Month: January 2026

The armed wing of Hamas, Al-Qassam Brigades, released a video message on Wednesday afternoon showing an Israeli captive currently held in Gaza, the Palestinian Information Centre has reported. The footage shows Omri Miran lighting a candle on what he described as his “second birthday” in captivity.

“This is my second birthday here. I can’t say I’m celebrating; it’s just another day in captivity,” said Miran. “I made this cake for the occasion, but there is no joy. It’s been a year and a half. I miss my daughters and my wife terribly.”

He addressed the Israeli public directly, including his family and friends. “Conditions here are extremely tough. Thank you to everyone demonstrating to bring us home safely.”

The captive also urged Israelis to stage a mass protest outside Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s residence. “Bring my daughters so I can see them on TV. Do everything you can now to get us home. Netanyahu’s supporters don’t care about us, they’d rather see us dead.”

Screengrab from footage shows Israeli captive Omri Miran

He asked captives released in previous prisoner exchange deals to protest and speak to the media. “Let the people know how bad it is for us. We live in constant fear of bombings. A deal must be reached soon before we return home in coffins.

Miran urged demonstrators to appeal to US President Donald Trump to put pressure on Netanyahu: “Do not believe Netanyahu. Military pressure is only killing us. A deal — only a deal — will bring us home. Turn to Trump. He seems to be the only powerful person in the world who could push Netanyahu to agree to a deal.”

He also mentioned the worsening humanitarian situation: “The captors told me the crossings are closed; no food or supplies are coming in. As a result, we’re receiving even less food than before.”

In conclusion, the captive sent a pointed message to the Israeli leadership: “Netanyahu, Dermer, Smotrich, Ben Gvir — you are the reason for 7 October. Because of you, I am here. Because of you, we’re all here. You’re bringing the state to collapse.”

READ: US synagogues close their doors to Israel MK Ben-Gvir

Amanda Holden appeared in EastEnders as Carmen, working alongside Ian Beale at a clothing stall, but fans are only just discovering the role and are amazed at how little she’s aged

EastEnders fans have been stunned after learning that Amanda Holden once appeared in the BBC soap.

The Heart Radio host, 54, has recently made a return to the small screen alongside her best friend, Alan Carr, for a new overseas property renovation programme.

Amanda and Alan’s Greek Job is currently broadcast on BBC One every Friday and chronicles the duo as they spend a summer on the Ionian island of Corfu.

They’ve purchased a somewhat more modest property than in their previous series, but they’re facing a significant challenge.

Amanda’s professional career took off when she became a judge on the ITV reality programme Britain’s Got Talent in 2007 alongside Simon Cowell, reports OK!.

However, she previously pursued an acting career and featured in EastEnders long before becoming a household name.

In 1993, Amanda appeared in Albert Square as the youthful Carmen alongside Ian Beale actor Adam Woodyatt.

Carmen was employed at the clothing stall at Bridge Street Market and was keen to secure a permanent position there.

Her primary involvement centred around selling heart-patterned boxer shorts, which were anonymously delivered to Richard Cole, played by Ian Reddington, the market inspector, as a prank he found rather unamusing.

Amanda only featured in five episodes of EastEnders before departing Walford and moving on to a stellar showbiz career.

She previously discussed her brief role with her Heart Radio co-presenter, Jamie Theakston.

She revealed: “When I left drama school, EastEnders was one of the first jobs I got. I had to look after someone’s stall for half an hour, which was like four episodes or something. I was opposite Adam Woodyatt, your ex-flatmate! That’s not true.”

Amanda continued: “Ian Beale, I looked after a jewellery stall, and he had his fruit and veg, there was a lot of messing around with rude fruit, that’s all I’m going to say. I had a lot of fun; it was a nice show to do.”

EastEnders fans were taken aback when they discovered Amanda’s stint on the soap, with one Reddit user posting: “Another surprise! Another celebrity (before they were famous) appeared in EastEnders that I didn’t know about! 1993 – A teeny tiny Amanda Holden!”

Another chimed in: “Wow. I never knew about this one, it almost feels unusual to look at haha”, while another added: “I thought the same thing. Especially when I heard her speak. She had exactly the same voice as she has now lol.”

One fan commented: “Interesting I had no idea that she was in it before she got famous”, while another remarked: “Wow she hasn’t aged at all in 30 years.”

EastEnders airs Monday to Thursday on BBC One and iPlayer

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Egypt’s iconic pyramids are a must-see for many, but one group of tourists has found out the hard way that they might be better viewed from afar, as they ‘regretted’ going inside

For globetrotters eager to witness the world’s most spectacular sights, Egypt’s Pyramids of Giza undoubtedly feature prominently on their must-see lists. These ancient burial chambers for royalty trace their origins back to approximately 2580 BC, and remarkably remain as the sole survivor among the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World.

Exploring these pyramids certainly ranks as a dream experience for most travellers fortunate enough to get the opportunity, but as one tourist group recently found out, admiring these magnificent monuments from the exterior might be the wiser choice. They were left terrified by one detail as they explored the monuments, and said going inside isn’t for everyone.

A TikTok clip posted this month by a user called Aish captures her ascending the extremely steep internal stairway of the Great Pyramid at Giza – steps that normally guide visitors either downward from the entry point to the underground chamber, or upward towards the Grand Gallery and the King’s Chamber.

However, as she navigated the cramped passageway, a voice from behind could be heard announcing their intention to retreat, unable to cope with the confined conditions.

Initially, Aish pressed forward a few more steps, determined to continue her journey, but ultimately conceded defeat herself, stating: “Yeah, I think I’m going back, too. I’m going down.”

Text overlaying her footage read: “POV [point of view]: You went inside the pyramids and regret it instantly.”

Her caption served as a cautionary note, suggesting the pyramids might prove unsuitable for those suffering from claustrophobia, which is an overwhelming fear of cramped or enclosed environments.

Viewers of Aish’s video were divided on her choice to retreat. Some felt she had “wasted” the opportunity by not experiencing everything the pyramids offered, whilst others who’d tackled the challenging ascent previously insisted it wasn’t “worth” the ordeal of the journey, regardless.

One viewer remarked: “I did it (traumatised) and the room when you go into was not even worth it… just an empty room with an empty tomb.”

However, another countered: “There should be a sign saying once you enter, you commit to the entire climb.”

A third person supported this view, saying: “If people are claustrophobic, they shouldn’t go in, because that just ruins it for everyone else then.”

Whilst countless tourists fantasise about venturing inside the Great Pyramid, the cramped conditions can prove shocking to many expecting the interior to match the grandeur of the exterior. According to Britannica, the Great Pyramid contains “very little open space” once inside, and temperatures can be sweltering.

To access the Grand Pyramid, visitors must initially scale 59 feet on the outside. From that point, you navigate down a descending passageway until it divides into one route continuing down to the subterranean chamber, and another ascending towards the Grand Gallery, along with the Queen’s Chamber and the King’s Chamber.

A Time Out journalist who previously explored the Great Pyramid described it as “one of the most magical experiences” of her life, yet stated she would “absolutely” never attempt it again.

She wrote: “The tomb itself is tiny, and there’s not much to do apart from stand there feeling pink, sticky and overwhelmed, while a lone security guard offers to take your photo and tells you to keep the noise down.

“Is it one of the most magical experiences of my life? Yes. Would I do it again? Absolutely not.”

A highly toxic pesticide that was banned in California more than two decades ago is still widely used across the state, potentially endangering communities near farm fields and bustling shipyards, according to a new study.

For much of the 20th century, methyl bromide, an odorless and colorless fumigant, had been touted as a miracle product for its effectiveness in killing pests, both on farms and in the shipping containers that conveyed produce across the world. But research later determined that the neurotoxic gas also can cause serious health issues in humans and contributed to the depletion of the ozone, ultimately leading to its ban under the Montreal Protocol, an international treaty, in 2005.

However, researchers from UCLA and UC Irvine recently found that methyl bromide remains in use in 36 of 58 California counties, according to data collected by the California Department of Pesticide Regulation over the last decade. From 2016 to 2023, more than 12 million pounds of the pesticide were applied in these counties, according to those data. And more than 200 fumigation facilities had active permits to emit methyl bromide statewide during that eight-year span.

How is this possible?

Well, the international ban, it turns out, included broad exemptions.

The counties with the highest methyl bromide use — Siskiyou and San Joaquin — were made up of mostly rural communities that were using it for exempted agricultural purposes, such as soil fumigation for specialty crops without feasible alternatives or in greenhouse nurseries.

Los Angeles County ranked fifth, with 725,000 pounds of methyl bromide used. That was mostly due to it’s ongoing use to sterilize container cargo moving through the ports of Long Beach and Los Angeles — another exemption to the Montreal Protocol.

As a consequence, communities near the ports — which already bear the brunt of diesel and air pollution — have been exposed to another toxic pollutant.

Because the pesticide’s use is exempted, the risks are unaccounted for in CalEnviroScreen, the tool the state uses to evaluate a community’s exposure to several types of pollution.

“These communities, like West Long Beach and Wilmington, they were already then designated as a disadvantaged community by the state of California,” said Yoshira Ornelas Van Horne, the study’s co-author and an assistant professor of environmental science at UCLA. “So I think this just underscores that there’s potentially even more environmental burdens that weren’t even being accounted for, unfortunately.”

From January 2023 to April 2024, an air monitoring station just north of Long Beach’s Hudson Elementary School, which is downwind of two fumigation sites that handle the imported goods, found that the average levels of methyl bromide were 2.1 parts per billion — twice as high as the state’s threshold exposure for long-term health risks. In early 2024, hourly concentrations surpassed 960 parts per billion, just shy of the state’s short-term exposure benchmark.

