Danny Miller joined the Loose Women live from the Emmerdale studio this morning, as he seemingly ‘confirmed’ a return for Robert Sugden during his wedding to John Sugden
It’s set to be a huge week in Emmerdale this week with the wedding of Aaron Dingle and John Sugden. However, we’ve all watched enough soaps by now to know that weddings never come without drama. Aaron actor Danny Miller has ‘confirmed’ it will be the exact same for his.
For weeks, rumours have been spreading that Aaron’s ex husband, and John’s brother, Robert Sugden (Ryan Hawley) would be making his return to the soap. The character was last seen in the soap in 2019 after being written out of the show in an “explosive” storyline involving the death of Lee Posner, his sister Victoria’s rapist.
The character was sentenced to 14 years in jail, but as we know, anything can happen in soap land. Could he be released from jail early? Theories have been flying around, and now Danny seemingly confirmed his return while being grilled by the Loose Women.
Denise Welch wasn’t letting Danny go without speaking about the rumours, as she asked the actor: “Is there likely to be a RobRon rerun?”
A nervous Danny chuckled: “It’s so weird, the line’s just gone down as you’ve asked that question,” as the whole studio burst into laughter. Although he wasn’t giving too much away, Danny assured Emmerdale fans they can expect many surprises during the week.
“What I will say is there are some surprises, whether that happens or not, I don’t know. But certainly what I can say is that originally when this idea was pitched and thought about, Robert, whoever that is, wasn’t part of the plan.”
(Image: (Image: ITV))
Danny then seemingly confirmed he was now part of the plan as he continued: “But..” before stopping. He then continued: “You’ll just have to wait and see. That’s the idea of me being here. Otherwise it would be boring if I told you either way.”
Danny then laughed: “I can’t remember.” However, nothing was getting past Janet Street-Porter, as she responded: “It’s obvious! This storyline is so complicated your getting confused yourself.”
The star recently announced that his wife Steph was expecting their third baby, as he told the Loose Women: “We’re so lucky. We had days where we thought we’d never have a baby and now we’ve got three.
“Steph is the most amazing mum and amazing wife. I’m very lucky to have her.”
Emmerdale airs weeknights at 7:30pm on ITV1 and ITVX, with an hour-long episode on Thursdays.
Energy bills will fall by 7% in July – the first drop for a year, energy regulator Ofgem has announced.
It means a household using a typical amount of gas and electricity will see their annual bill fall by £129.
The regulator’s price cap, which is set every three months, sets a maximum that suppliers can charge for each unit of energy, affecting 21 million households in England, Scotland and Wales.
Charities say cheaper bills are welcome but many people still struggle to pay, with millions of customers collectively owing about £4bn to suppliers.
The price cap does not apply in Northern Ireland, which has its own energy market.
Customers can estimate their own potential saving in energy bills in July by knocking 7% off their monthly direct debit. On average that will be about £11 a month.
The cheaper bills will kick in at the warmest time of the year, when energy use is lower, but analysts expect little change in prices come October.
Tim Jarvis, director general of markets at Ofgem, said the drop in energy bills reflected a fall in the international price of wholesale gas.
“However, we’re acutely aware that prices remain high, and some continue to struggle with the cost of energy,” he added.
Households were hit by a series of bill hikes for energy, water and council tax at the start of April, which drove inflation, which charts the rising cost of living, to its highest for more than a year.
Although the energy cap changes every three months, the regulator illustrates the effect of this with the annual bill for a household using a typical amount of gas and electricity.
This typical household is assumed to use 11,500 kWh of gas and 2,700 kWh of electricity a year with a single bill for gas and electricity, settled by direct debit.
The 7% fall will mean a typical annual bill for a dual-fuel customer paying by direct debit will cost £1,720, down from the current level of £1,849.
It will also more than reverse the £111 increase under the current price cap, which came into force at the start of April.
However, prices will still be higher than a year earlier, and significantly above levels seen at the start of the decade.
High bills in recent years have also led to ballooning levels of customer debt to suppliers, with just under £4bn owed.
