Those looking to get away for the bank holiday weekend and make the most of the warm weather are facing delays and transport disruption. The roads are starting to get busier and there are already some delays at the usual traffic hotspots on the M4.

The AA has estimated 23.4 million car journeys will take place on Friday. It highlighted that the M4 from London towards Wales will be a likely traffic blackspot.

A crash is already causing disruption on the M4. The two-vehicle collision has taken place on the westbound carriageway at Junction 44 for Lon Las.

Elsewhere, a serious crash has closed Wick Road at St Brides Major, with an air ambulance at the scene. A South Wales Police spokesperson said: “We’re at the scene of a serious collision on Wick Road, St Brides Major (B4265).

“The road is currently closed in both directions between St Brides Major and Wick.

“It is expected to remain closed for some time; please avoid the area and use alternative routes where possible. We’re grateful for your patience.”

As well as congestion on the roads, significant train delays are expected in Wales this weekend.

Transport for Wales is encouraging passengers to plan ahead as essential rail improvements take place across the Cardiff and valleys network.

Planned infrastructure improvements will close all lines through Cardiff Queen Street between Sunday, May 24 and bank holiday Monday, May 25.

To keep passengers moving, a combination of rail replacement buses and service diversions will operate across the local Cardiff and Valleys network.

Elsewhere, Network Rail has confirmed it is set to undertake work on the Severn Tunnel that the company says will “make the route more reliable for years to come”. The railway between Newport and Bristol Parkway or Filton Abbey Wood will be closed from Saturday.

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UK military launches major wartime exercise, launching attack and surveillance drones after imaginary Kremlin attack on Baltic states as tensions between east and west worsen daily

British forces have war-gamed launching ‘deep-strike’ missions to face off a Russian attack on Europe – from inside a London underground tube station.

They were war-gaming what would happen if they had to help defend the Baltic states in the opening shots of a Europe-wide conflict. In the emergency nightmare the year would be as soon as 2030 as UK forces led a NATO HQ in Estonia after Kremlin forces assaulted the Baltic states.

US forces joined the UK troops in a disused part of Charing Cross Tube station, pretending it is a bunker somewhere in Estonian capital Tallinn.

In the imaginary exercise, they hunch over laptops and observe big screens, using Artificial Intelligence quickly to identify Russian targets to be hit in response. Among their arsenal are drones and missiles plus hi-tech jamming equipment and they have requisitioned city infrastructure to be used in wartime.

The UK-led side faked dealing with 5,000 surveillance and attack drones daily in a bid to beat off attack from a battle-experienced Russian enemy. Codenamed Operation Arcade Strike the force was led by the UK-led Nato Allied Rapid Reaction Corps (ARRC).

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READ MORE: Russian troops shoot each other in chaotic scenes after Ukraine cripples communicationsREAD MORE: Ukraine spies uncover major Kremlin smear campaign against Zelensky

It is thought the British military has enough drones to fight at pace for a week, although Ukraine is believed to get through thousands every day. US general Christopher Donahue, head of Nato’s Land Command, warned NATO must move swiftly to prepare for the possibility in real life.

He said: “Legacy forms of mobilisation and movement are no longer a given Nato advantage, and a lack of protection in depth will be used against us.”

British ARRC commander Lt Gen Mike Elviss said that the exercise was needed for NATO practise finding and destroying Russian forces heading into war. He explained: “In this and every scenario we rehearse for, Russia has two critical advantages.

“First, they can mass combat power at the point of their attack, whereas we have an obligation to defend everywhere, all the time. Second, if an attack is to happen, it will be launched by them, so they will have the initial momentum. Our answer to this lies, in part, in our concept of fighting by recce-strike.

“Today’s deployment is a mission rehearsal. We rehearse this not just to be good at it, but because the adversary is watching and we want him to know that we are ready for the challenge.” It comes in an alarming week when Vladimir Putin’s troops carried out a war exercise in Belarus using their nuclear forces on land, sea and in the air.

And the UK MoD revealed two Russian jets had come within yards of hitting an RAF spy plane containing a crew of British troops over the Black Sea. US President Donald Trump has repeatedly threatened to weaken NATO by withdrawing troops from Germany, whilst saying he will send thousands more to eastern Europe.

His erratic threats on NATO have emboldened the Kremlin and worried European countries into stepping up defence spending.

Having been subject to an attempted machete attack at his partner’s home, Liam McElvaney rounded up a group of associates, including Wayne Narey and Jayden Woodley.