Since then, the Los Angeles County agricultural commissioner has been collaborating with the fumigation facilities on ideas to reduce risk from the pesticide, including installing higher smoke stacks to disperse emissions and prohibiting fumigation during school hours.

And on Jan. 29, the South Coast Air Quality Management District will convene a public meeting to discuss how methyl bromide and other fumigants might be regulated in the future.

Theral Golden, a longtime resident of West Long Beach, said he plans to attend the meeting and will call for an outright ban of methyl bromide unless fumigation facilities can demonstrate that they can contain the harmful emissions.

“The building should be airtight,” Golden said. “It should not escape into the atmosphere at all. It may cost a lot of money. But that’s the cost of doing business. It’s costing us our lives.”

More recent air news

A deal to shut down Washington state’s last coal plant has been thrown into turmoil after the Trump administration ordered it to stay open for 90 additional days, according to New York Times climate reporter Claire Brown. The move is part of a broader effort by the Department of Energy to keep multiple aging coal plants operating nationwide.

A surprisingly small group of companies is driving most of the world’s carbon emissions, climate journalist Dana Drugmand writes in Inside Climate News. A new analysis finds that just 32 oil, gas, coal and cement producers were responsible for more than half of global fossil CO₂ emissions in 2024, with many of them actually increasing output while lobbying against climate action.

Air pollution isn’t just bad for our health, it’s bad for the economy. Shoppers Stop, a popular department store in India, pointed to poor air quality as a factor behind flat sales and falling earnings in late 2025, according to Lou Del Bello, Bloomberg’s energy and commodities editor.

A few last things in climate news

One year after the deadly Eaton fire, survivors are pushing back against California laws that shield electric utilities from paying the full cost of wildfires sparked by their equipment, Los Angeles Times investigative reporter Melody Petersen writes.

The world is dangerously overdrafting its freshwater, Los Angeles Times environmental reporter Ian James writes, as U.N. scientists warn that humanity has entered an era of “global water bankruptcy.” The report finds that rivers are running dry, lakes and wetlands are disappearing and groundwater is being pumped faster than it can be replenished — putting billions of people and much of global food production at risk.

Back in my home state, Detroit’s auto show is looking a lot less electric these days, Associated Press climate reporter Alexa St. John writes. The shift follows President Trump’s rollback of electric-vehicle incentives and fuel economy rules, moves that have already cost U.S. automakers billions, slowed EV sales growth, and, industry experts warn, could leave them falling behind as China and Europe race ahead on EVs.

This is the latest edition of Boiling Point, a newsletter about climate change and the environment in the American West. Sign up here to get it in your inbox. And listen to our Boiling Point podcast here.

For more air quality news, follow Tony Briscoe on X and Linkedin.

After addressing their two biggest needs this offseason, the bullpen and outfield, via free agency, the Dodgers appear to be relatively set with their roster a little more than three weeks before pitchers and catchers report to spring training in Arizona.

“There’s still some things we’re kicking around and some conversations that have been ongoing for a little bit that we’re going to continue to enhance and build up depth,” Friedman told reporters.

Asked if the Dodgers still are in the market for starting pitching, Friedman said: “We are not.”

That appeared to play out Wednesday night when the Mets acquired starting pitcher Freddy Peralta in a trade with the Milwaukee Brewers.

The 29-year-old right-hander had been someone the Dodgers were interested in, the Athletic reported this week. Considering their rotation already projected to feature Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Blake Snell, Ohtani, Tyler Glasnow and Roki Sasaki, the reported interest in Peralta was surprising.

But coming off a grueling postseason in which the starters, Yamamoto in particular, carried a heavy load, the Dodgers already were thinking about ways to navigate next season — especially with the World Baseball Classic in March.

Last month during winter meetings, Roberts hinted at a six-man rotation as a way to give starters extra rest over a long season. Among the Dodgers’ four starting pitchers during the postseason — Yamamoto, Snell, Glasnow and Ohtani — only Yamamoto pitched the entire season. Snell and Glasnow spent significant time on the injured list, and Ohtani didn’t make his pitching debut until June.

The Dodgers have plenty of young pitchers who could step in, from ascendant minor-league prospect Jackson Ferris, to returning 2024 breakout rookies River Ryan and Gavin Stone, to the more-established Justin Wrobleski and Emmet Sheehan.

Settler violence in the occupied West Bank has emptied nearly three-quarters of the Palestinian Bedouin village of Ras Ein al-Auja, forcing hundreds to flee. Residents who remain say they are being deliberately pushed out of their homes, with nowhere else to go.

Bangladesh have reiterated their stance on not travelling to India for the T20 World Cup and will, once again, request the International Cricket Council (ICC) to relocate their games to Sri Lanka despite the global cricket body’s refusal to change the tournament’s schedule.

“We will go back to the ICC with our plan to play in Sri Lanka,” BCB President Aminul Islam said after a meeting between BCB officials, Bangladeshi cricketers and representatives of the government in Dhaka on Thursday.

The announcement came a day after the global cricket body warned the BCB that expulsion from the Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 could take place should it not agree to play its matches in India, with Scotland replacing it in Group C.

The ICC asked the BCB to review its decision with the Bangladeshi government and give a response within a day, following which a final decision would be made.

“They did give us a 24-hour ultimatum, but a global body can’t really do that,” Islam told reporters.

“We want to play the World Cup, but we won’t play in India. We will keep fighting,” he added.

The BCB chief said the ICC would stand to lose if Bangladesh were expelled from the tournament.

“The ICC will miss out on 200 million people watching the World Cup,” he said.

Bangladesh are scheduled to play on the opening day of the tournament, on February 7, when they face the West Indies at Eden Gardens, Kolkata. They are set to play two other group-stage games at the same venue before their final Group C fixture against Nepal at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai.

However, the BCB has refused to send its team to India, citing concerns over players’ safety and security.

The move followed the abrupt removal of star fast bowler Mustafizur Rahman from the Indian Premier League (IPL) upon instructions from the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), due to the ongoing political tensions between the two nations.

The ICC said, on Wednesday, that it had shared detailed independent security assessments, comprehensive venue-level security plans and formal assurances from the host authorities with the BCB and that all reports concluded “there is no credible or verifiable threat to the safety or security of the Bangladesh team in India.

“Despite these efforts, the BCB maintained its position, repeatedly linking its participation in the tournament to a single, isolated and unrelated development concerning one of its players’ involvement in a domestic league,” an ICC spokesperson said after the global body’s board met via video conference to discuss the issue.

“This linkage has no bearing on the tournament’s security framework or the conditions governing participation in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup,” the ICC spokesperson added.

Asif Nazrul, a youth and sports adviser in the interim Bangladeshi government, dismissed the ICC’s claims, saying it had failed to quash Bangladesh’s concerns.

“The ICC has failed to convince us on the security question and has taken no stand on our grievances,” he said.

“Even the Indian government did not communicate with us or try to assuage our fears.

“We are hopeful that ICC will give us the opportunity to play in Sri Lanka. It is our government who has decided not to go to India.”

Before the latest round of talks, Bangladesh captain Litton Das had expressed concerns over the uncertainty surrounding his team’s participation.

“From where I stand, I’m uncertain; everyone is uncertain,” Das told reporters after a domestic cricket match on Tuesday.

Diplomatic relations between the once-close allies have been sharply tested since August last year, when former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina fled to New Delhi from Dhaka after an uprising against her rule.

Bangladesh blames India for a number of its troubles, including Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s support for Hasina when she was in power.

During the World Cup, Bangladesh will hold its first elections since Hasina’s ousting.

AS the dust settles on Brooklyn Beckham’s spectacular fall-out with his parents, some have questioned Nicola’s role behind the scenes.

The aspiring chef, 26, shared a furious tirade on Instagram in a move to defend his wife and himself, amid a bitter family feud on Monday.

In six blistering posts on his Instagram stories he claimed dad David and Victoria have been trying to “endlessly ruin my relationship” with Nicola alongside a raft of other bombshell accusations.

Brooklyn also blasted claims that Nicola, 31, is stopping him having a relationship with his family.

The Beckhams’ eldest son said: “The narrative that my wife controls me is completely backwards. I have been controlled by my parents for most of my life.

Instead he slammed his parents for being the ones trying to control him and the family as a whole.

However, The Sun has revealed that Nicola did in fact play an role in the ongoing family feud by inviting him to see inside her world.

And insiders close to the Peltz family have accused Nicola of quietly fanning the flames of the increasingly bitter rift.

Is Brooklyn being manipulated by wis wife? Have your say in our exclusive poll.

Love to debate? Join Sun Club for just £1.99 a month for the boldest opinion on the issues shaping Britain.

In a country like Venezuela, the Hydrocarbons Law is the legal instrument that defines the rights and obligations of the State and the private parties, pursuant to the constitutional principles. There are two things to have in mind on the Venezuelan Constitution of 1999: oil reservoirs are the sole property of Venezuela and Petróleos de Venezuela, S.A. (PDVSA) cannot be transferred or sold to private parties. 

The Hydrocarbons Law of 2001 (amended in 2006) allows private participation in exploration and production activities through joint ventures (empresas mixtas).  These joint ventures are under the operational control of the Venezuelan State (i.e. PDVSA) and are considered state-owned entities in accordance with the Public Administration Law of 2014. The Hydrocarbons Law limits private participation in exploration, production, and commercialization activities of liquid hydrocarbons and associated natural gas. Other regulations enacted sometime after restrict private participation in a number of other issues, such as the performance of certain services agreements.

