Albania is the hipster’s holiday choice this summer. It was only a matter of time before a Trump got in on the act.

Despite hundreds of Albanian protesters being washed away by water cannons, Donald Trump’s daughter Ivanka is reportedly going ahead with her plans to transform a Cold War-era military base into a luxury island resort.

In an interview this week Ivanka Trump said she stumbled upon Sazan Island – complete with thousands of sprawling nuclear bunkers -‘ by accident’ on holiday with her husband, Jared Kushner.

‘We were on a friend’s boat, and we stopped for a swim. Effectively, that’s how we found it,’ she said.

‘We swam to the island. We went on a hike, barefoot all the way up to the top, and we were just captivated. And it’s stayed with us ever since. For me, this is, it feels more like a challenge than anything else.’

Where is Sazan Island- now dubbed Trump Island?

Sazan is Albania’s largest island and is a designated military exclusion zone located in a strategically important location between the Strait of Otranto and the mouth of the Bay of Vlorë.

Underneath the beautiful cliff faces and crystal blue waters lie at least 3,600 Soviet-style nuclear bunkers built during the Cold War.

The 1,400 acre Mediterranean island is also home to at least ten miles of underground tunnels stretching back from the Communist era.

Other bomb shelters and buildings designed to store military supplies and ammunition are also arranged around the area.

Experts have even warned about the presence of unexploded mines dotted across the stunning landscape that will need to be cleared -no wonder Trump called it a ‘fixer-upper’.

Undeterred, Ivanka revealed: ‘Over the course of many years, we developed the opportunity to help realise its potential and transform it, but with a lot of restraint and care.’

She hired some of the ‘greatest living architects’ to make designs blend with the already dramatic surroundings as if the buildings almost ‘rise from’ the land.

Albanian Anger

But Ivanka’s venture has drawn opposition from environmental campaigners and critics of long-time Socialist Prime Minister Edi Rama.

The couple also hope to carry out a multibillion-dollar project that includes building hotels along the coast of Zvërnec, where wildlife such as flamingos and sea turtles nest.

Since late May, barbed wire has been erected to keep protesters from the excavators and other heavy machinery arriving clear to the land from the pine trees.

Activists have clashed with police at the site, hanging up signs like ‘Albania is not for sale,’ ‘Hands off Albanian soil’ and ‘Sazan is not a private island, it belongs to the Albanian people.’

‘From start to finish there has been a total lack of transparency,’ Aleksandër Trajçe, executive director of the country’s leading conservation group, the Protection and Preservation of the Natural Environment in Albania (PPNEA), told The Guardian.

‘We have seen no public consultation or public documentation regarding permits, and so now what we are saying is, if they remove the bulldozers, remove the fence and restore the habitats to what they were, then we can start talking.’

Albanian opposition leader Sali Berisha said that while he supports the renovation projects, he expressed concerns that Rama could have been ‘seeking to buy political influence’ from Trump.

But Rama insists the plans are in tune with Albania’s ambition to become a major global tourism destination.

‘Albania should not be a country that fears an extraordinary project like this one, where exceptional partners have come together to invest €4billion,’ Rama said.

‘There is absolutely no chance that the investment will stop as long as I am here,’ he said.

But after the backlash, Rama insisted: ‘There is not a project yet.

‘There is no such thing as a Trump family island.

‘There is no such thing as the family of the American president taking over protected areas where flamingos will be killed by them.’

MORE: Trump’s bizarre brag about reflecting pool ‘bigger than Empire State building’

MORE: US denies responsibility for Kuwait airport strike that killed one and injured dozens

MORE: 500 days of Trump — and things look worse than ever for the President

Staff are awaiting news regarding the security of their jobs

Uncertainty as to the future of Brace’s Bakery in Newport has led to fear amongst staff regarding the future of their jobs. The directors of the popular bread company are currently in discussions with a potential buyer after “facing difficult headwinds” financially.

In March this year workers at the Pen-y-Fan bakery were paid a week late after a sale of the site fell through. The 250 employees of Brace’s Bakery were paid late but assured at the time that their jobs were safe.

Now as talks continue between bosses and a potential buyer, staff have shared their anxiety not knowing the security of their jobs. Never miss a Newport story by subscribing to our newsletter here

The family business that was founded in 1902 supplies bread, Welsh cakes, rolls and other artisanal products to thousands of major supermarkets across the UK.

