The leader of Taiwan’s largest opposition party arrived in China at the invitation of Xi Jinping on Tuesday for a “peace mission” at a time of increased military tensions between the self-governed island and the mainland.
Cheng Li-wun’s trip marks the first visit by a Kuomintang (KMT) leader to China in a decade, although Beijing is yet to confirm whether the Chinese president will definitely meet her.
Cheng said at her party headquarters in Taipei she had embarked on a “historic journey for peace”, but added that some people feel uneasy about the visit. “If you truly love Taiwan, you will seize even the slightest chance, every possible opportunity, to keep Taiwan from being ravaged by war,” the KMT chief said in defence of her visit. China sees Taiwan as its own territory and has not ruled out reunification by force, if necessary.
The trip, which comes just weeks ahead of US president Donald Trump’s May visit to Beijing, has sparked concerns among the Taiwanese people who anticipate a territorial conquest by China sometime in the near future. The threat of invasion has been a major concern for Taiwanese president Lai Ching-te’s administration as well.
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Kuomintang chairperson Cheng Li-wun shakes hands with Song Tao (R), Director of the Taiwan Work Office of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council in Shanghai Hongqiao International Airport (Central News Agency (CNA)/AFP)
Lai, viewed as a separatist figure by Beijing, has called for ramping up Taiwan’s defence capabilities and bolstering the self-governed island’s defence budget, drawing lessons from multiple conflicts around the world, including the Russia-Ukraine war.
The Cheng-led opposition bloc, which dominates parliament, has also been accused of blocking a $40bn special defence budget since November 2025, which Lai has been pushing for to bolster Taiwan’s military muscle against China’s People’s Liberation Army.
Before leaving for China, Cheung said: “So I would rather believe that all Taiwanese people hope this trip will succeed, because we can transform the most dangerous place in the world into the safest place in the world.
“I believe that through this journey for peace, everyone is even more eager to see the sincerity and determination of the CPC (Communist Party of China) Central Committee to use peaceful dialogue and exchange to resolve all possible differences between the two sides,” she added.
A protester delivers a speech as Taiwan’s main opposition Nationalist Party, or Kuomintang (KMT) chairperson Cheng Li-wun leaves for China (AP)
The Taiwanese official took a train to Nanjing, which hosts the mausoleum of Chinese revolutionary leader Sun Yat-sen. Sun, the father of the revolution that toppled China’s last emperor in 1911, died in 1925, and is a hero in China despite being the former leader of the Kuomintang, or Nationalist Party, defeated by the Communists in 1949.
The head of China’s Taiwan Affairs office, Song Tao, and Cheng “chatted cordially like friends” on the train, with the KMT leader calling her trip “especially rare and precious”, the party said.
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Cheng did not address the increasing military escalation from across the Taiwan Strait where China has been sending warplanes and naval vessels around the smaller island on a near-daily basis. China’s PLA forces have also recently staged two major military exercises around the island, with the most recent one in December, after the US announced arms sales to Taiwan and involved the deployment of air, naval and missile units for a joint live-fire drill.
The US State Department said PLA’s exercises “increase tensions unnecessarily” and called on Beijing to cease military pressure against Taiwan.
Late on Monday, Kuan Bi-ling, head of Taiwan’s Ocean Affairs Council, which runs the coast guard, posted a picture on her Facebook account of current Chinese warship deployments around the island – two off the east coast, and one each to the north, northwest and southwest.
“When you depart, you are doing so from within what they see as the ‘Taiwan cage’,” Kuan told reporters at parliament on Tuesday, referring to how China’s military has termed Taiwan’s planned T-Dome air defence system and talking about Cheng’s trip.
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Lawmakers in Taiwan slammed the visit, saying that the opposition leader is following the steps China wants her to. “From the fact that the accompanying journalists were chosen by China’s Taiwan Affairs Office, to the use of a Chinese aircraft, and even the uncertainty before departure over whether she would be able to meet president Xi, KMT chairwoman Cheng Li-wen’s visit to China was, from the moment she boarded the plane, locked into the ‘One China’ framework,” said Fan Yun, a lawmaker from the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP).
