Month: June 2025

Twelve years ago, John Savage was the man in Westwood.

Fresh off the Bruins’ first College World Series title in 2013, then-UCLA athletic director Dan Guerrero rewarded the coach with a lucrative 12-year contract extension.

It’s been a grueling journey since.

UCLA has tallied numerous No. 1 national rankings, seven NCAA tournament berths, four first-round draft picks and one super regional appearance since then, but not a single return to Omaha. The last two years of Bruins baseball were poor by the program’s standards — missing the postseason in back-to-back years and ending 2024 with a losing record for the first time since 2016.

UCLA pitcher Wylan Moss celebrates after an out against UC Irvine on Sunday night.

(Carlin Stiehl / Los Angeles Times)

Something had to give in 2025, the final year of Savage’s contract, as UCLA tried to build upon a sophomore class that has helped transform it into one of the best offenses in the nation.

UCLA entered the NCAA tournament with reason to be optimistic. With star players such as Roch Cholowsky on the roster, perhaps a return to the College World Series wasn’t out of the question.

On Sunday, the Omaha oracle pointed UCLA’s way, the Bruins inching one step closer to advancing to the College World Series. Bullying second-seeded UC Irvine with its bats like it had against every team in the Los Angeles Regional, first-seeded UCLA won 8-5 to advance to the NCAA super regionals for the first time since 2019. UCLA will host the Los Angeles Super Regional against Texas San Antonio at Jackie Robinson Stadium this week.

“I’m very proud of our team, very proud of our guys winning 19 games last season and coming back,” Savage said. “It’s just a team — and they’re playing together. … Proud of our program, proud of my coaches.”

UTSA defeated Texas 7-4 in the Austin Regional final, taking down the national second-seed Longhorns to advance to its first-ever super regional.

If UCLA beats UTSA, it’ll advance to the College World Series in Omaha for the first time since 2013.

UCLA pitcher Easton Hawk delivers against UC Irvine on Sunday.

(Carlin Stiehl / Los Angeles Times)

UCLA’s offense was just as ready to explode — like they did versus Fresno State and Arizona State — against a depleted UC Irvine pitching staff (with high-leverage bullpen arms Ricky Ojeda and David Utagawa unavailable after pitching earlier Sunday). Rallying for six hits across the first two innings, the Bruins put together three runs thanks to RBI singles from Roman Martin and Cashel Dugger, and a sacrifice fly from Roch Cholowsky.

UCLA first baseman Mulivai Levu helped place the game in blowout territory — an 8-0 lead — when he connected for a three-run home run in a five-run fourth inning. Much like UCLA had done all weekend, the lineup kept on churning.

Levu led all Bruins with three RBIs, while Cholowsky went one for three with two RBIs from sacrifice flies.

“Everyone has a great approach at the plate,” Levu said. “It’s kind of hard for the other team to get past us.”

Freshman Wylan Moss set the tone for UCLA’s combined pitching effort. Moss, who entered the contest with a 2.25 earned-run average and an All-Big-Ten Freshman Team recognition, was as good as advertised to stymie UC Irvine, which came off an 11-run offensive showing earlier in the day.

The 6-foot-3 righty struck out the top of the Anteaters lineup — Will Bermudez, Chase Call and Jacob McCombs — swinging on change ups. Moss, who had yet to pitch in the NCAA Tournament, was lying in wait for a game of magnitude.

He pitched 3 ⅓ innings, giving up two runs and two hits, while walking three and striking out four. From there, a five-pitcher bullpen effort kept Irvine at bay, pitching 5 ⅔ innings of five-run ball the rest of the way to wrap up regional action in Westwood.

UCLA players and coaches celebrate after their Los Angeles Regional victory over UC Irvine on Sunday.

(Carlin Stiehl / Los Angeles Times)

Things got more complicated for UCLA in the sixth, when freshman right-hander Cal Randall gave up a solo home run to UC Irvine designated hitter Alonso Reyes to make it a three-run game, but right-hander Jack O’Connor entered to extinguish the threat — and set down UC Irvine outfielder Chase Call on a fielder’s choice to close out the inning.

It wasn’t easy sailing for the Bruins in the late innings.

Graduate student right-hander August Souza bailed UCLA out of a bases-loaded jam by freezing the potential go-ahead run, Blake Penso, on a full-count, 87-mph fastball in the seventh.

When the Bruins needed it the most, Souza struck out two in a scoreless eighth, putting metaphorical champagne on ice in Westwood.

“Just honestly blessed to play this year,” said Souza, who didn’t pitch in 2024 because of injury. “It’s my sixth year. Didn’t think I’d play in college this long, and just happy to get this win with my team and celebrate getting to a super regional.”

Freshman right-hander Easton Hawk tossed a perfect ninth, striking out James Castagnola to end it, prompting the Bruins to run onto the field in celebration. UCLA owned the Los Angeles Regional title.

“I liked everything today,” said UC Irvine coach Ben Orloff, who praised Savage as one of the best coaches in the nation. “Besides the third out.”

What makes the 2025 Bruins different from other UCLA teams? Savage said leadership and teamsmanship could make the Bruins national title contenders.

Cholowsky, with pitchers Cody Delvecchio and Michael Barnett, helped transform the team’s culture as team captains, Savage said. They accomplished this despite having to endure the legal saga that temporarily forced the Bruins out of Jackie Robinson Stadium in the fall.

Now, postseason baseball will remain in Westwood for at least one more weekend.

Highlights from UCLA’s 8-5 win over UC Irvine in the Los Angeles Regional on Sunday.

“We got knocked out of the stadium the first day of school,” Savage said. “It was unfortunate, but they came together, man, and they did a remarkable job of just building this team. I gotta tip my hat to the players. The players did a remarkable job.”

But it’s not time to celebrate just yet. If UCLA wants to go to the College World Series, Savage said, the focus needs to shift to beating UTSA.

“Like I told them, ‘there’s nothing to really celebrate,’” Savage said. “You can enjoy this, but at the same time, we got to get back to work on Tuesday.”

PM Albanese says government already increasing spending and decisions will be based on defence capability needs.

United States Defense Secretary Peter Hegseth has called on Australia to increase its military spending to 3.5 percent of gross domestic product (GDP) “as soon as possible”.

Responding on Monday, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said the government will decide on Australia’s defence capability needs before announcing spending.

“What you should do in defence is decide what you need, your capability, and then provide for it,” Albanese told reporters.

“That’s what my government is doing. Investing to our capability and investing in our relationships.”

Albanese added that his government is already increasing defence spending by about 10 billion Australian dollars ($6.5bn).

“We’re continuing to lift up,” he said, citing his government’s goal to increase spending to 2.3 percent of GDP by 2033.

However, the government is facing other demands on its budget.

Albanese was speaking from a farm in the state of South Australia, which is experiencing a significant drought.

Meanwhile, Australia’s treasurer said the country is facing a bill of billions due to recent floods in New South Wales and Cyclone Alfred.

Public broadcaster ABC reported that increasing military spending to 3.5 percent of GDP would cost 100 billion Australian dollars ($65bn) annually, 40 billion Australian dollars ($25bn) more than it spends currently.

Matt Grudnoff, a senior economist with The Australia Institute, said “Australia already spends more than it should” on defence.

“Were Australia to increase its defence spending to 2.3% of GDP, we would be the ninth biggest spender on defence and the military,” Grudnoff said.

“Australia would be devoting more of its economy to defence than France and Taiwan, and on a par with the United Kingdom,” he added.

Worldwide military spending increased by 9.4 percent in 2024, the sharpest rise since the end of the Cold War, in part driven by increased spending by European countries, according to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI).

The Australian government has already committed to spending hundreds of billions of dollars on US-manufactured nuclear submarines under its AUKUS agreement with the US and the UK in the coming decades.

It estimates that the programme could cost up to 368 billion Australian dollars ($238bn).

Hegseth and Australian Defence Minister Richard Marles discussed security issues, including accelerating US defence capabilities in Australia and advancing industrial base cooperation during a meeting on Friday, a Pentagon statement said on Sunday.

