TURNBERRY, Scotland — It may not be typical golf attire, but one of the most ubiquitous outfits seen on President Trump’s golf course Friday ahead of his visit was the reflective yellow vest worn by Scottish police.
The standard issue garb that is far removed from the traditional Turnberry tartan was highly visible on the dunes, the beaches and the grass as thousands of officers secured the course in advance of protests planned during the president’s visit to two of his Scottish golf resorts.
Trump was expected to arrive Friday evening to a mix of respect and ridicule.
His visit requires a major police operation that will cost Scottish taxpayers millions of pounds as protests are planned over the weekend. The union representing officers is concerned they are already overworked and will be diverted from their normal duties, and some residents are not happy about the cost.
“Why isn’t he paying for it himself? He’s coming for golf, isn’t he?” said Merle Fertuson, a solo protester in Edinburgh holding a hand-drawn cardboard sign that featured a foolishly grinning Trump likeness in a tuxedo. “It’s got nothing whatsoever to do with public money, either U.S. or U.K.”
Policing for Trump’s four-day visit to the U.K. in 2018 cost more than $19 million, according to Freedom of Information figures. That included more than $4 million spent for his two-day golf trip to Turnberry, the historic course and hotel in southwest Scotland that he bought in 2014.
Police Scotland would not discuss how many officers were being deployed for operational reasons and only said the costs would be “considerable.”
“The visit will require a significant police operation using local, national and specialist resources from across Police Scotland, supported by colleagues from other U.K. police forces as part of mutual aid arrangements,” Assistant Chief Constable Emma Bond said.
Scottish First Minister John Swinney said the visit would not be detrimental to policing.
“It’s nonsensical to say it won’t impact it,” said David Kennedy, general secretary of the Scottish Police Federation, the officers’ union.
Kennedy said he expects about 5,000 officers to take part in the operation.
He said a force reduction in recent years has police working 12-hour shifts. Communities that are understaffed will be left behind with even fewer officers during Trump’s visit.
“We want the president of the United States to be able to come to Scotland. That’s not what this is about,” Kennedy said. “It’s the current state of the police service and the numbers we have causes great difficulty.”
The Stop Trump Scotland group has planned demonstrations Saturday in Edinburgh, Aberdeen and Dumfries. The group encouraged people to “show Trump exactly what we think of him in Scotland.”
Trump should receive a much warmer welcome from U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer, who is expected to meet with him during the visit. Swinney, the left-leaning head of Scottish government and former Trump critic, also plans to meet with the president.
Ha and Melley write for the Associated Press. Melley reported from London. Will Weissert contributed to this report from Edinburgh.
Ghislaine Maxwell, a longtime associate of accused sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein, is speaking with Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche for a second day. File photo by Rick Bajornas/UN Handout Photo/EPA
July 25 (UPI) — Ghislaine Maxwell, associate of child sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein, is meeting with Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche Friday to answer more questions about her knowledge of Epstein’s crimes and who may have associated with him.
The two met Thursday and spoke for six hours at a federal courthouse in Tallahassee, Fla. Friday’s meeting is a continuation of the questioning. Blanche is a former defense attorney of President Donald Trump.
Before leaving for Scotland Friday, Trump brushed off questions about Epstein.
“I have nothing to do with the guy,” Trump said of Epstein. He socialized with Epstein for years before falling out with him in the mid-2000s.
Trump said reporters should focus on those who allegedly spent time with Epstein, such as former President Bill Clinton and ex-Treasury Secretary Larry Summers, who was also once the president of Harvard.
People “don’t talk about them. They talk about me,” he complained.
“You should focus on Clinton. You should focus on the president of Harvard, the former president of Harvard, you should focus on some of the hedge fund guys,” CNBC reported that Trump said.
“I’ll give you a list. These guys lived with Jeffrey Epstein, I sure as hell didn’t.”
When asked if he would pardon Maxwell, who has served five years of a 20-year sentence for finding and grooming young girls for Epstein’s abuse, Trump said, “It’s something I haven’t thought about.”
“I’m allowed to do it,” he added.
Maxwell’s attorney David Oscar Markus said Maxwell was “hoping for another productive day.”
“Ghislaine has been treated unfairly for over five years now,” he added.
“If you looked up scapegoat in the dictionary, her face would be next to the definition next to the dictionary definition of it,” he said. “So, you know, we’re grateful for this opportunity to finally be able to say what really happened, and that’s what we’re going to do yesterday and today.”
“We just ask that folks look at what she has to say with an open mind, and that’s what Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche has promised us, and everything she says can be corroborated, and she’s telling the truth,” Markus said.
“She’s got no reason to lie at this point, and she’s going to keep telling the truth.”
Markus refused to comment on the nature of the questioning.
On social media, Blanche said he would reveal what he learned from Maxwell “at the appropriate time.”
The Wall Street Journal reported Wednesday that a recent review of Epstein-related documents by the Justice Department and FBI allegedly found that Trump’s name appeared several times in the files.
House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., during a press conference on Wednesday, said making the Epstein files public needs to be done in a way that protects the victims mentioned, some of whom are minors.
Despite playing girl’s football for years, watching England vs Italy in the Euros semi final was my first ever women’s game, and it was not what I expected
17:06, 25 Jul 2025Updated 17:06, 25 Jul 2025
I felt more included in a football crowd than ever before
I played football way before it was even a professional sport for women in the UK, and yet shamefully had never been to watch a single game of women’s football.
So, when Geneva Tourism presented the opportunity to go to Geneva and watch the Lionesses play in the Euro’s semi-final, it was a no-brainer.
It’s rare you get to watch a football game set against the backdrop of the French mountains, whilst standing in Switzerland, but that was the beauty of seeing the lionesses play at Stade de Genève. A beautiful stadium for the beautiful game.
Seemingly now football fans, including myself, are realising the Lionesses have so much to offer to lovers of the sport and the team are certainly giving them plenty to celebrate.
I went into the stadium with an open mind, a buzz in the air, and an excitement to get to know how it feels to support a team that has a high chance of walking away with a win.
England won 2-1 against Italy on Tuesday July 22
I must admit, I didn’t expect there to be as much atmosphere from the spectators in the crowd as there was but as stands packed out with fans of all genders, flags hung high, drums banging, and trumpets blaring there was a different kind of ambience.
This crowd was far less rowdy, less cruel to the opposition—seemingly less drunk too—but by no means did they lack that very same passion that drives any English football club.
When it came to the game itself, the standout thing I couldn’t help but notice, and albeit could just be down to the intensity of this semi-final, is these players love to get handsy. The women on the pitch couldn’t help but foul left, right, and centre, and that goes for both sides.
I’ve never seen so many near yellow cards, hands being grabbed and players being shoved, sneaky pulls on shirts, and cheeky tripping over than I have in any other game of football.
It proved these Lionesses have just as much, if not more grit, aggression, and daring streak than the male players I’ve been watching my entire life. Although it did have me cringing anytime a corner was taken – hoping and praying that we wouldn’t foul inside the box.
The crowd went wild when Michelle Agyemang scored for England
For years, as a fan of football, I did feel a sense of awkwardness within me, in both the pubs and at the games, feeling I couldn’t fully involve myself in the chaos.
It almost felt as though this was a game that belonged to the men and I was just merrily passing through. I didn’t feel welcome to join in with the celebrations and the cheering because often, I didn’t feel safe to.
But standing there in Geneva watching the Lionesses, it really did feel like it was everyone’s game and one that I could be a part of. I hugged the woman I just met when we watched a fresh-on-the-pitch 19-year-old Michelle Agyemang score that first goal.
We collectively drank wine (yes, outside in the stands, can you believe it) and talked game play with fellow fans and it felt like a place where my version of football belonged.
While I won’t be there to see the Lionesses take on Spain in the Euros final, I will be standing firmly in a pub, wine in hand, cheering along.
There’s no doubt I will also be guilty of screaming ‘REF’ at the TV even when it’s clear we did in fact foul, because let’s face it, there was a lot of that happening.
Residents of Maiduguri, capital of Borno State, North East Nigeria, who live near the Alau Dam and its downstream channel, are in a state of confusion, grappling with conflicting government directives on the dam’s water release. The mixed messages are sparking widespread concern over potential flood risks.
The conflicting messages from these two key government bodies have left residents uncertain about the immediate danger and the appropriate course of action. While the Chad Basin Development Authority (CBDA) suggests a controlled release of the dam that shouldn’t cause panic, the State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) is demanding immediate evacuation, indicating a potentially serious flood threat.
