One thing that is indisputable is Simeone’s managerial record at Atletico.

He has taken charge of Atletico Madrid on 786 occasions, recording 465 wins, 170 draws and 151 defeats across more than 14 and a half seasons at the helm. It makes him one of the longest-serving managers in world football.

Atletico offered Simeone his first big managerial job in European football when he was appointed in December 2011, his previous role on the continent having been to save Italian side Catania from Serie A relegation, following success in Argentina with River Plate and Estudiantes.

In that time, the club has been transformed. When Simeone first arrived, Atletico had just been eliminated from the Copa del Rey by third-tier Albacete and were 10th in La Liga, 21 points adrift of the leaders.

Yet under the Argentine coach, Atletico went on to win the Europa League in Simeone’s first season, before adding the Uefa Super Cup and the Copa del Rey in 2012–13.

From 2013-14 onwards, after winning their first title under Simeone, Atletico have qualified for the Champions League every season, twice falling to agonising final defeats at the hands of rivals Real in the space of three years between 2014 and 2016.

Competing on Europe’s biggest stage was no longer an achievement, it was considered the standard.

As Atletico supporter Guillermo Myela describes, Simeone changed the mentality of fans.

“We went from being ‘El Pupas – the jinxed ones’, to a club that can compete against Barcelona and Real Madrid without fear,” Myela says.

“The connection that he has with the club and the fans is something that you rarely see in modern football. He lives for Atletico Madrid.”

He is the most decorated manager of all time at the club and supporter Javier del Amo describes him as “one of the biggest icons in our history”.

“One of his biggest achievements is getting the fans identified again with the team,” del Amo says.

Lifelong supporter Dani Ruiz agrees: “He is the epitome of Atletico and what modern football has become.”

Anyone travelling soon has been told to check

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People with Irish passports are being urged to examine their passports ahead of the hectic summer holiday season. The Republic of Ireland’s Passport Service has unveiled its Don’t Be that Person campaign, highlighting situations such as “the groom missing his own stag do”, to prompt people to verify their passport remains valid before heading overseas.

Families with youngsters are being encouraged to submit applications early, given that processing times can be more protracted. Minister for Foreign Affairs Helen McEntee, alongside junior ministers Thomas Byrne and Neale Richmond, has recommended people make preparations well in advance of planned trips, especially those travelling with children.

“As we look forward to our summer holidays, it is vital to check that your passport is valid as soon as possible,” Ms McEntee said.

“As a parent, I understand how much preparation goes into organising travel with children, and ensuring your family’s passports are up to date avoids last-minute stress.

“Many parents may not realise that Passport Online can be used to apply for children of all ages, including newborn babies. Families can ensure a smooth start to their holidays by using Passport Online.”

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Mr Byrne stated online applications can be finished in under 10 minutes and can be accessed from any location worldwide. He noted that over 96 per cent of applicants now utilise Passport Online to submit their passport application, whether for a renewal or an initial request.

Mr Richmond stated that child renewals and first-time applications can require longer than typical adult renewals.

“Our advice is to ensure your documentation is prepared in advance,” he said. “When applications are complete, the Passport Service can process and issue passports quickly and efficiently.

“To avoid disruption to your holiday plans, send your supporting documents as soon as you complete your online application. Processing times begin only once the Passport Service has received all required documentation.”

The man died a few hours after being reunited with his wife one final time

The Air Corps and a team of doctors have been lauded for exceptional efforts that allowed a 96-year-old cancer patient to be reunited with his 94-year-old wife before he passed away.

The Co Donegal native had never been outside his home county and had never been away from his wife before he was transferred to Galway University Hospital (GUH) for a lung biopsy that could not be carried out in Letterkenny.

A case report published in the Hospice and Palliative Medicine International Journal noted that the man “started to die” in intensive care at GUH, and was “clearly distressed” by the fact that he was away from home.

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He knew that the journey from Donegal to Galway would be too much for his wife, and would likely take too long to ensure that she would be with him before he died, according to the Irish Mirror.

The report, which highlighted a number of cases in which exceptional efforts were made to fulfil patients’ wishes to die at home, said the Defence Forces agreed to airlift the man to Donegal on humanitarian grounds.

The palliative care team also secured a bed for him at Letterkenny University Hospital, where another patient volunteered to move to a trolley to make room for him.

The 96-year-old was accompanied on an Air Corps helicopter by a junior doctor, who kept him alert as he was afraid he would die before reaching his destination. All of the man’s family were waiting at the hospital to greet him, and cheered as he landed.

He passed away peacefully hours after his arrival in Letterkenny, according to the study, which was co-authored by Dr Dympna Waldron, a consultant in palliative medicine and professor at the University of Galway.