Right at this moment there seems to be an initial consensus among the political and economic actors on the need to have a renovated legal framework for the oil industry, for the purpose of enabling new investments and boosting oil production. Because when things are not working well in a strategic and major industry, some legislative action is desired.

Delcy Rodríguez, who took over after the extraction of Nicolás Maduro, mentioned the matter in her address to the National Assembly on January 15^th, announcing partial reforms in the oil sector. At the time of writing, we’ve not had the possibility to review the draft bill. As a result, we haven’t figured out yet where this reform is heading. But we do know what Rodríguez said in her speech, calling for the incorporation of the productive models outlined in the Anti-Blockade Law of 2020, thus, allowing investment flows into new fields. The reform of the Hydrocarbons Law is now considered a priority in the extensive 2026 legislative agenda of the National Assembly, and no one is talking about the National Assembly giving an enabling law to the acting President to grant her the legal power to pass legislation.

In the event that private investors own a majority of the stake in the joint ventures under the new Hydrocarbons Law, the end-result would be that they will no longer be considered Venezuelan state-owned entities.

The Anti-Blockade Law was conceived as a response to international economic sanctions against Venezuela. Without a doubt it has promoted private investments in the country. But for various reasons, this statute has not attracted enough interest from investors. Some argue that its provisions are in collision with the ones set forth under the Hydrocarbons Law. It is also feasible that if the economic sanctions are lifted in the future, the Anti-Blockade Law will lose significance.

Key questions

So, in our view, there are key questions for the new hydrocarbons legislation. First, what will happen to existing joint ventures between PDVSA and Eni, Chevron, CNPC, Repsol, Maurel & Prom, and Roszarubezhneft—among other current players? We don’t know for sure if private investors will be allowed to become majority shareholders in these existing joint ventures or whether there will be a different contractual scheme.

We also ignore what will happen to new joint ventures in terms of private investors’ participation, or about the existing contracts on production, signed in recent years between PDVSA and private investors in accordance with the Anti-Blockade Law. Such contracts might be converted to production sharing contracts, services at risk contracts or other types of contracts. Private investors or joint ventures might be entitled to commercialize liquid hydrocarbons, associated natural gas, and/or by-products.

Another aspect to consider in new legislation is oil royalties, how flexible they will become, with distinctions between greenfield and brownfield projects. Will the government’s take be reduced, and the income tax lowered with the amendment of the Income Tax Law as well? Will there be any tax breaks for new investments?

In the event that private investors own a majority of the stake in the joint ventures under the new Hydrocarbons Law, the end-result would be that they will no longer be considered Venezuelan state-owned entities, as such entities are defined under the Venezuelan legal framework. Furthermore, in this case such joint ventures will not be subject to the 50% OFAC rule, which predicates that any entity directly or indirectly owned 50% or more by PDVSA is automatically deemed sanctioned and blocked, even if not explicitly listed by OFAC, prohibiting US persons from any transactions with that entity.

The weight of experience

The truth is that Venezuela has an extensive, complex, and valuable experience in dealing with oil projects and private investments for more than a century. We have to learn from past lessons, if history has any relevance at all. 

Three milestones should be mentioned in Venezuelan oil history: the Hydrocarbons Law of 1943; the Oil Nationalization Law of 1975; and the migration process to mixed joint ventures of 2006-2007, supported by the Hydrocarbons Law still in force. 

In 1943 occurred the convalidation of concessions defects and the conversion of all existing concessions to new ones under a new single legal framework. In 1975 the foreign oil companies were given the opportunity to sign technical assistance agreements and commercialization contracts with the recently created PDVSA, following their compensation. In 2006-2007 the private companies with operating services agreements, strategic associations, and profit sharing agreements were given the chance to migrate to joint ventures as minority shareholders. 

There will be better chances to attract these investments if the reform provides fiscal benefits, regulatory advantages, and favorable contractual schemes.

In all those processes, with greater or lesser success, the intended purpose of Venezuela was focused on keeping the relationships with the oil companies, with all the pros and cons that those decisions entail. 

Today there is little certainty about which legal instrument will be sanctioned by the National Assembly, and which private companies will decide to invest in the country. The only certainty is that the reform will not hinder private investments, it will promote them. In this sense, the companies already in the country have an advantage over those that are beginning to put their technical and legal teams together to make their first evaluations and studies. 

In order to have massive investments in the oil sector, an important reform of the Hydrocarbons Law is definitely the first step going forward. There will be better chances to attract these investments if the reform provides fiscal benefits, regulatory advantages, and favorable contractual schemes. Nonetheless, any reduction of the government stake to attract investments will require the modification of the Income Tax Law as well. 
The technological, human, and financial resources for the industry will hopefully come in great numbers and capabilities to Venezuela following the enactment of new legislation. The economic and legal challenges for the Venezuelan oil industry are huge and must be treated with a sense of urgency for the benefit of the country and its people.

I’m standing in the northern section of MacArthur Park with City Councilmember Eunisses Hernandez, and the modern-day struggles of the historic space is all around us.

People lie on the sidewalk or stand hunched over and motionless. Others lounge on spotty lawns near overflowing trash cans. Graffiti besmirch trees. Police and firefighter sirens wail in the distance.

So much to see, so much to consider in a place that has transformed into a Rorschach test for how some people see the challenges of Los Angeles. And what Hernandez initially wanted me to pay attention to were … faded red curbs.

“We redid all of them in this area,” the first-term council member proudly said. “And you’re probably thinking, like, ‘Girl, like, that does not look like it’s redone.’ But the amount of labor and resources that we had to put in to get this done, even if it’s not pretty anymore, that’s just a little tiny bit of the work you do around MacArthur Park.”

What I was thinking, in fact, was that I was quite underwhelmed by the faded red curbs as a signpost for progress.

For decades, dispatches from here — in mainstream and social media — have depicted an out-of-control park two steps away from “The Walking Dead.” The area is so nationally notorious that the Border Patrol chose it to stage an invasion here in July, complete with a literal cavalry of agents trotting down a soccer field where kids usually play while National Guard troops sat inside armored Humvees on Wilshire Boulevard.

It’s a shame, because MacArthur Park is the backyard for one of the densest neighborhoods in the United States, a modern-day Lower East Side of immigrants and their children. A succession of council members have worked for generations to keep these 35 acres free from troubles only to see it crash down on their political reputation.

The latest one is Hernandez, who’s running for a second term against a slew of opponents trying to hang MacArthur Park like an albatross around the neck of the 35-year-old politician.

Old-line liberals have blasted the democratic socialist for de-emphasizing a police presence in favor of volunteers and contract workers armed with little more than overdose kits, notepads and phone numbers. The New York Post, scheduled to launch a California edition next week, has printed at least seven anti-Hernandez stories since December, including one that described MacArthur Park as a “zombie drug den.”

She accepted my invite to take me around it for an hour and show what she has done to improve it, what still needs work and whether voters should judge her performance solely on this sliver of the 1st District, which goes from Pico-Union all the way to Glassell Park.

“MacArthur Park is experiencing” problems, Hernandez acknowledged shortly after we met at its community center on 6th Street. “Is it everything? Absolutely not. And it’s a shame. With that hyperfocus, you throw that neighborhood away instead of seeing its potential and value.”

Los Angeles City Councilmember Eunisses Hernandez, center, talks with homelessness outreach workers Katharine Murphy, left, and Karen Bracamonte at MacArthur Park on Jan. 15, 2026.

(Allen J. Schaben/Los Angeles Times)

MacArthur Park is L.A.’s Norma Desmond — a place long lionized as a former jewel supposedly ruined by waves of newcomers and apathetic politicians. Throughout my life, I’ve known the place as gritty on its best days. I saw the worst in February, when I walked to Langer’s after a visit to the Mexican Consulate and saw groups of people smoking God-knows-what while bored law enforcement officers stood around.

I repeatedly asked Hernandez what she was seeing as we strolled past scenes of human misery. Past fenced-off sections of Alvarado Street, where vendors once sold their wares. Near a soccer match where the players brought in their own goalposts because the city can’t provide any.

“I see a lot of people, see a lot of potential, a lot of green space, a lot of spaces to activate,” Hernandez said.

The scent of urine wafted around us.

“It’s beautiful for everybody to care so much about it.”

She then threw the same question back at me.

“I see beauty,” I responded. “I also see a lot of people that need help.”

I see progress.

Over her three years in office, $28 million has been spent on MacArthur Park through city, county, state, federal and private funds. People reliant on social media reels might think it all a waste.

But the more we walked, the more I was seeing — dare I say — a change for the better.

Near a statue of St. Oscar Romero, Karen Bracamonte and Katharine Murphy helped a man fold his clothes and place it in a laundry cart. They’re members of the city’s so-called Circle team, mental health professionals tasked with checking in on unhoused people.

“We cover a lot of ground, but, you know, we can’t get everything,” said Murphy, 40. She started at MacArthur Park last summer. “There was a bad batch of tranq last week, so we had to deal with that instead of helping people with regular stuff.”

Bracamonte has worked at MacArthur Park for three years. Her son is unhoused. “Some aspects are better,” the 54-year-old said. “Because there’s more teams out here that can assist. But is it really better? Because now where do we put people up? There’s not enough beds. There’s not enough food. There’s not enough everything.”

Across the corner from us was Langer’s, whose owner made national news in 2024 when he vowed to close his famed delicatessen if MacArthur Park didn’t improve. Workers power-washed the sidewalk as Hernandez and I ambled on. Nearby, people huddled around a car handing out groceries.

