united

A magnificent medieval cathedral in Somerset

“So this is where Officer Nick Angel [Simon Pegg] chased that swan.” As a fan of Hot Fuzz, I was excited to explore the cathedral city of Wells in Somerset, where much of the film was shot. This charming, compact and walkable city is awash with medieval architecture and magnificent buildings, such as the gothic cathedral, with one of the oldest working clocks in the UK (late 14th century) and the Bishop’s Palace and Gardens. Within easy reach of the Mendip Hills, Cheddar Gorge and the Wookey Hole Caves, Wells makes for a low-key alternative to tourist-soaked Bath.
Alison

Wild camping in the west Highlands

The Ardnamurchan peninsula, which includes the most westerly point in mainland Britain at Corrachadh Mòr, is stunning. With my partner, I spent a night wild camping by the shell-sand beach at Sanna Bay, surrounded by the machair grassland and wildflowers. It was absolutely stunning. We walked to Ardnamurchan lighthouse, spotted some dolphins, and swam in the sea in cold but crystal clear waters. The simplicity of the trip and not having to check in at any accommodation was a plus. I would recommend it to everybody.
Jox

Cinematic light and seabirds in East Lothian

North Berwick in East Lothian always feels like a proper holiday without needing a passport. Take the early train, walk straight down to the beach, then continue past the harbour towards the Scottish Seabird Centre, where the light over the Firth of Forth changes by the minute. If the tide is out, the views are cinematic with the sand stretching so wide. On clear early evenings Bass Rock turns gold and you wonder how somewhere so close to Edinburgh can still feel quietly remote.
Michelle

Rock-pooling and picnics in Devon

I visited Beer in east Devon last summer with three friends, all of us women in our 40s, and our six children aged between four and 11. It couldn’t have been a better choice. We stayed at the lovely large YHA hostel, which was relaxed, welcoming and ideal for families. The kids were charmed by the stream running through the village and spent hours rock-pooling on the beach, discovering tiny crabs and sea anemones. We also enjoyed the clifftop walk to Seaton with its incredible views. Don’t miss Woozie’s Deli for fresh treats – perfect for picnics by the sea.
Tara

A cycling tour of the Northumberland coast

We cycled the Northumberland coast from Newcastle to Berwick over four days. We visited Dunstanburgh and Bamburgh, two of the most impressive castles in the country, the mining museum at Woodhorn and the RNLI Grace Darling Museum in Bamburgh, and swam from huge, empty beaches. Cycling over the causeway to Lindisfarne was the highlight, an incredible place to visit and awesome watching the road disappear under the sea (after we’d made it back to the mainland).
Ian

Ravenspoint community hostel on Loch Èireasort, south of Stornoway and home to nesting sea eagles and sea otters, feels remote even by Outer Hebridean standards. I shared the hostel kitchen with a father and daughter cycling the Hebridean Way, and a psychiatrist who seemed genuinely quite unsettled by the vastness of the landscape stretching all around. The hostel has a rich history – it is owned by the Co-Chomunn na Pairc, one of the original community co-operatives established in the 1970s, and the profits from it, the shop and tea rooms all go back into keeping vital services open for visitors and locals alike year-round.
Eleanor

Happy days in West Yorkshire’s Happy Valley

Sharing my obsession with Happy Valley, my teenage son agreed to a long weekend in Hebden Bridge. Armed with a list of filming locations, we scouted around Sowerby Bridge and Hebden, getting a buzz from the scenes we recognised. We climbed up to Heptonstall to visit Sylvia Plath’s grave, caught a film at the independent Picture House, and hiked along the river and on to the moors beyond Hardcastle Crags. An early morning run along the canal and the best pizza in town topped it off.
Lucy

Cliffs, castles and chips in Ayrshire

Ayrshire is beautiful, bucolic, full of family-friendly activities and often overlooked by Munro-baggers heading north to the Highlands. It has excellent local produce, coastal splendour and bountiful historic attractions. Start at Dumfries House with its marvellous gardens, enormous treetop adventure area and interactive water play (much of it free!). Visit the ruins of clifftop Dunure Castle, then stroll along the sandy Croy Bay to Culzean Castle, with its own gardens, play area and spectacular views of Arran and Ailsa Craig. Then pootle up to the Coo Shed for fab local ice-creams, before rounding off your day with some outstanding fish and chips from the Wee Hurrie on Troon harbour.
Dan Ashman

A village idyll in Snowdonia

My wife and I went for a weekend break in Trefriw on the River Crafnant in north Wales. It’s a peaceful village with lively pubs. We stayed at the Fairy Falls hotel, a perfect base for exploring the surrounding river and mountain walks, and for viewing the cascades.
Seamus

Winning tip: Hadrian’s Wall by bus and train

Exploring the Hadrian’s Wall area stands out for us among our UK trips, not only for the places we visited but also because we travelled by train, bus and on foot. This meant the holiday began once we’d boarded the first train, not just once we’d arrived at our accommodation. We stayed at the Sill youth hostel, arriving there using the AD122 bus from Hexham station. This bus stops at several Roman sites between Hexham and Haltwhistle – we used it to visit Housesteads, “Britain’s most complete Roman fort”. Another highlight was the Vindolanda fort and museum around a mile and a half from the Sill.
Sharon Pinner

The latest developments surrounding Nvidia’s H200 chip sales to China highlight the growing complexity of the technological rivalry between the United States and China. Although Washington has reportedly approved several major Chinese firms to purchase Nvidia’s advanced artificial intelligence chips, no deliveries have taken place so far.

The situation reflects how geopolitical competition is increasingly disrupting even officially approved commercial agreements in the semiconductor sector.

Nvidia, the world’s leading artificial intelligence chip manufacturer, now finds itself caught between United States export control policies and China’s push for technological self reliance.

What Is the H200 Chip?

The H200 is Nvidia’s second most powerful artificial intelligence chip and is designed for advanced AI model training and data center operations.

The chip is particularly valuable for companies developing large language models, cloud computing systems, and next generation AI applications.

Before export restrictions tightened, Nvidia dominated China’s advanced AI chip market with an estimated market share of around 95 percent.

China also represented a major source of revenue for Nvidia, making access to the Chinese market strategically important for the company’s long term growth.

Which Chinese Companies Were Approved?

According to reports, the United States Commerce Department approved around ten Chinese firms to purchase H200 chips.

These reportedly include major Chinese technology companies such as:

• Alibaba
• Tencent
• ByteDance
• JD.com

Several distributors were also reportedly approved, including:

Under the licensing terms, each approved customer could reportedly purchase up to 75,000 chips.