Cheng, she said, could very well be a model figure for Xi’s propaganda on “One China” policy.
The opposition, according to the lawmaker, is ignoring the obvious ground reality as public opinion polls in Taiwan show that support for unification has fallen below 10 per cent.
“The mainstream view in Taiwan is that Taiwan (Republic of China) and China (People’s Republic of China) are not subordinate to each other,” she tells The Independent, adding that while peace is “something all Taiwanese people support, but we learn from history that peace must be backed by strength”.
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Chinese flags fly on fishing boats in Tailu village, on the Chinese coast opposite Taiwan’s Matsu islands, in China’s southeast Fujian province on in 2024 (AFP/Getty)
Regional experts say the trip serves Cheng little but benefits China more.
“Cheng’s visit won’t fundamentally change China’s calculation and preparation for a potential reunification with Taiwan. For Beijing, her trip primarily serves propaganda and diplomatic signalling purposes,” says William Yang, the International Crisis Group’s senior analyst.
For Xi’s domestic audience, the visit will display the government’s progress on the mission of reunification with Taiwan, he says.
“Cheng’s remarks during the trip, which will focus on calling for peace and reiterating her opposition to Taiwan independence, will be amplified by Chinese state media to try to exacerbate division within Taiwan,” he says.
Some leading figures in her own party are also worried that her rhetoric during the trip could damage the party’s prospects in the local election in November. “Despite these criticisms and diverging views within her party, there are also some in Taiwan who view her trip as a necessary step to help reduce the level of tension across the Taiwan Strait,” Yang says.
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China will use the trip to demonstrate to the US “that there are still political leaders in Taiwan who are willing to conduct cross-strait exchange and pursue peace across the Taiwan Strait”, he says.
Directed by New Zealand dancer and choreographer, Parris Goebel, the three-minute video opens in a black and white striped room with the two stars on separate platforms on opposite sides of the frame – Gaga in a bright yellow wig and royal blue gown with Doechii in an oversized pink hat and black skirt frame or crinoline – with the two surrounded by brightly dressed dancers.
Administrators for the fashion accessories chain said that around 1,300 workers will be made redundant as a result.
The move does not affect the retailer’s 356 concessions, including many in Asda stores, and its head office.
It comes after private equity owner Modella Capital hired Kroll to oversee the administration earlier this year.
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A spokesman for Kroll said: “As of April 27, all Claire’s standalone stores in UK and Ireland have ceased trading.
“All store employees have been advised of redundancy.
“We understand an interested party is in discussion with a number of landlords with a view to taking new leases for some of the sites.”
Last August, Claire’s appointed administrators for its UK and Ireland business.
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The US parent firm for the high street retailer said at the time that it had filed a formal notice to administrators from advisory firm Interpath.
Interpath then confirmed Will Wright and Chris Pole had been appointed joint administrators for the firm.
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At the time, Will Wright, UK chief executive at Interpath, said: “Claire’s has long been a popular brand across the UK, known not only for its trend-led accessories but also as the go-to destination for ear piercing.
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“Over the coming weeks, we will endeavour to continue to operate all stores as a going concern for as long as we can, while we assess options for the company.
“This includes exploring the possibility of a sale which would secure a future for this well-loved brand.”
Will you miss Claire’s? Let us know your thoughts in the comments.
R&A chief executive Mark Darbon says that players guilty of on-course misconduct could receive a two shot penalty at the Open in July.
This follows a reprimand for Sergio Garcia at last month’s Masters where the Spaniard damaged a tee box with his club after an angry reaction to an errant tee shot on the second hole of his final round.
Scotland’s Bob MacIntyre was also warned by Augusta officials after microphones caught him swearing and gesturing angrily during a ruinous first-round 80 at the year’s opening major.
Both incidents brought player behaviour into sharp focus in a season where the four major tournaments, the Masters, US PGA, US Open and Open, have agreed to implement a new code of conduct.