What about critics who say the self-described police abolitionist should work closer with law enforcement to clean up the park, I told her.

“The heaviest hands have been representing this area before me, and what did they have to show for it? Nothing,” she responded as we made our way down to the lake. Hernandez brought up “The Rent Collectors,” a 2024 book by former Times reporter Jesse Katz that covers the history of MacArthur Park through a gang murder.

“It’s easy to blame me for the dereliction of duty that has been going on here for many, many years before I came into office,” she continued. “And part of my time in City Hall is trying to get the city to do things differently because for so long, they’ve been doing things the same way and expecting different results. And what do we have? A crumbling city…This neighborhood, these people, they deserve nice things.”

We now by the edge of MacArthur Park’s lake, which Hernandez hopes to improve its water quality so people can use pedal boats on it for the first time in two decades. For a good three minutes, the scene around us looked like a slice of Irvine.

Hernandez walks past artwork painted on planters surrounding the lake at MacArthur Park.

(Allen J. Schaben/Los Angeles Times)

Canada geese honked and waddled across stretches of grass where I saw condoms and broken glass pipes last year. Birds relaxed on the water. Senior citizens did their morning circuits. There wasn’t a single distressed person to see. It was still grimy, but MacArthur Park’s famed beauty was there, a beauty unmatched by newer parks — if only Hernandez and others could burnish it.

“See that playground?” Hernandez said, gesturing toward a jungle gym near Park View Street.

The one damaged by an arsonist in the fall of 2024 shortly after a multimillion-dollar refurbishment?

“We fought hard for that to be fixed ASAP, and now there’s a little bit of protection around it,” pointing at a small fence. She then looked at streetlights. “They’re solarized. We put them up late last year. It’s twofold. It gets us closer to our sustainability goals. And it also is far more resilient to copper wire theft.”

Hernandez plans more improvements for MacArthur Park and its surrounding streets. Trees. Spots for food vendors. Programming with local nonprofits beyond the Levitt Pavilion bandstand that hosts summer concerts. A $2.3-million fence proposed by the Los Angeles Board of Recreation and Park Commissioners last fall that would encircle it and which Hernandez supports because “the park does deserve what state historic park gets, which is to close down and refurbish.”

We crossed Wilshire Boulevard and ran into David Rodriguez and Diego Santana, who serve as so-called peace ambassadors, an Hernandez initiative that contracts nonprofits to help patrol the district. Both grew up in the neighborhood and have lived through MacArthur Park’s travails. Below us was the soccer field that the Border Patrol trampled over half a year ago.

“You see a lot of kids nowadays,” said Santana, 35. “And it wasn’t like that in recent years.”

Rodriguez waved toward a gated pathway. “There was a 5K run that it was opened for,” said the 42-year-old. “You didn’t see that before.”

“It’s much cleaner,” Santana added. “There’s still issues, but it’s getting better.”

Peace ambassadors Diego Santana, left, and David Rodriguez explain to Hernandez and Times columnist Gustavo Arellano, not pictured, how they believe the park has improved.

(Allen J. Schaben/Los Angeles Times)

A man named David approached us.

“You live around here?” Hernandez said.

“I’m homeless,” he responded.

“Do you need any help?”

“I need a job.”

Santana and Rodriguez walked away with him to take down his information and direct him to resources. Hernandez beamed.

“I think people and conservative media — and oftentimes even, you know, not conservative media — they paint MacArthur Park as if the sky is falling,” she said. “I hope people also see beyond the crises that this is a jewel. There’s so much life. But people shrink it down to problematic substances.”

We walked back to the community center but not before Hernandez stopped me from stepping on fresh dog poop as she said, “I’ve had to fight for every single penny and investment and resources that are in this neighborhood in my term. And I will continue to do so because they deserve it.”

An overdose team was checking in for the day. I asked the council member whether she was willing to stand by MacArthur Park under her watch as she campaigns for four more years.

“Every day with my whole chest, 10 toes down,” Hernandez replied. “And that’s why I keep coming back. I don’t run away from problems. I could have easily forgotten about MacArthur Park because, you know, that’s what traditionally has been done. But no, I ran to it.”

There’s still a long way to go, I thought — but Hernandez is getting there. She certainly seems to be trying, despite what her haters insist. The council member got in her SUV and drove off, but not before rolling down the window to shout out one more message:

“You can tell everyone that the sky isn’t falling here and we’re just getting started.”

Monte Marcaccini was one of the best basketball players in Sherman Oaks Notre Dame High history, leading the Knights to a 1993 Southern Section Division III-A championship. He was a 6-foot-5 guard who turned down a scholarship to Indiana to play club ball in Italy, then ended up at Pepperdine and later Virginia before playing overseas.

Now Marcaccini, 51, is back in high school basketball, serving as an assistant coach at Oaks Christian High, where his son, James, is a 6-3 freshman playing for the 20-4 Lions.

“He loves the game and works hard,” Monte said. “I was a lot smaller than he was. He’s a much better player than I was as a freshman.”

Monte was known for being a little flamboyant and trash talking with the best. He’d tell anyone and everyone he could beat you one on one.

So who wins when it’s father vs. son these days?

“Now it would be pretty close,” the father said. “I would be worried now.”

Monte started a private business 25 years ago using his Italian roots — gelato, a frozen dessert.

Monte played for coach Mick Cady at Notre Dame. Cady also was the high school coach in Northern California for Oaks Christian coach Mark Amaral and recently dropped by to give a pep talk to the Oaks Christian players.

The big question is whether the son talks more than the father.

“I talked way more. He’s much more of a gentleman,” Monte said.

This is a daily look at the positive happenings in high school sports. To submit any news, please email eric.sondheimer@latimes.com.

A ‘ghost’ town in Dorset perfectly captures the moment it was abandoned in the 1940s when villagers gave up their homes and lives to help the war effort

In 1943 time stood still in Tyneham, Dorset when all residents swiftly abandoned their homes, school and church, leaving their village behind, completely deserted.

They had been forced to leave because of the second World War and were given just 28 days’ notice to pack up all their belongings and evacuate. Despite being promised their sacrifice was temporary and they would be able to return, the government permanently seized the village and it remains empty today.

Due to the hurried nature in which the villagers left, there are still poignant reminders of the families who once called it home, some for many years.

A heartbreaking message was attached to the church entrance, which pleaded: “Please treat the church and houses with care. We have given up our homes where many of us have lived for generations, to help win the war to keep men free. We will return one day and thank you for treating the village kindly.”

The land surrounding Tyneham was already used as a firing range but the government decided the village and its fields were needed to train troops before the D-Day landings.

While the area was deemed essential for national defense by the British Army during the war, residents believed they would be able to go home afterwards. However, despite their campaigns Tyneham was permanently taken over by the military for live firing exercises when fighting had ceased and it remains part of the Armoured Fighting Vehicles Gunnery School.

However, it is possible to visit the village which now acts as a snapshot of a time gone by. More than 80 years later, it serves as a “thought-provoking and interesting” tourist attraction and opens periodically throughout the year, offering tourists a fascinating glimpse into the lives of its former inhabitants.

Some of the original dwellings such as a row of terraced houses, the restored church and school buildings are still intact and have exhibitions about the village and its former residents. At Tyneham Farm, some of the outbuildings have been restored and there is also a picnic area. For those wanting to enjoy the nearby stunning Jurassic coast, Worbarrow Bay is around a 20 minute walk away from the village. The World Heritage Site is off the beaten track so remains uncrowded.

One visitor shared their experience on Tripadvisor: “When you visit Tyneham, it is like you are stepping back in time to the 1940s as it has pretty much remained the same since its requisitioning by the Ministry of Defence in 1943 in preparation for the D-Day landings,” they wrote. “It is rather interesting reading about the story of the village’s buildings and the people who were displaced by the MoD. The church is a highlight thanks to how well preserved it is, and I would recommend it to anyone in the area.”

Another said: “This deserted village has such an interesting history. The boards within the church detailing the villagers fight to be allowed to return to the village and the current position are very moving.”

In 2024 the last living resident of Tyneham, Peter Wellman, made his final visit to the village where he was born and raised. He spoke about his recollections of his childhood there to the Dorset Echo: “We had no electricity, no mains gas and no running water – we had to pump that from near the church,” he said.

“I remember going to the beach and fishing and we often had mackerel. We were happy until we got moved out..” Sadly he passed away last year at the grand old age of 100.

READ MORE: Couples ditch Valentine’s night out for home kit that offers ‘amazing experience’

With a picture perfect harbour, pretty cottages and cobbled main street, a visit to an enchanting village in north Devon where cars are banned feels like stepping back in time

It wasn’t until the middle of the 19th century that the outside world even learned of the beautiful village of Clovelly. Its isolated location on the north Devon coast meant it was guarded by the sea and there is a steep, cobbled route up to the main town which is built into the 400 foot cliffs.

Historically donkeys were used to transport goods from the harbour to the village but these days they have a much easier life in their stables where children can visit them and sledges are mainly used to drag food and supplies to shops and homes.

Cars are not allowed in at all which makes for a rare and unique atmosphere that only adds to the ancient village’s magical charm that inspired author Charles Dickens and artist J.M.W Turner.

READ MORE: ‘Real-life fairytale village’ has visitors feeling like they’ve travelled back in time

There is evidence of human habitation in the area from the Iron Age but William the Conqueror acquired Clovelly from its Saxon owner after the Norman invasion in 1066. The manor was bought by judge Sir John Carey in the late 14th century and it stayed in his family for 400 years.

