Health officials in California are defending the traditional childhood vaccination schedule against efforts by the Trump administration to weaken it.

The longstanding childhood vaccine schedule is safe, California’s top health official said, and continues to be recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics — the nation’s leading group for pediatricians — as well as the other states in the West Coast Health Alliance: Hawaii, Oregon and Washington.

“They’re safe. They’re important for kids to be thriving and healthy in schools,” Dr. Erica Pan, director of the California Department of Public Health and the state public health officer, said of vaccines. And she credited California’s robust vaccine requirements as a condition of enrollment for schoolchildren as a reason why the state so far has kept a lid on the huge outbreaks of measles seen in other parts of the nation.

Her full-throated defense comes after President Trump issued an executive order Monday recommending that the singular measles, mumps and rubella, or MMR, vaccine should be separated into three and that all childhood immunizations should be given at separate visits “to the maximum extent feasible.”

“We want it in three separate vaccinations, given at separate times,” he said during the signing ceremony. “Together, there could be a possibility they’re quite lethal. And separately it looks like they are not at all lethal, but just very effective.”

The American Academy of Pediatrics blasted the order as “unscientific and dangerous,” and criticized comments made by administration officials suggesting a link between autism and vaccines — a claim that has been discredited by many studies.

“Dozens of studies involving millions of people show there is no link between vaccines and autism, and yet federal leaders continue to promote this outdated, disproven idea to scare families,” said the academy’s president, Dr. Andrew Racine.

The Infectious Diseases Society of America has been equally unequivocal.

“The MMR vaccine does not cause autism,” the group says on an online fact page, adding that the measles vaccine prevents thousands of deaths a year worldwide.

Pan said Trump’s executive order does not change vaccine requirements for schoolchildren in California. And insurance companies continue to cover vaccinations for schoolchildren.

When Trump was asked whether there was any evidence for his claims regarding the MMR vaccine, he answered: “No. What I’ve heard is that there are some people that say it is that way, and I say, ‘Well, let’s say there’s a 5% chance of it. Let’s split it up.’ ”

There is no evidence to back up those assertions, medical organizations and mainstream experts say. The first version of the combination MMR shot was approved in 1971, and versions of it have been given to hundreds of millions of children safely over several generations, with more than 90% of children receiving the shot nationally, experts say.

Combining protection against the three diseases has been considered a miracle of modern medicine. Before the vaccine era, hundreds of children a year in the U.S. were either killed by measles or suffered swelling of the brain as a result of the disease. Tens of thousands were also hospitalized each year.

Mumps can cause deafness and inflame the brain, pancreas, testicles, ovaries and breast tissue. And rubella risks causing severe birth defects in pregnant women.

“There is no data supporting doing this in separate shots,” Pan said. “And, in fact, it will take more visits and more pokes in the arm, literally, for children to do this.”

With vaccination rates declining in many parts of the country, measles has resurged in the U.S. in the past two years, resulting in the first child deaths from the disease in 22 years, as well as hundreds of pediatric hospitalizations.

So far this year, there have been 2,566 cases of measles nationwide, which is already more than the 2,289 reported in all of 2025, according to data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The most recent case count is also higher than any calendar year since 1991 — the final year of the nation’s last measles epidemic.

Beyond scheduling difficulties for parents, clinics and doctors’ offices, no company even makes separate immunizations for measles, mumps and rubella, Pan said. “There’s no scientific basis for it. There’s no current availability to do that.”

Trump’s executive order further recommends that children should get vaccinated against 11 diseases, a reduction from the 18 currently recommended by the CDC. The order also suggested that his administration would challenge certain states’ laws that require vaccination as a condition of entry into schools.

California in 2015 enacted a law that strengthened vaccine requirements for schoolchildren. The law ended the ability of parents to cite personal beliefs in seeking to exempt their children from certain vaccinations.

Children can still be exempted and attend school in California if they have a medical reason. And California law does allow parents to skip immunizations for children who are enrolled in independent study programs and do not receive classroom-based instruction.

California’s law was passed following a large measles outbreak centered at Disneyland that resulted in 131 cases in California alone, and spread to six other states, as well as Canada and Mexico. At least 12 of those infected in California were infants too young to be vaccinated.

After the law passed, California saw its measles vaccination rates improve. In 2013, the vaccination rate among California kindergartners hit a low of 92.3%, below the 95% threshold doctors say is needed to keep a lid on outbreaks. Since the law took effect, that rate has ranged between 95.1% and 97.3%.

The most recent figure was 96.1% for the 2024-25 school year.

States that have suffered large measles outbreaks have poorer vaccination rates. South Carolina, for instance, has been home to an outbreak linked to about 1,000 cases — considered one of the largest in the U.S. in more than 30 years. That state’s most recent kindergarten measles vaccination rate was 91.2%, well below the optimal 95% threshold.

There are five immunizations required as a condition of entry into kindergarten in California: polio; DTaP, which protects against diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis; hepatitis B; MMR; and varicella, or chickenpox.

California’s most severe measles epidemic in recent memory occurred between 1988 and 1990 — an era before health officials recommended children receive a second dose of the measles vaccine. That epidemic led to 75 deaths in California and more than 3,000 hospital admissions. A major problem officials identified at that time was that poor parents could not afford vaccinations for their children. One of the nation’s largest outbreaks in 1989 involved mostly preschool-aged children in Los Angeles.

There was also a national measles epidemic between 1989 and 1991, which, according to a study published by the CDC, led to 166 suspected measles deaths and more than 11,000 hospitalizations.

Recommendations to give children a second dose of the vaccine, and the introduction of the federal Vaccines for Children program in the 1990s to help parents pay for immunizations, were credited with driving measles circulation down to historic lows.

Doctors say that it has been striking to see the U.S. go from a place where ongoing domestic measles transmission was effectively eliminated in 2000 to being on the precipice of the disease regaining a foothold.

“We’re seeing in this country cases, hospitalizations and deaths higher than we’ve seen in over 30 years,” Pan said. “We did such a great job — we eliminated measles by the year 2000, and now we’re going backward.”

Ferran Torres, who scored the winning goal for Spain at the World Cup, has joined European champions Paris St-Germain from Barcelona.

The 26-year-old has signed a deal with the French champions until 2031 for a reported fee of about 50m euros (£42.7m).

He scored the extra-time winner against Argentina to help Spain claim their second men’s World Cup last month, while his stock had already risen considerably after a strong season with Barcelona.

The forward scored 21 goals in 49 appearances in all competitions, providing three assists, and helped Barcelona win the La Liga title.

PSG, managed by former Barcelona coach and player Luis Enrique, have won the Champions League in the past two seasons.

Torres is the second high-profile forward PSG have signed this summer after the arrival of Maghnes Akliouche from Monaco.

PSG added to their silverware collection on Wednesday by beating Aston Villa 2-1 to win the Uefa Super Cup.

Torres has been at Barcelona since 2022 having previously spent two years at Manchester City.

He has scored 25 goals in 65 appearances for Spain and made his debut for the national team under Enrique.

PSG could lose Bradley Barcola this summer, with the forward wanted by Liverpool.

Growing up in a hiking family with a history along the Appalachian Trail, I became obsessed this summer with 91-year-old Dale “Greybeard” Sanders’ attempt to recapture his record as the oldest person to complete the more than 2,190-mile trek across 14 states. Known as “thru-hikers,” these backpackers walk the entire trail within a 12-month period. Each week, I’d search online for videos showing Greybeard’s journey, a pep in his step or the grueling grind across the miles. The current recordholder, M.J. “Nimblewill Nomad” Eberhart, who knew my parents, achieved this feat at age 83 in 2021, taking the honor from Greybeard, who set a record at age 82 in 2017. I wasn’t surprised to learn the two men were close friends; they even look alike, with their long white beards and sparkling eyes.

