Rare

TOURISTS in Spain are being urged to be cautious tomorrow when the rare solar eclipse takes place.

Anyone travelling to Spain or within Spain where you will be able to see the full solar eclipse, is being warned that there is a high risk of forest fires.

Six million people are expected to be travelling around the country to see the solar eclipse, across 660 official viewing spots.

And around half a million tourists are expected to travel to Spain for the rare event, with campsites across the country being booked out.

The roads are set to be busier too with around 1.5million journeys expected to be taken in the areas where you can see the eclipse fully.

According to The Olive Press, in Aragon for example, the eclipse will be fully visible and around 15,000 people are expected to camp the night in four spots in the area.

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In fact, around 70 per cent of Spain’s rental motorhomes, camper vans and caravans have already been booked for the eclipse period.

As a result, several regions are on high alert of wildfires while the solar eclipse takes place, especially as temperatures are expected to reach 40C in parts of Spain tomorrow.

Authorities are warning that the countryside is particularly at risk, warning tourists and locals to not light fires and park on dry grass.

People are also not allowed to park on hard shoulders, have barbeques or have fireworks.

As a precaution, the natural parks and rural footpaths in the Valencia region have all been closed too.

Spots like Madrid, Zaragoza, Bilbao and Valencia will see a 99.9 per cent eclipse.

According to The Guardian, environment minister, Sara Aagesen, said: “The vegetation is extraordinarily dry and the smallest spark or carelessness could lead to devastating forest fires.”

Aug. 7 (UPI) — An American was evacuated from Antarctica to a New Zealand hospital last week for medical treatment, officials said Friday.

The rare mid-winter operation was conducted July 31 by the Australian Antarctic Division, the Australian government agency responsible for running the Australian Antarctic Program, with aviation partner Skytraders, an Australian specialist aviation operator, AAD said in a statement.

The extent of the medical emergency was not immediately clear. UPI has contacted the U.S. Antarctic Program, which requested the evacuation, for comment.

Skytraders told UPI in an emailed statement that it deployed an Airbus A319 Long Range aircraft from Hobart, Tasmania, after receiving an urgent request for assistance.

The plane, known as Snowbird 1, departed Hobart at 2:44 a.m. AEST on July 31 during what Skytraders called “a narrow weather window” during the Antarctic winter, and landed in the dark at McMurdo Station five-and-a-half hours later.

Skytraders said its flight crew and operational support and medical teams worked in temperatures as low as -45.4 degrees Fahrenheit to transfer the patient to the plane, which departed before conditions deteriorated further.

The aircraft landed in Christchurch, New Zealand, on the afternoon of July 31, it said. AAD said the American was “now receiving medical treatment.”

“Every Antarctic mission demands absolute precision, but winter operations raise the complexity significantly. The conditions we encountered were right on the edge of even the most specialized aircraft capability,” Capt. Al Wallach, Snowbird 1’s pilot for the mission, said in a statement.

“Our focus throughout the mission was the safety of the patient and our crew. Our thoughts remain with the patient and we wish them a full recovery.”

Japan and the United States have confirmed a rare, coordinated yen-buying intervention to halt the Japanese currency’s slide to 40-year lows, with Tokyo signalling it is willing to take further action if needed.

The Japanese Ministry of Finance confirmed the joint intervention after a statement by US President Donald Trump on Sunday announced that Washington was helping to prop up the yen as a sign of friendship and to support the global economy.

“They have a weakening yen, and they wanted a little bit of help. And we’re always there for Japan,” Trump said in response to a reporter’s query about why the US is helping to support the currency.

The yen leapt after the announcement, leaving traders on high alert for further intervention from authorities. The Japanese currency gained as much as 1.4 percent to hit a nearly three-month high of 155.20 per US dollar, compounding a 3.8 percent surge over the previous two sessions. The yen also advanced broadly against other major currencies, including the euro and sterling.

The latest bout of aggressive yen-buying heavily pressured the US dollar. In early Asian trading on Monday, the euro climbed to a 1.5-month high of $1.1559, while sterling hovered near a two-week top at $1.3476.

However, the rapid appreciation of the currency immediately weighed on the equity market. The Nikkei share average tumbled, reversing course from the one-week high it had achieved in the previous session.

Analysts say the intervention underscores both countries’ resolve to prevent global spillovers from a sell-off in the yen and Japanese government bonds, including by adding pressure on already rising US Treasury yields.

Japan has been struggling to curb a relentless drop in its currency that has pushed up import prices and stoked broader inflation, hitting household wallets and Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s approval ratings.

In its statement, Japan’s Finance Ministry said Friday’s yen-buying intervention with the US Treasury Department “countered excessive volatility and disorderly movements in the Japanese yen in recent months”.

“The Japanese Ministry of Finance remains attentive and in close communication with our counterparts at the U.S. Treasury,” it added. “We will not hesitate to conduct further joint intervention.”

The joint intervention is the first since a 2011 coordinated action to weaken the yen after the devastating earthquake in eastern Japan.

Tokyo may have sold as much as $58.97bn to buy yen when it intervened in New York markets on Thursday, Bank of Japan data indicated, before Friday’s confirmed joint intervention with Washington.

US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent also confirmed Friday’s effort, noting on Sunday that Washington “will not hesitate to participate in further joint intervention”.

“We strongly support Japan’s decisive market and monetary steps to correct the substantial undervaluation of the yen,” Bessent said in a separate statement on X, repeating his calls for further interest rate hikes by the Bank of Japan.

In line with Bessent’s repeated calls for higher Japanese interest rates, the Bank of Japan on Friday offered its most explicit signal to date of an early rate hike, even as it kept monetary policy steady.

In a sign of broader policy coordination, South Korea also stepped in to buy its won currency on Thursday.

