Teenager Luke Littler created more history by becoming the first player to win five nights in a Premier League season with a 6-4 victory over Michael van Gerwen in Birmingham.

The 18-year-old, who is the youngest world darts champion after his success in January, has also secured his place in the season-ending play-offs at O2 Arena on 29 May.

He won four nights in the opening eight weeks but had failed to reach the final in the past four weeks.

No player has won more than four nights since the 16-week league phase was introduced in 2022 with Jonny Clayton (2022), Gerwyn Price and Michael Smith (2023) and Littler, Luke Humphries and Van Gerwen (2024) all achieving that mark.

Littler spoke at the start of the evening about wanting to finish top of the league in order to secure the first semi-final at the play-offs, so that he would have a break before the final, and is now on track to achieve that.

He needed last-leg shootout wins over Stephen Bunting and Nathan Aspinall to reach the final but improved as the evening went on.

The world number two missed two darts at tops in the opening leg and that allowed seven-time Premier League Van Gerwen to break, before he missed double 16 in leg two after two stunning darts at bullseye.

Littler kept pace with Van Gerwen, who was in his second final of the year, though and recovered the break in leg six, before breaking again in leg 10 to secure the win and avoid a final-leg decider.

He averaged 102.5 to Van Gerwen’s 94.31 and was six from 13 on the checkouts.

“I’m very happy. The fifth nightly win was going to come at some point but it’s been a few weeks since I actually won on a Thursday,” Littler told Sky Sports.

“I’m nine points clear, so I’m very happy and very confident I’ll stay at number one.”

On the importance of topping the league phase, Littler added: “It’s something I’ve always thought in my head, playing the first semi-final is so crucial because there is not that big of a turnaround.”

Ministry of Commerce says ‘door is open’ to talks, but it is willing to ‘fight to the end’ otherwise.

China has said it is considering proposals by the United States to begin negotiations on US President Donald Trump’s sweeping tariffs.

The US has “recently, through relevant channels, actively conveyed messages to China, expressing a desire to engage in talks”, China’s Ministry of Commerce said in a statement on Friday.

“China is currently evaluating this.”

Beijing’s remarks come after Chinese state media reported earlier in the week that the Trump administration had “proactively reached out” through multiple channels.

Trump’s trade war with China has resulted in a de facto mutual trade embargo between the world’s two largest economies.

Businesses and investors have been anxiously waiting for signs that Washington and Beijing will ease their steep tariffs on each other’s goods amid fears that a protracted standoff will inflict serious damage on the global economy.

The International Monetary Fund last month lowered its global growth forecast for 2025 to 2.8 percent, down from 3.3 percent in January, while JPMorgan Chase has put the likelihood of a US recession this year at 60 percent.

Trump, who has slapped a 145 percent tariff on Chinese exports, has repeatedly insisted that his administration is in negotiations with Beijing, a claim that Chinese officials have rejected as “groundless”.

On Wednesday, Trump said there was a “very good chance” he would reach a trade deal with China, so long as it was “fair”.

In its statement on Friday, China’s Commerce Ministry said that its stance on the trade dispute had been consistent.

“If there is a fight, we will fight to the end; if there are talks, the door is open,” the ministry said.

“The tariff war and trade war were unilaterally initiated by the US, and if the US wants to talk, it should demonstrate sincerity by preparing to correct its erroneous actions and rescind the unilateral imposition of additional tariffs,” it said, adding that “attempting to use talks as a pretext to engage in coercion and blackmail” would not work with China.

‘Wakeup call’

In an interview with Fox News that aired on Thursday night, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said that Trump’s tariffs were badly hurting the Chinese economy and Beijing was keen to talk.

“The Chinese are reaching out, they want to meet, they want to talk,” Rubio told Fox News host Sean Hannity. “We’ve got people involved in that.”

Rubio also said that the tensions were a “wakeup call” for the US and the country should not be as dependent on China.

“Two more years in this direction, and we are going to be in a lot of trouble, really dependent on China,” he said. “So I do think there is this broader question about how much we should buy from them at all.”

Croatia is one of Europe’s most beautiful beach destinations but there’s one thing tourists need to remember to pack for a holiday in the eastern European country

Croatia, one of Europe’s most picturesque beach destinations, offers a less crowded alternative to Spain or Portugal. During my visit, I explored the stunning beaches in Split, Dubrovnik and Hvar, discovering some truly beautiful spots, says writer Ester Marshall.

However, there’s one essential item that tourists should remember to pack for a Croatian beach holiday. Many of Croatia’s beaches are rocky, and if you plan on swimming, beware of sea urchins. These small marine creatures may resemble harmless black rocks, but their incredibly spiky exterior can easily put a damper on your holiday, reports the Express.

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Sea urchins inhabit the entire length of Croatia’s Adriatic Coast, so there’s a high chance you’ll encounter one if you take a dip. While public beaches sometimes undergo sea urchin clearance, these creatures are often found at more secluded beaches and even at popular spots.

Despite their seemingly innocuous appearance, sea urchins are covered in tiny claw-like pincers that can deliver a painful sting.

‌A sea urchin sting can result in pain, redness and swelling, potentially leaving you with a sore foot for the remainder of your holiday.

To safeguard your feet, most tourists opt to wear swim shoes when entering the water in Croatia. These aqua shoes typically feature a rough plastic bottom that provides protection.

Although these shoes can be purchased at tourist shops in Croatia’s coastal towns, you might save money by buying them in advance from Amazon or Sports Direct.

Being incredibly lightweight, they can be easily packed in your hand luggage without any hassle.

These shoes are also a great asset if you’re planning on activities like kayaking, sailing or rock pooling during your Croatian adventure.

For those who aren’t fans of rocky beaches, Paradise Beach in Lopar is worth a visit, being one of the few sandy spots in Croatia.

LEGENDARY singer-songwriter Jill Sobule has been killed in a house fire aged 66.

The pioneering artist wrote the 1995 hit I Kissed a Girl and featured on the movie soundtrack of the 90s classic film Clueless.

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She appeared on the chick-flick favorite soundtrack in 1995 with the song Supermodel.

The smash hit I Kissed a Girl was widely recognized as one of the first gay anthems ever to make the charts.

Jill was preparing for a show in Denver on May 1, her home town, at Swallow Hill Music’s Tuft Theater.

In her music she touched on a range of sensitive topics throughout her eight well-received studio albums.

She grew a loyal fanbase whose dedication aided the released of the album California Years in 2010, which was funded entirely by fan donations.

In 2005 she wrote music for a popular Nickelodeon TV series Unfabulous and performed in the Jill and Julia show with actress and comedian Julia Sweeney a year later.

John Porter, her manager, shared an emotional tribute to the singer: “Jill Sobule was a force of nature and human rights advocate whose music is woven into our culture.

“I was having so much fun working with her.

“I lost a client and a friend today.