But Monday morning this week, with only 142 miles remaining, Greybeard announced he was heading home for rest in Tennessee. He’d spent a night in a Maine hospital due to complications from a fall and then learned his mother-in-law had died. “When it rains unfortunate incidents, it seems to come in buckets,” he wrote in a Facebook post.

These age-defying records and pivots felt personal.

It wasn’t accidental how the Appalachian Trail became my family’s backbone.

When I was about 7, my parents brought my younger siblings and me to Springer Mountain in Georgia, our daypacks filled with cans of Vienna sausages, boxes of raisins, a change of clothes and a sleeping bag.

“If you continue on this trail, you can walk all the way to Maine!” my dad said, pointing northward.

The path felt like a magical forested portal far from coastal Alabama where we lived. As a child, I couldn’t imagine how hiking would shape my parents as they got older: their physical fitness, spiritual connection to nature and access to community — all assets in aging well, according to extensive research. But more importantly, the outdoors would help them, and ultimately me, learn to adapt to change. That’s a survival skill for us all.

With the trail name “Fairhope,” my brother Laurence became the first in our family to complete the Appalachian Trail in 1992, followed by my parents, known as “Annie and the Salesman,” in 1994. Then my sister married a thru-hiker from north Florida.

“Hiking is a walking meditation, a way to carry everything we need,” my mom told me. “We may not leave you much money, but our legacy will be lives of adventure.”

Pursuing a trifecta of long-distance hikes after the Appalachian Trail, my parents completed the Pacific Crest Trail from Mexico to Canada and nearly half of the Continental Divide Trail when I had my own health crisis. An amniocentesis revealed a serious genetic defect in the chromosomes of the child I was carrying — years before the current extreme restrictions on abortion care. When my parents happened to call from a payphone near the trail, I shared my heartbreaking decision to end the pregnancy.

“We’ll find a way there,” my mom said.

I don’t remember much discussion about abortion when I was younger, and I believe the community of young hikers over many years helped shape my parents’ evolving mindsets on many issues (as well as my mom’s newfound comfort cussing with her Southern drawl).

Somehow they hitchhiked to find a rental car and drove cross-country to Warren Wilson College in western North Carolina, where I still live and teach environmental education. This is a work college where all students hold jobs on campus like farmer, fiber artist and genetics lab tech. Like the trail, it’s a place with steep learning curves.

“Sometimes you have to change course,” my mom said, “when you sense the right path to take.” While she spoke, she held my 3-year-old, who would stay home with my dad while we drove more than five hours to a hospital in Virginia.

More than a month after returning to the Continental Divide Trail, my mom came down with a severe stomach virus, which my father caught a few days later. Much like Greybeard’s pivot, they decided to pause the hike. “The trail will still be here, but mom had a feeling it was time to go home,” my dad said.

Less than a year later in 2003, my mother, 58, was killed in a cycling accident, hit by a teen driver in Fairhope, our hometown. With time and a few trial runs, my dad returned to hike for a month on the Continental Divide Trail without her.

“I was never lonely, but I missed her every day,” he said.

In 2005, wearing a reflective vest and biking on the shoulder of the road, my dad, 64, was hit and killed by another teen driver. At their gravesites, we placed two metal sculptures, the “Final Blaze,” gifts from the Appalachian Trail community, many members of whom came to shovel earth upon the graves.

Since then, I’ve corresponded with Nimblewill Nomad, the record holder and caretaker of a hostel at Flagg Mountain, the start of the Pinhoti Trail in Alabama. There he has dreams to create a community where elders who are hikers can live together in the montane longleaf pine ecosystem.

“Your parents’ heart was years ago divinely placed in trust, in a chest — yours,” he wrote to me years after their deaths.

Now 60, I have outlived my mother, and I’m also surrounded by young people — my two daughters and my students — just as my parents were on their long-distance adventures. My undergrads are rightly fearful about the climate crisis but working in community to find their way. They’ve read the research documenting how the outdoors, including urban green spaces, improves cognition, social connection and physical strength, while decreasing depression and anxiety in all ages, but especially seniors. Nature helps humans adapt to change, and not everyone has proximity to it.

My students also know the Trump administration has cut funding for and even decreased the size of our public lands. They’ve met alums with careers in conservation whose federal jobs no longer exist. And we’re still recovering here from Hurricane Helene, a devastating climate disaster almost two years ago.

But what I know for sure, I tell them, is we must join with others to protect both people and places, even when we don’t know how this path will end. That’s my parents’ legacy to me.

While prepping for classes this week, I checked updates from Greybeard, who was home under the care of his physician for exhaustion after the rugged southern mountains in Maine — but he was cleared to hike again and intended to complete the trail. Regardless of the record-breaking deadline of Sept. 6, he’s adapting to a new “finish plan” and shared this truth for us all: “Together we will conquer this seemingly impossible task.”

Mallory McDuff is the author of several books, including “Our Last Best Act: Planning for the End of Our Lives to Protect the People and Places We Love.” She teaches environmental education at Warren Wilson College.

Sebastian Coe has a simple approach to avoiding political interference in global sport.

“The balance is keeping the politicians on the bus but not letting them anywhere near the steering wheel,” Coe said late Friday at the European championships.

The World Athletics president was responding to a question while speaking to journalists about avoiding political turmoil at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics. Other topics included track and field’s ban on Russian athletes, private equity in sports and FIFA’s credibility crisis following a controversial overturned red card at the World Cup.

FIFA was criticised after United States President Donald Trump made a phone call to FIFA President Gianni Infantino urging that US forward Folarin Balogun’s red-card suspension be overturned. World football’s governing body lifted the suspension. Trump will be nearing the end of his second term when the LA Games take place.

The 69-year-old Coe, a two-time Olympic gold medallist, led the 2012 London Olympics’ bidding and organising committees.

“I ran the London Games. I know it’s really important that you have really good working relationships with government, prime ministers,” said Coe, a former elected member of the British parliament.

“The delivery of the Games is in large part predicated on those relationships – with Treasury, Defence, Homeland Security, in our terms the Home Office.”

But with phone calls to influence a sporting matter, it’s “entirely down to the resilience of a sporting organisation to say, ‘I hear what you say, but thank you and goodnight,’” Coe said, noting the need to keep politicians out of the driver’s seat.

“I think I probably achieved that quite well in London. But not having those relationships is dangerous. Of course, there’s a balance.”

Could failed World Cup private equity look to track and field?

Infantino’s failed plan to sell World Cup profits to private equity investors has landed the FIFA president in a battle to retain his post.

Coe said the idea was “not as unfamiliar territory as people tend to think”.

“For the last decade, private equity or sovereign wealth funds have been investing in sports,” he said.

The ambitions of each member federation, he added, are tied to its ability to raise revenues.

“Private equity is a big play in many sports. There are individual athletics federations at this very moment I know are discussing partnerships with external sources of revenue including private equity,” Coe said. “That’s the way it should be, and that’s what I’ve encouraged our federations to look at.”

Infantino has acknowledged his FIFA proposal lacked transparency, but on Saturday received the backing of the executive director of the White House Task Force for the recently completed World Cup, Andrew Giuliani, who told critics of Infantino, ‘It’s just politics.’

