Pope Leo XIV’s weeklong visit to Spain has brought him to a once-staunchly Catholic country that has long been in the throes of waning religious practice. ____ This is a photo gallery curated by AP photo editors.

Officers from the North East Regional Organised Crime Unit (NEROCU) teamed up with Northumbria Police to carry out searches at three addresses in Newcastle.

The targeted strikes led to the seizure of £14,000 in cash and the arrest of men, aged 18, 22 and 26, on suspicion of conspiracy to defraud and money laundering.

Money mules, many recruited through social media, help organised criminals to launder their illegally gained money.

Criminals will ask those involved to receive money into their bank account and then transfer it into another account, paying the “mule” by allowing them to keep a small sum.

Still from a National Crime Agency video warning of the dangers of so-called ‘money-muling’ (Image: National Crime Agency)

NEROCU Detective Sergeant James Woodcock: “Most people think that being a money mule is quick and easy money and a victimless crime, but you couldn’t be more wrong.

“By helping organised criminals launder money, you’re contributing to child and sex trafficking, supplying and distributing drugs, supporting modern-day slavery and protecting those who run these operations.”

NEROCU officers and staff regularly speak to university and college students, target suspects, gather intelligence and work with partners and banks to strengthen the approach to tackling money mules and the wider impact of organised crime.

Det Sgt Woodcock added: “More and more of these criminals are using platforms like Snapchat, Instagram or gaming platforms to target young teenagers and recruit them as money mules.

“If your child has a game console or phone with social media apps, then please take the time to speak to them about money-muling.

“It can severely impact their future and poses a real risk to them.

“When someone is caught, their bank account will be closed, and they will have problems getting student loans, mortgages, mobile phone contracts and credit in the future.

“They could lose their job, relationships and face arrest for money laundering, which carries a maximum sentence of 14 years in prison.”

Tell-tale signs that someone might be involved include them suddenly appearing to have extra cash, buying expensive new clothes, top-of-the-range mobile phones and gadgets, with little explanation as to how they acquired the money.

Read next … more court stories from The Northern Echo, by clicking here

They may also become more secretive, withdrawn or appear stressed.

More information is available via https://nationalcrimeagency.gov.uk/moneymuling, on the National Crime Agency website.

Anyone worried that someone close to them may be caught up in money-muling, can contact the independent charity Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111, or by report it directly to their local police.

Seamus Coleman has spoken out on the Republic of Ireland’s planned UEFA Nations League fixtures against Israel

John O’Shea has backed Seamus Coleman’s position regarding the contentious fixtures between the Republic of Ireland and Israel.

The Nations League draw has pitted Ireland against Israel on two occasions, with the latter encounter scheduled for the Aviva Stadium this October.

Mounting pressure has been placed on UEFA to exclude Israel from international football due to the continuing violence in Gaza, while sections of Irish support have called upon the FAI to reject the arranged matches.

Ahead of Ireland’s friendly with Qatar in Dublin last week, Coleman issued a forceful statement on the matter.

He said: “It should have been dealt with above us – FAI, UEFA, whatever it is, ” reports the Irish Mirror.

“I feel like it should not have landed on 22-, 23-, 24-year-old lads that are here to play for their country.

“I am a dad, I am a husband, I’ve got a heart, I know the difference between right and wrong. It is awful what is happening, it is extremely sad and a very difficult position for the players to be in.”

O’Shea, who previously lined up alongside Coleman at international level, has now thrown his support behind the Donegal defender, suggesting the squad have been placed in an uncomfortable situation.

Speaking to journalists in Montreal, Ireland’s assistant manager O’Shea said: “We’ll be 100% behind Séamus’ answer, and we fully respect any of the players’ opinions on the scenario.

“It’s only going to get stronger and stronger, that opinion, the public opinion, and you’re fully aware of it.

“What Séamus said, being a dad, I have three kids myself, nobody wants to see innocent kids being involved in scenarios like that. Nobody…It’s not right, and listen, the FAI have made their statement on it, Heimir has spoken about it, and I’d echo that sentiment as well.

“Obviously [Uefa] acted on Russia, they haven’t acted on Israel. From a sporting point of view, we don’t want to give anyone an advantage, but we fully appreciate it’s not right.”

O’Shea went on to say: “We didn’t pick the game, it’s obviously drawn out, and listen, a week is a long time in football.

“You don’t want to lose any sporting advantage. But we totally understand the nation’s feelings, and for us to be involved in this scenario, it’s not right.

