shut

The Galaxy, stumbling through the worst season in the franchise’s long history, has looked to the Leagues Cup, a tournament with little pedigree and no real history, to salvage the year.

And for much of the monthlong competition that worked, with the Galaxy cruising into the tournament semifinals unbeaten. But reality and the Seattle Sounders caught up with them Wednesday, when goals from Pedro de la Vega and Osaze De Rosario gave Seattle a 2-0 victory and a spot in Sunday’s Leagues Cup final against Lionel Messi and Inter Miami.

The Galaxy will play host to Orlando City, a 3-1 loser in the other semifinal, in Sunday’s third-place game, where a berth in next season’s CONCACAF Champions Cup will be on the line.

Qualifying for the confederation’s top club competition would be a considerable accomplishment for the Galaxy, who are last in the MLS table nine months after winning their sixth league title. But they’ve played like another team in the Leagues Cup, emerging unbeaten from group play, where they faced three Liga MX teams, then eliminating Mexico’s Pachuca in the quarterfinals. And through the quarterfinals, they were scoring three goals a game, more than double their average in MLS.

The Sounders wasted little time taking control, going in front on De la Vega’s goal in the seventh minute and never looking back.

The score came on the last of a flurry of shots inside the Galaxy penalty area. The first, from De Rosario, was saved in the center of the goal by Novak Micovic, who dove to push the rebound out to his right. As Micovic scrambled after the loose ball, Jesús Ferreira took a shot, which Micovic, still on his stomach, also saved. But that rebound fell to De la Vega, who would not be denied, putting his right-footed shot into the back of the net.

That was the fifth consecutive goal Seattle has scored in two games at Dignity Health Sports Park since being shut out in last fall’s Western Conference final.

Both keepers made diving one-handed saves — Seattle’s Andrew Thomas on the Galaxy’s Diego Fagundez in the 28th minute and Micovic on Obed Vargas 12 minutes later — to keep the score 1-0 at the intermission.

But the physical De Rosario doubled the Sounders’ lead with a splendid goal 12 minutes into the second half, heading down a pass in the box, lifting it back over his head with his right foot, then bulling his way through Galaxy defenders John Nelson, Zanka and Maya Yoshida before beating Micovic cleanly from the edge of the six-yard box.

Micovic deserved better on a night when he was forced into a season-high six saves and got little help from his defenders. Still his performance was better than that of Mexican referee Adonai Escobedo, who struggled to control the match. Escobedo did make good use of VAR to correct a missed call in the final 10 minutes of regulation, however, expelling Seattle defender Nouhou Tolo for a rough challenge and forcing the Sounders to see out the victory with 10 men.

On the other end, Thomas made four saves to shut the Galaxy out at home for the second time in 17 days.

FIREFIGHTERS are tackling a massive blaze involving 250 tonnes of manure with locals warned to shut windows and doors.

Emergency services scrambled to the scene in Brigstock, Northamptonshire, to try and douse the flames.

It is expected that the blaze will burn for several days, said firefighters.

Villagers and others living nearby were advised to stay away and keep their windows and doors shut.

A spokesman for Northants Fire and Rescue said: “We are currently at the scene of a large fire in Brigstock, involving 250 tonnes of farm manure. 

“People living in the village and surrounding areas are advised to keep their windows and doors closed.

“This fire is expected to continue burn through the night, and, over the coming days.”

DOZENS of residents have been evacuated from their homes in a popular seaside town while firefighters tackle a major blaze.

Emergency crews rushed to attend the building fire in Clacton, Essex, in the early hours this morning.

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Locals have been advised to keep their windows and doors shut as plumes of smoke rise from the building on West Avenue.

Teams from seven local fire stations, including Weeley, Colchester and Chelmsford, were scrambled to the scene at around 12.35am.

Essex Fire Brigade confirmed the building was still fully alight just before 5am.

Incident Commander Nick Singleton said: “Crews have worked hard to surround the fire.

“We will be remaining here for a significant time during the day to make sure the fire is fully extinguished.

“Jackson Road, Penfold Road and Agate Road will be shut and experience disruption while our crews remain at the incident. 

“Thank you to our emergency services colleagues who have helped us safety evacuate nearby residents.” 

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For Kalpesh Patel, Diwali, the festival of lights celebrated across India, might well mark lights out for his eight-year-old diamond cutting and polishing unit.

The 35-year-old employs about 40 workers who transform rough diamonds into perfectly polished gems for exports at the small factory in Surat, a city located in the western Indian state of Gujarat.

His business has survived multiple speed bumps in recent years. But United States President Donald Trump’s mammoth 50 percent tariffs on imports from India might be the final nail in the coffin for his unit, part of an already struggling natural diamond industry, he said.

“We still have some orders for Diwali and will try to complete them,” he told Al Jazeera.

Diwali, arguably India’s single biggest festival, scheduled for late October this year, usually sees domestic sales of most goods soar. “But we might have to shut the business even before the festival, as exporters might cancel the orders due to high tariffs in the US,” Patesh said.

“It is becoming increasingly difficult to pay the salaries and maintain other expenses with falling orders.”

