WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump, in his return to the White House, has demonstrated greater ambivalence toward Taiwan, an approach that’s raising questions ahead of this week’s summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping about whether the U.S. leader could be open to dialing back support for the island democracy that Beijing views as its breakaway province.

Trump in December authorized an $11 billion arms package for Taiwan — the largest weapons sale ever to the island — but has not yet moved forward with delivery and even acknowledged that he’s discussed the sale with Xi. He’s groused that Taiwan “stole” America’s semiconductor business and called on Taiwan to pay the U.S. for protection.

All the while, Trump has, with the threat of hefty tariffs, prodded Taipei to agree to massive investments in U.S. semiconductor manufacturing and to purchase billions of dollars’ worth of U.S. liquefied natural gas and crude oil.

The president during an Oval Office exchange with reporters on Monday said that he expected Xi would ask him to hold back on arming Taiwan.

“I’m going to have that discussion with President Xi,” Trump said about China’s strong opposition to the U.S. providing weapons to Taiwan. “President Xi would like us not to, and I’ll have that discussion.”

Trump’s rhetoric is fueling speculation in Beijing, Taipei and Washington about America’s commitment to help the island defend itself and whether the Republican president could be persuaded to cede ground on the long-standing U.S. posture toward the island.

Taiwan’s backers are concerned that Taipei will be “on the menu” when Trump and Xi sit down for talks, said retired U.S. Navy Rear Adm. Mark Montgomery.

“I do worry that we have a transactional president and a transactional opportunity could arise, and then we would have a challenge,” said Montgomery, now with the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, a Washington think tank that supports robust U.S. backing of Taiwan.

Rubio says US policy is unchanged

The Chinese have signaled they intend to make Taiwan a central part of the talks. Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi raised Taiwan during a call with Secretary of State Marco Rubio to prepare for the trip, and urged the United States to “make the right choices” about its policies toward the island in order to safeguard “stability” between the two nations, according to a statement by the Chinese Foreign Ministry.

But Rubio said U.S. policy has not changed. “We don’t want to see any forced or compelled change in the situation,” he told reporters in Rome on Friday, saying it “would be destabilizing to the world.” He noted that Taiwan would not be “a feature of our trip, but it’ll certainly be an item that’s discussed.”

White House officials have underscored that Trump, who also approved $330 million in aircraft parts for Taiwan’s military in November, has already approved more in military sales for Taiwan in the first year of his second term than the roughly $8.4 billion that Democratic President Joe Biden approved over his four years in office.

Taiwan has been under pressure from the Trump administration to increase its defense spending, and on Friday its lawmakers broke months of gridlock to approve $25 billion in arms purchases. It was significantly less than the $40 billion proposal put forward last year by Taiwan President Lai Ching-te. A senior Trump administration official, who spoke to reporters on the condition of anonymity under ground rules set by the White House, said it was disappointing that the parliament did not fully fund Lai’s proposal.

Taiwanese government officials have expressed concern about China’s rhetoric ahead of the summit, though they’ve also taken some comfort from Rubio’s measured comments.

“(China) may attempt some maneuvering during the talks, but the U.S. has repeatedly reiterated, through both public and private channels, that its policy toward Taiwan remains unchanged,” National Security Bureau Director-General Tsai Ming-yen told reporters.

Xi may look to loosen US-Taiwan ties

The key question, China experts say, is just how far Xi will try to go in his effort to prod Trump closer to Beijing’s view.

China sees the self-ruled Taiwan as a renegade province, to be annexed by force if necessary. It prohibits countries it has diplomatic relations with from having formal ties with Taipei. Since establishing diplomatic relations with modern China in 1979, the U.S. has managed to stay within the framework of Beijing’s demands while maintaining informal support for Taiwan and providing it with arms.

As part of the U.S. ambiguity on Taiwan, Washington acknowledges Beijing’s position that Taiwan is part of China but does not explicitly endorse it. The U.S. has also historically stated it “does not support” Taiwan’s independence and opposes unilateral changes to the status quo between Taiwan and China.

But analysts say Xi could seek to persuade Trump — who already has demonstrated a willingness to blur the lines of traditional diplomacy — to loosen ties with Taiwan through curbs on U.S. arms sales or with informal limits on visits by prominent U.S. officials to the island. In February, Trump suggested he broke from longstanding U.S. policy and consulted with Xi on arms sales to Taiwan.

“Even if we don’t see something as dramatic as a formal shift in declaratory policy, this time around, there is always a risk that President Trump may make an off-the-cuff remark given he’s not necessarily somebody who appreciates the nuances of longstanding policy language,” said Patricia Kim of the Assessing China Project at Brookings Institution in Washington.

White House sits out Japan-China rift

A row between U.S. ally Japan and China has also raised speculation about the strength of Trump’s commitment to Taiwan. In November, Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi said a Chinese attack on Taiwan was of concern to the region and could constitute “a survival-threatening situation” for Japan, requiring the use of force.

Trump made back-to-back calls with Takaichi and Xi that same month, though he’s remained largely silent about the spat.

