Russian authorities quarantine hospital, monitor 200 contacts after suspected pneumonic plague death in Siberia.

President Donald Trump says the United States is ready to help Russia with a suspected pneumonic plague outbreak.

“We are looking at it very strongly. We just heard about it,” Trump said, adding that he had not spoken to Russian President Vladimir Putin about it but is prepared to offer US support.

“It’s a disease we used to be able to control,” Trump said. “Even with great advancement, the germs have really become relatively stronger than they were, and things that used to work on pneumonia don’t work anymore … anyone that has that kind of problem, we will help.”

The World Health Organization (WHO) said based on unofficial information it has received, the “public health risk to the general population appears to be low”.

Earlier on Monday, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio downplayed the danger as well. “I don’t think it’s cause for alarm, but it is cause for focus and a cause to just keep an eye on it,” Rubio said.

Russian authorities have quarantined a hospital and are tracing the contacts of an employee at a plague research institute in the remote Siberian region of Irkutsk who died of a suspected pneumonic plague infection. Local media identified the employee as 28-year-old laboratory technician Darya Shipilova.

Official details about the incident have been limited, and Russian media reports say authorities in Irkutsk have placed nearly 200 people under medical observation.

On Sunday, Russia’s official TASS news agency reported that the country’s consumer protection agency, Rospotrebnadzor, said an employee at the Irkutsk Anti-Plague Research Institute of Siberia and the Far East was diagnosed with “pneumonia of unknown aetiology” or origin. The agency also said it had expanded sample testing from the patient and found no microorganisms associated with her work.

On Saturday, the governor of neighbouring Buryatia region said in a post on his Telegram channel that a woman in Irkutsk had “died, maybe of the plague”.

In a statement to Al Jazeera, a US State Department official said: “We encourage Russian authorities to share accurate information quickly and openly.”

Pneumonic plague is caused by the bacterium Yersinia pestis, usually found in small mammals and their fleas. According to the WHO, the plague is highly infectious and can be fatal if not treated early.

The plague ⁠comes in three forms affecting different parts of the body. Pneumonic plague, an infection of the lungs, triggers the patient to cough out infectious airborne droplets.

If identified quickly, antibiotics can treat the disease. Left untreated, it can be fatal in one to six days.

Big Brother viewers were left emotional after one housemate confessed she wanted to leave the ITV2 show

A Big Brother housemate has admitted “I want to go home”.

It’s been three weeks since 16 contestants walked into the famous house, hoping to win over the British public and bag the huge cash prize. Among them was teacher Yasmin, who formed close bonds with her co-stars Omar and Rhianna.

But her relationships hit a rough patch earlier this week after she rushed to defend newcomer Twinks. It all started when Twinks admitted she identifies as a witch in a private conversation with three other housemates.

News of Twinks’ spiritual beliefs spread like wildfire across the house and Omar wasn’t impressed by her confession. He later had a heated conversation with Twinks, where he asked her if she has ever ridden a broomstick.

The 21-year-old went on to insist that the word ‘witch’ has negative connotations, but Yasmin begged him to “have some respect”. The fallout from their argument left Yasmin in tears during Monday’s episode (October 5) of the ITV show.

The emotional housemate was shown crying alone in bed as she confessed: “I want to go home.” Pauline was quick to console her and asked: “Why do you feel that way?”

Yasmin replied: “I miss my friends and family. I miss how normal everyone is.” Pauline then offered words of support, saying: “Whatever you need to get some peace in this house, take that time. You’ll be okay, my girl. You will be okay.”

It’s not just her clash with Omar that has left the ITV star heartbroken, she also found out that Rhianna has been “chatting s***” behind her back. Yasmin discovered that Rhianna believed she had a secret crush on Lynx in last night’s episode.

Reflecting on the revelation, she told Big Brother: “It’s not the comment that’s p**** me off. It’s the fact that you sat there chatting s*** about me, and it’s like, are we not friends?

“It just makes me think how much other s*** has been said? And I’m sat there going ‘Love you, sis. Hi, sis. How are you doing?’ And then all I’ve ever done in here is look out for Omar, and I just think it’s just been thrown back in my face.”

Although their friendship has lasted weeks, Yasmin told Big Brother that “there’s no coming back” from their latest argument. “The friendship is dead in the water,” she said.