“We really don’t know which warning or advisory to follow now,” said Yunus Isa, a resident whose house was submerged in the devastating September flood last year. “I hope we will not be left in the darkness about reality until it is too late.”
The September flood resulted from the breakdown of the Alau Dam after years of neglect and warnings that the flood would happen. It swept through several local government areas of Borno State and affected about one million residents, according to the emergency management agency. HumAngle investigations found money trails that were allocated to the repair of the dam over the years, yet the repairs never happened.
This Wednesday, the CBDA announced the opening of the Alau Dam’s spillway gates to release water downstream. In a special announcement, they tried to calm fears, stating, “The general public should note that the spillway gates of the Alau Dam have been opened for water in the reservoir to spill downstream steadily… people, especially those living within the River Ngadda and Gwange area, should not panic by seeing the water passing through its normal way.”
CBDA’s Executive Director for Engineering, Engr. Mohammed Shettima, who signed the statement, added that the authority would keep monitoring the dam’s activities until water levels recede.
However, SEMA has issued an urgent public notice concerning the dam’s water release with a stern directive: “Evacuate Immediately: All communities and individuals living or working near the Gadabul River and its tributaries must relocate to higher ground without delay.” SEMA further cautioned against approaching riverbanks, citing “strong currents and sudden surges” as “life-threatening hazards,” and advised residents to secure property and stay informed through local media.
When contacted for clarity, Borno State Permanent Secretary for Information and Internal Security, Aminu Chamalwa, stated that his ministry has reviewed both press statements and will address the matter on Friday to prevent any miscommunication.
The current confusion over the Alau Dam’s water release comes nearly a year after its catastrophic collapse and months after the Federal Government inaugurated a significant reconstruction project. The Federal Ministry of Water Resources and Sanitation held a groundbreaking ceremony in March this year for a crucial ₦80 billion project to reconstruct, dredge, and upgrade the vital infrastructure. However, despite that formal flag-off, nearly 120 days later, no significant work has reportedly been done on the dam.
Residents of Maiduguri are confused by conflicting government directives about the Alau Dam’s water release, causing concern over potential flood risks. The Chad Basin Development Authority suggests a controlled release with no need for panic, while the State Emergency Management Agency advises immediate evacuation, citing serious flood threats.
Last year, the Alau Dam’s breakdown led to a devastating flood affecting nearly one million residents following years of neglect despite allocated funds for repairs. Although the spillway gates have been opened for a steady water release downstream, residents are advised by SEMA to evacuate immediately due to life-threatening conditions.
The confusion comes nearly a year after the collapse and months after the Federal Government launched a reconstruction project for the dam. However, despite the formal launch of an N80 billion reconstruction plan in March, no significant repairs have been made to date.
The Smithsonian Institution has faced pressure from President Trump since March when he issued his “Restoring Truth and Sanity to American History” executive order, which demanded an end to federal funding for exhibitions and programs based on racial themes that “divide Americans.”
Amid Trump’s headline-grabbing gambits to remake the landscape of American arts and culture into a more MAGA-friendly image, another challenge to the Smithsonian flew largely under the radar. In early April, Texas Senators John Cornyn and Ted Cruz introduced the Bring the Space Shuttle Home Act, which proposed to move the space shuttle Discovery from the National Air and Space Museum’s Udvar-Hazy Center in Virginia to a spot near NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston. The act was folded into President Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill, which Trump signed into law on July 4.
NASA gifted the Discovery to the Smithsonian in 2012 and it has been in Virginia ever since. Discovery launched on its maiden voyage in 1984 and flew 39 Earth-orbital missions — more than any other orbiter. The Smithsonian considers it a key part of its collection and issued a statement to Congress objecting to the proposed move. According to the Hill, the statement noted that “the case against relocating the orbiter Discovery is both philosophical and practical … It would be unprecedented for Congress to remove an object from a Smithsonian collection and send it somewhere else.”
In late June, the Houston Business Journal reported that the Smithsonian estimated the cost of moving Discovery to Texas would be between $300 and $400 million, far more than the $85 million cited by Cornyn and Cruz in Trump’s massive reconciliation and spending package.
Since the passage of of the bill, the fight over Discovery has heated up. Earlier this week, Rep. Joe Morelle, a Democrat from New York, introduced an amendment to keep Discovery at the Smithsonian. The Appropriations Committee agreed to the amendment, which now moves to the Rules Committee before going to the House floor for a vote.
“The forced removal and relocation of the Space Shuttle Discovery from the Smithsonian Institution’s Air and Space Museum is inappropriate, wasteful, and wrong. Neither the Smithsonian nor American taxpayers should be forced to spend hundreds of millions of dollars on this misguided effort. I am grateful for the bipartisan support of my colleagues on this amendment and hope we can continue working together throughout the remainder of the Appropriations process to keep a treasured Smithsonian artifact where it belongs,” Morelle said in a statement sent to The Times.
The Smithsonian did not respond to a request for comment on the evolving situation, or its quest to keep the Discovery in its collection.
I’m arts and culture writer Jessica Gelt, hoping to orbit a positive news cycle someday soon. Here’s your arts and culture roundup for this week.
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The corpse flower is ready to bloom again at Huntington Garden.
(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
The Corpse Flower The infamously stinky plant, formally Titan Arum (Amorphophallus titanum), “produces the largest unbranched inflorescence in the plant kingdom” and is known for its pungent aroma. “Green Boy,” one of 43 corpse flowers in the Huntington’s collection may have already blossomed by the time you read this, so be sure to check it out as the bloom lasts only 24-48 hours. “It smells pretty bad,” Brandon Tam, the Huntington’s associate curator of orchids,” told Times summer intern Aspen Anderson in her story on the event. But for those who prefer to avoid the full olfactory experience, there’s a livestream. 10 a.m.–5 p.m., closed Tuesday. The Huntington, 1151 Oxford Road, San Marino. huntington.org
Father John Misty performing in Atlanta in 2023.
(Paul R. Giunta / Invision / AP)
Father John Misty Josh Tillman, whose Misty persona was described in a 2017 profile by Times pop music critic Mikael Wood as “a convivial (if polarizing) chronicler of society’s growing absurdity,” is joined by Lucinda Williams and Hamilton Leithauser for an eclectic evening of indie rock and folk. 7 p.m. Friday. Greek Theatre, 2700 N. Vermont Ave. lagreektheatre.com
Phasmagorica: The Room Between Worlds Limited to nine audiences members at a time, this “experiential paranormal encounter” proudly boasts that it is not a performance and does not use actors. Instead, sacred geometry, occult methodology, immersive light phenomena and 13 speakers of Dolby Atmos sound produce “a fully-contained, tactile installation designed to provoke contact.” Guests are guided through a séance featuring spirit communication via arcane instruments and trigger objects, fortune-telling and psychological thresholds. 7:30 and 9:15 p.m. Friday through Sunday. Heritage Square Museum, 3800 Homer St. twilightdisturbances.com
Heather Graham, left, and Mike Myers star in the 1999 movie “Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me.”