Dame Clare Moriarty, chief executive at Citizens Advice, said the latest energy price cap announcement would be “cold comfort to the millions paying off a mountain of debt on top of their monthly costs”.
“The government has said it hopes to provide more support to pensioners this winter, but we know that people with children are often struggling most of all with energy,” she said.
“It must provide more targeted energy bill support to those hardest hit, and upgrade five million homes with money-saving energy efficiency measures.”
Ofgem has pointed to cheaper options available for households willing to switch to a fixed deal, although customers who are saddled with debt may not be allowed to switch.
Gillian Roberts says she keeps a close eye on her meter
At Seedley Pavilion Community Cafe and Gardens in Salford, they are growing produce to try to keep costs down.
Gillian Roberts, 49, said it was “about time” energy prices start to fall.
“I used to stay at my friend’s house most of the time so I wouldn’t be at my flat using energy. I’d be there so we could split the cost of energy and pay it together,” she said.
“I have a meter that I read once a month and I just keep my eye on things as much as I possibly can.”
More than 10 million pensioners lost out on the payments, worth up to £300 when the top-up became means-tested last year.
However, Sir Keir said on Wednesday that the government wanted “more pensioners” to be eligible again.
It remains unclear how many will regain their entitlement for the payments, how that will be achieved, or when the changes will take effect.
Standing charges
Bills are calculated based on individual usage. However, standing charges, which cover the cost of being connected to an energy supply, are fixed.
The regulator said these charges would typically drop by £19 a year under the July cap for people on variable tariffs or prepayment meters, although they vary sharply by region.
The latest changes mean that in July:
Gas prices will be capped at an average of 6.33p per kilowatt hour (kWh), and electricity at 25.73p per kWh – down from 6.99p and 27.03p respectively. A typical household uses 2,700 kWh of electricity a year, and 11,500 kWh of gas
Households on pre-payment meters will pay slightly less than those on direct debit, with a typical annual bill of £1,672
Those who pay their bills by cash or cheque will pay more, with a typical annual bill of £1,855
Standing charges will fall to 51.37p a day for electricity and to 29.82p a day for gas, compared with 53.8p and 32.67p respectively, although they vary by region
A fifth round of nuclear negotiations between Washington and Tehran will take place in Rome on Friday, Oman says.
Washington, DC – Officials from Iran and the United States will hold another round of talks in Rome on Friday, Oman’s Foreign Minister Badr Albusaidi has said, despite the growing gap between the two countries over uranium enrichment.
Wednesday’s confirmation that the nuclear negotiations would continue comes after days of Washington and Tehran expressing irreconcilable positions on Iranian uranium enrichment.
US officials have said they want Iran not just to scale back its nuclear programme, but also to stop enriching uranium altogether — a position that Tehran has said is a nonstarter.
Enrichment is the process of altering the uranium atom to create nuclear fuel.
Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, also said on Tuesday that his country does not need US permission to enrich uranium.
“Saying things like ‘We will not allow Iran to enrich uranium’ is nonsense,” he was quoted as saying by the Mehr News Agency.
The 5th round of Iran US talks will take place in Rome this Friday 23rd May.
— Badr Albusaidi – بدر البوسعيدي (@badralbusaidi) May 21, 2025
His statement was in response to the US’s lead negotiator, Steve Witkoff, dubbing uranium enrichment a “red line” and saying that Washington “cannot allow even 1 percent of an enrichment capability”.
Several Iranian and US officials have reiterated their respective countries’ positions.
Washington has said Iran can operate nuclear reactors for energy production by importing already enriched uranium, arguing that the domestic uranium production by Tehran risks potential weaponisation.
Iran, which denies seeking a nuclear weapon, says uranium enrichment for civilian purposes is its right as a sovereign nation.
Israel, the top US ally in the Middle East, is widely believed to have an undeclared nuclear arsenal.
US President Donald Trump has repeatedly threatened Iran with military action if the two countries do not reach a deal, stressing that he will not allow Tehran to obtain a nuclear weapon.
During his first term, in 2018, Trump nixed the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), which saw Iran scale back its nuclear programme in exchange for the lifting of international sanctions against its economy.
