Month: May 2025

PHOENIX — The Dodgers were a perfect 5-0 this season when facing former Cy Young Award winners.

On Saturday night at Chase Field, however, they finally met their match.

Despite missing his last scheduled start because of shoulder inflammation, Corbin Burnes had his way with the Dodgers’ powerhouse lineup in a 3-0 win for the Arizona Diamondbacks, throwing seven shutout innings to ensure the Dodgers will do no better than split this four-game series between National League West rivals.

In a stark reversal from Friday night’s 25-run thrill ride, when the Dodgers needed a five-run rally in the third inning and a six-run come-from-behind outburst in the ninth to earn their lone win through three games this weekend, a pitcher’s duel ensued under a closed roof at Chase Field on Saturday.

Dodgers starter Dustin May was good, dotting the corners of the strike zone with his wicked sinker-sweeper combination en route to a 6 ⅔ inning, two-run, five-strikeout outing — his longest since returning from a second career elbow surgery this year.

His only two mistakes came on a couple first-pitch sinkers: One that Corbin Carroll hit for a leadoff triple in the third inning, leading to one run; and another that Eugenio Suárez clobbered for a 455-foot homer in the sixth.

Burnes, however, was better the whole way, flashing the form that made him a Cy Young winner in 2021 with the Milwaukee Brewers and $210 million free-agent signing for the Diamondbacks (21-19) this winter.

He erased a leadoff single in the first from Friday night’s hero, Shohei Ohtani, with an immediate double-play from Mookie Betts. He stranded two runners on base in both the third and fourth innings, easily extinguishing the two best threats the Dodgers (26-14) generated against him. And he finished the day giving up just five hits and two walks (one of them was intentional) while striking out five.

Entering Saturday, some of the Dodgers’ most impressive wins this season came against former Cy Young arms. During their 8-0 start to the season, they won against both of last year’s winners, Tarik Skubal of the Detroit Tigers and Chris Sale of the Atlanta Braves. They knocked off Jacob deGrom and the Rangers in Texas last month, when their own Cy Young candidate, Yoshinobu Yamamoto, outdueled deGrom in a low-scoring affair. In the last two weeks, they had battered Miami’s Sandy Alcantara twice, beating up on the NL’s 2023 winner as he works his way back from Tommy John surgery.

Burnes, however, was on a different level Saturday, complementing his signature cutter with a mix of curveballs, changeups, sinkers and sliders to turn in his best performance in a Diamondbacks uniform.

Between Burnes and Arizona reliever Ryne Nelson, the Dodgers forced Diamondbacks pitchers to make just 107 throws in what was their third game being shut out this season.

While the loss ended the Dodgers’ perfect record against Cy Young winners, it continued a more troubling trend for the team of late.

Since that 8-0 start, the Dodgers have played 12 games against teams currently above .500. With Saturday’s loss, they are now 3-9 in those contests, and will now need a win Sunday to avoid dropping a fourth-straight such series.

Dodge the sky-high hotel prices and insufferable crowds of holidaymakers by visiting this idyllic island that has somehow managed to avoid the blinding tourist spotlight

Avoid the coach loads of bustling tourists with this ‘sacred island’ that has been criminally overlooked for decades. Last year, Greece saw a record-breaking number of tourists, with more than 40 million travellers flocking to its mainland and Instagram-worthy cluster of islands.

Enticed by cobalt waters, ubiquitous history, and a penchant for cheap gyros, the influx of visitors sparked heavy backlash from fed-up locals – resulting in a slew of protests erupting across the country last year. Slogans demanding tourists ‘go home’ were spray painted in hotspots, prompting the country to ramp up its tourist tax (up to €15 per night for five-star hotel stays in the peak season).

Even tourists have been deterred by the insufferable crowds, especially in hotspots like Santorini – a tiny island with just 15,000 residents – where millions of tourists fill up narrow streets in search of the perfect sunset snap every year. It’s a similar situation over in Mykonos, where you’ve got more chances of winning the lottery than finding a free sun lounger.

READ MORE: Huge £1bn EU airport where chaos forced its closure after just 4 years

However, peacefully tucked away in the Aegean Sea lies the picturesque island of Patmos – which has somehow managed to avoid the blinding tourist limelight. Declared as a ‘sacred’ island in 1981, this history-rich hotspot is a perfect alternative to Greece’s insanely crowded destinations.

“Much of this place’s allure is owed to its villages: their winding alleys, stone-paved squares, and traditional houses will make a lasting impression on you, as will the good food you’ll taste,” hailed Visit Greece. “The island’s beaches with the amazing waters are also a great asset that will steal your heart away!”

Patmos, which is acclaimed for its religious legacy, is believed to be the place where John the Evangelist (aka John the Theologian) wrote the Book of Revelation. Head over to the Monastery of St. John to learn more about the island’s history – and make sure to check out the nearby Cave of Apocalypse, which won TripAdvisor’s Travellers’ Choice Award in 2024.

