Kobbie Mainoo has opened up on the impact Casemiro has had on his career at Manchester United, while sharing that World Cup talk has been put on the backburner as the Red Devils push for Champions League qualification

Manchester United midfielder Kobbie Mainoo has disclosed that World Cup discussions are currently on pause as the Red Devils pursue Champions League qualification. Having previously been sidelined from the starting XI, the 21-year-old has become a crucial component of Michael Carrick’s team and heads into Sunday’s clash with rivals Liverpool following a new lucrative five-year contract.

The England international has been amongst the regular fixtures in Carrick’s squad despite facing an uncertain future under former boss Ruben Amorim.

With Mainoo’s long-term future now secured, it seems he will be amongst the core players as the recruitment team orchestrates a transformation at the heart of United’s midfield – with Carlos Baleba and Elliot Anderson amongst those reportedly targeted.

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Casemiro, who is enjoying his most prolific goalscoring campaign at Old Trafford, will depart the club at the end of the season, bringing the curtain down on the Premier League phase of his career.

The Brazilian’s presence at the Theatre of Dreams allowed Mainoo to observe one of his footballing idols at close quarters.

He anticipates an emotional send-off for the midfield veteran, Mainoo told GQ Magazine: “Yeah, for me, Casemiro, Bruno Fernandes and Tom Heaton are all still role models in my life and especially on the football pitch, how they carry themselves now, they approach the game.

“It’s important to always have them people who you want to learn things from, whether that’s in football or off the pitch and life.

“When I was younger, the season before he joined [in 2022], he was always in my FIFA team. So to get to play with him and learn off him every day, it’s been a blessing.

“Definitely going to be emotional when he leaves because the impact he’s had on my career so far has been amazing. I don’t think he knows that.”

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England will be desperate to shake off the heartbreak of back-to-back defeats in major tournament finals, following their loss to Spain at Euro 2024.

The Three Lions were unable to avenge their penalty shootout defeat to Italy in 2021, but the arrival of Thomas Tuchel and the upcoming tournament in North America has breathed fresh optimism into the camp.

For Mainoo, strong performances in the latter half of the season could yet earn him a place in the German’s plans for their opening group fixture against Croatia on 17 June.

The midfielder has, however, acknowledged that World Cup talk remains firmly on the back burner, with United’s push for European football taking precedence.

The Red Devils are on the brink of securing their place in elite European competition, sitting 10 points ahead of sixth-placed Brentford. Mainoo said: “We’ve got a big end of the season and we’re trying to finish as high as possible so there’s not much World Cup chat, it’s more the task at hand.

“It’s easy for others to look at the bigger picture and see the things that are coming up, but the focus can’t really waver from the games in front of us because the Premier League is the hardest league in the world.

“Every team’s dangerous. So if we take our eye off the ball, you pay for it.”

Antonelli secured his pole with his first run in final qualifying, and a mistake on his final run meant he faced an anxious wait to see if anyone could improve his time.

But only Verstappen, who was third fastest on the first runs, managed to go faster on a second attempt in the 33C Miami heat.

The 19-year-old, who was demoted from fourth to sixth in the sprint by a five-second penalty for exceeding track limits, said: “It has been an amazing day to be on pole again.

“It was a difficult start to the day with the sprint but super-happy with the recovery. I got a little bit excited on the final lap of Q3 but the first lap was good enough. I was very stressed just waiting for everyone to finish their laps.”

Red Bull, like McLaren and Ferrari, brought a major upgrade to their car for this weekend, and while McLaren’s worked well early on, refinements from Red Bull and Mercedes left the sprint winners trailing.

Verstappen said: “The car has not been at its best in the previous races but also from my side I never felt comfortable with the layout of the car.

“The team has been pushing flat out to bring upgrades and make me feel more comfortable and it really paid off. I feel more in control and I can push a bit more and to be on the front row is way better than I expected heading into the weekend.”

Verstappen’s team-mate Isack Hadjar, who had had a promising start to his Red Bull career, was left trailing, 0.825secs adrift of the Dutchman in ninth. He said he had been struggling with a lack of power all weekend.

Leclerc was a little disappointed with third after Ferrari’s upgrade, saying they were just not fast enough to compete at the very front. He headed Hamilton by 0.176secs.