“I hope her music, memory, & legacy continue to live on and inspire others.”

Her attorney Ken Hertz said: “Jill wasn’t just a client.

“She was family to us. She showed up for every birth, every birthday, and every holiday.

“She performed at our daughter’s wedding, and I was her ‘tech’ when she performed by Zoom from our living room (while living with us) during the pandemic.”

Her representative said a celebration of Jill’s life will take place place in Spring.

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Alexandria, Virginia – “Free him now. Free him now.”

Those words rang outside a federal courthouse near Washington, DC, on Thursday, as lawyers argued over the case of Badar Khan Suri, who has been detained by the United States government over his support for Palestinian rights.

Dozens of activists had gathered to show solidarity with Khan Suri, a postdoctoral scholar at Georgetown University. He was arrested in March as part of President Donald Trump’s campaign to punish and deport non-citizens accused of fuelling “anti-Semitism” and “illegal protests” on college campuses.

Speaking to the crowd in Alexandria, Virginia, Mapheze Saleh – Khan Suri’s Palestinian American wife – highlighted the impact of his detention on their three children. She said they just wanted their father back.

“Why is this happening to him? Why is the Trump administration persecuting him?” Saleh said. “Because he fell in love and married to a Palestinian, because he dared to express his belief in non-violence and because he spoke out bravely against the genocide of my people in Gaza.”

Before his detention, Khan Suri was in the US on an academic visa, conducting research on peace-building in Iraq and Afghanistan.

But the US government has accused Khan Suri, an Indian national, of violating the terms of his visa by “actively spreading Hamas propaganda and promoting antisemitism on social media”. It has not offered proof of either assertion.

Outside the courthouse on Thursday, Amanda Eisenhour, an activist from Alexandria, said Khan Suri’s case represents the intersection of issues including free speech, constitutional rights and the “tyranny” of the US immigration system.

“It’s also about Palestine,” Eisenhour told Al Jazeera. “I want to make sure that’s always part of the conversation. Dr Khan Suri is a political prisoner because of his association, because of his marriage to somebody who’s Palestinian. We’re now a country that holds political prisoners, and we have to be ready to fight against that.”

As the legal hearing unfolded, activists outside chanted for Khan Suri’s freedom and Palestinian rights under a statue of a blindfolded woman holding scales, symbolising justice without bias.

One protester held up a sign, “Mob bosses disappear people.” Another placard proclaimed, “Due process now.”

A case in Virginia, a client in Texas

In the courtroom, lawyers for both sides questioned the geographical divide between where the hearing was taking place – and where Khan Suri is held presently.

After his arrest in Virginia, immigration officials quickly moved Khan Suri from a local detention centre to one in Louisiana and then in Texas.

Critics say the government has transferred individuals slated for deportation to faraway states to keep them away from their families and legal teams. They also point out that states like Louisiana and Texas are more likely to have conservative-leaning courts.

On Thursday, Khan Suri’s lawyers argued for the scholar to be moved back to his home state of Virginia, where his case is currently unfolding.

“We hope the court sees through these unlawful government tactics, keeps Dr Suri’s case here in Virginia, orders that he be released or, at minimum, orders that he be returned to Virginia, where he’ll be close to his legal counsel and to his family,” said Samah Sisay, staff lawyer at the Center for Constitutional Rights, which is involved in the case.

But the Trump administration made an opposing request, pushing for the court case to be transferred to Texas.

Ultimately, Judge Patricia Tolliver Giles demanded answers about why Khan Suri was moved so swiftly out of Virginia. She gave the government’s lawyers 24 hours to respond.

The Georgetown scholar’s lawyers have reason to be optimistic about the outcome. Federal district courts have asserted jurisdiction in similar cases, and on Wednesday, a judge in Vermont ordered the release of Columbia University student Mohsen Mahdawi, who is also facing deportation.

‘That’s not the America we want to be’

Since Trump began his second term in January, Secretary of State Marco Rubio has suggested that he revoked the visas of hundreds of foreign students who engaged in protests or criticism of Israel.

But the push to deport Khan Suri has been one of the most prominent cases.

To justify removing Khan Suri and other student activists, Rubio has cited the Immigration and Nationality Act of 1952, a Cold War-era law. One rarely used provision allows the secretary of state to deport non-citizens who pose “potentially serious adverse foreign consequences” for the US.

The Trump administration has not charged Khan Suri with a crime. But officials have accused him of “connections to a known or suspected terrorist”: his father-in-law.

“Suri was married to the daughter of a senior advisor for to [sic] Hamas terrorist group,” the Department of Homeland Security said in a social media post.

But Khan Suri’s supporters point out that his father-in-law, Ahmed Yousef, has not been associated with Hamas for years and has even criticised the group on multiple occasions.

Yousef had served more than a decade ago as an adviser to former Palestinian Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh, a Hamas leader who was killed by Israel in Iran last year.

Regardless, legal experts say familial ties are not a criminal offence or grounds for deportation.

Hassan Ahmad, a Virginia-based lawyer representing Khan Suri, said the allegation about the Georgetown scholar’s father-in-law sets the case apart from the push to deport other pro-Palestine students.

“We’re talking not just about the First Amendment, freedom of speech. We’re talking about the constitutional freedom of association as well,” Ahmad said.

“And that’s something that distinguishes Dr Suri’s case, in that here they’re going after him based on not anything that he said or retweeted or forwarded or liked or spoke to anyone [about], but based only on his association. That’s not the America we want to be.”

Eden Heilman, the legal director for the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Virginia, which is helping to represent Khan Suri, also said deporting someone based on their personal connections is a “very scary premise”.

“If that’s what the government has done, which they are alleging they are doing with Dr Suri, we are in an unprecedented time in terms of our constitutional threats,” Heilman told reporters on Thursday.

Moreover, social media accounts that appear to belong to Khan Suri do not show any direct support for Hamas or hostility towards the Jewish people. Instead, the scholar has used his social media presence to decry Israeli atrocities in Gaza and highlight apparent war crimes against Palestinians.

“Israel is bombing hospitals in Gaza to turn the land inhabitable, in order to build the case for making Palestinians in Gaza think of migrating to the Sinai desert,” Khan Suri wrote in October 2023.

In recent months, Trump has called for the removal of all Palestinians from Gaza, a plan that rights advocates say amounts to ethnic cleansing.

A ‘Kafkaesque’ situation

Democratic Congressman Don Beyer, who represents a district in northern Virginia where Khan Suri lived, attended Thursday’s hearing to show support.

“I’ll be doing everything I can to help Dr Khan [Suri] and his family, and I encourage each one of us to do all that we can to tell these stories, to help educate the American people about what’s happening in this threat to our Constitution, to our rights,” Beyer said in a video message on Thursday.

“It is Kafkaesque that somebody can be kidnapped without reason, without acknowledgement, without logic, without charges and taken off to be locked in a prison in Texas, not knowing what happens next.”

