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A POPULAR high street name is set to make a dramatic return 13 years after vanishing from UK towns and cities.

Comet, once a go-to store for electrical goods, is being brought back by online marketplace OnBuy – but this time, it’s going digital.

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The retailer, which closed all 236 of its UK branches in 2012, including popular outlets in Essex, will relaunch as an online-only platform in time for the festive season.

Founded in Hull in 1933, Comet grew from selling batteries and radios into a nationwide electrical giant.

It was a household name for decades, known for its deals on TVs, washing machines, and home appliances, before financial trouble forced it into administration in 2012.

Its collapse was one of the biggest retail failures of the time, with thousands of staff losing their jobs and many shoppers left disappointed.

Now, more than a decade later, there’s fresh hope for fans of the iconic brand.

OnBuy’s boss, Cas Paton, said he’s determined to restore Comet’s former glory.

“I am so excited, so thrilled. Growing up, I went to Comet to get what I needed.

“It was a brand that was close to me personally,” he said.

The relaunch won’t see the return of physical shops, but the digital revival promises a wide range of electronics, from big names to emerging tech brands.

OnBuy plans to use its marketplace model to connect shoppers directly with manufacturers, offering better prices and more variety.

Paton added: “We will be ultra competitive and undercut Currys and Amazon.”

He believes OnBuy’s modern approach and Comet’s strong heritage will help win over UK customers.

A significant portion of the £10 million investment will go towards building the Comet website and boosting its technology.

Around 50 new jobs are expected to be created as part of the relaunch effort.

Paton, who started his first business with just £80 after serving in the Royal Navy, said the brand’s revival is about more than nostalgia.

“We’re not just reviving a name; we’re reimagining what trusted electronics retail looks like in a digital-first economy,” he said.

OnBuy, which launched in 2016 and is now worth around £200 million, hopes to turn Comet into a major online player.

The relaunch comes at a time when more consumers are shopping online and seeking alternatives to big-name retailers.

Shoppers can expect a mix of old and new when Comet returns, with the website promising:

“We’re reviving the brand you love to bring you the best tech, brands, and deals worth waiting for.”

Although the high street stores won’t reopen, many still have fond memories of browsing the aisles at their local Comet.

For those in Essex and beyond, the return of the name, even online, is sure to stir a sense of retail nostalgia.

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AN ICONIC 1980s Porsche left abandoned in a barn for 14 years has sold for over £76,000, which was over triple its estimate.

The dust-covered 911 3.2 Carrera Sport coupé was put into storage by its owner in 2011 after being bought in 2002.

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Its three litre engine produced 231bhp with a top speed of over 150mph.

And it was capable of doing 0-60mph in 5.6 seconds.

According to records, the car only covered 476 miles in the five years before it went into the barn.

It was owned by a busy solicitor near Northampton who barely drove it for years, as reported by Luxury Auto News.

Ahead of its auction its listing said: “The car presented here is a C16 1989-model example from the final year of 3.2 production before the introduction of the 964.

“It is a Carrera 3.2 Sport which was a UK-only model and came factory-fitted with a black lip front spoiler, a rear whale tail rear spoiler, sports seats and Bilstein Sport shock absorbers.

“It was optioned with a sunroof and the sought-after paint colour of silver metallic.”

The iconic 911 was first registered in May 1989 and had five previous owners before being snapped up in October 2002, the listing read.

It added: “This 911 was first registered in May 1989 and passed through five keepers before being purchased by our vendor in October 2002.

The listing added: “We believe he bought it from Autofarm of Bicester, Oxfordshire.

“MOT records indicate minimal usage – just 476 miles covered in five years.

“This is wholly in keeping with what we know about our vendor, who was a very much a car enthusiast, having owned all sorts of interesting cars from Jaguars to 2CVs, but who was also a very busy solicitor with little time to enjoy his Porsche.

“At some point in 2011, he drove the car into his barn adjoining his stone Northamptonshire house and there it has sat ever since.”

Despite being abandoned, the barn’s warm, dry air helped preserve the rare car remarkably well.

“Its condition when it was put away must have been exceptional and very much in-keeping with a minimally used 40,000-mile 911, with original features and components still in place.

“Bodywork panels, paintwork, carpets, headlining and factory-finishes all appear to be original – and a jack and toolkit complete the picture.

It tripled its estimate amid a bidding frenzy

A spokesperson

“The car is a feast of detail for any Porsche enthusiast, preserved in a manner that they will really appreciate.

“Sadly the owner passed away in early 2025 and it falls to the family, particularly his son, to find it a new home.

“This fantastic car is sensibly guided and will obviously require close inspection and a thorough recommissioning before starting/driving but it offers huge potential.

“Cars built from September 1986 onwards were fitted with the more user-friendly G50 Getrag gearbox.

“But all 3.2 Carreras feature galvanised bodies, which together with Porsche’s legendary build quality, ensure that these classics are long lasting.”

It was expected to fetch around £25,000 when sold on Saturday by Iconic Auctioneers in Northampton.

A spokesperson said: “It was driven into a barn for storage in 2011 and offered exactly as found, dust and all.

“It tripled its estimate amid a bidding frenzy.

“With 33 registered telephone bidders as well as numerous bidders in the room and online, bidding raced to £76,500.

“This wonderfully preserved G50‑gearbox example that remains largely original, obviously captured bidders’ imaginations with its untouched state and clear potential.”

It comes after astonishing images showed an abandoned graveyard of vintage cars and fire engines left to rot.

And a classic car dealership worth a whopping £200,000 has been discovered – after sitting in the dark for 20 years.

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A PUB dubbed the “cheapest” in Britain has suddenly shut up shop after 500 years.

Locals have been left shocked after the owners revealed a bizarre reason with a notice on the door.

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The Abbey, Derby, posted the handwritten note on the door saying they were unhappy about photos of it being shared online.

The 22-word notice reads: “Closed!!

“Due to someone posting pictures of the Abbey on social media.

Sam Smith has taken the alcohol and closed these premises.”

Samuel Smith’s Brewery owns the pub and it has been suggested the current landlords had broken policies and were dismissed as a result.

The brewery operates 200 pubs across the UK and is known for it’s strict rules from owner Humphrey Smith.

Such rules include a no-swearing policy, no televisions or jukeboxes and a ban on the use of mobile phones or laptops in its public houses.

Just days prior to the closure, a Facebook account with more than 125,000 followers posted 18 pictures of the pub, inside and out.

The Great British Pub Crawl account, a page run by Dale Harvey and his wife, Holly, follows the couple as they attempt to visit every boozer in the UK.

They posted the photos on Saturday, May 17 alongside the caption: “Not every day you are asked to grab photos or a video in a Sam Smith’s pub.”

It’s not clear whether the post was the reason behind the closure.

The pub is one of the last surviving buildings from an extensive monastery, dating back to the 15th century.

The sudden closure has left locals stunned, with many taking to social media to express their disappointment and confusion.

While the brewery has offered no official explanation, insiders suggest the landlords were dismissed for allowing, or failing to prevent, photos of the pub being shared online, a clear breach of company policy.

The closure marks yet another abrupt ending for a Samuel Smith’s venue, following similar shutdowns in Bradford and London, and raises fresh questions about the brewery’s management style and the long-term viability of its rule-heavy model in the digital age.

The Abbey is far from the only British boozer pulling its last pint.

A string of beloved pubs are closing their doors, with punters and landlords alike left heartbroken as pressures in the hospitality industry hit boiling point.

In East London, the historic Gun pub in Homerton has shut down after 160 years of service.

Once a bustling local favourite, the venue was brought back to life in 2014 following a major revamp by landlords Nick Stephens and his partner Hanna-Sinclair Stephens.

