MADRID (AP) — Pope Leo XIV’s trip to Spain will bring the American pontiff to a traditional center of European Christianity, where the Catholic Church has a complex legacy and the Socialist-led government is in the midst of a political crisis.
Leo’s weeklong visit begins Saturday in Madrid, where upon landing he was greeted by the country’s Catholic monarchs, King Felipe VI and Queen Letizia, and Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez. His first day ends with a prayer vigil with young people, many of whom will be witnessing their first pope on Spanish soil.
In a sign that the clergy sexual abuse crisis continues to overshadow papal trips, the Vatican confirmed late Friday that Leo would meet with survivors during his visit. The Spanish Catholic hierarchy is belatedly reckoning with decades of abuse and cover-up in the once-staunchly Catholic country.
The visit, the first by a pope in 15 years, signals Leo is returning papal attention to Europe and its Christian roots. Pope Francis largely stayed away from the traditional centers of European Christianity in favor of smaller Catholic communities farther away.
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Pope Leo XIV arrives at Adolfo Suarez-Madrid Barajas Airport in Madrid, Spain, Saturday, June 6, 2026, at the start of a seven-day pastoral visit to mainland Spain and the Canary Islands. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)
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Pope Leo XIV arrives at Adolfo Suarez-Madrid Barajas Airport in Madrid, Spain, Saturday, June 6, 2026, at the start of a seven-day pastoral visit to mainland Spain and the Canary Islands. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)
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But with the Spain trip — and a day trip to Monaco in March, a quick stop in San Marino in August and a four-day visit to France planned for September — Leo is seemingly keen to bring his message of peace, unity and human dignity to a continent in the throes of Russia’s war in Ukraine, the fallout from the U.S.-Israeli war in Iran and anxiety over artificial intelligence.
Leo acknowledged Saturday as he headed to Spain that he’s competing with another VIP in Madrid this weekend.
Puerto Rican sensation Bad Bunny is performing two shows of his 10-concert Spanish tour this weekend in the Spanish capital.
“When confronted with the question ‘Do I go see Bad Bunny or do I go to see the pope?’ I think many will go to see Bad Bunny,” Leo said. But he said he believed others would go to see him.
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Pope Leo XIV is welcomed by Spain’s King Felipe VI and Queen Letizia upon his arrival at Adolfo Suarez Madrid-Barajas International Airport in Madrid, Saturday, June 6, 2026, marking the start of his seven-day apostolic journey to mainland Spain and the Canary Islands. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino)
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Pope Leo XIV is welcomed by Spain’s King Felipe VI and Queen Letizia upon his arrival at Adolfo Suarez Madrid-Barajas International Airport in Madrid, Saturday, June 6, 2026, marking the start of his seven-day apostolic journey to mainland Spain and the Canary Islands. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino)
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A first-ever papal speech to the Spanish Parliament
The highlight of Leo’s visit to Madrid will be his speech Monday to both chambers of the Spanish Parliament. Even though St. John Paul II visited Spain five times and Pope Benedict XVI three, no pope has ever addressed Las Cortes Generales, as the Parliament is known.
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Such speeches are rare and often become one of the most important of a pontificate.
But Leo will find a legislature that is highly polarized, with the ruling Socialist party hammered by a series of corruption scandals. Conservative parties including the Popular Party and far-right Vox have called for Sánchez to step down before elections in 2027, and have roundly criticized his government’s migration policies.
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Visitors pose for photos beside a sign bearing the name of Pope Leo XIV in Madrid, Spain, Saturday, June 6, 2026. (AP Photo/Bernat Armangue)
Visitors pose for photos beside a sign bearing the name of Pope Leo XIV in Madrid, Spain, Saturday, June 6, 2026. (AP Photo/Bernat Armangue)
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The papal visit will be hard to miss in Madrid. Leo’s face has been plastered across subway cars, billboards and ads in metro stations in the Spanish capital. On display at some souvenir shops are posters and magnets of Leo and other papal knick-knacks. Bakeries are selling limited edition pope cakes and pastries.
Despite some expected protests of Leo’s visit — the trip is costing some 15 million euros ($17.2 million) — his speech to Parliament in particular is something of a milestone for Spain’s Catholic Church. Shaped by the anticlerical violence of the country’s 1936-1939 civil war, more recently, it has dealt with a credibility crisis over revelations of decades of clergy abuse and cover-up.