(New Line Cinema)
Austin Powers triple feature Yeah, baby! The academy’s “Summer of Camp” series continues with the shagadelic trilogy of “Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery” (1997), “Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me” (1999) and “Austin Powers in Goldmember” (2002). Director Jay Roach will be in attendance. 2 p.m. Saturday. Academy Museum, 6067 Wilshire Blvd. academymuseum.org
Billy Woodberry The MOCA Artist Film Series presents the L.A. Rebellion filmmaker’s 2016 feature, “And when I die, I won’t stay dead,” a documentary on the life of Beat poet Bob Kaufman. Best known for “Bless Their Little Hearts” (1983), Woodberry assembled archival footage and photos, interviews with Kaufman’s contemporaries, and readings from Ruby Dee, Ossie Davis and others, plus a jazz soundtrack featuring Billie Holiday and Ornette Coleman. 3 p.m. Saturday. Museum of Contemporary Art, 250 S. Grand Ave., downtown L.A. moca.org
Queens of Soul The peacocks and peahens will not be the only ones strutting and preening at the L.A. County Arboretum when the Pasadena Pops performs this salute to such divas as Aretha Franklin, Tina Turner, Whitney Houston, Alicia Keys, Adele and others, featuring hit songs such as “Respect,” “Proud Mary, “I’m Every Woman” and “Rolling in the Deep.” 7:30 p.m. Saturday. L.A. County Arboretum, 301 N. Baldwin Ave., Arcadia. pasadenasymphony-pops.org
Black Pasifika: Deep Sea Protocols Writer, relational architect and guerrilla theorist Neema Githere hosts this program exploring the links between climate crisis and technology across Melanesia. Githere will provide context and discuss deep-sea protocols and the consequences of technological accelerationism on sea-stewarding peoples from the Swahili coast to Melanesia with their grandfather, Dr. Gilbert Githere, founder of the Mombasa-Honolulu Sister City society. The filmic essay “AI: African Intelligence” by Manthia Diawara searches for a more humane and spiritual control of algorithms. Ahead of the program, from 10 a.m.–6 p.m., the time-based somatic works “Oceanic Refractions” and “Cries From the Moana” will be shown on monitors in LACMA’s Smidt Welcome Plaza. 6 p.m. Sunday. Los Angeles County Museum of Art, 5905 Wilshire Blvd. lacma.org
L.A. Phil at the Hollywood Bowl In a week of debuts, Italian conductor Daniele Rustioni, recently appointed principal guest conductor of the Metropolitan Opera, makes his Los Angeles Philharmonic bow leading the orchestra through Mendelssohn’s “Violin Concerto” (with soloist Veronika Eberle), selections from Berlioz and Liszt, and Respighi’s “Pines of Rome.” Two nights later, former Dudamel Fellow and current Boston Symphony Orchestra assistant conductor Anna Handler makes her first Bowl appearance, leading the Phil in the world premiere of Eunike Tanzil’s “Ode to the City of Dreams,” Mozart’s “Concerto for Flute and Harp” and Richard Strauss’ “Also sprach Zarathustra, Op. 30.”Mendelssohn, 8 p.m. Tuesday; Tanzil, Mozart and Strauss, 8 p.m. Thursday. Hollywood Bowl, 2301 N. Highland Ave. hollywoodbowl.com
— Kevin Crust
The SoCal scene
“Buddha Shakyamuni,” Burma (Myanmar), circa 13th century; lacquered wood
(Christopher Knight / Los Angeles Times)
Times art critic Christopher Knightwas thrilled to see the Los Angeles County Museum of Art’s exhibit “Realms of the Dharma: Buddhist Art Across Asia.” Currently installed in the temporary exhibition spaces of the Resnick Pavilion, the show consists of roughly 180 objects that have been in storage for years after being boxed up in preparation for the demolition of the museum’s original campus and the debut of the new David Geffen Galleries. Catch the exhibit now, before it gets stowed away again, writes Knight, adding that it “includes some of the most splendid sculptures and paintings” in the museum’s permanent collection.
Times classical music critic Mark Swed hopped a plane to Austria and headed for the small town of Bregenz, where a major arts festival that attracts more than 250,000 visitors in July and August and boasts a $31-million budget is hosted. The biggest draw at the bustling festival is opera, and the biggest show is a production staged each year on the Seebühne — a massive stage built directly on LakeConstance with bleachers to accommodate an audience of 7,000. “This year’s ‘Die Freischütz,’ Carl Maria von Weber’s early 19th century opera about a huntsman who makes a very bad deal with the devil for a magic bullet, opened last week and runs through Aug. 17,” writes Swed. “All 27 performances are expected to sell out as usual for the kind of spectacle that exists nowhere else.” Read all about the world-famous technical and artistic extravaganza, here.
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Johanna Burton was named the new Executive Director of the Museum of Contemporary Art.
(Photo: Erin Leland)
Johanna Burton is leaving the Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles, to become the new director of the Institute of Contemporary Art at the University of Pennsylvania, ICA Philadelphia announced Thursday. Burton became MOCA’s first female director in 2021 after its recently named Artistic Director Klaus Biesenbach unceremoniously left his position for a job in Berlin. Burton’s departure makes her the fifth director to leave MOCA since 2008. Burton will fill the role at ICA Philadelphia left vacant by Zoë Ryan who exited the museum to take over leadership at the UCLA Hammer Museum in Westwood after its longtime director Ann Philbin retired. MOCA did not respond to a request for comment about Burton’s departure.
Architect Paul R. Williams’ L.A. building, Founders Church of Religious Science, is among five structures across the country picked to receive funding through the Getty Foundation’s Conserving Black Modernism Initiative. Announced earlier this week by the foundation and the National Trust for Historic Preservation’s American Cultural Heritage Action Fund, the money will support preservation plans for the buildings and further train caretakers in maintenance best practices. Another overarching goal is to increase public awareness of the architects’ legacies and the buildings they created. The other four buildings receiving Getty funds are the ITC Administration Building in Atlanta, designed by Edward C. Miller; First Church of Deliverance in Chicago, an adaptive reuse project redesigned by Walter T. Bailey; McKenzie Hall in Eugene, Ore., designed by DeNorval Unthank Jr.; and Vassar College’s 2500 New Hackensack building in Poughkeepsie, N.Y., by Jeh Vincent Johnson.
Contemporary artist Amy Sherald with her painting “As American as apple pie” in 2021.
(Brian van der Brug/Los Angeles Times)
Artist Amy Sherald has canceled her upcoming solo show, “American Sublime,” at the Smithsonian’s National Portrait Gallery, citing censorship after she was told the museum wanted to exclude a painting featuring a transgender woman holding a torch in a pose meant to evoke the Statue of Liberty. Sherald was told that the museum did not want to provoke a reaction from President Trump, who has brought anti-trans ideals into the federal government. In a statement to theNew York Times, Sherald wrote, “It’s clear that institutional fear shaped by a broader climate of political hostility toward trans lives played a role.”
The Ebell of Los Angeles has named Camille Schenkkan its chief operating officer. The nonprofit organization, which dedicates itself to “inspiring women and fostering community through arts, culture and education,” was founded in 1894 and occupies one of the city’s most storied historic buildings — a campus and theater designed in 1927 by architect Sumner Hunt. Schenkkan arrives at the Ebell from Center Theatre Group, where she served as deputy managing director.
Republican members of the House Appropriations Committeeintroduced a proposal earlier this week to rename the Opera House at the John F. Kennedy Center for Performing Arts in Washington after the first lady, Melania Trump.
— Jessica Gelt
And last but not least
Marlee Matlin shared her favorite Sunday activities with The Times — including a stop for pizza in Eagle Rock (hint: it’s a classic). See you there!
The days of being charged additional fees for your hand luggage on flights could soon be a thing of the past – at least in the EU
Good news: charging for cabin bags might soon be over
UK holidaymakers have been warned of a significant change to hand luggage rules on flights to Europe. The BBC has highlighted a considerable shift in hand luggage regulations for European Union flights. The era of being slapped with extra charges for your cabin baggage on flights may soon be over – at least within the EU.
On June 24, 2025, legislators voted in favour of a proposal that would allow passengers to bring a small carry-on bag weighing up to 7kg (15.4lbs) onto their flight free of charge, even on budget airlines. This development comes as Ryanair‘s chief, Michael O’Leary, has fired back at ‘unimplementable’ proposals that could permit each plane passenger to bring two free cabin bags on board.
Cabin bags up to 7kg to be free of charge, even on low-cost airlines(Image: Getty Images)
This development comes as Ryanair‘s chief, Michael O’Leary, has fired back at ‘unimplementable’ proposals that could permit each plane passenger to bring two free cabin bags on board, reports Birmingham Live.
During Ryanair’s earnings call for the first quarter of 2026, its CEO vehemently criticised the ‘impractical’ move. As per Travel Weekly, he stated: “The idea that everyone is entitled to two free bags on board is unimplementable – they don’t fit in the aircraft.
“There’s not room on largely full aircraft for one small carry-on bag and one large trolley bag. About 50 per cent of the passengers can bring a trolley bag and we do that using the priority boarding service.
“Any rules that would alter that would be infringing EU rules guaranteeing the freedom of airlines to set pricing and policies, and we don’t believe that will happen.”
Ourania Georgoutsakou, managing director of Airlines For Europe, Europe’s largest airline association, expressed her concern: “Europe’s airline market is built on choice. Forcing a mandatory trolley bag strips passengers of that choice and obliges passengers to pay for services they may not want or need,”.
She further questioned: “What’s next? Mandatory popcorn and drinks as part of your cinema ticket? The European Parliament should let travellers decide what services they want, what services they pay for and, importantly, what services they don’t.”
Meanwhile, Mr O’Leary announced his consideration to increase the incentive to “eliminate the scourge of passengers with excess baggage. I think it’s unlikely to play out but there’s clearly going to be some kind of negotiation between the parliament and the commission on passenger rights.”