In October 2025 bakery directors wrote to staff that as a result of “increasingly difficult” market conditions the only “viable option” was to close Brace’s manufacturing plant in Newport.

However due to the initial sale of the site not being completed, the expected redundancies of fewer than 20 staff has not occurred yet.

Staff are expected to learn more about their fate of their jobs within 24 hours, according to bosses om Thursday evening.

Jonathan Brace the director of Brace’s Bakery, told WalesOnline: “As you are aware Brace’s have been facing difficult headwinds over the last few months in a challenging market.

“We are in talks with a potential buyer and we expect to be able to update you further within 24hrs. Safeguarding the jobs of our loyal workforce is our primary objective, to ensure our quality range of products remain available for years to come.”

Donald Trump derailed a White House event about “clean coal” to go on a rant about his ongoing beautification efforts in Washington, D.C. on Thursday, marking yet another moment where those efforts have distracted the president from more serious policy discussions.

A Thursday afternoon event billed as an announcement about a new investment in U.S. coal plants began with Trump immediately launching into a spiel for the assembled White House press about his efforts to overhaul the Lincoln Memorial, complete with a video showing water flowing into the newly-repainted Reflection Pool. The president then shifted to his future plans: An idea for a “promenade” to extend down the other side of the building to the Potomac River.

“We’re doing something that just came up, we have a little breaking news here,” Trump teased. “We’re going to be doing that, it’s a promenade. They want to call it the Trump promenade.”

His explanation for the planned renovations followed: “At the Lincoln Memorial, the front was supposed to be the back, and the back was supposed to be the front. [The promenade] never got built, because they built two roadways behind it.”

Describing the new project as adding a “gateway to the water” behind the structure, which borders the Arlington Memorial Bridge and the National Mall, Trump said that it would “take the Lincoln Memorial right down to the Potomac”.

“It’s going to be beautiful,” Trump promised.

His plans actually do find roots in the original intention for the area around the Lincoln Memorial. The National Park Service describes the Watergate Steps area on the Potomac side of the Lincoln Memorial as a planned site where foreign dignitaries would take their first steps into the capital and the National Mall. The location of the Lincoln Memorial was also selected due to the site’s views of the river, though the monument itself faces east, towards downtown Washington D.C. and the National Mall. A bridge on the western side links Lincoln’s memorial with Arlington National Cemetery and the former home of Robert E. Lee, the famed Confederate general, in a deliberate symbolic choice by the planners to show the rebuilt peace healing a divided nation.

But the project, like his effort to add a ballroom to the White House, is likely to face a court battle. The Trump administration has argued that it has the authority to make changes to any buildings or other structures overseen by the Interior Department, though he has faced roadblocks in his battle to rename the Kennedy Center after himself and that question remains undecided.

More to follow…

Witnesses stopped Ikhman Pun and took his car keys off him, said James Harrison, prosecuting at York Magistrates’ Court.

He appeared to have been drinking and fled into his house before officers could arrive, but the witnesses told police where he had gone.

He refused to take a breath test at the scene and after officers arrested him and took him to a police station, refused to take a breath test there, said Mr Harrison.

The 52-year-old army veteran has a previous conviction in 2008 for refusing to supply a breath test and was on court bail at the time for two charges of indecent exposure and one of using threatening words or behaviour to a woman.

Pun, of Rutland Close, Catterick Garrison, who followed proceedings with the aid of a Nepalese translator, pleaded guilty to failure to provide a sample of breath on April 15 and was banned from driving for 16 months.

York magistrates fined him £323 and ordered him to pay a £129 statutory surcharge and £85 prosecution costs.

They heard their colleagues on April 16 gave Pun a 12-month community order including a tag forcing Pun to abstain from alcohol for 100 days and 20 days’ rehabilitative activities after hearing that the indecent exposures and threatening words and behaviour had been committed when Pun had been drinking.

Mr Harrison said several people called North Yorkshire Police on April 15 to say Pun’s Nissan had crashed into other vehicles. Four cars were involved in the collisions.

James Dixon, defending, said Pun had been trying to reverse out of his driveway. He had medical issues and worked in the security industry.

Steven Martin was jailed for life in 2010 for his role in the murder of “loving” Andrew Gardner, 35, in March 2009. 