While much of Europe has secularized in recent decades, Spain stands out after it underwent a religious crisis following the 1975 death of Gen. Francisco Franco. A staunch Catholic, Franco viewed his reign as something of a religious crusade against the anticlerical anarchist, leftist and secular tendencies in Spain.
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As Spain transitioned to a democracy, the percentage of Spaniards who declared themselves Catholics fell from 90% in the 1970s to just 55% in 2025, according to polling data collected by Spain’s state opinion agency. Of that group only 19% say they regularly attend Mass.
And yet there are signs of renewed interest in all forms of spirituality, Christian and otherwise, especially among young Spaniards, said sociologist Narciso Michavila Núñez, president of the GAD3 consulting firm that polls young people about their faith, among other things.
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Pilgrims walk through Madrid ahead of Pope Leo XIV’s visit to Spain, Saturday, June 6, 2026. (AP Photo/Bernat Armangue)
Pilgrims walk through Madrid ahead of Pope Leo XIV’s visit to Spain, Saturday, June 6, 2026. (AP Photo/Bernat Armangue)
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In recent surveys, he said, pollsters are registering newfound interest in faith among Gen Z Spaniards. Michavila and others cite the popularity of Spanish pop star Rosalía’s new hit album “Lux,” which is overtly spiritual.
“The truth from a common view is not that God is in fashion. What is new in this moment, in this visit of the pope, is that God in the Spanish society is not a tattoo anymore,” he said.
A Mass at Sagrada Familia and migration message
After Madrid, the other highlights of the trip include Leo’s visit midweek to Barcelona, where he will celebrate Mass in the Sagrada Familia basilica on the centenary of the death of its famed architect, Antoni Gaudí. While Catalonia’s beloved native son is on the path to possible sainthood, no announcements on his canonization are expected during the trip, Bruni said.
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During the June 10 Mass, Leo will inaugurate the soaring central spire of the basilica, the Tower of Jesus Christ, which when it was moved into place earlier this year made Sagrada Familia the tallest church in the world.
Leo will also fulfill a wish of Francis by ending his visit with a two-day stop in the Canary Islands, the Spanish archipelago that is closer to Africa than the Iberian peninsula and a key destination for migrants leaving West Africa.
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Antoni Gaudí’s Basilica of the Sagrada Familia stands at dusk in Barcelona, Spain, Saturday, May 30, 2026, ahead of Pope Leo XIV’s visit to Barcelona in June. (AP Photo/Emilio Morenatti)
Antoni Gaudí’s Basilica of the Sagrada Familia stands at dusk in Barcelona, Spain, Saturday, May 30, 2026, ahead of Pope Leo XIV’s visit to Barcelona in June. (AP Photo/Emilio Morenatti)
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Leo will meet with migrants and the humanitarian organizations providing care for them. He is expected to toss a wreath of flowers into the sea, in memory of migrants killed during the treacherous Atlantic crossing. He’ll do so from the port in Las Palmas that in 2020 earned the nickname the “Dock of Shame” because thousands of migrants were forced to sleep in the open for weeks on end during a spike in arrivals.
Francis had made reaching out to migrants and refugees a hallmark of his papacy and Leo has followed suit by demanding dignified treatment of migrants, especially in his native United States.
“For those of us who are immigrants and find ourselves in this situation of having family far away, someone like the Pope — who is an important figure for the entire world — coming here is truly something that makes me say ‘wow,’” said Constantina Nchama, an immigrant from Equatorial Guinea in Madrid days before Leo’s visit.
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“It’s something that happens once in a lifetime,” she said. “I’m very, very excited about that, truly.”
Spain’s Socialist-led government has bucked a general trend in Europe and the U.S. by announcing it will grant legal status to potentially hundreds of thousands of immigrants living and working in the country without authorization. Sánchez has highlighted the benefits of legal migration to the country’s economy with an aging workforce and low birthrate.
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Migrants disembark at the port of “La Estaca” in Valverde on the Canary island of El Hierro, Spain, Aug. 26, 2024. Emergency services said the migrants arrived by boat after a 13-day voyage from Senegal. (AP Photo/Maria Ximena, File)
Migrants disembark at the port of “La Estaca” in Valverde on the Canary island of El Hierro, Spain, Aug. 26, 2024. Emergency services said the migrants arrived by boat after a 13-day voyage from Senegal. (AP Photo/Maria Ximena, File)
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Associated Press religion coverage receives support through the AP’s collaboration with The Conversation US, with funding from Lilly Endowment Inc. The AP is solely responsible for this content.