Since then, the US has been piling sanctions on the Iranian economy.
After his return to the White House for a second term in January, Trump renewed his “maximum pressure” programme against Iran, largely through economic penalties. He has, for example, pledged to choke off the country’s oil exports, particularly to China.
Iran has been defiant in the face of Trump’s threats, promising to defend itself against any attack.
Tensions began to ease in April as the US and Iran began to hold talks mediated by Oman, but it is not clear how the two sides will bridge the disagreement over Tehran’s enrichment programme.
On Sunday, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi suggested that the US position has been shifting, stressing that “there is no scenario” in which Iran will give up enrichment.
“Iran can only control what we Iranians do, and that is to avoid negotiating in public — particularly given the current dissonance we are seeing between what our U.S. interlocutors say in public and in private, and from one week to the other,” Araghchi wrote in a social media post.
Jelena Dokic says her grief is “difficult and complicated” after announcing the death of her estranged father and former coach, Damir.
Former world number four Dokic, who retired in 2014, revealed in 2017 she had suffered years of mental and physical abuse from her father.
Damir was banned from all WTA Tour events for six months in 2000 after he became abusive in the players’ lounge during the US Open.
He was also jailed in 2009 for threatening the Australian ambassador in Serbia with a hand grenade
Dokic, who reached the Wimbledon semi-finals as a 17-year-old in 2000, had been estranged from her father for 10 years.
Underneath an Instagram post of her father and herself as a small child, Australia’s Dokic wrote: “As you know my relationship with my father has been difficult and painful with a lot of history.
“Despite everything and no matter how hard, difficult and in the last 10 years even non-existent our relationship and communication was, it is never easy losing a parent and a father, even one you are estranged from.
“The loss of an estranged parent comes with a difficult and complicated grief.”
President Yoweri Museveni’s government has frequently defended military trials, citing national security concerns.
Uganda’s parliament has passed a controversial bill authorising military tribunals for civilians, drawing condemnation from opposition figures and rights groups, who accuse the government of trying to silence opponents, which it denies.
The practice has long been used in Uganda, but was struck down by the country’s top court in January. The Supreme Court had ruled that the military tribunals lacked legal competence to try civilians and failed to meet fair trial standards.
Despite that ruling, lawmakers moved ahead Tuesday with the legislation, which permits civilians to be tried in military courts.
“Today, you proved you are fearless patriots! Uganda will remember your courage and commitment,” said General Muhoozi Kainerugaba, head of the military and son of President Yoweri Museveni, in a post on X.
Earlier this month, Kainerugaba said that he was holding a missing opposition activist in his basement and threatened violence against him, after the man’s party said he was abducted.
Museveni’s government has frequently defended military trials as necessary for national security amid concerns about armed opposition and alleged threats to state stability.
Military spokesperson Chris Magezi said the legislation would “deal decisively with armed violent criminals, deter the formation of militant political groups that seek to subvert democratic processes, and ensure national security is bound on a firm foundational base”.
But critics say the move is part of a broader pattern of repression. “There’s no legal basis to provide for the trial of civilians in the military court,” opposition MP Jonathan Odur told parliament during debate on the bill. He described the legislation as “shallow, unreasonable and unconstitutional”.
Uganda has for years used military courts to prosecute opposition politicians and government critics.
In 2018, pop star-turned-opposition-leader Bobi Wine was charged in a military court with illegal possession of firearms. The charges were later dropped.
Kizza Besigye, a veteran opposition figure who has challenged Museveni in multiple elections, was arrested in Kenya last year and returned to Uganda to face a military tribunal.
Following the Supreme Court’s January ruling, his trial was moved to a civilian court. His party, the People’s Front for Freedom (PFF), has denounced the charges as politically motivated.
Human Rights Watch (HRW) has previously criticised Uganda’s military courts for failing to meet international standards of judicial independence and fairness.
Oryem Nyeko, senior Africa researcher at HRW, said earlier this year: “The Ugandan authorities have for years misused military courts to crack down on opponents and critics”.
