Archive June 10, 2025

Primark shoppers love ‘cutest’ £6 beaded bag that’s ‘giving summer’

The retailer has impressed customers with its colourful selection of beaded summer accessories

Shoppers love Primark’s beaded summer style (stock photo)(Image: Getty)

Primark shoppers have fallen in love with two £6 items they think would make the perfect summer bags. The beaded styles are ideal for fruit lovers looking for playful accessories for their warm weather wardrobe, as fans love the “cutest” designs.

The summer-ready styles went viral on social media when shoppers showcased the watermelon and lemon bags on TikTok. Both bags resemble fruit slices, with a slim silhouette and zip-close fastening, and they’re adorned with colourful beads. Shoppers say they “need” both bags.

In one video shared by @hope.dgh, a blogger wrote: “How cute are these lemon and watermelon slice beaded bags from Primark? It’s giving summmerrr.” In another post, @ alexox994 said: “I found the cutest beaded bags in Primark & they were only £6!!”

Viewers loved the fruit-themed designs. Replying to the clips, one commenter praised: “Love these!!” Another fan said: “They are killing us with all the cute beaded stuff!!!!! My wallet is hurting.”

Someone replied: “For real.” Another excited comment read: “NEED!!!!” A similar comment said: “Need both now.” Someone replied: “Sooo freaking cute.”

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A different response said: “Oh my god.” A viewer tagged a friend, writing: “I fear you need them.” Someone else told a fellow social media user: “Omg the lemon one I think I need.”

However, others debated whether the beaded styles could be classed as bags. For instance, a commenter asked: “Are these small bags or purses?” Someone thought: “They are purses, literally fit in the palm of your hand.” While it doesn’t look like either style could fit a phone, they could be used to hold items like keys, money, and lip balm.

Shoppers looking for larger accessories might like Primark’s £16 Beaded Shoulder Bag. Described as a “beaded shoulder bag with summer inspired motifs and colourful accents,” there are two colours available.

Beaded Shoulder Bag from Primark
Beaded Shoulder Bag from Primark(Image: Primark)

One is a blue and white bag with lemon detailing, while the other also has a blue and white theme but it is adorned with orange and white starfish. Both bags are available to click and collect on Primark’s website.

The product description for the starfish bag says: “This playful shoulder bag is here to brighten your day. With a bold blue and white background and a cheerful starfish design, it’s made to stand out. The structured silhouette and flap closure keep your essentials secure, while the beaded strap adds a little extra texture.

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“Perfect for slinging over your shoulder on sunny days or adding a splash of fun to your look all year round. It’s lined inside to keep your bits and bobs safe, with just enough room for your phone, wallet and lip balm.”

Trump sends Marines, more National Guard members to Los Angeles

An additional 2,000 National Guard soldiers, along with 700 Marines, have headed to Los Angeles on orders from United States President Donald Trump, escalating a military presence local officials and California Governor Gavin Newsom do not want, and which the city’s police chief says creates logistical challenges for safely handling protests.

An initial deployment of 2,000 National Guard personnel ordered by Trump started arriving on Sunday, as violence erupted during protests driven by an accelerated enforcement of immigration laws that critics say are breaking apart families.

Monday’s demonstrations were less raucous. Thousands peacefully attended a rally at City Hall, hundreds protested outside a federal complex that includes a detention centre where some immigrants are being held following workplace raids across the city.

Los Angeles Police Department chief Jim McDonnell said in a statement he was confident in LAPD’s ability to handle large-scale demonstrations, and that the Marines’ arrival without coordinating with police would present a “significant logistical and operational challenge” for them.

Newsom called the deployments reckless and “disrespectful to our troops” in a post on the social media platform X.

“This isn’t about public safety. It’s about stroking a dangerous President’s ego.”

The protests began on Friday in downtown Los Angeles after federal immigration authorities arrested more than 40 people across the city.

In a directive on Saturday, Trump invoked a legal provision allowing him to deploy federal service members when there is “a rebellion or danger of a rebellion against the authority” of the US government.

The smell of smoke hung in the air on Monday, one day after crowds blocked a major motorway and set self-driving cars on fire, and police responded with tear gas, rubber bullets and flashbangs.

