The tournament opened with Italy shocking Scotland in Rome to put Gregor Townsend under pressure.

His side then delivered an emphatic win over England at Murrayfield to end their rivals’ 12-game unbeaten run.

The pressure then mounted on Borthwick as his side were outclassed by Ireland at Allianz Stadium.

While all that was happening, France cruised past Ireland, Wales and Italy to start a narrative that anything other than a Grand Slam would be a failure.

Scotland then blew away Galthie’s side, before conceding a late flurry of tries, to head into the final round with a genuine shot of a first Six Nations title.

To add more drama into the mix, Italy overcame England in Rome to mount further pressure on Borthwick.

Wales may have lost their opening four games, but they improved as the championship went on, producing an impressive bonus-point win over Italy to end the tournament.

They finished with a third consecutive Wooden Spoon – but a first win in the championship since 2023 offered huge relief.

Despite an improved display in Paris, England finished the tournament with four defeats – their worst-ever campaign.

“It was one of the most captivating Six Nations in history, fitting it came down to one final moment of drama,” BBC rugby correspondent Chris Jones said.

The 2015 Six Nations has been regarded as the greatest tournament for entertainment because of the three-team Super Saturday title race.

It similarly went right down to the wire.

However, this year’s competition delivered from round one right to the final kick, with each nation having their own story – and surely leaps to the top of the list.

Islamabad hits Kandahar facility after Taliban drones strike civilian areas and military sites as conflict intensifies.

Pakistan has carried out strikes on an Afghan military facility in Kandahar after Taliban drones targeted civilian areas and military installations across the country.

The strikes on Saturday came after Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari condemned the overnight drone attacks, warning Kabul it had “crossed a red line by attempting to target our civilians”.

Pakistan’s military said the drones, described as locally produced and rudimentary, were intercepted before reaching their targets, though falling debris wounded two children in Quetta and civilians in Kohat and Rawalpindi.

A security source told the AFP news agency that airspace around the capital, Islamabad, had been temporarily closed when the drones were detected.

Islamabad said the Kandahar facility had been used both to launch the drone attacks and as a base for cross-border rebel activity.

The exchange marks the sharpest single escalation yet in a conflict that has been building since late February, when Pakistan launched military operations against what it said were Pakistan Taliban fighters sheltering on Afghan soil.

Islamabad also accuses Kabul of harbouring fighters from the ISIL (ISIS) group’s Khorasan province affiliate.

The Taliban government has denied both charges.

The drone attacks followed Pakistani strikes on Kabul and eastern border provinces in Afghanistan overnight on Thursday into Friday. The Pakistani attacks killed four people in the capital, women and children among them, and two more in the east.

In the Pul-e-Charkhi neighbourhood of Kabul, one resident described being buried under rubble after his home was hit, saying he lay there believing it was his “last breath” before neighbours pulled him free.

A local representative told AFP that those killed were “ordinary people, poor people” with no involvement in the conflict.

Pakistani aircraft also struck a fuel depot belonging to the private airline Kam Air near Kandahar airport, which an airport official said supplied aid organisations, including the United Nations and the International Committee of the Red Cross.

The official added that there were “no military installations” at the site.

Afghanistan’s Ministry of Defence claimed that its forces had captured a Pakistani border post and killed 14 soldiers.

Islamabad dismissed the assertion as baseless, with the prime minister’s spokesman accusing the Taliban of “weaving fantasies” rather than dismantling rebel networks on Afghan territory.

The UN mission in Afghanistan says at least 75 civilians have been killed and 193 injured since hostilities intensified on February 26, a toll that includes 24 children.

According to the UN refugee agency, about 115,000 people have been forced from their homes.

The crisis is unfolding as the wider region remains engulfed by the US-Israeli war with Iran, which began just two days after the Pakistan-Afghanistan clashes escalated.

Chinese Minister of Foreign Affairs Wang Yi has urged both sides to pursue dialogue, warning that further force would only deepen the crisis, though his appeal came as Pakistani jets were already in the air over Kandahar.

“We changed to make the players more dynamic, with Rayan, Jeremy [Doku] and Phil [Foden],” Guardiola told his post-match news conference. “But we could not win the game.

“We could be more aggressive in the first half maybe, but with the creativity, the crosses and dribbles this season, we are struggling. The team, they did everything, but they need to be better in the final third, and it has happened in many games this season.”

Asked about picking Semenyo over Cherki as number 10, he said: “Absolutely, for that role there is no-one better than [Cherki]. That is bad selection, you can criticise me, I deserve it.

“Sometimes for the balance, we are learning. We played Cherki and Haaland – incredible, but we do not have the stability teams in the Premier League must have. I try to handle that, and the team is still growing.

“Rayan’s impact off the bench is unbelievable, but sometimes he does not have the pace so we play Semenyo. I am still finding the best way to have stability and to balance the team.”

Haaland’s form is thrown into sharp focus by the fact he struggled against West Ham, a team against who he has scored 11 Premier League goals – more than any other side.

“It’s not about the lack of goals,” Guardiola said of the Norway striker. “We need to create more. He will be back.”

City cannot win well, and they struggle to win ugly too.

They have only lost once in their past 18 league matches, but during that period they have given up 10 points from winning positions – enough to cost them first place in the current standings.

In games where they were winning, they have drawn with Chelsea, Brighton, Tottenham, Nottingham Forest and now West Ham.

Given the latter came a couple of hours after Arsenal, starring Max Dowman, spectacularly dug out victory over Everton, this one will sting.

Guardiola laughed it off afterwards, saying he had been having a beer pre-match rather than following the Arsenal match with his team, as he served a touchline ban.

He also joked he would look to get more yellow cards as he preferred the view from the stands – and light-heartedly batted away a question on whether Haaland was limping.