Japan intervened in April and May, buying yen, but the move triggered only a brief rebound. The Bank of Japan’s June rate hike to a 31-year high of 1 percent also gave the struggling currency little lasting boost.

A LOVED-UP Pete Wicks has made a rare romantic comment amid his Olivia Attwood relationship – just a week after they went official.

The couple have been trying to keep their relationship under wraps for months, but thrilled fans recently when they finally hard launched their romance.

In the latest episode of his latest Staying Relevant podcast that he co-hosts with best pal Sam Thompson, 33, a smitten Pete, 37, talked about what makes him happy in a relationship.

The usually gruff reality star was asked what his “love languages are”, to which he replied: “Mine I would probably say are physical touch, quality time, and acts of service.”

Co-host Sam then agreed, and said that his was also “physical touch”.

The latest revelation comes just a week after Pete and his girlfriend Olivia, 35, FINALLY went Instagram official.

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The couple had been keeping fans guessing ever since the beginning of the year, but had been spotted out on several cosy dates.

It came when the former Towie star flew out to Ibiza as Olivia filmed a new series of her show, Bad Boyfriends.

Loved-up Pete then shared a series of black and white shots, which saw them cuddled up together.

In a perfect hard launch, he captioned the snaps with: “I guess someone has to go first…IBIZA” followed by a black heart emoji.

Best pal Sam was quick to comment: “Never thought I’d see the day YOU hard launch!! couldn’t be happier for you brother.”

Their romance started after Olivia revealed she had split from her husband Bradley Dack, 32, at the beginning of the year.

KATIE Price has made a rare reference to her infamous feud with Victoria Beckham – 26 years after their war over Dane Bowers. 

During the latest episode of her podcast The Katie Price Show, the 48-year-old shared her surprising true feelings about Victoria, 52.

Speaking to sister Sophie, 36, Katie insisted she is completely over their fall-out and would even welcome the chance to bump into her. 

She said: “I’ve got no issue with Victoria. 

“There’s no feud between us. Well, I don’t know if she has one against me. If I saw her, I’d say hello, I haven’t got a problem.”

In 2000, when Katie was still working as her glamour model alter-ego Jordan, the famous women went to war over Katie’s then-boyfriend Dane, 46. 

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After Spice Girl Victoria and Another Level singer Dane launched their solo careers, they teamed up with True Steppers for garage anthem Out of Your Mind. 

It was Victoria’s first single after Spice Girls split and Katie later confessed their close working relationship during the mammoth promotional trail for the track sparked insecurities about her relationship with Dane. 

Writing in her autobiography Being Jordan, she said: “I thought something was going on, I thought, ‘is he obsessed with her?’”

Katie also took aim at Victoria during interviews, criticising her for wearing a fake lip ring during performances with Dane. 

And Posh was no better during the catfight, firing back: “Jordan does full frontals with her crotch and t**s out and she says I’m a bad influence by wearing a fake ring? I think she’s vile.”

Things between the warring women came to a head when, according to Katie, Victoria turned mean girl when she visited the players lounge at Manchester United, where Posh’s husband David, 51, played at the time. 

Katie maintains to this day that, upon spotting her, Victoria launched into a rendition of Who Let The Dogs Out. 

In 2024 Katie dragged up the past during an episode of her podcast, saying: “I remember them days with Victoria Beckham.

“When she sang Who Let The Dogs Out at me in the Manchester United Lounge.”

Brock Whiston was already Paralympic champion, world champion and world record holder before these Commonwealth Games.

There were two things missing, however.

First, a Commonwealth gold medal. Second, it had been 17 years since her father Gel was poolside to watch her race.

“He doesn’t like swimming,” England’s Whiston, 29, told the BBC.

“He finds it too hot – doesn’t like the smell of chlorine.”

The last time Gel came to watch was when Whiston’s mother had cancer. She has since recovered.

Since then he has been a big “sideline supporter” from home – Whiston says he worked “so hard to get me to where I am today” – but has recently received a Parkinson’s diagnosis.

This time he was keen to make the trip.

“I just wanted to make him proud,” Whiston told TNT Sports.

“I just wanted to win this race for him. I didn’t care about the time.”

And win the race Whiston did – in a new Games record for the women’s 100m breaststroke SB8.

This month Whiston, who works in a primary school, spoke about wanting to keep her emotions in check, having missed out on gold in the same event at the Paris Paralympics after being overawed by the crowd.

“I didn’t spot him until I was doing my lap with my medal,” Whiston said.

“He gave me a kiss on the head and said ‘love you’. I think he was shellshocked.”

So will he be back? Whiston’s Games in Glasgow are finished but there are more meets to come.

“He said he’s done it now. He’s not coming back,” she said.

“He is very happy to support from home.

“Just to have him there that once was a special moment.”

Japan has identified a high concentration of valuable heavy rare earth elements in deep sea mud recovered from waters near the remote Pacific island of Minamitori, marking another step in its efforts to reduce dependence on Chinese critical mineral supplies.

The Japanese government said on Friday that analysis of rare earth rich mud collected earlier this year showed medium and heavy rare earth elements accounted for about 54% of the total rare earth content. However, officials did not disclose the overall size of the deposits, saying the limited scope and duration of sampling meant the available data was insufficient to estimate total reserves.

The samples were collected during a month long expedition in February by Japan’s scientific drilling vessel Chikyu near Minamitori Island, approximately 1,900 kilometres southeast of Tokyo. The mission marked the world’s first successful continuous recovery of rare earth bearing seabed mud from depths of around six kilometres beneath the ocean surface.

Strategic Push for Mineral Security

The project forms part of Japan’s broader strategy to strengthen supply chain security for critical minerals following tighter Chinese export restrictions on heavy rare earth elements and magnets, which are widely used in defence systems, electric vehicles, semiconductors and other advanced technologies.

Researchers recovered approximately 50 metric tons of seabed mud during the expedition.