Additional protests against immigration raids continued into the evening on Monday in several other cities, including San Francisco and Santa Ana in California and Dallas and Austin in Texas.

Texas Governor Greg Abbott said in a post on X that more than a dozen protesters were arrested, while in Santa Ana, a police spokesperson said the National Guard had arrived in the city to secure federal buildings.

California Attorney General Rob Bonta filed a lawsuit over the use of National Guard troops following the first deployment, telling reporters in his announcement on Monday that Trump had “trampled” the state’s sovereignty.

Trump said Los Angeles would have been “completely obliterated” if he had not deployed the National Guard.

US officials said the Marines were being deployed to protect federal property and personnel, including immigration agents.

Several dozen protesters were arrested over the weekend. Authorities say one person was arrested for throwing a Molotov cocktail at police and another for ramming a motorbike into a line of officers.

Former England fly-half Umaga in Samoa squad

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Former Wasps fly-half Jacob Umaga, who was capped by England in 2021, has been called up by Samoa for the first time.

The 26-year-old moved to Italian side Benetton Treviso when Wasps went bust in 2022, helping them to finish 10th in the United Rugby Championship this season.

Umaga, initially brought into former coach Eddie Jones’ England squad as an apprentice player during the 2020 Six Nations, came off the bench to win his only senior cap in the 43-29 win over the United States in July 2021.

A change to World Rugby’s rules in 2022 allows players to represent a second nation at international level after three years out of the Test game.

Umaga was born in Halifax after his father Mike, a Samoa international, moved to England to play rugby league. Mike later switched codes to play union for Rotherham.

Tana Umaga, the legendary New Zealand centre, is Jacob’s uncle.

Related topics

  • Rugby Union

Former England fly-half Umaga called up by Samoa

Getty Images

Former Wasps fly-half Jacob Umaga, who was capped by England in 2021, has been called up by Samoa for the first time.

The 26-year-old moved to Italian side Benetton Treviso when Wasps went bust in 2022, helping them to finish 10th in the United Rugby Championship this season.

Umaga, initially brought into former coach Eddie Jones’ England squad as an apprentice player during the 2020 Six Nations, came off the bench to win his only senior cap in the 43-29 win over the United States in July 2021.

A change to World Rugby’s rules in 2022 allows players to represent a second nation at international level after three years out of the Test game.

Umaga was born in Halifax after his father Mike, a Samoa international, moved to England to play rugby league. Mike later switched codes to play union for Rotherham.

Tana Umaga, the legendary New Zealand centre, is Jacob’s uncle.

Related topics

  • Rugby Union

Hajj 2025: Over 1.6m Conclude Pilgrimage In Saud Arabia

The 2025 Hajj pilgrimage ended Monday, the thirteenth of Dhul Hijjah, corresponding with the ninth of June, with over 1.6 million Muslims from more than 150 nations that participated in this year’s exercise.

Saudi authorities from the Hajj and Umrah Committee announced the conclusion in Mina, declaring it free of any health, security, or service-related incidents.

On Monday, the Deputy Emir of the Makkah Region, Prince Saud bin Mishaal, who made the announcement, praised the Kingdom’s leadership for ensuring the event was incident-free.

Prince Mishaal, who commended the efforts of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Salman bin Abdulaziz, and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, attributed the smooth and successful conduct of the 2025 pilgrimage to their leadership.

READ ALSO: [Hajj] Saudi Authorities Deploy 40,000 Security Operatives

While maintaining that the Kingdom and its leadership take great pride in serving the holy sites and visitors, they revealed that preparations for Hajj 2026 have commenced immediately.

Marking the end of Hajj 2025, pilgrims left Mina, the tent city, after spending three days performing the stoning of devil ritual and other acts of worship and returned to Makkah, where they performed the Dawaaf Al-Ifadah: circumambulation of the Holy Ka’abah and the Sa’e: the running between the hills of Safa and Marwah and exited the state of Ihram; the state of ritual purity.

This year, Saudi authorities put in place several measures, including amenities, security, health, and infrastructure, ensuring that pilgrims performed a comfortable and safe pilgrimage.

