set

The ground has been lying derelict for more than a decade.

The redevelopment has faced many years of setbacks and delays, and questions have continued over funding for the project amid increasing construction costs.

In 2011 the Northern Ireland Executive originally set aside £62.5m for the stadium.

Earlier this year, a draft multi-year budget published by Finance Minister John O’Dowd proposed an inflationary increase to more than £100m.

But the Sinn Féin minister’s budget proposals had not been agreed by other ministers in the Executive.

The GAA has previously said a reported estimate of around £270m was closer to the assumptions it was working on.

Among other bumps in the road was the matter of Euro 2028.

The UK government announced in 2024 that the estimated cost of rebuilding Casement Park had risen to more than £400m, confirming that it would not be providing funding to redevelop the stadium in time for the tournament.

In order to be ready for the tournament, Casement Park needed to be rebuilt by the summer of 2027.

Trying to cater for soccer, as well as GAA, has increased costs further, as UEFA requires a higher specification of stadium to be used in its tournaments.

However, the GAA will be hoping that even though the government has said it will not be funding a Euro 2028-compliant stadium, it may still contribute to the redevelopment whenever it happens.

The Irish government has already pledged more than £40m.

THE UK is home to over 160 lidos and soon there will be more with a number of new pools set to open.

Following other new openings this year – including Canary Wharf Sea Lanes – here are the latest new spots to keep your eye on.

Valentines Park Lido, London

Years in the making, Valentines Park Lido will be in Valentines Park in Ilford, East London with a pool that stretches 25 metres and boast six lanes.

There will also be a spa pool, steam room, plunge pool and treatment rooms.

And kids won’t be left out either, as there will be a splash pad too.

After having fun in the pool, you can head to the onsite cafe for a bite to eat.

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The site will also be home to a gym, dance and exercise studio, meeting room and an outdoor picnic area ideal for soaking up the sunshine.

The lido was meant to open this summer, but this has been pushed back with no new opening date announced yet.

Holt Town, Manchester

As part of a project to transform Holt Town into a ‘woodland neighbourhood’, there will be a new lido.

It will be the first open-air pool in the city for 40 years and would be on Cyrus Street, which is currently an overgrown backroad.

The wider project will include rejuvenating 15 acres of green space and launching a new cultural hub.

No opening date has been announced yet.

Porthcawl, Wales

Porthcawl in Wales could be getting a new outdoor lido.

The lido would be at Salt Lake, opposite to the marina and would also feature a gym, a restaurant, a cafe and other facilities.

The lido would also be part of a wider project to add fairground rides to the area, as well as new shops, cafes and bars.

And if that wasn’t enough there will also be a site for motorhomes and touring caravans as well.

Other plans suggest that a splash pad could also eventually be built at the site, as well as mini golf and a skate park.

The site is set to start being built in 2027.

Swansea saltwater lido, Wales

Also in Wales, a saltwater lido is set for Swansea, at the redeveloped Civic Centre.

In fact, the entire waterfront area could be getting upgraded with a pier as well as the lido as part of a £20million project.

The saltwater lido will be a first for the city too, with other parts of the project include opening an aquarium, rooftop terrace and apartments.

No opening date has been announced yet.

This pier is undergoing restorations after being closed for decades

A long-neglected pier is currently in the midst of a multi-million-pound restoration project, with the aim of welcoming visitors back through its gates within the next few years. The Grade-II listed Birnbeck Pier first opened its doors in 1867, remaining in operation for 127 years before being shut down in 1994 owing to serious safety concerns.

Situated in Weston-super-Mare, the pier held the unique distinction of being the only one in the entire country to connect the mainland to an island — a small, rugged outcrop known as Birnbeck Island. In the years following its closure, the island continued to serve as a base for the RNLI to launch lifeboats; however, this too came to an end in 2014 when the pier was declared too hazardous.

Before that, the island had been requisitioned by the Admiralty during World War 2, serving as a top-secret facility for weapons testing.

Once the pier reopened after the war, it never truly recaptured its former glory, and changed hands numerous times amongst various private owners.

A lack of upkeep eventually rendered the pier unsafe, leading to its closure to the public in 1994. Since 1998, it has featured on the National Heritage at Risk Register.

Restoration plans were initially drawn up back in 2006, but were repeatedly shelved following successive changes in ownership.

The pier has since been acquired by North Somerset Council, and with the help of £5.5million in National Lottery funding, restoration work has now got underway.

Earlier this year, it was revealed that an extra £62,120 had been secured from the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) Heritage at Risk Capital Fund, administered by Historic England.

Following the announcement of this additional funding, Councillor Mark Canniford, North Somerset Council’s cabinet member overseeing the Birnbeck Pier project, said: “It’s great that Historic England has been able to top up our initial grant application.

“This additional money has allowed us to instruct specialist contractors to restore the entrance gates and turnstiles and install important design features on the southern Toll House to honour Eugenius Birch’s original design.

“I’m very much looking forward to seeing the flag flying at the entrance to the pier in celebration of work once it’s complete next summer.”

World Meteorological Organization forecasts more likelihood of heatwaves, droughts and heavy rainfall due to El Nino.

The United Nations’ weather watchdog is warning governments and humanitarian organisations to brace for “extreme weather events” including heatwaves, droughts and heavy rainfall due to the El Nino weather phenomenon.

The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) said in a statement on Friday that El Nino conditions had already set in and are “forecast to strengthen rapidly” between July and September.

El Nino typically peaks between November and February.

The UN agency has activated climate information services and early warning systems to help governments and humanitarian agencies prepare support plans for farmers and vulnerable communities.

“El Nino conditions are already under way and are forecast to strengthen rapidly into a strong event – as accurately anticipated by WMO forecasts,” said WMO Secretary-General Celeste Saulo.

“This will intensify the chances of drought and heavy rainfall and the risk of heatwaves on land and marine heatwaves in many regions of the world.”

Saulo added that “advanced seasonal forecasts and early warnings are vital to save lives and cushion the impact on our economies and our communities.”