However, despite these approvals, no actual sales or deliveries have yet been completed.

Why Have the Sales Stalled?

The delays appear to stem from concerns on both the United States and Chinese sides.

Chinese Concerns

Chinese authorities reportedly fear that reliance on Nvidia chips could undermine Beijing’s efforts to strengthen its domestic semiconductor industry.

China has invested heavily in local AI chip development, particularly through companies such as Huawei.

Beijing increasingly sees semiconductor self sufficiency as a national security priority amid escalating technological competition with Washington.

There are also concerns within China regarding supply chain security and possible vulnerabilities linked to imported American technology.

Recent Chinese regulations aimed at reducing foreign dependence in critical technology sectors have reportedly intensified scrutiny of these chip purchases.

United States Restrictions

The United States has simultaneously imposed strict export control requirements on advanced semiconductor sales to China.

Chinese buyers must reportedly prove that the chips will not be used for military purposes and that adequate security procedures are in place.

Nvidia must also satisfy inventory and compliance conditions under American export laws.

Additionally, reports suggest the Trump administration negotiated an unusual arrangement in which the United States would receive a portion of revenue generated from the chip sales. This reportedly requires the chips to pass through American territory before shipment to China.

Such conditions have further complicated the transaction process.

Jensen Huang’s Diplomatic Push

Nvidia Chief Executive Officer Jensen Huang has emerged as a key figure in efforts to preserve Nvidia’s access to the Chinese market.

Huang reportedly joined President Donald Trump during a diplomatic visit linked to talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping.

His participation underscores the economic significance of the semiconductor dispute and the importance of China to Nvidia’s business strategy.

Huang has repeatedly warned that export controls risk permanently weakening Nvidia’s position in China while encouraging Chinese firms to accelerate domestic alternatives.

The Larger Strategic Battle

The Nvidia dispute reflects a broader struggle between the United States and China over technological dominance in artificial intelligence.

Washington increasingly views advanced semiconductor technology as a strategic national security asset. American policymakers fear that unrestricted access to advanced AI chips could strengthen China’s military and technological capabilities.

China, meanwhile, sees semiconductor independence as essential to reducing vulnerability to foreign pressure and sanctions.

As a result, both sides are attempting to balance economic interests with long term strategic competition.

Implications for the Global AI Industry

The uncertainty surrounding Nvidia’s China business could have major implications for the global artificial intelligence industry.

If Chinese companies lose access to Nvidia chips, they may accelerate investment in domestic alternatives, potentially reshaping the global semiconductor market over time.

At the same time, restrictions on AI chip trade risk fragmenting the global technology ecosystem into competing American and Chinese spheres.

This could reduce international collaboration, disrupt supply chains, and intensify geopolitical competition over emerging technologies.

Future Outlook

Despite current delays, neither the United States nor China appears willing to completely sever technological and commercial ties.

However, the Nvidia case demonstrates that semiconductor trade between the two powers is becoming increasingly politicized and strategically sensitive.

The future of AI competition may ultimately depend not only on innovation, but also on which country can build the most resilient and independent technology ecosystem.

For Nvidia, maintaining its position between the world’s two largest economies will likely remain one of its greatest strategic challenges.

Conclusion

The stalled Nvidia H200 deal illustrates how deeply geopolitical tensions now shape the global technology industry.

Although the United States has approved limited chip exports to China, political distrust, national security concerns, and strategic competition continue to obstruct implementation.

As artificial intelligence becomes central to economic and military power, semiconductor trade is no longer simply a commercial issue. It has become a defining arena in the broader contest between Washington and Beijing for technological leadership in the twenty first century.

With information from Reuters,

How often do you look down and wonder who created the path your feet are following? Or ask the cause of its curves and dips? Formed over thousands of years, paths form an “internet of feet” – a web of bridleways and hollow ways, drove roads and ridgeways, coffin tracks, pilgrimage trails and city pavements. Whether you’re hiking a National Trail or pottering along a National Trust footpath, there’s a good chance you’re following ancestral steps.

It’s thoughts like these that led me on a journey to track the evolution of British paths for my book, The Path More Travelled. Eleven thousand years ago ice age hunter-gatherers arrived from Europe’s heartlands, moving through the wilderness along broad “routeways”, that later widened to tracks when horses and then wheels were adopted in the bronze age. For more than 2,000 years, traffic moved no faster than the speed of a horse, until the internal combustion engine drove pedestrians off the road just over a century ago.

In search of the capillaries that gave life to every community in Britain, I revisited coast paths, tramped shepherds’ trails and followed the serpentine curls of rivers. Here are a few of my favourite paths that bring history to life.

Sweet Track, Somerset Levels

The hunt for prehistoric paths took me deep into the wetlands of the Somerset Levels, where the Sweet Track was discovered in 1970. Built nearly 6,000 years ago (3806BC) by early farmers who needed access to an island, the collapsed boardwalk was preserved in peat. But a short walk from the Avalon Marshes centre (with an excellent cafe and open-air museum), woodland paths explore Shapwick Heath nature reserve, where a replica section of the Sweet Track teeters through the reeds. Visitors can walk in single file along this narrow, timber causeway and imagine the world of the Neolithic pioneers who colonised Somerset’s reflective waterways long before they were drained and converted to farmland. For modern versions of the Sweet Track, visit the Norfolk Broads and Norfolk coast path, where stilted, planked boardwalks wend their way through reedbeds, salt marshes and swamp woodland known locally as alder carr.

Street of the Dead, Iona

Writing this book led me to the far west of Scotland and the tiny island of Iona, where, after decades of tramping Britain’s paths, I walked for the first time along Sràid nam Marbh, the Street of the Dead. Across Britain, coffin roads, or corpse ways, were used by remote communities to convey their dead to cemeteries. Iona’s is no more than a few hundred metres in length, and most of it takes the form of a narrow, kinking lane leading from the ancient landing beach of Port nam Mairtear (Martyr’s Bay) to the site of a monastery founded in 563. Along this ancient road came the bodies of great Gaelic lords, bound for burial close to the monastery. For many, it’s a “thin place”, where the space between this world and the next narrows. You pass the ruins of an Augustinian nunnery established in around 1200, and the MacLean’s Cross, whose intricately carved floral and animal motifs and outstretched Christ captivated pilgrims. Then the abbey appears and the Street of the Dead, angling across the grass, the final section a short avenue of red granite slabs, sunken by the weight of time into the turf of the abbey precinct. There are very few roads in Britain where you can place your feet on to slabs that have been trodden by so many generations.