Despite surviving the Covid crunch thanks to a heroic crowdfunding campaign that raised over £30,000 in a single day, the couple say the pub has now become “unsustainable”.

“It was hugely popular, but we just couldn’t keep going,” Nick said.

“The capacity was only 90 — the numbers just didn’t add up anymore.”

Meanwhile, in Nottingham, The Emerald, a vibrant Indian pub and sports bar, has also called time, just two years after opening.

Dubbed a “labour of love” by its owners, The Emerald quickly became a community favourite for curry lovers and cricket fans alike.

But behind the scenes, soaring costs and the departure of a key business partner created what they described as “emotional, financial and operational strain”.

In a heartfelt post, they thanked loyal customers:

“The Emerald was always more than just a pub—it was a cultural space… Thank you, from the bottom of our hearts.”

Social media lit up with tributes from heartbroken regulars. One wrote: “It was more like home to us.

Watching India win the World Cup there was unforgettable.”

And even award-winners haven’t been spared, a Midlands pub, hailed as the region’s best and a finalist for Desi Grill of the Year 2024, has also gone under, despite its short-lived success.

The wave of closures paints a grim picture for the UK pub scene, already battered by the pandemic and now facing soaring prices for rent, business rates and barrels.

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Donald Trump had just been elected president when I first visited the sprawling Wyoming ranch of conservative billionaire Phil Anschutz in late 2016.

But my tour guides didn’t let President Trump’s well-known disdain for wind power stop them from sharing their story: With Anschutz’s fortune behind them, and huge profits ahead, they were preparing to build America’s largest wind farm. America’s future was renewable.

When I visited again in 2022, their story was the same: Wind turbines, all the way.

Not anymore.

After Trump returned to office this year and began weaponizing federal departments against clean energy, wind in particular, with a vengeance unlike anything seen during his first term, Anschutz’s Power Co. of Wyoming updated its website. The company now planned to build a gas-fueled power plant as large as 3,200 megawatts, it said in February. That would be the country’s second-largest gas plant, after a facility in Florida.

Anschutz’s 3,550-megawatt wind farm remained under construction, as did a long-distance power line capable of transmitting the electricity to California. But the way the company described its mission had changed.

Until at least Feb. 11, the website’s home page, as documented by the Internet Archive, was titled, “Putting wind to work for Carbon County.” It said the wind farm’s benefits would include “a reliable, competitively priced supply of renewable electricity” that would “help America reduce greenhouse-gas emissions.”

Now the page says nothing about heat-trapping emissions or renewable electricity, and little about wind. Instead, it’s littered with Trump-esque language about “American-made energy” and “electricity that our nation needs.”

There’s still a separate section of the site describing the wind project and its benefits. But atop the home page, a banner that previously featured two pictures — one of wind turbines, one of the U.S. flag and the Wyoming state flag fluttering in the wind — has been updated. In place of the flag picture, there’s a gas plant.

Why might an energy company owned by a Republican mega-donor feel the need to make such a pivot?

Phil Anschutz, left, watches the Lakers play the Minnesota Timberwolves in 2011.

(Gary Friedman / Los Angeles Times)

Simply put, Trump despises wind turbines, an obsession that dates to the early 2010s, when he tried and failed to block an offshore wind farm he believed would ruin the view from his Scottish golf resort. In January, he issued an executive order blocking construction of Lava Ridge, an Idaho wind project approved by the Biden administration. Trump’s appointees have paused federal permitting for all wind farms, which experts say is most likely illegal.

In their most brazen attack yet, last month Trump’s appointees ordered the Norwegian company Equinor to stop construction of Empire Wind, an ocean wind farm off the coast of Long Island that will help power New York City. The company had already invested $2.7 billion in the project. Until the Trump administration lifted the stop-work order this week, Equinor executives said they were days away from canceling Empire Wind entirely.

Given those events, it’s possible Anschutz’s pivot toward gas is a “strategic play” to avoid incurring Trump’s wrath, said Leah Stokes, an associate professor of climate and energy policy at UC Santa Barbara.

“Trump has been attacking wind so much,” she said.

Anschutz spokesperson Kara Choquette gave me a different explanation for the company’s gas-plant plan — one that had nothing to do with Trump. She cited “unprecedented demand growth,” alluding to the rapid adoption of artificial intelligence technology that’s driving a data-center boom — and a corresponding need for electricity.

“Market demand has always been the driver for our projects,” Choquette said via email.

In a filing with Wyoming regulators, the Anschutz Corp. expressed interest in selling power to “hyperscale data centers” that could be built on its Wyoming ranch. That power could come from the wind farm, the gas plant or a 1,000-megawatt solar farm that Anschutz is also interested in constructing.

A mix of wind and gas, Choquette told me, “will provide firm, reliable power at a meaningful scale and size.”

PacifiCorp’s Ekola Flats wind farm outside Medicine Bow, Wyo., seen in 2022, has 63 turbines, most of them rated at 4.3 megawatts.

(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)

But Stokes, who helped craft portions of President Biden’s climate law, the Inflation Reduction Act, wonders if the gas plant proposal is largely performative. A surge in gas-plant construction, fueled by AI demand, has led to long delays for gas turbines. The research firm Wood Mackenzie reported this month that some energy developers are finding the earliest they can bring new gas plants online is 2030. Turbine costs have also hit all-time highs.

Meanwhile, solar and batteries made up nearly 84% of new power capacity built in the U.S. last year.

“You’ve got to build batteries and solar, because that’s the only thing you can build fast,” Stokes said.

Thus far, Anschutz’s company hasn’t applied for a gas-plant permit from Wyoming officials. But the Denver-based billionaire won’t lack for resources if and when he decides to move forward. He owns the Coachella music festival, the Los Angeles Kings and L.A.’s Crypto.com Arena, among other lucrative assets. He’s already spent at least $400 million over more than 15 years permitting and beginning to build the wind farm and 732-mile power line.

The wind farm and power line could help wean California off fossil fuels, supplying bountiful clean energy during the evening and nighttime hours, when solar panels stop generating and batteries aren’t always sufficient.

But if Anschutz does indeed build the nation’s second-largest gas plant, the air pollution could be significant.

Gas is usually cleaner than coal. But gas combustion still results in harmful pollutants, including nitrogen oxides, which the American Lung Assn. says can cause asthma attacks and reduced lung function. Gas also fuels the worsening heat waves, wildfires and storms of the climate crisis, especially when it leaks from pipelines and power plants in the form of methane, an especially powerful heat-trapping pollutant.

Anschutz’s company says on its website that the gas plant will be “hydrogen-capable and carbon-capture-ready” — meaning the facility will be capable of eventually switching from gas to clean-burning hydrogen, and ready to add installations that capture heat-trapping carbon dioxide before it escapes into the atmosphere.

The city of Glendale’s gas-fired Grayson power plant, seen in 2023, sits near the banks of the Los Angeles River.

(Myung J. Chun / Los Angeles Times)

In theory, those are nice ideas. In practice, both technologies mostly don’t exist yet in commercial, reliable form. Hence the “capable” and the “ready.” A 3,200-megawatt gas plant would be a big polluter.

“There are water issues. There are wildlife issues,” said Rob Joyce, director of the Sierra Club’s Wyoming chapter. “Even if it is on private land on their ranch, it’s something we should be concerned about.”

Shutting down all gas plants isn’t realistic, at least not yet; even California still depends on gas for one-third of its electricity. But scientists say building new gas plants, especially in richer nations like the U.S., is incompatible with a safe future for human civilization. Not to mention financially questionable, when solar and wind are cheaper.

Here’s hoping Anschutz doesn’t actually build a giant gas plant.