El Nino is a natural climate phenomenon that warms surface temperatures in the central and eastern equatorial Pacific Ocean, bringing worldwide changes in winds, pressure and rainfall patterns.

El Nino events typically occur every two to seven years and usually last between nine and 12 months. Not all regions of the world are affected.

Conditions oscillate between El Nino and its opposite La Nina – both phases of the El Nino-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) – with neutral conditions in between.

Even when ENSO is neutral, extreme weather can still occur.

On Thursday, the WMO reported that global ocean temperatures hit a new high in June, partly driven by El Nino.

The last El Nino contributed to making 2023 the second-hottest year on record and 2024 the all-time high, at about 1.55 degrees Celsius (2.79 degrees Fahrenheit) above the 1850-1900 pre-industrial average.

Sometime in the next few weeks, the decommissioned Ticonderoga class guided missile cruiser ex-USS Mobile Bay, the 7th example of her class built, will be sent to the bottom of the Pacific Ocean by friendly forces, according to the San Diego Union-Tribune. The Tarawa class ex-USS Peleliu (LHA-5) amphibious assault ship will also be pummeled to its doom by friendly fire. These are two very high-profile and vastly different targets, which will make for a uniquely interesting pair of SINKEX drills. The event will take place during the 30th Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) biennial international maritime exercise.

RIMPAC 2026 began June 24 and runs through July 31; however, the date and manner of the sinking are not yet known. The sinking exercise (SINKEX) is the capstone event at each RIMPAC, though the type of surplus ship used varies.

Mobile Bay was decommissioned in 2023 and determined ineligible to be placed on the National Register of Historic Places a year later, sealing its fate.

USS Mobile Bay (CG 53) Outbound – August 18, 2023 – San Diego, California

Commissioned on Feb. 27, 1987, Mobile Bay took part in a number of major events during its 36 years in service.

“The ship’s operational history includes the 1989 evacuation of the U.S. Embassy in Beirut, Lebanon; launching 22 Tomahawk Land Attack Missiles (TLAMs) in support of Operation Desert Storm and the evacuation of thousands of people displaced by the volcanic eruption of Mt. Pinatubo in the vicinity of Subic Bay, Republic of the Philippines during Operation Fiery Vigil in 1991,” according to the Navy. It also participated in the “U.S. Coast Guard Law Enforcement Detachment (CGLED) seizure of 10.5 metric tons of cocaine approximately 800 miles southwest of Acapulco, Mexico, and launching TLAMS in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom in 2003.”

USS Mobile Bay CG-53 in Desert Storm

In addition to the date of its sinking being so far unknown, we also do not know how Mobile Bay will be struck. These events are used to test out a variety of weapons systems and crews to see how they perform. This often includes the ship being hit by many different kinds of weapons.

In the most recent SINKEX, for instance, we wrote that a U.S. Air Force B-2A Spirit bomber fired an AGM-158C Long Range Anti-Ship Missile (LRASM) at the ex-USS Juneau during Valiant Shield 2026 in the Western Pacific. You can read more about that in our story about that here. Oftentimes everything from torpedoes to short-range missiles to rocket artillery to airborne gunfire is used to maximize the sacrifice of the retired hull.

Mobile Bay, which took part in RIMPAC 2022, is one of four Ticonderoga class cruisers set to be disposed of by a SINKEX. In addition, the ex-USS Vella Gulf, the ex-USS Antietam and the ex-USS Port Royal are all facing the same fate, according to Navy records.

The ex-USS Valley Forge was the first of the decommissioned Ticonderogas to be sunk, during target practice in Hawaii in November 2006.

The Ticonderogas carry Tomahawk Land Attack Missiles (TLAM) and serve as air and missile defense batteries and command and control platforms. They are also equipped with Harpoon anti-ship missiles and MH-60R Sea Hawk helicopters, and execute anti-submarine warfare operations. 

Built in the 1980s and early 1990s, these cruisers primarily provide the backbone of a carrier strike group’s air warfare capabilities.

There are nine ships in this class still serving in the Navy. Of those, a half dozen are slated to be decommissioned in the coming years, while the remainder — USS Gettysburg, USS Chosin and USS Cape St. George — have been modernized or are close to finishing modernization and will serve out toward the end of the decade.

The effort to keep these ships afloat has been costly and controversial, which you can read more about in our story about the process here.

The Navy is billing RIMPAC 2026 as the largest in the history of these exercises.

“Thirty nations, over 30 surface ships, five submarines, 15 national land forces, more than 206 aircraft and 30,000 personnel will train and operate in and around the Hawaiian Islands during the exercise,” the Navy said in a release. “RIMPAC provides a unique training opportunity while fostering and sustaining cooperative relationships among participants that are critical to ensuring the security of sea lanes and stability across the region.”

It will be interesting to see how the ex-Mobile Bay is ultimately disposed of. We will provide an update when more information is available.

Contact the author: howard@twz.com

It’s no joke: John Oliver of HBO’s “Last Week Tonight” is checking into “General Hospital,” the ABC soap opera.

The host of the weekly series that takes sharply comedic aim at government and institutions announced during his June 28 episode that he will appear on the daytime soap “General Hospital” on July 2, 3 and 6. No details about his role were revealed except that it will be a “substantial guest role.”

And that’s not the only soap he’ll be in this summer. He will also have a role on “Days of Our Lives,” streaming on Peacock, on Aug. 11, 12 and 14.

The appearances are the culmination of Oliver’s pleas to soap opera producers during the March 8 installment of his show that they consider him for a part. An unapologetic devotee of the outrageous antics and high melodrama which characterize the genre, Oliver said, “Write me a role and I will be on your set so fast it will make your head swim.”

In a statement, Oliver celebrated the realization of his dream: “‘General Hospital’ was everything I hoped it would be. It’s a true honor to be a small stain on the history of this illustrious show.”

The series’ executive producer Frank Valentini said in a separate statement that Oliver made an offer they could not refuse.

