Wayne Rooney, Daniel Sturridge and Theo Walcott all praised Arsenal striker Viktor Gyokeres for his role in taking the Gunners to the Champions League final.

Arsenal defeated Atletico Madrid 1-0 at the Emirates Stadium to record a 2-1 win on aggregate and reach their first Champions League final in 20 years.

Gyokeres was the main target man for the Gunners and it was his run in behind which kickstarted the move that led to Bukayo Saka’s winning goal.

Sturridge spoke highly of Arsenal’s ‘drive’ and ‘tenacity’ throughout the game but picked out Gyokeres as ‘best player’ on the pitch tonight.

“Myles Lewis-Skelly was brilliant, he was controlling the tempo and position of the play, [Declan] Rice was excellent.” Sturridge said. “[Viktor] Gyokeres, for me, was the best player for Arsenal.”

He went further by explaining: “He caused so many problems, took the stress off the defence. You launch it up top and you’re thinking can it stick? Can he get hold of it for us? Can he advance us up the field? He did it all for them.

“Those are the performances that define top players, he’s been questioned all season for the goals and all these types of things but the performance he put in tonight was a clear reason as to why he signed for the football club.”

Walcott was impressed with how Gyokeres worked the central defenders into different positions and made things difficult for them.

He built on Sturridge’s thought by adding: “He ran into the channels all day and as a centre-half you don’t really want to go out there. He takes players into positions where they’re uncomfortable. The centre-halves today will never have a harder game, ever.”

Rooney praised the ‘dirty work’ Gyokeres has done throughout the season and how his impact on the match played its part in Arsenal reaching the European final.

“He’s been under pressure this season, and he’s maybe not as pleasing on the eye as some of the other centre forwards around the world but what he does is all the dirty work,” Rooney said. “That’s so important to the team and he didn’t get his goal tonight but he played a massive role in Arsenal winning this game.”

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta had the final word: “He was immense. You could see the reaction of the crowd. His work-rate and what he does in the team is incredible.”

Reform UK leader Dan Thomas is the only one of the main political leaders in Wales who hid away from the chance to answer questions

Dan Thomas was named the leader of Reform UK on February 5, 2026. Within days of him being appointed, questions were asked about where he lived and whether he had an address at Wales at all, or whether he was living in Bath.

In a bid to stem those questions, his spokesperson suggested a cup of tea at his home. Despite numerous requests, and more than two months on, that hasn’t happened.

Over the past few days, WalesOnline has been running interviews with the leaders of Wales’ biggest political parties. All the parties were initially approached on the same day, in January. All five other leaders agreed to provide time to be interviewed, with the exception of Mr Thomas.

The idea was for pieces that would show how the leaders’ backgrounds and shaped their politics. Labour’s Eluned Morgan met us at the Church of the Resurrection in Ely, where she was brought up. Plaid’s Rhun ap Iorwerth spoke about his approach to migration and populism, Darren Millar of the Conservatives told us how his faith had influenced his politics, the Lib Dems‘ Jane Dodds refused to say almost anything about her relationship with the party leader Ed Davey, which tells you far more than she’d have wanted. And we spoke to the Green Party’s Anthony Slaughter about the hot water his own party leader has got himself into.

But Reform UK’s Dan Thomas? Nothing. Since that offer of a cup of tea at his home, we have repeatedly asked Reform UK’s spokesperson to confirm a date. We have repeatedly been assured, in person, and via messages with their spokesman, it would be set up.

Mr Thomas did attend our WalesOnline leaders hustings, along with members of his team, where he took questions from you, our readers, along with the five other major political leaders. He has appeared on numerous other debates too.

We checked when he attended our event that the leader interview we would be set up, and were assured it would be.

When we made clear the interviews would be running this week, we asked Reform UK to explain why, and no response came to that question either.

The main role of a journalist, and particularly a political journalist in an election, is to hold those in power to account.