Perhaps just as importantly, here’s hoping America’s most wealthiest and most powerful people and institutions stop caving to Trump’s diktats. Universities, Fortune 500 companies, marquee law firms, billionaires — do they really think if they just give Trump a splash of what he wants, he won’t ask for more? And then he’ll leave office peacefully, and democracy will be fine? And we’ll maintain a livable climate and functioning economy?

I can’t know for sure if Anschutz’s gas-plant proposal is designed to appease Trump.

But Power Co. of Wyoming has definitely undergone a rebranding since he took office.

On its profile page on social media platform X — where it’s long posted under the username “welovewind” — the company used to describe itself as a supplier of “diverse, high-capacity, reliable, ‘Made in Wyoming’ wind power to help meet region’s [renewable portfolio standard, greenhouse gas] and economic growth goals.”

Sometime between late January and early March, though, the description changed. Now it reads: “High-capacity, reliable, clean, ‘Made in Wyoming’ electric power to help meet diverse market demands and goals.”

ONE MORE THING

On this week’s Boiling Point podcast, I talk with Sadie Babits, a climate editor at NPR and author of the excellent new book, “Hot Takes: Every Journalist’s Guide to Covering Climate Change.” We talk about how reporters can do a better job tackling one of the biggest stories of modern times — and how news consumers can help them.

You can listen to my conversation with Sadie on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or YouTube.

This is the latest edition of Boiling Point, a newsletter about climate change and the environment in the American West. Sign up here to get it in your inbox. And listen to our “Boiling Point” podcast here.

For more climate and environment news, follow @Sammy_Roth on X and @sammyroth.bsky.social on Bluesky.

Correction: Last week’s newsletter used the wrong name for a nuclear plant in Washington state. It’s Columbia Generating Station, not Centralia. Centralia is a coal plant.

May 22 (UPI) — A former Republican House candidate from Florida has been sentenced to three years’ imprisonment for threatening to kill his political opponent.

William Robert Braddock, 41, of St. Petersburg, Fla., was sentenced Wednesday by U.S. District Judge William Jung, the Justice Department said in a statement.

The former Republican candidate for Florida’s 13th Congressional District pleaded guilty in February. He was charged with interstate transmission of a threat to injure.

Braddock was running for the Republican nomination for the 13th Congressional District in 2021. Though court documents do not name the target of his threats, information in the filings and media indicate it was Anna Paulina Luna, the frontrunner in that 2022 election.

According to federal prosecutions, Braddock viewed Luna — referred to in court documents as Victim-1, the Republican Party frontrunner — as his only obstacle to winning the primary.

He disparaged Luna for months to her peers and tried to involve himself in her life, court documents show. Then, in June 2021, during a phone call with one of Luna’s acquaintances, he threatened to have her murdered.

The court documents state he threatened to “call up my Russian-Ukrainian hit squad” who could make Luna “disappear.”

“I will be the next congressman for this district. Period. End of discussion,” he said, according to federal prosecutors. “And anybody going up against me is [expletive] ignorant for doing so.”

He continued by calling Luna “ignorant” and because of that, “I don’t have a problem taking her out, but I’m not going to do that dirty work myself, obviously.”

Then in November 2021, Braddock flew to Thailand and then settled in the Philippines where he remained until surrendering to Manila authorities in June 2023.

In September 2024, he was indicted and deported to the United States to stand trial.

Luna is currently serving her second term as the U.S. House Representative for Florida’s 13 Congressional District.

INDIANAPOLIS Colts owner and CEO Jim Irsay has died at the age of 65, the team has confirmed.

The franchise said Irsay “passed away peacefully in his sleep” on Wednesday afternoon.

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Details surrounding his death have not yet been released, though he had been battling various health issues in recent years.

Irsay took control of the Colts in 1997 following the death of his father, Robert Irsay, who bought the team in 1972 for $12 million.

“We are devastated to announce our beloved Owner & CEO, Jim Irsay, passed away peacefully in his sleep this afternoon,” the Colts said in a statement.

“Jim’s dedication and passion for the Indianapolis Colts in addition to his generosity, commitment to the community, and most importantly, his love for his family were unsurpassed.”

“Our deepest sympathies go to his daughters, Carlie Irsay-Gordon, Casey Foyt, Kalen Jackson, and his entire family as we grieve with them.”

Irsay’s career with the team began decades earlier when he worked in every department before becoming the NFL’s youngest general manager in 1984, just as the Colts moved from Baltimore to Indianapolis.

After assuming full ownership in the late 90s, he helped guide the team to its first Super Bowl title in Indianapolis and oversaw a string of division championships.

“Jim’s love and appreciation for the NFL in addition to its history, tradition, and principles influenced him to become a steward of the game throughout his 50-plus years in the League,” the statement continued.

He was also known for his philanthropy and passion for music.

“He made philanthropy a daily endeavor. He never hesitated to help countless organizations and individuals live better lives.

“Music was one of Jim’s passions and the ability to share his band and collection with millions of people across the world brought him tremendous joy. ”

“Simply put, he wanted to make the world a better place and that philosophy never wavered.”

“Jim will be deeply missed by his family, the Colts organization, and fans everywhere, but we remain inspired by his caring and unique spirit.”

“NFL commissioner Roger Goodell said: “We were deeply saddened to learn of Jim Irsay’s passing today.

“Jim was a friend, and a man deeply committed to his family, the game, the Colts, and the Indianapolis community. 

“On behalf of the entire NFL, I extend my heartfelt condolences to Jim’s daughters and their families, and to his many friends throughout the NFL.”

Irsay was arrested in 2014 for driving under the influence, a charge he later claimed stemmed from being singled out as “a rich, white billionaire.”

He maintained that a recent hip surgery—not alcohol—was the reason he failed the field sobriety test.

More to follow… For the latest news on this story, keep checking back at The U.S. Sun, your go-to destination for the best celebrity news, sports news, real-life stories, jaw-dropping pictures, and must-see videos.

Like us on Facebook at TheSunUS and follow us on X at @TheUSSun

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FAKING It fans have branded the show’s reboot a ‘fix’ – as it returns after 19 years.

The premise sees a brave volunteer dropped into a completely alien world and given just four weeks – and help from a handful of mentors – to master a new skill and convince a panel of experts that they are the real deal.

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Channel 5‘s reboot kicked off with Surrey luxury estate agent Rex swap properties for northern street markets.

Working gruelling 10-hour shifts, viewers watched Rex struggle to keep up, blend in and sound like a proper northerner.

However, he managed to convince two out of three market inspectors that he was a proper northern market trader.

Only one of the trio said: “There was something a little not quite there for me with the butcher. He was almost convincing!”

The others, however, felt he was genuine when he went up against a real-life baker, florist and dog treat seller.

Taking to X, some viewers branded the series a “fix” as they questioned the plausibility of not sussing out Rex as the phony.

One wrote: “Im calling B******t that two out the three didnt know Rex was #FakingIt.”

Another penned: “I’m watching the judges pretending not to know which the fake guy was. #FakingIt.”

Wheeler dealer and TV personality Tom Skinner was on hand to help coach Rex through the experience.

Although he initially criticised the newcomer’s slow start, stall display and lack of sales pitches.

Tom said: “To me, it looks like a warehouse storeroom doesn’t it… your store should look like Harrods. You’ve got to make as much as the space you’ve got, yeah?”

After Rex forgot everything Tom told him about pitching, the former Apprentice star said: “Mate, I have no heard you once talk about your stock to anyone.

“You need to be a walking advert. When they walk past… bring them in.”

Rex’s confidence grew, however, following  a crash course from a dialect coach, as well as the ultimate test of hosting a pub quiz using his new northern twang.

Top Channel 5 dramas

Channel 5 has become a hub for gripping drama, these are some of the best My5 has to offer.