“Any sanctions that affect Irish football, in the sense of sporting sanctions, losing games, having defeats, giving an advantage to other teams, it’s not right. Hopefully the authorities, and the government, Uefa, can resolve it for us.

“We have to respect everyone’s opinion on it, people’s right to peaceful protests as well. We fully understand that, because like I mentioned, innocent children being involved in scenarios, it’s harrowing stuff.”

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Due to the “ongoing uncertainty” caused by the conflict in the Middle East and airspace restrictions in place, British Airways has been forced to cancel or suspend flights to the following destinations:

• Abu Dhabi
• Amman
• Bahrain
• Doha
• Dubai
• Tel Aviv
• Riyadh

These restrictions have been in place since March.

An update for our customers – 10 March.

Be alert to potential scams and only rely on official British Airways channels for updates – never click suspicious links or share personal or payment details. pic.twitter.com/N0ec4GqFnk

— British Airways (@British_Airways) March 10, 2026

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British Airways cancels flights to 4 destinations until October

British Airways had been set to resume its regular schedule to Dubai International Airport on July 1.

However, this has now been delayed, and all flights between the UK and Dubai have now been cancelled until October 25, according to Time Out.

All flights to Amman, Bahrain and Tel Aviv have also been cancelled until October.

BA has also confirmed it is reducing its Doha schedule to one daily flight, set to resume from August 1, Time Out added.

A British Airways spokesperson said: “We understand that the continuing situation in the Middle East remains worrying for many of our customers, particularly those planning travel in the months ahead.

“Due to ongoing uncertainty and airspace restrictions, some of our flights in the region have been cancelled or temporarily suspended, including services to and from Abu Dhabi, Amman, Bahrain, Doha, Dubai, Tel Aviv, and Riyadh.

“To give customers greater peace of mind, we’re extending the flexibility available to those with bookings to these destinations.”

Refunds available for affected British Airways flights

Refunds are available for BA passengers booked to travel to and/or from any of the destinations affected by the Middle East conflict, even if the flight is still scheduled to operate.

There is also the option to change flights – whether to a different route or date, free of charge.

These options are available for customers originally due to travel up to and including October 31, according to the BA website, to and/or from:

• Abu Dhabi
• Amman
• Bahrain
• Doha
• Dubai
• Tel Aviv
• Jeddah
• Riyadh

British Airways added: “We continue to monitor the situation closely and are contacting affected customers directly with the latest information and available options.

“Your safety is always our highest priority, and we would never operate a flight unless it was safe to do so.”

Have you had a flight with British Airways cancelled due to the conflict in the Middle East? Let us know in the poll above or in the comments below.

Brits travelling to the popular holiday destinations this summer should have their wits about them for anti-tourism activists, as a number of tactics are being rolled out.

Tourists in Lanzarote have been hit with disruptive stunts, including gluing shut Airbnb key boxes and blocking access to popular beauty spots.

Videos shared on social media show campaigners applying strong adhesive to lock boxes used by holiday rental owners, potentially preventing arriving guests from accessing their accommodation.

The boxes, commonly attached to the outside of properties, contain keys that can be retrieved using a PIN code supplied by hosts.

In another protest, activists were filmed placing red-and-white tape and unofficial warning signs around tourist attractions, including paths leading to volcanic viewpoints, in an apparent attempt to discourage visitors.

Images circulating online also show stickers attached to holiday rental properties carrying messages such as: “Your tourism kills our land.”

Campaigners say they are drawing attention to what they see as the impact of mass tourism on local communities, particularly rising housing costs and a shortage of affordable homes for residents.

Some activists have also left notes on rental vehicles warning visitors that they are “contributing to our displacement”.

One message read: “By choosing this holiday home in our village, you are contributing to our displacement. We have nowhere to live. Travel responsibly. Don’t be complicit in this business.”

Graffiti carrying slogans including “Tourists go home” has also appeared in parts of the island.

The protests come amid record visitor numbers for Lanzarote. More than 400,000 travellers arrived from UK airports during the first three months of 2026, according to figures reported by local media.

Residents’ groups across Spain’s tourist hotspots have increasingly voiced concerns about the impact of short-term holiday rentals and growing visitor numbers on local housing markets.

Similar action has been reported elsewhere in Spain. Earlier this year, hundreds of Airbnb key boxes in Granada were allegedly glued shut during a coordinated protest against holiday lets.