Viewers at home were left heartbroken as they watched Yasmin break down. One shared online: “Watching Yasmin cry was hard, I’m so p**** with how she gets treated in there.”

Someone else said: “Feel for Yasmin so much right now #bbuk,” while a third added: “Oh bless Yasmin. I feel awful for her.”

And a final defender posted: “Yas has done nothing wrong they’re making fun of a new housemate which is rude as hell and she’s simply defending her what’s wrong with that… #bbuk.”

Big Brother is streaming on ITVX

Tyreek Hill once was a superstar receiver with the Kansas City Chiefs, winning a Super Bowl and making six Pro Bowls during his six seasons with the team.

While that was several years ago at this point, it appears that Hill and the Chiefs have mutual interest in a possible reunion.

The Chiefs have a void at wide receiver. Fifth-year player Tyquan Thornton was having the game of his career Sunday against the Las Vegas Raiders — registering triple-digit yardage (11) and multiple touchdowns (2) for the first time — before suffering a dislocated ankle in the fourth quarter that will have him out indefinitely.

Star receiver Rashee Rice suffered a hamstring injury in the first quarter of the Chiefs’ 30-27 win over the Raiders and did not return. His injury isn’t believed to be serious, though, with the team’s bye next week giving him a chance at possibly returning without missing a game.

His former team’s injuries at his position seemed to catch Hill’s attention on Sunday.

“Hm,” he wrote on X.

Hill played for the Miami Dolphins from 2022 through last season. He dislocated a knee and tore several ligaments, including his ACL, during a game against the New York Jets on Sept. 29, 2025, and was released by the Dolphins during the offseason. As Hill continues to recover from the injuries, his agent, Drew Rosenhaus has indicated that he could be ready to play in November.

In fact, Rosenhaus said he plans to begin negotiating a deal for his client on Monday with multiple teams, with the Chiefs in that mix, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported. The Chiefs were interested in possibly bringing back Hill even before Sunday’s injuries, according to The Athletic’s Michael Silver, and the team reached out to Rosenhaus about that possibility after those injuries occurred.

Silver also quoted several Chiefs players who said after the game that they’d be in favor of such a move. Star quarterback Patrick Mahomes said “it’d be pretty cool” if Hill came back to Kansas City.

“I’d love to have ‘The Cheetah’ back in this building,” tight end Travis Kelce added. “He’s a brother. He’s one of those people who, when he sets his mind to something, he usually delivers. You saw that with Miami, when all the haters were saying he couldn’t play and he went and had his best year. I’d be excited by what he could do.”

Neighbouring countries say coastal states must govern Red Sea as fighting escalates in northern Ethiopia.

Ethiopia’s Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed has insisted that his landlocked country must have access to the Red Sea, despite a conflict in the north of the country that risks escalating into a regional conflict.

Abiy made the demand as he was sworn in for another five-year term in power on Monday. His call came as Ethiopian forces were pushing back opposition forces in the northern Tigray region, which are backed by Eritrea, whose independence in 1993 blocked Addis Ababa’s access to the coast.

Repeating previous assertions, Abiy said in a speech in Parliament that the country would work to secure a port on the Red Sea, saying that access was critical to Ethiopia’s “civilisation”.

“Based on the principle of give and take, we will work diligently to ensure that Ethiopia has an outlet to the sea,” he said.

Abiy’s new term and call for Red Sea access come amid worsening relations between Ethiopia and its neighbours.

Ethiopia has accused Eritrea, Egypt and Sudan of supporting opposition forces in the northern Tigray region, following a resurgence of fighting against Abiy’s government.

Lower-level clashes between the federal military and Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) began in August, violating a three-year-old peace deal that ended a devastating two-year war between the parties.

Fighting intensified following the formation of the Ethiopian Peoples’ Forces Alliance for Survival – a coalition of seven armed movements, including the TPLF, which has committed itself to removing Abiy’s government.

In an exclusive interview with Al Jazeera, Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud said Somalia did not object to Ethiopia gaining access to the Red Sea through Somali territory but added that the two countries would need to officially negotiate.

Four of the five countries bordering the Red Sea – Egypt, Eritrea, Sudan and Somalia – met on Sunday in Egypt’s New Alamein, claiming that oversight of the coastline was reserved for bordering states.

The following day, Ethiopia’s Foreign Ministry said discussions over the Red Sea must account for the country’s “legitimate interests and enduring connection” to the body of water.

