Ten

April 22 (UPI) — A U.S. appeals court has ruled that Texas can require schools to display a copy of the Ten Commandments, finding the legislation that mandates the Decalogue in classrooms does not require students to believe in the religious teachings.

The Tuesday ruling from the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals is a victory for Texas conservatives and Christians who have fought to further include religion in public spaces. The decision is expected to be appealed to the Supreme Court.

“This is a major victory for Texas and our moral values,” the state’s Republican attorney general, Ken Paxton, said in a statement.

“The Ten Commandments have had a profound impact on our nation, and it’s important that students learn from them every single day.”

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott signed Senate Bill 10 into law June 10, directing every classroom in all Texas public schools to display the Ten Commandments starting Sept. 1, but has been tied up in litigation since.

While proponents argue the Decalogue is foundational to American life, opponents state that mandating it in schools is an unconstitutional violation of the separation of church and state.

The American Civil Liberties Union, which represented multi-faith Texas families in the case, said it was “extremely disappointed” by the decision and expects the Supreme Court to reverse it.

“The court’s ruling goes against fundamental First Amendment principles and binding U.S. Supreme Court authority,” the ACLU of Texas said in a statement.

“The First Amendment safeguards the separation of church and state, and the freedom of families to choose how, when and if to provide their children with religious instruction. This decision tramples those rights.”

The appeals court on Tuesday ruled 9-7 to overturn a lower court’s preliminary injunction that found S.B. 10 likely unconstitutional.

In its ruling, the appeals court found S.B. 10 “looks nothing like a historical religious establishment.”

“S.B. 10 authorizes no religious instruction and gives teachers no license to contradict children’s religious beliefs (or their parents’). No child is made to recite the Commandments, believe them or affirm their divine origin,” the court said.

Europe is facing a severe jet fuel crisis due to the Middle East conflict, with International Energy Agency chief Fatih Birol warning the region has ‘maybe six weeks or so’ of jet fuel left and that flight cancellations could follow

Europe has just six weeks’ worth of jet fuel remaining due to the ongoing Middle East conflict, with major airlines grounding flights.

Fatih Birol, executive director of the International Energy Agency (IEA), warned that flight cancellations could follow “soon” if oil supplies continue to be restricted by the Iran war. Iran maintains a firm grip on tankers navigating through the Strait of Hormuz, with Mr Birol telling the Associated Press this is triggering “the largest energy crisis we have ever faced”.

He warned that Asian nations such as Japan, India and China, which depend heavily on Middle Eastern energy supplies, are on “the front line”, with the pressure set to “come to Europe and the Americas” shortly after.

Europe has just six weeks of fuel left, according to the IEA director. He added that if the Strait of Hormuz remains blocked, the knock-on effect could mean “some of the flights from city A to city B might be canceled as a result of a lack of jet fuel”.

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Which airlines are cancelling flights?

A number of airlines have warned that they might have to cancel flights if the situation continues, but the number of those that have already done so is fewer.

Swedish flag carrier SAS has said it would cancel 1,000 flights in April because of high oil and jet fuel prices, after cancelling a “couple hundred” flights in March.

United Airlines said that five per cent of flights would be cancelled in the second and third quarters of 2026, while Dutch airline KLM has cancelled 160 flights for the coming month.

South Korean airline Asiana will slash 22 flights between April and July due to the fuel cost increase.

Hong Kong airline Cathay Pacific will cut some flights from mid-May until the end of June, with about 2% of its scheduled passenger flights grounded. Its budget airline HK Express is cutting around 6% of flights.

German airline group Lufthansa said it would ground 27 planes servicing its short-haul CityLine subsidiary earlier than it had planned, blaming jet fuel prices.

Vietnam Airlines plans to cancel 23 flights per week across domestic routes from April.

Air New Zealand will be cutting back on flights over the next two months, it announced in March. It is expected that 1,100 flights will be impacted.

Norse Atlantic Airways has removed all flights to Los Angeles International Airport from its summer schedule, blaming the fuel shortage.

Although major airlines including British Airways, Ryanair and easyJet have highlighted the potential impact of the fuel price rise on ticket costs and schedules, they are yet to cancel flights as a direct consequence.

However, BA is stopping its route from London Heathrow to Jeddah, although this is due to a shift in demand, according to the airline.

Last week, easyJet chief executive Kenton Jarvis sought to reassure passengers, stating that all airports the airline serves are “operating as normal”.

He continued: “We only ever in this industry have three to four weeks’ visibility (of jet fuel supplies), and that is the same as it was pre-crisis. We have visibility to the middle of May, and we have no concerns. What we’re seeing is airports and fuel suppliers working well to bring jet fuel to the airports.”