“I know they have a little bit of an edgy relationship,” Trump said as he hosted Takaichi for talks in March.

Additionally, Trump’s backing of Taiwan faced scrutiny after the 2026 U.S. National Defense Strategy omitted direct mention of the island.

The best-case scenario for Taiwan

One card Taiwan holds is its robust semiconductor sector, the world’s largest, which the U.S. relies on to maintain an edge in its advanced-technology race against China.

“Trump at the very least realizes the role that Taiwan plays in the U.S.’s economic growth,” said Lev Nachman, a political science professor at National Taiwan University. “So I think that is sort of the main silver lining in thinking that nothing drastic will change in terms of policy toward Taiwan.”

While Trump is known for his transactional nature, his administration has not viewed difficult aspects of the U.S.-China relationship as “fungible” issues that can be traded, said Edgard Kagan, a former senior State Department official who served under Trump and Biden on East Asia policy issues.

“The president understands leverage. My experience of being in meetings with him, he has a very, very acute sense of how to use it,” said Kagan, who is now the China Studies chair at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington. “And so I think that the idea that there’s going to be a trade where the president sort of sacrifices U.S. interests in Taiwan in order to get other things — I think it’s unlikely based on my own experience of how he operates.”

In the end, whether the island comes out of the Xi-Trump summit on a stronger or weaker footing will likely be judged by the leaders’ public statements.

Trump on Monday reiterated that he’s confident that Xi won’t take military action against Taiwan under his watch.

“I think the best-case scenario Taiwan can hope for is that Taiwan is not talked about publicly or, at the very least, in a minimal way,” Nachman said.

___

Mistreanu reported from Taipei. Associated Press writer Giada Zampano in Rome contributed to this report.

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump on Tuesday is set to leave for Beijing to meet with President Xi Jinping after weeks of trying, and failing, to persuade the Chinese government to use its considerable leverage to prod Iran to agree to U.S. terms to end the two-month old war — or at the very least, reopen the critical Strait of Hormuz.

Trump has veered between venting that China, the world’s biggest buyer of Iranian oil, hasn’t done more to get the Islamic Republic in line, and acknowledging that Xi’s government helped de-escalate the conflict last month by nudging Tehran back to ceasefire talks when negotiations wobbled.

But ahead of the U.S. leader’s high-stakes visit, the White House has set low expectations that Trump will be able to persuade Xi to change China’s posture.

Instead, the administration seems determined not to let differences on Iran overshadow efforts to make headway on other difficult matters in the complicated relationship — ranging from trade to further Chinese cooperation to block exports of fentanyl precursors.

“We don’t want this to be something that derails the broader relationship or the agreements that might come out of our meeting in Beijing,” U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer said on Bloomberg TV last week.

US administration sanctioned China ahead of the trip

Beijing publicly insists that it wants to see the war end, and has been working diplomatically behind the scenes to help its ally Pakistan push to broker a peace agreement. It has also sent a “subtle message of discontent to Iran” for closing the Strait of Hormuz, and to the U.S. for its blockade of Iranian shipping, said Ahmed Aboudouh, a specialist on China’s influence in the Middle East with the London-based Chatham House think tank.

“They are very cautious, risk-adverse, and they don’t want to be involved in anything that would drag them into something that they don’t consider their problem,” he said.

In recent days, Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent have stepped up their calls for China to use its influence to help reopen the strait, through which about 20% of the world’s crude flowed before the war began.

The State Department announced on Friday that it was sanctioning four entities, including three China-based firms, for providing sensitive satellite imagery that enables Iranian military strikes against U.S. forces in the Middle East. Earlier, the Treasury Department moved to target Chinese oil refineries accused of purchasing oil from Tehran, as well as shippers of the oil. The sanctions cut off the companies from the U.S. financial system and penalize anyone who does business with them.

Beijing has called the sanctions “illegal unilateral pressure” and enacted a blocking statute — passed in 2021 and never used until now — that prohibits any Chinese entity from recognizing or complying with the sanctions.

Ahead of Trump’s arrival, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi last week hosted his Iranian counterpart Abbas Araghchi in Beijing. The Chinese foreign minister used the moment to defend Iran’s right to develop civilian nuclear energy.

Xi has also offered implicit criticism of the U.S. over the war. He has said that safeguarding international rule of law is paramount, adding it “must not be selectively applied or disregarded,” nor should the world be allowed to revert “to the law of the jungle.”

Both China and the US want to avoid a return to a tariff war

Trump on Monday downplayed differences with China over Iran and underscored that Xi wants to see the strait reopened. “He’d like to see it get done,” Trump said of the Chinese leader.

Like Trump, Xi also has plenty of reason to not let differences over Iran impact other facets of the relationship, analysts say. China imports about half its crude oil and almost one-third of its liquefied natural gas from Middle East countries affected by the closure of the strait, according to China’s General Administration of Customs.

Beijing wants to guard against further deterioration of the U.S.-China relationship — something that would add further challenges to its economy.