Liam Kenny, of Miers Avenue, Hartlepool, was sentenced to 30 months in prison and banned from driving for 51 months at Teesside Crown Court on Monday, June 1, after pleading guilty to causing serious injury by dangerous driving, drink and drug driving, and riding without a licence or insurance.
The video, released by Cleveland Police, shows Kenny in a bar, then speeding through the streets on the bike.
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Detective Constable Aileen Ward, from the Matrix Collision Investigation Unit, said: “This case highlights the devastating consequences that dangerous driving can have on individuals, families and communities.
“This was a 20mph area designed to protect the public, yet Liam Kenny chose to ignore the law.”
Liam Kenny. (Image: CLEVELAND POLICE)
Mr Cameron had been out collecting a pizza with his mum when he was hit by a Yamaha 125 motorcycle ridden by Kenny.
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He suffered a fractured jaw and skull, as well as bruising and bleeding on the brain.
The court heard Kenny had spent several hours drinking at a nearby pub before taking the motorcycle, which did not belong to him.
He fled the scene after the crash but was later arrested and found to be almost four-and-a-half times over the legal alcohol limit and 12 times over the limit for benzoylecgonine, a substance linked to cocaine use.
DC Ward said Mr Cameron continues to undergo rehabilitation one year on and has shown “remarkable strength throughout his recovery.”
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“Our thoughts remain firmly with the victim, who sustained traumatic and life changing injuries, including a significant brain injury as a result of the collision,” she said.
“The impact on his life is irreversible.
“He supports the road safety message highlighted by this case and hopes that no one else has to experience the same devastating consequences.
“I would also like to thank the witnesses who came forward, along with the Great North Air Ambulance Service, paramedics, off-duty medical personnel and members of the public, whose swift actions and intervention helped to save the victim’s life.
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“We hope this case serves as a clear reminder to drivers and riders across Hartlepool and the wider Cleveland area that unsafe and illegal behaviour on our roads will not be tolerated.”
Kevin Reeves, 31, of Portswood Road, Southampton; Andrew Riddett, 38, of Seacombe Green, Southampton; Harry Varney, 34, of Briarswood, Southampton;Taylor Grundy, 22, of Pavillion Way, Gosport; and Dillon Crawford, 29, of Wilton Avenue, Southampton, were charged with violent disorder, Hampshire Police said.
“The car boot sale is of substantial social and economic importance to Seaham and the wider area,” a planning statement read.
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“On a typical Sunday, around 230 sellers and over 4,500 buyers attend, generating significant spend that benefits local traders, catering outlets, and the visitor economy.
“It is more than a market: it is a valued community meeting place, supporting social interaction, affordable opportunities for families, and the re-use and recycling of goods.”
The car boot sale will return tomorrow (June 7) as normal.
If you’re looking for a natural weed killer for gravel driveways or patios, experts say you should ditch vinegar in favour of another common kitchen item for long-lasting results
Millie Bull Deputy Editor, Spare Time and Angela Patrone Senior Lifestyle Reporter
11:22, 06 Jun 2026
Weeds infiltrating gravel driveways and patios encompass numerous species. From grassy varieties such as henbit and purslane to woody types including broadleaf and dandelions – all flourish with remarkable ease in these spaces.
The real challenge extends beyond merely extracting them; it’s about responding rapidly enough to stop them from overwhelming the area entirely.
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Addressing weeds on gravel driveways or patios needn’t involve resorting to harsh chemicals that might harm your garden or endanger pets.
White vinegar stands out as one of the most commonly suggested natural solutions for tackling gravel weeds.
Nevertheless, while vinegar “may well kill some small weeds”, according to Chelsey, a gardening expert at Good Grow, it won’t achieve permanent elimination, reports the Mirror.
She explained that vinegar “simply burns away the visible part of the weed”, and while it might look dead, the roots stay completely intact and will ultimately regrow.
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For those wanting a homemade weed killer for driveways or patios, “rock salt is the way to go”.