The top 10 behind Piastri was completed by Alpine’s Franco Colapinto, on good form on one lap all weekend, Hadjar and the second Alpine of Pierre Gasly.

At the back, Fernando Alonso made it 40 grand prix qualifying sessions in a row beating Aston Martin team-mate Lance Stroll as his team improved after qualifying right at the back for the sprint, both their drivers beating the Cadillacs.

Fresh analysis of Environment Agency bathing‑water data shows every designated bathing beach on the County Durham coast is currently rated either “excellent” or “good” – comfortably clear of the “poor” standard that underpins the Brown Flag list of England’s dirtiest spots.

The cleanest County Durham beach for swimming

If you want the highest possible water quality score, go to Seaton Carew North Gare.

The Environment Agency classifies this stretch of sand as “excellent”, the top rating under national bathing‑water regulations, based on multiple seasons of bacteria testing.

For a bank holiday dip, this is the clear winner on the County Durham coast.

Seaton Carew’s North Gare beach. (Image: GOOGLE)

Other beaches rated ‘good’ for bathing

Several other popular County Durham beaches are rated “good”, meaning they still comfortably meet the legal standard for safe swimming:

Crimdon, near Parkdean Resorts Crimdon Dene Holiday Park.

• Seaham Beach, a solid option for families who want facilities as well as clean water.
• Seaton Carew Centre, covering the busier central promenade.
• Seaton Carew North, giving Seaton a clean sweep of swimmable water along the town’s main stretch.
• Seaham Hall Beach, the sheltered bay below the historic hall.

Seaham Hall Beach (Image: GOOGLE MAPS)

Environment Agency classifications run from “excellent” and “good” down to “sufficient” and finally “poor”, the band that triggers Brown Flag naming‑and‑shaming.

On the County Durham list, there are no beaches in the “sufficient” or “poor” categories, meaning swimmers are not being asked to avoid any of these sites on water quality grounds.

Brown Flag beaches – and why County Durham avoided them

The latest Brown Flag “awards” from Holiday Park Guru use the same Environment Agency data to pick out England’s worst‑performing bathing waters, highlighting beaches that have been officially graded as poor because of high levels of bacteria such as E.coli, often linked to sewage pollution.

Among this year’s 19 “winners” are two North East sites – Littlehaven Beach in South Shields and Cullercoats Bay in North Tyneside – both carrying the EA’s lowest possible “poor” rating.

Campaigners are using the tongue‑in‑cheek awards, complete with literal brown flags, to warn holidaymakers not to assume every seaside resort is safe to swim in.

Set against that backdrop, County Durham’s run of excellent and good classifications stands out as swimmers look for somewhere to cool off without worrying about “do not swim” signs or pollution alerts.

How to check water quality before you set off

Anyone planning a last‑minute trip can plug their chosen beach into the government’s official bathing‑water quality checker, which publishes up‑to‑date classifications and details of any short‑term pollution warnings.

Northumbrian Water also hosts an interactive coastal map for the region’s designated bathing waters, including the County Durham coastline, so swimmers can see classifications and check for any investigation work or improvement schemes.

For this weekend, though, the basic picture is simple: if you stick to Seaton Carew North Gare for the very best rating, or one of the “good” beaches at Crimdon or Seaham, you are choosing some of the cleanest officially monitored bathing waters in the North East.

On Saturday, Hamidreza Mohammadi told the BBC: “Her current problems include low blood pressure and a heart attack, but her previous conditions, such as pulmonary embolism (…) and having undergone stenting and angiography, make any treatment by the doctors in Zanjan effectively impossible.”

Ulster secured their place in the EPCR Challenge Cup final with a dominant 29-12 victory over Exeter Chiefs in Belfast

Ulster secured their spot in the EPCR Challenge Cup final following a commanding 29-12 victory over Exeter in Belfast.

They will now face either Montpellier or the Dragons in Bilbao on May 22, with the Chiefs having little cause for grievance.

They proved unable to penetrate a disciplined and well-drilled Ulster outfit, clearly second-best throughout as their hosts capitalised on playing in front of their own supporters.

Former Northampton number eight Juarno Augustus, fly-half Jack Murphy, flanker Dave McCann and hooker Tom Stewart crossed the whitewash, while scrum-half Nathan Doak contributed a penalty and three conversions.