Australia’s role in manufacturing weapons components has come under increasing scrutiny amid Israel’s war on the Gaza Strip, with protests outside Australian weapons factories and at Australian ports, as well as legal challenges.

Albanese says Australia’s position on Taiwan has not changed

Hegseth’s call for Australia to increase its military spending comes after the US Secretary of State Marco Rubio told the Shangri-La Dialogue on Saturday that “the threat China poses is real, and it could be imminent”.

“There’s no reason to sugar-coat it,” the Pentagon chief added. The US continues to warn of the threat that China poses to Taiwan, which Beijing considers part of Chinese territory.

China’s Defence Minister Dong Jun skipped the conference, which is considered to be the region’s top security event.

The Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs responded by saying: “The US should not entertain illusions about using the question over Taiwan as a bargaining chip to contain China, nor should it play with fire.”

Asked about Hegseth’s remarks, Albanese said Australia will “determine our defence policy”.

“Our position with regard to Taiwan is very clear, [and] has been for a long period of time, which is a bipartisan position to support the status quo,” he said.

President Sheinbaum labels vote a ‘success’, but experts warn criminals could use it to infiltrate judiciary.

A landmark vote to select judges in Mexico has been labelled a “success” by the president despite a sparse turnout and widespread confusion.

Just 13 percent of eligible voters cast ballots in Sunday’s vote to overhaul the court system. President Claudia Sheinbaum proclaimed that the election would make Mexico more democratic, but critics accused her of seeking to take control of the judiciary, while analysts warned it could open the way for criminals to seize influence.

The vote, a cornerstone policy of Sheinbaum and predecessor Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, aimed to fill about 880 federal judicial positions, including Supreme Court justices, as well as hundreds of local judges and magistrates.

But many voters said they struggled to make informed choices among a flood of largely unknown candidates, who were barred from openly disclosing party affiliations or engaging in widespread campaigning.

‘Largely empty’ polling stations

Al Jazeera’s John Holman reported from Mexico City that polling stations were “largely empty”.

“On what the government planned to be a historic day, the majority of Mexicans prefer to do something else,” he said.

Still, Sheinbaum hailed the election as “a complete success” that makes the country a democratic trailblazer.

“Mexico is a country that is only becoming more free, just and democratic because that is the will of the people,” the president said.

The reform, defended by supporters as necessary to cleanse a corrupt justice system, was originally championed by Sheinbaum’s predecessor, Lopez Obrador, who frequently clashed with the old judiciary.

‘Painstaking process’

Experts had warned that turnout would be unusually low due to the sheer number of candidates and the unfamiliarity of judicial voting.

To be properly informed, voters “would have to spend hours and hours researching the track record and the profiles of each of the hundreds of candidates”, said David Shirk, a professor at the University of San Diego.

That concern was echoed by voters at the polls.

“We are not very prepared,” said Lucia Calderon, a 63-year-old university teacher. “I think we need more information.”

Francisco Torres de Leon, a 62-year-old retired teacher in southern Mexico, called the process “painstaking because there are too many candidates and positions that they’re going to fill”.

Beyond logistical challenges, analysts and rights groups raised fears that powerful criminal groups could use the elections to further infiltrate the judiciary.

While corruption already exists, “there is reason to believe that elections may be more easily infiltrated by organised crime than other methods of judicial selection”, said Margaret Satterthwaite, the United Nations special rapporteur on the independence of judges and lawyers.

Although all candidates were supposed to have legal experience, no criminal record and a “good reputation”, several have been linked to organised crime and corruption scandals.

Rights group Defensorxs identified about 20 candidates it considers “high risk”, including Silvia Delgado, a former lawyer for Sinaloa cartel cofounder Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman.

Another candidate, in Durango state, previously served nearly six years in a US prison for drug offences.

Election results are expected in the coming days. A second round of judicial elections is scheduled for 2027 to fill hundreds more positions.

Good Morning Britain co-host Susanna Reid was forced to interrupt a conversation about OnlyFans

On Good Morning Britain, Susanna Reid had to step in and humorously remind her colleagues that they were live on air during a cheeky exchange.

The Monday show took an unexpected turn when the panel discussed the earnings potential on OnlyFans, leaving Ed Balls particularly astonished.

Kurts Adams Rozentals, a British canoeist, had earlier shared on the programme that he was raking in a six-figure income from OnlyFans, despite being barred from competition due to “allegations” concerning his social media activity.

While reflecting on the sportsman’s unconventional revenue stream, Ed quipped: “We are in the wrong jobs!”

GMB guest Andrew Pierce then teased: “Ed, are you putting yourself forward as a potential model on OnlyFans?”

Amused by the thought, the former Strictly contestant chuckled: “It’s amazing on the internet what you can make money from.”

Ed even suggested there might be a “niche” for Andrew, prompting Kevin Maguire to chime in with: “There’ll be a fetish stream!”

Ed, highlighting that making money on OnlyFans isn’t against the law, continued: “Well, Andrew, when you find out how much money he’s making, honestly, you should think about it.”

GB News’ Andrew retorted: “I thought about it, Ed, the answer is no!”

Yet, he couldn’t resist making a playful offer to Ed, joking: “Are you suggesting we do it together? Are you blushing, Ed?”

With Ed turning a shade of red, Susanna quickly interjected as the conversation veered off course. “This is going in a whole different direction!” she exclaimed.

“Blimey!” added Kevin, before Susanna firmly reminded them with a laugh: “We are still on air, guys!”

While Ed isn’t keen on making waves on OnlyFans, he certainly raised eyebrows with Susanna after disclosing a saucy bikini anecdote.

In 2023, he made a surprising revelation about participating in a charity swimsuit competition, boasting: “I’ve got to say, I looked really good.”

Susanna was taken aback by the unexpected viewing of Ed sporting a mankini on GMB.

“Has it been censored?” she quipped, as Ed jestingly responded: “Luckily, you’re not showing the bottom half!”

Susanna then queried, amidst their banter, “Is that an AI mock-up?”

Upon revealing the photographs, Ed shared the family rule his children set regarding the mankini—no wearing without boxers because it is “too revealing.”

“I’d not shaved or anything,” he confided.

“To those claiming it’s too early… you’re absolutely correct,” Susanna retorted. “This’ll be the amusing surprise that just keeps on giving!”

Good Morning Britain airs weekdays at 6am on ITV1.

Maxwell, known as one of the game’s most powerful hitters, is calling time on his one-day career with Australia.

Explosive Australian batsman Glenn Maxwell has announced his retirement from one-day cricket, but will continue in Twenty20 cricket with his eye on next year’s World Cup.

The 36-year-old, who played 149 One Day Internationals (ODIs), blasting 3,990 runs, said he was starting to feel the physical toll of the 50-over game.

“I felt like I was letting the team down a little bit with how my body was reacting to the conditions,” said Maxwell on Monday, who was nicknamed “Big Show” for his all-action entertaining style of play.

“I had a good chat with [chair of selectors] George Bailey and I asked him what his thoughts were going forward.

“We talked about the 2027 [50-over] World Cup and I said to him, ‘I don’t think I am going to make that, it’s time to start planning for people in my position to have a crack at it and make the position their own’.

“I didn’t want to just hold on for a couple of series and almost play for selfish reasons.”

His last game was Australia’s Champions Trophy semifinal defeat to India in early March, after which fellow veteran Steve Smith also quit the 50-over format.

The mercurial Maxwell’s strike rate of 126.70 is the second-highest in ODI cricket, where he has crunched four hundreds and 23 half-centuries.

His rate of scoring is second only to West Indian heavy hitter Andre Russell. Maxwell has also taken 77 wickets with his off-spin.

An ODI career for the ages

In a career littered with many magic moments, perhaps his most memorable innings was at the 2023 World Cup against Afghanistan in Mumbai, when he was batting with Australia reeling at 91-7, chasing 293 to win.

In a high-pressure situation, and battling a severe cramp in searing heat, Maxwell took control, slamming 201 from just 128 balls to take his team to victory.

He scored 179 of those runs in an unbroken 202 partnership with Pat Cummins, who contributed just 12 after coming at number nine.