This includes the all-new Kansas BBQ Chicken Fries, alongside returning favourites like the Bacon Caesar Gourmet Kings and the fiery Spicy Mayo range.
Topping the menu shake-up is the Kansas BBQ Chicken Fries — a sweet and smoky twist on the fan-favourite snack.
The new Kansas BBQ King Box, which includes a BBQ Chicken Stacker, four Kansas BBQ Chicken Fries, regular fries and a drink, will be hitting menus for £5.99.
Burger King is also bringing back its Gourmet Kings Bacon Caesar range — packed with posh ingredients and full-on flavour.
The Spicy Mayo Double Whopper and Spicy Mayo Chicken Royale are also making a saucy return.
Burger King fans can get BOGOF deals via the BK app too — with the Bacon Caesar burgers going two-for-one between May 20-22, and the Spicy Mayo range following suit from May 27-29.
Prices of new and returning items
Here’s what’s new and back on the menu:
Kansas BBQ Chicken Fries (6pc) – from £5.49
Kansas BBQ King Box – from £5.99
Sharer Box (now includes Kansas BBQ Chicken Fries) – from £7.29
Gourmet Kings Bacon Caesar Angus – from £8.19
Gourmet Kings Bacon Caesar Crispy Chicken – from £8.19
Gourmet Kings Bacon Caesar Loaded King Fries – from £4.79
Gourmet Kings Bacon Caesar Loaded Nuggets (delivery exclusive) – from £7.49
Spicy Mayo Double Whopper – from £8.89
Spicy Mayo Chicken Royale – from £7.69
And fans might remember Burger King gave its most iconic burger a major upgrade.
But it wasn’t just the freebie that had burger lovers buzzing.
The chain confirmed that the Whopper had changed for the first time in years, with juicier beef, a fluffier glazed bun, and fresh-cut tomatoes and onions.
Katie Evans, Chief Marketing Officer at Burger King UK, said at the time: “We know our fans love the Whopper, so we’ve been listening… and making it taste better than ever.”
With new snacks, returning legends and even better burgers, fans will want to act fast — before these tasty deals and limited-edition bites are gone.
Clarkson’s Farm returns for a new series on Prime Video later this month and Jeremy Clarkson has just addressed some speculation following the release of a trailer for it recently
00:19, 14 May 2025Updated 00:33, 14 May 2025
Jeremy Clarkson has addressed the suggestion that he has “replaced” Kaleb Cooper on Diddly Squat Farm. It comes ahead of a new cast member of Clarkson’s Farm taking on his role on the farm in the upcoming season.
It comes following the release of a trailer for the fourth season of the Prime Video show last week. In the promotional video, Jeremy, 65, revealed that assistant Kaleb, 26, had left him “just a little bit in the lurch” by taking on another project. It was then teased that he had hired someone else to help him on the farm, located in Oxfordshire, whilst Kaleb was away.
Jeremy has revealed that he struggled without Kaleb, who was on a tour following the release of several books, on hand at the farm. The situation prompted attention, and it was suggested just days ago that Jeremy had ‘replaced’ Kaleb, who has worked with him for several years, with fellow farmer Harriet Cowan, 24.
Former Top Gear host Jeremy however has now addressed the suggestion in a video message. He shared it with his followers on Instagram yesterday and confirmed that Kaleb is still working with him on the farm after returning from his tour.
Jeremy Clarkson has addressed the suggestion that he’s ‘replaced’ one of his colleagues at his farm(Image: Instagram/jeremyclarkson1)
Jeremy, who was filming the message in a field, told viewers: “Bad news, I’m afraid, from Diddly Squat. It’s this … this relentless drought. It means we’re so busy, moving animals mostly, that we don’t have the time to do all the planned press and PR activity to mark the launch of season four on May 23, I think.”
He went on to share that he found that “annoying” because he wanted to address something. Jeremy then dismissed any suggestion that Kaleb has been “replaced” and even appeared to show his companion at work again.