Most tourists make a visit to the medieval town of Chora, known for its tiny whitewashed villages and quaint coffee shops. “Look especially for the traditional bakeries where you can buy cheese pies, local dairy products and a special confection, called poughi [pouch] made with honey and nuts wrapped in a pouch-like dough,” Visit Greece added.

After a day of exploring, head down to one of Patmos’ pristine beaches to watch the sun melt into the horizon. Unlike Santorini, you’ll be able to get the perfect Instagram picture without having to crop out the heads of selfie-stick-waving tourists.

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There are no direct flights to Patmos from the UK, which may explain its lack of tourism. However, getting there isn’t too difficult, and is well worth the effort. First, you’ll have to fly to Kos, which takes an average of four hours and 10 minutes. You can get direct flights here from a slew of UK airports, including Manchester, Bristol, Glasgow and London Stansted. If you’re flexible with dates, you can grab return fares for as little as £88 in July.

After touching down in Kos, you’ll have to get a ferry over to Patmos, which takes just over two hours. For a return economy ticket in the summer, this will cost around €130.98 (around £111.07).

Accommodation on the island hugely varies depending on your budget. For example, a week’s stay (Monday, July 7-14) at the luxury Patmos Eye Boutique Hotel & Villas – which includes your own private pool – costs a staggering £2,387, based on two adults sharing. However, staying in a more basic twin room at Hotel Athina costs just £574 on the exact same dates.

*Prices based on Skyscanner and Booking.com listings at the time of writing.

What’s your favourite Greek island? Let us know in the comments section below.

This sunny holiday destination has been popular with British tourists for years – and you can fly there for as little as £37

With summer just a matter of weeks away, many people will soon be preparing to jet away for a taste of sun, sea and sand. If you still haven’t decided where to go this year, one destination well worth a visit is Agadir in Morocco.

This North African resort city is the most visited city in southern Morocco, boasting a prime coastal location. Its main attraction? The ‘beautiful’ and ‘well-maintained’ beaches.

Despite its North African setting, Agadir’s ‘palm tree-lined boulevards’ and beachfront bars lend it a ‘Western-resort feel’. Many tourists flock to Agadir during the winter months when the weather remains sunny, reports Chronicle Live.

The city’s modern infrastructure is largely due to a devastating earthquake in 1960, which led to most of the city being rebuilt using seismic-resistant construction methods.

Visitors to Agadir can enjoy a range of activities, from camel riding to beach buggy rentals. For a more relaxed experience, visit Suq al-Had market or take a 20-minute stroll up to the ruins of the Agadir Kasbah for stunning city views and a break from the beach.

When it comes to the culinary delights of Agadir, it’s described as ‘a vibrant blend of Arab and Mediterranean flavours’, with ‘rich, aromatic spice combinations’. The cuisine features fruits like apricots and olives, and lamb is a staple in most dishes.

Some of the top-rated restaurants in Agadir include The Pita Bar, a gourmet destination for authentic pitas and Let’s be Healing Food, which offers fresh organic foods and a range of vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free options.

Agadir also boasts a variety of experiences that are hailed on Tripadvisor as ‘must-do’, such as a desert quad bike safari, swimming trips up to Paradise Valley and the Atlas Mountains, and a visit to the nearby Crocoparc zoo.

For those seeking relaxation, you can indulge in a traditional hammam massage, take a day trip to nearby Marrakesh, or enjoy a full day boat trip with fishing and lunch while taking in stunning views of the Atlantic Ocean.

The Moroccan city is a popular destination for surfing, seen as a hotspot for boarding enthusiasts. This is hardly surprising given the miles of pristine beaches that make Agadir so appealing.

There’s so much more to discover about Agadir, and with flights starting from just £37 (at the time of writing), it could be the perfect destination for a sunny getaway this summer. For more information, visit the Agadir, Morocco section of the Tripadvisor website.

May 10 (UPI) — The Pentagon has ordered senior military leaders to pull and review library books from educational institutions that address diversity, anti-racism or gender issues.

The Department of Defense on Friday issued a six-page memo “to identify library materials that may conflict with our core mission. The Department’s instructional materials should be mission-focused and not promote divisive concepts and gender ideology.”

“The Secretary has been clear: We are building a colorblind, merit-based culture that promotes and rewards individual initiative, excellence, and hard work,” Pentagon senior advisor Sean Parnell said in a statement.

Military educational institutions “are focused on the core warfighting mission of the Department while upholding the principles of intellectual freedom necessary to educate military leaders ready to fight and win the Nation’s wars,” the memo reads.

It was signed by Timothy Dill, the Pentagon’s under secretary of defense for personnel and readiness.

Military schools, which include War Colleges and military service academies, have been told to identify this content no later than May 21.

The search will include 20 Library of Congress subject headings, including as affirmative action, anti-racism, critical race theory, discrimination, diversity in the workplace, gender affirming care, gender dysphoria, gender expression, transgender people, White privilege.