Australia went on to win the tournament, beating favourites India in the final at Ahmedabad.

Maxwell was also part of the Australia team that lifted the 2015 ODI World Cup.

“Glenn will be known as one of the one-day game’s most dynamic players, who had key roles in two ODI World Cup victories,” said Bailey.

“His level of natural talent and skill is remarkable. His energy in the field, under-rated ability with the ball and longevity has been superb.

“What else stands out is his passion for and commitment to playing for Australia.

“Fortunately, he still has much to offer Australia in the T20 format. All things going well, he will be pivotal in the next 12 months as we build toward the World Cup early next year.”

Of the uncapped players, Miller undoubtedly has the most hype around him.

Motherwell’s 18-year-old midfielder has improved at a remarkable rate since making his senior club debut aged just 16.

He won the PFA Scotland young player of the year award last month after a season in which he scored four goals and assisted seven in 36 games.

Miller is expected to leave Fir Park for a sizeable transfer fee, one which could be bolstered should he make his Scotland bow against Iceland or Liechtenstein.

“I could maybe, in a couple of months, be the best player there,” Miller said after his first Scotland call-up in March.

He later clarified his comments, saying the speed of that claim was a “mistake”, but reiterating his desire to be the best player he possibly can be.

Short of confidence, he is not.

Bowie is another who will fancy making an impact, should the opportunity arise.

Quick, strong and imposing, he scored six goals in his first season for Hibs after recovering from a hamstring injury sustained playing for Scotland Under-21s.

“Any time I watched the Under-21s he always stood out,” Clarke said when naming his squad. “He’s big, physical and strong with good attributes to his game.

“Going into the summer, you’ve got Lawrence Shankland and Kevin Nisbet, I know what they can bring, so it was just to have a look at something a little bit different and see if we can expand the pool of players.

“You’re looking for somebody to catch your eye.”

June 2 (UPI) — Karol Nawrocki, a populist conservative backed by U.S. President Donald Trump, has won Poland’s presidential runoff election, according to official results released Monday.

Eyes across the country, Europe and even North America were watching the race in Poland, where the presidency is a somewhat symbolic position — especially compared to the prime minister and their executive powers — but one that does come with veto authority.

The election of Nawrocki also suggests a political shift in the deeply divided nation.

Warsaw Mayor Rafal Kazimierz Trzaskowski — of Prime Minister Donald Tusk‘s Civic Platform party — had narrowly beaten Nawrocki, a conservative historian who ran as an independent, in the first round of voting on May 18, but failed to gain a majority of the votes to win the presidency outright.

In Sunday’s runoff, the roles were reversed, and it was Nawrocki who secured the narrow victory. According to official results, Nawrocki, 42, won 50.89% of the vote. Trzaskowski, 53, received 49.11%.

Of the 20.8 million cast votes — representing 71.6% of Poland’s population — nearly 37,000 votes separated the two candidates.

Nawrocki was backed by the nationalist opposition Law and Justice party.

This is a developing story.

Eight people were injured in an attack on Sunday on a group of people in the United States city of Boulder, Colorado, who were campaigning for the release of captives held by Hamas and other Palestinian armed groups in Gaza.

Police arrested a man who allegedly threw incendiary devices towards people. The FBI said it was investigating the attack as an “act of terror”.

In a social media post, Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar described the attack as an anti-Semitic act.

Here is what we know so far:

What happened in Boulder, Colorado?

A group of people were walking in a “regularly scheduled, weekly peaceful event” aimed at galvanising support for the release of captives held in Gaza when they were attacked, according to an official news release shared by the Boulder Police Department. The police were called at 1:36pm (10:36 GMT).

The news release said that witnesses saw the attacker using a makeshift flamethrower as he lobbed incendiary devices – meant to start fires – at the gathering.

Witness videos circulating on social media showed a shirtless man appearing to hold two glass bottles, which looked like Molotov cocktails.

What is a Molotov cocktail?

A Molotov cocktail is a very simple incendiary weapon. It comprises a bottle filled with a flammable liquid covered by a wick, which is lit on fire before the bottle is thrown at a target.

They are named after Vyacheslav Molotov, the foreign minister of the Soviet Union during World War II. In 1939, the Soviet Union invaded Finland, and the country experienced heavy bombing. Molotov insisted that the Soviet Union was not dropping bombs, only food parcels.

In response, the Finns threw handmade explosives towards Soviet tanks, sarcastically dubbing them “Molotov cocktails”.

Where did the attack happen?

The attack took place at the outdoor Pearl Street Mall, a pedestrian mall in downtown Boulder that stretches four blocks. It is home to retail stores, art galleries and restaurants. The mall is a two-minute drive, or 1.1km (0.7 miles), from the University of Colorado, Boulder.

What was the event the victims were attending?

Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser released a statement on Sunday, saying that the attack was “against a group that meets weekly on Boulder’s Pearl Street Mall to call for the release of the hostages in Gaza”.

The Anti-Defamation League (ADL), a nonprofit focused on combating anti-Semitism – which was accused of double standards in January for defending a salute made by billionaire Elon Musk at an inauguration rally for US President Donald Trump – released a statement saying the event was part of an international campaign called “Run for Their Lives”.

The campaign involves weekly gatherings worldwide where Jewish community members run and walk in solidarity with the captives taken by Hamas and other Palestinian groups during their attacks in Israel on October 7, 2023.

Run for Their Lives gatherings take place in 230 locations in 24 countries, including Brazil, Canada, India, New Zealand, South Africa and Spain. Groups in multiple US states participate in this event and there are two locations in Colorado: one in Boulder and the other one in Denver’s Washington Park.

Armed Palestinian groups took about 251 captives from Israel on October 7. While some captives were returned in exchange for Palestinian prisoners, or rescued, others have died in captivity. Some 59 captives are believed to remain in captivity, and Israel believes that 35 of them have died.

Since October 7, Israeli military bombardment and other attacks have killed more than 61,700 Palestinians in the Gaza Strip, according to the Gaza Government Media Office.

Who was the suspect and what did he say during the attack?

The Boulder attack suspect has been identified as Mohamed Sabry Soliman, a 45-year-old man from El Paso County, according to the Boulder Police news release.

Soliman was also injured in the attack, though the nature of his injuries is unclear.

The release says that Soliman was medically evaluated at a hospital and then was booked in the Boulder County Jail for multiple charges. The release did not specify what exactly these charges were.

According to the news release, Soliman yelled, “Free Palestine” during the attack.

Stephen Miller, the White House deputy chief of staff for policy, claimed in a post on X that the Boulder attack was carried out by an “illegal alien”.

Without naming Soliman, Miller said the suspect had overstayed a tourist visa granted to him by the government of former US President Joe Biden. “In response, the Biden Administration gave him a work permit. Suicidal migration must be fully reversed,” Miller wrote.

Al Jazeera was not able to independently verify Soliman’s immigration status in the US.

What do we know about the victims?

Law enforcement officials said that eight people were injured. These include four women and four men, aged between 52 and 88.

The victims were taken to hospitals in the Denver metropolitan area.

How are authorities responding?

The Boulder Police Department called the FBI within minutes of the attack, the news release said. The FBI is investigating this as a terror attack.

“This act of terror is being investigated as an act of ideologically motivated violence based on the early information, the evidence, and witness accounts,” FBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino wrote in an X post. “We will speak clearly on these incidents when the facts warrant it.”

FBI Director Kash Patel also wrote in an X post that his team was investigating the “targeted terror attack” and that FBI agents and law enforcement were at the scene already.

Kristi Noem, the Homeland Security secretary, wrote in an X post that the department was working on the situation with its “interagency partners”, including the FBI.

What is the latest on ground?

According to an update by the Boulder Police Department on X on Monday at 05:53 GMT, all roads in downtown Boulder have been reopened except for a block on Pearl Street, “which should be reopened in the next few hours”.

What have been the reactions?

“We will continue to ensure that justice is pursued swiftly, support is provided to victims and their communities and preventative action is taken to protect everyone’s safety,” FBI Denver Special Agent in Charge Mark Michalek was quoted saying in the Boulder Police news release.

