The teams come into the BetMcLean European Play-Off final at Windsor Park in very different shape

Rodney McAree admits Dungannon Swifts’ gruelling end-of-season schedule is taking its toll but he’s optimistic about finally getting the better of Linfield on Tuesday night (7.45pm).

The teams come into the BetMcLean European Play-Off final at Windsor Park in very different shape.

The Blues have been idle since losing their final league game to Cliftonville on April 25, whereas the Swifts faced three testing challenges in the space of seven days.

They had to dig deep to beat the Reds by that same scoreline at Solitude on Saturday, having beaten Carrick Rangers in the first round, which was hot on the heels of losing a thrilling Irish Cup final to Coleraine.

It’s been breathless stuff for the Tyrone club, but boss McAree was heartened by the resolve his players showed when up against it in the semi-final.

“I thought, to be honest, there was a stage in the second half where we looked a wee bit dead on our feet but we managed to find a little bit of a second wind,” he said.

“Maybe it was a third or fourth wind we found at that stage but we found another breath and we got going again.

“It’s one more game to go to get into Europe, and we couldn’t ask for a much tougher task.

“We just have to find a way and we have to go again.

“We knew it was going to be a tough schedule for us in terms of getting over the line.

“We’ve won two big games, Carrick at home and we’ve come to Cliftonville, which is a very, very tough place to come to.

“We have to challenge ourselves, I think we can go all in against a team that we haven’t beaten all year and try to turn them over in a one-off occasion.”

Among the aches and strains in the Dungannon squad, Gael Bigirimana is the biggest question mark for tonight’s game.

The midfield talisman was named to start against Carrick but pulled out after picking up an injury in the warm-up.

He then wasn’t in the squad for the Cliftonville semi-final, and remains doubtful to face Linfield.

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Panicking Labour MPs are looking north for a route out of the electoral doldrums as Keir Starmer battles to retain his grip on power after the local elections bloodbath

‘When the herd moves, it moves.’

That was how Boris Johnson described his own MPs turning against him when he was forced out of power in 2022. And once again, we find ourselves watching MPs try to decide whether to commit regicide as Keir Starmer’s grip on power is tested to breaking point.

Things are moving quickly, and the outcome is not at all certain. But the mood appears to be shifting towards Andy Burnham, the mayor of Greater Manchester, as panicking MPs look north for a route out of the electoral doldrums.

Backbencher Catherine West’s kamikaze bid to trigger a leadership contest looked like it could derail his chances. But she appears have bowed to pressure, and is now calling on the PM to set out a timetable for his departure.

Plenty of MPs are talking about this timetable idea. Read between the lines and what they really mean is ‘give Burnham time to get back to Parliament’.

READ MORE: Angela Rayner speech in full as she gives scathing verdict on Burnham rulingREAD MORE: All the Labour MPs calling for Keir Starmer to quit including former ministers and senior MPs

The Greater Manchester Mayor has rare popularity with voters at a time when almost every politician is viewed negatively by the electorate. But he faces significant hurdles before he could consider a leadership bid.

Labour’s rulebook says only MPs can stand in a contest – and Burnham doesn’t have a seat. His attempt to run in the Gorton and Denton by-election in February was blocked by Labour’s ruling National Executive Committee (NEC).

So he needs to find an MP willing to stand down and trigger a by-election in a seat where he can win. Then he needs the NEC to rubberstamp his nomination. Mr Starmer still holds sway over the NEC but he may not have the power to block his rival this time around.

Former Deputy PM Angela Rayner has said Burnham must be allowed to stand, which has been echoed by senior figures like Lisa Nandy and Sadiq Khan.

Burnham would still need to win the seat – no easy task with Reform and the Greens breathing down Labour’s neck. And then he would need to get 81 MP backers to even enter a leadership contest. He is not universally popular in Labour ranks, and has already made two unsuccessful bids to lead the party.

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Starmer has made it clear he would fight any challenger, and he would automatically be on the ballot as leader of the Labour Party. There are also other potential successors to contend with, most notably Rayner and Wes Streeting.

Rayner has thrown her weight behind Burnham’s return to Parliament, and the pair have met privately in recent weeks. She is still waiting for the results of an HMRC probe into her tax affairs after she admitted to underpaying tax on her seaside flat.

But I have heard whispers from MPs who would have backed her who fear this may be too big an obstacle to overcome – even if HMRC clears her. She could decide to row in behind Burnham, but she is keeping her counsel for now.

And then there’s Wes Streeting. Speculation has been at fever pitch that the Health Secretary could move early to block Burnham from a contest. But his camp told me that he doesn’t intend to pull the trigger.

This could still fizzle out. Downing Street hopes the PM can cling on through this turbulence, and deliver a King’s Speech that brings MPs back together.

The longer his rivals hesitate, the better a position he will be in. But the threat from the King in the North won’t go away.