Teesside Crown Court heard the 23-year-old sourced a shotgun before the gang turned up at the home of his rival’s father, who was blasted in the abdomen with the shotgun.

A judge heard how McElvaney hid under a child’s bed when a gang of armed men turned up at his girlfriend’s home and threatened her and her child hours before the revenge attack.

Rachael Landin, prosecuting, said bad blood had been boiling between McElvaney and the victim’s son for several weeks before the brutal shooting took place.

Three men have been sentenced following a shooting in Richmond Court, Grangetown, Middlesbrough (Image: TERRY BLACKBURN)

“The victim was shot and severely injured while in the kitchen of his home,” she said.

“He had been lured there by a knock at the door or window.

“The shot was fired from a shotgun through a window next to the back door, breaking the glass before hitting the victim in the abdomen.”

She said the victim’s life was saved due to expert medical attention when he underwent surgery on his bowel and gall bladder.

Liam McElvaney (Image: Cleveland Police)

The victim was in intensive care for eight days and in hospital for five weeks before being released.

She said: “The shooting was the culmination of a feud between McElvaney and the victim’s son.”

The court heard McElvaney’s sister had raised concerns about the mounting tension between the pair and the potential targeting of family members just weeks before the shooting.

Miss Landin said: “A gang had attended McElvaney’s girlfriend’s home, forcing entry and attacking the girlfriend and her property.

“The intended target had been McElvaney, who during that incident, hid himself under a sleeping child’s bed.”

The barrister said that within minutes McElvaney had put in motion plans for the revenge attack and rounded up Narey and Woodley along with two other unnamed people.

Wayne Narey (Image: Cleveland Police)

The gang fled the scene and the weapon was never recovered by police.

Days after the shooting, McElvaney posted on Snapchat that he had shot the victim following the attempt to attack him at his girlfriend’s home.

Following his remand in prison, McElvaney was heard singing a rap over the phone boasting about pulling out the shotgun and shooting the victim.

McElvaney admitted causing grievous bodily harm with intent after initially facing an attempted murder charge following the shooting on Richmond Court, Grangetown, on April 1, 2024, and a charge of possession of firearm with intent to endanger life.

The 23-year-old also admitted a charge of attempting to pervert the course of justice by trying to offer the victim cash in a desperate bid to avoid prosecution.

While 19-year-old Narey and 18-year-old Woodley, who travelled to Teesside from his home in West Auckland, pleaded guilty to possessing a firearm, a shotgun, with the intent to endanger life.

Jayden Woodley (Image: Cleveland Police)

Narey also pleaded guilty to a further charge of attempting to possess a firearm on March 2, 2024 – a slam-gun which was never recovered.

Jonathan Walker, representing McElvaney, said his client had no previous conviction for similar offences on his record.

He said: “The incident at the house of his partner prompted this defendant’s reaction.

“Five to seven men barged into the house with machetes […] while he sought sanctuary underneath the bed.”

Fiona Lamb, representing Narey, was not the lead offender in the case. She said: “He went along, he should not have gone along and he entirely accepts that and what he did.”

And Nicci Horton, representing Woodley, said her client was only 16 at the time of the shooting.

She said: “He was feeling very emotional, it was clearly a difficult time for him and his mother.”

Judge Francis Laird KC, the Recorder of Middlesbrough, told McElvaney that the shooting was a result of a ‘bitter and violent feud’.

“You fired the shotgun through the kitchen window directly at the victim,” he said. “The shot went through the pane of glass and stuck the victim in the midriff.

“The three of you, and two others, then made off.”

McElvaney, of Pennywell House, Hylton Road, Sunderland but originally from the Middlesbrough area, was sentenced to 16 years and six months for all offences with an extended four years on licence.

Narey, of Bruce Avenue, Middlesbrough, was sentenced to nine years for both offences.

Woodley, of Front Street, West Auckland, was sentenced to six years and three months.

Las Vegas has always had a reputation for doing things bigger, louder and glitzier than everyone else. On Sunday, May 24 2026 it continues that tradition when the inaugural Enhanced Games take place at a purpose-built entertainment centre at Resorts World, a giant hotel complex on the city’s famous strip.

A one-day sports competition showcasing just three disciplines, the Enhanced Games openly embrace the use of legal performance-enhancing drugs (PEDs) and technological advances that maximise human potential.