Boulder Police Chief Stephen Redfearn acknowledged that many residents were scared, and had questions about the attack. “Boulder has recovered from acts of violence before and we will again recover. I urge this community to come together. Now is not the time to be divisive,” he was quoted saying in the same news release.

Israeli Foreign Minister Saar wrote on X on Monday: “Shocked by the terrible antisemitic terror attack targeting Jews in Boulder, Colorado. This is pure Antisemitism, fueled by the blood libels spread in the media.” He did not elaborate on what he meant by this.

US Senate Democratic Party Leader Chuck Schumer wrote on X: “Tonight, a peaceful demonstration was targeted in a vile, antisemitic act of terror. Once again, Jews are left reeling from repeated acts of violence and terror.”

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio wrote on X on Sunday: “We’re united in prayer for the victims of a targeted terror attack this afternoon in Boulder.”

We’re united in prayer for the victims of a targeted terror attack this afternoon in Boulder.

Terror has no place in our great country.

— Secretary Marco Rubio (@SecRubio) June 1, 2025

Many Democrats have released online statements condemning the attack and describing it as anti-Semitic.

Less than two weeks after the horrific antisemitic attack at the Capitol Jewish Museum in DC—and after two relentless years of surging antisemitic attacks across the country—the Jewish community is once again shattered by pain and heartbreak. 

Tonight, a peaceful demonstration…

— Chuck Schumer (@SenSchumer) June 2, 2025

Elizabeth Warren, a Democratic senator from Massachusetts, wrote on X: “My thoughts are with the victims, their families, and the Jewish community that once again appears to have been targeted with hate. We all have a responsibility to stop these antisemitic acts.”

Another terrible attack, this time in Boulder, Colorado. My thoughts are with the victims, their families, and the Jewish community that once again appears to have been targeted with hate. We all have a responsibility to stop these antisemitic acts. https://t.co/KrAA3wwHPi

— Elizabeth Warren (@SenWarren) June 2, 2025

House Representative Hakeem Jeffries, a Democrat, released a statement on X, saying: “Our heartfelt prayers are with all of our Jewish brothers and sisters impacted by this unconscionable act of terror, and we thank law enforcement for their swift response. Antisemitism has no place in our nation or anywhere throughout the world. It must be crushed. We stand with the Jewish community today and always.”

My statement on the Antisemitic Attack in Boulder, Colorado. pic.twitter.com/EUpdnl9M6K

— Hakeem Jeffries (@RepJeffries) June 1, 2025

Have similar events taken place recently?

On May 22, a man named Elias Rodriguez was charged after fatally shooting two Israeli Embassy staff workers in Washington, DC. He was charged with murdering foreign officials, causing death with a firearm and discharging a firearm in a crime of violence.

A group of politicians in France are pushing for a ban on adults-only holidays in the country, arguing that the exclusion of children from such spaces is discrimination

Parents and campaigners are calling for an end to adults-only holidays, branding the exclusion of children “violence”.

For many, the idea of a break away from the hubbub of a child-packed home where they can relax around the pool, a cocktail in hand and a book in the other, without the sound of infant wails shattering the silence, seems like a good time.

For members of the growing pro-children-on-holiday movement in France, banning anyone of any age from accessing a certain hotel or resort is completely wrong.

Laurence Rossignol, a socialist senator, is to table a private member’s bill in the French senate that would make it illegal to ban children from such establishments, the Times reported. Sarah El Haïry, the French high commissioner for childhood, has said that government lawyers are looking into whether it would be possible to take legal action against places that exclude families.

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“A child shouts, laughs and moves … we are institutionalising the idea that silence is a luxury and the absence of children is a luxury,” she told the French international radio station RFI. Ms El Haïry criticised the “no kids trend”, claiming it amounted to “violence against children”.

Senator Rossignol added: “Children are not a nuisance. We cannot accept that some people decide they no longer want to tolerate a particular section of the population, in this case children. We cannot allow our society to be organised around our intolerance of others, where people organise themselves to keep their distance from anyone who does not fit into their idea of their neighbours.”

Travel Companies Union roughly estimates that three per cent of holiday venues in France are adult-only facilities.

The topic of how children fit into society is a live one in France. The French Federation of Nurseries has made repeated calls to lawmakers to ensure children’s right “to make noise”.

This has been coupled with rising concerns about how much screen time children have, while the High Council for Family, Children and Age has warned that a lack of space for kids to play outdoors could have “harmful consequences for their physical and mental health”.

Not everyone is happy with the idea of an adults-only holiday ban. Sara Lewis told the Guardian that she thinks a ban would be a “totally unreasonable deprivation of people’s liberty”. “It amounts to forcing people to accept others’ kids, of which there’s more than enough of already,” the retired copyeditor from Brussels said.

Emilie, a stay-at-home mother, agreed with the politicians that such holidays treated children as “pariahs”, but questioned whether the ban would get to the root cause. In her opinion, it is wrong to create spaces where adults can live parallel lives free from children.

“I think it’s more about the French relationship with children. There is a popular saying in France about children: Les enfants doivent être vus, et non entendus, which means children should be seen, not heard,” Emilie said.

A SHOPPER has been praised for sharing their haul after nabbing laundry essentials for a quarter of the normal price in Asda.

The thrifty person took to Facebook to post about their epic find, after a trip to their local supermarket.

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In a post on the Extreme Couponing and Bargains UK group on the social media site, they shared a snap of the purchases and reveal the discount they got at the till.

“I just picked these up in Asda,” they wrote.

They then revealed they’d paid £1 each for the boxes of Fairy laundry pods – usually £4.50 a pop, and big bottles of Lenor for just 70p.

Also in their spree was two bottles of the ASDA Pure Cotton Sensitive Fabric Softener, which they got for 68p each rather than £2.48.

And other jealous shoppers took to the comments section to weigh in on the person’s find, with one writing: “Wowsas, brilliant find!”

“Bloody hell, never that cheap near me!” another sighed.

“I wish this would happen to me lol, never EVER does!” a third insisted.

“I really wanna get to my Asda but then I don’t ever get good bargains.” someone else moaned.

“Some people are lucky!” another pointed out.

“Well done!” someone else said.

“I got some a week or so ago, but not that cheap. Shared them with family as I bought a lot.”

“Bargain, there at the right time!” another raved.

However, others accused the bargain hunter of “telling porkies”.

“I went Asda last night and they were normally priced at our Asda,” one wrote.

To which another added: “She’s telling the truth.

“I got some today in Asda for £1, I bought all and made the worker get the rest from the top shelf… it was the Bold ones though.”

“It is in our store as well, it’s all deleted lines,” someone else said.

“They went down last week at my store,” another added.

“The colleagues had most of them so might be the same in other stores.

“Doesn’t get a chance to go out on the shop floor!”

CORVALLIS, Ore. — USC baseball wanted to be aggressive knowing it was entering a hostile environment, playing in front of a sold-out crowd of 4,347 at Goss Stadium.

The Trojans tried to set the tone early.

Instead, it backfired, costing them early opportunities, early momentum and ultimately Sunday night’s matchup in a 14-1 loss to Oregon State in the Corvallis Regional final.

USC opened with two hard hits. Brayden Dowd singled and Ethan Hedges followed with a rocket to right-center field that came off the bat at 104 mph. It one-hopped the wall for an easy double that could have set the Trojans up with two runners in scoring position and no outs. But USC third base coach Travis Jewett was spinning his arm almost immediately, sending Dowd home.

Oregon State pitcher Kellan Oakes celebrates after striking out a batter to leave the bases loaded Sunday.

(Shotgun Spratling / For The Times)

Shortstop Aiva Arquette, an expected top 10 pick in next month’s MLB draft, fired a throw home that brought catcher Wilson Weber into the baseline where he applied the tag to Dowd while his knee collided with the head of the Trojans’ outfielder.

The play invigorated the home crowd and set the tone for the beatdown to follow that saw the No. 8 national seed Beavers thoroughly outplay the Trojans despite playing its second game of the day facing elimination. Oregon State pummeled Saint Mary’s, 20-3, Sunday afternoon to reach the final.