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The leading professional tours are expected to follow suit, but unlike the majors, their policies have yet to be formalised.
There has always been scope for a player to be disqualified for a serious breach, as Garcia was for furiously damaging a green in a DP World Tour event in Saudi Arabia in 2019.
But now there is scope for referees to impose shot penalties for players who seriously breach the etiquette of the game. It means that, for the first time, a fit of temper could affect a leaderboard at one of golf’s big four tournaments.
“I think first and foremost, you want passion,” Darbon told BBC Sport.
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“You want passion from players, you want passion from spectators, but there’s a fine line, and one of the amazing things about this sport are the values and integrity that underpin it.
“So we will watch that line very closely. We, like many of the other major events, are looking to implement a new code of conduct policy that will be in place this summer here at Royal Birkdale.
“And it will give us another measure by which to help influence and control that behaviour.”
Asked how this might impact competitors at the 154th Open, Darbon said: “It will depend on the circumstance and a determination of what their actions may lead to, but you could well see a two-shot penalty, for example, being deployed.
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“We will clarify all of those details in the buildup to the championship.”
An oxygen bottle storage facility will be built at Scarborough Hospital after North Yorkshire Council approved the York and Scarborough Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust’s proposal.
The facility will be constructed out of galvanised steel in order to respond to “the arising requirement for oxygen bottles to be stored nearer to the hospital” at Woodlands Drive.
“The visual impact to the surrounding area will be minimised by the size of the store, which will be set behind two reasonably large pine trees that mostly conceal the store from views from the hospital’s medical education building,” according to a design statement submitted by the NHS Trust.
The application site is 183 square metres and consists of a patch of grass which is enclosed by a concrete duct adjacent to a couple of pine trees .
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“The proposed gas cylinder store would appear significantly subservient amongst the immediately adjacent pine trees and the nearby Medical Education Building,” the plan adds.
The existing public right of way will remain unaffected in terms of access to the car park, while a hard landscaped pathway from the drop kerb positions goes to the store.
(Image: Press.)
Council officers said the development was of an acceptable design and appearance in accordance with the principles of design.
Planners described the structure as “modest in scale, with a maximum height of approximately 2.4 metres” and added that it would “not give rise to any overbearing impact, loss of light, or overshadowing to neighbouring properties”.
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The application was approved by North Yorkshire Council, subject to conditions.
Today, the King has arrived to meet President Trump for the US state visit. His arrival comes as security concerns are heightened after a shooting during the White House correspondents dinner on Saturday.
The visit is also happening at a time when the Prime Minister is having trouble at home. Sir Keir Starmer is set to face a vote by MPs on whether there should be an inquiry over his claims about the vetting of Lord Mandelson.
What’s in store for the King and can the trip help ‘repair’ relations between the US and the UK, and Starmer’s image at home?
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Adam is joined by political correspondent Joe Pike, chief North America correspondent Gary O’Donoghue and royal reporter Sean Coughlan.
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
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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 Anna Harris with Shiler Mahmoudi and Molly Finlay. The social producer was Jem Westgate. The technical producer was Stephen Bailey. The assistant editor is Chris Gray. The senior news editor is Sam Bonham.
All Creatures Great and Small’s Samuel West, who plays Siegfried Farnon, and Anna Madely, known as the much loved Mrs Hall, took a break from filming the latest series to plant a sapling grown from the iconic Sycamore Gap tree in Northumberland in Grassington – where the popular drama is filmed.
It was planted at the Yorkshire Dales National Park Visitor Centre and the planting is part of a UK‑wide legacy project that will see saplings grow in all 15 National Parks.
Sam West & Anna Madeley with the new sapling (Image: Yorkshire Dales National Park)
Following the felling of the much‑loved Sycamore Gap tree in 2023, the National Trust carefully propagated cuttings, which have now been distributed to every UK National Park. The plantings form part of a coordinated initiative led by National Parks UK in partnership with the National Trust.