Then, experts in the fields of education will decide by June which books to remove from shelves, according to the memo.

“All reviews will use a ‘viewpoint-neutral’ approach, using definitions laid out in Executive Order 14168, ‘Defending Women from Gender Ideology Extremism and Restoring Biological Truth to the Federal Government,’ and Executive Order 13950, ‘Combating Race and Sex Stereotyping,'” the memo reads.

In early April, the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, Md., removed 381 books from its library before a visit by Secretary Pete Hegseth. Officials had reviewed nearly 900 books.

Removed were books honoring Jewish female academy graduates, women who served during the Civil War and lessons discussing the Tuskegee Airmen‘s and Women’s Air Force Service Pilots’ services during World War II.

The libraries at Army West Point in New York and Air Force in Colorado were also told to find books related to diversity, equity and inclusion.

In March, an article about baseball icon Jackie Robinson‘s military history was “mistakenly removed” from the Department of Defense website due to search terms used to scrub diversity, equity and inclusion terms, officials said.

Danny Fullbrook/BBC

Samii Wood

Samii Wood

Samii Wood

The science of cuddles

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Kimberley Piper/BBC

The sardonic meme phrase “Are men okay?” gets a bleakly amusing yet quietly devastating workover in Joel Potrykus’ “Vulcanizadora,” about a pair of downtrodden dudes on a disturbingly consequential journey into the woods near Lake Michigan. In its focused glimpse into a strange, funny-sad friendship, it’s almost mesmerizingly nonjudgmental as it treks to a very dark place.

That doesn’t mean “Vulcanizadora” lacks a point of view. Potrykus’ cinematic playground — forged in small-scale curios like “Buzzard” and “Relaxer” — is the stagnant air of failure surrounding a certain kind of shameless, embittered, immature guy for whom life’s richest challenges are video-game levels and petty pranks. Mel Brooks famously contextualized our perspective on misfortune when he said, “Tragedy is when I cut my finger, comedy is when you fall into an open sewer and die.” But Potrykus, whose oeuvre of slacker micro-apocalypses has become as distinctive as anyone’s in the DIY indie realm, seems intent on finding a discomfiting if poetic space between those poles, where your snickers might be colored by a slight repugnance, and at times you’ll stare as you would at a half-squished insect still trying to move.

“Vulcanizadora” is a 10-years-later follow-up to “Buzzard” — because the word “sequel” almost sounds too materialistically mercenary for such lo-fi fare as this. But knowing that may not be necessary, because as the story’s humans come into view from the leafy serenity of Adam J. Minnick’s 16mm cinematography, it doesn’t take long to grasp who Marty, played by longtime Potrykus collaborator Joshua Burge, and motormouth Derek (Potrykus) are: inexperienced campers, committed weirdos, close pals, stunted juveniles and men on a mission to fulfill an obligation they’ve made to each other.

The details of their pact aren’t initially clear, but the journey seems tilted toward appeasing Derek’s junky pleasures: bottle rockets, martial arts play-acting, swigging Jaeger from a canteen, porn mags. Marty, meanwhile, hollow-eyed and churlish about straying from their objective, seems haunted with guilt after a recent stint in jail for setting a building on fire. (Marty’s deteriorating life of small-time criminality was the loose narrative of “Buzzard,” although it’s best known for a long take of him messily eating spaghetti that could almost qualify as dirtbag performance art.)

Burge is a singular screen presence, like an R. Crumb misfit made real, and it’s almost touching how much faith Potrykus has in the awkward majesty of staying on his face so that Marty’s sour desperation tips us over from wanting to laugh at him to feeling sorry for his misery. But Potrykus, whose character was mostly a punching bag in “Buzzard,” also gives himself a chance to make this a real two-hander when the vibrating Derek’s own regrets eventually come to the surface — he’s got a 5-year-old son he knows he’s ill-suited to be a real father to — and we see the lost man inside the arrested adolescent. Potrykus makes a psychologically revealing meal out of every nervous interjection of Derek’s until they become animalistic and eventually sorrowful.

Flush with emotion after expressing some of that deep-set pain and perhaps trying to stave off a no-turning-back reality, Derek tries to convince his friend he feels better getting everything out. But Marty’s right there to let him know that tomorrow he’ll feel bad all over again. And that feels real too, as if it were this fable’s slap-you-awake moral.

But then, on the lake’s gleaming shore, “Vulcanizadora” reveals its truest colors with a horrifying, absurd twist of fate for these two that, if not exactly unpredictable, kicks off a final act of smudgy, eccentric, farcical grace about the complicated bonds of friendship. The ending’s a downer, all right, but you might just smile too. Then feel bad about it. Then chuckle. Which is when you realize Potrykus has you right where he wants you.

Despite a massive investment of over £1bn, an unfortunate mix of permit and planning hiccups saw this Spanish airport close less than four years after opening

While some airports have a reputation for their state-of-the-art attractions, one has gained notoriety for being a ghost town. Despite receiving more than £1bn for construction and development, this Spanish airport has sat unused for decades.

