The rebranding of the US war effort could see the US President skirt his way around a law that requires US Congress to approve further combat operations if they were to resume
Rachel Vickers-Price UK and World News Reporter
00:04, 13 May 2026
The US is considering renaming its war with Iran should its tenuous ceasefire collapse, it has been revealed. The renaming could also allow US president Donald Trump to argue that the 60-day clock that requires US congress’ authorisation for war does not need to be restarted. America’s 1973 War Powers Resolution requires the President to notify Congress within 48 hours of starting combat. If not, US troops must either be withdrawn within a 60-day period, or Congress must give the green light for continued military action. Operation Epic Fury’s offensive against Iran was put on pause after 40 days. Considering that pause, the Trump administration has argued that conflict has therefore not reached the 60-day threshold for Congress approval.
A number of US officials have told NBC that discussions about possibly changing the name from Operation Epic Fury to “Operation Sledgehammer”, indicate just how seriously America is considering restarting its offensive. The US-Iran war came to and ‘end’ in early April when the ceasefire began, according to the Trump administration, along with an end to Operation Epic Fury. The Trump administration also told US Congress the same thing. However, the Pentagon has continued to describe its conflict with Iran as ‘Operation Epic Fury’. It has also continued to provide updates to the public on its efforts in the Middle East, with one Pentagon official telling the NBC that Operation Epic Fury has, in fact, continued. The ceasefire merely just pressed pause on major combat operations, the Pentagon official said. A White House official also told NBC that any new offensive against Iran would be conducted under a new name and operation. This would restart the clock with Congress, the person familiar with discussions in the White House added. Additionally, Operation Sledgehammer is not the only name under consideration, they added.
The potential name change comes a week on from comments made last week by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who told the press last week Operation Epic Fury was “over”. “The President notified Congress, we’re done with that stage of it,” he said in a briefing at the White House “Operation Epic Fury is concluded. We achieved the objectives of that operation.” The U.S. and Iran have exchanged fire in recent days as Iran has halted ship passage in the Strait of Hormuz and Trump continues a blockade. Trump is still considering various options for reopening the strait and breaking the stalemate as he expresses deep scepticism that diplomatic talks with Iran will succeed, one of the U.S. officials said, adding that the president has not ordered the U.S. military to restart major combat operations. “The blockade is giving decision space without major combat operations or putting a lot of folks at risk,” the official said. “The status quo will not persist.” On Sunday, Iran presented the US with its latest proposal to end the war through a mediator. Trump quickly denounced the plan on social media, declaring it “TOTALLY UNACCEPTABLE!”
Trump said on Monday his qualm with the peace offering is that he insists that Iran cannot have a nuclear weapon, which immediately weakens Iran’s ceasefire offer. The US President added on Monday: “I would call it the weakest right now, after reading the piece of garbage they sent us, I didn’t even finish reading it, they said — I’m not going to waste my time reading it. I would say it’s one of the weakest right now.” He then described the ceasefire as being on its last legs. Trump said: “I would say the ceasefire is on massive life support, where the doctor walks in and says, ‘Sir, your loved one has approximately a 1 per cent chance of living.” A spokesperson for the Pentagon directed inquires to the White House. The White House didn’t respond to a request for comment. The Mirror has also approached both, to no reply.
Ask an incoming tourist what the country’s big visitor draws are, and they may well say Buckingham Palace, the Tower of London, Stonehenge, Thorpe Park or even Legoland
The best attractions in England this year have been crowned, and the winners may come as something of a surprise.
Ask an incoming tourist what the country’s big visitor draws are, and they may well say Buckingham Palace, the Tower of London, Stonehenge or even Legoland.
The victory comes off the back of a win at the Visitor Attraction of the Year at the 2026 Suffolk and Norfolk Tourism Awards, so Jimmy’s is clearly having a good year.
The wildlife park is owned by TV star and conservationist Jimmy Doherty, who has presented programmes on both Channel 4 and the BBC. He is best known for the show Jimmy’s Farm, which details the operation of the Essex Pig Company that he and his wife Michaela Furney own in Suffolk.
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The park aims to be a centre of excellence for British rare breeds while also housing animals like camels, primates, tapirs and crocodiles. Lions and a tiger were added as recently as October 2025.