“I think for Xi, a win is continued stability without surrender,” said Craig Singleton, senior director for the Foundation for Defense of Democracies’ China program. “He wants the summit to validate China’s superpower status, preserve the tariff predictability, and to reaffirm that Washington has to deal with Beijing on Beijing’s terms.”

Yet, since the U.S. and Israel launched strikes in late February, there have been difficult moments between Trump and Xi that threatened to set back the relative stability in their relationship.

China has long supported Iran’s ballistic missile program and backed it with dual-use industrial components that can be used for missile production, according to the U.S. government.

Last month, Trump threatened to impose a 50% tariff on China after reports that Beijing was preparing to deliver a shipment of new air defense systems to Iran, but later backed away from the threat, claiming that he had received written assurance from Xi that he would not provide Tehran with weaponry. Days later, Trump said cryptically that the U.S. Navy had intercepted a Chinese vessel carrying a “gift” for Iran. He has not offered further explanation.

“There have been moments where it seemed like it was going to spill over,” said Patricia Kim, who co-leads the Assessing China Project at the Brookings Institution. “But I think, again, the two sides are pretty invested in not allowing this to destabilize the broader relationship.”

Both Trump and Xi may be eager to avoid creating dark economic clouds, as they did last year, when the two powers appeared on the precipice of a massive trade war.

Trump had set tariffs on Chinese goods at 145% and China announced a further tightening of rare-earth export controls that would have hurt U.S industry — before the governments backed off from inflicting maximalist penalties on each other. The two sides reached a fragile truce in their long-running trade disputes in October.

Trump and other administration officials have made the case that the conflict — particularly the closure of the strait — has caused greater harm to China and its Pacific neighbors than it has to the United States, which is far less dependent on Middle East oil.

“China is an export-driven economy. That means they depend on other countries to buy from them,” Rubio told reporters last week, making the case that it was in China’s interest for Iran to let traffic resume. “You can’t buy from them if you can’t ship it there, and you can’t buy from them if your economy is being destroyed by what Iran is doing,” he said.

But for now, China has shown little interest in wading deeper into the conflict and has appeared reluctant to be seen siding with Washington.

“It will be difficult to get the Chinese deeply involved under any circumstances,” said Kurt Campbell, a former deputy Secretary of State during the Biden administration and chairman of The Asia Group. “They will want to be careful because they can see political quicksand as well as the next guy.”

___

Associated Press writers Didi Tang in Washington, Adam Schreck in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, and David Rising in Bangkok contributed to this report.

More than 5,000 have been bought in the past month

Those looking extra security for their home are being offered a substantial discount as Amazon has reduced the price of a top-rated Ring doorbell to £39.99. The Ring Battery Video Doorbell offers both convenience and reassurance while you’re out and about as the gadget is straightforward to fit and can be monitored via your mobile device with HD video.

In brand-new condition, the doorbell has had 60% knocked off its original £99.99 retail price in the Satin Nickel finish colourway .

With this device, users will have round-the-clock awareness of who’s visiting their property, thanks to motion-sensing technology complete with night vision and the option to review previously recorded footage for up to 180 days. Users can also utilise pre-recorded voice messages to communicate with visitors effortlessly whenever the device is activated.

The complete product description for the Ring Battery Video Doorbell states: “With Battery Video Doorbell you’ll know who is on your property whenever your Video Doorbell is pressed, or motion is detected. Charge it up, click into place, and stay connected right from your phone. Battery Video Doorbell is equipped with a built-in battery which cannot be removed for recharging.

“1440×1440 HD Video with Colour Night Vision gives you a clearer picture of what’s going on at your front door, even after dark. And Head-To-Toe View lets you see more of people and packages, you can block out areas of the view from your Video Doorbell. With Privacy Zones in place, your Ring device will no longer display or record anything that happens within those areas. Quick Replies lets you choose from a selection of pre-recorded messages that play whenever your Video Doorbell is pressed.

“Activate the Person Alerts feature which ensures you’re only notified when human activity is detected. With Package Alerts you can be alerted whenever a delivery is detected on your doorstep. Ring subscription required, sold separately.* The Ring app lets you connect all your devices, adjust their settings and use modes to Arm or Disarm your devices when you’re home or away. Ring subscription required, sold separately.* Save your recorded videos for up to 180 days to rewatch any time, get alerts for people and packages, and so much more with a Ring subscription.”

It’s important to note that while the Ring doorbell app is free to download, an additional subscription is necessary to unlock certain features within the app. Full details can be found in the product description, reports the Liverpool Echo.

The Ring doorbell specifications include:

• Dimensions – 6.19 cm x 2.30 cm x 12.65 cm (4.98 in x 2.44 in x 0.91 in)

• Video – 1440 x 1440 HD Video, Head-To-Toe View, Live View, Colour Night Vision

• Field of view- 150° horizontal, 150° vertical

• Audio- Two-way audio with noise cancellation

• Power- Runs on a built-in, rechargeable battery. Can be hardwired to an existing doorbell system or transformer for continuous charging (8–24 VAC, 40 VA max, 50/60 Hz). No halogen or garden-lighting transformers, no DC transformer/power supply.