Ciudad Real Central Airport (CQM), also known as Don Quijote Airport, opened in 2008 with expectations it would become a major transport hub and relieve pressure on Madrid Barajas Airport (MAD). It was Spain’s first private international airport and was designed to welcome up to 2.5 million passengers, being just 2.5 hours away from Madrid.

The development amassed the full support of the Ciudad Real Chamber of Commerce, but, obtaining the necessary permits proved difficult and environmental regulators were concerned the airport’s runway infringed on a protected bird site.

READ MORE: Abandoned European city where car showrooms and banks gather dust

Unfortunately, the delays to construct Ciudad Real Central Airport saw Madrid’s Barajas Terminal 4 to become operational first. Thus, the need for the alternative airport was reduced and plans for a high-speed rail link to Madrid meant CQM was relatively redundant before it even opened.

Still the airport opening went ahead and the first flight from Ciudad Airport took off on December 18, 2008. The airport had difficulty attracting airlines and passengers, reportedly serving only 190,000 passengers during its short time in operation.

CQM did run services for Air Berlin – before it filed for insolvency in 2017 – with flights to Mallorca for a short spell. By 2010, the airport only operated two flights a day, a far cry from the major airport hub it was expected to be.

Even Vueling, the budget Spanish airline, pulled out of the airport in October 2011 citing low profits. The reputation of the airport was further tarnished when local media reported that drug traffickers had tried to use the airport’s cargo terminal to smuggle cocaine from South America and Africa.

After Vueling ceased its operations at CQM it operated only private and charter flights until its closure on April 13, 2012. In less than four years, the billion-pound airport became a derelict ghost town.

While the Spanish airport never reopened to the public, it did not fall completely out of use. The site has been used for filming movies and TV shows like Top Gear. In September 2019 CQM reopened as a maintenance base and became a great resource during the pandemic.

During the start of the pandemic, flights from China carrying PPE used Ciudad Real Central Airport as a distribution hub. It also served as a storage and maintenance centre for grounded aircraft. By mid 2021 though, the airport closed again as air travel went back to normal. Some aircrafts were left on the tarmac though and are visible through the airport’s fences.

Today, CQM has been modified for aviation logistics, aircraft parking and maintenance. Pilots use the airport for training as well, with the 13,500-ft runway still one of the longest in Europe.

A GARDENING expert has shared a simple trick to get your lawn looking lush and healthy, without needing to spend a penny.

With temperatures soaring again this weekend, after a chilly bank holiday many of us likely plan to spend time relaxing in the garden.

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However, if you’re planning on having any guests over for barbecues or garden parties, you may want to give your lawn a bit of a spruce up.

And although you may think that keeping your lawn in tip top condition will cost a bomb, Ivana Agustina, Head of Project Management at ShrubHub revealed one simple trick you can use that is completely free.

The expert revealed that instead of throwing grass clippings away after you finish mowing, you should leave them on the grass.

“One of the simplest tricks is to leave your grass clippings after mowing,” she told Fabulous.

“They break down fast and act as a natural fertiliser, giving your lawn a nutrient boost without costing a penny.”

Not only is this hack cost-effective, it will also save you time too, so you can spend more time relaxing in the sun.

Ivana also revealed that many gardeners are making a huge mistake when trying to get their lawns looking lush.

A lot of people over-water without realising it,” she told Fabulous.

Ivana said that instead of running a sprinkler throughout the day, you should deep water the grass twice a week in the morning.

“This encourages the roots to grow deeper and makes your lawn more drought-resistant.

“You’ll use less water overall, and your lawn will actually look greener for it.”

As you will be using less water with this method you will save money, whilst making your lawn look lusher than ever.

Ivana also revealed that mowing at the wrong time can have disastrous consequences.

How to stop yellow patches on your lawn

STEVEN Bell, Managing Director of Paving Shopper, shared his insights on the true causes of lawn discoloration and how to maintain a lush, green lawn…

1) Sharpen mower blades

2) Prevent fungal disease with nitrogen fertiliser

3) Mow frequently

4) Aerate lawn with a fork

“People don’t realise that grass gets stressed just like any plant,” she said.

“Many gardeners make the common mistake of mowing their grass in the midday heat, without realising the harm this can do to the grass.

“If you mow it at the wrong time, you’re basically wounding the lawn when it’s least able to recover.”

The expert revealed that in spring the best time to mow your lawn is between 9 am and 11 am.

“Mowing during late morning means you’re not clogging your mower with wet clippings or baking the lawn in midday heat,” she said.

Ivana explained that one of the worst times to mow your grass is before 8 am as grass is still wet from morning dew, which leads to “uneven trimming”.

She added that between 2pm and 4pm is also not a good time to cut the grass, as this is the hottest part of the day,  “which is bad news for moisture retention and overall lawn health.”

