WASHINGTON (AP) — The best young spellers in the English language are competing at the Scripps National Spelling Bee this week, continuing a more than century-old tradition. The three-day competition begins Tuesday and concludes Thursday night.

The first bee was held in 1925, when the Louisville Courier-Journal invited other newspapers to host spelling bees and send their champions to Washington. After a long run at a convention center in suburban Maryland, the bee returns to the nation’s capital this year at Constitution Hall, a few blocks from the White House.

Another change for this year: ESPN NFL analyst and recent “Celebrity Jeopardy!” champion Mina Kimes has joined the bee as its television host.

This is the 98th bee; it was canceled from 1943 to 1945 because of World War II and again in 2020 because of the COVID-19 pandemic. This year’s champion will be the 111th, because the bee ended in a two-way tie several times and an eight-way tie in 2019.

Thirty of the past 36 champions have been of Indian heritage, including last year’s winner, Faizan Zaki.

How can I watch the Scripps National Spelling Bee?

The bee is broadcast and streamed on channels and platforms owned by Scripps, a Cincinnati-based media company.

On Tuesday, preliminary rounds will stream on Scripps Sports Network and spellingbee.com from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. EDT.

Wednesday’s quarterfinals will stream on Scripps Sports Network and spellingbee.com from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. and semifinals can be watched on those platforms from 2:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. Tape-delayed semifinals broadcast on ION from 8 p.m. to 10 p.m.

Finals will broadcast Thursday on ION from 8 p.m. to 10 p.m. The semifinals and finals will also air or be streamed on these Scripps-owned channels or services: ION Plus, Bounce, Grit, Laff, The Spot, Bounce XL, Grit Xtra, Laff More, Scripps News and Scripps Sports Network.

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What are the rules of the Scripps National Spelling Bee?

Spellers qualify by advancing through regional bees hosted by sponsors around the country. In order to compete, spellers must not have advanced beyond the eighth grade or be older than 15.

Contestants must get through two preliminary rounds, where they are quizzed on words from a list provided in advance. There is one spelling round and one multiple-choice vocabulary round.

Those who make it through the preliminaries sit for a written spelling and vocabulary test, with the top 100 or so finishers advancing to the quarterfinals. The words for the test, and for all subsequent rounds, are taken from the Merriam-Webster Unabridged dictionary.

Throughout the quarterfinals and semifinals, spellers are eliminated at the microphone through oral spelling or vocabulary questions.

About a dozen spellers advance to the finals. When only two remain, Scripps has the option to use a lightning-round tiebreaker known as a “spell-off” to determine the champion.

Who is competing in the Scripps National Spelling Bee?

This year’s bee has 247 spellers representing all 50 states, the District of Columbia, three U.S. territories and five other countries: The Bahamas, Canada, Ghana, Nigeria and the United Arab Emirates.

The top returning finisher from 2025 is Sarv Dharavane of Dunwoody, Georgia, who finished third last year as an 11-year-old fifth-grader. Even if he falls short this year, he has two years of eligibility left.

Other possible contenders:

— Shrey Parikh, a 14-year-old eighth-grader from Rancho Cucamonga, California, who finished third in 2024. He has dominated the bee circuit in the past year, winning the South Asian Spelling Bee, the SpellPundit National Spelling Bee and the Words of Wisdom Spelling Bee.

— Oliver Halkett, a 14-year-old eighth-grader from Los Angeles who finished in a tie for seventh last year.

— Esha Marupudi, a 14-year-old eighth-grader from Chandler, Arizona, who also tied for seventh last year.

What are the prizes for the Scripps National Spelling Bee champion?

The winner receives a custom trophy and more than $50,000 in cash and prizes. Here are the prize payouts:

— First place: $52,500 in cash, reference works from Encyclopedia Britannica and Merriam-Webster, a custom trophy and commemorative medal, and $1,000 in flight credits from Delta Air Lines.

— Second place: $25,000.

— Third place: $15,000.

— Fourth place: $10,000.

— Fifth place: $5,000.

— Sixth place: $2,500.

— All other finalists: $2,000.

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Ben Nuckols has covered the Scripps National Spelling Bee since 2012. Follow his work here.