• Internet requirements- Requires a minimum upload speed of 2 Mbps for optimal performance.

• Connectivity – 802.11 b/g/n Wi-Fi connection @ 2.4 GHz

• Estimated install time- Five minutes

• Operating Conditions – -20°C to 50°C (-4°F to 122°F) Prolonged exposure to direct sunlight and other conditions may increase the temperature of your device and affect performance.

The product has received more than 20,000 reviews. One purchaser commented: “Such a great piece of kit. So easy to set up, adding that extra security with a good picture quality, love the fact that you can see what’s going on wherever you are in the world at any time day or night. Has a good motion sensor and choice whether you have it on or off, easy to connect to the Wi-Fi with a long lasting battery.”

Another buyer remarked: “The door camera performs well overall. It captures a full view of a person rather than just from the head to the waist, and the night quality is quite good too. The only drawback is that the image can appear slightly faded when zooming in for a closer look, both during the day and at night.

“That said, it’s a solid door camera and definitely worth considering. I’ve tried a few different brands before, and this one stands out so far. Battery life has been good as well, I haven’t needed to recharge it since the initial charge, though I haven’t had it long enough to fully judge long-term performance.”

For those seeking alternatives, Amazon is currently offering the Blink Outdoor 4 Camera + £0 Blink Video Doorbell (Black)| Wireless HD smart security camera with a substantial 42% discount, now available for £69.99 (price correct at time of publication, RRP £119.98).

Alternatively, Argos stocks the Tapo D210 2K 3MP Video Doorbell with Chime , a weatherproof device compatible with Amazon Alexa. Priced at £44.99, this doorbell allows you to view video via an app.

Returning to the Ring Battery Video Doorbell , another customer noted: “This is our second Ring doorbell. We did look at other brands but weren’t convinced we’d get quite as good as Ring. The picture and sound quality is excellent. The motion detection can be changed to suit. Not totally sold on the new and improved way it clicks onto the holder now, however you don’t have to deal with the fiddly screws every time you want to charge them.. Yeah, app is easy to use, and gives you a good quality of recording and peace of mind when you are leaving your property.”

A different buyer commented: “I’m really pleased with the Ring Battery Video Doorbell . Installation was quick and straightforward – I had it set up and working in just a few minutes. The head-to-toe view is excellent and gives a clear picture of who’s at the door and any parcels left on the step. The video quality is sharp, and the motion alerts are very handy. I get notifications straight to my phone, which is reassuring whether I’m at home or out.

“It’s definitely added an extra layer of security to the house. To get the most out of it, you do need the subscription plan for features like video history and recordings. While that’s an extra cost, I found it worth it for the added functionality and peace of mind, Overall, it’s a great bit of kit for home security – reliable, easy to use, and very effective. I’d happily recommend it to anyone looking to upgrade their doorbell and improve their home safety.”

However, one shopper said: “Battery life very poor only last 2 weeks. I work away home once a month and got to rely on people to charge the door bell.”

But a further satisfied buyer noted: “Relatively easy to install and to set up even for someone with my limited skills. It’s a good house security improvement and the fact that it works with Alexa is very helpful.”

You can check out the Ring Battery Video Doorbell on Amazon here .

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Cabinet ministers including the Home Secretary reportedly urged him to consider his position and Government aides quit their posts.

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Sir Keir Starmer faces the biggest leadership crisis of his premiership as Cabinet ministers including the Home Secretary reportedly urged him to consider his position and Government aides quit their posts.

Shabana Mahmood is said to have privately called for an orderly transition of power on Monday night as 75 out of Labour’s 403 MPs demanded the Prime Minister stand down after the party’s electoral mauling last week.

Four Government aides quit their posts citing a loss of confidence in his leadership while others warned his authority was collapsing and called for him to set out a timetable for his departure from No 10.

READ MORE: First Minister excited by ‘seismic political shift’ across UKREAD MORE: ‘Dear Prime Minister, Please help my mum’- NI teen’s heartbreaking plea to Keir Starmer as mum battles cancer

Sir Keir faces an extraordinary weekly Cabinet meeting on Tuesday morning, with senior ministers split over how best to move forward and concerns among some about plunging the party into a potential leadership contest.

The Press Association understands Defence Secretary John Healey’s message to Sir Keir was that he wanted a chaotic process to be avoided and for the Government to focus on getting the country through the looming risk of geopolitical and economic crises rather than turning inwards.

In a sign of the febrile atmosphere in Westminster on Monday evening, junior health minister Stephen Kinnock said some Cabinet members “may well” call for the Prime Minister to go at Tuesday’s meeting.

“It is possible that members of the Cabinet might do that. I genuinely have no idea at all. What I am simply saying is any one of my colleagues who is potentially thinking of doing that, I just hope they really will take a beat, pause and reflect, and think about the potential that has for the chaos that might be unleashed,” he told BBC Newsnight.

The Prime Minister promised to prove his “doubters” wrong at a press conference on Monday as former minister Catherine West withdrew threats to imminently launch a leadership challenge.

But his speech failed to quell demands that he quit or set out a timetable for his departure from discontented MPs, who continued to call for his resignation.