He is among the 20,000-odd small and medium traders in Surat, known as the “Diamond City of India”, which together cut and polish 14 out of every 15 natural diamonds produced globally.

The US is their single largest export market. According to the Gem and Jewellery Export Promotion Council (GJEPC), India’s apex body for the industry, the country exported cut and polished gems worth $4.8bn to the US in the 2024-25 financial year, which ended in March. That is more than one-third of India’s total exports of cut and polished diamonds, at $13.2bn over the same period.

Dimpal Shah, a Kolkata-based diamond exporter, told Al Jazeera that orders have already started getting cancelled. “Buyers in the US are refusing to offload the shipped products, citing high tariffs. This is the worst phase of my two-decade-old career in diamonds.”

US imposes penalty

A 25 percent reciprocal tariff on all Indian goods, which Trump announced on April 2, came into effect on August 7, after talks between the two countries failed to yield a trade deal by then. Negotiations are continuing.

Meanwhile, on August 6, Trump announced an additional 25 percent tariff, taking the total tariff rate to 50 percent. He termed the additional tariff that would come into effect from August 27 as a penalty for India’s continued buying of Russian oil, as the US president tries to push Moscow into accepting a ceasefire in Ukraine.

For the gems industry, which already faced a pre-existing 2.1 percent tariff, the effective tariff now amounts to 52.1 percent.

Ajay Srivastava, the founder of Global Research Trade Initiative (GTRI), a trade research group, termed the Trump government’s additional hike as an act of “hypocrisy”, citing how the US itself continues to trade with Russia, and how China – Russia’s biggest oil buyer – faces no similar penalty.

“Trump is targeting India out of frustration as it refused to toe the US line on the Russia-Ukraine conflict, and for its refusal to open its agriculture and dairy sector,” he added, referring to broader ongoing trade talks and differences over US demands for greater access to critical Indian economic sectors.

Yet, whatever the reasons for Trump’s tariffs, they are hurting a diamond industry already bleeding from multiple hits.

Diamond sector badly hit

More than 2 million people are employed in diamond polishing and cutting units in Surat, Ahmedabad and Rajkot cities in Gujarat — and many have already suffered salary cuts in recent years, first because of the COVID-19 pandemic, and then Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

“The pandemic led to economic slowdown affecting the international markets in Hong Kong and China,” Ramesh Zilriya, the president of Gujarat’s Diamond Workers Union, told Al Jazeera. The “Western ban on rough diamond imports from Russia due to the Russia-Ukraine war and the G7 ban on Russia also affected our business”, he added.

Russia has historically been a major source of raw diamonds.

Zilriya claimed that 80 diamond workers have died by suicide over the past two years because of this economic crisis.

“The situation in the international market led to the wages of the workers getting halved to approximately 15,000-17,000 rupees ($194) per month, which made survival difficult in the face of rising inflation,” he said.

Once the Trump tariffs fully kick in, Zilriya fears that up to 200,000 people in Gujarat may lose their livelihoods.

Already, more than 120,000 former diamond sector workers have applied for benefits. A 13,500-rupee ($154) allowance per child, to support their families, was promised in May by the state government to those who have lost jobs due to the tumult in the sector in recent years.

But the tariffs, pandemic and war are not alone to blame for the crisis: Lab-grown diamonds are also slowly eating into the market of their natural counterparts.

“Unlike natural [diamonds], the lab-grown diamonds are not mined but manufactured in specialised laboratories and priced at just 10 percent of the natural ones. It is difficult even for a seasoned jeweller to identify the natural and lab-grown with a naked eye. The taste of consumers is now shifting to lab-grown [diamonds], as they are cheap,” said Salim Daginawala, the president of the Surat Jewellers Association.

Decline in exports

In the 2024-25 financial year, India imported rough diamonds worth $10.8bn, marking a 24.27 percent decline from the $14bn imported in 2023-24, as per the statistics by the GJEPC.

The exports of cut and polished natural diamonds similarly witnessed a 16.75 percent decline, with exports declining to $13.2bn in 2024-25 as compared with $16bn in the preceding year.

“This move [the tariffs] would have far-reaching repercussions on the Indian economy that might disrupt critical supply chains, stalling exports and threatening thousands of livelihoods. We hope to get a favourable reduction in tariffs; otherwise, it would be difficult to survive,” said Kirit Bhansali, the chairman of the GJEPC.

The tariffs could also hurt US jewellers, warned Rajesh Rokde, the chairman of the All India Gems and Jewellery Domestic Council (GJC), a national trade federation for the industry.

“The US has around 70,000 jewellers who would also face a crisis if the jewellery becomes expensive,” Rokde added.

A domestic solution?

Traders say that the need of the hour is to increase domestic demand for diamonds and diversify to new markets.

A stronger domestic market “would not only contribute to the local economy, but would also create jobs for several thousands of people”, said Radha Krishna Agrawal, the director of Narayan das Saraf Jewellers in Varanasi city, in the northern state of Uttar Pradesh.

The tariffs, he said, could prove a “blessing in disguise” if they end up reducing the dependence of India’s gems industry “on other countries”.