May 10 (UPI) — The Trump administration is appealing a district judge’s order that temporarily blocked plans to reduce the federal workforce and reorganize 21 departments and agencies.

Late Friday, attorneys asked the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit to review Judge Susan Illston‘s temporary restraining order earlier in the day. Illston, who serves in California, was appointed by President Bill Clinton.

She said plaintiffs need to file their motion for preliminary injunction by Wednesday and plans to hear further arguments on May 22.

The judge said the “plaintiffs are likely to succeed on the merits of at least some of their claims.”

The lawsuit was filed April 28 by a coalition of nonprofits, unions and local governments, including San Francisco.

Her 42-page order puts on hold Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency “Workforce Optimization Initiative.” The order also includes similar memos issued by the Office of Personnel Management and DOGE.

President Donald Trump issued an executive order on Feb. 11 calling for significant cuts to the federal workforce, as well as reorganization of various departments and agencies.

During Trump’s first 100 days in office, at least 121,000 workers have been laid off or targeted for layoffs, according to a CNN analysis. There are more than 3 million workers among civilian and military personnel.

“The President has the authority to seek changes to executive branch agencies, but he must do so in lawful ways and, in the case of large-scale reorganizations, with the cooperation of the legislative branch,” Illston wrote after hearing arguments from both sides.

“Many presidents have sought this cooperation before; many iterations of Congress have provided it. Nothing prevents the President from requesting this cooperation — as he did in his prior term of office. Indeed, the Court holds the President likely must request Congressional cooperation to order the changes he seeks, and thus issues a temporary restraining order to pause large-scale reductions in force in the meantime.”

Illston said she believes there is “no statutory authority whatsoever” that allows the Office of Personnel Management, the Office of Management and Budget or DOGE the authority to direct other federal agencies to make cuts through buyouts or layoffs.

The agencies are the departments of Agriculture, Commerce, Defense, Energy, Health and Human Services, Homeland Security, Housing and Urban Development, Justice, Interior, Labor, State, Treasury, Transportation and Veterans Affairs.

Six additional agencies that have a statutory basis elsewhere in the United States Code are AmeriCorps, General Services Administration, National Labor Relations Board, National Science Foundation, Small Business Administration and Environmental Protection Agency.

The only executive department not named in this suit is the Department of Education, which Trump wants to disband.

Federal agencies were directed to submit phase 1 plans by March 13 and phase 2 by April 14.

The Trump administration said plaintiffs lacked timeliness because the relevant executive order was issued nearly three months ago.

“Defendants cannot have it both ways,” Illston wrote. “The Court finds that plaintiffs reasonably waited to gather what information they could about the harm they may suffer from the Executive Order, the OMB/OPM Memorandum, and the [agency reduction in force and reorganization plans].”

Eric Hamilton, an attorney for the Department of Justice, told the judge the executive order is not a mandatory order but merely a planning process.

“There’s case law in the Ninth Circuit as well as federal district courts in the state of California that have recognized that delays of much less are by itself enough for a court to deny a motion for a temporary restraining order,” he told the judge.

“The Trump administration’s unlawful attempt to reorganize the federal government has thrown agencies into chaos, disrupting critical services provided across our nation,” the coalition said after the ruling in a statement. Each of us represents communities deeply invested in the efficiency of the federal government – laying off federal employees and reorganizing government functions haphazardly does not achieve that.”

“We are gratified by the court’s decision today to pause these harmful actions while our case proceeds,” they said.

In a separate case, Senior U.S. District Judge William Alsup, also a Clinton appointee, ordered the government to rehire thousands of workers it fired. The Supreme Court said the nonprofits did not have legal standing to sue and the judge then ordered the agencies to give fired workers letters they were not fired based on their performance.

In April, U.S. District Judge James Bredar of Maryland, appointed by President Barack Obama, also ordered 19 federal agencies to reinstate probationary workers fired.

CBS News reported that more than 24,000 workers at 18 agencies were fired as part of Trump’s efforts to shrink the size of government were rehired as part of the judge’s order, although an appeals court later cleared the way for the mass firings.

Lesego Chombo/Instagram

Lesego Chombo/Instagram

Lesego Chombo/Instagram

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The 1% Club saw a whopping 10 players axed from the ITV show after the 90% question tripped them up, leaving host Lee Mack gobsmacked

A seemingly ‘easy’ question on The 1% Club saw a shocking 10 contestants booted off the ITV show, leaving host Lee Mack gobsmacked.

In an unusual twist on the game show, the 90% question, typically the easiest to answer, knocked out 10 players.

The questions on The 1% Club are tested on the public before airing, with the percentage of correct answers determining each round’s difficulty. The final question is one that only 1% of the public answered correctly.

However, a recent question, which 90% of the public answered correctly, managed to trip up several contestants.

They had half a minute to answer: “Logically, which of these children’s characters could be included in this sequence? Humpty Dumpty, Tinky Winky, Andy Pandy.”