Bure Valley Path, Norfolk

One of my favourite walks traces the banks of the River Bure between the market town of Aylsham and the railway village of Hoveton. It’s a typical, gentle Norfolk valley of slow meanders, cascading willows, kingfishers and herons. It was like this 100 years ago, when huge timber sailing barges, wherries, used to glide silently upriver to Aylsham’s mills. Close to the river ran a steam railway line linking Hoveton and Aylsham. Today, the nine-mile Bure Valley Path is a shared walking and cycling route that follows the course of the old railway, now relaid as a narrow-gauge steam line, the Bure Valley Railway. Cycling the path is fun, but a superb walk awaits those who take the steam train from Hoveton to Aylsham then walk back towards Hoveton on the Bure Valley Path for about two miles, where a footpath on the left drops down to the waterside church of St Mary’s in Burgh-next-Aylsham. From here, riverside footpaths head downstream past white-painted watermills and old navigation locks while occasional steam locomotives contribute to the sylvan backdrop. At Coltishall, you can rehydrate at The Rising Sun, stroll along Anchor Street where wherries were built, and then return to the Bure Valley Path for the final two miles back to Hoveton. I know of no other walk so closely related to the eras of wind and steam.

The Ridgeway, Hertfordshire to Wiltshire

The Ridgeway runs for 87 miles from Ivinghoe Beacon high in the Chiltern Hills to the prehistoric stone circle at Avebury in deepest Wiltshire. On its rolling heights, you can walk back to the iron age, when formidable hill forts commanded the vales. The ghosts of warrior-farmers can be sensed most powerfully on the western end of the Ridgeway, where the chalky trail climbs past the ramparts of Uffington, whose banks and ditches – once braced with timber and chalk rubble – enclose an area twice the size of a football pitch. Right beside the fort, a 110-metre long white horse gallops across the down, cut deep into the turf during the late bronze age or early iron age. One mile to the west, the Ridgeway passes the chambered long barrow known as Wayland’s Smithy, which once contained the remains of 14 people dated to between 3590 and 3550BC. The Ridgeway’s knack of time travel has long appealed to writers and photographers, from Thomas Hardy and Richard Jefferies, to Richard Mabey and Fay Godwin, whose book The Oldest Road: The Ridgeway (1975), unravelled the path connecting deep history with a modern national trail.

Holloways, Surrey Hills

A holloway is a sunken path, an old way worn into the land by centuries of feet and hooves. Holloway walls can be almost vertical, cut back to raw rock and roots. Some are like ravines. Others are virtual tunnels, roofed with living trees. Some appear unexpectedly as gentle troughs in the landscape. They occur most dramatically in softer geologies like chalk, sandstone and greensand. Most are just a few minutes’ walk in length, but there are parts of the country where exploration will produce some very enjoyable clusters. There are three modest holloways right beside the White Horse of Uffington on the Ridgeway, cut perhaps in prehistoric times by cattle being moved from their winter quarters in the vale to the summer grasses of the high downs. In Holloway (2012), Robert Macfarlane wrote so poetically of a buried path in the Chideock valley of south Dorset that it’s become a cause of pilgrimage for those of us who look for these places. The Surrey Hills are laced with secretive holloways. Among my favourites are the sunken tracks on the greensand of Leith Hill and farther west, the old holloways of Hascombe Hill and Hydon’s Ball. It’s along these semi-subterranean trackways that you’re most likely to detect the steady plod of Saxon cattle. Or Hobbits.

The Mass Trespass Walk, Derbyshire

The story of countryside access is written in the grit of Kinder Scout, whose frowning sandstone forms the highest point in the Peak District. In April, 1932, an excited gaggle of hikers climbed the footpath from the Derbyshire village of Hayfield up towards the brow of Kinder Scout, where they clashed with squads of gamekeepers intent on preventing public access to the moorland. Legislation followed and today the path up William Clough is described on the National Trust website as the Kinder Scout Mass Trespass Walk. A vigorous eight-mile loop along the crags and back down to Hayfield, it offers the full Pennine repertoire in a single outing, from glittering reservoir to whispering moorland and monumental rocks. It includes Kinder Downfall cascade and a section of the Pennine Way, the earliest of Britain’s national trails. I walked the trail one blustery December day, ambushed by snow flurries and sunshine that spotlit Manchester like spilt crystals on the dark plain. I’ve climbed Kinder from many directions, but this is the route that tells the best story.

Nicholas Crane’s new book, The Path More Travelled, The Secret History of Britain’s Footpaths, is published by Weidenfeld & Nicolson (£25). To support the Guardian, order your copy at guardianbookshop.com. Delivery charges may apply.

Two months ago questions were raised as to whether Tottenham goalkeeper Antonin Kinsky would ever play for the club again.

The Czech Republic international endured a nightmare 17 minutes in their Champions League last-16 match against Atletico Madrid in March which saw him concede three goals before being substituted off by then-manager Igor Tudor.

But after making one of the saves of the season to deny Leeds a late winner on Monday – ensuring Tottenham earned a point towards potential Premier League survival – the 23-year-old may just have gone some way to redeeming himself.

Mathys Tel’s 50th-minute strike had put Spurs ahead but the forward conceded a penalty for a high boot on Ethan Ampadu 24 minutes later and Dominic Calvert-Lewin converted from the spot to level at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

Both sides probed for a winner in 13 minutes of added time and Leeds thought they had found it in the 99th minute when James Justin played Sean Longstaff through and the midfielder unleashed a powerful strike at the near post from close range.

Enter Kinsky, who stretched to get fingertips to the ball and ensure it clattered off the crossbar and not into the roof of his net.

It is impossible to say how important that save could be come the end of the season but for now it leaves Spurs two points clear of West Ham in the relegation zone with two games remaining.

“That save is one of the saves of the season,” said former Liverpool defender Jamie Carrager on Sky Sports.

“Football is an absolute rollercoaster and who would have thought he would ever play for Tottenham again – and then he does that.

“You would have to have a heart of stone if you weren’t delighted for him. Everyone thought his career was over but that save can be the moment that keeps Tottenham in the Premier League.”

Tottenham boss Roberto De Zerbi says his players are good enough to stay up after their draw with Leeds United leaves them two points clear above the relegation zone with two games to play.

MATCH REPORT: Tottenham 1-1 Leeds United

Available to UK users only.

His approach should not come as a surprise.

Trippier admitted it will be “emotional” to leave Newcastle at the end of his contract, after spending longer at the club than anywhere else in his senior career.

He is determined to end his four-and-a-half-year spell on a high, and could even come back into the side for a final run following injuries to Lewis Miley and Tino Livramento.

