Horner, 34, was sentenced to death earlier this week for kidnapping and killing Athena in November 2022. The child was taken from her home near Fort Worth, Texas, on the day the former FedEx driver delivered a Christmas gift to her home. 

Athena's body was found two days later not far from where she lived, with Horner later arrested and charged with aggravated kidnapping and capital murder, which he pleaded guilty to in court. After being placed on death row by a Texas court earlier this week, Horner will now spend his final years at the Polunsky Unit, known as one of the most brutal death row prisons in the country. 

Prisoners awaiting execution are kept segregated and are said to spend up to 22 hours a day confined to their cells, which are just 60 square-foot wide. Tanner Horner was sentenced to death earlier this week (Juan Figueroa/The Dallas Morning News via Getty Images) Horner's cell will be furnished with just a metal bunk bed and thin mattress, while a metal desk, toilet and sink will sit just feet away from where he will sleep. 

The killer will eat all of his meals in the cell and will be limited to having a pen and paper to write with. He will not have access to entertainment found in other prisons, instead just being given reading materials to study. 

As the Polunsky Unit is one of the most dangerous prisons in the US filled by many murderers, staff conduct regular surveillance, which continues throughout the night. Because of this, inmates are unable to get regular and continuous sleep. 

Horner will be let out of his cell for around an hour of exercise per day, but even that is conducted in a cage in the outdoors to ensure inmates do not mix. Conditions at the prison have been described as 'inhumane' and 'torture' by advocacy group SolitaryWatch. The prison is one of America's most brutal (United States States District Court Southern District of Texas Houston Division) Yancy Escobar, the wife of inmate Juan Balderas, who has been on death row for 11 years, told Telemundo Houston last month: "He lives there in a small cell for 24 hours. 

"Suddenly, they take him out to shower two, three times a week. The only time you can leave that cell is when you go to shower, and they take you in handcuffs. They put you in there, take off the handcuffs, you shower for 15 minutes, and they take you back to your cell." 

If you’ve been affected by any of these issues or want to speak to someone in confidence regarding the welfare of a child, the Childhelp USA National Child Abuse Hotline (1-800-4-A-CHILD (1-800-422-4453) operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and receives calls from throughout the United States, Canada, US Virgin Islands, Guam and Puerto Rico. 

If you have experienced a child bereavement and would like to speak with someone in confidence, contact The Compassionate Friends on (877) 969-0010.

The unnamed man had returned from a trip to South America with his wife and received an email from the ship's operator informing him of the ongoing outbreak. After noticing symptoms himself, he was immediately placed in quarantine and is now receiving care at the University Hospital Zurich (USZ).

His wife is self-isolating too, though she isn't showing any symptoms. Switzerland's Federal Office of Public Health (FOPH) said it 'considers the occurrence of further cases in Switzerland unlikely' and 'the risk to the public in Switzerland is low'. 

That said, contact tracing is underway, while separately, the World Health Organisation is trying to track down more than 80 passengers and six crew who shared a flight with a Dutchwoman from the MV Hondius who tested positive for hantavirus and sadly died. Meanwhile, around 150 passengers are stuck on the MV Hondius, left in limbo after Cape Verde and then Tenerife refused to allow the ship to dock. The ship was sailing from Argentina to Cape Verde (AP Photo/Misper Apawu) The strain of hantavirus involved in the outbreak, which affects the lungs and heart, has a 20 to 40 percent fatality rate, with the WHO calling it 'a disease of major public health concern'. 

The health body said: "In line with the International Health Regulations (IHR), WHO is working with relevant countries to support international contact tracing, to ensure that those potentially exposed are monitored and that any further disease spread is limited. 

"The outbreak has caused growing concern because the virus can stay hidden in the body for up to eight weeks before symptoms appear." Health experts are especially worried because the virus may be spreading from person to person — something that is rare for hantavirus. Hantavirus is typically a group of viruses carried by mice and rats, and is transmitted by their droppings and urine. 

Three deaths linked to hantavirus outbreak The latest updates on the hantavirus outbreak (LADbible/Getty Stock Images) The WHO said at least five people connected to the cruise have become sick and three have died. Experts believe the outbreak may involve the Andes strain of hantavirus, a rare version that can spread between humans and has a death rate of around 40 percent. 

 

The ship arrived in waters off Cape Verde on 3 May, with a number of British nationals on board. Today (6 May), three suspected hantavirus patients were medically evacuated from the cruise ship to receive medical care in the Netherlands. 

Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, director-general of the WHO, said on X: “WHO continues to work with the ship’s operators to closely monitor the health of passengers and crew, working with countries to support appropriate medical follow-up and evacuation where needed. 

“Monitoring and follow-up for passengers on board and for those who have already disembarked has been initiated in collaboration with the ship’s operators and national health authorities. “At this stage, the overall public health risk remains low.” 

Spreading from person to person Three deaths have been reported in connection with the hantavirus outbreak (AP Photo/Misper Apawu) Andes virus, Professor Sir Andrew Pollard, director of the Oxford Vaccine Group at the University of Oxford, told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme: “With this particular hantavirus, the Andes virus, it is known very rarely to spread between people with close contact, usually symptomatic individuals who are in close contact with each other. 

“That’s important because it means it is very easy to isolate people who are unwell and to follow sort of quarantine and so on to avoid spread to other people. “It’s not like the situation we had with Covid-19 in the pandemic where people could spread even without symptoms, and therefore it was able to spread very easily in the population.” 

He added: “I think the risk is essentially zero of spread outside of this particular outbreak, because the authorities have recognised this and they know exactly what to do to make sure that the individuals are isolated and there’s no-one with transmission now that we know what we’re dealing with.” 

The symptoms of hantavirus Hantavrius can have serious health consequences (Getty Stock Images) Hantavirus can cause two life-threatening syndromes, according to the WHO: hantavirus cardiopulmonary syndrome (HCPS) and haemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS). 

The early symptoms of HCPS, which attacks the lungs, start one to eight weeks after infection, and include: 

• Fatigue 
• Fever 
• Muscles aches 
• Headaches 
• Dizziness 
• Chills 
• Nausea and vomiting 
• Diarrhoea 

Later symptoms include: 

• Coughing 
• Shortness of breath 
• Tightness in the chest 

Early symptoms of HFRS, which affects the kidneys, start one to two weeks after infection, and include: 

• Intense headaches 
• Back pain 
• Abdominal pain 
• Fever/chills 
• Nausea 
• Blurred vision 

Later symptoms include: 

Former actress Ana Obregon caused an international scandal when she used her dead son's frozen sperm and a surrogate to welcome her granddaughter Anita Sandra into the world in 2023, two years after her son's death from cancer. 

Then 68, Obregon shocked people in Spain when images emerged of her leaving a hospital in the US with a newborn in tow, especially as surrogacy is illegal in her homeland. With a torrent of questions pouring in, she confirmed her baby had been conceived with an egg donor.

Compounding the insanity of Obregon's story, her new daughter-granddaughter is technically a royal, as the father of her deceased son was the former Spanish King Juan Carlos, Alessandro Lecquio's nephew. Ana Obregon's son Aless died of cancer in 2021 (Instagram/@ana_obregon_oficial) "The girl isn't my daughter, she's my granddaughter. It was Aless' last wish to bring a child into the world," Obregon said at the time to ¡Hola! Magazine. 

In the three years since, the socialite has kept a low profile and focused on raising her and her son's daughter, but has shared a rare update on life as a mother at 71 to mark her country's Mother's Day. 

Speaking to her 1.3 million Instagram followers, the 71-year-old shared two pictures of her with daughter-grandaughter Anita and shared how the national holiday had become bittersweet. 

Translated from Spanish, she said: "Mother's Day hurts. My heart goes out to all the mothers who have their angels in heaven. Those who swallow their tears with a smile to survive. "I need to tell you that love is the greatest force that exists, that we should try to feel their love from wherever they are. I need to tell you that we will be their mothers forever."

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Ana_Obregon Oficial (@ana_obregon_oficial)

She continued: "Happy Mother's Day to the mothers who are lucky enough to have their children on earth, who can hug them, talk to them, smell them. Don't let a single day go by without telling them how much you love them. 

"Collect countless moments with them, because that's the only thing that truly matters in this life. The greatest pride and privilege is being a mother (at least for me). "Now I am a grandmother-mother to an angel who illuminates every second of my darkness. Blessed are all the mothers on earth and those who gave us life and are in heaven." 

Last year, the Daily Mail reports Obregon shared further insight into her life as a septuagenarian mom, which is now 'full of stuffed animals and toys' after welcoming her son's daughter into the world. She also admitted that it was becoming harder to pick her toddler up due to the pain it causes her back, while sharing her continued pain at losing her son Aless. 