Hajj unfolds through a series of sacred rites carried out over several days in and around Mecca, each marking a different stage of the spiritual journey.

Day 1

Step 1: Ihram (entering the pilgrimage) – Pilgrims enter a state of spiritual purity, wearing simple white clothing and declaring their intention to perform Hajj.

Step 2: Tawaf (circling the Kaaba) – Worshippers circle the Kaaba seven times in the Grand Mosque at Mecca.

Step 3: Sa’i (walking between Safa and Marwah) – Pilgrims walk back and forth between two hills, retracing a historic act of devotion.

Step 4: Mina (the tent city) – Millions gather in a vast encampment outside Mecca, spending time in prayer and reflection.

Day 2

Step 5: Arafat (the central day of Hajj) – Considered the most important day, pilgrims gather at Mount Arafat in prayer and reflection.

Step 6: Muzdalifah (overnight under the sky) – Worshippers sleep outdoors and collect small stones for the next ritual.

Day 3

Step 7: Stoning of the pillars – Pilgrims symbolically throw stones at pillars representing temptation and evil.

Step 8: Eid al-Adha sacrifice – The festival begins, marking an act of devotion linked to Prophet Ibrahim.

Step 9: Shaving or cutting hair – Pilgrims mark spiritual renewal by cutting or shaving their hair.

Step 10: Final Tawaf – A final farewell circling of the Kaaba before leaving Mecca.

Days 4 and 5

Return to Mina – Pilgrims repeat the stoning ritual at all three pillars before completing their pilgrimage.

Ben Miller, best known as Death in Paradise’s DI Richard Poole, has confirmed he is returning as Professor Jasper Tempest in ITV’s Professor T

Actor Ben Miller has revealed he will be returning to a beloved role in thrilling news. Ben, who played the first lead detective in Death in Paradise, is set to reprise his role as Professor Tempest in ITV’s Professor T. He has also confirmed that another series, which is filmed in Cambridge, is on the way.

Much like Ben’s character DI Richard Poole in Death in Paradise, Professor Jasper Tempest has a gift for solving cases. Despite struggling with OCD and a difficult past, the professor is coaxed from his university role by a former student who has become a police detective, convincing him to help with a complex case.

Speaking recently on The One Show, Ben confirmed that not only is series five of Professor T on the horizon, but series six is also in production.

“We’ve got season five that will hopefully be coming out in the autumn,” he said. “I mean, spoiler alert, we’re actually working on season six. It’s a very exciting situation to be in.”

Executive producer Jo McGrath teased: “Season 5 will prove to be a momentous one for Professor T, both personally and professionally, and the series will climax with one of its trademark series finale episodes guaranteed to keep audiences glued,” reports the Express.

Fans of Death in Paradise were thrilled by the news, with numerous people sharing their excitement on social media. One wrote, “My favourite detective is back on screens.”

Another wrote, “I was so sad when you died in Death in Paradise,” while a third commented, ” Wonderful show!!! You and the rest of the cast are superb, Mr. Miller!!! We watch you on PBS channel 13 in NYC.”

Ben also appeared on Sunday Brunch yesterday, where he discussed his other television project, Austin. Speaking to hosts Tim Lovejoy and chef Simon Rimmer, Ben revealed that the second series of Austin has yet to be broadcast in the UK.

He disclosed, “It is coming soon. It is out in Australia, and it was the number one comedy in Australia.”

When pressed for a UK release date, Ben admitted he was uncertain, “I think over the summer, but I don’t know, it could be next month.”

Ben also announced his debut adult novel, A Very Dangerous Pursuit. “My story winds the clock back two years earlier, the same character -39 Steps is not in the UK, mine is obviously in Europe- and another very intriguing thriller, spy type drama,” the Richard Poole actor explained.

Drawing parallels between his lead character, Richard Hannay, and James Bond, Ben was insistent that the two bear little similarity, pointing out that Richard is hopeless with gadgets and is “incredibly self-conscious”.

Reflecting on the pressures of penning the novel, Ben remarked, “It’s funny, I didn’t think too much about it at the time, it’s only now it’s come out, and people say, ‘Did you get permission?’”