Large-scale demonstrations against mass tourism took place across Spain last summer, with campaigners arguing that the growth of short-term rentals is making it increasingly difficult for local people to find affordable housing.

The firm holds a £238million contract to transfer inmates between jails, courts and hospitals and has already been fined around £4million over performance issues.

Under-fire Prisoner transport firm GEOAmey delivered inmates late to court more than 55,000 times in less than three years, the Sunday Mail can reveal.

The firm holds a £238million contract to transfer inmates between jails, courts and hospitals and has already been fined around £4million over performance issues.

However, new figures from the Scottish Prison Service, obtained by the Sunday Mail, show that between May 1, 2023, and February 28, 2026, the company was responsible for 55,593 prisoners being delivered late to court.

Late arrivals can lead to delays in criminal hearings, witnesses being left waiting for hours and huge taxpayer bills for wasted court time.

Scottish Tory justice spokesman Stephen Kerr MSP said: “These shocking figures lay bare the complete chaos in Scotland’s court system on the SNP’s watch.

“They are ultimately responsible for signing the hugely expensive contract with this company who are failing to ensure justice is delivered effectively.

“More than 55,000 late arrivals of prisoners to court is not a minor operational issue. It points to a system that is beyond breaking point.

“Neil Gray as the new SNP justice secretary must get a grip on this situation.”

Justice spokesperson Liam McArthur MSP added:“The scale of failure in the delivery of the prison transport contract has been staggering.

“When prisoner transfers run late, court time is wasted and justice delayed.

“Nobody wants to see victims, defendants or court staff put through the mill.

“I hope that the next firm charged with delivering this contract will perform better.”

The most up to date figures requested by the Sunday Mail last month show there were 11,020 late arrivals between May 2025 and February 28, 2026, with 3586 delays to court proceedings.

Between May 2024 and May 2025, there were 17,856 late arrivals, which led to 1142 court hearings being delayed.

The previous year saw 26,717 late arrivals and 2123 delays to court proceedings. GEOAmey reported revenues of £119.5million in 2024 and a pre-tax profit of £4.3million.

It was the sole bidder for the eight-year, £238million contract awarded in 2018 after Serco and G4S withdrew from the procurement process.

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Rival firm Mitie will take over next year when GEOAmey’s deal comes to an end. The decision follows longstanding concerns over GEOAmey’s performance.

The announcement came just weeks after 21-year-old Aaron Strachan slipped away from guards at Edinburgh High Court while awaiting sentence for abducting and raping a 15-year-old girl.

He was found near by a short time later.

In 2024, MD David Jones apologised for repeated failures in prisoner transportation, including inmates missing hospital appointments and funerals.

The former Chief Inspector of Prisons for Scotland later accused the company of breaching prisoners’ human rights.

A Scottish Prison Service spokesperson said: “We remain focused on delivering a prisoner transport contract that meets the needs of those in our care, the wider justice system and Scotland as a whole.

“Since the recalibration of our contract with GEOAmey, with support from the Scottish Government, all agreed performance measures have been met and continue to be sustained, despite increasing prison population pressures.”

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A GEOAmey spokesperson said “Unfortunately, these figures are provided without context and do not reflect GEOAmey’s strong performance over the period quoted. The majority of delays included in these figures are for reasons outside of any service provider’s control; a point formally recognised by our justice sector partners and also in contract.

“Despite significant pressures across the justice sector, we are proud of the fact that we have outperformed contractual targets on court arrivals for the last 30 consecutive months.”

A Scottish Government spokesperson said: “The Scottish Government has provided additional funding to better meet the needs of prisons, prisoners and the wider justice sector which has led to improved staff numbers and performance measures being met.”

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Harry Kane 7: Dropped deep to link play, spreading it wide to the danger man Rashford at most opportunities. Took his goal exceptionally well, benefitting from the runs off him in behind and the increased intent to whip deliveries in for him to attack. Just two touches in the Kiwi box, however, will be an alarming sight.

Manchester United’s summer transfer dealings are developing quickly as one potential decision could net Michael Carrick’s side a handy cash boost

Michael Carrick’s first summer as Manchester United manager is quickly turning into the club’s busiest in some years. World Cup 2026 threatens to delay proceedings but the club is already moving to ensure the competition won’t steal a march on their business.

It’s not just within Old Trafford that things are progressing in United’s favour, either. The club stands to benefit from one transfer set to take place far away from Manchester, which could yield some valuable returns for Carrick’s rebuild.