He’s spoken out over the prospect of Kaleb Cooper (centre) being replaced by new Clarkson’s Farm cast member Harriet Cowan (right)(Image: Youtube/Amazon Prime Video UK & IE)
Speaking about not having time for PR activities, Jeremy said: “And that’s annoying because there was something I wanted to address. There have been loads of reports recently saying that Kaleb has been replaced. Well, he hasn’t, he’s over there now rolling the dribble of moisture we had yesterday into his mustard.”
He continued: “Now, what happened is this, okay? He went away on his speaking tour for a couple of months because he imagined that after four years, I’d be able to manage on my own.”
Jeremy said: “And I didn’t! I made a complete mess of everything and had to bring in a young farmer called Harriett, who was brilliant and looked after the fort until [Kaleb] got back. That’s it! That’s the story.”
Jeremy has told fans that Kaleb hasn’t been ‘replaced’ and still works on Diddly Squat Farm(Image: Youtube/Amazon Prime Video UK & IE)
The message comes after Prime Video announced last week that the fourth season of Clarkson’s Farm will launch later this month. It’s been suggested that the season will be split in three volumes, released separately, though.
It’s been announced that the season will launch on the streaming platform on May 23, with this understood to be the first four episodes. Prime Video added that the fifth and sixth episodes will be out on May 30, ahead of the seventh and eighth episodes becoming available on June 6.
But the changes will also have a knock-on effect on carers who qualify for benefits because they look after someone on PIP.
From late next year, new and existing PIP claimants being reassessed will have to score a minimum of four points in at least one activity to receive the Daily Living Component.
The higher rate of the Daily Living Component is currently worth £110.40 a week.
Claimants will also have to score at least eight points when being assessed.
The Government estimates this means by 2029/30 around 800,000 won’t receive the Daily Living Component of PIP.
But it has also confirmed 150,000 will be missing out on Carer’s Allowance or the Universal Credit Carer’s Element by 2029/30 too.
This is because to receive either of these carer’s benefits you have to be caring for someone who receives the Daily Living part of PIP.
It means new and existing PIP claimants finding they are no longer eligible will disqualify their carer’s from next November when the changes kick in.
What are Carer’s Allowance and the carer’s element of Universal Credit?
Carer’s Allowance is paid to those caring for someone else (who is on benefits) for at least 35 hours a week and is worth £83.30 a week.
Three key benefits that YOU could be missing out on, and one even gives you a free TV Licence
You don’t have to be related to the person you care for, or live with them, to qualify.
If you are on Carer’s Allowance you also receive National Insurance credits which contribute to your NI record.
What classes as someone needing “care” is based on them qualifying for a number of benefits. These are:
Personal Independence Payment – Daily Living Component
Disability Living Allowance – the middle or highest care rate
Scottish Adult Disability Living Allowance – the middle or highest care rate
Attendance Allowance
Pension Age Disability Payment
Constant Attendance Allowance at or above the normal maximum rate with an Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit
Constant Attendance Allowance at the basic (full day) rate with a War Disablement Pension
Armed Forces Independence Payment
Child Disability Payment – the middle or highest care rate
Adult Disability Payment – daily living component at the standard or enhanced rate
The person you are caring for must also need help with certain tasks including: washing and cooking, being taken to the doctors and household tasks like managing bills or going food shopping.
Carer’s Allowance is issued to those living in England, Wales or Scotland aged 16 or over.
It’s worth noting, receiving Carer’s Allowance can impact the benefits the person you are caring for gets.
For example, they will usually stop receiving a severe disability premium or an extra amount for severe disability premium if they are on Pension Credit.
You can apply for Carer’s Allowance and find out more about the exact eligibility criteria via www.gov.uk/carers-allowance/how-to-claim.
The carer’s element of Universal Credit is added to your Universal Credit standard allowance if you care for someone and they receive a number of qualifying benefits. These are:
Adult Disability Payment – standard or enhanced award
Armed Forces Independence Payment
Attendance Allowance
Child Disability Payment – middle or highest care award
Constant Attendance Allowance – full day rate, intermediate rate or exceptional rate with Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit
Constant Attendance Allowance – full day rate with a War Disablement Pension
Disability Living Allowance – middle or highest care rate
Personal Independence Payment – either rate of the Daily Living Part
To get the carer’s element you’ll also need to be providing 35 hours a week of care to the person receiving the qualifying benefit.