While standard table salt functions as a weed killer, rock salt proves far superior for driveways plagued by persistent weeds requiring permanent removal. It represents the “fastest way to kill weeds on your drive forever”.
Gardening experts at Joe’s Lawn Care similarly endorse rock salt for controlling gravel weeds. They said: “Rock salt is actually a super-effective and totally natural weed killer that is ace at clearing a gravel driveway.” Simply scatter rock salt around any visible weeds and “watch as the salt kills the weeds in just a matter of days”. They claimed that “it’s almost unbelievable”.
The specialists noted that while rock salt provides “long-term results”, it must be kept well away from areas of the garden where you’re hoping to grow flowers or cultivate crops.
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They elaborated: “The salt will gradually seep into the ground where it was sprinkled, preventing any weeds (or plants) from being able to grow there for a while.
“Now that may sound absolutely perfect for your gravel driveway situation, but just make sure you are conservative with the amount you sprinkle and where you sprinkle it.”
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West Ham United co-owner David Sullivan has stepped down from his position as joint chairman of the club with immediate effect.
The Hammers said they had “been made aware of the impending publication of serious historic allegations” concerning Sullivan.
In a statement of his own, the 77-year-old said a “small number of improper conduct claims” have been made against him adding: “I categorically deny these claims.”
He said the “decades-old allegations concerning my personal life” are “factually incorrect and entirely false”.
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Sullivan, who had held the role for 16 years, said he stepped down “to apply my full energy and attention on fighting these false allegations”.
The Hammers were relegated from the Premier League at the end of the 2025-26 season after finishing 18th.
“At what is already a challenging and important time for the club, I refuse to allow personal matters concerning me to become an unnecessary distraction or a source of instability,” added Sullivan, who has also resigned as a director.
“Therefore, after very careful consideration and with a heavy heart, I have decided to resign.”
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In a club statement, West Ham said Sullivan has denied any “illegal conduct” and is leaving “in order to avoid disruption to the club while he addresses the matter privately”.
Sullivan and Gold became joint chairmen of West Ham when they completed their takeover of the club in January 2010.
“It is understood none of the allegations relate to West Ham United or any of its operations,” said West Ham.
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“Interim chief executive officer Karim Virani, reporting into the current board of directors, will continue to be responsible for leading the club’s day-to-day operations.
“The club will provide an update on the future structure of the board of directors in due course, but will make no further comment at this time.”
A fire in the early hours of this morning has caused “significant damage” to a former gospel hall in Belfast.
The fire service attended the scene on the Shankill Road at around 2.30am on Saturday, June 6. Three appliances attended from Springfield, Westland, and Central fire stations alongside a Turntable Ladder appliance.
Officers forced entry to the building, with a drone and jets also used to tackle the blaze. Images from the scene show the road was sealed off for a period of time, but has since reopened.
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A spokesperson for the Northern Ireland Fire & Rescue Service said no injuries were reported but “significant damage” was caused to the building. Fire crews were in attendance at the scene until around 5am.
The cause of the fire is still under investigation. The PSNI have been contacted for comment.
Cult pop pioneers Sparks, have announced a long-awaited return with a headline show at York Barbican this summer – their first performance in the city since 1974.
The brothers Ron, on keyboards, and Russell Mael, vocals, will take to the stage on Tuesday, August 25 as part of a wider international tour spanning Japan, Australia, New Zealand, the UK and Europe.
The York date has been added due to demand, alongside a second new UK show in Southend-on-Sea, following previously announced performances in London, Glasgow, Blackpool, Bournemouth and Bristol.
The career-spanning set comes off the back of the band’s latest releases, their 28th studio album MAD! and companion EP MADDER!, and follows a critically acclaimed 2025 world tour.
Reviews praised the band’s enduring live appeal, with Louder Than War calling the show “a hundred minutes of energetic, thrilling pop songs”, while The Spectator described it as “an unadulterated triumph”.
Sparks first rose to prominence in the UK in 1974 with the hit This Town Ain’t Big Enough For Both of Us, and went on to inspire artists such as Joy Division, Depeche Mode to Björk, Beck and contemporary acts including The Last Dinner Party.
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The band, dubbed “your favourite band’s favourite band”, were also the subject of Edgar Wright’s documentary The Sparks Brothers.