“What you want to absolutely make sure,” Coe said of private investors, “is when that does take place that your sport has the kinds of governances and checks and balance and the type of consultation that allows people to understand the rationale, the ambition and what the execution looks like. That is critical.”

Coe noted that World Athletics has broadcast and sponsorship deals expiring in 2029, so seeking external sources of revenue is “an absolutely critical conversation to have. That debate has been taking place for two or three years, particularly at executive board level.”

Coe to defend World Athletics’ ban on Russian athletes

Coe plans to be on hand at the Court of Arbitration for Sport to defend World Athletics’ ban on Russian athletes.

In July, the International Olympic Committee lifted a suspension of the Russian Olympic Committee and advised Olympic sport bodies they no longer need to vet Russian athletes for permission to compete as neutrals.

But World Athletics said it will maintain the ban it imposed shortly after Russian forces invaded Ukraine more than four years ago.

Russian Athletics has asked Switzerland-based CAS to overturn the sanctions.

“I will be in the Court of Arbitration (for Sport) defending our position,” said Coe, who lost a bid last year to become IOC president.

“We will continue to do what we think is in the best interest of our sport,” he added. “The primacy of an international federation to determine what eligibility looks like in the sport is the base of the pyramid.

“When we have been to the court before on previous occasions, that concept has been upheld. This is not about politics or passports. This is about the integrity of competition. That is the position we will be defending.”

Australia close Day Three of the first Test against Bangladesh on 161-4, trailing the record-chasing tourists by 67.

Spinner Mehidy Hasan Miraz took the key wicket of Steve Smith to reduce Australia to 161-4 after the third day of the first Test in Darwin and move Bangladesh closer to a historic win.

At the close on Saturday, Australia trailed the visitors by 67 runs in their second innings, with Cameron Green on 43 and Alex Carey on 19.

After being dismissed for 426 shortly after lunch, Bangladesh seamer Hasan Mahmud stunned Australia when he claimed both openers cheaply.

Hasan, who took a career-best 6-55 in the first innings, bowled Jake Weatherald (0) and Travis Head (17) in identical fashion, both chopping on to their stumps.

On a good batting strip, Marnus Labuschagne and Smith initially steadied the ship.

Labuschagne, who has been out of form and seen his place in the team increasingly come into question, eased to 31 before playing over the top of a straight ball from left-arm spinner Taijul Islam and being bowled.

Smith, so often Australia’s saviour, batted sensibly but with the score on 122 he got a leading edge to off-spinner Mehidy and chipped it straight back to the bowler.

“The way we showed character and the way we played for the last two or three days was outstanding,” visiting captain Najmul Hossain Shanto told Fox Sports.

“We are taking it session by session, focusing on the process and not the outcome.”

Earlier, Mehidy did the damage with the bat, scoring a valuable half-century in Bangladesh’s first innings.

After Bangladesh were well beaten by a Cricket Australia XI in their only warm-up match, including being bowled out for 54 in the second innings, many expected this Test to be an easy Australia victory.

But the unfancied visitors bowled the hosts out for 198 on the first day and then showed great dedication with the bat to keep the home side in the field for 138 overs.

Mehidy shielded the lower order brilliantly in the morning session to frustrate a tiring Australian attack.

When he was finally dismissed for 65 by Josh Hazlewood shortly after lunch, he had helped put his team into a strong position halfway through the match.

Bangladesh are attempting to win a Test in Australia for the first time, at the third attempt.

Mehidy shines for Bangladesh to frustrate Australia

After Bangladesh resumed the day on 351-6, fast bowler Hazlewood took two wickets in the first hour to give the hosts hope of wrapping up the tail relatively quickly.

But Mehidy’s outstanding batting allowed Bangladesh to defy the Australian bowlers on a typically hot and humid Darwin morning.

They were helped by some poor Australian catching, including an almost inexplicable miss by Smith, who got under a mistimed pull from Taskin Ahmed in the deep but dropped the simplest of chances.

Two balls later, Mehidy miscued a pull shot only for a diving Head to spill a more difficult chance.

After defying the Australians for more than an hour in the final session on Friday, Hasan lasted just four overs of the first session on Saturday before being trapped leg before by Hazlewood, adding one run to his overnight score of 13.

Taijul Islam made a breezy 17 before becoming Hazlewood’s 299th wicket in Tests when he guided a ball straight to Cameron Green at gully.

With Mehidy shielding Taskin, Bangladesh pushed the lead past 200 and kept the Australian bowlers toiling for another two hours.

Hazlewood, the pick of the attack with 6-89, reached 300 wickets in Tests when he had Mehidy caught behind by Alex Carey to leave Bangladesh 418-9.

He got his 301st when Number 11 Ebadot Hossain fell the same way for seven.

IT is the dancefloor hit that was the late Queen’s favourite song.

But we can reveal Abba’s Dancing Queen — released 50 years ago this week — almost had a completely different name and made the Swedish foursome cry the first time they heard the final edit.

In an exclusive interview to mark half a century of the song, which has been streamed more than two billion times and was voted the UK’s favourite dancefloor filler, ­historian Carl Magnus Palm explains that Abba still have unheard songs.

But friend of the band Carl fears the world will never hear them.

And he insists that members Agnetha Faltskog, Bjorn Ulvaeus, Benny Andersson and Frida Lyngstad have no interest in reforming.

Carl, who has known the band for 25 years, told The Sun: “Dancing Queen was one the songs that Abba are most proud of as its sound was so unique at the time they wrote it.

“But the lyrics didn’t come until a long time after the melody was formed.

“They told me that for weeks they sung nonsense words over the chorus.

The working title was ‘Boogaloo’ as they were the words they sung instead of Dancing Queen for a long time.

“I’m not sure it would’ve been the hit it is today if they had stuck with that. When they eventually found the lyrics and the song was finished, some of the band were reduced to tears, they found it so beautiful.”

On the prospect of them reforming and releasing of new songs, he added: “They seem very firm that they are going to enjoy their retirement and that they’ll be no more new music.

“However, I know there are a few songs which have never been heard. They were written for their last album and didn’t make the cut.

“They won’t even tell people the names of the tracks. I guess while they remain unreleased there is always a chance of new music. It’s not impossible but unlikely.”

Carl revealed that the famously private Swedish group remain close but rarely socialise together.

And he said they shed tears of joy when they saw their younger selves in hologram form at London’s Abba Voyage show.

Carl also said that songwriter Bjorn is working on a new musical with the help of AI and an unnamed “British female artist”.

Abba formed in 1972 and went on to become one of the world’s biggest acts, selling more than 50million records.

Dancing Queen alone — which was released in August 1976 — has sold more than 4million globally and has two billion downloads on Spotify.

The song was not only voted the UK’s favourite Abba hit of all time by Radio 2 listeners in 2024 but was voted the nation’s favourite dancefloor song ever.

But Carl, who got close to the band having been a historian and author on their music for 25 years, told how the song could have been so different to the track we all love.

He said: “Abba had a big hit with Waterloo in 1974 but the reality was everything after that for a while had been a flop in the UK and they put great store by what was a success in ­Britain.

“They wondered whether part of it was down to getting distracted in the songwriting process. So in the summer of 1975 they went to a tiny cabin in the Swedish archipelago island of Viggso near Stockholm.

“Bjorn and Agnetha, who were married at the time, had a property there and they had this small two-bedroom guest cabin with an indoor porch.

“I was lucky enough to be allowed to go there. They set up Benny’s piano and two chairs and started to write a melody.

