“Taiwan will continue to deepen co-operation with the US to achieve peace through strength, ensuring that peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait are not threatened or undermined, which serves the common interests of Taiwan, the US, and the global democratic community.”

Police launched a massive operation with drones, horses and helicopters, as thousands gathered in London for the Tommy Robinson’s Unite the Kingdom march and the annual pro-Palestine Nakba Day rally

At least 4,000 police officers were called in to stop violence and hate speech on the streets of central London today, as two rival marches took place, resulting in at least 31 arrests.

The mammoth security operation, described as “unprecedented” in recent years, cost a staggering £4.5million and included more than 600 cops brought in from around the country to keep Tommy Robinson supporters and Nakba Day marchers apart. Specialist armed officers, large numbers of officers equipped with riot gear, including helmets and batons, along with police horses and dogs were all on standby to prevent major disorder.

At 4.30pm, a Met Police spokesperson said: “There have so far been 31 arrests across the whole operation. We will provide a more detailed breakdown at the conclusion. While this may seem high, to this point both protests have proceeded largely without significant incident.”

READ MORE: London protests live: Robinson calls for medic after Unite the Kingdom incidentREAD MORE: Tommy Robinson London march to raise money for refugees – without far right knowing

They included one man arrested in connection with an incident in Birmingham where a man was run over and another wanted for a separate offence which involved encouraging people to attack a police officer. Armoured vehicles, not seen on the capital’s streets for 15 years, were on standby and police used live facial recognition technology for the first time while policing a protest.

Helicopters and drones also watched from the skies as an estimated crowd of up to 50,000 Unite the Kingdom protesters and up to 30,000 pro-Palestine supporters gathered. In a repeat of a similar event last September, protesters were heard singing songs in support of Robinson, whose real name is Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, and derogatory ones about Prime Minister Keir Starmer.

But the number of people at the Robinson rally, dubbed a freedom of speech, national unity and Christian event, were far lower than the estimated 110,000 at the previous event. It came after police announced they would be taking a zero-tolerance approach to hate speech and 11 foreign far-right speakers booked by anti-Islam activist Robinson were blocked from entering Britain after the government ruled their attendance “would not be conducive to the public good”.

Robinson and a number of speakers, including actor Laurence Fox, were seen drinking at the Prince of Wales pub in Drury Lane ahead of the march. Robinson was surrounded by a phalanx of burly security guards while leaving the pub before being mobbed by supporters as he made his way onto the Strand.

One was heard remarking in surprise at how “tiny” Robinson looked in person, before a fellow supporter assured the man the campaigner’s height didn’t matter. He later led protesters in chants of support for Elon Musk from a stage in Parliament Square.

Many protesters wore ‘Make Britain Great Again’ caps and waved Israel, Union Jack and St George’s flags, including some emblazoned with the message ‘Stop the Boats’. One woman, who was wearing a Union Jack bikini top and a cowboy hat, held a homemade sign with the message “Get them out”, while others were seen wearing t-shirts with a range of anti-migrant slogans, including ‘Stop importing, start deporting’.

In Trafalgar Square, a man using a microphone and speaker system was heard making a number of offensive and inflammatory statements about Muslims and the prophet Muhammad, as some marchers laughed. Large numbers of men, including many walking while carrying cans and bottles of beer, were among the marchers, but there were also many women, as well as families.

A woman wearing a burqa unintentionally found herself in the middle of the crowds as the main march passed by Nelson’s Column. A lone female protester approached her and praised her bravery for attending the event. She was heard assuring her “we don’t hate you” before going on to explain to her that she is just against children being raped by gangs of men. Before going their separate ways, the protester asked the woman for a hug and they embraced.

Former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn was among marchers at the Nakba Day protest, held annually to mark the mass displacement of Palestinians in 1948 around the founding of Israel. Labour MP Apsana Begum told pro-Palestine protesters gathered in Pall Mall that the movement will not be divided by the “far right”.

Speaking to demonstrators at the rally, Ms Begum said: “We know that the far right marches because our solidarity with the Palestinian people threatens their cause… the one which is based on intolerance, hatred, and division. But today, we march, Muslims, Jews, Christians, people of all faiths and none, from all ages, from all ethnic backgrounds, bound by our shared humanity and our just purpose. We will not be divided by the far right.”