Exeter responded with tries from number eight Ross Vintcent and wing Campbell Ridl, alongside one Henry Slade conversion, but Ulster comfortably pulled clear during the second half.

Doak pushed a 10th-minute penalty attempt wide of the posts, and while Ulster maintained their attacking pressure, they then had a try chalked off after full-back Mike Lowry went over, with foul play detected earlier in the passage of play.

Exeter ought to have been trailing by 10 points, such was Ulster’s wastefulness, though the Chiefs then squandered their opening scoring opportunity as a Slade penalty drifted wide, concluding a goalless first quarter.

Ulster kept up the pressure, and the stalemate was finally broken 12 minutes before the interval when their forwards’ persistence paid dividends, with Augustus grounding the ball and Doak adding the extras.

Exeter struggled to establish any rhythm in attack, before Ulster were reduced to 14 men when winger Jacob Stockdale received a yellow card for head-on-head contact with Chiefs’ England international Immanuel Feyi-Waboso.

Feyi-Waboso left the field for a head injury assessment, and Exeter wasted no time capitalising on their one-man advantage, levelling the scores as Ulster reorganised through a Vintcent try converted by Slade.

However, Exeter’s opportunity to inflict further damage before half-time evaporated, with Doak edging Ulster into a 10-7 lead at the interval via a close-range penalty.

Feyi-Waboso remained absent for the second period, with Chiefs soon falling further adrift following some incisive attacking play from Ulster near the try line that produced a score for Murphy.

Doak’s conversion extended the lead to 10 points, placing pressure squarely on Exeter to respond, yet Ulster maintained their dominance in both possession and field position.

Their control was rewarded after impressive work from substitute winger Ethan McIlroy, whose speed exposed gaps in Exeter’s defensive line and created a try for McCann.

This left Exeter trailing by 15 points heading into the final quarter, but Ulster showed no signs of easing up as Stewart crossed for try number four following a powerful driving maul close to the line.

Exeter’s dismal evening reached an appropriately bleak conclusion when full-back Ben Hammersley was shown a yellow card, leaving them comprehensively beaten.

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The comedian was bundled off stage and the venue evacuated within just 45 minutes of the performance after a suspicious bag was reported at Utilita Arena Birmingham

A man has been charged following an incident that forced the evacuation of Utilita Arena Birmingham during a Peter Kay show.

On Friday evening, chaotic scenes unfolded at the venue after the comedian was ushered offstage and the arena cleared within just 45 minutes of the performance getting under way. Reports indicated that a suspicious bag had been discovered.

Audience members said they were given no explanation during the evacuation. A member of the production team reportedly took to the stage to inform the crowd that the show had been cut short at around 8.45pm.

West Midlands Police has now confirmed that a man has been charged in connection with the incident.

Omar Majed, 19, has been charged with false communications relating to a bomb hoax, the force confirmed. The teenager, from Washwood Heath, Birmingham, has been remanded to appear before magistrates in Birmingham on 4 May, reports the Mirror.

“An evacuation of the arena was ordered yesterday evening after a report of a suspicious bag being left in the area,” the force said in a statement confirming Majed’s arrest and charge.

“Following searches, nothing suspicious was found and we are grateful to everyone for their co-operation and understanding.

“As always our priority is the safety of the public.”

In an interview with NBC News in January 2026, Donald Trump said: “Maga is me. Maga loves everything I do.” Until recently, this statement was true. But over the past several months, cracks have begun to appear in the loyalty of the US president’s “Make America Great Again” base.

Two of the movement’s most prominent figures – former congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene and conservative political commentator Tucker Carlson – have voiced their discontent with the leader they previously lavished with unconditional support.

Greene’s falling out with Trump was rooted in her advocacy for releasing the investigative files related to late child sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. But it also centred on her discomfort with US support for Israel and a sense that Trump had abandoned his “America first” campaign promises.

In December 2025, Greene told CNN that “the dam is breaking” on Trump’s grip over the Republican party. As an example, she pointed to the 13 Republicans who voted with Democrats that month to overturn an executive order that allowed Trump to fire federal employees. Greene resigned from the House of Representatives in January.

Carlson’s more recent break with Trump was equally dramatic. “I don’t hate Trump,” he told the Wall Street Journal in an interview released on April 25. “I hate this war [in Iran] and the direction this US government is taking.” Carlson went so far as to apologise to the public for “misleading” them into voting for Trump in 2024.