• All Creatures Great and Small – Based on the best-selling novels by real-life vet Alf Wright, the show revolves around a trio of vets working in the Yorkshire Dales in the late 1930s. Eccentric Siegfried Farnon (Samuel West) hires James Herriot (Nicholas Ralph) for his veterinary practice at Skeldale House alongside himself and his younger brother Tristan (Callum Woodhouse). There James settles into his new life and even finds love with local farmer’s daughter Helen (Rachel Shenton).

• The Ex-Wife – New parents Tasha (Céline Buckens) and Jack (Tom Misson) seem to have the perfect life, but the constant presence of Jack’s overly friendly but suspicious ex-wife Jen (Janet Montgomery) puts pressure on the couple. But as the series progresses it becomes less clear who the bad guy really is and how far everyone will go to get the life they think they deserve.

• Heat – EastEnders alum Danny Dyer leads this four-part action thriller, set in Australia, which sees two families holidaying together during bushfire season. But instead of rest and relaxation, secrets and lies start to unravel — and not everyone will make it out alive…

• Lie With Me – Another soap legend jets off to Australia, this time its EastEnders alum Charlie Brooks who takes as a married woman trying to saving her marriage by moving halfway around the world after her husband had an affair. However it’s far from plain sailing, as a young and attractive live-in nanny comes to work with the Fallmont family, and tensions soon build and eventually, someone ends up dead.

• The Drowning – Jill Halfpenny plays Jodie, a woman whose life is shattered following the disappearance of her beloved four-year-old son, Daniel. However, ten years later, the grieving mother thinks she’s finally found her missing child, and embarks on a journey to discover the truth about him. But has she really just found the son she has been missing for so long? 

In addition, the posh boy was treated to an amazing hair transformation and some fake tattoos.

Faking It originally aired on Channel 4 from 2000 to 2006 and was highly acclaimed in this run.

The show, which can still be streamed on Channel 4‘s online platform, won two BAFTA awards.

Production company Banijay revived the iconic programme on Channel 5.

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Elon Musk has claimed a turnaround in Tesla sales after a slump even as Starlink, the internet service provider that he owns, is growing.

Elon Musk has said he is committed to staying on as Tesla’s CEO for at least another five years, weeks after the electric vehicle maker’s chair dismissed reports that the board had approached executive search firms about finding his successor.

Having reasonable control of Tesla was the most important factor in staying on as head of the company, Musk said on Tuesday at an economic forum in Qatar.

“Yes, no doubt about that at all,” Musk said in response to a question on whether he planned to stick around as Tesla CEO.

Earlier this month, Tesla chair Robyn Denholm denied a Wall Street Journal report that said board members had reached out to several executive search firms to find a replacement for Musk.

Musk, who spoke by video at the event in Qatar, said that Tesla had already turned around sales and demand was strong in regions apart from Europe, where the company has faced protests over his political views.

Tesla sales have also slumped in the United States, where there was a nine percent drop in the first three months of 2025, according to the research firm Cox Automotive. That was largely driven by Musk’s political involvement, including leading the US Department of Government Efficiency, which made significant cuts across the federal workforce. As a result, protests ensued and boycotts of Musk-connected businesses unfolded.

Tesla reported a 13 percent drop in first-quarter deliveries. The Tesla chief has said there has been a turnaround.

“We’re now back over a trillion dollars in market cap, so clearly, the market is aware of the situation, so it’s already turned around,” Musk said.

Tesla currently has a market capitalization of $1.08 trillion.

Musk also referred to Chancellor Kathaleen St Jude McCormick, a Delaware judge who stopped a $56bn pay package for Musk, as an “activist who is cosplaying a judge in a Halloween costume”.

Yet he acknowledged his Tesla pay was a part of his consideration about staying with the carmaker, though he also wanted “sufficient voting control” so he “cannot be ousted by activist investors”.

“It’s not a money thing, it’s a reasonable control thing over the future of the company, especially if we’re building millions, potentially billions of humanoid robots,” he added.

This comes as the billionaire said he will spend “a lot less” in political contributions, after pumping $270m into Donald Trump’s successful 2024 US presidential bid.

“In terms of political spending, I’m going to do a lot less in the future,” Musk said, adding that he does not “currently see a reason” to do more.

As of 11am Eastern time (15:00 GMT) Tesla’s stock was up 1.13 percent higher than when the market opened. The stock is down 15 percent for the year.

Starlink grows

Musk also weighed in on the future of the internet service provider Starlink, which he operates. He said that the company might go public at some point in the future, but that there was no rush.

Starlink has expanded rapidly worldwide to operate in more than 70 countries, with a strong focus on further growth in emerging markets such as India.

South Africa’s government plans to offer a workaround of local Black ownership laws to allow Starlink to operate in the country, according to the news agency Bloomberg, which cited three people familiar with the discussions.

The offer would come at a “last-minute” meeting planned for Tuesday night between South African officials and Musk or his representatives, Bloomberg said. South Africa’s President Cyril Ramaphosa and a delegation of government officials arrived in Washington on Monday in a bid to reset strained ties with the US.

Public spending cuts across six African countries have resulted in the incomes of health and education workers falling by up to 50 percent in five years, leaving them struggling to make ends meet, according to international NGO ActionAid.

The Human Cost of Public Sector Cuts in Africa report published on Tuesday found that 97 percent of the healthcare workers it surveyed in Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Liberia, Malawi and Nigeria could not cover their basic needs like food and rent with their wages.

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) is to blame for these countries’ failing public systems, the report said, as the agency advises governments to significantly cut public spending to pay back foreign debt. As the debt crisis rapidly worsens across the Global South, more than three-quarters of all low-income countries in the world are spending more on debt servicing than healthcare.

“The debt crisis and the IMF’s insistence on cuts to public services in favour of foreign debt repayments have severely hindered investments in healthcare and education across Africa. For example, in 2024, Nigeria allocated only 4% of its national revenue to health, while a staggering 20.1% went toward repaying foreign debt,” said ActionAid Nigeria’s Country Director Andrew Mamedu.

The report highlighted how insufficient budgets in the healthcare system had resulted in chronic shortages and a decline in the quality of service.

Women also appear to be disproportionally affected.

“In the past month, I have witnessed four women giving birth at home due to unaffordable hospital fees. The community is forced to seek vaccines and immunisation in private hospitals since they are not available in public hospitals. Our [local] health services are limited in terms of catering for pregnant and lactating women,” said a healthcare worker from Kenya, who  ActionAid identified only as Maria.

Medicines for malaria – which remains a leading cause of death across the African continent, especially in young children and pregnant women – are now 10 times more expensive at private facilities, the NGO said. Millions don’t have access to lifesaving healthcare due to long travel distances, rising fees and a medical workforce shortage.

“Malaria is an epidemic in our area [because medication is now beyond the reach of many]. Five years ago, we could buy [antimalarial medication] for 50 birrs ($0.4), but now it costs more than 500 birr ($4) in private health centres,” a community member from Muyakela Kebele in Ethiopia, identified only as Marym, told ActionAid.

‘Delivering quality education is nearly impossible’

The situation is equally dire in education, as budget cuts have led to failing public education systems crippled by rising costs, a shortage of learning materials and overcrowded classrooms.

Teachers report being overwhelmed by overcrowded classrooms, with some having to manage more than 200 students. In addition, about 87 percent of teachers said they lacked basic classroom materials, with 73 percent saying they paid for the materials themselves.

Meanwhile, teachers’ wages have been gradually falling, with 84 percent reporting a 10-15 percent drop in their income over the past five years.

“I often struggle to put enough food on the table,” said a teacher from Liberia, identified as Kasor.

Four of the six countries included in the report are spending less than the recommended one-fifth of their national budget on education, according to the UNESCO Institute for Statistics.