We had lots of things to ask Dan Thomas. About his previous record in Barnet Council, about his switch from the Tories, about his leadership style, about his hopes for his time in the Senedd, if he is elected on May 7.

We would have asked him, if it was this week, about Arron Banks, about the Reform UK candidates who have left the party or quit their hopes for election, in some cases by issuing scathing remarks.

We also wanted you, our readers, to get to know the man who could soon have a key role in politics in Wales. He is a man who could soon be putting his name forward for a vote in the Senedd about being elected as the First Minister of Wales and we know remarkably little about him.

When a candidate puts their name on the ballot paper, they are asking people to vote for their politics, yes, but them as a person.

Dan Thomas is a candidate in Casnewydd Islwyn, the people of that constituency deserve to know about him, the people of Wales more broadly do, given his rise to prominence in Welsh politics.

It goes without saying, our offer to Dan Thomas remains, we take our tea with milk, no sugar.

You can read the other interviews here:

Established in 1867 as The Bolton Evening News, the publication has a distinguished record of serving the community.

It was Britain’s first community evening halfpenny newspaper, with only the Shipping Gazette, published in South Shields, predating it among evening titles.

Today, The Bolton News remains one of approximately 40 daily newspapers still in circulation in the UK, reflecting the resilience of regional journalism amid an evolving media landscape.

While print continues to play a central role, the organisation is adapting to shifting audience habits, particularly the growing prominence of social media and video platforms as primary news sources.

Regional Editor for Newsquest North West, Richard Duggan, said: “The Bolton News has been at the heart of this community since 1867, and this new YouTube channel is a natural next step in how we tell Bolton’s stories.

“While our commitment to print and the written word digitally remains strong, we know more people are now discovering news through video and social platforms.

“By investing in video reporting, we’re making our journalism more immersive, more accessible, and better suited to how some audiences live today.

“It’s about taking the stories of Bolton beyond the page, reaching new audiences, and ensuring local journalism continues to thrive for generations to come.”

Recent content on the new YouTube channel includes behind-the-scenes footage from an interview with Graham Wilson at Gilly’s Antiques.

Every video will be paired with a full article on The Bolton News website, allowing readers to explore each story in greater detail.

Operating under the username @BoltonNewsNewsroom, the channel is in its early stages, with a small but growing subscriber base.

Despite its recent launch, it has already attracted more than 11,000 views.

The initiative represents a strategic step towards reaching wider audiences and amplifying Bolton’s stories on a global platform.

To find out more, visit: www.youtube.com/@BoltonNewsNewsroom

Available for over a year

Today, US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth says the US-Iran ceasefire “is not over”, despite attacks in the Strait of Hormuz on Monday.

Donald Trump’s “Project Freedom” aims to use the US military to guide stranded cargo ships out of the Strait of Hormuz. But, Iran insists that it controls the strait – and yesterday fired missiles and drones at military and commercial ships, according to the US. Adam is joined by chief presenter Caitriona Perry and business editor Simon Jack.

And, Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has said “every part of society” has a responsibility to tackle antisemitism in the UK at a summit in Downing Street. It comes after the stabbing of two Jewish men in Golders Green and a string of attacks at synagogues and other Jewish sites in recent months. Adam and Alex speak with special correspondent Lucy Manning.

You can now listen to Newscast on a smart speaker. If you want to listen, just say “Ask BBC Sounds to play Newscast”. It works on most smart speakers.

You can join our Newscast online community here: https://bbc.in/newscastdiscord

Get in touch with Newscast by emailing newscast@bbc.co.uk or send us a WhatsApp on +44 0330 123 9480.

New episodes released every day. If you’re in the UK, for more News and Current Affairs podcasts from the BBC, listen on BBC Sounds: https://bbc.in/4guXgXd

Newscast brings you daily analysis of the latest political news stories from the BBC. The presenter was Adam Fleming. It was made by Jack Maclaren with Anna Harris. The social producer was Gabriel Purcell-Davis. The technical producer was Ben Andrews. The assistant editor is Chris Gray. The senior news editor is Sam Bonham.

