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Captain Rajat Patidar thrashed 93 not out from just 33 balls as defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru powered into the final of the 2026 Indian Premier League with a 92-run victory over Gujarat Titans.

RCB were 94-3 in the ninth over, veteran Virat Kohli out for 43, but Patidar hit nine sixes in addition to five fours to power his side to 254-5.

The total was the highest in an IPL play-off with 126 runs coming from the last seven overs.

Gujarat, who were only pipped to top spot in the league phase on net run-rate by RCB, lost key openers Sai Sudharsan and India Test captain Shubman Gill in the third and fourth overs respectively.

Sudharsan, the tournament’s leading run-scorer, was out hit wicket after his bat slipped from his hands playing a cut shot and bounced onto the stumps.

Afterwards, England wicketkeeper Jos Buttler hit four fours and two sixes but was bowled by Australia’s Josh Hazlewood for 29, continuing a sorry slide.

From 88-8, Gujarat limped on to 162 before being dismissed in the final over. Rahul Tewatia made 68 but the match was long decided.

Gujarat still have a second chance to reach Sunday’s final.

They will play the winner of Wednesday’s eliminator between Sunrisers Hyderabad and Rajasthan Royals.

New York Knicks are heading to the NBA Finals for the first time in 27 years after sweeping Cleveland Cavaliers in East finals.

As the clock wound down, few Cleveland Cavaliers ‌fans could be found. The New York Knicks left them with no reason to stick around.

Karl-Anthony Towns scored ⁠19 points and grabbed ⁠14 rebounds as the Knicks advanced to the NBA Finals for the first time since 1999, routing the Cavaliers 130-93 in Game 4 of the Eastern Conference finals on Monday night.

The Knicks extended their franchise ⁠playoff-record winning streak to 11 games – matching the third-longest run in a single postseason in league history – and their long-suffering supporters took over Cleveland’s arena.

“Growing up in the (New York) area, I feel like the word hope has been gone for a ⁠long while, so to restore that is special,” Towns said. “There is nowhere better in the world than when (Madison Square) Garden has hope.”

OG Anunoby contributed 17 points and Landry Shamet scored 16 off the bench on 4-for-4 3-point shooting for New York, which built a 29-point lead in the second quarter and went up 123-78 in the fourth.

Jalen Brunson and Mikal Bridges finished with 15 points ‌apiece, and Josh Hart added six points, 11 rebounds and six assists. The former Villanova championship teammates relished the opportunity to win the East together.

“It’s something that is surreal,” Hart said. “We already share a bond and a brotherhood for life, and we’re going to keep adding memories for that.”

Brunson was named the series Most Valuable Player (MVP) for averaging 25.5 points and 7.8 assists. The Knicks have outscored their opponents by 262 points during their win streak, the most dominant span in league history, playoffs or regular season.

‘They’re on a heater’

Donovan Mitchell logged 31 points and Evan Mobley posted 15 points and seven rebounds for ⁠Cleveland, which reached the East finals for the first time since 2018. James Harden had ⁠12 points and five turnovers while missing all six of his 3-point tries.

“Sometimes you’ve got to ultimately give the other team credit,” Cavaliers coach Kenny Atkinson said. “They played great basketball and they’re on a heater.”

The Knicks’ Mike Brown is off to the NBA Finals for the second time as a head coach, ⁠having led the Cavaliers to their first East crown in 2007.

The 37-point defeat was the Cavaliers’ largest ever in a playoff home game.

“We have unfinished business,” Mitchell said. “I have ⁠no doubt this group can get there.”

New York dominated the rebounding battle 60-33, ⁠with backup centre Mitchell Robinson grabbing 10 boards in 18 minutes.

The road team delivered the knockout blow early, with a 20-0 run over a span of 4:39 from late in the first quarter into the second. A dunk by Towns punctuated the surge, making the score 50-26.

The Knicks eventually built a 61-32 lead ‌on Shamet’s third 3-pointer of the half.

Mitchell scored 10 points, and Mobley had seven in the first six minutes, putting the Cavaliers up 17-14. A 9-0 run then put New York on top for good. Robinson entered for New York and made ‌an ‌impact with six points and four rebounds, prompting a 24-9 run to end the quarter.

Cleveland backup point guard Dennis Schroder was a late scratch with an illness.

Among the Knicks’ celebrity fans seated courtside were comedian Tracy Morgan, filmmaker Spike Lee and actor Timothee Chalamet.

New York will play either the Oklahoma City Thunder or the San Antonio Spurs in the NBA Finals. The teams are currently tied at 2-2 in the Western Conference finals.

The 29-year-old endured a difficult 2025, dropping from 24th in the world to outside the top 100, and she lost her British number one ranking amid injury issues.

Searching for a fresh start, she split from her long-time coach Biljana Veselinovic and appointed Michael Joyce – the former coach of Maria Sharapova – in early 2026.

After a first-round exit in January’s Australian Open, Boulter returned to the world’s top 100 with a WTA 250 title in Ostrava and a run to the third round in Miami.

But her form remained inconsistent and she had won just three WTA Tour-level singles matches from four clay tournaments in the build-up to the Paris major.

Unforced errors flew freely from both players’ racquets and the pair twice traded breaks in the opening set before Boulter served it out at the second time of asking.