Anita Martineau, a Northern Virginia resident, told Al Jazeera people should not be “kidnapped” for their speech. She attended a protest outside the hearing, holding a poster that read, “Bring Khan Suri back now.”

“It’s absolutely unconstitutional, and it needs to stop,” Martineau said. “American people and anyone in this country, whether they’re citizens or residents, they all need to stand up. We need to speak with one voice.”

Melissa Petisa, an activist with the group Alexandria for Palestinian Human Rights, also called for Khan Suri to be “released immediately”. She added that Trump is targeting students as a tactic to distract from the escalating carnage in Gaza.

“We’re here because we want to show solidarity with Dr Suri,” Petisa told Al Jazeera. “We’re also here because we’re showing solidarity with Palestine.”

WASHINGTON — President Trump said Thursday he’s nominating his national security advisor Mike Waltz to serve as United Nations ambassador in a major shake-up of his national security team.

The president said Secretary of State Marco Rubio will serve simultaneously as acting national security advisor while maintaining his position at the State Department.

Trump announced the moves shortly after news broke that Waltz was leaving the administration, just weeks after it was revealed that he had added a journalist to a Signal chat being used to discuss military plans.

“I am pleased to announce that I will be nominating Mike Waltz to be the next United States Ambassador to the United Nations. From his time in uniform on the battlefield, in Congress and, as my National Security Advisor, Mike Waltz has worked hard to put our Nation’s Interests first,” Trump wrote on social media.

“In the interim, Secretary of State Marco Rubio will serve as National Security Advisor, while continuing his strong leadership at the State Department. Together, we will continue to fight tirelessly to Make America, and the World, SAFE AGAIN.”

There is precedent for the secretary of State to serve simultaneously as national security advisor. Henry Kissinger held both positions from 1973-75.

Waltz came under searing scrutiny in March after revelations that he added journalist Jeffrey Goldberg to a private text chain on the encrypted messaging app Signal, which was used to discuss planning for a sensitive March 15 military operation against Houthi militants in Yemen.

Trump’s decision to move Waltz to the U.N. comes weeks after he pulled his pick for the job, Rep. Elise Stefanik of New York, from consideration.

Stefanik went through a confirmation hearing, but her nomination was pulled in March because her vote to advance Trump’s agenda remains crucial to Republicans in the House.

“I’m deeply honored to continue my service to President Trump and our great nation,” Waltz said of the nomination.

A far-right ally of the president, Laura Loomer, had been targeting Waltz, telling Trump in a recent Oval Office conversation that he needs to purge aides who she believes are insufficiently loyal to the “Make America Great Again” agenda.

Waltz served in the House representing Florida for three terms before being tapped for national security advisor.

In his second term, the Republican president had been looking to avoid the tumult of his first four years in office, during which he cycled through four national security advisors, four White House chiefs of staff and two secretaries of State.

The Signal chain episode also showed that Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth provided the exact timings of warplane launches and when bombs would drop. Waltz had previously taken “full responsibility” for building the message chain and administration officials described the episode as a “mistake” but one that caused Americans no harm. Waltz maintained that he was not sure how Goldberg ended up in the messaging chain, and insisted he did not know the journalist.

Trump and the White House — which insisted that no classified information was shared on the text chain — have stood by Waltz publicly throughout the episode. But the embattled national security advisor was also under siege from personalities such as Loomer, who had been complaining to administration officials that she had been excluded from the vetting process for National Security Council aides.

In her view, Waltz relied too much on “neocons” — referring to hawkish neoconservatives within the Republican Party — as well as others who Loomer argued were “not-MAGA-enough” types.

As reports began to circulate that Waltz could be leaving the administration, Loomer appeared to take credit in a post on the social media site X, writing: “SCALP.”

“Hopefully, the rest of the people who were set to be fired but were given promotions at the NSC under Waltz also depart,” Loomer wrote in another post.

Loomer had taken a similar victory lap when several other National Security Council officials were dismissed last month one day after she met with Trump.

Questions are also swirling around Hegseth and his role in the Signal chat.

Although Waltz set it up, Hegseth posted times for aircraft launches and bomb drops into the unsecured app and shared the same information with dozens of people in a second chat, including his wife and brother.

The Associated Press reported that Hegseth also bypassed Pentagon security protocols to set up an unsecured line for a personal computer in his office –- beside terminals where he was receiving classified information. That raises the possibility that sensitive information could have been put at risk of potential hacking or surveillance.

The Pentagon inspector general is investigating Hegseth’s use of Signal, and he has faced criticism from Democrats and even some Republicans. It has added to the turmoil at the Pentagon at a time when Hegseth has dismissed or transferred multiple close advisors. Nonetheless, Trump has maintained public confidence in Hegseth.

Waltz‘s shift from national security advisor to U.N. ambassador nominee means he will now have to face the Senate confirmation process he was able to avoid in January.

The process, which proved to be difficult for a number of Trump’s Cabinet picks, will give lawmakers, especially Democrats, the first chance to grill Waltz on his decision to share information about an imminent U.S. airstrike on Signal. The group chat, which Waltz created, included several high-level Trump administration officials and the editor-in-chief of the Atlantic magazine.

Miller, Madhani and Kim write for the Associated Press. AP writers Tara Copp and Matthew Lee contributed to this report.

The matchup was familiar and so was the outcome Thursday afternoon in the City Section Open Division boys’ tennis final at Balboa Sports Center in Encino.

Top-seeded Palisades won its 16th consecutive title — the longest active streak by any team in any sport in the section — and 41st overall with a 23-6.5 triumph over Granada Hills, which was unable to pull off an upset without top player Kristian Sharma, who was ineligible.

The schools were facing off in the finals for the 10th straight time, the last seven in the Open Division, and the Dolphins took command early by sweeping all seven matches (four singles, three doubles) in the first rotation. Palisades clinched victory before the third-seeded Highlanders notched their first point.

“To win 16 in a row is hard to believe,” Palisades coach Bud Kling said upon being doused with a bucket of water after collecting his 53rd City title (32 with the boys, 21 with the girls) since taking over the program in 1979. “Granada Hills has been a formidable opponent over the last decade or more but every team has a down year here and there. We’ve been the underdog three or four times during this run and managed to find a way to win.”

UC Santa Barbara-bound senior Lorenzo Brunkow won his first three sets, 6-2, 6-0, 6-0, before being subbed out in the last rotation. No. 2 player Neel Joshi also cruised in his first three sets, 6-1, 6-1, 6-0, before he was replaced and the Dolphins’ No. 1 doubles team of Caleb Scott and Max May took their first two sets, including the title-clincher, then watched freshmen Bennett Murphy and Josh Glaser prevail in a tiebreaker in Round 3. The No. 3 duo of Tristan Kiperman and Zach Stuffman got an unexpected 1½ points by surprising Granada Hills’ No. 1 tandem of William Stanfield and Ashton Park, 6-3. Even using reserve players with the match already decided, Palisades took four of the last seven sets.