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Chaos erupted near the end of Arsenal’s Champions League semi-final second leg tie against Atletico Madrid, as Diego Simeone appeared to push Gunners chief Andrea Berta

Diego Simeone appeared to PUSH Arsenal sporting director Andrea Berta near the end of the Gunners’ Champions League win against Atletico Madrid on Tuesday.

Atletico manager Simeone cut a disgruntled figure on the touchline as his team tried to find a late leveller at the Emirates Stadium. And the Argentine’s frustration boiled over when ex-Atleti chief Berta, who worked alongside Simeone for more than 12 years in Madrid, tried to get the attention of referee Daniel Siebert.

As the clock ticked into the fifth additional minute in stoppage-time, Berta wanted Siebert to blow the full-time whistle, and it’s safe to say that Simeone was far from pleased with the Arsenal man. Indeed, Simeone came charging across from his technical area to confront an animated Berta before pushing him back.

There will be more to follow on this breaking news story and Mirror Sport will bring you the very latest updates, pictures and video as soon as possible.

Please check back regularly for updates on this developing story. Follow us on Google News, Flipboard, Apple News, Twitter, Facebook or visit The Mirror homepage.

A court heard how both siblings were running their own illegal operations

A man has joined his older brother in prison after being convicted of the same offence. Both Ryan Tucker and Nathan Tucker were running their own cocaine dealing operations from the family home in Port Talbot, and were both sourcing their supplies from Merseyside.

A judge at Swansea Crown Court told Ryan Tucker that as he approaches his 30th year he needs to decide whether he is going to continue to offending or turn his life around.

Nathan Tucker is already serving a six year and nine month sentence after police found a kilo block of coke on top of his wardrobe which had been sent ‘special delivery’ from Merseyside.

Georgia Donohue, prosecuting, told the court that on August 29, 2024, police operating in Port Talbot town centre saw what they believed to be a “drugs exchange” taking place on Gwyn Terrace.

She said one of the males – subsequently identified as the defendant’s brother Nathan Tucker – was then seen to run to a nearby property.

As a result of what they had seen, officers decided to search the house and they arrested Nathan Tucker. While officers were in the middle of the search the defendant Ryan Tucker returned to the Tucker family home.

What officers found during the search of the property was detailed in October 2024 when Nathan Tucker was sentenced to six years and eight months in prison for being concerned in the supply of cocaine.

On that occasion the court heard officers found a machete behind a sofa in the living room, tubs of benzocaine – a common cutting or mixing agent used in drug deals – sets of weighing scales, and a parcel on top of a wardrobe containing a one-kilo block of compressed cocaine which had arrived in Port Talbot the previous day sent Special Delivery from Liverpool.

Miss Donohue said it was the prosecution case Ryan Tucker had his own drug supply operation which was separate from his brother’s.

The court heard that on September 7 police returned to the Tucker family home to arrest Ryan Tucker, and seized his phone and £3,125 in cash. The defendant refused to reveal the PIN for the phone, and said the money officers found was from the sale of cars.

Tucker answered “no comment” to all questions asked and was released under investigation. For the latest court stories sign up to our crime newsletter

The court heard that despite Tucker’s refusal to reveal his PIN, officers were able to gain access to the device and found messages relating to the supply of cocaine and amphetamine in a range of deal sizes over the previous 12 months.

In some of the messages Tucker referred to selling cocaine on behalf of Scousers and to owning the Merseysiders money.

The prosecutor said police encountered Tucker again on Boxing Day last year police when they received reports of a crashed and damaged VW Golf in Port Talbot. When officers arrived they found Tucker at the wheel of the vehicle “covered in cocaine”.

A search of the car uncovered almost 40g of cocaine and almost 100g of cannabis. Tucker was taken to hospital and subsequently placed in a medically induced coma for a period.

