WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump on Friday oversaw the White House swearing-in of the new Federal Reserve chair and said he would like Kevin Warsh’s help in stimulating the economy even as he tried to emphasize that the nation’s central bank would remain independent.

Trump spent months criticizing Warsh’s predecessor, Jerome Powell, for being reluctant to cut interests rates, with the Republican president arguing that lower borrowing costs would provide an economic boost. By taking the unusual step of holding the ceremony in the East Room and not the Fed, Trump made clear his pleasure that Warsh is now in charge.

The war with Iran has caused gas prices to spike, unsettled financial markets and driven inflation concerns across the economy. Those developments have led to recent doubts about whether Warsh might heed Trump’s calls and push the Fed to lower rates.

Still, Trump said he had faith that Warsh would prioritize a strong economy.

“Thankfully, unlike some of his predecessors, Kevin understands that when the economy is booming, it is, that’s a good thing,” the president said. Trump said it was not necessary “to go crazy. Just let it go. We want it to boom.”

Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas administered the oath of office. Also on hand were House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., Justice Brett Kavanaugh, CIA Director John Ratcliffe and Cabinet members.

“I expect he will go down as one of the truly great chairmen of the Federal Reserve that we’ve ever had,” Trump said of Warsh.

Republican President Ronald Reagan swore in Alan Greenspan as Fed chair at the White House in 1987. Republican President George W. Bush attended the 2006 ceremony at central bank headquarters when Ben Bernanke became chair.

But having the event at the White House raises more questions about the Fed’s independence at a time when Trump has constantly sought to bend the independent central bank to his will.

Trump’s Department of Justice began an investigation into Powell and the Fed’s extensive building renovations. That drew backlash from lawmakers and the department scrapped the investigation. The Fed’s internal watchdog is now handling the matter. Powell’s term as chair ended last week, though he has opted to remain on the Fed board for now.

Trump made a point of saying during his remarks, “Honestly, I really mean this. This is not said in any other way: I want Kevin to be totally independent.”

“I want him to be independent and just do a great job,” Trump said. “Don’t look at me, don’t look at anybody. Just do your own thing.”

In the next breath, however, Trump said that “in the eyes of many, the Fed has lost its way in recent years” under his predecessor, Democratic President Joe Biden. Trump also suggested that Warsh is looking to lead policies that promote “positive economic growth” and that doing so did not have to mean higher inflation.

Trump also noted that the stock market had risen Friday. “That means they like you,” he said of Warsh.

Warsh once harshly criticized Fed’s policies, including its low interest rate policies coming out of the coronavirus pandemic, which he says contributed to the largest U.S. inflation spike in four decades in 2021-2022. More recently, he has sometimes echoed Trump’s demands for lower rates.

Warsh says productivity gains from artificial intelligence will help the economy grow more quickly without spurring inflation, enabling the Fed to reduce borrowing costs. Many Fed officials, however, disagree that AI’s development will support rate cuts, especially because the technology has also been blamed for large-scale layoffs in the computer sector and other parts of the economy.

On Friday, Warsh promised “to lead a reform oriented Federal Reserve, learning from past successes and mistakes, both escaping static frameworks and models and upholding clear standards of integrity and performance.”

He told Trump that he believes “these years can bring unmatched prosperity that will raise living standards for Americans from all walks of life. And the Fed has something to do with it.”

Warsh further noted that the Fed’s mandate “is to promote price stability and maximum employment. When we pursue those aims with wisdom and clarity, independence and resolve, inflation can be lower; growth, stronger; real take home pay, higher and America can more prosperous.”

As he left the ceremony, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent reinforced Trump’s message, predicting to reporters that Warsh will “do the right thing for inflation and growth.”

Ten fire engines and 70 firefighters have been deployed to tackle a flat fire in London in the early hours of Saturday morning

The blaze broke out on Lenham Road, with London Fire Brigade releasing a statement confirming the scale of the emergency.

The brigade said: “Ten fire engines and around 70 firefighters have been called to a flat fire on Lenham Road in Thornton Heath.

Part of the ground and first floors and the whole of the roof of a mid-terraced house converted into flats are alight. Part of the ground floor of a neighbouring property is also alight.”

Follow all the latest developments in our live blog below.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Tulsi Gabbard resigned as President Donald Trump’s director of national intelligence on Friday, saying she needed to leave office as her husband battles cancer. She is the fourth Cabinet member to depart during Trump’s second term, all of them women.