Frankie Bridge was forced to pull out of Paris Fashion Week last-minute after a brutal anxiety spiral left her bed-bound and unable to function properly.

The Saturdays singer, 37, revealed she had a “dark day” last week that left her in floods of tears before collapsing into bed for the entire rest of the day. 

Frankie also said she has been suffering anxiety-related heart palpitations for the last six months and admitted she had not been eating or sleeping enough.

The mum-of-two had been due to travel to Paris for Fashion Week, which ends on Tuesday, but had to cancel the trip after it began triggering health issues.

Speaking in her YouTube vlog on Monday, Frankie explained: “Paris is like my favourite place, and it’s like my favourite part of fashion week, but it was just giving me anxiety.

The singer, who was due to attend one of the shows as a guest, said she spoke to her agent, who told her the trip was “just not worth it”.

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She added: “At the same time, I feel relieved, but also so disappointed and annoyed.”

Her decision came after a punishing few weeks including a trip to New York and her Faves Live runway event during London Fashion Week.

Frankie said sons Parker, 12, and Carter, 11 – her kids with her husband, ex-footballer Wayne Bridge, 46 – had returned to school, while a family member was “really really sick”.

She admitted: “I think I just didn’t realise how stressed I was and how tired and overwhelmed I was. And I just haven’t had a break or a moment to stop and think about any of it.”

The Loose Women star said: “I was really scared this week that I was heading towards burnout.

“On the way home from filming something on Wednesday, I basically cried the whole way home. I just haven’t been able to function. I think it just finished me off. That was a really dark day.”

Frankie said she had kept turning up for work but felt other parts of her life were slipping.

She revealed Carter went to school at the wrong time one day, adding: “I try and be the best mum that I can be, best friend, best wife, whatever.”

Frankie also revealed her physical health had taken a knock after falling ill. Describing the exhaustion, she said it felt like she had been “hit by a bus”.

She added: “I’ve had heart palpitations all day today, which is like a new thing for me like the last six months if I’m anxious or anything.”

Frankie also admitted stress had affected her appetite. She said: “I think I’ve just not been looking after myself.

“I think I’ve been really stressed, really busy, which I love. I thrive under pressure and stress, but it kind of came with not being hungry.

“So, I probably haven’t been eating enough. I haven’t been sleeping enough.”

Frankie has previously spoken openly about depression and anxiety and spending time in a psychiatric hospital aged 21.

She has also undergone ketamine-assisted therapy for her mental health.

She added: “This is just the reality of trying to do it all. You just can’t. And sometimes something’s got to give. And this week, that something was me.”

Luke Littler missed out on the chance to hold the senior and youth world titles simultaneously after suffering a surprise semi-final defeat at the World Youth Championship.

The 19-year-old world number one was beaten 6-5 by world number 68 Cam Crabtree, who will face German Jan Schmidt in the final on 29 November.

That match will take place on finals day at the Players Championship Finals in Minehead – an event Littler has also yet to qualify for having skipped the majority of Pro Tour events this season.

He is currently ranked 126th in the Players Championship order of merit and only the top 64 qualify.

Four Players Championship events remain, but two of those are in Den Bosch in the Netherlands – where Littler withdrew from events recently after being subjected to boos by the crowds.

Littler has won successive full World Championships and won the youth title as a 16-year-old in 2023, but the semi-final loss to 23-year-old Crabtree was his second successive exit at that stage having lost to Beau Greaves in 2025. He could though enter four more times, with the tournament open to players aged 23 or under at the start of the season.

The loss is the latest in a series of surprise exits for Littler, who was knocked out of the World Grand Prix in the first round by Luke Woodhouse and lost to Jonny Clayton in the quarter-finals of the World Series of Darts finals.

The incident is the latest suspected Russian drone incursion, as fears grow that the war in Ukraine could spill over.

Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has blamed a Russian drone attack for the sinking of a ship in Romania’s section of the Black Sea.

Romania reported that two people were killed and 11 rescued when a grain ship caught fire and sank in its waters on Monday. The Ukrainian president’s claim suggests the incident is the latest in a series of suspected incursions along NATO’s eastern flank, and will fuel concerns that Moscow’s war in Ukraine could spill over.

“A horrific strike by two Russian drones on a civilian vessel in neutral waters carrying corn and owned by Turkiye,” Zelenskyy wrote on social media.