You get an extra monthly amount worth £201.68.
If you are receiving an extra amount because you have a limited capability for work and work related activity (LCWRA), you won’t qualify for the extra carer’s element part.
Meanwhile, if the person you care for gets the severe disability premium, it will stop when you claim the carer’s element of Universal Credit.
Are you missing out on benefits?
YOU can use a benefits calculator to help check that you are not missing out on money you are entitled to
Entitledto’s free calculator determines whether you qualify for various benefits, tax credit and Universal Credit.
MoneySavingExpert.com and charity StepChange both have benefits tools powered by Entitledto’s data.
You can use Policy in Practice’s calculator to determine which benefits you could receive and how much cash you’ll have left over each month after paying for housing costs.
Your exact entitlement will only be clear when you make a claim, but calculators can indicate what you might be eligible for.
Do you have a money problem that needs sorting? Get in touch by emailing money-sm@news.co.uk.
Guardiola has led City to six Premier League titles since joining the club in 2016, while he also won both La Liga and the Bundesliga three times apiece with Barcelona and Bayern Munich respectively.
This season is just the fourth time in his illustrious managerial career that he has failed to finish top of the league.
The Spaniard has had to contend with a lengthy injury list, contributing to City relinquishing their four-year hold on the top-flight trophy, and they were also knocked out of the Champions League at the play-off phase.
The 54-year-old called it the “most difficult” campaign in his time in coaching, adding: “When you don’t win, it’s more demanding in terms of emotionally and preparing [the team] and the mood.
“It has been more and more difficult than the previous seasons that we played for the winning for the titles.
“The people pay the tickets to come to the stadium and I had to prove myself again and again.
“I am disappointed in myself when it’s not going well, so when I retire and we review my career, I can say, ‘OK, I have been good or I have been bad, I could be better or I could be worse.’ But right now, the next game, I have to prove myself.”
City beat rivals Manchester United to claim the Community Shield last summer but between October and December the side endured a run of one victory in 13 games, which included nine defeats.
But they can end a disappointing season on a high by finishing in the top five, as well as having an FA Cup final to play for against Crystal Palace on Saturday 16 May.
“It’s a business, we have to win games,” said Guardiola “Otherwise, you cannot be here next time. We represent the people, represent the club – you have to do your job as best as possible
“And today, this season, we didn’t do that. we were in the highest standards and we dropped here. Even with that, I would say it could be worse.
“We were still there. I was there, the players were there. Not our best, but we didn’t give up.”
JON JONES has issued a major statement on his future amid the continued uncertainty of a super-fight with Tom Aspinall.
A historic heavyweight title unification bout between the undisputed and interim titleholders has been on the cards since last November but has yet to come to fruition.
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A showdown between Jon Jones and Tom Aspinall has been in the works since last NovemberCredit: YOUTUBE@TOMASPINALLOFFICIAL
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The fight hasn’t come together, despite the UFC meeting Jones’ demand to be paid ‘f**k you money’, and led many to believe Jones could soon retireCredit: GETTY
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The pound-for-pound great has issued a definat statement on his futureCredit: GETTY
The UFC recently met Jones’ demand to be paid “f**k you money” to face the Brit, which many thought would scupper the mammoth melee.
Many MMA fans have predicted Jones could snub the fight and sail off into the sunset, a scenario the former pound-for-pound king has, for the time being, ruled out.
In an Instagram post featuring a room in his house with fight posters from cards he’s fought on, he wrote: “Now, as you can see… still haven’t framed or hung the Stipe fight yet.
“Been moving a million miles an hour lately. But there’s one last perfect spot left on my wall of victory.
READ MORE ON JONES VS ASPINALL
“And looking at this wall, it really hits me. This isn’t just artwork.
“It’s legacy. Every poster tells a story. Different chapters.
“Different homes. Different battles. Wins that meant the world at the time. Fights that made history.
“I’ve said it before, my career hasn’t been perfect, but it’s been undeniably legendary. Epic. Special.
“Just a few words that come to mind. Legend after legend. Era after era.