It felt like if Guardiola didn’t laugh, he would cry.

THEY have amassed a legion of teen followers after becoming the next big boyband.

But it seems December 10 have also managed to make a fan out of Spice Girl Geri Halliwel.

This week, Biz on Sunday’s Emily caught up with the lads — Cruz, Danny, Hendrick, Sean, John, Josh and Nicolas — following the release of their latest single, Angel.

They revealed they were starstruck when Ginger Spice popped into their rehearsal at a West London studio last month, accompanied by her husband Christian Horner’s daughter.

Asked about their celebrity fans, Danny said: “The legend that is Geri Halliwell and her step-daughter came to the rehearsal studio to watch our set. They had wanted to come to our London show, but were due to be away when it was on, so we invited them to our rehearsals.

“Geri was like a pocket rocket. Petite and loads of personality.

SOUR GRAPES

X Factor star takes swipe at Simon Cowell’s boyband December 10 after Brits

TEN OUT OF TEN

December 10 backed by Brit pop star who is secretly guiding their career

“We couldn’t believe we met a Spice Girl!

“She gave excellent advice, including to always enjoy the moment.

“Geri was super kind and gave us all a bag of gifts, including little speakers we always use on our phones.”

Sean said: “She showed up to rehearsals before the show and gave us advice. She’s really cool.”

Hendrik added: “The advice that she gave was, ‘That laugh that you have in your band as a group — try and keep that laugh and enjoy it’.

“That was the main advice that came across.”

December 10 found fame on Simon Cowell’s Netflix show The Next Act last year and have amassed millions of followers on social media.

Last month, they attended their first Brit Awards, in Manchester, and have told how they brushed shoulders with singers Lola Young and Sam Fender, as well as Happy Mondays maracas player Bez.

Cruz said: “I was partying with Bez in the DJ booth — he is funny. He and I have got to go to Ibiza one day.”

To celebrate Mother’s Day, the boys have been treating their mums after receiving their first big pay cheque.

Hendrik said: “I have been saving money to try and finish my mum and dad’s house. They have been wanting to finish it for years.”

Despite the global stardom that awaits, it sounds like the boys are keeping their feet on the ground.

SIMON ‘PROUD’ OF LADS

DECEMBER 10 have revealed how their mentor Simon Cowell was proud of them after their sold-out London show.

The music mogul and his fiancee Lauren Silverman attended their gig at the O2 Academy Islington, in North London, last month.

Band member Nicolas said: “He really enjoyed that we incorporated instruments into the live show, and when he spoke to us, that was one of the main things that made him really happy and proud.”

John added: “He has also always said that he just wants great songs. Over the past few months that we have been recording music, we have been working towards that.”

And the boys reckon it still feels surreal seeing thousands of teenagers queuing to hear them play.

Nicolas said: “I wouldn’t say it’s overwhelming, it’s more of a strange feeling, because the first show was a bit of a shock.

“It is a feeling for me, personally, that I don’t think I will get used to.”

WIN A SIGNED T-SHIRT

DECEMBER 10 have signed a T-shirt exclusively for one lucky Biz on Sunday reader.

For your chance to win the prize, email sunday features @the-sun. co.uk by March 26.

For T&Cs, visit thesun.co.uk.

HE HAZ TO SEE MATES

HE is one of the biggest pop stars on the planet, but Harry Styles says he had to change his mindset so he did not become a recluse.

He explained: “When you shut out a lot of the things that are assumed can be negative, you also just unconsciously shut out a ton of positive things.

“It can be hard to go to a bar and hang out with friends because there’s maybe people who would act [in a certain] way.

“There’s also incredible people that you can meet in that bar – that you also shut yourself off from.”

He added on SiriusXM: “I was having some experiences where I was meeting some really great people that were kind of really planting the seed of, like, ‘Oh, I don’t want to shut myself off from this world’.”

It comes as his record Kiss All The Time. Disco, Occasionally has topped the albums chart, while his track American Girls is No1 in the singles rundown.

Meanwhile, Harry’s singles Aperture and Ready, Steady, Go! are also top five.

It is truly Harry’s year.

DENISE GOES BIG

DENISE VAN OUTEN and Johnny Vaughan are creating a new Big Breakfast-style TV show 25 years after the original was axed.

I can reveal the pair, who presented the Channel 4 show in the Nineties, are working on a new format set to shake up TV schedules.

Denise said: “In my new touring show [An Evening With Denise], of all the things I’ve done, The Big Breakfast section gets the biggest reaction. I think people are still craving that chaos and the fun – we’ve lost it.”

She added: “I’m working on something with Johnny, it’s going to have that feel to it. It’s all come from the show and speaking to people. I was like, ‘Oh, people are missing this, they want this’.”

I cannot wait.

YOU’RE SO ROUGE, CHRISTINA

CHRISTINA AGUILERA was red hot on stage in this basque and matching gloves.

The US hitmaker teamed them with thigh-skimming black boots in Austin, Texas, as she headlined the Coca-Cola Sips & Sounds Music Festival.

Highlights included a performance of her 2001 hit Lady Marmalade, from film Moulin Rouge!, as fireworks lit up the sky.

MAYA’S VILLA TO VILLAIN

MAYA JAMA has revealed what her dream movie role would be – and it’s not what you might expect.

The Love Island host, who is set to star in the second series of Guy Ritchie’s Netflix crime-comedy The Gentlemen, said: “I’ve always said I don’t want to be what people expect me to be on camera.

“I’d want to be the complete opposite to that . . . so a monster or a mean, evil person. A villain maybe would be nice.”

DIVORCE NO2 FOR MILLIE

MADE In Chelsea couple Millie Mackintosh and Hugo Taylor have filed for divorce, I can reveal.