There is likely to be a familiar look to the team which lines up against Nottingham Forest on Sunday, as a result.

Nick Pope, Trippier, Dan Burn, Bruno Guimaraes, Joelinton, Sandro Tonali, Joe Willock and Jacob Murphy could start. They all featured when Newcastle ended a 70-year wait for a major domestic trophy by winning the EFL Cup last season.

It was Trippier who set up Burn’s opener in the 2-1 win against Liverpool in the final, before he went on to lift the trophy alongside skipper Guimaraes and previous club captain Jamaal Lascelles at Wembley.

But that had not necessarily been part of Trippier’s “selfless” plan, as former team-mate Callum Wilson explained.

“He was not interested in lifting the trophy,” said the striker, who is now at West Ham.

“It took myself and a few other senior players to say, ‘Go on, get your hands on the trophy and lift it with everybody – all three of you do it together because it’s a team effort’.

“Ultimately, he played a big part in that as well so I felt like that moment really summed him up as a character.”

Such a prospect felt a long way off when the pair spoke on FaceTime to discuss relegation-threatened Newcastle‘s plight – several weeks before Trippier joined the club from Atletico Madrid in January 2022.

The right-back proved a catalyst, as the first signing in the aftermath of the club’s Saudi-led takeover, and convinced others like Guimaraes to follow in the mid-season window.

Yet Trippier’s decision to swap life in the Champions League for an immediate survival battle led to accusations of greed externally.

The reality was a little different.

The Bury native wanted to return to the north of England for personal reasons and took a pay cut to reunite with head coach Eddie Howe, who he previously worked with at Burnley.

There was not even a relegation release clause in his contract.

Rather than being a mercenary, the La Liga title winner’s standards, approach to training and desire to help lifted a group which had only recorded a single victory up to that point.

Trippier’s presence behind the scenes quickly struck former team-mate Jonjo Shelvey.

“He’s a natural leader,” the ex-Newcastle midfielder said.

“He made a move at a time when the club was struggling and came in with his know-how and knowledge, and helped us massively.”

Former Manchester United striker Wayne Rooney says the club need to decide quickly whether to appoint Michael Carrick as their permanent manager, as the uncertainty could lead to difficulty when trying to sign transfer targets ahead of next season.

READ MORE: Lacking depth, little threat – Man Utd will not find replacing Casemiro easy

The dream of getting an F-14 Tomcat back up in American skies, discussed as a fantasy for the past two decades since the Navy retired the type, may actually become a reality.

Legislation making its way through Congress would allow the Navy to gift three retired F-14Ds to the U.S. Space & Rocket Center museum in Huntsville, Alabama, and open the door to one of the iconic jets potentially being returned to flight status. Companion bills in the Senate and House are both dubbed the “Maverick Act,” a clear reference to the Top Gun film franchise and the fictional Navy Capt. Pete “Maverick” Mitchell, played by star Tom Cruise.

Senator Tim Sheehy, a Montana Republican, introduced the Senate’s version of the Maverick Act on March 23. Senator Mark Kelly, an Arizona Democrat, co-sponsored that bill. Sheehy is a U.S. Naval Academy graduate and former Navy SEAL. Kelly is also a retired naval aviator, who flew A-6 Intruders, and astronaut. In the House, Representative Abe Hamadeh, a Republican from Arizona and U.S. Army veteran, introduced the companion legislation with the same title on April 16. There are nine co-sponsors to Hamadeh’s bill, including one Democrat. The legislation cleared the Senate by unanimous consent on April 28, and the matter is now in the hands of the House.

The last Navy F-14 was officially retired in September 2006 after 32 years of service to the fleet. Despite its retirement in the United States, the Tomcat has remained under extremely tight export controls due to its continued service in Iran, the only other country to ever operate the type.

The three Tomcats now earmarked for potential transfer are identified by their Navy serial numbers, or Bureau Numbers: 164341, 164602, and 159437. These are the only three F-14Ds currently in storage at the famed boneyard at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base in Arizona, per U.S. Air Force records. Three A variants and a pair of B models are also currently stored there. The current condition of any of these aircraft is unclear.

Sticking with the text of the Senate version at the time of writing for simplicity, the bill says the transfer of the F-14s to the U.S. Space & Rocket Center, an air and space museum established by the government of Alabama in 1970, would be made at no cost to the government. “Any costs associated with such conveyance, costs of determining compliance with terms of the conveyance, and costs of operation and maintenance of the aircraft conveyed shall be borne by the Commission,” per the proposed legislation.

The bill explicitly states that the aircraft will “not have any capability for use as a platform for launching or releasing munitions or any other combat capability that it was designed to have.” It also lays out a series of conditions for the transfer, noting that the Secretary of the Navy would not be obligated to restore, repair, or otherwise modify the Tomcats before handing them over, but would provide accompanying maintenance and operations manuals along with any excess spare parts available.

The matter of excess spare parts leads us to the most eye-catching section of the bill:

“The Secretary [of the Navy] shall provide excess spare parts to make one of the F-14D aircraft flyable or able to complete a static display, provided that any part transferred is from existing Navy stock, with no items being procured on behalf of the Commission.”

“The Secretary will not be responsible for transferring any additional parts or providing any additional support beyond what is stated in this section, during or after the conveyance of the aircraft,” the proposed legislation adds. As such, the Secretary of the Navy would allow the Commission to enter into agreements with relevant nonprofit organizations to help with restoring and operating the aircraft “for public display, airshows, and commemorative events to preserve naval aviation heritage.”

The transfer would also be made under the “condition that the Commission shall operate and maintain the aircraft in compliance with all applicable limitations and maintenance requirements imposed by the Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration,” the bill notes. “The Commission shall not convey any ownership interest in, or transfer possession of, the aircraft to another party without the prior approval of the Secretary.”

The Navy would reserve the right to immediately repossess the aircraft if either of the above terms were breached.

“The Maverick Act of 2026 creates a narrow exception to the post-retirement restrictions that have destroyed nearly all F-14s, ensuring that its legacy is preserved,” according to a press release that Abe Hamadeh’s office put out on May 1. “The Maverick Act allows three of the world’s final Tomcats to be demilitarized and transferred for public display and education under strict national security safeguards. It does not restore combat capability or reopen foreign transfer.”

“I want to thank Senator Sheehy and his colleagues for passing this legislation aimed at preserving for history one of the most iconic aircraft ever flown,” Hamadeh said in an accompanying statement. “As a former U.S. Army officer, I know that many of the men and women I served with felt the same way. That is why I proudly introduced this legislation.”