Conceived by London-based entrepreneur Aron D’Souza and backed financially by billionaires Peter Thiel, Christian Angermayer and Donald Trump junior, the one-day extravaganza will see 42 athletes competing in swimming, track athletics and weightlifting.

With substantial appearance fees and an unprecedented US$25 million (£18.6 million) in prize money – including US$1 million bonuses for breaking world records – the lucrative payouts have attracted some big names. These include Olympic medallists Cody Miller and Ben Proud for swimming; Olympic medallist Fred Kerley for track; and record-breaking weightlifter Thor Björnsson.

The Enhanced Games has drawn widespread criticism from international and Olympic sport. The World Anti-Doping Agency (Wada) has labelled them a “dangerous and irresponsible concept”, threatening to test athletes involved to “protect the integrity of legitimate sport” – despite the majority being retired from traditional sport. Wada also urged US authorities to shut down the games – which evidently didn’t happen.

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) also issued a formal statement calling the games “utterly irresponsible and immoral … a betrayal of everything we stand for”. Travis Tygart, CEO of the US Anti-Doping Agency dismissed the Enhanced Games as “a dangerous clown show”.

In response, D’Souza argues that Wada is hypocritical and points to Olympic corruption scandals, claiming the Olympics are no longer fit for purpose. Other supporters have also promoted the idea of self-determination, and the need to break free of the IOC’s rules and regulations.

As sport researchers, we might be tempted to dismiss the event as a publicity stunt. However, based on our ongoing research into Olympic swimmers and coaches’ perceptions of the Enhanced Games (we have spoken to more than 20 so far), we believe the event is symptomatic of bigger issues. It represents a critical inflection point, and a unique opportunity to reflect upon the current shortcomings of traditional sport.

Sport’s ideological war

Deeply entrenched battlelines have been drawn on both sides of this complex debate. Recent events, such as Enhanced Games swimmer Kristian Gkolomeev breaking the former 50m freestyle world record, the games’ filing of an US$800 million anti-trust lawsuit against Wada, World Aquatics and US Swimming, and the Enhanced Group’s recent floating on the New York Stock Exchange are telling. They all appear to be the first shots fired in a potentially long and protracted ideological war over the future of sport.

Proponents argue that permitting PEDs such as testosterone, anabolic steroids, growth hormones, peptide hormones and stimulants could potentially unlock unprecedented human potential, allowing athletes to transcend current biological limits. Here, the Enhanced Games and the Olympic Games share a common goal of maximising human potential; the difference lies in precisely how it should be achieved and the transparency surrounding those methods.

Supporters of the Enhanced Games also argue that a regulated approach to using PEDs under strict medical supervision is safer for athletes, transforming what is currently an illicit, underground practice into a controlled medical environment, akin to legalising substances like cannabis.

Conversely, defenders of traditional sport argue that this approach contradicts the fundamental integrity of sport. They assert that Olympism is based on natural talent, dedication and rigorous training, free from artificial advantages. Concerns have also been raised about the long-term health consequences for athletes who use PEDs, and the negative role modelling for young athletes who may see drug use as a shortcut to success.

Threat or revolution for sport?

Another critical battleline relates to whether the Enhanced Games exacerbate or alleviate existing issues of integrity within traditional Olympic sport. Proponents of the Enhanced Games – including many of the Olympians that we interviewed – argue that the current system is fundamentally flawed.

These athletes cite what they see as the rampant and pervasive use of PEDs (meaning it’s an open-secret), the misuse of therapeutic use exemptions, the ineffectiveness and erosion of trust in anti-doping authorities, and the need to better compensate athletes for their contribution to sport.

Many people within traditional sport view the Enhanced Games as a profound existential threat to the moral legitimacy of Olympism. However, far from being a circus sideshow, its emergence is symptomatic of deep-rooted, longstanding issues and continued failings that need to be resolved within traditional sport.

Instead of perceiving the Enhanced Games as a rival or threat to the Olympic Games – which we do not believe it is – its emergence should be viewed as a wake-up call. Traditional sport needs to direct efforts to solve these fundamental problems and reflect upon the true value of sport and its role in society.

In this light, we see the emergence of the inaugural Enhanced Games as a window of opportunity for much-needed conversations within international and Olympic sport.

The easyJet flight, which was travelling to Sharm El Sheikh in Egypt, was forced to halt its climb and declare an emergency at around 3,700 feet.

Flight U22253, operated by an Airbus A320neo, encountered immediate issues on departure.