Another case concerned a man in his 40s, who was the father of three very young children. He was dying of cancer and it was his wish to die at home surrounded by his family.

However, he had a chest drain inserted to facilitate breathing, and this would have to be removed if he were to travel home. There was concern that he would not survive long enough without it to make the four-hour journey.

The National Ambulance Service was contacted and the Air Corps again agreed to airlift him on humanitarian grounds. “As the helicopter took off, they left the door open so the patient could feel the wind, having [struggled to breathe] for so long,” the authors said.

As they approached his home, “the whole town” had come out to greet him as the helicopter landed in a local football field, according to the report.

His wife contacted the palliative care team some years later to express how “vitally important” this effort had been for their children, who had been made to feel that their dad “mattered”.

The research paper said the case reports demonstrated the value of extra efforts made by healthcare professionals to achieve a wish that “lives on with families” and helps with the process of bereavement.

“In palliative care, end-of-life wishes are paramount and exceptional circumstances tend to live on in all our memories,” the authors wrote.

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For Morton, leaving his hometown club was a wrench. He had been at Liverpool since the age of five, rising through the academy to be hailed as one of the club’s brightest prospects after breaking into Jurgen Klopp’s side in 2021-22.

But after promising loan spells at Blackburn and Hull, opportunities dried up under Arne Slot and Morton found himself at a crossroads.

The decision to move abroad was not simply a change of scene, but a pivotal moment – a chance to expand his horizons and add new dimensions to his game.

“As soon as Lyon came in, there was nothing else on my mind,” says Morton, who moved to France after helping England Under-21s win the Euros. “It’s a massive club and the support here is incredible. It was always going to be a big challenge moving away from home but that’s what I wanted, and I felt ready. I wanted to show people I could be a leader and hopefully that’s what I’ve done.”

Morton arrived at Lyon at a time of significant uncertainty. France’s dominant force in the 2000s, they had fallen on hard times and were even provisionally relegated last summer due to their financial situation, only to be reinstated on appeal.

Several senior players, including Alexandre Lacazette, Rayan Cherki and Georges Mikautadze, left as part of a major reset, with younger, more affordable replacements brought in.

Picked up for just 10m euros (£8.7m), Morton wasted little time making his mark. He helped Lyon to victory at Lens on the opening weekend and was named man of the match on his home debut against Metz.

Everything went perfectly that day – except for his half-time interview, which left French broadcasters perplexed. “They couldn’t understand anything I said,” recalls Wallasey-born Morton, who speaks with a strong Liverpool accent. “The translator just laughed. I’m not used to doing interviews at half-time when the adrenaline’s flowing, so I spoke far too quickly.”

It was a light-hearted reminder of the adjustments required off the pitch but Morton has adapted quickly where it matters most. Previously more of a box-to-box midfielder, he has been entrusted with the role of a number six by Fonseca, taking responsibility for organising Lyon’s play from deep.

“The manager has given me the reins to play my football and I’m loving it,” he says. “There’s no better position than number six, getting on the ball constantly, finding passes between the lines and using my brain to dictate games. Paulo Fonseca’s an incredible manager. He’s helped me so much. I’ve discovered things I didn’t even know I had as a footballer.”

Students across Russia are reportedly being offered significant financial incentives to join drone units fighting in Ukraine, serving as both operators and engineers.

This recruitment drive is further evidenced by documents indicating that companies in Russia’s central Ryazan region have been given quotas to enlist workers for the army.

This intensified effort to replenish military ranks comes as Russian forces continue to make battlefield gains in Ukraine, now in the fifth year of the conflict, and as US-brokered peace talks remain on hold due to the Iran war.

The move suggests Moscow is diversifying its recruitment strategies, though the Kremlin has stated that a general mobilisation is not on the agenda.

Top officials also deny any shortage of recruits, despite Ukrainian claims – dismissed by Moscow – that Kyiv is eliminating Russian troops faster than they can be replaced.

Dmitry Medvedev, deputy chairman of the Security Council, told state media on Friday that Russia’s recruitment system, which offers substantial financial packages to volunteers, continues to deliver.

He claimed over 400,000 people signed up last year, with more than 80,000 joining so far this year. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov confirmed on Thursday that students are indeed being encouraged to join Russia’s drone forces, a new division of the armed forces established late last year at President Vladimir Putin’s behest.

Peskov added that the recruitment offer “applies equally to everyone – workers, students and the unemployed,” describing it as “a completely open offer, an offer to join a new type of unit.”