“All credit to Palisades … they were the better team today,” Highlanders coach Troy Aiken said.

Christian Camarillo, who has won the last two City individual doubles titles with different partners, lost to Brunkow (the reigning City singles champion) but swept his last three singles sets, 6-1, 6-1, 6-1.

Granada Hills senior Christian Camarillo won three of his four singles sets during the City Section Open Division boys’ team final at Balboa Sports Center in Encino.

(Steve Galluzzo / For The Times)

Palisades’ latest dynasty started in 2009 with a nearly identical 26.5-3 victory over Granada Hills, which has yet to win a City Section boys’ title.

Kling, who lost his home in the Palisades fire, is the winningest high school tennis coach in state history, having amassed more than 1,440 victories.

“We graduate seven starters so next spring is going to be a rebuilding year,” he said. “We’ll see if we can keep [the streak] going.”

US President Donald Trump boasted that he could broker a Russia-Ukraine ceasefire in his first 24 hours in office. 100 days later, fighting continues, and both sides are questioning the plan the Trump administration has laid out. Why is there still no agreement on a ceasefire proposal, and what does it reveal about the limits of American power?

Fault Lines wins in News & Documentary category while Close Up wins in Interactive & Immersive category.

Al Jazeera Media Network has been honoured with two prestigious Peabody Awards, one of the most esteemed accolades in broadcast storytelling.

The awards recognise the Al Jazeera English Fault Lines documentary The Night Won’t End in the News & Documentary category, and the Al Jazeera English Digital film One Day in Gaza from the series Close Up, in the Interactive & Immersive category.

The 85th annual Peabody award winners were announced on May 1, 2025, in advance of its annual ceremony in Los Angeles on June 1, 2025.

The awards honour intelligent, powerful and moving stories told in broadcast and digital media.

Al Jazeera English’s Fault Lines documentary The Night Won’t End uncovers the tragic human cost of war. It depicts the realities of the unrelenting Israeli bombing campaign on Gaza, the unsafe “safe zones,” and arbitrary executions through the eyes of three families during the initial 15 months of the war.

The film investigates the death of five-year-old Hind Rajab, who was waiting to be rescued from a car where her family members had already been shot dead. Two medics dispatched to rescue her were also killed, as verified by a forensic watchdog agency.

Laila Al-Arian, executive producer of Fault Lines, stated, “No single piece can fully capture the scale of the atrocities in Gaza, but we aimed through investigative journalism and on-the-ground storytelling to offer a glimpse of what life has been like. We are honoured by this recognition because it helps bring more attention to a continuing story the world needs to see. Though we filmed this over a year ago, the horrors we documented remain a daily reality for more than 2 million Palestinians in Gaza.”

To date, The Night Won’t End has garnered multiple awards, including in the coveted International Current Affairs category at the Royal Television Society Awards in the United Kingdom, the Overseas Press Club prize for best TV, video or documentary about international affairs, and the long-form award from the Centre for Information Resilience Open-Source Film Awards.

The One Day in Gaza film from the series Close Up is a compilation of videos recorded by 10 individuals in Gaza, who were asked to document moments throughout their day, thereby helping viewers understand the immense hardships and constant dangers faced by Palestinians living under the constant bombardment in Gaza.

Juan Carlos Van Meek, director of digital innovation and programming, expressed his gratitude for awarding the team the Peabody Award, stating, “I am immensely proud of our team’s relentless efforts in amplifying the humanity of Palestinians living in Gaza under constant bombardment. Through the brave voices of people on the ground, we have captivated millions of viewers and helped sustain global attention on the ongoing genocide, ensuring their stories are not forgotten.”

The recognition of these documentaries underscores Al Jazeera’s commitment to highlighting the profound human experiences amid conflict.

As the situation in Gaza continues to unfold, The Network remains dedicated to shedding light on the stories that matter, ensuring that the voices of those affected are heard on a global platform.

The flight, which is operated by Qantas, covers a distance of 14,500km (9,000 miles) and takes a staggering 16 hours and 45 minutes to complete from the UK to Australia

Flights are a crucial part of the holiday experience, whisking travellers off to exotic destinations in just a few hours. As aircraft technology advances, airlines can now offer longer non-stop flights. Currently, the longest non-stop flight departing from the UK is the London Heathrow to Perth, Australia route.

Operated by Australian airline Qantas, this mammoth journey spans 14,500km (9,000 miles) and takes an impressive 16 hours and 45 minutes to complete. This means that tourists leaving Heathrow at 1pm won’t touch down in Perth until after 1pm the next day. Passengers embarking on this journey will board a Qantas Dreamliner, a variant of the Boeing 787, which boasts 236 seats.

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The seating arrangement includes 166 economy seats, 28 premium economy spots, and 42 business class spaces, ensuring all types of passengers are catered for.

While economy-class passengers may not be treated to many unexpected luxuries, standard features include a 12-inch infotainment touchscreen, a personal USB phone charging port, and an adjustable headrest, reports the Express.

Although the journey might seem incredibly long, flights requiring a stopover typically take over 20 hours to complete. The total travel time can vary significantly depending on the airline and the chosen stopover destination.

However, compared to Qantas’ non-stop flights, journeys with a stop-over are typically about £300 cheaper per person for a return trip. Perth, the world’s most remote city and the capital of Western Australia, is home to nearly two million residents.

Tourists visiting the city often make a beeline for Swan River. This waterway meanders through several of Perth’s favourite suburbs, making it a perfect spot for fishing or a leisurely walk.

Visitors can also pick up their keepsakes at the historic Fremantle Market or get up close with local wildlife on Penguin Island.

Marvel’s jokey, moody and middling “Thunderbolts*” returns the blockbuster franchise to the geeks. Only audiences caught up with the Cinematic Universe’s 35 films (plus a dozen miniseries) will recognize every face in this new supergroup of misfits, each previously introduced in stories starring more famous heroes that have now taken their paychecks and gone home.

Directed by Jake Schreier (“Paper Towns”) from a script by Eric Pearson and Joanna Calo, it elevates the following supporting players: Yelena (Florence Pugh), Black Widow’s sarcastic Slavic sister, and her dejected dad Alexei (David Harbour); Ava Starr (Hannah John-Kamen), the unstable science experiment of “Ant-Man and the Wasp”; John Walker (Wyatt Russell), a flawed soldier demoted from being Captain America; and Bucky Barnes (Sebastian Stan), Captain America’s formerly brainwashed frenemy who is now a freshman member of Congress.

The film doesn’t offer any backstory, but the plot is simple enough that you get the idea. These oddball side characters have been rewarded with their own quest: a team-up against corrupt CIA director Valentina Allegra de Fontaine (Julia Louis-Dreyfus), who calls them “defective losers.” Valentina is trying to genetically modify human test subjects to create her own fighter dubbed the “Golden Guardian of Good.” (Yes, her ideal is white, male and blond.)