As the 2025 Hajj came to an end, the authorities announced that there were no major health, security, or service-related incidents recorded.

‘This Year is Excellent’

Some Nigerian pilgrims who participated in the pilgrimage narrated their experience to Channels Television in Mina, the tent city.

A Nigerian pilgrim from Osun State, Muritala Fakunle, said, “This year’s Hajj has a greater impact on the pilgrims than last year. More facilities are deployed, I must confess to you in Mina, Muzdalifah, as well as Arafat, we have more facilities. The beddings and the cooling are of high quality.’

“For this year, the people who came here last year and came this year, they will know that this year is a top-notch year.”

Another Nigerian pilgrim from Katsina State, Nasir Yahaya, shared similar remarks, saying, “Operations for this year’s Hajj 2025 are excellent, there is no problem with the Nigerian Hajj pilgrims. There is no problem, 100 percent in terms of food, the activities, even in Mina, very neat, not like before, not like last year. This year is excellent, there is not too much crowd.’

A first-time Nigerian pilgrim, Nurudeen Babajide, noted that, “This is my first time coming to Hajj, I always heard some complaints from people that used to come before but for this year, I think they changed the system entirely because what I have seen for this year Hajj is quite different from what I heard before. It is perfect, the service from Madina to Makkah, and we have visited different places. I think the services are well-arranged.”

Another Nigerian pilgrim, Qomorudeen Bello, hailed the people of Saudi Arabia for their warm reception of visitors.

He said, “Saudi Arabia is one of the forefront countries in the world because there is nowhere in the world that people are congregating or converging for a religious purpose that cuts across the world except Saudi Arabia. Another thing I observe in them is sincerity and love above all, they are so magnanimous, they give Sadaqah (charity) at any time, so with this, I believe there is beauty in Islam.”

This year, over 1.6 million pilgrims from more than 150 nations were served with more than 130 digital services, over 50,000 healthcare personnel and 40,000 security forces deployed, seven new hospitals opened, 23,000 trees planted, 300,000 square meters of shaded areas introduced, emergency care expanded by 60 percent, over 20,000 buses and trains used among other services with the goal primarily to ensure that the Hajj journey is comfortable and spiritually fulfilling.

According to official figures, over 1.6 million pilgrims performed the 2025 Hajj, comprising 877,841 male pilgrims and 795,389 female pilgrims, with 1,506,576 pilgrims from outside Saudi Arabia, and 166,654 domestic pilgrims, comprising citizens and residents.

Ten dead in mass shooting in Austria’s Graz: Report

Nine people have been killed and at least 10 injured in a shooting at a school in the Austrian city of Graz.

Police were deployed to the BORG Dreierschutzengasse school in Austria’s second city on Tuesday morning after shots were heard.

The suspected attacker is also dead, according to the Austrian Press Agency, bringing the total death toll to ten.

Police said that they arrived at the school shortly after the shots were reported and secured the premises.

“No further danger is expected,” the police said, adding that students had been evacuated and were receiving support from a crisis intervention team along with their parents.

Among those killed are at least seven students, said Graz Mayor Elke Kahr, describing the attack as a “terrible tragedy”. At least one adult was also killed.

The Kronen Zeitung newspaper reported that at least 10 other people were wounded.

Mario Kunasek, governor of the southeastern Austrian state of Styria, of which Graz is the capital, expressed condolences to the victims.

“As a father, I am deeply saddened by this insane act, which has caused so much harm and incredible suffering,” he said. “My thoughts are with the innocent victims, families and teachers.”

(Al Jazeera)

Kronen Zeitung reported shots were first heard at about 10am (08:00 GMT) and the attack was carried out across two classrooms at the upper secondary school, which is attended by pupils of 14 years and older.

Police say they’re working on the assumption that there was a sole suspect.

Media report that the perpetrator, who took their own life, is a former student of the school, and labelled the attack one of the country’s worst mass shootings.

Graz, Austria’s second most populous city, is located in the southeast of the country and has a population of about 300,000 people.

Chancellor Christian Stocker is on his way to the school, a spokeswoman said. Interior Minister Gerhard Karner was also expected at the scene.

A spokeswoman for European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen called the killings “absolutely horrible and tragic.”