“No one could reach them there, so they could focus. For the first time Bjorn brought an electric guitar and amp instead of his acoustic guitar because he told me he’d been listening to lots of American dance music like Stevie Wonder and George McCrae’s Rock Your Baby.

“They then came up with this melody. It was the beginning of Dancing Queen. For ages the lyrics were ­gibberish — English words with no meaning or cohesion. I heard them. The chorus was simply ‘Boogaloo’.

“In the next few weeks they went back to the mainland and laid it all down.

“Benny and their manager wrote the lyrics about this 17-year-old ­clubbing girl.

“They gave no suggestion it was based on Agnetha and Frida — just a fictitious young clubber. They told me that they got rid of some extra verses, which the fans never heard.

“I’m glad they did as originally the first two lines to the song were going to be ‘Baby, baby, you’re out of sight. Hey, you’re looking all right tonight’.

“They knew people would have hated that so they cut it out.

“It was a good job because I doubt it would’ve been the hit it is today with those as your opening lyrics.”

Carl also told about how the band became emotional when the song was finally cut.

He said: “Bjorn and Benny told me there were absolutely ecstatic. They finished it late at night and Bjorn was desperate to play it to someone. Agnetha was asleep at home so he went to his sister’s place instead, and they played this tape over and over again.

“Bjorn went home to Frida, who he was married to then, and played it.

“She told me she put the tape in the tape machine, pressed the play button, and she thought it was so beautiful that she started to cry.

“Agnetha has since told me she had chills and the hairs on the back of her neck stood up when she heard it.”

The video for the song was recorded in a “matter of hours” on a low budget.

When released, Dancing Queen spent six weeks at No1 in the UK and topped the charts in 15 different countries.

According to Carl, Abba loved the song so much they always tried to play it as their final tune of every encore at live shows.

It gained fans from all over the world, including the King and Queen of Sweden and the late Queen ­Elizabeth, who regularly said was her favourite song.

Virgin Radio DJ Chris Evans once recalled performing a DJ set at a ­private royal party.

When Dancing Queen was played, the Queen reportedly remarked to her guests: “I always try to dance when this song comes on because I am the Queen and I like to dance”.

Carl added that the band were moved by having the late Queen as a fan, saying: “They were all very touched.”

However, Bjorn told him that he was “puzzled” by the fact Dancing Queen is seen as a dancefloor song as “he still thinks it’s too slow to dance to”.

In 1979, Bjorn and Agnetha split and two years later Frida and Benny did the same. It saw the band go on an indefinite hiatus.

But in 2021, they returned with new material and album Voyage.

A year later, interactive experience Abba ­Voyage opened in London — showing the band as holograms from their pomp.

Carl added: “They loved Abba ­Voyage and they went to the opening. Bjorn told me it was like watching a band he used to know from decades ago.

“He said it was like an out-of-body experience.

“There were tears of happiness when they saw it, definitely.”

Carl, who first got to know the band when they worked with him to release his 2001 book Bright Lights Dark Shadows: The Definitive Bio- graphy Of Abba, said that the likelihood of there being any reunion is very slim.

Carl added: “They are winding down now.

“They like their privacy. They have grandchildren. They are in their 70s and 80s.

“The chance of a reunion is very slim I think. But it’s not impossible. There are still the songs that didn’t make it on Voyage, but they are showing no signs of wanting anyone to know what they are.

“They are still close but they don’t really socialise. They are all living very low-key lives.

“It is only Bjorn who is working. He is working on a musical — using the help of AI — with a British female singer, whose name they have not told me.

“One thing I know for sure is that when they recorded Dancing Queen on that tiny porch they would never have dreamed it would still be as relevant and popular today — 50 years on.”

• Bright Lights Dark Shadows: The ­Definitive Biography Of Abba by Carl ­Magnus Palm is available now.

Crystal Palace have signed Israel international Anan Khalaili on a deal which runs until 2031.

The Eagles have reportedly paid a £21m fee for the 21-year-old, who can play as a full-back or winger.

He arrives from Union Saint-Gilloise where, since joining in 2024, he helped the side win their first Belgian Pro League title in 90 years and a Belgian Cup.

Khalaili will add European experience to Palace’s Europa League campaign, having scored three of his six goals last season in the Champions League.

“I have followed the Premier League for a long time, it’s a new challenge for me,” Khalaili said.

“And Crystal Palace I like, because I have followed them for a long time. They have deserved to win three trophies and I want to do more.”

Khalaili becomes the fifth addition to Pierre Sage’s side.

Defenders Takehiro Tomiyasu and Oscar Mingueza each signed on a free, while Dwight McNeil arrived in exchange for Brennan Johnson and Evann Guessand returns on a season-long loan from Aston Villa.

PUERTO Rico is known for salsa, pina coladas and street parties.

But following Puerto Rican singer Bad Bunny’s performance at the Super Bowl half-time show this year, interest in the Caribbean island — which is a US territory — has surged.

And on my first visit, it didn’t take me long to realise what all the fuss was about.

Landing in capital San Juan, I made a beeline for Bad Bunny’s favourite neighbourhood, Santurce, a hip and arty spot littered with bright and enormous murals — the biggest of which stretches ten storeys high.

In the day, the streets here are peaceful, with quiet cafes spilling on to the pavement and a well-known elderly man selling flowers to passers-by.

Don’t let that fool you, though.

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The scene completely changes come Friday and Saturday nights, when locals cram into the many bars and party on the streets to live music.

It’s a great spot for a boogie and for those who love to let their hair down.

But if, like me, you’re not much of a party animal, you might prefer the region of Ciales, around 40 miles to the west, which offers sweeping, unspoilt countryside.

Instead of late nights stomping until sunrise, this area is all about early mornings and waterfall hikes.

You’ll never struggle to find a decent coffee to fuel those dawn starts, either.

After all, Puerto Rico is famous for producing some of the best in the world.

You’ll be able to pick up a brew anywhere, with makeshift stalls perched on the side of the road and halfway up mountains.

I even found one suspended from a treehouse. Called FinCafe, it serves its brews with a twist.

How does a ginger and cinnamon flat white sound?

FinCafe also offers tours of its plantation across the road. Book with Sofrito Tours (sofritotourspr.com).

Heading even further west, out of the countryside and towards the coastline, I stumbled upon some of the most beautiful seaside spots, including Crash Boat Beach.

Once a military site (hence the name) this shore is now a gorgeous stretch of white sand bordering clear blue seas.

Be prepared to jump off the fishing pier if you visit. It’s a cherished tradition here.

If you are keen to have a go at surfing then make your way to Jobos Beach, a few miles along the coast from Crash Boat.

Those who are new to the sport can book a private or group lesson with local group MOKU (mokusurfshop.com).

The staff are incredibly patient.

They even pushed my board against the might of the ocean to try and help me catch a wave.

You’ll find that all the exertion will build up quite an appetite — and lunch at the surrounding coastal restaurants is the best way to refuel.

I became very partial to a Medalla Light beer or an Ocean Lab Mambo, which has a hint of passion fruit and is delightfully fresh after a day of swallowing salty seawater.

Beers can be paired with local snacks such as fried fish, crab fritters and plantain chips.

You can bet your bottom dollar that it will be some of the freshest grub you have tried, too.

Much of the food in Puerto Rico is sourced from the island.

Pa’l Monte, in the small town of Rincon, is the place to head for proper hearty meals.

Try traditional mofongo, which is fried and then mashed plantain, topped with prawns, meat or veggies.