In the late 16th century George Carey created the harbour by having a formidable stone breakwater built which provided the only safe haven for ships along the rugged coast. He also had cottages and fish cellars erected at the base of the cliff, which transformed the village’s income base from agriculture to fishing.

In the early 1700s, the estate was bought by the Hamlyn family and it was Christine Hamlyn who renovated many of the old cottages and built a car park at the top of the village where vehicles could be left.

The car park is still used today and John Rous – a descendant of the Hamlyn’s – privately owns all of the houses and buildings in the estate as well as the surrounding land. Visitors are encouraged but everyone must pay an entrance fee, which helps maintain the village for future generations.

There are plenty of attractions for tourists to wonder at once inside Clovelly. There is one main cobbled street, which is extremely steep and the reason residents still use sledges to drag shopping home. Quaint whitewashed cottages line the route, most of which are listed buildings.

The 12th century grade 1 listed All Saints Church sits in the grounds of Clovelly Court on the site of the original Norman church. History buffs may want to pop into the Kingsley Museum and the Fisherman’s Cottage which provide a true glimpse at what life was like for villagers in times gone by.

Fishing continues today but on a sustainable basis. The locally caught crab, lobster and herring can be sampled at the annual festivals and a wander along the quay to admire the immense structural achievement of the village’s men who dragged the huge boulders into place, is a must. Tours of the historic lifeboat station are available to book where you’ll learn about the heritage of the vital facility and why locals fought to keep it.

Shops sell unique handcrafted products from silks, to pottery and soap. The brewery at the top of the village offers a large range of local Devon beers, ciders, wines and spirits as well as gift ideas to take home. The Mermaid’s Purse is a gallery and shop in the heart of the village selling original artwork and prints.

There is a rich heritage of Clovelly inspiring artists that goes back many years. J. M. W. Turner painted the harbour around 1822 and his piece hangs in the National Gallery of Ireland in Dublin. Charles Dickens also wrote about the village in A Message From the Sea in 1860.

Recent fans of the breathtaking ocean views and picture postcard lure have shared their experiences on Tripadvisor. One wrote: “We had a great visit to this lovely village cut into the hillside overlooking the harbour. Properties are interesting, with a great history and back story. Staff and residents were friendly and welcoming and with pubs, tearoom and ice creams available along the way, what’s not to love.”

Another who described it as “the best day out ever” added: “All I can say is wow, what a gorgeous day out and what a sensational place and felt like we’d been transported back in time. We had a cream tea and coffee in the tea room and saw dolphins in the bay in large numbers. After we walked down to the pub and had a few beers and sat outside enjoying more views of dolphins and seals.”

READ MORE: British Travel Awards winning holiday parks offering up to £150 off half term breaks

Corfe Castle in Dorset has been dubbed a ‘fairytale’ village by visitors who say it feels like stepping back in time – with its picturesque ivy-covered cottages and thousand-year-old castle ruins

A quaint village that looks to have leapt straight out of a fairy tale has been praised by visitors, many of whom feel as though they’ve stepped back in time when arriving. And it’s right here in the UK.

Corfe Castle is a charming village nestled in Dorset, situated on the site of a ruined castle bearing the same name. Perched atop a gap in the Purbeck Hills, it offers a truly breathtaking destination for your next day trip. Additionally, there’s an awe-inspiring, historical castle just a stone’s throw away. Built in 1107 by King Henry I, Corfe Castle served as a crucial Royalist stronghold during the English Civil War.

One visitor, Hannah, is among the many who have been captivated by this historic village and is now encouraging others to follow suit. As a renowned travel influencer boasting more than 208,000 Instagram followers, Hannah brought her camera along on her journey to the Dorset village to capture its unique charm.

“A real-life fairytale village, tucked into the Dorset countryside,” she wrote in her post’s caption. “This is Corfe Castle, where ivy-clad cottages nestle beneath the ruins of a thousand year old castle and time stands still.”

In her accompanying video, Hannah shared drone footage soaring above the castle and village at sunset, casting them in an even more enchanting and picturesque light.

The castle is currently under the stewardship of the National Trust and is open to the public, having only opened in December 2024 after being closed for 400 years. The charity also operates a shop and a tearoom within the village.

The village sits in the valley beneath the castle, roughly four miles south-east of Wareham and four miles north-west of Swanage.

Several homes and cottages throughout the village are constructed from the same stone, establishing it as one of Dorset’s most picturesque and photographed villages. Following the partial destruction of the castle in 1646, much of the stone was repurposed to construct the neighbouring village. Today, the village boasts several independent shops, pubs and tea rooms, offering visitors a wealth of choices during their stay.

“Come for the history, stay for the tea rooms, and that unmistakable feeling that you’ve stepped into another era,” Hannah said. “If fairytales had postcodes… this would be one of them.”

Hannah wasn’t alone in her enthusiasm for the village, as numerous viewers flocked to the comments section to express their own admiration.

“Amazing. I am adding this to our list of must visit places if we can get back,” one viewer wrote. Another said: “A dream to visit!!!”

“Have been lucky enough to visit the area with my family, and it is a beautiful and amazing place and makes you proud of our great country,” a third person said.

Another viewer recommended: “You must visit at Christmas, the whole village is lit up, so pretty. Dorset is a beautiful county and Corfe is one of our loveliest villages.”

Taking centre stage is Josh Paul, former director of congressional and public affairs at the US Bureau of Political-Military Affairs. In 2023, Paul resigned in protest over the US’s role in enabling Israel’s war on Gaza. Since then, he has co-founded A New Policy, a political organisation pushing for change in US policy towards Palestine and Israel.

Paul discusses his resignation, whether Washington has learned anything and if the US is doomed to repeat its mistakes.

Speaking to an audience of world leaders on Wednesday, U.S. President Donald Trump said he is not considering military force to take Greenland from Denmark, but still issued a warning over his interest in subsuming the strategically important and mineral-rich island. Meanwhile, Denmark is reportedly considering a significant boost to its military presence on Greenland to defend it while understanding any conflict with America would be “ugly.” 

Trump’s increasing insistence in controlling Greenland threatens to fracture the NATO alliance, where most of the nations oppose the American leader’s stance. You can catch up with our latest coverage of this growing controversy here.

“We probably won’t get anything unless I decide to use excessive strength and force, where we would be, frankly, unstoppable, but I won’t do that. OK?” Trump said during his speech on Wednesday at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. “Now everyone’s saying, ‘Oh, good.’ That’s probably the biggest statement I made, because people thought I would use force. I don’t have to use force. I don’t want to use force. I won’t use force.”

“All the United States is asking for is a place called Greenland,” Trump added, before making a veiled threat.

“We want a piece of ice for world protection, and they won’t give it,” the U.S. leader scoffed. “We’ve never asked for anything else, and we could have kept that piece of land, and we didn’t. So they have a choice. You can say yes, and we will be very appreciative, or you can say no, and we will remember.”

ON THIN ICE: President Trump issues a firm warning to Denmark over Greenland, making it clear that the U.S. will remember if its request for “world protection” is rejected:

“So we want a piece of ice for world protection, and they won’t give it.”

“We’ve never asked for anything… pic.twitter.com/cLKp6qR7qH

— Fox News (@FoxNews) January 21, 2026

Before ruling out the use of force to take Greenland, Trump repeated his assertion that the U.S. is the only nation that can protect it against threats from China and Russia and called for “immediate negotiations to once again discuss the acquisition of Greenland by the United States. Just as we have acquired many other territories throughout our history, as many of the European nations have, they’ve acquired, there’s nothing wrong with it.”

Greenland’s location, between Europe, China and the continental United States, is a major reason for Trump’s interest in the island.

However, the U.S. operates one of its most strategic military outposts in Greenland. This is spearheaded by Pituffik Space Force Base, the U.S. military’s northernmost installation, a critical node in the U.S. ballistic missile early warning system, and also the world’s northernmost deep-water seaport. The installation also features a sprawling airbase. You can read in more detail about the U.S. military presence on the island here.

While Trump stating he won’t use force to seize Greenland is surely welcome news for America’s NATO allies, trust is at an all time low between many in the alliance and the White House. He has also made similar comments during other crises, from Iran to tariffs, that ended up going in another direction. As such, it’s doubtful they will all take him at his word, at least at this point in time.

Case in point, Trump’s speech was met with distrust from Denmark, where his words aren’t taken as a given.

“It’s clear from this speech that the president’s ambition is intact,” Denmark’s Foreign Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen told reporters in Copenhagen. “In isolation it’s positive that the president says what he does regarding the ⁠military, but that does not make the problem go away.”

Even before the speech in which he also derided NATO, European leaders were angered by Trump’s stance toward the alliance. Italian Prime Minister Georgia Meloni suggested that Europe would close military installations to the U.S., which relies heavily on European bases to project power there and in the Middle East.

Donald Trump: “NATO is nothing without America.”

Meloni: “Perfect. Then Europe will close the U.S. bases, tear up the sweetheart trade deals, and, just to make the message land, boycott McDonald’s too.”

That is the blunt reality: if Washington wants to talk like protection is a… pic.twitter.com/FurDdBYCXd

— Gandalv (@Microinteracti1) January 21, 2026

Regardless of why Trump wants Greenland, hours before he spoke at Davos, Danish media said the country is considering sending more troops, as well as warships and aircraft, to protect the island.