The flight crew initiated emergency protocols, transmitting a Squawk 7700 code via the aircraft’s transponder, which alerts all surrounding air traffic control units to a general mid-air emergency.

The airline confirmed the flight was diverted due to a medical emergency on board.

It touched back down in Manchester at 4.19 pm.

The father of Belfast woman Kathryn Parton has told how discovering his daughter’s body will haunt him for the rest of his life.

During a hearing at Belfast Crown Court today, Kathryn’s parents Ernie and Geraldine Parton also spoke of the catastrophic loss caused by the death of their only child.

Her voice breaking with emotion at times, Geraldine bravely took to the witness stand to outline how every aspect of their lives have been changed forever.

She said: “Kathryn was a beautiful, bright, intelligent girl. A mother, a daughter who had a profound love for animals, music and reading.

READ MORE: Kathryn Parton: Mum-of-murder accused jailed for assisting offenderREAD MORE: Kathryn Parton murder accused trial decision made by Belfast judge

“She was really into fitness and exercise and horse riding from a young age. She had been accepted to Queens University until coronavirus and other circumstances stalled that opportunity.

“Kathryn was not without her struggles, but she was working so hard to improve her life so she could be the best mother. She was our only child, our daughter who we waited for 14 long years for. Our gift.

“Since Kathryn’s murder, our lives have been permanently changed. The grief we carry is constant. It is present in every part of our day – from the moment we wake up to the quiet moments when their absence feels overwhelming.

“No parent expects to outlive their child, and the emptiness left behind is something we will carry for the rest of our lives.

“The trauma of what happened has affected us deeply. Sleep is difficult, and our minds often return to the circumstances of the loss. There is a constant undercurrent of anxiety and distress that has become part of our daily lives.

“We also struggle with thoughts of ‘what if’ and ‘if only,’ even though we know we are not responsible. These thoughts are hard to escape and add to the emotional burden we carry.

“There is anger at the senselessness of what has happened. Our child’s life was taken and our family has been left to deal with the consequences.

“It is difficult to accept that this loss was caused by actions that did not have to happen.

“The impact on our wider family has been profound. Our extended family members and Kathryn’s friends are all grieving. Relationships have been strained by the shared loss, and the absence of our beautiful Kathryn is felt in every family gathering and milestone.

“This loss is not something we will recover from. It has changed our family forever. We are now not only grieving parents, but also caregivers to a child who must live with this loss for the rest of their life.

“Since the loss of our daughter, every aspect of daily life has changed. The routines that once structured our days no longer exist in the same way. What was once familiar and automatic now feels disrupted and difficult to maintain. Simple daily activities are often overshadowed by grief and the ongoing reality of absence.

“Family occasions are now a source of pain rather than joy. Christmas, birthdays, and special events that were once times of togetherness now highlight the absence of our daughter. Instead, we visit a grave.

“These occasions are no longer celebrations in the same sense; instead, they are reminders of what has been taken from our family and what will never again be the same.

“The atmosphere in our home has also changed profoundly. There is a silence where there were once presence and life.

“The absence is felt in everyday moments, the empty chair at the table, the phone calls, the text message, the ‘love you, byes’ the belongings that remain in place because moving them feels unbearable, and the constant awareness that someone who should still be here is no longer part of our home.

“We are also forced to live with the permanent loss of future milestones. We will never see our daughter’s wedding, her future children, or the achievements and stages of life she should have reached.

“These are not abstract losses; they are deeply personal and painful reminders of a future that has been completely taken away from us and our family.

“The consequences of this loss are not temporary. They are permanent and irreversible. Every part of our present life is shaped by the absence of our daughter, and every part of the future we once imagined has been changed forever.

“Since our catastrophic loss, the emotional strain has had serious and lasting effects on our physical and mental health. We have experienced stress-related health issues that were not present before, including chronic exhaustion, disrupted sleep, and ongoing physical decline linked directly to prolonged grief and trauma.”

“I cannot find the words to express the grief I bear with the loss of my only child, my beautiful baby, my daughter, she was the centre of my life, my support, my comfort and my joy.

“Every morning I wake to relive the horror of her death. My husband, her own father, was the one who found her after six long heinous days, and I have not only to bear my own torture, but I have to watch him deteriorate from the man he was before this happened.

“I am growing old; my own health has deteriorated with the stress and anguish and heartache I now bear. I no longer have the comfort and kindness of a daughter who I could confide in and lean on. Instead, there is an empty place, an empty chair at the table, no arms to surround me and hold my hand when I’m afraid or lonely.