Bhansali said that the domestic gems and jewellery market was growing, and expected to reach $130bn in the next two years, up from $85bn at the moment. The industry is also looking for new markets, including Latin America and the Middle East.

Gold already offers an example of a strong domestic market, cushioning the impact of hits on exports, said Amit Korat, the president of the Surat Jewellery Manufacturers Association.

But for now, the diamond sector in India has no such shield. It needs to be saved, urgently, said Patel, the Surat business owner on the cusp of shutting down his polishing and cutting unit.

Without help, he said, “the business will lose its shine forever”.

Aug. 11 (UPI) — AOL announced it plans to end dial-up Internet service after 40 years in operation by the end of September.

The company said in a press release that its dial-up service and associated products will be shuttered on Sept. 30.

“AOL routinely evaluates its products and servies and has decided to discontinue dial-up Internet,” the company said.

“The AOL Dialer software and AOL Shield browser, which are optimized for older operating systems and dial-up connections, will be discontinued.”

Although the dial-up mode of connection, which at a top of 56 kilobits per second, is far less optimal when compared to modern connections that are measured in megabits and gigabits, was still able to provide an online option where broadband wasn’t available or for low-income families.

Data from the U.S. Census Bureau shows that in 2023, around 163,400 Americans still completely counted on dial-up service alone as an internet connection.

The termination of the service does not affect any of the other benefits offered to AOL customers.

In this Thursday’s Mirror Daily Digest, we’ve pulled together the biggest stories of the day from the sad news of how the mum of a slain schoolboy learnt about his death, to the reality of one of Europe’s top ‘party strips’

Welcome to the Mirror’s Daily Digest, where we pull together all the best stories of the day from our News, Showbiz, Sport teams and more. This Friday, we’re featuring everything from River Island’s planned closure of 33 high street stores, to the tragic story of how slain teen Harvey Willgoose’s mother found out about his death.

In other news, we’re also taking a look at how two cruise ship tourists died in bad weather, the depressing reality of the Magaluf ‘party strip’ in 2025, and the sad news of the death of Corrie icon Frank Grimes.

Harvey Willgoose: Mum learned schoolboy son had been killed through ‘RIP’ post

Earlier this afternoon, our UK News team shared the story of how Harvey Willgoose’s mum screamed in horror when she found out her son had been murdered at school. And she said she will forever be haunted with guilt because she urged the 15-year-old to return to the “lions’ den”.

Caroline Willgoose, 51 and her husband Mark, 52, spoke to The Mirror about only discovering their “amazing” son had died after seeing a social media post saying ‘RIP Harvey’. Despite their grief the couple have vowed to fight on until knife arches are installed in schools. “Children are going to school scared,” she told the Mirror. “This cannot be allowed to happen again.”

The defendant, a fellow pupil also aged 15 who cannot be named, had already admitted manslaughter but denied murder, saying he lost control and did not remember stabbing Harvey twice. But after more than 14 hours of deliberations the jury convicted him of murder with a majority verdict of 11-1. He is expected to be sentenced later this year.

Read the full story here .

River Island to shut 33 stores with hundreds to lose their jobs

Our Money team reported earlier today that major high street chain River Island has announced it will shut dozens of stores – leaving hundreds of people jobless. The move, part of a long-in-the-works “restructuring plan” worked up to prevent the chain from collapsing into administration, will see River Island shutter 33 shops and pay reduced rents on a further 71.

The clothing retailer is looking to secure further funding later this year to avoid falling into millions of pounds’ worth of debt. Landlords are being asked to cut rents for three years and potentially stop payments completely on some sites in a bid to stem losses. Matthew Weaver KC, for River Island, told a hearing on Friday that the company “simply has not been able to reverse” a trend of financial difficulty as the restructuring plan was approved by the High Court in the UK.

In written submissions, he cited a decline in footfall and sales due to “the pressures of a highly competitive and changing retail environment as well as the prevailing trend away from high street retail stores to online shopping”. It comes after Royal Mail made a major delivery rule change from this week for millions of UK homes.

Read the full story here .

Frank Grimes dead: Coronation Street actor dies after short illness

Our Showbiz team shared the sad story this afternoon that Coronation Street actor Frank Grimes has died at the age of 78. The actor died following a short illness, with The Irish Cultural Centre paying tribute to the acting legend.

Frank starred as Barrington “Barry” Connor in the ITV soap at regular intervals between 2008 to 2015 and played the father of Paul Connor, Liam Connor and Michelle Connor. Barry even made a return in 2015 to attend Michelle’s wedding to Steve McDonald. In all, he appeared in more than 50 episodes over the years and was a key character in the Connor family.

In a statement, they said: “Frank was undoubtedly one of Ireland’s greatest actors, he was a dearly loved friend of the ICC’s and over the past three decades, he trod the ICC’s stage on so many occasions.”

Read the full story here .

Two cruise ship tourists killed as gales batter Greece

Our World News team reported that two cruise ship tourists have died at sea in Greece after strong winds battered a holiday hotspot – causing travel chaos for thousands of travellers.