By eliminating carry-on baggage fees, airlines will make travelling abroad easier. Even better, it will save them from spending hundreds of pounds to send off a small piece of luggage.
California Democrats led by Gov. Gavin Newsom may upend the state’s mandate for independently drawn political districts as part of a brewing, national political brawl over the balance of power in Congress and the fate of the aggressive, right-wing agenda of President Trump and the GOP.
The effort being considered by state Democratic leaders is specifically intended to reduce the number of Republicans in California’s congressional delegation, retaliation for the ongoing actions by GOP leaders in Texas to unseat Democratic representatives in its state, reportedly at Trump’s behest.
“I think this whole thing is a horrible idea all the way around … and I don’t think people fully understand the ramifications of what they’re talking about,” said Republican redistricting expert Matt Rexroad. “Once we get to the point where we’re just doing random redistricting after every election … redistricting won’t be used as a tool to reflect voter interests. It will be used to just bludgeon minority political interests, whether it be Republican or Democrat, after every election.”
Newsom already has been in talks with Democratic legislative leaders and others about reconfiguring California’s congressional district boundaries before the 2026 election.
Doing so probably would require a statewide ballot measure to scrap or temporarily pause the voter-approved, independent California Citizens Redistricting Commission charged with drawing the boundaries of congressional districts based on logical geography, shared interests, representation for minority communities and other facets. In 2010, Californians voted to create the commission to take partisan politics out of the redistricting process for Congress, two years after they did so for the state Legislature.
Newsom said California may have to take the emergency action if Texas and other GOP-controlled states this year decide to redraw their congressional districts to ensure that Republicans keep control of Congress in the upcoming election. Redrawing of congressional districts typically occurs after the decennial census to reflect population shifts across the nation.
“So they want to change the game,” he said last week. “We can act holier-than-thou. We can sit on the sidelines, talk about the way the world should be, or we can recognize the existential nature that is this moment.”
Newsom on Friday plans to meet with six Democratic Texas state lawmakers visiting the state and members of California’s congressional delegation “to push back on Trump and Texas Republicans’ redistricting power grab,” according to the governor’s office.
Redistricting experts in both parties agree that reverting to partisan redrawing of congressional lines in California would make several GOP incumbents vulnerable. The state’s congressional districts could be reconfigured to increase the share of Democratic voters in districts currently represented by Republicans, or in a way that forces Republican officeholders to face off against one another.
Rexroad sees a scenario in which Republicans are so packed into districts that the party would have only three safe seats. Only nine of the state’s 52 congressional districts are currently represented by the GOP.
Democratic redistricting expert Paul Mitchell said five of nine GOP-held districts could be flipped. He said Democrats are in a good position to gain seats because of California’s history of nonpartisan redistricting. In Texas, by comparison, districts already are gerrymandered to favor Republicans.
In California, “Democrats haven’t had partisan line-drawing since the ‘90s,” he said. “So there’s all this partisan gain left on the table for decades. If you ever do crack open the map, there’s just many available to bolster” the party’s existing grip on the delegation.
Rexroad warns that there would be unintended consequences, including weakening safe Republican districts in Texas and leading to a broken system in which lines are redrawn after every election to benefit whichever party controls the White House or various legislative bodies.
Before the creation of the independent Citizens Redistricting Commission, California was similar to most other states. Political districts were created by state lawmakers of both parties who often prioritized incumbent protection and gerrymandered oddly shaped districts, such as the infamous “ribbon of shame,” where a 200-mile coastal sliver of a congressional district between Oxnard and the Monterey County line disappeared during high tide.
Former U.S. Atty. Gen. Eric Holder said such districts are why he started the National Democratic Redistricting Committee with former President Obama and former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-San Francisco) in 2017.
“Because of our work, we now have the fairest national congressional map the country has seen in a generation, one that allows both parties to compete for the majority in the House,” Holder said Wednesday at a “Stop the Texas Takeover” virtual event hosted by the redistricting committee.
That could fall by the wayside, however, if some states crack open their redistricting process for partisan gain and states controlled by the opposing party retaliate by doing to the same.
California Democrats are considering trying to revisit the independent line-drawing after President Trump and his administration urged Texans to redraw their districts in a way that probably would improve the GOP’s ability to hold control of Congress in next year’s midterm election.
The House is narrowly divided, and the party that wins the White House often loses seats in the body two years later. The loss of a handful of GOP seats would stymie Trump’s plans, potentially making him a lame duck for two years.
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott called for a special session of the state Legislature that includes redistricting and began Monday.
On Tuesday, Abbott said the decision was prompted by a court decision last year that said the state no longer has to draw “coalition districts,” which are made up of multiple minority communities.
“New maps will work toward insuring that we will maximize the ability of Texas to be able to vote for the candidate of their choice,” he said in an interview with Fox 4 Dallas-Fort Worth.
“This is shameless, shameless, the mid-decade redistricting that they’re doing at the orders of Donald Trump,” Pelosi said Wednesday at the “Stop the Texas Takeover” event. “And this is what we’re doing in California. We’re saying to the Texans, ‘You shouldn’t be going down this path. We go down this path, we’ll go down together.’”
If California Democrats pursue partisan redistricting in time for next year’s midterm election, the Legislature, in which Democrats hold a supermajority, could place the matter on the ballot during a special election that probably would take place in November. State lawmakers also could opt to make the change through legislation, though that probably would be vulnerable to a legal challenge.
Nonpartisan congressional redistricting was one of then-Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger’s priorities when it was approved by voters in 2010. Schwarzenegger hasn’t weighed in on the state potentially rescinding the reform. But the director of the USC Schwarzenegger Institute, which includes such political reforms among its top priorities, warned that weakening California’s system would be out of sync with the state’s values.
“We’re in a scary position with all this talk of this gerrymandering arms race between Texas and California,” said Conyers Davis, global director of the USC Schwarzenegger Institute for State and Global Policy. “It’s really a race to the bottom for voters in both states and the entire country as a whole. We should be celebrating California’s citizen redistricting commission and looking to expand that model into other states, not looking for political ways to dismember it and erode its powers.”
The state Republican Party, which opposed the creation of the redistricting commission, now supports the body in the face of a proposal that would cost it seats.
“To sort of start to mess with it right at this point in time, it just kind of undermines the whole independent redistricting commission that everybody has come to rely on,” said Corrin Rankin, chairwoman of the California Republican Party. “And I don’t know what it will look like constitutionally.”
Asked about Texas, she demurred, saying she was focused on California.
State Democrats, who also opposed the creation of the commission, cheered the potential response to Texas.
“Trump and Republicans — from D.C. to Texas — are attempting to rewrite the rules of our democracy,” said Rusty Hicks, chairman of the California Democratic Party. “With so much at stake, California may be left with little choice but to fight fire with fire to protect and preserve our democracy.”
Times staff writer Taryn Luna in Sacramento contributed to this report.
Hi, and welcome to another edition of Dodgers Dugout. My name is Houston Mitchell. It’s time for some random thoughts about the Dodgers.
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—This team seems to make more costly errors than any Dodger team in recent memory.
—Why is James Outman, who is hitting .137/.245/.269 over his last two seasons with the Dodgers (including .103 this season), in the majors while Ryan Ward, who is hitting .315/.401/.614 with 26 homers at triple-A Oklahoma City, sits in the minors? Maybe Ward (who hit .258/.317/.543 with 33 homers last season in triple A) will flame out in the majors, but we know Outman can’t hit. We don’t know what Ward can do yet.
—Would moving from shortstop help Mookie Betts hit again? Let’s take a look at his numbers last season:
when he started at shortstop: .308/.407/.500, 15 doubles, nine homers, 39 walks, 29 K’s in 240 at bats.
at right field: .273/.324/.517, eight doubles, nine homers, 14 walks, 21 K’s in 161 at bats.
He hit better as a shortstop last season, so perhaps that isn’t the problem after all.
However, I think the Dodgers are much better defensively with Betts in right and Miguel Rojas (or someone else) at short.
—The Dodgers have played poorly lately, but we still won’t have any sense of what this team really is until after the trade deadline.
—Betts is 32 and has always had one of the slowest bat speeds in the majors. We could be looking at how he’s going to hit from now on. Probably not, but the days of 39 homers and 107 RBIs may be over, regardless if he rebounds this season or not.
—A lot of people have asked what is up with Charley Steiner, who called part of the first game of the season and nothing since. The Dodgers remain mum, but we do know he was battling cancer last season. We wish him well.