The pair, who married in 2018, have both appointed legal teams and have quietly started proceedings.

Reality star turned author Millie, who has two daughters with entrepreneur Hugo, has been through the process before, having split from rapper Professor Green, who she was married to from 2013 to 2016.

A pal said: “Fans will be sad to hear that their relationship is really over, but the pair just want a clean break.

“Millie and Hugo are committed to co-parenting their two young children and keeping everything stable. They are still very amicable with each other and have a lot of respect for one another.

“They want the divorce to go through as painlessly as possible and are focusing on work in the meantime.”

Professor Green has a son with model and actress Karima McAdams, who he dated for five years after splitting with Millie.

Now, he is back in touch with Millie and said: “There’s no resentment in me. She is gorgeous. We were not good for each other at that time.

“We spoke about our mutual diagnosis (ADHD) and our kids.”

MOLLY AND TOM IN SPANISH LOVE AISLE

THEY met on Love Island: All Stars in South Africa, but Molly Smith and Tom Clare are set to tie the knot in Majorca – home of the original dating show’s villa.

The couple are eyeing up Son Marroig, a stunning, 17th century, clifftop temple on the Spanish island for their summer nuptials.

The venue is popular among celebrities, with Pixie Geldof, weatherman Alex Beresford and Man City defender Nathan Ake all having held their ceremonies there.

A source said: “Majorca is a stunning destination for a wedding and there is plenty of privacy on the island. Many of the buildings are difficult to access by road and it has a secluded feel.

“There is guaranteed sun and it offers a beautiful backdrop with the most stunning sunsets.”

Tom and Molly do a weekly podcast called NearlyWeds and post regular vlogs about their planning.

Congrats guys . . . 

EX-PM SNAPS GEM OF A SHOT

GEMMA COLLINS posed with an unlikely fan at the Cheltenham races this week – as I am told that former PM David Cameron asked for a photo.

And reality favourite Gemma was only too happy to oblige David and wife Samantha in the Royal Box.

A source said: “Gemma was honoured that David asked her for a picture. They chatted about politics and her fondness of current Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch.”

Chuffed Gemma quickly shared the snap with her 2.2million Instagram followers.

She wrote: “It was lovely to be in the Royal Box and have a good chat with David Cameron and his lovely wife. We spoke politics and . . . what we were going to bet on next.”

Gemma, who is a face of bookmaker Paddy Power, won a mighty impressive £20,000 at Cheltenham – and £5,000 off just one bet.

The GC was spotted shouting, “I’m loaded” as she basked in her glory alongside stars including Danny Dyer and Peter Crouch.

Next year, I am asking Gemma for tips.

“England were blistering – their pace, their skill, their intensity, their physicality and they had a genuine chance of winning,” said former England scrum-half Matt Dawson on BBC Radio 5 Live.

“I feel for the players because they are going to be down, but I want them to be super, super positive because if they carry on playing like that for the next 18 months they are going to challenge in big tournaments and big games, and they are going to win big games.”

And yet. When the adrenaline levels drop, questions will also be raised.

Should England have made victory stick?

With the restart regathered by Chessum, the ball safely at the base, Sam Underhill, Henry Pollock and Chandler Cunningham-South on their feet as a potential pod, and only two minutes left on the clock, could England have kept ball in hand and run down the clock?

Instead, Jack van Poortvliet, who had brought some zip off the bench, opted to kick the ball away and infield. Matthieu Jalibert, a broken-field fiend, accepted the invite to run back and England were back under the pump.

Closing out victories was a repeated failing in a series of close defeats in autumn 2024. It is a habit that England don’t want to reacquire.

One they definitely haven’t kicked yet is indiscipline. Only one of the 162 team campaigns in Six Nations history – Italy 2002 – has picked up more cards than England have this year.

Eight yellows, two of which combined to make Henry Arundell’s 20-minute red against Scotland, have hobbled England throughout.

Ellis Genge was dispatched to the sin-bin seat of shame in Paris, adjudged to have cynically dragged down a France driving maul that was destined for the line.

It may have been a marginal call, but, backed up to their own line, England knew the stakes were high and the punishment for any infringement would be heavy.

France raced back into the lead in the prop’s absence.

March 13 (Asia Today) — South Korean Prime Minister Kim Min-seok met U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance at the White House in Washington on Wednesday to discuss bilateral investment, trade issues and developments on the Korean Peninsula.

The meeting came about 50 days after the two leaders first met during Kim’s visit to Washington in January.

Kim highlighted the passage of a special law supporting South Korean investment in the United States, which cleared the National Assembly earlier this week.

He said the legislation demonstrates Seoul’s commitment to implementing bilateral investment agreements and could contribute to revitalizing U.S. manufacturing and job creation.

Kim added that the measure could also accelerate implementation of agreements outlined in a joint fact sheet between the two countries, including cooperation in areas such as nuclear-powered submarines, nuclear energy and shipbuilding.

Vance welcomed the legislation, saying it provides a legal foundation for implementing investment agreements between the two countries, according to South Korea’s Prime Minister’s Office.

The two sides also discussed cooperation in critical minerals and issues related to non-tariff trade barriers.

Kim explained Seoul’s recent decision to allow U.S. companies to export mapping data from South Korea, describing it as a forward-looking step aimed at strengthening cooperation.

Vance praised the move and said the two countries should continue consultations on non-tariff trade barriers.

Kim also said issues previously raised by Vance during their January meeting – including concerns related to the e-commerce company Coupang and certain religious matters – are now being handled in a stable manner.

Vance said the United States respects South Korea’s domestic legal framework and thanked Seoul for continuing to communicate with Washington on issues of interest to the United States.