According to the Romanian Ministry of Internal Affairs, the coastguard was alerted at about 11am local time (08:00 GMT) that a fire had broken out on the ship, adding that it was in the country’s “exclusive economic zone”.

The ministry did not identify the cause of the fire.

Azerbaijani and Indian citizens were on board the ship at the time of the attack, it is reported.

Romania is among several NATO members to have reported incursions this year, as Russia and Ukraine have increasingly turned to launches of hundreds of drones and missiles.

In May, a Russian drone hit an apartment building. In June, a stray Ukrainian maritime drone exploded in the Black Sea port of Constanta. In July, Bucharest summoned Russia’s ambassador after air defences intercepted three drones within the span of one week.

Incursions by Russian drones into eastern European airspace are seen by some as a test of NATO and the European Union’s defences and response capabilities.

The Baltic states have also seen drones enter their airspace throughout the war, with airspace violations contributing to the collapse of Latvia’s government in late May after a dispute over how to respond to the incursions.

The incursions have also prompted Poland to bolster its air defence posture after accusing Moscow of violating its airspace in September. Suspected drones were shot down twice in Moldova.

Romania’s Ministry of National Defence said the Romanian Naval Forces had destroyed nine drifting sea mines in the Black Sea since the start of the war.

DEVELOPING STORYDEVELOPING STORY,

The Mecca Alliance says it has agreed to trigger collective deterrence measures in response to “heinous attacks” by Yemen’s Houthi group against Saudi Arabia.

In a statement on Monday, the Pakistani Foreign Ministry said Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and Turkiye had decided to “provide the agreed military forces and capabilities and ensure their rapid deployment” to the kingdom.

Saudi Arabia’s Defence Minister, Khalid bin Salman, said the member countries agreed to trigger the alliance in response “to the attacks and all those responsible for them”.

The announcement comes as the Saudi-backed Yemeni government has launched a counteroffensive to push the Iran-aligned Houthis back from territory captured last month.

The agreement was reached during an emergency meeting of the Strategic Political and Defence Committee under the Mecca Alliance in Riyadh.

The mutual defence pact was signed in August, shortly before the Houthis launched their offensive in Yemen, which has included attacks against Saudi targets. Questions as to whether Islamabad and Ankara would agree to trigger the agreement have persisted since.

However, with hostilities increasing in Yemen, the committee agreed to “move immediately” to implement the collective defence measures to “ensure their rapid deployment in the Kingdom,” the joint statement reads.

The defence commitments will be executed under “approved arrangements” and the national laws of the three countries, the statement added.

More to come…

THE actress sister of a Hollywood star looked super stylish as she stepped out at Paris Fashion Week – but can you guess her famous relative?

This New York-born actress, 34, played the lead in HBO Max comedy-drama The Sex Lives of College Girls.

She has appeared in films including The King of Staten Island and The Devil Wears Prada 2 – but does she look familiar?

It’s Pauline Chalamet, whose younger brother is Golden Globe-winning actor Timothée Chalamet.

Pauline attended the Zimmermann Womenswear Spring/Summer 2027 show, held in the French capital.

Last year, The U.S. Sun revealed the siblings had fallen out due to Timothée relationship with Kylie Jenner.

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Pauline had seemingly taken not-so subtle social media digs at Kylie in the past, slamming billionaires, extreme wealth and private jets.

Two well-placed insiders close to the siblings told The U.S. Sun that their relationship was at an “all-time low” due to Pauline’s disapproval of Kylie.

The first source said “something is broken” between the pair, claiming Pauline believed Kylie “doesn’t share the same values and morals as he does,” and that she will “leave him when she gets fed up.”

“Pauline thinks that Kylie is with her brother because it looks cool and it’s nice to be in a relationship with one of Hollywood’s most exciting young stars,” said the first source. “She thinks she’s with him to keep the spotlight on her.”

Different sources told The U.S. Sun there were serious family concerns about the relationship, suggesting it would be “a terrible mistake” for the couple to get married.

A family member, speaking anonymously, questioned how “two complete opposites” could make a marriage work.

Meanwhile, superstars Timothée and Kylie first began their relationship back in 2023.

Kylie, 29, has two children with her ex-boyfriend, rapper and record producer Travis Scott.