Back-to-back double faults from Boulter put Urhobo on the front foot early in the second, and although Boulter levelled the scores mid-set, the Florida-born player restored her advantage immediately and forced the decider.

Both players raised their level in the third and the quality improved somewhat as Boulter stamped her authority on the contest with a break in the fourth game.

Once again, the Briton failed to serve out the set and she eventually grabbed the win – after two hours and 10 minutes – by breaking Urhobo’s serve for a sixth time.

Ultimately, 58 unforced errors to Boulter’s 35 proved too costly for rising star Urhobo, who broke into the top 200 for the first time earlier this year.

Speaking after the match, Boulter said she was not quite physically at 100% during her first-round contest, adding: “I think it’s just been cumulative over the last few weeks, maybe playing with a bit of an illness.

“I really expected to feel a bit better today walking on the court, but I wasn’t fully there. Whether it was just a little bit of the conditions, a little bit of the last few weeks, I haven’t quite got enough rest, I’m not entirely sure.

“In the last couple of days I’ve been pretty tired going on the practice courts. My goal was just to go out and not overthink it, just try to play, almost forget that I wasn’t feeling amazing and try to do the best I could.”

Ruud, a two-time runner-up at Roland Garros, said: “As we know, there’s a bit of a heatwave at the moment and that can sometimes cause problems.

“It felt like it was a bit of a kind of heatstroke feeling. I experienced something similar some years ago when I played in Washington DC and I had to retire in the third set because I had that – that’s the only time I had that same feeling as I had today in the fourth set where I felt at times really dizzy, really tired and walking around like a zombie almost.

“Luckily, I was 2-1 up still and allowed myself to kind of lower the intensity a bit to get my pulse and body temperature down as much as possible in the fourth to see if there was any chance to finish in the fifth and have some extra energy. Luckily, that ended up working.”

Asked if he felt it was a mental victory or physical victory, the 27-year-old said: “It feels like a mental win.

“At times in the fourth [set] I was thinking ‘I have to book the flight home tomorrow and I’ll be watching from home on the sofa the next two weeks’. Luckily, that’s not the case.

“Physically, also, I’m proud because I never really gave in. I didn’t give up.”

Brunson scores 30 points as the Knicks beat the Cavs 121-108 to take a 3-0 lead in the Eastern Conference finals.

The New York Knicks are on the brink of their first NBA Finals since 1999 after a 121-108 victory at Cleveland stretched their playoff win streak to 10 games.

Jalen Brunson scored a game-high 30 points, OG Anunoby added 21 and Mikal Bridges contributed 22 on 11-of-15 shooting as New York pushed the Cavaliers to the edge of elimination on Saturday.

“I’m at a loss for words,” Brunson said. “I thought we fought, most importantly.”

The Knicks seized a commanding 3-0 lead in the best-of-seven Eastern Conference finals and could complete a sweep in game four on Monday in Cleveland.

No team in NBA history has recovered from a 3-0 deficit to win a playoff series.

“The series isn’t over,” Anunoby said. “Just keep our foot on their necks and just try to win the game.”

Brunson said the Knicks must continue to concentrate. “Just focus on one possession at a time.”

“The way we’ve been having that mindset these past couple [of] weeks, we have to continue it, if not actually better.”

The Knicks last reached the NBA Finals 27 years ago when they lost to San Antonio. They have not won the NBA championship since 1973.

New York’s Karl-Anthony Towns had 13 points, eight rebounds, seven assists and three steals while Josh Hart added 12 points, nine rebounds, five assists and four steals for a Knicks team that has not been beaten in a month.

Brunson said, “Our mindset hasn’t changed.

“We’re trying to get better every single day. We’re trying to learn from winning.

“There’s a lot of things we can get better at. There’s a lot of things we can control, a lot of mental errors that we need to clean up, but we’re always just looking for ways to try and get better.”

Evan Mobley led Cleveland with 24 points, while Donovan Mitchell added 23 and James Harden scored 19 points.

The Cavaliers, who squandered a 22-point lead to lose the series opener, never led as New York seized command early and dominated.

“I guess you could say momentum carried over [from game one],” Anunoby said.

“We try to play the right way every game, but maybe that momentum carried over a little bit.”

New York started the game 10-of-13 from the floor to seize a 29-19 lead only 8:29 into the contest, Towns delivering 11 points in the run on the way to a 37-27 lead after the first quarter.

Cleveland trimmed New York’s half-time edge to 60-54, but the Cavs committed six turnovers in the first six minutes of the third quarter.

The Knicks were ahead 91-82 entering the fourth quarter and stretched it to 110-93 in the closing minutes before completing their fifth triumph in a row.

“It’s just executing the game plan on both sides of the floor, playing the right way, moving the ball, then getting stops on defence,” Anunoby said of New York’s secret to success.

Mulivai Levu helped UCLA remain the comeback kings of college baseball, hitting a walk-off, three-run home run to seal a 7-5 win over rival USC on Saturday and a spot in the Big Ten tournament championship game.

It was No. 1 seed UCLA’s 27th comeback win of the season and the second consecutive game Levu’s hit sealed a victory during the Big Ten tournament played in Omaha, Neb.