The leaders also exchanged views on the Korean Peninsula and reaffirmed that the door remains open for dialogue with North Korea.

They agreed to maintain close coordination on developments related to the peninsula.

South Korea’s Prime Minister’s Office said the meeting helped deepen personal trust between Kim and Vance and is expected to strengthen communication on key bilateral issues.

The office’s statement did not mention whether the two discussed the Section 301 trade investigation launched this week by the Office of the United States Trade Representative targeting several major trading partners, including South Korea.

However, the issue of non-tariff barriers raised during the meeting could be related to that investigation.

— Reported by Asia Today; translated by UPI

© Asia Today. Unauthorized reproduction or redistribution prohibited.

Original Korean report: https://www.asiatoday.co.kr/kn/view.php?key=20260313010003892

US President Donald Trump says allies who rely on Gulf oil must help keep the Strait of Hormuz open.

Five teams will compete in the new series of the BBC travel show, racing from Europe to Mongolia

The upcoming Race Across the World contestants are shown battling through thick snow in an early look at the new series.

The much-loved BBC programme – which features teams racing vast distances on limited budgets, without phones and banned from flying – is back for a sixth series, and the broadcaster has released a short preview in a teaser trailer, reports Wales Online.

Whilst the departure point hasn’t been revealed yet, this season the participants will face the challenge of travelling from Europe “to the uncharted edges of Mongolia”. Footage in the trailer captures the racers riding horses, navigating major cities, leaping from boats and attempting to hitch lifts.

“The further they go, the closer they’ll get,” flashes across the screen, as one of this year’s participants is heard saying: “This race, it’s a lifetime of exploring in such a short amount of time.

“It’s going to open up a lot of doors not many people have the privilege to unlock.”

Another contestant is then heard exclaiming: “This is an adventure.”

The BBC teased: “In this vast east-to-west journey, five pairs race from the familiarities of Europe all the way to the uncharted edges of Mongolia in Race Across the World series six.

“These teams must forge their own path… But on this journey of extremes, who will finish first? No flights. No phones. No safety net… Let the race begin!”

Fans have declared they “can’t wait” following the series preview, with one posting on Instagram: “So excited for this.”

“OMG…. Can’t wait for this one!!!” gushed one person, whilst another fan declared: “My favourite programme.”

“Yippee!” enthused another viewer, as somebody else wrote: “Yesssssss!! Cannot wait – best programme!!”

Last year’s series of Race Across the World saw the teams departing from The Great Wall of China before journeying across China, Nepal and India to reach the finishing point of Kanniyakumari, the southernmost tip of India.

It was claimed by mother and son pairing Caroline and Tom, who secured the £20,000 prize after becoming the first duo to arrive at the final checkpoint.

For the latest showbiz, TV, movie and streaming news, go to the new **Everything Gossip** website.

Race Across the World airs on the BBC.

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — The state Senate has passed a bill that says women cannot be charged with indecent exposure or lewd behavior for breast-feeding in public. The House had earlier approved the measure. The bill passed Tuesday now goes to Gov. Lawton Chiles, who is expected to give his approval.

SACRAMENTO — With more than 100 fans supporting from the bleachers, Garfield High’s boys’ soccer put on a strong performance at the inaugural CIF state Division V championship game Saturday morning before losing to Ross Branson 2-0 at Natomas High.

Two communication errors on defense proved costly for the Bulldogs, who took a bus from East Los Angeles on Friday, stayed overnight and were set to return after the match.

Coach Pablo Serrano praised his team. “I felt we played outstanding,” he said.

Goalkeeper Javier Zarate turned in another impressive performance. “He can only do so much,” Serrano said.

Zarate, without prodding, went up to CIF executive director Ron Nocetti and thanked him for what will become an annual state soccer championship event.

On Friday, Irvine University won the Division IV boys’ title with a 3-2 win over Del Mar.

Cole Barkett, Jake Raboid and Brendan Leung scored goals.

KIP with the kids in a two-bedroom lodge at The Mole Resort or try the boujee airport hotel alternative of a grand Italianate mansion.

In search of the perfect pit stop, Lifestyle Editor Catherine Bennion-Pedley found out all that both had to offer.

The Mole Resort

As I slam on the car brakes, my kids Poppy, seven, and Raffy, four, shout: “Woah!” In the middle of the road is a local walking her dog – which happens to be the size of a small pony.

Yep, it’s safe to say rural Devon is proving to be an eye-opener for us all.

We’re kipping at The Mole Resort, a country-house hotel that had a spruce-up a couple of years ago, set in 125 acres of rolling countryside.

Our two-bedroom, two-bathroom lodge in the grounds comes with floor-to-ceiling views of a verdant meadow and a hot tub, which proves particularly restorative after the long drive.

I WOOD

I found the perfect woodland staycation for Center Parcs vibes without the price tag

HOMESTAY

Record year for staycations predicted – here are our top holiday spots in 2026 

Another huge win is the raft of activities on site – from pickleball to pétanque, disc golf to axe-throwing, and archery to pottery painting.

Talking of which, the kids adore painting egg cups, £14 each, and are thrilled to pick up their newly glazed souvenirs the next morning.

There’s also a restaurant, games room and health club with a pool – though this has seen better days.

The village it sits in, Chittlehamholt, is also home to excellent 16th-century pub The Exeter Inn.

Owners Hazel and Steve welcome visitors like family, as does their gorgeous cockapoo Frankie.

Flavour-packed dishes like Peking duck bon bons with hoisin, £9.50, and beef and ale pie topped with stilton, £17, are spot-on.

As are the proper puds – pick spiced sticky toffee, £8.50, for the win.

With more than 80 gins and local ales aplenty, you won’t go thirsty, either (Exeterinn.co.uk).