“I now believe teaching is the least valued profession. With over 200 students in my class and inadequate teaching and learning materials, delivering quality education is nearly impossible,” said a primary school teacher in Malawi’s Rumphi District, identified as Maluwa.

Action Aid said its report shows that the consequences of IMF-endorsed policies are far-reaching. Healthcare workers and educators are severely limited in the work they can do, which has direct consequences on the quality of services they can provide, it said.

“The debt crisis and drive for austerity is amplified for countries in the Global South and low-income countries, especially due to an unfair global economic system held in place by outdated institutions, such as the IMF,” said Roos Saalbrink, the global economic justice lead at ActionAid International. “This means the burden of debt falls on those most marginalised – once again. This must end.”

April 30, 1975, marked a brilliant milestone in the history of the Vietnamese nation when the country was officially reunified after more than twenty years of protracted resistance. Since that sacred moment, national defense and security have always played a key role in protecting the achievements of the revolution, rebuilding the country, and affirming Vietnam’s position in the international arena. After half a century of development, Vietnam has transformed from a country suffering many consequences of war into a dynamic entity, contributing to peace and stability in the region.

This article analyzes the development process of Vietnam’s defense and security over the past 50 years, from the focus on protecting sovereignty and territorial integrity to the increasingly clear role of creating a regional position. During his lifetime, the then Deputy Prime Minister Vu Khoan wrote an essay titled “Security, development, and influence,” which are not only the three strategic goals in the process of “building and protecting the homeland” during the Doi Moi period but also strongly affirm the role of security for Vietnam in the current “era of rising up.” With guaranteed security and defense, the economy is developed in the highest and most sustainable way. With strong security and defense, it creates a strong voice in the international arena, weighing down on bad wills that threaten national sovereignty.

After national reunification, Vietnam entered a post-war recovery period with numerous socio-economic difficulties. In that context, the primary task of national defense was to maintain revolutionary achievements and protect independence, sovereignty, and territorial integrity from external threats. During the 1980s, Vietnam faced border wars in the North and Southwest and was subject to embargoes from Western countries. This was a period that demonstrated the bravery, resilience, and absolute loyalty of the people’s armed forces to the cause of defending the Fatherland.

The turning point came after the 6th Congress in 1986, when the Communist Party of Vietnam initiated the Doi Moi process. In the national development strategy in the new period, national defense and security were placed in correlation with the tasks of economic development and international integration. The policy of national defense and people’s security was consolidated, closely combining the people’s hearts and military and security positions. Vietnam shifted from a defensive mindset to a preventive mindset, taking stability as the foundation, cooperation as the tool, and development as the motto.

Entering the 21st century, especially since 2010, Vietnam’s defense and security have recorded many significant advances, reflecting flexible adaptation to the changing regional and global security environment. In the context of increasing sovereignty disputes in the East Sea, Vietnam has always persevered in resolving disputes by peaceful means , on the basis of international law, especially the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS 1982). At the same time, Vietnam has actively modernized its army, focusing on building a strong enough navy and air force to protect its sovereignty over its seas and islands. According to the 2019 Vietnam Defense White Paper, Vietnam maintains a defense policy of “no military alliances, no use of force or threat of force, no participation in military alliances, and no foreign military bases on Vietnamese territory.” This is a principle that demonstrates the peaceful, autonomous, and transparent nature of Vietnam’s defense.

In the context of the Asia-Pacific region, especially the East Sea, becoming the focus of strategic competition between major powers, Vietnam must both strengthen its defense capacity and persist in its independent, multilateral, and diversified foreign policy. The “four no’s” defense policy continues to affirm Vietnam’s commitment to peace and stability.

A highlight in the defense and security policy over the past 50 years has been the expansion of international defense cooperation. Vietnam has continuously strengthened bilateral and multilateral defense cooperation with many partners, from traditional Russia and India to “former enemies” such as the United States, Japan, and France, demonstrating Hanoi’s skillful strategic balancing role in a period of complex geopolitical competition. In addition, Vietnam is currently an active member of regional defense cooperation mechanisms such as the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF), the ASEAN Defense Ministers’ Meeting Plus (ADMM+), the Shangri-La Dialogue, etc. Vietnam has also sent forces to participate in United Nations peacekeeping operations since 2014 in South Sudan and the Central African Republic. This is evidence that Vietnam not only focuses on protecting domestic security but also actively contributes to the common security of the region and the world.

In addition, ensuring national security and defense has also undergone major changes. In the context of non-traditional security emerging as a transnational challenge, Vietnam has promptly adjusted its awareness and response methods. Risks such as cybercrime, terrorism, energy security, environmental security, epidemics, etc. are included in the national security strategy. Vietnam has strengthened cooperation with INTERPOL, ASEANPOL, and major partners in preventing transnational crimes, ensuring social order and safety, and strengthening people’s trust in the national security apparatus.

On the basis of socio-political stability and firmly protected national sovereignty, Vietnam has increasingly affirmed its role in creating and promoting a stable, peaceful, and rule-based regional order. As the 2020 ASEAN Chair and a non-permanent member of the United Nations Security Council for the 2020-2021 term, Vietnam has actively proposed initiatives on preventive diplomacy, security dialogue, and trust building in the region. Vietnam’s extensive participation in new-generation trade agreements such as CPTPP, EVFTA, and RCEP is not only an economic achievement but also a lever to enhance economic security and national comprehensive strength.

In addition, Vietnam is gradually investing heavily in military science and technology and applying technological achievements in protecting national sovereignty and security. Fields such as digital technology, artificial intelligence, big data, remote sensing, and cybersecurity are gradually being integrated into smart defense strategies. The construction and deployment of cybersecurity operations centers, organized cyberattack prevention, and the development of high-quality human resources in the defense and security sector are opening up a new step of development in depth and breadth.

At the same time, defense policies also play a fundamental role in enhancing soft power, creating the image of a peace-loving nation, ready to cooperate and responsible to the international community. Vietnam’s efforts in humanitarian initiatives, disarmament, humanitarian assistance, and regional disaster response have contributed to enhancing the country’s prestige and position. In particular, Vietnam has always promoted its role as a mediator and coordinator in regional and international disputes, which shows that its capacity for conflict management and defense diplomacy is increasingly mature and professional.

In conclusion, after half a century of unification, it can be affirmed that national defense and security have always been a solid pillar of the cause of “building and defending the Fatherland.” At the same time, Vietnam’s national defense and security have transformed from a model tasked with protecting territorial sovereignty in the early post-war years to participating in shaping the regional and global security structure. Vietnam has gradually enhanced its strategic position, affirming its role as a partner of peace, stability, and cooperation. The achievements are clear evidence of the effectiveness of the national defense and people’s security policy under the correct leadership of the Communist Party of Vietnam. In the future, Vietnam’s national defense and security will not only stop at protecting sovereignty but also aim to create a peaceful environment for development, making a more positive contribution to global security.

A WOMAN who stabbed her boyfriend to death after she found him speaking to his wife has been jailed for 16 years.

Joanna Wronska plunged a kitchen knife into partner Marcin Koziol’s heart – only to ring the emergency services and tell them he “injured himself”.

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Wronska was jealous and “possessive” of Marcin’s ongoing contact with his estranged wife and attacked him in an “explosive loss of temper”, the court heard.

She then made a 999 call claiming her partner had “injured himself with a knife”.

When the cops arrived, they found Marcin naked and bleeding on the bed in the flat in Wrexham, North Wales.

And despite the best efforts by the paramedics, Marcin tragically died from the wounds.

Wronska is said to have gone to great lengths to cover her crime.

She maintained that her partner stabbed himself in an attempt to take his own life.

But Home Office forensic pathologist Dr Brian Rodgers said it was “highly unusual” to sever your own ribs when stabbing yourself.

Cops also found a large “freshly washed” knife in the kitchen sink, which matched the wounds inflicted on Marcin.