In a week when an attempt to assassinate Trump is once again headline news, we are reminded of Carlson’s take on a previous attempt on the US president’s life in 2024. Carlson had invoked “divine intervention” to explain Trump’s survival of that attempt, declaring “something bigger is going on here”.

At that point, the president had religious-right elites firmly on his side. This fervour has dissipated in recent times. But are Greene and Carlson representative of a broader problem for the Maga movement, or are they just a pair of high-profile defections and nothing more?

Putting ‘America first’

The grievances and concerns outlined by Greene and Carlson are real. When Trump ran for president in 2016, he broke with Republican orthodoxy by denouncing the Iraq war as a catastrophic mistake. He promised to extract the US from costly foreign wars and put America ahead of global policing commitments.

His first-term record was somewhat mixed, but the key takeaway was that no new major wars were initiated. On the 2024 campaign trail, Trump repeated these earlier pledges. He said he would end the Ukraine war within 24 hours and keep the US out of new conflicts. Trump has clearly reneged on these commitments.

The Iran war is broadly unpopular with the US electorate. Polls show that more people are against the war than support it. On average, 15% more people oppose than back it, and in some recent surveys that gap is even bigger, with up to 27% more people against than in favour. About 75% of US adults also now describe the economy, which is being affected by higher prices, as “very” or “somewhat” poor.

This dissatisfaction is visible among Republicans voters, though probably not to an extent that suggests support for Trump is in danger of imminent collapse. Recent polling by the Associated Press and NORC Center for Public Affairs Research indicates that, while dropping by 13 percentage points compared to a year ago, 38% of Republican voters still “strongly” approve of Trump’s presidency.

At the same time, there are some signs that Trump’s core Maga base remains largely steadfast in its support, despite the very vocal dissent from some. The same poll found that roughly 90% of Americans who self-identify as “Maga Republicans” approve of Trump’s overall job performance. Another survey by NBC suggests that 87% of these people currently approve of his handling of the war in Iran.

While these surveys are unlikely to capture the full range of sentiment within the Maga movement, they still indicate that Trump retains a solid core of support from members of this group. However, if the conflict drags on and economic pain deepens, the room for elite dissatisfaction to percolate down to the base is likely to widen.

Presidential ambitions

There may be other reasons explaining why Carlson, in particular, has broken with Trump. As Jason Zengerle, a journalist at the New Yorker magazine and the author of a biography of Carlson, put it recently when discussing Carlson’s reversal on Trump: “He’s also sort of making a political move.” Various media outlets have suggested that Carlson may be eyeing a 2028 presidential run.

Some commentators, including White House counterterrorism adviser Sebastian Gorka, have drawn parallels between Carlson and Pat Buchanan. In the 1990s, Buchanan challenged President George H.W. Bush over the Gulf war and reshaped the Republican party’s ideological trajectory even without winning its presidential nomination.

Greene has floated Carlson for president. In a social media post in March, she wrote: “I SUPPORT TUCKER. Trump doesn’t even know what Maga is anymore.” Carlson, for his part, has publicly dismissed a presidential bid.

But this rebranding exercise, of attempting to seize the Maga label from Trump and attach it to a new vessel, is a significant development. It suggests that “America first” is no longer exclusively synonymous with one figure.

The looming question is whether this seed of elite discontent can grow into something organisationally meaningful before 2028, when Americans elect their next president.

The Buck Inn in Thornton-le-Dale has become a favourite spot for both locals and visitors, drawing positive reviews for its home-cooked food, dog-friendly atmosphere, and friendly staff.

The traditional country pub offers classic British dishes, Yorkshire cask ales, and a “cosy setting in the heart of one of Yorkshire’s most charming destinations,” according to reviewers.

The inside of The Buck Inn (Image: TRIPADVISOR)

A reviewer on TripAdvisor said: “Booked in for lunch after a walk to Dalby Forest, great food, piping hot straight from the kitchen, just what we needed after a cold winter walk.

“The log fire was blazing, staff were really accommodating and friendly, a dog-friendly pub and the bar staff came across with dog biscuits after stocking the fire.”

Sunday lunch is a particular highlight, with diners able to choose from pork, beef, turkey, or a mix of all three.