“What I’m most proud of? I’ve evolved. I’m so much more than just a fighter.
Jon Jones Blasts UFC Rival Tom Aspinall In X-Rated Rant
“I’m a man growing stronger in my faith, a family man, a loyal brother to my team, a businessman, a leader, a man for my community.
” And I know – without a doubt – my mother would be proud of the man I’ve become.
“The wall’s almost filled… but trust me, the story’s still being written. The best is yet to come.”
Jones’ insistence that his “best is yet to come” came just days after UFC supremo Dana White insisted his proposed fight with Aspinall will come to fruition.
Commenting on since-retracted claims the fight has been ‘agreed’, White said late last month: “Everything you hear is bulls**t until we say it.”
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UFC supremo Dana White is confident Jon Jones will fight Tom AspinallCredit: GETTY
He added: “I’ve said it many times, that’s the fight we want to make this year, [I’m] still super confident [it happens].”
“I’ve said since Day One that this would be the biggest heavyweight fight in the history of the company and the history of the sport.
“This will be a big one.”
Jones has been out of the cage since his stunning spinning back kick stoppage of former heavyweight king Stipe Miocic at UFC 309 last November.
Aspinall, meanwhile, has been on the sidelines since decimating Curtis Blaydes in just 60 seconds in their UFC 304 rematch last July.
Interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa says Syria holding indirect talks with Israel ‘through mediators’.
Syrian’s interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa says his government has engaged in indirect talks with Israel in an attempt to ease escalating tensions between the two nations.
The announcement comes after an escalation in Israeli attacks on Syria last week, including a strike that landed just 500 metres (1,640 feet) from the presidential palace in Damascus on Friday.
Israel claimed its most recent air strikes were a response to what it described as threats to the country’s minority Druze community.
“There are indirect talks with Israel through mediators to calm and attempt to absorb the situation so that it does not reach a level that both sides lose control over,” al-Sharaa said, reiterating blame on Israel over what he described as its “random interventions” in Syria.
He also said Damascus was talking to states that communicate with Israel to “pressure them to stop intervening in Syrian affairs and bomb some of its infrastructure.”
There was no immediate comment from Israeli authorities.
French President Emmanuel Macron and Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa attend a joint news conference after a meeting at the Elysee Palace in Paris, on May 7, 2025 [Stephanie Lecocq/Pool/AFP]
Al-Sharaa’s remarks come during a landmark visit to Paris, his first trip to a European country since assuming office after he led opposition fighters in a lightning offensive that toppled longtime ruler Bashar al-Assad in December.
The visit required a special exemption from the United Nations, as al-Sharaa remains under international sanctions due to his previous role as leader of the armed group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), a former al-Qaeda affiliate.
Lifting sanctions
Speaking in Paris after meeting President Emmanuel Macron at the Elysee Palace, al-Sharaa called for the lifting of economic restrictions on Syria, stating: “Nothing justifies maintaining sanctions imposed on the previous regimes.”
President Macron said France would consider gradually lifting European Union sanctions if Syria continued along its current path.
“I told the president that if he continues on his path, we would do the same, namely by first progressively lifting European sanctions, and then we would also lobby our American partners to follow suit on this matter,” Macron said.
The European Union has already lifted some restrictions, while other measures targeting individuals and entities are set to expire on 1 June. Sanctions relief in sectors such as oil, gas, electricity and transport remain crucial for Syria, where the World Bank estimates reconstruction of the country could cost more than $250bn.
Despite some easing of sanctions by European countries, the Trump administration has been more reserved in its approach to the new Syrian administration.
Macron revealed that he is urging the United States to delay its planned military withdrawal from Syria, arguing that lifting sanctions should be prioritised as a step towards ensuring long-term stability.
Al Jazeera’s Natacha Butler, reporting from Paris, said, “In return, Macron expects Syria’s new government to protect minorities, ensure stability and crack down on what he called terrorist organisations, including ISIS.”
“Sharaa is here to project a reassuring image to France’s Western allies, who have been a little bit wary and are looking to see what direction the new leadership takes,” Butler added.