EasyJet revealed the Middle East conflict set the airline back roughly £25 million in elevated jet fuel costs last month. The Luton-based carrier said it anticipates reporting a headline pre-tax loss of between £540 million and £560 million for the six months ending in March.

The conflict has created “near-term uncertainty around fuel costs and customer demand”, easyJet revealed.

Bookings have dropped by two percentage points for the three-month periods ending in both June and September when compared with the previous year.

The alert regarding larger-than-anticipated first half losses sent easyJet shares tumbling by as much as 9% during early Thursday trading, before stabilising around 4% down.

STAYCATIONS are on the rise once again, as nervous Brits look for a holiday closer to home.

Yet a trip exploring the beauty of the UK doesn’t have to be expensive – if you know where to look.

According to Hotels.com, searches for stays across Britain that are under £100 are up 21 per cent compared to last year.

Expedia Group expert Melanie Fish shared some of her top tips on how to find the cheapest hotel room stays, such as booking business hotels on weekends for lower rates.

She also said: “One of the simplest ways to save is checking in on a Sunday night, which is often the cheapest day of the week, helping travellers stretch their budgets further while racking up rewards.”

Here are ten of the best hotels across the country where all the stays are under £100 (so less than £50 each a night), ranging from city centre stays to rural vineyard retreats.

Malmaison Manchester – £94 a night (£47 each)

One of the fanciest on the list, the four-star Malmaison in Manchester, is still an affordable option.

Right in front of the city’s main train station, the hotel is built in a converted Victorian warehouse.

It makes you want to never leave, from the fancy Brasserie serving a British-French menu, to the stylish Mal Bar.

Of course, it’s right by all of the city’s top attractions too, from the Arndale Centre to Old Trafford.

Maldron Hotel, Liverpool – £83 a night (£41.50 each)

Despite also being a four-star hotel, the Maldron Hotel is the cheapest on the list.

The Liverpool hotel is no frills, but central – rooms have everything you need from hairdryers to coffee machines.

There’s an on-site barista-coffee cafe, as well as an all-day dining restaurant.

It’s in a great location too – you can easily get to attractions such as the M&S Bank Arena or Royal Albert Docks.

Lumley Castle, Durham – £92 a night (£46 each)

The 14th-century Lumley Castle is now a hotel and venue space, and is a bargain to stay at.

The hotel has 72 rooms, many of which will transport you back to Ye Olde times with spiral staircases and grand four-poster beds

Settle in for a spot of brunch at the Library Bar, or experience a full classic menu at the Knight’s Restaurant.

You can even try out themed murder mystery nights or medieval knight dinners.

Aldwick Estate, Bristol – £95 a night (£47.50 each)

Still a working farm and vineyard, Aldwick Estate is set across 300 acres.

Guests can not only stay on-site at a number of apartment options, but they can also book some wine tastings.

The 90-minute tours include the history of the estate, as well, of course, some tastings of the award-winning sparkling wines.

It’s less than 10 minutes from Bristol Airport, too.

Rodway Hill Eco Pod, Gloucester – £96 a night (£48 each)

If you want to get back to basics, you can go glamping at the end of a golf course for under £50 each.

Rodway Hill Eco Pod is ideal for keen golfers as you step out right onto the grass from the front of the room.

They’re no frills – you need to take your own towels, and there are shared ensuite facilities.

But with breakfast also included (expect all the classic hot and cold options) – you can be first to put on the day.

Ty Milford Waterfront, Pembrokeshire – £96 a night (£48 each)

Right by Milford beach is Ty Milford Waterfront, with all the hotel rooms kitted out with everything you need

Try Dulse, the on-site restaurant for some of the freshest seafood (and a unique rhubarb and custard profiterole), or work it off at the hotel gym overlooking the water too.

Kids even stay free this half term, and there is often both live music and pub quizzes on.

Want to splash out? Try the ‘floatels’ – four cabins that float on the water to be rocked to sleep by the tide.

The Grosvenor Arms, Salisbury – £94 a night (£47 each)

The Grosvenor Arms, built in a 17th-century former coaching inn, has all the best parts of a British pub, but a little bit fancier.

There’s just nine cosy rooms for both couples and families, which they say has more of the “charm of an inn than a hotel room”.

Eating at the pub itself is a must, if you love a menu of British food with a flair – or pop in on a Friday for freshly cooked pizzas.

Nearby attractions include the unusual hexagonal Wardour Castle, which was used to film the 1991 Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves film.