“Plans are currently being worked on in Denmark to bring up to 1,000 soldiers from the Army to Greenland during 2026,” Denmark’s TV-2 news outlet reported on Wednesday. “In addition, there are possible additional contributions from the Navy and Air Force. In total, approximately 150 soldiers have so far arrived in Kangerlussuaq and approximately the same number to Nuuk – including approximately 30 mountain infantrymen from France, who are also on an exercise.”

“The many combat soldiers say something about how seriously the Armed Forces and thus the top of the government take this task,” the outlet added.

The Royal Danish Army is preparing a rotating force of 1,000 Soldiers that will be forward deployed to Denmark, in addition to aircraft and ships from the Air Force and Navy, with 300 Soldiers from the 1st Brigade having already arrived in Kangerlussuaq and Nuuk, alongside… pic.twitter.com/EogVR5Ugbd

— OSINTdefender (@sentdefender) January 21, 2026

One Danish government leader acknowledged just how difficult it would be to defend Greenland should Trump order an attack.

“Denmark would, of course, defend Greenland with the means at our disposal,” Rasmus Jarlov, head of the Danish Defense Committee, told the German Bild news outlet on Wednesday. “However, we also understand the difference in size between Denmark and the United States. And we know that it will be a very difficult fight.”

“I don’t want to speculate on what it would look like, but it will get ugly,” Jarlov added.

The Danish parliamentarian also lashed out at Trump’s claims that China and Russia are threatening Greenland.

“That’s a completely fabricated story and simply wrong,” Jarlov told Bild. “No Chinese warship has been sighted in the region for 10 years. Furthermore, there are neither Chinese nor Russian direct investments in the country.“

Jarlov added that the tensions over Greenland are another sign that the U.S. cannot be counted on as a strategic partner.

“Europe must now have its own nuclear weapons, since we see that we can no longer rely on the protection of the Americans,” he urged.

#Breaking
Chairman of Denmark’s Defence Committee @RasmusJarlov tells @BILD: “Denmark would, of course, defend Greenland with the means available to us. But we also understand the difference in size between Denmark and the United States. And we know that it would be a very… pic.twitter.com/LllXnOdW31

— Julian Röpcke🇺🇦 (@JulianRoepcke) January 21, 2026

Trump’s interest in Greenland has France calling for NATO to hold a military exercise in Greenland, presumably as a show of force and alliance solidarity.

France is “ready to contribute” to that effort, according to a statement from French President Emmanuel Macron’s office on Wednesday.

“The request comes as the transatlantic alliance is deeply upset over U.S. threats to take over the island and after U.S. President Donald Trump snubbed an invitation from the French president to join G7 leaders in Paris to iron out differences,” Politico reported.

However, there is nothing in the works for such an exercise, a senior NATO military official told The War Zone.

“There is no military planning currently underway at the moment within NATO for a NATO exercise in Greenland,” the official said.

In response to the French suggestion, U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent shot back at Macron, chiding him for the nation’s struggling economy.

Reporter: France wants to conduct NATO exercises in Greenland. What would you have to say about that?

Bessent: And if this is all President Macron has to do, when France’s budget is in shambles, I would suggest that he focus on other priorities for the French people. pic.twitter.com/a6T25imQW7

— Open Source Intel (@Osint613) January 21, 2026

The growing rift between Trump and Europe is also roiling trade in the wake of Trump’s announcement that he will impose tariffs on eight European nations opposed to turning over Greenland.

“European countries hold trillions of dollars of US bonds and stocks, some of which sit with public sector funds,” Bloomberg Business noted. “That’s spurring speculation they could sell such assets in response to Trump’s renewed tariff war, potentially driving borrowing costs up and equities down given US reliance on foreign capital.”

Highlighting that concern, the European Parliament has suspended its work on the EU’s trade deal with the U.S., brokered with the Trump administration last summer. The move is in “protest at the demands to acquire Greenland and the accompanying threats of fresh tariffs.” 

“The EU assembly has been debating various components of the agreement struck in Turnberry, Scotland, and its trade committee had been scheduled to vote on them next week,” the German DW news outlet reported on Wednesday.

BREAKING: The EU Parliament has SUSPENDED approval of the U.S.–EU trade deal after Trump threatened 10–25% tariffs on Europe and revived his push to take Greenland. EU lawmakers say Trump’s Davos remarks violated the pact’s terms.

“Appeasement does not bring peace. It invites… pic.twitter.com/ZcbD3TYGpT

— Ed Krassenstein (@EdKrassen) January 21, 2026

It remains to be seen how European leaders, as well as financial markets, react to Trump’s speech today. Given that this is one of the biggest issues on the world stage at the moment, we will continue to watch for developments.

Update: 2:43 PM Eastern –

In a post on his Truth Social platform, Trump claimed he and NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte “formed the framework of a future deal with respect to Greenland, and, in fact, the entire Arctic Region.” He also rescinded his decision to impose tariffs on Europe as a result.

Update: 5:35 PM Eastern –

Trump’s social media announcement followed a NATO meeting on Wednesday “where top military officers from the alliance’s member states discussed a compromise in which Denmark would give the United States sovereignty over small pockets of Greenlandic land where the United States could build military bases,” The New York Times reported, citing “three senior officials familiar with the discussion.”

The concept was being pursued by Rutte, the publication stated.

“Two of the officials, who attended the meeting, compared it to the United Kingdom’s bases in Cyprus, which are regarded as British territory,” the Times noted.

“The officials did not know if the idea was part of the framework announced by” Trump, who did not immediately provide details “and notably did not say that the United States would own Greenland, even when asked directly about ownership by a reporter in Davos soon after he posted his announcement,” the newspaper stated. Neither Rutte nor the leaders of Denmark released details either. The Danish prime minister’s office did not immediately respond to a NYT request for comment.

In response to our questions about the compromise, NATO sent us the following statement:

“The Secretary General had a very productive meeting with President Trump during which they discussed the critical significance of security in the Arctic region to all Allies, including the United States.

Discussions among NATO Allies on the framework the President referenced will focus on ensuring Arctic security through the collective efforts of Allies, especially the seven Arctic Allies. Negotiations between Denmark, Greenland, and the United States will go forward aimed at ensuring that Russia and China never gain a foothold – economically or militarily – in Greenland.”

Contact the author: howard@thewarzone.com

Nigella Lawson is said to be the favourite to replace Prue Leith as a judge on Channel 4 show The Great British Bake Off, after the judge announced she was stepping down after nine years

Nigella Lawson is favourite to replace Prue Leith on The Great British Bake Off. The much-loved judge has made the announcement she has quit the Channel 4 show

“After nine series and judging more than 400 challenges, I have decided to step down as a judge on The Great British Bake Off. Bake Off has been a fabulous part of my life for the last nine years, I have genuinely loved it and I’m sure I’ll miss working with my fellow judge Paul, Alison and Noel and the teams at Love Productions and Channel 4,” she wrote.

“But now feels like the right time to step back (I’m 86 for goodness sake!), there’s so much I’d like to do, not least spend summers enjoying my garden. Whoever joins the team, I’m sure they’ll love it as much as I have. I feel very lucky to have been part of it.”

Can’t see the poll? Click here to vote.

Love Productions added: “Huge thanks to Prue who has been a brilliant judge on Bake Off and a much loved presence in the tent for nearly a decade. From her genuine expertise and encouragement of the bakers to her ability to drop innocent innuendos that reduce the entire tent (and the audience at home) to tears of laughter, Prue will always have a piece of Bake Off’s heart.”

Channel 4’s Chief Content Officer Ian Katz also issued a statement thanking Prue for her work on the show: “Prue Leith has been a joyous presence in the tent, pairing absolute culinary authority with great generosity and empathy for the bakers We are grateful for her passion, her wit, her ineffable style, and all the summers she spent in the tent.

“She leaves an indelible mark on the show and all its bakers. We will miss her wry, gentle judgement but look forward to working with her on new projects.” Prue’s replacement will be announced soon but Nigella Lawson is said to be favourite to take the role.

“Contract discussions are in the final stages and, all being well, Nigella will be heating up the famous tent soon. Nigella’s recognised worldwide. She’s got the cheeky banter down to a tee, with all her work laden with the fun innuendos and naughty patter that are synonymous with Bake Off,” a source said of the possibility.

Currently, Noel Fielding and Alison Hammond host the show, whilst Paul Hollywood has also been a longstanding judge on the programme, with Prue initially replacing Mary Berry.

Would you like to see Nigella replace Prue on The Great British Bake Off? Take our poll and comment below.

Like this story? For more of the latest showbiz news and gossip, follow Mirror Celebs on TikTok, Snapchat, Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, YouTube and Threads.

NUUK, Greenland — So far north in the middle of winter, the sun had barely crept above Greenland’s ice sheet midday when President Trump began his remarks. But Jinny Holm was not going to miss them.

She turns on the television every morning these days, keeping it on in the background, monitoring the developments of a foreign leader who otherwise would matter little in her life if not for his fixation on conquering her ancient homeland.

“My son, he has been a little bit worried about this military, so I have been talking to him — ‘Don’t worry. He cannot buy us,’” said Holm, a caregiver, describing her 9-year-old. “So that’s really good, that he said he will not use military force.”

In his remarks at Davos, Switzerland, Trump walked back threats to use military force to annex the semiautonomous Danish territory — news that was received with overwhelming relief here. Yet few trust Trump enough to take him at his word on any given day.

“I don’t want to be American, because I am Inuit,” she continued. “I am born here. In my future, I have grandson, and he will be Greenlandic.”

In remarks to the annual economic forum in Switzerland, which were focused largely on the fate of Greenland, Trump made no mention of the people here, whose lives have been consumed by confusion and concern over his designs.