The next half inning, Oregon State attacked USC with four bunts that helped generate four runs. The Trojans’ aggressiveness again bit them.

Oregon State’s Wilson Weber, left, scores a run as USC third baseman Ethan Hedges misplays a bunt Sunday.

(Shotgun Spratling / For The Times)

After they took the out at first on an initial sacrifice attempt, the Trojans twice tried to cut down runners at home with ill-fated results. Third baseman Hedges muffed a barehand attempt when the ball bounced with funky spin on a hard bunt that one-hopped. The Beavers bunted again on the next pitch. First baseman Adrian Lopez tried to come home and was too late.

A base hit through the middle scored the next run before Oregon State went back to the bunt to score the fourth run, prompting the crowd to start chanting “Small Ball! Small Ball! Small Ball!”

Oregon State added two runs in the third inning to take a 6-1 lead. USC had a huge opportunity to get back in the game in the fifth inning, loading the bases with no outs and the heart of the lineup due up.

But the Beavers’ pitching staff had USC’s 3-4-5 hitters in a blender all night. Starter Wyatt Queen struck out Bryce Martin-Grudzielanek for the third time before turning the ball over to reliever Kellan Oakes, who struck out Lopez and Abbrie Covarrubias to escape the jam unscathed.

USC coach Andy Stankiewicz walks back to the dugout during a 14-1 loss to Oregon State on Sunday.

(Shotgun Spratling / For The Times)

Oregon State then piled on runs against the lesser-used arms in USC’s bullpen, scoring three runs in the sixth on Trent Caraway’s fourth home run in as many games.

USC has a chance for redemption Monday as Oregon State’s win forces a winner-take-all regional final at 3 p.m. PDT (ESPNU).

June 2 (UPI) — One person is dead and 11 others are wounded following a shooting that occurred at a house party in Catawba County, according to authorities, who said they are looking for suspects.

The shooting occurred at around 12:45 a.m. local time Sunday at a residence in Mountain View, Catawba County, located about 57 miles northwest of Charlotte.

Law enforcement arrived at the scene following multiple reports of shots fired to find 11 people suffering from gunshot wounds and one person dead at the scene, Maj. Aaron Turk of the Catawba County Sheriff’s Office told reporters during a press conference.

The severity of the injuries was not disclosed, but Turk said one of the victims was critically injured and was taken to a hospital in Charlotte. Of the other 10 victims transported to local hospitals, some had been treated and released, Turk said.

He said more than 80 shots were fired in the shooting.

Dozens appeared to have been present at the party, and their ages ranged, including some teenagers.

No arrests have been made, and authorities said they believe more than one shooter, and multiple guns, were involved.

“We are still working to determine when they arrived, how they arrived and what the reasons was for their presence, also the motive,” he said.

The shooting occurred less than two hours after police were called to the residence over a noise compliant.

Turk said officers responded to the residence concerning the noise complaint, spoken with individuals at the home regarding the complain and left shortly afterward.

“We don’t believe that this was random in a circumstance that might danger the community,” Turk said. “All that we can see right now from the crime scene and the leads that we’re follow, it seems to be that those that initiated the shooting were focused on the folks at the party.”

The FBI said it is aiding in the investigation.

Catawba County Sheriff Donald Brown added in the press conference that this is not a common crime in the region.

“It is frustrating,” he said. “This is not a common act or incident that happens here in Catawba County. We live in a great community, and this is something that is extremely rare. Again, I said I talked to some neighbors here — they are visibly upset. And to our staff that works these types of cases, it’s very difficult. It’s taxing on them. They’ve been out here all night.”

According to The Gun Violence Archive, there have been at least 127 mass shootings involving four or more people shot so far in the United States this year.

AN entrepreneur whose clients include former contestants on the show has passed the audition to join the cast of Love Island 2025.

Here’s what we know about Rose Selway, who could be looking for love in the latest series of the nation’s favourite dating show.

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Who is Rose Selway?

Rose Selway runs 12 aesthetics clinics, boasting a famous clientele including former Love Islanders Lucinda Strafford and Jessy Potts.

The 24-year-old beauty salon owner from Devon has passed the audition to join the cast of Love Island 2025.

With her background in the beauty industry, Rose would be somewhat of a breath of fresh air on the show — a change from the usual array of models and influencers.

Her entrepreneurial spirit and business experience could make her a formidable presence in the villa.

Rose’s inclusion in the show could also indicate a growing interest in featuring contestants with real-world professional experience.

However, as of June 2, 2025, it has not been confirmed exactly if or when Rose will enter the Love Island villa. 

She has opened up about her own plastic surgery, which includes a nose job and botox.

‘It’s my whole world’

Rose said of her company: “Aesthetics isn’t just my job, it’s my whole world.

“I absolutely love it and adore every single one of you I meet day in and day out.

“The confidence I bring you all makes me burst with joy.”

Although Rose is ready to enter the show after passing the Love Island audition process, the show’s bosses are yet to make their final decision on the starting line-up.

A source told MailOnline: “Rose is friends with many former stars of the show so has a good idea what it’s like being in the villa and now she finally has the chance to experience it herself.”

Love Island 2025 start date

ITV has revealed that Love Island 2025 will kick off on Monday, June 9.

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The action starts at 9pm on ITV2, with host Maya Jama welcoming a brand new set of sexy singletons into the famous villa.

As per Love Island tradition, the show usually starts the week after the last May Bank Holiday.

In a trailer for the new series, Maya teased the return of Love Island by saying this instalment will bring “more twists and turns”.

She added: “This year Love Island needs something bigger, something bolder, I want ideas.

“This year I want more drama, more bombshells, more break-ups, more makeups.

“I want more twists, I want more twists than ever.”

Contestants in the mix for Love Island 2025 so far

Here’s the full rundown of sexy singletons selected for Love Island 2025 so far…

• Sophie Lee — Love Island sign up inspirational influencer who nearly DIED in horrific fire-breathing accident
• Lucy Quinn — First female Love Island contestant revealed for 2025 series
• Aaron Bucket — Sexy 6’5 personal trainer revealed as first Love Islander set for this year’s summer series
• Shakira Khan — Love Island line up stunning model, 22, from Manchester just days before ITV show’s launch
• Rose Selway — Love Island sign up stunning beauty salon owner just days before new series launch

Israel says its settlement expansion is to “prevent the establishment of a Palestinian state” as it announced 22 new settlements in the occupied West Bank. Palestinian lawyer Diana Buttu says Israeli officials are daring the world to stop them.

SAN FRANCISCO — In recent years, San Francisco’s image as a welcoming place for businesses has taken a hit.

Major tech companies such as Dropbox and Salesforce reduced footprints in the city by subleasing office space, while retailers including Nordstrom and Anthropologie pulled out of downtown. Social media firm X, formerly Twitter, vacated its Mid-Market headquarters for Texas, after owner Elon Musk complained about “dodging gangs of violent drug addicts just to get in and out of the building.”

While the city remains on the defensive, one bright spot has been a boom in artificial intelligence startups.

San Francisco’s 35.4% vacancy rate in the first quarter — among the highest in the nation — is expected to drop one to three percentage points in the third quarter thanks to AI companies expanding or opening new offices in the city, according to real estate brokerage firm JLL. The last time San Francisco’s vacancy rate dropped was in the fourth quarter, when it declined 0.2% — the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic, according to JLL.

“People wanted to count us out, and I think that was a bad bet,” said Mayor Daniel Lurie. “We’re seeing all of this because the ecosystem is better here in San Francisco than anywhere else in the world, and it’s really an exciting time.”

Five years ago, AI leases in San Francisco’s commercial real estate market were relatively sparse, with just two leases in 2020, according to JLL. But that’s since soared to 167 leases in the first quarter of 2025. The office footprint for AI companies has also surged, making up 4.8 million square feet in 2024, up from 2.6 million in 2022, JLL said.

“You need the talent base, you need the entrepreneur ecosystem, and you need the VC ecosystem,” said Alexander Quinn, senior director of economic research for JLL’s Northwest region. “So all those three things exist within the greater Bay Area, and that enables us to be the clear leader.”