He tortured Mr Gardner weeks before his eventual death alongside two others; Clare Nichols, Mr Gardner’s girlfriend and the mother of his fourth child, and her brother Simon Nichols.

The 61-year-old had served 16 years behind bars when he died at the County Durham prison – dubbed Monster Mansion – on May 6. 

An inquest opened into his death at Crook Coroners’ Court on Wednesday (June 3) heard how Martin, who was born in Portsmouth, died in the healthcare unit of the prison. 

A post-mortem examination carried out by Dr Sam Hoggard at the Royal Victoria Infirmary mortuary in Newcastle gave the cause of death as “unascertained, pending histology and toxicology”.

His body was identified by a prison officer. Senior Coroner Jeremy Chipperfield adjourned the inquest for a mention hearing on September 29.

Martin was found guilty of the murder of Mr Gardner in 2010 alongside Clare, who was jailed for 32 years, and Simon, who was told he will serve at least 25 years.

ANDREW GARDNER: Was tortured and killed

Martin, who was living in Jarrow, South Tyneside, and has one of the lowest IQs in the country at 59, was sentenced separately to the other two after undergoing psychiatric tests. 

The torture – which was described as “callous” – took place weeks after Martin was invited to move into the family home by Clare Nicholls.

Martin poured boiling water over Mr Gardner’s feet, held him against a hot radiator, whipped him with knotted tea towels and had sex with Clare in front of him.

Mr Gardner, who had learning difficulties, was also starved and suffered more than 150 wounds, including 21 rib fractures, bleeding on the brain and blood poisoning.

He had been beaten, slashed, whipped, scalded, and branded with a cigarette lighter in the weeks before his death.

During the trial, the court heard how he suffered agonising broken ribs from being kneed and stamped on, and died in excruciating pain, probably unable to leave the house they all shared.

His battered and bruised body was found on March 13 after Simon Nicholls called paramedics to the terraced property in Arthur Street, Chilton.

His attackers concocted a story about Mr Gardner going for a walk and returning to say he had been beaten up by a gang.

The paramedics were told that Mr Gardner removed his clothes and collapsed 30 minutes before the 999 call was made, and that the occupants had tried to revive him.

However, it soon became evident that Mr Gardner had been dead for some time.

A Prison Service spokesperson said: “Steven Martin died on May 6, 2026. As with all deaths in custody, the Prisons and Probation Ombudsman will investigate.”

Scullion LAW and Scullion LIVING have joined forces with Calluna Financial Service for the event.

Scullion LAW and Scullion LIVING have joined forces with Calluna Financial Services to host a free first-time buyer and seller financial workshop in Hamilton.

It will give local residents access to expert guidance on one of the most important financial decisions they will ever make.

The event will take place on Saturday, June 13, from 10am to 1pm at Scullion LAW’s office in the town, at 105 Cadzow Street.

Designed to support those looking to buy their first home, the workshop will bring together experienced solicitors, estate agency professionals and independent financial advisers to provide straightforward, practical advice on every stage of the home-buying journey.

For many first-time buyers, purchasing a property can feel overwhelming. Questions around mortgages, deposits, legal processes and affordability can often create uncertainty and delay decisions. The event has been created to help remove those barriers by giving attendees direct access to professionals who deal with property transactions every day.

Guests will receive guidance on mortgage and financial preparation, navigating the Scottish property market, understanding the conveyancing process and the important role that Wills and Powers of Attorney can play when purchasing a property.

Attendees will also have the opportunity to ask questions in an informal setting and receive tailored advice specific to their circumstances.

Marion Hunter, head of estate agency at Scullion LIVING, said: “Buying your first home is one of life’s biggest milestones, but it can also be one of the most daunting. We have created an event that gives people access to trusted experts who can explain the process in plain English and help them move forward with confidence.

“Whether someone is actively looking for a property, saving towards a deposit or considering selling their current home, our goal is to provide practical information that helps them make informed decisions.”

Stephanie English from Calluna Financial Services said: “Every home-buying journey is different, and there’s no substitute for having a conversation about your own circumstances. What works for one person may not work for another, which is why tailored advice is so important.

“Events like this give people the chance to ask questions they might not otherwise ask and leave with a clearer understanding of their next steps, whether that’s buying their first home, moving up the ladder, or simply starting to plan for the future.”