Just 20 minutes’ drive away is another absolute gem – Quince Honey Farm, which brings joy even on the drizzliest day.

Here, we roll our own beeswax candles, forage for wildflower seeds and taste five varieties of the golden stuff – the dandelion honey is crowned our fave.

Entry per adult and child over five costs £10.80 (Quincehoneyfarm. co.uk).

Leaving armed with brilliant bee facts, we all agree this pretty nook of Devon makes for a super stop-off en route to a beach break.

Stays in a two-bedroom lodge at The Mole Resort cost from £120 per night (Themoleresort.co.uk).

Down Hall Hotel

I’m not a huge fan of airport hotels, which is why the boujee alternative of a grand Italianate mansion in the Essex countryside instantly appeals.

Less than 20 minutes’ drive from London Stansted, its rural setting will help you to properly relax before take-off.

A giant chessboard, tennis courts and a mini football pitch in the expansive grounds keep the whole gang entertained.

Meanwhile, the newly opened Barn Spa offers mini-me treatments, including head and scalp massages, from £25 per child, and the recently refurbed family rooms come with a Nintendo Switch, so the kids are more than alright.

Tuck into dinner treats, such as crab with apple gel, cucumber and nasturtiums, £16.50, followed by venison loin with a dark-chocolate jus, £41, at The Garden Room, which holds two AA Rosettes.

And it would be rude not to try the moreish house cocktail – a Down Hall Bramble, made with the hotel’s own garden gin, £15.

When in Rome (or Essex) and all that. . .

Family rooms at Down Hall Hotel cost from £212 per night (Downhall.co.uk).

March 14 (UPI) — North Korea launched 10 ballistic missiles into the sea on Saturday — which landed just outside Japan’s economic zone in the East Sea — in a show of force amid a U.S.-South Korea military exercise.

The launch, confirmed by the Japanese and South Korean defense ministries, is one of the largest North Korea shows of force that it has ever launched, The Japan Times and The Independent reported.

The missiles were launched from the west coast of North Korea, flying roughly 211 miles before falling just outside the Sea of Japan.

The Japanese Ministry of Defense in a statement called the launch a continued effort to “threaten the peace and security of Japan, the region and the international community.”

Shinjiro Koizumi, the Japanese defense minister, added that the ministry would remain in close contact with the United States and other allies “to remain fully vigilant and maintain surveillance in preparation for any unforeseen contingencies.”

The launch is the largest since at least November 2022, when Kim Jong Un’s regime launched a volley of 23 missiles that included short-range ballistic missiles and surface-to-air missiles, among others.

Analysts have said that it is unlikely that North Korea would attack U.S. or other nation’s assets in the region while the United States has diverted missile defense systems, among other things, to the Middle East amid the war in Iran.

They say, rather, that the show of force is meant to show that it can defend itself if it is invaded.

North Korea’s launch also comes as the United States and South Korea are about halfway through the annual 11-day Freedom Shield combined joint exercise that includes land, air and sea training events to allow the two nation’s armed forces to integrate seamlessly in combat.

One warship that was involved with the exercise, the USS Tripoli, an amphibious assault ship carrying 2,500 Marines and 2,500 sailors, has been redeployed to the Middle East to bolster U.S. military power there amid the war in Iran.

LORNA Luxe has been seen out for the first time since her husband John’s death – joining race-goers at Cheltenham Festival this week.

The fashion influencer, 43, was seen out on Friday for the Gold Cup and was quids in after backing a horse in John’s memory.

John, 64, died in February following a lengthy illness, but sent a “sign” to Lorna who won £250 after backing a horse with long odds.

Johnny’s Jury was priced between 25/1 to 33/1 with bookmakers like Betfair before jockey Gavin Sheehan took him from last to first to win the Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle.

Lorna said in a video message to fans: “It’s been raining all week, but the weather was perfect with blue skies.

“I started betting on the horses but didn’t get any winners at all.

LORNA’S PAIN

Lorna Luxe speaks after husband’s death & reveals his funeral has taken place

social comeback

Lorna Luxe returns to social media after husband’s death with new message

“I bumped into Amanda Wakely, whose dress I wore for my wedding to John, and we went to the betting box.

“She said ‘look, one of the horses is called Johnny’s Jury, shall we have a go?’

“It was a bit of an outsider but I put £20 each way – and it won.

“It flipping won. I’m absolutely buzzing. I had all this cash.

“It was just, so John.”

Lorna’s voice cracked as her eyes filled with tears.

She added: “It really made me smile. It was just a brilliant moment.

“I was really teary to be honest. I’m teary now just thinking about it.

“Even though he wasn’t there with me, it felt like he was there in spirit.”

Lorna was dressed in Holland Cooper, the official luxury fashion partner of The Jockey Club, to enjoy a day at the races.

The brand’s founder – Jade Holland Cooper – described Lorna as “the strongest woman I know”.

Lorna’s late husband John was initially diagnosed with stage three cancer, but it developed to stage four while he was undergoing treatment.

Lorna kept her followers updated throughout his journey, and they supported her when he went into remission in November 2023.

But his cancer returned in May 2024, spreading to his brain.

Tragically, just before Christmas, he was rushed back to hospital with organ failure, following a complication with his chemotherapy treatment.

Lorna was advised to prepare for the worst but John defied the odds and was able to recover and spend Christmas at home, before passing away two months later.

Don’t blame the beleaguered voter for the record-low statewide turnout of 34% of registered voters in Tuesday’s primary election. Don’t call the stay-at-homes lazy or berate them for failing to do their duty. Don’t wonder why the patriotism stirred by Sept. 11 didn’t translate into an energized electorate.