The Westbridge, London – £97 a night (£48.50)

The chic Westbridge hotel says it is a “home from home,” being in the London district of Stratford.

Dating back to 1740, many of the rooms are named after themed royal family members.

The lounge bar is limited – serving just pizza, some snacks and desserts – so you might want to head out for dinner.

Thankfully is right by all of the popular London attractions too, including the Olympic Park and ABBA Voyage.

The all-inclusive hotel in the middle of London – that’s £55 each a night

The Sun’s Travel Reporter recently tried out London’s ‘all-inclusive’ hotel which comes in at just over £100 a night.

Z Hotels, Gloucester Place, offers a room package that is all-inclusive – soft drinks, alcoholic drinks, snacks, lunch, dinner… You name it.

This sounded too good to be true, so, of course, I had to put it to the test.

I arrived to check in at 3pm – this is when they were offering an afternoon tea selection, which included ham and cheese croissants and a cake stand featuring macaroons, brownies, flapjacks, and pots of tiramisu.

I picked up a handful of sweet treats, including one of the croissants and helped myself to my second can of Fanta.

There was also a made-to-order selection on a dinner menu, which featured a wide choice of sandwiches and salads.

I ordered the salmon and sauerkraut ciabatta – it was simple but tasty and reminded me of the sandwiches and cakes I usually pick up in one of London’s many hipster coffee shops.

However, this would usually set me back £18 for a coffee, pastry or cake and sandwich.

Just an hour later, a selection of cheeses and crackers, with grapes, chutney, houmous and olives appeared.

I helped myself to the black bomber cheddar, with a dollop of caramelised onion chutney and some crackers.

For second helping I went for some olives, camembert and crackers.

Over the course of another hour, I went back and forth, helping myself to the selection.

As I enjoyed my plates of food, I also sipped on a glass of sauvignon blanc – one of three white wines on offer.

If I wanted to, I could have also opted for red wine, cider or beer as well.

When morning arrived, a breakfast spread included toast, flatbreads with omelette and bacon, fresh fruit, Greek yoghurt, and pastries.

I opted for some cold apple juice and helped myself to a coffee, plus a tomato and cheese flatbread, some fruit compote and yoghurt.

Before leaving, I even grabbed a banana and coffee in a takeaway cup for the road.

My verdict? This hotel is a genuine find.

Totting up all the food I had, using the average prices usually found for each item in London, I spent way more than my £55-a-head price tag.

In comparison to other budget hotels, I would say the room itself is on par with Travelodge and Premier Inn, yet a fraction of the price.

Nunsmere Hall, Northwich – £95 a night (£47.50 each)

Inside the Edwardian country house in Northwich is Nunsmere Hall, surrounded by a 60-acre lake.

Usually used as a wedding venue, there are 36 hotel rooms, which are simple but affordable.

But you want to come here for dinner – voted ‘County Restaurant of the Year’ by The Good Food Guide, the ever-changing menu includes dishes such as steak and pasta.

Otherwise, grab a drink at The Captain’s Bar, some afternoon tea or have a wander around Northwich itself, a beautiful riverside town.

The Met Hotel, Leeds – £97 a night (£48.50 each)

One of Leeds‘ most beautiful buildings, The Met Hotel is built into the Victorian listed landmark dating back to the 1890s yet underwent a huge renovation last year.

There are 120 rooms, which have recently been refurbished, with classy interiors that make it feel much more expensive than it is.

Gott’s Bar & Kitchen feels like stepping back in time, with a mix of small plates, mains and grills.

Pop your head into the Met Ballroom too – it’s a beauty.

FANCY a weekend exploring a new city in Europe?

You don’t have to spend a fortune or hours flying to have an amazing holiday.

Luckily there’s loads of amazing and affordable European cities right on our doorstep – and with cheap and speedy flights, you can tick them off more easily than you’d think.

With delicious street food, cheap beers and plenty of local history, these European city breaks will give you a short haul holiday to look forward to – all for less than £100 per person.

We’ve found destinations you can visit for two nights from £99 or under, including popular capital cities you can tick off your bucket list – plus all of the best things to see and do there.

So whether you want to explore hidden ruin bars in Budapest, catch sunsets at the beach in the Algarve, or visit quirky art galleries in Madrid, these breaks have something for everyone.

Here are 10 European gems where £99 covers both your flights and hotel, leaving you with more to spend when you land.

Prices were correct at time of publication.

Madrid – £99pp

For a sunny city break that’s big on style but easy on the wallet, Madrid is a total winner.

Spain‘s capital has masses of world-class art and architecture to explore.