A man and a woman, both from Vietnam, were found on the Sarakiniko beach on the popular holiday island of Milos. The coastguard confirmed the travellers died following a tragic incident on Friday.

A spokesperson for the local coastguard said: “The man and woman were found unconscious in the sea and were taken to the local health centre.”

Read the full story here .

Woman takes video of Magaluf party strip in 2025 and reality is devastating

Our Travel team reported this afternoon that Magaluf, once synonymous with sun-soaked fun, beach frolics, and raucous nightlife, has seen its allure wane lately. And a stark video exposes the sad state of this once-thriving Majorcan hotspot.

At the start of the season, the sight of vacant sun loungers was telling. What’s more, pub landlords confessed to adjusting opening hours in response to the changing tourist demographic. This downturn in visitor numbers is attributed to stringent measures against disorderly holidaymakers.

The notorious Punta Ballena strip came under fire when former Majorca official Jose Ramon Bauza denounced it as “500 metres of shame”. Bauza’s scathing critique followed an incident where a young woman was duped into performing indecent acts for what she believed was a complimentary holiday, only to be rewarded with a cocktail mockingly named ‘Holiday’.

Read the full story here .

‘People are being shot like animals.’ Doctors Without Borders (MSF) is calling for Gaza’s GHF aid sites to be shut down after its report found Israeli troops are deliberately killing Palestinians trying to access food, in what it describes as ‘orchestrated killings’.

JEREMY Clarkson has revealed Diddly Squat farm will have to close for two months after an “absolutely dreadful” TB outbreak.

The TV star, 65, told how his farm was affected in a statement on social media yesterday.

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HEATHROW Airport has been evacuated after reports of a fire.

Passengers were forced out of Terminal Three at Europe’s largest airport as fire crews probe the incident.

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Passengers have reported huge queues and baggage claim being shut down as staff respond to the alarm.

Writing on X, the airport said: “While the fire service investigate a fire alarm, some areas of Terminal 3 have been temporarily evacuated.

“Colleagues are working as quickly as possible to resolve this, and we apologise for any disruption this may cause to journeys.”

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Tyler Glasnow’s problems have been the same for years.

Spending too much time caught up in his own head, and not enough time actually pitching on the mound.

Ever since the Dodgers acquired the tall, lanky and Southern California-raised right-hander, those two issues have plagued the $136.5-million acquisition in ways that have frustrated him, the team and its fan base.

Glasnow made 22 starts last year (a career-high in his injury-plagued career) before a nagging elbow problem ended his season early. This term, he managed only five starts before his shoulder started barking, landing him on the injured list for another extended stint.

Through it all, Glasnow has talked repeatedly about the need to be more “external” on the mound — focused more on execution and compete-level than the aches and pains in his body and imperfections in his delivery.

Yet, with each new setback, the veteran pitcher was left scrambling for answers, constantly tinkering with his mechanics and toiling with his mindset in hopes of striking an equilibrium between both.

That’s why, as Glasnow neared his latest return to action, he tried to simplify things. For real, this time.

No more worrying about spine angle and release point. No more mid-game thoughts about the many moving parts in his throwing sequence.

“I don’t even know,” he said when asked last week how he changed his mechanics during his most recent absence, the kind of physical ignorance that might actually be a good thing in the 31-year-old’s case.

“I’m just going out and being athletic and not trying to look at it. And if there’s something I need to fix, or something the coaches see, then I’ll worry about it. But I’m just going out … [and] getting in that rhythm. Getting back into a starting routine.”

Two starts in, that new routine looks promising.

After pitching five solid innings of one-run ball in Milwaukee last week, Glasnow started the second half of the season with another step forward Friday, spinning a six-inning, one-run gem in the Dodgers’ 2-0 loss to the Brewers at Dodger Stadium.

“I’ve been feeling good since rehab, making changes and stuff,” Glasnow said. “Feel solid right now. So gotta keep going.”

As the Dodgers (58-40) came out of the All-Star break, few players seemed as pivotal to their long-term success as Glasnow.

The club is counting on him and fellow nine-figure free-agent signee Blake Snell (who, like Glasnow, missed almost all of the first half with a shoulder injury but could be back in action by the end of the month) to bolster a rotation that has missed them dearly.

It is hopeful they can join Yoshinobu Yamamoto, and in some capacity Shohei Ohtani, at the forefront of a pitching staff seeking significant improvement as it tries to repeat as World Series champions.

Granted, the Dodgers — who would like to avoid adding a starting pitcher at the trade deadline, and might have a hard time finding an impact addition such as Jack Flaherty last summer even if they try — did have similar hopes for Glasnow last season.

Even when he first went down with his elbow injury in mid-August, the initial expectation was that he’d be back well in time for the playoff push.

Instead, Glasnow’s elbow never ceased to bother him. When he tried ramping up for a live batting practice session in mid-September, he effectively pulled the plug on his season when his arm still didn’t feel right.

Ever since, Glasnow has lived in a world of frustration, spending his winter trying to craft a healthier delivery only to run into more problems within the first month of this season.

“Certainly the talent is undeniable,” manager Dave Roberts said last week, ahead of Glasnow’s return. “But I think for me, for us, you want the dependability. That’s something that I’m looking for from Tyler from here on out. To know what you’re going to get when he takes that ball every fifth or sixth day.”