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Speaking ahead of the protests, Keir Starmer declared: “We’re in a fight for the soul of this country, and the Unite the Kingdom march this weekend is a stark reminder of exactly what we are up against. Its organisers are peddling hatred and division, plain and simple. We will block those coming into the UK who seek to incite hatred and violence. For anyone who sets out to wreak havoc on our streets, to intimidate or threaten anyone, you can expect to face the full force of the law”.

Police had also warned they would not tolerate hate speech at either event and protesters committing anti-Muslim hatred or chanting anti-Israel slogans such as “Death to the IDF” or “Globalise the Intifada” would face arrest. And the Crown Prosecution Service warned that new guidance had been put in place for prosecutors to advise on the use of offensive banners, slogans, chants, or symbols.

They also added lawyers would be working with police to ensure anyone found to have engaged in criminal activity would face swift charging decisions. The crackdown followed anti-Jewish attacks in London and the raising of the terror threat level to severe, as well as last September’s Unite The Kingdom event, which saw drunken far-right thugs bring chaos to the capital in repeated clashes with police.

Bottles, flares and projectiles – as well as kicks and punches – were aimed at officers trying to keep the peace and at one point a glass bottle was smashed against a horse. Officers also drew batons while trying to push back protesters in Whitehall and Trafalgar Square.

Everything you need to know about the 70th Eurovision Song Contest grand final.

Happy Eurovision day to those celebrating. If you’re like many fans, you’ve been counting down the months until the grand final, ready to retrieve your Eurovision scorecards for another evening of flamboyant performances.

Vienna is hosting this year’s contest after Austria’s representative, JJ , triumphed in Basel, Switzerland in 2025. Following this week’s semi-final rounds, the complete line-up of 20 acts has been confirmed to compete alongside The Big Four and the host nation in tonight’s final. All that remains is to brace yourself for the marathon evening ahead.

Here’s your essential guide to the world’s largest singing competition and you can follow it live with us here. For the latest TV and showbiz gossip sign up to our newsletter

How to watch

The 2026 Eurovision will be transmitted live from Vienna on BBC One and BBC iPlayer, with Graham Norton returning to provide his characteristically sarcastic commentary.

Be warned: the programme commences at 8pm and continues until 11.50pm.

That’s a almost four hours of theatrical performances and potential technical hitches. Ensure you’ve stocked up on refreshments and gathered good company, because you’re facing an exceptionally lengthy evening.

Hosts

This evening, viewers will be introduced to a fresh presenting team, alongside some recognisable personalities. BBC viewers will be treated to commentary from national treasure Graham Norton, who will guide audiences through the evening’s proceedings.

The beloved presenter is expected to deliver his trademark humorous observations about the performers while paying tribute to the late Terry Wogan, the former Eurovision host.

With Austria hosting this year’s contest, the main presenters will be Victoria Swarovski and Michael Ostrowski live from Vienna’s Wiener Stadthalle.

Programme director of the Austrian national broadcaster ORF, Stefanie Groiss-Horowitz said in a statement at the time of announcing: “Our goal is to thrill an international audience from all over the world with a sensational TV experience.

“We developed a concept and then searched for the right hosts – and we found them! Victoria Swarovski and Michael Ostrowski are an exciting and unique pair. Both with great passion for the Contest and two excellent ambassadors for the cause, who will be remembered for a long time with their performance.”

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Victoria Swarovski is a 32-year-old Austrian singer, model and television presenter, who also happens to be heiress to the jewellery brand Swarovski (on her dad’s side).

In 2016, she joined the judging panel of Das Supertalent, an international version of Britain’s Got Talent. That same year, she triumphed in Let’s Dance alongside her dance partner Erich Klann. Two years following her victory, in 2018, Victoria succeeded Sylvie Meis as co-host of Let’s Dance.

Michael Ostrowski is a 53-year-old Austrian actor and screenwriter, best recognised for his role in the 2004 comedy-drama Nacktschnecken (or in English, Slugs).

He has featured in more than 40 films since 2002, with other credits including Dark Rivers, The Hawk and Contact High.

Voting

New for 2026, the BBC have shared that voting for Eurovision in the UK is going online only.