Sunday Brunch returns on Channel 4 at 10am and Professor T is available to stream on ITVX. Season 5 coming soon.

A massive lightning storm destroyed most of the village in the 14th century

There are many different villages and towns all nestled within Cambridgeshire, some big and some small. There are some places though that could be easily missed. One place that people probably drive past without realising is Lolworth.

Lolworth is a tiny village south of the A14. It is so small that it only has 65 houses and two farms. Lolworth Parish Council describes the village as a “hidden gem in the Cambridgeshire countryside”. Although people live happily there today, there have been times in its history that the village has almost disappeared.

In September 1393, there was a large lightning storm, causing a fire that burnt down most of the village’s homes and crops. It is thought that the fire also destroyed part of All Saints Church, with its side aisles lost and never rebuilt.

Lolworth was left desolate after the fire. The field next to All Saint’s Church is called Burnt Close, paying homage to the fire that nearly wiped Lolworth off the map.

The village eventually built itself up again. Today, it is a peaceful place to live, and is perfect for anyone wanting a quieter life in the countryside.

Although it is small in size, it is “rich in community spirit”, according to the Parish Council. Robinson Hall, previously a village school, serves as an important place for the community to gather together.

And although the village has no pub, there is the village club which offers residents a social place to meet. To get into Lolworth, it may seem quite complicated. This is because the village has no through-road, and has to be accessed via the A1307.

Jones’ performance wrote another chapter in his Wembley story, which started when he helped Coventry win the EFL Trophy in 2017 and being on their books when they won the League Two play-offs in 2018.

His previous visit for Notts involved him scoring a penalty in the National League promotion final shootout against Chesterfield in 2023.

He followed that up by representing Malta as a substitute against England in November 2023 before going on to be named League Two player of the year in 2024 after breaking a record shared by Thierry Henry and Kevin de Bruyne with 24 assists.

“I’d like to think there’s another chapter at Wembley coming for me,” said Jones. “I haven’t lost with a club. I’d like to think Wembley is a good place for me.”

County’s promotion was their 14th in EFL history, one short of the all-time record held by Grimsby Town, and Jones says there is no reason why they cannot be optimistic about the future.

“My godfather said to me when I went to Notts, ‘I really believe you can do something similar to what you did at Coventry and go up the leagues. Notts seem like the sort of club who would do something like that, they are a massive club’,” said Jones.

“It wasn’t that long ago that I was a Coventry City player and we got promoted against Notts in the play-offs. I hope they have forgiven me for that.

“Who knows where we can go. We are a fantastic club and I’m sure we’ll attract a lot of talent who will want to come and join us.”

As for it being a third major success among his significant clubs, Jones said he spoke about Arsenal, Coventry and Notts County having fruitful campaigns in a family group chat at the start of the season, saying it “would be amazing”.

“And it’s happened, fantastic.”

Her contract had been due to expire at the culmination of the 2025-26 season, though, and Standard Sport understands that Chelsea held a strong interest in the Women’s Super League top goalscorer, eyeing her as a replacement for the outgoing Sam Kerr. It is also believed that London City Lionesses had Shaw on their summer wishlist.

“Our daughters and granddaughters must be better informed than previous generations of women.”

A Northern Ireland woman diagnosed with ovarian cancer five years ago is urging others to learn the symptoms of the disease which claims the lives of 122 women every year here.

Pauline Donnelly, 62 and from Maghera, received a late stage (known as 4b) diagnosis of ovarian cancer in 2021. She experienced symptoms of fatigue, abdominal discomfort and urinary issues, and credits her GP for being aware of ovarian cancer symptoms and asking the right questions. This led to a quick diagnosis, which is not the case for so many women.

“The disbelief, and dare I say anger, I feel that whilst I was aware of the symptoms of breast cancer and cervical cancer and attended regular screenings for both, I had little to no awareness of the symptoms of ovarian cancer,” Pauline said.

READ MORE: Women urged to recognise early signs of cancer often mistaken for other common conditionsREAD MORE: ‘I’m living with cancer and even on the darkest days you have to hold on to hope’

“After my diagnosis, and with the benefit of hindsight and further knowledge, I realised I had experienced more symptoms than those I had previously mentioned. Discussions must be had with women during their cervical smear tests, as many women wrongly believe this test will detect ovarian cancer.