Alongside their headline shows, Sparks are set to appear at Green Man Festival and will support Gorillaz at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. The Mael brothers recently joined Gorillaz on Jimmy Kimmel Live to perform The Happy Dictator, a collaboration featured on Gorillaz’s latest album, The Mountain.
The King and Queen, the Princess of Wales, Zara and Mike Tindall and the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh have all been pictured arriving in the small village of Kemble, near Cirencester in Gloucestershire, for the private nuptials on Saturday.
He is the King’s nephew, William and Harry’s first cousin, the brother of Zara, and the son of Anne and her first husband Captain Mark Phillips.
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Zara Tindall arrives to attend the wedding of Princess Anne’s son, Peter Phillips and Harriet Sperling (Reuters)
His engagement to NHS nurse Harriet Sperling, who he began dating in 2024, was announced in August last year.
It is not known whether an invitation was extended to Mr Phillips’s cousin Harry, Meghan and their children, amid reports the Sussexes were left off the guest list.
Britain’s Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie arrive to attend the wedding of Princess Anne’s son, Peter Phillips (Reuters)
Harry and Mr Phillips were close when younger but it is reported they have lost touch, with the duke, who has a longstanding rift with his brother William, moving to the US, from where he has criticised members of his family and the royal institution.
Members of the public and media have gathered in the Gloucestershire village.
Metal barriers have been erected and roads closed around All Saints Church, which sits in the heart of the village, about four miles south of Cirencester.
People use umbrellas to shield from the rain as they gather outside All Saints’ Church (Reuters)
Rain was forecast in the area on Saturday, with those waiting in the morning standing under sunshine and showers.
Local residents gathered at the cordon, with many describing their hopes of seeing senior members of the royal family arriving.
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Sarah and Jez Smith came from their home in nearby Poole Keynes to watch the royal wedding with their dog Ziggy.
They joined dozens of other wellwishers at the cordon in Kemble.
Guests arrive to attend the wedding of Princess Anne’s son, Peter Phillips and Harriet Sperling at All Saints’ Church in Kemble (Reuters)
Mrs Smith said: “It is something that doesn’t happen normally on your doorstep.
“It’s a great thing to come and watch.
“It’s really important that it is a local church for Harriet.
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“I think it’s great that they’ve chosen to come locally.”
Members of the public and media have gathered in the Gloucestershire village of Kemble ahead of the wedding of the Princess Royal’s son, Peter Phillips.
Metal barriers have been erected and roads closed around All Saints Church, which sits in the heart of the village, about four miles south of Cirencester.
Rain was forecast in the area on Saturday, with those waiting in the morning standing under sunshine and showers. Local residents gathered at the cordon, with many describing their hopes of seeing senior members of the Royal Family arriving.
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Sarah and Jez Smith came from their home in nearby Poole Keynes to watch the royal wedding with their dog Ziggy.
Mrs Smith said: “It is something that doesn’t happen normally on your doorstep. It’s a great thing to come and watch. It’s really important that it is a local church for Harriet. I think it’s great that they’ve chosen to come locally.”
The dust is beginning to settle following the meltdown caused by Thomas Tuchel springing one or two surprises with his 26-man squad for this summer’s showpiece in North America.
Aside from Arsenal’s quartet – Bukayo Saka, Declan Rice, Noni Madueke and Eberechi Eze – who featured in last weekend’s Champions League final loss to Paris Saint-Germain, the rest of the squad have been put through their paces since arriving in the United States at the beginning of the week.
This is one of three friendlies England have planned before facing Croatia in their World Cup opener on June 17, with a training match against Miami United and a showdown with Costa Rice to follow next week.
Tuchel will be hopeful of better results and performances in comparison to the last international break when his side were held to a draw by Uruguay before losing to Japan at Wembley Stadium.
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New Zealand, meanwhile, go into the game on the back of a 4-0 loss to Haiti, aiming to get back on track before facing Iran in their opening game of the World Cup.
Here’s everything you need to know about where to watch the match…
How to watch England vs New Zealand
TV channel: In the UK, England vs New Zealand is being shown live and free-to-air on ITV1, with coverage beginning at 8.15pm BST ahead of a 9pm kick-off at the Raymond James Stadium, in Tampa Florida
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Live stream: You can also watch the game live online via the ITVX app, which is free with a sign-up.
Live blog: Follow all the action with Standard Sport’s live blog, featuring expert analysis!
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