“When John Oliver publicly threw down the gauntlet and said he wanted to appear on a soap, we didn’t hesitate for a second,” he said. “He was everything you’d hope he’d be: prepared, professional, funny, and genuinely kind to everyone on set. He plays an integral character in the story, and I can’t wait for fans to see who he crosses paths within Port Charles.”

“General Hospital,” which airs weekdays on ABC and streams on Hulu, is in its 64th year and stands as the longest-running American soap opera currently in production.

On the March 8 episode, Oliver said he was jealous of celebrities such as Katy Perry, Snoop Dogg and Smokey Robinson who would pop up on various soaps. He was particularly envious of sports pundit Stephen A. Smith who has had a recurring role on “General Hospital,” playing a shady figure known only as “Brick.”

Oliver made it clear that he was not interested in a brief walk-on playing himself. He wanted to play a character, and have a “juicy role” that involved murder or “slapping.” He also required that there be a close-up of his face.

AN iconic British singer is set to perform at the World Cup Final’s halftime show.

The musician, 52, has been booked to sing ahead of the game on the pitch at the MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, on Sunday, July 19.

Robbie Williams will belt out his FIFA football anthem Desire with Italian pop star Laura Pausini, 52.

Robbie’s appearance will precede the World Cup Final Halftime Show, curated by Coldplay singer Chris Martin, featuring Madonna, Shakira and K-pop giants BTS.

A source said: “Robbie loves football and is excited to play at this momentous gig.

“Of course, he hopes England will be one of the teams in the final.”

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Earlier this month Noel Gallagher revealed he wasn’t too impressed with the line-up so far.

Asked on Talksport for his thoughts about performers booked he said: “I don’t like the razzmatazz of football.

“It’s been functioning perfectly for hundreds of years.

“They’re not really football people who are performing anyway, are they?”

Robbie began his music career in 1990 at the tender of of 16 years old.

The teen joined the hugely successful group Take That before dabbling in releasing solo music five years later.

The Turkish Air Force looks set to receive a major boost to its fighter fleet, with the delivery of dozens of F110 engines required to power the homegrown TF Kaan combat jet. This would be one of the most significant positive developments in U.S.-Turkish defense relations since Turkey was ejected from the F-35 program in 2019, and may even pave the way for Ankara to rejoin that effort.

Citing four sources familiar with the matter, Reuters reports that President Donald Trump’s administration plans to go ahead with the engine sale, said to be worth more than $700 million, despite some resistance from Congress.

Ahead of his July trip to a NATO summit in Turkey, Trump was asked by a reporter whether Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan would be provided with a “big gift” in the form of F110 engines and potentially F-35 fighter jets.

“He’s a member of NATO,” Trump replied. “He really is a strong member of NATO. Yeah, I’m going to probably do something that’s going to make him very happy.”

Speaking alongside Trump, Vice President JD Vance said a review was underway to see if Turkey could receive the F-35.

“Pete and the entire team are reviewing this right now, because there are certain things that we have to certify have happened … in order to comply with American law,” Vance ⁠said, referring ​to Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth.

The question of whether Turkey might receive F-35s has long been a fraught one, with Ankara kicked out of the program back in 2019, a development we will return to later.

For now, however, Turkey’s priority seems to be securing F110 engines.

Turkey’s TF Kaan next-generation fighter is a flagship program of the country’s burgeoning aerospace industry. The program was launched in 2010, and the first prototype took to the air in early 2024.

Reportedly, Turkey plans to complete three pre-production prototypes, to be followed by 250 series-production aircraft, incorporating various refinements.

Last month, a contract was reportedly signed for 20 examples of the initial Block 10 versions of the Kaan.

The twin-engine Kaan was developed with a reduced radar signature in mind, as well as a high level of performance and modern avionics and other systems. As a result, it doesn’t offer the same level of low observability as the F-35, while its sensor fusion, electronic warfare capabilities, and other ‘fifth-generation’ features lag behind the U.S.-designed jet.

Critically, the Kaan is powered by U.S.-supplied General Electric F110 turbofans.

F110s are assembled under license in Turkey by TUSAS Engine Industries (TEI) but are still governed by U.S. export restrictions. These engines are already used in significant numbers by the Turkish Air Force F-16 fleet, the third-largest in the world. Outside of the F-16, the F110 is also used in the F-15E Strike Eagle and F-15EX Eagle II, among other F-15 variants. An F110 comes with a typical flyaway unit cost of $10 to $15 million.

The Kaan program has long been overshadowed by the question of whether Washington will make available in larger numbers the F110 turbofans used in the prototype. Reportedly, an initial batch of 80 engines is required.

While Turkish officials have expressed hope of ultimately switching to a domestically produced engine type for the Kaan, TEI’s TF35000, it’s unclear how realistic this is, at least in the near term. Turkey has also looked at acquiring alternative engines, too, including those from Russia or Rolls-Royce in the United Kingdom.

In the meantime, the importance of the Kaan to the Turkish Air Force increased significantly in 2019, when it became clear that Ankara would be kicked out of the F-35 program, in which it had a considerable industrial stake, and a plan to buy around 100 of the fighters. Washington took that decision after Turkey refused to abandon its purchase of Russian-made S-400 long-range air defense systems.

As well as the S-400, U.S. lawmakers were unhappy with Turkey’s worsening relations with Greece, its other connections with Russia and Azerbaijan (which included the deployment of F-16s to the latter country), its conduct in the Syrian civil war, and human rights abuses. Turkey’s opposition to Sweden joining NATO also proved to be a significant hurdle.

In the wake of all this, the chances of Turkey receiving F110 engines were dramatically reduced. At the same time, Turkey’s request to buy additional F-16 fighters was also turned down. Turkey reportedly also began stockpiling spare parts for its F-16 back in 2019, fearing the effects of U.S. sanctions.

Toward the end of the Biden administration, U.S.-Turkish relations began to improve, and Washington moved to push through sales of new F-16s and upgrade kits for older jets to Turkey. There also began to be suggestions that the F-35 was potentially back on the table for Turkey.