On Saturday night, Levu hit a walk-off sacrifice fly to seal UCLA’s comeback 4-3 win over Purdue in the conference tournament quarterfinals.

UCLA improved to 50-6, a record that Levu said gives the team confidence it will find a way to win.

“It’s the power of friendship right there. We’re all well connected,” Levu said during an interview Saturday on the Big Ten Network. “… We just don’t give up. We’re never out of it, we’re never doubting ourselves. We know what kind of lineup we’ve got, we’ve just got to use it.”

USC’s Augie Lopez hit a double and the rest of the Trojans were active early, building a 3-0 lead in the third inning. Levu hit an RBI single in the bottom of the third to cut the deficit. Dominic Cadiz had an RBI single in the fourth before pitchers held both teams scoreless in the fifth and sixth innings.

Dean West hit a two-run home run in the seventh to give UCLA its first lead at 4-3, and both teams were scoreless in the eighth.

In the ninth, Adrian Lopez and Augie Lopez managed to score runs for USC, taking a 5-4 lead. Top Trojans reliever Adam Troy got No. 1 MLB draft prospect Roch Cholowsky to fly out.

Then Levu entered the batter’s box with two outs and hit the home run that sent USC (43-15) back to Los Angeles for a break before the NCAA tournament brackets are revealed Sunday night.

“They’re rivals on the field, but those are our boys off the field,” Levu said of the Trojans. “They’re good guys and they’re good team. We’ll probably see them again later on in the playoff run. Props to them, it was a great game, they made it very interesting. I’m just glad we won.”

A new opinion poll in the US suggests that 60 percent of Americans now oppose President Donald Trump’s war on Iran.

May 20 (UPI) — Talks between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping on Wednesday failed to make progress on a long-planned 1,615-mile pipeline to supply China with an annual 50 billion cubic meters of natural gas from Russia’s Yamal field in Siberia.

The Power of Siberia 2 project negotiations on the final day of Putin’s two-day state visit to Beijing stalled due to differences over the timetable, financing and cost of the gas with Beijing holding out for a price of around 12-13 cents per cubic meter, in line with the cost in the domestic Russian market.

Moscow and Beijing signed a binding contract to develop the project during Putin’s last visit to China in September but left the details to be ironed out down the line.

Russia wants a similar deal to that for Power of Siberia 1, which experts projected would mean the price of the gas would be at least double the 12-13 cents figure.

The talks yielded 20 other trade and technology agreements and while a joint leaders’ statement talked of boosting their “comprehensive partnership” and shared vision “for a multipolar world and a new type of international relations,” the summit produced no breakthroughs of any great significance.

Analysts said the power imbalance in the Sino-Russia relationship — one where Russia needed China more than China needed Russia — was on full display during Putin’s visit.

Putin said that as one of China’s largest energy suppliers, Russia was ready to “reliably” meet fast-growing Chinese demand for oil, gas and coal.

“Russia and China are actively cooperating in the energy sector. Our country is one of the largest exporters of oil, natural gas, including liquefied gas, and coal to China. We are, of course, ready to continue to reliably ensure uninterrupted supplies of all these fuels to the rapidly growing Chinese market,” Putin said in comments that made no reference to the pipeline.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said the sides had “reached an understanding on the project’s main parameters” in Wednesday’s talks but that “some nuances remain to be ironed out.”

Beijing, which is looking to Russia to ameliorate the energy shock from the severe disruption to its supplies of oil and LNG caused by the Iran war and the closure of the Hormuz Strait, has already imported 35% more Russian oil in the January to March quarter than in the same period in 2025.

“Both China and Russia need each other, but Russia clearly needs China more than before at the global stage. Given today’s international environment, deep co-operation with China is extremely important for Russia in dealing with many of its current challenges,” Zheng Runyu, of the Centre for Russian Studies in Shanghai, told the BBC.

ACROSS the UK this bank holiday weekend, temperatures are set to hit 28C and what better way to enjoy it than heading for a refreshing dip?

Well, the good news for Brits is that there are a ton of lidos reopening this weekend across the country.

Follow The Sun’s award-winning travel team on Instagram and Tiktok for top holiday tips and inspiration @thesuntravel.

Saturday May 23

Lots of lidos will be reopening on Saturday May 23, including some with upgrades.

In Devon, Teignmouth Lido will reopen after being saved from closure by the local community.

Travel Reporter Cyann Fielding who grew up in the area and visited the lido each summer, said: “Teignmouth Lido is more than just a gem on the South West coast; for me, it’s the backdrop of my childhood.

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“For over a decade, my school summer holidays were defined by afternoons spent there with my family.

“With ample patio and sun-drenched patches of grass surrounding the 25-metre crystal clear pool, it was the rare kind of place where parents could relax while kids felt a bit of freedom.”

Swim sessions cost from £8.40 per adult and £5.40 per child.

Also in Devon, Moretonhampstead Lido has recently been upgraded with a new pool lining.

Sessions at the 25-metre, 27C heated pool cost from £4 per child and £5.50 per adult.

In Cornwall, Mount Wise Lido is also reopening and is free to visit.

The lido claims to be “one of the best outdoor swimming complexes in the country” with a 25- metre main pool, fun pool with fountains, stepping stones and awhirlpoolo, and a separate paddling pool.