“Opportunities like this should not be missed. I feel awareness of the symptoms of ovarian cancer is so important – because knowledge is power. If we don’t know, we don’t act quickly enough and can easily pass symptoms off as being ‘age related’ or some other less serious condition.

“I want the future of ovarian cancer awareness to be as prominent as breast cancer, bowel cancer and cervical cancer. I want to read about it in magazines and newspapers, highlighting what women should be mindful of with regards to symptoms of ovarian cancer.

“I want to see leaflets in GP surgeries, ideally handed out to women having their smear tests so they can be reminded/informed that it won’t detect ovarian cancer, and educate them on the symptoms and how they may present. I want GPs to be better educated in recognising symptoms, so women are not dismissed as menopausal.”

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Pauline added: “I want to see public figures speak on TV about their personal experience of ovarian cancer, as we have seen with breast and bowel cancer. We cannot delay any longer in taking action to raise awareness around this disease.

“Our daughters and granddaughters must be better informed than previous generations of women. Early detection of ovarian cancer is vital, especially in the absence of any accurate screening mechanism, so that better outcomes can be achieved, and lives saved.”

Symptoms of ovarian cancer

What are the symptoms?

• Persistent bloating – not bloating that comes and goes
• Feeling full quickly and/or loss of appetite
• Pelvic or abdominal pain (that’s your tummy and below)
• Urinary symptoms (needing to wee more urgently or more often than usual)

Occasionally there can be other symptoms:

• Changes in bowel habit (eg diarrhoea or constipation)
• Extreme fatigue (feeling very tired)
• Unexplained weight loss

Any bleeding after the menopause should always be investigated by a GP.

Symptoms will be:

• Frequent – they usually happen more than 12 times a month
• Persistent – they don’t go away
• New – they are not normal for you

Target Ovarian Cancer will be at Stormont Park on Sunday, June 7 to raise awareness of ovarian cancer to help prevent further deaths from the disease. Ovar-Dressed Belfast is a key event for the charity in which participants run or walk a 5k route to raise money for the charity which funds support, education and research into ovarian cancer.

In its latest research, Pathfinder Northern Ireland: Faster, further, fairer , the charity revealed that only a third of women in Northern Ireland could name bloating as a key symptom of the disease, and nearly half (46%) wrongly believe that a cervical screening will detect it.

The event is an opportunity for the charity to empower everyone with the knowledge of ovarian cancer symptoms, of which 200 women are diagnosed with every year in Northern Ireland.

Sinead Grimes, Events Fundraising Manager, at Target Ovarian Cancer said: “Knowledge is power and it is imperative that women know the symptoms of ovarian cancer, and how to get it diagnosed early. The commitments shown from the Department of Health have been promising, however we know more can be done to help women identify symptoms and receive an earlier diagnosis.”

Recent campaigning efforts by Target Ovarian Cancer and its supporters have led to working with the Minister of Health, Mike Nesbitt MLA, to improve knowledge about the disease and raise awareness of its symptoms.

Sinead continued: “We’d encourage anyone who wants to find out more to join us at Stormont Park on Sunday 7 June for Ovar-Dressed Belfast. Walk, run and dress up (or just wear your free Ovar-Dressed t-shirt) to raise awareness and money to help save lives.”

To sign up to Ovar-Dressed Belfast on Sunday 7 June at Stormont Park, or to find out more, visit: https://join.targetovariancancer.org.uk/event/ovar-dressed-belfast-2026.

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The 29-year-old endured a difficult 2025, dropping from 24th in the world to outside the top 100, and she lost her British number one ranking amid injury issues.

Searching for a fresh start, she split from her long-time coach Biljana Veselinovic and appointed Michael Joyce – the former coach of Maria Sharapova – in early 2026.

After a first-round exit in January’s Australian Open, Boulter returned to the world’s top 100 with a WTA 250 title in Ostrava and a run to the third round in Miami.

But her form remained inconsistent and she had won just three WTA Tour-level singles matches from four clay tournaments in the build-up to the Paris major.