This means that viewers can vote for their favourite act through the dedicated app, which is available on iOS, Android or Windows devices. Voting via the app could also earn you a special personal message from your chosen act.

Alternatively, you can vote online via the Eurovision website.

Tonight, you can cast up to 10 votes for your favourite countries. You can use these votes on one country or 10 different countries, the choice is entirely up to you.

Each vote costs 15p, and you will be asked for your bank details to successfully register to vote. This means that if you decide to use all 10 votes, it will cost you a total of £1.50.

Following rule changes introduced in 2024, voting at the Grand Final will now open just before the first song begins. It will remain open throughout the evening and then up to 40 minutes after the final song is performed.

However, in the interests of fairness, voting for your own country is strictly prohibited.

This means UK viewers cannot vote for the British entry, Look Mum No Computer, regardless of how much they enjoy his song, Eins, Zwei, Drei.

Full running order and song list

1. Denmark: Søren Torpegaard Lund – Før Vi Går Hjem

2. Germany: Sarah Engels – Fire

3. Israel: Noam Bettan – Michelle

4. Belgium: ESSYLA – Dancing on the Ice

5. Albania: Alis – Nân

6. Greece: Akylas – Ferto

7. Ukraine: LELÉKA – Ridnym

8. Australia: Delta Goodrem – Eclipse

9. Serbia: LAVINA – Kraj Mene

10. Malta: AIDAN – Bella

11. Czechia: Daniel Zizka – CROSSROADS

12. Bulgaria: DARA – Bangaranga

13. Croatia: LELEK – Andromeda

14. United Kingdom: LOOK MUM NO COMPUTER – Eins, Zwei, Drei

15. France: Monroe – Regarde !

16. Moldova: Satoshi – Viva, Moldova!

17. Finland: Linda Lampenius x Pete Parkkonen – Liekinheitin

18. Poland: ALICJA – Pray

19. Lithuania: Lion Ceccah – Sólo Quiero Más

20. Sweden: FELICIA – My System

21. Cyprus: Antigoni – JALLA

22. Italy: Sal Da Vinci – Per Sempre Sì

23. Norway: JONAS LOVV – YA YA YA

24. Romania: Alexandra Căpitănescu – Choke Me

25. Austria: COSMÓ – Tanzschein

You can watch the Eurovision Song Contest live from Vienna on BBC One and BBC iPlayer from 8pm.

At the start of the season, with Rodgers seemingly imperious, the notion that the septuagenarian was going to return to Parkhead not just once but twice, and steer home a troubled club, would have been outlandish.

Truth, sometimes, is stranger than fiction.

And Celtic’s truth has been wild. O’Neill has ensured a happy ending, but so much of what went before was angry and divisive. Hostility reigned supreme until an uneasy truce towards the end of the season.

It all kicked off with that Champions League exit at the hands of Kairat Almaty. Two games, zero goals and a transfer window that enraged the supporters. Celtic won four games out of 12 in Europe.

The summer arrivals: Kieran Tierney, Isaac English, Ross Doohan, Benjamin Nygren, Callum Osmand, Hayato Inamura, Shin Yamada, Jahmai Simpson-Pusey, Michel-Ange Balikwisha, Marcelo Saracchi, Sebastien Tounekti and Kelechi Iheanacho.

Only five of those made it into double figures in league appearances. Others rarely, if ever, featured.

Rodgers said a few of them were “club signings”, the inference being that they weren’t his choices. His rhetoric caused ructions behind the scenes. It would spill out in public soon enough.

Rodgers, agitated and agitating about the business done in the market, infamously likened his squad to a Honda Civic rather than the Ferrari he wanted to drive. In October, Celtic lost 2-0 to Dundee and 3-1 to Hearts and he resigned.

On his way out he received a verbal blast, the like of which has never been seen before in Scottish football. Dermot Desmond, the major shareholder, issued a statement that filleted Rodgers in the most brutal way.

The former manager had been “divisive, misleading, and self-serving”, said Desmond. He had “contributed to a toxic atmosphere and fuelled hostility towards members of the executive team and the board. Some of the abuse directed at them, and at their families, has been entirely unwarranted and unacceptable”.