While tensions between Gabriel’s camp and United had been simmering for a number of months, sources have told BBC Sport the player’s decision to seek a move away was ultimately triggered by his non-inclusion in Michael Carrick side for the Champions League encounter with Azerbaijani champions Sabah FK on 10 September.

The youngster’s camp had expressed a desire for Gabriel to be used as a substitute against Sabah – which, on paper, was the easiest of United’s league-phase games.

Sources say the prospect of the Londoner coming on against Brighton in the EFL Cup on 16 September was also discussed, with United officials subsequently insistent that was the plan.

Had he played in either match, Gabriel would have become United’s youngest ever player.

However, by the time the encounter with Fabian Hurzeler’s side arrived, the striker had already told the club of his intention to quit and had left the country.

Gabriel could not play against Sabah because he had not been registered on United’s Uefa A list of players when it was announced on 3 September. The precise reasons for this have not been made clear.

It did not prevent him scoring a hat-trick in a Uefa Youth League game against them at Leigh Sports Village earlier on 10 September. While he has not been back to United since, it is not clear whether anything significant happened after that game.

For their part, United believe they made it clear they view Gabriel as immensely important to their first-team future, even though sources have indicated the player did not report for the start of the academy’s pre-season training schedule at the beginning of July – a week earlier than the senior squad – despite being asked to do so.

Sources also say they lobbied the Premier League to allow the forward to use “JJ Gabriel” on the back of his shirt – which they believe underlined their commitment to the academy prospect.

Gabriel’s real name is Joseph Junior Andreou O’Cearuill – but he is reported to have changed his name for commercial purposes.

In addition, United say they have provided Gabriel with first-team care and services – included regular meetings with senior coaches and nutritionists.

That he was included in the senior team photo is also viewed as further evidence of their commitment to his development and transition into first-team football.

Israel ordered East Jerusalem consulate to be closed in retaliation for British sanctioning of settlements in the occupied West Bank.

The United Kingdom has threatened to expel 27 Israeli diplomats should Israel proceed with plans to close the British consulate in occupied East Jerusalem, according to unverified Israeli media reports.

The Ynet outlet reported on Monday that the British Ambassador to Israel, Simon Walters, had conveyed the warning to Israeli officials. Israel ordered the closure of the consulate by October 8 in retaliation for the British decision to sanction illegal settlements in the occupied West Bank.

According to the report, the British government has threatened to expel one Israeli diplomat for each of the 27 British diplomats whose diplomatic status at the consulate would be terminated in the event that it is shut.

Israel ordered the consulate’s closure after Britain imposed sanctions targeting illegal Israeli settlements in the West Bank, including a ban on imports.

The consulate operates separately from the British Embassy in Israel and handles relations with Palestinians in East Jerusalem, the occupied West Bank and Gaza, including political and consular affairs.

Britain’s National Security Adviser, Jonathan Powell, travelled to Israel last week in an undisclosed attempt to persuade Israeli officials to reverse the closure, the Reuters news agency reported on Monday. The talks did not produce an agreement, although discussions are continuing.

The British embassy in Israel has declined to comment on the reported threat, according to Ynet.

Chris Appleton became very emotional and burst into tears as he addressed his early exit from Strictly Come Dancing during an apperance on Monday’s It Takes Two

Chris Appleton broke down in tears as he addressed his early exit from Strictly Come Dancing.

The celebrity hairdresser,43, who is best known for working with megastars like Kim Kardashian, Ariana Grande, and Jennifer Lopez, had been taking part in the BBC Saturday night favourite with professional partner Amy Dowden, but the pair did not make it past the Movie Week without being sent home.

During an appearance on Monday’s It Takes Two with host Ellie Taylor, Chris and Amy were shown a selection of his best bits from the show and the star quickly became emotional. Through tears, he said: “Why did you have to show that? Oh my God, it’s just been a phenomenal experience.

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“I said to my kids…I can’t even talk…just challenge yourself and do it anyway. I’d literally go out there shaking and there’s times I didn’t know if I could do it but I did it and I would just look at Amy and see her smiling and knew she was with me.

“It says so much about the show, all of the cast and the people behind the scenes who don’t get a mention. You do need that because it’s such a phenomenal one and if you’re lucky enough to do it, jump at it.”

Elsewhere in the emotional interview, Amy paid tribute to her dance partner and said that she was sure that there would have been “so much more” to come from him had they not been voted off.