—Tyler Glasnow looked like an ace Tuesday, giving up one run in seven innings while striking out 12. If he can stay healthy, that will be huge come the postseason. That’s a big if though.
—Austin Barnes is hitting .174 (4 for 23) for the Giants in triple A. He singled off Blake Snell, who was pitching a rehab game for the Dodgers, so some things never change. If he could have faced Snell his whole career, he’d be in the Hall of Fame.
—Dalton Rushing, who came up when Barnes was released to provide more offense, is hitting .216/.280/.297 in 27 games. With the Dodgers this season, Barnes hit .214/.233/.286. It was still the right move to make, but it hasn’t worked out like expected so far.
—Max Muncy is ahead of schedule as he works to return from a bone bruise in his knee. In May, who would have thought we’d be eagerly awaiting the return of Muncy?
—Bobblehead nights I’d like to see: A duo of reliever Mike Marshall and outfielder Mike Marshall. John Shelby, pounding his glove just before a catch. Jay Howell, with a lot of pine tar on the outside of his glove. Pedro Guerrero, holding a bat with no glove in sight. Jerry Reuss no-hitter bobblehead. Mickey Hatcher two World Series home runs bobblehead. Steve Yeager blocking home plate, with that flap hanging down from his mask. Bill Buhler with that can of freeze spray he used. Brian Holton and Tim Crews, unsung heroes of the 1988 team. The 1988 “Stuntmen,” Hatcher, Rick Dempsey, Dave Anderson, Franklin Stubbs and Danny Heep. Jim Wynn and Lance Rautzhan, two of my favorite Dodgers.
—Blake Treinen could be back in the next couple of weeks.
—I don’t wish for anyone to be injured, but this forearm inflammation that is sidelining Tanner Scott could be a blessing in disguise, giving him a chance to reset mentally and come back like the Scott of old. He is a much better pitcher than he has shown so far.
—The Dodgers are hitting .212 in July.
—The league might be catching up to Hyeseong Kim. He is hitting .191 this month with only one extra-base hit and on walk in 47 at bats.
—Tommy Edman is seven for his last 49 (.143)
—Michael Conforto is hitting better than Betts, Freddie Freeman and Teoscar Hernández this month.
—There are 59 games left to go and the Dodgers are still in first place. We can always examine the negatives, but we have to remember the positives too.
—Baseball Reference ran a simulation 1,000 times of the remaining games and the postseason. Here are the teams that won the World Series at least 20 times in those simulations:
Chicago Cubs, won World Series 175 times Detroit, 125 times Milwaukee, 114 times NY Yankees, 105 times Houston (no relation), 95 times Dodgers, 72 times Philadelphia, 61 times Toronto, 49 times NY Mets, 44 times Boston, 31 times Seattle, 30 times San Diego, 26 times Tampa Bay, 26 times Texas, 23 times
Trade prospects?
The trade deadline was Thursday at 3 p.m. PT. The Dodgers have needs. They signed relievers (Scott, Kirby Yates) in the offseason so they wouldn’t have to trade for relief help, yet here we are. An outfielder could be nice. I’ve long since stopped guessing what Andrew Friedman will do at the deadline, because it’s almost always something unexpected. Instead, we will look at the top players available at positions it seems the team needs help. Click on the player name to be taken to their stats page at Baseball Reference. They are listed in alphabetical order and stats are through Wednesday.
Starting pitchers
Sandy Alcantara, Miami: Won the NL Cy Young in 2022. Missed last season after Tommy John surgery, so you know that makes him extra appealing to the Dodgers. Has a 6.66 ERA this season, which I’m told is not very good.
Mitch Keller, Pittsburgh: Is only 4-10 with a 3.53 ERA and is owed $56 million over the next three seasons, so this seems unlikely, but possible.
Seth Lugo, Kansas City: Lugo throws nine different pitcher (think Rich Hill, only right-handed.) Finished second in AL Cy Young voting last season after going 16-9 with a 3.00 ERA. Has a 2.95 ERA this season.
Relief pitchers
Félix Bautista, Baltimore: It would take a slew of prospects to get him, but Bautista has thrown 161 innings in the majors and struck out 248 to go with a 2.01 ERA.
David Bednar, Pittsbugh: A two-time All-Star who has rebounded from a terrible 2024 season (5.77 ERA), Bednar would probably cost the least, as far as prospects go, in a trade. Led the league with 39 saves in 2023.
Emmanuel Clase, Cleveland: Had one of the best seasons ever by a closer last season (4-2, 47 saves, 0.61 ERA, 39 hits and 10 walks in 74.1 innings) but is having his worst season this year, if you can call 5-2, 22 saves and a 2.80 ERA “worst.”
Jhoan Durán, Minnesota: His fastball averages 100 mph. Had an off year last season (3.64 ERA), but has rebounded, posting a 1.94 ERA and 15 saves in 46.1 innings, giving up 37 hits and 16 walks while striking out 51.
Ryan Helsley, St. Louis: Had 49 saves last season, but not quite as successful this season. 34 innings, 34 hits, 14 walks is not a shutdown reliever.
Griffin Jax, Minnesota: Has struck out 68 in 44 innings, but also has a 4.09 ERA. His FIP is 2.07 though, so he has been a bit unlucky.
Cade Smith, Cleveland: Only in his second season, he drew Cy Young votes as a rookie last year, when he struck out 103 in 75.1 innings. Has struck out 64 in 43.1 innings this season as the stup man for Clase. Could the Dodgers send over a package that could land them Clase, Smith and Kwan? They are one of the few teams that could.
Outfielders
Jarren Duran, Boston: Having an off season by his standards but finished eighth in MVP voting last season.
Steven Kwan, Cleveland: A three-time Gold Glove in left who hits for average and draws walks.
Cedric Mullins, Baltimore: He would give the Dodgers a true center fielder, but just an average bat. Hit 30 homers in 2021, but hasn’t had more than 18 since.
Luis Robert, Jr., Chicago White Sox: Good glove, and used to be able to hit, but not anymore. Hitting .206 this season. Continually linked to the Dodgers in trade rumors, but, well, let’s hope not.
Please note that this is not an all-encompassing list. It’s mainly the names that have been linked to the Dodgers at one point over the last several weeks. It doesn’t include players such as Jesús Sánchez, Bryan Reynolds or Mason Miller, who are also possibilities.
And, time for the warning I give out every year: Don’t fall for every rumor you see online. Some sites will try to lure you in with a headline such as “Dodgers, Rays discuss Mookie Betts deal” when what happened was the Rays GM called the Dodgers and asked “Any chance you will trade Mookie Betts?” And the Dodgers say “No.” Technically, they discussed a Betts deal, but did they really? If you want to keep track of what’s going on with the Dodgers, Jack Harris has it covered for us at latimes.com/sports/dodgers. Jack takes a look at the trade deadline here. For a broader picture, I recommend mlbtraderumors.com.
Ohtani ties record
Shohei Ohtani homered in his fifth consecutive game Wednesday, tying the Dodger record. A look:
Home runs in five consecutive games:
Ohtani, July 19-23, 2025 (five home runs total) Max Muncy, Aug. 15-21, 2019 (five) Joc Pederson, May 31-June 3, 2015 (five) Adrián González, Sept. 27, 2014-April 8, 2015 (seven) Matt Kemp, Sept. 28-Oct. 3, 2010 (five) Shawn Green, July 21-25, 2001 (five) Roy Campanella, June 11-17, 1950 (five)
A Dodger has homered in four straight games 35 times, including four times by Duke Snider and twice by Pedro Guerrero, Matt Kemp, Gary Sheffield and Reggie Smith.
Welcome back
Rich Hill, a fan favorite when he pitched for the Dodgers back when Gerald Ford was president, signed with the Kansas City Royals and gave up only one run in five innings of his first start. Hill, 45, is pitching for his 14th majors league team, tying the record set by former Dodger top prospect Edwin Jackson.
Hill has played for:
Angels Baltimore Boston Chicago Cubs Cleveland Dodgers Kansas City Minnesota NY Mets NY Yankees Oakland Pittsburgh San Diego Tampa Bay
Players to play for 13 teams *Octavio Dotel
12 teams *Mike Morgan Matt Stairs Ron Villone
11 teams *Paul Bako Miguel Batista *Henry Blanco Bruce Chen Royce Clayton Bartolo Colon Joe Gerhardt LaTroy Hawkins *Kenny Lofton *Deacon McGuire *Terry Mulholland *Dennys Reyes Fernando Rodney Julian Tavarez *Gus Weyhring Rick White *Todd Zeile
*-played for the Dodgers
Worst month?