Each sapling is a direct cutting from the original Sycamore Gap tree, ensuring its story continues to grow in landscapes cared for by National Park teams, communities, farmers and landowners. The new trees will act as living reminders of a much-loved national landmark.
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Mark Corner, Member Champion for Natural Environment at the Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority said: “This new generation of trees reminds us that conservation is about our commitment to future generations. From one iconic tree to 15, its legacy will now grow in every National Park, and we are proud to play our part in this story of resilience and renewal here in the Yorkshire Dales.
Sam West & Anna Madeley planting the Sycamore Gap sapling (Image: Yorkshire Dales National Park)
“I would like to extend my sincere thanks to Sam and Anna for taking time out of their busy filming schedule to help us celebrate this landmark moment in the continuation of the Sycamore Gap tree’s legacy. Their involvement is especially fitting here in the Yorkshire Dales – home of ‘All Creatures Great and Small’ – a place long associated with compassion for animals, landscapes and rural communities. It’s a reminder of how deeply our stories, our places, and our care for nature are linked.
“The location at Grassington National Park Visitor Centre ensures visitors can watch the sapling grow in the heart of the National Park – a place where thousands begin their exploration of the Dales every year”.
Ronnie O’Sullivan’s exit earlier in the day was one of the biggest shocks of this year’s World Snooker Championship, but Judd Trump has followed the Rocket out
22:32, 27 Apr 2026Updated 22:36, 27 Apr 2026
No. 1 seed Judd Trump followed Ronnie O’Sullivan out of the World Snooker Championship. Earlier in the day, John Higgins came from behind to send the Rocket packing on a dramatic final leg decider.
Having trailed the seven-time World Champion by five frames at one point, Higgins put together a run of six frames in a row, before going on to edge him in a tense final frame. Not long after, Chinese youngster Wu Yize defeated four-time World Champion Mark Selby, who whacked his snooker cue against the table not long before Wu secured a 13-11 triumph – but the drama did not end there at the Crucible.
In the final evening session of the day, Iranian ace Hossein Vafaei enjoyed his finest day at the home of the World Snooker Championship by overcoming the No. 1 on a deciding frame. Despite scoring 208 points less than Trump, Vafaei was the one heading into the quarter-final.
The Cessna 208 Caravan lost communication while flying from Yei to Juba International Airport
Husna Anjum Senior Reporter and Tim Hanlon
22:13, 27 Apr 2026Updated 22:13, 27 Apr 2026
At least 14 people have lost their lives after an aircraft crashed and erupted into flames due to ‘poor weather conditions’.
The Cessna plane went down on the outskirts of South Sudan’s capital, killing all 13 passengers and the pilot, the civil aviation authority said.
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Preliminary reports indicate that the plane arriving from Yei town may have crashed due to weather conditions that affected visibility. The Mirror reports two Kenyans were killed with the rest of the victims of South Sudanese descent, according to the civil aviation authority.
The authority said a team was dispatched to the site about 12 miles outside Juba. The Cessna 208 Caravan, which was operated by CityLink Aviation, lost communication while flying from Yei to Juba International Airport.
Air traffic control is understood to have lost contact with the plane after 30 minutes into the journey which would have been a distance of around 80 miles. Videos of the crash site shared on social media showed remains of the aircraft in flames with the location shown appeared hilly and misty.
“All the bodies were charred beyond recognition,” reportedly said a member of a UN rescue team that was sent to the scene. Meanwhile, a US politician and a pilot were tragically killed in a fireball plane crash last weekend.
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Liz Conmy, a North Dakota state legislator, died after the plane went down in a suburban park shortly after take-off. The plane was seen plummeting down before exploding into flames.
Emergency services raced to the small park to find the wreckage engulfed in flames. It’s understood the plane had just left Crystal Airport on Saturday morning when it plunged down into a green space in Brooklyn Park, north of Minneapolis.
