South Korea at Guadalajara Stadium on Thursday.

(Natacha Pisarenko / Associated Press)

After the win over South Korea, Mexico will close out group play against Czechia at Azteca Stadium in Mexico City on Wednesday. El Tri will get to play the first two games of the knockout round — should it win the first one — at Azteca Stadium, a venue where it has never lost a World Cup game.

South Korea has four points and will be favored when it plays South Africa Wednesday in Monterrey. If South Korea wins the match, it would be the Group A runner-up and advance to play the Group B runner-up on June 28 at SoFi Stadium.

Ahead of a two-week holiday to the Canary Islands, one Brit arrived at the airport only to be told that his passport was invalid due to a travel rule – even though it was in date

A Brit was caught out by a common passport mistake and turned away at the airport, leaving their holiday plans in tatters.

Terry Winter, 56, from Oxford, had booked a two-week holiday to Tenerife with his wife, Molly Winter, 62, months in advance and was eager to ensure everything was set in place as it was his first time going abroad since 2018. Their passports were in date, they had a pre-booked airport hotel the night before their early morning flight, and had even found somewhere to go for dinner – everything seemed to be in order. Or so they thought.

On the morning of Friday, 12 June, they arrived at Birmingham Airport and went to check in their bags with easyJet, having already secured their boarding passes online. Yet, when Terry scanned his passport, an error message popped up.

“I put my suitcase on the check-in to get my tag, and that’s when the warning sign came up through easyJet”, Terry exclusively told the Mirror. He waited for assistance from a member of staff and was informed, ‘Your passport is not valid.’

While Terry’s passport had not expired, it had been issued more than 10 years earlier, meaning it did not meet EU entry requirements. “I didn’t know about this rule. I was shocked.”

Under post-Brexit travel regulations, all UK passports must have been issued less than 10 years prior to the date of arrival when visiting most European countries. Terry added: “There was nothing in my knowledge about this rule.

“There were two other people at the airport, and this was happening exactly at the same time. So this isn’t just a one-off thing.”

Just last week, a mum of three was left unable to board her easyJet flight to Greece with her family, due to the same passport mistake. She also only found out at the airport that her passport was not valid and had to fork out almost £700 in additional fees, while claiming that another holidaymaker was also turned away for the same reason.

Terry said he was surprised he hadn’t been warned about the passport rule before getting to the airport, having booked the holiday in January this year and entered his passport details on the easyJet website.

“They accepted the booking, didn’t tell me there wasn’t anything wrong at the time, and then three weeks before the flight, I had to put all my passport details in again to check in. It didn’t flag anything again, and my boarding passes were downloaded,” Terry remarked.

Terry said he asked an easyJet staff member at the airport, “How often does this happen?”, to which they reportedly replied: “It happens daily with a lot of people.” Terry added: “He said it will be happening all throughout the country.”

Having been left “frazzled” at the airport, Terry had no option but to urgently book an appointment through His Majesty’s Passport Office to obtain a new passport using the one-day premium service. His wife, whose passport was valid, chose to stay in the UK with him for extra support.

While there were no suitable appointments available in London, due to it being the weekend, Terry managed to secure a 9.10am slot for Monday (15 June) in Peterborough.

He and his wife travelled up to Peterborough from Oxford the night before, booked a hotel, and on Monday morning went to the passport appointment. Thankfully, after a few hours, Terry was issued a new passport, and he swiftly rebooked flights to Tenerife, departing on Tuesday, 16 June.

While he commented, “I’m just laughing the whole thing off”, Terry said he has lost out on “almost £1,000” in additional costs for his first trip abroad in eight years. He explained that this included around £40 in extra fuel, £50 for the Peterborough hotel, just under £100 for another night at the airport hotel, around £400 for two people flying to Tenerife one-way, and £239.50 for his new passport.

He added that he’s lost around “£400 on the flights” he wasn’t able to board originally, and said: “It’s getting close to nearly £1,000, I’ve been inconvenienced by.”

Terry also claimed that the day after his initial flight, on Saturday 13 June, he was sent a generic email reminder from easyJet that warned passengers: “Please check your travel documents before you fly.” In response, he said, “Well, that’s pointless. The day after, you’ve already lost your flight.”

A spokesperson for easyJet told the Mirror: “Unfortunately, Mr Winter was unable to fly as his passport did not meet passport validity rules. We remind customers during booking, check-in and by email before they travel to ensure they are aware of the travel documentation requirements for their trip, and it is customers’ responsibility to ensure they have valid documentation for travel.”

EasyJet has a dedicated page on its website that warns passengers about passport rules and requirements, including for travel to the EU. As part of these warnings, it explains: “Please check your passport’s expiry and issue date before you travel. If you’re a UK passport holder travelling to the EU (except Ireland), or Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, Andorra, Monaco, San Marino, the Vatican City or Switzerland, your passport will need to meet the following criteria:

• It must be valid for at least three months after the day you plan to depart from the EU or above countries*
• It must be no more than 10 years’ old on the date of travel to the EU or above countries.

“Visit the UK government’s advice page for more information.

“Citizens of the European Union, European Economic Area and Switzerland may travel within Europe using a valid EU/EEA/Swiss National Identity Card or Passport Card.”

To renew or replace your passport, online or at the HM Passport Office, visit the government website.

Do you have a travel story to share? Email webtravel@reachplc.com