The two options given to the 100 players were Postman Pat and Incy Wincy.

Despite seeming obvious to many, 10 players were left scratching their heads and got it wrong, reports Belfast Live.

“The right answer is Incy Wincy because the sequence is made up of characters whose names rhyme so Incy Wincy is the only correct option,” Lee clarified.

Ten contestants incorrectly chose Postman Pat, meaning their stint on The 1% Club ended after the first round.

One contestant, Sharon, explained her mistake to Lee: “I put Incy Wincy as he is a spider and the rest are all sort of people.”

This prompted many players to laugh, with Lee seizing the chance to make a witty remark. He quipped: “Hang on, the rest of them are real people? Apart from the fact, none of them are real people – I don’t think any of them are humans in fact!”

This comes after a recent episode of The 1% Club where a staggering 25 contestants were eliminated by the 90 per cent question, leaving viewers stunned.

The tricky query was: “Which of the following words contain the most vowels?” Contestants had to choose between vowel, consonant and letter.

Despite being a seemingly simple task, ‘consonant’ was the correct answer, yet a whopping one-quarter of the show’s participants faltered on this question, leading to their swift exit from the competition.

The 1% Club airs on Saturdays on ITV1 at 9pm.

Following escalating anti-tourist sentiment, planned protests, and vows of a ‘bleak’ summer, it appears holidaymakers are ditching one of their favourite Spanish islands this summer

Concern is rapidly growing in one of Spain’s most popular islands following a notable ‘slump’ in hotel bookings. Last year, a staggering 6.2 million international visitors flocked to Tenerife – lured by its consistently balmy temperatures, cheap booze, sandy beaches, and world-famous water park.

However, the influx was met with harsh resistance from fed-up locals, who argue they’re being priced out of the property market thanks to the soaring demand for holiday rentals. Concern over rowdy tourists spoiling the island’s national parks and clogging up the roads added to the furore, resulting in a slew of protests across Spain – with frustrated residents demanding holidaymakers ‘go home’.

Earlier this year, The Mirror reported Spain’s ‘bleak’ promise to tourists ahead of the busy summer period, as activists vowed to ‘intensify’ their actions against sun-worshipping Brits. It follows escalating anti-tourist sentiment across the nation, which has even taken a violent turn.

Back in March, a terrifying sign threatening to ‘Kill A Tourist’ was spotted in Tenerife. Reports later emerged that demonstrators had gone as far as setting fire to rental cars to get their stark message across.

READ MORE: World’s ‘most dangerous’ country that is becoming tourist hotspot despite FCDO warning

While tourists seemed undeterred by the rising tensions at the beginning of the year (with 775,205 international visitors heading to the Canary Islands in January – a 3.05 per cent increase from 2024) it appears holidaymakers are finally listening to demands. Now, tourism operators have reported a decrease in bookings on the island, particularly for the upcoming summer season.

Speaking about recent industrial action during the Easter holidays, Pedro Aldonso, president of the CEOE business association in Tenerife, reportedly warned that ‘every small collapse has an echo in trust’. “When confidence falls, investment comes to a halt,” he said – urging for a return to ‘dialogue, trust, and common sense’.

According to Canarian Weekly, the tourism boss added: “This is not about making headlines. It’s about safeguarding jobs,” arguing the slump could be quickly resolved by a surge in ‘last-minute’ holiday bookings.

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Spain’s worsening housing crisis and planned demonstrations against tourism could benefit under-appreciated destinations like Turkey, which is expecting to witness a record-breaking number of visitors this year. As previously reported, Culture and Tourism Minister Mehmet Ersoy said the country was welcoming a tourist boom – especially amongst Russian, German, and UK travellers.

“Turkey has become the country with the highest number of early reservations in Germany,” the politician added. “We aim to welcome over seven million visitors from both Russia and Germany this year. Additionally, we expect 4.8 million visitors from the UK in 2025.”

Has rising anti-tourist sentiment put you off from visiting Tenerife? Email [email protected] for a chance to share your story

On a day in Southern California when temperatures exceeded 100 degrees in many locations, Teagan O’Dell of Santa Margarita High turned the pool at Mt. San Antonio College into her personal cool sandbox, swimming to two records during the Southern Section Division 1 finals.

Bound for the California Golden Bears and competing in her final section championship, O’Dell set the Division 1 record in the 200 individual medley with a time of 1 minute, 53.43 seconds, only five one-hundredths of a second from her national record set when she was a sophomore. She also set a record in the 100 backstroke with a time of 51.09.

She helped Santa Margarita win two relay events.

Santa Margarita won the girls’ and boys’ Division 1 team championships and will be trying to win a state championship next weekend in Clovis.

Track and field

It was so hot on Saturday that a more than three-hour heat delay was imposed in the middle of the Southern Section Division 3 track and field preliminaries at Yorba Linda. Running competition began at noon but was halted 90 minutes later while monitoring the heat index to make sure it was safe to resume. Action resumed at 5 p.m.