If you are more of a cheese fan then Vaca Negra is where to head. You can even have a go at making your own cheese (see vacanegra.com).

After busy days of surfing, exploring and gobbling back delicious food, the comfy beds at El Oasis, a retreat in the hilltops of Aguada, offered great respite.

With nothing but the call of the coqui tree frogs to disturb the peace, this spot felt like living in pure paradise.

And I can’t help but feel a little jealous that Bad Bunny gets to call this home.

Mikel Arteta, who ended Arsenal’s 22-year wait for a Premier League title, says contract negotiations will be resolved.

Mikel Arteta insists Arsenal fans have no reason to worry about his future with the Premier League champions as the Gunners boss heads into the final year of his contract.

Arteta ended Arsenal’s 22-year wait to win the Premier League in May and was expected to sign a new contract as a reward for that historic success.

With Arsenal set to begin their 2026-27 campaign against Manchester City in the Community Shield on Sunday, there have been few signs of the Spaniard getting close to putting pen to paper.

But Arteta, who joined Arsenal in 2019, last agreed a new contract with the north London club in 2024, and he has no doubts another deal will eventually be signed.

“They don’t have to worry about any of that, because I want to be here,” the Spaniard said.

“I am extremely happy. I feel very grateful to work with the people that I work with, and when we have the possibility, we will resolve that. And that’s it.”

Hinting Arsenal’s busy close-season transfer activity has been his priority instead of the contract, Arteta reassured supporters not to fret.

“There is always another priority, I think! That’s the way we have been treating it, I think because everybody feels comfortable that the time on the contract is not going to be an issue,” he said.

“I think because my will, certainly, is to be here and I am very happy here. My feeling from the club is the same one. That is why everyone is doing things in a really organic way.”

Arsenal have boosted their title-winning squad with the additions of Newcastle midfielder Bruno Guimaraes and Club Brugge forward Christos Tzolis.

They also made Piero Hincapie’s loan move from Bayer Leverkusen permanent and landed Illan Meslier on a free transfer.

Arteta’s pursuit of Aston Villa’s Morgan Rogers and Real Madrid’s Vinicius Junior was unsuccessful during a transfer window where Manchester City, Tottenham and Chelsea have all spent 100 million pounds ($135m) on one player.

But Arteta is not worried about Arsenal’s reign as champions being shattered by one of their big-spending title rivals.

“I am really happy with the squad, the players that I have and I am really happy with the ambition of the club,” said Arteta, who has been linked with Villa’s Ezri Konsa and Leverkusen’s Jarell Quansah to strengthen Arsenal’s defence.

“There is zero question about that and we have shown that in the manner we have tried to act, but I think we need to do it our own way.

“We have super strengths and we have other areas we need to be very conscious because we don’t have the elements or the structure that other clubs have.

“We need to do it our way. We are always on it that way and we will do what we believe is the right thing to do. To have the best possibility to compete in every competition, that’s for sure.”

Caracas, August 14, 2026 (venezuelanalysis.com) – The Venezuelan government has granted an offshore natural gas concession to a consortium of British multinational BP, the United Arab Emirates’ XRG, and Qatar’s UCC.

Acting President Delcy Rodríguez held an agreement-signing ceremony and press conference on Thursday alongside executives of the three corporations on Wednesday.

“I salute this historical moment and thank you for setting up this consortium to achieve such an important agreement for Venezuela and the global energy community,” she said. 

Rodríguez emphasized Caracas’ decision to prioritize natural gas ventures to supply the domestic market and boost exports. However, state energy company PDVSA is not a stakeholder in the project.

The multinational consortium was granted rights to drill in the so-called second phase of the Loran field, in the Deltana Platform off Venezuela’s Atlantic coast, with reserves estimated at 4 trillion cubic feet (Tcf). Loran shares its deposits with the Manatee field in the territorial waters of Trinidad and Tobago. They hold 7.3 and 2.7 Tcf of natural gas, respectively.

The first phase of Loran’s exploration was granted to Shell, which is also operating on the Manatee side and expects to produce 4.4 Tcf from the two fields. Both phases are to be developed concurrently. Shell has additionally secured a concession to run the 4 Tcf Dragon field.

“The award of the Loran Phase 2 license […] builds on the strong collaboration we have established with the government of Venezuela and our partners and reflects the progress we have made together,” BP CEO Meg O’Neill stated during the televised event.

The London-headquartered multinational has aggressively pursued Venezuela natural gas opportunities. BP is also set to operate the 1 Tcf Cocuina-Manakin field alongside Trinidad and Tobago’s National Gas Company (NGC). BP recently sold 20 percent of its stake in the Cocuina-Manakin project to the NGC.

BP, Shell, and NGC hold respective 45, 45, and 10 percent shares in Atlantic LNG, a major liquefied natural gas project in Trinidad that is expected to process most of the output from the ventures in Venezuelan waters.

On Thursday, BP also signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Venezuelan authorities to explore opportunities in the Carúpano East block, which belongs to the Mariscal Sucre offshore natural gas project.

XRG, the international arm of the UAE’s state-owned Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC), has been expanding overseas investments and recently secured a stake in Argentina’s Vaca Muerta development. 

For its part, the UCC is a privately owned Qatari conglomerate with close ties to the royal family. Originally focused on construction and infrastructure, it has gradually expanded its portfolio to energy and mining ventures. The arrival of Qatari and Emirati firms in the South American country reflects Venezuela’s geopolitical realignment since the January 3 US military strikes and kidnapping of President Maduro. During the previous two decades, the Chávez and Maduro governments pursued an eastward-looking policy, deepening ties with Iran, Russia, and China in energy and other strategic sectors while maintaining a predominant state role.

In recent months, energy majors have flocked to Venezuela to strike new deals or renew existing ones following a pro-business overhaul to hydrocarbons legislation. A reformed Hydrocarbon Law slashed royalties and taxes, granted foreign partners control over operations and sales, and subordinated contracts to international arbitration bodies.

Despite the opening to transnational corporations, Venezuela’s oil output has stagnated since May. The latest OPEC monthly report placed the Caribbean nation’s July production at 1.117 million bpd, roughly one percent above the June figure, according to secondary sources.

PDVSA reported an output of 1.200 million bpd, up from 1.187 million bpd the prior month. Direct and secondary measurements have historically differed over disagreements on the inclusion of condensates and natural gas liquids.

Edited by Lucas Koerner in Philadelphia, USA.

AMERICAN Pie sex symbol Shannon Elizabeth has revealed the staggering amount she’s raking in from OnlyFans – after quitting Hollywood.

Actress Shannon – who is best known for her role as exchange student Nadia in the American Pie franchise – has opened up about joining the adult site and having ‘a lot of fun’.

The 52-year-old told Variety: “I think I was one of the first actors to have one.

“The only people who had websites at the time were porn stars. That was it.

“So, everyone thought, ‘Why are you putting a website up?’ But we thought that was the next step in the evolution of things.”

The actress launched her account on the subscription site back in April to show off her ‘sexy’ side. 

BIG SLICE OF PIE

American Pie’s Shannon Elizabeth rakes in $1M payday on OnlyFans in a week

MY, MY…

American Pie star, 52, joining OnlyFans to ‘show off sexy side’ after hubby split

“I crossed $1 million (£74k) in nine days,” she shared. “It was really surprising, and I was honoured that my fans came out and supported me.

“I had no idea what to expect, and the response has been really amazing. I’m chatting with people all the time and it’s been a lot of fun.