Under the Trump administration, Washington’s relationship with Ankara has become closer, with Erdogan frequently praised by the U.S. leader.

In early 2024, the U.S. State Department finally approved a possible Foreign Military Sale to Turkey of 40 new F-16C/D Block 70 fighters, plus the upgrade of 79 existing aircraft to F-16V configuration.

At the same time, the issue surrounding the S-400 and the sanctions that followed that acquisition remains.

As it stands, U.S. law does not permit Turkey to operate or possess the S-400 system if it wishes to rejoin the F-35 program, as a result of security concerns around the Russian-made system.

During a visit to Turkey in early 2024, the U.S. Acting Deputy Secretary of State Victoria Nuland reportedly suggested that the United States might be willing to offer Patriot air defense systems if it were to give up its S-400s, which could also clear the way to re-entering the F-35 program.

“Frankly, if we can resolve this S-400 issue, which we want to do, the United States would be pleased to welcome Turkey back into the F-35 family,” Nuland said. “But we must solve this other issue first, and while we solve it, we must also ensure that Turkey has a strong air defense.”

The apparent decision to clear the F110 sale certainly represents a further softening of Washington’s stance, and it could be a stepping-stone to Ankara eventually being readmitted to the F-35 program.

Turkey’s desire for F-35s has only been intensified by the fact that Greece, its major strategic rival, has been approved for a purchase of the jets. You can read all about how tensions between Greece and Turkey are reflected in the countries’ respective air forces in this previous feature.

Even regarding the F110 transfer, some opposition to defense sales to Turkey remains in Washington.

In particular, Representative Gregory Meeks of New York, the leading Democrat on the House of Representatives Foreign Affairs Committee, has reportedly stood in the way of the engine sale during an informal review process.

However, according to the four sources who spoke to Reuters, the F110 deal should be “finalized in the coming days, followed by a formal notification from the State Department to Congress.”

While lawmakers can use the congressional review process to raise their concerns over big-ticket defense exports, the administration can override these.

According to the Wall Street Journal, the Trump administration is expected to override Meeks’ effort to block the engine deal.

For the Kaan program, the F110 is vital.

Denied the F-35 and with F-16 deals moving forward only slowly, Turkey has been forced to look elsewhere to meet its short-term fighter needs. Most significantly, it signed a deal for 20 Eurofighter Typhoon jets last October.

Turkey has also been investing heavily in drones, including the ANKA-3, a low-observable flying wing uncrewed combat air vehicle (UCAV), and the fighter-like Bayraktar Kizilelma. Still, these are viewed as adjuncts to advanced crewed fighters, like the Kaan.

Whether securing the F110 engines means the Kaan meets its target of service entry around the 2030 timeframe remains questionable.

However, it is a major step in that direction.

As well as being fielded by the Turkish Air Force, the Kaan could have significant potential for export, although sales would be governed by U.S. restrictions on its engines. It is one of a number of medium-weight fighters that feature low-observable characteristics and advanced avionics. These include China’s FC-31 and South Korea’s KF-21.

Reportedly, Indonesia already signed a contract for 48 Kaan fighters last June.

Perhaps most importantly, the F110 deal would get back on track what is very much the flagship of Turkey’s military aerospace industry. At the same time, a U.S. decision to provide Ankara with these engines will also be welcomed by those in Turkey who still wish for a way back into the F-35 program.

Contact the author: thomas@thewarzone.com

THE summer of warned EES chaos is almost upon us – but two airports are set to scrap the new entry rules for Brits.

Both Rome Fiumicino Airport and Rome Ciampino Airport could suspend the requirements to avoid length queues at passport control.

Talking to the Financial Times, Aeroporti di Roma Chief Executive Officer Marco Troncone said that allowing passengers to skip EES checks is the only way to avoid “disaster”.

He added “we are very worried for the summer” and rated his concerns an “eight or nine” out of 10.  

Marco Troncone said: “The process proves to be incompatible with the peak volumes that we are going to face. 

“So the only way is to open up the valve. There is no way that we can deliver 100 per cent of the enrolment.”

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These two Italian airports can be particularly busy during the summer period.

Rome Fiumicino Airport sees over five million passengers per month during the peak summer travel season.

In recent years, numbers have been as high as 180,000 in a single day.

Rome Ciampino Airport is a little quieter but can still see up to 3.9million total passengers per year.

During the summer, there are estimates of up to 400,000 passengers per month through the airport, according to Aeroporti di Roma.

EES requires UK and other non-EU nationals to register at the border with their biometrics and will replace manual passport stamping.

But since their introduction there have been reported issues which have caused up to six- hour queues through airports.

Another issue was raised by Olivier Jankovec, head of the airports industry group ACI Europe.

H said that one of the biggest problems is that the self-service EES points “don’t work”.

He also said that there is congestion caused by a lack of organisation.

Once enrolled with EES, travellers should be able to go through gates automatically on future trips without needing to use the machines again.

But at the moment, lots of airports haven’t introduced separate queues for those who have already completed EES checks which is adding to wait times.

Queues at passport control have been so long at some airports that passengers have missed flights.

Earlier this month, a Ryanair flight was forced to leave up to 50 of its passengers behind when they were stuck in Athens Airport in what they dubbed a ‘mega queue’.

In April, an easyJet flight left Milan Airport without all of its passengers who were stuck in border control queues.

KELLY Osbourne has signed up to star in a new reality show documenting her life and personal struggles after the death of her father.

The daughter of belated icon Ozzy Osbourne, 41, used to feature in the much-loved show The Osbournes alongside her family.

But this time around Kelly will be taking centre stage in a show focusing on her reinvention as a single mother to son Sid, 3.

Kelly and her fiance, Sid Wilson from Slipknot, split up in March of this year.

She’s since been romantically lined to hairstylist Kiinicki but according to The Daily Mail it’s been an “on and off” relationship.

Kelly’s family and friends, including Lily Allen and DJ Fat Tony, may also be making appearances in the new programme.