Riverside Park and Pools in Wallingford will open this weekend as well and is located directly next to a campsite, making it the ideal weekend escape.

Swim sessions cost £7 per person to swim and you can stay in the neighbouring campsite for £35 a night.

Other lidos reopening on Saturday include:

• Letchworth Lido, Hertfordshire
• Hitchin Lido, Hertfordshire
• Aldershot Lido, Hampshire
• Bathurst Pool, Gloucestershire
• Bourne Outdoor Swimming Pool, Lincolnshire
• Clyst Hydon Lido, Devon
• Eversholt Swimming Pool, Bedfordshire
• Finchley Outdoor Lido, London
• Greystoke Lido, Cumbria
• Hayle Lido, Cornwall
• Brightlingsea Lido, Essex
• Salcombe Lido, Devon
• Shap Lido, Cumbria
• Tinside Lido, Devon
• Woodstock Lido, Oxfordshire

Sunday May 24

Three lidos are set to reopen for the season on Sunday.

The first is Chagford Lido, near Dartmoor in Devon, which will celebrate with a barbeque from 2pm.

Having originally opened back in the 1930s, the lido can be found on the banks of the River Teign and is heated to 27C.

There is also a Tea Shed for refreshments and snacks as well as a toddler pool.

You don’t need to book to visit, and sessions cost from £6.50 for an adult swim or £3.50 per child.

Also opening on Sunday in Devon is Dartmouth Lido, which is heated to 28C and stretches 25 metres by 8.5 metres.

There is also a small shop onsite and two-hour sessions cost from £7 per adult and £5 per child.

Over in York, Helmsley Lido – Yorkshire‘s only open air pool – will also open on Sunday.

Sessions cost from £6.25 per adult and £3.95 per child.

Manchester United have reached an agreement with Michael Carrick to become the club’s permanent head coach.

The formal process of exchanging contracts is now under way, with an announcement expected inside the next 48 hours.

As things stand there is some doubt over whether the formalities can be completed before Sunday’s match against Nottingham Forest, but there is a will to have it done in time for the club’s final home game of the season.

Carrick will sign an initial two-year deal with the option of an additional 12 months.

Stephon Castle starred as the San Antonio Spurs sealed their spot in the Western Conference finals with a convincing 139-109 win over the Minnesota Timberwolves.

Castle led the way with 32 points, while Victor Wembanyama added 19, as the Spurs clinched the series 4-2 to set up a heavyweight match-up against the top-seeded Oklahoma City Thunder.

The Spurs met the Thunder – the reigning NBA champions – five times during the regular season and finished with a 4-1 record against them.

Repeating that over the seven-game Western finals would earn the Spurs a spot in the NBA finals.

“We’re not even thinking about that right now,” Castle said after Friday’s victory over the Timberwolves.

“The games ahead are a totally different game. They are rolling right now. They’ve won eight straight.

“It’s going to be tough to knock them off, but we’re pretty confident we can do it.”

Elsewhere, the Detroit Pistons beat the Cleveland Cavaliers 115-94 to tie their series and set up a deciding game seven .

Cade Cunningham scored 21 points, while Paul Reed and Jalen Duren added 17 and 15 respectively, as the top-seeded Pistons forced a decider for the second play-off round in a row.

Detroit had trailed 3-1 to Orlando Magic in the previous round before reeling off three straight wins to take the series 4-3.

The Pistons host the Cavaliers in Detroit on Sunday to decide who will face the New York Knicks in the Eastern Conference finals.

Foreign ministers from the BRICS nations ended a two day meeting in New Delhi without issuing a joint statement, highlighting deep divisions within the bloc over the ongoing conflict involving Iran, the United States, and Israel.

The diplomatic gathering brought together representatives from an increasingly diverse and politically complex alliance that now includes both Iran and the United Arab Emirates, two regional rivals currently on opposite sides of the escalating Middle East crisis.

Because member states could not agree on language regarding the war, host country India released only a chair’s statement summarizing discussions rather than a unified declaration endorsed by all participants.

Iran Pushes for Stronger Condemnation

Iran reportedly sought a stronger collective position condemning the United States and Israel for military operations against it.

Tehran also accused the UAE, a close American partner in the Gulf region, of involvement in military activities linked to the conflict.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi stated that one BRICS member blocked sections of the proposed statement, although he did not directly name the UAE.

Araqchi attempted to soften tensions publicly by emphasizing that Iran did not view the UAE itself as a direct target in the conflict. He argued that Iranian strikes had focused only on American military facilities located on Emirati territory.

At the same time, he expressed hope that relations inside BRICS could improve before the leaders’ summit later this year.

India’s Carefully Balanced Position

India’s final chair statement revealed the difficulty of managing competing geopolitical interests within the expanded BRICS bloc.

The document acknowledged that member countries held different perspectives regarding the Middle East crisis. According to the statement, discussions included calls for diplomacy, respect for sovereignty, protection of civilian lives, and the importance of maintaining secure maritime trade routes.

However, the absence of a formal joint declaration demonstrated that BRICS members remain divided on critical geopolitical questions.

India’s approach reflected its broader diplomatic strategy of balancing relations with multiple global powers simultaneously. New Delhi maintains close ties with the United States and Gulf countries while also preserving strategic partnerships with Russia, Iran, and China.