She said: “From the first day to dancing on Saturday night, he grew and grew and grew [in confidence] and I’m just gutted that we didn’t get the chance to continue. I honestly think there was so much more to come.”

In the dance off Chris and Amy performed their Cha Cha to I’ll Be Ready from Baywatch, before actress Jaime Winstone and Carlos Gu performed their Cha Cha to Oh, Pretty Woman from Pretty Woman.

The judges voted unanimously to save Jaime meaning she will be back next weekend. Chris had said earlier in the weekend he didn’t want to let his partner Amy down. He said: “I am really trying but also really enjoying it.” But his cha cha managed just 17 points from the judges and in week one he got just 15, amongst the lowest scores in the competition.

After his elimination, Chris said: “I think it’s been such a whirlwind of emotion. I’m 43 and I got good at doing what I did – which is hair. To come and do something like this, I felt so out of my comfort zone and saw myself in a way I never saw myself, and it challenged me in ways I never knew I could be challenged.

“I am very grateful for everyone who has been involved. It’s been so amazing to be part of something that I grew up watching and got to be a part of it.

“The most important thing I think I will take from this show is having a friend in Amy because I genuinely love her and I am so grateful I met someone who has so much heart and passion.

“I only wish I could have done better for her because she deserves to go further in the competition, but we did put everything into it.”

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WASHINGTON — The Supreme Court justices sounded wary Monday of state-by-state lawsuits that could impose huge damage verdicts on energy producers for the impact of global climate change.

Instead, several of them suggested these local and state claims may be blocked by the federal Clean Air Act.

“Interstate air and water pollution are matters for federal law,” said Justice Brett M. Kavanaugh. “We don’t have to reinvent the wheel. This kind of pollution is a federal matter unless Congress says otherwise.”

Justice Elena Kagan appeared to agree. State-by-state lawsuits “get in way of how Congress decided to regulate greenhouse gases,” she said.

At issue before the court was the question of whether cities and states may sue oil and gas producers for the damages inflicted by climate change.

California and nearly three dozen states and municipalities have filed such claims, but none have gone to trial.

Last year, the Colorado Supreme Court ruled that Boulder County may sue for damages in a local court.

The Supreme Court agreed to hear an appeal from the oil industry backed by the Trump administration. Its lawyers argued that the Constitution and federal law do not allow for such claims to be resolved in local courts.

Chief Justice John G. Roberts sounded skeptical of opening the door to a wave of climate change lawsuits. “There will be 50 different cities. How would that work out?” he asked a lawyer representing Boulder.

For much of the two-hour argument, the justices struggled over whether federal law imposes a limit on such lawsuits, or instead whether states and their judges are free to seek damages for the harm they have suffered.

They did not signal a clear outcome but most of them sounded as though they leaned toward saying that federal law governs such far-reaching damage claims.

The energy producers turned to the Supreme Court after losing in state court.

They hope the high court will shut down more than three dozen lawsuits seeking damages for the impact of climate change.

So far, judges across the nation have been divided. Some have ruled that federal law preempts or blocks states and counties from suing under state law.

But others, including the Colorado Supreme Court, ruled the lawsuits may proceed under state law.

Justice Samuel A. Alito, a staunch conservative, said he is sitting out the case, presumably because he owns stock in oil companies that would be affected by a ruling.

If the court splits 4-4 and cannot rule, it would be major disappointment for the oil industry because it would allow all the climate-change suits to proceed, at least for now.

New Saracens chief executive Ed Coetzee confirmed on Friday that Venter’s job title, which differs to the one he was said to have when appointed to succeed Mark McCall, includes “significant media duties”.

Venter duly spoke to TNT Sports before the match with Sale and said he refused the director of rugby job title because he had “absolutely nothing” to do with other departments of the club, such as the academy and women’s section.

The 56-year-old also insisted the wine consultant reference was not a joke aimed at the media.

“Our whole theme this year was all about wine,” Venter said. “Everything in our theme was about a blend and getting the blend right.”

But Care said the stories around Venter’s role looked to have had a negative impact on the pitch.

“Sarries have done some amazing things in the last year or so, bringing a new energy, a new vibe,” he said.

“But then it just feels like they’re taking the mickey out of everyone by [saying] ‘he’s not doing interviews today’ and taking fines and changing his job title.

“You can only do that when you are so much better at rugby than everyone else and at the moment, they’re not.