The court heard that the 27-year-old defendant’s phone was seized and officers found multiple Snapchat conversations between Tucker and others about the buying and selling of cocaine and cannabis.

Ryan Tucker, of Gwyn Terrace, Port Talbot, had previously pleaded guilty to being concerned in the supply of cocaine, amphetamine and cannabis when he appeared in the dock for sentencing. He has 23 previous convictions for 56 offences including violence, driving matters, acquisitive offending, and possession of cannabis.

Caitlin Brazel, for Tucker, said it was clear from her conference with the defendant that “he now appreciates the enormity of what he had done” and understands he is facing a significant custodial sentence. She said Tucker had a “rather unstable upbringing” and said after the loss of a brother in 2020 his life went on a “downward spiral” which saw him “battling nightmares, addiction, and mental health issues”.

Judge Geraint Walters said the evidence showed Tucker had been involved in distributing drugs for a Liverpool gang “in a not insignificant way” and that after being arrested and released under investigation had returned to dealing.

The judge told Tucker that as he approaches his 30th year he needed to decide whether he was going to continue being “a nuisance” or was going to to try to turn his life around. He said the defendant could “put his follies of youth and offending” behind him or could continue on the path he was on, and said if he chose the latter course he may turn around one day and find his life has passed him by with little positive to show for it.

With discounts for his guilty pleas Tucker was sentenced to five years in prison. He will serve up to half the sentence in custody before being released on licence to serve the remainder in the community.

Neighbours have spoken of the moment a blast left two dead

A mum who died following a ‘grenade attack’ saved a the life of a child moments before the blast. A neighbour has told told how Joanne Shaw, 35, instructed the youngster to play outside in the garden when an argument erupted in the early hours of Sunday morning, The Mirror exclusively reveals.

Stuart Blanchard, who lives a few doors down, said: “I spoke to the guy who called 999 and he said the child was out on the trampoline. It will haunt [them].

“She probably told [the child] to go out there to get out of the way of them arguing. I was woken to her [Joanne] shouting ‘go away, go away’ and then there was this loud boom that shook my door and windows.”

He spoke hours after Avon and Somerset Police named Joanne and ex-partner Ryan Kelly, 41, as the two victims. The force said the couple had a history of domestic incidents and referred itself to the police watchdog.

Kelly, 41, who was previously convicted for being a foot soldier in a Breaking Bad-style drugs gang, allegedly arrived at Joanne’s home with a grenade and detonated it on the doorstep.

Neighbour Stuart continued: “The partner’s [Kelly’s] gone there in a mental state. It wasn’t Jo’s house, it was her parent’s, she just lived there. She had split up with him and I think she moved there to escape from him.”

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He added: “Another friend said he saw the police giving Jo CPR but when the explosives team arrived they had to leave in case there were more explosions. It was awful for them. I used to see Jo most mornings when I was walking the dog, she was a lovely woman.”

Police rushed to the terrace home in the Frenchay area of Bristol at 06:17am on Sunday morning, after reports of a domestic incident. The explosion happened just after 06:30am.

A friend of Joanne’s mother told the Mirror she instinctively knew the blast was something to do with Ryan Kelly. “I’m afraid I just knew it had to be him because of what’s gone on with him before,” she said.

“I haven’t spoken to my friend since it happened and I can’t begin to think how she’s coping with this. It’s just terrible when bad men do bad things.

“She [Joanne] was the loveliest, kindest lady and she didn’t deserve this. The family doesn’t deserve it. I shouldn’t think they’ll ever want to come and live back here. [Joanne and Ryan’s] relationship wasn’t good – I don’t know why he would have done such a terrible thing.”

Neighbour Michael Gwyther, who recognised Kelly, said: “I just heard a blast, I thought someone was trying to kick through the door. They have been quiet recently. It was frightening and it set the dog right off.”

Another local, Kwestan Ahmed, added: “I heard screaming and shouting’ but I’m not sure if it was them or the police. I thought the bang was a car crash, I’d never never think it could be a bomb.”