Gaza and Palestine Also Cause Disagreement

Divisions were not limited to the Iran conflict.

The chair statement noted that BRICS ministers reaffirmed support for Palestinian self determination and described Gaza as an inseparable part of the occupied Palestinian territories.

The document also supported efforts to unify Gaza and the West Bank under the Palestinian Authority and backed the establishment of an independent Palestinian state.

However, the statement acknowledged that one unnamed member state held reservations regarding aspects of the Gaza section as well.

This further illustrated the challenge of building unified foreign policy positions within a grouping that includes countries with vastly different regional interests and diplomatic alignments.

BRICS and the Global South Narrative

Despite internal disagreements, BRICS members emphasized the importance of cooperation among developing nations.

India’s statement described the Global South as an important force for positive international change during a period marked by rising geopolitical tensions, economic uncertainty, technological disruption, protectionism, and migration pressures.

The expanded BRICS bloc now includes:

• Brazil
• Russia
• India
• China
• South Africa
• Ethiopia
• Egypt
• Iran
• UAE

The expansion of the bloc has increased its global economic and political weight but has also introduced more ideological and strategic divisions.

The Economic Impact on India

The Middle East conflict has had serious economic implications for India.

As one of the world’s largest oil importers, India depends heavily on energy shipments passing through the Strait of Hormuz. The disruption of maritime traffic in the region has increased energy costs and raised concerns about inflation and supply stability.

Indian personnel have reportedly been killed in incidents linked to the regional conflict, while an India flagged vessel was sunk during the recent escalation.

Against this backdrop, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited the UAE and publicly condemned attacks targeting the Gulf nation.

Modi praised the UAE’s restraint and described attacks against it as unacceptable, signaling India’s effort to maintain strong ties with key Gulf partners despite its participation alongside Iran in BRICS.

Analysis

The failure of BRICS foreign ministers to produce a joint statement highlights the growing contradictions inside the expanded organization.

Originally conceived as an economic coalition of major emerging powers, BRICS increasingly aspires to become a broader geopolitical platform representing the Global South. However, the inclusion of regional rivals and states with conflicting strategic interests makes unified diplomacy increasingly difficult.

The Iran conflict exposed these tensions clearly. Iran sought solidarity against the United States and Israel, while Gulf states inside the bloc maintain close security relationships with Washington and face direct security threats from Tehran.

India’s cautious wording reflected the reality that BRICS currently functions more as a flexible diplomatic forum than a cohesive political alliance.

The episode also demonstrates a larger shift in global politics. As Western led institutions face criticism from many developing nations, alternative groupings like BRICS are gaining visibility. Yet these organizations must still overcome major internal disagreements if they hope to shape global governance effectively.

For India, the situation illustrates the complexity of its foreign policy position. New Delhi seeks leadership within the Global South while simultaneously maintaining relations with competing regional and global powers.

Ultimately, the Delhi meeting showed both the growing importance and the structural limitations of BRICS. The bloc may continue expanding economically and politically, but achieving consensus on major international crises will remain a significant challenge as geopolitical rivalries deepen across the world.

With information from Reuters.

As the promise of better weather gets us all anticipating some sunshine, it’s a great time to plan a trip to the beach. Here are five stunning sandy spots in the UK that’ll make you feel like you’re abroad

Nothing beats a day at the beach when the weather is warm, and with 27C temperatures potentially hitting the UK at the end of May, many of us will be planning a jaunt to the seaside.

The UK has many beautiful beaches, some of which wouldn’t look out of place in the Caribbean or the Med. And if you want to avoid the hassle of finding a parking space on a busy bank holiday, there are lots of beaches that are easy to reach by train, so you can enjoy a more relaxed day out.

Here are five beaches that could make for the perfect staycation trip once the weather gets warmer.

1. Nairn Beach

Set in the Scottish Highlands, Nairn Beach gets more sunshine than any other beach in the area thanks to its microclimate. While the west side of the beach has more traditional seaside vibes with fish and chip shops and ice cream stalls, head east and there are soft sand dunes, light sands, and turquoise seas.

To add to the Caribbean vibes, you can sometimes spot a colony of Bottlenose Dolphins just off the coast, so be sure to bring binoculars. Nairn Beach is about a 15-minute walk from Nairn’s train station, which connects with Inverness, so despite its unspoilt coast, it’s easy to reach.

2. Herne Bay

Herne Bay in Kent is a classic seaside town with Victorian landmarks, and along the coast you’ll find the ruins of Reculver Towers offering stunning views across the water. The beach has calm, shallow waters, ideal for taking a dip, and you may spot some mussel beds under the surface.

The beach is sand and shingle, giving it a rugged, unspoiled vibe, and at the heart of it all is the Victorian pier, where you’ll find amusements, fish and chip shops, and funfair rides. You can reach Herne Bay by train from London Victoria, with the journey taking just over 90-minutes and the station less than a mile from the beach.

3. Bridlington South beach

If you like your beaches a little more secluded, head to Bridlington South Beach in Yorkshire. Overlooking Bridlington Bay, it has warm, calm waters, dog-friendly sections, and areas for kids to paddle. Walk along the promenade or jump on the land train to enjoy the clifftop views while you chug along.