Analysis identified several strategically important rare earth elements, including yttrium, used in aerospace, semiconductor and energy technologies; gadolinium, widely used in medical imaging and other high technology applications; and dysprosium, a key component in high performance permanent magnets used in electric vehicle motors.

Commercial Mining Trial Planned

Japan plans to conduct a month long large scale mining trial in the same waters beginning in February 2027.

The trial aims to recover approximately 350 tons of seabed mud each day. The material will first be dewatered on Minamitori Island before being transported to mainland Japan for separation, refining and smelting tests.

The project will evaluate whether domestic deep sea rare earth production can become commercially viable. A comprehensive assessment of industrial scale production is expected by March 2028, according to Kazushige Kikuchi, project manager at the Japan Agency for Marine Earth Science and Technology, which operates the Chikyu research vessel.

China Remains Dominant Supplier

Japan’s exploration efforts come amid growing concern over China’s control of global rare earth supplies.

Beijing introduced export controls on several heavy rare earth elements and related magnets in April 2025 and later tightened restrictions on exports to Japan in January, followed by two additional rounds of measures the following month targeting major Japanese companies.

Rare earth elements are essential components in advanced manufacturing, including electric vehicles, renewable energy systems, military equipment, consumer electronics and semiconductor production.

Analysis

Japan’s latest findings highlight the growing strategic importance of securing independent supplies of critical minerals as geopolitical competition increasingly shapes global supply chains. Although the newly analysed deposits have yet to be proven commercially viable, the discovery strengthens Japan’s long term effort to reduce reliance on Chinese exports. If future mining trials demonstrate economic feasibility, deep sea resources could become an important pillar of Japan’s critical minerals strategy while encouraging other resource poor countries to accelerate investment in seabed mining technologies despite ongoing environmental concerns.

With information from Reuters.

BUSTED’S James Bourne has revealed he’s still ‘not out of the woods’ in a rare health update amid a mystery illness.

The star was forced to withdraw from the McFly Vs Busted tour in September last year due to his health.

In April, he revealed he was having surgery to “extend his life” in a worrying health update, and now he’s issued another one.

In a new post on X, James wrote: “As I’m taking a break from the gram, I’ll be posting an update soon about what’s going on with my health in my Spotify bio.

“It’s a long story. Still not out of the woods yet. Thanks for your support and patience.”

The update comes a month after James, 42, gave his only interview to The Sun to talk about a new project he was determined to finish despite his on-going health battle.

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On July 1 he released new album Murder At The Gates, which he created for a brand new musical with legendary American playwright Steven Sater.

He said: “I didn’t want my health to stop me from promoting this project because I’ve put 13 years of my life into it.

“There was a fear of not finishing it. But I knew I had to finish it and give this to the people.

“There’s like a few people that have been waiting for it. There are hardcore fans who show to up for everything – and I have been speaking about this for a long time.

“It feels so good to now have this as a finished product. And it’s the first album I’ve ever produced. So I’m proud of it.”

SINCE stepping out of the stand-up spotlight, Johnny Vegas has embraced a calmer life running an antiques business – and now his long-term partner is getting involved.

In a new interview, the Benidorm star has opened up about Vikki Jones in a rare glimpse int his love life.

Johnny, 55, has been dating Vikki for three years and says the pair love working together.

He told The Times: “They say never work with your partner, but it’s great. She and Bev make fun of me most of the time.”

Bev is Johnny’s self-described “long-suffering” childhood friend and assistant, who appears alongside him in his Quest series Johnny Vegas’ Little Shop Of Antiques.

Explaining why he rarely speaks about Vikki publicly, Johnny said: “I wasn’t keeping it under cover, but I don’t share much about it on social media.”

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His antiques venture, Vintage Vegas, began as a pop-up shop at Dagfields Craft and Antique Centre near Nantwich, Cheshire.

It featured in his eight-part TV series, which followed Johnny and Bev as they hunted for unusual treasures to sell.

Johnny describe his business venture as “collectable things of all sorts, really.

“I have a very dangerous bit of knowledge on lots of things. I couldn’t tell you about 18th-century furniture or anything, but I have to think I like it and hopefully I have an eye for this stuff.”

The Benidorm star admitted he was initially unsure whether customers would visit just to get a selfie.

He said: “It’ll be an interesting experiment to see if people come in not just to see me.

“We’ll find out if it’s viable down the line when the circus has left town, so to speak. We’re learning as we go. I never thought I’d see myself as a shopkeeper.”

Johnny has also opened up about stepping away from stand-up comedy after years of struggling with nerves.

He said: “Stand-up was great, but it was manic. The nerves took their toll. Never say never, but I just see that as a project that needs to rest.”

Johnny was previously married to Kitty Donnelly from 2002 until 2008, and they share an adult son, Michael.

He wed his second wife, Irish broadcaster Maia Dunphy, in 2011.

The former couple, who share 11-year-old son Tom, announced their separation in 2018 and later briefly reconciled before splitting again.

July 3 (UPI) — A rare copy of the Declaration of Independence printed in 1776 has been found in London, making it the only known example of the so-called Exeter printing to exist outside the United States, the British National Archives announced Friday.

The document is one of only 11 known copies of the Declaration of Independence to be printed in Exeter, N.H., in the days after it was formally adopted July 4, 1776. It was printed between July 16 and 19, 1776, with the purpose of spreading the news of independence across the colonies.

Graham Moore, the curator of the National Archives’ Revolution 250 exhibit, said the document is so rare because it wasn’t printed to be preserved but to be distributed quickly and widely.

The document in question was seized among papers aboard the American ship Dalton by Britain’s navy on Christmas Eve in 1776, the National Archives said in a release.

The British navy’s HMS Raisonable pursued the Dalton for 7 hours off the coast of Portugal before it was captured and taken to Britain.