To tick off some of the top sights, take in the regal beauty of the grand Palacio Real (The Royal Palace of Madrid), or visit the 15th-century Plaza Mayor to get into the real heart of Madrid.

The magnificent views don’t stop there. Make sure to take a visit to the 125 hectare El Retiro Park, where a visit to the stunning glass Crystal Palace won’t cost you a penny.

Art lovers can also hit the so-called Golden Triangle of galleries for free if they time it right.

The world-famous Prado offers free entry from 6 – 8pm from Monday – Saturday, whilst the Reina Sofía opens for free from 7pm Monday – Saturday (excluding Tuesdays).

The Thyssen-Bornemisza completes the trio, with free entry on Mondays and on Saturdays from 9pm.

Then, when hunger hits, skip the tourist traps and join the locals on Calle de la Cava Baja – one of the area’s most lively streets – for a tapas crawl, or grab a legendary calamari sandwich at La Campana for around €4.

Getting around is a breeze, too. While the city is incredibly walkable, the speedy Metro offers a 10-trip pass for just €7.30 (£6.36), plus kids under four travel for free.

Berlin – £89pp

Effortlessly cool and cost-friendly, Berlin is packed with things to see and do that won’t cost you a penny.

You can walk through the giant monument Brandenburg Gate, walk the 1,316 metre-long open-air East Side Gallery, or catch a free lunchtime concert at the Berlin Philharmonie at 1pm on Wednesdays.

For the largest open space in the city, head to Tempelhofer Feld. It’s a massive former airport where locals enjoy cycling, skating, jogging and cooking together in the BBQ zone. It’s the ultimate free hangout in the heart of the city.

Going for a night out in Berlin is a must. If you like your music loud and your beer cheap, go to Clash in Kreuzberg. It’s a legendary gritty spot with alternative music and affordable pints.

Prague – £99pp

Visit Prague for a city with a fairytale feel that won’t blow your budget.

To see the city at its best, set an early alarm to walk Charles Bridge at sunrise before the crowds arrive, or wander the sprawling Prague Castle courtyards and the peacock-filled Wallenstein Palace Gardens for free.

To sample some of Prague‘s best budget-friendly food, hunt down a deli for a traditional open-faced chlebíček sandwich for about CZK 30 (£1.09) or grab a massive slab of smažený sýr (fried cheese) from a street stall for around CZK 135 (£4.80).

One of the best ways to see the city is to hop on Tram 22. It’s essentially a sightseeing tour that goes past the National Theatre and right up to the gates of Prague Castle.

A standard 30-minute ticket costs 36 CZK (£1.28).

Budapest – £99pp

If you’re after a holiday with a high-end feel that won’t break the bank, Budapest is for you.

Hike up Gellért Hill for a panoramic sunset, or explore the fairytale lower turrets of Fisherman’s Bastion for free.

You’re not short of options when it comes to street food in Budapest. Head to the Great Market Hall to grab a massive, garlic-rubbed lángos (deep-fried flatbread) from 900 HUF (£2.04).

Plus no visit to Budapest is complete without trying a cylinder-shaped chimney cake, which you can buy from vendors across the city for around 1,000 HUF (£2.27).

A relaxing trip to the thermal baths is another must when in Budapest. Dandar is the cheapest option, and even cheaper if you visit on a weekday. An adult ticket costs 3,500 HUF (£8.08) during the week compared to 4,000 HUF (£9.23) on weekends and public holidays.

When night falls, dive into the legendary Jewish Quarter ruin pubs like Szimpla Kert, where you can grab a local pint amidst a maze of quirky, recycled decor.

Krakow – £99pp

Krakow is a European city that’s known for its affordability and great nights out – what more could you want from a city break?

Head to Wawel Royal Hill, where the castle courtyards and the fire-breathing dragon statue are free to visit, before crossing into the Kazimierz district to see its bohemian courtyard cafes and street art.

Plus you can visit the Rynek Underground Museum on a Tuesday for free entry, or take a walk through the Planty Park, a belt of vibrant green that surrounds the Old Town where the medieval defensive walls used to be.

For a lunch that costs less than a coffee back at home, hit a Milk Bar like Pod Temidą for a huge plate of pierogi for 29 zł (under £5.89), or grab a zapiekanka (a pizza-like giant baguette) in Plac Nowy for around £3.

Drinks are a steal too, with local beers in the city’s famous cellar bars still priced around £2.20.

Lloret de Mar, Spain – £77pp

Who can say no to a sun-soaked weekend away in Spain from just £77pp?

Follow the Camino de Ronda coastal path for a cliffside trail that leads to hidden, turquoise coves like Trons Bay and the peaceful Fenals Beach.