“There are a bunch of actors that have recently gotten on and we’re starting to pull it back to what it was meant to be,” Elizabeth added.

“It doesn’t have to be only for adult entertainment. It can be whatever you want it to be.”

“I was going through a divorce here in South Africa and was chatting to my manager Joe about what’s next and how to restart things in my life.

“I had really neglected a lot of things, and he brought it up as an option. I wasn’t sure and didn’t know much about it, and we looked into it, and I thought, ‘Yeah, why not?’” explained Elizabeth.

The brunette beauty returned to the American Pie franchise for the fourth and final instalment American Reunion in 2012 – but hasn’t acted since 2024.

Shannon currently lives in South Africa and recently opened up about being cast in her breakout role, explaining how working as a model prior to American Pie was a big help. 

She continued: “For the last ten years I’ve been living off of my savings for the most part because I haven’t been as focused on work.

“To be able to get myself back to the point where I’m not struggling and am able to choose projects because I like them and not because I need the money — it’s definitely giving me more freedom to do that.”

When the movie first came out 18 years ago, Nadia became infamous for her scene with character Jim Levenstein (Jason Biggs) where he was streamed over webcam trying to seduce her.

Before American Pie, Nadia worked as a model before landing a small part in the killer snowman flick Jack Frost in 1997.

But starring as Nadia led to roles in Scary Movie, Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back – along with several magazine shoots.

The keen animal activist, vegan and environmentalist has also been in a number of TV shows including Just Shoot Me!, That ‘70s Show, The Twilight Zone, Punk’d and Dancing With The Stars (US).

In her personal life, Shannon was married to actors Joseph D. Reitman from 2002 to 2005.

After her stint on Dancing with the Stars, she dated her dancing partner Derek Hough for over a year, until August 2009, but the pair later split.

Jac Caglianone homered and drove in five runs on a three-hit night, Michael Massey also homered and had three hits and the Kansas City Royals beat the Angels 7-6 on Friday to snap a four-game losing streak.

John Schreiber, Nate Pearson and Steven Cruz threw scoreless relief innings for the Royals, with Cruz finishing for his fourth save.

Nolan Schanuel had two hits and four RBIs for the Angels (48-75). They had won three straight.

After Josh Lowe’s solo homer off Alex Lange (2-7) gave the Angels a 6-5 lead in the sixth, Kansas City (50-73) scored twice off Tayler Saucedo (0-1) in the seventh to make it 7-6.

Caglianone is batting .438 (21 for 48) with five homers and 18 RBIs during a 12-game hitting streak. In the ninth, he took second on an error and scored on Massey’s two-out RBI single to finish the scoring.

Caglianone’s two-run homer — his 22nd of the season — off left-hander Sammy Peralta gave Kansas City a 5-4 lead in the fifth.

Royals starter Seth Lugo gave up five runs and seven hits in 4⅔ innings.

Up next: Royals RHP Randy Dobnak (2-1, 2.00 ERA) was set to oppose Angels LHP Reid Detmers (3-8, 4.00 ERA) on Saturday night.

HAVE you ever just wanted to pack up your bags and move away somewhere for a month?

Well you’re in luck – as there is a holiday deal which includes your flights and hotel for 28 nights… and it is less than the average mortgage cost for the month.

The deal is for a month in Malta for just £410 per person.

With the average UK mortgage costing between £1,355 to £1,592 (and average rent costing £1,369), you would still be saving money compared to just living a month in the UK.

Even if you head on holiday with another person, it will still be less than a mortgage or rent at £820 for two people.

The trip includes return flights from either Bournemouth on January 16, 2027, or Birmingham on January 6, 2027 and then 28 nights accommodation at the hotel.

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If you want to fly from another UK airport you can, it might just cost you a fiver or tenner more.

You’d stay at the Relax Inn in Bugibba, Malta, just a few minutes’ walk from the sea.

At the hotel there are 40 rooms, including single, twin and triple rooms with each one having its own bathroom as well as a balcony.

There’s also a bar in the hotel, where you can grab a tipple before heading to the lounge to watch a movie or the games room.

As for Bugibba, you’ll find cosy restaurants, bars and a number of shops to explore.

You’ll have to factor in some costs for food and drink, but it isn’t far from the centre of town which has lots of pubs and outdoor cafes.

The only downside? Don’t expect to use the rooftop swimming pool as it will be closed until the summer season.

While Malta won’t be hot in January, it is still warmer than the UK, at around 16C compared to our 7C.

You can head to Perched Beach – a man-made beach with lounging areas.

You can also go on boat trips from the town including to the Blue Lagoon in Comino.

To get to the hotel, you will fly into the capital of Valetta which is a half hour drive away.

The tiny city is known for St John’s Co-Cathedral, the Grand Master’s Palace and the Upper Barrakka Gardens.

Andrew Giuliani, son of ex-New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani, tells critics of FIFA’s Gianni Infantino ‘it’s just politics’.

Andrew Giuliani, the son of former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani and executive director of the White House Task Force for the recently completed World Cup, has voiced his support for embattled FIFA President Gianni Infantino, calling his critics jealous.

Infantino has faced ⁠widespread criticism over his plan to sell a stake in the World Cup to private investors. He quashed the idea in late July amid the outrage, but the plan has nonetheless cost him support for his re-election bid next year.

Among those who have voiced their displeasure with Infantino or announced their refusal to back his re-election are UEFA, CONCACAF and the Asian Football Confederation (AFC), plus ‌the football federations of England, Wales, the Republic of Ireland and New Zealand.

Giuliani said politics and pettiness are the true reasons behind the outcry.

“It’s politics. I’ve seen this before,” Giuliani told The Athletic. “I’ve seen it before when they’ve targeted President Trump from a political perspective. I’ve seen it before when they’ve targeted other people.

“People are jealous when people are very ⁠high achievers – and what Gianni Infantino has done for FIFA ⁠is he’s taken them to a whole new level that probably they didn’t think was possible.”

Infantino’s plan was to sell approximately 20% of a proposed new entity, FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE), focused on ⁠the commercial and operational facets of the World Cup and other FIFA tournaments.

Among the investors in FFE was to ⁠be Joshua Kushner, the brother of Trump’s son-in-law Jared ⁠Kushner and part of the group that recently agreed to buy the Los Angeles Lakers.

“Look, we are all human beings, and I think it’s one of those things where sport has become ‌monetised and commercialised,” Giuliani added.

“I would just say that you have got to look at Gianni’s full body of work and to also realise that he’s always ‌trying ‌to improve his organisation, and I think that’s the thing … I would look at the body of work and say this is the guy I would want leading.”

There is no uniform approach to youth development among Premier League clubs.

International Centre for Sports Studies (CIES) figures for 2025-26 show club-trained players accounted for 16.2% of Manchester City‘s Premier League minutes, followed by Chelsea on 15.5% and Brighton on 12.5%.

CIES defines a club-trained player as someone registered with their current club for at least three full seasons, or 36 months, between the ages of 15 and 21. That means an 18-year-old recruited from an EFL academy can still go on to qualify as club-trained if he spends the next three seasons with his new Premier League club.

At the other end of the scale, Tottenham‘s club-trained players accounted for just 0.1% of league minutes, while Bournemouth, Brentford and Burnley were all at zero.

Recruiting from EFL and Scottish academies therefore offers another way of building that development pipeline.

Rather than relying solely on players who have been with a club since childhood, a Premier League side can identify somebody developed elsewhere, bring them into their under-21 structure at 17, 18 or 19 and take responsibility for the final stages of their development.