In her resignation letter, which she posted on social media, Gabbard said she told Trump she would leave her job overseeing the coordination of 18 intelligence agencies on June 30. She said her husband had recently been diagnosed with a rare form of bone cancer and “faces major challenges in the coming weeks and months.”

“At this time, I must step away from public service to be by his side and fully support him through this battle,” she wrote in the letter, which was reported earlier by Fox News.

Trump, in his own social media post, said “Tulsi has done an incredible job, and we will miss her.” He said her principal deputy, Aaron Lukas, will serve as acting director of national intelligence.

While Gabbard says her departure is for personal reasons, the juxtaposition between her long-held, anti-interventionism stance and Trump’s series of overseas military operations had seemed to put them on a collision course.

There had been rumblings that Gabbard would split with Trump after the president’s decision to strike Iran, which caused some division within his administration. Joe Kent, director of the National Counterterrorism Center, announced his resignation in March and said he “cannot in good conscience” back the war.

Gabbard, a veteran and former Democratic congresswoman from Hawaii, built her political name on her opposition to foreign wars. This put her in an awkward position when the U.S. joined Israel in launching attacks on Iran on Feb. 28.

During a congressional hearing in March, her measured comments were notable for their careful non-endorsement of the Iran war. She repeatedly dodged questions about whether the White House had been warned of potential fallout from the conflict, including Iran’s effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz, a waterway crucial for global oil shipments.

Gabbard said in written remarks to the Senate Intelligence Committee that there had been no effort by Iran to rebuild its nuclear capability after U.S. attacks last year “obliterated” its nuclear program. That statement contradicted Trump, who has repeatedly asserted that the war was necessary to head off an imminent threat from the Islamic Republic.

This created several awkward exchanges with lawmakers who asked Gabbard for her opinion on the threat posed by Iran as the nation’s top intelligence official. She repeatedly said it was Trump’s decision to strike, not hers.

“It is not the intelligence community’s responsibility to determine what is and is not an imminent threat,” she said.

Gabbard’s departure follows Trump having ousted Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem in late March, in the midst of mounting criticism over her leadership of the department — including the handling of the administration’s immigration crackdown and disaster response.

A surprising choice for the job

A military veteran but without any intelligence experience, Gabbard was a surprising choice for director of national intelligence. She ran for president in 2020 on a progressive platform and her opposition to U.S. involvement in foreign military conflicts.

Citing her military experience, she argued that U.S. wars in the Middle East had destabilized the region, made the U.S. less safe and cost thousands of American lives. Gabbard later dropped out of the race and endorsed the ultimate winner, President Joe Biden.

Two years later, she left the Democratic Party to become an independent, saying her old party was dominated by an “elitist cabal of warmongers” and “woke” ideologues. She subsequently campaigned for several high-profile Republicans and became a contributor to Fox News.

She later endorsed Trump, who also was a strong critic of past U.S. wars in the Middle East and campaigned on a pledge to avoid unnecessary wars and nation-building overseas.

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Shortly after taking on the job and before this year’s war, Gabbard testified before lawmakers that there was no intelligence suggesting Iran was seeking to develop nuclear weapons. After Trump launched attacks on Iranian nuclear sites last June, he said Gabbard was wrong and that he didn’t care what she said.

She appeared to be back in Trump’s good graces when she took a lead role in Trump’s effort to relitigate his 2020 election loss to Biden. She appeared at an FBI search of election offices in Fulton County, Georgia, even though her office was created to focus on foreign espionage, not state elections.

She also worked to undermine the results of earlier investigations into Trump’s ties to Russia.

In her year on the job, Gabbard oversaw a sharp reduction in the intelligence workforce, as well as the creation of a new task force that she charged with considering big changes to the intelligence service.

Earlier this year, an intelligence sector whistleblower filed a complaint that Gabbard was withholding intelligence for political reasons, a complaint that prompted calls from Democrats for Gabbard’s resignation.

Gabbard, 44, was born in the U.S. territory of American Samoa, raised in Hawaii and spent a year of her childhood in the Philippines. She was first elected as a 21-year-old to Hawaii’s House of Representatives but had to leave after one term when her National Guard unit deployed to Iraq.

As the first Hindu member of the House, Gabbard was sworn into office with her hand on the Bhagavad Gita, the Hindu devotional work. She was also the first American Samoan elected to Congress.