Russia’s move to target students – a process critics say has sometimes been accompanied by undue pressure – suggests that Moscow is keen to pour more skilled human resources into its drone forces which – like those of Ukraine – play an increasingly pivotal role in what has long become a war of attrition.

Drone operators from both sides typically work some distance from the front line but are regarded as high-value targets who are hunted down and killed if their positions are revealed.

The Far Eastern Federal University in Vladivostok is promising students who sign up for a minimum of one year extendable academic leave and a guaranteed exemption from any education fees on their return, plus free accommodation and grants. It is also pledging to cover the costs of any military equipment and weaponry needed.

That is on top of what, by local standards, is a substantial financial package: a first-year salary from 5.5 million roubles ($68,433), a one-off payment of 2.5 million roubles after free training, a monthly allowance of 240,000 roubles, and a one-off payment of 200,000 roubles from the university.

“This is not only an opportunity to prove yourself, but also a unique platform for social and career advancement, backed by unprecedented support measures,” the university said in a document published on March 19.

The Moscow State University of Civil Engineering is offering similar incentives, telling students in a statement on its website that they have the chance to become drone operators, engineers or technical specialists.

The Russian State Hydrometeorological University in St Petersburg is also encouraging its students to sign up. Its offer, published on its website, shows a drone operator promising payments from 7 million roubles ($87,000) per year.

There have been unconfirmed media reports that universities have been given recruitment quotas to meet and leaks suggesting that students – especially those who have failed exams or are indebted – have sometimes faced undue pressure to sign up, such as being threatened with expulsion if they do not.

Reuters was unable to independently confirm that and the Russian Defence Ministry and universities say signing up is entirely voluntary.

The drive to woo students coincides with a new billboard recruitment campaign which shows a young drone operator with glowing eyes in hi-tech glasses under the title “the new indispensables.”

Meanwhile Pavel Malkov, the governor of the Ryazan region – which has a population of over 1 million – has ordered private and public companies to set recruitment quotas for workers to sign contracts with the army.

His orders, contained in a decree which was published on a government website and publicised by state media, said that companies with up to 300 workers should provide two army recruits, companies with up to 500 employees three recruits, and companies with more than 500 workers five recruits.

The decree did not say what punishment, if any, companies would face if they failed to meet the quotas.

June Bunyan, 37, and Jonathan Renteria, 25, had welcomed a baby girl weeks before the murder.

A man has pleaded not guilty to a new indictment charging him with murdering his Scottish wife June Bunyan in the US.

June, 37, who is originally from the Isle of Arran, was found dismembered in her apartment in Los Angeles, California, on September 11 last year. Her husband Jonathan Renteria, 25, was charged with her murder four days later.

The couple had welcomed a baby girl just weeks before the murder.

Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office revealed yesterday Renteria has been indicted on one count each of murder and mutilation/disinterment of human remains, along with a new count of misdemeanor child abuse.

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Authorities allege Renteria killed June, who had moved to the US to work as a lawyer. She was last seen alive on September 4.

The following day, Renteria was seen on his way to drop off the couple’s one-month-old child at his parents’ house while carrying trash bags filled with unknown contents.

Renteria — who was later found in a nearby hotel room suffering from a bloody arm injury — allegedly confessed to killing his wife during an argument in their Franklin Avenue apartment about her weight.

He was ordered to remain behind bars without bail and will appear at a Los Angeles courthouse on June 2 for a pretrial hearing, according to the District Attorney’s Office.

June set up a paralegal service after she moved to LA – but her ultimate aim was to pass the US bar exam so she could practise law in California. Shortly after she started her relationship with Renteria, June filed a restraining order against him citing domestic violence. That claim was later dropped.

Officers discovered June’s torso with missing limbs. The autopsy says the cause of death was traumatic neck injuries and that June suffered approximately 10 “sharp force injuries.”

Her family have since launched a fundraising bid to cover a legal fight to bring her baby to Scotland.

June’s daughter Regina remains in the US with Renteria’s parents. Her family have launched a custody battle to bring her baby home to Scotland but need £40,000 to foot the legal costs.

June’s mother Jill, who still lives on Arran, previously said she wants the details about what happened to her daughter in the public domain. She visits June’s grave in Arran nearly every day and says she finds comfort speaking to her daughter.

Paying tribute, she said she wants her daughter to be remembered as “very beautiful, very intelligent, very funny, humorous, crazy, kind, loving, passionate”.

Jill added: “I know we’re never going to get her back, ever, but I just need to know what happened to her. June deserved better. Way better.”