You can find both bustling and quiet stretches along this long, golden sand beach, and Bridlington’s train station is just a short walk from the northern tip. Services run regularly from York and enjoy views across the countryside as you head towards this coastal retreat.

4. Porthmeor Beach

Porthmeor Beach in St. Ives in Cornwall brings a little bit of the Caribbean to the West Country, offering light golden sands and Atlantic surf protected by rocky headlands. It’s incredibly popular in the summer months, thanks to its surf school and general family-friendly vibes. If the sun gets too hot, you can even head into the cool atmosphere of Tate St Ives, a gallery just steps from the beach. Visit later in the day and enjoy the west-facing unobstructed views of the Atlantic that make this a popular spot for watching the sunset.

You’ll find the beach just a 15-minute walk from St Ives train station, where the railway line runs along the coast, connecting with St Erth, where you’ll find direct trains to London.

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5. Troon Beach

Troon Beach in Scotland is set around a crescent-shaped bay, making the waters shallow, calm, and perfect for paddling. You can even see the Isle of Arran just across the water on clear days, and if you wait until sunset, you’ll see the sun disappear behind the island. While the beach has golden sands and soft green sand dunes, it also has a rugged feel, and incredible views of the Firth of Clyde.

At one end of the beach, you’ll find the famous Royal Troon Golf Club, and as you wander along the coast, you’ll spot a wide variety of wildlife, including seabirds, waders, and even seals swimming close to shore. The sands are less than 10-minutes from the train station, which has regular services to Glasgow Central, making it a well-connected seaside escape.

Have a story you want to share? Email us at webtravel@reachplc.com

President Donald Trump has warned that the United States will target any Iranian trying to reach the country’s highly enriched uranium, saying that the nuclear material is under constant surveillance by the US military.

In an interview with the syndicated TV show Full Measure that aired on Sunday, Trump appeared to play down the significance of the uranium, which is believed to be buried under the rubble of nuclear facilities, remaining in Iran for now.

“We’ll get that at some point, whenever we want. We have it surveilled,” Trump said.

“I did a thing called Space Force, and they are watching. If somebody walked in, they can tell you his name, his address, the number of his badge … If anybody got near the place, we will know about it, and we’ll blow them up.”

Iran’s highly enriched uranium is one of the major sticking points between Washington and Tehran in ceasefire negotiations to end the 10-week US-Israel war on Iran.

The US wants Iran to transfer the uranium outside the country and completely shut down its nuclear programme, but Tehran has stressed that it will not give up its right to a domestic enrichment programme.

Several international media reports have said that the uranium remains under nuclear sites that the US bombed in June 2025, but Tehran has not confirmed the location of the nuclear material.

Last month, Trump announced that Iran had agreed to allow Washington to retrieve the uranium and bring it to the US – claims that Tehran quickly dismissed.

Trump told Reuters on April 17 that the US would work with Iran “at a nice leisurely pace, and go down and start excavating with big machinery” to retrieve the uranium stockpile at the sites.

“We’ll bring ⁠it back to the United States,” he added.

Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei denied Trump’s claim. “Enriched uranium is as sacred to us as Iranian soil and will not be transferred anywhere under any circumstances,” he said.

Iran is estimated to have more than 400kg (882lb) of uranium enriched at 60 percent purity.

Uranium enrichment is a complex process of isolating and garnering the most radioactive variety – isotope – of the element to produce nuclear fuel.

When enriched to around 90 percent purity, uranium can be used to make nuclear weapons.

In 2015, Iran agreed to a multilateral deal that saw Tehran scale back its nuclear programme and cap its uranium enrichment at 3.67 percent under strict international supervision in exchange for lifting sanctions against its economy.

Trump nixed that agreement – known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) – and started reimposing sanctions on Iran.

In response, Tehran – which denies seeking a nuclear weapon – began to advance its enrichment programme well beyond the limits set by the JCPOA.

Trump has argued that the ongoing conflict with Iran aims to prevent the country from acquiring a nuclear bomb.

Asked about the rising oil prices due to the war, Trump said: “We cannot let Iran have a nuclear weapon because they’re crazy.”

The average price of one gallon (3.8 litres) of petrol or gasoline in the US has risen to more than $4.50 due to supply issues linked to the Iranian blockade in the Strait of Hormuz, fuelling inflation. It was less than $3 before the war.

Despite the truce that came into effect last month, skirmishes have erupted in the Gulf over the past week as the US continues to enforce a siege on Iranian ports amid Tehran’s Hormuz blockade.

Iranian state-affiliated news outlets reported on Sunday that Iran has delivered its response to the latest US proposal to end the war to Pakistan, which is mediating the talks.

But Trump said the war is not over while reiterating his claim that Iran has been “defeated”.

“They are defeated, but that doesn’t mean they’re done,” the US president said. “We could go in for two more weeks and do every single target. We have certain targets that we wanted, and we’ve done probably 70 percent of them, but we have other targets that we could conceivably hit.”

Bukayo Saka seals a 1-0 win for Arsenal as they take their Champions League semifinal 2-1 on aggregate against Atletico.

Arsenal has reached the Champions League final for the first time in 20 years as Bukayo Saka sealed a 1-0 win against Atletico Madrid.