“Listed at the time simply as ‘another paper,’ it has now been identified as a contemporary printing of the Declaration,” the release said.

Workers at the National Archives made the discovery in May while working on cataloging documents from the American Revolution to mark the 250th anniversary.

“What makes this discovery even more exceptional is that, as the only known copy taken by military action, we know much more about it — thanks to the bureaucratic processes of war,” Moore said.

“Evidence taken from captured ships was preserved as part of Admiralty court proceedings, and we hold those records at The National Archives. So we can present an unusually rich backstory that most surviving declarations do not have.”

KATIE Price has made a rare sentimental remark about ex-husband Peter Andre in her new Sky documentary.

The reality TV star, 48, shared a sweet comment about ex Peter and how shy he used to make her feel in her latest series, Katie Price: Nothing To Hide.

In the documentary, Katie is sitting down watching her old I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here! footage — the show on which she met Peter.

She then opened up about just how much she felt for Peter, calling him her “Prince”.

Katie said: “If I like someone like I liked him, I go all shy. I can’t look at them, and I go all like giddy. It’s pathetic, but that’s what I was like.

“You could see we were into each other and it is so cute to look at. By the end of it I was smitten with him.

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“Meeting Pete and being with Pete were the best times of my life, without a doubt.

“I had my prince, I knew I would be with him forever.”

Katie and Peter met in 2004 and started dating shortly after their time on I’m A Celeb ended.

They got engaged later that same year and tied the knot in 2005.

They went on to have two children, Princess and Junior, before divorcing in 2009.

Earlier this year, Katie married for the fourth time, tying the knot with self-proclaimed millionaire Lee Andrews.

The pair’s whirlwind wedding came after just a week of speaking online.

Recently Katie and Lee reunited after Lee was imprisoned in Dubai under accusations of fraud.

Sciver-Brunt first injured her calf on 29 April, suffering what was then described by England as a “minor” tear when playing in domestic cricket.

She subsequently sat out series against New Zealand and India at the start of the international summer before returning for England’s World Cup warm-up matches.

The England captain came through warm-ups against Australia and India and the first match of the World Cup against Sri Lanka but reported ‘tightness’ in a win over Ireland 10 days ago.

She has not played since and England will either play their semi-final on Tuesday or Thursday next week, depending on other results.

“The one thing you need is time,” Worth said.

“You need time to allow the muscle to repair and then strengthen in the right way. Those timelines are tight, particularly given a history of previous injuries in the same area, but not impossible.”

Calf injuries are a regular issue for cricketers. England’s leading wicket-taker James Anderson had calf problems in the latter part of his career.

Worth said this is because of issues specific to cricket, like batters having to sprint from a standing start or bowlers slamming their front foot into the crease in their delivery stride, and the make-up of the muscle.

“You have two different types of tissue that come together,” he said. “You have your calf which is the upper bit and then the Achilles tendon.

“Wherever there are two types of tissue in terms of composition, that is often where there is a weak point.

“Things like taking a run, going from 0 to 100mph, are really difficult to replicate in rehabilitation.

“You have the immediate calming down on inflammation but tendons like load and need to strengthen.

“It is very difficult to get the balance between working the muscle enough and not pushing it too far.

“Quite often calf injuries are tricky because you feel like you have done the work and you put them back onto the field in a match situation and something goes again.”

VICK Hope has shared a rare glimpse inside her and husband Calvin Harris’ £15M Ibiza home.

Calvin, 41, bought the stunning 138-acre farm, known as Terra Masia, back in 2022, and the couple spend their summers there – with the Scottish DJ remaining close to maintain his dual-residency at nearby superclub Ushuaïa Ibiza,

Last summer, Vick, 36, gave birth to their son Mica at the Spanish home, and has now shared a glimpse of the little one with dad Calvin at the home.

In a Father’s Day post for Calvin shared on Sunday, Vick shared a video of the musician serenading Mica in a sweet moment.

The clip sees Calvin sitting on the floor of their Ibiza home – which is neutrally decorated with a beige couch and textured nude rug – and playing a ukulele.

His son can be seen adorably dancing along to the tune, bobbing up and down in between his dad’s legs.

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In the clip, Calvin and Vick’s sprawling farm backdrop can be seen – with a large window showing the beautiful views and collection of trees.

Vick wrote alongside the video: “Happy first Father’s Day, love from the person you make dance the most”.

A number of celebrities took to the comment section on the post, with Davina McCall writing: “Awwwwwww xxxx my heart”.

“Awwwwwwww ❤️,” said Carol Vorderman.

The clip is a rare glimpse into Calvin and Vick’s life in Spain during the summers, with the couple – who married in 2023 – famously private about their personal lives.

The residence holds special memories for the couple, with Calvin reportedly popping the question to Vick underneath a grand tree there, as well as welcoming their son there.

Calvin bought the Ibiza property after selling his two multi-million pound mansions in Los Angeles.

The chart-topping DJ and producer’s sprawling 138-acre residence is known as Terra Masia, which is the largest organic farm in the White Isle.

It can produce veg, eggs, wine and farm-to-table meals, and also hosts special events such as weddings.

At the time, a source told The Sun: “Calvin employs an expert team including farmers and chefs.

“But that hasn’t stopped him getting involved and he regularly gets his hands dirty, helping to plant seeds and everything else involved in running a farm.

“He is really passionate about what he and the team are doing.”

When the couple aren’t spending their summers in Ibiza for Calvin’s residency, they reside in a countryside home in the Cotswolds.

The final journey

“By mid-June it is over,” Evansis says.

The mature cicadas, dark-shelled and spent, begin flying towards the Umrong River in large numbers and drop into the rapids. The river fills with them. Along the banks, dead cicadas collect against wet stones and bamboo roots, their wings plastered flat by the current.