LAUREL, Md. (AP) — A quieter Preakness Day is underway at Laurel Park.

Previously a somewhat rowdy event with throngs of fans and live music on the infield, the second race of the Triple Crown is being contested in a more subdued atmosphere this year at Laurel. That’s because Pimlico in Baltimore is being rebuilt.

Laurel has a rich horse racing history, but its future is in doubt — it may be converted into a training facility. Attendance for Saturday’s race has been capped at 4,800.

There’s no possibility of a Triple Crown this year because Kentucky Derby winner Golden Tempo isn’t running in the Preakness. Instead the morning-line favorite was Iron Honor at 9-2.

The race appears to be wide open, with Taj Mahal (5-1), Chip Honcho (5-1), Incredibolt (5-1) and Ocelli (6-1) also among the top picks in the 14-horse field. Ocelli finished third in the Derby as a 70-1 long shot, and Incredibolt was sixth. Robusta was 14th in the Derby and is a 30-1 shot in the Preakness.

Great White is a 15-1 shot after being scratched moments before the start of the Derby.

Taj Mahal, with trainer Brittany Russell, is a bit of a hometown favorite. He’s won all three of his races, and all were at Laurel.

The Preakness is set to air on NBC and Peacock, with post time scheduled for 7:01 p.m. EDT.

___

AP horse racing: https://apnews.com/hub/horse-racing

Antoine Semenyo’s brilliantly-improvised backheel is enough to give Manchester City a 1-0 win over Chelsea in the FA Cup final, as Pep Guardiola’s side complete a domestic cup double at Wembley.

MATCH REPORT: FA Cup final – Chelsea 0-1 Manchester City

Available to UK users only.

NORFOLK, Va. (AP) — The USS Gerald R. Ford, the world largest aircraft carrier, returned home to Virginia on Saturday after an 11-month deployment, the longest since the Vietnam War, that saw it support the U.S. war with Iran and the capture of Nicolás Maduro when he was Venezuela’s president.

The most advanced U.S. warship and two accompanying destroyers docked at Naval Station Norfolk with about 5,000 sailors waiting to see their families for the first time since June. Besides combat operations and traversing continents, the sailors aboard the carrier faced a noncombat-related fire that left hundreds without places to sleep and forced lengthy repairs on the Greek island of Crete.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth was on hand for the arrival of the warships, which included the destroyer USS Bainbridge.

Hegseth commended the crew of the Bainbridge for a “job well done.”

“You didn’t just accomplish a mission, you made history,” Hegseth said on the destroyer’s deck. “You made a nation proud.”

Hegseth also spoke to the crews of the USS Mahan, a destroyer, and the Ford.

The Ford’s 326 days at sea are the most for an aircraft carrier in the past 50 years and broke the record for the longest post-Vietnam War deployment, according to U.S. Naval Institute News, a news outlet run by the U.S. Naval Institute, a nonprofit organization. The only longer deployments were the 1973 deployment of USS Midway at 332 days and the 1965 deployment of USS Coral Sea at 329 days.

The Ford’s long time at sea has raised questions about the impact on service members who are away from home for long periods as well as about increasing strain on the ship and its equipment beyond the fire, which started in one of the carrier’s laundry spaces.

When the Ford first left Virginia’s coast in June, it headed to the Mediterranean Sea. It was then rerouted to the Caribbean Sea in October as part of the largest naval buildup in the region in generations.

The carrier took part in the military operation in January to capture Maduro. Then it would see more battle, heading toward the Middle East as tensions with Iran escalated. The Ford participated in the opening days of the Iran war from the Mediterranean Sea before going through the Suez Canal and heading into the Red Sea in early March.

Technically, the crew of the USS Nimitz was on duty and away from home for a total of 341 days in 2020 and 2021. However, that included extended isolation periods ashore in the U.S. meant to help prevent the spread of COVID-19.

___

Associated Press writers Ben Finley and Konstantin Toropin in Washington contributed to this report.

The event will include both historic aircraft and vehicles, including famous cars featured in films

A museum that is easy to reach from Cambridgeshire has announced a new air show featuring both historic aircraft and vintage cars. The Wings & Wheels Air Show, which will be take place on Saturday, May 30, is a brand new event for 2026.