It is worth noting that retired F-14s are on public display at various military bases and museums in the United States, but none are in flyable condition. Around it’s retirement, there had been unsuccessful pushes in the past to try to get a Tomcat back into the air in private hands, including by the late Dale “Snort” Snodgrass, a legendary naval aviator and F-14 pilot, who performed official Navy Tomcat demos at airshows for many years.

The prospect of getting a ‘warbird’ Tomcat flying has remained a persistent topic of popular discussion, but has long seemed largely impossible due to bureaucratic red tape, as well as the cost and complexity of doing so. TWZ stressed these points when it emerged that a non-flying F-14 would feature in the sequel to 1986’s Top Gun, Top Gun: Maverick, which hit theaters in 2022. The U.S. military was heavily involved in the production of both movies. The original film cemented the place of the F-14 and the Navy’s TOPGUN program in popular culture.

TOP GUN | Official Trailer | Paramount Movies

Top Gun: Maverick – Official Trailer (2022) – Paramount Pictures

A key factor in all of this has been that the story of the Tomcat is inseparably linked to Iran, which received a fleet of F-14As before the fall of the Shah in 1979. The Islamic Republic that emerged afterward continued to operate the jets despite the U.S. government cutting off support. American authorities also moved to impose very tight controls on access to retired F-14 airframes and spare parts, and many of the aircraft were destroyed outright as they left Navy service because of this.

Intriguingly, the prospect of having an F-14 flying again in the United States may have become more likely as a result of the latest conflict with Iran. As TWZ has previously reported, joint U.S. and Israeli strikes between February and April may well have finally put an end to the Islamic Republic of Iran Air Force’s (IRIAF) Tomcat operations for good.

Even before the conflict, Iran likely only had a handful of serviceable Tomcats. For example, only one example appeared at the Kish Air Show in 2024, as you can read about here.

Still, even if the Maverick bill is passed and signed into law, there would be many more hurdles before an F-14 could return to the air. After many years spent in the desert boneyard, the Tomcat would require deep inspections to ensure its structure and critical subsystems were fully functional and compliant with the Federal Aviation Administration’s certification requirements.

Just getting the F-14 back to flight status would be massively labor-intensive and very expensive. Keeping the jet in the air would also require considerable funds, with the Tomcat being notoriously maintenance-heavy. Flying the jet regularly would impose high costs, including fuel. The F-14 holds roughly 2,280 gallons of fuel internally. So filling up the jet with a single tank of gas would run around $14,500 at today’s jet fuel prices. This jumps up considerably with external fuel tanks, which add another 534 gallons to the price tag. It can burn this fuel load very fast, especially during high-performance airshow routines.

Complex, supersonic swing-wing jets have periodically appeared at U.S. airshows, specifically the Soviet-era MiG-23 Flogger. In 2023, a privately owned MiG-23UB crashed at the Thunder Over Michigan airshow in Ypsilanti, Michigan, highlighting the challenges of operating these kinds of jets in private hands.

May 4 (UPI) — A United Airlines flight hit a delivery truck and a light pole on the New Jersey Turnpike on approach to Newark International Airport in New Jersey, where it landed safely and nobody was hurt.

The National Transportation Safety Board is investigating the Sunday afternoon incident, which “has been classified as an accident due to the extent of the damage to the airplane.”

“An NTSB investigator arrived in Newark this morning to conduct interviews of the flight crew,” the agency said in a statement posted to X.

“The investigation will examine multiple factors, including flight operations, meteorological conditions, human performance, crew resource management, aircraft performance and air traffic traffic control,” it said.

The flight was on approach from Venice, Italy, into Newark but flew too close to traffic, clipping a delivery truck and then hitting a light pole that reportedly struck a Jeep on the highway, CBS Baltimore and WABC reported.

The flight, which was carrying 221 passengers and 10 crew, landed safely at the airport around 2 p.m., with officials from Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy to the bakery that owns the truck noting that they have no idea how the incident happened.

“Upon its final approach into Newark International Airport, United flight 169 came into contact with a light pole,” United said in a statement.

“The aircraft landed safely, taxied to the gate normally and no passengers or crew were injured,” the airline said. “Our maintenance team is evaluating damage to the aircraft and we will investigate how this occurred.”

May 3 (UPI) — A United Airlines jet struck a light pole while approaching Newark Liberty International Airport on Sunday afternoon, damaging a vehicle traveling on the New Jersey Turnpike, officials said.

United Airlines Flight 169 from Venice, Italy, was on final approach to Newark’s Runway 29 at about 2 p.m. EDT when “the aircraft struck an object over the southbound New Jersey Turnpike, causing damage to a light post and tractor-trailer traveling south on the NJ Turnpike,” the Port Authority Police Department told UPI in an emailed statement.

The driver of the tractor-trailer was taken to the hospital with minor injuries and has been released, the police department said, adding that “minor damage to the aircraft was observed.”

United told UPI that the aircraft, a Boeing 767-400 with 221 passengers and 10 crew onboard, “landed safely, taxied to the gate normally and no passengers or crew were injured.”

“Our maintenance team is evaluating damage to the aircraft,” the carrier said, adding that it will conduct a “rigorous flight safety investigation” into the incident.

“Our crew has been removed from service as part of the process.”

The runway was back to normal operations following an inspection for debris, according to authorities.

The National Transportation Safety Board will lead the federal investigation into the incident, with one of its investigators expected to arrive in Newark on Monday, the agency said in a statement.

United Airlines has been directed to secure and provide both the cockpit voice recorder and flight data recorder to the NTSB as part of its investigation, with a preliminary report expected within 30 days.

New Jersey Gov. Mikie Sherrill said she has been briefed on the incident.

“I’m grateful the aircraft landed safely, and all passengers and crew are unharmed,” she said in a social media statement.

“United is investigating how this occurred.”

An assassination attempt at the White House correspondents’ dinner underscored the spectacle, chaos and violence that have defined Donald Trump’s second presidency.

As journalists rushed to report what had happened, a parallel narrative of conspiracy was already taking shape online. Conspiracy theories get far more currency than they merit – and they are a by-product of an information landscape that has been muddied by Trump.

Contributors:
John Nichols – Executive editor, The Nation
Niall Stanage – White House columnist, The Hill
Amber Duke – Editor-in-chief, Daily Caller
Suzanne Kianpour – Cohost, Global Power Shifts podcast

On our radar

Russia’s effort to tighten internet restrictions and throttle Telegram has caused a furious public backlash. The uproar has forced President Vladimir Putin to admit the measures went too far. Ryan Kohls reports.