The real draw that put the place on the map was the acquisition of polar bears. Jimmy’s Farm built Europe’s largest facility for the species, called “the Lost Lands of the Tundra,” housing rescue polar bears alongside brown bears, Arctic foxes, grey wolves, reindeer and red-breasted geese. The bears are even visible from the train window on the London–Ipswich line.
Getting from London to Ipswich by train takes about an hour from Liverpool Street, but the lack of a bus from Ipswich station to the park is an issue some have confronted. Most visitors end up getting a taxi, which costs around £13 each way. The zoo itself is only part of the site; there are also shops and a restaurant in the farm area, and you can leave and re-enter the zoo with your receipt.
Jimmy’s Farm has 1,800 five star reviews on Tripadvisor, out of 2,400 in total.
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“What a great day out, a well thought out place, extremely conducive and focused on giving the animals the best possible environment to flourish and feel comfortable in their habitat,” one happy customer wrote.
“Some beautiful woodland walks, plenty of things to do for children aside from seeing the animals, beautifully situated in the centre of the park, away from the majority of animals. Plenty of choice around the park for eating, whether you want a snack or something more substantial, as well as numerous picnic areas if you bring your own food.”
The winners were announced at the annual event hosted by journalist and broadcaster Sean Fletcher on 3 June at Aerospace Bristol.
Coming in second place in the Large Visitor Attraction of the Year rankings was Bletchley Park in Buckinghamshire, where visitors can learn about the code-breaking geniuses who were instrumental in helping the Allied Forces win WWII.
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It is clearly a year for farms. The bronze award was handed to Attwell Farm Park in Worcestershire, a family-run petting farm where Pedigree Aberdeen Angus cattle, sheep, goats, pigs, chickens and ducks are all ready to nibble some feed from your hand.
Gold, Silver and Bronze were awarded in 17 categories selected from 21 local awards. They ranged from ‘Regenerative Tourism Award’ to ‘Accessible and Inclusive Tourism Award’ and from ‘New Tourism Business of the Year’ to ‘Self-Catering Accommodation of the Year’.
Tourism Minister Stephanie Peacock said: “I am delighted to see so many businesses across England being recognised for their outstanding work, helping to make people’s stays as enjoyable and memorable as possible.
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“From hotels and pubs to glamping, museums and experiences, these awards are a real testament to those striving to ensure our tourism industry remains outstanding. Our upcoming Visitor Economy Growth Strategy will provide a clear, long-term plan to unlock investment, back businesses and showcase more of our great destinations to the world.”
VisitEngland Director Andrew Stokes added: “The awards are a celebration of England’s outstanding tourism industry and an opportunity to highlight the excellence that makes it world-leading.
“From a hands-on, traditional blacksmith’s visitor experience in the Midlands and a castle hotel and spa set in one of our national parks to accessible and inclusive holidays, these awards showcase the exceptional quality, unparalleled customer service and innovation that drive our industry.
“I congratulate the wonderful range of first-class award recipients, all of whom are so passionate about tourism. They are all deserving winners.”
On Thursday morning, Downpatrick Magistrates’ Court heard that the officer remains in hospital, and is “seriously unwell”, having sustained a broken wrist, a crush injury to a leg which they cannot put weight on, injuries to the head, cuts and abrasions, and is in “a great deal of pain”.
Dr Waldman added: “To build this scenario, we brought together a wide range of international marine and energy datasets, from national targets and spatial plans to seabed depths, wind and wave records, existing infrastructure and projected turbine technologies, to create a realistic picture of what current ambitions might mean in practice.
Simon has visited some of the most remote places o Earth, and has trouble with his broadband
Neil Shaw Assistant Editor
10:58, 04 Jun 2026
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Adventurer Simon Reeve says he has taken extreme steps to get connected to the internet, including scaling scaffolding outside his home. The writer and presenter has travelled to some of the most remote places on earth, including the Arctic, the Congo Rainforest and the Kalahari Desert.
But despite being based in the UK, he is one of millions of Brits living in homes unable to access full-fibre broadband. Slow and unreliable Wi-Fi is the UK’s biggest pet peeve, according to new research by Vodafone. Nearly a quarter rely on hot spotting from their phone every day.
Simon said: “I’ve travelled to some of the most remote places on earth, and I know just how important it is to stay connected. Even at home in Devon I’ve had to resort to wandering around a field, sitting on scaffolding and even banning my son from streaming to combat slow Wi-Fi.”
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55% admit taking work calls in unusual spots, including the garden, the car, and even the bathroom when signal dips. For many, losing internet access has meant abandoning the working day altogether, with 18% saying they logged off for the rest of the day.