For even more beautiful views, explore the Santa Clotilde Gardens, where Renaissance-style terraces overlook the sea, or visit the colourful Sant Romà Church in the town centre.

When you get hungry, avoid the beachfront tourist traps and look for a Menu del Día in the backstreets, where you can get three courses and authentic dishes including seafood or paella from just €10 (£8.71).

The nightlife here is legendary for a reason – you can find bars offering cocktails for £5 and beers for under £3 at your pick of spots along the strip.

And if you’ve got time after all of those adventures, take the local Dolfi boat taxi to the nearby medieval town of Tossa de Mar for €30.40 (£26.46) return. It’s a scenic coastal cruise and a day trip to a castle overlooking the beach all in one.

Salou, Spain – £92pp

Big on thrills and little on costs, Salou is the crown jewel of Spain’s Costa Dorada.

For the best coastal views, walk the Camí de Ronda and dip into glimmering turquoise coves like Cala Crancs.

For an exciting day out, PortAventura World is renowned for its theme parks with rollercoasters and water parks with giant slides all in one place. You can grab a day pass from TUI for £37 per adult and £32 per child.

For a spectacular and free evening activity, head to the Jaume I Promenade to catch the Cybernetic Fountains – a vibrant display of water, music, and laser lights.

The nightlife here is famous for its value, with bars along the Carrer de Saragossa offering pints for €2 (£1.74) and free shots to get the party started.

For a slice of history, take a short bus ride to the nearby city of Tarragona where you can explore its UNESCO-listed Roman amphitheatre by the sea, and cool off with a gelato in the historic Old Town.

Le Raincy, France – £96pp

Le Raincy is a lesser-known French destination just 30 minutes from the Gare du Nord in Paris.

Its crown jewel is the Notre-Dame du Raincy – a modern church built entirely of concrete that shines with light thanks to its stunning floor-to-ceiling stained glass. Plus it’s completely free to visit.

Here you can wander the leafy, tranquil streets of this so-called garden city, a slice of peace and quiet away from the pace of central Paris.

For an authentic and affordable lunch, grab a freshly-baked baguette and some local cheese from a boulangerie on Avenue de la Résistance.

In the evenings there are plenty of cosy bars to dip into, like Le 40, where you can enjoy a glass of French wine and some charcuterie without the “tourist tax” of the city centre.

Lastminute.com offer a 2-night stay at Zenao Appart’hôtels Le Raincy Thiers, including return flights from Birmingham, for £96pp.

San Antonio, Ibiza – £95pp

If you want the White Isle experience without the price tag, San Antonio is the way to go.

Start evenings on the legendary Sunset Strip, where crowds gather on the rocks to watch everything from the sun dipping into the Mediterranean to a world-class DJ.

Or head to the Kumharas beach bar and market for a hippy vibe with live music, again perfect for watching the sunset.

Cocktails here will set you back €14 (around £12), but for the stunning views and beach club atmosphere, it’s very affordable compared to elsewhere in Ibiza.

To get your steps in and culture fix at the same time, follow a free street art tour through the town’s backstreets.

The nightlife in the West End is where the real savings are, with many bars offering “pre-club” drink deals that are a fraction of the £15+ you’d pay for inside the big venues.

Albufeira, Portugal – £95pp

Albufeira is one of the most affordable holiday destinations in the Algarve, and it’s equally as beautiful as it is budget-friendly.

Spend days exploring the whitewashed alleys of the Old Town, or wandering through rock tunnels to reach the golden sands of Praia dos Pescadores.

Plus the Pau da Bandeira viewpoint makes for the ultimate postcard-like photo of the coastline.

When night falls, the neon-lit strip in Montechoro is the place for bargain hunters, with happy hour pints at spots like Rock Time starting from just €1.95 (£1.70).

When it comes to transport, avoid the pricey taxi ranks and use the Giro local bus network to reach spots like the spectacular Praia da Falésia, with its red cliffs and endless golden sands.

The Panama Papers, one of the biggest ever data leaks, revealed the vast scale of offshore financial networks used by the global elite.

On April 3, 2016, the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ) and the German newspaper Suddeutsche Zeitung released more than 11.5 million documents from the Panama-based law firm Mossack Fonseca. It exposed a network of offshore shell companies linked to the global financial elite, including current and former government leaders.

More than 350 journalists from over 80 countries worked in secrecy for more than a year to analyse 2.6 terabytes of leaked data then published their findings.

Here’s what we know about the Panama Papers ten years on, and whether the leak led to any changes.

What was the Panama Papers scandal about?

The 2016 Panama Papers scandal was about the leak of 11.5 million confidential documents including emails, contracts and banking statements from the law firm Mossack Fonseca.