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Speaking about the show’s contract, a friend said: “The deal is done, and the production company is finalising which broadcaster this will go with; most likely Disney.

“It will focus on how she is stepping back into life after the trauma of Ozzy dying last year and after breaking up with Sid. It’s about her rebuilding.”

Kelly lost her father in July last year after he suffered a heart attack in his home in Buckinghamshire.

The Black Sabbath star, 76, had only finished his farewell tour Back To The Beginning a matter of weeks before passing away.

Despite suffering a heart attack, Ozzy struggled with numerous other health conditions including Parkinson’s and complication of a quad bike accident from 2003.

Kelly and her family have since been grieving and doing their best to stay strong.

In December, marking the first Christmas without her father, an emotional Kelly shared online: “Christmas will never be the same.

“I will never be the same. The person I was before he died does not exist any more.

“It changes you. He was magical. There is no one like him.”

The Osbournes premiered its first episode in 2002 on MTV, with its first season being cited as the most-viewed series to ever hit MTV.

FIFA’s inaugural U-15 World Cup in October has been opened to all of its member associates, paving way for Russia’s return.

A ‌Russian team may be allowed to participate ⁠in ⁠a FIFA event for the first time since Moscow’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine after ⁠football’s global authority said its inaugural U-15 World Cup and Festival, set to be ⁠held in Azerbaijan in October, is open to all FIFA member associations.

FIFA banned Russia from international competition in February 2022 after it invaded ‌Ukraine, but it lifted the suspension from the country’s U-17 boys’ and girls’ teams the next year.

However, Russian teams have remained absent from U-17 tournaments organised by FIFA and UEFA as several European countries, including Ukraine ⁠and England, continue to boycott ⁠Russia over its ongoing invasion of its neighbour.

“The first edition will be open to boys’ teams from all FIFA ⁠member associations, the second instalment in 2027 will feature girls’ ⁠teams only,” FIFA said on ⁠Wednesday about the U-15 World Cup and Festival.

“From 2028 onwards, all member associations will be invited to participate with ‌both their boys’ and girls’ U-15 teams in two separate competitions.”

The U-15 event will kick ‌off ‌on October 22 and conclude nine days later.

Chris Appleton could be about to count on the support of pal Kim Kardashian from the Strictly stands as he gets ready to take on the BBC dance competition

Kim Kardashian could be set for a part in Strictly Come Dancing after playing a key role in Chris Appleton’s sign-up, according to reports. The reality TV star is said to have been a big player in making the celebrity stylist join the current roster of celebs hitting the dance floor.

The hairstylist was the fourth star announced for the upcoming series after Lacey Turner, Dani Dyer and Delta Goodrem. And he is set to get the support from some of his high profile clients, which have included Jennifer Lopez, Kim Kardashian, Sofía Vergara, Ariana Grande, and Katy Perry.

And it’s the Kardashians star who is said to have helped him bag the gig in the first place. A source said: “Kim’s most important advice to him was simple: before you launch a brand or product, make people feel like they know you, are invested in your life, in you.”

It comes as Chris reportedly wants a little more in life, namely, his own brand of hair products. And Kim sees the reality contest as the perfect way to introduce him to the British public.

The source went on to tell The Sun: “It was Kim who pushed him toward Strictly – he’s had a lot of reality TV show invites in the US.

“He was initially very hesitant to put himself out there as a ‘star’ but Kim argued that a successful run on the show would do more for his brand than a year of PR campaigns and huge ad budgets.”

They added: “Being in the Strictly spotlight makes him a household name in the UK, gets him into every room and red carpet event that matters in London, and builds the kind of public warmth that no advertising budget can manufacture – and that’s exactly the diving board you want to launch a brand from.”

And it’s claimed if Chris ventures into the later stages of the competition then Kim could come to the UK to support him from the crowd. The source said Kim has given Chris “free rein” to discuss their friendship too.

After he was announced as a Strictly contestant, Chris said: “I’m thrilled to be joining Strictly Come Dancing and coming home to the UK for this incredible experience. I’ve always believed that the best things happen when you take a chance and try something new.

“I may know my way around a salon floor, but the dance floor is a whole different story – and I can’t wait to get started.”

Chris grew up in Leicester, but he now lives in Los Angeles. But it’s said the UK will always be home to the star and he will be using the contest to be closer to home.

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BECKY Hill has hit back at the crowd that booed her during her surprise festival set as she addressed a viral video.

The pop star, 32, was treated badly at the weekend after she vowed to play only new songs at her secret set at TRNSMT. 

Speaking about the viral video that showed the crowd, she has now said: “Getting booed is not nice.

“I haven’t found a single one of these easy, it’s really upsetting.

“Because I love this job and that’s not making me love it as much as I usually do.”

Speaking directly to the camera she added: “I wanted to bring a new and exclusive thirty minute set of brand new music to a festival crowd unannouced.

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“I thought it would be a great opportunity to play the new music I’ve been working so hard on.

“And I personally love so much.”

She then thanked the team at the festival for giving her that stage and also the crowd of people who you stayed and danced with her right until the very end.

She added: “It was amazing to have such a captive audience who wanted to hear the new stuff too.

“I said on stage how difficult it is to transition into a new single, and new music and new albums.

“And all this conversation online is exactly what I meant.

“I’m not a jukebox, I’m an artist and the tickets at TRNSMT were not sold with my name as part of the line-up.

“And I wanted to do something new, artistically driven.”

Becky explained that she doesn’t normally get the opportunity to do that much in her career.

She added: “But trust me when my name is on the poster I will always sing the tunes that people know and love.”

“I feel really grateful to have those records in my catalogue,” she explained.

The singer concluded that in order to have a long career she needed to have new music and thanked those that stayed to listen to her.

The pop star has no shortage of hits to choose from, with 19 top 40 singles, six top 10s and a number one to her name.

Becky played her new track Daddy’s Range Rover at TRANSMT which hits out at Jack Whitehall for mocking her when he hosted last year’s Brit Awards.

The pair have since buried the hatchet and Jack admitted he apologised to Becky for calling her “Wetherspoons Whitney”. 