“My beautiful girl who was so clever and smart. I know she would always be there when I needed her but instead, I am alone and bereft without her. I live with this every moment of every day and I am destroyed with the weight of the loss and grief I now have to bear.”

Mrs Parton was accompanied by a representative of the Advocacy After Fatal Domestic Abuse organisation.

The representative read a Victim Impact Statement compiled by Ernie Parton which said: “I, Ernie, Kathryn’s father am suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder following the discovery of my daughter after she had been deceased for six days.

“That experience has left me with persistent and intrusive traumatic memories that remain with me daily. I continue to experience distressing flashbacks and psychological symptoms consistent with PTSD, which significantly affects my ability to function and cope.

“I cannot find the words to explain the shock and horror of finding my daughter lying dead on her bedroom floor in a pool of blood. That image will haunt me for the rest of my life.

“I have lost my motivation and ability to focus on anything since, no matter how hard I try. I’ve lost my only child, and my grandson, his mother, to a senseless and brutal attack. I find it hard to face the future with any positivity.”

A 45-year old woman who admitted assisting her son in the aftermath of Kathryn’s death was handed a four-year sentence today.

Kathryn’s remains were discovered by her father in the bloodstained bedroom of her Madrid Street home on May 15, 2024. A postmortem concluded she had sustained a beating.

Her partner Jamie McAllister was one of three people arrested in the aftermath of her murder, as was his mother Suzanne Love.

Love appeared in the dock of Belfast Crown Court where she was handed a four-year sentence for two charges.

From Isoline Street in Belfast, she admitted perverting the course of justice between May 8 and 16, 2024 by removing items from a crime scene and washing items with intent to destroy evidence.

The mother-of-three also pleaded guilty to assisting an offender over the same time period.

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Shaw was named in Tuchel’s 55-man provisional squad and there had been a clamour for his inclusion.

But, with Newcastle’s Dan Burn and Manchester City’s Nico O’Reilly being called up, Shaw misses out.

Chelsea defender Levi Colwill and AC Milan defender Fikayo Tomori are out, though Arsenal winger Noni Madueke has made the cut.

He joins his Premier League-winning team-mates Bukayo Saka, Declan Rice and Eberechi Eze, who is rewarded for his excellent form with a place in the 26.

Tottenham defender Djed Spence has also made Tuchel’s squad, meaning there is no place for Real Madrid’s Alexander-Arnold, Arsenal’s Myles Lewis-Skelly or Everton’s James Garner.

Spence, 25, suffered a broken jaw in Tottenham’s 2-1 defeat by Chelsea on Tuesday but is expected to wear a protective mask if he plays against Everton in the Premier League on Sunday.

The omissions of Maguire, Tomori and Colwill mean Manchester City defender John Stones has been included, despite his injury-disrupted campaign.

Tuchel views Stones as a key player but has been concerned about the departing Manchester City man’s fitness.

Crystal Palace midfielder Adam Wharton is another to miss out, but Manchester United midfielder Kobbie Mainoo keeps his place in the squad after earning a recall for the previous friendlies.

Brentford midfielder Jordan Henderson, who has been a mainstay under Tuchel, keeps his place.

Bournemouth midfielder Alex Scott, Liverpool winger Rio Ngumoha and Fulham midfielder Josh King will travel with the squad for a training camp in Florida and could play in warm-up matches against New Zealand and Costa Rica.

Brighton’s Jason Steele will be part of the squad as a training goalkeeper throughout the tournament.

The World Cup, which takes place across the US, Mexico and Canada, starts on 11 June.

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Searches have been ongoing in the area throughout the day

Five men have been arrested as part of an investigation into dissident republican activity in West Belfast.

The arrests were made in the Poleglass area on Thursday evening.

An area off the Pembrooke Loop Road remained closed for most of Friday while the PSNI’s Serious Crime Branch conducted inquiries.

A PSNI spokesperson said: “Detectives from the Police Service of Northern Ireland’s Terrorism Investigation Unit investigating violent dissident republican activity have made five arrests.

“The men aged 26, 27, 38, 44 and 51 were arrested in the Poleglass area of west Belfast on Thursday evening, 21st May, under the Terrorism Act.

“They have been taken to the Serious Crime Suite at Musgrave Police Station in Belfast for questioning. The investigation is ongoing.”

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