During her four House terms, she became known for speaking out against her party’s leadership. Her early support for Sen. Bernie Sanders ’ 2016 Democratic presidential primary run made her a popular figure in progressive politics nationally.

___

Kinnard reported from Columbia, S.C.

Anyone travelling this bank holiday weekend across London may want to check their options as multiple London Underground and Overground lines will be closed.

Journeys through and around the capital are set to be disrupted over the late May bank holiday weekend period as both Transport for London (TfL) closures and a rail strike threaten to cause some bumps to your journey.

If you didn’t catch it earlier this week, a new two-day strike affecting West Midlands Railway and London Northwestern Railway services will cause a severely reduced timetable today.

No trains will run from 7am today, and National Rail has urged people to only travel if necessary due to the small number of trains that are expected to run.

Meanwhile, in London, several Tube lines will be closed between Saturday and Monday, including London Underground, London Overground, and the DLR.

Scroll on to see which routes are closed to avoid disruption to your travels.

Which London Tube lines are closed this weekend?

District line, part closure (All weekend)

There will be a partial closure on the District line over the entire weekend:

• No service between Earl’s Court and Ealing Broadway
• No service between Earl’s Court and Richmond

TfL has suggested you use Mildmay line services when available or utilise the PLI replacement bus service between Earl’s Court and Richmond.

Piccadilly line, part closure (All weekend)

On Saturday, the Piccadilly line will face disruption from Hyde Park Corner between 2am and 4.30am:

• No service between Hyde Park Corner and Heathrow Terminal 5

Then, from 4.30am onwards on Saturday and all day Sunday and Monday, including Saturday Night Tube, there will be:

• No service between Hyde Park Corner and Northfields
• No service between Hyde Park Corner and Uxbridge

TfL suggests travellers use Metropolitan services when possible or the PLI replacement bus service.

Waterloo & City line, planned closure (All weekend)

The Waterloo & City line, which never operates on weekends and bank holidays, will be completely closed, including on bank holiday Monday.

DLR, part closure (All weekend)

There are several closures planned across the DLR on Saturday, Sunday and Monday. This includes:

• No service between Lewisham and Poplar
• No service between Lewisham and Westferry
• No service between Poplar and Westferry
• No service between Poplar and Canary Wharf

TfL recommends travellers use the Jubilee line or replacement bus service DLR3 between Westferry and Lewisham.

Windrush London Overground, part closure (Sunday)

There will be a part closure on the Windrush London Overground line all day on Sunday:

• No service between Clapham Junction and Surrey Quays

TfL have urged travellers to use the M replacement bus service between Canada Water and Wandsworth Road.

Northern line, part closure (Bank holiday Monday)

TfL have confirmed a part closure on the Northern line as part of ongoing track replacement work, which started in January but is due to end on Thursday, May 28.

The closure is only in operation from 10pm on bank holiday Monday:

• No service between Camden Town and Kennington (via Bank)

From 10pm Monday through to Thursday, all trains will operate via the Charing Cross branch, and travellers will be able to use a shuttle service between Mill Hill East and Finchley Central.

Suffragette London Overground, reduced service (Bank holiday Monday)

The Suffragette London Overground line will operate a reduced service across its entire line, with the 05.33 and 05.48 morning trains not running.

Weaver London Overground, part closure (Bank holiday Monday)

The Weaver London Overground line will be affected by a part closure, which sees the majority of the line shut down on bank holiday Monday:

• No service between Chingford and Hackney Downs

An L3 replacement bus service will be in operation between Hackney Downs and Chingford. Meanwhile, the Weaver line will still be operational between Liverpool Street and Hackney Downs.

Are there any other travel disruptions for this weekend?

TfL has warned of further non-London Underground and Overground travel disruption.

A march will take place today from midday in central London, starting from Marble Arch and finishing at Trafalgar Square via Park Lane, Piccadilly Circus, Haymarket, and Cockspur Street.

Road closures have been confirmed as well as bus diversions, and TfL has warned to expect large crowds throughout the afternoon.

While that’s happening, there will be temporary traffic signals on Streatham High Road at the junction with Prentis Road due to essential Thames Water works, which is due to continue until mid-June.

Tomorrow, a cultural procession will close roads and divert buses. The procession starts at Park Lane at midday and will finish later in Trafalgar Square.

Finally, TfL has confirmed that its Santander e-bike docking stations in Lancaster Drive, Tower Hamlets, and New North Road, Hoxton, will be suspended over the entire weekend.

Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@metro.co.uk.

For more stories like this, check our news page.

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Six artists were shortlisted for the commission, which aims to shape the tree’s next chapter by using half of its timber.

Helix Arts and George King Architects won the contest after a national public vote and final decision by an expert judging panel, the National Trust said on Saturday.

The arts charity and architects studio, based in North Shields near Newcastle and London respectively, collaborated on an idea called “The People’s Tree”.

The proposal combines public participation, sound, architecture and storytelling to respond to the loss of the world-famous tree.

It comes after Daniel Graham and Adam Carruthers, from Cumbria, travelled to Hadrian’s Wall in Northumberland during Storm Agnes in 2023 to cut it down.

The act of vandalism sparked national outrage and an outpouring of grief for the widely-loved landmark, which is thought to have been planted in the late 1880s.

The National Trust said the winning proposal scored highest across the public vote and the judges.

Rather than centring on a single memorial, the artwork will involve a UK-wide programme where members of the public are invited to record reflections on their own relationships with trees and nature.

Alongside these sound and spoken word recordings, the artists will create a digital soundtrack by scanning the tree’s rings.

The final compilation of stories and audio will then be presented through a series of exhibitions and workshops held to the north, south, east and west of Sycamore Gap.

Sections of some of the seasoned wood will also be used to co-create artworks with communities and local artists.

After these exhibitions and workshops, the project will culminate in a “sound sculpture” – an artwork that includes some of its wood as well as the archive of stories and nature sounds, which will be placed in an accessible location along Hadrian’s Wall.

Cheryl Gavin, director at Helix Arts, said: “To be chosen by both the public and the judging panel feels phenomenal.

“This project comes from a belief that the legacy of the Sycamore Gap tree lives not only in its wood, but in the relationships, memories and moments of connection it sparked.”

George King, from George King Architects, said: “It is a real honour to be entrusted with responding to a place that means so much to so many people.

“The tree as it was can never be replaced, but what we can do is create a place for reflection and connections.”

Annie Reilly, public engagement director at the National Trust and chairwoman of the judging panel, said: “What stood out about this proposal was how it puts a real conversation between people and the tree at its heart.

“It doesn’t try to give one answer to loss. Instead, it invites people to listen, reflect and reconnect — with nature and with each other.”

The project will now move into a development phase, with Helix Arts and George King Architects working closely with the National Trust, local partners and communities along Hadrian’s Wall.

The public’s participation in the project is expected to start from this summer, with the completed work set to be realised by September 2027.

The initiative comes as part of a wider public engagement programme responding to the tree’s felling, supported by Northumberland National Park Authority (NNPA), Historic England, the Hadrian’s Wall Partnership and the National Trust.

So far, the main section of the tree’s trunk has been installed at the gateway to Northumberland National Park, where the tree once stood.

Heartwood prints from a cross-section of the trunk created by printmaker Shona Branigan are now on display at Seaton Delaval Hall in Northumberland.

UK communities were invited to apply for one of the 49 saplings grown from seeds rescued from the original tree, which have now been planted across the country.

The National Trust also confirmed on Saturday that, for the third consecutive year, several shoots are regrowing from the stump, giving further confidence that one day a new tree will grow in the Gap.

Shrek, the big green ogre who became the face of a multi-billion-dollar franchise, turned 25 this week, and the impact of its success is still being felt from here ot Far Far Away. 

The DreamWorks Animation pictures hit is impossible to ignore when considering the history of Hollywood animation, and the life it has taken as grown far beyond the cinema screen. 

From sequels and spin-offs, to theme parks, internet meme culture and themed club raves fueled by millennial nostalgia, the Shrek swamp party has never really stopped over the last 25 years. 

That is, in large part, thanks to the smash(mouth) success of the 2001 original. It made a splash with $494million at the box office. It even competed for the Palme d’Or at that year’s Cannes Film Festival, before topping it all off by winning the very first Oscar for Best Animated Feature. 

But that fairytale ending for Shrek wasn’t always a foregone conclusion – and it came after a long rollercoaster of a production that nearly saw a very different version come to the screen. 

So, as the original adventure for Shrek, Donkey, and Fiona returns to the big screens for the 25th anniversary, let’s dive into the swamp that made up the journey to get Shrek from page to mega stardom…

Once Upon a Time…

DreamWorks – founded by Steven Spielberg, Jeffrey Katzenberg, and David Geffen in 1994 – was having something of a moment in the late 90s and early 00s. 