Ms West had previously said she would challenge Sir Keir for the party leadership as early as Monday afternoon, in an attempt to force the Cabinet to put forward a replacement as prime minister.

After Sir Keir insisted he would not “walk away”, the former Foreign Office minister said she would now canvass support within the party for the Prime Minister to set out a timetable for his resignation by September.

PA understands that 80 MPs have signed a letter from Ms West urging Sir Keir to take this step, most of whom have publicly expressed their loss of confidence in his leadership.

Meanwhile, Joe Morris, a parliamentary private secretary (PPS) to Health Secretary Wes Streeting, and Tom Rutland, a PPS to Environment Secretary Emma Reynolds, Cabinet Office aide Naushabah Khan and Melanie Ward, a PPS to Deputy Prime Minister David Lammy, all quit on Monday evening.

Department for Work and Pensions aide Gordon McKee and Ms Mahmood’s PPS Sally Jameson also left their posts having expressed a loss of confidence in the Prime Minister.

Downing Street did not immediately respond to the resignations, but loyalist MPs David Burton-Sampson, Linsey Farnsworth, Jayne Kirkham, Michael Payne, Tim Roca and Sean Woodcock were appointed to PPS positions later in the evening.

The Guardian reported that Ms Mahmood and Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper had both spoken with the Prime Minister about his future, while the Times reported a third Cabinet minister had also told Sir Keir to consider his position.

Speculation about the Prime Minister’s future has intensified since Thursday’s elections, in which Labour lost almost 1,500 English councillors, went backwards in Scotland and slumped to third place in Wales.

In a speech in central London on Monday, Sir Keir said he took “responsibility” for the losses but would fight on and cast the current political moment as a “battle for the soul” of the UK, warning that if Labour failed, the country would head down “a very dark path”.

The Prime Minister is expected to meet apprentices on Tuesday to talk up the Government’s reforms to the system aimed at helping small businesses take on young apprentices, with training fully funded from August.

The visit is a bid to highlight his promise to tear up the “status quo” which he said on Monday had failed British people and underline efforts to put apprenticeships on an equal footing with university degrees.

A handful of backbenchers spoke up in support of the Prime Minister following the speech, with Macclesfield MP Mr Roca and Gedling’s Mr Payne saying Sir Keir had demonstrated he understood “the scale of the challenge” facing the country.

Mr Streeting, who is widely seen as a potential leadership contender but has publicly denied plans for a tilt at the top job, was understood not to have spoken to Sir Keir as of Monday evening.

But the resignation of his PPS, who called for a “swift” timetable to replace the Prime Minister, and others seen as Streeting allies such as Ms Ward, who urged a “rapid process” to find a new leader, have fuelled speculation that he is gearing up to run in any contest.

In contrast, supporters of Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham, who is seen as a party favourite to replace Sir Keir, are wary of a quick leadership election because he would need to fight and win a by-election to become an MP first in order to further his own ambitions.

In a speech to the Communication Workers Union on Monday, former deputy prime minister Angela Rayner – herself regarded as a potential leadership contender – said the decision to block Mr Burnham should be “put right”.

“We as a party have to do better than this and we can only prove we mean our Labour values by putting the common interest ahead of factionalism,” she said.

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The three-ingredient natural rat repellent spray uses common kitchen staples which most of us already have in our homes

As temperatures climb across the UK, rats and mice are becoming more noticeable, with summer marking their busiest breeding period. Rodent numbers peak between March and October, and it’s throughout these warmer months that these disease-spreading pests are most likely to infiltrate homes and gardens.

Following the recent hantavirus cruise ship outbreak that sparked widespread concern globally, people are now more determined than ever to find effective methods for driving these rodents away from their properties.

Quick-kill rat traps and rat poison represent cruel and inhumane approaches to dealing with rat problems, so for those seeking a compassionate yet effective natural solution – we’ve got the perfect answer.

Three-ingredient natural rat spray you can make at home

It’s commonly understood that rats and mice thoroughly detest the scent of garlic and white vinegar.

Cayenne pepper or chilli flakes also serve as excellent deterrents for these pests, as the chilli aggravates their extremely sensitive noses and triggers respiratory irritation in these animals, while white vinegar (or apple cider vinegar) delivers an acidic onslaught to these rodents’ senses.

All these everyday kitchen ingredients prove highly successful at preventing rats and mice from accessing homes and gardens.

It’s hardly surprising, therefore, that blending all three of these natural components with some water in a spray bottle creates a powerful and effective rat deterrent spray. A pack of 4 garlic bulbs costs just £0.87 at Sainsbury’s (roughly 21p per bulb), while a jar of cayenne pepper retails at £1 at Asda, and 1L of white vinegar at Sainsbury’s will set you back £1.40.

The best bit? There’s every chance you’ve already got all three of these kitchen staples sitting in your cupboards at home.

Here’s how to whip up your very own DIY rat repellent spray using three natural kitchen ingredients and water:

You’ll need one tablespoon of cayenne pepper or chilli flakes, one cup of white vinegar, three to four cloves of garlic (crushed or finely grated), and one quart of water.