The papers revealed a massive global network of offshore shell companies linked to some of the world’s richest people including politicians, business leaders and public figures, spanning countries from the United Kingdom to Russia, Australia to Brazil. They were using companies based in tax havens such as the British Virgin Islands, the Bahamas and Panama to move and store wealth away from the scrutiny of tax authorities.

About 214,000 entities were linked to individuals and companies in over 200 countries and territories. The documents covered from the 1970s up to 2016.

Who leaked the Panama Papers?

The Panama Papers were leaked by an anonymous whistleblower using the pseudonym John Doe, who initially shared the documents with Suddeutsche Zeitung, which then collaborated with journalists worldwide on reporting and releasing the findings.

P Vaidyanathan Iyer, managing editor at The Indian Express and one of the hundreds of journalists who worked on the Panama Papers, said that the process of identifying the information was like “looking for a needle in a haystack”.

“We were continuously, for about six to eight months, just reading data,” he told Al Jazeera.

“My team of three and I had a small cubicle to ourselves in the office, and we were cut off from the rest. Day and night, we were going through data, downloading documents onto our laptops and computers, which were all very secure, with restricted access. It was arduous work,” he added.

Who was exposed?

Hundreds of people, including more than 140 politicians, were identified as directors, shareholders or beneficiaries of offshore shell companies revealed in the Panama Papers. Among them were Mauricio Macri, then president of Argentina, and Petro Poroshenko, who was Ukraine’s fifth president from 2014 to 2019.

Other leaders, including former Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and former Icelandic Prime Minister Sigmundur Gunnlaugsson, were also named – all linked to ownership of shell companies in offshore tax havens.

What are offshore shell companies?

Offshore companies are legal entities incorporated in a jurisdiction outside the owner’s country of residence.

Shell companies, on the other hand, are entities that have “no real substantial business or operations in its place of incorporation or registered office,” Kehinde Olaoye, a professor of commercial law and business law associations at Hamad bin Khalifa University in Qatar, told Al Jazeera.

Shell companies are often used to create legal paperwork to cover for fraudulent or dodgy financial transactions. If they’re based in a country other than the owner’s, they’re offshore shell companies.

Are offshore shell companies illegal?

No. Offshore shell companies are not automatically illegal. The purpose of such companies is to create trusts, which then can be used to protect wealth or create estate planning.

However, “there is always a thin line between legitimate and illegitimate purposes” in using offshore shell companies, Olaoye noted.

“Usually, individuals and companies receive advice from financial advisers and legal advisers on how they can structure their business to take advantage of ‘favourable’ tax benefits,” she said.

Did anyone get in trouble for the Panama Papers?

A month after the Panama Papers were leaked, Iceland’s Gunnlaugsson resigned as prime minister following mass protests. According to the leaked documents, Gunnlaugsson and his wife allegedly established a company, Wintris, in the British Virgin Islands with the assistance of the Panamanian law firm. His resignation led to the fall of the Icelandic government at the time.

In 2017, Pakistan’s Supreme Court also disqualified then prime minister Sharif from office following the leaks, despite an earlier ruling that found insufficient evidence of corruption. The Panama Papers revealed that his children held several companies in the British Virgin Islands. In 2018, Sharif was banned from politics for life.

Mossack Fonseca, which had over 40 offices worldwide, also faced significant operational impacts following the leaks, including staff reductions, and ultimately shut down in 2018. Its co-founders, Jurgen Mossack and the late Ramon Fonseca, were acquitted by a Panamanian court, along with 26 others accused of setting up shell companies implicated in scandals in Brazil and Germany.

How much tax revenue has been recovered since 2016?

Between 2016 and 2026, governments worldwide recovered around $2bn in taxes, penalties and levies, according to the ICIJ. Countries such as the UK, Sweden and France each recovered between $200-250m, while others, including Japan, Mexico and Denmark, recovered around $30m each.

However, the amount that remains unaccounted for is significantly higher.

In India alone, the government brought forward close to 425 tax cases, according to Iyer.

“But the amount realised in taxes, which the government got back into its treasury was just about 150 crore rupees, which is around $16m. Whereas the total tax which was brought under investigation was about $1.5bn,” he noted.

Other countries, including Austria, Slovenia and New Zealand recovered between $1m and $8m.

Panama, the country where the leak was revealed, recovered about $14.1m.

Did the Panama Papers lead to changes in the legal system?

Since the release of the Panama Papers, governments have taken steps to curb the misuse of shell companies by introducing new laws and regulations. They include the Corporate Transparency Act in the US, which requires the disclosure of “beneficial owners”—individuals who ultimately profit from offshore entities — as well as measures to improve information sharing between tax authorities.