Addressing her fans while performing earlier this year, she said: “I’ve had enough of all this s*** so I wrote about it.

REESE Witherspoon has officially passed over the Legally Blonde torch – in the form of a pink dress she wore 25 years ago.

Original Elle Woods actress Reese, 50, handed the baton to newcomer Lexi Minetree, who will play the bubblegum princess in a TV series based on the iconic film.

In Amazon Prime’s prequel, out on July 1, we meet teen Elle in high school before she was a fish-out-of-water at Harvard Law School.

Not only is Lexi, 25, stepping into Reese’s shoes she’s also slipping into her dress, wearing the exact Marc Jacobs frock Reese wore to the film’s premiere in 2001.

She borrowed it for an appearance on the Jimmy Kimmel chat show this week.

Reese said Lexi’s audition tape “took her breath away” and paid tribute to the actress this week at a 25th anniversary celebration of the franchise.

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“I just could not be more proud to pass the baton or the pink torch to Lexi Minetree as the new Elle Woods,” she beamed.

“I love you so much. You have no idea. I’m just so proud of you.”

Reese was joined stars Selma Blair, 53, Jennifer Coolidge, 64, and Ali Larter at a special Elle World pop-up event in New York on Saturday night.

Legally Blonde became a cultural phenomenon, celebrated for breaking stereotypes, its iconic pink fashion and making famous phrases like “Bend and snap”.

Based on the 2001 novel by Amanda Brown, the story of a ditzy blonde sorority-girl-turned-lawyer, it was a breakout role for Reese, propelling her to global stardom and earning her a Golden Globe nomination.

Moving from infront of the camera to behind it with her Hello Sunshine company, executive producer of the prequel Reese said: “Twenty-five years after the world met Elle Woods for the first time, it’s a dream come true to share the story of how she became the unstoppable force we all fell in love with.

“I think our series’ themes of kindness, authenticity, and believing in yourself will resonate deeply with fans of the original films and new audiences alike.”

Season one of Elle begins in 1995, where the doe-eyed teen is forced to move from glitzy LA to Seattle.

There she encounters tricky friendships, forbidden romance, and questionable fashion choices.

It’s already been greenlit for a second series despite not hitting screens yet.

The now-influencer appeared on BBC’s Song Marry Avoid when she was just 19-years-old

A woman who appeared on a popular BBC show says she had no choice but to turn down some major opportunities.

Sophie Bow received a dramatic ‘makeunder’ on BBC’s Snog Marry Avoid, which featured the sassy robotic style guru POD (Personal Overhaul Device).

Rather than being given a makeover, those who appeared on the show were given a ‘makeunder’ as they were persuaded less is more.

The show was a huge hit with fans in the late 00s with singer Jenny Frost followed by comedian and Strictly Come Dancing star Ellie Taylor as the host. The BBC Three show aired from 2008 until its sixth and final series in December 2013.

Sophie was just 19 when she first appeared on our TV screens, when she encountered POD as a teenager who loved lots of fake tan, heavy makeup and eye-catching outfits covered in sequins and glitter.

At the time, viewers fell in love with the teen and show bosses were keen to get her back on our TV screens for other projects.

Now 33, she has become a popular social media content creator but revealed that she was forced to turn down a number of TV opportunities because of her anxiety.

Looking back on her journey since appearing on Snog Marry Avoid, she took to TikTok and gave fans an update on her life today.

She started off by saying: “I would say appearing on telly back in the day definitely helped my career.

“Back then it was a very popular show but it disappeared off the face of the earth and no one knows why or where it went but it would be so good if they brought it back.”

She revealed: “After being on that show, I did actually get casted for the first ever Love Island but I was in a relationship. I’ve always been in a relationship so I never went on the show. “

However her relationship wasn’t the only thing holding her back as she explained: “But there have been so many opportunities that I actually did miss out on – throughout my life because I do have anxiety – I suffer badly with anxiety.

“I don’t really know what triggered it but I do get quite back anxiety. Even to this day I get asked on brand trips or anything outside my comfort zone, if I’m not going with somebody I can’t.”

The influencer added: “I really need to push myself to do more. I have a little boy and he is the best thing ever so I did take a little break from social media for a little while but then I did go back into social media.

“I did lose quite a lot of following from having the break then I started a TikTok account and here I am.”

ASHLEY Cain was secretly sacked from a BBC job last year for being ‘drunk on set’.

The star, 35, has come under-fire this week after historic tweets were exposed in which Ashley made degrading comments about women and suggested blurring the lines of consent during sex in worrying messages.

The posts were made by Ashley between 2013 and 2015 after he first rose to fame in footballing and his appearances on MTV show Ex On The Beach.

The Guardian has compiled a range of messages, posts and concerns relating to Ashley’s behaviour in the past – which has since led to him being dropped by the BBC.

Last night, the publication detailed new allegations that Ashley was secretly sacked from filming a BBC documentary in June of last year for being ‘drunk on set’.

The TV personality, who had already begun to work with the BBC on their documenary series, Into The Danger Zone, had been picked to host, Sin City: The Real Las Vegas.

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He was flown out to Nevada to film the show but concerns were raised about his conduct.

Appearing to be drunk during filming of the show, the production was suspended and Ashley was ultimately dropped from the project.

Another presenter was then chosen to front the programme instead.

Nonetheless, the incident went largely ignored as Ashley returned to filming with the BBC earlier this year for the second series of his Into The Danger Zone series.

However, following The Guardian’s reports, that series has now been axed and won’t be making it to air.

The BBC revealed they had no plans to work with Ashley again in the future after admitting that their “vetting” process before hiring talent had “failed”.

A BBC spokesperson told The Sun:  “The posts by Ashley Cain, albeit from many years ago, are completely unacceptable.”

“The BBC has clear requirements around vetting and social media checks, which are undertaken by the production company. In this instance, the process clearly failed and we are investigating why. We are continuing to strengthen our processes to ensure everyone working for, and on behalf of, the BBC meets our values and standards.”