“[The performance against Sale] looked flat. It looked quiet. I don’t blame the players. I blame the management for that.”

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has arrived in Reykjavik, Iceland, for the first leg of a four-day European tour in which he will also visit Greece and Portugal.

“Economic and security collaboration” top the agenda for his talks on Monday with Icelandic officials, according to a statement from the Department of State.

Ahead of his departure, he told reporters he would not directly tie the United States’ decision to remove its B-1 bombers from the British base of Fairford to last week’s incident.

“I wouldn’t just directly tie that to the move that was made,” Rubio told reporters, adding that “the Department of War is constantly reallocating resources where they need to be”.

Rubio asserted confidence in the security of all US bases and praised United Kingdom authorities’ cooperation.

Five British men were arrested near the British airbase at Fairford on suspicion of preparing “terrorist acts”, and were later released on bail. A sixth man, a dual UK-Iranian national arrested separately in London, has also been released on bail.

B-1 bombers were returned to the US. They had been used for strikes on Iran.

A NATO military source had, however, said: “It is still believed that Iran poses an acute threat to US assets in the UK”.

Iran’s Revolutionary Guards previously said the Fairford base was a legitimate target, but Tehran denied any links to last week’s incident.

Rubio is also visiting Greece to lead the US delegation for the sixth US-Greece Strategic Dialogue, focusing on defence cooperation and regional and energy security, and will wrap up his tour in Lisbon, where he will discuss defence, economic and technology cooperation.

Erewhon, the trendy L.A. health food chain and retailer, announced Monday that it will become a permanent fixture at Los Angeles County Museum of Art’s David Geffen Galleries after operating there as a pop-up since April. The cafe will join the new building’s yet-to-be announced restaurant, which is already holding private events including a recent unveiling of an Ed Ruscha-designed poster for Alejandro G. Iñárritu’s new film, “Digger.”

To celebrate its new status, Erewhon announced a LACMA smoothie created to resemble Alexander Calder’s fountain sculpture, “Three Quintains (Hello Girls),” which sits directly next to the cafe on the museum’s ground floor. The drink is made from pineapple, mango, strawberry, mandarin and lion’s mane (of course). It will be joined by limited edition merch, including a sweatshirt and a tote.

LACMA’s new Peter Zumthor-designed building opened to the public in April and was greeted with equal parts praise and controversy. Erewhon, which launched as a pop-up about a week later also elicited excitement and some griping, with critics saying the space would be better served by a less expensive option. (Erewhon is known for its high prices, with a typical smoothie costing $13 to $22.)

“We’re absolutely thrilled that Erewhon at LACMA is becoming a permanent fixture of the museum experience,” Michael Govan, LACMA’s president and chief executive, said in a news release. “Erewhon stands as a true family-owned local icon — one that champions creativity and well being while fiercely dedicating itself to its communities.”

The cafe will be open to non-ticketed guests, and is surrounded by a number of pieces of outdoor public art.

National Hockey League all-time leading goalscorer Alex Ovechkin says he will retire at the end of the season.

The 41-year-old Russian, who plays for the Washington Capitals, claimed the record in April 2025 when he scored his 895th career goal to surpass the legendary Wayne Gretzky’s NHL regular season tally.

Canadian Hall of Famer Gretzky held the record for 31 years having previously overtaken compatriot Gordie Howe in 1994.

Ovechkin said in a statement that he “loves this game so much” but knew that in his “heart it’s the right decision”.

“It was important for me to make this announcement before our first home game, so I have the chance to thank all the people around the game,” Ovechkin said.

“Everyone who has been so important to me and my family and helped me through good times and tough losses.

“I wouldn’t have been able to achieve everything I have in my life without them.”

Ovechkin has 1,688 career points (929 goals, 759 assists) in 1,575 games for the Capitals, the 10th-most points in NHL history.

He’s 11 goals away from passing Gretzky for most total goals (regular season and play-offs combined) in NHL history and four assists away from passing Nicklas Backstrom for the franchise career assists record (762).

Ovechkin will play his first Western Conference home game of the new season on Wednesday when the Pittsburgh Penguins are the visitors to the Capital One Arena.

“I am excited about this season with my team-mates, and we will do everything we can to make this year special,” he added.

“I am going to enjoy every moment with my family, my boys, our fans and everyone who has been part of my hockey career.”