AI firms are attracted to San Francisco because of the concentration of talent in the city, analysts said. The city is home to AI companies including ChatGPT maker OpenAI and Anthropic, known for the chatbot Claude, which in turn attract businesses that want to collaborate. The Bay Area is also home to universities that attract entrepreneurs and researchers, including UC Berkeley, UC San Francisco and Stanford University.

Venture capital companies are pouring money into AI, fueling office and staff growth. OpenAI landed last quarter the world’s largest venture capital deal, raising $40 billion, according to research firm CB Insights.

OpenAI leases about 1 million square feet of space across five different locations in the city and employs roughly 2,000 people in San Francisco. The company earlier this year opened its new headquarters in Mission Bay, leasing the space from Uber.

OpenAI began as a nonprofit research lab in 2015 and the people involved found their way to San Francisco for the same reason why earlier generations of technologists and people pushing the frontier in the United States are drawn to the city, said Chris Lehane, OpenAI’s vice president of global affairs in an interview.

“It is a place where, when you put out an idea, no matter how crazy it may seem at the time, or how unorthodox it may seem … San Francisco is the city where people don’t say, ‘That’s crazy,’” Lehane said. “They say, ‘That’s a really interesting idea. Let’s see if we can do it.’”

The interior of OpenAI’s new San Francisco headquarters in the Mission Bay neighborhood. (OpenAI)

Databricks, valued at $62 billion, is also expanding in San Francisco. Databricks in March announced it will move to a larger space in the Financial District next year, boosting its office footprint to 150,000 square feet and more than doubling its San Francisco staff in the next two years. It pledged to hold its annual Data + AI Summit in the city for five more years.

The company holds 57,934 square feet at its current San Francisco office in the Embarcadero, according to CoStar, which tracks real estate trends.

“San Francisco is a real talent magnet for AI talent,” said Databricks’ co-founder and vice president of engineering Patrick Wendell. “It’s a beautiful city for people to live and work in and so we really are just following where the employees are.”

Several years ago, Wendell said his company was considering whether to expand in San Francisco. At the time, it was unclear whether people would return to offices after the pandemic, and some businesses raised concerns about safety and cleanliness of San Francisco’s streets. Wendell said his company decided to invest more in the city after getting reassurances from city leaders.

“People are seeing an administration that is focused on public safety, clean streets and creating the conditions that also says that we’re open for business,” said Lurie, who defeated incumbent mayor London Breed last November by campaigning on public safety. “We’ve said from day one, we have to create the conditions for our arts and culture, for our small businesses and for our innovators and our entrepreneurs to thrive here.”

Laurel Arvanitidis, director of business development for San Francisco’s Office of Economic and Workforce Development, said that the city’s policy and tax reforms have helped attract and retain businesses in recent years, including an office tax credit that gives up to a $1-million credit for businesses that are new or relocating to San Francisco.

On Thursday, Lurie announced on social media that cryptocurrency exchange Coinbase is opening an office in San Francisco after leaving the city four years ago.

“We are excited to reopen an office in SF,” Coinbase Chief Executive Brian Armstrong wrote in response to the mayor’s social media post. “Still lots of work to do to improve the city (it was so badly run for many years) but your excellent work has not gone unnoticed, and we greatly appreciate it.”

Santa Clara-based Nvidia is also looking for San Francisco office space, according to a person familiar with the matter who declined to be named. The news was first reported by the San Francisco Chronicle. Nvidia, which also has California offices in San Dimas and Sunnyvale, declined to comment.

“It’s because of AI that San Francisco is back,” Nvidia Chief Executive Jensen Huang said last month on the Hill & Valley Forum podcast. “Just about everybody evacuated San Francisco. Now it’s thriving again.”

But San Francisco still has challenges ahead, as companies continue to push workers to return to the office. While the street environment has improved, it will be critical for the city to keep up the progress.

Lurie said his administration inherited the largest budget deficit in the city’s history and they have to get that under control. His administration’s task is to make sure streets and public spaces are clean, safe and inviting, he said.

“We have work to do, there’s no question, but we are a city on the rise, that’s for sure,” Lurie said.

Times staff writer Roger Vincent contributed to this report.

Seoul, South Korea – After six hours of emergency martial law, hundreds of days of protests, violence at a Seoul court and the eventual impeachment of President Yoon Suk-yeol, South Korea is now hours away from choosing a new leader in the hope of restoring stability to an unsettled nation.

From 6am to 8pm on Tuesday (21:00 to 11:00 GMT), South Koreans will vote for one of five presidential candidates in a race led largely by the opposition Democratic Party’s Lee Jae-myung. He is followed in the polls by the governing People Power Party candidate Kim Moon-soo.

The election – involving 44.39 million eligible voters – is expected to see either of these two top contenders replace Yoon. The expelled former president last week attended his fifth court hearing where he faces charges of leading an insurrection and abusing power due to his failed imposition of martial law on December 3.

If convicted, Yoon could face a maximum penalty of life in prison or even the death sentence.

Participation in the election is predicted to be at an all-time high amid the political turmoil resulting from the brief imposition of military rule, which still resonates in every corner of society and has sharply divided the country along political lines. There are those who still support Yoon and those who vehemently oppose his martial law decision.

The Democratic Party’s Lee is currently the clear frontrunner, with Gallup Korea’s latest poll on May 28 placing his support at 49 percent, compared with People Power Party Kim’s 36 percent, as the favourite to win.

Early voting, which ended on Friday, had the second-highest voter turnout in the country’s history, at 34.74 percent, while overseas voting from 118 countries reached a record high of 79.5 percent.

Lee Jae-myung’s second chance

In the last presidential election in 2022, Yoon narrowly edged out Lee in the closest presidential contest in South Korea’s history.

After his crushing defeat in 2022 to a voting margin of just 0.73 percentage points, Lee now has another chance at the top office, and to redeem his political reputation.

About a month ago, South Korea’s Supreme Court determined that Lee had spread falsehoods during his 2022 presidential bid in violation of election law.

In addition to surviving a series of bribery charges during his tenure as mayor of Seongnam and governor of Gyeonggi Province, which he claimed were politically motivated, Lee also survived a stabbing attack to his neck during a news conference in Busan last year.

Fortunately for Lee, the courts have agreed to postpone further hearings of his ongoing trials until after the election.

On the campaign trail this time around, Lee addressed his supporters from behind bulletproof glass, with snipers positioned on rooftops, scanning the crowds for potential threats, as counterterrorism units patrolled on foot.

Lee has also been joined on his campaign by conservative lawmakers, his former opponents, who have publicly supported his run for office numerous times during the past month, seeing him as a path back to political stability.

People Power Party candidate Kim was served an especially hard blow when his parliamentary colleague, Kim Sang-wook, defected from the party in early May to join Lee’s Democratic Party.

According to polling data from South Korea’s leading media outlet Hankyoreh, only 55 percent of conservative voters who supported Yoon in the 2022 election said they would back the People Power Party’s Kim this time around.

While such shifts represent the crisis that the mainstream conservative party is facing after the political fallout from Yoon’s botched martial law plan and removal from office, it also testifies to Lee’s appeal to both moderate and conservative voters.

Future president faces ‘heavy burden’

“The events of the martial law, insurrection attempt and impeachment process have dealt a heavy blow to our democracy,” said Lim Woon-taek, a sociology professor at Keimyung University and a former member of the Presidential Commission on Policy Planning.

“So, the new president will receive a heavy burden when assuming the president’s seat,” Lim told Al Jazeera.

Youth unemployment, social inequality and climate change have also become pressing issues that Yoon’s administration failed to tackle.

According to recent research, South Korea’s non-regular workers, including contract employees and part-timers, accounted for 38 percent of all wage and salary workers last year.

Lee has promised to champion business-friendly policies, and concentrate on investment in research and development and artificial intelligence, while refraining from focusing on divisive social issues such as the gender wars.

His stance has shifted considerably from his time moving up the political ranks when he promoted left-wing ideas, such as a universal basic income.