The North Dakota Democratic–Nonpartisan League Party, an affiliate of the national Democratic Party, confirmed Conmy’s death in a social media post, calling her a champion for public education, the environment, and transparency.
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“We are completely heartbroken and gutted by the loss of Representative Liz Conmy. Her death is a profound loss for our state,” the party said in a post on X.
Officers responded to a report of a small airplane crash at 11:51am and found an aircraft that had crashed and caught fire in a park in the city of Brooklyn Park, Minnesota, shortly after taking off, Brooklyn Park Police Inspector Matt Rabe said.
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Ronnie O’Sullivan faces calls to ban his preferred chalk (Picture: Getty Images)
Chalk controversy has descended upon the Crucible, as Neil Robertson calls for a ban on the brand used by Ronnie O’Sullivan.
It is an intensely nerdy snooker debate, but one that has changed the game in recent years since the rise to prominence of chalk brand Taom.
The Finnish company has become the preferred chalk brand of almost every player on the professional tour, but not the most famous.
O’Sullivan has remained loyal to Triangle, the more traditional chalk manufacturer, which used to be used by the majority of players.
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Most have moved over to Taom as it produces fewer kicks (unwanted poor contact between balls) and does not embed in the cloth as much as Triangle.
Looking at snooker matches now, there are far fewer chalk marks on the cloth, in fact they have been largely eradicated.
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O’Sullivan still uses it, though, as he did in defeat to John Higgins on Monday, but Roberson wants to see it banned from the sport.
O’Sullivan has stuck to his guns on his chalk (Picture: Getty Images)
‘I know he [O’Sullivan] is good friends with Damien Hirst, but it’s like he’s doing artwork with chalk all over the cloth.
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‘I don’t think he does it to put off anyone, he’s not that way inclined at all, but it’s not great. It’s hard enough to play Ronnie O’Sullivan, but he’s the only player, just about, on tour who uses that chalk. Hopefully they bring in a ban, but there’s only a couple of players who use it.’
Asked if he will genuinely raise a ban as a possibility, he said: ‘It’s something to bring up, because it can really ruin the game.
Neil Robertson insists players ‘hate’ dealing with Triangle chalk (Picture: Getty Images)
‘It’s not really fair for the players who aren’t using it. It can be used tactically if someone wanted to, which I don’t think should be allowed in the game.
‘Shaun [Murphy] and I were just having a littler chuckle about it, we would love to see it removed from the face of the Earth. Even snooker clubs are banning it! Why are we using it?’
The Wizard of Wishaw was not going as far as calling for a ban, but said it was an added challenge of facing the Rocket.
‘I’m just delighted I came to the party in the third session, because the first two sessions, how I was only 9-7 behind, I’ll never know,’ said Higgins after coming from behind to beat O’Sullivan.
‘Ronnie was by far the better player, his cue ball was amazing and that’s what sort of makes you just feel inferior sometimes, when his cue ball is so much better and I’m scrapping about.
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John Higgins felt hampered by his opponent’s chalk (Picture: Shutterstock)
‘But there are circumstances why that is because we all know he uses the other chalk and different things, so that’s what makes the table play a little bit bouncy and it’s all messy and different things, so it’s tough to play against, but you’ve just got to try and get it out of your mind.’
Asked if the chalk is an unfair advantage for the Rocket, Higgins said: ‘Listen, I know as players we speak about it. Why wouldn’t you take the advantage when you have got a better cue ball control than every other player?
‘So why wouldn’t you have that advantage? Because if you’re going in at a level playing field, everybody’s using the same chalk, no chalk marks, everything, it maybe gives players more chance of beating them.
‘Now, that’s what people do in every sport, they try to use the little advantage. I don’t know, you’d obviously have to ask Ronnie’s real feelings about that, about using old chalk. I think, yeah, who knows?’
“This has been a challenging and complex process, but after months of hard work, on the principles and parameters of a deal, I believe a new, improved offer can be made and terms can be put in place that addresses the ballpark issues discussed at Acas, that Unite members can agree in order to end the strike once and for all.
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