The live-action wing was coming off of two back-to-back Best Picture winners with American Beauty (1999) and Gladiator (2000) – and would make it three-in-a-row in 2001 with A Beautiful Mind. The animation wing, however, was a different story. 

With Katzenberg in charge, the animation division was keen to go toe to toe with the mighty mouse itself, Walt Disney Pictures, a rivalry stoked by the fact that Katzenberg had been fired from Walt Disney in 1994 by then-president and CEO Michael Eisner. 

Their very first animated offering – the computer-generated Antz in 1998 – was released just one month before Disney and Pixar’s Toy Story follow-up, similar insect-focused A Bug’s Life, with the Disney-Pixar titans dominating the worldwide box office at the end of their runs (Antz grossed $171.8million, A Bug’s Life $363.3m). 

Antz was followed up by more traditional hand-drawn animated offerings – The Prince of Egypt ( well-reviewed and a modest financial success) and The Road to El Dorado, which received mixed reviews and was a big box office flop (it has, however, quite rightfully gained a cult following). 

Katzenberg needed a hit, but turning to Shrek wasn’t the most obvious choice. 

Getting ‘Shreked’ 

Adapted from a 30-page children’s book by William Steig, the movie had been in active development from the very early days of DreamWorks, but being assigned to it quickly became a short-hand for punishment at the fledgling DreamWorks Animation. 

‘It was known as the Gulag,’ an animator told author Nicole Laporte for her book The Men Who Would be King: An Almost Epic Tale of Moguls, Movies and a Company Called DreamWorks. 

‘If you failed on Prince of Egypt, you were sent to the dungeons to work on Shrek,’ the unnamed source added. Employees at Dreamworks began calling it being ‘Shreked.’ 

The film almost looked very different, too. Originally envisioned as a live-action project, the development then shifted to using an early version of motion-capture animation, which resulted in the now infamous Shrek – I Feel Good animation test. 

Not released publicly till 2023, the test features a very creepy-looking Shrek and a much darker tone. Animated by a crew known as the Propellerheads, which had future Shark Tale director Rob Letterman and mega-producer JJ Abrams in its ranks, it did not go down well with the powers that be, with Katzenberg stating, ‘It looked terrible, it didn’t work, it wasn’t funny, and we didn’t like it.’ 

It did feature comedian and actor Chris Farley in the role of Shrek. The SNL star was originally cast in the role, and even recorded much of the dialogue for the project before he died of an overdose at age 33 in 1997. 

You can see a recording set to early storyboards that give you a sense of what Farley was bringing to the character, a much different but surprisingly vulnerable take on the big green ogre who would go on to be voiced by Mike Myers, fresh off the success of the Austin Powers movies. 

Turning the page 

Around the time of Farley’s passing, the movie was beginning to have a creative overhaul.

Pacific Data Images PDI, the computer animation company that worked on Antz, took over the animation, and once Andrew Adamson and Vicky Jenson were confirmed as directors, joining the Shrek development team began to feel less like a punishment and a bit more punk rock. 

Discussing the film’s anniversary with journalist Barry Levitt for Letterboxd, Jenson recalls, ‘Because the spotlight’s not on you for quite a while, there’s a tremendous amount of focus. 

“For so long, it was just this little movie we were working on up in Palo Alto, away from the DreamWorks mothership. It felt like we were making a movie in our garage.’

The film also began to take shape as something that came to be the key to its success and tone, standing as a more satirical take on fairytales and of the movies produced by Walt Disney Pictures. 

Christopher Holliday, lecturer in film studies, Department of Liberal Arts, King’s College London, wrote for The Conversation that ‘Shrek was a milestone for American cartoons that paved the way for a unique brand of animated anarchy and sardonic irreverence that still holds sway across the industry today.’

From pop-culture references ranging from the obvious Disney targets (the Duloc song riffing on It’s A Small World) to the more adult-targeted (The Matrix fighting styles), Shrek’s irreverent humour stood in stark contrast to the traditional model of family-friendly movies of the time, and that approach has reverberated over the last quarter of a decade. 

The same can be said for its use of needle drops in the film, which replace the more traditional ballads and songbooks found in Disney movies. As Holliday observes, its signature hit, Smash Mouth’s All Star, has a bombastic tone that ‘fitted the film’s playful anti-Disney sensibility.