Israel’s information war on Lebanon

Throughout two years of war, Israeli forces have used drones, AI-powered targeting and the infiltration of Lebanese communications devices and the networks they rely on – to control the population, spread terror and kill people. And it has escalated its information war, using all kinds of propaganda to deepen fear and divisions within Lebanese society. We speak to Justin Salhani about the tactics Israel is using in Lebanon.

Featuring:
Justin Salhani – Senior producer, Al Jazeera Digital

The UNIFIL has faced a growing number of casualties as Israel continues air raids despite a ceasefire and Hezbollah has responded with rockets and drones.

China’s ambassador to the United Nations, Fu Cong, has said there is a need to re-examine the UN Security Council’s decision to terminate the mandate of the longstanding peacekeeping mission in Lebanon, which is due to end later this year.

Speaking to reporters on Friday at the UN headquarters in New York, Ambassador Fu expressed China’s deep concern about the situation in Lebanon as Beijing assumed the council’s rotating presidency for May.

He observed that a genuine ceasefire did not exist in Lebanon, describing the current state of conflict as merely a “lesser fire”.

“We do believe that we should revisit the decision, actually, to withdraw the UNIFIL,” Fu said, using the acronym for the UN Interim Force in Lebanon.

“I think at least the view of the overwhelming majority of the Security Council is that this is not the time to really, to withdraw the UNIFIL out of that part of the country,” Fu said.

China is waiting for a report from the UN secretariat, expected in June, “before we take our position”, he added.

Fu also said, “It is incumbent on Israel to stop this bombardment of Lebanon.”

Created to oversee the withdrawal of Israeli troops after the 1978 invasion, UNIFIL saw its mandate expanded after the 2006 war between Israel and the Lebanese group Hezbollah and was responsible for a demilitarised buffer between the opposing sides.

However, the UNSC unanimously resolved last year to begin withdrawing the UNIFIL mission’s 10,800 international peacekeepers by December 2026.

According to Lebanese authorities, Israeli attacks on Lebanon since March 2 have killed 2,618 people and forced more than one million to flee their homes.

The UNIFIL mission has also faced a growing number of casualties. According to UN officials, at least six peacekeepers have been killed and many others injured since Israel began its attack on March 2.

The deaths include soldiers from various contributing nations, including Indonesia and France, who have been caught in shelling incidents and roadside attacks.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has condemned these incidents, noting that the UN’s “blue helmets” have come under fire while performing essential duties, such as clearing explosive ordnance and escorting logistics convoys.

Head coach Eddie Howe says the desire of Newcastle United‘s owners to get to the top remains “unchanged” after meeting with them this week.

Chairman Yasir Al-Rumayyan, the governor of Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF), and minority owner Jamie Reuben are among those who have flown in for a two-day annual summit at Matfen Hall in Northumberland.

Although the PIF is to withdraw its multi-billion dollar backing of LIV Golf at the end of the season, senior figures at Newcastle were informed a couple of weeks ago that the pullout would not affect the club.

Newcastle are 14th place in the Premier League, but Howe stressed the “determination to succeed” came through from those above him in the meetings he attended on Thursday.

“The desire is unchanged,” he said. “It’s to try and get to the top of the Premier League, to try and consistently win as many trophies as possible.

“I don’t think that will change while the PIF are our owners, part owners or majority owners. They are very ambitious for the football club.”

Newcastle’s hierarchy have talked of achieving such goals by 2030, but Howe recognised that the infrastructure needed to elevate the club to such a position will take time.

Following a major capital investment, an announcement is expected regarding plans for a new state-of-the-art training ground to underline the owners’ commitment.

There have also been discussions this week regarding the future of St James’ Park as Newcastle weigh up whether to expand the stadium or build a new ground in a bid to turbocharge income streams in the long run and bridge a huge revenue gap on the league’s highest-earning clubs.

“They clearly care so much about the football club [given] the long-term planning that’s going on, on a number of levels,” Howe said of the PIF, who bought an initial 80% stake in 2021 before going on to increase their share.

“[There are] very exciting times ahead for the club, regardless of what happens short-term. The long-term vision is clearly there.”

This gathering of executives, which had been in the diary for several months, was viewed as an opportunity to discuss such infrastructure projects, recruitment plans, the team’s slide down the table and how the club go about addressing it.

Howe was among those to give a presentation on Thursday, as was always planned.

Rather than reacting emotionally, the view internally remains that Newcastle need to respond rationally with the help of cold, thorough analysis.

Howe had “challenging conversations” with those at the top, but the head coach sounded upbeat at his news conference on Friday before the visit of Brighton.

“I was pleased by the level of support given to me, but of course still understanding how football works and knowing we need to get results,” he said. “That will never change.”

ULSAN, South Korea, April 29 (UPI) — Founded in 1974, Korea Zinc began to churn out 50,000 tons of zinc in 1978 at its Onsan smelter about 250 miles southeast of Seoul. Over the next five decades, it expanded annual zinc capacity by more than 11-fold to 560,000 tons.

In addition, Korea Zinc added lead and copper into its production portfolio, a diversified smelting model it says underpins the competitive edge of the world’s largest non-ferrous metal manufacturer.

“In other smelters making just one substance, they have to deal with waste. But we take advantage of them to retrieve other materials,” Korea Zinc engineer Kang Ki-tae said. “That’s why our Onsan smelter is both competitive and environmentally friendly.”

That approach is evident on-site. Korea Zinc is reclaiming a former byproduct storage pond for the construction of a germanium plant targeted for operation in 2028, showing its reduced need for such storage facilities.

As a result, the company’s product portfolio extends beyond the three base metals of zinc, lead,and copper to include such precious and critical metals as gold, silver, indium, bismuth, antimony, gallium and germanium.

Among its customers are Hyundai Motor, Posco, Samsung Electronics, SK hynix and Lockheed Martin. In August, Korea Zinc signed a memorandum of understanding with Lockheed Martin to supply germanium.

Kang said the company aims to replicate those competitive strengths in its U.S. facility to support the efforts of Washington in securing a stable supply chain of critical minerals.

Late last year, Korea Zinc laid out plans to develop an integrated smelter in Clarksville, Tenn., in cooperation with the U.S. government. Called Project Crucible, it will cost up to $7.4 billion.

Groundbreaking is scheduled for next year at a 160-acre site, with the plant targeted to come online in 2029. The complex is slated to produce 13 materials, including 11 designated as critical minerals.

At full ramp-up, Korea Zinc expects the facility to generate about 300,000 metric tons of zinc annually, in addition to 200,000 tons of lead and 35,000 tons of copper, as well as such strategic metals as antimony, indium, bismuth, tellurium and gallium.