For a quick, no-fuss and powerful solution, simply combine all the ingredients, pour them into a spray bottle and apply to areas where rats have been spotted or are likely to appear.

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If you’ve got a little more time to spare, combine the cayenne pepper or chilli flakes and crushed or finely grated garlic in the water and bring the whole mixture to the boil.

Leave the mixture to cool before stirring in a cup of white vinegar. If you’d prefer a smoother solution without any lumps, strain it through a mesh strainer or cheesecloth before decanting into a spray bottle.

Should you need a stronger formula, simply double up and use two cups of white vinegar instead of one. Spray the mixture around your house or garden in spots where rat activity is likely. Exercise caution when handling the chilli, and make certain that children and pets are kept well away from any treated areas.

Additionally, take care about where you apply the spray, as vinegar isn’t suitable for every surface and may cause damage or staining to certain materials.

Why these three kitchen staples work so well

According to Native Pest Management: “The intense spiciness of cayenne pepper is not just for cooking; it can also discourage rats by irritating their sensitive noses.”

Pest control specialists have also confirmed the effectiveness of white vinegar in deterring rats and mice: “The strong, acidic aroma of vinegar is another effective rat deterrent. White vinegar or apple cider vinegar diluted with water can be sprayed or wiped around potential entry points.

“This is especially useful in damp cellars or sheds where rats are often drawn. However, vinegar’s effectiveness is temporary and needs frequent reapplication. Furthermore, it might not be suitable for all surfaces, as it can damage certain materials.”

Regarding garlic’s power against rats and mice, experts from Pest Pointers explain: “It’s the molecule that gives garlic its distinctive odour. Like capsaicin in chilli peppers, allicin is a developed defence mechanism of the plant to keep animals from eating it.”

The popular pub and brewery asked for permission to serve drinks in the morning during sports events and for ‘corporate events’

A popular pub and brewery has been refused permission to serve alcohol earlier to host “corporate events” and screen sports matches. King Street Brewhouse, formerly Cambridge Brewhouse, is allowed to open from 10am on Mondays to Saturdays and from 11am on Sundays, but sought permission to open from 8am every day.

After consulting with police, they added the condition that alcohol could only be bought alongside food before 10am. They also asked for permission to show films in the pub between 10am and 11pm on any day of the week.

James Anderson, a solicitor for City Pub Group Ltd, which owns the pub, told Cambridge City Council’s planning sub-committee that the pub had a “good track record” and was looking for “greater flexibility” to be a “more attractive” location for corporate events.

Cllr Rosy Moore said: “My understanding of corporate work events is that you would start with some work, then a meal and at the end, maybe a few drinks. I’m a little bit confused as to where the market is to start selling alcohol at 8am.”

Mr Anderson said a “range of businesses” could hire the space, which might include sports clubs as well.

Charlie Gant, assistant manager at the pub, said they were planning to offer a full corporate package including breakfast, lunch and dinner. He said they might order alcohol “depending on the business” that hired it.

Cllr Moore said she was concerned the longer hours “would lead to excess drinking”, but Mr Anderson said this was “not the view of the police”. He added: “I think the chances of that are, respectfully, quite remote. I’ve got the sense that the committee want to restrict us and I don’t understand why.”

He asked for no restrictions to be imposed to give the pub “flexibility”, adding that they already open later than permitted – at noon rather than 10am.

Mr Anderson added: “We can’t open to a nice crowd who want to come in at nine o’clock to watch the Lions game. It’s simply to promote a good business – we employ 20 people, we have a brewery – breweries are closing, pubs are closing, and we’re looking to improve our business. Councillors should support that unless there are good grounds not to.”

He reminded the committee of government guidance that licensing “promotes growth and delivers economic benefits” and said that it promoted the licensing objectives.

He said: “I don’t think drinking at eight is a concern health-wise, morally or legally – what’s the difference between that and 11 o’clock if you only have a few pints?”

Council officers recommended that the committee “decide the application on its own merits”.

They allowed the pub to open from 8am on Monday to Saturday, but from 11am on Sundays, and refused permission to let alcohol be sold before 10am. They restricted use of the upstairs terrace to only after 10am and allowed films to be shown between 10am and 11pm.

City Pub Group has 21 working days if they wish to appeal the decision to the Magistrates’ Court.

A study of 15,000 UK adults found that 82% feel embarrassed or self-conscious about their bodies, with Gen Z most affected

Body insecurity is stopping one in seven Britons from visiting the beach, new research has revealed. The survey of 15,000 adults discovered 82% feel embarrassed or self-conscious about their bodies, with 17% feeling anxious at the prospect of wearing a swimming costume or trunks. Among those who feel insecure about their weight, 26% have been covering up for as long as they can remember.

The problem is most prevalent among younger adults, with 24% of Gen Z avoiding the beach, and of those, 40% cite embarrassment about their weight as the primary reason. But overall, 37% of adults believe there is still a strong stigma around the so-called ‘ideal’ body type.