Locals call it niangtaser suicide. Hajong offers a simpler explanation: Cicadas are naturally drawn to sound and movement, and the fast-moving river may trigger that instinct in their final hours.

For the fish below the surface, it is a feast. For the forest above, closure.

The journey that began four years earlier beneath the ground ends in the same river that separates Livi’s home from the sanctuary.

Not everyone has watched that cycle for as long as Kewstar Majaw.

At 92, he has witnessed more emergences than almost anyone alive in the village. He served in the Indian Army. He loves watching football. And every four years, without fail, he waits for his noisy visitors.

For Kewstar, the passing of the cicadas has become another way of measuring life. World Cups came and went. Governments changed. Forests retreated. But every four years, if the rains arrived on time and the bamboo still held, the forest sang.

As a boy, he would follow his parents into the forest carrying bamboo containers, the sound reaching them before the insects came into view. In those days, the niangtaser was everywhere. Behind houses. In the trees along village paths. Young ones, mature ones – the forest floor was alive with them.

The chorus was so loud, he recalls with a laugh, that people stuffed cotton into their ears to bear it.

The insect did not need to be searched for. It found you.

Kewstar sits quietly for a moment. At his age, he has watched the forest retreat, the bamboo thin, and the chorus fade with each passing emergence. The insect that once appeared on his doorstep now requires a torch and a walk in the dark to be found.

“It was everywhere,” he says softly. “Now you have to go looking for it.”

In a few weeks, the cicadas will disappear beneath the earth once more,  keeping time in darkness until the cycle begins again. By the next emergence, another football World Cup will be under way somewhere else in the world.

Whether Saiden’s forests will still sing with them depends on what survives until then.

A BOND Girl has been spotted on rare outing 50 years after her sizzling scenes aired in one of the most iconic 007 movies.

Former Bond Girl Gloria Hendry, who played CIA agent Rosie Carver, was seen out and about looking amazing this week while running some errands.

50 years after starring opposite Roger Moore in the iconic flick Live and Let Die, Gloria, now 77, was spotted in Las Vegas.

The model and actress wore a casual brown and black top with some black leggings and slip on shoes for the low-key trip.

Looking youthful and content, Gloria wore her hair in a short light brunette bob, which was very different to the afro she sported in the movie.

Florida-born Gloria shot to fame in her 20s when she became 007‘s first African-American woman to become romantically involved with James Bond.

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In the 1973 movie, she was fresh-faced and vibrant, showcasing a voluminous afro that framed her face.

The model-turned-actress played the part of Rosie Carver, who famously gets shot and killed in Bond’s arms.  

Her steamy scenes with Roger Moore catapulted her into the spotlight in the Ian Fleming classic.

The movie theme of Live and Let Die was famously written by Paul McCartney. 

In his memoir, 007 star Roger described how the passion between himself and Gloria impacted his marriage.

“As Bond, I make love to Rosie Carver, played by the beautiful black actress Gloria Hendry, and my wife Luisa has learned from certain Louisiana ladies that if there is a scene like that they won’t go to see the picture,” he penned.

He added: “I personally don’t give a damn, and it makes me all the more determined to play the scene.”

Before her Bond Girl fame, she was a model and spent time at the Playboy Club.

She worked as a Playboy Bunny at the New York Playboy Club from 1965 until 1972.

Her model past led to her acting debut in Sidney Poitier’s For Love of Ivy, which then led to her bagging the James Bond role.

Following her Bond Girl fame, she has maintained a relatively low profile in Hollywood.

However, she did enjoy a moment in the spotlight as the writer and director of Glamour Girls, which was showcased at the Barbara Morrison Performing Arts Center in Los Angeles in October 2011.

Away from the screen, Gloria was married to Phillip W. Wright from 1995 until his passing in 2022.

KIM Kardashian is flogging her rare designer clobber on her fashion website — but you’ll need a 19-inch waist to wear it.

The reality star, 45, is selling items from her Disney+ series All’s Fair, including a 1995 John Galliano top and jacket for £43,000, and a £1,265 Thierry Mugler suit.

Kim has cinched her 24-26in waist to 19ins for red carpet events such as Met Galas.

And with her reported 43-inch bum many clothes are specially tailored for her shape.

Most items from her All’s Fair wardrobe are marked with a warning to buyers, with one assistant writing next to the Mugler suit: “Pants were altered to fit Kim’s body.”

A dress by the late French designer was also adjusted for the superstar.

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The John Galliano skirt was tweaked to fit her shapely derrière, along with a £1,300 three-piece suit from Patou.

A Christian Dior silk coat was also tailored to fit Kim’s waist — going from a UK size 18 to size six.

Kim’s family have been using the “Kardashian Kloset” website to flog used clothes since 2019.

It’s unknown if money from sales go into the family’s pockets or to charity.

Kim keeps every outfit she’s worn in storage — including her Met Gala designs and even the bridesmaids dress she wore to sister Khloe’s wedding to Lamar Odom in 2009.

She said of her archive: “This is its own time capsule.

“I have every look, every dress, every event.

“I love it, it’s like going down memory lane.”

MIAMI — The Trump administration has extended protections shielding about 11,000 Lebanese from deportation, allowing them to stay and work in the United States for another six months.

The decision, announced Thursday by the Department of Homeland Security, marked a rare reprieve for people protected by temporary measures that have been harshly criticized by Republicans. The extension comes amid ongoing fighting in southern Lebanon between Israeli troops and Hezbollah fighters.

The decision was automatic, meaning that the administration missed the deadline by which it was supposed to decide on whether to extend the measure called Temporary Protected Status for Lebanese people living in the U.S. who are covered by the program. By statute, the status automatically extends for six months if the department misses the deadline.

It was an unusual outcome for an administration that has canceled the protections that had covered people from 13 countries, including Venezuela, Haiti, Nicaragua and Syria from deportation.