The United Nations is also considering draft proposals for a Convention on Taxation. In addition, several nations have signed bilateral double-taxation treaties to reduce tax avoidance and prevent income from being taxed in multiple jurisdictions.

But gaps remain in the global tax system. There’s no one overarching international taxation principle that everyone needs to follow — and often there are overlapping treaties and agreements that allow those with the shrewdest financial advisors to choose, or shop, from among those pacts, based on whatever works best for them.

“The main challenge in international tax law is that there is no multilateral tax convention, which creates problems of tax competition and ‘treaty shopping’,” Olaoye said.

Jordan Chiles captured the Big Ten all-around crown with her seventh perfect score of the season, leading UCLA to its second straight Big Ten championship gymnastics title on Saturday.

Chiles, the Big Ten gymnast of the year, posted a conference-record score of 39.825 and earned a perfect 10 in floor routine as the Bruins defeated Michigan, Minnesota and Michigan State with a total score of 198.100.

Janelle McDonald, who guided No. 5 UCLA to the regular season and conference championship crowns for the second straight year, was named the Big Ten coach of the year.

“Our team is just going up from here,” Chiles told Big Ten Network after the meet. “We haven’t hit our peak yet.

“Obviously, there are still things that we can work on as individuals, but I think the team environment is definitely there. I couldn’t be more proud of each and every single athlete that went up today and stepped in as well.”

UCLA opened with Chiles scoring a 9.925 on beam. Tiana Sumanasekera scored a 9.925, and Katelyn Rosen, Sydney Barros and Mika Webster-Longin each scored a 9.850. Rosen managed to achieve the feat after missing the last few weeks with a foot injury.

UCLA closed the first rotation in second place, 0.125 behind Michigan.

With Chiles leading the way on floor, Webster-Longin posted a 9.925, tying her career high. Sumanasekera had the same score and Ashlee Sullivan had a 9.950.

Riley Jenkins led UCLA in the vault with a 9.950. Webster-Longin celebrated her 9.875 routine with splits. Sumanasekera had a 9.850 in the event and Sullivan received a 9.850 on her Yurchenko. Chiles closed out the vault with a 9.925, keeping the Bruins in first place ahead of Michigan State by 0.325.

Chiles and Barros each had scores of 9.950 in the uneven bars — the best mark of the season in the discipline for Barros. Webster-Longin performed some celebratory splits again when she tied her season high with a 9.900 on the uneven bars. Sumanasekera and Nola Matthews each had a 9.875 in the event.

“We are coming for y’all,” Chiles said. “This is our year and I’m very proud to say that we are the Bruins.”

Emergency responders carried patients out of a government hospital in Odisha, India, after a fire killed at least 10 ICU patients, according to officials.

CHICAGO — This was hardly a masterpiece of Big Ten basketball, what with the barrage of bricks and busted possessions. Nor was it the sort of night to convince you of UCLA’s chances as a surefire conference contender.

But amid the mess of its 72-59 win over 14th-seeded Rutgers on Thursday night, UCLA showed the sort of mettle it may need to keep its season kicking this March.

It started with Donovan Dent, whose masterful month continued with his first career triple-double — and the first triple-double in Big Ten tournament history. The senior tallied 12 points, 10 rebounds and 12 assists. He and Tyler Bilodeau, who added a game-high 21 points, were the rare bright spots on offense for the Bruins.

Otherwise, UCLA struggled to find any sort of rhythm. It shot just 38% from the floor, worse than it had in any win this season. And still, the Bruins were in control for most of the game after pulling away early in the second half.

None of that will fly against No. 3 seed Michigan State on Friday at 6 p.m. PDT, which beat UCLA by 23 points the last time they met.

But until Thursday it’d been quite some time since UCLA actually managed to win away from home. Not since Jan. 29 had it won outside of L.A., and only once this season had it won outside of the Pacific time zone.

For a while, it didn’t seem like UCLA intended to win Thursday, either. Even as Rutgers gave it every chance to pull away.

The Bruins did shut down Rutgers’ Tariq Francis, who was fresh off a 29-point performance in a first-round win over Minnesota. Francis didn’t score until the nine-minute mark in the second half. He finished with six points on two-of-11 shooting.

The two teams spent most of the first half trading wasted possessions and taking turns with their respective shooting slumps. Four minutes scoreless for Rutgers. Three scoreless for UCLA. Four scoreless for Rutgers. Then three scoreless for UCLA. Back and forth they went in their futility.