The Dodgers are 6-11 this month. Have they had any months where they finished .500 or worse since their postseason streak began in 2013?
Months at .500 or worse by the Dodgers since 2013:
May, 2013, 10-17, .370 July, 2025: 7-11, .389 September, 2017: 12-17, .414 April, 2018: 11-14, .440 September, 2013, 12-15, .444 July, 2024: 11-13, .458 April, 2016: 12-13, .480 May, 2018: 14-14, .500 May, 2014: 15-15, .500 June, 2015: 15-15, .500 June, 2023: 12-12, .500
Note: This does not include short months (March or October) when they may have gone 0-1 or 2-3.
Up next
Friday: Dodgers (Emmet Sheehan, 1-1, 4.41 ERA) at Boston (Brayan Bello, 6-4, 3.23 ERA), 4:10 p.m., Sportsnet LA, AM 570, KTNQ 1020
Saturday: Dodgers (*Clayton Kershaw, 4-1, 3.27 ERA) at Boston (*Garrett Crochet, 11-4, 2.19 ERA), 4:15 p.m., Fox, AM 570, KTNQ 1020
Sunday: Dodgers (Shohei Ohtani, 0-0, 1.50 ERA) at Boston (Walker Buehler, 6-6, 5.72 ERA), 10:35 a.m., Sportsnet LA, AM 570, KTNQ 1020
The Dodgers score five runs in the second inning of Game 2 of the 1988 World Series, including a key homer by Mike Marshall. Watch and listen here.
Until next time…
Have a comment or something you’d like to see in a future Dodgers newsletter? Email me at [email protected], and follow me on Twitter at @latimeshouston. To get this newsletter in your inbox, click here.
Margate is known for its sandy beaches and charming seaside attractions – but it’s also a hotspot for celebrities and has one of the UK’s ‘coolest’ neighbourhoods
Margate Main Sands boasts perfect golden sand(Image: Getty Images)
If you’re on the hunt for the perfect weekend getaway, then Margate is a hidden gem that ticks all the boxes. With its stunning beach, vibrant atmosphere, top-notch eateries and refreshing sea breeze, it’s an ideal spot for families or couples seeking a romantic mini-break.
While Margate has long been recognised as a seaside retreat, the town of today offers so much more. It’s home to a remarkable food scene and a bustling arts community. But fear not – while embracing modern trends, Margate hasn’t lost its classic coastal charm. Nowadays, it manages to blend being trendy and artistic with maintaining a traditional British holiday feel.
Margate Main Sands boasts 19 miles of breathtaking Kentish coastline(Image: Getty Images/iStockphoto)
And we can’t forget about Margate Main Sands – boasting some of the softest, golden sands spread across 19 miles of breathtaking Kentish coastline. The town’s Cliftonville district has been dubbed one of the ‘coolest’ in the UK, and TimeOut has listed the town among the top places to visit.
It’s no surprise that Margate has become a hotspot for celebrities and Londoners, leading to a boom in property prices. Keep your eyes peeled and you might spot famous faces such as Lilly Allen, Sam Mendes, Olivia Coleman, and even some cast members from EastEnders.
For unique sights, Margate is the destination, with standout attractions including the Margate Museum, the quirky Crab Museum, the enchanting Shell Grotto, and the underground wonders of Margate Caves.
Margate Old Town serves as a charming centre for boutique museums and a diverse collection of shops ranging from vintage to contemporary. Staying true to its heritage as a coastal resort, Margate offers all the classic seaside attractions: plenty of fish and chip establishments, ice cream vendors dotting the seafront, beachside pubs, and opportunities for mini golf.
Dreamland, merely a brief stroll from the shore, stands as the retro theme park cherished by families. It boasts classic funfair attractions, stages musical performances, and houses the Scenic Railway – Britain’s most ancient wooden rollercoaster.
Dreamland, a theme park suitable for all ages(Image: Publicity Picture)
For visitors wanting fish and chips following a beach day, Peter’s Fish Factory at 12 Royal York Mansions in Margate comes highly praised. Yet for those desiring a more upmarket meal, Margate also shines with venues like Angela’s and Bottega Caruso, plus emerging favourites including Sargasso and Fort Road Hotel.
Selecting standouts proves challenging, yet Sargasso distinguishes itself with its stunning ocean panoramas and recently earned recognition in SquareMeal’s Top 100 UK restaurants for 2023, a compilation highlighting the “highest calibre of restaurants” across the country.
Alternatively, you might be drawn to the authentic Italian atmosphere at Bottega Caruso, where you can not only relish cuisine from the proprietor’s native Italian village, but also buy fresh pasta, house-made tomato sauce, and other Italian delicacies. They also run pasta-making classes and organise Supper Club nights for a taste of Italy in Britain, reports Cambridgeshire Live.
Those seeking a cultural adventure should make the Turner Contemporary gallery a priority, featuring diverse art exhibitions that rival London’s cultural scene. Guests can join guided tours and activities or unwind in the café whilst taking in harbour vistas.
If you’re planning a weekend getaway, don’t miss Margate’s spectacular four-acre tidal pool, located just 1.4 miles from Margate Main Sands. The Walpole Bay Tidal Pool, beloved by swimmers and families year-round, is Britain’s largest and also boasts “fresh water springs rising from the beach” within its boundaries.
It’s an ideal spot to soak up the sea air and enjoy a dip or simply lounge beside the water.
Nigeria hunt a 10th WAFCON title against a Morocco side seeking their first when the pair face off in Rabat.
Who: Nigeria vs Morocco What: Women’s Africa Cup of Nations final 2025 Where: Olympic Stadium in Rabat, Morocco When: Saturday at 8pm (19:00 GMT).
Two of the continent’s footballing powerhouses will contest the Confederation of African Football’s (CAF’s) 2025 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) final in Rabat on Saturday as Nigeria take on host nation Morocco.
It’s the 13th edition of the tournament, which was pushed back a year due to scheduling issues.
Al Jazeera takes a look at the match, which could mark a shift in power in the women’s game in Africa.
How many WAFCONs have Nigeria and Morocco won?
Nigeria are the record nine-time champions.
Morocco are yet to lift the trophy but did reach the final on home soil three years ago when they were defeated by South Africa.
How did Nigeria reach the WAFCON final?
Nigeria opened with a 3-0 win against Tunisia, but the highest ranked team needed a late winner to squeeze past the lowest-ranked side, Botswana. A 0-0 draw in their final group game with Algeria secured the top spot in Group B.
Morocco’s defender Nouhaila Benzina and Ghana’s forward Doris Boaduwaa vie for the ball during the 2025 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations semifinal [Abdel Majid Bziouat/AFP]
How did Morocco reach the WAFCON final?
Morocco also remain unbeaten but opened the tournament with a 2-2 draw against Zambia. A 4-2 win against the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and 1-0 win against Senegal sealed Group A.
Mali were overcome with a 3-1 win in the last eight before Ghana awaited in the semifinal, in which Morocco needed a penalty shootout following a 1-1 draw after extra time.
‘Mission X’ on Nigeria’s minds
The Nigerian side have come up with branding for their attempt to lift a 10th WAFCON title.
Looking to bounce back from their fourth-place finish in the 2022 edition, the Super Falcons dubbed their ambition to win this event as “Mission X”.
A winning mentality in the Morocco camp
Morocco’s ranks are bolstered by 2022 player of the tournament Ghizlane Chebbak, who netted a hat-trick against the DRC.
Atlas Lionesses coach Jorge Vilda could be heading to back-to-back international titles, having led Spain to the 2023 World Cup.
Three goals: Ibtissam Jraidi (Morocco), Chinwendu Ihezuo (Nigeria), Barbra Banda (Zambia), Racheal Kundananji (Zambia)
Where is WAFCON 2025 being staged?
Morocco have hosted the last two WAFCON finals as the North Africans’ place as a pre-eminent footballing force on the continent is reinforced.
The Royal Moroccan Football Federation is also preparing to stage the 2025 men’s edition of the Africa Cup of Nations and co-host the 2030 FIFA World Cup.
Where is WAFCON final being staged?
The Olympic Stadium in Rabat with a capacity of 21,000 people will host the final.
What is the prize money for WAFCON 2025?
CAF increased the tournament prize pot by 45 percent to $3.475m.
The prize money for the winners has doubled since the last edition with the victors of Saturday’s match sharing $1m.