TPS was created by Congress in 1990 to prevent deportations to countries suffering from natural disasters or civil strife, giving people authorization to work in increments of up to 18 months. More than 1 million immigrants from 17 countries were protected by TPS at the beginning of the Trump administration, after the Biden administration greatly expanded its use.

The program has been at the center of a controversy.

Republicans and critics of TPS argue that the program and its protections deviate from their original temporary intent, taking on a quasi-permanent character when extended. Its defenders assert that it is a fundamental humanitarian program that prevents vulnerable individuals from being forced to return to dangerous conditions.

The DHS notice said that former DHS Secretary Kristi Noem and current Secretary Markwayne Mullin, who has led the department for the last two months, “were unable to make an informed determination on Lebanon’s TPS designation.”

The extension allows existing beneficiaries to keep their protections through Nov. 27, “if they still meet the eligibility requirements for TPS,” according to the notice. The work permits that were already issued for Lebanese TPS holders will be valid until the same day.

This is the second time the Trump administration has automatically extended a TPS designation. The first happened nearly a year ago with South Sudan, but the protections were terminated in November 2025, after the six-month extension period.

There are dozens of lawsuits challenging the termination of TPS at federal courts in different states. The Supreme Court is set to make a decision on TPS that protected Haitians and Syrians during the summer, and the result is expected to have an impact on all the other cases.

Advocates welcomed the extension.

“Extending Temporary Protected Status means Lebanese nationals in the United States will not be forced back into dangerous conditions but allowed to stay and continue supporting their families and contributing to their local communities,” said Kelly Razzouk, vice president of policy and advocacy at the International Rescue Committee.

José Palma, national coordinator of the National TPS Alliance — an advocacy group that has fought in federal courts against the cancellation of TPS for several countries—welcomed the extension of protections for the Lebanese.

“But we need to find a permanent solution for all TPS beneficiaries,” he warned.

Salomon writes for the Associated Press. AP writer Rebecca Santana contributed to this report.

The rise of artificial intelligence (AI) and the move toward a green transition built on renewable energy are fundamentally restructuring the global economy. While unleashing unprecedented opportunities, these developments also provide new geopolitical weapons due to the unequal distribution of critical minerals, in particular rare earths, the advanced technology and expertise involved in manufacturing, and the omniscient and inexorable role of the resulting products like semiconductors and batteries for the operation of today’s technologised societies. Thus, countries like China and the United States (US) increasingly seek to safeguard national access to these crucial components and products. This weaponization has implications for global business interests, supply chains, technological development and existing geopolitical tensions in the Middle East and between the US and China.

Semiconductors—the new oil?

Semiconductors, or advanced chips, have been likened to the oil of the 21st century. Just as in the 20th century, oil formed the basis for global economic activity, semiconductors form crucial parts of everything from critical infrastructure like 5G data networks, military technology like missiles and AI data centers, to smartphones, fridges and electric vehicles. Indeed, the semiconductor market, growing rapidly since the launch of large language AI models in 2022, is projected to hold a value of $1 trillion by 2030. Hence, whoever controls the supply of semiconductors holds the power to bring rivaling economies to a standstill. This capability is reinforced by the fact that advanced microchips, and the rare earths contained in them, lack ready substitutes.

Assuredly, oil still offers geopolitical leverage—brought to the fore by the current energy crisis resulting from the closure of the Strait of Hormuz. Yet, semiconductors offer a more potent geopolitical weapon. For example, European sanctions on Russian oil and natural gas following the invasion of Ukraine in 2022 has been largely ineffective in crippling the oil-reliant Russian economy, as Russia has been able to find alternative supply routes like the Caspian Sea and alternative buyers such as India, Türkiye and China. By contrast, semiconductor supply chains are more concentrated due to differential geography, and economic, technological and intellectual capital. For example, Taiwan produces over 90% of the world’s advanced chips, while China controls 60% of global rare-earth production, and 90% of mineral refinement. Similarly, the US enjoys supremacy in semiconductor manufacturing equipment (SME) and expertise, while the Netherlands is the world’s sole producer of extreme ultraviolet lithography required to imprint circuits on semiconductors. Hence, the highly concentrated supply chains of semiconductors gives a handful of countries significant strategic leverage as countries are willing to go far to secure access to these crucial components.

Capitalising on critical mineral supply

This power is reinforced by the fact that the majority of the planet’s critical minerals—such as copper, cobalt and lithium—used in semiconductors and batteries are concentrated in developing countries in Africa and Latin America like Brazil, Chile and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). Thus, the capital-intensity of mineral extraction has allowed major powers like the US and China to expand their influence over supply chains through massive investment in the mining industries of these regions. Hence, supply chains are further concentrated in the hands of a few states, enhancing the weaponisability of these resources. This is bolstered by the rarity and geographic disparity of these elements, meaning that countries cannot easily find substitutes or alternative suppliers for these critical resources, should the aforementioned mineral ‘gatekeepers’ choose to wield their strategic leverage and restrict supply.

Global business caught in the crossfire

This development subjects international business activity, especially within emerging technologies like AI, to geopolitical tensions. For example, the US introduced export controls in 2022, banning US semiconductor company Nvidia from exporting its advanced H2000 chips to China to protect US technological dominance. And Nvidia is not an isolated case—in the last few years, the amount of US companies on the Commerce Department’s Entity List restricting exports has quadrupled. In effect, US companies are losing global competitiveness and access to China—one of the biggest markets in the world. This effect might be hard to reverse. Although the Trump administration relaxed export restrictions in early 2026, no Nvidia chips had arrived in China by mid-May. Part of the reason is that China in response to US restrictions has built up its domestic production, and legally favored domestic chips producers like Huawei to reduce its strategic vulnerability to foreign powers. For similar reasons, China prevented US-based Meta in 2025 from buying up Manus, a Chinese-founded AI company. Thus, business interests are highly susceptible to the weaponisation of concentrated critical supply chains in the geopolitical rivalry between US and China.