‘Shrek’s frequent aims at the Mouse House’s recognisable narrative formula and saccharine sentimentality were deemed a pointed dig at Katzenberg’s former employers too.’ 

But as Jenson is keen to point out, it was all about poking fun at Disney, which was something that was always on Katzenberg’s mind, too.

‘Obviously, we’re poking at fairy tales, and Disney was the one who brought most fairy tales to the culture in a big way,” she says Jenson 

‘And in a couple of cases, sure, we were. Like, the expectations of a princess. When we’d present something to Jeffrey that was especially pointed, he’d sit back in his chair and say, ‘They’re gonna blame me. But it’s funny, go for it.’ He was very out there about his dealings with Disney, and loved being on the phone with his lawyers, gloating. But he never sat us down and said this would be a middle finger to Disney. He knew the story came first. He wanted to make a great movie.’

An enduring appeal with many layers

But the film wouldn’t have its enduring appeal if it also didn’t offer characters in which to hook and a story that proved worthwhile, with its theme of not judging a book by its cover continuing to provide a sweetness and strong emotional arc that helps it resonate. 

Jenson points towards Cameron Diaz’s Princess Fiona as a character who embodies the strengths of the movie to both unpack stereotypes and genre trappings to mine both humour and emotion. 

‘I think she continues to resonate because when we were working on the movie, all the rom-coms out there, women were only talking about getting married, and landing a guy. To watch someone in real time go from these expectations handed to her about what her life was supposed to be, and discovering who she really is, and finding someone who could see that and not judge her, is unique. She relaxed into her own true self.’

It’s all these elements – including the buddy-movie banter between Shrek and Donkey – that helped the movie land with such a splash in the summer of 2001, becoming the fourth highest-grossing film of the year, as well as earning two Oscar nominations for best adapted screenplay and animated feature. 

It still boasts an impressive 88% Rotten Tomatoes score and continues to find fans, with nearly a million five-star reviews from users on Letterboxd, before even considering it would go on to spawn a franchise that to this date has earned over $4billion world-wide. 

What’s happening with Shrek 5? 

Speaking of that legacy, the long-rumoured and discussed Shrek 5 is finally on its way. 

While there have been three sequels and two Puss in Boots spin-offs, there hasn’t been a feature film featuring Shrek since the release of Shrek Forever After in 2010. 

But you can’t keep a good ogre (or IP) down for too long, with Shrek 5 currently slated for release on June 30, 2027, with a Donkey spin-off also in the works.

Mike Myers, Eddie Murphy and Cameron Diaz are coming back, with Zendeya also joining the cast as Shrek and Fiona’s daughter. 

The first look at the movie left some fans in shock with the redesign of the characters, with some on social media calling for the creators to stay more in line with the original.

‘Bring back old animation, WTF IS THIS,’ Riccoo commented on Instagram. 

‘We’re all excited for this comeback, but to be honest, it’s not good. Bring back the old design’ Fernando added.

That reaction only goes to show the level of affection that fans have towards the movie, particularly the people who have grown up with it over the last 25 years. 

With the original now back in cinemas for its birthday celebrations, and a new entry just over one year away, the swamp party is far from being over.

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Record View says the lack of a plan for what to do after the war has arguably caused even more human suffering.

The Iraq War ended 15 years ago but the scars left by the contentious conflict remain.

For the country, the decision by Tony Blair to go to war based on flawed intelligence has left a lingering air of mistrust of politics and politicians. For Blair, the war tarnished his legacy. He should be remembered as the only Labour leader to secure three general election victories – restoring Britain after 18 years of Tory misrule. But most remember him for his decision to drag Britain into a chaotic conflict.

And the horror goes on in the Middle East. The war cost hundreds of thousands of lives. But the lack of a plan for what to do after the war has arguably caused even more human suffering.

Iraq and the wider region were plunged into a period of war, terror and chaos which is still ongoing to this day. While the war and its effects continue to be a cause for heated debate, one thing must not be forgotten.

Thousands of UK servicemen and women – including many Scots – bravely put their lives on the line in Iraq. They did not choose that path but they did their duty and 179 of them did not return home.

And many of those that did come back were left with serious ongoing trauma. Today we tell the story of Scots Army veteran Mac McLaren, who joined 1500 veterans and families to mark the 15th anniversary of the war yesterday.