Marvel’s actual goal is to scuff up the brand with some punk-rock snark. The Thunderbolts, so named for Yelena’s childhood soccer team, are encouraged to curse and murder more than you’d expect in a PG-13 film. I tend to loathe the way these four-quadrant movies invent subhuman villains — robots, aliens, bug-things and the like — so that the good guys can bash their brains in without a moral tizzy. Turns out it’s hard to cheer for human carnage too. Here, Yelena, a dour Russian assassin, kills two seemingly decent dorky scientists in the first few minutes and quips, “You guys can never aim for s—.”

Art films would be rated R for less. But a sense of unseriousness shields “Thunderbolts*” like protective armor. It gets hearty laughs by flattening Russell’s Walker — a tragic Afghanistan veteran confused by the government’s inconsistency about when he’s allowed to kill — into a spoof of bossy, paternalistic privilege. For 17 years, Marvel movies have dominated the box office and this is the first one to feel truly teenaged. Messy, depressive and defiant, it even appears to have told the hair team to throw away their combs.

It’s mostly Pugh’s tale, a smart move as she delivers one of the better performances I’ve seen in a super suit. Technically, her sullen Yelena opens the film in a hoodie — call it detention-room chic. To set the tenor, she destroys an entire medical laboratory in Kuala Lumpur while bemoaning her ennui. “Maybe I’m just bored,” she sighs, parachuting off the top of a skyscraper.

Pugh, with her droll line readings and smudgy blue eyeliner, plays apathy better than anyone; she’s compelling even with all the passion drained from her body. Most of the movie is in drab, lint-ball tones that match Yelena’s mood. (“Your light inside is dim even by Eastern European standards,” her father tuts.) I’m not sure what percentage of her own stunts Pugh is actually executing, but it would fit the tone fine if she rolled her eyes at the camera and said she wasn’t doing any of them. Her niftiest fight sequence looks like abstract art: a stark black-and-white aerial pan of her shadow battling minions down a hallway. There will be a few other moments of visual awe — say, a limousine standing on its nose — but only that one shot aspires to beauty.

Dreyfus’ Valentina has popped up intermittently in the franchise over the years and now sports a swoop of white hair that makes her resemble Tulsi Gabbard. (Gabbard inadvertently returned the compliment, showing up to her confirmation hearing in a white suit that resembled teaser footage of Dreyfus, which Reddit users joked looked like a game of spot-the-difference.) A tough-talking, fear-stoking political animal who claims that she alone can declare who is a criminal, Valentina starts the film at her own impeachment hearing with her assistant (Geraldine Viswanathan) grimly tasked to destroy any negative evidence against her, including freelance mercenaries like Yelena. Meanwhile, Valentina’s inquisitor (Wendell Pierce) is smirky and ineffectual, gloating about his ability to write the perfect memo, while congressman Bucky tells reporters he’s “very concerned.” It’s debatable whether he’s doing a burlesque of Susan Collins or is simply out of his depth.

The events take place over two days and are fairly contained. The first half of the film finds our riffraff joining forces to escape Valentina’s death trap; the second is a parable about mental illness where the metaphors take command over the plot. Between jokes, there’s talk about trust and trauma. Sometimes the jokes are about trauma, as when Yelena tells a fragile ex-meth addict named Bob (Lewis Pullman) to handle his dark thoughts by shoving them all the way down, advice so gloomy she giggles. The movie feels more inspired by the nightmare fuel of after-school PSAs than it is by comic books, like in a neat sequence where the characters enter a maze-like chamber of their own miserable memories. It plays uncannily close to a knock-off of “Everything Everywhere All at Once” — there’s even a similar sign twirler — but it’s easy to imagine a kid out there who is moved by this literalization of fighting past your own despair.

Longtime Marvel fans will know Bob by his two other identities: the Sentry, a quasi-good guy, and the Void, a bleakness that takes him over in ways he describes like a bipolar episode. In his great and powerful doominess, he can destroy everything around him, smearing civilians into shadows as easily as a windshield defeats a moth. This is Hasbro nihilism, but it works because Pullman wears his strength loosely; he’s able to show us that a broken guy like Bob needs therapy more than the ability to throw a nuclear right hook.

There’s a plainness to the fights. As one character notes, none of the protagonists fly, they all just punch and shoot. But the banter is quick and Yelena and Alexei’s Russian accents are enjoyably hammy. “Thunderbolts*” barely wins only by its own playground rules. It mocks itself before we can, adding an asterisk to its title — a hint they’d rather call the movie something grander but don’t feel worthy. Really, the whole movie feels like an asterisk. Don’t expect too much of me, it says. We’re just killing time until next summer’s all-star “Avengers: Doomsday.”

WASHINGTON — The FBI has reassigned several agents who were photographed kneeling during a racial justice protest in Washington that followed the 2020 death of George Floyd at the hands of a Minneapolis police officer, two people familiar with the matter said Wednesday.

The reasons for the moves were not immediately clear, though they come as the FBI under Director Kash Patel has been undertaking broad personnel changes and as Deputy Director Dan Bongino has repeatedly sought to reassure supporters of President Trump who are critical of the bureau that their complaints are being taken seriously.

“The Director and I are working on a number of significant initiatives to ensure that the mistakes of the past are never repeated, and that many of your open questions are answered,” Bongino wrote in one recent post on X, formerly known as Twitter. He did not specify what mistakes or questions he was referring to.

The reassignments, first reported by CNN, were confirmed to the Associated Press by two people familiar with the matter who insisted on anonymity to discuss non-public personnel moves. An FBI spokesman declined to comment.

The photographs at issue showed a group of agents taking a knee during one of the demonstrations following the May 2020 killing of Floyd, a death that sparked widespread anger after millions of people saw video of his arrest and led to a national reckoning over policing and racial injustice.

The kneeling angered some in the FBI but was also understood as a possible de-escalation tactic during a period of widespread protests, and the agents were not punished at the time.

Patel pledged at his January confirmation hearing that he would not “go backwards” in seeking retribution against perceived adversaries of the Trump administration. But even before he was sworn in, there was concern that the Justice Department was poised to do exactly that, including by demanding a list of the thousands of agents who worked on investigations into the Jan. 6, 2021, riot at the U.S. Capitol, a request seen by some as a possible precursor to a purge at the bureau.

Tucker writes for the Associated Press.

There had been some worries regarding Sciver-Brunt’s workload with the captaincy, considering her importance as England’s best batter and one of their most experienced bowlers, but Edwards said she was confident that she could relieve some of the pressure and allow her to focus on the on-field matters.

Another criticism of England’s set-up – and another aspect which Edwards vowed to correct – has been the apparent lack of succession planning for leadership roles, considering the longevity of Knight’s tenure.