Semiconductors—beyond oil

Hence, semiconductors and related products may not simply be the economic and strategic, 21st-century equivalent of 20th-century oil, but may indeed hold greater geopolitical leverage than oil ever did. While the US dominates global oil production, China does not have to import oil from its geopolitical rival at the expense of Chinese strategic power—despite China relying on imports for over 70% of its oil—as diversified global energy markets allow for alternative energy sources like coal and natural gas, and alternative suppliers like the UAE, Iran and Qatar. By contrast, China’s ability to manufacture the most advanced semiconductors without the currently unique US SME is highly limited, with Chinese semiconductor development 3 years behind the US. Consequently, China accounts for over half of the semiconductor exports of US-allied Taiwan.

Taiwan in the crossfire

This in turn increases the strategic importance of the Taiwan dispute. While China has long claimed Taiwan to be part of China, the US endorses Taiwanese independence. The importance of semiconductors has cemented this conflict, with China desiring reunification to gain control over global semiconductor manufacturing, while the US for the same reason favors Taiwanese independence from China to maintain US access to its semiconductor supply, in extension of current efforts to induce TSCM to offshore its production to the US, and reduce semiconductor exports to China. Similarly, China has leveraged its global dominance of refined rare earths and battery production by introducing export restrictions on batteries, refined critical minerals, and rare earths in response to US SME restrictions, exploiting the fact that the US has limited ability to employ its SME to manufacture semiconductors without these Chinese inputs. In response, the US and its allies are scrambling for alternative access to critical minerals by expanding trade partnerships with mining countries like the DRC, investment in battery-production, and by launching Project Vault, a $12-billion investment to create a national critical minerals reserve.

The weaponisation capacity of semiconductors has only begun. As countries are approaching the deadlines of net-zero emissions goals outlined in the Paris Agreement, increased dependency on renewable energy will increase susceptibility to global supply chains for batteries, rare earths and semiconductors for products like EVs, solar panels and energy storage.

May 22 (Asia Today) — POSCO International said Friday it plans to enter the U.S. rare earth separation, refining and permanent magnet business through a joint investment with ReElement Technologies.

The South Korean trading company said it signed an agreement with the U.S. firm to pursue a joint venture for rare earth separation and refining production in the United States.

The signing ceremony was held in Washington, D.C., with POSCO International CEO Lee Kye-in, ReElement Technologies CEO Mark Jensen, U.S. government officials and South Korean Embassy officials in attendance.

The companies plan to jointly invest $200 million to build a rare earth separation and refining plant with annual capacity of 6,000 tons. They also plan to develop an integrated production complex that can later produce permanent magnets.

Rare earth materials are used in electric vehicle motors, robots and artificial intelligence data centers. Heavy rare earths such as dysprosium and terbium are considered essential for high-performance permanent magnets.

POSCO International will lead management of the joint venture, while ReElement Technologies will provide core separation and refining technology.

The venture plans to produce neodymium-praseodymium oxide, dysprosium oxide and terbium oxide. It will first build annual production capacity of 3,000 tons before expanding to 6,000 tons.

Trial production is scheduled for the fourth quarter of 2027, with mass production targeted for 2028.

POSCO International said the project is part of its broader plan to build an integrated value chain from raw material sourcing to separation and refining, permanent magnets and electric vehicle motor cores.

“This joint venture is more than the establishment of a refining plant. It is the starting point for building a critical minerals value chain in the United States,” Lee said.

— Reported by Asia Today; translated by UPI

© Asia Today. Unauthorized reproduction or redistribution prohibited.

Original Korean report: https://www.asiatoday.co.kr/kn/view.php?key=20260522010006592

Kylie Minogue’s sister Dannii is no stranger to the spotlight, but the popstar has another sibling fans aren’t familiar with

Kylie Minogue fans are more than acquainted with her sister Dannii, but who is the pop icon’s other sibling?

The celebrated singer, 57, has just opened up about her rise to global stardom in new Netflix documentary show Kylie. Tracking her career from soap star to chart-topper, the series features interviews with those closest to the Australian celebrity.

However, her brother Brendan only makes a brief appearance in the show. In Episode 1, Kylie’s brother is shown during a scene where the Minogues gather around for a bonfire. Fans will also spot her sister Dannii, mum Carol, dad Ronald in the segment.

So who exactly is the mysterious Minogue sibling?

Who is Kylie Minogue’s little-known brother?

Kylie’s younger brother is 55-year-old camera operator Brendan Minogue.

He prefers to stay out of the spotlight but has been spotted in his sister’s other projects, including the 2001 special An Audience with Kylie Minogue.

While little is known about the Minogue brother, it seems the three siblings shared a positive childhood.

In her Netflix show, Kylie reflects on their upbringing fondly. “I was raised without any putdowns, without ever hearing ‘You can’t do this, you can’t do that,'” she explains. “We were just encouraged to do what we loved.”

The singer has also cited Brendan as part of her solid support system. In an interview with the BBC, she confessed: “When it’s not going well, that’s who I turn to – Mum, Dad, my brother and my sister.”

She revealed in the same interview that Brendan taught her a stress-relief technique that was crucial during the start of her career.

It’s called the foofer valve, she said, adding: “When the emotion has got to come out, or you’ve got to have a big cry or a moan, you let out a noise, tsssssh, like a kettle letting off steam, and you’re like, ‘Oh, I feel so much better’.”

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Sky is giving away a free Netflix subscription with its new Sky Stream TV bundles, including the £15 Essential TV plan.

This lets members watch live and on-demand TV content without a satellite dish or aerial and includes hit shows like Stranger Things and The Last of Us.