Obregon said: "We live our whole lives saying that we are eternal and nothing happens here. Suddenly, one day they tell you at 25 years old that you have an aggressive cancer."

The A-list couple took to Instagram to announce the birth of their baby boy, as fans rushed to the comments with well-wishes. 

"Cameron and I are happy, excited, and feeling so BLESSED to announce the birth of our third child, Nautas Madden," singer Madden wrote. 

The star added: "Welcome to the world Son!! We love life with our family - our kids are healthy & happy, and we are grateful!!!" The celebrity couple announced the birth of their third child. (Arturo Holmes/Getty Images for REFORM Alliance) "Having a blast," the star added, "Sending all our best wishes - the Madden Family." Actress Diaz also commented a series of love heart emojis underneath the post. Instead of sharing a snap of the baby, the couple, who also share daughter Raddix, born December 2019 and son Cardinal, born March 2024, posted a graphic with an explanation of the unique name. 

The family revealed that the unique name, Nautas, means 'sailor, navigator, voyager, one who embarks on a journey and fears not the unknown'. Prior to his arrival, the couple did not announce that they were expecting a third child. 

Reports have previously claimed that the couple welcomed their children through surrogacy, though neither Madden nor Diaz have publicly confirmed this. One fan wrote: "Congratulations beautiful family!!!!" 

As another said: "Many blessings to you!!! May he always have lots of health and grow up to be a boy full of light and joy." Diaz previously opened up about motherhood in an interview on the Kelly Clarkson Show in 2022, where she spoke about the 'challenges' of raising a toddler.

   

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Benji Madden (@benjaminmadden)

"My job is to just help her find the words to her emotions, her experience, what she’s going through, be able to help her identify that and then move through it," the Charlie's Angels star said. 

The baby news comes just months after Diaz recently made a return to the spotlight after taking almost a decade-long break from acting, for the dark comedy Outcome, starring alongside Keanu Reeves. Diaz described the break as a way to 'reclaim' her life and to focus on her family, after being thrust into the spotlight in the 90s. 

Eugenie, the daughter of Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor and Sarah Ferguson, had taken a six-month break on Instagram, returning to celebrate her husband's milestone 40th birthday yesterday (3 May). 

The retail giant is rolling back the once-popular machines in a major rethink of how people shop, with some locations ditching them altogether. Its latest move saw self-checkouts removed from a South Philadelphia location, according to the Philadelphia Inquirer. 

A company spokesperson told the outlet the change is focused on improving customer service, saying it will help shorten lines and boost efficiency. But it comes as Walmart pushes ahead with plans to remodel more than 650 stores - but instead of doubling down on self-service, it’s bringing back more staffed checkouts. 

So, what’s behind the shift? Retailers say self-checkouts have become a major problem when it comes to theft. From items being deliberately skipped to “accidental” mis-scans, losses have reportedly been increasing, forcing stores to rethink whether the tech is worth it. 

Rising thefts in stores A 2025 LendingTree survey found 27% of shoppers admitted to deliberately stealing at self-checkout, while 36% said they’d done so accidentally. Separate industry data suggests losses at self-checkouts can reach up to 4% of transactions - compared to around 0.2% at staffed tills, highlighting the growing risk for retailers. 

 

A 2025 report from the National Retail Federation found total retail shrink hit $90 billion, with theft remaining a major driver of losses across US stores. Data from retail analytics company Everseen shows skip-scanning - where items aren’t properly scanned - is one of the most common forms of self-checkout theft, costing retailers billions each year. An industry analysis cited by retail security firm Solink found self-checkout loss rates can be up to 16 times higher than manned checkouts in some cases. Only the self-checkouts were affected. (Lindsey Nicholson/UCG/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)

Self-checkout plagued by issues 

And Walmart isn’t alone. Target, Costco and Dollar General are also scaling things back, introducing stricter rules or removing machines entirely in some locations. In many cases, customers are now being limited to around 10 to 15 items at self-checkout, while more staff are being brought in to monitor the area. 

For shoppers, the experience hasn’t exactly been seamless either. Glitches, rescans and long lines have turned what was meant to be a faster option into a frustrating one. At the same time, lawmakers are starting to step in. 

New state laws 

Across the US, several states are considering - or already introducing - new rules to crack down on self-checkout misuse, particularly as retail theft continues to climb. That includes everything from item limits to stricter staffing requirements, with some proposals aiming to make it harder for shoppers to misuse the systems in the first place. 