Kelly was locked up for five years in 2015 after admitting conspiracy to supply cocaine for a crystal meth gang masterminded by a 78-year-old battling cancer.

The trial at the time heard how the OAP ran the plot from prison despite his illness and recruited a self-taught chemist to set up a lab and make the highly addictive drug crystal meth.

He formed a UK-wide team, that included Kelly, who obtained a kilo of cocaine and planned to sell it for £60,000 so they could buy chemicals and equipment from the Netherlands needed to manufacture the drugs.

The case was compared to US TV show Breaking Bad where high school chemistry teacher Walter White starts making crystal meth to raise money after he is diagnosed with lung cancer. But unlike the fictional version, the real-life plot was busted before they could start work after undercover police bugged their cars.

Avon and Somerset Police Superintendent Matt Ebbs said: “We know people will be shocked and upset to learn of the horrendous events that happened on Sunday morning.

“Jo’s death has been officially recorded as a homicide based on the information known to us at this time. We are not looking for anyone else in connection with her death.

“We know everyone’s thoughts and sympathies will be with her devastated family. Specially-trained officers are providing them with updates and support.

“We recognise there is significant interest in what happened, but at the centre of it there are many people grieving and we would please ask everyone respects that and gives them the privacy they want.”

“Police activity continues to be carried out at the property in Sterncourt Road and we expect this will take several days to be completed.

“We would like to reassure the public there is not believed to be any wider risk to safety and this is not being treated as terrorism-related.”

​Over the bank holiday weekend, several posts in Scarborough-related social media groups suggested that the Marks & Spencer store in Scarborough town centre would be shutting down.

​One such post, which stated “It’s closing! Scarborough town is dead” above a photograph of the department store at 8 Newborough, attracted more than 300 comments from concerned members of the public.

​However, on Monday, May 5, a spokesperson for the retailer confirmed that the shop will remain open.

​The spokesperson told the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS): “There are no plans to close the store.”

​They added: “We will share any updates if plans change.”

Newborough, Scarborough. Google Maps

​Many who commented on the erroneous social media post correctly highlighted that there was an absence of information to back up the claim about the store’s supposed closure.

​One social media user commented “not sure this is fact”, while another added “fake news”.

​Hundreds of commenters said they were worried about the future of the town centre businesses and highlighted the closure of other shops in Scarborough town centre in recent years.

​Last year, the retailer Next was given permission to expand its Seamer Road premises as part of the closure of its town centre site.

​Commenting on Facebook, one user said: “Why does everything have to be out of town retail parks? If, like me, you don’t drive, they are always hard to get to on public transport.”

​It comes as dozens of people have objected to proposals for a major new ‘retail destination’ and drive-thru at Filey Road in Scarborough.

​​Scarborough has the highest town centre vacancy rate in the county at 18.6 per cent, followed by Malton at 17.1 per cent, while Whitby has a vacancy rate of just 7.6 per cent, according to a council report.

​In March, North Yorkshire Council launched a pilot project that could force businesses in Scarborough to let out their vacant properties as part of a plan to improve economic performance.

​​The scheme will see the introduction of new powers that allow local authorities to require landlords to rent out “persistently vacant commercial properties to new tenants such as local businesses or community groups”.

It is a possibility that passengers and crew will be taken into a ‘period of quarantine’

Brits stuck on a cruise ship linked to a suspected hantavirus outbreak will have to wait on board for a number of days.

It comes after three passengers of the MV Hondius died following the suspected outbreak, according to the World Health Organisation (WHO).

Three others are ill, the WHO said in a statement to The Associated Press. A British passenger and a British crew member are among those taken ill in the suspected outbreak on the Dutch-flagged cruise ship.

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On Tuesday afternoon (May 5), Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer issued a statement on social media, claiming that plans are being made for the “safe onward travel” of Brits on the ship.