A Vodafone spokesperson added: “Slow or unreliable broadband is still a daily frustration for millions of people across the nation, whether they live in a remote hamlet or the middle of a busy city. Our research shows just how much it impacts people’s lives.”
Vodafone is launching 5G Broadband, which could benefit around 3.7million houses in the UK who can’t yet access full fibre.
The developer said the jobs ‘will provide a trickledown effect on other businesses’
07:03, 04 Jun 2026Updated 10:40, 04 Jun 2026
Two new drive-through units which could create up to 40 jobs have been proposed for a business park in a Cambridgeshire town. They will be next to a planned new Lidl store in Ramsey as part of the wider Ramsey Gateway project which was granted outline permission in 2020.
Consent to display nine freestanding signs and seven illuminated fascia signs was also sought by the applicant, Burney Estates Development Ltd, for plot 9A of the development.
Daren Burney, managing director of Burney Estates, said the company specialises in drive-throughs, with 76 across the country.
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He said they hope the project will “regenerate and revitalise the area” and hope to get shovels in the ground soon after a decision is made.
He said: “We don’t cut corners, we ensure our service and buildings are high-quality moving forward.”
A design and access statement submitted by Dovetail Architects said the new units would “utilise under-used vacant land, provide employment opportunities and create an economic boost to the local area”.
They said that up to 40 full and part-time jobs “are likely to be created by the proposals once operational,” adding: “This increase in work force will provide a trickledown effect on other businesses in the area, helping to boost the local economy.”
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They said the second unit will house a drive-through restaurant but the tenant is yet to be confirmed. Around 46 car spaces are proposed, including eight charging bays for electric vehicles and five spaces for blue badge holders, and secure storage for bicycles.
Pre-application meetings were held with Huntingdonshire District Council and following this a number of changes were made.
The Starbucks was rotated and repositioned “to ensure primary glazing and active frontages address key views” and “provide a stronger corner feature improving visual prominence and legibility”.
The design of the other drive-through was also changed and a second entrance added “to reflect natural pedestrian desire lines”.
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Both units were also shifted north to allow for a “meaningful landscape buffer” and other landscape enhancements to reinforce “the rural edge character”.
The council aims to make a decision on the application before Wednesday, June 17, 2026.
Morgan Burtwistle, known as Angry Ginge, has over one million subscribers on YouTube
Jessica Sansome TV and Celebrity Editor and Husna Anjum Senior Live News Reporter
11:29, 04 Jun 2026
The winner of I’m a Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here tearfully revealed his mother’s pets died in a house fire, but said ‘mum’s ok, that’s what matters’. Morgan Burtwistle, known as Angry Ginge, first revealed that a fire had broken out in his mother’s house on Tuesday (June 1).
The Salford based celebrity shared a video from inside, saying the property ‘burned down’ as he appeared at Soccer Aid for UNICEF on Sunday (May 31). In the video posted to his Instagram Story, the 24-year-old was seen wearing a face mask and rubber gloves as he examined the devastating damage to the property.
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In a new update according to ManchesterEveningNews, he revealed his mum wasn’t home at the time as she was with him in London, getting ready to watch her son in the huge charity football match. He said it was the first time in weeks she had stayed away from home, and that usually Soccer Aid would take place at a later date, possibly saving the incident being any worse.
But the I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here winner confirmed the heartbreaking loss of his mum’s two cats and a rabbit. Discussing how he found out about the fire, he said on his Twitch stream on Wednesday (June 3) evening: “I was woken up by a phone call off of my mum but my sister answered it.
“I thought, ‘Well, that’s a bit, that’s a bit strange!’ Obviously, my sister, very emotional… She actually used the phrase, ‘Mum’s house has blown up’.
“Instantly, I thought, ‘What the hell? Okay?’”
He went on: “I got sent a picture of the kitchen, etc., and it generally does actually look like it did. The actual shell of the house is still standing but…”
Angry Ginge then emotionally shared: “My mum had two cats and a rabbit in the house. They obviously didn’t survive, so rest in peace, Simba, rest in peace Herbert, and rest in peace Sparky.
“They didn’t make it out which is obviously really, really sad. Unbelievable cats and rabbits, they were… Obviously, I lived with him when I live with my mum in Bacup.”