Events on the night of the declaration of martial law on December 3, also helped cement Lee’s image as a political freedom fighter. A former human rights lawyer, Lee was livestreamed scaling the walls of the National Assembly as the military surrounded the compound, where he rallied fellow legislators to vote and strike down Yoon’s decision to mobilise the military.

Among Lee’s most central campaign pledges has been his promise to bring to justice those involved in Yoon’s martial law scheme and tighten controls on a future president’s ability to do the same. Lee also wants to see a constitutional amendment that would allow presidents to serve two four-year terms, a change from the current single-term five years.

While Lee’s closest challenger, Kim, has agreed on such policies and made sure to distance himself from Yoon, the former labour-activist-turned-hardline-conservative has also said the former president’s impeachment went too far.

Trump, tariffs and South Korea’s new direction

The election also unfolds as United States President Donald Trump has proposed a series of tariffs on key South Korean exports such as steel, semiconductors and automobiles.

In the face of those threats, Lee has promised to stimulate demand and growth, while Kim has promised to ease business regulations. Kim also emphasised his plan to hold an immediate summit meeting with Trump to discuss the tariffs.

Lee, on the other hand, has promised a more pragmatic foreign policy agenda which would maintain relations with the US administration but also prioritise “national interests”, such as bridging closer relations with neighbouring China and Russia.

On North Korea, Lee is determined to ease tensions that have risen to unprecedented heights in recent years, while Kim has pledged to build up the country’s military capability to counter Pyongyang, and wants stronger security support from the US.

Lee has also promised to relocate the National Assembly and the presidential office from Seoul to Sejong City, which would be designated as the country’s new administrative capital, continuing a process of city-planning rebalancing that has met a series of setbacks in recent years.

Another major issue that Keimyung University’s Lim hopes the future leader will focus more on is the climate situation.

“Our country is considered a climate villain, and we will face future restrictions in our exports if we don’t address the immediate effects of not keeping limits on the amount of our hazardous outputs,” Lim said.

“The future of our country will really rest on this one question: whether the next president will draw out such issues like the previous administration or face the public sphere and head straight into the main issues that are deteriorating our society.”

The results of Tuesday’s vote are expected to emerge either late on Tuesday or in the early hours of Wednesday morning.

In the 2022 election, Yoon was proclaimed the winner at 4:40am the morning after election day.

With Lee the clear frontrunner in this election, the outcome could be evident as early as Tuesday night.

But enhanced surveillance at polling stations this year due to concerns raised about counting errors may be a factor in slowing down any early announcement of the country’s next president.

Barcelona sporting director Deco denies the club have financial problems and says they do not need to sell players – despite La Liga’s restrictive financial controls.

Deco, 47, has overseen a revival of Barcelona since his appointment in 2023, culminating in a domestic treble while also reaching the semi-finals of the Champions League.

The Catalans have renewed the contracts of superstar teenager Lamine Yamal, Raphinha and manager Hansi Flick, while they were cleared by Spain’s National Sports Council (CSD) to register midfielder Dani Olmo amid a dispute with La Liga.

When asked whether the world should see Barcelona as a well-run club in 2025, Deco told BBC Sport: “Barcelona is my club, I love Barcelona. I saw what happened from the outside and always thought I could help put Barca at the same high level.

“I knew it would be difficult when I joined with the financial rules – it is not a financial problem, but the financial fair play rules in Spain are more difficult than the Premier League and in other countries.

“It is a problem for a lot of clubs, you just hear about Barca because we are a big club. You need to work with it, see how you can improve the team and the combination of La Masia [academy] players and experienced players has been important.”

The former Portugal midfielder, who played for the Catalans – as well as Chelsea and Porto – stresses Barcelona are happy working with La Liga but have faith the rules will continue to improve.

Even if they do not, Barcelona are excited to have “one of the biggest contracts in history” with Nike, and the newly renovated 100,000-seater Nou Camp will be the biggest stadium in Europe and improve revenues.

He insists Barcelona will “not sell our best players”, adding the team’s recent success means they can “grow with many of the same players”. But he says they are in looking for “two, three or four signings”, without needing to enter the market “like crazy” thanks to the stability at the core of the team.

When asked if it includes the option of signing Manchester United’s Marcus Rashford, thought to be available for £40m, or Liverpool’s Luis Diaz, he added: “We have been focusing on renewing contracts, after that, we’ll discuss players to come.

“Of course, these two players, like you mentioned, they are good but have contracts in their clubs, so we won’t speak because it’s not fair. But when you decide to go to the market, for sure, we find some names. In my opinion, we don’t need to bring many players.”

He added: “When I speak with the agents of the players, everyone wants to come or stay. So this is important. The image of the club is still good. We are proud because Barcelona is still such a big club, and the way we are playing football makes players want to come.”

Deco is aware of the constant threat of Real Madrid, who will look to improve under new head coach Xabi Alonso.

They have also agreed deals for right-back Trent Alexander-Arnold, who will leave Liverpool, and Bournemouth centre-back Dean Huijsen. Benfica left-back Alvaro Carreras is understood to be next on the club’s shortlist.

“Next season is not going to be easy, because I know that first Real Madrid has a lot of top players,” he said. “In my opinion they have a big team. They have a lot of fantastic players. Of course they want to improve.

“It’s very important to have a strong Madrid. It’s very important to have strong players, top players, players that the people want to see. I think Madrid has these kinds of players, like us.

“Now it’s important to keep the top players in La Liga. So for us it’s important that Madrid are strong, that Atletico is strong, and we need to be there.”

Flies hovered over the blackened and swollen bodies of men and boys, lying side-by-side on a piece of tarpaulin, in blood-soaked combat fatigues, amid preparations for a rushed cremation in the Tamu district of Myanmar’s Sagaing region, bordering India.

Quickly arranged wooden logs formed the base of the mass pyre, with several worn-out rubber tyres burning alongside to sustain the fire, the orange and green wreaths just out of reach of the flames.

Among the 10 members of the Pa Ka Pha (PKP), part of the larger People’s Defence Forces (PDF), killed by the Indian Army on May 14, three were teenagers.

The PKP comes under the command of the National Unity Government (NUG), Myanmar’s government-in-exile, comprising lawmakers removed in the 2021 coup, including legislators from Nobel Laureate Aung San Suu Kyi’s National League for Democracy party.

It mostly assists the PDF – a network of civilian militia groups against the military government – which serves, in effect, as the NUG’s army.

The Indian Army said that on May 14, a battalion of the country’s Assam Rifles (AR) paramilitary force patrolling a border post in the northeast Indian state of Manipur, killed 10 men armed with “war-like stores” who were “suspected to be involved in cross-border insurgent activities”. The battalion, the Indian Army said, was “acting on specific intelligence”.

The Indian soldiers were stationed at the border in Chandel, a district contiguous with Tamu on the Myanmar side of the frontier. Manipur has been torn by a civil war between ethnic groups for the past two years, and Indian authorities have often accused migrants from Myanmar of stoking those tensions.

However, disputing the Indian version of the May 14 events, the exiled NUG said its cadres were “not killed in an armed encounter within Indian territory”. Instead, it said in a statement, they were “captured, tortured and summarily executed by” Indian Army personnel.

For nearly five years since the coup, political analysts and conflict observers say that resistance groups operating in Myanmar, along the 1,600km-long (994 miles) border with India, have shared an understanding with Indian forces, under which both sides effectively minded their own business.

That has now changed with the killings in Tamu, sending shockwaves through the exiled NUG, dozens of rebel armed groups and thousands of refugees who fled the war in Myanmar to find shelter in northeastern Indian states. They now fear a spillover along the wider frontier.

“Fighters are in panic, but the refugees are more worried – they all feel unsafe now,” said Thida*, who works with the Tamu Pa Ah Pha, or the People’s Administration Team, and organised the rebels’ funeral on May 16. She requested to be identified by a pseudonym.

Meanwhile, New Delhi has moved over the past year to fence the international border with Myanmar, dividing transnational ethnic communities who have enjoyed open-border movement for generations, before India and Myanmar gained freedom from British rule in the late 1940s.