As well as a glimpse into her family life, the three-part Netflix doc offers insight into the pop icon’s decorated career.

A synopsis teases: “Featuring footage from home movies, personal photographs, and new interviews with Kylie herself, the documentary shows the woman behind the hits. It examines how she’s faced public scrutiny, personal loss, and illness with grit and grace, earning respect far beyond her own fandom.”

Kylie is streaming now on Netflix

The Genesis frontman has stepped away from the spotlight due to health issues

Phil Collins has shared a health update, admitting he has no plans to perform again.

The former Genesis frontman, 74, has remained out of the spotlight since several health setbacks left him unable to continue his music career.

He recently underwent five knee surgeries and developed kidney problems.

During Friday’s (May 22) episode of BBC Breakfast, Naga Munchetty and Charlie Stayt returned to our TV screens as they presented the day’s top stories from the UK and beyond.

Not long into the programme, the presenting duo announced that the hitmaker sat down with one of their colleagues to share a health update and plans for the future, four years after retiring from performing.

The singer, who has sold more than 100 million records worldwide, appeared on the show in a pre-recorded interview with culture reporter Charlotte Gallagher.

Speaking to Charlotte, he opened up about his knee problems but revealed that he is “healthier than he has been in a while.”

He said: “The last 18 months have been fine, but before that, not so good. Everything health-wise caught up to me at the same time. Whatever could go wrong did go wrong, but everything is fine now.”

The star continued: “I had a problem with my knee, which I had for a while, but I played through it – toured through it. But eventually, I had to have a knee operation, and I had to have five – five times because it kept either getting infected or it broke, so I was inactive for a long time.”

Phil’s music career began in 1970, when he joined Genesis as drummer. While remaining with the band, he also had a solo career in the 1980s, which included hits such as Against All Odds and Two Hearts.

Despite feeling better, he admitted he has no plans to perform again, but he has been working on some music he could release if he ever decides to make a surprise return.

In a candid moment, he said, “I can’t really see it (performing) happening, but I’m healthier now than I have been for quite a while. I mean, this Rock & Roll Hall of Fame – they asked if I would perform and I said no because you know, you’ve got to be match fit to do something like that.”

He explained, “You can’t just go on stage, you’ve got to rehearse, and then by that point, if you’ve not been singing, your voice is going to be shot, and then that’s not going to be good, so I’d rather not do it.

“But whether I would go out again… I would contemplate. I’m constantly saying to myself, ‘I’ve got to go back down into my studio at home.’’

The singer added: “I’ve got lots of lyrical ideas that I write down, and there are things that are half-formed and a couple of things that are finished. So there’s something that I can get my teeth into to start working on.”

BBC Breakfast airs everyday from 6am on BBC One and iPlayer.

Rylan Clark made a candid admission about his divorce from Dan Neal on ITV’s The Assembly

Rylan Clark has candidly opened up about his split from ex-husband Dan Neal.

The 37-year-old TV personality is the latest famous face to take on ITV’s The Assembly, as the candid interview series wraps up its second run.

This extended series has also welcomed beloved figures including Sir Stephen Fry, former Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon, comedy icon Sir Lenny Henry, actor Anna Maxwell Martin, and rapper Aitch.

The famous faces have to answer an unflinching series of questions that go beyond anything typically asked on traditional chat shows, press tours or even political interrogations. Rylan’s episode airs on ITV1 and ITVX at 10pm on Sunday (May 24), where he confronts difficult questions about his divorce.

The presenter parted ways with his husband Dan in 2021 following six years of marriage. Rylan has been open about what led to the separation, acknowledging his infidelity during the early stages of their relationship, reports the Express.

In the upcoming episode of The Assembly, a man named Cameron asks Rylan: “When you told your husband you cheated on him, he divorced you. Is honesty always the best policy?”

The question clearly catches Rylan off guard, prompting him to respond: “Oh wow,” before continuing: “Yeah, I think it is. I’m okay admitting I’m in the wrong, because actually I don’t deal well with guilt and I don’t deal well with secrets. It made me so ill, like so ill. It sounds a terrible thing to say, but I’m glad it happened.”

Cameron follows up with: “What do you miss about Dan, if anything?”

Rylan pauses to collect his thoughts before responding: “Do you know, I never think about him. So, this is like, my whole body just went [tense]. I miss feeling like I’ve got it all. I thought I had life done – I’ve got the job, I’ve got the family, I’ve got the marriage, I’ve got the car, I’ve got the house.

“I thought I had it sussed. I didn’t have anything sussed. I didn’t know what was a real relationship, and I can look back now and know that I don’t regret anything. I don’t regret anything, so I’ll leave that up to your imagination.”

During a break from filming, Rylan is seen getting his make-up done. He says to the make-up artist: “I’m so glad I did this. But yeah, [the] Dan questions, I was like [surprised] – I don’t even say his name.”

The television personality goes on to openly reflect on the collapse of his marriage and the subsequent breakdown he went through.

“When my marriage ended, you know that term when someone says, ‘To pull the rug from under you?’ That’s the only way I can describe it. It’s like someone went like that and I fell over, and I couldn’t get back up. [It was] like I broke both my arms and legs,” he reveals.

“I thought I wasn’t going to get out of it. I went back to live with my mum because I didn’t want to be in my house, because there were too many memories of things in there.”

Rylan is currently in a relationship with Kennedy Bates, who works in the fairground industry. The couple went public with their relationship after Rylan posted snaps of their sun-soaked Maldives holiday back in January.

Speaking on The Assembly, he reveals: “When I first started dating Kennedy, and I told [my mum] about him, she was like, ‘He’s handsome,’ and he is handsome. And then she was like, ‘So, has anything happened?’ And I’m like, ‘Shut up! Shut up!'”

Rylan’s episode of The Assembly will air at 10pm on ITV1 and ITVX on Sunday, May 24