Prosecutor Andrew Thomas KC said: “This was a knife with an eight-inch blade that was thrust with severe force towards the chest and through the rib cage – penetrating the heart and lung.

“Her actions, in removing the knife and washing, “strongly suggest” she stabbed Mr Koziol and tried to hide the evidence of her involvement”.

In the 999 call played to the jury, Wronska is heard saying: “My partner dead…please help me now.”

She kept saying “Marcin, Marcin, Marcin” over and over again before saying the word “gone”.

It is believed that in a drunken temper, Wronska took the knife and stabbed her partner.

Judge Rhys Rowlands said: “[The attack followed] an explosive drunken loss of temper on your part, to which you stabbed the victim to the chest with a kitchen knife, you then washed the knife in the sink.”

He said the blow from the knife had been delivered “with severe force”.

Detective Chief Inspector Eleri Thomas said: “Joanna Wronska senselessly and needlessly ended Marcin Koziol’s life – her partner whom she claimed she loved deeply.

“It was a cruel and violent attack on a man who had sought support from her.”

Marcin’s wife Marta said: “Joanna has taken all of this from me, I have seen no remorse, she has not even admitted the fact she has done it and I can’t understand this senseless crime

“I can’t understand why she has done it, Marcin was harmless and wouldn’t hurt anyone. I can’t understand why someone would do this and that Marcin has been taken away and I can never bring him back.”

The court heard Marcin and Marta had separated after he suffered an injury at work and fell into depression after losing his career.

But she said he was a “gentle giant” who would not hurt anyone, and they had remained in contact.

Wronska was jailed for life and told she must serve a minimum of 16 years behind bars less the time she had spent on remand.

BURGER King fans are in for a sizzling treat as the fast food giant unveils its ‘biggest’ menu shake-up in years.

With 526 locations across the UK, Burger King is one of the UK’s most popular fast-food restaurants, known for its fiery grilled burgers.

And now the company has revamped its menu again to spice up – and cool down – the taste buds of food fanatics.

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From May 20, Burger King will be firing up its kitchens with a raft of new additions.

This includes the all-new Kansas BBQ Chicken Fries, alongside returning favourites like the Bacon Caesar Gourmet Kings and the fiery Spicy Mayo range.

Topping the menu shake-up is the Kansas BBQ Chicken Fries — a sweet and smoky twist on the fan-favourite snack.

The new Kansas BBQ King Box, which includes a BBQ Chicken Stacker, four Kansas BBQ Chicken Fries, regular fries and a drink, will be hitting menus for £5.99.

Burger King is also bringing back its Gourmet Kings Bacon Caesar range — packed with posh ingredients and full-on flavour. 

The Spicy Mayo Double Whopper and Spicy Mayo Chicken Royale are also making a saucy return. 

Burger King fans can get BOGOF deals via the BK app too — with the Bacon Caesar burgers going two-for-one between May 20-22, and the Spicy Mayo range following suit from May 27-29.

And fans might remember Burger King gave its most iconic burger a major upgrade.

Back in March, Burger King marked the return of Whopper Day – handing out free Whoppers across the country on March 5.

But it wasn’t just the freebie that had burger lovers buzzing.

The chain confirmed that the Whopper had changed for the first time in years, with juicier beef, a fluffier glazed bun, and fresh-cut tomatoes and onions.

Katie Evans, Chief Marketing Officer at Burger King UK, said at the time: “We know our fans love the Whopper, so we’ve been listening… and making it taste better than ever.”

With new snacks, returning legends and even better burgers, fans will want to act fast — before these tasty deals and limited-edition bites are gone.

The food giant first launched the Gourmet King collection in June 2024.

Fans at the time flocked to Instagram to share their thought about the revamped menu.

One such person said: “Fantas look good.”

Another added: “Can’t wait to try them all.”

A third wrote: “Omg blue raspberry is my fav!!!”, while a fourth said: “All these look banging.”

Earlier this month, rivals McDonald’s launched its first-ever Breakfast Saver Menu.

The bargain meals launched in selected branches across the country with bites starting from as little as 79p.

Breakfast is served from 5am to 11am every day of the week, making it the perfect choice for those early starts.

The fast food is serving up favourites like the Cheesy Bacon Flatbread (£1.99), Saver Bacon Roll (£2.19), and porridge pots (£1.69).

The Breakfast Saver Menu was launched on May 7 across 332 UK restaurants in the North of the country for a short period of time.

The home of the Golden Arches also saw the return of the McSpicy X Frank’s RedHot  on the same day.

How to save money at Burger King

BK offers customers using its app almost 50% off on a range of burgers from Monday to Friday.

Any time between 2pm and 5pm, fans can nab a Whopper, Chicken Royale and Bacon Double Cheeseburger for £3.

Prices vary from branch to branch but you’ll most likely pay £5.99 for any of the three burgers normally.

That’s a saving of almost £3 using the hack.

YourBurgerKing members can get a free Whopper on their birthday.

With the cost of the burger £5.99 in most restaurants, that’s a decent saving as well.

YourBurgerKing is the fast food chain’s reward scheme. You receive 10 points for every £1 spent, as well as a host of other offers.

To sign up, you just have to visit Burger King’s website.

Anyone signed up to the YourBurgerKing scheme will also get 100 points straight away on their first order.

So you can claim your favourite burger and use the points to bag a free portion of fries completely free.

They can cost around £2.50, saving you a few pounds for little effort.

Do you have a money problem that needs sorting? Get in touch by emailing [email protected].

Plus, you can join our Sun Money Chats and Tips Facebook group to share your tips and stories

CARLOS BALEBA isn’t just here to make up the numbers, he’s chasing football’s ultimate individual prize and wants to leave an indelible mark on the game.

The 21-year-old Brighton midfielder is full confidence and charm as he reveals his dream of getting to the top of world football from his home in Hove after inviting me over for an interview.

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Baleba is dreaming of winning the Ballon d’Or, and says praise from Declan Rice and inspiration from Rodri’s success have convinced him it’s possible.

He told SunSport in an exclusive interview: “Declan Rice, Matheus Cunha, Joelinton, they’ve all told me I’ve got it in me.

“I want to win the Ballon d’Or like Rodri.

“I watched him during the Euros and before his injury I played against him and time I got the ball, he was right in front of me.

“It was my first game against Manchester City, and it was very difficult.

“He made it so hard to dribble or pass. That showed his class.

“His success has opened the door for midfielders like us to believe we can win the Ballon d’Or someday.”

Baleba is already making waves with his performances. The Cameroonian is the only midfielder in Europe’s top five leagues this season to register 30+ tackles, 30+ interceptions, 30+ clearances, 30+ take-ons, and 30+ aerial duels won, a stat line that shows just how complete his game is.

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His stock is rising fast, and he’s already been linked with Liverpool and Manchester City and Manchester United.

But for now, Baleba is focused on developing and not paying attention to the rumour mill.

He said: “Yes, I can get to the very top of world football.

“But I need to stay focused, stay calm, not rush, and not let what people write get in my head. If I keep working hard, I can be like Luka Modric or Toni Kroos, I just need to stay grounded.”

The Brighton star’s journey is nothing short of remarkable so far. Just three years ago, he was still in Cameroon, uncertain about his future. 

When he finally got his breakthrough move to Lille, tragedy struck, he lost his mother, he says it was sudden and quick. It’s a pain that still drives him.

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He revealed: “It was very difficult for me because I didn’t see my mum. I wanted her next to me, but when I signed for Brighton, she wasn’t here.

“That’s why the first season was really hard. I thought about her a lot. But I vowed that I would be the best version of myself and go as far as I can in my career.”

The Premier League is the dream destination for many young African players, but Baleba warns it’s not for the faint-hearted.