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He then began to break down in tears as he showed pictures of the animals. “I mean, the main thing is that my mum is obviously, she is okay… If my mum was in the house, she wouldn’t have made it out,” he added.
“I suppose that’s the fortunate thing. She weren’t there, ’cause she was obviously in London for Soccer Aid.
“That’s how bad it was. That was the thing, the hardest to think about and deal with.”
The social media star went on to share: “I almost feel as though there was someone looking down that night,” before explaining that he and his mum will document the process of rebuilding the beloved home on his YouTube channel.
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“I’m not looking to make money off it before anyone goes there,” Angry Ginge commented. “The insurance is gonna pay out, any money made off the videos, I’ll give to a homeless charity in Manchester.
“I’m not trying to make any money off it at all. But I just feel as though the state that the house is in, and to see the development of what we’ve had to go through, what it looks like now, and to where it’s gonna end up, I think, would be something cool to document.
“I’m gonna make sure that that is gonna be the best house, my mum. ever, ever has, or ever lives in.”
While they are yet to found out how the fire started, he also shared: “I’ll never sit here and say I’m religious or anything like this, but what I will say is, out of those eight weeks, this is the only night she didn’t stay at the house. This is the only night she didn’t stay at the house.
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“Okay? And there’s so many things that happened. Soccer Aid’s never normally that week.
“Soccer Aid could have easily been in Manchester, which meant she’d be in the house. So, yeah, I just thank God, I did pray, I did pray, I thanked whomever it may be.
“But, yeah, it’s absolutely mental. And then, obviously, I said, my mum can live there… But, yeah, thank the Lord that my mum’s okay.
“That’s the bigger picture. Mum’s okay, and that’s what matters.”
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Parling’s introduction was, as he described, a “whirlwind”.
He left the final Lions Test as Australia forwards coach on the Sunday and was coaching Tigers by the Wednesday. The unpacking of boxes in his new home, I discovered last week, still hasn’t been fully completed.
He set about changing the way Leicester played, along with attack coach Pete Hewat.
Inspired by watching Aussie Rules during his time down under, he prioritised kicking accuracy, asking players to try to catch the ball above their head under the high ball.
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Before last week’s round of action, they had the most kicks in play and kicked the most metres in the league.
More than that, though, was the sense that Leicester have been entertaining to watch.
Fans at Mattioli Woods Welford Road are used to entertainment by bulldozer. Grit, character and, above all else, victory. They have seen 11 English titles and two European Cups, but the Tigers brand was never based on beauty.
Now, they are playing with fluidity. Marshalled by Billy Searle at 10 (more on him later), and backed up by lightning-quick wings Adam Radwan and Ollie Hassell-Collins, they are now confident to throw the ball wide and play from deep in their own territory.
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“We’ve never seen Leicester do this,” said Tom Varndell, a former Tigers wing and BBC Radio Leicester summariser. “They are playing with freedom; they are backing their skills.
“Under Geoff Parling, they’ve got a licence to play heads-up rugby. You need a good set-piece and forward dominance, but behind that, they needed more. It’s like looking at a completely different team.”
That’s not to say Tigers haven’t lost that nastiness that has defined them. Their pack is still brutish, highlighted by a punishing takedown of rivals Northampton Saints last month.
It was even demonstrated in Parling’s somewhat controversial viral moment earlier this season, when he told TNT presenters their behaviour “wasn’t on”, but in much more fruity terms, when a ball was kicked near the players during their pre-match warm-up.
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It highlighted Leicester still have their edge, but there’s more depth to their approach.
“I think it’s pretty clear that there’s an intent to be more expansive and more accurate,” Tigers and England full-back Freddie Steward told BBC Radio Leicester.
“The traditional DNA is gritty, tight rugby. We still have that, but we have tried to add an attacking mindset to that.”
Possibly the biggest change over the summer was not the coaching team but a loss of leadership.
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Veteran Argentina hooker Julian Montoya, double World Cup-winning South Africa fly-half Handre Pollard, and club legends Ben Youngs and Dan Cole – numbers one and two on the all-time England appearances list – were among the players to depart, either for pastures new or into retirement.
Tigers saw over 500 international caps depart in total. More than that, though, the exiting players were the team’s leaders.
A member of the coaching staff told me, in September, that they were unsure if there were leaders in the new-look team.
They needn’t have worried.
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Step forward the Class of 2019 (as nobody calls them). Players like Steward, Jack van Poortvliet, and club captain Ollie Chessum. All of them came through the academy at the same time and have now become the backbone of the team.