The pub is praised for its large portions and tasty dishes, as well as its hearty servings of vegetables, including carrots, broccoli, red cabbage, and cauliflower cheese.

Another reviewer said: “It’s definitely worth a visit. Popular with locals, and all the staff were friendly and nothing was too much trouble.”

One diner said: “Visited yesterday, had one roast pork Sunday lunch and one scampi and chips. It’s not a problem to have a gluten-free option on the roast dinner, a lovely selection of vegetables and plenty of pork and roast potatoes.

“Reasonably priced and great seating area at the back in the beer garden.”

The Buck Inn is also popular with families and dog owners, who appreciate the relaxed setting and thoughtful touches.

One review noted: “Dog-friendly pub, and the bar staff came across with dog biscuits after stocking the fire.”

The pub serves food from noon to 9pm every day and offers vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free options alongside its traditional menu.

Visitors praise the staff for being “welcoming and attentive”, adding to the overall relaxed feel of the pub in this scenic village.

The outside of The Buck Inn (Image: TRIPADVISOR)

General comments praise the pub for its “cosy atmosphere”, “delicious food”, and being a “lovely, welcoming place after a long walk or day out in the North Yorkshire countryside”.

The Buck Inn, located on Chestnut Avenue, is open until 11pm on Friday and Saturday and 9pm every other day.

It has earned a 4.0 rating from more than 450 TripAdvisor reviews and is ranked second out of nine restaurants in Thornton-le-Dale.

Visitors are encouraged to check its Facebook page for the latest updates, opening hours, and menu changes.

Meanwhile, Thornton-le-Dale itself is regularly described as “one of the prettiest villages in Yorkshire”, thanks to its historic cottages, village green, and winding stream.

It offers a range of attractions for a day out, from the nearby Dalby Forest and its walking trails to shops, tea rooms, and a classic car museum.

When Gyokeres opened the scoring in the ninth minute at Emirates Stadium on Saturday, it brought up his 20th goal of the season and made him the first Arsenal player to score 20 or more goals across all competitions in their first season at the club since Alexis Sanchez in 2014-15 (25 goals).

It has been a pivotal week for Gyokeres with his performance in the Champions League setting Arsenal up nicely for the second leg against Atletico on Tuesday.

Saturday was also the first time that he has scored a goal and provided an assist in the first half of a league match since joining Arsenal.

“He had a great performance,” manager Mikel Arteta said when asked about Gyokeres’ impact this week.

“I think in Madrid, especially the first half, he was really good, and today, all the minutes that he’s played as well, his contribution with the goals…

“Every attacking action he was involved – scored two great goals. Position-wise, timing-wise as well – it’s something that we’ve been working on.

“It’s going to give him a big boost of energy to him and confidence to the team as well.”

Bukayo Saka was back to his best after making his first start since March after an Achilles problem, and, alongside his goal to double Arsenal‘s lead, he assisted Gyokeres’ opener, the first time the winger has assisted Gyokeres in the Premier League.

Arteta acknowledged that the pair “haven’t played together much” because of injuries, but there were signs the pair could be clicking at the perfect time.

“I have liked Gyokeres all season,” former England striker Wayne Rooney told BBC Match of the Day.

“I think he does so well for the team. He occupies defenders and I think his goal tally has been good this season. This is when you need him now, during the run-in.

“This is what you need when you bring a number nine into the club. This is when you need them most.”

It was also the first time Gyokeres has been involved in three goals in a match for Arsenal.

“The best I have seen him play. He reminded me of a [Erling] Haaland,” former Arsenal player Paul Merson said on Sky Sports.

“I thought the players trusted him a lot more.

“I have given him a lot of stick. If they win the league, he has been a brilliant buy. If they don’t, maybe he hasn’t.

“He was put in the team to make sure they beat the lesser teams, and he has done. You want your striker to get 20 goals and he has done that.

“He was really good today and that is what they bought him for. Those performances haven’t been there week in and week out, but if they are for the next four weeks – then money back.”

If a party nominates someone as their official candidate with a political party description and a logo, once the nomination deadline has passed, the ballot paper cannot be amended even if that candidate is suspended or expelled. If they are then elected, the result would stand and they would sit as an independent, in the event they are stripped of their party membership, though there has been no finding of fact by the Green Party against Mr Hakimi.