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It has become such an overbearing topic around town that locals have grown weary discussing it. Journalists are making their presence known in Greenland’s largest city, posting tripods at the few major intersections that make up Nuuk. Flying to the regional capital — which, by law and practice, means flying into the European Union — even a border agent in Reykjavik, Iceland, couldn’t help but comment on the news.

“You’re flying into that storm?” she asked.

Many locals let signage speak for themselves: “We Are Not For Sale” posters are common, alongside the occasional silhouette of Greenland, donning an orange toupee, crossed out in red. Several locals said they are flying Greenland’s red-and-white flag for the first time.

“He talks so much s—,” said Silas, a student from Nuuk, who dismissed the idea of joining the United States due to its healthcare system.

Finn Meinel, a lawyer born and raised in Nuuk, said there is “universal” disapproval of Trump’s territorial approach toward the island.

“Of course it’s nice to see that the wording has been softened, and that increases the odds of a nonviolent solution to this conflict,” Meinel said. But he took a moment before answering whether he viewed the United States as a force for good in the world.

“A lot of people are disappointed,” he said, “and for trust to be rebuilt with the Greenlandic people, that will take quite some time.”

Cal Egedeboggild, also born and raised in Greenland, said he had lost trust in Trump after precipitating an unnecessary crisis.

“He’s threatening, he’s threatening and he’s threatening. He gets his way by threatening. But does he create trust? No,” said Cal Egede Boggild, a former university professor working at the Ministry of Education. “There’s no such thing as a friendly annexation.”

A pedestrian at sunset in Nuuk, Greenland, on Jan. 21, 2026.

(Evgeniy Maloletka / Associated Press)

Like so many others, he has closely followed developments out of Washington. After conveying frustration with the U.S. government, he paused to apologize for being so direct.

“There are Americans, and there is Trump. They are two things,” Egede Boggild said. “I don’t distrust Americans. I distrust the Trump government. It’s only power — that’s all it is. The argument they are making don’t hold.”

Those arguments are coming solely from the White House, where Trump himself, with no meaningful assistance from policy wonks, has run the United States headlong into a diplomatic rupture with its closest allies, Defense and State Department sources tell The Times.

Trump’s remarks Wednesday, suddenly retreating from his threat of military force, could mitigate some of the damage inflicted on Washington’s most cherished relationships. But there is a risk his pivot has come too late. Major transatlantic partners, from France and the United Kingdom to Canada, expressed this week a rare sense of resignation, as if they have had enough with Trump’s foreign policy tactics, viewed across Europe as increasingly boorish and unrestrained.

The president’s moves may ultimately result in a new defense agreement over Greenland. But it may also be remembered as the moment where Europe broke away from the United States, exasperated by a world run solely by hard American power at the whims of an ever imperial presidency.

In Greenland, for its part, it may be remembered as a moment that rallied its small, remote population to its value and purpose.

“I think people are coming together, and are more socially aware — taking care of those who need to be supported, caring for one another,” Meinel said.

“People are more friendly,” he continued, “putting ourselves together as a group against an external foe.”

What else you should be reading

The must-read: https://www.latimes.com/sports/newsletter/2026-01-20/rams-seahawks-super-bowl-title
The deep dive: Celebrity PR firm helped LAFD shape messaging after Palisades fire
The L.A. Times Special: 2026 Oscar nominations: Our expert’s predictions in 11 key categories

More to come,
Michael Wilner
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From Bill Shaikin: This was pretty audacious, even by the Dodgers’ standard. Their $17-million left fielder flopped last year, so they threw $240 million at another corner outfielder to supplement the three most valuable players already in their lineup.

Still, as Kyle Tucker smiled for the cameras at Dodger Stadium on Wednesday, it was hard to imagine this one man could sign here and take down the 2027 season.

On Tuesday the Athletic quoted one ownership source that portrayed the Tucker signing as a tipping point that made it “a 100 percent certainty” owners would push for a salary cap when the collective bargaining agreement expires this fall. Owners have been complaining about the Dodgers’ signings of Shohei Ohtani and Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Tyler Glasnow and Blake Snell and Tanner Scott, and on and on, and it sounds silly that the signing of one Kyle Daniel Tucker would turn the owners in a direction many of them already indicated they want to go.

“I agree,” said the man who signed him, Dodgers president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman.

If baseball comes up with new rules next year, the Dodgers will abide by them. Until then, Friedman said, their “only focus” is on delivering the best possible product to the fans who pack Dodger Stadium every night and shop the team store like crazy. In return, he said, the Dodgers can sell themselves to stars like Tucker.

“A destination spot is where players and their families feel incredibly well taken care of,” Friedman said. “If they’re playing in front of 7,000 people, they don’t feel that as much.

“Playing in front of 50,000 people, and seeing the passion and how much people live and die for the Dodgers each summer and each October, I think, adds to the experience and allure of playing here.”

Continue reading here

‘I want to clear my name’: Yasiel Puig fights charges of lying to federal investigators in trial

Teammates believe in Matthew Stafford

From Gary Klein: Whatever the circumstance — cold, snow, rain, wind, noise — Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford is cool, calm and collected.

But the 17th-year pro is not quiet.

Especially in the huddle. Especially at decibel-delirious Lumen Field in Seattle.

“He’s screaming,” tight end Davis Allen said Wednesday, chuckling. “He’s not talking normal, that’s for sure… He does a great job making sure guys are where they need to be.”

Since joining the Rams in 2021, Stafford is 3-1 at Lumen Field, where the Rams will play the Seahawks on Sunday in the NFC championship game.

Asked how he thought he had played in Seattle, Stafford instantly ticked through all of the Rams’ performances.

A Thursday night victory in 2021. Sitting out 2022 because of injury. A walk-off touchdown pass to win in overtime in 2024, and an overtime loss this season in Week 16.

“It’s always a great environment,” Stafford said.

Continue reading here

NFL playoffs schedule

All times Pacific
Conference championships
Sunday

AFC
Noon
No. 2 New England at No. 1 Denver (CBS, Paramount+)

NFC
3:30 p.m.
No. 5 Rams at No. 1 Seattle (FOX, FOX One, FOX Deportes)

Super Bowl

Sunday, Feb. 8, 3:30 p.m., NBC, Peacock

UCLA women rout Purdue

From Steve Galluzzo: Coming off Sunday’s 30-point win over then-No. 12 Maryland — UCLA’s largest margin of victory over a top-15 team since 1992 — it would have been easy for the Bruins to take unranked Purdue lightly.

Instead, the UCLA women played with the intensity and focus characteristic of an NCAA tournament game, dominating from start to finish in a 96-48 triumph Wednesday night at Pauley Pavilion.

The third-ranked Bruins (18-1 overall, 8-0 in Big Ten) won for the 12th straight time and are more than halfway to tying the program record of 23 in a row set last year. The 48-point win marked the sixth straight by 18 points or more as the Bruins moved out of a tie with Iowa for sole possession of first place in the conference.

All five starters scored in double figures. Gabriela Jaquez led the way with 25 points on 10-for-11 shooting, Lauren Betts had 16 points and 10 rebounds, Kiki Rice and Charlisse Leger-Walker each added 15 points and Gianna Kneepkens had 14.

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UCLA box score

Big Ten standings

Alijah Arenas debuts in USC’s loss

From Ryan Kartje: As he laid in a hospital bed last April, lucky to be alive, Alijah Arenas dreamed of this moment. He thought of it in the weeks and months after his Tesla Cybertruck hit a tree and burst into flames in Reseda, leaving him hospitalized for six days. And he thought of it over a long summer and fall spent rehabbing the injured knee that failed him in his first week back to practice at USC.

Nine difficult months spent waiting for the day to finally culminated Wednesday night with Arenas roaring into the lane, with just one defender standing between him and the hoop. The five-star freshman had committed to USC with every intention of bolting for the NBA after one season, only for the setbacks of the past year to put his likely lottery status in doubt.

Now here, as he lifted toward the hoop early in his college debut, Arenas spun around that lone defender in mid-air and softly laid in a finger roll, reminding everyone in attendance of the talent they’d waited so eagerly to see.

But what unfolded from that moment on Wednesday night probably wasn’t how Arenas or any Trojan would have envisioned it, as Northwestern, a team previously winless in the Big Ten, spoiled the star freshman’s debut and left USC spiraling with a 74-68 defeat.

“Critical, critical loss tonight,” Coach Eric Musselman said. “I can’t. I mean, just brutal.”

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USC box score

Big Ten standings

Gary Patterson to the Trojans?

From Ryan Kartje: In his years-long pursuit to build a great defense at USC, Lincoln Riley first entrusted the job to a familiar face from his Oklahoma days. When that failed, Riley handed the reins of his defense — and a massive paycheck — to the crosstown rival’s rising star … who then left two years later.

Now, in his third try at finding a leader for USC’s defense, Riley is working to lure a Hall of Famer to Hollywood.

USC is closing in on a deal to hire Gary Patterson, the longtime Texas Christian coach, as its defensive coordinator, a person familiar with the decision but not authorized to speak publicly told The Times.

Continue reading here

Ducks win fifth in a row

Mikael Granlund and Cutter Gauthier scored in the shootout and Lukas Dostal stopped 40 shots as the Ducks defeated the NHL-leading Colorado Avalanche 2-1 for their fifth straight win Wednesday night.

Jeffrey Viel scored in his second straight game as the Ducks opened a six-game trip.

Artturi Lehkonen scored for Colorado, and Scott Wedgewood made 16 saves.