He was left with serious physical injuries – but also suffered unbearable mental anguish. At one point he was homeless and suicidal with little support. And that is an experience reported by many veterans after the Iraq War.

That is a legacy of failure from the war which we can do something about. We must make sure that those who do right by their country are looked after when they return to civilian life.

World is watching

The Scottish Cup is recognised as the oldest national football trophy in the world. Crafted in 1873 by silversmiths George Edwards & Sons in Glasgow, it has been awarded annually since March 1874.

Today Celtic and Dunfermline go head to head to land the famous old trophy. And hopefully Scottish football will show off its best qualities to the world.

The past two weeks have seen the reputation of our national game dragged through the mud – amid dodgy refereeing decisions, a pitch invasion and rioting in Glasgow’s Trongate. Global footballing figures like Gary Lineker have questioned the integrity of those who run the game in Scotland.

But today should just be about the football – and the fans. Let’s hope it is a day to remember – for all the right reasons.

Get more Daily Record exclusives by signing up for free to Google’s preferred sources. Click HERE.

Manchester United are reportedly closing in on their first summer signing as Michael Carrick begins life as long-term manager

As the Premier League season reaches its conclusion, Manchester United have been handed a highly encouraging update on the transfer front. Michael Carrick’s side wrap up their campaign away to Brighton on Sunday, though they’ve already clinched third place.

The fixture comes less than 48 hours after it was announced Carrick has put pen to paper on a permanent deal to stay on as United boss. And the former interim manager would relish nothing more than marking the occasion with one last victory on the south coast before the summer break.

Bruno Fernandes also has extra incentive to shine at the Amex Stadium as he stands just one assist shy of beating the Premier League’s all-time record. An Old Trafford legend also crops up in the latest United headlines as MEN Sport rounds up this weekend’s biggest stories.

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Pep details Ferguson chat

Before Pep Guardiola’s final match at home to Aston Villa, Sir Alex Ferguson made contact to commend the City manager. The Catalan has confirmed his exit from the role following an iconic decade, which commenced just a few years after Ferguson stepped away from the game in 2013.

Ferguson’s United faced Guardiola’s Barcelona in two Champions League finals back in 2009 and 2011. The Premier League giants were comprehensively defeated on both occasions but evidently the two managers developed a mutual respect for each other.

Having claimed 16 major honours at the Etihad, Guardiola has been mooted as a contender to Ferguson’s unofficial crown as the Premier League’s greatest manager of all time. Wherever one stands on that debate, however, the Scot paid respects to his former rival with a personal message.

“I know I had incredible success during my time as the manager and it is nice to be there,” said Guardiola ahead of Sunday’s curtain call. “One of the biggest, biggest compliments I had, I got a message from Sir Alex Ferguson yesterday, two days ago, and that made me so happy.

“He is the greatest in this country. The tenure, the time, and for many, many reasons. I’m happy that Sir Alex Ferguson, the greatest could [see]…

“I’m pretty sure [to] Sir Alex we are not the ‘noisy neighbours’ [anymore], we are the ‘neighbours’. Just ‘the neighbours’. And I’m happy that he has been watching.”

Sky Sports, HBO Max, Netflix and Disney+ with Ultimate TV package

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Sky has upgraded its Ultimate TV and Sky Sports bundle to now include HBO Max, Netflix, Disney+, discovery+ and Hayu, as well as 135 channels and full Sky coverage of the Premier League and EFL.

Sky broadcasts more than 1,400 live matches across the Premier League, EFL and more with at least 215 live from the top flight alongside Formula 1, darts and golf.

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United on verge of signing Ederson

Carrick has pledged his future to United and it seems the club are already on the brink of completing their first summer deal. That’s after a report from SportItalia indicated United are close to securing Atalanta midfielder Ederson in a £45million transfer.

The Brazilian will be tasked with filling the gap soon to be created by fellow countryman Casemiro as he edges closer to joining Inter Miami. Ederson has just 12 months remaining on his contract in Italy, which is thought to have resulted in a substantial reduction in his valuation.

United have conducted multiple transactions with Atalanta in recent years, beginning with the acquisition of Amad back in 2021. Two years later, they brought in striker Rasmus Hojlund in a package valued at up to £72m, though he has since transferred to Napoli.

According to SportItalia, the Ederson transfer is “almost closed” following months of rumours connecting the two sides. Nevertheless, he would mark only the opening addition as United commence another overhaul this summer.