“It is a really young squad,” said 26-year-old Cameron Henderson, another who is part of their new leadership group. “It blew my mind when someone said I was above the average age of the squad.
“We’ve had to roll with it and step up; it’s been a really fun part [of the season] to mould the team around what we want. We’re leading the team and pushing it forward.”
He defended Trump in a range of cases. These included his federal prosecution for allegedly withholding classified documents after his first presidency, and over alleged attempts to overturn his 2020 election loss. Both of those cases were dropped after Trump won the 2024 election, as it is DOJ policy not to prosecute sitting presidents.
Another hot spell could reach the UK in just days, raising temperatures to a scorching 30C as the Met Office warned more heatwaves could be on the way this summer
More heatwaves could hit the UK in the coming months, with the Met Office warning of a potentially scorching summer – as UK weather maps showing highs of 30C in just days.
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The next hot spell could affect a large chunk of the country by Wednesday, June 17, with temperatures potentially reaching 30C in London, according to maps from forecaster WXCharts.
The south east, south west and Midlands are also set for widespread highs of 28C or more. The Met Office has warned in its latest three-month outlook that chances of a hot summer are higher than normal, with “an increased chance of heatwaves and heat-related impacts”.
The forecaster says warming UK climate conditions, along with a likely El Niño weather phenomenon, are driving its outlook for June through August.
The climate pattern – caused by rising waters in the Pacific Ocean – has the potential to turbocharge heat across the planet, raising fears of more extreme weather hitting the UK.
The Met Office previously warned there is growing confidence El Niño conditions could strengthen significantly, with some experts comparing the developing system to some of the most powerful weather events ever recorded.
June itself is tipped to be warmer than usual, although Atlantic weather systems are expected to bring showers and longer spells of rain at the start of the month.
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Mid-June could see more settled conditions develop, with higher pressure bringing drier and sunnier weather for many parts of the country, and temperatures likely to sit above average overall.
A “few notable high temperature spikes” are also possible according to MeteoGroup.
They add that “above-average temperatures” are expected for June, July and August, as well as “significant bursts” of heat in the UK and across Europe.
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Met Office scientist Dr Emily Carlisle said: “This spring highlights both the natural variability of the UK’s weather and the longer-term warming we are observing. While conditions varied through the season, all three months of meteorological spring recorded mean temperatures within the UK’s top ten warmest on record.
2While we expect fluctuations from year to year, this spring shows some of the changes we’re seeing in our weather patterns, with more extreme conditions becoming more frequent. The fact that nine of the ten warmest springs in England have occurred since 2007 illustrates this ongoing shift in the UK’s climate.”
The supermarket chain is undergoing a major restructuring of its logistics operations, which will see more roles replaced or redefined by automated and robotic systems.
Part of Asda’s George clothing online operation will be relocated and consolidated at a single warehouse in Derby, operated by DHL, as part of wider company changes.
About 1,250 staff are expected to transfer to the new site under TUPE regulations, but only 250 roles will remain, leaving a significant number of positions at risk.
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UK supermarket rankings in 2026
An Asda spokesperson said the company remains focused on supporting affected staff through the transition and exploring alternative roles where possible.
The move will see operations consolidated from three separate distribution sites in Northamptonshire, Staffordshire and the North East.
Retailers across the UK are increasingly turning to automation and robotics to improve efficiency and cut costs.
The GMB union has criticised Asda’s plans, warning that the shift toward automation is leading to substantial job losses across the industry.
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The changes are part of a wider turnaround strategy at Asda as it looks to strengthen performance and modernise its operations following a period of declining market share.
In a Reddit discussion, one user said: “No way this will result in cheaper goods; all it will do is result in more profit.”
Another commenter added: “How many of those robots will be spending their wages in their local community I wonder?”
A commenter said: “Robots are going to utterly decimate jobs such as taxi drivers, delivery drivers, warehouse picking/packing, etc.
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“I wouldn’t be surprised if this happens within the next five years.”
Not all responses were negative.
Another user wrote: “This is what an increase in productivity looks like. This is a good thing.”
However, others pushed back.
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One person said: “I’m not sure the people losing their job, or those unable to find one will agree with you.
“We already know that poverty results in an increase in crime.
“Put 2 and 2 together and this looks great for the execs and shareholders, and has an awful knock-on effect for everyone else.”
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