“We’re going to create a leadership group, and it might be different for different series and formats but it’s something we are really buying into.

“We have got to make sure we are planning for the future and giving players experience, giving them a voice.”

Edwards also confirmed that Knight would not be part of that leadership group, stating her desire for the former skipper to focus on enjoying the game again and just batting.

England faced criticism and scrutiny from their Ashes capitulation unlike ever before, with their off-field behaviour and attitude brought into question alongside the poor results.

Edwards acknowledged that the team would be changing their approach to social media and “looking at our professional behaviours”, but added that in her short time in the role she had already noticed changes.

“It is going to be different and it should be, but that doesn’t mean there’s a right or wrong. It’s just how Nat and I are going to do it,” she said.

“The team has been used to a certain way of doing things, but they’ve been great so far and so receptive of everything we’ve talked about.

“I’m expecting us to move in the right direction quite quickly.”

May 1 (UPI) — The Veterans Administration will partner with a trio of nonprofits to honor veterans interred in the VA’s national cemeteries, the administration announced Thursday.

The VA said that, through the partnership with Carry The Load, the Travis Manion Foundation and Victory for Veterans, there will be at least 70,000 volunteers visiting 54 national veterans cemeteries on Memorial Day.

“These collaborations allow us to express our collective appreciation for Veterans’ service and sacrifice,” said Ronald Walters, Acting Under Secretary for Memorial Affairs. “Through shared efforts, we honor their legacy and ensure their stories are never forgotten.”

More than 5.4 million people are buried in VA national cemeteries, including more than 4 million ranging from the Revolutionary War to the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. They include fallen soldiers and eligible family members.

The VA encouraged people to visit the Veterans Legacy Memorial to share memories and stories about service members.

VA officials said that, beginning May 1, Carry The Load Memorial May activities would see volunteers visiting 17 VA national cemeteries, traveling thousands of miles along three routes.

This year’s Travis Manion Foundation’s “Honor Project” will be the largest in its history, with 2,500 volunteers visiting more than 50 cemeteries in more than 25 states throughout Memorial Day weekend, VA officials said.

Meanwhile, volunteers with Victory for Veterans will recognize veterans by placing flowers on veterans’ graves, VA officials said, adding that since 2021 the program has expanded to placing flowers at 10 VA national cemeteries.

Relations between Algeria and its former coloniser, France, have rarely been straightforward.

After hitting a low point in July when France supported Algeria’s regional rival Morocco over its claim to the disputed territory of the Western Sahara, relations appeared to be recovering.

But then the April arrest in France of an Algerian consular official along with two other men for alleged involvement in the kidnapping near Paris of Algerian government critic Amir Boukhors has triggered a new wave of tensions.

So why are diplomats now being expelled, and what does this mean for relations between Algeria and its former coloniser?

Let’s break it down:

Who is Amir Boukhors?

Boukhors, or Amir DZ,  is an Algerian online influencer and critic of Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune with more than 1 million subscribers on TikTok.

The French government gave Boukhors political asylum in 2023.

But as far as the Algerian government is concerned, he’s a fraudster and a “terrorist”, who they’ve been seeking to extradite from France since 2016.

Algeria has tried to extradite Boukhors nine times. All attempts have been declined by France.

Why would an Algerian consular official allegedly want to kidnap him?

Speaking to the newspaper Le Parisien in an interview published on April 9, Boukhors said that on returning to his home in Val-de-Marne near Paris during the evening of April 29, 2024, he was stopped by an unmarked car with flashing lights.

Four men in civilian clothes handcuffed him and threw him into the vehicle.

“They first told me that an Algerian official wanted to talk to me, that that was why they were taking me. Then they told me the plan had changed and that I was going to Amsterdam,” Boukhors told the newspaper.

Boukhors said he was then forced to swallow sleeping pills and was held in a “container” for more than 27 hours before being released without explanation.

A subsequent investigation by France’s counterespionage agency uncovered information leading to the arrest on April 11 of three men with a fourth still reportedly at large.

No information has been released about two of the men. However, the third was an Algerian consular employee, French officials said.

Algeria issued a statement the following day strongly denying its official’s involvement and protesting the person’s arrest “in public … without notification through the diplomatic channels”.

The statement denounced what it charged was a “far-fetched argument” based “on the sole fact that the accused consular officer’s mobile phone was allegedly located around the home” of Boukhors.

All three suspects were later charged with “kidnapping or arbitrary detention … in connection with a terrorist undertaking”.

What was the diplomatic response?

On April 14, Algeria announced that 12 French consular officials had 48 hours to leave the country.

The statement, read on public television, confirmed the expulsions had been ordered in response to France’s arrest of the Algerian official.

According to the statement, the arrest had been intended to “humiliate Algeria, with no consideration for the consular status of this agent, disregarding all diplomatic customs and practices”.

France responded in kind the following day, expelling 12 Algerian consular officials from its territory and recalling its ambassador from Algiers.

A statement from the office of French President Emmanuel Macron described the Algerian decision as “incomprehensible and unjustified” and said Algiers should “resume dialogue” and “take responsibility for the degradation in bilateral relations”.

Why have relations between France and Algeria historically been poor?

France colonised Algeria for 132 years, killing Algerian civilians and creating a class structure in which European settlers and their descendants were on top.

The French refused to leave Algeria, considering it an integral part of France. It was only after a war of independence that France finally left in 1962. Algeria is still referred to as the “country of a million martyrs” because of the number of people killed by France during the fight for independence.

But the dispute has not ended there. The issue of the Western Sahara is also causing tension, not just between France and Algeria but also across North Africa.

Western Sahara – a disputed territory in northwestern Africa – is at the centre of the poor relations between Algeria and Morocco. Rabat claims the territory as its own and occupies the majority of it while Algeria supports the pro-independence Polisario Front and has taken in tens of thousands of Sahrawi refugees.

What has France’s position on the Western Sahara been?

France has largely backed Morocco – despite the United Nations not recognising Rabat’s sovereignty over the Western Sahara. And last year, Macron said France’s position was that it supported Moroccan sovereignty over Western Sahara.

At the time, Algeria voiced its “deep disapproval” of France’s “unexpected, ill-timed and counterproductive” decision to endorse Morocco’s autonomy plan for Western Sahara and recalled its ambassador.

However, relations between the two were thought to be improving since then.

Speaking in early April after a series of talks intended to restore relations after the rift, French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot said: “We are reactivating as of today all the mechanisms of cooperation in all sectors. We are going back to normal and to repeat the words of President Tebboune: ‘The curtain is lifted.’”

But the Boukhors case and the diplomatic expulsions that have followed it have made it clear that the curtain has fallen right back down.

PREMIER League Darts is BACK – with fans treated to 17 WEEKS of thrilling action!

Last year, teenage sensation Luke Littler claimed the iconic title in his debut year.