The vessel is currently off the coast of Cape Verde, where it is hoped the medical evacuation of a British crew member, along with a Dutch colleague and a passenger, will take place.

In an update on Tuesday, tour operator Oceanwide Expeditions said there is still not an “exact timeline” for when the medical evacuation to the Netherlands will happen.

But the ship will move on once the evacuation has taken place, with at least three days sailing to the Canary Islands, the company said. One expert said that once the ship docks it is likely the remaining passengers and crew will be assessed and then “be taken into a period of quarantine”.

It comes as health authorities investigate the source of the virus, with some suggesting there could be a “mixture” of transmission, including close contact between passengers.

Experts said it is likely that initial infections were acquired off the ship with suspected human-to-human transmission among those with “really” close contact such as people who have shared a cabin.

Sir Keir said: “My thoughts are with those affected by the hantavirus outbreak onboard the MV Hondius. We are working closely with international partners to support British nationals on board and we’re putting plans in place for their safe onward travel.

“The risk to the wider public remains very low – protecting the British people is our number one priority.”

Some 19 British nationals were listed as passengers on the ship, which was sailing from Argentina to Cape Verde, with four British crew members.

Passengers are confined to their cabins while “disinfection and other public health measures are carried out”, the World Health Organisation (WHO) said.

The crew members are said to need “urgent medical care” after having acute respiratory symptoms, according to Oceanwide Expeditions.

Meanwhile the British passenger struck down by hantavirus is “understood to be improving” but remains in intensive care in Johannesburg after being medically evacuated on April 27.

A total of seven suspected cases have been identified – including three deaths. Two of these cases have been confirmed as hantavirus.

Dr Maria Van Kerkhove, from the WHO, said: “As of today, seven individuals of the 147 passengers and crew have been reported ill, sadly, three have died.

“One patient is in intensive care in South Africa, although we understand that this patient is improving while two patients are still on board the ship and are being prepared for medical evacuation to the Netherlands for treatment.”

Medical teams from Cape Verde are providing support to the ship and have taken personal protective equipment (PPE) on board while health authorities investigate the source of the outbreak.

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Dr Van Kerkhove: “The initial patient and his wife joined the boat in Argentina. And with the timing of the incubation period of hantavirus, which can be anywhere from one to six weeks, our assumption is that they were infected off the ship, perhaps doing some activities there.

“This was an expedition boat, and many of the people on board were doing bird watching, they were doing a lot of things with wildlife. So our assumption is they were infected off the boat and then joined the cruise. However, we do believe that there may be some human-to-human transmission that’s happening among the really close contacts – the husband and wife, people who have shared cabins, etc.

“So again, our assumption is that has happened, and that’s why we are operating and working with the ship to make sure that anyone who is symptomatic, anyone caring for patients, is wearing full personal protective equipment. The medical personnel who have boarded the boat have brought additional PPE as well.

“But hantaviruses don’t typically transmit that way – it’s really a rodent infection.”

A Dutch passenger died on board the ship on April 11. On April 27, the wife of the passenger died, and authorities confirmed a variant of hantavirus. On May 2, a German passenger on board died, though the cause has not yet been confirmed.

Hantavirus infections, which are usually spread by infected rodents’ urine or faeces, can lead to severe respiratory illness and can sometimes be fatal. While it is rare, hantavirus infections can spread between people, according to the WHO. There is no specific treatment or cure, but patients have a better chance of survival if they receive medical attention early.

Mark Fielder, professor in medical microbiology at Kingston University London, said: “With the current understanding of the ongoing infection and the likelihood that stringent infection control measures are being implemented on board the vessel, it is likely that further ongoing transmission will be limited.

“The isolation of infected patients, regular handwashing, monitoring of close contacts, and the application of infection control measures will all be critical to limiting and halting onward spread of the disease.

“Once the ship docks it is likely that arrangements will be made for the remaining passengers and crew to be medically assessed and then be taken into a period of quarantine and monitoring to ensure the control of any infection and provide early medical intervention where needed.”