“The intensity,  if you don’t run, you cannot play in the Premier League. That’s the truth. You have to be willing to put in the hard work.”

What makes Baleba stand out isn’t just his football, it’s his effort to adapt to a new culture and language.

His English is still a work in progress, but he’s proud of the steps he’s taking to settle in,  even if the British weather isn’t always his cup of tea.

“I love it here, to be honest. My favourite English food is the English breakfast, if I’m allowed to say that!.

“But the weather is the only issue, it changes all the time.”

Brighton will be hoping Baleba can continue his meteoric rise, following in the footsteps of midfield stars like Alexis Mac Allister, Yves Bissouma, and Moises Caicedo.

All arrived as unknowns but left as stars. The Cameroonian might just be the next one off the Seagulls’ midfield conveyor belt, and if he keeps dreaming big, he could go even further.

RYAN Thomas has revealed the emotional reason for returning to Coronation Street – nine years after quitting his role as Jason Grimshaw.

The star, 40, played builder Jason in the ITV soap from 2000 until leaving in 2016.

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Earlier this year, The Sun revealed Ryan would be making a comeback to the cobbles after almost a decade away.

He has now opened up about the emotional reason behind his return.

Speaking to Metro, Ryan said: “It was a mix of nostalgia and gratitude for what the show has done for me.

“When they told me Eileen was leaving, it felt right to be a part of that storyline for her and revisit where it all started.”

Elsewhere, the star admitted how he “couldn’t sleep the night before” – despite his long tenure on the soap.

Ryan shared: “Even though I’d been there half my life, I felt like the new kid at school.

“It took me half a day to get rid of the nerves. It was a bit of a shock to the system at first.

“I even went on YouTube to rewatch old scenes and got nervous.

“But it became the norm again very quickly. Everything about the script made it easy for me.”

A source previously told us: “It was a no brainer for Ryan to return when he was asked – it’s all for Sue.

“She’s like a second mum to him and he was willing to do anything to make her send off as special as she deserves it to be.

“He’s not acted for a while so it’s a bit daunting but he played Jason for so long that he’s looking forward to going back to the cobbles.”

Since leaving Coronation Street in 2016, Ryan later quit acting after saying he “lost the bug for it”.

At the time, he revealed on Mancs on the Mic: “It’s hard for me. I started off acting, I started off in that game and I really lost the bug for it.

Corrie cash crisis: shock exits for 2025

ITV bosses are locked in a battle to save the cash-strapped soap.

This means that a number of stars have either been axed from or have abandoned the long-running serial drama.

Colson Smith – Craig Tinker

The character of Craig Tinker has been axed by bosses after 14 years. After he was told of the news in Autumn 2024, Colson Smith confirmed that would be written out of the show with scenes to air later this year. Craig’s on-screen mum, Beth Tinker, also left the show in the summer when actress Lisa George was written out from the role.

Sue Cleaver – Eileen Grimshaw

After 25 years playing Eileen Grimshaw, former I’m A Celebrity campmate Sue Cleaver will quit the show. The Sun on Sunday reported in January that she’s already begun to film her exit scenes. However the character will not be killed off in case Sue opts to make a return in the future.

Luca Toolan – Mason Radcliffe

Bosses decided to axe the teenage character after just 16 months after he first joined the show. Recent scenes saw Mason stabbed by his criminal brothers after his pal Dylan brought a knife in an attempt to defend him.

Sue Devaney – Debbie Webster

In November 2024, we revealed that Debbie Webster is set to be killed off after 40 years on the cobbles. The character will die as part of a heartbreaking long-running dementia storyline.

Charlotte Jordan – Daisy Midgeley

The actress became the fifth star to leave Coronation Street in just one month. We revealed that she will bow out of the ITV soap later this year after four years on-screen. Charlotte told sources that she’s hungry to see what other opportunities await.

Shelley King – Yasmeen Metcalfe

The actress has played Yasmeen Metcalfe on the cobbles for the past 11 years and we revealed in January that she finished filming her final scenes. This follows the departure of her on-screen partner Stu Carpenter.

“I feel the reason for losing the bug is rejection and going to auditions and not getting them.”

Ryan has had success on reality TV – winning Celebrity Big Brother in 2018 and Dancing on Ice in 2024.

More recently, he and younger brother Adam Thomas have hosted the game show 99 to Beat.

Coronation Street airs on ITV1 and ITVX.

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Immigration and cost of living crisis on voters’ minds as they head to polling booths to elect the next government.

Voting is under way in a general election in Portugal – its third vote in as many years – with immigration and the cost of living crisis the biggest talking points during the campaign.

Sunday’s snap elections were called after Prime Minister Luis Montenegro, who leads the centre-right Democratic Alliance, lost a parliamentary vote of confidence in March, just a year into his minority government’s term.

Montenegro called the vote in response to accusations of conflicts of interest over the activities of his family’s consulting firm. He denied any wrongdoing.

Despite the controversy, opinion polls suggested the Democratic Alliance is set to win the most votes ahead of its main rival, the centre-left Socialist Party, and potentially pick up extra seats.

But Montenegro’s party is predicted to fall short again of the 116 seats needed for a majority in parliament.

Polls indicated the far-right Chega party – which opposes immigration, abortion and LGBTQ rights – is to finish in third place, giving it a possible kingmaker role. But Montenegro has ruled out working with Chega, which won 50 seats in last year’s elections.

The economy, immigration and Portugal’s housing crisis were major issues on the campaign trail while Montenegro appealed directly to voters to give him a strong mandate to end the political instability.

“We have to do our part at home, and we have to be part of the solutions abroad, in Europe and in the world. And for that, we need a strong government,” he told a rally in Lisbon on Friday.

Shortly after voting on Sunday, he told reporters that he was confident the country could achieve stable governance.

“There is a search for a stable solution, but that will now depend on [people’s] choices,” he said.

AN X Factor legend has passed away aged 64 after working closely with Simon Cowell on the show for eight years.

Bodyguard Tony Adkins – known as Big Tony – died on Easter Sunday while on a rugby tour, a family member confirmed on social media.

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Sharing a photo of Tony, his cousin wrote: “It is with great sadness my family would like to announce that my Cousin Big Tony, Simon Cowell‘s ex bodyguard, passed away on Easter Sunday while on a Rugby Tour.

“He was a loveable Rogue and will be missed very much, RIP Big T.”

Hammersmith and Fulham RFC also paid tribute to Tony with a statement on its website.

It read: “It is with immense sadness that the club pays tribute to a true gent and great Hammer, Tony Adkins, who passed away whilst on tour with the Club in Poland on Easter Sunday.”

Viewers will remember dealing with upset contestants on The X Factor, often being forced to remove them from the audition room when things didn’t go their way.

After his time working for Simon and the show came to an end, he revealed what his former famous boss is really like.

He told the Mirror: “Simon was so laid-back and a very nice guy.

“He was generous, too. Whenever the show finished – and at Christmas – you’d get an envelope as a thank you. The last one I got had £700 stuffed in it.”

Tony continued: “He’s a very private person. He doesn’t give much away. You never see him drunk or out of control.

“Simon is vain – he does his hair all the time.

“If there are five breaks in filming then Simon will do his hair five times.”

He added: “And I think he has about 20 identical T-shirts. I remember once he had a hole in one, so he just reached into a bag and pulled out another from a big pile.”

Love Island will celebrate its 10th anniversary with a one-off special episode called Love Island: A Decade of Love, which will look back on the show’s most iconic moments

ITV2 is set to commemorate a decade of Love Island with a special anniversary episode, celebrating the cultural phenomenon that’s dominated reality TV over the last decade.

The one-off special, ‘Love Island: A Decade of Love’, will air on ITV2 and ITVX, revisiting some of Love Island’s most seminal moments and catching up with unforgettable Islanders who’ve become household names.