The truth is, for many Californians, there were just too many reasons not to vote. The lack of hot contests on the Democratic ballot resulted in dismal turnouts of 23% in heavily Democratic Los Angeles County and 27% in San Francisco. The confusing rules of the primary had been changed again as to who could vote for which slate of candidates.

The campaign was overshadowed first by the Super Bowl and then by the Winter Olympic Games. When the political ads finally got the public’s attention, their constant carping and attacks surely turned off many voters. On election day some locales, including Los Angeles, were plagued with the failure of some polling places to open on time, ballots that weren’t delivered and voting locations that were changed or yanked.

The real culprit, however, was the ridiculously early primary date, more than eight months before the Nov. 5 general election. Many Californians didn’t even realize an election was coming up.

The Legislature and governor should make sure this doesn’t happen again. Lawmakers need to take a close look at SB 1975, by Sen. Ross Johnson (R-Irvine), a bill that would move the primary for state and local candidates to the second Tuesday in September every election year while maintaining a separate presidential primary in March.

The idea is to enable California to have a rational primary date while retaining some clout in the choosing of the presidential candidates. More discussion is in order about whether September balloting would allow enough time for an informative general election campaign. However, nine states have August primaries, and 10, including New York, vote on the second Tuesday in September, the day Johnson has proposed. A cheaper proposal would be for the state to stop playing presidential primary leapfrog for ever-earlier dates and move all primaries back to June.

Election officials struggle to make it convenient for Californians to vote, but the process remains complex and confusing. “It felt more like doing your taxes,” one expert said. The first step toward rationality is getting rid of this March madness.

SACRAMENTO — Heartbreaking loss.

That’s the only way to describe what San Juan Hills players, coaches and fans were feeling on Saturday at Golden 1 Center when Alex Osterloh made two of three free throws with 0.3 seconds left to give Atherton Sacred Heart Prep a 47-45 victory in the Division IV state boys’ basketball championship game.

Osterloh was fouled at the top of the key by Kellen Owens with the scored tied.

“I’m pretty sure I was fouled,” Osterloh said.

San Juan Hills had earlier lost the ball on a turnover, its 19th of the game, surrendering its chance to take the lead.

“It was a tough ending,” San Juan Hills coach Jason Efstathiou said. “We turned over the ball too much. Nineteen is insane. Ultimately we didn’t do a good enough job handling pressure.”

San Juan Hills (22-14) came back from a 12-point deficit in the second quarter to take a four-point lead in the fourth quarter.

Garrett Brehmer finished with 17 points while Rocco Jensen had 10 points and eight rebounds for San Juan Hills. Osterloh scored 15 points and Pat Bala had 13.

“There’s a little distaste,” Efstathiou said, “but at the same time we got to be here.”

Thousands rallied in central Madrid calling for an end to the war involving the United States, Israel and Iran, with protesters warning the conflict could escalate into a global war.

Federico Valverde scores his fifth goal in three games as Real Madrid beat Elche to move one point behind Barcelona.

Federico Valverde hit the back of the net, and the headlines, once again for Real Madrid as they beat Elche 4-1 in La Liga, but it was Arda Guler’s last-gasp strike from inside his own half that captured imaginations.

Midfielder Valvrder netted his fifth goal in three games for Los Blancos, having scored a hat-trick in midweek against Manchester City, with a curling effort from the edge of the box just before half-time on Saturday.

It doubled his side’s lead after Antonio Rudiger volleyed home the opener in the 39th minute, following a scramble in the box from a Real corner.

Dean Huijsen was the unlikely player furthest forward to head home Real’s third in the 66th minute, but the defender was left unmarked in the box, where he remained after another corner that Elche had effectively failed to clear.

Even a late own goal by Manuel Angel could not dampen Los Blancos’ spirits, especially when Arda Guler went on to net what will surely be the goal of the season from inside his own half.

The 21-year-old Turkey midfielder spotted Elche goalkeeper Matías Dituro off his line and didn’t hesitate to launch a long lob with his left foot that sailed over the hapless ’keeper and bounced once before settling into the net.

The Santiago Bernabeu stadium erupted in applause for the memorable goal that came with the victory beyond doubt in the 89th minute.

Güler joined Madrid from Fenerbache in 2023. He has scored four goals this season, when he has gained more playing time after the exit of veteran Luka Modric.

The win moves Real to within a point of leaders Barcelona, who can restore their four-point advantage when they play Sevilla on Sunday.

The game had been a nervy affair at Bernabeu Stadium until Rudiger’s opener settled the Madrid crowd.

The victory marks a third straight win for Real, who had lost two on the bounce in the league prior to the current run, and parted company with their coach Xabi Alonso in January.

Interim coach Alvaro Arbeloa, also a former Real player, could not have asked for a better week, with one of the best performances of the season produced in Wednesday’s win against City in the UEFA Champions League.

Arbeloa’s side take a 3-0 advantage to Manchester for the return leg on Tuesday, and with the La Liga race tightening, what was looking like a nightmare season could still end with the two most coveted titles for Madrid.

Elche, who were promoted to La Liga last season, remain mired in a relegation scrap, just a point above third-bottom Mallorca, who entertain Espanyol on Sunday.

SHE is an Oscar-winner married to a former James Bond, but Rachel Weisz says Hollywood made her feel so ugly she considered having plastic surgery.

When the British beauty first went there in the Nineties, she contemplated a nose job, boob job or liposuction to get noticed and boost her career.

Rachel, now 56 and one of the world’s most sought-after stars, said: “I went into quite a major depression.

“I was watching so many daytime TV shows. And then I would get in my car and drive to these auditions while listening to the radio.

“I feel sick now when I listen to the radio, all these commercials for different car dealers.

“I just felt like the world was so desperate and lonely and sad and people were trying to sell cars and no one wanted to buy them.