The research was commissioned by Voy, which is sponsoring the UK’s oldest and most famous nudist beach, Brighton Naturist Beach, to tackle body stigma and celebrate every ‘beach body’.

As part of the sponsorship, it will provide beach chairs, towels and yoga mats to make the stony shore more comfortable and welcoming for visitors.

As well as a takeover of the city’s eastern beach, the digital healthcare provider has partnered with Naturist UK & Worldwide and Naturist UK & Beyond – a community of nearly 20,000 people.

Dr. Earim Chaudry, chief medical officer at Voy, said: “For many, especially younger people, the beach or a summer holiday is not a place of freedom, but exposure. Instead of relaxation, it can trigger self‐consciousness and anxiety, turning moments that should be joyful into experiences to dread or avoid altogether.

“As summer kicks off and this wave of anxiety sweeps across the UK, we want people to know that you are not alone in this feeling. That’s why we are bringing some much‐needed upgrades to the famous Brighton Naturist Beach to make it more welcoming than ever for beachgoers.

“This is a place designed to be stigma‐free, so we are inviting all Brits to change the narrative, shed their insecurities and join the community at the beach.”

The study revealed Brits’ body confidence concerns range from head to toe – with weight, teeth or smiles being the most prevalent worries. Body shape, ageing indicators such as wrinkles and hair loss also featured prominently, according to the data from OnePoll.com.

More than two in three (68%) of respondents added this adversely affects every aspect of their everyday life, from clothing choices to how they interact socially and professionally.

A spokesperson for Naturist UK & Worldwide and Naturist UK & Beyond added: “For us, naturism is a normal, everyday way of being. It encourages people to feel comfortable in their own skin and creates a welcoming, supportive space where everyone can truly be themselves.

“It’s wonderful to see our stigma‐free way of life being embraced, and we look forward to welcoming even more newcomers to the beach this summer.”

NATURIST UK & WORLDWIDE AND NATURIST UK & BEYOND TOP TIPS ON HOW TO EMBRACE A ‘SKINNY-DIPPING’ LIFESTYLE:

Take small steps:

Start at your own pace, even by taking layers off over time. You could start by walking around your home clothes-free to get familiar with the feeling, separating nudity from sensuality. Then move up to short trips to the beach or pool and build up gradually. Think of it as easing in, like testing the water, just with slightly less layers.

Let confidence grow naturally over time:

Confidence doesn’t happen instantly. The more you spend time in judgment-free environments, the more normal it feels. Positive experiences will help build your confidence. It’s important to remember that, in these spaces, everyone is welcoming and in the same boat.

Don’t forget your essentials:

Always bring sunscreen, water, and a towel. Yes, even when you’ve committed to the “less is more” lifestyle, you still need protection, hydration, and something to sit on. After all, there’s plenty of skin to protect.

Focus on connection over appearance:

Shift your attention away from how bodies look and toward shared experiences, whether that’s conversation, being in nature, or relaxation. It doesn’t take long before nudity becomes background noise and you’ll soon realise the big secret: no one’s really watching you.

Practice self-compassion:

Everyone has insecurities, and that’s completely normal. What really matters is how you treat yourself. Showing kindness goes a long way, and confidence tends to grow naturally when you feel at ease with who you are.

The wife was unable to sleep for the rest of the night after a stranger entered their room

A grieving couple was left shocked when an “intruder” entered their hotel room late at night. Gary and Alison Yates, both from North Yorkshire, travelled to Milton on Bank Holiday Monday (May 4), for Alison’s father’s funeral.

The couple got stuck in seven-hour traffic after a crash, meaning they missed the funeral. As the pair needed to clear out Alison’s father’s house in Milton, they stayed at a Travelodge in Orchard Park, Cambridge.

After a long and “emotional” day of cleaning out Alison’s father’s house on May 5, the pair “crashed out” in their hotel room, Gary said. While both were asleep in bed, the pair were woken up at 11.30pm.

“We were in a deep sleep and at 11.30pm, a man walked into our room,” said Gary. He added: “We sat up in bed and I shouted, as you would. The man said ‘I’m really sorry‘ and said ‘they’ve given me the wrong door key‘.”

Alison was unable to sleep for the rest of the night. Gary went down to reception the following morning and told a staff member. He said he was told that staff were “aware of the incident”, and the manager who was due to be in at 12pm would be in contact with him. The couple left on May 6 and made their way home. They did not hear from the hotel manager until May 8.

“The manager sent his apologies, but we feel like we’ve been fobbed off,“ Gary said. “I’m not expecting them to roll out the red carpet for us, but we just want some closure. Alison is still upset about what happened. She didn’t get to see her dad off, then there was clearing the house and with everything else that happened, this was the icing on the cake.”

A Travelodge spokesperson said: “We are very sorry for this customer’s experience. Any case of an unauthorised person entering a guest’s room is a significant cause for concern and we want to be clear that this should not have happened – our room access security policy was not correctly followed, which is not acceptable. We would like to apologise again to the customer for their experience with us.“

The Yates’ experience follows recent media reporting about a 2022 incident in Maidenhead which saw a man pretend to be a woman’s girlfriend to get a key card for her room. Kyran Smith, 29, raped the woman and was later sentenced to more than seven years in prison for the offence.