The numbers do not yet show a relentless increase. There were 18 such moves in 2023-24, meaning this summer’s 14 cannot be described as unprecedented.

But the concentration of 18-year-olds and League One players suggests clubs are becoming increasingly precise about the market they are targeting.

For EFL clubs, that raises questions over how long their best youngsters can realistically be retained.

For Premier League clubs, the calculation is different. The next Watkins, Eze, Wharton or Semenyo may already be somewhere further down the pyramid. The challenge is finding them before everybody else does.

This “true hidden gem” quietly stars singing icon David Bowie.

Christopher Nolan fans should be tuning into this “mindblowing” period drama based on a top-selling book.

Movie fanatics are queuing up to see Christopher Nolan’s historical epic Odyssey starring the likes of Matt Damon, Tom Holland, Anne Hathaway, Zendaya and Robert Pattinson.

Having already grossed a whopping $1.1 billion worldwide, smashing box office records, The Odyssey is director Nolan’s latest triumph following from The Dark Knight franchise, Inception and, of course, Oppenheimer.

But it’s another of his “underrated” creations that has been causing excitement since its release on Netflix with many labelling it his “best film”.

Adapted from Christopher Priest’s 1995 novel of the same name, The Prestige is a 2006 period drama thriller that also boasts an enviable cast.

The Prestige is led by two Hollywood heavyweights in The Greatest Showman star Hugh Jackman and The Dark Knight Rises’ Christian Bale who reunites with Nolan once again for this “mindblowing” film.

They are joined by other major stars like The Avengers’ Scarlett Johansson, Alfie legend Michael Caine and none other than singing legend David Bowie who is truly unrecognisable as real-life scientist and inventor Nikola Tesla.

The Prestige revolves two 19th Century London stage musicians Robert Angier (played by Hugh Jackman) and Alfred Borden (Christian Bale).

The pair have a lifelong bond until their friendship descends into a bitter rivalry following the accidental death of Angier’s wife, leaving both men dangerously consumed by their desire to outside one another.

The once-close bond between Robert Angier and Alfred Borden descends into a bitter, lifelong rivalry following a tragic accident that claimed Angier’s wife, leaving both men dangerously consumed by the need to outshine one another.

Twenty years may have passed since its release but fans cannot help but praise the period drama thriller on IMdB.

“What I found with The Prestige is perhaps one of the best films of this century and perhaps one of Nolan’s most underrated”, someone said.

“Because this film, this real film, is simply astonishing.”

A second agreed: “This movie was truly a masterpiece and kept me guessing the whole time” as a third stated: “I must say…one of the best films I’ve seen! 10/10.”

Another declared The Prestige to be “Nolan’s best film” as a fellow enthusiast hailed it “one of the best films of all time”.

The Prestige is currently available to stream on Netflix.

Islam Makhachev makes the first defence of his welterweight title against Ian Machado Garry at UFC 330 in Philadelphia on Saturday.

There’s also a title on the line in the co-main event when Mackenzie Dern defends her strawweight belt against Gillian Robertson.

Both fighters weighed 170lb (12st 2lb) for the contest, with Machado Garry telling booing fans they “should be grateful” about watching “two of the biggest fighters ever in this sport”.

Former lightweight world champion Makhachev is looking to break Anderson Silva’s record (16) for the longest win streak in UFC history.

The 34-year-old Russian described Machado Garry as his “next target” at the weigh-ins, before telling supporters he is “ready to make all people happy” with victory.

Machado Garry, 28, has won 10 of his 11 fights since making his UFC debut in 2021, with his sole loss coming against Shavkat Rakhmonov.

The Irishman, who holds an overall record of 17 wins and one defeat, is aiming to become just the second man to defeat pound-for-pound great Makhachev.

Can Makhachev make history by claiming a 17th successive win? Or will Machado Garry pull off an upset?

Aug. 14 (UPI) — British Prime Minister Andy Burnham imposed a temporary ban on the sale of disposable barbecues and deployed military personnel on Friday in a battle against widespread wildfires across the country.

Speaking from the hard-hit West Midlands of England, Burnham said the measures were made necessary by continuing waves of hot weather and extreme drought.

“We cannot accept this as the new normal,” he said in a video address while recounting how fires the region “have destroyed homes, forced people to evacuate and left firefighters injured while protecting others.”

Much of England and Wales remains in a deep drought and is facing another period of extreme heat a day after the Met Office reported temperatures reaching 100.6 degrees in London for the fifth-hottest day on record in the nation’s history, the British leader noted.

“Farmers are watching crops fail and firefighters have faced hundreds of wildfires in a matter of weeks,” he said. “This is what climate change looks like here and now.”

The prime minister said the barbeque ban, emergency funding for fire and rescue services and deploying military support were decided during a meeting of COBRA, the government’s emergency response committee, earlier this week.

But, he added, “we also have to tackle the causes of climate change and make Britain more resilient to the extreme weather we’re already experiencing. We shouldn’t just accept this as inevitable and I don’t.”

The British government has already announced plans to support the development of nine new water reservoirs and improve resilience to future droughts, floods and extreme weather, as well as a investment of nearly $135 million million “to strengthen the country’s response to wildfires and extreme weather.”

Thursday’s extreme temperatures meant Britain this year has already seen the most number of days reaching or exceeding 97 degrees (four days) and 98 degrees (three days), as well as equaling 2022 for seeing two days of 100 degrees.

As the weekend began, forecasters predicted a gradual cooling from north to south across the country but with much-needed rainfall remaining scarce.

“A front moving south eastwards across the U.K. on Monday and Tuesday could bring northern areas some rain but amounts of rain in the south will be small at most and the majority will fall over Northern Ireland and Scotland,” Steven Keates of the Met Office said in a release.

“The next meaningful rain forecast for these very dry areas could be towards the end of next week as an area of low pressure influences our weather from the southwest.”

Switzerland has selected a documentary featuring testimonies from survivors in the Gaza Strip as its entry for the 2027 Academy Awards, media reports said Thursday, Anadolu reports.

“Who Is Still Alive,” directed by Geneva-based filmmaker Nicolas Wadimoff, will compete for a nomination in the Best International Feature Film category at the 99th Academy Awards, Swissinfo reported.

The documentary places Gaza survivors in an abstract setting where they recount their experiences.

READ: Gaza’s children suffer as they fetch water amid soaring summer temperatures

The jury said the film directly addresses feelings of loss, uprooting and belonging, according to a statement by Switzerland’s Federal Office of Culture.

“Who Is Still Alive” won the Prix de Soleure, Switzerland’s most prestigious film award, at the Solothurn Film Festival earlier this year.

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences is expected to announce a shortlist of international submissions in December. The five final nominees will be revealed Jan. 21, ahead of the Academy Awards ceremony on March 14.

READ: Iran says Switzerland talks with US focus on ending war, easing sanctions, releasing frozen assets

Mark Rydell, the Oscar-nominated director of the sentimental blockbuster “On Golden Pond” who worked with such Hollywood heavyweights as Henry Fonda, Katharine Hepburn, Steve McQueen and John Wayne, has died. He was 97.

His daughter, Amy Rydell, told the Hollywood Reporter that her father died Thursday of natural causes at a retirement community for the entertainment industry in Woodland Hills.

“Hard to put into words how much I loved my dad,” she posted Friday on her Instagram account. “He was truly one of a kind. Funniest and most talented person I’ve ever known.”