Dhiya’ Zawba Muslih al-Hardani and two of his sons affiliated to the group were killed in a raid, the US military says
United States Central Command (CENTCOM) forces have killed a senior ISIL (ISIS) leader and his two sons affiliated to the group in Syria’s Aleppo region, the US military has said.
A post on X on Friday said, “Early this morning in al Bab, Aleppo Governate, Syria, CENTCOM Forces conducted a raid resulting in the death of senior ISIS Leader, Dhiya’ Zawba Muslih al-Hardani, and his two adult ISIS-affiliated sons, Abdallah Dhiya al-Hardani and Abd al-Rahman Dhiya Zawba al-Hardani.”
“These ISIS individuals posed a threat to US and Coalition Forces, as well as the new Syrian Government, ” it added.
“We will continue to relentlessly pursue ISIS terrorists wherever they are. ISIS terrorists are not safe where they sleep, where they operate, and where they hide. Alongside our partners and allies, U.S. Central Command is committed to the enduring defeat of ISIS terrorists that threaten the region, our allies, and our homeland,” General Michael Erik Kurilla, US CENTCOM commander, said.
In late May, ISIL claimed responsibility for an attack on the Syrian army, representing the armed group’s first strike at government forces since the fall of Bashar al-Assad, according to analysts.
In a statement regarding that attack, ISIL said its fighters had planted an explosive device that struck a “vehicle of the apostate regime” in southern Syria.
ISIL, which views the new government in Damascus led by President Ahemd al-Sharaa as illegitimate, has so far concentrated its activities against Kurdish forces in the north.
The fledgling Syrian government has had to contend with Israeli bombardment and incursions into its territory since al-Assad’s overthrow, as well as the eruption of sustained sectarian violence in the southern city of Suwayda in recent weeks.
The Jeremy Vine Show was quickly halted on Friday after a caller made a rude and explicit comment to Ann Widdecombe during an intense debate about doctors’ strikes
Channel 5 viewers were left shocked when a caller made inappropriate remarks towards Ann Widdecombe live on the Jeremy Vine show last Friday. The host, Jeremy Vine, was joined by commentators Ann, aged 77, and James Schneider, a former Labour adviser to Jeremy Corbyn.
The panel was discussing the latest doctors’ strikes which began on July 25th. They spoke with a caller named Gregg from Tyne and Wear, who shared that he had previously worked as a junior doctor for five years before leaving the profession to earn five times more at another company.
Gregg stated: “[Being a doctor] is not about the money for me. It’s about the love of the job – it was the hardest decision I had to make. But I have just one thing I need to pose to Ann Widdecombe?”
Jeremy Vine called the caller a “clown” after he made a sexually vulgar remark to Anne Widdecombe
He then asked: “Hi Ann, how are you?” To which she responded: “How’re you?” Gregg replied: “I’m good thanks for asking. I’m off to work soon but me and a few of the lads at the plant…” At this point, Jeremy interrupted, saying: “Hang on Greg. You’re not going to be rude to Ann. I can just feel the storm coming.”
Ann retorted: “He can be rude to me,” reports the Express. Gregg then made an inappropriate comment, saying: “I was just wondering if she was going to get her t**s out for the lads.”
Jeremy quickly intervened, halting the show and stating: “You see, I saw it coming. The guy’s a clown.” Ann agreed, saying: “You did see it coming.”
“I did see it coming. It’s ridiculous. I could tell,” Jeremy added. “And apologies for the language there. Let’s move on.”
Viewers were left fuming after the inappropriate comment was aired, with many expressing their outrage on social media. One user vented: “Absolutely pathetic. 12-year-old ringing up. Horrible mysogny as well. #jeremyvine.”
Another seethed: “Pathetic man, doing that to Ann. These jokes are so old – he must have the IQ of a 10-year-old to think it’s still funny #jeremyvine.”
A third chimed in: “What a twat! I’m no fan of Ann, but speaking to her like that is disgusting! #jeremyvine.” Jeremy promptly issued an apology live on the show following the incident.
With the Jeffrey Epstein controversy still dogging him, President Trump has embraced his favorite distraction: the culture wars.
It began when he announced that Coca-Cola was switching to cane sugar instead of high-fructose corn syrup. Coke responded with a statement that basically boiled down to: “Wait, what?” — before announcing the company would release a Trump-approved version of the famous cola.
Now, you might think decisions like these should be left up to the companies. After all, it’s none of the government’s business, and Republicans supposedly believe in free markets.
But no! Trump followed up by threatening to block a new stadium for Washington’s NFL team unless it changed its name back to the Redskins. He also demanded that Cleveland’s baseball team go back to being called the Indians.
At first glance, this seems like a ridiculous ploy to distract us from Epstein. And sure, that’s part of the story. But here’s what Trump understands: A lot of Americans feel like somebody came along and stole all their cool stuff — iconic team names, high-hold hair spray, military bases named after Confederate generals — and replaced them with soulless, modern stuff. “Guardians,” “low-flow shower heads,” “Fort Liberty.”
We might laugh at his trivial Coke crusade, but sports teams evoke more primal emotions. You can drink a Coke today and a Pepsi tomorrow. But you can’t root for the Indians on Monday and the Detroit Tigers on Tuesday. Not unless you’re a psychopath — or someone who wants to get punched in a bar. Team loyalty matters.
Trump gets this. When I was a kid, the Redskins won three Super Bowls. There were songs like “Hail to the Redskins,” team heroes (like John Riggins, Doug Williams and coach Joe Gibbs), and all manner of burgundy and gold merch. It wasn’t just a team. It was part of our identity — as well as an excuse to spend time together (even as decades passed without another Super Bowl run).
Then one day: poof. Goodbye Redskins.
Now imagine that same sense of loss in an already deracinated place like the Rust Belt, where the ball club is a big part of the city’s identity, and where they already closed Dad’s factory and then had the gall to take his boyhood team’s name too.
This isn’t really about names. It’s about nostalgia. Tradition. Identity. It’s about trying to keep a tenuous grip on a world you can still recognize, while everything else dissolves into a place where even choosing a bathroom is a political statement.
Now, is the name Redskins offensive? Sure. Even though a 2016 Washington Post poll found that 9 out of 10 Native Americans weren’t offended, you’d be hard-pressed to defend it on the merits. But the Indians? Come on. Just lose the Chief Wahoo cartoon. This isn’t rocket science.
So is Trump onto something when it comes to the real-world backlash to overwrought political correctness? Yes. But he’s also profiting politically off of people pining for a world that never really existed.
I thought about this last fall when Trump worked the fry station and drive-through window at a McDonald’s in Pennsylvania. At first, it seemed like just another stunt to troll Kamala Harris (who said she once worked for McDonald’s).
But then I saw him in that red apron with the yellow piping — still wearing his red tie, of course — and thought: This is Rockwell. This image evokes a time when a white guy of a certain age could sling burgers, go home to his wife and kids, mow his middle-class lawn, crack open a Coca-Cola, and watch the Redskins and the Cowboys.
Whether Trump consciously appreciates the power of this imagery, I don’t know. But he clearly understands that there is power in yearning, that culture is more primordial than American politics and that refusing to exploit these forces (out of some sense of propriety) would be a sucker’s move.
To some degree, he’s been playing this game for years — think energy efficient lightbulbs, paper straws and his criticism over Apple’s decision to get rid of the iPhone home button. If something new comes along, Trump is already up there stoking cultural outrage, blaming the “woke” left and demanding somebody bring him a Diet Coke. It’s what he does.
But here’s why this actually matters: These little skirmishes don’t just distract from the bigger, more dangerous stuff — they enable it.
Even as he accuses former President Obama of treason (which is absurd and dangerous), Trump’s bond with his supporters is reinforced by these small, almost laughable grievances. He makes them feel seen, defended and nostalgic for a world that (to them, at least) made more sense.
That emotional connection with his base is what allows Trump to tell bigger lies and launch bolder attacks without losing them.
Coke and the Redskins may seem trivial. But they’re the sugar that helps the poison go down.
Following three successive promotions under Phil Parkinson, Wrexham are now set for what will be their first season in the second tier since 1981-82.
They have already added Wales goalkeeper Danny Ward, striker Ryan Hardie, central midfielders Lewis O’Brien and George Thomason, left-back Liberato Cacace and attacking midfielder Josh Windass to their ranks since winning promotion to the Championship.
But signing Eriksen would prove the biggest addition yet, if Parkinsoncan convince him to step down to the Championship.
Eriksen made 35 appearances in all competitions for the Red Devils last season – scoring five goals – but is now a free agent.