On Friday, Glasnow produced a template worth following in a four-hit, one-walk, six-strikeout showing.

Flashing increased fastball velocity for the second-straight outing — routinely hitting 98-99 mph on the gun — he filled up the strike zone early, going after hitters with his premium four-seamer and increasing reliance on a late-breaking sinker.

“It’s like the one pitch I can be late with, and it’s in the zone,” Glasnow said of his sinker, which he had thrown sparingly prior to getting hurt. “I don’t necessarily have to be perfectly timed up for it to have a lot of movement. I think if I’m late on it, it’s kind of my go-to.”

His big-bending curveball, meanwhile, proved to be a perfect complement, with Glasnow pulling the string for awkward swings and soft contact.

He retired the first five batters he faced, and didn’t let a ball out of the infield until Brice Turang’s two-out single in the third. He was late getting to the mound at the start of the fourth, resulting in an automatic ball to the leadoff batter, but remained unfazed, retiring the side in order.

Milwaukee’s Caleb Durbin hits a run-scoring double in front of Dodgers catcher Will Smith in the fifth inning Friday.

(Mark J. Terrill / Associated Press)

Glasnow did wobble in the fifth against Milwaukee (57-40). Suddenly struggling to locate the ball, he walked leadoff hitter Isaac Collins on five pitches before giving up an RBI double to Caleb Durbin in a 2-and-0 count, when he left a sinker over the heart of the plate.

But then he settled down, escaped the inning without further damage, and worked around a high-hopping one-out single from Jackson Chourio in the sixth by striking out William Contreras and Christian Yelich.

“It’s not turn [my brain] off completely,” Glasnow said of his new, in-the-moment mentality. “But it’s not like, when I’m feeling bad, I resort more to, ‘How do we fix this?’ As opposed to like, ‘This is what I got today. Let’s just go get it.’ And I think a lot of that was due to the changes. I’m just in a better position right now to go out and be athletic.”

The outing marked Glasnow’s first time completing six innings since April 13 against the Chicago Cubs, and was his first such start yielding only one earned run since June of last year.

“He’s been able to stay in his rhythm, stay in his delivery, just be in compete mode,” Roberts said. “I think he’s in a really good spot. He’s healthy, feeling confident. And we’re better for it, for sure.”

Unfortunately for Glasnow, he was the second-best pitcher on the bump Friday. Opposite him, young Brewers right-hander Quinn Priester dominated the Dodgers over six scoreless innings, recording the second-most strikeouts of his career by fanning 10. Struggling veteran Kirby Yates didn’t help in relief of Glasnow, either, giving up a home run to Durbin in the seventh that sent the Dodgers to a disappointing defeat.

“They’re pitching us well,” Roberts said of the Brewers, who have won four straight games against the Dodgers over the last two weeks while giving up only four total runs. “We gave ourselves a chance, but we just couldn’t muster anything together tonight.”

Still, for a team with a comfortable division lead and the shortest World Series odds of any club in the majors, getting good starting pitching remains the most pressing big-picture concern for the Dodgers.

At the end of last year, and for much of the first half this season, Glasnow was unable to help. Now, he might finally be showing flashes he can.

“[I want to] just go out and be athletic,” Glasnow said last week. “Just go out and compete.”

BBC Breakfast viewers have been left unimpressed with presenter Sally Nugent following an interview on Monday’s show

During Monday’s BBC Breakfast, Sally Nugent questioned Darren Jones, the Chief Secretary to the Treasury, about Rachel Reeves‘ newly announced £500million fund, which is designed to support up to 200,000 vulnerable children.

Sally seized the chance to grill the MP with various queries, including questions about wealth taxation, which the politician was reluctant to address.

At one point, the BBC presenter enquired: “Will higher earners be taxed more to plug the blackhole in the government’s finances at the moment?”

Jones responded: “I’m not sure I agree with the definition of a black hole in the public finances, just to be clear. But, to answer your question on tax, I’m afraid, in the way that you probably expect me to answer, I’m not going to speculate on tax policy.”

The MP explained to the BBC host that the government follows a formal procedure for announcing tax modifications, which occurs during budget announcements with the chancellor speaking from the dispatch box in the House of Commons, reports the Express.

Nevertheless, Nugent persisted in seeking an answer from the MP, pressing: “Ok, I don’t want you to speculate, but I would like to know, what do you think of the idea of a wealth tax?”

Chuckling, Jones informed the BBC presenter that her question remained speculation about tax policy, stating: “As I’ve just set out, I’m afraid, I’m not going to do it.”

She then probed further about the government’s plans to maintain the freeze on tax thresholds, to which he responded: “That’s also tax speculation, and as I say, any changes one way or another will be announced by the chancellor at the budget.”

Sensing the interview wasn’t going as expected, she humorously asked: “What can you tell us?!” The exchange quickly sparked reactions on social media, with many criticising Sally’s interviewing style.