Despite the pullback, self-checkout isn’t disappearing completely. Walmart is still investing in alternatives like Scan & Go tech, while also improving in-store layouts as part of its wider overhaul. Changes in store have been around for awhile though, and haven't been making a dent in thefts. Now the law is getting involved. 

Lawmakers in states including California, Connecticut, Massachusetts, New York, Ohio, Rhode Island and Washington are looking at introducing rules around self-checkouts - including limits on item numbers, minimum staffing requirements and a set balance between staffed and self-service lanes, according to USA Today. Whether more laws come in or not, the message is clear: self-checkouts as we know them is on the way out, as to what replaces them? That remains to be seen. 

FACTCHECK: New self-checkout rules being considered in the US 

Self-checkout has been an issue for years, with tricks and hacks all over TikTok showing people things like the 'banana trick' and 'passaround' - and no, we're not telling you them.  The latest saw a TikToker swipe a pen, and 'leave' with a stove. While it seems this was just for likes, it raises the question on what exactly are the self-checkout rules attempting to cut down the bad behavior.

In fact, health experts believe that people over the age of 70 should avoid daily showers, and the reasons are various.

As a reminder, the President's firstborn is also called Donald Trump, but often goes by Don Jr. He's a former real estate executive and venture capitalist, previously serving as a partner at 1789 Capital, and still works as the Executive Vice President of The Trump Organisation. 

Ever since his dad turned his attention towards politics and away from business, however, Don Jr has rebranded himself, becoming something of a right-wing political gatekeeper and the ultimate enforcer of the MAGA movement's future.

Don Jr could be set to follow in his father's footsteps (Instagram/@donaldjtrumpjr Away from the White House, the 48-year-old also featured as a boardroom judge on the reality TV series, The Apprentice, which was fronted by his billionaire father and ran across 15 seasons from 2004 to 2017. It's the television industry that Don Jr has reportedly set his sights on. 

According to the Wall Street Journal, TV bosses are in the midst of discussions regarding a potential reboot of The Apprentice on MGM, which was recently acquired by Amazon. Insiders at the streaming services are said to have heavily hinted that someone close to Trump, 79, would be in line to take over the former host's role if the series comes into fruition. Don Jr previously appeared on The Apprentice's judging panel (Bill Tompkins/Getty Images) An Amazon spokesperson told press: "Since our acquisition of MGM, we have had preliminary internal discussions about what’s next for The Apprentice as a property." They added, however, that the show isn't yet in active development, and emphasised that no member of the Trump family had been approached with the prospect of taking over from Trump. 

Despite this, the President was interviewed about the speculation during an Oval Office executive order signing on Thursday (30 Apr). "Well, I’ve been hearing it," Trump confessed. "So we’ll see what happens. He’s good. He’s a good guy. He’s probably good." He added of Don Jr: "He’s got a little charisma going."

The BIRDS OF A FEATHER singer was raised as a vegetarian, and has been publicly vegan for more than a decade. She also regularly uses her platform to advocate for animal welfare. 

Eilish went vegan around 2014, and said in a blog post at the time that she was inspired to go vegan for a 'lot of reasons,' which included the impact of dairy on animal welfare. 

The star has previously spoken about having friends who eat meat, and although she doesn't want to tell anyone what to do, she once told British Vogue: "I just can't go on in my life knowing what's going on in the world, and not do anything about it." However, it's Eilish's most recent comments that have sparked backlash online. Many have called Eilish's take on the matter 'privileged' (Photo by Eamonn M. McCormack/Getty Images for Paramount Pictures) In a recent interview with Elle, the singer called out the 'hypocrisy' of those who claim to love animals, but eat meat. During the outlet's series, Ask Me Anything, the singer was asked: "What hill would you die on?" Eilish then stated: "Y'all are not going to like me for this one," before sharing her opinion.

"Eating meat is inherently wrong," she answered. "And the other thing is, two things can not coincide. 'I love animals. I love all animals so much, and I eat meat.' You just can't do both, sorry." 

However, Billie's comments weren't directed at all meat eaters, as she clarified: "You can eat meat, go for it! You can love animals, but you can't do both." The particular segment of Eilish's interview has since been circulating on X, formerly known as Twitter, with a handful of people not impressed by the 24-year-olds comments. 

Some even went as far as to claim her take on the matter came from a 'privileged' stance.