He began his professional career with Ajax and spent seven seasons with Tottenham Hotspur before joining Brentford in 2022 following one campaign at Inter Milan.
He won an FA Cup and a League Cup during his time at Old Trafford.
Wrexham kick-off their 2025-26 campaign against newly-relegated Southampton at St Mary’s Stadium on Saturday 9 August.
Australian Defense Secretary Richard Marles (L) and British Defense Secretary John Healey arrive at Admiralty House in Sydney on Friday ahead of unveiling a multi-billion dollar deal to build nuclear-powered submarines for Australia in Australia. Photo by Dan Himbrechts/EPA
July 25 (UPI) — Britain and Australia confirmed Friday that they would proceed with a $245 billion nuclear-powered submarine deal as part of a defense pact between the two countries and the United States — despite Washington rethinking its involvement.
Following a meeting, Australian Defense Secretary Richard Marles said he and British Defense Secretary John Healey would sign a 50-year cooperation treaty on Saturday to deliver an Australian fleet of submarines, powered by British nuclear reactors.
Marles hailed the deal, part of a trilateral security pact signed in 2021, as the most significant U.K.-Australian treaty signed in the 124-year history of modern Australia.
The AUKUS alliance, aimed at countering China’s military rise in the Asia-Pacific, called for Australia to be armed with eight nuclear submarines, three repurposed from the United States’ existing fleet and the remainder a new SSN-AUKUS submarine that Australia and Britain would build together.
However, concerns were raised that the first U.S. submarines wouldn’t be handed to Australia within the timeline of the early 2030s because U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth is reviewing the Biden administration-brokered AUKUS and the U.S. submarine pipeline was behind time.
Healey said they welcomed Hegseth’s review as a chance for the new administration of U.S. President Donald Trump to “renew their commitment,” which he said he fully expected to happen.
Marles said last month that he was “very confident” the United States would remain in AUKUS because of its strategic benefit to all three countries.
The pact came into force three days before Trump was sworn in as the 47th president of the United States in January, triggering a review to ensure it is a fit with his “America First” policy.
In a meeting in Singapore in June, Hegseth told Marles that Australia should increase defense spending to 3.5% of GDP.
Elbridge Colby, the U.S. defense official carrying out Hegseth’s review, has said AUKUS could compromise national security if the United States were to begin selling its Virginia-class submarines to Australia in the early 2030s, as per the original agreement.
Neither Healey nor Marles would say whether the two countries would go it alone with building the submarines if the United States opted to withdraw.
The Australia-U.K. treaty encompasses a comprehensive framework to develop the necessary infrastructure and workforce in Australia to build, operate and support the submarine program, with the deal providing a boost to British exports of more than $26 billion by 2050.
“Through the treaty, we are supporting high-skilled, well-paid jobs for tens of thousands of people in both the U.K. and Australia,” said Healey.
Australian Strategic Policy Institute senior analyst Euan Graham said the new treaty was not sending a message to the Trump administration but was “more of a reflection that AUKUS has always been a 3-way arrangement, and that the U.K.-Australia side of the triangle is vital to its success.”
He said the program would also produce economies of scale, allowing Britain’s Royal Navy to increase its nuclear fleet from seven to 12 submarines.
Flight attendant Megan Homme shared her top tips for selecting the perfect suitcase for your travels – and it’s all about keeping your belongings safe in the hold.
An airline worker shared her top tips for selecting the perfect suitcase for your travels (Image: Xavier Lorenzo via Getty Images)
A flight attendant has shared her top tips for choosing the ideal suitcase for your next holiday to guarantee your possessions remain secure in the aircraft’s cargo hold.
Megan Homme, who works for an American airline and shares clips on TikTok under the handle @meganhomme, has gained 360,500 followers thanks to her popular travel advice.
In a recent clip, she detailed her own luggage selection process after being compelled to “learn the hard way” through various blunders she’s experienced previously.
The initial consideration is your suitcase’s construction material. Whilst soft-shell cases might be simpler to handle, they can create difficulties if another passenger’s luggage spills or splits open in the cargo area.
If you want to keep your things safe, get a hard shell suitcase(Image: Getty)
“You never know what is going to be in someone else’s bag, or what is going to be underneath the plane, and what could leak on your bag,” Megan explained.
Baggage handlers have previously disclosed that travellers frequently pack liquids in their carry-ons, which can lead to complications.
Writing on a Reddit forum, the unnamed baggage handler stated: “Please don’t pack food or drinks in your bag. They rot, break, leak, open. It smells. Especially alcohol. Then I smell all day after picking up a bag that leaked on me.”
However, it’s not merely liquid spillage you should consider when choosing luggage – colour represents another crucial factor.
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Megan suggested opting for a dark coloured case to reduce the likelihood of visible damage when it reappears from the hold.
“If your bag is going under the plane it is going to be scuffed up very quickly. I learned that the hard way.”
The third consideration is ensuring your suitcase has wheels. Another baggage handler also took to Reddit, according to Express.co.uk, to explain why having four wheels is crucial to prevent your bag being hurled into the hold by staff.
If your luggage has at least two, but ideally four functioning wheels, this means handlers can wheel it down into the hold which will keep your belongings secure.
If you lack wheels, then your bag will almost certainly need to be lobbed into the hold. The baggage handler said their “absolute least favourite” bags to load were ones with wheels that had jammed up.
In Porciuncula, Brazil, small-scale coffee farmer Jose Natal da Silva is losing sleep – not just to protect his arabica crops from pests, but over fears raised by a new 50% United States tariff on Brazilian goods announced by President Donald Trump.
The tariff, widely seen as a political move in defence of far-right Trump ally ex-President Jair Bolsonaro, who faces trial for an alleged coup plot, could slash demand and prices for Brazilian coffee in its top export market.
Brazil is the world’s largest coffee exporter, sending 85 percent of its output abroad. The US buys 16 percent of that, making it Brazil’s biggest coffee customer. Experts warn the tariff will hurt competitiveness, especially for family farmers who produce two-thirds of Brazil’s coffee and have fewer resources to weather downturns or shift to new markets.
Last year’s climate change-driven drought already devastated crops. Now, falling arabica prices, down 33 percent since February, are compounding losses. “We struggle for years, and suddenly we might lose everything,” said da Silva, who grows 40,000 trees and other crops to survive.
Nearby in Varre-Sai, Paulo Menezes Freitas, another smallholder with 35,000 trees, fears he may be forced to abandon coffee farming. He says the tariff also affects essential imports like machinery and aluminium. “It feels like the ground is crumbling under us,” he said.
Despite the blow, Brazil’s coffee exporters remain cautiously optimistic. The Council of Coffee Exporters of Brazil (Cecafe)’s Marcio Ferreira believes US buyers can’t afford to stop importing Brazilian beans. But on the ground, small farmers fervently hope for a rollback before livelihoods vanish.
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Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales, £22.97 (was £44.97)
You’ll bag a popular game that delivers an action-packed adventureCredit: Currys
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Why it’s a good buy: For that price, you’ll bag a popular game that delivers an action-packed adventure, great visuals, and a gripping storyline.
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You can explore planets, volcanoes, undersea cities, and moreCredit: Amazon
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TopSpin 2K25, £6 (was £55.99)
Go toe-to-toe with the biggest names in tennisCredit: GAME
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More PS5 game deals:
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POUNDLAND has confirmed the full list of 12 more store closures amid a massive restructuing.
Sites across Canterbury, Coventry and Brigg have been named as destinations due to shut.
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Poundland has revealed the locations of more stores facing closureCredit: Alamy
Poundland’s retail director Darren MacDonald said:“While our anticipated network of around 650-700 stores remains sizeable, it is of course, sincerely that we’re closing a number of stores to allow us to get us back on track.
“We entirely understand how disappointing it will be for customers when a store nearby, closes but we look forward to continuing to welcome them to one of our other locations.
“Work is underway to with colleagues through a formal consultation process in stores scheduled to close, exploring any suitable alternative roles.”
You can check out the full list of closures here:
Brigg: Cary Lane, Brigg, DN20 8EY
Canterbury: Unit 2A, Marshwood Close Retail Park, Canterbury, CT1 1DX
Coventry: 63 Hertford Street, Coventry, CV1 1LB
Newcastle: Unit 15-18, Killingworth Centre, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, NE12 6YT
Kings Heath: 74-76 High Street, Kings Heath, B14 7JZ
Peterborough: Unit 19, Orton Gate Shopping Centre, PE2 5TD