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“People are very focused on their own thing. In LA unless you’ve just won an Oscar or you’re ‘Mr Studio Head’, no one talks to you. Even at parties. I was at this big Hollywood party, and no one looked.

“Everyone is blinkered and they just kind of scan the room for ­anyone important. LA makes you feel ugly. Because if you’re an actress, no one pays you any attention.

“And you immediately start thinking, ‘God, I must have a nose job. Or, I must get that boob job, or I must get that lipo’, whatever it is.”

For Rachel, who started her career with bit-parts on Inspector Morse and whose new thriller Vladimir was released on Netflix on March 5, real success and happiness came when she turned her back on the glitz and glamour of Los Angeles.

She decided to split her time between London, where she grew up, and New York with her then-partner, director Darren Aronofsky, and their son Henry, now 19.

Rachel, who has been married to 007 actor Daniel Craig since 2011, told Index mag: “There’s not much room for eccentricity in Hollywood, and eccentricity is what’s sexy in people.

“I think London’s sexy because it’s so full of eccentrics.”

The actress’s breakthrough came in 1999 when she landed the role of feisty librarian Evelyn Carnahan in blockbuster The Mummy.

By 2006 her A-list status was cemented when she won the Best Supporting Actress Oscar for The Constant Gardener.

She went on to star in 2009’s The Lovely Bones and 2015’s Youth, as well as 2021 Marvel film Black Widow.

Now Vladimir sees her as ­married college professor M, whose life spirals into a steamy, all-consuming obsession with her younger colleague, played by One Day and White Lotus star Leo Woodall.

The series is based on the book of the same name by Julia May Jonas, which Rachel describes as a ­brilliant piece of writing.

She added of the character she plays: “I deeply empathise with her and understand her. But I left her when I got home.

“She’s like a projection of what a viewer might want to live out.”

Rachel and Daniel, who ­officially ended his 15-year stint as James Bond with No Time To Die in 2021, were friends for years before falling for each other in 2010 while filming thriller Dream House.

Within months they secretly wed in New York and went on to have daughter Grace, now seven. They split their time between Brooklyn in New York and ­Primrose Hill in North London.

But the couple deliberately choose not to do films together.

Rachel said: “I think we really love our private life as a life, as a family, and then we go to work separately.

“It means we can alternate, so I can stay home with the family while he works. We can swap out. If we’re both doing ­something at the same time, it’s probably less ideal.”

Rachel grew up in ­Hampstead, North London, with dad George, a Hungarian-Jewish mechanical engineer, and mum Edith, who originated from ­Austria and was a teacher-turned-psychotherapist.

The star started modelling at 14 and studied English at ­Cambridge University, with her parents hoping she would choose a more traditional career.

Rachel told the Sunday Sitdown With Willie Geist podcast: “They were just the kind of ­parents who were like, ‘You’ve got to get a degree, like you have to go to ­college’, which in the end I did.

“They wanted me to have a fall-back, so I could be a teacher . . . that would be a really good job.

“My parents would be really happy if I was a teacher. My dad was very sceptical about my career choice. I think he wasn’t very impressed by what I was doing.

“He was my harshest critic for a very long time. I think he only, after a good 15 years, was like, ‘OK, yeah’.

“He was tough — yeah, he was tough, in a good way. He was always honest, he didn’t make it nice. He’d take things apart and say, ‘I didn’t understand what you were doing,’ or, ‘That was a bit wooden’.”

But winning her Oscar changed everything.

Rachel said: “That definitely changed my life. Maybe my dad was like, ‘OK, all right, you were OK’.

“He would never be more over the top than that.”

And that Oscar meant she had the freedom to choose the roles she truly wanted, just like the one in Vladimir.

She said: “In the beginning of my career, I just did whatever job I got so I could pay the rent. I wasn’t picky.

“Now I’m in this luxurious position where I can choose things. It’s really about the character and writing, if it appeals to me or if it seems it would be interesting to ­pretend that story.

“I was never the kind of kid that got on the table and did a tap dance and a song. I wasn’t the star of the school plays or ­anything. I was ­actually really shy.

“I think a lot of actors, when I meet them as grown-ups, they go, ‘I was really shy too’.

“I think I’m just a daydreamer. I think storytelling is, in a way, daydreaming, but ­putting your daydreams into ­writing and getting people to embody them.

“I think my daydreaming skills have just come into it, I get paid for it.”

Despite now being praised for her stylish looks, ranging from velvet trouser suits to Valentino haute ­couture, walking the red carpet still makes Rachel nervous even today.

She said: “I don’t think any actress would say doing the red ­carpet is not terrifying. The way to get through it is to pretend.

“It’s a fantasy, like walking into a fantasy world. These people, they transform you, and that is fun.

“What you see on the red ­carpet is not a character that has anything to say.

“I used to be very shy, and in a way that was what was so great about the idea of ­acting. You can hide the real you behind that character.”

But after years of ­struggling with fame, Rachel says she has finally learned to be ­content with exactly where she is in life.

She said: “Someone once said to me when I was younger, ‘Never think the best party is somewhere else’. You know that feeling of being somewhere and thinking you should go somewhere better?

“You can’t do that. ­Wherever you are is the right place to be.”

WASHINGTON — Anti-Muslim rhetoric from some Republicans in Congress intensified this week against the backdrop of the Iran war, with several lawmakers — including one who said that “Muslims don’t belong in American society” — drawing condemnation from Democrats but little response from GOP leaders.

The derogatory language has been percolating among Republican officials for months, often prominent when criticizing New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani, who is Muslim. But against the backdrop of the Iran war, a country with an overwhelmingly Muslim population, and attacks at a synagogue in Michigan and a college in Virginia, the tone sharpened this week.