One target has also addressed rumours linking him with a move to United as the market heats up. Mirror Football breaks down the latest rumblings as another hectic summer of business awaits.

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Greenwood sale could net United £19m windfall

Two years on from his Old Trafford exit and Mason Greenwood’s next move looks set to earn United a lucrative return. Marseille paid £26.6million to sign the forward in the summer of 2024 and he could net his old club a similar figure should he join Fenerbahce as expected.

United agreed a 40 per cent sell-on clause as part of Greenwood’s move to the south of France. And Les Olympiens are now reportedly seeking a minimum of £43m for the player, who was suspended by United and subsequently moved following allegations of sexual assault, which Greenwood strenuously denied with the charges later being dropped.

Much will depend on the outcome of this weekend’s presidential election, with Aziz Yildirim and Hakan Safi widely considered the two frontrunners. And Safi has even gone so far as to claim a four-year contract has already been agreed with Greenwood ready to be completed if he wins come Sunday, which would equate to a £19m payment for United.

“We have signed a four-year agreement with Mason Greenwood,” he said. “He has proven himself at the highest level of European football.

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“He has agreed to join Fenerbahce during the most valuable and productive years of his career. I said I would bring a star player. Today, I am experiencing the justified pride of keeping my promise.”

In a win-win for United, it’s reported former Fener president Yildirim will also press ahead in the bid to sign Greenwood if he reclaims his old role. That should give Carrick confidence the sell-on money will be in the club’s accounts at some stage this summer.

Greenwood has reportedly fed the rumours of a move himself after it was purported he followed Safi on Instagram. The outcome of Fenerbahce’s presidential vote on Sunday may therefore only act as a precursor to United receiving a healthy windfall in the coming weeks.

Upgrade your World Cup TV setup with the Sky Glass ‘designed for football’

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Sky is knocking 20% off its entire range of Glass TVs to mark the start of the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Until June 17, shoppers can upgrade to the Sky smart TV that’s ‘designed for football’ from £4.50 per month when taken alongside a Sky TV and Netflix package.

Frenkie de Jong ‘very angry’ at rumours

Frenkie de Jong has described his anger after feeling like he was being urged to leave Barcelona and join United. Incessant rumours touted the Netherlands midfielder for a move to Old Trafford after Erik ten Hag took over in 2022, though De Jong weathered the storm and remains a reliable performer at the Camp Nou.

The non-stop speculation around a move to Manchester encouraged De Jong to cease communications with the media. That blackout only ended this year when he signed a new contract until 2029 and he’s spoken of his frustration at feeling pushed out of Barca in the past.

Quizzed about whether he blamed the media for failing to build more of a connection between him and the fans, he told SPORT: “A little, yes. That’s why I think I made a mistake by ceasing to speak to the press.

“There was a time when they pressured me to leave the club and there came a point when I was very angry and didn’t want to talk anymore. But that’s what I was saying before: people only hear opinions or things through the press and newspapers, and they don’t listen to you.”

De Jong went on to reference Barca’s frail financial situation in recent years as being a leading factor in why he was being linked with an exit: “Barca was in a bit of a difficult financial situation, and, well, there are always teams that call players to ask if they want to come or not.

“And I always said no. So there was no option. What happened that summer is that, even though I said no, some teams came to the club and offered money for me. And within Barca – not everyone, but some people – thought they were good offers and wanted to sell me.”

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Following major announcements for Resident Evil and Monster Hunter at Summer Game Fest, a reader explains why he thinks Capcom is doing so well at the moment.

I’ve just finished watching this year’s Summer Game Fest and the biggest takeaway I have is that Capcom’s run is not slowing down. They opened the show with Resident Evil Veronica and even by the end I think it was the most exciting thing shown. It wasn’t a bad show, with lots of interesting games, but thanks to leaks there were not many surprises and nothing was shown for long enough to really get a feel for it.

A remake of Code: Veronica leaked as well but nobody knew what it was going to be like, so it didn’t really matter. I didn’t even realise that’s what the trailer was for until they said the name Claire Redfield. I should’ve guessed though, not just because of the clues but the fact that their graphics have a certain look to them.

Even though Code: Veronica is a tricky game to remake, since it’s got lots of bits taken from the other games, I’m sure they’ll do a great job, given they’re not only on fire in general at the moment but doubly so when it comes to Resident Evil.