One viewer sarcastically remarked on X: “Darren Jones, having none of silly Sally’s nonsense.” While someone else said: “@sallynugent as an experienced journalist, you should be aware that Darren Jones will not disclose potential (or not) tax rises. Stop wasting his & our time. Presume we will be subjected to unanswerable questions up to the Autumn budget?”

Another person commented: “Another pointless interview from Sally Nugent. There are so many questions that need to be asked of the government, so stop wasting time asking questions that cannot be answered.”

A different viewer added: “That interview was pretty irrelevant and a waste of time. Sally Nugent, not exactly pinning him to the door with laser-like questions.”

One viewer shared their frustration: “Sally’s interview with the chief sec to treasury is a failure *Asks him to speculate on future policy* “I cannot speculate on tax policy” *Rephrases question, pretending it isn’t speculative* (laughing) “I cannot speculate” Ask better questions.”

BBC Breakfast can be viewed on BBC iPlayer.

Brits worry a popular seaside town will meet its demise following the announcement that its biggest attraction is slated to be bulldozed down due to a new council development

Fears a beloved seaside resort will turn into a ‘ghost town’ have emerged, following the closure of a century-old attraction.

Situated on the stunning Welsh coastline, some 25 miles west of Cardiff, lies the coastal gem of Porthcawl. Neighbouring the Kenfig National Nature Reserve, and home to miles of soft golden sand, it is an ideal base to explore the country’s rich wildlife and pristine beaches. But, Porthcawl’s biggest claim to fame is its Coney Beach Pleasure Park.

Opening up back in 1920, the fun fair enthralled thousands of tourists back in its heyday, thanks to its eclectic range of stomach-churning rides and food vendors. But in a move that has been described as the ‘end of an era’, Coney Park is slated to shut its doors for good – giving Brits just three months to experience the dodgems, go karts, flying cars and tea cups for one last time.

The announcement follows a consultation back in February, where Bridgend council and the Welsh government unveiled plans to redevelop the waterfront. The transformation will see up to 1,1000 new homes replace the theme park, along with shops, restaurants, and the extension of boardwalks and green spaces.

“It is with heavy hearts we would like to share with you personally that this season at Coney Beach will be our last,” the owners of the pleasure park wrote on Facebook. “We will be closing our gates for the final time this October.

“It’s the end of an era, for over one hundred years we and other showmen and their families have lived and worked in Porthcawl, helping to make it a busy seaside destination. Bringing fun, laughter, and fond memories to so many. We will miss it greatly, and while we are sad to see our time here come to an end, we are forever grateful to have had the opportunity to have been part of so many generations of families’ lives, young and old.”

Thousands of Brits flocked to the comments section to share their fond memories of the park, with many saying they’ll miss the ‘doughnut man’. Others argued the theme park’s closure will have a negative impact on Porthcawl, with one user stating: “It will not be the same without the fairground.

“Porthcawl will have nothing to go down there for, only the beach, shop, and pub. The fairground made the attraction.” Another agreed, commenting: “I think there will be a negative impact on tourism for Porthcawl. The fairground has been integral to its success,” while a third added: “It really needs to stay otherwise Porthcawl will be a ghost town.”

However, others welcomed change, with one user arguing: “Times change and things move on, and Porthcawl has to. It’s been coming for years, so it shouldn’t be a surprise to anyone. The days of fairgrounds are long gone; people want different things today. Porthcawl will survive; there is a lot more here than just a funfair.

Responding to the backlash, a spokesperson for the Welsh Government said: “Porthcawl is a popular tourist destination for numerous reasons, including its beautiful Blue Flag beaches and vibrant seafront attractions. The acquisition of the land represents a significant investment in the area’s future, creating new opportunities for residents, businesses and visitors whilst respecting the town’s heritage as a cherished seaside destination.”

The Mirror has also approached Bridgend County Borough Council for comment.

Do you think Coney Beach should be turned into houses? Let us know in the comments section below

A Madrid judge demanded that the Airbnbs, all located in the same city-centre building in the Spanish capital, must close down due to “the illicit and unsanitary activities”

Ten holiday flats have been shut down after a family was tormented by the guests, it has been reported.

A Madrid judge demanded that the Airbnbs, all located in the same city-centre building, must close down due to “the illicit and unsanitary activities” that had taken place there, The Guardian reported.

Vomiting and sex in the communal areas, as well as drunken, destructive, and lewd guest behaviour, had caused one family stress, anxiety, and sleepless nights. This was judged to have inflicted psychological damage on the family, which includes two children, and violated their fundamental right to privacy.

Two years ago, the family hired lawyer Miguel Angel Rubio after their efforts to stop the chaos via the council and the flat owners failed, it was reported.

Have you been impacted by a holiday let? Email [email protected]

READ MORE: Spain’s new Airbnb rules expected to ‘trigger domino effect’ in other holiday hotspots

The lawyer documented the misery they had to endure, including guests having sex in the communal areas and vomiting in the courtyard of the 60-flat block close to Plaza Mayor. A security guard had to be hired after lift fittings and mailboxes were broken, and multiple police visits were made.