“We have no plans to broadcast the new series of ‘Into the Danger Zone’, and no future projects with Ashley Cain.”

The Sun has contacted a representative for Ashley Cain for comment.

Ashley’s comments and behaviour – which largely took place over 10 years ago – first began to emerge after he took part in the very succesful first series of MTV show Ex On The Beach which propelled him to national fame.

Derogatory terms allegedly written in 2014 and 2015 include “sl**s”, “b***hes” and “psychos”, while he said he’d like to “choke slam” and “spit in the face” of Love Island star Jessica Hayes while commenting on the ITV2 reality show.

The Guardian reports that other misogynistic tweets saw him say he wanted to “talcum powder pimp slap these b***es already!” while watching a Channel 4 documentary and demean women by writing: “I DO NOT.. I repeat I DO NOT think EVERY girl is a slag! There are some absolute PHENOMENAL women out there.. They’re just a rare commodity.”

In 2015, Cain was accused of recording Rachel Roftis, 33, during sex and sharing clips to Snapchat without her consent — something he strongly denied.

The pair met at a club in Bexleyheath before spending the night together in a hotel.

Roftis told The Guardian she “screamed” at Cain when she realised the footage had been shared publicly and the incident has “massively affected her relationships with men. She doesn’t trust anybody really now.”

The notoriety from the posts, which saw Cain brand himself the “Snapchat King” and rack up 60,000 views, led to an appearance on short-lived ITV Daytime show O’Brien where he boasted of being a “play boy” and sleeping with 15 girls a week.

Of his attitude towards women, he said: “If you are a lady, I respect you. But if you don’t respect yourself, how can you expect me to respect you?”

With another heatwave on the way, which could see temperatures hit 30C, Brits can find their nearest outdoor pool or lido using our interactive map

While the weather is looking pretty damp and miserable across the UK right now, the Met Office has predicted a return to summer very soon.

By the end of this week, it’s forecast that parts of the country will be seeing 30C temperatures again, and the UK is set to be hotter than Ibiza on Father’s Day. So, you might be wondering where you can go to enjoy a cooling dip in a safe environment, and luckily, there are lots of incredible outdoor pools and lidos that’ll give you holiday vibes right on your doorstep.

Our interactive map, based on data from the swimming enthusiasts from allthelidos.co.uk, shows a huge variety of places where you can get some lane swimming in, or just go for a splash around with the kids.

Before you set off, make sure you check the official website of the pool facility you’re visiting. While most outdoor pools are now open for the summer, some have reduced opening hours until the peak times of July and August.

Included on the map are lidos such as the Sea Lanes in Brighton, an outdoor pool opened in 2023 which offers views of the seaside town’s shingle beaches while you swim. The complex also includes a wellness hub and a selection of food and drink outlets.

If you’re in the south east, an option that’ll make you feel like you’re on holiday is the Strand Lido in Gillingham, Kent. It has drawn comparisons with pools in the Mediterranean thanks to its bright white colour scheme and fun waterslides.

Over in Cornwall, the Jubilee Pool in Penzance makes for an unforgettable swim. This classic Art Deco-style lido first opened in 1935, and it’s the UK’s largest seawater pool. Naturally heated by the ocean, it’s usually a couple of degrees warmer than taking a dip on the beach, and there’s also a Geothermal Pool that can reach 28 to 30C.

Inverclyde Leisure Gourock Outdoor Pool has the distinction of being Scotland’s oldest outdoor heated pool, and indie music fans may recognise it from the cover of Blur’s 2023 album The Ballad of Darren. The pool uses heated water from the Firth of Clyde, which is filtered and kept at a temperature of around 29C. The facility also has a kids’ pool and gym.

Many UK lidos have fallen into disrepair in the past few years, only to be brought back to life with investments from local councils that have turned them into major community hubs.

One such success story is Hilsea Lido near Portsmouth, which closed its doors to swimmers in 2022 before getting a £7.75 million renovation. In addition to its pool., the centre built a new sauna for post-swim sessions, new changing rooms and toilets, plus an ice cream parlour and food van. The pool’s operator told the BBC: “We want it to feel like a holiday at home for the local community.”

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

Argentina’s Lionel Messi isn’t the only one scoring in the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

Fox and Telemundo are off to a blazing start in the TV ratings for the quadrennial soccer tournament, delivering big increases over the 2022 World Cup held in Qatar.

Through the first 16 group stage matches, an average of 6 million viewers have watched on Fox and cable network FS1 cable network, a 128% increase over the 2022 FIFA World Cup according to Nielsen data.

The first 12 group stage matches of the tournament drew an average of 7.5 million viewers on the Comcast-owned Spanish language network Telemundo, a 234% increase from four years ago. The Telemundo telecasts are also streamed on Peacock.

The U.S. Men’s National Soccer Team’s opening match against Paraguay held Friday at SoFi Stadium set a record for the most-watched World Cup game on both and English and Spanish language television. The match scored 18 million viewers on Fox and its streaming platforms, while Telemundo’s telecast averaged 9.5 million.

The early ratings show the enduring power of live sporting events and their ability to draw mass audiences at a time when streaming video has splintered viewership . Scripted hit prime time TV shows need seven days or more of viewing on demand to reach the audience levels the World Cup is attracting in real time.

“Having this World Cup in North America clearly has a huge impact on ratings,” said Patrick Rishe, director of the sports business program at Washington University in St. Louis.

World Cup matches held in the U.S. for the first time since 1994 helps — and a competitive USNMT playing in front of home crowds could turbocharge the ratings to even bigger heights. Fox is expecting another record when the team plays its third group stage match in prime time on June 25.

Some sports media pundits have been citing the addition of out-of-home viewing and internet-connected televisions to Nielsen data as the reason sports ratings have been on the rise. But Mike Mulvihill, president of insights and analytics for Fox Sports, asserts that the viewers have been there all along.