Strengthening the midfield is understood to be a key focus for United going into this summer. That said, securing Ederson would represent an early statement of intent, with expectations that his presence could replicate Casemiro’s formidable partnership alongside Fernandes and Kobbie Mainoo during the latter stages of the 2025/26 campaign.

‘We never had as much disrespect as we did at that meeting. It was absolutely shocking’

A protest was held at a West Belfast community centre this morning by “disappointed” local residents after it was denied funding by Belfast City Council.

The Glen Community Complex has been described as the heart of the Lenadoon area, providing a space for local residents and groups to gather and support one another through various projects. However, some of this could be put at risk after it was denied funding by Belfast City Council.

The centre provides space for educational courses, daycare, parent groups, support services for women and mothers and community wellbeing with it being the main facility used for the area’s Covid response during the pandemic.

Michael Doherty said he was shocked with the response from the council to the centre’s funding request as it has previously had a very good relationship with it. He said the funding from the Community Support Programme was vital, allowing the centre to provide its facilities free of charge by covering overheads like electricity and heating bills and without it they may have to reduce opening hours or start charging.

Nuala Fitzpatrick told Belfast Live that the services provided at the Glen Community Complex helped her go from “rock bottom” to a safe and secure place where she can best care for her young daughter. Nuala said that she was so impressed with the support that she received from the centre that she now works there.

She said she was shocked and disappointed that the council had rejected the centre’s funding request saying: “Everything that this community represents depends on this building and to me personally I have been able to go from rock bottom as the women’s group was able to support me and gave me everything that I needed and helped save me personally.

“I was then able to get a job her and my daughter attends the daycare while I work and I couldn’t do that without it. The older generation come here for computer classes which helps them to keep in touch with younger family members and in here helps the older generation do that.

“Belfast City Council have two values that standout to me and that is responsibility and integrity and I don’t think they took those into consideration when they made the decision to reject the funding.”

A protest was held at the Glen Community Complex on Friday, May 22, where staff, service users, local residents and political representatives gathered to show their support for a judicial review on the funding rejection.

Michael said at the protest:”For 20 years we’ve had a brilliant relationship with Belfast City Council, we worked really, really well with them, worked well with our staff. We have 1,500 people use the services in there and to be honest with you, we were really shocked in February when we found out that our application had been turned down.

“The funding that we get from the council, it helps towards the gas, electric, the running costs, the cleaning costs, and it allows us, to let groups come in and use it. We have over 12 groups use the building free of charge, and it’s because of the funding we’ve got of them over the years that we were able to do that.

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“We actually asked could we appeal the decision, and they said no. I think the thing that made things much worse for us was we actually done a meeting with council officials and it was probably the worst meeting I’ve done in 40 years.

“I’ve met British government ministers, unionist ministers, and we never had as much disrespect as we did at that meeting. It was absolutely shocking.

“Every question we asked was answered by One answer, community development is not a priority in your governing document. That’s all they would say. We pointed out all the services that we run, we were glad that every group that got got the funding that they have.

“But when we looked and seen well over a dozen groups that run the exact same services as we run in there were all being funded and we weren’t, we couldn’t understand it.

“What we have done is we then sought for the first time in our lives to take a judicial review, and the judicial review was in the hope that the courts would overturn the decision.”

Michael said the Council is now “trying everything in its power” to stop the centre from taking a judicial review against them, but they will continue fighting to provide for the local community and residents.

In a statement to Belfast Live, Belfast City Council said: “The Council received and has responded to pre-action correspondence from Glen Community Parent/Youth Group, who were unsuccessful in their application. It would be inappropriate to comment further on this particular application at this time.

“Belfast City Council introduced a new Community Support Plan large grant scheme last year, following a period of public engagement and consultation on the Plan.

“Through this grants programme, the council is providing over £5.4million support per annum to successful applicants, allowing them to bring targeted local activities and support to communities across the city.

“The Community Support Plan Grants scheme offered a three year fund of a maximum of £60,000 per year, to support organisations from April 2026 to March 2029. It opened on August 5, 2025, and applications had to be returned by noon on October 6.

“This was publicised through our usual channels, and we held seven information events for the sector between August 11 and 12 September, across the city and online, to allow organisations to ask questions about the application process.

“We encouraged all applicants to attend these sessions, even if they had received community funding from us on previous occasions, as it was a new process. Ultimately it was however for organisations to ensure that they met the essential criteria and provide the relevant supporting criteria as part of their application.”

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