The event will also offer valuable insights for homeowners considering selling a property, with advice on preparing a home for market, understanding the estate agency process and planning their next move.

Representatives from Calluna Financial Services will be on hand throughout the morning to discuss mortgage options, affordability considerations and financial planning, helping attendees gain a clearer understanding of what may be possible based on their individual circumstances.

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The Bolton North Neighbourhood Team recovered the van after an attempted traffic stop.

The van failed to stop when requested and instead sped off over a grass verge.

Bolton Police – GMP put a statement out on their Facebook page: “Officers from the Bolton North Neighbourhood Team have recovered a stolen van this evening.

“Around 5pm, officers attempted to stop this van, but it failed to stop and drove off at speed over a grass verge. Following an area search, officers located the van abandoned.

“Checks revealed that it had been stolen from Bury in 2025. We have now recovered the van, which will be subject to an examination by our CSI.”

Last week, GMP seized a ‘Sur-Ron’ bike in Westhoughton after a social media post surfaced showing a young man riding it dangerously through the town.

Two more Sur-Ron bikes were also seized at the young man’s address.

Armenia was once widely considered Russia’s closest ally in the South Caucasus, with the two nations maintaining deep political, economic and military ties. But ahead of pivotal parliamentary elections on June 7, Armenia is facing the deepest crisis in its relations with Moscow since it secured independence from the Soviet Union in 1991.

One week before the elections, Russia recalled its ambassador to Armenia, Sergei Kopyrkin, in protest at Yerevan’s growing ties with the EU.

Kopyrkin’s return came a day after the Russian president, Vladimir Putin, warned Armenia that it was leaving itself exposed to what he called the “Ukrainian scenario” by deepening its cooperation with western institutions.

This diplomatic rift has been accompanied by economic pressure. Russia has imposed a series of restrictions on Armenian exports since late May, citing sanitary and technical concerns, while simultaneously threatening to suspend its gas deal with Armenia.

The leaders of Russia, Belarus, Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan, who make up the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU), have also recently demanded that Armenia hold a referendum to choose between them or the EU.

A few years ago, this rift would have been difficult to foresee. Russia has widely been regarded as Armenia’s principal strategic partner and security guarantor for decades. Armenia joined the Moscow-led Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) in 2002 and the EAEU later in 2015. It also hosts a Russian military base near the north-western city of Gyumri, and depends heavily on Russia for energy supplies and trade.

Their partnership began to erode in 2024. That year, Armenia froze its participation in the CSTO, accusing the bloc of failing to intervene during Azerbaijan’s 2023 offensive against the disputed region of Nagorno-Karabakh. The two countries had previously fought a war over the region in 2020, which ended with a Russian-brokered ceasefire.

The Armenian government, which is led by Nikol Pashinyan, subsequently pursued closer political and security ties with the EU and US. It expanded defence cooperation with France and publicly questioned the value of Armenia’s traditional dependence on Russia. Armenia also recognised the jurisdiction of the International Criminal Court in 2024, despite the court having issued an arrest warrant for Putin.

These moves culminated in the adoption of the EU Integration Act in March 2025, paving the way for the Armenian government to begin the process of gaining EU membership. Months later, in December, the EU and Armenia formally adopted a framework designed to deepen political, economic and security cooperation.

Armenia’s westward engagement has become increasingly visible throughout 2026. More than 30 European leaders, including European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen and European Council president António Costa, gathered in the Armenian capital of Yerevan in early May for a summit of the European Political Community.

US secretary of state Marco Rubio visited Armenia later in the month and signed a strategic partnership agreement with Armenia’s foreign minister, Ararat Mirzoyan.

Russia is not only losing a longstanding ally in Armenia. It is also losing one of its main levers of influence in the South Caucasus: its key role as a mediator in the Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict.

Already in late 2023, Azerbaijan and Armenia initiated a process to agree on and formally define their shared border. And over the past year, the two countries have held direct bilateral talks in Abu Dhabi and signed a declaration on peace at the White House. They have also begun trade and economic cooperation.

These efforts have influenced public attitudes in Armenia. The proportion of Armenians reporting national security and border issues as the top problem facing their country dropped from 44% in June 2025 to 21% in February 2026. Russia’s regional influence will only decline further as Armenia and Azerbaijan move towards longstanding peace.