“The enemy is inside our gates,” Sen. Tommy Tuberville of Alabama wrote Thursday in response to a photo of Mamdani sitting on the ground during an iftar dinner at New York City Hall. The photo was juxtaposed with a picture of the Sept. 11 attacks.

Hours later, Tuberville added: “To be clear, I didn’t ‘suggest’ Islamists are the enemy. I said it plainly.”

The rhetoric intensified Friday as GOP lawmakers responded to the attacks in Michigan and Virginia by urging a halt to all immigration into the United States. Some singled out Muslims specifically.

For many Muslims, it’s a political moment that carries echoes from the early 2000s, when the Sept. 11 attacks and the Afghanistan and Iraq wars generated hostility toward Muslim communities in the United States, often accompanied by discrimination and racist violence.

“When members of Congress speak, it’s not just words,” said Iman Awad, the national director for policy and advocacy for the Muslim American advocacy group Emgage Action. “It shapes public perception. It legitimizes prejudice.”

GOP rhetoric targeting Muslims spreads online

Rep. Andy Ogles (R-Tenn.) in his social media post stated flatly that Muslims don’t belong in the United States. He stood behind it after criticism mounted, later writing that “paperwork doesn’t magically make you American” and that “Muslims are unable to assimilate; they all have to go back.”

Asked about Ogles’ post Tuesday, House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) said he had spoken to members “about our tone and our message and what we say.” He said Ogles used “different language than I would use,” but added that he believes the issue raised by the comments is “serious.”

“There’s a lot of energy in the country, and a lot of popular sentiment that the demand to impose sharia law in America is a serious problem,” Johnson said. “That’s what animates this.”

Sharia is a religious framework that guides many Muslims’ moral and spiritual conduct. References to “sharia law” have often been invoked by officials to suggest Muslims are attempting to impose religious practices on communities in the United States.

Many Republicans point to a Muslim-centered planned community near Dallas as proof of “sharia law” — though the developers have denied the allegations and said they are being targeted only because they are Muslim.

With Johnson not condemning Ogles’ remarks — or recent comments from Rep. Randy Fine (R-Fla.) that “the choice between dogs and Muslims is not a difficult one” — the anti-Muslim rhetoric grew louder. After the photo circulated of Mamdani at the iftar dinner, several Republicans responded with critical posts.

Democrats broadly condemned the Republican messages. Sen. Chuck Schumer of New York, the leader of Senate Democrats, called Tuberville’s post “mindless hate.”

“Islamophobic hate like this is fundamentally un-American and we must confront and overcome it whenever it rears its ugly head,” Schumer said.

Mamdani — in response to Tuberville’s post that “the enemy is inside our gates” — said: “Let there be as much outrage from politicians in Washington when kids go hungry as there is when I break bread with New Yorkers.”

Attacks in Michigan and Virginia spark more rhetoric

Federal officials identified a man who rammed his vehicle into a hallway at Temple Israel in West Bloomfield Township, Mich., this week as a naturalized citizen born in Lebanon. Officials have said that the man — who was killed by security guards at the temple — had lost four family members in an Israeli airstrike in Lebanon during the ongoing war in the Middle East, just after sunset as they were having their fast-breaking meal during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan.

In Virginia, Mohamed Bailor Jalloh opened fire in a classroom at Old Dominion University before ROTC students subdued and killed him. Court documents showed that he had served time for attempting to aid the militant group Islamic State and was released less than two years ago.

Some Republican lawmakers claimed vindication for their views. Others pushed for legislation. Rep. Tom Emmer of Minnesota, the House Republican whip, said that “the security of our nation hinges on our ability to denaturalize and deport terrorists.”

Rep. Riley M. Moore (R-W.Va.) said he would introduce a bill to denaturalize and deport any naturalized citizen who “commits an act of terrorism, plots to commit an act of terrorism, joins a terrorist organization or otherwise aids and abets terrorism against the American people.”

Similar rhetoric and policy efforts have surfaced before and stoked controversy. Protesters connected to demonstrations in recent years over the Israel-Hamas war were arrested and targeted by authorities, including former Columbia University graduate student Mahmoud Khalil, a Palestinian activist the government has sought to detain and deport.

Mamdani responds

Middle East conflicts bringing domestic tensions is nothing new. With the war in Gaza, both Muslim and Jewish communities have faced faith-based discrimination and attacks.

Mamdani said the posts invoking the 9/11 attacks are problematic not just because of the words, but because of “the actions that often accompany them.”

“I think too of the smaller indignities, the indignities that many New Yorkers face, but that Muslims are expected to face in silence,” the mayor said. “Of the exhaustion of having to explain yourself to those who are not interested in understanding. Of the men who introduce themselves by their given name only to be called Muhammad for years on end.”

The stark silence from Republican leaders, including President Trump, reflects a broader change in the party. After the Sept. 11 attacks in 2001, Republican President George W. Bush visited the Islamic Center of Washington to explicitly warn against Muslim discrimination.

“America counts millions of Muslims amongst our citizens, and Muslims make an incredibly valuable contribution to our country,” Bush said during the visit, adding: “They need to be treated with respect. In our anger and emotion, our fellow Americans must treat each other with respect.

“Those who feel like they can intimidate our fellow citizens to take out their anger don’t represent the best of America, they represent the worst of humankind, and they should be ashamed of that kind of behavior,” Bush said.

Cappelletti writes for the Associated Press.

Chelsea manager Liam Rosenoir says his team’s huddle in the centre circle of the pitch is a “show of respect” to each other rather than to annoy the opposition, after referee Paul Tierney disrupts the pre-match ritual in Chelsea’s 1-0 defeat to Newcastle.

MATCH REPORT: Premier League – Chelsea 0-1 Newcastle

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