It comes amid growing US involvement in the South American country following the capture of former president Nicolas Maduro

Donald Trump is reportedly “seriously considering” making Venezuela the 51st state of America.

The US president is believed to have raised the prospect during a conversation with Fox News correspondent John Roberts.

“Just got off the phone with @realDonaldTrump … he told me he is seriously considering a move to make Venezuela the 51st state…” Roberts wrote in a post on X.

Trump has repeatedly aired the notion of the South American nation becoming part of the US in a string of comments made throughout the 2026 World Baseball Classic, reports the Mirror.

He initially broached the subject after Venezuela defeated Italy 4-2 in the tournament semi-final in March, writing on Truth Social: “Good things are happening to Venezuela lately. I wonder what this magic is all about? STATEHOOD, #51, ANYONE?”

The following day, after Venezuela shocked the US in the tournament final, Trump seemed to reinforce his position by simply posting: “Statehood!!!”

The remarks emerged against a backdrop of escalating US engagement in Venezuela following the detention of former president Nicolas Maduro.

Trump ordered air strikes in Venezuela during the early hours of Saturday, 3 January, before American forces apprehended Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores at their Fort Tiuna military installation in Caracas, subsequently transporting them to the US.

Without providing proof, Trump alleged that Maduro had been “emptying his prisons and insane asylums” and “forcing” inmates to relocate to the US. He additionally held Maduro responsible for the surge of narcotics – particularly fentanyl and cocaine – entering the US. Maduro is currently detained at the Metropolitan Detention Centre in Brooklyn, where he is facing multiple charges, including Narco-Terrorism Conspiracy.

Throughout his second term in office, Trump has issued threats to seize control of several other nations and territories, including Greenland and Canada.

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Jarrod Bowen stood over the ball by the corner flag. There was so much going on in the penalty area as he delivered a cross.

A melee ensued before Callum Wilson blasted a shot over the line. Salvation for the Hammers? Enter the video assistant referee, Darren England.

You cannot blame the VAR for taking his time. This was such a huge moment with five potential fouls buried among the bodies.

Whatever decision England made was going to be the subject of intense scrutiny.

Let’s break it down step-by-step, consider the potential fouls and what the VAR would be looking for.

Soucek on Havertz

In the chronology of fouls, this was the first potential incident.

The two players were at the near post, with Kai Havertz in front facing the ball. Tomas Soucek was climbing over the back of the Germany international.

As the ball was in the air, the Arsenal forward ended up on the floor with Soucek on top of him.

The VAR will take into account that the players were not in the area where the ball was going to land – Havertz was not going to be prevented from playing it.

That Soucek was was facing the ball goes in his favour, too.

All in all, the VAR would have allowed this to go.

Odegaard on Tobido

A straight-forward situation to judge.

Both Martin Odegaard and Jean-Clair Todibo were engaged in mutual holding. When this is the case no one party is judged to be committing an offence – essentially, they are both as bad as each other.

Odegaard had an arm round the waist of the West Ham attacker, who had his arm around the Norway international’s shoulder.

Trossard on Pablo

The battle between Leandro Trossard and Pablo started just outside the six-yard box as the ball was kicked.

They were both holding on to each other at first before Pablo tried to make a run towards goal.

This was when Trossard, with his back to the play, grabbed Pablo around the waist.

Based on what we have seen this season, it was not enough for a penalty as Pablo was able to move to the flight of the ball and was not dragged down.

However, this was the incident which may have been of most interest to the VAR outside the foul on Raya.

Pablo on Raya

After moving into the six-yard area under pressure from Trossard, Pablo engaged with David Raya.

Crucially, he did so in a way which impeded the goalkeeper from being able to claim or play the ball.

Pablo had his arm directly across the Spain international, and was holding the goalkeeper’s left arm with his hand.

This restricted Raya in two ways. His right arm was pinned down by Pablo’s left biceps, and his left forearm was being held too.

For the VAR, this clearly impacted the goalkeeper’s ability to play the ball.

Tobido was pulling the back of Raya’s shirt, too, but it was Pablo committing the crucial foul.

Rice on Mavropanos

Declan Rice had his arms around the waist of West Ham‘s Konstantinos Mavropanos.

There was the potential for this to be a penalty, as it was a clear non-footballing action.

However, it happened almost simultaneously with Pablo’s challenge on Raya.

The foul which had the material impact on the passage of play was prioritised.

And that was Raya’s attempt to play the ball.

Richard’s family said he “spent his whole working life on the railway, where he was a mentor to many”

The family of a man who died in a crash between a car and a lorry has paid tribute to him. Richard King, 45, died when a white Xpeng G6 he was driving was involved in a crash with an HGV at about 11.50am on Wednesday, May 6.

It happened on the eastbound carriageway of the A1139 Fletton Parkway in Peterborough, near the exit from the A1(M). Richard, who was from Fletton was pronounced dead at the scene. His family has described him as “loving father, son, brother, and friend to many” who was loved “so much”.