Mikel Arteta’s side settled the semifinal second leg with Saka’s strike late in the first half at an ecstatic Emirates Stadium on Tuesday.

The Gunners, who drew 1-1 in the first leg in Madrid last week, held firm after Saka’s goal to go through 2-1 on aggregate.

Arsenal will face Paris Saint-Germain or Bayern Munich in the final in Budapest on May 30.

Holders PSG, who beat Arsenal in the semifinals last year, have a 5-4 lead ahead of the second leg in Munich on Wednesday.

It was a cathartic night for Arsenal, who are back in the Champions League final for the first time since losing 2-1 to Barcelona in their only previous appearance in the showpiece in 2006.

Arsenal have never won the Champions League, with their two major European trophies coming in the 1994 Cup Winners’ Cup and the 1970 Inter-Cities Fairs Cup.

Their last continental final ended in a 4-1 defeat against Chelsea in the 2019 Europa League.

It is shaping up to be Arsenal’s greatest ever season as they chase a Premier League and Champions League double.

Even Arsene Wenger’s “Invincibles”, who won the club’s last English title in an unbeaten top-flight campaign in 2004, might have to bow to the current generation if they finish the job.

Fittingly, it was Saka, the homegrown symbol of the Arteta era, who proved Arsenal’s match-winner.

Now just four games from immortality, Premier League leaders Arsenal were given a huge boost in the title race when second-placed Manchester City drew at Everton on Monday.

The Gunners will be crowned champions if they win their last three games against West Ham United, Burnley and Crystal Palace.

Once the title is decided, Arsenal will head to Hungary with a maiden Champions League crown in their sights.

Arsenal endured jibes about their perceived lack of mental strength after a run of four defeats in six games, in all competitions, sparked painful memories of previous failures to end their six-year wait for silverware.

But the “nearly-men” and “serial choker” labels applied only weeks ago are on the verge of being banished forever.

Thousands of Arsenal supporters massed outside the stadium before kickoff to greet their team with flares and flags, a vociferous display of affection underlining Arsenal’s desperation to make history.

It was the kind of evening in north London when nothing was beyond the realm of possibility as Arsenal moved closer to casting off the shackles of two decades of underachievement.

After some tense performances during the Premier League run-in, Saturday’s 3-0 rout of Fulham showed Arsenal at their flowing best, a riposte to the critics who claim they only win ugly.

This was a more prosaic display, but no one with an affinity for Arsenal was bothered in the slightest.

Arsenal were nearly caught on the counter in a frenetic start when Julian Alvarez shot just wide before Giuliano Simeone’s close-range effort deflected past the post.

But Arsenal recovered from those anxious moments to deliver a dominant spell, which brought their 44th-minute goal.

Viktor Gyokeres’s clever run unhinged the Atletico defence, and his cross reached Leandro Trossard inside the area.

Trossard wriggled into just enough space for a low drive that Jan Oblak weakly pushed out to Saka, who reacted quicker than his flat-footed markers to slot home from 4 yards (3.7 metres).

Arteta jubilantly punched the air as the Emirates erupted into a roiling red sea of celebration.

Atletico tried to ruin the party in the second half, but Gabriel Magalhaes made a last-ditch tackle on Simeone to avert a certain goal before David Raya repelled Antoine Griezmann’s blast.

Arteta recently revealed that he had visualised Arsenal conquering the Champions League, even in the difficult early days of his reign.

The Spaniard is now just one win away from seeing the daydream become a glorious reality.

May 1 (Asia Today) — More than 73% of people eligible for South Korea’s first round of high oil price relief payments have applied, government data showed Friday.

The Ministry of the Interior and Safety said 2,358,682 people had applied as of midnight Thursday, accounting for 73.1% of the 3,227,785 people eligible in the first round.

The government has paid a total of 1.3413 trillion won ($910 million) in relief funds, or about 570,000 won ($387) per person.

The first round covers vulnerable groups, including basic livelihood security recipients, near-poverty households and single-parent families.

By payment method, credit and debit cards were the most common choice, used by 984,209 applicants, or 41.7%. Prepaid cards accounted for 814,056 applicants, followed by mobile or card-type local gift certificates at 493,254 and paper gift certificates at 67,163.

By region, South Jeolla Province had the highest application rate at 79.3%, followed by Busan at 77.7%, Gwangju at 76.9%, North Jeolla Province at 76.2% and Ulsan at 76%.

Applications remain open through May 8.

— 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=20260501010000031

Teenager Mirra Andreeva reached her first Madrid Open final with a 6-4 7-6 (10-8) victory over Hailey Baptiste.

The 19-year-old Russian will face 26th seed Marta Kostyuk in Saturday’s final, after the Ukrainian beat Austria’s Anastasia Potapova 6-2 1-6 6-1.

Ninth seed Andreeva has won all bar one of her 13 clay-court matches this season, taking the title in Linz and reaching the semi-finals in Stuttgart, and becomes the first teenager to reach three WTA 1000 finals.

After taking the first set against the 30th seed, Andreeva served for the match at 5-4, but was broken by Baptiste who then took the second set to a tiebreak.