China holds a dominant position in the production of rare earths and other critical minerals, often facing criticism for using export controls as leverage in trade tensions, including with the United States.

Amid those concerns, the Trump administration has pushed to develop alternative supply chains for rare earths and other critical minerals beyond China’s influence.

Korea Zinc engineer Lee Sung-jung said that the company also has focused heavily on the environment and automation.

“Autonomous forklifts have already been deployed, and last week we introduced a dozen of fuel-cell forklifts at our facilities,” he said.

Win-win initiative

Korea Zinc Executive Vice President Jimmy Kim said the U.S. investment could also help improve the Onsan smelter.

“We plan to incorporate more advanced technologies, including AI automation and digital twin systems developed by our core engineers, to build an even more sophisticated facility in the United States,” said Kim, who oversees the Onsan plant.

“If AI transformation proves successful there, it could also accelerate AI transformation at our factory here. We believe this could become a win-win opportunity for both countries while helping upgrade Onsan, as well,” he said.

Kim also welcomed the initiative’s selection last week for FAST-41, a federal fast‑track program that accelerates environmental reviews and permitting for major infrastructure projects.

“It shows the project is being highly valued by the U.S. government. We hope that by 2029, this will become an opportunity to further contribute to Korea-U.S. cooperation in technology security and mineral security,” he said.

According to the U.S. Permitting Council, FAST-41 participants have secured federal approvals about 18 months faster on average than comparable developments not covered by the program.

April 27 (UPI) — The chief executive officer of United Airlines confirmed Monday that he pitched a potential merger to American Airlines, but was turned down.

United CEO Scott Kirby said in a statement Monday that American Airlines rejected his proposal.

“I approached American about exploring a combination because I thought we could do something incredible for customers together,” Kirby wrote in the statement.

Kirby wrote that he was seeking “a willing partner that shared my big, bold vision.”

He said the plan was aimed at increasing coverage for customers, creating a globally competitive airline and growing the U.S. economy.

“I was hoping to pitch that story to American, but they declined to engage and instead responded by publicly closing the door,” he wrote. “And without a willing partner, something this big simply can’t get done.”

American Airlines CEO Robert Isom said last week that a merger with United would be anticompetitive and bad for customers.

Kirby had reportedly approached the Trump administration with his idea earlier this year, but President Donald Trump told CNBC last week that he would be against such a merger.

Former England midfielder and BBC Sport pundit Danny Murphy believes Chelsea utilised “an obvious tactical stoppage” in their FA Cup semi-final win against Leeds United, and proposes rule changes that can prevent it from happening.

MATCH REPORT: FA Cup semi-final – Chelsea 1-0 Leeds United

Available to UK users only.

Ulster continue to count the cost of Friday’s 29-21 defeat by Leinster in the United Rugby Championship [URC] with six players added to the injury list for this Saturday’s trip to face Munster at Thomond Park [17:30 BST].

Angus Bell (foot), Scott Wilson (ankle), Tom O’Toole (hand), James Hume (neck), Jude Postlethwaite (hand) and Bryn Ward (shoulder) have all been ruled out after picking up injuries against Leo Cullen’s side.

They join a list of unavilable players that already includes Nick Timoney (hip), James McNabney (knee), Rob Herring (calf), Robert Baloucoune (elbow), Rory McGuire (shoulder) and Stewart Moore (knee).

Ulster dropped to fifth in the URC standings following last week’s defeat, one point above Munster as the season enters its final three rounds of games before the play-offs.

“Not winning at home was a big moment for us, but then add the guys who have picked up knocks,” Ulster coach Richie Murphy told BBC Sport NI.

“There will be a bit of pressure on our squad depth this week, but that’s exciting as well with everyone wanting to put their hand up for what is ahead.

“It’s going to be interesting, not going to be easy, but it is an exciting couple of weeks ahead.”

Murphy’s side have a home European Challenge Cup semi-final against Exeter Chiefs to look forward to on Saturday, 2 May as they seek to end their 20-year wait for silverware and while there is “no timeline” but feels some have a “really good chance of playing next week”.

One player who may feature this week is Michael Lowry who has returned to full training and his availability for the trip to Limerick will be assessed throughout the week.

“Mikey has had a really tough run over the last while and at the start of the season, we played some of our best rugby with him in the team,” Murphy continued.

“He played for Ireland ‘A’ against Spain and picked up an injury. From that moment, he’s struggled for fitness, but was flying around in training today and a great addition to our squad for the next few weeks.”

Manchester United strengthen grip on third spot in Premier League with 1-0 win that leaves Chelsea relying on favours.

Manchester United took a giant step towards ending a two-year exile from the Champions League as Matheus Cunha scored the only goal in a 1-0 win against Chelsea.

United’s victory on Saturday opens up a 10-point gap between the Red Devils in third place and sixth-placed Chelsea, with only 15 points left to play for this season.

The top five in the Premier League will qualify for the Champions League next season.

But a fourth consecutive league defeat leaves Chelsea’s chances of being back among Europe’s elite next season in tatters. It also piles pressure on manager Liam Rosenior, only three months into his reign.

Chelsea once again bemoaned the lack of a clinical striker as they failed to break down a makeshift United defence ravaged by injury and suspension.

United manager Michael Carrick was forced to name a backline featuring three full-backs and 19-year-old Ayden Heaven. But they held out to boost the former England midfielder’s case to get the job at Old Trafford beyond the end of this season.

Chelsea were missing their top scorer, Joao Pedro, through injury, and one-time United target Liam Delap failed to take his chance to shine up front.

Rosenior recalled Enzo Fernandez after the Argentinian was given a two-game suspension by the Blues for suggesting he would be open to a summer move to Real Madrid.

Fernandez started with a point to prove and came agonisingly close to the opener when he curled inches wide.

United looked rusty in a 2-1 defeat to Leeds on Monday, their first action for three and a half weeks.

But Carrick’s men repaired the damage done to their chances of returning to the Champions League next season.

Cunha provided a precise finish to open the scoring two minutes before the break from Bruno Fernandes’s 18th Premier League assist of the season.

Chelsea improved after the break but failed to prevent another damaging defeat, leaving Rosenior’s role in doubt heading into next season.

Delap crashed a header against the woodwork, and Noussair Mazraoui turned a dangerous cross onto his own bar, under pressure from Wesley Fofana.

Moises Caicedo, fresh from signing a new seven-year contract, also came close to rescuing a point for the hosts.

But the final whistle was met by a chorus of boos at full-time, with the Club World Cup winners looking resigned to Europa League football at best next term.