The Bruins had plenty of chances to build a lead early. While Rutgers struggled to find rhythm on offense, settling mostly for contested shots inside the arc, UCLA got its share of open shots all around the floor. It just wasn’t able to hit many of them. Both teams shot a meager 31% before halftime.

Those shots fell more frequently in the second half, as UCLA pushed its lead to 15. The Bruins still struggled to put the Knights away, until Dent took matters into his own hands late, pushing UCLA to victory.

CHICAGO — The eventual end of the USC men’s basketball season came the same way that it fizzled out during the past month, with yet another second-half collapse that featured the added pain of overtime.

Tuesday’s 83-79 overtime loss to Washington in the Big Ten tournament, the Trojans’ eighth straight defeat, brought to a close what USC coach Eric Musselman called the toughest stretch of his coaching career. It included not only USC’s longest losing streak in a decade, but a pair of 19-point losses to UCLA and the dismissal of leading scorer Chad Baker-Mazara from the team in the past 10 days alone.

The Trojans led the Huskies by 13 in the second half and had chances to win at the end of regulation and overtime, only to miss all three potential game-winning or game-tying shots and go 2-for-5 from the free-throw line in overtime. For a team that was once in NCAA tournament consideration before stumbling, that failure to finish was a persistent flaw.

USC guard Alijah Arenas talks with coach Eric Musselman during the Trojans’ loss to the Huskies in the Big Ten tournament on Wednesday in Chicago.

(Michael Reaves / Getty Images)

“That’s been the story of our last eight games,” Musselman said. “I think we’ve led at halftime four of our last eight games, and as a group, we haven’t figured out how to close games, the last 20 minutes with a lead. It’s a disappointing last eight games of the season. I thought up until that point we played good basketball.”

With the Trojans likely to decline any postseason invitation, Musselman said, he was headed to the team hotel Tuesday night to get back to work filling out next season’s recruiting class, starting with more freshmen before the transfer portal officially opens next month.

That group already includes two top-30 recruits in the Ratliff twins, Adonis and Darius, but if USC learned anything from the way this season ended, all too similar to the way last season ended, it’s that whatever depth and talent Musselman has assembled in his two years at USC hasn’t been enough, whether that’s freshmen or transfers.

“We want a blend of both,” Musselman said. “It’s early in our tenure, and we’ve got to figure out a way to get better than what we’ve done the last two years.”

Tuesday, the Trojans had no shortage of chances to fend off the end.

They had a double-digit lead with 13 minutes to play. They had the ball at the end of regulation with the score tied. They had a chance to win it in overtime and were gifted a last-chance shot to tie it.

They missed all three pivotal shots — the first two by Kam Woods, the last a 3-pointer by Jordan Marsh — to see a game they once led comfortably slip away again and again.

“On the last one, I feel like I missed Ezra [Ausar] on that cut,” said Woods, a grad transfer who joined the team in midseason. “Coach trusted me with the ball in my hands, and I feel like I let him down.”

Woods finished with 24 points while Jacob Cofie scored 14, Marsh 13 and Ausar and Ryan Cornish 10 each for 13th-seeded USC (18-14) as the 12th-seeded Huskies (16-16) beat the Trojans for the third time this season.

Freshman Alijah Arenas, who led the Trojans in scoring in both games without Baker-Mazara, was held to six points on 3-for-10 shooting and sat out the final six minutes of regulation and all but eight seconds of overtime. Musselman said that was his decision, as was the virtual absence of senior Terrance Williams, who played only one minute.

That left USC with what was essentially a six-player rotation to conclude a season that began without the injured Arenas and ended without Rodney Rice and Amarion Dickerson, both hurt, as well as the departed Baker-Mazara — all of which factored into Musselman’s position on any postseason plans.

“I haven’t had in-depth conversations with the administration yet about that, but I would assume we’re not going to play, just based on the number of bodies and how we played the last eight games,” Musselman said.

It was not all that long ago that USC was thinking about the NCAA tournament. Winners of the Maui Invitational, USC was 18-6 and above .500 in the Big Ten standings after a February 8 win at Penn State, solidly in a workable position on the NCAA tournament bubble.

But as the injuries mounted and momentum waned, second-half struggles just like the Trojans’ on Tuesday became an increasingly fatal flaw as they slumped to their longest losing streak in a decade. The loss to Washington compounded the misery of a second straight frustrating season, in familiar fashion.

“As a team, we faced a lot of adversity,” Cofie said. “I felt like we did a good job sticking with it and trying to play for each other. We had to deal with a lot of injuries. I felt like that played a huge deal in it. We still fought. We tried our best.”