“We felt safe [with India in our neighbourhood],” said Thida. “But after this incident, we have become very worried, you know, that similar things may follow up from the Indian forces.”

“This never happened in four years [since the armed uprising against the coup], but now, it has happened,” she told Al Jazeera. “So, once there is a first time, there could be a second or a third time, too. That is the biggest worry.”

‘Proactive operation or retaliation?’

On May 12, the 10 cadres of the PKP arrived at their newly established camp in Tamu after their earlier position was exposed to the Myanmar military. A senior NUG official and two locals based in Tamu independently told Al Jazeera that they had alerted the Indian Army of their presence in advance.

“The AR personnel visited the new campsite [on May 12],” claimed Thida. “They were informed of our every step.”

What followed over the next four days could not be verified independently, with conflicting versions emerging from Indian officials and the NUG. There are also contradictions in the narratives put out by Indian officials.

On May 14, the Indian Army’s eastern command claimed that its troops acted on “intelligence”, but “were fired upon by suspected cadres”, and killed 10 cadres in a gunfight in the New Samtal area of the Chandel district.

Two days later, on May 16, a spokesperson for India’s Ministry of Defence said that “a patrol of Assam Rifles” was fired upon. In retaliation, they killed “10 individuals, wearing camouflage fatigues”, and recovered seven AK-47 rifles as well as a rocket-propelled grenade launcher.

Five days later, on May 21, the Defence Ministry identified the killed men as cadres of the PKP. The ministry spokesperson further noted that “a patrol out to sanitise the area, where fence construction is under way along the [border], came under intense automatic fire”, with the intent “to cause severe harm to construction workers or troops of Assam Rifles to deter the fencing work”.

Speaking with Al Jazeera, a retired Indian government official, who has advised New Delhi on its Myanmar policy for a decade, pointed out the dissonance in the Indian versions: Did Indian soldiers respond proactively to intelligence alerts, or were they reacting to an attack from the rebels from Myanmar?

“It is difficult to make sense of these killings. This is something that has happened against the run of play,” the retired official, who requested anonymity to speak, said. The contradictions, he said, suggested that “a mistake happened, perhaps in the fog of war”.

“It cannot be both a proactive operation and retaliation.”

Al Jazeera requested comments from the Indian Army on questions around the operation, first on May 26, and then again on May 30, but has yet to receive a response.

Thura, an officer with the PDF in Sagaing, the northwest Myanmar region where Tamu is too, said, “The [PKP cadres] are not combat trained, or even armed enough to imagine taking on a professional army”.

‘Taking advantage of our war’

When they were informed by the Indian Army of the deaths on May 16, local Tamu authorities rushed to the Indian side.

“Assam Rifles had already prepared a docket of documents,” said a Tamu official, who was coordinating the bodies’ handover, and requested anonymity. “We were forced to sign the false documents, or they threatened not to give the corpses of martyrs.”

Al Jazeera has reviewed three documents from the docket, which imply consent to the border fencing and underline that the PDF cadres were killed in a gunfight in Indian territory.

Thida, from the Tamu’s People’s Administration Team, and NUG officials, told Al Jazeera that they have repeatedly asked Indian officials to reconsider the border fencing.

“For the last month, we have been requesting the Indian Army to speak with our ministry [referring to the exiled NUG] and have a meeting. Until then, stop the border fencing process,” she said.

Bewildered by the killings, Thida said, “It is easy to take advantage while our country is in such a crisis. And, to be honest, we cannot do anything about it. We are the rebels in our own country — how can we pick fights with the large Indian Army?”

Above all, Thida said she was heartbroken. “The state of corpses was horrific. Insects were growing inside the body,” she recalled. “If nothing, Indian forces should have respect for our dead.”

Border fencing anxieties

Angshuman Choudhury, a researcher focused on Myanmar and northeast India, said that conflict observers “are befuddled by these killings in Tamu”.

“It is counterintuitive and should not have happened by any measure,” he said.

The main point of dispute, the border fencing, is an age-old issue, noted Choudhary. “It has always caused friction along the border. And very violent fiction in the sense of intense territorial misunderstandings from groups on either side,” he said.

When New Delhi first moved last year to end the free movement regime, which allows cross-border movement to inhabitants, Indigenous communities across India’s northeastern states of Mizoram, Nagaland, Manipur and Arunachal Pradesh were left stunned. Members of these communities live on both sides of the border with Myanmar – and have for centuries.

Political analysts and academics note that the border communities on either side reconciled with the idea of India and Myanmar because of the freedom to travel back and forth. Erecting physical infrastructure triggers a kind of anxiety in these transnational communities that demarcation on maps does not, argued Choudhary.

“By fencing, India is creating a completely new form of anxieties that did not even exist in the 1940s, the immediate post-colonial period,” Choudhary said. “It is going to create absolutely unnecessary forms of instability, ugliness, and widen the existing fault lines.”

Last year, the Indian home minister, Amit Shah, said that border fencing would ensure India’s “internal security” and “maintain the demographic structure” of the regions bordering Myanmar, in a move widely seen as a response to the conflict in Manipur.

Since May 2023, ongoing ethnic violence between the Meitei majority and the Kuki and Naga minority communities has killed more than 250 people and displaced thousands. The state administration has faced allegations of exacerbating the unrest to strengthen its support among the Meitei population, which the government has denied.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government and the Manipur state government, also under the BJP, have blamed the crisis in Manipur in part on undocumented migrants from Myanmar, whom they accuse of deepening ethnic tensions.

Now, with the killings in Tamu, Choudhary said that Indian security forces had a new frontier of discontent, along a border where numerous armed groups opposed to Myanmar’s ruling military have operated — until now, in relative peace with Indian troops.

The deaths, he said, could change the rules of engagement between Indian forces and those groups. “Remember, other rebel groups [in Myanmar] are also watching this closely,” he said. “These issues can spiral quickly.”

Former Love Island star Dani Dyer shocked viewers when she revealed that her new mother-in-law actually voted for her and her ex-boyfriend, Jack Fincham to win Love Island in 2018

Dani Dyer has revealed who Jarrod Bowen’s mother voted for on Love Island. The reality star, who recently tied the knot, appeared on the ITV special, Love Island: Decade Of Love, where she revealed that her new mother-in-law actually voted for her and fellow islander Jack Fincham to win the show.

Ahead of a brand new series, Love Island shared a special episode where they celebrated an entire decade of the show, with many surprise guests commentating on old clips.

The show marked Dani’s first TV appearance, although it was pre-recorded, since she officially tied the knot with her footballer boyfriend Jarrod Bowen in a romantic ceremony on Saturday, 31 May. As Dani watched old Love Island clips with her friend Samira Mighty, she revealed that her now mother-in-law was actually rooting for Jack and Dani to win as a couple.

She said: “My mother-in-law voted for me and Jack to win Love Island,” leaving fellow former islander Samira shocked.

Entering the villa as a 21-year-old barmaid, Dani quickly became a fan favourite with her down-to-earth personality and relatable charm. Dani and Jack ended up winning the 2018 series by a mile with 79.66% of the vote.

Post-show, they moved in together, adopted a puppy, and began filming a reality series about their life. However, just six months later, Dani announced their split, stating they had realised the relationship wasn’t meant to be long-term.

Seven years on from stepping foot in the Love Island villa and Dani is now living her own fairytale with her family. The reality star began dating West Ham United footballer Jarrod Bowen in 2021, and the couple went on to welcome twin daughters, Star and Summer, in May 2023.

One year later, they announced their engagement in July 2024 and have just tied the knot in a ceremony at the end of May 2025, which was attended by close family and friends.

Dani’s father, former Eastenders actor Danny Dyer, walked her down the aisle while two-year-old twin daughters, Summer and Star, were flower girls. Dani’s four-year-old son Santiago, whom she shares with her ex Sammy Kimmence, was also a page boy.

The bride and groom and all their guests dressed to impress for the ceremony in the British countryside. Dani’s white off-the-shoulder gown by British designer Suzanne Neville cost a whopping £10,000 and was paid for by Danny and her mum.

Love Island returns to screens on June 9.

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