The show promises to take fans down memory lane, reliving heart-stopping recouplings, shocking bombshells, and romance for the ages which have gripped viewers nationwide. It promises exclusive interviews and a peek behind the Love Island curtain to look at how it’s shaped television and impacted its alumni.

READ MORE: Comedy legend Matt Lucas forced to quit show mid performance after falling ill

But, the question on everyone’s lips is which show legends will return for one-off 10th anniversary special? ITV has revealed exactly which Islanders will be back on screens with Dani Dyer, Curtis Pritchard and lovebirds Liam Reardon and Millie Court all set to return.

Georgia Steel will no doubt revisit her iconic ‘I’m loyal’ catchphrase as she will make a comeback alongside series two winners Cara De La Hoyde-Massey and Nathan Massey. The show’s other successful couples Kai Fagan and Sanam Harrinanan and Indiyah Polack and Dami Hope will also be back to give fans an update on their love stories.

Returning favourites include Gabby Allen, who recently split from her All Stars boyfriend Casey O’Gorman, and other iconic Islanders such as Hannah Elizabeth, Anton Danyluk, Whitney Adebayo and Catherine Agbaje. Montana Brown – who welcomed her second child with fiancé Mark O’Connor at the start of the year – will also be gracing screens again, reports the Daily Record.

Mike Spencer, Creative Director, expressed excitement about the upcoming special: “We’ve had an incredible 10 years of love, drama and unforgettable moments in the villa – now it’s time to look back and celebrate the icons who made it all happen.” He added, promising a nostalgic trip full of emotions, “Expect big laughs and plenty of heart as we revisit a decade of Love Island magic.”

Paul Mortimer, Head of Reality, has shared his enthusiasm about the show’s impact: “Love Island has become a true phenomenon over the past decade, delivering must-see TV moments every summer.” He also highlighted what fans can look forward to: “This special offers viewers a chance to relive some of the show’s most iconic moments with the Islanders who made them so memorable.”

The highly anticipated special is set to air on ITV2 and ITVX, acting as a precursor to the fresh summer series returning to Majorca this June. What do you think of the cast? let us know in the comment section below.

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California invented the motel. More specifically: As automobile ownership skyrocketed in the 1920s and entrepreneurs rushed to open tourist camps and motor courts to house traveling families, a Pasadena architect named Arthur Heineman came up with the word motel — motor plus hotel, right? — and put up a mission-style lodging in San Luis Obispo, midway between Los Angeles and San Francisco. He did this in late 1925.

From these facts, The Times hatched a project to help California travelers plan their next road trip and recognize the motel centennial as an anniversary that resounds throughout pop culture.

After driving 2,500 miles and checking out dozens of places, I’ve come up with 34 lodgings to recommend at various price points. (These days, many prefer to call themselves inns or boutique hotels. Still, if their guest room doors open to the great outdoors and there’s a highway handy, I count them as part of the extended motel family.)

We’re also hoping to help all readers appreciate the up-and-down story of motels — how they soared in the midcentury years, then seeped into pop culture as hotbeds of sex and crime, slumped in the late 20th century and lately have entered a new era.

Today many are going luxurious or doubling down on nostalgia. Some are charging $1,000 a night. Others are sticking to their frugal roots and charging $100 a night. Several have been repurposed by government agencies to house people at risk of homelessness. And some don’t even take overnight guests anymore — they make their way by housing retail and restaurants and supplying all-American scenery for selfies and videos.

Among the overnight destinations we cover in our motel centennial special:

• In Paso Robles, the River Lodge’s MOTEL sign rises high above the 101 like a rocket about to be launched from wine country.
• In Palm Springs, the Trixie Motel has added new oomph to the phrase “over the top.”
• In San Bernardino, the Wigwam Motel and its concrete teepees endure, now owned by a family with roots in India and the Inland Empire.
• In San Francisco’s Castro District, a new generation runs Beck’s Motor Lodge for an audience the founders never imagined.
• In Malibu, the Surfrider staff is standing by to lend you a surfboard or a Mini Cooper to cruise along PCH.

For travelers and admirers of midcentury design, the most welcome news may be that just about every week, another revived California roadside lodging reopens, many of them sporting the bold, space-age shapes and signage that midcentury design geeks know as Googie.

We’re also hoping these stories will help with your next road trip:

Happy traveling.

The week’s biggest stories

Lyle Menendez, right, and brother Erik listen to a charge of murder conspiracy against them with Leslie Abramson, far left, attorney for Erik, Dec. 29, 1992, in Los Angeles.

(Chris Martinez / Associated Press)

Menendez brothers move closer to freedom

• When a Los Angeles County judge resentenced Erik and Lyle on Tuesday, he offered the brothers a path to freedom for the first time since they were given life in prison for killing their parents with shotguns in 1989.
• The brothers may be another step closer to freedom after Gov. Gavin Newsom withdrew his request for clemency investigations into their case, turning a hearing scheduled in June before the parole board into an opportunity for them to be granted early release.

L.A. council backs $30 minimum wage for hotels

Smokey Robinson under criminal investigation

More big stories

This week’s must reads

More must reads

For your weekend

The new “World of Color Happiness!” begins with a charming pre-show featuring the Muppets.

(Sean Teegarden / Disneyland Resort)

Going out

Staying in

Have a great weekend, from the Essential California team

Kevinisha Walker, multiplatform editor

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CHOCOLATE lovers are convinced that an iconic treat, last discounted 11 years ago, could be making a comeback on the shelves.

TikToker Minstrel Munches has sparked a buzz on social media, claiming a much-loved snack launched in 2003 might be returning to stores.

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White chocolate Maltesers were originally launched as a seasonal product, but became so popular that they began being sold all year round.

However, due to low sales, they were discontinued, leaving many chocolate fans devastated.

Yet in a recent TikTok, the social media foodie claimed the beloved sweet treat is set to make a comeback this summer.

She said: “They are coming back. They are expected to be released in the middle of June or the start of July.”

Minstrel Munches wasn’t the only social media account to share the news.

The popular Food Finds UK Official Facebook group also claimed that white chocolate Maltesers are set to make a comeback.

The post received hundreds of likes and comments from chocolate fans expressing excitement about the potential return.

One user wrote: “OMG this better be true.”

“Yum can’t wait”, another commented.

While a third said: “Oh my god, our prayers have been answered.”

Why and when were White Maltesers discontinued?

White Maltesers were discontinued in 2014.

They were pulled from shelves 11 years after they first launched in 2003.

White Maltesers were originally launched as a seasonal product but became so popular that they began being sold all year round.

It has been reported that they were discontinued due low sales but many chocolate lovers were devastated to see the end of their run.

In 2017 a petition was started to bring the sweet treat back.

The petition’s creator had hoped to garner 2,500 signatures of support but as of March 2024 only 1,637 had signed the campaign.

Where can you buy discontinued chocolate bars?

Here’s where you can pick up the Breakaway, Caramac, Milky Way Crispy Rolls and Yorkie biscuit bars.

Breakaway bars are still going for packs of eight in some stores, check out:

• Iceland – £1
• Sainsbury’s – £1.25
• Tesco – £1.25

Caramac bars will be tough to find as they go viral as soon as they are spotted, try:

• Iceland – £1.25 (packs of three)
• Sainsbury’s – 75p single bar
• B&M – £1.25 (packs of three)

Yorkie biscuit bars are still stocked in quite a few supermarkets, check out:

• Ocado – £1.25 single bar
• Tesco – £1.25 single bar
• Asda – £1.25 single bar

Fan favourite Milky Way Crispy Rolls have been spotted in stores despite being discontinued back in 2022. Head to:

• Poundland – price varies
• Home Bargains – 79p single ba