“For many years, the numbers were under-counted and what we’re seeing now is a truer representation of the sports audience,” Mulvihill said in a recent interview. “You just cannot overstate what it means to us to be able to capture all that viewing that’s happening at fan fests, in bars and at smaller watch parties.”

Out-of-home viewing boosted the audience levels for Mexico’s inaugural World Cup match on June 11 by 50%, and contributed several million viewers to the total for the USMNT opener.

Mulvihill projects that by the end of the tournament, 150 million people will have watched some portion of Fox’s 2026 FIFA World Cup coverage. The figure approaches the 170 million people Fox reaches with a slate of regular season NFL games.

“For us, it’s like having two NFL seasons in a single year,” Mulvihill said.

Fox will be able to capitalize on the strong numbers for the early matches. Networks typically hold back some commercial inventory for big events in case audience levels fall short of what advertisers are guaranteed. Fox has surpassed those expectations and can now go back into the marketplace to sell available commercials for the later rounds, most likely for more than what was paid before the tournament.

The 2026 World Cup may also be benefiting from a viewing public that wants a distraction from the ongoing political discord in the U.S. and war in the Middle East.

“Sports still remains the one thing we can all kind of talk about and disagree about without it being divisive,” said Lisa Delpy Neirotti, director of the sports management program at the George Washington University School of Business.

Delphy Neirotti believes the World Cup has some momentum from the NBA Finals, which averaged 20.6 million viewers on ABC for the New York Knicks’ triumph over the San Antonio Spurs, The feel-good story of the Knicks winning their first championship in 53 years delivered the most-watched Finals since 1998 and put fans in the mood for more action.

“Fans were already primed up, meeting with friends, watching sports and now they can continue that camaraderie and that collective experience,” Delphy Neirotti said. “They want to be with community.”

The combined numbers for Fox and Telemundo are highest in Los Angeles, which in addition to a large Latino population has 500,000 Iranians. An average audience of 4.7 million viewers watched the Iranian national team play to a 2-2 tie against New Zealand on Monday, the second most-watched match ever on Fox Sports 1.

But there are plenty of World Cup fans in the heartland. Kansas City had the highest local rating for Fox’s coverage of the USMNT’s match, with more than 9% of the market’s homes tuning in.

Kansas City hosted its first World Cup match Tuesday at Arrowhead Stadium, where Argentina’s Messi set a tournament record with three goals in his team’s 3-0 victory over Algeria. The city has cultivated soccer fans with well-attended watch parties held in its Power and Light District.

“The watch parties that they’ve planned out throughout their cities to give people an opportunity to be part of the event, even though they’re not going to the event,” Rishe said. “Whether you’re watching or just walking by, it’s exciting.”

Jude Bellingham is set to start in England’s coveted number 10 role for their World Cup opener against Croatia.

There has been conjecture over who will play in the central attacking berth for England after the emergence of Aston Villa’s Morgan Rogers as a viable option in the position.

However, it is understood England manager Thomas Tuchel is likely to select Bellingham, 22, for Wednesday’s Group L encounter in Dallas (21:00 BST).

The Real Madrid star is expected to have Arsenal’s Declan Rice and Elliot Anderson of Nottingham Forest alongside him in midfield.

Elsewhere, Ezri Konsa is likely to get the nod at centre-half alongside John Stones – with Marc Guehi in line to start on the bench.

Reece James and Nico O’Reilly are set to start at full-back.

Harry Kane will captain the side and lead the attack. Anthony Gordon is expected to play on the left wing with Noni Madueke in line to play on the right in place of Bukayo Saka, who is working his way back to full fitness from Achilles tendinitis.

Predicted line-up: Pickford; James, Stones, Konsa, O’Reilly; Anderson, Rice; Madueke, Bellingham, Gordon; Kane

AN ABANDONED airport home to one of the UK’s longest runways is set to reopen as early as next year.

Commercial passenger flights at the airfield are expected to restart sometime in the next two years.

Doncaster Sheffield Airport is set to reopen as soon as this year after shutting down in 2022.

The site was previously considered no longer financially sustainable and since closing has remained abandoned and partially derelict.

During this time, regional developers have been pushing for a major overhaul of the former transport hub, costing around £160 million through a public-funded reopening programme.

The proposals have received the support of local councils, and the site is projected to resume cargo operations as early as this year, with passenger flights slated to resume in late 2027 or early 2028.

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The airfield also boasts one of the UK’s longest runways, measuring 1.8miles and once operational again, will be the eighth longest commercial runway in England.

The longest runway can be found at London Heathrow, measuring 2.4miles, and runs parallel with the second longest runway also found at the airport, measuring 2.2miles.

Executive director for Airport Operations at FlyDoncaster, Simon Hinchley, said: “As we work towards re-opening Doncaster Sheffield Airport, our focus is firmly on building a safe, efficient and operationally robust airport that is ready to serve a broad range of users from day one.”

Director of FlyDoncaster, Christian Foster, previously revealed that the airport revamp was progressing well, but that the extensive development and new recruitment process takes time.

Airlines such as TUI and Wizz Air used to be found at Doncaster Sheffield Airport, but currently it has not been confirmed who will be flying to and from the transport hub.

The airport is also keen to showcase the region, having independent vendors on-site rather than larger chains.

The airport will be kitted out with the latest technology and security lanes and systems are expected to move as their original location was in an unideal area of the site.

A project of this size has previously been described as transformative for the area.

The South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority, which is one of the backers on the project, previously stated their rationale for investing in the development.

They said: “Doncaster Sheffield Airport closed in November 2022, leaving South Yorkshire one of the largest UK city regions without an international aviation presence.

“South Yorkshire’s Mayor, Oliver Coppard, and Council Leaders have taken a historic decision to reopen Doncaster Sheffield Airport, approving a £160 million funding package that will see commercial flights return to the region.”

Doncaster Sheffield Airport first opened in 1915, and operated as a Royal Flying Corps airfield in the First World War.

The transport hub then served as an RAF base before being transformed into a commercial airport in 2005.

The airport was previously called Robin Hood Airport, referencing the folklore of the region.