Servite’s 4×100 relay team, the fastest in the state, qualified first in 40.27 before the delay occurred.

Newbury Park’s Nicholas Durbiano (second from left) ran a 10.54 100 meters qualifying time at the Southern Section Division 2 prelims.

(Nick Koza)

In Division 2 in Ontario, Newbury Park’s Nicholas Durbiano ran 10.54 seconds in the 100 meters to lead qualifiers. Bishop Alemany’s Demare Dezeurn cruised to 10.56 at Carpinteria in Division 4. In Division 1 at Trabuco Hills, Julius Johnson ran a wind-aided 10.34 seconds.

Journey Cole from Redondo Beach ran the fastest girls’ 100 in Division 1 with a qualifying time of 11.49.

Jaslene Massey of Aliso Niguel had the second-best mark in the state this year in the girls’ discus at the Division 1 prelims at 159 feet, 8 inches.

The Division 1 200 prelims saw Jack Stadlam of Temecula Valley run 21.03.

Lacrosse

Loyola has advanced to the Southern Section Division 1 championship match in boys’ lacrosse after an 11-9 win over Foothill. Cash Ginberg scored four goals and Tripp King had three goals and one assist.

May 10 (UPI) — The American Civil Liberties Union has dropped its federal lawsuit accusing the Department of Homeland Security of illegally deporting a U.S. child and her Honduran mother and sister.

“The ACLU dropped its lawsuit on the false claims that DHS deported a U.S. citizen,” DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said Saturday in a news release.

The news release referred to the federal lawsuit as “baseless lawfare” against the DHS and Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

“The truth is, and always has been, that the mother – who was in the country illegally – chose to bring her 2-year-old with her to Honduras when she was removed,” McLaughlin said.

“The narrative that DHS is deporting American children is false and irresponsible.”

The ACLU filed the lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Louisiana on behalf of Trish Mack, whom the filing referred to as “best friend of V.M.L.”

“V.M.L.” are the initials used to identify the 2-year-old child who was born in the United States but whose mother, whom DHS identified as Jenny Carolina Lopez-Villela, chose to take with her to Honduras.

Lopez-Villela illegally entered the United States with V.M.L.’s older sister three times in two years, according to the DHS.

She entered in September 2019 with her oldest daughter but was “deemed inadmissible” and was given final orders of removal in March 2020.

Lopez-Villela also illegally entered the United States in March 2021 and again in August 2021, along with her oldest daughter.

She was detained by ICE in April when arriving with her daughters for a routine immigration check-in at a New Orleans facility.

When told she would be deported to Honduras, Lopez-Villela chose to bring V.M.L. with her instead of leaving her with another person to remain in the United States.

“Parents who are here illegally can take control of their departure,” DHS said of the U.S.-born children of parents who face deportation.

They can use the CBP Home app to self-deport, along with their children, and “return the legal, right way and come back to live the American dream,” the DHS news release says.

The CBP Home app is free and available for all mobile devices.

The ACLU did not respond to a request for comment made Saturday afternoon, but in an April 25th news release accused the New Orleans ICE field office of deporting three “U.S. citizen children.”

Two of those children are Lopez-Villela’s daughters, only one of whom is a U.S. citizen, according to DHS.

The other child is a 7-year-old who also left when the child’s pregnant mother was deported after being arrested in New Orleans in April.

That child’s citizenship status was neither confirmed nor denied by the DHS, but the ACLU says the child is afflicted with a rare form of cancer.

ICE deported the mother who took her child with her despite ICE having been notified of the child’s medical needs and the mother’s pregnancy, according to the ACLU.

The ACLU said the deportations were done “under deeply disturbing circumstances that raise serious due process concerns.”

“The families had lived in the United States for years and had deep ties to their communities,” the ACLU said.

They were denied access to their attorneys, which the ACLU says deprived them of legal counsel, and ICE deported the mothers and their children on an early morning flight from Louisiana.

BBC

‘Small leak identified’

David Thornley

David Thornley

‘Victorian legacy’

What the airport says

How do de-icing chemicals affect streams and rivers?

A MAJOR motor brand has announced it will axe a popular “funky” luxury SUV from its lineup with no plans to replace it.

The unique motor is expected to be axed as soon as stock runs out, and will not get a facelift or a model upgrade next year.

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BMW is scrapping its popular X4 Coupe SUV from its production lineup – and is expected to take it off the market as soon as next year.

First revealed in 2014, the SUV quickly became popular with motorheads who love to drive adventure vehicles with a bit of luxury.

However, over the decade, the car failed to maintain its position as the leading Coupe SUV, with passionate motorists eventually falling out of love with the vehicle.

Due to a lack of popularity, the German brand is expected to stop the production of X4 after the 2024 model year.

BMW will reportedly kill the X4 after the 2025 model year.

Company officials additionally confirmed the Mercedes GLC Coupe rival won’t live to see another generation.