His family has released the following tribute to him: ” “Richard was a loving father, son, brother, and friend to many. He spent his whole working life on the railway, where he was a mentor to many.

“He was, however, at his happiest watching his beloved Arsenal with his two sons, Jack and Thomas. We will miss Richard more than words can do justice. His kindness, patience and strength left a lasting impression on everyone he encountered. We loved him so much and losing him will hurt forever.”

Police are appealing for information and dashcam footage from anyone who may have witnessed the crash or the vehicles in the moments leading up to it. Anyone with information should contact police online at www.cambs.police.uk/report quoting Operation Braddock. Those without internet access are asked to call 101.

ITV’s Dr Amir Khan has shared his shift work health advice

A GP has issued a stark warning about working patterns, claiming humans are “not designed” for a particular type of schedule. According to the medical professional, shift work can have serious consequences for both physical wellbeing.

During a recent episode of his podcast No Appointment Necessary, Doctor Amir Khan offered guidance for those working shifts. Dr Amir, who is widely recognised from his appearances on ITV, stated: “Our bodies are not evolved to do shift work.

“Shift work is a modern thing that’s been thrust upon us – part of capitalism that has been thrust upon us that sees us more as functional units, rather than actual human beings.” He outlined how the human body isn’t built to cope with the irregular nature of shift patterns.

“So there is no easy answer to shift work, your body’s not designed to do shift work, your body’s not designed to stay up all night one week and then work days the next week,” he added. “You know I did a year and a half of A&E and I was doing shift work and I was trying to get sleep where I can but it is hard.”

Among his recommendations was getting rest “when you can”. He explained: “And I genuinely do not have the answer to that apart from sleeping when you can. It is always better to get into a rhythm and some people really like working nights and then sleeping through the day and having the day to do the stuff that they might want to do as well later on.” He ideally suggested maintaining consistent shift patterns.

Dr Amir explained: “If you can work consistently one shift for a period of time where your body can get into a rhythm that is better than switching and changing all the time but natural daylight, if you’re missing that that has its benefits as well.

“So it’s pros and cons, the long and short of it is, we’re not designed to do shift work.” The video’s caption on the podcast’s Instagram post stated: “Shift work might be normal… but it’s not natural.

“Dr Amir Khan explains why constantly switching between nights and days can seriously affect your body, sleep and health.”

The health dangers

His guidance is backed up by experts at UCLA Health in the United States. On its website, the organisation highlighted that shift work can have a “long-term” effect on health and wellbeing.

They stated: “The biggest health challenge facing shift workers is the interruption of circadian rhythm – your body’s physical, mental and behavioural processes that follow a 24-hour cycle. Circadian rhythms are influenced mainly by light and darkness.

“Shift work – especially at night – often disturbs the body’s systems regulated by circadian rhythm, including the sleep/wake cycle. The more years you work a shift schedule, the higher your risk of chronic health issues.”

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These health problems include:

• Cancer
• Cardiovascular disease
• Gastrointestinal disorders
• Mental health disorders
• Metabolic disorders such as obesity, metabolic syndrome and type 2 diabetes

UCLA stated: “According to research, night-shift workers are three times more likely to suffer from a shift-related sleep disorder than people who work a day shift. Recognising the signs and getting treatment for a sleep disorder may help you avoid associated physical and mental health issues.”

What action to take

The UCLA team suggested that shift workers should concentrate on the following:

• Eating habits: consume high-quality, whole food wherever possible, and avoid eating between midnight and 6am to maintain typical eating patterns.
• Sleeping better: implement sleep strategies tailored for shift workers that suit your personal needs, work schedule and home circumstances
• Maintaining relationships: Share at least one meal with your family each day. Set aside time every week to connect with friends, either face-to-face or through video chat

“With filming just underway on season four of The White Lotus, it had become apparent that the character which [White Lotus showrunner] Mike White created for Helena Bonham Carter did not align once on set,” a spokesperson said at the time.

“The role has subsequently been rethought, is being rewritten and will be recast in the coming weeks.”

Asked if he had any insight about his co-star and fellow Brit’s exit on the TV Baftas red carpet, Steve told Deadline: “That was… I mean… that was… it sort of like… it just went in a different direction.”

“Sometimes you find that something isn’t working the way you want it to, in terms of, like, the character, and the sort of dynamic of the whole story,” he continued. “So that was just a mutual decision.”

He added that the “whole part was rewritten from scratch” when Oscar winner Laura Dern joined the cast.

Last week, Variety published a piece claiming that Mike White had originally intended for Helena to play a “washed-out star who is chasing a comeback”.

Citing undisclosed “sources”, Variety’s article alleged that the Harry Potter star left The White Lotus due to “creative differences”, notably Mike White wanting her to play the character in a more “boisterous” way.

1) Chewing gum

2) Popcorn

3) Dragonfruit

4) Apples

5) Pears