Before I go any further, I’m well aware that companies are not your friend and the only thing Capcom is interested in is money. But there’s clearly a world of difference between how they make that money and someone like EA or Activision or even Xbox. Capcom’s current evil plan for world domination is to… make high quality games, give gamers what they want, and experiment with new IP. Also, they haven’t laid off anyone in any great number, as far as I’m aware.

The plan is working better than they could ever have imagined and everyone is rushing to copy them. Oh no, wait… nobody is copying them at all. Well, that’s not quite true. Quite a few companies have got into remakes, because Capcom’s Resident Evil ones have been so successful. But things like Dead Space haven’t been as successful because the original game wasn’t as beloved and EA seemed to have expected it to sell a billion copies.

When it didn’t they instantly lost interest and that was it. Needless to say, they didn’t suddenly try making new IP or put a new emphasis on quality, but they did start laying people off for no particular reason.

It’s been obvious for a while now that Japanese publishers are handling the current gen very different to American companies, but I don’t think any publisher, including Nintendo, has had such an obvious focus on quality. Capcom aren’t magic, as they’ve had problems with Monster Hunter Wilds and personally I didn’t particularly like Dragon’s Dogma 2 much, but in this case I think it really is the thought that counts.

Capcom has realised they can make more money if their games are good, which you’d think was so obvious it’s pointless to say but I don’t think it’s obvious to some of these companies, especially the Americans one, at all. What do you think Activision started blaming when Call Of Duty sells started to drop?

All sorts of complicated excuses I expect, about targeting demographics and fine-tuning microtransaction prices. I’ll bet you anything no one just said, ‘Maybe we should just make sure the next one is good?

Unlike Capcom, I don’t think Nintendo is having a particularly good run at the moment, but their entire existence is down to one thing: they make good games. And no matter what happens in gaming, including them making dumb decisions or having dud consoles, that always ensures they survive.

But the thing that really separates Capcom from Nintendo is that Capcom is much more interested in trying out new IP and not caring if it doesn’t work out. Dragon’s Dogma, Exoprimal, Kunitsu-Gami: Path Of The Goddess, Pragmata… only two of those were hits and yet they keep trying, whereas the only big budget new IP Nintendo has put out in the last generations is Splatoon.

Capcom is also a lot less nervous about bringing back old franchises that might not be popular. It takes Nintendo (or Sega or Bandai Namco, I’m not trying to single Nintendo out here but to me they’re the next closest to Capcom) ages to get around to bringing back an old series and when they do they make such a song and dance about it. Most companies would never bring back Onimusha, but Capcom is just getting on with it and doing it.

I don’t mean to glaze a company, and they’ll probably immediately prove me wrong and do something horrible now (I’m already worried about their attitude to AI) but this isn’t really about Capcom it’s about the idea that the best way to make money in gaming is to… make good games.

That’s been made to seem like a naïve and simplistic point of view, but Capcom is showing that it’s just good business sense.

By reader Monson

The reader’s features do not necessarily represent the views of GameCentral or Metro.

You can submit your own 500 to 600-word reader feature at any time, which if used will be published in the next appropriate weekend slot.

Just contact us at gamecentral@metro.co.uk or use our Submit Stuff page and you won’t need to send an email.

MORE: A new Star Fox game should be a crossover with F-Zero – Reader’s Feature

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Employers are being urged to implement clear policies on staff time off, sickness absence, and flexible working as the World Cup approaches.

The conciliation service Acas has advised businesses to consider a more adaptable approach to allowing employees time off during the football tournament, which is set to kick off next Thursday.

Acas head of workplace advice Susan McGuigan said: “The World Cup is an exciting event for many football fans but staff should avoid getting a red card for unreasonable demands or behaviour in the workplace during this period.

“Many organisations need to maintain a certain staffing level to operate effectively. Bosses should have a set of simple workplace agreements in place before kick-off to help ensure their businesses remain productive whilst keeping staff on side too.”

The World Cup takes place in Canada, Mexico and the USA between 11 June and 19 July.

Due to the time difference, match kick-offs in the UK will vary between 5pm and 5am, and Acas said workers may also be keen to watch or listen to the pre-match build-up.

Acas said employers may want to remind staff their sickness and attendance policies still apply during the World Cup.

Any unauthorised absence, patterns of absence or late attendance are likely to be investigated and could result in formal proceedings.

One option is to have a more flexible working day, Acas said, allowing employees to start later or finish earlier and agree to make up the time.