“The family came to me and told me that they’d been to the police who’d come with a decibel meter and had fined the owners €16,000. But the problem is that [the companies that own these flats and others] can make more than €150,000 in rents in a single weekend, so a €16,000 fine is nothing for them. So I had to bring a case on the grounds that the family’s fundamental rights were being violated – and it succeeded,” Mr Rubio said, The Guardian reported.

Around 75% of the flats in the block were holiday lets. “The family have one tourist flat above them, another below them, and more tourist flats near their bedrooms,” the lawyer added.

Madrid’s 44th Court of First Instance ruling—that the flats must stop being used as holiday lets—is a significant one, as the properties were registered legally but their presence was judged to infringe on the family’s rights.

In the ruling, the judge noted “the constant noise, the breaking of shared fixtures, the filling of the lobby with suitcases at all hours, and the presence of shopping trolleys filled with towels,” before the family were awarded €37,000 in damages.

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Mr Rubio claimed they had been the victims of “real estate bullying,” as they’d been offered “ridiculous” amounts by property firms involved in the holiday let business to sell their apartment, 20Minutos reported.

The judge rejected the rental owners’ claims that the family was only experiencing the same kind of day-to-day disruption any neighbour could expect. “The actions were not merely irritating but also unsanitary, indecent, and even illegal,” the judge added.

Last week, Spain introduced a new register for holiday lets, which saw a huge number of properties deemed illegal. Around 20% of the total holiday lets in the country have been removed.

Wildfires near Marseille, France have forced the airport to close and injured nine firefighters as more than 700 hectares burned. Officials urged residents to stay indoors as heatwaves and strong winds fuel fire risks across southern France.

ATLANTA — LAFC’s first foray into the FIFA Club World Cup was competitive, but ultimately a defeat.

LAFC hung around against English powerhouse Chelsea at Mercedes-Benz Stadium and had the match still in striking distance nearly the entire way, but lost 2-0 in its first of three group stage matches.

“Chelsea won, deservingly so,” LAFC coach Steve Cherundolo said. “I think we kind of clawed our way back into the game; I think we played a little better in the second half and maybe had the odd chance here or there to get the equalizer.”

The first competitive fixture between English and American clubs featured the mostly expected run of play, with Chelsea carrying most of the action and carving out nearly all of the afternoon’s clear-cut scoring opportunities. It was one-way traffic, and Chelsea broke through in the 34th minute when Pedro Neto beat LAFC goalkeeper Hugo Lloris at his near post following a quick turn inside around defender Ryan Hollingshead.

LAFC soaked up the pressure as long as it could and defended well against continuous pressure for most of the game, a tangible positive for Cherundolo’s team to build on.

“I was quite happy with the way the team performed defensively,” he said. “I think out of the run of play we didn’t concede too much. I think we had things mostly under control, but conceded two transition goals which we didn’t look good on.”

Although it never really dictated terms, LAFC did create a few opportunities in the second half. Denis Bouanga forced a good save from Chelsea goalkeeper Robert Sanchez into a close-range save in the 57th minute, but a tight Chelsea defense held the fort long enough for Enzo Fernandez put the match away with a 79th-minute goal after taking down a Liam Delap cross and gliding it past Lloris.

“The higher up you go, the less opportunities you do get,” Cherundolo said. “You need to make sure those opportunities you do get are taken advantage of, or at least you’re making teams defend properly. I think a little bit of carelessness with the ball in the final third and the opponent’s half hurt us.”

Chelsea’s Liam Delap, right, and LAFC’s Aaron Long battle for the ball during Monday’s match.

(Mike Stewart / Associated Press)

In the big picture, this was as much a feeling out process as anything. Not just for LAFC in its first of at least three matches in this tournament, but for this tournament as a whole acting as something of a dress rehearsal for host cities before the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

The crowd itself was certainly not inspiring, just 22,167 in a cavernous stadium set to host five more matches in this tournament and eight next summer. It was a stark contrast from the 80,000 who filled the Rose Bowl for yesterday’s Paris Saint-Germain-Atlético Madrid match, and at times felt more like a preseason exhibition than a major competition despite sturdy efforts from a healthy LAFC’s 3252 supporter group camped behind one goal.

“I don’t know,” Cherundolo said. “I don’t know if there’s just more fans in Los Angeles that are into this tournament than here, or if it’s the pairing tonight, there’s a lot of things I just can’t answer.”

The sample size is small, though, with the sparse Atlanta crowd coming in just the sixth of 63 total matches in the event.

“I don’t think we should be talking about this right now,” he continued. “I think we should be waiting until the end of the tournament to make a more complete summary of what was going on and opinion on it as a whole, as opposed to right now and one game.”

One injury note did come out of the match when LAFC forward Nathan Ordaz left play in the 38th minute after Chelsea captain Reese James took him down with a hard foul on the left wing. James received a yellow card, and Ordaz went into concussion protocol.

“After that happened he just wasn’t quite himself,” Cherundolo said. “We’ll hope that he has a speedy recovery. As more information comes in I can give you more, but right now I don’t have an update.”

The setback broke LAFC’s run of 10 consecutive undefeated matches in all competitions, but it will have opportunities to regroup quickly. Group play continues Friday in Nashville, Tenn., against Tunisian club Espérance Sportive de Tunis before finishing out on June 24 with a match against Brazil’s Flamengo in Orlando, Fla.