Travelodge says the company has commissioned an independent review to examine its policies and procedures led by Paul Greaney KC. A spokesperson said that Travelodge is also working on an internal review to ensure guests’ safety.

Gary believes security needs to be improved at the hotels. He added: “People need to be aware of what’s going on. What I don’t understand is they don’t have chains on the doors. The little lock [on the doors] is just a waste of time. I feel sorry for the poor bloke [who entered the room], he was an innocent party in this.”

The Travelodge spokesperson added that the hotel chain has made recent changes to strengthen room access security policies, including retraining customer-facing colleagues on upgraded policies. They said staff at the Cambridge Orchard Park hotel will receive additional training on room access security and check-in procedures.

Change. It was the one word on the front of the Labour manifesto two short years ago along with a picture of the man offering that change: Mr Starmer.

But there has been no change. Now we are back to the psychodrama that dominated the dying years of the last Tory government, wearing the country down, failing to allow it to move forward, and ultimately leading to its historic defeat.

From that period we learned that once the tide of politics turns against a leader, it cannot be turned back. Theresa May and Boris Johnson both tried resets to no avail; Liz Truss tried to reboot her cabinet after her disastrous Budget, but was soon gone.

It now feels that the tide has turned, terminally, against Mr Starmer. He has run out of resets.

He now looks like a small boat caught in the open sea in a storm. He cannot set a direction. He cannot make progress. Instead, he is at the whim of every passing wave, of every gust of wind.

Many Labour MPs now seem to be clinging to the hope that Manchester mayor Andy Burnham can somehow get himself elected to the House of Commons and take over. Yet that looks a forlorn hope – there are no safe seats for him, and there are no voters who liked to be taken advantage of by one man on the move.

In the cabinet, there seems to be only one contender: Wes Streeting. He has performed competently at health, and, unlike the unfortunate Mr Starmer, he sounds like a human. There is often in a politician’s career just one moment for a strike at the top job – will Mr Streeting take his?

If not, we are back to the dog days of the Tories, when British priorities went a-begging as they battled just to survive. It is no change at all.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Democrats on Monday filed an emergency appeal with the U.S. Supreme Court seeking to halt a Virginia ruling invalidating a ballot measure that would have given their party an additional four winnable U.S. House seats.

The move came after the Virginia Supreme Court on Friday struck down a constitutional amendment that voters narrowly passed just last month. The 4-3 state court decision found that the Democratic-controlled legislature improperly began the process of placing the amendment on the ballot after early voting had begun in the Virginia’s general election last fall.

Democrats argued unsuccessfully that the U.S. Supreme Court has held that, even if early voting is underway, an election does not happen until Election Day itself.

The appeal is the latest twist in the nation’s mid-decade redistricting competition. It was kicked off last year by President Donald Trump urging Republican-controlled states to redraw their lines and was supercharged by a recent Supreme Court ruling severely weakening the Voting Rights Act.

“The Court overrode the will of the people who ratified the amendment by ordering the Commonwealth to conduct its election with the congressional districts that the people rejected,” wrote lawyers for Virginia Democrats and the state’s Democratic Attorney General, Jay Jones. They added, “The irreparable harm resulting from the Supreme Court of Virginia’s decision is profound and immediate.”

The filing is a sign of Democratic desperation after the Virginia decision deprived them of four winnable House seats in the mid-decade redistricting race that President Donald Trump kicked off last year. Democrats are still favorites to recapture the House of Representatives, but their GOP rivals have claimed to have gained more than a dozen seats through redistricting. The voter-approved Virginia map would have partly offset that.

Democrats are taking a legal long shot in asking the justices to reverse the Virginia court’s ruling. The Supreme Court tries to avoid second-guessing state courts’ interpretations of their own constitutions. In 2023, it turned down a request by North Carolina Republicans to overrule a state Supreme Court decision that blocked the GOP’s congressional map.

Politically, the appeal could help a party struggling to compete with Republicans in the unusual mid-decade redrawing of congressional boundaries by providing fodder for election-year messaging about a partisan Supreme Court. The court recently allowed Louisiana Republicans to proceed with redistricting after the justices struck down a majority Black district as an unconstitutional racial gerrymander.

Democrats have been set on their heels because, days after the Virginia ballot measure passed, the Supreme Court’s conservatives reversed decades of rulings and effectively neutered the Voting Rights Act, paving the way for Southern states to eliminate some majority Black districts and further pad Republican margins in Congress.

The Virginia amendment had been launched long before that ruling. It was intended as a response to Republican gains in Texas, Missouri, North Carolina and Ohio, and to blunt a new map in Florida that just became law. Once the Virginia amendment passed, it briefly turned the nationwide redistricting scramble into a draw between the two parties.

That was unraveled by the Virginia Supreme Court’s decision. The justices are appointed by the legislature, which has flipped between the two parties in recent decades, and the body is generally not seen as having a clear ideological bent.

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Riccardi reported from Denver.