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The 18-year-old superstar topped the Premier League table and went on to continue his success by triumphing on finals night.

Littler claimed a massive £315,000 in total from the blockbuster tournament last year.

The world champion will be looking to join darting royalty Phil Taylor and Michael van Gerwen in becoming only the third player to win successive Premier League titles.

SunSport brings you the latest Premier League standings below.

Premier League Darts table

The Premier League Darts points system works as follows: The winner on the night gets five points, the runner-up three points, and the two losing semi-finalists receive two points.

Here are the latest standings after Night 12:

1. Luke Littler…35
2. Luke Humphries…26
3. Gerwyn Price…22
4. Michael van Gerwen…21
5. Nathan Aspinall…19
6. Rob Cross…14
7. Chris Dobey…12
8. Stephen Bunting…8

Premier League Darts fixtures and results

Night One – Thursday, February 6
The SSE Arena, Belfast
Quarter-Finals
Chris Dobey 6-4 Gerwyn Price
Stephen Bunting 4-6 Rob Cross
Luke Littler 5-6 Michael van Gerwen
Nathan Aspinall 2-6 Luke Humphries
Semi-finals
Chris Dobey 6-4 Rob Cross
Michael van Gerwen 5-6 Luke Humphries
Final
Luke Humphries 6-1 Chris Dobey

Night Two – Thursday, February 13
OVO Hydro, Glasgow
Quarter-Finals
Rob Cross 5-6 Luke Littler
Michael van Gerwen 6-1 Stephen Bunting
Nathan Aspinall 4-6 Gerwyn Price
Luke Humphries 6-4 Chris Dobey
Semi-finals
Luke Littler 6-2 Michael van Gerwen
Gerwyn Price 4-6 Luke Humphries
Final
Luke Littler 6-5 Luke Humphries

Night Three – Thursday, February 20
3Arena, Dublin
Quarter-Finals
Luke Humphries 6-4 Stephen Bunting
Gerwyn Price 6-4 Luke Littler
Rob Cross 3-6 Nathan Aspinall
Michael van Gerwen 6-4 Chris Dobey
Semi-final
Luke Humphries 3-6 Gerwyn Price
Nathan Aspinall 6-3 Michael van Gerwen
Final
Gerwyn Price 6-3 Nathan Aspinall

Night Four – Thursday, February 27
Westpoint Exeter
Quarter-Finals
Michael van Gerwen 5-6 Rob Cross
Gerwyn Price 4-6 Luke Humphries
Chris Dobey 5-6 Nathan Aspinall
Stephen Bunting 3-6 Luke Littler

Semi-final
Rob Cross 5-6 Luke Humphries
Nathan Aspinall 2-6 Luke Littler

Final
Luke Humphries 6-4 Luke Littler

Night Five – Thursday, March 6
The Brighton Centre
Quarter-Finals
Gerwyn Price 3-6 Michael van Gerwen
Luke Littler 6-5 Chris Dobey
Rob Cross 6-4 Luke Humphries
Stephen Bunting 2-6 Nathan Aspinall

Semi-Finals
Michael van Gerwen 2-6 Luke Littler
Rob Cross 5-6 Nathan Aspinall

Final
Luke Littler 6-3 Nathan Aspinall

Night Six – Thursday, March 13
Motorpoint Arena, Nottingham
Quarter-Finals
Luke Humphries 4-6 Luke Littler
Rob Cross 6-2 Chris Dobey
Stephen Bunting 4-6 Gerwyn Price
Nathan Aspinall 4-6 Michael van Gerwen

Semi-Finals
Luke Litter 6-3 Rob Cross
Gerwyn Price 6-1 Michael van Gerwen

Final
Luke Littler 3-6 Gerwyn Price

Night Seven – Thursday, March 20
Utilita Arena, Cardiff

Quarter-Finals
Chris Dobey 6-2 Stephen Bunting
Luke Humphries 4-6 Michael van Gerwen
Luke Littler 6-3 Nathan Aspinall
Gerwyn Price 5-6 Rob Cross

Semi-Finals
Chris Dobey 1-6 Michael van Gerwen
Luke Littler 6-2 Rob Cross

Final
Michael van Gerwen 4-6 Luke Littler

Night Eight – Thursday, March 27
Utilita Arena, Newcastle
Quarter-Finals
Luke Littler 6-0 Stephen Bunting
Gerwyn Price 2-6 Rob Cross
Luke Humphries 6-3 Chris Dobey
Micheal van Gerwen 5-6 Nathan Aspinall

Semi-Finals
Luke Littler 6-3 Rob Cross
Luke Humphries 6-5 Nathan Aspinall

Final
Luke Littler 6-1 Luke Humphries

Night Nine – Thursday, April 3
Uber Arena, Berlin
Quarter-Finals
Nathan Aspinall 2-6 Stephen Bunting
Luke Humphries 6-3 Rob Cross
Chris Dobey 6-2 Luke Littler
Michael van Gerwen vs Gerwyn Price (bye)

Semi-Finals
Stephen Bunting 6-2 Luke Humphries
Chris Dobey 2-6 Gerwyn Price

Final
Stephen Bunting 6-5 Gerwyn Price

Night Ten – Thursday, April 10
AO Arena, Manchester
Quarter-Finals
Chris Dobey 4-6 Michael van Gerwen
Nathan Aspinall 6-2 Rob Cross
Luke Littler 6-3 Gerwyn Price
Stephen Bunting 1-6 Luke Humphries

Semi-Finals
Michael van Gerwen 2-6 Nathan Aspinall
Luke Littler 4=6 Luke Humphries

Finals
Nathan Aspinall 6-4 Luke Humphries

Night 11 – Thursday, April 17
Rotterdam Ahoy
Quarter-Finals
Chris Dobey 6-3 Luke Humphries
Nathan Aspinall 6-3 Gerwyn Price
Stephen Bunting 6-5 Michael van Gerwen
Luke Littler 6-5 Rob Cross

Semi-Finals
Chris Dobey 6-2 Nathan Aspinall
Stephen Bunting 6-5 Luke Littler

Final
Chris Dobey 6-2 Stephen Bunting

Night 12 – Thursday, April 24
M&S Bank Arena, Liverpool
Quarter-Finals
Luke Humphries 6-3 Nathan Aspinall
Michael van Gerwen 4-6 Luke Littler
Rob Cross 6-1 Stephen Bunting
Gerwyn Price 2-6 Chris Dobey

Semi-Finals
Luke Humphries 6-4 Michael van Gerwen
Rob Cross 2-6 Gerwyn Price

Final
Luke Humphries 4-6 Gerwyn Price

Night 13 – Thursday, May 1
Utilita Arena, Birmingham
Quarter-Finals
Luke Littler 6-5 Stephen Bunting
Nathan Aspinall 6-3 Chris Dobey
Luke Humphries 5-6 Gerwyn Price
Rob Cross 4-6 Michael van Gerwen