Alex Killorn played in his 1,000th game. He spent 11 years with Tampa Bay, winning the Stanley Cup twice, before signing with the Ducks as a free agent in 2023.

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Ducks summary

NHL standings

WNBA releases schedule

The WNBA is set to begin its season on May 8, assuming the league and the players’ union can come to an agreement on a new collective bargaining agreement.

Teams will play 44 games over a five-month period with a 17-day break for the FIBA World Cup in early September. The league said last year that with the World Cup this season they would keep the schedule at 44 games despite adding two new teams in Portland and Toronto.

“As we prepare to tip off the WNBA’s historic 30th season, this schedule reflects both how far the league has come and the momentum that continues to drive us forward,” WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert said.

The Sparks are scheduled to open the season with a four-game homestand at Crypto.com Arena, beginning May 10 against the defending champion Las Vegas Aces. The Sparks will also host the expansion Toronto Tempo on May 15.

Continue reading here

Trade unions support Santa Anita

From John Cherwa: The dispute between the state and Santa Anita Park over the use of a new betting machine was ratcheted up Wednesday when four major trade unions sent a letter to Rob Bonta, the California attorney general, urging the state to return the terminals it confiscated on Saturday. Santa Anita filed suit against the state on Tuesday seeking the same.

Collectively, the Service Employees International Union, the Teamsters, California State Pipe Trades Council and the State Assn. of Electrical Workers created a special letterhead with all their logos to show their solidarity on the issue. The two-page letter, obtained by The Times, was stinging and pointed, calling the state’s removal of Racing on Demand machines as “not only misguided but reckless.”

It went on to say: “By removing these terminals, your agency has introduced unnecessary uncertainty into an industry already confronting significant economic challenges. This decision undermines innovation, discourages investment and jeopardizes the more than $1.7 billion in annual economic impact that California horse racing generates for local communities, workers and the state as a whole.”

Continue reading here

This day in sports history

1920 — The New York Yankees announce they will be the first team to wear uniform numbers, according to the player’s position in batting order.

1960 — Paul Pender beats Sugar Ray Robinson in a 15-round split decision to capture the world middleweight boxing title.

1962 — Bob Feller and Jackie Robinson are elected into baseball’s Hall of Fame. Robinson is the first Black man to enter the Hall.

1968 — The NBA awards expansion franchises to Milwaukee and Phoenix.

1973 — George Foreman knocks out Joe Frazier in the second round in Kingston, Jamaica, to win the world heavyweight title.

1983 — Houston becomes the first NBA team not to score a point in overtime. The Portland Trail Blazers outscore the Rockets 17-0 for a 113-96 victory.

1988 — Mike Tyson knocks out Larry Holmes in the fourth round at Atlantic City to retain his world heavyweight title.

1989 — After winning his third Super Bowl as head coach of the San Francisco 49ers, Bill Walsh retires.

1998 — New York’s Pat LaFontaine reaches 1,000 career points, scoring his 19th goal in the Rangers’ 4-3 loss to Philadelphia.

2003 — Andy Roddick wins one of the longest matches of the Open era, beating Younes El Aynaoui in a fifth set that ended 21-19 to reach the Australian Open semifinals. The American won 4-6, 7-6 (5), 4-6, 6-4, 21-19 in a match lasting 4 hours, 59 minutes — the longest men’s singles match at the Australian Open since tiebreaker sets were introduced into Grand Slam events in 1971.

2005 — Jockey Russell Baze passes Bill Shoemaker to take second place on the career win list. Russell gets his 8,834th victory aboard Hollow Memoires in the seventh race at Golden Gate Fields.

2006 — The Pittsburgh Steelers are the first team since the 1985 Patriots to win three postseason road games thanks to a 34-17 dismantling of the Denver Broncos in the AFC title game.

2006 — Kobe Bryant scores a staggering 81 points — the second-highest total in NBA history — and the Lakers beat the Toronto Raptors 122-104.

2012 — The New England Patriots beat the Ravens 23-20 in the AFC championship game after Baltimore’s Billy Cundiff misses a 32-yard field goal attempt with 11 seconds remaining that would have tied the score.

2012 — New York’s Lawrence Tynes kicks a 31-yard field goal in overtime and the Giants beat the San Francisco 49ers 20-17 in the NFC championship game.

2016 — David Blatt, the second-year coach who guided Cleveland to the NBA Finals in 2015, is fired despite the Cavaliers holding a 30-11 record. Blatt is the first coach since conferences began in 1970-71 to be fired when his team had the best record in its conference.

2018 — New Orleans Pelicans’ DeMarcus Cousins has 44 points, 24 rebounds & 10 assists in 132-128 double-OT win over Chicago Bulls; 1st player since Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (1972) with 40+ points, 20+ rebounds & 10+ assists.

Compiled by the Associated Press

Until next time…

That concludes today’s newsletter. If you have any feedback, ideas for improvement or things you’d like to see, email me at houston.mitchell@latimes.com. To get this newsletter in your inbox, click here.

A TRIP to the English seaside doesn’t have to just be in the summer – in fact many of them get a lot less rain than the rest of the country.

The UK gets an average 164 days of rain a year. Compared to as little as 45 days in Spain it’s certainly a depressing thought.

Yet Botany Bay beach in Kent is near to the Spanish rainy statistics, getting just 58 days of rain on average a year.

A study conducted by Parkdean looked at the rainfall patterns over the duration of one year aT some of the UK’s most popular beaches.

Joining others across Scarborough, Bristol and Weymouth, Botany Bay came out on top.

The small beach is often forgotten about by tourists, being away from any main train stations or shops.

SANDS GREAT

Our 26 must-visit UK beaches for 2026 – including tropical-feel spots

BY THE BEACH

Under-the-radar seaside village that’s now one of the coolest places in the UK

It sits between Margate – often named one of the UK’s trendiest seaside towns – and Broadstairs, a more traditional beach town.

Despite this, it is often called one of the UK’s most beautiful beaches, being relatively unspoilt.

One said: “Really lovely and doesn’t feel like you’re in the UK”.

While it isn’t ‘hot’, Botany Bay is also one of the warmest beaches in the UK in winter thanks to its location on the Channel.

Expect temperatures of 9.5C on average in winter – not sunbathing weather but warmer than most coastal spots.

Botany Bay doesn’t have a pub, but there is nearby the Captain Digby at Kingsgate Bay, sitting on top of the cliff and overlooking the ocean.

Expect a more authentically British pub rather than a trendy gastropub, but it’s great for a pint and a burger.

Otherwise there are also public toilets and a snack kiosk open in the summer months selling drinks and food.

If you fancy a long walk, the 32-mile Viking Coat Trail takes you from Margate to Broadstairs which goes via Botany Bay along the way.

When it comes to Margate, you can explore the trendy bars and restaurants of Cliftonville, named one of the world’s coolest neighborhoods last year by Time Out.

Or you can explore the retro Dreamland theme park, with a great line up of live music acts this summer.

If you’d rather explore Broadstairs, you an go on the Charles Dicken’s trail, with the town loved by the author.

And make sure to stay at the town’s newest hotel, Smith’s Townhouse.

Here are five other British beaches that are better to visit in winter.

And here’s how to find the UK’s warmest beach in winter.

South Korea on Thursday formally enacted a comprehensive law governing the safe use of artificial intelligence (AI) models, becoming the first country globally in doing so, establishing a regulatory framework against misinformation and other hazardous effects involving the emerging field.

The Basic Act on the Development of Artificial Intelligence and the Establishment of a Foundation for Trustworthiness, or the AI Basic Act, officially took effect Thursday, according to the science ministry.

It marked the first governmental adoption of comprehensive guidelines on the use of AI globally.

The act centers on requiring companies and AI developers to take greater responsibility for addressing deepfake content and misinformation that can be generated by AI models, granting the government the authority to impose fines or launch probes into violations.

In detail, the act introduces the concept of “high-risk AI,” referring to AI models used to generate content that can significantly affect users’ daily lives or their safety, including applications in the employment process, loan reviews and medical advice.

Entities harnessing such high-risk AI models are required to inform users that their services are based on AI and are responsible for ensuring safety. Content generated by AI models is required to carry watermarks indicating its AI-generated nature.

“Applying watermarks to AI-generated content is the minimum safeguard to prevent side effects from the abuse of AI technology, such as deepfake content,” a ministry official said.

Global companies offering AI services in South Korea meeting any of the following criteria — global annual revenue of 1 trillion won (US$681 million) or more, domestic sales of 10 billion won or higher, or at least 1 million daily users in the country — are required to designate a local representative.

Currently, OpenAI and Google fall under the criteria.

Violations of the act may be subject to fines of up to 30 million won, and the government plans to enforce a one-year grace period in imposing penalties to help the private sector adjust to the new rules.

The act also includes measures for the government to promote the AI industry, with the science minister required to present a policy blueprint every three years.

Following the implementation of the act, the science ministry said it has launched a support desk tasked with offering advisory services to businesses.

The support desk will work to respond to businesses’ general inquiries within three days and those requiring in-depth legal review within 14 days, according to the ministry.

“The AI Basic Act stands at the center of South Korea’s AI industry and the realization of an AI-based society,” Second Vice Science Minister Ryu Je-myung said in a release.

“The support desk will serve as a guide to help the act take root in the local industry,” Ryu added.

Copyright (c) Yonhap News Agency prohibits its content from being redistributed or reprinted without consent, and forbids the content from being learned and used by artificial intelligence systems.

EPA

What has been said about the framework deal?

Is there any detail about the possible deal?

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Why does Trump want Greenland?