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WASHINGTON (AP) — Iran shooting down two American military aircraft marks an exceedingly rare assault for the U.S. that has not happened in more than 20 years and shows the Islamic Republic’s continued ability to hit back despite President Donald Trump asserting it has been “completely decimated.”

The attacks came five weeks after U.S. and Israeli strikes first pounded Iran, with Trump saying earlier this week that Tehran’s “ability to launch missiles and drones is dramatically curtailed.”

Iran shot down a U.S. F15-E Strike Eagle fighter jet Friday, with one service member getting rescued and the search still underway for a second, U.S. officials say. Iranian state media also said a U.S. A-10 attack aircraft crashed after being hit by Iranian defense forces.

The last time a U.S. fighter jet was shot down in combat was an A-10 Thunderbolt II during the 2003 U.S. invasion of Iraq, said retired Air Force Brig. Gen. Houston Cantwell, a former F-16 fighter pilot.

But, he said, that’s because the U.S. had largely been fighting insurgents who didn’t have the same anti-aircraft capabilities. The fact that there have not been more fighter jets lost in Iran, Cantwell said, is a testament to the capabilities of U.S. forces.

“The fact that this hasn’t happened until now is an absolute miracle,” said Cantwell, who served four combat tours and is now a senior resident fellow at the Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies. “We’re flying combat missions here, they are being shot at every day.”

Shoulder-fired missile likely used, experts say

U.S. Central Command said in a statement Wednesday that American forces have flown more than 13,000 missions in the Iran war while striking more than 12,300 targets.

After more than a month of punishing U.S.-Israeli airstrikes, a degraded Iranian military nonetheless remains a stubborn foe. Its steady stream of strikes against Israel and Gulf Arab neighbors have been causing regional upheaval and global economic shock.

When it comes to American dominance over Iran’s airspace, there’s still a distinction between air superiority and air supremacy, said Behnam Ben Taleblu, Iran program senior director at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, a hawkish Washington think tank.

“A disabled air defense system is not a destroyed air defense system,” he said. “We shouldn’t be shocked that they’re still fighting.”

American planes have been flying missions at lower altitudes, which makes them more vulnerable to Iran’s missiles, Taleblu said. It’s possible that Iran fired at the F-15 with a surface-to-air missile, but it’s more likely that a portable, shoulder-fired missile was used, he said. Those are much harder to detect and reflect how Iran is “weak but still lethal.”

“This is a regime that is fighting for its life,” he said.

Mark Cancian, a retired Marine colonel and a senior defense adviser with the Center for Strategic and International Studies, agreed that a shoulder-fired missile was likely used against the fighter jet.

Nonetheless, the American air war against Iran has been a “tremendous success” so far, he said.

To put things in perspective, he said the loss rate for American warplanes flying over Germany during World War II was 3% at one point, which would equal about 350 warplanes in the U.S. war against Iran.

“But then there’s the political side — you have a American public that is accustomed to fighting bloodless wars,” Cancian said. “Then a large part of the country doesn’t support the war. So to them, any loss is unacceptable.”

Pilots are trained on what to do if their plane is hit

The last U.S. jet shot down in combat was struck by an Iraqi surface-to-air missile over Baghdad on April 8, 2003. The pilot safely ejected and was rescued, according to the Air Force.

In high-threat environments like missions over Iran, Cantwell, the retired general, said an aviator’s blood pressure goes up and they become highly alert to incoming missiles. Those are typically either infrared- or radar-guided missiles, he said, requiring different evasive tactics.

If they are hit and need to eject from their aircraft, they are trained on what to do next, he said.

Pilots learn to check for wounds after a violent ejection and the shock of a missile explosion and, most crucially, how they are going to communicate their location so rescuers can find them.

At the same time, he said, the enemy is likely working to intercept the communications or even spoof the location.

Helicopters are more at risk than other aircraft

The planes that went down Friday were not the first crewed American aircraft to be lost overall in Iran.

A military helicopter and airplane exploded in 1980 during an aborted mission to rescue several dozen American hostages at the U.S. embassy in Tehran, according to the Air Force Historical Support Division.

After a series of setbacks, including severe dust storms and mechanical failures, the mission was called off. As the aircraft took off, the rotor blades of one of the RH-53 helicopters collided with an EC-130 aircraft full of fuel and both exploded, killing eight.

More U.S. helicopters have been shot down in recent decades, including a MH-47 Army Chinook helicopter that was struck by a rocket-propelled grenade in Afghanistan in 2005, killing 16. Helicopters are more dangerous because “the lower and the slower, the more susceptible you are,” Cantwell said.

That’s why those who went out on this week’s rescue missions, likely in helicopters, he said, did “such a brave and honorable act.”

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Bedayn reported from Denver.