   

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by PETA (@peta)

"This logic is flawed," wrote one social media user. "You drive a car, does that mean you don't love the environment? You use plastic, does that mean you don't love the ocean? You've swatted a mosquito, so do you hate wildlife? I guess you can't love birds, because you have glass windows?" 

Another penned: "Love her bur she's kind of a hypocrite. Also I feel like this is a very privileged take lol." "It is SO privileged, do you know how expensive that vegan s**t is?" another responded. A fourth penned: "You can appreciate and love animals while still understanding that we are animals ourselves and need to eat." 

However, others appeared to agree with the star, with one writing: "She's right but y'all aren't ready for this conversation." Another said: "When you lowkey have the same opinion a celebrity got cancelled for..." Eilish was also backed by animal rights organization PETA, who shared the clip on their Instagram account. 

"What’s on your plate isn’t separate from your values! @billieeilish said what needed to be said with @elleusa and we’re standing on it. If you truly love animals, you can’t eat them!" they wrote in the caption.

However, over a year on and the 36-year-old has been told that her stomach has stopped working completely and that she's at serious risk of 'starving to death'. Emile headed to work as normal after throwing up the first time but found herself admitted to hospital after 10 straight days of vomiting, where doctors revealed that she had Crohn's disease. 

The NHS explains that Crohn's is a long-term condition where part of your gut becomes inflamed. Sadly, it cannot currently be cured, but there are treatments that can help prevent or manage the symptoms. Symptoms include diarrhoea, blood or mucus in your poo, stomach pain, constipation, pain in your bottom (anus), feeling very tired or generally unwell, and loss of appetite and losing weight. Emile has now been placed on palliative care (Kennedy News and Media) Emile consulted a specialist in February 2025 as she was still struggling to keep food down, and it was there that she was told that she has gastroparesis, a chronic condition that means her stomach is partially paralysed. 

She said: "When I saw the specialist he was like 'it's your stomach that's hurting, not your rib'. He said 'your stomach is completely broken and nothing is going through' and that's when I got the diagnosis. "It was fine because I just thought they could fix it but then I was losing more and more weight and people were commenting. 

"While I was in hospital they scanned me and they said if I don't get some weight on me, essentially I'm 'forced' anorexic, so I probably haven't got much longer than a year." By the end of the summer of 2025, her weight had plummeted from 8st 5lb to 4st 8lb, and the NHS have now put her on palliative care as she is unable to gain weight. 

She is raising money to fund private treatment that will allow her to spend more time with her children, some of whom are going through school exams while their mother struggles so much. Emile wants to spend more time with her three kids (Kennedy News and Media) Emile said: "The thought of having to leave my children is horrific, it's unthinkable. "It's hard, the children are growing up and we thought we were going to have all these years, we did it young and it's just not worked out that way. 

"I don't want to go into hospital knowing that I don't have that much time left and not spending it with my family." There is still hope after a permanent tube was fitted in her bowel and allowed her to put on 14lbs, but its only through private Total Parenteral Nutrition (TPN) treatment that she has any real chance of long-term survival. She needs to gain weight in order to undergo the treatment, which sadly would only prolong her life rather than providing a cure.

The Queen, 78, and her husband King Charles III, 77, are spending four days across the pond with US President Donald Trump and the First Lady, attending events fit for royalty and partaking in a number of engagements. 

On Tuesday (28 April), the second day of their visit, the couple's agenda was jam-packed, with Charles making history with his speech to US Congress, followed by a lavish state banquet. 

But the day also included a ceremonial arrival to the White House, where they were greeted by Trump and Melania on the South Lawn, where four chairs were set up for them. One clip doing the rounds on social media shows the two ladies, both wearing all white, sitting down and whispering to each other ahead of the president's address.

King Charles III and Queen Camilla are in the US on a four-day-long state visit (The Washington Post/Getty Images) However, it seems that the British weather followed the royals to America, as it was lightly spitting with rain in the capital. According to lip reader Nicola Hickling, who spoke to the Daily Mail, Melania was left confused by a particular two-word phrase used by the Queen. 

The expert, who analysed the clip, believes that the Queen remarked: "Oh, it's rather wet," to which Melania laughed: "It certainly is." Camilla reportedly responded with: "We shall have soggy bottoms," which Melania apparently seemed to question what she'd said, enquiring: "Soggy bottom." This makes sense since it is a very British phrase. 