Follow the live build-up, with full team news coverage, ahead of our text commentary stream of the crunch EPL clash.

Emergency Relief Coordinator Tom Fletcher told the UN Security Council that South Sudan is at risk of slipping into ‘full-scale famine and collapse’ as fighting intensifies and the UN peacekeeping mission is cut back.

Who: Chelsea vs Manchester United
What: English Premier League (EPL)
Where: Stamford Bridge, London, United Kingdom
When: Saturday, April 18 at 8pm (19:00 GMT)
How to follow: We’ll have all the build-up on Al Jazeera Sport from 16:00 GMT in advance of our live text commentary stream.

Chelsea can tighten up the Premier League battle for UEFA Champions League qualification when they host third-placed Manchester United on Saturday, but they will have to reverse a dreadful run of form to do so.

The Blues have only won one of their last five Premier League matches, increasing the pressure on manager Liam Rosenior in his first season in charge of the football club.

United suffered a shock home defeat by Leeds United last week and arrive with injuries and suspensions that will leave them feeling vulnerable for the first time under interim head coach Michael Carrick.

Al Jazeera Sport takes a look at a game that could ignite a late-season scrap for the top five finishing spots, which offer the route to Europe’s top table next season.

How does the Premier League race to the Champions League stand?

Third-placed United will arrive at Stamford Bridge with sixth-placed Chelsea seven points behind them.

Fifth-placed Liverpool are four points in front of the Blues, while Aston Villa are fourth, level on points with United but seven down on the Red Devils on goal difference.

With Villa and Liverpool not playing until Sunday – Sunderland at home and Everton away, respectively – a Chelsea win would close the gap between third and sixth to just four points for Saturday at least.

Four clubs, including Sunderland and Everton, sit just two points behind Chelsea. A certain run of results across the weekend means just six points could separate third from tenth by the close of this round of matches.

If fans of a close race were to be particularly greedy, wins for Bournemouth and Fulham – 11th and 12th, respectively – as well this weekend could mean the gap from third to 12th would only be eight points with five games to play.

As the former Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson once said: “It is squeaky bum time”.

Clock ticking on Champions League qualification, admits Chelsea manager

Rosenior has warned Chelsea that their bid to qualify for the Champions League is hanging in the balance.

The Blues are on a dismal run of one win from their last seven Premier League games, placing their hopes of reaching Europe’s elite club competition in jeopardy.

It is more than six weeks since Chelsea last scored a goal in the league, but Rosenior knows there is no time left to feel sorry for themselves after last weekend’s 3-0 home defeat against Manchester City.

“As the season goes on, the less games you have left, the more important the games become,” Rosenior told reporters ahead of the game.

“We have to take advantage of this moment. We’re running out of time.

“We need to show that initiative on Saturday and play on the front foot and make up those points, which is still definitely possible.

“If I look at each game, I think it’s just come down to loss of concentration of focus in a moment that then has snowballed into the rest of the performances.

“What we have to do is manage the margins of the game a little bit better.”

Chelsea braced for fan protest ahead of Man Utd visit

A protest by Chelsea supporters is planned ahead of the United game, reflecting the growing discontent since owners BlueCo took over from Roman Abramovich almost four years ago.

Unless results improve drastically in the next few weeks, this season will be the first under the club’s American owners that the team’s league position has dropped.

Rosenior’s position is also likely to come under scrutiny after a disappointing start to his reign, which started in January when he arrived from Strasbourg to replace Enzo Maresca.

Maresca departed by mutual consent after hinting he did not receive sufficient support from the owners.

Strasbourg are owned by BlueCo, which led some fans to criticise Rosenior’s appointment and claim he would be a puppet for the board, in contrast to the volatile Maresca.

“Every supporter has their viewpoint,” Rosenior said. “Every supporter wants their club to do well and to win games. Our job, my job, is to produce those results in the long term.”

What happened the last time Chelsea played Man Utd?

The reverse fixture at Old Trafford earlier this season resulted in a 2-1 win for the Red Devils at Old Trafford.

Following the sending off of Chelsea keeper Robert Sanchez in the fifth minute, Bruno Fernandes and Casemiro gave the home side a two-goal advantage at the break.

The latter, however, saw red in the last minute of the first half, but Trevor Chalobah’s 80th-minute strike was in vain as United held on for the win.

Head-to-head

This will be the 199th meeting between the clubs, with United winning 81 of the matches and Chelsea emerging victorious on 56 occasions.

Stat attack – Manchester United

United playmaker Bruno Fernandes is just three assists away from equalling the all-time record of 20 in a single Premier League season.

Chelsea team news

Chelsea manager Rosenior says midfielder Enzo ‌Fernandez has returned to full training and is available for ⁠selection for the visit of Manchester United after being dropped for disciplinary reasons.

The 25-year-old Argentina ⁠World Cup winner was omitted from the squad for the 7-0 win over League One Port Vale in the FA Cup quarterfinals and ⁠last week’s 3-0 Premier League defeat by second-placed Manchester City at Stamford Bridge.

Fernandez, who had been wearing the captain’s armband in the absence of the injured Reece James, had previously said he would assess his future after the World Cup ‌and expressed a desire to live in Madrid, comments for which he later apologised.

“Enzo has been with the group and has been training very, very well,” Rosenior told reporters on Thursday. “So, it’s business as usual in terms of selection for the game.

“In terms of his training, his application to training, Enzo has been fantastic as well.”

Rosenior also provided updates ⁠on defender Trevoh Chalobah, who has not played since ⁠the second leg of Chelsea’s Champions League defeat by Paris Saint-Germain, and on James, who has been sidelined since the loss to Newcastle United also in March.

“Trevoh trained today but ⁠not quite fully; it was a modified training,” Rosenior said. “We’ll make a decision on him, but he’s very, ⁠very close. Reece is a little bit further ⁠away.”

Predicted Chelsea starting lineup

Sanchez; Gusto, Fofana, Hato, Cucurella; Caicedo, Santos; Palmer, Fernandez, Neto; Pedro

Manchester United team news

United’s first-choice centre-backs Lisandro Martinez and Harry Maguire are both suspended for the match.

Maguire was set to return from a one-game ban, but has had his suspension extended by an additional game for improper conduct following his sending off against Bournemouth last month.

Fellow centre-back Matthijs de Ligt is still sidelines by a back injury, while Kobbie Mainoo missed the defeat by Leeds with a knock and remains a doubt.

Predicted Manchester United starting lineup

Lammens; Dalot, Yoro, Heaven, Shaw; Casemiro, Mainoo; Diallo, Fernandes, Cunha; Mbeumo