Armenia’s choice

This broader geopolitical realignment forms the backdrop to Armenia’s upcoming elections. Pashinyan’s Civil Contract party promotes a pragmatic “post-Karabakh” course. This involves acknowledging current realities, pursuing normalisation with Azerbaijan and its close ally Turkey, and gradually deepening ties with western partners.

The two main opposition forces – the Strong Armenia Alliance and the Armenia Alliance – advocate closer strategic coordination with Moscow. They blame the current leadership for the loss of Nagorno-Karabakh and promise to halt the peace process with Azerbaijan and Turkey if they come to power.

The Strong Armenia Alliance was founded in 2025 by billionaire Russian citizen Samvel Karapetyan. The Armenia Alliance, on the other hand, is led by Robert Kocharyan, who served as Armenia’s president from 1998 to 2008. Kocharyan was also a board member of the Russian investment giant, Sistema. He stepped down in 2021.

The European Parliament has raised concerns about Russian interference in the election. Russia has been accused of conducting a massive pre-election campaign to undermine Pashinyan. This has allegedly involved the spread of online disinformation and a plan to transport tens of thousands of Armenians living in Russia home to vote for the opposition.

As Armenians head to the polls, they will be deciding more than the composition of their next government. They will be choosing between competing visions of the country’s future. In many ways, they will be determining whether the post-Soviet era of Armenia’s close dependence on Russia is coming to an end.

Polling suggests that the Civil Contract party is on track to win. This means Armenia will probably continue its normalisation process with its neighbours while deepening cooperation with western partners.

Yet Russia’s growing efforts to support the Armenian opposition cannot be dismissed. A different outcome on June 7 could bring dangerous revanchist sentiments, stalling regional peace efforts and slowing Armenia’s integration with Europe.

Piers Morgan is planning to go head-to-head with Gary Lineker with his own podcast focused on the World Cup – and has launched it by poking fun at his rival broadcaster

Piers Morgan is planning to take on Gary Lineker for viewers after launching a rival podcast for the World Cup. Lineker will be on screen with Alan Shearer and Micah Richards after signing a big-money deal with Netflix – and now Morgan is challenging him.

Lineker’s Goalhanger company signed a £14million deal to link up with streaming giant Netflix to broadcast a show this summer. The Rest is Football will be filmed daily in the United States this summer as Netflix tries to break into a new market.

Morgan has now launched his attempt to take on Lineker and Co, with his show World Cup Uncensored, featuring John Terry and Simon Jordan, starting on June 8. His social media post declared it would bring “fearless debates, uncensored opinions” before delivering the dig at his rivals: “The rest is boring”.

The Telegraph have reported that the dig at The Rest is Football has not gone down well at Goalhanger, who declined to comment.

WORLD CUP LEGENDS: The stars who lit up football’s greatest tournament – Buy the Special Edition today

“I would find it very, very hard to believe that Gary, in particular, wouldn’t have had a little chuckle. We’re good mates,” Morgan told The Telegraph. “Of course, if they took it over-seriously, it would be reflecting, perhaps, the accuracy of the joke.

“I know Gary really well. I’ve watched what they’ve been doing. I’ve got a lot of respect for it. I think it is the future. I think there’s plenty of room for both of us. But, as he would know, a little bit of banter goes a long way in football.”

He added: “We may have a sort of ‘High Noon’ with me and Gary in Times Square.”

Lineker, 65, left the BBC in May 2025 and says he has been freed by leaving the broadcaster behind. “I’ve got a bit more time, I’m not treading on quite so many eggshells these days, I’m allowed an opinion on things,” he said this week.

“But no, I had a wonderful period at the Beeb, and I’ve covered so many major tournaments, and obviously I was going to do this (the 2026 World Cup) originally, but now I’m doing something different, which is really exciting.”

He also questioned the BBC’s decision to broadcast the majority of the tournament from their studio in Salford, rather than follow ITV out to New York. “I’m a bit surprised the Beeb are not going until possibly the very latter stages of the competition. I won’t miss being in the green box itself, but I miss some of the company,” he added.

“But the fact we’ve got our own show now with loads of guests and stuff, that’s been replaced completely. We’re not in competition with the BBC in this, because obviously they’re focused on live football. We haven’t got the rights, but we’ve got a show that people can watch alongside.”

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