It was popularised on The Great British Bake Off to describe an undercooked, wet, or pastry base on pies, tarts, or other baked goods. 'Bottom' also isn't as commonly used for those in the US to describe, ahem, someone's behind, as they usually opt for 'butt'. On Tuesday, as mentioned, the King also delivered a historic speech to the US Congress. Melania was seemingly left baffled by one phrase Camilla used (CHRIS JACKSON/Getty Images) He became the second British monarch to ever do so, following on from his mother, the late Queen Elizabeth II. In 1991, the former Queen - who passed away in September 2022, aged 96 - delivered a speech to Congress which lasted 12 minutes. 

The King said: "Distinguished members of the 119th Congress, it is here in these very halls that this spirit of liberty and the promise of America’s Founders is present in every session and every vote cast. "Not by the will of one, but by the deliberation of many, representing the living mosaic of the United States. 

"In both of our countries, it is the very fact of our vibrant, diverse and free societies that gives us our collective strength, including to support victims of some of the ills that, so tragically, exist in both our societies today." 

King Charles and Queen Camilla's US state visit schedule Take a look at the King and Queen's busy schedule in full here (Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)

Would Donald Trump breach royal protocol? Would he embarrass the King and Queen? However, so far, it's all run very smoothly. King Charles delivered a speech to Congress, which received 12 standing ovations, was jam-packed full of playful jibes and left many thinking it might all get off without a hitch.

It's been 35 years since a British monarch delivered a speech to both houses of Congress, when Queen Elizabeth II spoke in 1991. It also comes at a time when the US-UK relationship seems to be at an all time low, with Trump regularly criticizing the UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer. King Charles III and Trump seemed to be having great fun at the White House state dinner (Henry NICHOLLS / AFP via Getty Images)

What did King Charles say about the French? 

King Charles was clearly in a good mood, delivering jokes and looking like he was having fun doing so at the White House state dinner on Tuesday night (April 28). In a zinger that has made headlines around the globe, he even joked that if it were not for the UK, the US would 'be speaking French'. 

King Charles, who also presented Trump with a unique gift during the dinner, said: "You recently commented, Mr President, that if it were not for the United States, European countries would be speaking German. "Dare I say that if it wasn’t for us, you’d be speaking French?" Zing. 

How did Emmanuel Macron respond to King Charles' comments? 

French president Emmanuel Macron was quick to take to X to let his thoughts be known. Alongside a video of the jibe, he said he thought 'that would be chic' if the US were to speak French. Well maybe the US won't be picking up the Duolingo for French lessons this summer, but the diners at the banquet were certainly enjoying some fine French food. 

Because if there's one thing they tend to do better than both the US and UK, it's cooking. The Embassy of France in the US chimed in on the spread at the dinner, which to be fair, looked marvellous. The president of France has responded (X/@EmmanuelMacron) It tweeted: "Sole meunière, vanilla bean crémeux, chocolate gâteau, almond joconde, and crème fraîche… the attendees were speaking French, for sure." The King was responding to comments made by Trump in January 2026 at the World Economic Forum at Davos where he said that Europeans would be speaking German and Japanese, had the US decided not to intervene in World War II. 

He said: "After the war, which we won, we won it big, without us, right now, you'd all be speaking German and little Japanese perhaps." Trump's jab at Europe followed his interest in taking over Greenland, at a deeply rocky time for US-European relationships. Tensions between the US and Europe remain fraught, but maybe this little jibe will ease everyone up a bit. 

What was on the menu at the White House state dinner? First Lady Melania Trump led the preparations for the state dinner (Samir Hussein/WireImage) The First Lady led the preparations for the state dinner (Chris Jackson/Getty Images) According to the White House, the first course consisted of a ‘delicate’ garden Vegetable Velouté, with a ‘refreshing’ hearts of palm salad. The dish was topped off with toasted shallots and a ‘whisper of micro mint for brightness and contrast’. 

This was followed by a ‘handcrafted’ spring herb ravioli, which featured herbs from the White House Kitchen Garden, and was ‘generously filled’ with creamy ricotta and dressed ‘in a light parmesan emulsion’. 

When it came to the third course, guests were served a classic Dover sole meunière, which had been ‘bathed in a nutty brown butter’. It was ‘accompanied by tender spring ramps, sweet snow peas, layered potatoes pavé, and a vibrant parsley oil for a refined, seasonal finish’. 

For dessert, they had a beehive-shaped chocolate gâteau with a vanilla bean crémeux custard, crème fraîche ice cream and White House honey. A selection of wines was also presented to ‘complement the menu while honoring the shared heritage and enduring friendship between the United States and the United Kingdom’.