Unforced errors flew freely from both players’ racquets and the pair twice traded breaks in the opening set before Boulter served it out at the second time of asking.

Back-to-back double faults from Boulter put Urhobo on the front foot early in the second, and although Boulter levelled the scores mid-set, the Florida-born player restored her advantage immediately and forced the decider.

Both players raised their level in the third and the quality improved somewhat as Boulter stamped her authority on the contest with a break in the fourth game.

Once again, the Briton failed to serve out the set and she eventually grabbed the win – after two hours and 10 minutes – by breaking Urhobo’s serve for a sixth time.

Ultimately, 58 unforced errors to Boulter’s 35 proved too costly for rising star Urhobo, who broke into the top 200 for the first time earlier this year.

Thousands of people have been pictured at Barry Island on Monday as Wales enjoyed another day of blazing sunshine to cap off bank holiday weekend.

The popular seaside destination was packed with families, tourists and day-trippers making the most of the exceptionally warm weather, with beaches crowded from early on Monday morning and queues forming for ice cream stalls, cafes and fairground rides.

Hundreds of people were stuck in traffic entering Barry – some claiming it was the worst traffic they have ever seen in the seaside town.

Pictures from the island showed sunseekers covering the sandy beach with deckchairs, towels and windbreakers while children played in the sea under clear blue skies.

From Ched Evans to a former senior BBC employee convicted of possessing indecent images, these are some of the clients Kieran Vaughan has represented

Having previously been described as “possibly the best KC of our generation,” Kieran Vaughan KC will represent former DUP leader Sir Jeffrey Donaldson as his trial gets underway at Newry Crown Court on Tuesday.

Sir Jeffrey Donaldson has pleaded not guilty to 18 historical sexual offences, including one count of rape, alongside allegations of indecent assault and gross indecency. These charges involve two alleged victims and span a 23-year period between 1985 and 2008.

His wife, Lady Eleanor Donaldson, faces a ‘trial of facts’ on charges of aiding and abetting, which she has formally denied. Last week, she was deemed unfit to stand trial after the legal proceedings against her had already been delayed twice before due to mental health issues.

Kieran Vaughan is widely recognised as one of the UK’s top criminal trial and appeal barristers, working on some of the most high-profile fraud, murder, terrorist, sexual offences and serious crime cases to come before the UK courts.

Sean Hoey

In 2007, Kieran Vaughan represented Sean Hoey, who was cleared of the murder of 29 people in the 1998 Omagh bombing.

Usman Khan

Kieran Vaughan previously represented the London Bridge attacker, Usman Khan, prior to the 2019 attack. In 2012, Vaughan defended Khan, who faced a number of terror-related charges connected to a plot to bomb the London Stock Exchange.

Tomas “Bomber” Kavanagh

Vaughan also represented Tomas Kavanagh, who is said to be the Kinihan Cartel’s UK lieutenant, when he pled guilty to being the head of an international conspiracy to import cocaine.

Reiss Nelson

Former Arsenal footballer Reiss Nelson previously instructed Kieran Vaughan in a case involving a dangerous dog.

Ched Evans

Kieran Vaughan was instructed by professional footballer Ched Evans in his appeal against a conviction of rape, which led to the conviction being quashed.

Christine Connor

Christine Connor had been described as a “lone-wolf” dissident republican who had been convicted over an alleged terrorist plot where she posed as a Swedish model to lure men into supporting her attempt to kill police officers. After a three-day appeal, her convictions were quashed.

Michael McKevit

Kieran Vaughan KC advised and represented Michael McKevit in an appeal against the findings of a High Court civil case that he was responsible for the 1998 Omagh Bomb.

Mina Dich

Mina Dich, her daughter Kizlaine Boular and their friend Khawala Barghouthi were jailed for plotting a knife attack on members of the public outside the Palace of Westminster in London. The trio were the first ever female terrorist cell in the UK.

Irfan Naseer

Vaughan represented Irfan Naseer, the ringleader of a terror cell who plotted to detonate rucksack bombs in an attack that would rival 9/11 and the 7/7 attacks in London.

Unnamed retired senior BBC employee

Kieran Vaughan previously represented an unnamed retired senior BBC employee who was handed a suspended sentence for the possession of indecent images.

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