10 Oscar nominations

“On Golden Pond,” his 1981 film that teamed Fonda with Hepburn and his daughter, Jane Fonda, was nominated for 10 Oscars. Henry Fonda and Hepburn won leading acting honors, and the film won for screenplay, which Ernest Thompson adapted from his play of the same name. Rydell was nominated for directing but lost to Warren Beatty for “Reds.”

It earned more than $119 million at the box office, making it the second-highest-grossing film that year behind “Raiders of the Lost Ark.”

“On Golden Pond” was Henry Fonda’s final movie role. He starred as Norman Thayer, an emotionally brittle and distant father who becomes more accessible at the end of his life after his teenage grandson spends the summer with him and his wife, Ethel (played by Hepburn), at their cottage in New England. The film’s story resembled Fonda’s real-life relationship with daughter Jane, who said working on the movie together helped resolve some of their issues. The elder Fonda, at 77, died months after winning his only Oscar.

Rydell’s other Oscar-nominated films were “The Fox” in 1967, “The Reivers” with McQueen in 1969, “Cinderella Liberty” with James Caan and Marsha Mason in 1973, “The Rose” with Bette Midler in 1979 and “The River” with Mel Gibson and Sissy Spacek in 1984.

Born Mortimer Harold Rydell on March 23, 1929 in New York City, he studied with legendary jazz pianist Teddy Wilson at the Julliard School of Music. During a stint in the Army, he spent two years in Japan developing entertainment for military personnel. He majored in English and philosophy at New York University.

Early acting career

He turned to acting when he won a scholarship to the Neighborhood Playhouse in New York. Among his early roles were parts on the CBS soap operas “The Edge of Night” and “As the World Turns.”

Rydell made his Broadway debut in “Seagulls Over Sorrento” with Rod Steiger. In 1956, he made his movie acting debut opposite John Cassavetes and Sal Mineo in Don Siegel’s “Crime in the Streets.”

Among his film acting credits were Robert Altman’s “The Long Goodbye” in 1973 and Woody Allen’s “Hollywood Ending” in 2002.

Rydell moved into directing television, including episodes of “Mr. Novak,” “Ben Casey,” “I Spy,” “The Wild Wild West,” “The Long, Hot Summer,” “The Fugitive” and “Gunsmoke.”

He made his feature film directorial debut with 1967’s “The Fox” starring Sandy Dennis, and it was a hit.

Two years later, Rydell directed McQueen in the comedy-drama “The Reivers.”

Teaming with Sydney Pollack

Rydell and Sydney Pollack, who became friends during their acting days, formed Sanford Productions in 1971. Among their efforts were the films “Jeremiah Johnson” starring Robert Redford and “Scarecrow” with Al Pacino and Gene Hackman, which won the Cannes Film Festival’s top honor, the Palme d’Or.

Rydell directed Wayne in 1972’s “The Cowboys.” He reunited with Caan for the 1976 flop “Harry and Walter Go to New York.”

Rydell scored a major hit with 1979’s “The Rose,” with Midler in her Oscar-nominated role as a self-destructive rock star loosely based on Janis Joplin.

Rydell reteamed with Caan and Midler in “For the Boys” in 1991, but it wasn’t successful.

“He was an actor of note before he became a director, and I was so lucky to have met him when I did; he taught me so much on ‘The Rose’ and later on ‘For The Boys,’” Midler posted on Instagram. “Two Oscars nominations both because of him. He was the actor’s whisperer; just a few words was all it took to understand what was needed. Devoted to Meisner. So many happy memories.”

TV movies and series among his credits

Rydell directed the pilot of the hit ABC drama “Family” in 1976.

Among his TV movie directing credits were “McBride and Groom,” “Crime of the Century” with Isabella Rossellini and Stephen Rea, and “James Dean,” which earned actor James Franco a Golden Globe award and in which Rydell also appeared, as Warner Bros. chief Jack Warner.

He directed the movies “Intersection” in 1994 and “Even Money” in 2006.

In 2009, Rydell, Oscar-winning actor Martin Landau and screenwriter Lyle Kessler taught a film workshop at UCLA. Rydell and Landau were co-artistic directors of the Actors Studio West, teaching and coaching actors, writers and directors.

“All great art rests on telling the truth,” Rydell told UCLA’s student newspaper the Daily Bruin. “The real pursuit of an artist is to tell the truth.”

Besides his daughter, he is survived by son Christopher. The siblings who went into acting were from his first marriage to actor Joanne Linville. He had another son, Alexander, from his second marriage to producer Esther Rydell.

Harris writes for the Associated Press.

The game has changed quickly.

It was the summer of 2018, days before France kicked off their World Cup-winning campaign that Antoine Griezmann laid out his plans for the big reveal.

‘The Decision’, he teased, would come at the end of a half-hour documentary broadcast on Spanish TV. Barcelona thought they had him, as did most fans when Gerard Pique – whose company produced the show – tweeted a popcorn emoji.

At the end of the documentary, however, Griezmann stood in front of the Metropolitano and revealed he was staying at Atletico Madrid in one of two different endings reportedly filmed to keep the decision secret.

The self-confessed NBA fanatic – inspired by LeBron James’ live show by the same name in 2010, when the basketball star joined the Miami Heat – was attempting to own his narrative. Instead he, and Pique, caught some criticism.

Kyle says that “self-commercialisation” did not have the impact it would have done now if it was Erling Haaland or Kylian Mbappe.

Griezmann was almost before his time. Many prominent players now share regular updates from their lives on their own YouTube channels – from Haaland, to Ronaldo, Jude Bellingham and Lionesses’ star Ella Toone.

“Players are becoming their own distribution levers, with some in particular taking a driving seat in terms of ‘how I project myself onto the world’ and building their own channels and audience,” explains Kyle.

Now, in many cases, the players do own the narrative and fans are increasingly able to invest in their journeys, which are more accessible than ever.

“Players are far more culturally symbolic than they used to be,” says Kirkham. “It is not that players don’t do endorsements now, but they know they have to resonate with fans, so fans can really latch on to them and get behind them.

“Look at what Marcus Rashford did during Covid in terms of changing actual legislation.

“Young fans want to know players stand for something more – that gives them more chance to follow and pursue them, find a deeper connection with them.

“They look for stuff that is aligned to them, who they are, their causes and where they’re from. I think we will increasingly see that.”

PASSENGERS are facing serious delays and disruption at Heathrow Airport following flooding in the central terminal area.

Access to both Terminal 2 and Terminal 3 is restricted with flyers warned not to try and access either by road.

Heathrow has asked the public to only travel to the terminals via rail and underground services.

If passengers must travel via road they are asked to use park and ride and head to Terminals 5 or 6 to use the free rail services from there.

The airport said: “Our teams are working to resolve the situation as quickly as possible, we apologise for any disruption caused.”

It comes amid the school summer holidays – marking the busiest period of the year for Heathrow.

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In a statment issued via social media Heathrow Airport asked passengers to utilise the Heathrow Express, Elizabeth Line and Picadilly line services to access the airport.

The statement read: “Flooding in the central terminal area has resulted in on-going road closures restricting access to Terminals 2 and 3.

“Passengers travelling to or from either of these terminals today must not travel by road.

“Passengers are strongly advised to use Heathrow Express, Elizabeth Line and Piccadilly Line rail services where possible.

“Any passengers that must travel by car must use Park and Ride, head to Terminals 4 or 5 and take free rail services from there, or change at local rail stations.

“Please allow extra time for your journey. Our teams are working to resolve the situation as quickly as possible, we apologise for any disruption caused.”