The 24-year-old American, who defeated world number one Aryna Sabalenka in the previous round, saved three set points before Andreeva completed her win.

“Honestly, I feel so much adrenaline inside. I feel like I’m still nervous. I’m just so happy that I won and that I was able to save all those set points,” said Andreeva, who has become the second-youngest finalist in the tournament’s history, behind Caroline Wozniacki.

“The serve helped me a lot. I’m so, so happy – I cannot really find ways to describe what I’m feeling right now,” added Andreeva.

Kostyuk advanced to her first WTA 1000 final in an error-strewn match against lucky loser Potapova, winning the first set with two breaks but losing the second in 30 minutes.

The 23-year-old raced to a 4-0 lead in the decider and refused to shake the hand of her Russian-born opponent after closing the match out.

In the men’s tournament, defending champion Casper Ruud was beaten in the quarter-finals by Belgian Alexander Blockx, 6-4 6-4.

Unseeded Blockx, who only broke into the top 100 for the first time last month and is at a career-high 69th in the world, has knocked out four consecutive seeds, including third-seeded Felix Auger-Aliassime, in the Spanish capital.

The 21-year-old defeated Ruud, the Norwegian 21st seed, in 96 minutes and will now face Alexander Zverev in his first tour-level semi-final, having never previously won a tour match on clay prior to this season.

Two-time Madrid champion Zverev won 6-1 6-4 against Italian 10th seed Flavio Cobolli, who beat the German en route to the Munich final 12 days ago, and has now reached the semi-finals in seven of his past eight Masters 1000 tournaments.

Top seed Jannik Sinner will face 21st seed Arthur Fils in Friday’s other semi-final after the pair won their quarter-finals on Wednesday.

The IPL’s influence has also led to the rise of multiple state-run T20 leagues across India, further widening the talent pool.

“Right now, there are 18 state leagues going on, with a minimum of six teams per league. Six teams, 15 players, just imagine the pool,” George says.

“In most of the state associations, sadly, the selections are not that transparent. So you see players who have not been in the state team coming up and doing very well for their respective franchises. That is why the state franchise tournaments are very important and help us identify talent.”

As a result, more players are now emerging from non-traditional centres.

“Talent in India is concentrated in places like UP, Rajasthan and Delhi,” said George. “That’s why franchises focus a lot on these leagues. UP, in particular, has a very strong league, and many players who have done well there, like Prashant Veer and Kartik Sharma.

“Kashmir is another region we focus on because a lot of good fast bowlers and hard-hitters are coming from there.”

The data also reflects how the talent pool has spread across India. In the inaugural IPL in 2008, most players came from traditional centres such as Maharashtra (21), Delhi (14), Tamil Nadu (11) and Karnataka (10).

By 2026, the landscape has broadened significantly. Uttar Pradesh now matches Maharashtra with 21 players, while Rajasthan (13) and Madhya Pradesh (10) have also emerged as key contributors.

Talent from far-off regions is coming through as well. Jammu and Kashmir, which has just seen its first-class team win the Ranji Trophy for the first time in its history, has gone from zero representation in 2008 to six players in 2026, while Bihar has grown from two to six.

This expanding base of talent is reflected in India’s recent success in T20 cricket, including back-to-back World Cup titles.

“India’s talent pool is so big that you could field two strong teams, India A and India B, and both would reach the latter stages of a world tournament,” George says.

“In the last decade, almost all new Indian players have come through the IPL ecosystem. IPL is like a blessing for Indian cricket.”

Transit fares from New York to MetLife Stadium in New Jersey for World Cup matches will rise to $150, with officials citing costs not covered by FIFA, drawing criticism as other host cities kept prices lower for years.

“Without Williams’ support when I initially went into Formula 3, it would have been very, very difficult for me to even do one season,” the 21-year-old said.

Despite being in the Williams Driver Academy, he was expected to cover part of the costs himself.

“Williams were very aware of my financial struggles,” he said. “Of course, they only contribute a certain amount to my season and that came very early in the year, as is quite normal.

O’Sullivan added that it is “down to the driver to bring the funding”, meaning sponsors are “critical” but difficult to find.

He explained: “I think any sponsorship you get is either from an act of extraordinary kindness, or family, friends, or someone who’s very, very passionate about racing or believes in the driver.”

He described a phenomenon that he called “motorsport inflation”, adding that he is “amazed” by the number of people able to race with the current costs.

“There are very few regulations controlling how much you can spend,” he said. “So the top teams perform the best because they have the most money.

“For as long as you have people wanting to race and with the finances to race, the teams can set their price. And if people pay, they’ll keep upping their price.”

For example, a top level, race-winning kart chassis can cost upwards of £4,000 – and that’s without an engine.

O’Sullivan said that in his time in European karting, the top teams had budgets of about £180,000 a year, but that has now increased.

“That’s now up to around £300,000 with motorsport inflation, which doesn’t really follow the global trends,” he said.

O’Sullivan believes “there’s no hiding away from” elitism within motorsport, adding: “There’s a few cases of drivers making it without the funds but you have to be able to get to a level where you’re recognised by Formula 1 teams, which is normally European karting, which is very expensive.”

Having left F2 before the end of 2024, he says that “realistically” F1 is no longer the goal for him and he currently races in Japan in the Super Formula series.