But its not all bad news, as BMW still has the new X2 crossover coupe as an alternative.

The price gap between the X4 and X2 has also been substantially narrowed.

And those who are after a larger, or more stylish SUV can look into getting their hands on the big X6.

The German luxury brand says the new X3 can also provide a more in-between sized vehicle, which unlike the X2 has RWD underpinnings and a six cylinder engine.

It is not yet known exactly when BMW will end production of the X4.

This year has already seen 30 cars on the chopping block, with already 20 more set for next year.

In a huge victory for Brits, Spain’s region of Catalonia – which includes hotspots such as Barcelona and Costa Brava – has postponed doubling its tourist tax ahead of the peak summer season

Controversial plans to double the tourist tax in Spain’s most visited region have hit a major snag. Earlier this year, it was revealed Catalonia – which includes hotspots such as Barcelona, Costa Brava, Sitges, and Costa Daurada – was doubling visitor levies to clamp down on over-tourism.

Scheduled to come into effect in May, the tourist tax will be based on the type of accommodation holidaymakers opt for. Campsite visitors in Barcelona will be subjected to €2 (£1.70) fees per day, while those staying at five-star hotels in the regional capital will be stung with €7 (£5.95) daily taxes.

Combine this with Bareclona’s municipal surcharge (currently set at €4 but could double) and tourists may soon be forking out €15 per night. This means seven nights in a fancy hotel will cost travellers an additional €105 (£89.26).

As previously reported, passengers on board cruise ships docked at Barcelona’s port for more than 24 hours will have to pay a tax of €6, while those on cruises that stay for more than 24 hours can expect taxes of €4 per night. Despite objections from leaders in the tourism industry, the move could result in €200 million generated in the region.

READ MORE: Martin Lewis issues 4-word warning to British tourists over Spanish cash points

The government has vowed to allocate at least a quarter of revenue generated by the levy upcharge to alleviate the country’s housing crisis – which locals often blame on holidaymakers pushing demand for short-term rentals and soaring costs. However, in a huge victory for sun-worshipping Brits – this bold policy has been delayed until October 2025 at the earliest, after being embroiled in ‘legal and procedural challenges’.

Postponed tourist taxes won’t go down well with fed-up locals, who have already vowed to unleash misery amongst Brits this summer with more planned protests. Last year, Lydia Morales, a teacher living in the Canary Islands, argued her salary barely covered her rent – and that not everybody benefits from an influx of tourists.

“The priority of the politicians is still creating more construction of towers for tourism complexes,” she said. “The priorities of the citizens of the country are left behind, we don’t have a hospital in the south of the island, and the infrastructure is collapsing because there is so much traffic.”

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The blow will only add to Spain’s escalating anti-tourist sentiment, which has slowly spun into violent action. Back in March, a shocking sign threatening to ‘Kill A Tourist’ was spotted in Tenerife, while reports also emerged that anonymous activists had torched rental cars on the island to send a clear message to holidaymakers.

Menys Turisme Més Vida (Less Tourism, More Life) – who has been at the forefront of Spain’s anti-tourist wave for several years – has also vowed to ‘intensify’ efforts over the peak months. This will likely see residents take to tourist-riddled areas, armed with banners demanding they ‘go home’.

Would a €15 tourist tax put you off from visiting Spain? Let us know in the comments section below.

Shane Lowry will go into the final day of the Truist Championship in the joint lead with his European Ryder Cup team-mate Sepp Straka.

Irishman Lowry carded a three-under par 67 in a third round that included five birdies and two bogeys.

The last of his five birdies came on the 17th and moved him level with Austrian Straka, who hit a 66, on 14 under at the Philadelphia Cricket Club’s Wissahickon Course.

“I’m driving the ball pretty straight, not very far but it’s going on the fairway, and once I get myself on the fairway I can be dangerous,” said Lowry.

“If I can hole a few putts [on Sunday] you never know.”

He added: “This is a tough game and a tough tour and it’s hard to win out here. You just have to keep putting yourself in position week after week and do your best. I’m going to give it my best.

“I’m playing a good friend of mine in Sepp, my Ryder Cup partner. Hopefully, one of us can get the job done.”

Defending champion Rory McIlroy, who has won this event four times when it has been played at Quail Hollow, the venue for next week’s US PGA Championship, is six off the lead after an up and down 69.

McIlroy beat England’s Justin Rose in a play-off to complete the career Grand Slam with victory at the Masters last month.

Rose played the first two rounds of this event and was seven over par but withdrew prior to the third round of the no-cut tournament.

“After becoming progressively ill over the past few days, I have made the unfortunate decision to withdraw,” he said.

“It’s best for me to focus on a quick recovery prior to next week.”

Fellow Englishman Tommy Fleetwood went round in a three-under par 67 as he moved onto seven under.

Japan’s Hideki Matsyama hit one of the rounds of the day, a 63 which included nine birdies and two bogeys, as he improved to 10 under.