Semi-finals
Luke Littler 6-5 Nathan Aspinall
Gerwyn Price 3-6 Michael van Gerwen

Final
Luke Littler 6-4 Michael van Gerwen

Night 14 – Thursday, May 8
First Direct Arena, Leeds
Quarter-Finals
Rob Cross vs Gerwyn Price
Nathan Aspinall vs Luke Littler
Michael van Gerwen vs Luke Humphries
Stephen Bunting vs Chris Dobey

Night 15 – Thursday, May 15
P&J Live, Aberdeen
Quarter-Finals
Michael van Gerwen vs Nathan Aspinall
Gerwyn Price vs Stephen Bunting
Chris Dobey vs Rob Cross
Luke Littler vs Luke Humphries

Night 16 – Thursday, May 22
Utilita Arena, Sheffield
Draw Bracket based on league table following Night 15

Play-Offs – Thursday, May 29
The O2, London
Semi-Finals and Final

Forget Europe’s sun-soaked beauty spots as Britain has its own collection of stunning coastal gems, with this town likened to a stunning location in Italy

A coastal retreat tucked away in the shadow of a famous tourist magnet town has been named a copy and paste of Italy’s infamous Amalfi Coast.

Tourists heading to the east Kent coast often beeline places like Margate, Whitstable or Folkestone. Margate, in the far eastern corner of the county is just 5.3-miles away from lesser-known, but equally brilliant, Ramsgate.

Just a two-hour train ride from London, Ramsgate is the perfect place for a getaway with family and friends. With a population of 42,000 residents, the gorgeous town is the only Royal Harbour in the country and was granted its statue by King George IV in 1821.

According to KentOnline, the beautiful seaside town is bound to make you “believe” that you’re on a holiday on the picturesque Amalfi coast. The best thing about it is that there’s no need to take a three-hour plane ride or spend crazy prices on tickets and accommodation.

READ MORE: Pretty UK seaside village frozen in time where tourists keep visiting

Although the weather might not be as lovely as in Italy, the town offers a blend of historical charm, gorgeous architecture, and a lively atmosphere. Ramsgate is also known for its sandy beaches, coastal walks and famous attractions such as the Ramsgate Tunnels and the Maritime Museum.

A tourist named ‘Jo M’ wrote on Tripadvisor: “Had no idea Ramsgate was such a beautiful town. Harbour really stunning, enjoyed our visit very much.'”

Things to do in Ramsgate

There are a lot of things to do in Ramsgate, suitable for all ages and preferences. Named one of the best places to visit in 2024 by TimeOut, locals and visitors will never run out of activities. Amongst swimming, scuba diving, and kayaking, you can also:

• Tour the wartime tunnels, the UK’s largest civilian wartime tunnels
• Visit the King George VI Memorial Park
• Visit the Spitfire and Hurricane Memorial Museum
• Go to the Turner Rowe Art Centre & Gallery
• Play at the Manston Golf Centre
• Visit the Maritime Museum
• Stroll around the Monkton Nature Reserve
• See the Italianate Glasshouse

READ MORE: UK’s most ‘relaxing’ town named – and it has it’s own island

Ramsgate Main Sands beach, found right next to the iconic Royal Harbour and the Marina, is the seaside town’s best-rated beach, winning the Seaside Award 2024. It offers the perfect atmosphere for families, with access to amusement parks, arcades and many restaurants.

If you’re feeling adventurous and want to see the breath-taking coastal views, head to the town’s coastal path to walk the 40-minute route from Ramsgate taking you to Broadstairs.

Ramsgate’s gastronomy is also quite known in the country, especially for its seafood. Make sure to stop at one of the many harbourside restaurants, where they serve delicious oysters, mussels and cockles – fresh from the sea. Some popular restaurants include The Galley, Marc-Pierre’s Kitchen, and Porto Reale.

For those looking to spend an Italian summer holiday without actually going to Italy, look no further than Ramsgate. Not only will you be saving lots of money, but you won’t have to deal with the hassle of travelling long distances – and it’s just as pretty!

Former Strictly Come Dancing contestant Abbey Clancy shared on the latest episode of the podcast she hosts with Peter Crouch that she was approached for a role on ITV’s G’Wed

Podcast host Abbey Clancy has shared that she was once approached by ITV to appear in one of its shows. She however teased recently that she was snubbed by the broadcaster after agreeing to take part in the project.

Abbey, 39, announced on the latest episode of the Therapy Crouch podcast that she had been approached to appear on G’Wed. The sitcom, which launched last year, follows a group of teenagers and is set in her home city of Liverpool. The BAFTA nominated comedy was brought up on the podcast, hosted by Abbey and her husband Peter Crouch, 44, amid a discussion about Scouse representation on TV. The BBC‘s This City is Ours was referenced and then G’Wed.

After the ITV2 sitcom was mentioned whilst recording the episode, Abbey shared: “They asked me to be in that.” Then asked if she had declined the offer to appear on the show, she replied: “I said yeah but they never got back to me.”

Abbey and Peter, who launched the podcast in 2023, were both seen laughing moments later. Whilst a producer in the background appeared to tease over the news: “Fair enough.” Abbey then teased: “Come ‘ed, lad. Get in touch, will ya!”

Her comments come after G’Wed returned for its second series just a few months ago. The acclaimed show, which centres on the lives of characters including Reece Duffy (played by Dylan Thomas-Smith) and Aimee Morris (Amber Harrison), launched with its first series in February last year.

The second series was released by ITV in February this year. It was announced last year that the show had been renewed for two more series following the release of the first. Writer Danny Kenny said then: “It’s amazing and exciting that we get to do this again and I can’t wait for series 2 and 3 next year.”

And Nana Hughes, Head of Comedy ITV, praised Danny in a statement that was released at the time. Nana said amid the renewal news: “It is great to see that G’wed has resonated with our audiences across ITVX, ITV1 and ITV2!

“[Danny’s] writing had us crying with laughter one second, crying real tears the next and then back to laughter. And the hugely talented cast brought so much charm and cheek to the show, we can’t wait to welcome everyone back to Liverpool for a second and third series when G’wed returns in 2025.”

G’Wed is among the nominees at this year’s BAFTA Television Awards, which will be held at the Southbank Centre’s Royal Festival Hall in London next Sunday. The event, broadcast by the BBC, is set to be hosted by Alan Cumming.

The Scripted Comedy category includes G’Wed as one of the nominees. It’s up against Alma’s Not Normal, Brassic and Ludwig for the accolade at the awards ceremony.

Whilst cast member Dylan is nominated for Male Performance in a Comedy. The actor is in the category alongside Extraordinary’s Bilal Hasna, Mr Bigstuff’s Danny Dyer, Kaos’ Nabhaan Rizwan, Changing Ends’ Oliver Savell and Smoggie Queens’ Phil Dunning.

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