The event will feature a new arena with a range of vintage vehicles and more modern cars for people to see. You will be able to take a photo with some famous cars from films such as Jurassic Park and Back to the Future as well as watch a BMX stunt show.

There will also be a range of 70 vehicles on display including supercars and tuk-tuks. If motorcycles are more your thing, there is a display “celebrating the evolution of motorcycles across seven decades” with e-racing and motion simulators for people to test out.

As well as plenty of cars and motorbikes, there will be a flying show packed with lots of historic aircraft. The only jet powered Pitts in existence will perform aerobatics alongside two Grumman Wildcats and the popular Spitfire and Hurricane.

Four de Havilland DHC-1 Chipmunks will fly in formation including the Royal Chipmunk that was used by King Charles III when he was learning to fly. To celebrate 80 years of the Chipmunk aircraft, three different nations who operated the plane will be represented in the performance: the Canadian, Portuguese, and British Royal Navy and Royal Air Force.

During the day, there are lots of other activities aside from the flying displays. You can take a vintage bus to Shuttleworth House to find out more about its history or visit the Clayton and Shuttleworth Heritage Team to learn more about working historic machinery.

For children, there will be a STEM-focused Discovery Zone with different activities to get involved in. There is also a free fun fair with a climbing wall and trampolines that will keep kids occupied before the flying displays.

Marc Boult, Head of Visitor Operations at Shuttleworth, commented: “Shuttleworth only exists today thanks to the engineering and racing spirit of our Collection founder, Richard Shuttleworth. Known as ‘Mad Jack’ for his speedy driving, and always the first to tinker with something or to chase the latest developments in technology, there is no better way to bring his legacy to a new generation than with an air show that promises to deliver vehicles and aircraft in equal measure.”

Shuttleworth is a 43-minute drive away from Cambridge via the A603. There is a car park on the site that visitors can use for free.

Tickets for the Wings & Wheels show cost £44 for adults with children under 18 being able to get a ticket for free. Tickets can be bought from the Shuttleworth website.

A frontrunner to play James Bond has been spotted wearing a dazzling bit of bling after ‘secretly’ tying the knot this week.

With the search still underway for the next 007, all eyes are on the five actors believed to be at the top of the list.

This includes 29-year-old Harris Dickinson, of Babygirl and Triangle of Sadness Fame.

As well as starring as John Lennon in Sam Mendes’ upcoming series of Beatles biopics, he’s heavily rumoured to be in the running to embody the next Bond.

And while Harris might not have scored the license to kill just yet, he’s finalised another important bit of paperwork – a marriage license, that is.

Harris showed up at Cannes Film Festival this weekend wearing a ring on his left hand – days after reportedly marrying singer girlfriend Rose Gray.

According to a source for The Sun, Harris and Rose, also 29, tied the knot at Islington Hall on Wednesday.

A source told the tabloid: ‘Harris and Rose’s ceremony was very Harris and Rose: cool, calm, low-key and full of love.

‘They’re not at all showy despite being one of the hottest couples in town who get invited to all the best parties in town. This was for them and no-one else.’

Subsequently spotted arriving at Nice airport in France for Cannes Film Festival, he was dressed in casual clothes – a hoodie and jeans – save for the shiny gold band on his wedding ring finger.

He and Rose are childhood sweethearts who met at school, both rising to fame in their chosen careers.

She first began releasing music in 2019, before dropping her debut studio album, Louder, Please in 2025.

In 2019 and 2023, Harris directed the music videos for her songs Blue and Afraid of Nothing, respectively.

The pair are believed to live together in central London, although they’ve kept their relationship relatively low profile until now.

Of their busy schedules, Rose told People last year: ‘I think traveling a lot and not always being together has been really powerful.

‘But yeah, it’s been a ride. I think distance really makes the heart grow fonder. I don’t care, I know that’s classic, but it does. It really works. And just having your own thing.’

He’s similarly supportive of her career, telling Vogue in November: ‘I love gassing her up. I’m her number one fan. When I see Rose up there doing her thing, I’m just in awe of it, really.’

Should Harris score the rumoured Bond gig, then he’s likely to be shot to stratospheric new heights.

Responding to rumours of his potential casting, Harris said: The role of James Bond is interesting. The circumstances of Bond are interesting. The character, the world, what he goes through, that’s interesting.’