Pakistan closes its border with Iran while Jordan suspends flights but keeps land crossings with Israel operational.

Pakistan has closed all its border crossings with Iran for an indefinite period as travel continues to be heavily disrupted by the intensifying conflict between Israel and Iran, and airspace in the region has also been impacted with missiles flying through neighbouring countries in both directions.

Crossing into Iran “has been suspended until further notice”, Atta ul Munim, an official at one of the crossings in Pakistan’s Chaghi district, said on Monday. Qadir Bakhsh Pirkani, a senior official in Balochistan province, told the AFP news agency that border facilities along the more than 900km (560-mile) border have been shut.

Iranian airspace has been closed as it counters Israel’s attacks. The Civil Aviation Authority said Iran’s airspace would remain closed “until further notice” to “protect the safety of passengers”.

Israel’s Ben Gurion International Airport remained closed “until further notice”. The Israeli flag carrier El Al Airlines said it has suspended all flights until at least Thursday with additional cancellations to many European cities extending to June 23.

However, three land border crossings between Israel and Jordan – the Jordan River, the King Hussein (Allenby) Bridge and the Yitzhak Rabin crossings – remained functional.

The Israeli National Security Council advised its citizens to avoid travelling through Jordan and Egypt because of security risks. The Israel Airports Authority also said there was “no recommendation” for Israelis to travel to Greece or Cyprus because “passengers can expect to wait for days until a return flight is actually possible.”

Jordan on Sunday announced the closure of its airspace for a second time since Israel launched its surprise assault on Iran on Friday. Amman said the Jordanian military had intercepted some ballistic missiles that had entered Jordanian airspace.

Several countries were preparing to evacuate their nationals from the conflict zone. Poland’s deputy foreign minister said it planned to route about 200 of its citizens visiting Israel through Jordan’s capital.

India said its diplomats were helping some Indian students relocate out of harm’s way in Iran. “The Indian Embassy in Tehran is continuously monitoring the security situation and engaging Indian students in Iran to ensure their safety,” a Ministry of External Affairs statement said.

“In some cases, students are being relocated with [the] Embassy’s facilitation to safer places within Iran,” it added.

Several airlines have announced flight suspensions. Russia’s Aeroflot cancelled flights between Moscow and Tehran and made changes to other routes in the Middle East. Qatar Airways said it had temporarily cancelled flights to and from Iran, Iraq and Syria.

Greece’s Aegean Airlines cancelled all flights to and from Tel Aviv up to July 12 as well as all flights to and from Beirut, Amman and Erbil through June 28.

Israel’s far-right finance minister says he wants to cut Palestinian banks off from the global financial system.

Bezalel Smotrich’s plan has not yet been approved by the Israeli government.

But if it does happen, what could the consequences be?

Presenter: 

Cyril Vanier

Guests: 

Raja Khalidi – Director-general at the Palestine Economic Policy Research Institute

Shahd Hammouri – Lecturer in international law at the University of Kent

Mustafa Barghouti – Secretary-general at the Palestinian National Initiative

A MAJOR fashion chain is preparing to close another store ahead of a restructuring which has placed up to 230 stores at risk.

River Island will shutter a branch in Banbury on June 28, giving customers just a few days to say their goodbyes.

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A social media post revealed the tragic news, with locals in the area branding the move as “depressing”.

One resident of the area said: “Soon won’t be any big shops open in Banbury, getting like a ghost town.”

Another shopper added: “If people stopped buying online it wouldn’t happen.”

While a third added: “Gutted…..love River Island.”

The fashion brand, which has been sported by Paris Fury and Cat Deeley, has quietly closed a number of stores in the past few months.

A branch in Willows Place, Corby closed in April and a separate site in Vicar Lane Shopping Centre in Chesterfield closed in the same month.

The Sun has contacted River Island for a comment.

News of the closure comes days after it was revealed that up to 230 of the retailer’s stores are at risk.

The retailer is set to undergo a restructuring due to tough trading conditions.

The owners of River Island have brought in advisers from PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) to come up with money-saving solutions, reports Sky News.

The proposals are expected to be finalised in a matter of weeks, though sources have reportedly claimed no decisions have been approved on the retailer’s future.

Accounts for River Island Clothing Co for the year ending December 30 2023 showed the firm made a £33.2million pre-tax loss.

Then the turnover during the following 12 months fell by more than 19% to £578.1million.

In January, River Island hired consulting firm, AlixPartners, to undertake work on cost reductions and profit improvement.

However it is now understood PwC has now taken over.

TROUBLE FOR BRITISH FASHION BRANDS

A rise in online shopping coupled with Brits having less money to spend at the till has created problems for fashion brands.

New Look has closed a number of stores in the UK and it’s entire estate in the Republic of Ireland.

Bosses at the women’s fashion brand have blamed hikes to National Insurance for the move.

Earlier this year, Select Fashion closed 35 branches across the UK after it entered into liquidation.

Ted Baker was also forced to close over 30 stores last year after it went bust.