When asked by Josh Horowitz on the Happy Sad Confused podcast if he’d be interested, he said: ‘Of course, in practicality.’

He also told Total Film that he’d have to be a ‘fool’ not to consider the role, should it come his way.

He said: ‘I’m loving seeing the development of James Bond and seeing how it changes over the years.

‘I think Daniel Craig was such a good Bond that I’d almost be quite frightened to try.’

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‘Who knows what they’re doing with Bond? I’m intrigued,’ he added.

Fresh odds provided to Metro by Ladbrokes put Dickinson at 7/1, behind Wuthering Heights star Jacob Elordi (4/1), Eternity’s Callum Turner (4/5)and Kick-Ass’ Aaron-Taylor Johnson at 7/1,

Rounding out the top five is A Thousand Blows’ James Nelson-Joyce.

Said Alex Apati of Ladbrokes: ‘While dozens have headed the betting to replace Daniel Craig over the years, with an announcement hopefully coming in the near future, the latest odds suggest it’s currently Callum Turner’s gig to lose.’

With the next Bond still to be decided, speculation is at an all-time high as two who else might be involved in the latest franchise entry.

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One expert has predicted that Peaky Blinders scribe Steven Knight might pen a ‘darker, more mature’ screenplay, with Dua Lipa also considered to be a candidate to develop the next theme tune.

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If you’ve got a celebrity story, video or pictures get in touch with the Metro.co.uk entertainment team by emailing us celebtips@metro.co.uk, calling 020 3615 2145 or by visiting our Submit Stuff page – we’d love to hear from you.

MORE: ‘Please find the new James Bond in Piccadilly Circus’: Fans react to major update

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This year is the 70th Eurovision competition, and will take place in the Austrian capital of Vienna.

Following the two Semi-Finals earlier in the week, 20 qualifiers joined the ‘Big 4’ countries and reigning champions Austria.

This year’s Running Order was decided in the early hours following Thursday night’s Second Semi-Final (May 14).

What is the running order for the Eurovision 2026 final?

Denmark will open the show, with Austria performing last.

The UK’s entry, Look Mum No Computer, will perform his song, Eins, Zwei, Drei, 14th.

Here is the full running order for Eurovision 2026:

1. Denmark: Søren Torpegaard Lund – Før Vi Går Hjem
2. Germany: Sarah Engels – Fire
3. Israel: Noam Bettan – Michelle
4. Belgium: ESSYLA – Dancing on the Ice
5. Albania: Alis – Nân
6. Greece: Akylas – Ferto
7. Ukraine: LELÉKA – Ridnym
8. Australia: Delta Goodrem – Eclipse
9. Serbia: LAVINA – Kraj Mene
10. Malta: AIDAN – Bella
11. Czechia: Daniel Zizka – CROSSROADS
12. Bulgaria: DARA – Bangaranga
13. Croatia: LELEK – Andromeda
14. United Kingdom: LOOK MUM NO COMPUTER – Eins, Zwei, Drei
15. Monroe – Regarde!
16. Moldova: Satoshi – Viva, Moldova!
17. Finland: Linda Lampenius x Pete Parkkonen – Liekinheitin
18. Poland: ALICJA – Pray
19. Lithuania: Lion Ceccah – Sólo Quiero Más
20. Sweden: FELICIA – My System
21. Cyprus: Antigoni – JALLA
22. Italy: Sal Da Vinci – Per Sempre Sì
23. Norway: JONAS LOVV – YA YA YA
24. Romania: Alexandra Căpitănescu – Choke Me
25. Austria: COSMÓ – Tanzschein

How to vote in Eurovision

In the UK, you can vote by phone, text or online, and you can vote up to 10 times.

As the UK is a participating country, instructions on how to vote will be on screen during the broadcast.

Voting will open just before the first song is performed and will stay open through all the performances, and for approximately 40 minutes after the last song has been performed.

Recommended reading:

What time is Eurovision tonight?

The Grand Final will be available to watch on BBC One and iPlayer tonight (Saturday, May 16).

Coverage will begin from 8pm and continue until 11.50pm.

Will you be watching Eurovision this year? Let us know in the comments.